Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 417 Playing the victim, someone is specifically targeting me.
It was still early in the night in China.

Several hours have passed since the test screening of "Nanjing! Nanjing!".

Both Qin Hong and Lu Tianming were quite busy, making phone calls non-stop.

One is for future box office success, the other is for their son.

Lu Xun kept refreshing his phone, trying to see if any media outlets had posted reviews or updates about the test screening. It was Qin Hong who stopped first.

"Mr. Qin, what are the media saying?" Lu Xun couldn't help but ask.

"We will control the comments. As for the media that came to the screening today, we have already paid them public relations fees. Two of them were not paid in the end, so I guess the news can't be covered up. Of course, this is not without its advantages."

There need to be both good and bad reviews; that's what makes it real.

After a busy night, Qin Hong finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Although there were some minor hiccups, the problem is still under control.

Lu Xun's lips twitched a few times, and he finally couldn't help but curse, "Damn Jiang Wen, he's a real mad dog."

Seeing this, Lu Tianming's gaze became subtle, then he smiled and looked at Qin Hong, "Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Qin."

"hehe."

Qin Hong nodded in agreement. That was exactly what he wanted to hear from Lu Tianming. As for Lu Xun, all that mattered now was ensuring the film didn't lose money.

However, Japan is quite interested in "Nanjing! Nanjing!" and is pursuing copyright channels, so it seems they might actually make a profit.

"Rumors will definitely spread, and even if posts are deleted, some will slip through the net. In order to prevent the film from being affected by the current public opinion, we should try to gradually downplay the rumors, since there is still some time before the film's release."

Or...

"Dad, and Wu Chen too. He might be back in the country in the next couple of days." Lu Xun clearly felt that downplaying this wouldn't be very effective.

"Then let's shift our focus."

Lu Tianming was clearly very familiar with this approach.

"How so?" Qin Hong asked, crossing his legs with interest.

"Play the victim." Lu Tianming looked at Lu Xun and said, word by word, "When you give interviews, make the public think that you are making a difficult attempt, that you are a victim being targeted, and try to downplay your true intentions."

A strange look appeared in Qin Hong's eyes.

Ginger is really spicy.

They came up with a good solution so quickly.
"Will it work?" Lu Xun seemed a little excited, but still asked another question.

“It works.” He said calmly. “People don’t remember complex positions; they only remember who looks weaker.”

Moreover, in works of art, the opposite of what is right is not always wrong. Even if it is right, a belligerent belief in what is right often doesn't lead to a good outcome; if you simply act more like the weaker party, others will defend you.”

"Then I'll do it tomorrow."

"No, tonight."

Qin Hong understood and nodded quickly: "Okay, I'll have someone arrange an interview right away. We'll edit the footage all night and it'll be online first thing tomorrow morning."

The next morning, in the capital.

A bit windy outside Xinjiekou, the haze still carrying the lingering chill of winter. Not all the newsstands along the street were open yet, but a renowned interview had been published, complete with a video.

The interview video has been released, and the title is extremely eye-catching:
[Interview with Lu Xun, director of "Nanjing! Nanjing!", who broke down in tears: "Some people don't want the audience to see this movie."]

In the video, Lu Xun's eyes were slightly sunken, and he deliberately wore a gray-blue sweater. His voice was hoarse, as if he had just stayed up several nights in a row. He choked up as he said:
"No one is perfect. When I was filming this story, I was already prepared to be criticized."

But making a historical film is really difficult. It took me four whole years to make this film, braving wind and rain. It almost failed several times, but many friends helped me get through it.

But I don't know what I did wrong. It seems some people just can't stand to see it do well. This is a work that reflects the pain of our nation. I don't understand why anyone would specifically target me.

"He talks like he's been wronged by someone." Jiang Wen stood in his living room, watching the interview video, stunned. He couldn't help but curse, "It's fucking disgusting. Who gave him this idea?"

I must say, the effect is very good.

The comment section quickly split up, just as Lu Tianming had predicted:
"Director Lu is so pitiful. Is it really that difficult to make historical films in China?"

"Artistic works are not the same as history. As long as the overall historical truth is respected, directors have the right to create their own works."

"Who knows what's true and what's false? Last night some unofficial media outlets said that someone criticized Lu Xun for glorifying the invaders at the preview screening, and then this happened first thing this morning. And why is he crying? He's a grown man."

"Calm down, the movie hasn't been released yet, don't jump to conclusions."

Seeing that the results were working, Lu Xun was smug, and his attention was indeed quickly diverted.

Meanwhile, Wu Chen was discussing special effects equipment with Jason Blum. The best option at the moment was Orphanage Studios, which had handled the special effects for films such as Iron Man, Sin City, and Triangle.

It announced its closure in January and is currently in the liquidation phase.

Jason Blum handed Wu Chen a document and slowly said:

"Their company also has project engineering materials and leftover IP packages that your company's employees can use for practice or to develop VFX libraries."

"Do you have any project material from 'Iron Man'?" Wu Chen asked jokingly. Jason Blum paused for a moment, then shook his head vigorously.

"How is that possible? There should be some lesser-known projects that, as long as they are not leaked, will not have copyright issues."

"Hmm, it seems pretty suitable. I can't afford anything too expensive right now, but this one is good."

Wu Chen nodded slightly. Assets in this liquidation phase are very cheap. For example, a rendering server costs about five thousand US dollars per node, and the whole set costs about four hundred thousand US dollars.

"Okay, then have your special effects company's head communicate with them slowly. Privately negotiating a quick acquisition might be cheaper."

"OK!"

Wu Chen came out of Blumhouse Film Studio, glanced at the time, and was about to head to the airport when Ning Hao called.

"You saw Lu Xun's message?"

"I've seen it, quite a few people have told me," Wu Chen replied with a smile.

"Quite a few people?"

Ning Hao grasped the key point.

"Yes, Professor Cui Weiping from the school also contacted me through a teacher and told me what she knew, but she didn't go to the screening that day."

"Oh," Ning Hao scratched his head, "I don't know him."

"It's normal that you don't recognize the professor in the basic studies department. She graduated from the Chinese Department of Jinling University and has done in-depth research on this period of history. She is very dissatisfied with the theme of 'Nanjing! Nanjing!'"

Wu Chen narrowed his eyes slightly as he spoke, which reminded him of something.

Lu Xun's actions were nothing more than a ploy to garner sympathy through harsh criticism and divert attention. The rumors couldn't even get a chance to address the film's problems; they were immediately sidetracked.
Wanting it to be released properly? Dream on.
Thinking of this, Wu Chen added, "By the way, I'll be back in the capital tomorrow afternoon."

"understood."

(End of this chapter)