Chapter 501: I Did My Best at the Film Festival

Two matters — one was investing in "The Mermaid," and the other was shooting "Lucy 2."

These two matters were basically settled; the details would be followed up on by their people.

Xing Ye and Xu Laoguai didn't stay any longer and chose to take their leave; Fang Hong and Liu Tianxian saw the two of them off.

As they walked out, Fang Hong said, "Xixi, from now on you'll need to discuss the script and the role more with Director Xu."

"Okay, I'll have to trouble Director Xu from now on. Don't find me annoying, Director Xu." Liu Tianxian said with a smile.

"Hahaha, no no, I won't. It's just that my demands for acting are relatively high — you need to get your mindset right, and don't blame me for being strict." Xu Laoguai was patching things up in advance, so she wouldn't go complain to the Principal or anything.

Not to mention how Xu Laoguai treated her — if the Principal came to call him to account, that wouldn't be good.

Actually, his temper when directing was mild among Hong Kong directors; he wasn't a tyrant like Xing Ye, nor did he curse people bloody like Du Qifeng.

He was very patient when guiding actors in their performances.

He could even guide someone like Da Baobei very well without losing his temper — anyone else would surely be better than her.

"I won't. I'd actually prefer you to be stricter, so I can play the role even better." Liu Tianxian said.

"This is the first time I've heard such a request. It seems Miss Liu takes her profession very seriously." Xu Laoguai praised.

"You've worked with her little. If you had, you'd know Tianxian is extremely dedicated to acting." Chen Zhixi chimed in.

"Oh, that's good then." Xu Laoguai said.

"I've only done what I should. My identity is an actress, after all." Liu Tianxian said.

"Miss Liu is right — whatever your identity, you should do that thing well." Xing Ye joined in.

"Yes, I think so too. Do your own job well." Liu Tianxian nodded.

"If there's a chance, I'd like to collaborate with Miss Liu." Xing Ye felt this girl's attitude was decent — she was unpretentious, and said whatever was on her mind.

"Hopefully there's that chance!" Liu Tianxian didn't know if there would be. It seemed Fang Hong wasn't too keen on her working with Xing Ye.

They chatted as they walked, the discussion very pleasant. They soon reached the elevator; the two stepped in, and Fang Hong's group waved to them.

On the way back, Chen Zhixi couldn't help saying, "General Manager Fang, if we give Xing Ye a hundred-million dividend on a billion-yuan box office, we won't make any money."

She hadn't said anything earlier because those two were present; it wouldn't have been proper, and saying too much would question General Manager Fang's decision, leaving him with no authority.

Not to mention that a boss as big as General Manager Fang being questioned by his subordinate — he should be able to have the final say.

"Right now Xing Ye's box-office draw is still there; he can still harvest ticket sales." Fang Hong said.

"But how much he can harvest is hard to guarantee." Chen Zhixi also felt Xing Ye could harvest box office.

But how much he could harvest wasn't certain — eight or nine hundred million would be best, no need to give a hundred-million dividend.

If it just hit a billion, then it would be somewhat unprofitable.

"I have my own measure on this matter. Just do as we agreed." Fang Hong said after thinking for a moment.

He didn't dare to guarantee now how much box office that film would get — it was all still uncertain.

After all, the investor had changed, and the male and female leads had changed.

"Alright!" Chen Zhixi nodded. Since he said so, she said nothing more.

Liu Tianxian listened from the side and said nothing either.

She was especially puzzled. From what she knew, Fang Hong should be the type who wouldn't give others benefits — this man generally never acted without profit; if he gave someone a benefit, there must be some other hidden reason.

They chatted for a while and then dispersed; Chen Zhixi had other matters to handle.

Only Liu Tianxian and Fang Hong were left.

In the office, the two sat together. Liu Tianxian asked curiously, "Why would you give Xing Ye a hundred-million dividend on a billion-yuan box office? That's not like you."

"How is it not like me? Am I that stingy — giving someone a benefit isn't like me?" Fang Hong said.

"You're not stingy, you're sinister — you never act without profit." Liu Tianxian looked at him.

"Oh, in your eyes, that's how you see your husband?" Fang Hong was unhappy.

"Hahaha, no no." Liu Tianxian laughed sheepishly and patted his shoulder.

Of course, in her heart she really did see him that way.

"You do." Fang Hong patted her head.

"Seriously though — do you have other calculations and ideas?" Liu Tianxian straightened her face.

"No other calculations or ideas. I just did a quick calculation — Xing Ye's film can hit three billion at the box office." Fang Hong pinched his fingers, like a Daoist priest.

"Three billion?!" Liu Tianxian was startled.

"Right. Didn't a film almost hit two billion this year? Next year or the year after, three billion is possible." Fang Hong said.

This year's "Transformers 3" rushed to 1.8 billion.

"That's still a huge gap, okay? It has its special circumstances." Liu Tianxian said.

"What special circumstances? Hollywood films can get high box office, but our films can't?" Fang Hong said.

"That's a big IP film. Transformers has always been hot, with consistently high box office." Liu Tianxian said.

"Same thing — the market is growing upward." Fang Hong raised his hand.

"I don't believe it. This year only that one film almost hit two billion; no other film reached that height. Over one billion is still very hard." Liu Tianxian shook her head.

This year there were only one or two films over one billion — not that many. Thirty billion felt like a fairy tale.

And Xing Ye's film would only be shot and released within the next year or two.

"There's nothing I can do if you don't believe me. I'm only speculating." Fang Hong spread his hands. He was telling the truth, but people didn't believe it.

Still, it was indeed a bit far-fetched — twenty billion was hard this year, let alone thirty billion.

Even by the time "The Mermaid" was released, a single film's box office would still struggle to reach the two-billion mark.

"If it really can reach that box-office height, then why don't you recommend me to star in Xing Ye's film?" Liu Tianxian asked curiously. "His film has high box office, but it doesn't benefit the male and female leads. In Xing Ye's films, unless you play yourself, the ones who stand out are the supporting roles." Fang Hong explained.

The male and female leads of that film didn't really become famous — what became famous were the quirky supporting roles like Zhang Mei'e and Xiao Zhu.

The male and female leads weren't very outstanding — not only not outstanding, they were even complained about.

"I see!" Liu Tianxian mused.

"Sometimes a movie's high box office doesn't mean audiences liked it, or that it's a good film. Some high-grossing movies get called out for milking the audience, all about marketing and nothing else."

Fang Hong told her again: "Take movies like Xiu Chun Dao and Black Coal, Thin Ice—they didn't make much money, but audiences still regard them as masterpieces."

"Many viewers who don't go to theaters will still watch them online—that's the charm of art films."

"In my past life, movies like YOLO and The Wandering Earth had high box office numbers but got roasted to ashes, dragging down the entire film industry's credibility."

"Audiences felt deceived and stopped going to theaters to watch trash."

"Many actors are the same—too many variety shows, and audiences lose their sense of mystery about them. Then they complain their movies don't make money, blaming the audience."

"But they never look at what they themselves did before."

"Liu Tianxian still cares deeply about her reputation, and Fang Hong wants to preserve her good image in the audience's eyes."

"So you're saying Xing Ye's movie isn't good," Liu Tianxian said.

"Yes, I read his script—the plot is weak, and the female lead isn't strong either," Fang Hong said.

"Just say the script's bad, that's all. I thought something serious was going on," Liu Tianxian hit him lightly, exasperated by his long explanation.

"I was just afraid you'd go down the wrong path, so you wouldn't think I was stopping you from acting for no reason," Fang Hong said.

"No, I know you're looking out for me. I trust you," Liu Tianxian relaxed, warmth spreading in her heart.

"Actually, Xu Laoguai is excellent at directing women—in my view, he's better than Xing Ye. Have you seen Shen Du Long Wang? Da Baobei had just one scene, and it was stunning."

"I've seen it," Liu Tianxian nodded.

"That scene where Da Baobei wears a mask, holds a pipa, and is wrapped in red silk—truly breathtaking."

"If Xing Ye directed you, he'd only turn you into an ugly woman and ruin your image," Fang Hong said.

"Every female lead Xing Ye directs is made to look ugly, except for Zhang Yuqi's character—without exception."

"Even Zhang Baizhi in The King of Comedy looked ugly, and so did Mo Wenwei, Linyun, and others."

"That's why Fang Hong wouldn't let her take the role."

"When it comes to directing women, Xing Ye can't match Xu Laoguai—Wang Zuxian, Lin Qingxia, Zhang Manyu all shone under Xu Laoguai's direction."

"It's just that Xing Ye has a bigger halo."

"Actually, I'd still like to play an ugly role," Liu Tianxian smiled.

"You've had enough," Fang Hong said.

"Hahaha," Liu Tianxian laughed.

Listening to this man's analysis and thinking about the two directors' styles, it really was true.

"If the movie were good, I wouldn't stop you from acting," Fang Hong said again.

"Mm!" This time Liu Tianxian nodded firmly.

"He trusted this man—if the movie had no problems, he wouldn't have stopped her; he'd have recommended it."

Fang Hong had finally opened his heart completely to Liu Tianxian, hiding nothing.

Just as the two were talking, Fang Hong's phone rang. He picked it up and saw an unknown number.

Liu Tianxian also glanced and asked: "Who is it?"

"I don't know," Fang Hong answered: "Who is this?"

"Director Fang, it's Tan Sijiang," came the familiar voice from the phone.

Fang Hong paused, then remembered: "Oh, Director Tan! Hello, hello."

That Tan Sijiang from Macau.

"Director Fang, you really screwed me over—a film festival for fifty million?" Tan Sijiang complained.

He'd thought it'd be a few million, maybe ten at most—never expected to be asked to shoulder fifty million for the festival.

The Macau Film Festival committee had already arrived and made contact with him.

"You pay fifty million, I pay fifty million—we agreed to split it fifty-fifty," Fang Hong knew this man would call.

"Yes, but fifty million is ridiculous," Tan Sijiang sounded agitated.

He'd been careless to agree to half—this small place might look wealthy, but it didn't have much money; most had been spent on public welfare.

"Don't you want to change its image? The festival's reputation has been bad—don't you want to turn it around?" Fang Hong countered.

"I understand your point, but you're spending too much. If the effect is small, if it's wasted, I won't be able to explain it," Tan Sijiang struggled.

"If you don't fix the festival's image all at once, won't you just drag it out year after year? Isn't that a cost? Isn't holding it every year with no results an indirect cost? I'm just moving future spending into this year."

Fang Hong's words left Tan Sijiang speechless—it sounded reasonable.

Holding it every year, spending so much money each time, with no results—that was still waste.

"Besides, I've paid half too. Isn't my original intention to help this festival? Isn't it to make this festival succeed?" Fang Hong spoke convincingly.

"If the effect is small—"

"I can't guarantee the effect for you. All I can say is—I'll do my best for this festival."

(End of Chapter)