Huayu: Serious director, who's eavesdropping on your thoughts?

"Don't rush to answer. Think it over carefully. As for the script, I can personally help you vet it. As long as the quality is excellent, I'll give you the best screening slots next summer."

As the head of China Film Group, the fact that he said such things and offered such treatment shows that he truly values ​​Zhao Huaiyuan.

Zhao Huaiyuan fell into deep thought.

300 million.

In 2002, this was an absolute fortune. Ning Hao earned the same amount when he filmed Crazy Stone, but he had to beg and plead with everyone he knew to get it.

Zhao Huaiyuan is a freshman, and this is the starting price.

It's simply unbelievable!

If it were an ordinary student, they would probably be so excited that they would be incoherent and floating on air.

But Zhao Huaiyuan did not.

He knew very well that when it came to making movies, you could never have too much money.

"Mr. Han, I'll take the money."

Zhao Huaiyuan nodded, his tone calm, "But I can't accept this schedule."

"kindness?"

Han Sanping frowned. "What do you mean? Aren't you satisfied with the summer season? That's prime time."

"It's too late."

Zhao Huaiyuan raised his head, looked directly at Han Sanping, and said in a deep voice, "I want this year's Lunar New Year film season."

"What?"

Han Sanping thought he had misheard.

"I want this year's Lunar New Year films," Zhao Huaiyuan repeated.

"What nonsense are you talking about? It's only mid-October, and there are less than three months left until the Lunar New Year film season!"

"Feature films aren't short films. After censorship approval, printing copies, and marketing, where do you find the time to make a movie?"

Han Sanping was somewhat disappointed.

The other party clearly had no idea what making a feature film meant and thought it was a short film.

At this moment, he even regretted whether he had acted rashly.

How could they so easily trust a mere freshman? Sigh!

Zhao Huaiyuan observed Han Sanping's reaction.

This is human nature.

Han Sanping had high hopes for him, but what he just said made him sound like a hothead with unrealistic ambitions.

Anyone would feel disappointed.

But Zhao Huaiyuan came prepared.

"Mr. Han, I know you're in a hurry, but please don't rush. Please let me explain."

"Explain yourself, I'm listening." Han Sanping looked at him, wanting to see what he could say.

If he didn't do a good job, then he felt it was necessary to reconsider who to support.

Three million yuan may not seem like much to China Film Group, but it's not something they can afford to squander.

Zhao Huaiyuan stood up and went straight to the huge floor-to-ceiling window in his office, looking down at the bustling traffic below:

"What is 'Hero'? It is a powerful weapon for Chinese films. Its mission is to confront Hollywood head-on, using big scenes, big stars, and big productions to draw in audiences who don't usually go to the cinema. No one can replace or compete with it in this regard."

Han Sanping nodded.

Indeed, upon hearing the other party say those words, his resentment eased slightly.

Not bad, you were quite prescient.

Zhao Huaiyuan withdrew his gaze, turned around, looked at Han Sanping, and spoke calmly and slowly:

"But Mr. Han, have you considered this? After the audience is awestruck by the grand scale of 'Hero,' their hearts are full, but they are also exhausted as they leave the theater."

At this point, if they want to change things up, watch something lighthearted, touching, or even something that allows them to vent their emotions, what do you think they would choose?

Are we suggesting they watch a British wizard riding a broomstick, or some American popcorn special effects?

No! We can't give them this piece of meat!

Han Sanping laughed, "Just shouting slogans won't work. Tell me directly, what are you planning to do?"

"It's very simple. To give an analogy, Director Zhang's 'Hero' is the lead aircraft, the main attacking force, responsible for the grand narrative, while I am the wingman, cooperating and assisting, responsible for touching the hearts of the audience."

We can create a balance between high-end and low-end offerings. When audiences get tired of the big, elaborate feasts, they can enjoy a comforting, home-style dish – that's what the Lunar New Year film season should be like.

The 2002 film "Hero" was a highly anticipated release, carrying the strong support and expectations of China. Both the director and the stars were top-tier talents in China.

Zhao Huaiyuan still had a solid foundation, so he was naturally not foolish enough to confront him; that would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.

"Wingman...that metaphor is quite interesting." Han Sanping pondered the two words carefully.

A wingman is an aircraft that follows the lead aircraft in a formation flight to perform a mission.

This positioning is good.

On the one hand, it avoids the sharp edge of "Hero" and does not compete with it; on the other hand, it occupies the high ground of righteousness and can even ride the wave of popularity.

This kid's business acumen is simply phenomenal.

Han Sanping became interested again.

"What a great wingman! But how are you going to manage this time? You only have a few months. What can you possibly film? Don't tell me you're going to make another short film. Theaters don't recognize that kind of thing."

"The film I'm going to make is called 'Escape from the Eagle Museum'."

"The Great Eagle Museum?" Han Sanping was taken aback. "You're going to film in Britain? That 300 million won't be enough. Besides, the visa and venue approval alone will take at least six months."

"Not going abroad."

Zhao Huaiyuan shook his head. "We'll film in Yanjing, using the scenery of the World Park, a few special effects and close-ups, plus post-production editing. I'm confident and have a good grasp of it."

"As for the story..."

Zhao Huaiyuan recalled for a moment and then began to recount his story.

"The story is simple. My premise is that a third-rate Chinese tour guide who can't make it in Britain and talks nonsense picks up a dirty, mentally ill girl dressed in ancient costume on the street."

"The first half is positioned as a comedy, with two people living together in a chaotic way. The male lead's shrewdness and kindness as a lowly person and the girl's innocence and stubbornness will make the audience laugh and burst into laughter."

"But as the plot progresses, the male protagonist discovers that she is not human."

Han Sanping frowned: "Not human? Then it's a monster. First half comedy, second half horror? That idea is somewhat creative, but it feels a bit out of place, and a horror film isn't suitable for the Lunar New Year season."

"It's not a ghost story, nor is it a horror film. She is a thin-walled jade pot with intertwined floral patterns from China. Among the thousands of cultural relics scattered abroad, she is the only one that remembers the way home."

She escaped not for freedom, but to bring back to China the 23,000 letters from her brothers and sisters who would never return.

Upon hearing this...

Han Sanping's heart skipped a beat.

Zhao Huaiyuan's description is very plain and brief; it is simply a narrative.

But as the head of China Film Group, he understands it all too well!

In 2002, China had just joined the WIO and had just won the bid to host the Olympics. It was a time when the Chinese nation's self-confidence was beginning to rise, but at the same time, it was very sensitive to the past.

The term "lost cultural relics" is a thorn in the side of every Chinese person.

"At the end of the story, when the male protagonist, after overcoming countless hardships, brings her back to Yanjing, she stands on the city streets of 2002, looking at the bustling traffic and the prosperity of this great city, and asks: 'Brother, is this... home?'"

Zhao Huaiyuan said silently:

"Mr. Han, at that moment, I believe that all the laughter that had accumulated in the first half of the movie theater would turn into tears."

"Hero" showcases the strength of China, the domineering spirit of the Qin King in unifying the six kingdoms, and the awe that foreigners feel!

My film showcases the soul of China, the deep-rooted connection in our blood, and the unifying force that brings tears to the eyes of the Chinese people!

In this extraordinary year, I feel we not only need to show the world that we have stood up, but also need to tell our own people that no matter how far we go, our country will always be safe and sound, and we will come to welcome you home.

Quiet.

You could hear a pin drop in the office.

Han Sanping stared at him blankly. He looked at the excessively young director in front of him, but his heart was in turmoil.

This...this kind of thinking, this kind of awareness, this kind of keen business insight, really came from this young man?

At this juncture, if there truly were a work that combined fantasy, warmth, and patriotism,

It has the exterior of comedy, satisfying the basic needs of the Lunar New Year film season, and also possesses such profound connotations, satisfying that weighty patriotic core...

This is practically a perfect answer sheet submitted to the higher-ups!

"call.."

Han Sanping had never lost his composure like this before. Even when faced with the foreigners' sarcastic remarks, he had never been so unable to calm down.

He stood up, said nothing, and paced back and forth in the office, unable to suppress his excitement.

"Excellent! What a powerful sense of unity! What a promise of lasting peace and prosperity for our nation!"

Han Sanping's eyes were burning:

"Zhao Huaiyuan, you're a real genius! This idea is brilliant! It's practically tailor-made for the Lunar New Year film season!"

"500 million, I'll increase it to 500 million!"

Since we're filming in Beijing, we absolutely can't afford any continuity errors; we have to pay attention to every single detail.

Hire all the extras and background actors I need, not one less. Use the best costumes, props, and sets.

"This film must be made to the best of my ability; the production quality absolutely cannot disgrace Central Motion Picture Corporation."

"No problem, Mr. Han." Zhao Huaiyuan grinned.

The original short film was only a few tens of minutes long, but since he wanted to use this idea to release it in theaters, he had to expand and adapt it while keeping the core ideas the same. Even so, the budget of 500 million was more than enough.

He could use the extra money to refine the details, even...

"There's one more question."

Han Sanping sat down again and said in a gentle tone:

"The key to the success or failure of this film lies in those two roles. What are your thoughts on the casting?"