The director starts by learning from the abilities of renowned directors.

Chapter 141 left his peers dumbfounded.

February 10th, the eighth day of the Lunar New Year.

The promotional team for "Lost in Thailand" arrived in Chongqing City.

Around 6 a.m., Shen Ying was woken up by the ringing of the phone.

She was Shen Qing's personal assistant, whom he found from the same village, and had been by Shen Qing's side for several years.

"We only arrived in Chongqing late last night. Mom, I'm too tired to talk anymore, let me sleep a little longer."

"Yeah, I'll go home when I'm free. Next year's Chinese New Year? I won't be able to spend it at home next year either. Brother Shen Qing attaches great importance to the Chinese New Year film season. He said that the Chinese New Year film season is not the tail end of the New Year film season, but the first film season of the whole year. Brother Shen Qing has a big film to release every year during the Chinese New Year. I definitely won't be able to go home during the Chinese New Year."

"Yeah, it's a bit tiring, but not too tiring. Besides, what can you do without getting tired? And even a big director like Brother Shen Qing perseveres, so why can't I?"

"Of course he'll give me one. Every time we go on a roadshow, Brother Shen Qing gives us a red envelope. The amount varies, but there's definitely one. By the way, Mom, I already gave it to you yesterday at noon. Mom, let me tell you, 'Lost in Thailand' is amazing. From the first day of the Lunar New Year to the sixth day, the cumulative box office reached 6.9 million. Mom, you can count it yourself later. 6.9 million has so many zeros. Brother Shen Qing was so happy that he gave out the red envelopes early. I don't know how much others got, but mine was a whole number."

"The roadshow will only last for ten days or so, and I've already received 10,000 yuan in red envelopes. If it weren't tiring at all, I wouldn't feel at ease holding onto this money. Besides, Brother Shen Qing said there will be another red envelope after the roadshow ends, not as big as this one, but still one."

"Okay, Mom, I'm not going to talk about it anymore. I'm going to sleep a little longer. I have to catch a flight tonight after the roadshow."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Ying put her phone on the bedside table and went back to sleep. Her alarm was set for 7:30, so she could sleep for another hour or so.

She was the only girl on the roadshow team, so even though she was just Shen Qing's assistant, she still got a private room.

The box office performance of "Lost in Thailand" has been extremely impressive. After taking in 3.55 million yuan in the first three days, it earned another 9370 million yuan on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year.

With box office takings of 10 million yuan on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year and 95.8 million yuan on the sixth day, the last day of the holiday, "Lost in Thailand" saw a strong rebound, reaching 1.43 million yuan, once again breaking the record for the highest single-day box office in the domestic market.

From the first to the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, the film has been in theaters for six full days, accumulating a box office of 6.875 million yuan, averaging 1.14 million yuan per day.

The films released at the same time, "What Women Want" and "Mr. & Mrs. Incredible," both grossed around four to five million yuan per day, which was a significant factor in the decline of "Lost in Thailand."

It poses no threat at all; in fact, the number of screenings for "Lost in Thailand" continues to rise.

Since yesterday afternoon, the media has been frantically reporting on the box office performance of "Lost in Thailand" because it is simply unbelievable. A comedy film with a medium investment has broken all the box office records set by blockbusters such as "Avatar", "Gravity", and "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons". Is this reasonable?

The daily box office has already broken records, reaching 1.43 million!

However, unlike the widespread praise for "Gravity" upon its release, the box office success of "Lost in Thailand" actually sparked considerable controversy. Some media outlets believe that Shen Qing has completely fallen from grace, while some netizens question whether Shen Qing will continue to make films like "Gravity," which require significant effort, given that "Lost in Thailand" was so profitable. Other film critics have stated that "high box office does not equal high quality!"

For the past few days, almost everyone in the Chinese film industry has been watching "Lost in Thailand," witnessing it break 100 million yuan in daily box office for three consecutive days, and then watching it reach an astonishing 1.43 million yuan in a single day. Many directors in the industry are stunned, numb, and dumbfounded! While everyone was still hoping their own films would break 100 million yuan at the box office, Shen Qing's film's daily box office had already reached a level that no one else could rival in terms of total box office revenue.

At 11:30 a.m., yesterday's box office figures came in: 9230 million yuan. So far, the film's cumulative box office after 7 days of release has reached 7.79 million yuan.

In the afternoon, Shen Qing and her crew gave a media interview. After the interview, the group went straight to the best-selling cinema in Chongqing for a post-screening Q&A session. Meanwhile, netizens were already engaged in heated discussions, with the core topic being: *Lost in Thailand*.

The box office in the first 7 days was even stronger than that of "Gravity". Could the domestic box office record of 14.6 billion yuan set by "Gravity" really be broken by a comedy film with a medium investment?

"Is that even possible? The two movies aren't even in the same league!"

"I don't think it's possible either. While 'Lost in Thailand' was a hit, its staying power definitely won't be as strong as 'Avatar' or 'Gravity'."

big!"

"I seem to remember that 'Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons' was quite a hit back then, and it even outperformed 'Gravity' at the box office in the early stages, but in the end, it still far surpassed 'Avatar' and 'Gravity'."

"That makes sense, but this time 'Lost in Thailand' is way more powerful than 'Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons.'"

Just because something can't be done doesn't mean "Lost in Thailand" can't be made!

"What you said makes sense, but I still can't imagine that 'Lost in Thailand' will surpass 'Gravity' at the box office."

After the interactive activities at a movie theater ended, Shen Qing, Wang Baoqiang, Huang Bo, and others came out of the theater and got into the same van.

"Director, do you think 'Lost in Thailand' can surpass 'Gravity'? I see a lot of netizens are discussing this now."

Baoqiang smiled sheepishly and then asked.

Shen Qing smiled and shook his head, saying, "I don't know. It's difficult, but I can't say there's no hope at all."

"Director, if it really exceeds the limit, how many shares will Huang Bo and I get?"

Wang Baoqiang patted Huang Bo next to him and continued to ask Shen Qing.

Shen Qingmo did the math and said, "The product placement has already covered the marketing expenses, and there's still some left. Let's not consider that for now. If we only talk about the box office distribution, if we can really get 14.6 billion in box office revenue, the part that belongs to the production company is roughly one-third, which is about 4.8 million. You two will each have 2.5% of the equity, which is 1200 million."

"So many?"

Baoqiang grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and said with some surprise.

He invested all of his 200 million yuan salary into the film. If he can really recoup 1200 million yuan, that would mean he made 1000 million yuan!

Shen Qing took the initiative to suggest that Bao Qiang and Huang Bo invest and take a stake, which is equivalent to Shen Qing giving each of them 1000 million yuan for free!

Huang Bo then slapped his thigh in frustration and said, "I should have invested all 300 million of my salary back then!"

Baoqiang's salary was 200 million, which he invested in the film as a share. Huang Bo, who was a bigger star, received 300 million, but he only invested 200 million and kept the remaining 100 million. Looking back now, wasn't that a loss?

Shen Qing reached out and patted Huang Bo, laughing, "Don't be upset yet. It's not like 'Lost in Thailand' really surpassed 'Gravity'."

Huang Bo said, "It's only been 7 days and it's already 7.79 million. Even if it doesn't reach 14.6 billion, it probably won't be much different. Even if we don't lose 4 or 5 million, losing 3 or 4 million would still hurt!"

Everyone in the car laughed upon hearing this.

11:30 a.m. on March 16.

The Chairman's Office at Shenqi Film & Television Media.

A man and a woman's laughter came from inside the office.

"Mr. Shen, it's now widely predicted that 'Lost in Thailand' will definitely break the record set by 'Gravity'."

As of 24:2 on February 15, after 13 full days, the cumulative box office of the movie "Thailand Returns" has officially exceeded 10 billion yuan. When talking about the latest predictions from the outside world, Chen Zhixi couldn't help but smile.

When "Lost in Thailand" was first released, even with its phenomenal box office performance, it was widely believed that it would be unable to surpass "Gravity".

The record is broken because popcorn comedies like this, which become inexplicably popular, are unlikely to have a long run of success. Another piece of evidence is the rapid drop in the Douban rating of "Lost in Thailand." It opened with a score of 9.1, but after 10 days, it fell to 8.3. It's worth noting that "Gravity" rose from 9.3 to 9.4 upon its release. Many people believed that this rating trend for "Lost in Thailand" predicted its inevitable decline. However, reality proved them wrong. "Lost in Thailand" broke the 10 billion yuan mark in just 13 days, and its final box office record of over 14.6 billion yuan is almost a certainty.

"None of those people have the same eye for talent as you. You've been a big fan of 'Lost in Thailand' from the very beginning." Shen Qing patted her thigh. "The outfit you're wearing today suits your style perfectly. What's it made of? Come here and let me see."

Chen Zhixi rolled her eyes at Shen Qing, locked the office door first, and then went over and sat on Shen Qing's lap.

Shen Qing first pretended to touch the material of her skirt, and then his hands quickly started to wander.

"Don't touch me." Chen Zhixi said "no" but her body showed no sign of doing so.

The two rarely slept together at night. When Shen Qing first wanted to do it in the office, Chen Zhixi was somewhat resistant, but eventually went along with it. Later, as it happened more often, Chen Zhixi got used to it. Shen Qing had many women, and doing it in the office was better than never having her turn or only getting her turn once in a long while; she had needs too.

Magic Investment has registered a new subsidiary called Jumei Entertainment, which is on the same level as Magic Film & Media.

The agency contracts of actors under Magic Film and Television Media have been transferred to Jumei Entertainment one after another, including Liu Yifei's agency contract.

Jumei Entertainment has never been a small company since its inception. Its artist resources are second to none in the country. Shen Qing gave Chen Zhixi 8% of the equity, which will mature in four years. With performance-based bonuses and listing rewards, she can get up to 4%, and she can get a maximum of 12% of the equity. Liu Yifei also has 8% of the equity, which is also set for maturity. Other major artists in the company will also have equity in the future.

Chen Zhixi now manages two companies, Shenqi Film & Television Media and Jumei Entertainment, and also holds shares in Jumei. She is very grateful to Shen Qing for his guidance and trust. Before meeting Shen Qing, she was just a small actress who was even asked to accept unspoken rules when auditioning for minor supporting roles. If she didn't agree, she wouldn't get any roles. Back then, she never imagined that she would develop to this point.

Looking at Shen Qing's face, Chen Zhixi's heart began to race. She thought she must be head over heels in love with him, otherwise why would her heart be beating so fast? But did he love her? Chen Zhixi wasn't sure. He had too many women; even if he loved her, she could only be a small part of those he loved.

After Chen Zhixi left, Shen Qing called Nazha. He had just seen online that Nazha had become an internet sensation. Yesterday was the day of the Beijing Film Academy's preliminary auditions, and Nazha was immediately surrounded by reporters snapping photos as soon as she appeared. By today, news about the "most beautiful Beijing Film Academy candidate" had gone viral across the internet.

There's a post on Douban titled: "Filing the Record: Let's See If This Person Becomes Famous or Fades Away Years Later; The Most Beautiful Person at This Year's Beijing Film Academy Entrance Exam —"

"Boss, what made you decide to call me?"

"Are you taking art exams these days?"

.

"Yes, boss, you're so good to me. You even remembered something as small as my art exam."

"I also graduated from Beijing Film Academy, and I am very familiar with the teachers, exam process, and content. Come to my house tonight, and I will tutor you personally."

"I understand, brother."

Naza now calls Shen Qing "Boss" in public, but in private he calls him "Brother." During the day he mostly calls him "Boss," but at night in bed he often calls him "Brother." Naza's sudden change to calling him "Brother" is actually a way of teasing Shen Qing for being a womanizer who's just looking for an excuse.

Why not just say you want to sleep with her? Why insist on saying you're giving guidance for art exams?

In the afternoon, Shen Qing left the company early, drove to the agreed location to pick up Nazha, and then took her home.

On the sofa, Shen Qing held up her laptop and showed it to Nazha: "Someone has filed a record for you. They just want to see whether you, the most beautiful candidate for Beijing Film Academy, will disappear from the public eye or rise to fame a few years from now."

Naza leaned closer to look, then turned back, staring at Shen Qing with her big, watery eyes for a while before hugging his arm and saying, "Whether I disappear or rise to fame is entirely up to you. I'll do whatever you say."

Shen Qing laughed and said, "Silly girl, how could I let you disappear? You'll definitely be a big star in a few years, otherwise why would I sign you? And why would I cast you in 'Taken 3,' 'City of Rock,' and 'Breakup Buddies'? Don't worry, I'll never abandon you."

"Mmm," Naza said, leaning his head on Shen Qing's shoulder.

Shen Qing picked up her phone and called her assistant, Shen Ying, to arrange for dinner to be delivered in two hours.

"Tell Shen Ying what you want to eat."

After ordering a few dishes, Shen Qing handed her phone to Na Zha Dao.

"Sister Shen Ying, order me one—"

They asked Shen Ying to bring it over in two hours, and naturally, the two of them wouldn't just wait idly for those two hours.

Soon, the room was filled with playful laughter and flirtatious banter.

Two hours later, Shen Ying arrived with the food. Na Zha opened the door for her. Shen Ying saw the blush still lingering on Na Zha's cheeks and understood everything. However, as a qualified assistant, she knew her limits and pretended not to see what was not her concern.

"What time should breakfast be delivered tomorrow?"

Before leaving, Shen Ying asked Shen Qing.

"8 o'clock."

"Okay, I'll be going now."

"Um.

""

February 28th arrived in the blink of an eye, and on that day, the box office of "Lost in Thailand" officially broke the 14 billion yuan mark.

After 26 days, the film has grossed 14.1 billion yuan, and is only 5000 million yuan away from breaking the mainland box office record of 14.6 billion yuan set by "Gravity". It is only a matter of time before it breaks the record.

The Wang brothers of Huayi Brothers check the box office of "Lost in Thailand" almost every day. The two brothers have been making movies for more than ten years and consider themselves to have a unique eye. However, they are really dumbfounded by the fact that "Lost in Thailand" can take more than 14 billion yuan in box office in 26 days. The two brothers can no longer understand this world.

"If you ask me, it would be a good thing if 'Lost in Thailand' surpassed 'Gravity' at the box office," Feng Xiaogang said to the two brothers. "'Gravity' grossed 14.6 billion yuan. Apart from Shen Qing, no one in China has the ability to make a movie like that. That's what's most frustrating. If 'Lost in Thailand' can beat 'Gravity' and become the new number one, then things will be much easier. I can make movies like 'Lost in Thailand,' and I can even make them better than 'Lost in Thailand.'"

Ning Hao, who is currently filming "Breakup Buddies," is also keeping a close eye on the box office performance of "Lost in Thailand." The huge success of "Lost in Thailand" has given him even more confidence in the "Breakup Buddies" project.

He had previously thought the movie would only gross around 5 million, but now he realized that even 10 billion wouldn't be much!

"Both were written by Senior Brother Shen Qing, but 'Breakup Buddies' is much more sophisticated than 'Lost in Thailand'."

"What a pity." Ning Hao looked at Xu Zheng, who was rehearsing not far away, and thought to himself, "If my senior brother had played the male lead himself, the box office would definitely have been as big as 'Lost in Thailand.' Xu ​​Zheng is no good; his appeal is far inferior to my senior brother's."