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

Chapter 149's preview screenings were all sold out.

More than a decade after its broadcast, "Empresses in the Palace" still earns its copyright holder tens of millions of yuan every year. In terms of viewership ratings when it was broadcast, "Empresses in the Palace" is not as good as "Palace". However, in terms of lasting influence, it completely surpasses "Palace". Therefore, not long after the author wrote it, Shen Qing hoarded it at a bargain price.

Making money is one thing, promoting people is another. There are many female characters in "The Legend of Zhen Huan," which pretty girl wouldn't be incredibly grateful to Shen Qing if given a role? Shen Qing wasn't planning anything good when he hoarded the novel's copyright.

Unfortunately, Sun Li's portrayal of Zhen Huan is not something most people can pull off. Zhou Xun might be able to, but she also has no connection to Shen Qing, so there's no need to replace her. However, Liu Shishi seems capable of playing Shen Meizhuang. Her pride and gentleness blend perfectly with the character, embodying the sentiment, "I'd rather die fragrant on the branch than be blown away by the north wind."

If we were to describe Shen Meizhuang using a flower, it would obviously be the chrysanthemum.

Liu Shishi possesses similar innate qualities: aloofness, elegance, and dignified bearing. She is also described as "chrysanthemum".

The only potential inappropriate point is age. In the drama, Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan are the same age, with Shen Meizhuang being a few months older than Zhen Huan, who always addresses her as "Sister Mei." Liu Shishi is four or five years younger than Sun Li, so having her play Sun Li's Sister Mei might be jarring for some viewers. However, this isn't a major problem. If playing "Sister Mei" is a stretch, then playing "Sister Mei" would suffice. In the original drama, Shen Meizhuang is Zhen Huan's spiritual mentor, a perfect and static character. Changing it to "Sister Mei" adds the same growth potential as Zhen Huan, making the character more three-dimensional.

The script outline was written by Shen Qing herself, and the specific content has been completed by the company's on-site screenwriters. In the script, Shen Meizhuang is set up a bit like Zhen Huan. When writing the script, Shen Qing did not have the idea of ​​having Liu Shishi play the role.

The original "Empresses in the Palace" was in preparation from 09, filmed in 10, and broadcast in 11. In this timeline, it has been 11 years now. The longer it is delayed, the older Sun Li will get. It's time to start the project.

Shen Qing first called Liu Shishi and gave her a brief introduction to the basic information about the script.

"Scarlet Heart and Palace were only popular for a few years. This new drama is a serious drama. It was made with the principle of being true to the major events but not bound by minor details. It was made with the principle of criticism. The harem is not so beautiful. The emperor will not be madly in love with you. The male lead will not even be a handsome man. I intend for this drama to be popular for more than ten or even twenty years. That's why I specially reserved a role for you."

"Sister K was just telling me the other day that you have a really sharp eye. You made a lot of money for Tangren with 'Scarlet Heart' and 'Palace'. She wanted me to talk to you about any other similar collaborative projects. Well, now that's great. I haven't even asked you yet, and you've already brought it up. Now I can finally report back to Sister K."

Liu Shishi breathed a sigh of relief and replied over the phone.

Tangren Media invested a total of 3000 million yuan in "Scarlet Heart" and "Palace," splitting the revenue equally between the two dramas. To date, "Scarlet Heart" sold 6720 million yuan in its first run, and "Palace" sold 1.15 million yuan. Including second and third runs, the two dramas have already sold 2.2 million yuan. Recently, the online rights for both dramas were sold to Tencent Video and iQiyi respectively, at 150 million yuan per episode, for a total of 1.05 million yuan. So far, the two dramas have sold a total of 3.4 million yuan, half of which is 1.7 million yuan.

A total of 3000 million yuan was invested, and 1.7 million yuan was returned. It also helped the company launch a top-tier actress, Liu Shishi. Of course, Cai Yinong hopes that there will be more projects like this.

"I won't be getting Tangren to produce this drama; Tangren can't produce the style I want."

"Huh? How am I supposed to tell K-sister?"

"What's there to be embarrassed about? Tangren is good at making idol dramas. This drama isn't an idol drama, so it's perfectly normal not to hire Tangren. Besides, the reason we chose to work with Tangren in the first place was all for you. We've already done more than enough by working together on two dramas and making Tangren so much money."

"You already have me, you don't need to say these things to coax me anymore."

"I've only got your body, that's not enough, I want your heart too."

"Actually—never mind, when does this show start filming?"

"It's hard to say, the director hasn't been decided yet—by the way, your role this time is either the third or second female lead. Don't worry about the small role; if you perform well, it will generate a lot of buzz."

"Is the female lead your new target?"

"What do you take me for? Besides you, who else is worth me throwing out a collaborative project to pursue? The woman I want for the lead role is Sun Li, and she and Deng Chao are happily together."

After chatting with Liu Shishi, Shen Qing contacted Zheng Xiaolong and was even invited to his home. Zheng Xiaolong can be considered the first-generation big brother of the Beijing entertainment circle; Wang Shuo and others came after him.

Zheng Xiaolong actually knew about the novel "Empresses in the Palace". His wife, Wang Xiaoping, had strongly recommended that he buy the film and television adaptation rights and make it into a TV series. He finally finished reading the novel, but when he inquired with the original author, he found out that the film and television adaptation rights had been sold to Shen Qing a long time ago. His wife was disappointed for a long time after learning this. Unexpectedly, after several years, the novel was adapted into a screenplay and came to him again.

"Scarlet Heart" and "Palace" were so popular that they grossed a total of 3.4 million yuan. Liu Shishi and Yang Mi secured their status as top-tier celebrities, which made everyone in the industry envious. When Shen Qing brought a similar project to Zheng Xiaolong, it was practically like giving him money. It was impossible for Zheng Xiaolong not to be tempted. In addition, his wife, Wang Xiaoping, was very optimistic about the project, so persuading Zheng Xiaolong was not a problem.

After the couple finished reading the script that Shen Qing brought, Zheng Xiaolong immediately showed a look of surprise. The script was completely different from "Scarlet Heart" and "Palace". His wife, Wang Xiaoping, was ten times more excited than Zheng Xiaolong. Shen Qing's script had completely changed her mind.

"I want Liu Shishi to play Shen Meizhuang, so I might need to change 'Sister Mei' to 'Sister Mei'."

"It's not a big problem, and the revised version might actually have better growth potential," Wang Xiaoping said.

Zheng Xiaolong said, "It seems that Director Shen has a lot in mind for most of the roles."

This means he was already interested in the script, but if he couldn't even choose and decide on the roles himself, what was the point of filming?

Shen Qing said, "I do have a lot of choices in mind, such as Sun Li as Zhen Huan, Chen Jianbin as Yinzhen, Cai Shaofen as Yixiu, Liu Xuehua as Chengbi, Li Tianzhu as Su Peisheng, Jiang Xin as Nian Shilan, Chen Xiao as Prince Guo, Liu Shishi as Shen Meizhuang, Tao Xinran as An Lingrong, Zhu Yilong as Wen Shichu, Tong Liya as Ye Lanyi, Tan Songyun as Chun Guiren, and Mao Xiaotong as Ying Guiren." As Shen Qing read out more and more names, Zheng Xiaolong's expression became colder and colder. "You've already decided on all the roles, so what's the point of having me as the director?"

Shen Qing read out many more names, then said, "Apart from Liu Shishi's Shen Meizhuang, the other roles are just my suggestions. Whether to use them or not will ultimately depend on your decision after the audition."

Zheng Xiaolong asked, "How is the investment amount calculated?"

Shen Qing said, "7000 million should be enough. If not, we can increase it to 8000 million. We, Shenqi Film and Television, can provide all or half of the funds."

"Then each of the two companies will contribute half, each taking half of the share."

What Zheng Xiaolong meant by saying this was that he accepted the role.

"Okay, then it's settled."

On July 20, "Transformers 3" grossed 50 million yuan at the midnight screenings.

It officially premiered on July 21, with 73% of screenings and a box office of 8472 million yuan.

27 million on October 22.

1.04 million on the 23rd.

7890 million on the 24th.

截至7月24日，《变形金刚3》累计票房破4亿，媒体预测其总票房将突破10亿元大关。

On July 26, China Film Group organized advance screenings of "Taken 3" for all cinemas nationwide, with Shen Qing present throughout the event.

Shen Qing's version of "Taken 3" incorporates the essence of a series of films, including the original "Taken 3", "SPL 2: A Time for Consequences", "Die Hard", "Operation Mekong", and "Operation Red Sea". In terms of film structure, it may be closer to "Operation Mekong" and "Operation Red Sea".

Borrowing criminal methods from films like *SPL 2: A Time for Consequences* and *Desperate Gamble*: robbery, kidnapping, rape, electrocution, murder,

Burial alive, imprisonment, organ trafficking, fraud, and every crime you can imagine in the park—Southeast Asia has it all.

The protagonist's mission is to rescue imprisoned citizens, continuing the "rescue" theme of the "Taken" series. Moreover, because there are a large number of people to be rescued this time, it is actually very similar to the structure of "Operation Red Sea".

Rescue alone is not enough; the criminals must also be brought back to China for trial, which aligns well with the structure of "Operation Mekong".

These seasoned theater managers had to admit that "Taken 3" is a top-tier blockbuster, with top-notch blockbuster quality, no dull moments, tight pacing, and exceptional atmosphere.

However, the film also has many weaknesses that they believe it to have.

The first problem is that Southeast Asia was portrayed as too dark, as if you shouldn't go there unless you have the male lead's fighting skills. Is that appropriate?

The movie "Lost in Thailand" caused a surge in Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, which was praised by the media. Even the Thai Prime Minister specifically praised Shen Qing for her contribution to tourism to Thailand. So, you immediately followed up with a movie that vilifies Southeast Asia, including Thailand. Isn't that too inappropriate?

Another point is that theater managers are confident that once audiences go to the theater, they will likely be very satisfied with the film. But can this plot really draw audiences to the theater?

The Wolf Warrior series hasn't been filmed yet, and there's not even a hint of Operation Mekong or Operation Red Sea. Can this kind of story, where the protagonist goes abroad to rescue citizens and capture criminals, have that many viewers?

Theater managers were all a little unsure.

Before "Wolf Warrior," who knew that similar films could be so popular?

On August 3, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 8" grossed 2300 million yuan in midnight screenings. The film officially premiered the following day, accounting for 50% of screenings, and grossed 4100 million yuan on its opening day.

At the same time, Transformers 3, which was released earlier, still had 40% of the screenings and 35% of the box office. Since the box office share was lower than the screening share, the screenings were expected to decrease further the following day.

At this time, the two imported blockbusters together accounted for 90% of the total screenings.

8月6日，《变形金刚3》排片占比还剩24%，单日票房2800万，累计票房正式突破9亿元大关。

On the same day, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" accounted for 43% of screenings, with a single-day box office of 52 million yuan and a cumulative box office of 1.63 million yuan.

The two imported blockbusters together accounted for 67% of the total screenings.

On the same day, the premiere of "Taken 3" was held in Beijing.

On August 7, "Taken 3" officially began large-scale preview screenings simultaneously in Wanda Cinemas, Southern New Line Cinemas, China Film Stellar Cinemas, Sichuan Pacific Cinemas, and other cinema chains. The preview screenings accounted for 16% of the total screenings. Meanwhile, the two imported blockbusters still accounted for 67% of the total screenings. The three films together accounted for 83% of the total screenings.

The preview screenings of "Taken 3" caused a stir throughout the Chinese film and television industry.

What is a preview screening? A preview screening is when a few key cities are selected and a certain number of screenings are arranged in each city. The purpose of a preview screening is to test the market reaction and build word-of-mouth in advance. Your 16% screening share is already higher than the total number of screenings for the theatrical release of many movies. Is this still a preview screening?

Meanwhile, the large-scale preview screenings of "Taken 3" have completely ignited the enthusiasm of movie fans.

Being able to see a blockbuster movie in advance is like having "social currency." Everyone else hasn't seen it yet, but you have. You'll get attention from your friends and classmates, and they'll listen to your opinions about the movie, which gives you a sense of superiority and vanity.

The cinemas under the participating theater chains became incredibly popular, with countless viewers flocking to these theaters.

At noon on November 8th.

The first-day preview results for "Taken 3" are in: 3650 million yuan in box office revenue on the 7th, with an average of 129 people per screening.

On the 8th, the preview screenings accounted for 17% of the total screenings, with a single-day box office of 3750 million yuan and an average of 131 people per screening.

On the 9th, Shen Qing and Fan Bingbing flew to the United States together to attend the North American premiere of "Taken 3".

On the 9th, the preview screenings accounted for 17% of the total screenings, with a single-day box office of 3532 million yuan and an average of 125 people per screening.

On the 10th, the number of screenings increased further to 19%, with a single-day box office of 4170 million.

The screening ratio was roughly the same on the 11th, and the box office for that day was 4060 million.

With this, "Taken 3" has accumulated 5 days of preview screenings, with a cumulative box office of over 1.9 million yuan and an average attendance of over 120 people per screening per day.

Normally, it's difficult for domestic films to even reach an average attendance of 50 per screening. "The Founding of a Republic," released in June, grossed over 400 million yuan.

With a budget of 100 million, it easily made it into the top ten for the year, yet the average attendance per screening on the opening day was only 33 people.

Transformers 3 only had one day of preview screenings, accounting for 0.2% of the total screenings, with an average of 146 people per screening. After its official release, the number of screenings increased to 73%, and the average number of people per screening dropped to 85.

During the five-day preview screening of "Taken 3", the highest average attendance per screening exceeded 130, and the lowest did not drop below 120. This means that with only about 15% of the screenings, the film achieved an astonishingly high occupancy rate due to the limited number of screenings, with almost every screening being sold out.

Cinemas under Wanda Cinemas, Southern New Line Cinemas, China Film Stellar Cinemas, and Sichuan Pacific Cinemas, which participated in the large-scale preview screenings of "Taken 3," were all beaming with joy. The film's biggest fear is high empty seats, and its favorite thing is to maximize box office revenue with the fewest screenings possible.

For the cinemas that were unable to participate in this large-scale preview screening, it was a very difficult situation.

Seeing other cinemas raking in huge profits from selling out every showing of "Taken 3" while they couldn't get a share of the profits was worse than killing them.

目前每年总票房过2亿的电影不超过15部，《飓风营救3》点映5天累计票房就差点破了2亿大关，这不就等于有一部重点电影其他人有资格放而自家没资格放吗？

Is this still available?

In particular, many cinemas initially refused Shen Qing's demand for a 46% share of the revenue, which is why they did not participate in this preview screening. Later, because Shen Qing said that the next preview screening of "The Great Wall" would be selected from the cinemas that participated in this screening, and because they were afraid of missing out on the large-scale preview screening of "The Great Wall", they finally agreed to Shen Qing's demand to increase the revenue share to 46%.

As a result, the revenue-sharing ratio was compromised, but we still didn't get to participate in the preview screenings. It was a complete injustice.