It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 98 Let's suffocate together for our dreams!

China Film.

Han Sanping's office.

There's not much to talk about regarding the marketing and distribution process for "The Prestige".

Once the release date is confirmed as December 16th, the next step is simply to steadily carry out roadshows, on-the-ground promotions, and advertising.

"We can make this premiere bigger. I plan to invite some of the industry's top magicians to create maximum suspense..."

Lü Rui briefly explained his plan.

He didn't hold large premieres for his previous films, mainly because the hype was already high before the release, so there was no need to make a fuss.

Even for "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," they only held a small press conference.

The film generated immense buzz thanks to the announcements of Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui's retirement from the entertainment industry, making a premiere unnecessary.

But The Prestige is different.

Strictly speaking, this movie hasn't generated a sufficiently catchy "gimmick" yet.

In contrast, both "A World Without Thieves" and "Kung Fu Hustle" have already revealed their selling points.

Feng Xiaogang touted the film as a "transformative work," highlighting a "crime theme with tragic undertones" and emphasizing the combination of "Feng-style humor" and "exploration of human nature."

Stephen Chow emphasized the style of "nonsensical comedy + hardcore martial arts" and claimed that "Kung Fu Hustle" is "a new height in Chinese film special effects"!
With all the competitors putting in their best efforts, Lü Rui naturally couldn't fall behind.

The gimmick he prepared for "The Prestige" was: [Magic Suspense]!
As we all know, people's "voyeuristic desires" and "curiosities" are endless.

This is an innate characteristic.

As a newborn, one is curious about everything in nature; during the innocent years of adolescence, one tries to understand the thoughts of the opposite sex; after starting work, one snoops on colleagues' salaries and bosses' privacy...

This curiosity and voyeuristic mentality will never disappear!

Therefore, Lü Rui plans to capitalize on this psychology by associating "The Prestige" with gimmicks such as "exploration" and "mystery solving".

As long as the audience's interest in "solving the mystery" is piqued, and the discussion is carried out in depth around this point, it will inevitably attract a lot of attention.

After the movie is released, the focus will be on the premise of "two male leads, one playing two roles" and "a combination of realism and mystery," which will definitely generate a lot of buzz and hype!

"Okay! We'll do it your way!"

After hearing Lü Rui's idea, Han Sanping slammed his fist on the table and immediately called over the people from the publicity department.

Before the publicity campaign even officially started, he himself had already become curious.

If this is further packaged by a team, wouldn't it generate a lot of anticipation for the film even before its release?
Thinking of this, he couldn't hide his satisfaction.

After handing over his task to the head of the publicity department and letting him leave, Han Sanping looked at Lü Rui with eyes full of admiration:

"Haha, I've discovered that your thinking is way ahead of everyone here. Even if you don't become a director, but instead work in publicity and distribution, you'll definitely achieve great things!"

Lu Rui smiled modestly: "It's not as exaggerated as you say. It's mainly because I'm both the screenwriter and the director, so I know exactly where the film's selling points are."

"Writing and directing yourself! That's what you call talent." Han Sanping exclaimed. "I've seen too many Hong Kong and Taiwan directors who make films like they're doing welding in a factory. They don't even know what they've filmed after they're done."

"The business atmosphere there is definitely stronger than ours. They all see themselves as businessmen, and that's a fundamental difference..."

In Lü Rui's view, old-school mainland directors and Hong Kong directors cannot be categorized together at all.

At present, the former is not even as popular as the latter.

Many Hong Kong directors are willing to work for a paycheck, are clear about their position, and are willing to follow the investors' arrangements.

In contrast, those veteran directors in mainland China, regardless of their abilities, all put on airs and have to be coaxed to get anything done...

However, precisely because of this, many Hong Kong directors are easily influenced by investors, resulting in inconsistent quality in their works.

Skilled mainland directors, on the other hand, can relatively guarantee a minimum quality level for their works, preventing them from going too far astray.

As for those old fogies who act like they're superior because of their age, they're just scoundrels! They're here to rip you off!

After chatting for a while, Han Sanping turned the topic to the collaborative project between Lü Rui and Lionsgate.

"Foreign media reports say it's an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars? Is that true?"

“That’s right.” Lu Rui nodded. “The initial investment budget is $1.5 million.”

"hiss!"

Han Sanping's eyes widened involuntarily!
He thought the 3.4 million RMB investment in "The Promise" was already a lot, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be 1.5 million USD!
That's equivalent to 12 billion RMB! Enough to make four "The Promise" movies.

"So how do you plan to proceed with this project?" Han Sanping asked, unable to hide his anticipation.

"What else can we do? Let's push it out overseas." Lu Rui shrugged helplessly. "Chairman Han, this film has a rather unique subject matter, so it probably won't be able to be released in China."

Apocalyptic disaster, horror, mutated night demons (living zombies), blood and violence...

These are all prohibited in China at present.

More importantly, the core of "I Am Legend" is the loneliness, struggle and test of humanity of an individual in an extreme environment, and its selling points are biased towards individual heroism and survival anxiety in a post-apocalyptic world.

Currently in China, there is a greater tendency towards a collectivist and positive mainstream cultural orientation.

Differences in culture and values ​​mean it's destined to be excluded from domestic cinemas.

There's no problem in Hong Kong and Taiwan; even zombie movies can be shown in theaters there, and the restrictions aren't as strict as in mainland China.

"That's it..."

The light in Han Sanping's eyes dimmed.

He thought it was a Sino-foreign co-production like "The Prestige," but it turned out to be a horror thriller.

However, at this moment, Lü Rui asked curiously, "Doesn't China Film Group have an overseas investment department? How about I reserve 10% for you?"

He is inclined to bring in China Film Group, and even Shanghai Film Group.

After all, he was all alone and weak, and if he wasn't careful, he could easily be tricked by those wolves in Hollywood.

Moreover, with an investment of up to $1.5 million, it was destined to be a mixed bag project, which he couldn't possibly handle alone.

If we bring together two domestic state-owned film companies and then find a few Hollywood companies that are interested in collaborating, wouldn't that put the project together?
Han Sanping hesitated for a moment, then picked up the phone: "Wait a minute, let me ask."

Just as Lü Rui was about to leave, the call was already connected.

"Hello? Chairman Yang..."

Clearly, the person on the other side was Yang Buting, the current head of China Film Group.

Ten minutes later, Han Sanping put down the phone: "10%, $1500 million. Chairman Yang said we can give it a try."

China Film Group's overseas investment department has been established for more than two years, but has yet to achieve any results.

Lü Rui just happened to bring the "I Am Legend" project, which can be used to test the waters.

"Okay, I'll let you know once the project is approved." A smile appeared on Lü Rui's face.

Here comes our powerful backer.
After leaving China Film Group, he immediately called Ren Zhonglun.

Compared to China Film Group, the deep-pocketed Shanghai Film Group agreed almost without much consideration.

Private companies may worry about the return of funds, but state-owned enterprises... especially Shanghai Film Group, don't have this concern at all.

Earning US dollars with RMB is generating foreign exchange, and the government will definitely provide strong support!

Although film projects carry some risks, there's always a beginning, right? Giving it a try is perfectly fine.

After hanging up the phone, Lü Rui roughly considered the situation.

Lionsgate + China Film + Shanghai Film, that's 50%. Then we'll do a round of bidding with Warner Bros., and that should be enough.

As for him personally, he definitely doesn't intend to contribute a single penny.

Using investors' money to make money for yourself, and then sharing some of the profits... this is called "borrowing a chicken to lay eggs," a common tactic in Hollywood.

Everyone knows the unspoken truth: as long as there's profit to be made and the accounts look good, no one will take it seriously.

Let's suffocate together for our dreams!

After shouting a slogan he had learned from Boss Jia in his previous life, Lü Rui turned the car around and headed straight for the Rolls-Royce 4S store.

……

China Film Group's marketing and distribution capabilities are quite strong!
On November 7th, the release date announcement for "The Prestige" was released, and copies, posters, copywriting, and on-the-ground promotions quickly followed.

"Directed by Lü Rui, and co-produced by Ruishijie, China Film Group, Warner Bros., Shanghai Film Group, Huayi Brothers Media Group, Wanda Group, Huayi Brothers Media Group, and Enlight Media."

The Sino-foreign co-production suspense film "The Fatal Prestige," starring Jiang Wen, Hu Jun, Fan Bingbing, Zhou Yun, and Zhang Jingchu, is scheduled for release on December 16.

"You think you've understood magic? Actually, you've just walked into another trap—'The Prestige': The deadly thing is never the technique!"

"Every time applause rings out, someone disappears forever—Witness the price of magic on December 16th!"

As we all know, the word "magic" is often associated with concepts such as "mystery," "suspense," and "unknown."

The marketing campaign for "The Prestige" capitalized on this, amplifying this characteristic.

The promotional material, imbued with an air of mystery, immediately piqued the audience's curiosity about the secrets behind the film.

For a time, online forums, QQ groups, and online communities were filled with curious and discussion-filled discussions. Meanwhile, Enlight Media was also intentionally or unintentionally using television networks to highlight the "mystery and unknown" surrounding "The Prestige."

In addition, when Lü Rui led the promotional team, he would specially invite a magician to open the show in each place, which undoubtedly added more suspense!
As a result, in less than a week, the "magic suspense" hype created by "The Prestige" easily surpassed that of "A World Without Thieves" and began to compete with "Kung Fu Hustle".

Stephen Chow already has a large following and high profile, so it would be difficult for him to surpass "Kung Fu Hustle".

But Lu Rui never took Feng Xiaogang seriously, his former defeated opponent.

His disregard and transcendence made it impossible for him to hide his anger!
"What do you mean 'magic suspense' is better than 'a contest between thieves'? Which media outlet wrote this headline? Don't they know anything about choosing between good and evil or about code of honor?"

Since the promotional campaign for "The Prestige" began, Feng Xiaogang has felt increasingly depressed.

The two films are completely unrelated in subject matter and there is no overt competition between them; they are just released in adjacent periods.

But he always felt that the promotion of "The Prestige" was targeting "A World Without Thieves".

In particular, various media outlets often juxtapose the promotional materials from both sides.

This comparison immediately reveals the "high-end" quality of "The Prestige" from head to toe.

In contrast, "A World Without Thieves" inexplicably exudes a "peasant" vibe.

Feng Xiaogang grew increasingly furious, convinced that Lü Rui was deliberately targeting him behind his back!
"Xiao Gang, don't be angry." Wang Zhonglei advised helplessly, "Regarding whether 'The Prestige' is aimed at 'A World Without Thieves,' I can tell you with certainty that it is absolutely not."

As an investor in both films, he knew perfectly well that the problem lay mainly in the boasts that Feng Xiaogang made before filming "A World Without Thieves"!

It was he who took the initiative to declare that his new film would break Lu Rui's box office record and avenge the defeat of "Cellphone" to "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty".

The media would never miss such a gimmick.

Since both movies are scheduled for release during the Lunar New Year holiday, it's natural to try and hype them together.

In addition, the clever marketing of "The Prestige" made the straightforward and vulgar marketing of "A World Without Thieves" stand out, which led to this situation.

"Don't worry, I'll have the PR team readjust their approach and copywriting to try and avoid being outdone..."

After some gentle persuasion, Wang Zhonglei managed to calm Feng Xiaogang down by half.

"Adjust as soon as possible, I can't lose!" Feng Xiaogang gritted his teeth and turned to leave.

Losing last time was embarrassing enough; if he loses to "The Prestige" again, he'll have nowhere to hide his face.

Little did he know, there was someone even more anxious than him!
"I've already offered 100 million, and he still won't agree to drop the lawsuit?"

Inside the court mediation room, Lu Chuan stared intently at the intermediary who was relaying the message, her eyes blazing with fury!
With the deadline for Berlin Film Festival applications fast approaching, if the lawsuit isn't resolved, they'll miss the deadline!

He was still hoping to sell the copyright in Berlin to recoup his investment; if he couldn't sell it, all his initial investment would be wasted!

The middleman sighed helplessly: "He doesn't agree to mediation and is determined to wait for the court's verdict."

Lu Chuan was frantic, pacing back and forth: "150 million! No! 200 million! As long as he agrees to drop the lawsuit, I'll give him 200 million directly! I don't believe his documentary is worth that much money!"

"I'll go ask again."

The middleman had no choice but to go out again, but returned in less than a minute.

Lu Chuan quickly went to meet her: "Well? You agreed?"

“The person has already left.” The middleman’s face was also very grim. “I just called and asked, and he said that he’s not suing for money, but just to vent his anger and make the plagiarist pay the price he deserves.”

"Damn it! You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences!"

Lu Chuan kicked over the trash can, pulled out her phone, and called the company, saying, "Submit 'Kekexili' to the Berlin Film Festival."

He refused to believe it; what could a documentary director possibly do to make things so complicated?

Let him go and win the award first, sell the copyright, and then slowly work out the lawsuit.

At worst, we can just drag it out and wait ten or eight years to see who can't hold on any longer.
But at that moment, the assistant on the other end of the phone said urgently, "Director Lu, a lot of comparison videos between documentaries and movies have suddenly appeared online, and they're going viral!"

Netizens are all criticizing it, and public opinion is out of control. If we submit it for review now, film festivals definitely won't accept it..."

"what?!"

Lu Chuan screamed, her face turning deathly pale. She felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, collapsed to the ground, rolled her eyes, and fainted on the spot.

By this time, online public opinion had already spiraled out of control:

"I didn't believe people who said 'Kekexili' plagiarized before, but I didn't expect it to have plagiarized so much!"

"The Missing Gun had Jiang's style, and I thought Lu Chuan had really grown up in this new film, but it turns out it's just copying someone else's documentary!"

"I heard the original author has sued him in court?"

"We should sue! It's outrageous!"

"This kind of person doesn't deserve to be a director at all..."

After several days of preparation, just before the deadline for submissions to the Berlin International Film Festival, Lü Rui finally unleashed his "big move".

It doesn't matter when or how the court rules now.

In the eyes of netizens, Lu Chuan's plagiarism is a foregone conclusion.

The evidence is right there in the open, why wait for a court ruling?
Public opinion has already been set; Lu Chuan has no choice but to stand on this pillar of shame, whether he wants to or not!
Submitting films to film festivals and selling copyrights? That's wishful thinking!
Let alone the Berlin Film Festival, even non-A-list film festivals conduct basic background checks before awarding prizes. Films like "Kekexili" that are suspected of plagiarism are destined to "die" in a very ugly way!
……

……

Dalian Qingfeng Town Film and Television Base.

As Ruishijie's first TV series project, "Crossing the Guandong" has received considerable attention.

The announcement of the lead actors had already sparked some discussion, and today's press conference to launch filming has attracted even more attention.

Although there are no A-list actors or actresses in the project, Li Youbin, Qin Lan, Dong Xuan and others are still quite popular.

In addition, this is a project with an investment of 3000 million yuan, and it is a product solely produced by Ruishijie. It's hard not to attract attention.

"This is the first time I've played a 'village woman' role like this, and it's quite interesting."

Before the press conference for the start of filming began, Dong Xuan and Guan Yue chatted together after they finished their makeup.

"At least you have 'Snowflake Goddess Dragon' as a foundation, but this is my first time seriously joining a production team."

Guan Yue looked at her outfit with great curiosity.

To be honest, she's still a bit confused.

I only accompanied Dong Xuan to the audition to try my luck, but I never expected to get a significant role for myself.

The director said that her image and temperament were very suitable for the role, but there are quite a few actresses in the industry who have the same "good wife and mother" temperament as her.

"Hey? Xuan'er? Do you think Lü Rui was helping us behind the scenes?"

This was the conclusion Guan Yue came to; otherwise, she really couldn't understand how she had been chosen.

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?" Dong Xuan shrugged.

Actually, she knew a bit more than Guan Yue; she was able to audition because the big boss recommended her.

Perhaps it just happens to fit the role?

Just then, a horn beeped from afar.

Everyone on set was instantly drawn to it.

"Wow! A Rolls-Royce? Who's so arrogant?" Guan Yue's exclamation rang in Dong Xuan's ears.

"Is this car expensive?" Dong Xuan had heard of the name, but had never heard of the price.

“Of course.” Guan Yue knew this. “Tong Dawei once picked me up in this car. He said it was his boss Wang Zhonglei’s car, which cost more than 800 million yuan.”

"800 million?!"

Dong Xuan covered her mouth in surprise.

Since the hit movie "Snowflake Goddess Dragon", her salary has increased significantly, but after splitting the profits with the company, she can only earn about 100 million yuan a year.

That one car is worth eight years of her work! That's outrageous!
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the Rolls-Royce came to a smooth stop in the parking space. The door opened, and Lü Rui stepped out.

Not far away, Hou Hongliang, Kong Sheng, Li Xue, Sun Molong and others came to greet them.

Li Youbin quickly followed.

Seeing this, Guan Yue couldn't hide her envy and surprise: "I knew it! So it was the big boss Lü Rui who came! No wonder he's so powerful, he drove his car right to the film set."

After saying that, she pulled Dong Xuan over to say hello.

"Slow down..."

Dong Xuan felt conflicted, secretly lamenting the growing gap between herself and Lü Rui.

He's already the owner of a film and television company, he can invest in a 3000 million yuan project without hesitation, and he travels in a luxury car worth 800 million yuan.

Looking at myself, I'm still busy working on roles...

"Ugh."

She sighed inwardly, composed herself, forced a smile, and, together with Guan Yue, rushed over before Qin Lan and Niu Li...

(End of this chapter)