Chinese entertainment: Top stars have no holidays

Chapter 77 Director Dapeng, who imitates others' actions

Jiang Bai withdrew his gaze, calmly withdrew his hand, and stood quietly to the side, waiting for the event inside to officially begin.

As for the fairy sister, she simply greeted Jiang Bai, smiled and nodded, exchanged pleasantries, and then continued her lively conversation with the director.

Clearly, she wasn't interested in Jiang Bai.

It's not because of anything else.

If Liu Yifei really didn't know that Jiang Bai was the one behind all the negative articles about "Three Lives Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms," then she's wasted her time in the entertainment industry over the past decade.

In other words, Jiang Bai's team mainly targeted Yang Yang and did not release any smear articles against Liu Yifei.

Otherwise, she wouldn't even give Jiang Bai a kind look.

The fact that she can now smile and nod at him, maintaining a superficial harmony, is a testament to her good manners.

Jiang Bai had no intention of trying to curry favor with someone who wouldn't listen.

Although Liu Yifei was his childhood idol, he entered the entertainment industry and everyone is now in the same profession. They will run into each other all the time, so there is no need to maintain those old filters anymore.

Jiang Bai picked up a glass of champagne from the waiter's tray and began to wander around the inner room.

The second global launch event for Chanel Gabrielle fragrance was set up as an "Infinity Mirror Room," filled with a dreamlike atmosphere where light and fragrance intertwined, echoing the new fragrance's philosophy of "freedom, power, and nature."

Several ambassadors, close friends, and celebrities who were simply invited to the event mingled among Chanel's VIP customers, acting as unpaid promotional ambassadors.

It can't really be said to be free, since they did receive a fee from the brand for the appearance.

Many celebrities exchange pleasantries and chat in groups, taking advantage of high-end occasions to expand their networks and maintain relationships within their circles.

Jiang Bai was too lazy to socialize with these unfamiliar celebrities.

A group of wealthy VIP Chanel clients, however, took the initiative to surround Jiang Bai and started chatting with him.

It can only be said that a rich woman is indeed a rich woman; she speaks so well that you feel respected without appearing obsequious.

Having spent his previous life in the financial world and attended various high-end parties, Jiang Bai was perfectly at home in this setting.

Before long, a gentle and composed figure walked over and greeted Jiang Bai.

It's Hu Ge.

He walked up to Jiang Bai, turned his head to look at Jiang Bai beside him, a smile of appreciation in his eyes, and took the initiative to speak: "Hello, Jiang Bai."

I've heard of you before, and today I finally have the chance to get to know you properly.

Jiang Bai immediately reached out and shook hands with him: "Hello, Brother Hu. I have always admired your acting skills and character. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Without the awkwardness and restraint of a newcomer, nor the arrogance and flamboyance of someone who has become famous, she strikes the perfect balance, remaining calm and sincere.

Hu Ge smiled and gestured for him to come aside and chat, his tone exceptionally gentle: "I recently finished watching 'A Love So Beautiful,' which was filmed in a very clean and healing way."

He sincerely remarked, "Your current momentum is excellent. You have high popularity, a good public image, and your works are all well-received. If you can maintain your current level, you will definitely be able to secure a top-tier position in the future."

Hugo's appreciation was not without reason.

In Jiang Bai, Hu Ge saw his former self.

He became a household name across the country with the drama "Chinese Paladin," instantly becoming a heartthrob in period dramas.

So when Hu Ge met Jiang Bai, whose path to fame was very similar to his, he couldn't help but want to have a chat with him.

The two then chatted for a few more minutes. Hu Ge, without any airs of a senior, patiently shared his years of filming experience with Jiang Bai.

Jiang Bai listened attentively and answered sincerely, and the two had a very pleasant conversation.

However, the only thing that puzzled Jiang Bai was that he didn't see Hu Ge and Liu Yifei interact at all during the entire press conference.

Aside from a polite greeting at the beginning, the two did not exchange another word and even deliberately kept their distance.

It seems that Brother Xiaoyao and Lingji have a rather ordinary relationship in private.

Two hours later, the press conference came to a successful conclusion.

After the event, many celebrities took photos, socialized, and maintained their connections, while brand executives and fashion editors were also busy connecting and exchanging ideas.

After taking photos with Zhou Xun and Hu Ge, Jiang Bai politely said goodbye to the seniors and then left quietly with Xu Xu.

According to the original itinerary, he could have returned to Shanghai that night to rest.

But upon learning that he was coming to Beijing, Director Dapeng arranged to meet him the next day.

The next morning.

After resting for a night at a high-end hotel arranged by the brand, Jiang Bai went to Da Peng's personal studio as agreed.

Even before Jiang Bai's "A Love So Beautiful" became a viral sensation online and gained international recognition, Da Peng's attitude towards him became increasingly enthusiastic.

Two weeks ago, when the movie trailer for "Sewing Machine Band" was officially released, the production team even specially adjusted the billing order of all the actors, raising Jiang Bai to a special appearance position.

Special appearance is a very magical label.

It shows that the production team values ​​you, and at the same time, it won't affect your billing order, making you just as good as the first, second, or third billing.

It's equivalent to being outside the rankings, jumping out of the billing order.

With substantial content and plenty of hype, it retains the lead actor's status and prevents fans from looking down on the third and fourth billing due to Jiang Bai's sudden popularity, thus avoiding disputes with the production team over billing order.

At the same time, his high popularity can also drive traffic to the video.

Regardless of the critical reception or box office performance, Jiang Bai is guaranteed to make a profit. If the box office is poor, it has nothing to do with his special appearance; if the box office is successful, he can still share in the profits.

This move clearly demonstrates Da Peng's recognition of Jiang Bai's current popularity and status.

They deliberately elevated his status, leveraging his popularity without tying him to the risk of box office failure—a meticulous and thoughtful approach.

Dapeng Studio remains the same as before, with no significant changes.

Upon learning that Jiang Bai had arrived, Da Peng personally went out to greet him, his face beaming with a warm smile.

"Jiang Bai, I've been waiting for you!" Da Peng strode forward, extended his hand, and said sincerely, "I've been so busy lately that I didn't even have time to congratulate you on finishing filming. Congratulations on another successful project."

"Thank you, Brother Peng," Jiang Bai replied with a smile, shaking hands calmly. "It's just that the filming went smoothly; it's all part of our job."

The two sat down in the tea room, and the staff quietly left after brewing the tea, leaving them to talk alone.

Da Peng didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point with a serious look in his eyes: "I invited you here today mainly to have a good talk with you about the upcoming publicity and distribution work for 'Sewing Machine Band'."

"This film is a work that I have been working on for many years and polishing. It is my comeback work that turned around my reputation as a director. I put all my heart and soul into it and dared not be careless at all."

Da Peng's previous directorial works have received mixed reviews and been quite controversial. One film, "Jianbing Man," earned him the label of "bad movie director."

Therefore, in this film, "Sewing Machine Band," he strives for perfection, hoping to completely turn things around and reverse public opinion with a sincere work.

"I won't lie to you," Da Peng said frankly and earnestly, "the preconceived notions that audiences and film critics have about me are too deeply ingrained now."

"Many people watch this movie with prejudice."

"With just my original cast and crew and the existing buzz, it would be difficult to generate enough buzz."

"But you are different. You are currently leading in popularity by a wide margin. Your popularity is at its peak, and your online traffic and reputation are top-notch."

"So this time, I genuinely want to use your popularity to boost the movie's buzz and let more people see this work."

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Da Peng directly expressed his desire to leverage the popularity of Jiang Bai people, which is also a kind of frankness.

It's at least better than those directors who say they don't care about the popularity of top stars, but actually put all the publicity pressure on them, and then blame the top stars when the box office fails while they themselves disappear into the background.

That's right, we're talking about Teng Huatao, the director of "Sea Fortress".

Jiang Bai prefers the straightforward Da Peng to directors who are good at shifting blame and have no ability.

"Don't worry, Peng. Now that I've taken part in the film, I will fully cooperate with all the promotional efforts and do my best to help the movie achieve better box office results and word-of-mouth."

Although Jiang Bai only received 50 yuan from Da Peng, people had bet on him back then, and now that he's famous, Jiang Bai is willing to help Da Peng out.

Moreover, "City of Rock" itself has a good reputation. If the film's box office can be higher, it would be a good start for his debut film.

At least with the success of "City of Rock" in the future, it will be easier to negotiate other film projects.

Upon receiving Jiang Bai's affirmative reply, Da Peng instantly breathed a sigh of relief, his smile widening. He then opened the pre-prepared publicity plan and discussed the details in detail.

"First, there's the traditional promotion and distribution: roadshows, offline screenings, and interaction on Weibo's trending topics—I won't go into detail about those."

Da Peng meticulously explained, "I've scheduled the roadshow for you in core cities, covering all major first-tier and new first-tier cities. You won't need to travel to too many smaller cities; the focus is on efficient exposure, so as not to waste your time or popularity."

"On Weibo, we will regularly update your character's behind-the-scenes footage, clips, and character posters to promote the film."

After explaining the standard procedures, Da Peng changed the subject and talked about the most important innovative publicity and distribution strategy, which he specifically learned from the publicity and distribution of "A Love So Beautiful".

"What I want to do most this time is to promote and distribute short videos on Douyin."

Da Peng frankly stated, "I have carefully studied the logic behind the success of 'A Love So Beautiful'."

"The fact that your show became a hit with zero promotion and went viral across the internet owes a great deal to the fragmented dissemination of Douyin short videos."

"In the past, film promotion relied on hard advertising and forced brainwashing, but audiences have long been tired of it, and the effect is getting worse and worse."

"But the promotion of 'A Love So Beautiful' on Douyin is completely different. Viewers actively browse, share, and become interested in it. This model is perfect for us to learn from."

Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow slightly: "Brother Peng's research is quite thorough."

"Absolutely." Da Peng smiled and continued to explain in detail, his thoughts clear. "I've observed that the reason why 'A Love So Beautiful' became a hit on Douyin was because of its fragmented, atmospheric segments that went viral."

"You don't need to cut any plot content, just some highlight scenes and atmospheric shots, paired with suitable background music, short and concise, full of atmosphere."

"In just a few seconds, it can both arouse the audience's desire to continue watching the show and not consume all the novelty of the plot."

"Countless ordinary people and bloggers spontaneously edited and created their own content, artificially inflating the popularity of the trend."

Jiang Bai listened quietly and nodded slightly: "That's right. The core of short video promotion is not hard-sell, but creating an atmosphere, leaving suspense, and encouraging spontaneous dissemination."

"What kind of story can you cram into a short video of just over ten seconds? It's nothing more than beautiful visuals and a sense of atmosphere."

"That makes sense!" Da Peng's eyes lit up, and he became even more certain. "So I plan to completely copy this model and use it for the promotion of 'Sewing Machine Band'."

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"So I hope you can cooperate in filming a few transition videos."

"It mainly involves transitions between scenes, cutting together the footage of you playing drums in real life with the footage of explosives in the movie."

"We'll also cut a few transition videos from our final group sing-along scene to use as a gimmick to attract viewers."

"No problem," Jiang Bai readily agreed.

It's just a matter of shooting a few short videos for TikTok, easy!