Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 395, Section 393: Resurrection

Discussions about "Kung Fu Soccer" began to appear frequently from all over the United States, especially in college towns, Asian communities, and BBS and forums frequented by cult film fans, and quickly became trending topics.

"Hey, anyone watched The Daily Show? That Chinese soccer kung fu movie looked insane!"

"Stephen Chow? Isn't that the Hong Kong actor who starred in 'God of Gamblers II'? I've seen the videotapes; his comedic rhythm is unique!"

Will it be shown in theaters in my city? That upside-down kick in the trailer is practically defying the laws of physics, but I really want to see it!

Although these voices were scattered, their combined volume surprised the lower-level publicity staff at New Line Cinema, who had been prepared for the dismal outcome of "Shaolin Soccer," and then they felt a hidden excitement.

Data doesn't lie. Web search indexes (although Google hadn't yet dominated the market, similar tools already existed) and limited online interaction data all pointed to one fact: this upcoming, uniquely styled Eastern comedy was gaining far more market attention than expected in an unconventional way.

Karen Lee submitted the compiled data and analysis report to her superiors, as well as Senior Vice President Kevin Brown, who had initially been open to collaborating with Wang Sheng, almost immediately.

“That’s how it is, Kevin.” Karen stood in Kevin Brown’s office, her voice trembling with barely suppressed excitement. “The Daily Show’s effect was phenomenal; it helped Shake Soccer achieve its initial breakthrough in a way we never anticipated. Now, we need to reassess the film’s market potential.”

Kevin Brown leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the report.

He had already given up hope for the prospects of "Shaolin Soccer" under the crushing dominance of "Ice Age", and there were even voices within the company questioning whether the decision to cooperate with Sheng Ying was too risky.

But at this moment, the cold numbers and the vibrant voices online told him that things might still have a chance to turn around.

"Can word-of-mouth...hold up?" Kevin Brown asked the most crucial question.

Attention generated by curiosity is one thing; whether audiences actually buy into the film is another.

If the film receives poor reviews after previews or the premiere, then the initial buzz will only hasten its demise.

"That's exactly what we need to figure out right now."

Karen responded quickly, “I suggest we launch a large-scale preview screening immediately! This weekend (March 23-24), in addition to the original premiere locations (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco), expand to at least twenty cities around major college towns and Asian communities across the United States, and arrange hundreds of preview screenings!”
We need real audience feedback, we need attendance data, we need to know whether those who became interested in the film because of "The Daily Show" actually liked it after watching it!

Preview screenings are small-scale screenings held in specific theaters for specific audiences before a formal, large-scale release. They are often used for art films or commercial films that lack confidence to test market reaction and build word-of-mouth.

For Shake Soccer, conducting a large-scale reconnaissance mission before directly confronting Ice Age is crucial.

Kevin Brown paused for a moment, quickly weighing the risks and opportunities in his mind.

Adding more screenings means additional costs for print processing, venues, and manpower; if the results are poor, these investments will be wasted.

However, if the preview screenings can prove market acceptance and even generate positive word-of-mouth, it may be possible to secure more opening screens from theaters than originally planned.

"Do it."

Kevin Brown finally made up his mind, "The scale will be as you said, at least a hundred games. Focus on the types of areas I just mentioned."

At the same time, we contacted film critics with whom we have close relationships and invited them to special screenings in Los Angeles and New York. We need diverse voices.

Upon receiving the order, New Line Cinema's marketing and distribution departments immediately sprang into action.

Telephone, fax, and email were all common in 2002, but fax still played an important role in business communication, and many faxes were sent to cooperating cinema managers in various regions.

Leveraging New Line's established distribution network and the unexpected buzz generated by The Daily Show, the distribution team managed to persuade numerous cinemas to allocate over a hundred screenings for Shake Soccer over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Shengying Media team in the United States, led by Zhao Jingsong, fully cooperated.

They provided more interpretive materials about Stephen Chow's comedic style and cultural background, helping New Line Cinema to produce more precise promotional slogans and audience guidance.

Zhao Jinsong even personally participated in the selection of cinemas for the preview screenings to ensure that the potential audience could be covered to the greatest extent possible.

……

Saturday, December 23, 2002.

The nationwide preview screenings of "Shaolin Soccer" in the United States.

Outside an art-house cinema in Westwood, Los Angeles, right next to UCLA, a short but definitely noticeable line had already formed before the afternoon showings even started.

Among the group were young people with distinctly Asian features, casually dressed American youths who looked like college students, and some who were clearly cult film enthusiasts. They were talking, their tone full of anticipation.

“I came here for The Daily Show, and I’m here to see just how outrageous it is.”

"Several of my favorite talk shows criticized this movie, and it made me laugh so hard! I definitely have to watch it!" "Stephen Chow may not be as famous as Jackie Chan, but his comedies are really good."

"I heard the visual effects are amazing? I hope the trailer isn't lying."

Inside the cinema, every seat was taken—this was a location carefully chosen by the New Line and Sheng Ying teams, taking advantage of the university community's high acceptance of new things.

The lights dimmed, the opening credits flashed, and the movie began.

At first, there were only a few scattered laughs in the theater, mainly from the cleverness of the dialogue and Stephen Chow's unique body language.

As the plot unfolds, and "Shaolin Kung Fu" is truly combined with football, various physics-defying and wildly imaginative moves appear, the audience in the theater begins to react enthusiastically.

"Pfft-hahaha!"

When the "light-footed water-skimming" technique was mentioned, a male college student couldn't help but burst out laughing.

“Oh my God! That’s insane!” someone exclaimed when the “Mighty Leg” kicked the soccer ball with a cannonball-like effect.

“Look! Tai Chi! My grandma does that!” a girl exclaimed excitedly, pulling her companion along.

Laughter, gasps of surprise, and discussions gradually blended into one in the theater.

The feeling was strange. Some viewers were obviously amused by the "outrageous" premise, laughing with a mix of surprise and curiosity; while others (especially Asian viewers and some viewers familiar with Hong Kong films) were more able to grasp the core of Stephen Chow's nonsensical humor and laughed more heartily.

Of course, not all feedback is positive.

After the screening, some dissenting opinions emerged in random interviews conducted at the cinema entrance and in subsequent simple questionnaires:

“That’s so stupid, I just can’t understand it.” (A middle-aged white male)
"The jokes are a bit odd, and the pacing is a little hard to get used to." (A woman who appears to be a movie fan)
"The special effects... are a bit fake, but they seem interestingly fake?" (A hesitant young audience member)

However, overall, positive feedback prevailed and showed a steady upward trend.

Many viewers said it was "more interesting than expected," "a very unique viewing experience," and "would recommend this 'weird thing' to their friends."

More importantly, when the occupancy rate data was sent back to New Line Cinema's headquarters, it was exhilarating for everyone – the average occupancy rate for the preview screenings reached an astonishing 85%!

Cinemas near Chinatown in New York were even sold out!
This is nothing short of a miracle for a foreign language comedy film that was not initially expected to succeed.

The preview screenings on Sunday (March 24) also remained strong, and the attendance rate for some screenings even increased slightly due to the initial spread of word-of-mouth on Saturday.

Meanwhile, some film critics who were invited to the preview screenings also voiced their opinions.

While most film critics in mainstream newspapers held reservations, articles defending or even praising *Shaolin Soccer* began to appear on independent film review websites and some alternative weekly magazines.

"Shaolin Soccer: A complete deconstruction and celebration of the sports genre!" — An independent film blog
"Forget logic, enjoy the nonsensical feast brought to you by Stephen Chow!" — A column on The Village Voice
"Perhaps this is the ultimate form of football? A new cult favorite that will make you laugh until your abs hurt!" — Ain't It Cool News website
All this information—the soaring online buzz, the better-than-expected attendance at the preview screenings, the mixed but far from one-sided audience feedback, and the emerging positive reviews—came together on Kevin Brown's desk to form a powerful report.

On Monday morning (March 25), New Line Cinema held an emergency meeting.

Karen Lee and her team, using data to their advantage, strongly recommended an immediate adjustment to the distribution strategy for "Shaolin Soccer".

"Gentlemen, data shows that Kung Fu Soccer has a specific and active audience that we previously seriously underestimated."

The preview screenings had an average occupancy rate of 85%, with nearly full seats in the target area.

Audience feedback has shown that its unique comedic style is accepted and loved by a significant portion of North American audiences, especially among young people and subculture groups.

Ice Age is indeed a behemoth, but it primarily appeals to families and family-friendly audiences.

"Kung Fu Soccer" can fill another gap in the market!

The head of the distribution department added, "Based on preview screening data and market feedback, we are now confident enough to negotiate for more screens with major theater chains such as AMC, Regal, and Cinemark."

We don't need much; just securing one or two screenings a day in more theaters in major cities, especially evening and midnight showings, is enough. We believe it can attract a stable audience through its unique word-of-mouth.

Faced with the irrefutable data and the team's renewed confidence, Kevin Brown no longer hesitated.

"Approved." He decisively ordered, "Immediately readjust the distribution plan. Do everything possible to increase the number of screens from the originally planned 500 to... at least 900 on opening day, March 29th!"
The focus will be on securing screenings in art-house cinemas, cinemas near universities, and cinemas in multicultural communities. In terms of promotion, the emphasis will remain on the labels of "unique," "crazy," and "you have to see it for yourself," leveraging the positive word-of-mouth generated by preview screenings and the lingering buzz from the talk show.

(End of this chapter)