Huayu Entertainment: You have been directing for three generations, are you comparing your qualifica

Chapter 68: The Co-production Preparing to Set Sail (Seeking First Subscription)

"Director Tian, ​​do you have any ideas for the script yet? I don't know what kind of preparation I should make if I don't know what role is suitable for me. I will cooperate well no matter what."

Fan Binbin's words carried a hint of teasing and suggestion as he proactively added food to Tian Xiaole's bowl, bringing his face even closer.

Those who manage to reach top-tier positions have profound meaning in every word and action.

When you try to delve deeper into the meaning behind someone's words, you'll find that there's more to the story than meets the eye.

Beautiful women know how to use their advantages, and Fan Binbin is definitely one of the best among them.

Tian Xiaole likes fishing, not to be caught by fish. Here's a little inside information:
"It's difficult to support a commercial blockbuster with just the domestic market; we have to take the international market into account. My next film will most likely be a co-production."

"Director Tian, ​​I have the acting skills, the physique, and the looks, which fits the commercial film's positioning and meets the casting requirements!"

Fan Binbin pursed her lips, her bright red lipstick making her look so alluring.

She started to show off her charm.

Tian Xiaole stared intently at Fan Binbin, scrutinizing him without restraint, as if he were appraising a commodity to determine its value.

"Thanks to your inspiration, the script is indeed taking shape, but as for casting, it's too early to say." Tian Xiaole cast his bait again.

His next project is indeed a co-production, but choosing a co-production partner has left him in a dilemma.

The meal ended, and nothing happened.

This really piqued Fan Binbin's interest. Any commercial co-production must be a big project, and as soon as a word gets out, countless people will be scrambling to get involved.

"Director Tian, ​​watch out for the steps."

Fan Binbin helped Tian Xiaole down the steps.

In November, it was already quite cold outside in the capital, and everyone was dressed warmly, with little room for ambiguity.

No matter how good your professional skills are, they are not as important as the closeness or distance of your personal relationships.

Especially in the entertainment industry, a place of fame and fortune, once you've established a relationship, even if it doesn't work out this time, there will be other opportunities in the future.

"Alright, you should go home early too."

Seeing that her assistant was already waiting, Tian Xiaole waved and left.

···
Lu Chuan is very happy recently, it can be said that she has double happiness. She just won the Jury Special Award in Tokyo, and now she has good news from the Golden Horse Awards.

Having washed away the humiliation of being insulted by Jiang Wen during the filming of "Looking for a Gun," this time he is the "real" director from start to finish.

Overjoyed, he couldn't wait to share the good news, posting several articles on Leyu.com, all recounting the hardships and heartache of filming the movie.

"This award is too good to be true; I feel unworthy of it. The real honor should go to the patrol team members who silently protect the Tibetan antelopes. They are risking their lives to protect this land..."

"I would like to dedicate the jury award to the stills crew who accompanied me through the harsh winters and scorching summers, through wind and sun. Because of you, this film is possible. See you at the Golden Horse Awards again!"

【Kekexili】Did not have a high box office, but it received good reviews, especially for those who quietly dedicate themselves to protecting animals, who deserve our respect.

Instantly, Lu Chuan's two posts were flooded with comments from netizens.

"Director Lu is awesome. You are the first director to care about the ecological environment and call for the protection of wild animals. Perhaps you are not as good as Tian Xiaole in terms of awards, but your noble spirit is something he can never match."

"There is a lack of directors in China who dare to make films like Director Lu. It is well-deserved that he has won the award."

Lu Chuan enjoyed the praise from netizens, browsing through them with great interest and occasionally replying to the most liked comments.

"Xiao Le is very outstanding. He is someone I learn from. We just have different focuses."

"The award is not for me, but for the patrol team members who silently protect the mountains."

While Lu Chuan was basking in the flowers and praise, she also attracted the attention of international capital.

【Kekexili】achieved good results. Huayi Brothers invested 60% and National Geographic Channel invested 20%, with a total production cost of 1100 million yuan.

Although the film only grossed 600 million at the box office, the copyright fees were recouped after winning the award.

The film's success caught the attention of Warner Bros., who were interested in extending an olive branch and investing in his personal studio.

Lu Chuan hesitated for a second, thinking it would be disrespectful to Warner, and then immediately agreed.

With this connection, maybe... I can even go to Hollywood!

···
The internet is a chaotic and lively place. Besides the news about Lu Chuan, there are also the two movies, "Kung Fu Hustle" and "A World Without Thieves," which have been heavily promoted.

Tian Xiaole had long wanted to produce a big-budget film.

Both "Supermarket" and "Bouquet" are low-budget films, far from being considered commercial films.

Both of Zhang Yimou's major films feature Hong Kong actors as the main cast, with mainland actors playing supporting roles.

Tian Xiaole wants to change this situation and break the prejudice that mainland actors cannot carry commercial blockbusters.

The best way is definitely to feed people with works that are eye-catching and original.

Thinking about this gives me a bit of a headache.

Commercial films can't generate enough box office revenue in the domestic market; the size of the screen determines the upper limit of box office revenue, so we must consider the overseas market.

Tian Xiaole didn't lie to Fan Binbin; he was indeed considering making a co-production.

The subject matter must be considered; Tian Xiaole thought of two scripts that could be accepted by audiences both at home and abroad.

The Thieves and Pacific Rim!
The former was aimed at the Korean market, and after its release, it attracted 1200 million viewers.

It's estimated that one in five Koreans has seen it, making it the third most-watched film in Korean history.

The latter, targeting the global market, features movies with both machines and monsters, which are popular with audiences and present no viewing barriers.

Tian Xiaole prefers the script for "Pacific Rim".

Since Transformers hasn't been filmed yet, we can capitalize on this mecha boom first. Most importantly, the toy market is the real money to be made.

The Transformers series has high box office returns, but compared to the subsequent derivative products, it's just a drop in the ocean. The market is worth tens of billions, and the profits are extremely high.

Tian Xiaole was very envious, but there wasn't even a special effects team in China, let alone the ability to shoot such special effects blockbusters.

Audiences go to the cinema to watch commercial films for special effects and spectacular scenes; they don't care about the plot.

To achieve the desired effect, the investment will definitely be substantial, requiring a large number of special effects shots.

Even if you outsource to a top Hollywood team, they'll only hire interns to do it for you, and the results aren't guaranteed. Considering all these factors...

【Pacific Rim】can only be displayed and put on hold.

The only option available is the [Thief Alliance].

"Buzz, buzz, buzz~"

Just as I was thinking about it, my phone, which was on my desk, vibrated. It was Han Sanping calling.

"Xiao Le, 'Bouquet' is doing well on Little Days. Sony is asking for a delay in its run, haha... Your insistence on revenue sharing was a wise move." Han Sanping was very happy and praised Tian Xiao Le with a smile, then continued, "It will also be released in South Korea soon, and I think it will do well there as well."

The box office performance of "Little Days" was within Tian Xiaole's expectations, so he remained calm. Only after the laughter subsided did he ask:

"Uncle Han, what are the requirements for co-productions?"

"You're going to make a co-production for your next movie?"

"Yes, we have that plan. It's quite difficult for commercial films to recoup their costs in the domestic market, so co-productions are the best option."

There has always been a tradition of co-productions in China. The earliest example is "Romeo and Juliet," which was a co-production with the Soviet Union, but it was ultimately abandoned due to political factors.

Jet Li's "Shaolin Temple" and Chen Kaige's "Farewell My Concubine" are both co-productions.

Han Sanping immediately became interested; making blockbusters was what he wanted, and small-scale productions wouldn't stimulate the market.

He suddenly remembered the olive branch Yang Shoucheng had extended to Tian Xiaole not long ago, and asked curiously:
"Is it a co-production with Hong Kong Island?"

"The Hong Kong Island market is so small, we're planning to seek cooperation with South Korea."

Han Sanping on the other end of the phone was surprised. These days, even the Hong Kong film industry is a high and mighty entity.

If it weren't for the need to go north to make a living and the need for the inland market, they would be strutting around like crazy.

"There is no precedent for co-producing with South Korea, so we do need to communicate on this matter."

"As long as it's permitted by policy, I'll take care of the rest."

Tian Xiaole didn't explain much, hung up the phone with Han Sanping who was still in a daze, and took out the "Thief" script that he had copied beforehand from the safe.

He made many localized adaptations to the script's settings.

These kinds of urban films are relatively easy to make, as long as they don't portray Chinese people negatively, and the character settings are also taken into account.

The current script tells the story of two thief teams from China and South Korea who team up to steal the rare "Tears of the Sun" diamond from Macau.

Each character has their own strengths, and the action scenes and the pace of the heist must be tense and exciting.

To give moviegoers who pay to go to the cinema an adrenaline rush, the ticket price must be worthwhile.

The word "thief" is not easy to get approved in China!

I wonder if the Tian family's "face-saving fruit" is any good.

···
Tian Xiaole received a call from the head of the directing department, asking her to return to the school.

He will officially graduate this year and begin his postgraduate studies.

As for my graduation project, I was too lazy to bother with the details, so I just submitted "The Maze of the Mind".

The film school has many new faces, and as usual, people are drawn to them when they walk around the school.

There are also those who are bolder and will slip a note right away; these kinds of people are suited for the entertainment industry.

Tian Xiaole remembers that it seems none of the graduates from the 03 and 04 classes of the Beijing Film Academy became successful.

Another wave of breakouts occurred in the 05 cohort, including Yang Mi, Yuan Shanshan, and Zhang Xiaofei.

From that moment on, the Beijing Film Academy embarked on a path of no return.

They're either child stars or they're all good-looking, like they were cut from the same mold.

When Tian Xiaole arrived at the Directing Department, Director Xie handed her a list, which was the list of students recommended for postgraduate studies.

"Uncle Xie, why didn't you ask for my opinion?"

Tian Xiaole wanted to rebel. Although this kind of arranged life was very enjoyable, it always felt unchallenging.

"Why don't you ask your professor what he thinks?"

"Well, just forget I said anything."

Tian Xiaole readily signed his name and was about to leave when he was stopped.

"I heard you submitted a script to Ning Hao for directing?"

Yes, that's true.

“Xiao Le, I’ve watched you grow up. There are many promising talents in the directing department. I’ll lend a hand if I can. They are all your seniors.”

"Uncle Xie, you're taking this too far! I'm still a student!"

Although Tian Xiaole verbally refused, Xie Fei's words reminded him that there were indeed many promising talents in the directing department of Beijing Film Academy, and he happened to have quite a few scripts on hand.

But now is not the time. Domestic commercial films are on the rise, but they are all big productions, or the subject matter must be cleverly and novelly chosen.

Art films that don't win awards basically don't break even.

When Tian Xiaole left Xie Fei's office, the head of the directing department, his head was still in a daze. He recommended many directors who were either currently studying or had already graduated.

To be honest, there are a few that are definitely worth nurturing.

Tian Xiaole noticed that the November film market was basically dominated by Hong Kong films and imported films. No wonder everyone was looking forward to Hong Kong.

The films are co-produced by the two regions: Herman Yau's "The Ghost" and Johnnie To's "Dragon and Phoenix".

Imported blockbusters: The Bourne Identity 2, The Incredibles, and Burning Flame.

With no movies being released in mainland China, the only hope for salvaging some face is to wait for Feng Xiaogang's performance in December.

There are very few directors in mainland China who can make commercial films.

The market is dominated by Hong Kong co-productions and Hollywood imports.

No wonder they're so arrogant; they have the right to be.

···
Wang Luodan, who went to Japan for a promotional tour, is back. She's very good at socializing and brought back a lot of gifts, as well as some unique touches from her daily life.

"How did you get this through customs?"

Tian Xiaole looked at the high-definition adult movie disc in his hand and asked in surprise.

"They entered smoothly under the guise of China Film Copies."

Wang Luodan sat in Tian Xiaole's lap and said playfully.

As the former's fame grows, she will inevitably face more temptations, so she will naturally have to find new ways to please him.

"I've learned a few moves, shall we try them out tonight?"

"I hope you don't disappoint me."

Tian Xiaole was quite looking forward to seeing what kind of moves he had never used before.

(End of this chapter)