It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 104 One Thought to Buddhahood! One Thought to Demonhood! A Great Start? (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
"Warmest congratulations! The second director in the Chinese film industry to achieve 200 million yuan in box office revenue has been officially born, Lü Rui – The Prestige!"

"Kung Fu Hustle has grossed over 100 million yuan in its first week of release. Congratulations to Stephen Chow for successfully joining the club of directors with 100 million yuan box office earnings."

"As of now, 'A World Without Thieves' has been in theaters for 21 days, with a total box office of 1.06 million yuan and daily box office revenue falling below one million yuan."

"There appears to be a major internal change at Huayi Brothers, involving its artist management business..."

...

During the New Year's Day holiday, the "King of Comedy" and the "King of Suspense" are still fiercely competing!
With its unique gimmick and sustained popularity, "The Prestige" successfully surpassed 200 million yuan at the box office, making Lü Rui the second director in China, after Zhang Yimou, to enter the "200 million yuan box office club".

With the support of Stephen Chow's personal brand and the film's high quality, "Kung Fu Hustle" helped Stephen Chow successfully join the ranks of directors with films grossing over 100 million yuan in just one week.

However, just as the two "big brothers" were locked in fierce combat, the "little brothers" following behind couldn't hold on any longer.

The single-day box office of 87 yuan dealt a fatal blow to "A World Without Thieves"!
With only 8 days left in theaters, at this rate, the total box office will barely reach 1.1 million yuan.

To be fair, this achievement is quite remarkable in the film and television market, after all, the phrase "box office exceeding 100 million" carries extremely high value these days!

But Feng Xiaogang made such a big boast before the film's release that it couldn't withstand it!

With a massive investment of 5000 million yuan, aiming for a box office of 2 million yuan, determined to surpass "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and solidify its position as the "father of the Lunar New Year film season"...

When these bold words come out of his mouth, there is a high probability that he will be proven wrong.

Now it's clear that there's no escaping it.

Huayi.

In Wang Zhonglei's office.

Feng Xiaogang rushed over early in the morning and raised questions about the publicity and distribution of "A World Without Thieves": "Is there really no other way? Is it certain that the hype won't go up? Can't we think of other ways?"

Unfortunately, Wang Zhonglei was also at a loss at this moment.

"Xiao Gang, 'A World Without Thieves' is not only your hard work, but also the hard work of me and Hua Yi. If there is any chance, do you think I would give it up?"

These words left Feng Xiaogang speechless.

How could Huayi not want to make money? After all, the higher the box office, the greater the company's profits.

But the current situation is clear: facing "The Prestige" and "Kung Fu Hustle," "A World Without Thieves" has absolutely no chance of winning!

Wang Zhonglei knew Feng Xiaogang's thoughts well. While pouring him tea, he comforted him: "Don't be too discouraged. On the day 'A World Without Thieves' is taken off the screens, we will officially announce your new project. The investment of 1.6 million yuan is enough to attract media attention."

"Ah."

Feng Xiaogang nodded slightly, his mood calming down a bit.

His upcoming film project is truly "extraordinary," with an investment of 1.6 million yuan, making it a big-budget production, similar to "Hero" and "The Promise."

Once it's made public, it will definitely attract the attention of the entire industry!
In that case, by then, probably not many people would care about his loss to Lü Rui again...

"Boom boom boom!"

A knock suddenly sounded at the door, and Wang Zhonglei's secretary pushed the door open and entered. He first greeted Feng Xiaogang before reporting, "Mr. Wang, Fan Bingbing and Li Bingbing have arrived."

"Okay, let them in."

Wang Zhonglei gave an order and then looked at Feng Xiaogang.

Before he could speak, Feng Xiaogang had already stood up: "President Wang, then I won't bother you any longer. Please take good care of the project."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

Feng Xiaogang didn't say anything more and turned to walk out.

As he passed by the reception area, he happened to run into two Bingbings walking towards him.

When Li Bingbing saw him, her eyes lit up, and she quickly stepped forward: "Director Feng, good morning."

Feng Xiaogang was quite friendly towards the second female lead in his film, nodding and smiling at her.

Upon seeing Fan Bingbing, he immediately thought of "The Prestige" and Lü Rui, and his eyes couldn't help but show some resentment and displeasure.

The two Bingbings aren't stupid; how could they not see Feng Xiaogang's expression?
Li Bingbing immediately teased in a gloating tone, "Someone's going to be in trouble. She probably won't be getting any roles in Director Feng's films anymore."

Although Fan Bingbing felt somewhat aggrieved, she didn't hold back: "What will happen in the future is uncertain, but right now, I'm a leading lady with 200 million yuan in box office revenue, while some people seem to have just barely made 100 million yuan, right?"

"What female lead? Can you even be considered a female lead? 'The Prestige' has two male leads and two female leads, and you and Zhou Yun are tied for second lead..."

"Were you the female lead in 'A World Without Thieves'?"

In the ensuing verbal sparring, Fan Bingbing gained a slight advantage thanks to the strength of "The Prestige".

But Li Bingbing is not to be outdone, because she is currently more valued in the company.

Even before "A World Without Thieves" finished its run in theaters, she had already secured the lead roles in the film "Waiting Alone" and the TV series "Eight Heroes".

In contrast, Fan Bingbing has not yet chosen a side, and her company has not yet assigned her any new projects.

As they got closer to Wang Zhonglei's office, their voices softened.

Since they couldn't decide who was better in their arguments, they simply changed the subject.

Fan Bingbing asked proactively, "Are you really determined to stay at Huayi? Not go with Sister Hua?"

This wasn't exactly a secret within the company. Li Bingbing shrugged and said, "The offer from President Wang was too generous; I couldn't find a reason to refuse."

This New Year's Day was particularly depressing for many artists under Huayi Brothers.

Wang Jinghua and Wang Zhonglei had a huge disagreement over the marketing of "Four Dan and Two Bing" (referring to four top actresses and two top actresses).
The former advocates for balanced development and wants to give every artist a chance.

The latter insists on the "pyramid" model, with resources tilted towards top-tier artists.

The difference in their ideologies, coupled with deep-seated resentment from the past, immediately ignited the fuse!
The two had a big argument and immediately decided to go their separate ways.

It's a pity that many of the artists under his management had to choose sides before their contracts expired.

One wrong step could lead to a series of wrong steps, which left everyone in a dilemma.

Following Huayi Brothers means you'll never have to worry about film and television projects, but your personal life and resource allocation are very likely to be affected.

Choosing Wong Jing-hua at least guarantees basic dignity and avoids the worry of being forced into prostitution, but the resources available may not be ideal...

Of all the people, Li Bingbing made the most decisive choice.

The "Four Dan and Two Bing" marketing campaign benefited her greatly, and with the added incentive of high-quality resources, she naturally wouldn't refuse.

But Fan Bingbing was somewhat hesitant.

She wanted to follow Wang Jinghua, but was afraid of losing resources, and at the same time was reluctant to give up the marketing effect of "Four Dan and Two Bing".

But staying at Wah Yee means there's no protection from Wong Jing-hua, and the future is fraught with uncertainty.

This choice is just too difficult!

Looking at the office door in front of him, Fan Bingbing took a deep breath and gently pushed it open with mixed feelings.

One thought can lead to enlightenment or damnation; life's choices are often fraught with unknowns and crises.

It's a pity that Ruishijie doesn't do artist management, otherwise she would definitely have switched to Lü Rui without hesitation!
Although Huayi is still the No.1 private film and television company, Fan Bingbing believes that Ruishijie might be able to surpass Huayi one day!
...

Most people suffer from "choice paralysis," but Lü Rui has no such problem at all.

Since "The Prestige" grossed over 200 million, investors from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have practically worn down the doorstep of Ruishijie.

Everyone who came was carrying a large wad of cash!

Some wanted to invest in Ruishijie's next film project, while others were looking to acquire shares and secure their stake in the company.

Without exception, all of them were turned away.

The news that Rui Vision's new work "Remote Control of Life" has passed the review has already spread in the industry. There are plenty of people who want to get involved with their money, so Lü Rui has no shortage of money.

His only condition for finding partners now is that the other party must have advantages other than money, such as Enlight Media's television network publicity channels or China Film Group's background.

As for investing, he refused without even thinking about it.

When the peaches weren't ripe, he was the one who fertilized and watered them, taking meticulous care of them.

The peaches are ripe now, and suddenly a bunch of people come along wanting to pick them and eat them? Do they really think they're idiots?

"Yinghuang asked me to pass on a message: if needed, they are willing to provide money, personnel, or labor; they would be very happy to help."

Compared to Xiang Huaqiang, Li Ruxing, Lin Jianyue, and others who directly brought cash to their door, Yang Cheng was clearly much smarter. He asked Jiang Wen to help pass on a message, showing considerable sincerity.

Although she had a decent impression of him, Lü Rui still refused outright: "Director Jiang, could you please pass on my message that we should forget about the investment? Rui Vision is not currently under any financial pressure."

"OK, no problem."

Jiang Wen was just a messenger; there was no need for him to persuade Lü Rui to accept Hong Kong capital.

This is their private matter, and it's none of his business to interfere.

After hanging up the phone, he immediately sent a message to Yang Cheng, conveying Lü Rui's attitude.

That afternoon, Hong Kong capital investors gathered again.

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone's expressions turned grim upon confirming that none of them had managed to subdue Lü Rui.

"If I had known it would turn out like this, I shouldn't have given him that Academy Award for Best Director!"

"What an ingrate!"

"I've felt something was off for a while now. We didn't get any investment or roles in 'The Prestige,' and that was a sign!"

"I spend all day hunting birds, only to have a goose peck my eye. I never expected to be outsmarted by some mainland guy. Haha, how ridiculous."

"What should we do now?"

"What else can we do? Keep sending directors and actors to the mainland, hoping to make a quick buck..."

The meeting ended, and no one left in a good mood.

Once in the car, Yang Cheng frowned even more: "I read in the newspaper this morning that there's been a result regarding the assault case?"

Huo Wenxi, standing next to him, nodded: "The court ruled that Zhang Weijian and Tingfeng were grossly negligent, but rejected Wang Bozhao's request for 100 million yuan in compensation and a public apology."

"That's alright..." Yang Cheng's brows relaxed slightly.

What started in September was just a minor conflict, but unexpectedly it escalated into a major incident between the mainland and Hong Kong entertainment industries, even alarming Hollywood. This was completely unexpected!
Fortunately, the matter has finally been settled. If it had escalated any further, it might have spiraled out of control!

"Try to use your connections, or if that doesn't work, meet with the victim privately. It's okay to pay some compensation, just try to stop him from targeting Tingfeng again."

Also! Have Tingfeng come to the company tomorrow. I need to have a serious talk with him. The mainland film and television market is completely different now. If we still have the same old attitude, we'll suffer a big setback sooner or later!

"Okay." Huo Wenxi nodded in agreement, then asked, "What about public opinion?"

“Tingfeng has unlimited potential for the future, while Zhang Weijian’s acting style is already fixed, and he has no hope of going any further.”

"Okay, Chairman Yang, I understand."

As the second-in-command of Yinghuang, and the director of the artist management department and public relations department, Huo Wenxi has always been very adept at handling such matters.

……

Before we knew it, it was April 10th.

"A World Without Thieves" has officially ended its 30-day run.

That morning, before Huayi could even issue a statement, major media outlets had already flocked to the scene and launched a series of reports:
"The action-drama film 'A World Without Thieves,' directed by Feng Xiaogang and starring Liu Dehua, Liu Yanying, Wang Baoqiang, and Li Bingbing, with an investment of 5000 million yuan, was pulled from theaters early yesterday morning, with a cumulative box office of 1.12 million yuan."

"Unfortunately, the film failed to recoup its production costs in the theatrical market."

"The box office of 'A World Without Thieves' is still 40 million yuan behind 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' and more than 100 million yuan behind 'The Prestige.' Feng Xiaogang has suffered another 'failure,' and his bold words cannot match his actual results..."

As expected, major media outlets did not "let go" of Feng Xiaogang and started to criticize him again.

Huayi reacted quite quickly this time, without spending money on public relations, and instead announced that it would hold a press conference in the morning!

Immediately, numerous media outlets flocked to the scene.

Meanwhile, as we entered mid-January, "The Prestige" and "Kung Fu Hustle" had grossed 2.35 million and 140 million respectively.

Lu Rui felt a little regretful because at this time, the daily box office of "The Prestige" had dropped to 100 million.

Even with six more days left in the release, it will be difficult to break the 250 million yuan box office record set by "Hero".

Actually, it's quite normal when you think about it. After all, the movie's success is almost entirely due to the support of various gimmicks.

Compared to Heroes, The Prestige is far less commercially viable, so its current success is already quite remarkable.

They have already secured both the titles of "04 Lunar New Year Film Season" and "Annual Box Office Champion".

Although "Kung Fu Hustle" is still trying to catch up, it's already incredibly difficult!

Compared to its predecessor, the special effects marketing of "Kung Fu Hustle" in this version is somewhat weaker.

Furthermore, with "The Prestige" as a competitor, it's absolutely impossible for them to achieve their original box office results.

However, in Hong Kong, Kung Fu Hustle consistently outperformed The Prestige at the box office.

Lu Rui didn't care, after all, the market there wasn't that big.

Moreover, it's simply unrealistic to think you can compete with Stephen Chow in popularity in Hong Kong!
Right now, as long as "The Prestige" can surpass "Kung Fu Hustle" in total box office, that would be a huge victory!
While I was browsing the news, suddenly, the long-absent system notification sound echoed in my mind:
[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have completed the post-production editing, special effects production, film submission for censorship, and theatrical distribution of "The Prestige," and have successfully set a release date.]

[S-level talent: "Screenwriting and adaptation skills for animation (3D/2D) and comics (3D/2D) genres" has been officially released.]

It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive at the right moment!

Lu Rui's eyes lit up. Taking advantage of the flood of knowledge about animation and comic book scriptwriting that rushed into his mind like a sudden enlightenment, he immediately took out the original novel of "Qin's Moon," opened a new document on his computer, and quickly wrote a title:
Qin's Moon: The Hundred-Step Flying Sword

The first part of the story is set against the backdrop of Qin Shi Huang's conquest of the six states. It tells the story of the sword saint Gai Nie, who, along with Jing Ke's son Jing Tianming, embarks on a journey of escape to avoid being hunted down by the King of Qin...

Animation scriptwriting differs significantly from regular film and television scriptwriting:
First, it offers greater freedom in its expressive form, allowing it to break through the limitations of real-world filming and use exaggerated actions, fantastical scenes, and anthropomorphic characters to drive the plot.

Secondly, the characters are more symbolic, with more distinct personalities and a high degree of matching between their appearance and personality. For example, villains often use sharp lines and exaggerated expressions and body language to reinforce their characteristics, making it easier for the audience to quickly understand the character's personality.

Finally, the rhythm and camera work are more flexible, not constrained by the actual shooting equipment, and can achieve unconventional perspective switching such as microscopic and panoramic views, and the rhythm is also more compact.

This is Lü Rui's first attempt at writing an animation script. Although he is a bit rusty, the progress is not slow.

With the support of system skills, along with the images and memories from his past life, he can write scripts more smoothly.

Starting with 3D martial arts animation, and then gradually moving into the field of animated films... This is the goal and development plan that Lü Rui set for Ruiyue Animation!
Meanwhile, while he was busy writing the script, Huayi's press conference was officially held in the company's main conference room.

"I hereby announce that the action/fantasy epic 'The Banquet,' produced solely by Huayi Brothers with an investment of 2000 million US dollars, has been officially approved!"

When Wang Zhonglei announced the news in front of nearly a hundred media outlets, an uproar immediately ensued!

Then, Feng Xiaogang stepped forward and, with an arrogant tone, recounted the core content of the new project:
"The story is adapted from one of Shakespeare's four great tragedies, Hamlet, and is set against the backdrop of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It tells a tragic story about power, love, and fate in the ancient Chinese court..."

That noon, headlines and heated discussions flooded the three major portal websites, various forums and online communities:

"Following 'A World Without Thieves,' Feng Xiaogang is launching a new project, 'The Banquet,' with an investment of US$2000 million (approximately RMB1.6 million), aiming to rival 'Hero' and 'The Promise.'"

"When interviewed by reporters, Feng Xiaogang said that making a big-budget production is his dream. He poured 100% of his passion and effort into 'The Banquet,' and he believes that the result will not disappoint him!"

"The Chinese version of Hamlet – The Banquet – makes its grand debut!"

"At the start of the new year, Huayi Brothers broke through the controversy surrounding its brokerage business with this project, achieving a successful start..."

"..."

Unsurprisingly, with news of "The Banquet" dominating headlines, the fact that "A World Without Thieves" couldn't compete with "The Prestige" at the box office was quickly forgotten.

Online discussions continue:

"Zhang Yimou made 'Hero,' Chen Kaige is working on 'The Promise,' and Feng Xiaogang has started 'The Banquet.' Are all these directors in China aiming for big-budget productions?"

"Hero made $3000 million, The Promise made $3600 million, The Banquet made $2000 million. Feng Xiaogang isn't good enough! Why don't you make $3000 million too?"

"A Chinese version of Hamlet? That sounds quite plausible?"

"What about Lü Rui? When is he planning to make a big-budget production for fun?"

With the approval of "The Banquet", many people called Lü Rui to ask if he had any new film plans.
Han Sanping was even more excited: "Go big! Go big! China Film Group fully supports you!"

After pondering for a moment, Lü Rui called Hou Hongliang over and instructed him, "Organize the company's projects and publish them all. Since everyone is playing the 'successful opening' game, let's make it a success too!"

"Yes, Mr. Lü!"

Hou Hongliang nodded in agreement, his heart inexplicably starting to race!
What is "The Banquet" compared to that?
It's time to show the film and television industry what a real "successful start" looks like!

(End of this chapter)