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

Wang Changtian met with Tian Xiaole, saying he had a business deal to discuss.

The former didn't pay much attention, since Enlight Media had only just entered the film production business, how big of a project could it possibly be?
In the afternoon, Wang Changtian brought Chen Jiashang to Xiaole Film Studio.

"Director Tian, ​​let me introduce you. This is Director Chen Jiashang."

"Director Tian, ​​the 'Painted Skin' project owes its success to you."

Chen Jiashang knew that Tian Xiaole disliked the Hong Kong entertainment industry, so he adopted a very humble attitude.

After all, this movie borrowed from the original "Painted Skin".

"You're too kind, Director Chen."

After a brief handshake, Tian Xiaole gestured for them to sit down and talk.

"The entertainment industry has been quite turbulent lately. Many film companies are trying to connect with Hollywood, and they're all adopting a very humble approach..."

Wang Changtian expressed his utter contempt for the practices of certain companies within the industry.

As he spoke, he glanced at Tian Xiaole and tentatively asked, "If we're talking about the most likely company to collaborate with Hollywood, Xiaole Pictures must be it. They've received quite a few audition invitations, haven't they?"

"There are quite a few, but they are all just minor, insignificant roles, and we rejected them all."

Seeing Tian Xiaole speak so casually, Wang Changtian became uneasy.

Don't be fooled by his disdainful look just now. That's because Enlight Media's production business was just starting out and they didn't have many signed artists. Otherwise, he would have already rushed over.

Chan Ka-sheung was also surprised to have the opportunity to act in a Hollywood movie, and actors from Hong Kong Island were also eager to take the opportunity.

The allure of Hollywood in this era goes without saying.

"Chairman Wang, let's talk about business."

Chen Jiashang reminded him, and Wang Changtian then put away his gossipy thoughts:
"Director Tian, ​​the production quality of 'Coloroom' is widely praised. We'd like to have the post-production special effects for 'Painted Skin' done by you."

Unexpectedly, this caused Tian Xiaole to frown; the "Color Strip House" was a bit overwhelmed.

Pacific Rim 2, The Witch, and Big Fish & Begonia are all in production.

But when business comes knocking, there's no reason to turn it away.

Thinking of this, Tian Xiaole picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then slowly said:
"【Painting the Wall】If you're not in a rush, you can take on this job."

As you know, Coloroom Pictures' main job was post-production for Pacific Rim 2.

Wang Changtian and Chen Jiashang exchanged a glance; they had anticipated this before they even arrived.

Special effects in Hong Kong and South Korea are not only expensive, but they also don't always achieve the desired effect.

Moreover, the production budget for "Painted Skin" was not high, so it was possible to achieve great things with a small budget.

"Color Strip House" may be a little slow, but at least the quality is guaranteed.

"I have faith in Coloroom Pictures' quality; a slightly slower pace is fine."

"We'll handle the special effects with Coloroom Pictures later."

With the business settled, Wang Changtian mentioned the crew of "Painted Skin," saying they were all from Hong Kong. He assured Tian Xiaole:
"Director Tian, ​​don't worry, Shu Chang will not be treated unfairly on set."

Chen Jiashang nodded awkwardly. These days, it's easy for a film crew to bully an actor, especially those from Hong Kong.

"What are you saying? Does that mean everyone else can bully you?"

Tian Xiaole jokingly pointed at Wang Changtian with her finger.

"Yes, yes, no unfair things will happen."

Wang Changtian quickly changed his tune.

"Director Tian is overthinking it. Our job is to make a good movie, and there won't be any messy things."

Chen Jiashang made a firm promise.

Tian Xiaole nodded in satisfaction. Actors from Xiaole Film Industry would certainly not be bullied in this small corner of the domestic market.

·······
The box office growth of "The Heist" in China has stabilized.

The daily box office is still over ten million, and it will rise slightly over the weekend.

Meanwhile, a signing announcement caught actors in the industry off guard.

Yu Nan passed the audition and landed the lead role in "The Expendables".

The industry was quite surprised. Yu Nan only acts in art films, so how did she quietly enter the Hollywood spotlight?

Soon, rumors began to circulate.

Yu Nan got this opportunity through a recommendation from Xiaole Pictures.

This caused a huge stir, and acquaintances all sought out Tian Xiaole to inquire about the situation.

He refused all offers of recommendations.

Yu Nan was able to get the role entirely because of her superb acting skills and her appearance, which is in line with Western standards.

Online, the Hawthorn Tree has begun large-scale promotion.

According to the newly released production budget, this film cost 7 million.

Tian Xiaole was very curious: without grand scenes or elaborate sets, and with Zhang Yimou's directorial fees being squeezed for so long, how could he spend so much money?

The producer probably took the lion's share!
The film, fully funded by New Pictures, ended up in Zhang Weiping's pocket, essentially a transfer from one hand to the other.

Before the premiere of "Under the Hawthorn Tree," a preview screening was held in the small auditorium of the Beijing Film Academy.

Zhang Yimou's art films are highly prestigious in the film industry, and those who receive invitations for preview screenings are all big names and prominent figures in the industry.

When Tian Xiaole arrived at the school that was loyal to him, there was a banner with the words "Hawthorn Tree" hanging at the school gate. How is this any different from cheating?
I rolled down the car window, tossed a pack of cigarettes to Old Zhang, the gatekeeper, and drove straight into the school.

The license plate does not need to be registered; Old Zhang, who is loyal to him, knows it by heart, otherwise it would be considered a negligence on his part.

Although today's screening was a preview, the scale of the event was quite impressive.

Many renowned directors, producers, film critics, and media outlets in the industry were invited.

Tian Xiaole was spotted as soon as he got off the bus.

Or rather, they were discovered by the students who were lying in wait.

Today is such a great opportunity, with many rare and renowned directors appearing. Many quick-thinking students are eager to seize the chance.

"Senior Tian, ​​welcome back to our alma mater."

Tian Xiaole looked up and saw a little dark-skinned girl smiling brightly at her; her face looked somewhat familiar.

Amidst the surprised looks of her classmates, Yang Zi mustered her courage and introduced herself:
"Hello Director Tian, ​​I am a freshman from the class of 10. My name is Yang Zi and my dream is to join Xiaole Pictures."

Tian Xiaole stopped and looked at the child star whose path to stardom had been fraught with difficulties.

She rose to fame with the sitcom "Home with Kids," but Song Dandan commented that her appearance was not suitable for entering the entertainment industry.

As she said, Yang Zi was out of the public eye for a long time. When she reappeared, her face shape had changed and her career was on the rise.

She is among the top actresses born in the 90s.

But Tian Xiaole wasn't interested in her; her looks and figure were unremarkable in the industry.

"When Xiaole Pictures signs talent, you are welcome to come for an interview."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Tian Xiaole said something polite.

·······
The small auditorium, which can seat two hundred people, was already packed to the brim. Tian Xiaole only managed to get in by scanning her face.

The room was full of people, all familiar faces.

"Xiao Le, sit here," Wang Jinsong waved and called out.

Tian Xiaole walked over, and a group of actors who had appeared in Zhang Yimou's films stood up with smiles on their faces to greet him:

"Director Tian."

"Hello, Director Tian."

A slightly tipsy voice caught Tian Xiaole's attention. Who else could it be but Yan Ni? Tian Xiaole nodded and sat down in the Beijing Film Academy group, next to Gu Changwei, Jiang Wen, and others who had come to support them.

"Director Tian, ​​your influence is really amazing. You can get Hollywood roles just by recommending actors."

Zhang Ziyi never cared about the occasion; he would lean in with half his body and start praising her.

It's clear that Hollywood is unattainable in her eyes, and she still harbors the desire to return to it.

The actors sitting in the back row were all listening intently, trying to confirm whether the rumors were true.

"This has nothing to do with me; it's because she fits the role."

Tian Xiaole gave a perfunctory reply and then ignored it.

Zhang Ziyi put on a fawning expression and didn't dare to bother him any further.

·······
On stage, Zhang Yimou led the main cast and crew in sharing behind-the-scenes stories of the filming.

Zhou Dongyu, who was rather dry and awkward, was a bit at a loss as a newcomer.

The future son-in-law of the gambling king was also young and naive. After experiencing the ups and downs of the entertainment industry, he realized the truth of taking shortcuts.

【Under the Hawthorn Tree】tells a simple love story.

With delicate emotional expression, Zhang Yimou depicts the beauty of humanity and the helplessness of love in a special era, while also implying a remembrance and cherishing of pure emotions.

The female protagonist, Jingqiu, comes from a poor family and has a bad class background. Because the school is organizing the compilation of textbooks, she goes to the countryside to experience life and meets Lao San, a young man from the geological exploration team.

After spending some time together, the two gradually developed feelings for each other. These feelings were pure and untainted.

When Jingqiu learned that Lao San had leukemia, she still chose to stay by his side without hesitation.

In the end, the third brother's ashes were buried under the hawthorn tree at the entrance of the village.

This brief romance became an unforgettable memory for Jingqiu throughout her life.

Tian Xiaole could hear sobbing sounds around her.

This pure and beautiful love story touches people's hearts and deeply moves many.

It must be said that Zhang Yimou has a knack for training newcomers, and the two leading actors did a good job.

As the movie ended, thunderous applause filled the small auditorium.

After the blow from "A Simple Noodle Story," Zhang Yimou is much more confident this time, since it's familiar territory.

In the realm of art-house films, the only person he can discuss things with is Tian Xiaole.

Despite his farmer-like appearance, Zhang Yimou is quite proud.

"Xiao Le, what did you think of this movie?"

"Very touching, a great art film."

Tian Xiaole is qualified to make such an assessment.

"Only you can make this kind of pure love art film."

Jiang Wen praised.

If it were him, he would definitely add something else, such as the female lead's family background, and incorporate a lot of metaphors.

After chatting for a few minutes, Tian Xiaole left, knowing that if he didn't leave soon, he wouldn't be able to leave at all.

Old Wang is recommending students again; he's tasted the benefits of Zhu Yilong's success.

After the preview screening, Zhang Dapao couldn't sit still and shouted out the slogan of a 2 million yuan target.

He's really daring; he wants to get such a high box office for an art film.

The next day, Huayi Brothers delivered the invitation to the premiere of "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame".

Tian Xiaole did not attend; Chen Zhixi attended in her place.

"Holding a premiere now means they haven't received any invitations for 'unspoken rules' (i.e., bribery or favors)?"

Chen Zhixi's words reminded Tian Xiaole that "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame" was the only Chinese-language film nominated.

Venice doesn't like this kind of subject matter, so he'll have to seriously reconsider his script if he wants to win his third gold medal.

Themes focusing on rural areas and ordinary people are definitely not within the scope of consideration.

This is the subject that Jia Zhangke, Wang Xiaoshuai, and others love and excel at; if they want to win awards, they have to relentlessly criticize.

At the premiere of "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame," when a reporter asked about the film's performance in Venice, Xiao Wang gave a vague and evasive answer.
It's said that the awards ceremony hasn't started yet, so anything is still uncertain.

A journalist familiar with European film festivals at the scene said there's an unspoken rule: if you're not notified, you won't receive an award.

But instead of revealing the answer, he asked about the film's box office expectations.

This topic helped Mr. Wang regain his confidence, and he confidently declared.

Guaranteed at least 3 billion!
On the 15th, both movies were released simultaneously.

A period commercial film and an art film with a limited audience were shown in almost the same number of screenings in theaters.

The influence of Zhang Yimou on art films is self-evident.

Meanwhile, many people are asking about the premiere of "Nanjing Photo Studio," as it's only half a month until its release.

Out of respect for Zhang Yimou, Tian Xiaole postponed the film's promotion; otherwise, with 17 production companies involved, the buzz generated would have overshadowed the promotion of other films released at the same time.

"Notify China Film Group that the invitations to the premiere can be sent out."

The movie "[Nanjing Photo Studio]" has been highly anticipated since its inception, and everyone is now waiting for its release.

As for the film's premiere, it will be handled by China Film Group. Han Sanping is very willing to take on this task, and Tian Xiaole only needs to attend.

Actors who received invitations to the premiere of "The Photo Studio" have been posting pictures of their invitations online.

Surprisingly, the media shifted their focus, snatching most of the attention away from "Under the Hawthorn Tree" and "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame".

Tian Xiaole wasn't in a hurry at first, but the official media couldn't sit still. They asked for some stills and behind-the-scenes footage and started helping with the promotion.

After all, this film was specifically mentioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it received special attention from higher authorities.

This behavior has left the two films currently showing in theaters with a difficult situation.

But they dared not say anything and could only silently increase publicity costs.

"Now that the authorities have started, let's send the notice out so that the company in charge of publicity can get going."

Needless to say, the mainland is basically covered. Hong Kong Island has On Lok and Ying Wong, so there's nothing to worry about.

What Tian Xiaole cares about most is the publicity work in Taiwan.

Yang Kuideng did not disappoint him and secured a winning spot.

This year, the mainland lifted the import quota restrictions on Taiwanese films. Previously, there was a quota of 20 films per year, but now, as long as they pass the review, they can be released and screened in the mainland.

Currently, Taiwan still imposes relatively strict restrictions on the release of mainland Chinese films.

Only 10 units are allowed to be imported each year, and applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Yang Kuideng used a lot of connections to get "Nanjing Photo Studio" screened in Taiwan.

Otherwise, given the film's background, it would never have been imported.

The next day, news about the photo studio dominated both online and offline, with the other two receiving only scattered reports.

As for Donnie Yen's solo film "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen," only Hong Kong media outlets are promoting it.

Tian Xiaole set aside the invitation list sent by China Film Group. It was an honor for the other party to be invited, and he didn't care much about it.

I turned on my computer and glanced at the box office figures for "Under the Hawthorn Tree" and "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame".

Surprisingly, the data for two films with different target audiences is so close.

(End of this chapter)