The struggles of a failed college entrance exam candidate in Hong Kong entertainment

Chapter 92: A Screenwriter Worth Ten Million? Brother Nan Sparks a Phenomenal Discussion

Some time later, in the president's office at Skyworth headquarters.

Su Nan was working, A Hong was dozing off on the sofa because she was tired, and A Min was humming the tune of "Too Softhearted" as she tried to sing it.

The cell phone on his desk rang. He answered, and the voice of John of the 20th Century came through: "Sue, (Con Air)."

It opened yesterday and grossed $420 million on its opening day.

"The reviews from movie fans are fantastic. Congratulations, you can now look forward to the $1 million bonus after the film surpasses $150 million worldwide."

Su Nan was slightly taken aback. "A month in advance?"

John, sitting across from him, started complaining, "We saw the preview of (Jurassic Park), and Wang Defake's movie is absolutely breathtaking."

"It's far more shocking than a subway train derailing, a bus crashing into a plane, or a plane crashing into a casino."

"Universal has developed a series of major plans to spend $50 million on marketing and distribution. This blockbuster may even siphon off the summer box office."

That's not surprising; there's still a lot of speculation and imagination going on in Hong Kong circles.

Did the producers or other executives from the major studios across the Pacific see the real thing? It's normal to release a blockbuster early to avoid competition.

In the current US box office market, a daily box office exceeding $400 million is not bad at all.

Taking last year's "Project Gutenberg" as an example, the $2300 million box office in the second week was basically equivalent to more than $300 million a day.

Of course, "Project Gutenberg" and "Con Air" are different. The former still had amazing attendance in its third and fourth weeks, with many movie fans watching it three or four times.

Therefore, (Dynasty Warriors) ultimately broke $100 million in the United States alone.

If Con Air's box office performance falters in the third and fourth weeks, it still has a very high chance of breaking the $70 million mark.

That's enough. It broke the $7 mark in the US box office, placing it in the top fifteen of the 93 US box office charts.

The box office performance in Europe and South Korea is also expected to be strong.

He's very confident of making over $1.5 million globally, and Nicolas Cage is a big star with considerable influence.

The film's early release did not reach the original trajectory of over $2 million in global revenue, because the overall market was not yet that hot.

A few minutes later, Su Nan ended the call.

Amin ran over and acted cute, her face full of adoration, almost like a lovesick fool, "Brother Nan, is your screenwriting masterpiece going to be a huge hit in the US again?"

"This could also become one of the publicity highlights (of The Outlaws)."

Hao Renzi Amin also practiced her English diligently in order to go to the United States with Brother Nan.

Besides, she had spent quite a bit of time in the United States.

Sunan was delighted. "(Con Air) opened in the US on the 16th and grossed $420 million on its opening day."

"It's quite normal for the first three days of the year to see a $12 million or $15 million opening price, followed by a drop below $70 million."

Seventy million US dollars is 5.46 million Hong Kong dollars.

With the various hype tactics that Hong Bao has learned, it's easy to bundle the Su Nan screenwriter and the (Criminal City) project together for hype.

And that is indeed the case; people in southern Jiangsu would work for a while and then go home to rest.

On the morning of the 18th, newspapers such as the Morning Post, Oriental Daily News, and Sing Tao Daily were already promoting the film on their front pages, announcing that screenwriter Nan Ge's new film had grossed HK$3276 million on its opening day in the United States.

This is the box office for one day!

It broke into the top three of Hong Kong Island's 93 box office rankings in just one day.

When Su Nan and Er Yu Century collaborate, they often receive a share of the profits based on the box office success.

It has been clearly stated in various news reports that a film script can earn tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars.

Without sensational headlines, (The Outlaws) is still written by Su Nan and is about to be released in Hong Kong, which is a true example of successful distribution.

It was under these circumstances that the crew of Golden Harvest (Fong Sai-yuk sequel) filmed.

Li Jiaxin was excitedly spreading the word about Brother Nan's fame and prestige to those around her, holding a newspaper.

Besides the two Fong Sai-yuk films, Ah-Hsin's latest project, (The Case of Lee Lok-fu), has been completed and is awaiting release.

(The New Legend of the Condor Heroes) has also started filming, and she plays the role of Lan Xiaodie originally played by Rosamund Kwan.

But Li Jiaxin's priority was to satisfy Fang Shiyu's filming needs before talking about the cranes.

While she and Guo Aiming were gossiping about Su Nan's numerous achievements since her debut, Sister Guo couldn't help but sigh, "A screenwriter with millions in earnings is really quite frightening."

"In Hong Kong and even the entire Chinese film and television industry, how many actors earn tens of millions in salary?"

Apart from Jackie Chan and Jet Li, who have only recently reached this level of fame, no other male star has the financial capital to command such a high price tag. Even the top directors don't have such outrageous salaries.

Li Jiaxin held the title of Miss Hong Kong for four or five years and filmed many works, including frequently taking on roles in GG to maintain her popularity.

She still earns around 300,000 yuan a month for movies, while Guo Aiming earns even less.

As the two reminisced, Li Lianjie and Li Zhi, accompanied by bodyguards, entered the photography studio.

The two glanced around before heading straight for Li Jiaxin. They greeted her politely and said with a smile, "Jiaxin, Brother Nan's talent is truly going to conquer Hollywood."

"If you have the chance, I hope you can pass on a message to Brother Nan for me. My film contract with Win's Entertainment hasn't been finished yet."

"But I'm willing to act in Skyworth's productions whenever they need me, even if it means a discount on my fee."

"I'd be happy to endorse an emergency radio like Brother Long, even if the fee is only HK$1."

Ah Jie was unaware that just after the filming of (The Hacker) started after the New Year, Xu Ke wanted to collaborate with Skyworth on the Green and White Snake project and wanted to invite Li Lianjie to play the powerful Fahai.

But he knew exactly what level Skyworth and Shixiawei Nange were in.

Regardless of what the future holds, Ah Jie is quite grateful to Sunan at this stage.

His gratitude and appreciation are nowhere near as high as those of newcomers like Jiao Enjun and Richie Jen.

But Ah Jie knew that without Su Nan's influence, Golden Harvest wouldn't have been willing to pay him his salary for (Once Upon a Time in China 2).

That's not the case. The people vying for him wouldn't be working so hard, and the intimidation he personally faces would escalate dramatically.

The fact that Anita Mui was slapped and someone died speaks volumes.

Ah Xin said cheerfully, "Don't worry, Brother Jie, I will definitely pass on your message."

"I remember Brother Nan also came to the set during the (Once Upon a Time in China 2) period. Why didn't you say so to his face?"

Ah-Jie coughed awkwardly, "At that time, my contract hadn't been finalized yet. Taking the initiative to discuss cooperation also attracted Fujie and Golden Harvest to see Skyworth as a competitor."

He formally thanked Su Nan at the time, but it was just a verbal thank you and not sincere.

Ah Jie didn't dare to speak out of turn during that period, as several groups of people were already planning something big because of his contract.

His initiative to seek cooperation with Skyworth is tantamount to making Skyworth a new target, which is simply adding to the chaos.

He hasn't finished filming his current project with Win's Entertainment. (Fong Sai-yuk) was filmed with the support of his Taiwanese friend, Brother Yang, who started his own company.

With much greater freedom, collaborating with Skyworth again won't be causing trouble.

Li Jiaxin suddenly realized, nodded, and smiled, "Brother Nan's net worth must be well over a billion Hong Kong dollars now, right?"

"It's only been three or four years, and he's only 23 years old. I don't even know how to describe him anymore."

"However, if I follow his arrangements and work hard like Sister Xuexian, I will also have the opportunity to become a relatively free self-made millionaire in the future."

Was 10 billion a lot of money in 1993?

One of the most famous traditional wealthy families, Shark-Bold Tung, ranked as the fifth richest man in Hong Kong in 92 with a net worth of less than US$200 billion. Shark-Bold Tung's Hong Kong dollar assets were less than HK$20 billion.

Of course, this refers to individual net worth; Chow Tai Fook and New World Development have much higher total market capitalization.

Su Nan thought to himself that he was pretty weak, having only saved a little over 100 million US dollars after three or four years of transmigration, and was still in the early stages of development.

But within the entertainment industry, he is already a unique legend.

This person told Joey Wong that she could become a self-made millionaire, and Joey believed it and then relayed it to her.

Based on his achievements, Li Jiaxin hasn't completely broken up with Fan Da Liu yet.

But her repeated refusal to meet with him and her lack of contact for a month or two truly showed that she had developed a strong ambition for her own career.

This wasn't just due to the sense of security she felt while working at Skyworth; more importantly, after his divorce, Liu was not only not marrying her, but also constantly dating new Miss Hong Kong winners and female celebrities.

Moreover, Lau's help to her development in the entertainment industry was limited.

When Joey Wong was working hard to secure a Best Actress award, her salary would increase once she won the award.

Ah Xin is also 23 years old, and there is still hope that she can replicate Wang Zuxian's path to wealth.

These words silenced Li Lianjie and Li Zhigan. A few seconds later, A-Jie said a string of nice things before leaving.

Lee Chee suffered a huge loss of HK$70 to 80 million last year, which led to him working 996 hours a day.

At this point, Guo Aiming pulled Ah Xin aside and said curiously, "Now that we've gotten to know Brother Nan's witty remarks, it's time to gossip."

"How's the filming of Sanmao's new movie (The Outlaws) going? Can I get a sneak peek?"

Today, major newspapers are giving this round of hype and publicity.

Still for the sake of promoting (The Outlaws), this is a masterpiece by Su Nan's screenwriter.

Ah Xin laughed, "I'll ask around for you. If you want to see an internal screening again, you don't need to go to Golden Harvest anymore."

"Sister Zhi's villa in Shenzhen, including the small theater she built inside the villa, is all finished."

"I wonder if that family theater has a king-size bed."

Guo Aiming, "???"

What respectable theater doesn't have rows of sofas and beds? With such a large space, who are you trying to make miserable by putting beds in there?

Ah Yan smiled sweetly again, "I heard that it's very easy and free for us from Hong Kong Island to go to the mainland now."

"There are even people who stay on Hong Kong Island at night and go there to work during the day. There are also many wealthy people who buy land and build villas in a certain area of ​​Lo Wu."

"At this rate, going to Sister Zhi's villa to watch an internal screening doesn't even count as a business trip."

"Sister Hong and Amin are eating so well, I'm so envious."

Thirty years later, it's common to see people living in Nanjing and working in Shanghai, or living in Tianjin and commuting to Beijing.

It's simply that the long commute time forces many people to catch the high-speed train very early in the morning.

During that period, there were also quite a few people living in Shenzhen who came to Hong Kong to work.

In 1993, living in Sangcheng, Hong Kong Island, would basically mean working as a boss or a high-level executive.

Guo Aiming, she shouldn't be standing next to Ah Xin; she should be lying flat on the ground looking up.

Guo Aiming's relationship with Zhou Huimin is much better than her relationship with Ah Xin; it's just that now that the other party has really taken the lead, it's inconvenient for her to disturb her casually.

Although Brother Nan rose to prominence late, he was clearly the third leading figure in Hong Kong's film industry after Shao Daheng and Zou Sheng.

Time passed, and the days began in late April 1993.

Hong Bao's promotional efforts for (The Outlaws) are getting stronger and stronger, and even Richie Jen has started to promote his new song (Too Softhearted) on the charts.

This song was stunning from the moment it debuted, with a particularly simple melody and a viral, catchy quality.

Mandarin songs are not as popular as Cantonese songs in Hong Kong, but new songs perform exceptionally well when they are promoted on the charts in Taiwan.

This might seem a bit like deceiving fans, but in terms of the quality of action and crime films, (The Outlaws) is undeniably excellent.

However, at this stage, the news has spread throughout Hong Kong, including some reports that have reached Taiwan.

Countless citizens are more interested in Su Nan and want to know everything about him, such as his family background, age, and whether he is handsome.

Then there's whether he has a girlfriend, and how many gossips and rumors surround him.

The problem is that Hong Kong media only reported that he entered the industry in 90, worked as an assistant director in "A Moment of Romance," and acted in "Kung Fu Hustle."

And (Unparalleled), etc.

Nothing else will be mentioned!

To this day, no clear photo of Su Nan herself has appeared in the newspapers.

The question is, what happened after the scandal involving the lame horse was reported back then? The chain reaction was just too outrageous.

This is clearly a very popular and famous name, yet we can't learn much about the person. All we know is that this person makes a lot of money and is incredibly talented.

Is everything else an information black hole? This is what the residents of Hong Kong's Hoi Wan area are most eager to know.

Curiosity is impossible to suppress; in fact, it keeps piling up.

This created a huge scarcity marketing effect in some respects!

Then, the US version (Con Air) grossed $1476 million in its opening weekend and $2281 million in its second week.

The $3757 million figure over two weeks is almost comparable to last year's American version of "Dynasty Warriors".

When the news spread to East and Southeast Asia, the aura of the millions of screenwriters, directors, and super talents in southern Jiangsu Province was amplified.

(Sky Prison) doesn't have the terrifying three or four playthrough effect of (Dynasty Warriors).

Even if the film is shown for another two or three weeks, the pressure to reach $100 million in the US market will still be too great to achieve.

But the promotion and distribution of the Hong Kong version (The Outlaws) is incredibly convenient.

On April 27, the filming of (The Hacker 1) was basically coming to an end, with a maximum of two or three more days until filming wrapped up.

After finishing a phone call with Sanmao, Su Nan complained, "My mystique has aroused great anticipation among movie fans, while there are more and more gossip and scandals about me in Hong Kong."

"The original target for the first film, which was to break 2000 million and reach 2500 million in local box office revenue, is going to be raised again."

The power of scarcity marketing is no less than that of viral gossip and rumors.

The curiosity of countless people about Su Nan himself has made him a trending topic in the era of newspapers and the Internet, yet he has become a phenomenon that has spread like wildfire in the streets and alleys.

This greatly enhances the appeal of his new police action drama script.

Rosamund Kwan laughed until her legs hurt. "This works? Is there really a chance it will reach 3000 million at the box office?"

As of late April, only three blockbuster films in Hong Kong Island had grossed over HK$30 million.

(All's Well, Ends Well), (City Hunter), and (Fang Shiyu 1).

Rosamund Kwan's film (Once Upon a Time in China III: The Lion King) only grossed over 27 million before being taken off the screens.

The better the box office performance in Hong Kong Island, the more convincing it is to justify the sale of the port at a higher price. Skyworth invests 80% and receives 80% of the profits.

Su Nan chuckled, "Whether the chances are high or low, there's a chance. The sequel to this project might get worse and worse, and the audience will get tired of it."

"But it's not difficult to make Sanmao enjoy the benefits for three years in the short term, similar to the (Lucky Stars) series."

Rosamund Kwan nodded excitedly, "That's enough. Jet Li's salary jumped from one million to six or eight million thanks to the Wong Fei-hung trilogy."

"Fong Sai-yuk helped him reach the next level, and if Brother Sanmao makes three good (crime) films, he'll earn six or seven million Hong Kong dollars in salary."

This is roughly the case for East Asia and Southeast Asia; it's harder to say for Europe and America.

Europe and America have no shortage of screen heroes with well-developed muscles who can knock down villains with a few heavy punches.

The main issue is that in the crime series, apart from Old Hong being a One-Punch Man and a Superman, the fight scenes of the other villains are also far superior to those in the US.

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