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

Chapter 284 On Equal Footing with the Six Greats? A "Good Deed"? (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

As of now, there is still no proper solution within the industry to address the issue of fans causing box office losses for movies.

After the initial excitement of the first weekend wore off, the audience's novelty wore off, and a decline in box office revenue became an inevitable trend.

Twilight was no exception to this curse.

After raking in $1.06 million in its opening weekend, box office revenue began to decline.

On its fourth day of release, the daily box office dropped from over $3000 million to $2460 million.

By the fifth day, it had further declined to $1835 million.

However, this decline was already within Lu Rui's expectations, and was even more gradual than he had anticipated.

Sitting on the sofa in his office, looking at the box office report sent by his assistant, a smile remained on his lips.

With a budget of $30 million, the film grossed over $1.48 million in North America in just five days.

This is already an amazing achievement!

What more bike do you want?

What's there to be dissatisfied with?
Previously, the highest prediction from outside organizations for the total North American box office of "Twilight" was only $2 million.

They believe that once the fans have exhausted their interest, the film will quickly lose its appeal.

However, judging from the current box office trend, this prediction is clearly too conservative.

Based on the daily box office drop not exceeding $300 million, plus the possible small rebound peak over the weekend, it would be easy for the film to break $2 million in total North American box office, and there is even a high probability that it can reach $2.5 million!
Even more exciting is that, starting from the fifth day of its release, "Twilight" has officially hit the global theatrical market.

While data from overseas markets such as Europe and Asia may lag somewhat, according to general Hollywood trends, films that perform well in the North American market often also perform well at overseas box office.
In particular, "Twilight" focuses on youthful romance.

This kind of subject matter has a natural appeal to teenagers worldwide.

With the added boost from its earlier status as a "dark horse at the North American summer box office," overseas markets are likely to become the second growth curve.

Lü Rui made a rough estimate.

If the North American box office can stabilize at around $2.5 million, and the overseas box office is calculated at a 1:1 ratio, the global box office can reach at least $4 million.

Then, according to Hollywood's revenue-sharing rules, the production company can get about 30% to 35% of the total box office revenue...

Even after deducting marketing and distribution costs, this film alone can bring Ruixing Pictures a net profit of US$1.3 million to US$1.5 million from box office revenue!
The return on investment is as high as 330%!

This data is already considered top-tier in the highly competitive North American theatrical market.

It's worth noting that from the beginning of 2007 to now, only about 10 films have grossed over $100 million at the North American box office, and most of them are super IPs or visual effects blockbusters produced by the six major Hollywood studios.

Twilight, a teen movie with a budget of only $30 million, has surprisingly entered the "100 million yuan club," which is undoubtedly an amazing achievement!

At the same time, based on the current box office growth rate, its North American box office performance will definitely break into the top ten this year.

For an independent production company that is not one of the Big Six Hollywood studios, this is an achievement that will definitely go down in the history of the industry!
It's important to know that in the North American independent film industry, there are very few companies that can consistently produce high-grossing films.

DreamWorks and Lionsgate are both industry veterans.

Today, Ruixing Pictures, with just one film, "Twilight," has already demonstrated the strength to easily surpass other independent production companies.

Whether it's box office success, return on investment, or production quality, it has clearly joined the top tier of independent production companies!

The office door was suddenly pushed open, and Peter walked in holding a document.

"What's wrong?" Lu Rui looked at him with suspicion.

“Lv, I have something very important to report to you.” Peter’s tone was somewhat serious. “Recently, quite a few of the six major Hollywood studios have been contacting me, subtly inquiring whether Ruixing Pictures is interested in being sold.”

Some even offered a guaranteed acquisition price of $8 million…

"Not for sale."

Without hesitation, Lü Rui interrupted him.

He had long anticipated that with the successive successes of his company's films, Ruixing Film Industry, this "fat piece of meat," would inevitably be targeted by the Big Six.

These guys are all born under the sign of Pixiu.

Rather than working hard to make money through projects, they are better at opportunistically acquiring promising companies and incorporating them into their own empire.

Why have the Big Six studios been able to maintain their dominance in Hollywood?

This isn't because they're particularly good at developing new markets, but because they have a large number of subsidiaries and top talent.

By integrating resources, one can make a fortune simply by operating the copyrights of old IPs and developing derivative products, without having to take the risk of trying new themes.

Now, their focus on Ruixing Film Industry is simply to turn Ruixing into their content factory.

“I also think we shouldn’t sell.” Peter nodded, but then added with some concern, “But the six major powers are very powerful. If we refuse outright, will they be determined to target us?”

"Before, we had fewer projects, so we could hide them. Now that we're more famous, we can't hide anymore."

"Don't worry about this."

A faint smile appeared on Lü Rui's lips, his tone full of control over the situation.

"Have you forgotten? We've had in-depth collaborations with Sony Columbia, Warner Bros., and 20th Century Fox over the past two years."

300, Pacific Rim, Life of Pi… these collaborations aren't just superficial; they're based on mutually beneficial partnerships.

Seeing that Peter was listening very attentively, Lü Rui continued with further analysis:
"The six major powers are inherently mutually restraining, and no one wants to see the strength of any other power increase significantly."

If Disney tries to mess with us, Sony, Warner Bros., and Fox will definitely step in to counterbalance it, since they are still waiting to cooperate with us and share the profits.

Conversely, if other companies have ulterior motives, they will not stand idly by.

Therefore, as long as we don't offend any of them to the point of irreconcilable conflict, and occasionally introduce collaborative projects so that everyone can make money together, they won't really break ties with us. After all, 'win-win' is much more worthwhile than 'internal strife'.

At this point, Lü Rui's eyes suddenly sharpened:

"However, we cannot let our guard down. While the six major powers are mutually restraining each other, we must quickly accumulate projects, build teams, and expand distribution channels."

Once we have more heavyweight IPs and a mature global distribution network, even if the Big Six want to target us, they'll have to think twice about the consequences.

By then, when they realize what's happening and want to continue their annexation plan, it will be too late.

Peter's eyes lit up instantly upon hearing this, and he couldn't help but clap and cheer.
"Lv, this idea is brilliant! It avoids offending the six major powers while also leveraging the opportunity of cooperation to strengthen itself. It's a win-win situation."

"Don't get too excited yet," Lu Rui reminded him at the right moment, his tone becoming more serious. "You must keep a low profile from now on and not get carried away by the success of 'Twilight'."

Don't be too ostentatious in promoting future projects, and listen more and talk less about cooperation with the six major companies. Focus on doing your job well.

After all, we're still in the early stages of development, so we can't be too reckless. We need to wait until we truly have the strength to compete with the top six before we become high-profile.

"I see!"

Peter nodded solemnly, his worries immediately gone.

Looking at Lü Rui's composed expression, he felt more and more that with a boss like this, Ruixing Pictures would eventually be able to carve out its own niche in Hollywood!

Perhaps one day, it will be able to stand on equal footing with the six major powers?!
...

After Peter left, Lü Rui turned his attention back to the computer screen, browsing the news coming from China.

The 10th Shanghai International Film Festival is currently in full swing.

Gong Li appeared in a deep V-neck backless dress, exuding elegance.

Fan Bingbing, on the other hand, wore a leopard-print dress that revealed her deep cleavage and fair skin, attracting much discussion and attention from the media present.

Huo Siyan remained as flamboyant as ever, seemingly completely letting loose amidst the heated discussions surrounding her as a "desire woman" and "public relations manager."

Li Xiaolu, however, was the only one who didn't know what she was thinking. Despite having a completely flat chest, she actually started showing cleavage like everyone else.

In addition, Tang Yan also received headlines as a "newly crowned long-legged beauty" because she accompanied Zhao Peng, a director whose films grossed over 100 million yuan, on the red carpet.

Looking around, the star power on the red carpet and the discussions on blogs and forums continue to dominate the entertainment section.

But just then, a news report about a lawsuit caught Lü Rui's attention.

The dispute between Li Baotian, who starred in the TV series "The Imperial Envoy," and the investor, Times Spring, has finally reached a second-instance judgment.

In the first instance, Li Baotian was found to be in the right, but in the second instance, both parties were found to be at fault. The final result was that they each paid 30 yuan to each other, and each party shared the litigation costs.

What appears to be a draw where both sides are equally at fault is actually a huge loss for Li Baotian!

After the lawsuit ended, Times Spring actually joined forces with 13 film and television companies to publicly boycott him and even labeled him a "tyrant on set".

Although many in the industry privately support Li Baotian, believing that his falling out with investors was due to his opposition to padding in dramas, such behavior is admirable.

However, most of this support remained verbal; no one dared to actually stand up for him.

As expected, after offending the investors, it will likely be difficult for him to continue working in the industry.

As Lü Rui watched the news clips of Li Baotian pleading for his innocence, he couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.

This national first-class actor, a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama, holds the Best Actor awards for television dramas, including the Feitian and Golden Eagle Awards, as well as the Best Actor awards for films, including the Huabiao, Golden Rooster, and Hundred Flowers Awards. He is a rare "Grand Slam" winner in the industry, and his acting skills are beyond doubt.

Unfortunately, the investors are ruthless.

Anyone who blocks their path to wealth will be "blacklisted," and no one cares about honors or awards.

Lu Rui had initially viewed the matter from an outsider's perspective, and after reading it, he was ready to move on.

To everyone's surprise, Li Baotian's name appeared in the supporting role section of the casting list for "Reversal of Life" that Zhao Peng sent later!
His phone call came shortly after, his voice tinged with trepidation:
"Brother Rui, look at the mess this has made. I had no idea this would happen. Teacher Li auditioned for a supporting role, and he acted really well. I didn't even have to pick on his emotions or lines, so I cast him. What should we do now?"

"A letter of intent has been signed?"

"Not yet, it's just a verbal agreement. He was the best performer among the people who auditioned, so I asked him to reserve his slot."

Lu Rui pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "Let's settle on that for now. It's just a supporting role, and he doesn't have many scenes, so it won't be a problem."

“But I heard that Times Spring has joined forces with more than a dozen companies to blacklist him. If we keep him here, will it affect our company?” Zhao Peng couldn’t help but worry.

Upon hearing this, Lü Rui couldn't help but laugh: "Times Spring? Who's the boss of this company? Is he even more powerful than China Film Group and Huayi Brothers? Can he make the entire industry listen to them?"

Zhao Peng on the other end of the phone was stunned for a moment, then honestly replied, "I don't know it either. If it weren't for this lawsuit, I would have never heard of such a company before."

"I guess he's just a small-time bourgeois trying to gain attention and boost ratings by censoring Teacher Li."

"Then just ignore him." Lu Rui's tone became sharper. "When casting actors, we look at their abilities, not who has the strongest connections or who has the loudest voice."

Since you think Li Baotian is suitable, then use him. If there are any problems, have Shidai Chuntian come to me to discuss them.

They arbitrarily padded out the content of TV dramas, relying on hype to grab attention, and then they have the nerve to blacklist actors? They're doing nothing; do they think they can get away with anything?

"Okay! I know what to do."

Zhao Peng felt a weight lifted from his heart, and his tone became lighter.

After hanging up the phone, he immediately and steadily filled in Li Baotian's name on the casting confirmation form, completely putting the matter of the blacklist out of his mind.

This is the advantage of being backed by a large company: you don't have to worry about being bound by industry unspoken rules, casting is based solely on ability, and you act only according to your conscience.

The main message is: I'm giving you face because I respect you; if I'm not, then you're nothing but a piece of garlic!

Moreover, given Ruishijie's current strength, there's absolutely no need for them to care about a "ban" orchestrated by an unknown small-capital company.

In previous years, artist management was undoubtedly a highly sought-after industry in the Chinese entertainment industry.

With a group of famous and talented artists at his disposal, he can stand tall and straight when negotiating with production companies.

What? You want to use good actors? That depends on whether I'm willing to let them go!
The role, salary, and publicity resources must all be in accordance with my requirements.

Back then, agents were more like controllers between artists and capital, able to manipulate the industry at will by leveraging their connections and artist resources.

Among them, Wang Jinghua is undoubtedly the most representative figure.

Known as the "top agent in the Chinese entertainment industry," she was once on par with veteran agents in the Beijing circle, such as Li Xiaowan and Chang Jihong, a top female agent.

In the Chinese entertainment industry around 2000, these individuals enjoyed immense popularity.

Back then, Wong Jing-hua had a host of big-name artists under her control, including Fan Bingbing, Li Bingbing, Hu Jun, and Chen Daoming. Her network of connections spanned the film and television industries in mainland China and Hong Kong. Whether it was negotiating with production companies or securing resources for artists, she was adept at it.

Even a large company like Huayi has to give her some leeway.

After all, her presence means a continuous influx of high-quality artists.

Unfortunately, the wheels of time keep turning, and the industry ecosystem has already quietly reversed.

As the film and television industry matures, production companies have gradually gained absolute control.

Instead of relying on the talent pool held by agents, they have begun to build director IPs, assemble production teams, and control distribution channels with their strong capital strength, holding three core resources: scripts, funds, and platforms.

For artists, getting a good role is no longer just a matter of their agent's word; it depends on the production company's evaluation.

Does your image fit the role?

Can your popularity drive box office revenue?
Does your reputation align with the project's positioning?

Only those who meet these requirements can be included in the project.

In a short time, the era when agents dominated negotiations was gone forever, and production companies directly selected artists, greatly weakening the power of agents.

Wang Jinghua was, in fact, the person most affected by this change.

She is essentially a lone wolf, and her most valuable assets are her artist resources and connections.

But when production companies no longer needed her to acquire artists, her advantage vanished.

Back when she was with Huayi Brothers, she relied on her extensive network of contacts both inside and outside the industry to work very well with the company. Artist resources and project resources were all tilted towards her, and those were her most glorious days.

However, he later broke with the two Wang brothers and left Huayi with his artists. Although he vented his anger, he also suffered a great loss of energy.

With some artists choosing to stay at Huayi Brothers, she lost most of her "trump cards," and her network of contacts was also fractured due to this departure.

She thought joining Orange Sky would allow her to regain a sense of control, but reality dealt her a heavy blow!
Because Orange Sky never handed over its core resources to her.

In the past six months, Wu Kebo has signed more than a dozen well-known actors, and all of them have been placed under the management of the headquarters, rather than the agency she is in charge of.

What frustrated her even more was that, for a big-budget production like "Red Cliff," her artists barely got any roles; all the important parts were taken by artists from Orange Sky headquarters or other partners.

That familiar feeling of being controlled by others swept over her once again, just like when she was marginalized in the later stages of Huayi.

"Being controlled by others wherever I go is disgusting. I might as well start my own company and go it alone..."

At this moment, Wang Jinghua was sitting in her office, looking at the empty artist profile list on her desk, and couldn't help but mutter to herself.

She thought Orange Sky would give her enough autonomy to rebuild her own artist portfolio.

In the end, she was just a marginal figure in Orange Sky Entertainment's business empire, unable to access core projects or retain high-quality artists.

Actually, over the years, she has considered creating her own content.

If you can get involved in the production industry and have your own project resources, you won't have to be at the mercy of production companies anymore, and actors will be able to have a stable source of acting opportunities.

Whether at Huayi Brothers or now Orange Sky, the investors have an incredibly tight grip on production rights, not allowing her to touch them in the slightest.

They just want her to do her job as an agent well, manage the artists, and not think about taking a share of the project profits.

This feeling of powerlessness was like a huge rock pressing on her heart, making her extremely resentful!

Looking at the logo of the Orange Sky Building outside the window, a bold idea once again surged into my mind:
"Why don't we just part ways with Orange Sky and go it alone?"

They raise their own investments, develop projects, and sign artists, acting as both agents and producers, keeping the initiative in their own hands.

Anyway, there are successful cases of agents transitioning into producers in the industry now.

With her extensive network and experience, she might as well give it a try!
And once that thought popped into my head, I couldn't suppress it anymore...

She knew that once she took this step, there would be no turning back.

If she succeeds, she can once again stand at the top of the Chinese entertainment industry!

If she fails, she may have to quit the industry altogether.

But when she thought of the frustrations she felt at Orange Sky and the helplessness of being led by the nose by investors over the years, her eyes gradually hardened.

Rather than continuing to be controlled by others, we might as well take a gamble!
……

The 10th Shanghai International Film Festival officially came to a close on the 24th.

Lü Rui immediately noticed the list of winners of the Golden Goblet Award.

When he saw "Tian Zhuangzhuang's 'Go Master'" listed as the "Best Director", he was genuinely surprised, and then felt a surge of emotion.

This marks Tian Zhuangzhuang's return to the center of the mainstream film industry's attention after many years since she first made a name for herself with "The Blue Kite" 15 years ago.

Back then, "The Blue Kite" was banned from directing due to its sensitive subject matter, and he almost faded from public view.

Winning the Golden Goblet Award for Best Director for "Go Master" is undoubtedly a significant comeback in his career.

Without hesitation, Lü Rui immediately dialed his number.

The phone rang for a few seconds before being answered.

The voice on the other end of the phone was slightly hoarse but couldn't hide its exhaustion: "Hello, Lü Rui?"

"Congratulations, Professor Tian! I just saw that you won the Golden Goblet Award for Best Director. This is wonderful news!"

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a long sigh from Tian Zhuangzhuang:
"Thank you... To be honest, I didn't expect to receive this award. I haven't made any films in the past few years, and I always felt out of touch with the industry..."

His tone didn't carry much excitement, but rather an undisguised sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion or感慨).

"Back then, I was young and ambitious, and I always felt that I could make the films I wanted to make with just my own strength. But what happened? During the years when I was banned from directing, I watched the people around me move forward one by one, while I could only watch helplessly. That feeling still hurts when I think about it now."

Lu Rui didn't interrupt, but listened quietly.

He could detect a hint of regret and sorrow in Tian Zhuangzhuang's tone.

When Jiang Wen was banned from directing, he could still stay on set as an actor, but Tian Zhuangzhuang was a pure director. For him, being banned from directing meant completely severing his connection with film.

That feeling of powerlessness is hard for outsiders to understand.

"Lu Rui, you are still young and have a bright future ahead of you."

Tian Zhuangzhuang's tone suddenly turned serious, carrying a hint of advice from someone with more experience:

"I must pay more attention when making movies in the future and follow the requirements above. I shouldn't be as impulsive as I was back then."

Every industry has its rules, and there are certain bottom lines that you can't cross. Once you stumble, it's incredibly difficult to get back up. I've wasted a lot of my life on my temper, and I hope you won't follow my example..."

“I understand, Director Tian.” Lu Rui nodded earnestly, his tone particularly solemn even though the other person couldn’t see him. “I’ve kept your words in mind. I will definitely consider things more carefully in the future and won’t act impulsively.”

"That's good. Be careful abroad. I heard things haven't been peaceful lately?"

"Don't worry, everything's fine on my end. I'll be back in a few days..."

After chatting for a few minutes and hanging up the phone, Lü Rui was unable to calm down for a long time.

Tian Zhuangzhuang's experience is like a mirror, reflecting the complexity and helplessness of the film and television industry.

In this industry, talent is certainly important, but knowing how to maintain boundaries and abide by the rules is often the key to a more stable and sustainable career.

Besides Tian Zhuangzhuang winning the award again after many years, the closing of this film festival also left behind a lot of amusing anecdotes.

The first thing that comes to mind is the bold statement made by Chen Kaige during the closing ceremony interview!

Facing the camera, he solemnly confessed:

"After The Promise, I faced a lot of criticism. I asked everyone to watch the movie again in five years, but many people didn't have that patience."

Today, taking advantage of the Shanghai International Film Festival, I want to say something from the bottom of my heart, and also express my expectations!
This time, I will use "Mei Lanfang" to tell everyone again that failure is the mother of success!
I, Chen Kaige, am still the Chinese director who made "Farewell My Concubine" and won the only Palme d'Or at Cannes for a Chinese-language film!
"And 'Mei Lanfang' will surely become the work that wins me my second Cannes Grand Prix!"

These remarks were widely reported by the media and firmly occupied the headlines of news pages.

There are quite a few voices of support below.

Many viewers felt that Chen Kaige's aesthetic sense was actually quite good, after all, the quality of "Farewell My Concubine" speaks for itself.

Now that "Mei Lanfang" is a Peking Opera with the same theme, it might just be the perfect opportunity for him to prove himself again.

However, Lü Rui couldn't help but laugh when he saw the news report.

One failure is nothing, but if you always try to turn things around with the next one, but fail repeatedly, then it goes beyond failure.

He wanted to see if this film, "Mei Lanfang," could ultimately help Chen Kaige find himself again.

On one side, Chen Kaige's vow hadn't even cooled down yet, while on the other side, Lu Chuan, who rushed over from the "Nanjing! Nanjing!" film crew, made a big joke of herself.

As a member of the jury at this year's film festival, he made a high-profile appearance, dressed in a sharp suit and maintaining a haughty demeanor throughout, hoping to project the image of a professional judge in front of the cameras.

Unexpectedly, halfway through the awards ceremony, just as he was tilting his head back and trying to maintain an elegant expression, a dark-skinned and plump female reporter next to him, whether from staying up too long or from being too bored, started to doze off, tilting her head and resting it directly on his shoulder.

This scene was captured clearly by reporters on the spot and uploaded to the internet that same day with a highly misleading headline.

[Lu Chuan and his girlfriend appeared affectionately at the awards ceremony, cuddling intimately throughout!]

As expected, Lu Chuan exploded!
He launched a furious tirade on his blog, denouncing the media for spreading rumors and threatening to sue the reporter who published the photos. His words were filled with anger and resentment!
Lu Rui searched online and happened to see that photo.

The chubby female reporter was sleeping soundly, her head resting firmly against Lu Chuan's shoulder.

Lu Chuan, on the other hand, had a dark face and a tight mouth, clearly trying her best to suppress her anger at wanting to push the other person away. Her expression was simply too interesting to describe.

"Tsk tsk, Director Lu is really lucky with women!"

Lu Rui burst out laughing on the spot, then called Chen Tao and assigned him a new task.

"Give the PR department a heads-up and push this rumor about Lu Chuan even higher. Put it on all the major entertainment forums, blogs, and online communities..."

His idea is simple.

Isn't this guy known for his hype and marketing? He even deliberately released news about Chen Kun getting married and having children to generate buzz for "Nanjing! Nanjing!"

Now that he's embroiled in a 'scandal,' he can't afford to waste such a great marketing opportunity; he needs to make sure more people see it.

"Understood!" Chen Tao instantly understood Lü Rui's meaning and immediately agreed.

After hanging up the phone, Lü Rui couldn't help but hum a little tune.

He didn't expect Lu Chuan to thank him; he was simply doing a "good deed."

As we all know, good people are often rewarded.

No sooner had I assigned the task than another phone call came in.

Glancing at the familiar name on the caller ID, and upon answering, hearing the barely concealed indignation in the voice on the other end, Lü Rui's already upturned smile became even more pronounced...

(End of this chapter)