Huayu Entertainment: You have been directing for three generations, are you comparing your qualifica

Chapter 121: Using Pacific Rim to Boost the Development of Domestic Special Effects

To maintain the mystery, the film was not shown at the premiere; instead, behind-the-scenes footage and snippets of exciting moments were presented.

The dinner began.

Han Hong was invited to the stage to sing the theme song of the same name with Cheng Long and Kim Hee-sun, bringing the atmosphere to its climax.

Tian Xiaole's seat was undoubtedly at the head table, where Han Sanping, Yang Shoucheng, Wang Changtian, and others were also present.

People who came up to greet me and try to become familiar with me came and went like a revolving door, one group after another.

Huo Wenxi, accompanied by Yinghuang's artists, came over to toast each of them.

It must be said that this occasion is an opportunity for many people in the industry.

Film company owners, directors, and top producers are all socializing.

"Director Tian, ​​do you still remember me? I'm Ah Sa."

"Of course I remember, the cuter one is Ah Sa, right?"

Tian Xiaole smiled and raised her glass.

"I'm pretty too."

Ah Sa has a round face, speaks Mandarin with a slight lisp, and has a cheerful and lively personality.

"Haha... Confident girls are the most beautiful."

Tian Xiaole and Ah Sa clinked glasses; the former drank juice, and the latter drank alcohol.

"We won't disturb Director Tian any longer. Wenxi and I will head over first."

Huo Wenxi nodded to Tian Xiaole and led his people to socialize with other directors.

Wang Zhonglei is a good boss. The company only has two or three cats left, who are busy promoting their products to various directors.

Jackie Chan, holding Kim Hee-sun's hand, came to Tian Xiaole with a big smile on his face and his signature big nose.

"Director Tian, ​​thank you for attending the premiere."

"Brother, you're too kind. I haven't thanked you for the role yet."

Tian Xiaole offered a compliment.

"This is director Tian Xiaole, winner of the Berlin Silver Bear for Best Director, and a leading director of commercial films."

Cheng Long introduced Tian Xiaole to Kim Hee-sun.

"Director Jeon, I know you. South Korean actors have appeared in your movies."

"Hello, Princess Yu Shu's performance was quite good."

Every now and then, South Korea introduces a so-called "2000-year beauty," and Kim Hee-sun is the actress who has been introduced recently.

She is indeed very beautiful; otherwise, Jackie Chan would not have chosen her for the role.

···
Tian Xiaole left before the banquet ended.

The premiere of "The Myth" has been widely reported, and it can be seen on major portal websites.

It was Jackie Chan's first time acting in a period drama, which was quite a gimmick.

Before the film's release on the 23rd, the entire cast and crew had to return to Hong Kong Island for another event.

The next morning, Tian Xiaole saw that Tian Zhuangzhuang was dressed neatly, not like he was going to school, and asked curiously:
"What kind of social engagement do you have that requires such attention?"

"There are only five teams left in the competition for the chief director of the Olympic closing ceremony. I went to observe the final results."

No wonder there weren't many big-name directors last night; they were all running for office.

This immediately piqued Tian Xiaole's interest: "Is Uncle Chen still in the team?"

Old Tian stopped adjusting his collar, as if he had thought of something funny and was trying hard to suppress his laughter:

He was eliminated in the second round.

For such national affairs, the leader's primary requirement is to be pragmatic and to focus on the team's creativity.

Chen Kaige, on the other hand, is a thorough idealist. He didn't prepare any substantial content; instead, he started by reciting a poem.

Suddenly, news came from beyond the sword gate that the Subei had been captured; upon hearing it, tears streamed down my face!
But look at his wife, where is her sorrow now? She is overjoyed, having rolled up her books and poems!
It's a pity I didn't get to witness the little poetry prodigy's famous moment.

Twentieth Century Fox sent an email saying that filming for "Night at the Museum" has started and that Tian Xiaole can visit the set if she has time.

Based on Hollywood's shooting schedule, this movie should only take two months to complete, mainly due to post-production special effects.

That same day, domestic media outlets reprinted the Hollywood Reporter's report back to China.

"The film 'Night at the Museum,' written and invested by Tian Xiaole and produced in collaboration with 20th Century Fox, held its opening ceremony in Hollywood yesterday, with Chinese actor Huang Bo making his first public appearance."

"The success of Dead Silence and The Shallows allowed Tian Xiaole to enter Hollywood. Fox was the second Hollywood film company to extend an olive branch after Lionsgate."

The domestic entertainment industry has been dazzled by the news reports.

Especially Huang Bo, with his ordinary-looking face, has many people envying him for managing to get close to a powerful figure.

After the turn of the millennium, he was the first mainland Chinese male actor to appear in a Hollywood film.

Huayi seems to have been looking forward to this day for a long time, and immediately announced to the public that the company had secured a five million US dollar investment for the Hollywood fantasy blockbuster, "Night at the Museum".

Wanda followed suit, also announcing its investment in "Night at the Museum".

China Film Group and Shanghai Film Group have also announced that they have received a $5 million investment from Tian Xiaole.

It was only then that the industry realized that Tian Xiaole and a group of film and television companies had already reached an agreement and were not trying to monopolize the profits.

With two state-owned film and television industry leaders and one of the top three private film and television companies, and so many friends around me involved, how will I manage in the future?
On the 23rd, "The Myth" was released nationwide.

Although Jackie Chan's current appeal has declined somewhat from its peak, it should not be underestimated.

In particular, it was his first time acting in a period drama, where he played a general.

Movie fans and audiences have high expectations for this film.

Tian Xiaole took out the script for "Pacific Rim" from the safe.

I had previously hesitated between filming "The Thieves" and "Pacific Rim," but ultimately chose the former.

Because the funding and special effects technology required for the latter are unknown.

The reason Tian Xiaole took out the script is that he plans to film it for his next project.

China joined the WTO and signed a series of treaties with the World Trade Organization.

Of these, at least 20 regular revenue-sharing films and 3-5 special revenue-sharing films need to be imported each year.

05 was a difficult year for Chinese filmmakers.

In order to prevent Hollywood films from dominating the market, the government has relaxed its restrictions on importing films from Japan and South Korea.

To increase market diversity and buy time for domestic filmmakers.

As a Palme d'Or winner, Chen Kaige's first commercial film is highly anticipated.
In order to ensure the box office success of "The Promise," the Lunar New Year film season was cleared out, and major cinemas shifted their focus to filming more movies, all in an effort to give domestic films a boost.

But he just couldn't live up to expectations.

The scenes are grand and the special effects are good, but the storytelling ability is terrible.

The plot of 【The Promise】 cannot be described as fragmented; it is more like a complete blackout.

The overwhelming online memes and vehement criticism must have some connection to the movie's plot.

It's impossible to say that no one was fueling the flames.

Several external forces wanted to completely shut down Chen Kaige's path to becoming a commercial director.

【Wuji】In large-scale scenes, the use of imagery and color is absolutely unparalleled.

However, due to overwhelming public opinion, the film was directly labeled as such.

Movies are about storytelling; if the story isn't told well, there's no way to excuse it.

This is exactly what Hollywood wants to see: why bother making commercial films? Just enjoy their blockbusters.

This also explains why Hong Kong teams often enjoy special privileges in co-productions between Hong Kong Island and the mainland.

In any case, they are making Chinese-language films, which can help maintain the film market.

It's only because mainland filmmakers are disappointing; they can't even produce two commercially successful films a year.

In the past, Huayi's rapid rise was also due to the assistance of Han Sanping.

Unfortunately, things went astray later on, deviating from Han Sanping's original intention, which led to conflict between the two sides and an unpleasant ending.

Several special effects companies have been established in China, but they are still in the early stages of development.

Tian Xiaole had an idea: to use the special effects blockbuster "Pacific Rim" to boost the development of special effects in China.

At the same time, it boosts the confidence of domestic filmmakers and lets the outside world know that Chinese filmmakers can also make special effects blockbusters.

And most importantly, the current films still haven't met the domestic market demand.

In 98, "Titanic" grossed 3.6 million at the box office.

The 02 film "Hero" also had a box office of 2.5 billion.

Several years have passed, and the number of cinemas and screens has continued to increase, but no film has yet grossed more than 2 million yuan at the domestic box office.

What does this mean?
This indicates that the films on the market have failed to meet the viewing needs of audiences, or have failed to arouse their interest.

Apart from two or three directors in mainland China who can make commercial films, the rest are busy making art films and participating in film festivals.

Besides winning awards, selling film rights is the most stable way to generate returns.

Hong Kong films, on the other hand, have always had a small-scale feel to them, let alone producing blockbusters.

The script for Pacific Rim satisfies all these requirements perfectly.

Why should Captain America save the world?

Are Chinese people incapable?
The subsequent success of "Wolf Warrior" not only propelled Wu Jing to the top but also broke the defenses against human implantation in China.

This is their American daddy's patent. How can you, a Chinese person, save the earth and maintain regional peace?
Tian Xiaole has made a decision: his next movie will be "Pacific Rim"!
Once I had this idea, I couldn't stop myself from having it.

The original film's plot revolves around an alien civilization on a certain planet whose highly developed habitat has become uninhabitable.

In search of a new home, they decided to colonize other planets and used advanced space folding technology to construct space wormholes.

Force all the star players who are suitable for survival to be matched together.

By combining their own DNA with biological mutation technology, they cloned the Chrysanthemum Beast, which has bizarre shapes, enormous size, and is covered in deadly poison.

Earth is also one of their targets.

As early as the Ice Age hundreds of millions of years ago, wormholes leading to Earth were constructed.

Because the Earth is undeveloped, with lush vegetation and extremely high oxygen levels, it is not suitable for habitation.

After hundreds of millions of years of evolution, humanity began to rise and entered a highly developed era.

Trees are being cut down, and large amounts of household and industrial waste are being dumped into the ocean, damaging the Earth's ecosystem.

This gave a glimmer of hope to the pioneering civilization that had been dormant for hundreds of millions of years, prompting them to formulate an invasion plan.

For the safety of the wormhole, it was specially built in the deep ocean, thousands of meters below the surface.

A colossal beast known as the Pioneer has begun to descend upon Earth, appearing along the coast of China.

Despite the relentless bombardment by military aircraft and missiles, the behemoth only suffered minor external damage.

It was only destroyed by nuclear bombing.

Unexpectedly, an even greater disaster followed.

The venom contained within the giant beast began to evaporate and spread, turning cities into ghost towns as it permeated the air.

In the following years, giant monsters frequently invaded various parts of the world, and humanity could only eliminate them by continuously using nuclear bombs.

With the dual spread of toxic substances and nuclear contamination, humanity faces another challenge, and habitable cities are rapidly decreasing.

For the last hope of human survival, countries around the world put aside their grudges and grievances, chose to unite, and concentrated their manpower and resources to establish the Rim of the Pacific Joint Defense Force.

Following the original plot, the event would take place in 13, which is definitely not feasible. First, let's consider domestic industry. Although it has gradually caught up with the United States and Western countries, it hasn't reached its peak yet.

Tian Xiaole recalls that the domestic industrial boom occurred after the South China Sea incident 16 years ago.

Therefore, he plans to move the timeline to 2020, using a forward-looking perspective to foreshadow the power of China's industrial Cthulhu fifteen years in advance.

Special effects blockbusters are all about grand scenes; the plot is secondary. The special effects must meet the audience's expectations for the film.

Following this line of thought, Tian Xiaole began to bury himself in rewriting the script.

···
In the film market, "The Myth" is reaping box office profits with impunity.

The first day's revenue was 812 million.

The stock surged on the 24th, closing at 1050 million.

The number dropped slightly on the third day, closing at 995 million.

This proves that Jackie Chan still has a strong appeal in period dramas.

Tian Xiaole looked at the script she had revised over the past few days, stretched comfortably, and started chattering away.

Han Sanping is in a good mood lately. The box office of "The Myth" is soaring, and there are also reports that "Night at the Museum" has started filming.

With two more blockbusters set to be released at the end of the year, "The Promise" and "The Thieves," it all seems like a thriving scene.

With both achievements and political success, the future looks bright.

The most gratifying thing in the past two years has been the continuous emergence of young directors in China, such as Tian Xiaole and Ning Hao.

Lu Chuan is considered half negative!
Han Sanping envisioned the scene of the domestic film and television industry, like a great ship, sailing across the ocean under his helm.

"Why don't you come to China Film Group?"

Seeing Tian Xiaole knock on the door and enter, Han Sanping said with a smile.

"Something good has happened, something you've been hoping for."

"What I've been hoping for?"

Han Sanping was a little puzzled when he saw Tian Xiaole take out a prepared script from his bag.

"new project?"

Han Sanping asked the question before even looking at it, his face beaming with eager smiles.

He's been eagerly anticipating Tian Xiaole's big release.

"If you want tea, brew it yourself."

Han Sanping gave a shout and then eagerly flipped through the script.

Tian Xiaole didn't disturb him. She sat down on the sofa, found a can of tea that looked good, and started brewing it herself.

The vice chairman's office was large, with only the sounds of boiling water and turning pages of paper.

"Good, good script."

When Han Sanping got excited, he slammed his fist on the table and shouted.

Tian Xiaole was startled and looked over with annoyance, only to find that Han Sanping's face was flushed and his eyes were very bright.

By the end, Han Sanping calmed down. The scenes described in the script, especially the mecha effects, were beyond what could be achieved domestically.

"Xiao Le, how do you plan to do this project?"

Upon hearing the question, Tian Xiaole cleared her throat:
"I plan to do it domestically. You've read the script, and the investment won't be small. I want to use the investors' money to help promote the development of special effects in China."

This will be a long-term project, possibly two or three years, or even longer, so this time, I plan to bring in several more investors.

It sounds like a very lofty ideal, full of great ambition.

"In terms of post-production special effects, China is just starting out. Achieving the scenes described in the script will not be a matter of a day or two."

Han Sanping's desire to make blockbusters is understandable, but he also has to consider the realities of the domestic market.

He tried to persuade him, saying, "Your special effects in 'The Shallows' are pretty good, why can't you have it made in Hollywood?"

Knowing Han Sanping's concerns, Tian Xiaole reassured him:
"Post-production for movies isn't done behind closed doors. I have a company in Hollywood that can handle some of the special effects production, using their equipment."

We will also have them guide domestic productions and cultivate our own talent. We plan to involve other domestic visual effects companies as well.

The [Pacific Rim] project is a great opportunity. Providing them with projects and funding is not the goal; only through industry-wide progress can there be hope…

Tian Xiaole talked a lot in one breath, then took a big gulp of tea to moisten her throat.

Han Sanping listened attentively, nodding occasionally.

Does the script have a budget?

"It won't be low; the marketing department needs to assess it."

Domestic actors, venues, and models are all very cheap, so the cost won't be as high as the original film, but the investment is still estimated to be a record high.

“You’re right, let’s do it ourselves. Who says special effects blockbusters have to be made in Hollywood? Let’s make one ourselves and set an example for domestic filmmakers.”

Han Sanping slammed his fist on the table, becoming more and more agitated as he spoke.

Yes, that's his personality, like that of Zuo Shandiao.

This kind of blockbuster suits his taste.

Tian Xiaole had anticipated this situation before she arrived, so she wasn't surprised.

But he still reminded him, "Uncle Han, there are many situations where the military will be needed, in this regard..."

"China Film Group will coordinate, there won't be any problems." Han Sanping waved his hand.

And so, Tian Xiaole left the script with China Film Group, and Han Sanping personally took it for review.

The script's descriptions of city destruction and viral spread are considered restricted under domestic censorship regulations.

Tian Xiaole returned to the company and had the marketing department and the China Film team coordinate to come up with a budget proposal.

Unlike previous commercial scripts, this one required far more preparation beforehand. It was a process of trial and error, not just about raising enough funds.

For many large scenes, Tian Xiaole plans to film them on location, or at the very least, build a 1/1 scale set.

The budget proposal must be convincing enough to persuade investors to invest, giving them a clear understanding of the situation.

The press conference for the start of filming of "A Battle of Wits" was held at the Huairou Film City in Beijing.

Huayi's projects are being launched one after another, constantly flexing its muscles to the outside world.

Huayi Brothers remains a leading private film and television enterprise in mainland China, and its status cannot be affected by anyone leaving.

Tian Xiaole cast Tang Yan as the female lead, and Zhao Liying as the third female lead.

He was also present at today's opening ceremony.

Huayi Brothers may have been influenced by Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, as they released two big-budget period dramas in a row.

【The Banquet】was a full-fledged production, while this 【Battle of Wits】was a co-production with Xiao Ri Zi.

The film is adapted from the comic book series "Mozi's Strategy" published by the author Xiao Rizi.

It's rather pathetic that the Mohist school of thought in China was actually a product of grafting everyday life onto other things.

The opening ceremony was grand, with all the main creators present, and Huayi invited dozens of media reporters to attend.

Liu Dehua appeared with a shaved head, and Tang Yan's appearance was also quite good; she played the role of a princess in the film.

The director is Cheung Chi-leung from Hong Kong Island. I heard that he spent HK$200 million to acquire the comic book rights.

It's a huge injustice; Chinese people have to pay copyright fees to a small group of people for their own work.

On stage, Wang Zhonglei spoke eloquently about Huayi's strategy, emphasizing that film and television production is the company's foundation.

The fact that Wang Jinghua is constantly being criticized suggests that her departure has caused considerable psychological trauma to the Wang brothers.

Subsequently, Liu Dehua, the male lead, performed a set of Mo family sword techniques, which he had practiced intensively for three months in advance and performed quite well.

Invited media reporters should record the process in detail, otherwise they won't feel comfortable receiving their travel expenses.

As soon as the interview ended, Tang Yan appeared next to Tian Xiaole, her lips pouting slightly and her face looking a bit sour.

"Who made you angry? You've been pouting."

Tian Xiaole found it somewhat amusing.

Following her gaze, Zhao Liying was not far away.

Tang Yan had read the news online, and given Tian Xiaole's work style, she had a premonition that she had gained another competitor.

"What are you thinking about?"

Tian Xiaole flicked Tang Yan on the forehead, saying that her impression of him was too stereotypical, as if he thought only with his lower body.

"There are a lot of action scenes in this movie, so be careful."

"Oh, I know."

Tang Yan rubbed her forehead, but a smile played at the corners of her eyes.

Brother Le, this is because you care about me!

"Director Tian, ​​we meet again."

"Hello, Brother Hua."

Liu Dehua's bald head was very conspicuous. He noticed Tian Xiaole's confusion and explained:

"I got my hair cut so it would be easier to do my makeup later."

The older generation of Hong Kong actors were indeed dedicated; otherwise, they would lose their jobs.

The competition is fierce in such a small area.

Tian Xiaole waved to Zhao Liying, who was not far away, and after she came over, he said to Liu Dehua:

"Tang Yan and Zhao Liying are artists from my company. Please help take good care of them during the production."

"Director Tian is joking. I still need your help to maintain my influence in mainland China."

Liu Dehua joked, but nodded in agreement.

Although the film was invested in by Huayi Brothers, the production team was from Hong Kong. Sometimes it's easy to bully an actor; they can find all sorts of reasons and excuses.

"I hope to have the opportunity to work with Director Tian. As long as the script is good, the salary is negotiable."

Liu De laughed and handed over his business card with both hands.

"If there's a suitable role, we'll collaborate."

Tian Xiaole glanced at the business card in his hand and then put it away.

He doesn't have many favorite actors from Hong Kong, but Lau Tak-wah is definitely one of them.

···
Han Sanping gave Tian Xiaole a phone call, saying that the investment budget for the [Pacific Rim] project had been released.

Once a film project is approved, the investment is the highest in the country, and this is exactly what Tian Xiaole expected.

Han Sanping stated the team's budget, which was approximately 5 million yuan.

Although it was expected, the office remained deathly silent after the data was released.

The highest-grossing film in the new millennium was "Hero" in 02.

They're going to spend 5 million to make a movie.

As soon as the news gets out, it will definitely be attacked by reporters, media, experts, scholars, and movie fans.

Tian Xiaole had already anticipated the scene where everyone would misunderstand him and be besiege him.

It's probably very brutal!
"Should we continue?"

"Why not do it?"

Han Sanping spoke with conviction, determined to invest in this film.

(End of this chapter)