Chapter 150: Must Be a Big Star

This was Ning Hao's first time seeing Chen Nuo in person.

When he walked into the meeting room of Chen Nuo's studio, the young man with a crew cut in the main seat stood up immediately and politely, extended his hand to him, and said: "Director Ning Hao, hello."

Humble, polite, very handsome, but a bit fatter than he looked in the movies.

Ning Hao quickly looked him over and shook his hand respectfully: "Chen Zong, finally met you."

Chen Nuo touched his face and explained with a smile: "Director Ning, don't call me Chen Zong, just call me Xiao Chen. I gained 20 jin because of filming before, my face might be a bit round. It might be a bit different from before, hehe."

Very attentive, strong observation skills. Ning Hao added another point in his heart and joked with a smile: "Chen Zong, even if you gain another 50 jin, you are still a hundred times more handsome than us."

Chen Nuo also laughed: "Director Ning, you definitely don't feel very happy saying this, and I don't feel very happy hearing it. No need, really no need."

"Haha."

Everyone in the meeting room laughed.

Cheerful, outspoken, witty, and humorous. Ning Hao added three more points.

So far, they were all advantages, quite different from what he had thought before. Ning Hao couldn't help but relax slightly.

Looking at it this way, it shouldn't be too difficult to persuade the other party later.

Everyone chatted for a while, and Geng Geng Xiaochuan, the distribution manager of China Film Group, arrived with a few subordinates, instantly filling the small meeting room.

After exchanging pleasantries, Qi Yuntian spoke first: "We invited everyone here today because we heard that there are some disagreements regarding the release of the film *Crazy Stone*. So we invited everyone to talk face-to-face and clarify some doubts between each other. Hmm, Director Ning, Manager Geng, who do you think should go first?"

Geng Geng Xiaochuan was a middle-aged man in his 40s. Hearing this, he pushed his glasses and said: "Let me go first. Our China Film Group actually attaches great importance to the distribution of *Crazy Stone* this time. Although this is a low-budget drama film, I have great confidence in this film after watching the finished product. My judgment is that its market is actually not small. As long as we work together, we should be able to fight a winning battle."

But... Ning Hao added silently in his heart.

Sure enough, Geng Geng Xiaochuan said immediately: "But the biggest problem we encountered with this film is Poly Poly Huayi. Although they didn't say it explicitly, we also have some internal news, plus their film *The Banquet* hasn't been scheduled yet, which already explains the problem. The cast of *The Banquet*, in terms of investment, cast, and later publicity investment, is another behemoth after *The Promise*. They have now clearly stated their position and want to compete with us."

Ning Hao sighed slightly.

He only learned that Poly Poly Huayi was actually targeting their film after the film was edited and produced.

It's no exaggeration to say that at that moment, he truly felt the sky had fallen.

Now it seems that the professional distributors at China Film Group should have the same feeling.

Indeed, *The Banquet* against them, isn't it like an elephant against an ant?

Geng Geng Xiaochuan continued with a serious face: "As for the decision made by your side before to release the film during the New Year's holiday... our opinion is that although the New Year's holiday is the best box office period every year, the competition among films is undoubtedly the most intense. To stand out, the difficulty is very great."

Ning Hao agreed completely.

When he heard the message that they were preparing to release during the Spring Festival, Ning Hao couldn't sleep all night.

Although he had great confidence in the quality of the finished product of this film *Crazy Stone*.

After all, the script was written by himself, the actors were chosen by himself, and the play was directed by himself.

However, he really didn't understand why someone had more confidence than him.

That was the New Year's holiday.

Just from what is known, there are two domestic commercial blockbusters and two Hollywood blockbusters scheduled for the 30th day of the Lunar New Year. If you add them and *The Banquet*, that scene will definitely be miserable.

He even felt that as long as they dared to go on the New Year's holiday, Poly Poly Huayi might not necessarily follow.

They just need to watch them ask for trouble quietly.

And Geng Geng Xiaochuan's next words also proved that he wasn't the only one who thought so.

"The benefit of going on the New Year's holiday is that it can avoid Poly Poly Huayi's sniping. After all, their film is too huge, and with so many films during the New Year's holiday, the market capacity is already saturated, and it can't accommodate such a behemoth."

"This is the only benefit..."

Ning Hao nodded.

"... the rest are all disadvantages."

Ning Hao nodded again. "Those film laymen should all think so."

Ning Hao continued to nod... halfway through, he suddenly raised his head and looked at Geng Geng Xiaochuan.

What did you say?

Geng Geng Xiaochuan said seriously: "In the eyes of these laymen, our film is caught among these blockbusters and giants, and it is truly a dead end. However, we at China Film Group feel that these people really don't understand movies. They don't know that movies, besides the quality itself, are about publicity means. As long as you, Chen Zong, join our publicity plan, even if it is the New Year's holiday, we may not be unable to kill a bloody path."

Ah?

Ning Hao looked at Geng Geng Xiaochuan dumbfoundedly.

Chen Nuo smiled and asked: "Manager Geng, how do you say that? Explain it to us in detail."

Geng Geng Xiaochuan also smiled, spread his hands, and said: "Chen Zong, the key is still you. Without you, even if the final effect of this film was shot like a flower, throwing it into the New Year's holiday wouldn't make any bubbles. Because our publicity expenses are extremely limited."

"But it's different now. I heard that entertainment sections like NetEase, Sina, and Sogou are all very interested in all your news, Chen Zong. As long as we take advantage of the situation and make a little fuss about this, the effect will be a hundred times better."

Chen Nuo smiled: "You mean to hype the scandal between me and Janice Man, right?"

Geng Geng Xiaochuan nodded and said: "Not bad, if... add a little shadow of a love triangle, and add Miss Fan Fan Fan Binbing, that would be even better. However, this might damage your image, Chen Zong, but I can guarantee that the final effect will definitely be the best."

Chen Nuo felt that China Film Group still had two tricks, at least they knew some basic means of publicity and hype.

However, they might still be stuck in the era, and their eyes were always fixed on those traditional tricks.

Just like when Zhang Zhang Jizhong hyped him and Liu Qi Yifei, this time hyping him and two women, Janice Man and Fan Fan Fan Binbing, could indeed grab eyeballs.

However, this was just a crooked path after all. The real blue ocean of publicity, they still turned a blind eye to it, or rather, they saw it but didn't expect how much use it would have.

After all, it was only 2006.

At this time, there was no such term as "50-cent party," and Internet water armies were just taking shape and had just started.

Big shots in the entertainment industry and even the film and television industry didn't know what "Internet+" was.

Unlike the future of mobile Internet, which has such a large user base.

However, there is no doubt that for a film like theirs with limited publicity expenses and good quality, using water armies to brush reviews and control comments on major forums, BBS, and even blogs is Chen Nuo's best means of winning big with small.

Thus, combined with the wonder of scandal, the combination of positive and strange is the general trend.

Chen Nuo coughed lightly and said: "I know what Manager Geng means. What do you think, Director Ning?"

Ning Hao didn't know what to say at this time, and felt a sense of betrayal in his heart.

He took a deep breath and decided to give up persuasion, saying: "Chen Zong, I have no opinion, I listen to you all."

Chen Nuo nodded, pondered for a while, and said: "Since that's the case, let me talk about my thoughts..."

More than an hour later, the people from China Film Group and Ning Hao said goodbye.

The two groups of people went downstairs together, and Geng Geng Xiaochuan said to Ning Hao: "What does Director Ning think of what Chen Zong said just now?"

Ning Hao frowned and said: "Hard to say, can only try."

Geng Geng Xiaochuan nodded and said: "We feel the same way, let's try it. If the effect is not good, then take it as a lesson. After all, as far as I know, no film company has ever done this before. However, with our little publicity money, maybe we can only do this. Then that's it, goodbye, Director Ning."

Ning Hao nodded, watched the people from China Film Group get into the Red Flag car at the door, and couldn't help but feel a little worried in his heart.

It seems that Geng Geng Xiaochuan and the others don't agree with spending all the publicity money on the Internet. He himself is the same, always feeling that the Internet is illusory, invisible and untouchable, and finding people to publicize on it is not as reassuring as buying a few pages in the newspaper and posting a few posters at the bus station.

But the investor wants to do this, what can he, a director, do?

Still can only follow.

Ning Hao finally shook his head, got into his Jetta car, and drove away.

And Chen Nuo was talking to Qi Yuntian upstairs at this time: "Actually, we can set up a special department to do this water army thing..."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 151 =====

(End of chapter)