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

Before the release of Pacific Rim, Han Sanping suggested holding a screening, and Tian Xiaole agreed.

Inviting major cinemas to screen the film not only helps increase screenings, but also addresses the issue of film copies.

This will give the China Film Distribution Department a mental estimate of how many copies to prepare.

No matter how good the trailer looks or how realistic the special effects are, if the entire movie only has a few minutes of exciting scenes, wouldn't all the grand scale and spectacle in the beginning be embarrassing?

We need to reassure all parties.

Most importantly, we need to negotiate the box office revenue sharing with the theaters; the current 42% cut for producers is too low.

Back then, the movie "Hero" was able to persuade major domestic cinemas to increase their revenue share from 35% to 40%.

Then it fell back to 37%.

The revenue sharing for box office revenue was increased several times during the process.

The success rate of [Ambush from Ten Sides] has increased from 40% to 41%, and [Golden Armor] has reached 42%.

Although Zhang Weiping has a big mouth and is quite annoying, he has made outstanding contributions to the domestic film and television industry by increasing the revenue sharing ratio.

With his current reputation and the success of a Hollywood-level film like Pacific Rim, Tian Xiaole has more leverage to negotiate higher revenue-sharing terms.

Tian Xiaole approached Ye Ning and booked Wanda's newest IMAX theater for a movie screening.

Wanda was the first to recognize the potential of the 3D market and began to gradually build related facilities, making it the largest cinema chain in China in terms of investment.

This top-notch theater is perfect for watching blockbuster movies with special effects; the ultimate audio-visual experience is something that ordinary 2D theaters can never achieve.

No matter how exciting the movie plot or how grand the scenes, it falls far short.

I'm looking forward to seeing how others react when they see Pacific Rim.

"Director Tian, ​​the Dolby Cinema at Wanda Cinema, which has just been renovated, should be more suitable for film screenings."

Tian Xiaole was surprised, not expecting that China had introduced the most advanced Dolby technology so early.

"Mr. Ye, the box office revenue sharing for the movie 'Pacific Rim' will definitely not be the same as other films; the revenue sharing will definitely be increased."

Tian Xiaole revealed in advance that he wanted to see Ye Ning's reaction. Wanda Cinemas is one of the top three in China, and securing them would give them more confidence to negotiate with other cinema chains.

"Director Tian, ​​you want to increase your box office revenue share through 'Pacific Rim'? That's probably going to be difficult, as it has already affected the interests of all cinema chains."

"I knew you wouldn't agree, so I've prepared a plan. We'll discuss it together after the screening."

"Then I look forward to your proposal."

·······
On his Leyu blog account, Tian Xiaole announced that a screening of Pacific Rim would be held, and invited some science fiction fans to attend.

The news spread rapidly as soon as it was released, causing a stir in all directions.

Immediately, major film companies, directors, and movie fans, whose interest had already been piqued by the two trailers, were eager to see them.

Many people called, looking for Tian Xiaole to get invitation letters.

These people were originally on the invitation list.

It would be too painful if no one witnessed the process of deification.

"Boss, the invitations have been sent out, and the response has been very enthusiastic. Everyone will be attending the screening."

"We must do a good job of keeping the secret and ensure that the film is not leaked."

"We've already spoken with China Film Group, and they'll take care of this."

Tian Xiaole was very satisfied with Chen Zhixi's arrangements; she always seemed to anticipate uncontrollable factors when handling matters.

To prevent people from bringing in hidden cameras, all audience members, guests, and others entering the theater are subject to body searches.

Leaving this potentially offensive task to China Film Group is the best option.

The film "Red Cliff Part II" grossed over 4 million yuan in its opening weekend at Shanghai Film Group, which is puzzling.

These days, the worse the reputation, the more likely they are to sell tickets at the box office?
[Racing] has been in theaters for 11 days and is now approaching the 2 million yuan mark at the box office.

Ning Hao is about to become the fifth director to have a box office gross of over 2 million yuan.

On the day of the premiere, the main cast of "Pacific Rim" gathered together; it was the first time they had seen the finished film.

Directors from various film studios, managers from major cinema chains, and lucky moviegoers entered the venue in an orderly fashion.

This Wanda Cinema is very large; it can seat more than 400 people.

Many people began to take a closer look at this unusual theater, feeling that it was different from the others.

Some people have discovered that this is a Dolby Cinema, which features the most advanced large-screen sound system, creating a complete movie-watching visual experience.

Whether it's contrast ratio or brightness, especially with laser projection technology, it boasts an ultra-high contrast ratio of 100/1.

This is a visual and audio effect that cannot be achieved with ordinary 3D or IMAX.

This is a complete Dolby Cinema system; apart from this screen, there's only one other place in China, located in Wuhan.

Seeing such a grand event, all the guests present today had their expectations raised to an even higher level.

The theater lights dimmed, and the theater immediately fell silent.

Everyone put on 3D glasses as if by unspoken agreement, waiting for this domestic sci-fi blockbuster to begin.

Will Pacific Rim, a film three years in the making, be as explosive as its trailer suggests? We'll find out soon.

At this moment, everyone sat up straight, their eyes fixed on the big screen.

The film begins by revealing the origin of the monsters: they are alien creatures who wanted to enslave Earth, and they had been dormant for hundreds of millions of years because of the presence of oxygen.

It was only the development of human civilization and the destruction of the ecological environment that gave them the opportunity to invade.

Western countries like to use movies to stand on moral high ground, calling for environmental protection and safeguarding the Earth, using lofty rhetoric to showcase themselves as civilized nations.

Tian Xiaole is breaking this status quo; shouting slogans is not a privilege unique to the West.

The very first shot of the film shows a vast expanse of sea suddenly filled with a huge whirlpool, with seawater rushing in.

Watching it on this big screen is completely different from watching the trailer online.

The monster's outstretched claws seemed to pierce the audience's eyes, causing them to instinctively lean back and dodge.

If there were people in the monitoring room, they would see that everyone leaned back slightly in unison.

The monster appeared and headed straight for the nearest island nation.

The audience sitting in the theater were already excited, knowing what was about to happen.

It's not just the realistic special effects that are breathtaking, but also the hatred stemming from nationalistic sentiments.

The island nation, caught completely off guard, suffered unprecedented destruction.

With firearms rendered ineffective, they could only watch helplessly as their country fell.

The island nation's distress signal has spread throughout the world, but without exception, no country has offered any assistance.

The movie had barely started when most of the audience felt a sense of exhilarating relief, sweating profusely.

The scene shifts to the Dragon Kingdom, which, having discovered the anomaly, dispatches the "Kamikaze Squad" to investigate.

Commander Chen Baoguo pilots the mech "Undying Blade".

A mecha standing 200 meters tall, with an overall gray and white color scheme, exuding a cold, steel-like texture.

bang bang bang...

With each step, the mechanical roar and the buzzing of nuclear power echoed in my ears.

The camera moves slowly upwards from the mechanical feet cracking the ground, revealing various details.

On the large screen with its ultra-high resolution, the mecha's cold, steel texture is vividly displayed, and the hydraulic power system rhythmically pulls it up with each step.

The audience was deeply impressed.

It felt very real.

Rumble, rumble...

As the sound of the speakers rang out, it felt as if every step the mecha took was treading on the hearts of the audience.

This is the kind of visual effect only sci-fi blockbusters can deliver.

"So this is what a sci-fi movie is like? The visual effects are amazing..."

"Can we make a movie like this ourselves?"

murmurs began to circulate below, with some film company owners exchanging information.

"Special effects are a huge problem, let's just forget about it..."

Many directors shook their heads with wry smiles, realizing they hadn't even mastered traditional period dramas, let alone science fiction.

Guo Fan's eyes lit up, as if he were looking at a beautiful woman who had taken off her clothes; this was the sci-fi blockbuster he had been longing for.

Unlike these veteran directors, the managers from major cinema chains were practically grinning from ear to ear.

The release of this movie will definitely create a movie-going frenzy, and theaters will make a huge profit, which is related to their year-end bonuses.

The film is 2 hours long and is a complete visual feast.

The fireworks display in the nuclear-bombed island nation drew applause and cheers from many in the audience, who forgot they were in a movie theater.

On the screen, mushrooms bloomed one after another, first a bright day, then a dazzling flash that made it hard to open one's eyes.

The following battles were filled with thrilling scenes.

The rescue efforts on Hong Kong Island have once again stirred up our passion.

[Plasma cannons], [laser weapons], [light cutting]... and other futuristic weapons, equipped with towering mechs.

It leaves men completely defenseless, unable to look away.

The film is captivating from beginning to end, with one spectacular scene after another that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

·······
The lead actors sitting in the front row never took their eyes off the big screen, even though it was uncomfortable to look up, they kept staring.

The best seats were reserved by Tian Xiaole for theater owners and moviegoers; even the directors in the industry were all seated near the aisle. "Brother Tian is amazing. He was able to make this epic film. No wonder it took three years to produce."

Jing Tian whispered to Liu Yifei.

"I didn't feel anything while filming; I was just performing in front of a green screen. I never expected the final product to be so amazing."

Liu Yifei exclaimed sincerely.

Science fiction films are fine for new generation actors like her; they can adapt quickly. But for veteran actors, it's very difficult to adapt to this style of acting.

When the two-hour film ended, everyone in the audience was still immersed in the movie, deeply moved.

A moment later, the investors, led by Han Sanping, clapped, inspiring the entire audience to join in.

After the screening, Tian Xiaole invited representatives from several cinema chains to move to another location for a chat.

Jing Tian and Zeng Li, who wanted to come up and say hello, stopped in their tracks.

Looking at the man who shone brightly in the crowd, her eyes rippled.

In the China Film Group conference room, representatives from various cinema chains exchanged glances, each harboring their own suspicions.

Ye Ning sat at the head of the long table. He already knew the news, but his eyes were vacant, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

Tian Xiaole took a sip of tea and looked at the major domestic cinema chains.

Due to previous policies, foreign capital withdrew its share, which was then acquired by domestic companies.

"China Film Stellar Media", "Wanda", "Shanghai United", "China Film Southern New Line", "New Film Union", "Jinyi" and "Times" occupy 90% of the market share.

Other smaller cinemas were not even on the invitation list.

"Everyone has seen Pacific Rim, so I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. This movie took three years to make and cost over 6 million yuan."

Tian Xiaole paused, observing their reactions; they were all listening intently. She then continued:

"As everyone knows, the total box office in the domestic market was only 33.27 billion yuan last year, and only 16 billion yuan in the first half of this year. For 'Pacific Rim' to recoup its costs, the box office needs to reach three times that amount."

In other words, "Pacific Rim" needs to gross 18 billion yuan to break even.

After Tian Xiaole laid out so much, even if the theater owners were stupid, they would know what he wanted to say.

"A 42% revenue share is unfair to a big-budget film like [Pacific Rim], and the revenue share needs to be increased."

"How much does Director Tian want to ask for?"

A slightly overweight person from the cinema chain, wearing black-rimmed glasses, asked.

"45%."

No sooner had Tian Xiaole spoken than someone vehemently retorted, "Impossible."

Even Ye Ning looked over, puzzled and full of questions, thinking: Has he gone mad?!

The meeting room instantly descended into chaos, everyone shocked by this outrageous request.

Tian Xiaole pressed her hands down to signal for quiet, and calmly began to speak:
"Listen to what I have to say first."

45% is a firm rule that cinemas will not agree to unless they are completely stupid, so other methods must be used.

How much do you think Pacific Rim will gross at the box office?

Tian Xiaole looked at everyone and asked.

"4."

"5."

"It could be 6 million."

Several theater managers offered their predictions, all talking at once.

Last year's "Transformers" only grossed 2.8 billion yuan. The reason for predicting such a high box office is due to the quality of the film and Tian Xiaole's long-standing appeal.

"Since everyone has made their predictions, how about we make a bet? Are you interested?"

"A bet? Director Tian, ​​how do you want to bet?"

Suddenly, everyone became interested.

“4个亿内分账不变还是42%，票房拿到5个亿43%，要是6个亿就44%。

Over 6 million, or 45%.

Bang it.

The managers of the major cinema chains all looked at Tian Xiaole with disapproving eyes. No matter how high the quality of the film was, the domestic market had its limits.

A movie can gross 6 million?

This is nothing short of a fantasy.

Just as the theater chain hesitated about whether to take the gamble, Ye Ning spoke up: "Wanda has taken the gamble."

When others saw that Wanda had already taken the gamble, they realized that if they added China Film Group, they could completely outcompete them in terms of screenings.

They all nodded in agreement instantly, willing to participate in this high-stakes gamble.

·······
"Everything has been agreed upon?"

Seeing Tian Xiaole sitting so rudely, Han Sanping took the initiative to brew tea, filled a cup, and pushed it in front of him.

"Yes, they are all willing to take the gamble. Besides not really believing that the film can achieve high box office returns, they are also afraid that the film will be released in theaters in China."

Tian Xiaole drank it all in one gulp; he was indeed thirsty after talking so much.

"If you're really that good-looking, your movie will make 6 million? Or even more."

Han Sanping wasn't questioning Tian Xiaole; ​​it's just that the domestic market is only so big, and although it's increasing every year, there's a limit to what it can reach.

The highest-grossing film was last year's "The Thieves," which only reached 3.67 million.

With such a significant increase, even Han Sanping lacked confidence, let alone the theater chains.

"Uncle Han, don't underestimate our market. The 82 film 'Shaolin Temple' made 1 million yuan, and 'Titanic' made 3.6 ​​million yuan in China."

Before these two movies were released, who could have imagined they would achieve such high box office returns?

Tian Xiaole has always been very confident in the domestic market, whose potential has yet to be fully realized.

"By the way, how many movie copies have you prepared?"

"There are 1600 film and digital in total, and we can add more if that's not enough."

This is already a huge undertaking; the cost of copying alone amounted to 16 million.

But Tian Xiaole was still not satisfied, shaking his head and saying, "Not enough, we need to prepare at least 2000."

"There are only about four thousand large screens in China, and you want to put 'Pacific Rim' on half of them?"

"If possible, I would have no objection to giving them all away."

Tian Xiaole shrugged and said with a smile.

Actually, when you calculate it, it's quite possible to do it.

There is no one-to-one relationship between the number of copies and the number of large screens.

Some screening rooms may only need one copy to operate, and some small cinemas may only need one copy to meet their needs.

Based on this calculation, there are approximately 4100 large screens nationwide, which accounts for nearly half of the copy usage rate, roughly 60-70% of the film screenings.

·······
As the screening concluded, many details of the film were revealed.

Public opinion exploded instantly.

"Pacific Rim is a groundbreaking science fiction film with special effects that rival Hollywood blockbusters. Chinese science fiction has officially risen!"

"A special effects blockbuster that can rival Transformers, Tian Xiaole's boast has become a reality."

······
Immediately afterwards, news of Tian Xiaole's bet with the cinema chain spread, causing an uproar.

The media has published headlines such as "Pacific Rim: $6 Million Box Office Target".

A box office revenue of 6 million would represent 44%, an increase of 2 percentage points. If that target is reached, it would be a huge sum.

Zhang Weiping stepped forward and said sarcastically:

"Some directors, after achieving a little success, are willing to take on any bet. Do they even know what 6 million yuan in box office revenue means?"

Tian Xiaole saw the news, but was too lazy to pay attention to it and did not respond.

Most people in the industry think he's being delusional, or that the pressure to recoup the film's costs is driving him to make a desperate attempt to fix things.

With an investment cost of 6 million yuan, it was already the largest film investment in Chinese-language films to date.

It would take 18 billion yuan to break even, while the total box office revenue for the first half of this year was only 16 billion yuan.

Nowadays, it's simply impossible to get this kind of data from a movie's box office.

Considering the film's global release, it's quite possible that it could actually be profitable.

After all, "The Chase" grossed $2.7 million worldwide.

When the news broke that China Film Group had prepared 1800 copies of the film, everyone was stunned.

What is this concept?
Half of the large screens in China will be showing "Pacific Rim".

If they knew that Tian Xiaole wanted to make 2000 copies, I wonder what their expressions would be.

Unfortunately, Han Sanping believed that 1800 would be more than enough.

Zhang Weiping didn't mention anything about "Pacific Rim" again, but instead took advantage of the buzz to announce Zhang Yimou's new script, which will soon be open for auditions.

Many people only realized later that all this was just a publicity stunt to ride the wave of popularity and talk about this matter.
This news is indeed major news for the actors in the group.

After the Olympics were elevated to a divine status, Zhang Yimou's first film undoubtedly received top-tier resources. (End of Chapter)