Huayu09: Starting with Hijacking Xiao Shenyang

Yinghuang Hotel.

"Benshan, we meet again, it's my elder brother Hong Jinbao."

Jackie Chan was the first to greet them, and Sammo Hung was followed by another person, who turned out to be Fan Xuexue.

"Brother Hong, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Welcome to Hong Kong."

The two greeted each other politely.

This time, Fan Xuexue learned her lesson and didn't dare to rush over to greet them.

"Xuexue is here too, you'd better have a couple more drinks later."

Zhao Benshan smiled and offered a way out.

"Don't worry, Brother Benshan, drinking is my forte. Just tell me how to drink, and I'll drink however you want."

Fan Xuexue quickly stepped forward, smiling broadly as she made her promise.

Then she looked at Chen Mo, who was standing straight.

His brows furrowed.

Why is she here too?

Could it be... that she's the female lead in "Project Gutenberg"?!

Fan Xuexue, on the contrary, felt relieved.

You bunch of vixens and sluts are arguing so fiercely, but it turns out the decision was already made in advance.

Who exactly is the clown?

"Brother Benshan, welcome to Hong Kong. This is my wife, Mrs. Heung, and my son, Xiang Zuo."

Xiang Huaqiang also stepped forward, bringing his family with him.

"Hello Mr. Xiang, I have long admired you in mainland China. To be honest, I grew up watching 'God of Gamblers' and I really love this movie."

"Brother Benshan, if you're interested, how about we play a few rounds after dinner?"

"I'd rather just have a casual look than gamble. I prefer foot baths to gambling."

"Hahaha…"

Everyone burst into laughter.

After Chen Mo politely greeted the other bigwigs, his gaze locked onto the left.

My nose is so itchy, and my fingers are uncontrollably poking at the corner of my eye.

at the same time.

Xiang Zuo also noticed Chen Mo.

What's this loser doing? Trying to show off in front of me?

The two locked eyes.

"Pfft..."

Chen Mo has received professional training.

I don't usually laugh unless I can't help it.

"What are you laughing at?"

He frowned and asked, turning to the left.

"Some pleasant thoughts suddenly came to mind."

Chen Mo gave a vague answer.

"Turn to the left!" Mrs. Xiang tugged at her son's sleeve. She knew his temper best; he shouldn't be so arrogant in this situation. "Xiao Li, Xi Xi, who is this beautiful young lady? Aren't you going to introduce her?"

Of course, Mrs. Xiang knew about the wife of the King of the Northeast, but they had never met.

"Mrs. Xiang, this is Mr. Zhao's wife, Ms. Chen's teacher's wife, and Ms. Ma Lijuan, the owner of Benshan Media."

Liu Xiaoli pulled Ma Lijuan and Xiang Tai to exchange pleasantries.

The two had known each other for a long time. Back then, Liu Yifei was still young, and Mrs. Xiang had a very good impression of her.

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone took their seats.

Due to the large number of people, it is assumed that men will sit at one table and women at another.

Although everyone brought along their favorite female celebrities, this wasn't a risqué gathering; there was serious business to discuss.

"Benshan, how's the international version of the script coming along?"

Jiang Zhiqiang did not bypass Zhao Benshan and went directly to ask Chen Mo.

"Brother, we're already so familiar with each other, don't worry about those rules. If you have any questions, just ask this brat."

Zhao Benshan waved his hand, indicating that he didn't care.

But no one is foolish enough to think that Zhao Benshan doesn't care.

Respect is mutual!

"The script for Mr. Jiang is finished; both the script and storyboards are complete."

Chen Mo respectfully handed over the file bag.

"So fast? I remember telling you just two days ago."

Even though Jiang Zhiqiang had seen a lot, he never expected Chen Mo to be such an efficient gunslinger.

Some shameless old comrades take two or three years to work on a single notebook.

It takes time, effort, and money.

Then, upon powering on, everything was overturned.

All the lines the actors memorized in advance were wasted.

Ah, it's just for fun~

Jiang Wen felt a pair of eyes staring at him.

But he didn't look back.

Instead, he touched his nose guiltily.

Fifteen minutes later.

"Xiao Mo, how do you know so much about Hollywood? Even the script format is one page per minute, and the whole movie is 110 minutes long, which is the optimal length for an urban crime thriller. In addition, a lot of dialogue scenes that North American audiences wouldn't understand were cut, and more scenes of printing US dollars and bloody violence were added, making the North American version of 'Project Gutenberg' focus more on the US dollar as a selling point, but it's still mind-bending... You really only used two days?"

Jiang Zhiqiang exclaimed in disbelief.

How can a screenwriter be so easy to work with?

"I referenced 'Infernal Affairs,' a Hong Kong film adaptation that achieved box office, critical, and award success. Why not use a ready-made template?"

"He's certainly smart, and more importantly, he's very capable. So many screenwriters have read 'Infernal Affairs,' but how many can write 'Project Gutenberg'?" Jiang Zhiqiang praised, then changed the subject, "The script is good and very suitable for the North American market, but the Chinese faces are a weakness, so don't have too high hopes for the box office."

The highest-grossing Chinese-language film overseas right now is Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," with a global box office of $2.13 million.

It is simply unshakeable.

Zhang Yimou's "Hero" grossed $1.49 million, followed closely by "House of Flying Daggers" at $8000 million.

Aside from the Olympics, these two films are like a get-out-of-jail-free card for Zhang Yimou's status as an internationally renowned director.

The top three highest-grossing films overseas are all martial arts films.

When foreigners watch Chinese-language movies, Jackie Chan is the first choice, and period martial arts films are the second.

Even if the script for "Peerless" is excellent, it won't make a big splash.

It mainly targets the Hong Kong and mainland markets.

"I've taken that into consideration, so I've developed a comprehensive publicity plan. Its key feature is viral spread, achieving great results with minimal budget. Mr. Jiang is well-versed in international affairs, so please offer your valuable suggestions."

Chen Mo then handed over the freshly completed proposal.

The publicity campaign was divided into three phases.

First, the operation was kept highly confidential in the early stages. A website was set up to generate buzz and plant seeds of controversy, without revealing any plot details related to the movie. Only a photo of an intaglio print of a US dollar bill was shown. The story circulated on underground forums, financial forums, YouTube, and even encrypted channels in North America. The FBI was said to be hunting down a Chinese-owned super counterfeit money criminal group, codenamed Project Ghost.

Jiang Zhiqiang has access to several major distribution channels, including Sony, Universal, and Lionsgate, which allows him to generate buzz while maintaining an air of mystery.

Second, by manipulating relevant media outlets to report this matter as real news, they released a documentary pretending to be secretly filmed showing the US dollar manufacturing gang cutting acid-free paper, the roar of intaglio printing machines, and the mixing of color-changing ink.

The agent infiltrates the fake FBL headquarters to examine videos related to fake documents. Most importantly, the video shows a gunfight triggered by a fake money transaction involving underground gangsters. The camera must be dimly lit and shaky. A consultation portal appears on the website.

Overseas, things are different from those in China. Fake news is rampant, everything is geared towards generating traffic, and the authorities don't care about the veracity of the news, so the propaganda teams can act without restraint.

The golden retriever is the best proof of this; it treats the media like a personal social media account, saying whatever it wants, and even making idiotic remarks like drinking disinfectant to kill germs.

Third, as public opinion continued to ferment, the police intervened to refute the rumors, resulting in a final reversal. This was a blockbuster film called "Project Gutenberg," which invited the media to a press conference and presented them with a safe containing a printed copy, a counterfeit $100 bill, a USB drive, and a website link.

The suspense was created, the deception was so convincing that it was almost unbelievable, and the FBI warning took a dramatic turn, sparking heated discussions in the media.

This combination of moves immediately generated maximum suspense and buzz.

The box office performance far exceeded expectations.

Chen Mo wasn't just indulging in wishful thinking; he was replicating the promotional strategy of "Inception."

Viral marketing tactics used two years later would be considered a game-changer today.

"This... Xiao Mo, what you're doing..."

Jiang Zhiqiang stared intently at Chen Mo.

The words I wanted to say were stuck in my throat, and I just couldn't get them out.

Shock!

This is absolutely shocking!

How did they come up with such an ingenious and unprecedented marketing strategy with its interconnected elements?

I really want to crack open Chen Mo's head and see what's inside.

"Mr. Jiang, what's wrong?"

Yang Shoucheng frowned and asked.

"See for yourself, we're about to make a fortune."

After regaining his senses, Jiang Zhiqiang's excitement was palpable.

Who can resist having more and more money in their pocket?

The quality of "Project Gutenberg" plus an unprecedented marketing approach equaled $4000 million in box office revenue.

This is under the most conservative assumptions.

"Damn it!!!"

Yang Shoucheng swore.

genius!

An absolute marketing genius!

No wonder they can write films like "Black Coal, Thin Ice" and "Project Gutenberg"—their intelligence completely surpasses that of other Chinese filmmakers.

The two producers have more confidence in "Project Gutenberg" and Benshan Media, or more specifically, in Chen Mo's production.

"Mr. Yang, can I take a look?"

Xiang Huaqiang couldn't suppress his curiosity.