The only sun in Huayu

Chapter 72 Let's Fight! (34 pages, 4k8 views, please vote!)
"Among the flowers?"

Yu Dong didn't understand.

"Hua in Chinese, jian in spy, or rather, the remaining jian. Similar to Han traitor, but Han traitor is not accurate, it is still Chinese traitor."

Shen Shandeng explained.

Yu Dong took a deep breath.

This time it's not an act, I'm really going to smoke.

"You mean..."

Shen Shandeng quickly shook his head: "I didn't, I didn't say that, it has nothing to do with me."

"paper clip"

Shen Shandeng interrupted: "I'm not referring to any particular person or work. I'm saying if."

"If, if, if there was a work that competed with 'The Sun Also Rises' for awards."

"Moreover, this work is about the betrayal of a certain ethnic group by its own people."

"I mean, maybe there is such a work, maybe there isn't, whether there is or isn't, you can interpret it yourself."

Yu Dong asked in surprise, "You haven't seen that movie, have you?"

"I haven't seen it, but I believe in the director's abilities."

The last time Yu Dong heard this answer was the same.

Yu Dong lowered his head in anguish.

Neither of these two paths is easy to take.

His life is so miserable!

Yu Dong asked cautiously, "Are there any other routes?"

Shen Shandeng shook his head.

"Will it work?" Yu Dong asked.

Shen Shandeng said, "The award-winning works at international film festivals received audience support in the 1980s and 1990s."

"International film festivals can't bring in box office revenue. What can really bring in box office revenue is winning a major international film festival award to 'bring glory to the country' and attract audiences to watch the film."

"We can't get the audience involved now because we don't have that kind of sentiment anymore, and the audience has become more discerning."

There's nothing new under the sun!
The subsequent collapse of the film industry's collective reputation also occurred in art-house films.

Chinese people are very simple and honest, and because of public opinion, they have a simple and favorable impression of the West.

However, public opinion cannot be deceived forever. Audiences eventually discovered the malice of Western awards and the demystification of international film festivals and art films.

Of course, this is not the only factor; there are other factors as well.

As the nation grows stronger, entertainment options become more diverse.

The so-called international film festival awards are losing weight in the eyes of audiences.

In addition, the fifth generation of directors still have some sense of national and familial sentiment.

By the time the sixth generation had grown up, the Western version had stopped being performed altogether.

The ones selected did not have this sentiment.

"If Jiang Wen can stand up, then he will be a hero, a hero who defends our interests."

Shen Shandeng said, "Then, according to my interpretation, we'll lay the groundwork now, ignite it in the first week, and then unleash our full power in the second week."

"With these two lines working in tandem, I think it's possible for 'The Sun' to gross tens of millions of dollars."

"Ultimately, the marketing direction of 'In the Heat of the Sun' was wrong. The target audience of the film is not the same group of people as those in 'In the Heat of the Sun,' but college students and white-collar workers who consider themselves elites."

"If you provide three or four interpretations, just like solving a mystery, it will encourage viewers to watch it multiple times."

Shen Shandeng is too thin to carry the load, but Jiang Wen can.

The other person's teacher, Xie Jin, is a leading figure of the third generation of directors and is still alive today.

Since I've already reserved a spot, I can do this.

This is actually beneficial to the industry.

Ultimately, why release the movie in the first place? Doesn't anyone see the problem?

Because of the weak public opinion, the film was not released, and people didn't know what was going on.

If someone steps forward and clarifies the matter, the relevant departments can step in and act as referees, and things will become simpler.

This process will involve a tug-of-war, and there won't be a single voice within the department.

This would also be beneficial to "Du Gong".

If "The Creation" is successfully released, it will face even greater controversy than in its previous life.

If it hadn't been released, "The Eunuch," which was well-prepared, could have dominated the entire November release window.

Win-win!

"Brother, I've said what I needed to say. Think it over yourself. By the way, this is my PR company, specializing in online marketing and creating buzz."

Ultimately, these are all shortcuts.

With film quality as the priority, Shen Shandeng returned to his studio.

He also didn't forget to introduce business opportunities to Ma Youde.

With the release of "The Eunuch" imminent, Shen Shandeng no longer needs to act.

Moreover, this group of online trolls can't be kept in the dark any longer. In the past, they targeted Hong Kong and Taiwan, so it wasn't easy for them to uncover the truth.

Shen Shandeng has now offended the academics and a group of aquaculture professionals.

In some social circles, unpacking is too easy.

Yu Dong took the business card. He was also a producer of "The Eunuch" and knew that Shunwei and Shen Shandeng had a close relationship.

I sat there blankly for more than twenty minutes.

I checked the time; it was past 3 p.m., so I gave the driver some instructions.

"Go find Jiang Wen and then make an appointment with the producers, such as Taihe and Yinghuang."

Yu Dong first contacted Jiang Wen before the other production companies arrived.

"You've seen the media reviews; the publicity strategy went wrong."

Jiang Wen frowned: "I believe in the audience's aesthetic sense! The audience can appreciate films with higher artistic merit."

In the past, Yu Dong would have felt confident, after all, this was Jiang Wen.

But now he only feels disheartened; he was driven by this very confidence to spend the money.

They were still eager to accept it. In their words, they had to be selective about who they were paying for; if someone didn't suit their taste, they wouldn't accept it!

Yu Dong forced himself to stay alert and said, "I've thought of a better solution."

At this moment, Yu Dong showed no signs of dejection and was full of confidence.

He and Jiang Wen are currently in conflict of interest.

For Yu Dong, he's willing to do anything as long as it allows him to break even or minimize his losses.

Jiang Wen may not be willing to carry it out.

The previous approach did not align with Jiang Wen's vision, and the director's aggressive marketing of it was embarrassing.

Moreover, Yu Dong understood something from Shen Shandeng's words.

Jiang Wen plays with metaphors.

Period films can be made openly and freely. Just because others can't make them doesn't mean Jiang Wen can't.

But that's the feeling of playing games—the feeling that others can't do, but he can; the feeling that others don't understand, but he does.

The goal is to let the audience interpret it, then suddenly realize its significance, exclaim "Amazing!", and worship it.

As for the second path, Jiang Wen will face even greater pressure.

In many ways, it also goes against his interests as a major director.

After listening to Yu Dong's explanation of the new marketing ideas, Jiang Wen was stunned for a moment, and after digesting it, he was caught in a dilemma.

This is not a minority.

This is a move to isolate oneself from the industry.

After hesitating for a long time, Jiang Wen finally managed to say, "I think a director should let the film speak for itself."

Yu Dong's face immediately darkened.

That's over ten million! That's his working capital, his grand ambitions!

His life is so miserable!
"Jiang Wen, have you thought about the consequences of failure?"

Jiang Wen was taken aback when he heard Yu Dong speak to him in such a serious and equal tone for the first time.

Yu Dong said directly: "We've all seen 'The Creation' in Venice. You said it was something for women, but we all know it's more than that."

"You lost the awards, you lost at the box office, you'll always be overshadowed by this movie!"

"You also have a share in this film, are you willing to lose money on it?"

"Moreover, the producers of 'The Creation' are already marketing the sex scene. If it becomes a box office hit, you'll be in even worse shape!"

"Failure is not terrible, but being trampled on by a show like this, tsk tsk."

Yu Dong suddenly realized!

He was just the publisher; it was certainly painful to lose money, but it was only a financial loss.

Jiang Wen's losses were not just financial.

Yu Dong finally understood: "Have you ever thought about why the Venice Film Festival gives you hope?"

Jiang Wen blinked even faster.

"The Sun" initially had a chance to win an award; if it hadn't, he could have simply not gone.

Yu Dongdao: "They're using 'The Sin' to suppress your show. What time period is your show scheduled for? Wake up, Jiang Wen! They're full of malice! You're just a stepping stone!"

This was actually made up by Yu Dong.

He wanted Jiang Wen to understand that there was no turning back.

But after he finished speaking, he suddenly had a sudden realization.

"And who are you? You're a rich kid from a powerful family!"

"Zhang Yimou actually dislikes you because he suffered so much to finally get the chance to direct. You're different; you became a director under the guidance of a leading figure of the third generation of directors." "The reason he gave you the award wasn't just because he couldn't make the decision himself, but also because you both had similar experiences!"

"To put it bluntly, your arrogance has long been seen through!"

Jiang Wen's fists hardened!
"I did it!"

I regretted it as soon as I said it.

Yu Dong didn't give him a chance. With Jiang Wen's support, he immediately persuaded Taihe and Yinghuang.

Both sides were greatly surprised by the East's proposal and had differing opinions.

But both sides invested more than Bona, and faced with a double collapse in media and audience reputation, they had no choice but to follow suit.

Yu Dong didn't contact Shunwei at first, but urgently contacted several traditional public relations companies, all of which said it would be difficult to handle.

That's when I contacted Ma Youde.

Ma Youde didn't mention the difficulties, but said directly, "One million? Time is too tight. We can't do it for less than one million."

Yu Dong's face grew even more bitter. Spending another million would feel like cutting off a piece of his own flesh, but he had already invested over ten million.

"Tell me your plan."

"One is to be upright and honest. The popularity of the film 'The Sun' has already risen, and director Jiang Wen is also a great director, so the publicity and distribution must be grand."

“If these two directions are pursued, it will inevitably trigger a strong backlash. We need to create an extreme narrative and amplify the opposition tenfold or a hundredfold. In this way, Director Jiang Wen will actually win sympathy.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Dong's eyes lit up, and he quickly took out his notebook to write it down.

"Let's go with it."

Shen Shandeng smiled when he learned of the cooperation between the two parties.

Triple win!

9 month 19 day.

Jiang Wen and Yu Dong visited Sohu.com and had in-depth exchanges with netizens.

The host asked a question on behalf of netizens about Venice.

Yu Dongdao: "It's no wonder it lost to 'The Creation of Evil,' it was absolutely brilliant. Three scenes, three sex scenes, and it's such a serious subject matter, it's unbeatable. Foreign audiences were so curious!"

"They were all overjoyed, like they were in a zoo."

The host was stunned, then became excited.

It’s so popular!
The host looked at Jiang Wen, and Yu Dong also looked at Jiang Wen.

It was agreed beforehand that Yu Dong would light the fire and Jiang Wen would set off the cannons.

The Jiang-Yu duo is unbeatable!

At that moment, Jiang Wen thought of his wife Zhou Yun, as well as actors Chen Chong and Fang Zuming.

He also thought that if "The Sun" failed, so be it; he would have another one.

If things fall apart, it will be difficult to make a living internationally in the future.

He's a renowned director, and if we take a broader view and escalate the issue, it could also harm him.

Most importantly, Jiang Wen didn't want to appear like he couldn't accept defeat.

In a flash, Jiang Wen thought of many things and said, "The foreign audience was indeed very enthusiastic. The three sex scenes deserved to win awards. Tony Leung and Tang Wei delivered the most daring and passionate scenes ever."

"The Sun Is a completely different movie. We have four scenes: madness, love, gun, and dream."

The other office.

Ma Youde, who was staring at the webpage and waiting in the chat room, was startled.

"Don't release the article yet, this isn't what we agreed on, this isn't the right pace."

Fortunately, he was very capable and managed to change the press release, using the interpretation of the press release to guide the discussion.

The interview has ended.

Yu Dong's eyes blazed with anger: "This isn't what we agreed on, is it?"

Jiang Wen said impatiently, "The director should focus on the film. The problem with the publicity is your mistake. I don't want to use this method."

Friday, June 9.

"The Sun" is being released nationwide.

Box office revenue fell short of expectations and was not as popular as anticipated.

9 month 24 day.

The opening weekend box office figures are in. The Shanghai United Cinema Circuit's opening weekend box office was less than 50 yuan, which is less than the overseas import "Lion's Mouth" which has been in theaters for two weeks.

Despite Jiang Wen's talent and the grand scale of the film's visuals and music, the film was initially aimed at grossing over 100 million yuan.

The opening scene was astounding, with the appearance of Zhou Yun, the "mad mother," at an altitude of 3000 meters, where the scenery was so beautiful it seemed otherworldly.

However, the movie is too incomprehensible. The crazy mother climbs trees, digs holes, and talks incomprehensibly while doing unbelievable things on her own.

What exactly Jiang Wen was talking about is a subject of much speculation not only among movie fans, but also among film critics and experts.

The bizarre nature of it far exceeded expectations.

Yu Dong went crazy and found Zhou Yun: "Where is Jiang Wen? Tell him not to hide anymore, the movie hasn't lost yet."

"Let him see the comments. Those special historical symbols are so captivating that people can't stop watching and want to see them again."

"Our marketing has already taken off; if viewers don't understand, they can watch it again."

"There are several interpretations. Jiang Wen is actually Fang Zuming's father; Old Tang Jiang Wen is Fang Zuming, and Crazy Mom Zhou Yun is Tang's wife. They are all the same person, just made different choices on their paths."

"This is destined to be no ordinary movie. You give him confidence. Many viewers really like the second story; it's entertaining."

Yu Dong genuinely felt it was possible, even if it meant not taking the second path.

The first option is also acceptable!

But Jiang Wen couldn't hide; he'd promised to enter the campus.

"President Yu, don't pressure him anymore. That's all just marketing," Zhou Yun sighed.

Yu Dong was so angry he almost cried.

This isn't an act; they're really going to lose everything.

pit!
Too pit!
The Working People's Cultural Palace, also known as the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Jiang Wen stared at the twisted wires scattered all over the floor in his studio.

The staff who were chatting suddenly dispersed.

Chalperic's mood brightened after a period of cloudiness.

"Okay! Don't panic! It was just a small accident."

"The Sun" was a failure!

Good, failure is good!
He was initially shocked when he saw the publicity for "The Sun," but after gathering media criticism, he fell silent.

"The commissioner is brilliant!" The assistant was also excited: "Let's just pretend Shen Shandeng's article was never written."

Chalperic nodded repeatedly, as if nothing had happened.

They're not afraid of losing; as long as no one mentions it, they'll keep winning.

A new chapter begins.

This is the power of mastering storytelling.

Don't be fooled by the current mess; once a new person comes in in 08, a new story will begin.

When everyone gets tired of it, they replace it with a new one.

Moreover, when something new comes along, people can reminisce about the old; those who do things will make mistakes, while those who do nothing will never make mistakes.

Cognitive shaping is their forte.

"Propaganda, find someone to give a presentation, don't mention that article again, continue the siege against Shen Shandeng."

If there was anything that made Chalperik uneasy, it was Shen Shandeng.

Despite their stubbornness and unyielding nature, public opinion could not sway their resolve in the slightest.

Jiang Zhiqiang, the producer and investor of "The Sin", was relieved.

Public opinion has returned to normal.

Even though "The Creation" is a co-production, it was still very difficult to get it released with the help of many parties.

Shanghai Film Group, Taiwan Directors, Edko Films (Hong Kong), Sil-Metropole Organisation, and Focus Features (a subsidiary of Universal Pictures) are all doing their best.

Moreover, "The Creation" is not just about box office revenue; if it can promote greater openness and tolerance, it will bring even greater benefits.

After recording the theme song "The Lone Warrior" for the TV series "The Eunuch", Shen Shandeng walked out of the recording studio.

After more than two months of work, the fine cut and final cut of "The Eunuch" were completed, and the post-production of the visuals and audio began simultaneously.

Shen Shandeng's decision to shoot the special effects shots ahead of time was correct, giving the special effects team ample time to complete the martial arts special effects smoothly.

It was a bit short, only a little over four minutes long, but it was absolutely stunning.

The subsequent work, including overlaying, digital compositing and restoration, color grading, subtitle and special effects compositing, as well as sound editing and design, foley, music composition and recording, has already been partially completed.

Even with frantic efforts, it should be completed by the end of October; China Film Group has also coordinated with the film processing plant.

October has arrived.

Shen Shandeng brought Zhou Qifeng to Hong Kong Island.

Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle. He had only heard of the play "Creating a Sin" in his previous life but had never seen it. He was going to watch it in this life.

"Brother, hang in there! I'm not pretending anymore, I'm just going for 'The Sin'! I'll avenge you. It's just a small loss, 'The Eunuch' will make it all back for you."

Shen Shandeng was speechless. They gave you a chance, but you couldn't seize it!
Yu Dongren became depressed and couldn't listen to anything anymore.

"It's over. I'll never touch art films again. I can't afford to mess with them. Artists are too much for me to handle."

Shen Shandeng hung up the phone, put on his sunglasses, and boarded a plane heading south.

has it ended?

He felt that this was just the beginning!

Just because others can't do it doesn't mean he can't.

Shen Shandeng can do what others can't!

Come and fight!

(End of this chapter)