Nobody knows movies better than me

Chapter 126 Happy Cooperation

The next afternoon, Ye Xiaoyi arrived in Shanghai.

Zhang Jun had his driver pick her up from the airport and take her directly to the hotel. After the roadshow ended that evening, Zhang Jun found a restaurant near the hotel to welcome Ye Xiaoyi back.

The restaurant was a local Shanghainese restaurant with an elegant decor. There were only Zhang Jun and Ye Xiaoyi in the private room.

Ye Xiaoyi sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, and then looked at Zhang Jun and said, "It's been two years since I last saw you, and you've become more and more famous."

Zhang Jun smiled and said, "What's the use of being famous? You still have to keep making movies."

Ye Xiaoyi said, "I heard from He Xuan that 'Bad Genius' did very well at the box office, earning more than 60 million in its opening weekend and breaking the daily box office record again."

Zhang Jun waved his hand: "Records and all that are meaningless; as long as we can make money, that's all that matters."

Ye Xiaoyi looked at him and suddenly laughed: "You're still the same as ever, not arrogant at all."

Zhang Jun said, "What's with the arrogance? There are plenty of directors more capable than me."

Ye Xiaoyi disagreed: "With your current achievements, among directors in mainland China, you could at least be in the top five, or even the top three."

.

Ye Xiaoyi's words are not an exaggeration at all; there are only a handful of directors in mainland China. Zhang Yimou, Feng Xiaogang, Chen Gezi, and next up is Zhang Jun.

Considering the criticism Chen Gezi received for her previous film "The Promise," Zhang Jun's entry into the top three is perfectly reasonable.

As for Lu Chuan, he hasn't had any works since "Kekexili," so he's not qualified to be discussed among top directors.

However, I heard he's working on a war film, planning to release it as a tribute in 2009. The investment is quite large, and it has received support from China Film Group.

Lu Chuan was definitely not convinced by Zhang Jun. This man was even more arrogant than Chen Gezi, and he believed that he was the number one among the younger generation of directors.

As for the films Zhang Jun made, he felt they were all too commercial and lacked any artistic merit. But since the outside world was so enthusiastic about Zhang Jun, Lu Chuan had no choice but to tone down her brilliance.

In recent times, whenever Lu Chuan saw Zhang Jun, she would choose to take a detour.

Inside the private room, the waiter came in to take their order, and the two casually picked out a few dishes.

After the waiter left, Ye Xiaoyi said, "My dad asked me to pass on a message to you. He said he'd like to invite you to dinner and come over to his house when you're done with your work."

Zhang Jun smiled and said, "Uncle Ye, are you being so polite?"

Ye Xiaoyi said, "It's not just politeness; he genuinely thinks you're amazing. These past few days, the company has been having meetings to discuss the development of cinemas, and he said that many of the ideas were ones you had proposed before."

Zhang Jun took a sip of tea but didn't reply.

Ye Xiaoyi continued, "I've seen Chengxin Cinema's plans. They're preparing to open up franchising and expand rapidly. If this works out, we won't have to worry about the cinema business anymore."

Zhang Jun said, "It's not that simple. The franchise model has risks, and problems can easily arise if quality control isn't handled well. Besides, theaters are theaters, and movies are movies; they're two different things."

All I can do is make my films well, and let the rest take its course.

Ye Xiaoyi nodded, then asked, "By the way, how's things at your studio?"

Zhang Jun said, "I was just about to tell you this. I plan to expand my studio into a company this year."

Ye Xiaoyi was taken aback: "So fast?"

Zhang Jun said, "It's not going to happen anytime soon. There have been more and more projects in the past two years, and the current team in the studio isn't enough. Moreover, the projects we're going to do later are all on a larger scale than before, requiring a more formal structure."

Ye Xiaoyi asked, "What are you planning to do?"

Zhang Jun said, "The initial idea is to set up a content production company to specialize in film and television projects. I will still be responsible for the creation, but someone will be responsible for the management."

We also want to sign some directors and screenwriters to expand the business.

Ye Xiaoyi thought for a moment and said, "This direction is correct. When I was at UCLA, I came into contact with some Hollywood production companies, and they all followed this model."

With core creators and a stable team, the success rate of a project is much higher.

Zhang Jun nodded: "That's what I think too."

Ye Xiaoyi then asked, "What about funding? Do we need support from Guanzhi Pictures?"

Zhang Jun said, "It's not necessary for now; the revenue sharing from the past few years has been enough. But I'm afraid I'll need the two companies to continue collaborating on future projects."

Ye Xiaoyi said, "That's no problem. You are also a shareholder and director of Guanzhi Pictures, so this is your company too."

As the two chatted, the dishes were served one after another.

Ye Xiaoyi picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, then suddenly remembered something.

She asked, "By the way, your girlfriend, is she Yang Mi?"

Zhang Jun nodded: "Uh—you could call me a partner."

Ye Xiaoyi complained, "You fickle radish, but she acted quite well. I've seen her work before, and she was particularly outstanding in 'Bad Genius' this time."

Zhang Jun said, "He is a very hardworking actor."

Ye Xiaoyi looked at him, a half-smile on her face: "Just trying?"

Zhang Jun laughed too: "Otherwise what?"

Zhang Jun changed the subject: "What else did you do besides attend classes during your two years at UCLA?"

Ye Xiaoyi said, "I've watched a lot of movies, visited many film sets, and met some Hollywood producers."

In addition, there are many behind-the-scenes talents. I visited Industrial Light & Magic and found that there were many Chinese engineers there.

Zhang Jun said, "That's normal. White people are mostly in management, Indian engineers smell like curry, black people are brainless, only Chinese engineers are both smart and obedient."

Indians would be furious to hear this, and indeed, a decade or so later, Indian engineers did replace Chinese engineers.

Ye Xiaoyi nodded and said, "I also learned some production management skills, so I can keep a closer eye on Guanzhi Pictures' projects in the future."

Zhang Jun said, "That's good, He Xuan can't handle it all by herself."

The two chatted until almost 10 p.m. before parting ways.

Zhang Jun returned to the hotel, where Yang Mi was watching TV in her room.

Seeing him return, Yang Mi asked, "How did the chat go?"

Zhang Jun said, "It was alright, we talked about our future plans."

Yang Mi looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Can your collaboration last?"

Zhang Jun paused for a moment, then said, "There are no permanent enemies, nor permanent friends, only permanent interests."

Regardless of what the future holds, we remain partners for now.

Yang Mi didn't say anything.

Zhang Jun added, "Besides, I'm not unprepared. After the studio expands into a company, I will have more control."

Even if the partnership changes by then, I can manage on my own.

Yang Mi nodded, leaned closer, and didn't ask any more questions.

In the following days, the box office of "Bad Genius" continued to rise.

After grossing 6355 million yuan in its opening weekend, box office revenue dipped slightly on Monday, but still managed to reach over 800 million yuan. Tuesday saw over 900 million yuan, and Wednesday saw it rise back above 1000 million yuan. By the second weekend, daily box office revenue had surged back above 2000 million yuan.

The media began to describe the film as a "box office dark horse" and a "phenomenal film".

One film critic wrote in a newspaper: "The success of 'Bad Genius' proves the huge potential of genre films in the Chinese market."

Zhang Jun used a low-budget film to create a Hollywood-level sense of tension and pacing.

What's even more commendable is that he handled a seemingly sensitive topic in a way that was both authentic and tactful.

Some media outlets also focused on the actors' performances: "Yang Mi's performance in 'Bad Genius' can be said to be a turning point in her acting career."

She portrayed Lin Wei's intelligence, contradictions, and struggles with remarkable depth and nuance.

Wen Zhang's portrayal of Chen Qi is particularly memorable.

From an upright young man to one crushed by reality, and finally to his descent into darkness, his performance is nuanced and layered, promising a bright future.

The online discussion hasn't cooled down.

Someone posted on Tieba: "I've watched it twice, and I still think it's great. Lin Wei's last scene, her eyes showed guilt, relief, and uncertainty about the future, it was so complex."

A comment below reads: "I cry every time I watch the scene where Wen Zhang kneels at the exam hall entrance."

"I think the best part is the pacing; two hours doesn't feel long at all."

"Zhang Jun really knows how to make movies; every single one of his films is top-notch."

Of course, there were also critics who said that cheating should not be romanticized, and that the ending was too positive and not realistic enough, but these voices were quickly drowned out by the many more positive reviews.

He Xuan kept a close eye on the data every day and reported to Zhang Jun at any time.

"At this rate, the total box office should easily surpass 200 million."

She said on the phone, "If we can hold on for another two weeks, we might be able to get close to 300 million."

Zhang Jun said, "Don't think that far ahead, just focus on doing the things in front of you well."

He Xuan agreed, then asked, "Has President Ye given any instructions?"

Zhang Jun said, "It's nothing, she just wants me to come to her house for dinner after I'm done with this busy period."

He Xuan smiled and said, "President Ye is treating you like one of his own."

Zhang Jun smiled and said, "I wouldn't dare call myself one of their own, but as long as we can cooperate, that's fine."

The roadshow is still ongoing.

After Shanghai, it was Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, Guangzhou—one city after another, one event after another. Zhang Jun and his creative team traveled to almost every major ticket-producing region in the country.

The process is the same in every city I visit.

Meet-and-greet at the cinema, Q&A sessions with the audience, autographs and photos. But Zhang Jun didn't find it annoying; he knew it was a necessary part of film promotion.

Moreover, seeing the audience's reactions firsthand and hearing their feedback can be helpful for making movies in the future.

Yang Mi kept running around, and although she was tired, she never complained. Sometimes Zhang Jun saw that she was too tired and suggested that she take a break, but she refused.

"It's okay, I can handle it."

She said, "This is a play I acted in myself, and I want to see more of the audience's reaction."

She truly deserves to be called a future workaholic. Her attitude towards acting has become much more serious now. Yang Mi has a bright future ahead of her!

The young actors, including Wen Zhang, were all very dedicated, answering questions seriously and signing autographs for the audience at every show.

Zhang Jun observed this and understood the situation. He knew he could work with these actors in the future.

Ye Xiaoyi spent two days promoting the film before returning to Beijing. Before leaving, she had one last chat with Zhang Jun about the future development direction of Guanzhi Pictures.

"He Xuan said the company has a lot of money in its account right now. What do you think we should do next?" she asked.

Zhang Jun thought for a moment and said, "Continue to invest in movies, but don't just invest in mine. Didn't Ning Hao just sign a three-film contract?"

His projects can receive more support.

We can also look into other promising young directors; if there are suitable projects, we'll invest.

Ye Xiaoyi nodded, then asked, "What about myself? I'd like to be my own producer. What do you think?"

Zhang Jun said, "What's wrong with that? You've studied at UCLA for two years, you have the theory, what you lack now is practice."

You can start with small projects and gradually accumulate experience.

Ye Xiaoyi said, "Then you have to be my advisor."

Zhang Jun laughed: "Okay, I'll be your consultant, for free."

Ye Xiaoyi laughed too: "That's more like it."

After their conversation, Ye Xiaoyi flew back to Beijing.

Zhang Jun continued his roadshow tour until mid-July, when he finally completed the promotional tours in all the cities.

It was already late July when I returned to the capital.

"Bad Genius" is still showing in theaters, but its box office is already approaching 200 million yuan, shocking the entire Chinese film market.

After finishing the meeting at the company, Zhang Jun went home, took a shower, and lay down on the bed.

Yang Mi also came back and lay down next to him without saying a word.

After a long while, Yang Mi suddenly spoke up: "Zhang Jun, do you think I'll be able to play such good roles again in the future?"

Zhang Jun turned to look at her: "Why are you suddenly asking this?"

Yang Mi said, "I feel that this drama may be the pinnacle of my acting career. I may not be able to encounter such a good script and such a good director again in the future."

Zhang Jun put his arm around Yang Mi and said, "Not necessarily, there will be many more opportunities in the future."

Yang Mi shook her head: "I know, not every director can film people this well."

Zhang Jun thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll write you a few more notebooks in the future."

Yang Mi paused for a moment, then laughed: "You said it, you can't go back on your word."

Zhang Jun held up three fingers and assured him, "I won't go back on my word."

Another big battle has begun, and Yang Mi is very cooperative in order to reward Zhang Jun.