Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 183 New Employees, Promises
The occasional news about "Lust, Caution" and the "Double J Project" still keeps the industry on edge.

Two days ago, after a press conference in Hong Kong to promote "Rob-B-Hood," Jackie Chan finally told the mainland media that the plan was finalized:

"All the difficulties have been overcome, and now the only problem left is the script."

We need a script that Jet Li and I both agree on. If all the pre-production goes smoothly, the film will be shot in Shanghai next March or April.
Since the film is primarily funded by overseas investors, they are currently contacting Chinese partners to facilitate filming in China.

The news immediately caused a huge uproar in the industry.

Everyone is speculating about who will get this piece of the pie.
When filming in Shanghai, many people would recommend Shanghai Film Group as the first partner.

However, a few days ago it was revealed that the investors and relevant personnel from China Film Group were discussing cooperation matters, and there were also signs of contact from Huayi Brothers.

Rumors were mixed, and for a time it was all very confusing, with constant speculation within the industry.

"Mr. Han, are you really planning to give up?"

The next day, Wu Chen went to China Film Group, where Gao Chengsheng gave a detailed reply, and Wu Chen then brought up the matter.

"Budget issues."

Han Sanping's comments were vague and unclear. He only made excuses, saying that he wanted to invest in "Red Cliff" and "Now You See Me 2," as well as a series of domestic films. He even said that Chen Kaige was going to start a project, and that the budget was not enough.

The topic then naturally changed:
"You know what, Chen Kaige's new project might be related to your 'Black Peony.' Mei Lanfang Cultural Communication Company and Mei Lanfang's descendant Mei Baojiu are planning to ask Chen Kaige to make a film about traditional Chinese culture."

"The nature is completely different. Director Chen adapted a true story, and it seems to depict a person's life, belonging to the biographical genre."

As they were talking, Gao Chengsheng knocked on the door and came in, handing over a thick document.

"Director Wu, here are the twenty-two cinemas that are about to be sold, and the list you requested."

"Okay, thanks." Wu Chen placed it in his hand without immediately opening it, chatted briefly, and then said goodbye and left.

Gao Chengsheng remained where he was and continued to report to Han Sanping:

"Ms. Wu Ying, General Manager of Mei Lanfang Cultural Communication Company, and Mr. Mei Baojiu hope to finalize the cooperation intention with Director Chen as soon as possible."

"How about this, at the end of the month, we'll hold a consultation meeting and invite all of them!" Han Sanping nodded.

PARKING LOT.

Wu Chen started the car, turned on the air conditioning, and didn't rush to drive away. In the quiet, he opened the documents.

A thick stack of documents flipped through my fingers, revealing a list of twenty-two cinemas.

Just as Han Sanping said, those businesses were either losing money or had outdated equipment that urgently needed renovation. As for those without a reason, Wu Chen understood that it meant the management team had completely stagnated.

Almost all of them are cinemas in third- and fourth-tier cities, with only one in a second-tier city.

No wonder they're being sold in bundles.

Wu Chen muttered to himself, not minding at all, and then opened the list again.

Three people were recommended on the management list above. Wu Chen glanced at them and his eyes fell on a person named Xu Dong, because the name seemed strangely familiar.

"Is he the Xu Dong from the future Stellar Cinemas?" Wu Chen frowned slightly, unsure for a moment.

The document states: awaiting reassignment.

He managed some cinemas in the Northern Cinema Circuit, which belonged to the Northern Distribution Department of China Film Group Corporation, and was a supervisor.

Without hesitation, Wu Chen dialed Gao Chengsheng's number directly.

"Director Wu, you mean Xu Dong, um?" Gao Chengsheng was inexplicably embarrassed and gave a vague explanation.

"Hehe, that's good."

Wu Chen understood. It was probably a problem with the internal system of China Film Group. Xu Dong's philosophy on cinema management differed from that of his direct superiors, which led to his gradual marginalization and eventually being put on the list of those waiting to be laid off.

"However, he should meet Director Wu's requirements. He is familiar with the local cinema system, understands screen renovation and cinema application procedures, and is also good at handling relationships with the local cultural bureau."

"Okay, Brother Gao, could you please tell him? If he's willing, have him come to Beijing immediately, and I'll reimburse all his expenses."

"It's no big deal; the group is just trying to figure out how to handle it!"

"."

Wu Chen was relieved that he had asked the question at the right time; if he had asked any later, he would have had to be placed in Xingmei.

At this point in time, the cinema industry still has too few talented people.

Perhaps because he had been frustrated for too long within the China Film Northern distribution system, and was now being forced to stand down, Xu Dong agreed over the phone when he heard that Wu Chen wanted to hire someone specifically to handle the cinema chain. He will start the trip to Beijing next week.

Meanwhile, "Now You See Me" has been taken off the screens in Chinese theaters, but it continues to be shown in North America.

The box office slowly climbed to $1.7 million.

Judging from the trend, it seems that breaking through 1.9 million is the limit.

Today, we are entirely supported by overseas markets.

The cumulative overseas box office has already exceeded $2.4 million, and it is not far from $3 million.

If the total box office can reach 480 million, "Now You See Me" will surpass Spielberg's "Jaws" of 4.77 million and squeeze into the top 50 highest-grossing films in history worldwide.

Meanwhile, the North American film market experienced a slight tremor.

The drug-themed action film "Miami Vice," starring Gong Li, grossed approximately $2520 million over the past three-day weekend.

It forcefully dethroned "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," which had held the top spot for three consecutive weeks, and took the top spot at the North American weekend box office.

When the news reached China, it instantly became a sensation on major entertainment news pages.

The media rushed to report on it, with each headline more sensational than the last.

Even the highly anticipated "Memoirs of a Geisha" by Zhang Ziyi failed to achieve this result.

Gong Li's global success has undoubtedly been a bombshell for domestic actresses. While Li An may have lost the lead role in "Lust, Caution," there's another film out there, this time co-starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

Suddenly, undercurrents were running through the actresses' industry, with some already making frequent private moves, such as submitting scripts, building connections, and gathering information.
Even Lu Zheng was muttering to himself at this moment.

"Does Tian Tian have a chance?" Lu Zheng was undecided for a moment. If he could seize the opportunity to break into Hollywood, it would be a golden road to success.

But opportunities in Hollywood are not so easy to come by, and among domestic producers and directors, there are very few who have such connections.

Lu Zheng looked at Ning Hao's call on his phone, and hesitated.

At that moment, Wu Chen was meeting Xu Dong at a teahouse not far from the Beijing Film Academy.

On a sweltering summer afternoon, the heat in Beijing was intense.

Even the shadows under the sycamore trees on the street were bleached white by the sun, and an invisible layer of dust floated in the air. In front of the teahouse, the wind chimes occasionally tinkled in the hot wind, making a series of crisp sighs.

This is an old teahouse hidden deep in a hutong. It has a small storefront but is exceptionally quiet.

The dim bamboo blinds, the slightly ajar door, and the aroma of tea create a cool, refreshing atmosphere, as if even the scorching heat is blocked by this touch of coolness.

A thick stack of documents was spread out on a bamboo-patterned table by the window.

"This is the information on these cinemas, a total of twenty-two. Xingchen Cinema will acquire it soon..."

Wu Chen tapped the document lightly with his knuckles, his voice unhurried, then looked up and sized up Xu Dong sitting opposite him.

The other person was in his thirties, from the north. He wasn't very tall, but he had broad shoulders and sat with the stability of an old tree with its roots firmly planted.

His face was angular and his skin was slightly tanned from the sun and wind, which indicated that he was often out and about.

His eyes were calm and bright; he didn't say anything superfluous, nor did he seem awkward.

A cup of Tieguanyin tea sat beside him, the tea slightly warm, yet he remained completely still.

"Secretary Gao already told me."

Wu Chen smiled slightly, spread his palms, and said crisply, "I also give you a promise: if you can handle these cinemas properly, you will definitely have a place in the senior management of Xingchen Cinemas in the future."

Whether you get the position of general manager depends on your own abilities.

As soon as he finished speaking, only the soft tinkling of wind chimes remained in the teahouse.

A barely perceptible flicker of excitement crossed Xu Dong's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it, simply straightening his back slightly, picking up his teacup, and drinking it all in one gulp.

"Thank you, Mr. Wu. To be honest, I've thought a lot about being laid off these past few days. Although my family keeps urging me not to give up my government job, it feels too restrictive within the system."
If Mr. Wu doesn't mind, I'll work for you!

Wu Chen smiled, reached out and pushed the document forward even further, spreading it out more wide.

"Let me tell you about the current situation; I won't go into detail about the movies."

Cinema distribution is one of Starry Night Pictures' future competitive advantages. The company is investing heavily, taking a step-by-step approach, and laying a solid foundation first.

As Wu Chen spoke, he stirred the floating leaves in his cup with a teaspoon, his tone calm yet forceful, as if he were laying out a long-term blueprint.

Xu Dong listened attentively, his brows furrowing and relaxing intermittently, clearly deep in thought about the current situation and future challenges.

After a moment, he put down his teacup and asked in a deep voice:

"Mr. Wu, if you say that you plan to open several flagship cinemas in first-tier cities in the next two years, then the locations must be decided within the next six months to a year."

Given the current expansion plans of major cinema chains, delaying by a year increases the uncertainty. Besides, do we have connections in the real estate sector? First-tier cities, for example, have high standards.”

Wu Chen tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondering for a moment:
"I'll think of a solution for the real estate side. Your priority is to get the renovations done as soon as I acquire these 22 cinemas."

How long will it take?

Xu Dong lowered his head in deep thought, his brows furrowing and then relaxing, appearing extremely cautious.

“It will take at least half a year,” he replied. “If everything goes smoothly, I am confident that I can revitalize the whole thing within a year.”

However, the renovation projects of some cinemas depend on the cooperation of local authorities and the construction schedule, and in some places, the process may be delayed.

"Ok!"

Wu Chen nodded, pushed the teacup aside, and a smile appeared on his lips:
"It will be a while before we secure the cinema. In the meantime, I need you to handle one thing. The company needs to get back on track and we need to move to a new location. I'll leave the site selection to you."

I'll send you the specific requirements later.

Xu Dong nodded steadily. He understood that this was a test from Wu Chen before he was put in charge of the cinema.

As evening fell, the heat outside the teahouse gradually dissipated, and the dappled shadows of the sycamore trees swayed gently.

Wu Chen patted Xu Dong on the shoulder and smiled:
"Let's go have a meal and meet some people along the way."

Before long, Xiang Zhuo and Chen Guowei arrived.

Under the dim light, the four people sat down, and the atmosphere was slightly relaxed.

"This is the future head of Xingchen Cinemas."

Wu Chen explained to the two, "Xu Dong will also be in charge of selecting the location for the new company."

You two should mainly focus on "Black Peony," but also lend a hand with location selection. He's new to Beijing and might not be familiar with the areas yet.

"Mr. Xu!"

Xiang Zhuo and Chen Guowei shouted in unison.

Xu Dong quickly waved his hand, smiled, and his voice, though simple, carried the hearty straightforwardness of a northerner:
"Brothers, I'm a bit older than you. If you don't mind, just call me 'brother'."

"These are minor matters; call me whatever you like. Let's eat first," Wu Chen said cheerfully.

The air was filled with the aroma of hot food.

(End of this chapter)