Chapter 303: Official announcement of withdrawal

Because the roadshow of *Dream Builders* on August 1st brought very good promotional effects, the attention of the whole network to this drama was getting higher day by day.

Not only Daye Cinema, other cinemas, based on the good reputation of this drama on the internet, also immediately opened meetings to discuss whether to increase the schedule for this drama.

But wanting to take a big bite of meat from the giants who had already signed contracts was very difficult.

All films regarded the traffic of the summer file as something in their pockets.

The relationship network behind the films that could be released in the summer was not as simple as it appeared on the surface.

For example, there was an art film in August; looking at the investment, casting, and director, it looked the weakest, but it was actually very strong.

The producer behind this film was a well-known celebrity in the industry, and this celebrity had strong influence in both the business world and the entertainment circle.

So even if the cinema wanted to adjust the schedule for *Dream Builders*, it would absolutely not move the cake of this film.

And some commercial films that looked very famous on the internet, such as having a strong production team and using top-tier celebrities as actors.

But because the relationship network behind them was very ordinary, they could instead be manipulated by the cinema and have their schedules tampered with.

If the public wants to know which film has a hard relationship network behind it, they only need to check the box office and then check the schedule.

There were some films that clearly had average box office, far from entering the top five, but their schedule could get treatment comparable to the top three.

That was undoubtedly a hard relationship network.

The film and television circle is a circle that pays great attention to human relationships; it is difficult to break through purely by talent.

But if you can break through, you don't have to worry about the future; after all, being able to stand out under the siege of such a network of contacts, it must be a big hit.

In Daye Cinema.

After a discussion, Liu Chang finally overcame all dissenting views and gave *Dream Builders* a schedule of 5 screenings a day.

This kind of treatment, calling it the cinema's own son would not be an exaggeration.

Don't look at five screenings as very few; in the case that the film hasn't gone online yet, what is being gambled on is an expectation.

Daye Cinema being able to arrange five screenings a day already showed they were very optimistic.

Just these five screenings were specifically compressed from the six-screening schedule of one film, changing six screenings to five, moving one of them to *Dream Builders*, and then squeezing one out from a niche and cold cinema for *Dream Builders*, finally managing to get five screenings a day.

After setting the five-screening schedule for the day, Liu Chang sat alone in his office, looking at the promotional poster of *Dream Builders* and muttering to himself:

"You have to be promising for me; this time I have gambled on the whole year's bonus. If the box office doesn't work, the money I earned from *And Then There Were None* will all have to be compensated."

The promotional poster for *Dream Builders* followed an ensemble model.

Every scientist in it appeared on the poster, looking evenly matched, but because Seeing Jin Li was the female lead, her figure would be slightly enlarged.

Liu Chang suddenly discovered that this poster was very similar to the poster of *And Then There Were None*.

The poster for *And Then There Were None* also followed an ensemble model, with everyone indistinguishable from each other.

However, in *Dream Builders*, Seeing Jin Li was the undisputed lead, while in *And Then There Were None*, she was at most equal to other leads.

Liu Chang muttered again: "Everyone says your luck is very good. With you starring in this film, it should be able to inherit your good luck, right..."

With the end of the Daye Cinema discussion, other well-known cinemas also finished their meetings.

But the results discussed by these cinemas were not ideal.

In their analysis, the reason why the online popularity of *Dream Builders* was soaring was entirely because the form of "using a play to act as a roadshow" was novel and unique.

No movie had ever done this before.

Netizens were curious for a moment, so they shouted to go watch it.

However, this kind of curiosity was like a gust of wind; after blowing, it would soon be blown away and couldn't last long.

"Let's maintain the three-screening schedule a day. If this drama really has a good reputation and excellent box office, it won't be too late to adjust later."

"I am also inclined to three screenings a day."

"What is there to discuss? The dramas filmed by Zhong Wentai have always been acclaimed but not popular; the reputation is very good, but not as many people go to watch as imagined."

"Three screenings a day, I think it's already overestimating him. If it weren't for using the national-level project behind him to apply pressure, I would give him at most two screenings a day."

"Being able to give him two screenings is still for the sake of him being an international big director!"

——The words spoken by the person in charge of Shenglong Cinema during the meeting somehow reached Zhong Wentai's ears.

Director Zhong belonged to the group of people in the cultural and entertainment circle who were poorly informed.

Often by the time he knew these news, other well-informed people already knew, and it had been passed around for a round or two.

Sui Lingfang, at the first moment she knew this news, specifically called Seeing Jin Li, who was still on a roadshow tour, to ask what Director Zhong's thoughts were.

Seeing Jin Li peeled an orange to eat while stealing some leisure, supplementing her daily Vitamin C.

"No thoughts; Director Zhong doesn't know about this."

Sui Lingfang nodded imperceptibly: "It's good that he doesn't know, so as not to affect his mindset, although for a big director like him, mere rumors can't hurt him."

It was just that Sui Lingfang was a bit worried in her heart.

The news coming out of these film circles was sometimes true and sometimes false, but they would vaguely represent an attitude.

Duan Yucai's (the person in charge of Shenglong Cinema) words spread so widely, and no one jumped out to say they didn't approve of his view.

From this, it could be seen that the film circle was probably not very confident in the box office of *Dream Builders*.

Like *And Then There Were None*, a low-cost, niche art drama, being able to take over 500 million in box office, everyone would feel it was very powerful.

Because the ceiling of this kind of film was right there, very few people watched it, let alone box office?

*And Then There Were None* already belonged to a "niche miracle" in the film circle where the overall box office was not ideal this year.

But placed on *Dream Builders*, it was also an art film, but 500 million+ box office was definitely not enough to look at; no matter what, it had to get 1 billion+ to be considered not a flop.

With Director Zhong's reputation, 1 billion was already a somewhat embarrassing figure; no matter what, it had to be around 1.5 billion.

Sui Lingfang expressed her worries.

Seeing Jin Li, while she was talking, peeled another small orange.

After listening, considering Director Zhong's attention to this drama recently and the ambitions he had revealed many times in front of them, the actors, she couldn't help but say sincerely:

"It's good that Director Zhong doesn't know about this, otherwise he definitely wouldn't be able to swallow this breath."

Sui Lingfang: "Hmm?"

How did it seem a bit different from what she imagined?

Seeing Jin Li said: "Sister Fang, Director Zhong values this drama very much, even more than the few he filmed in the past. He probably can't tolerate others slandering this movie; you just wait and see."

After Sui Lingfang hung up the phone, she was thinking about what Director Zhong would do.

A crazy thought suddenly flashed through her mind: He couldn't possibly tear into Duan Yucai, right?

Facts proved that Zhong Wentai was really that crazy.

The roadshow promotion method in the form of a play gained a very good reputation and traffic on the internet, getting rid of his past curse of "acclaimed but not popular."

These two days, Director Zhong experienced the taste of the peak of traffic; this feeling was really not bad.

He finally understood why some old friends would transform to film commercial movies; being favored by traffic was indeed enough to make one expand!

The dramas he filmed before all enjoyed fame internationally, but only a very small group of people knew about them.

This time, *Dream Builders* was very powerful in promotion, so powerful that Director Zhong had a feeling of "achieving the hegemony of the overlord."

As a result, at this time, someone whose name he couldn't remember—that person surnamed Duan—jumped out and said his film was acclaimed but not popular, the box office was miserable, and if it weren't for the national-level project support, he wouldn't even want to give three screenings a day.

Bah!

What kind of thing is he?

He is also worthy of evaluating the drama he filmed.

Director Zhong Wentai was completely stimulated with a rebellious psychology. In the past, the movies he filmed, if said like this, he would admit it, but clearly *Dream Builders* could achieve different results.

Anyone who blocks his path forward is his enemy.

So at 8:00 PM on August 2nd, Zhong Wentai, who had only known about Duan Yucai's remarks for less than two hours, resolutely made a decision.

Zhong Wentai: 【In view of the rumor storm circulating in the industry, I am now giving a response:】

【Since Shenglong Cinema doesn't look favorably on *Dream Builders*, and letting you show this drama makes you feel aggrieved, then simply don't show it!】

【Don't talk about national support or not; when there was no support, I never forced buying or selling, and after having support, I will even less force buying or selling.】

【From now on, terminate the cooperation contract with @ShenglongCinema. Since you don't like it, then simply don't broadcast it. I will hurry up and move the seat for the film you look favorably on!】

A stone stirred up a thousand waves!

Director Zhong Wentai's statement on the blog instantly landed on the first hot search.

Duan Yucai's evaluation in the industry did not expand the circle and was passed to the internet.

But after being poked out by Zhong Wentai, under the wishes of the huge crowd of netizens, many public accounts and media accounts that knew the inside story suddenly emerged, filming videos one after another, telling the entanglement between Shenglong Cinema and Director Zhong Wentai.

"It is reported that because the reputation of the *Dream Builders* roadshow is very good and the online popularity has increased, on August 1st, many cinemas hurriedly held meetings to discuss whether to set more schedules for this film..."

"The point is here, babies, let's remember a key point here: *Dream Builders* was temporarily inserted into the August summer file."

"Before, this film had no action because it hadn't passed the review. It just passed the review and got the edition number, so it was in a hurry to be released."

"Shenglong Cinema is very pessimistic about the prospects of *Dream Builders*. According to insiders, they held a meeting internally today, and Duan Yucai still attacked *Dream Builders*, saying several times that if it weren't for national support, he definitely wouldn't give three screenings..."

Media accounts that really knew some inside stories specifically added a reversal at the end of the revelation.

"Actually, some cinemas in the industry are still very optimistic about this drama and overcame all dissenting views to set a schedule of 5 screenings a day. I won't reveal the specifics."

Saying they wouldn't reveal it, they still took out a blank sheet of paper and wrote two letter abbreviations with a black thick marker—DY!

And media accounts that didn't know the inside story didn't miss this debate either, saying in a fair and just tone:

"Shenglong Cinema's concerns are not incomprehensible, but since they have already set three screenings, don't complain, okay? It makes them look very green tea."

"And Director Zhong Wentai, I can also understand; the film he looks favorably on is not valued by others, and he is very angry."

"But he is still too impulsive. After all, Shenglong is one of the five well-known cinema chains in the country. Even if he is a big director, offending the cinema won't have good fruit to eat."

"The above is my view. What do you think? Come and click the little red heart and write down your discussion."

Sui Lingfang was caught off guard by Director Zhong's sudden outburst.

She had only one thought in her heart: Is Seeing Jin Li actually a prophet?!

But this matter was just a big director tearing into a cinema; strictly speaking, it couldn't affect the actors, so Sister Fang soon calmed down.

She specifically called Seeing Jin Li and asked her: "How is the situation on your side?"

Seeing Jin Li glanced at Director Zhong, who was leisurely drinking tea in the lounge, and decided not to say the real situation, instead asking back: "How is the situation on your side?"

Sui Lingfang laughed: "Morning Entertainment didn't participate in the investment of *Dream Builders*, and your position doesn't represent the director's position, so no one called to ask me. How about you?"

Seeing Jin Li was concise: "It's okay."

Sui Lingfang felt relieved: "If there is anything you need my help with, call me immediately. If I couldn't leave here, I would have rushed over myself."

Seeing Jin Li smiled: "No need, it's just participating in a roadshow tour; Xiao Qin takes good care of me."

She hung up the phone, walked to the opposite side of Zhong Wentai, and first tasted a cup of fragrant tea.

Hmm, it tastes pretty good.

Seeing Jin Li felt a bit regretful; it's a pity she couldn't drink too much at night, otherwise she wouldn't be able to sleep.

After drinking, she asked leisurely: "Director Zhong, are you really going to tear into Shenglong Cinema?"

Zhong Wentai raised his head and glanced at her, "Asking what you already know; I even posted on the blog."

Seeing Jin Li straightened the expression on her face, "You are not such an impulsive person."

Zhong Wentai was just about to answer when his phone suddenly rang; it was a call from Shenglong Cinema.

He hung up without thinking.

The other side was also quite persistent; after being hung up, they continued to redial, and Zhong Wentai played with it, hanging up again.

Alright, just right to practice being a rhythm master.

After the person on the other end of the phone stopped calling, Zhong Wentai said confidently:

"Let me ask you, what rank is *Dream Builders* on the hot search now, what rank is it on the real-time popularity list, how many self-media accounts are participating in the discussion, and how is the box office pre-sale?"

With this series of questions thrown down, Seeing Jin Li's expression changed quickly.

She realized and asked: "So director, you did this on purpose?"

Tsk, ginger is still old and spicy!

Cutting off a cinema that doesn't want to cooperate, what is exchanged is the continuous attention of the whole network!

If you want to ask why people can be international big directors?

Before, when filming art films, he disdained to play such tricks.

But if he really wants to engage in public opinion, he is not afraid at all!

Director Zhong Wentai gently brushed the non-existent dust on his shoulders and said lightly: "Don't guess randomly; I didn't say anything."

Seeing Jin Li gave him a thumbs up, "Right, you didn't say anything, hiding merit and fame."

She must learn more from this group of old foxes. ===== CHAPTER 304 =====