Chinese entertainment: Top stars have no holidays

Chapter 93 Premiere, Nazar: Come to my house for a meal?

9 month 25 day.

The entrance to the Workers' Cultural Palace Cinema was brightly lit, and the entire red carpet area was illuminated by spotlights as if it were daytime.

Today is the Beijing premiere of "City of Rock".

Unlike most films that have perfunctory premiere promotions, "Sewing Machine Band" has a very long publicity campaign.

From its release date being set for National Day months ago, to advance screenings in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou in August, and continuous roadshows in 50 cities across the country, various online promotions have been ongoing.

Even the premiere of "City of Rock" was held four times, in Shenyang, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Of course, the one in the capital was the most grand.

It was a premiere press conference, which also served as a film reception for the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival.

Despite the poor reviews of Da Peng's previous film, "Jianbing Man," it still sold a lot of movies at the box office, and he also has a strong network of connections in the industry.

Therefore, half of the filmmakers, media reporters, film critics, and top entertainment bloggers in the industry gathered at the premiere today.

With a large number of fans waiting in advance, the entire street was packed with people, orderly yet lively and bustling.

It was four o'clock in the afternoon, and the sky was not yet completely dark.

Major media outlets, entertainment self-media, and industry film critics were all in place.

Dozens of professional cameras and telephoto cameras were set up on both sides of the red carpet, and staff repeatedly adjusted the lighting, camera positions, and sound recording equipment in an effort to present the most perfect picture.

The area outside the protective fence surrounding the cinema was already packed with people early on.

Jiang Bai, who arrived in Beijing last night, has now completed her makeup and styling.

Today, he completely abandoned the makeup and styling he usually wore in front of the public, which emphasized a fresh and youthful look, and went for a different style.

He was wearing a pure black, slim-fitting, studded leather jacket, looking sharp and cool. The jacket fit his body well, with clean shoulder lines and a slender waist, exuding a wild, rock-and-roll heavy metal aura.

Her hair was styled with slight curls, with wispy bangs hanging down in front, and her eyebrows and eyes were sharp and piercing.

With the addition of some small metal accessories, he looks like a rock star.

At 7 p.m. sharp, as the city lights began to twinkle, the red carpet ceremony for the premiere officially commenced.

Director Da Peng led the team onto the stage first.

Qiao Shan, Guli Nazha, Jiang Bai, Han Tongsheng, and Qu Junxi, the five band members in the film, appeared in an orderly fashion, following behind Da Peng.

"Jiang Bai!!"

"Jiang Bai!! We're here!"

"White rice will always be there!"

As Jiang Bai appeared, a massive wave of cheers and shouts of support swept across the scene, so loud that even the media present couldn't help but turn their heads.

Although there were fans of other actors such as Nazar at the scene, they were completely drowned out by the cheers of Jiang Bai's fans.

The amount of white rice that came to the event tonight was terrifying.

As early as the afternoon, white rice from all over the country had already taken over the area outside the cinema.

The banners, light boards, and flower baskets were neatly arranged, occupying the best areas closest to the red carpet.

It's important to know that this was Jiang Bai's first theatrical film premiere, his big-screen debut, which was of great significance to his fans.

No matter how popular web series and TV dramas are, they are still only shown on the small screen.

Today marks a milestone for him as he officially enters the film industry and lands on the big screen.

Fans will definitely go to the venue to show their support if they have the opportunity.

The media present were also very cooperative, instantly focusing all their cameras on Jiangbai, with a dense barrage of camera shutters clicking incessantly.

The media reporters on the red carpet all knew what was going on.

Although the entire cast and crew were present at tonight's premiere, only Jiang Bai truly managed to maintain the show's popularity and attract a large audience.

When the cast of "City of Rock" was officially announced, he was only making a special appearance.

But looking at the overall promotional trends throughout September, everyone understood.

The production team poured almost all of their best posters, most iconic looks, most explosive trailer shots, and most catchy short video clips into Jiang Bai.

With millions of likes on Douyin, a constant presence on Weibo's trending topics, and wildly popular recommendations from casual viewers, her striking good looks have won her countless fans.

He is the biggest source of viewership for the entire film, and the only point of interest that can be used to attract a large amount of traffic and popularity.

Without him, "Sewing Machine Band" would not have gained so much attention and discussion online in the past two weeks.

How should I put it? He gives off a feeling that he's more like the "pretty face" of the show than Nazar.

At this moment, Jiang Bai remained calm and composed, showing no restraint whatsoever in the face of the barrage of flashing lights.

He's gotten used to it; less than a week of intensive offline trips overseas has made him accustomed to his every move being scrutinized by the flashing lights.

He exudes the aura of a top star, relaxed, calm, and composed, with every move he makes perfectly photogenic.

He slightly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the sea of ​​fans in front of him, a faint smile playing on his lips, and he raised his hand to wave gently in greeting.

In an instant, the volume of the fans' screams increased by a notch.

The red carpet wasn't long, but Jiang Bai walked each step steadily and relaxedly.

He walked up to the signature wall, picked up a pen, and signed his name with fluent and elegant strokes.

This was an artistic signature that the company specially commissioned to design for him. He practiced it for several months when he first joined the company.

Even he himself can't quite understand the signature on his autograph; perhaps that's what art is.

The high-definition cameras on site were still watching him.

The camera zoomed in on his face, and in the high-definition footage, his striking features and bone structure were on full display, exuding a cool, rock-and-roll vibe that contrasted sharply with his previous gentle, youthful on-screen image.

After the image was projected onto the large screen next to the red carpet, Jiang Bai's fans who had rushed to the scene immediately went wild.

This rock-and-roll style makeup and styling gives off a vibe that makes you want to call him "Daddy" on a boat!

That's exactly the kind of contrast we're looking for!

After filming her solo red carpet scene, Jiang Bai turned around and joined the rest of the cast and crew for a group photo with Da Peng, Nazha, Qiao Shan, and other main cast members.

After the main cast and crew took their turn, it was time for the guest lineup to appear tonight.

It has to be said that director Da Peng has a really wide network of connections.

The guests attending today's premiere are truly top-tier for National Day film premieres; half of the film and television industry is here.

Industry veteran directors Huang Jianxin, Jiang Zhiqiang, Zhang Yibai, Xu Chengyi, and Cao Baoping were all present, having come specifically to watch the film and show their support.

The cast was equally star-studded, with dozens of well-known artists including Guo Tao, Zhou Dongyu, Wang Luodan, Liu Yan, Hu Haiquan, Chen Chusheng, and Wang Zhengliang all gathered at the event.

Even MC Jin and Xiao Qinglong, contestants who became popular online because of the broadcast of "The Rap of China", were invited by Da Peng to support the movie.

Of course, the most eye-catching presence at the event was Wu Jing, who insisted on attending despite a leg injury and using crutches.

This Wolf Warrior is probably the hottest character in the Chinese film industry this year.

As of today, "Wolf Warrior 2" has been in theaters for over 60 days, with a cumulative box office of 56.61 billion yuan, and it is still showing!

This film broke numerous domestic film records, topped the domestic box office charts, and achieved countless amazing results.

This commercially renowned director, who has garnered much attention in the film industry, was injured while filming and is still recovering, making it extremely difficult for him to move around. However, he still canceled his extra schedule to come and support Da Peng.

This shows how well Da Peng has cultivated his network of connections.

Wu Jing's appearance directly raised the industry prestige and attention of the entire premiere.

That's how influential Wolf Warrior is!

The red carpet event concluded successfully, and all the main cast, guests, media, and fans entered the venue in an orderly manner and took their seats according to the arrangements.

The highly anticipated premiere screening has officially begun.

Unlike some film premieres where the creative team first goes on stage to complain about how hard they worked and how much they sacrificed during filming, this one is different.

Da Peng's arrangements were very straightforward; once everyone was in place, the movie started right away!

The lights in the theater slowly dimmed, and the huge theater fell silent instantly. The giant screen slowly lit up, and the full movie of "Sewing Machine Band" officially began.

The film continues Da Peng's signature comedic style.

The opening is packed with jokes and has a brisk pace, intertwining the plight of ordinary people with their small but passionate dreams.

Hilarious, relatable scenes abound, keeping the audience glued to the screen throughout, with laughter echoing throughout the theater, creating a warm and therapeutic atmosphere.

The nostalgia factor that the film starts to sell in the later stages doesn't feel forced or annoying.

In particular, to prevent the Big Guitar Square from being forcibly demolished, the appearance of the Beyond band, along with the Sewing Machine band and other bands from all over the country, and their joint singing brought out a great deal of nostalgia.

The two-hour movie screening flew by, with laughter, tears, and thrills building layer by layer, touching everyone in the audience.

As the final scene of the film ended and the lights came on, the entire audience spontaneously burst into applause, which continued unabated.

Clearly, "City of Rock" is far superior to Da Peng's previous work, "Jianbing Man".

At least in the comedy genre, it is definitely a qualified comedy film, even reaching the level of a masterpiece.

When everyone's expectations for Da Peng dropped significantly because of "Jianbing Man," Da Peng surprised them with a delightful surprise.

It turns out he's not just good at making those lowbrow, cheesy movies; he can also make good comedies if he's serious!

As the lights in the screening room came on, the much-anticipated post-screening Q&A session officially began.

The entire creative team took to the stage, standing in neat rows in the center, facing industry leaders, media reporters, and lucky movie fans in the audience.

Tonight, Dapeng wasn't as relaxed and humorous as usual; his face was full of emotion and seriousness.

He was the first to speak as the director.

"Many people remember my 'Jianbing Man' and love its hilarious moments, while others question whether I only know how to make parodies and short videos."

Da Peng’s voice was gentle, with a touch of emotion, “I have faced a lot of controversy in the past two years. Some people say that I am just a flash in the pan, and some people say that I don’t understand movies.”

"I was actually quite lost during that period."

"Making movies is mostly a dark and lonely path. You don't know if your efforts will bear fruit, or whether the audience will recognize them."

"But I kept telling myself that I couldn't give up and I couldn't let down the audience who like me."

"It doesn't matter if this road is dark and difficult to walk, as long as there are audiences waiting for me at the finish line, all the effort will be worth it."

When asked about the fierce competition during the National Day holiday, he nonchalantly said, "This year's National Day holiday is packed with excellent films, each one a labor of love from its creative team."

"I have never thought of my peers as 'assassins.' Chinese cinema needs a diverse range of works and more outstanding films."

"All we need to do is focus on refining our content and treat our audiences with sincerity, and that will be the biggest boost to Chinese cinema."

Finally, he bowed deeply and solemnly thanked all the main creators and behind-the-scenes staff: "Thank you to every actor on stage today, and thank you to all the staff of the crew."

"During filming, we were rained on, stayed up all night, and traveled around. Everyone did their best without complaint. No one was perfunctory in their roles or paid attention to details. It is everyone's hard work that has made 'Sewing Machine Band' what it is today."

Jiang Bai stood aside and listened quietly.

In a short speech, Ting simultaneously praised the audience, industry peers, and the main creative team, expressing his determination to make movies.

He knew, of course, that Da Peng's words were carefully prepared scripts, and he might even have memorized them repeatedly beforehand.

All those on-site remarks are nonsense.

But Jiang Bai should still learn from these words; at least in terms of "writing articles," Da Peng is really quite capable.

As expected, his speech was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Many viewers and media, whether they were genuine or not, were moved by this sincere speech, and some even had tears welling up in their eyes.

Obviously, this scene will be captured by the cameras on site and posted as a behind-the-scenes clip from the premiere on platforms such as Weibo and Taobao as a promotional tactic.

Jiang Bai and a film critic with tears in their eyes exchanged a glance, almost unable to hold back their emotions.

Who says China has no talented actors? There are many hidden gems among the people!

A premiere, and the drama unfolded everywhere!

Film critics who had made prior arrangements, as well as industry figures invited by Da Peng, stood up to share their thoughts on the film.

The praise was unanimous, covering everything from the script, visuals, and characters to the actors' and director's contributions.

Even MC Jin, who doesn't speak Mandarin very well, stood up and laughed, "Without Pancake Man, there would be no Hip Hop Man."

Of course, the most weighty evaluation came from director Cao Baoping.

Jiang Baiting recognized the director Cao Baoping because he had seen Cao Baoping's film "The Dead End," in which Chao Ge gave a truly convincing performance.

After finishing this movie, Chao Ge rewarded himself with a film called "The Villain Angel".

"The Dead End" also became Chao Ge's last highlight.

However, Director Cao Baoping is very Buddhist.

What's even more outrageous is that he actually spoke out about Da Peng's leap forward in front of a large number of media outlets: "Compared to 'Jianbing Man,' this film, 'Sewing Machine Band,' is so much more mature!"

"With a complete narrative, smooth pacing, and rich emotions, it perfectly blends the stories of ordinary people in rock culture, making it a highly accomplished and sincere work."

I wonder how much money Da Peng gave this director in private to get a few kind words from him.

Wu Jing, however, did not get up to express any opinion on the movie.

This "Wolf Warrior" is currently at the center of the film industry storm, and his every move is being scrutinized and analyzed.

It's already a big favor that he showed up to support Dapeng; it's impossible for him to just openly advocate for "Sewing Machine Band".

After that, the much-anticipated group interview with the media finally arrived.

This is Jiang Bai's home turf.

Numerous reporters focused on Jiangbai, throwing out all sorts of questions.

Who can blame them when Jiang Bai is the most popular and generates the most buzz among the entire creative team?

A reporter asked, "This time, you made a special appearance but became the core of the film's promotion, with almost all the online buzz generated by you. How do you view this popularity and the audience's affection for you?"

Jiang Bai smiled slightly and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "First of all, I would like to thank the audience for their favor, and I would also like to thank the director and crew for their trust."

"This film was meticulously crafted by the main creators and behind-the-scenes staff. The buzz and attention I bring are just icing on the cake."

"Popularity is temporary, but the work itself is eternal. I hope everyone will pay more attention to the movie 'Sewing Machine Band' and support the efforts of all the actors."

Ting's response was perfect, earning nods of approval from the media present.

A reporter followed up with, "This is your first time taking on a role on the big screen, and you're playing a rock drummer with a very different appearance and personality. What do you think you gained from playing this role?"

"The biggest takeaway is the breakthrough." Since the reporter had already brought it up, Jiang Bai naturally followed up, saying, "Stepping out of my comfort zone, shedding the established campus stereotype, and trying entirely new roles—that's the biggest takeaway from playing Dynamite this time."

The reporter then asked a few more questions, including things unrelated to the film itself. Jiang Bai was so hungry that he could not help but respond, or he cleverly defused the trap.

After the other main cast members had finished their group interviews with reporters, the premiere event was basically coming to an end.

At the end of the premiere event, all the cast, guests, and audience members went on stage together for a group photo in front of the big screen.

The premiere officially came to a successful close at around 9 p.m.

Everyone went home, while media reporters were busy writing press releases and rushing to post them online to grab attention.

The publicity team for "Sewing Machine Band" is also editing videos, preparing to widely share various footage from tonight's premiere on Weibo and Douyin.

The guests' comments and everyone's feedback while watching the movie could be edited into at least dozens of short videos, each lasting several seconds.

It just goes to show that there are no fools in this industry.

After Jiang Bai pioneered the Douyin drama promotion approach, everyone quickly innovated and developed numerous short video marketing methods.

And for Da Peng and the other main creators, it's not time to relax yet.

They rested for one night, and tomorrow Ting will rush to the district to attend the district premiere on the 27th.

However, Jiang Bai didn't need to go along; he only agreed to attend the most important premiere in Beijing for Da Peng.

Jiang Bai, who was about to leave the scene and go back to the hotel to rest before catching an early flight back to the film crew in Qingdao, was stopped by Na Zha.

Tonight, Naza didn't communicate much with Jiang Bai.

The main problem was that everyone was under the watchful eyes of the media reporters the whole time, and there was no opportunity for private communication.

Only after the event ended did Naza seize the opportunity to grab Jiang Bai's arm, asking with a smile, "Are you free tonight?"

"Want to grab a drink?"

"Consider it a celebration that the movie 'Bow' is about to be released."

Ok? !

Jiang Bai looked around but didn't see anyone else.

If he's not mistaken, Naza only invited him, right?

Shouldn't the entire cast and crew get together to celebrate the movie's release?

This woman is no fool; she probably has ulterior motives!

Jiang Bai, a former member of the financial industry, instantly understood the meaning of the second message sent by Na Zha.

However, strangely enough, his relationship with Nazha was quite ordinary when he was on set.

Especially because of Zhang Han's visit to the set, Ting deliberately kept his distance, afraid of getting involved between the two and causing trouble for no reason.

Why is Nazar suddenly issuing a battle invitation?

Looking at those alluring eyes and those long, dazzlingly white legs...

Jiang Bai hesitated for only a second before asking, "You and Zhang Han have already broken up?"

"We broke up!"

Before Jiang Baijing could say anything, Nazha said again, "Want to come to my place for a visit and have a drink?"

Since they've already put it this way, Jiang Bai naturally can't be a cowardly lizard.

"Then let's give it a try!"