Chapter 228

Jingcheng, at the China Film Digital Photography Studio, the crew of Accursed Immortal Sword is shooting special effects shots.

During a break in filming, Jiang Heng returned to his own resting room to rest, while Yu Dong rushed over to report on the publicity and distribution matters concerning Pacific Rim 2.

Because it handled the distribution business for Outstanding Rising Film Company and Hong Kong films, Broad Sodium Film Industry has developed fairly well these years, and with plans to go public, Yu Dong has intermittently thought about starting a business, intermittently thought about staying to work hard; in short, he's been rather torn.

Fortunately, he remains very responsible at work; recently, together with the project manager from China Film, he has signed profit-sharing distribution agreements with the top-ten box-office countries' distributors—Japan, South Korea, the UK, France, Germany, Australia, etc.

He also ran to some overseas film festivals, selling rights to small nations.

As for the film's distribution in North and South America, the contract with Columbia Company was signed long ago.

Thus, Yu Dong, who had only recently returned to the country, heard the news released by the Red Cliff crew.

After finishing talking about the related matters of Pacific Rim 2, he suddenly said, 'You say, they wouldn't really go head-to-head with us in the same release window, would they?'

Jiang Heng laughed, 'The likelihood isn't high; making movies is for profit, not for rivalry, the summer slot is long, they might not necessarily compete with me for the first half of it.'

'You mean they're throwing up a smoke screen?'

'Pretty much, after all, the bulk of the investment comes from the two Japanese and Korean companies plus Standard Chartered Bank; they care more about profit sharing, so they definitely won't let Zhang Jiazhen run wild. Of course, even if they released on the same day, we wouldn't be afraid!'

First, knowing that Red Cliff's reputation and box office both collapsed; more importantly, because over 70% of the special effects production costs went into Jiang Heng's pocket—let alone Red Cliff, even other decently performing big movies in a showdown, Jiang Heng isn't afraid.

Yu Dong, however, was somewhat worried and sighed, 'If we really pick the same day, I could just go to the State Administration and coordinate everyone's schedule; there's really no need to do this.'

Jiang Heng laughed heartily, 'All right, if that day really comes, we'll see you step up!'

Yu Dong hurriedly said, 'Actually, I'm just borrowing the tiger's might; the real prestige is still yours, boss. In fact, you just need to make a phone call over, and naturally you'll help me coordinate.'

Over these years, the box office performance of the domestic film market has relied entirely on you to prop it up; your performance in the international market is even more impressive, and they know it.

Jiang Heng nodded slightly, also accepting Yu Dong's words, and said slowly, 'Once this busy period is over, it's time to move around a bit. Next year is a big year for the Chinese-language film market, with many major films set to release!'

Yu Dong said, 'Yeah, besides Accursed Immortal Sword and Red Cliff, there's Zhou Xingxing's Yangtze River No. 7, our Kung Fu Panda, Chen Kaige has filmed an art film, and I heard he also wants to release it in the summer.'

With so many big films gathering in the summer, it's naturally not possible to set release dates casually as before; we should sit down and discuss it, which would be better!

Jiang Heng said, 'That's right, but we've already set it for the second Friday of July.'

Yu Dong laughed, 'Certainly, if Wu Yusen and his crew insist on releasing on the same day, then we'll have a showdown with them!'

Jiang Heng laughed heartily, 'Exactly as it should be!'

Unfortunately, the probability of that is too low; unless it's the later fiercely competitive 'Spring Festival slot', the most suitable release time is the first day of the lunar new year, with only the choice of whether to release or not, not which day to release.

Only then would the competition deserve to be described as close-quarters combat, with dire circumstances.

If Red Cliff were to be released, it would probably die a miserable death.

In the following days, Jiang Heng continued to monitor the publicity and distribution of Pacific Rim 2, and Yu Dong also reported work progress to Jiang Heng every day.

In the blink of an eye, December arrived; the film Accursed Immortal Sword finished shooting and entered post-production.

The global premiere of Pacific Rim 2 also had its date set: December 17, a Saturday, with the venue still chosen as the Workers' Gymnasium in Jingcheng.

Because it was winter, a heated tent was erected inside the stadium to help the attending guests and reporters ward off the cold.

Among the reporters, the young Guo Fan, who was 25 at the time, never imagined that a decade or so later he would become an excellent sci-fi blockbuster director.

Because his university studies were at Hainan University's Law School, after graduating he entered China Travel TV's 'Asia Music Center' section, taking on the role of program packaging producer, which had nothing to do with Jiang Heng's new film premiere.

But he had always been fond of sci-fi, having watched Pacific Rim 1 countless times; upon learning that China Travel TV would send a reporter team to conduct interviews, Guo Fan asked a senior schoolmate for help.

He thought that if he succeeded, he could go as a reporter and directly enter the inner area.

If not, he would take leave to go as a spectator, then spend a lot of money to buy a premiere ticket from a scalper; in short, he was determined to watch the premiere.

Unexpectedly, that senior schoolmate had some pull and actually managed to get him into the interview team, so Guo Fan came over feeling pleased with himself.

At that moment, holding his camera, he occasionally snapped photos of women walking the red carpet.

'Wow, Megan Fox is really something—she's wearing such revealing clothing in this freezing weather!' a nearby reporter muttered.

'Yeah, speaking of which, this heated tent couldn't have been put up just for them, could it?'

'Director Jiang sure is splurging; the relationship must definitely be out of the ordinary!'

Guo Fan, upon hearing this, couldn't help feeling a bit envious of Jiang Heng—being able to film movies according to his own vision and also work with beautiful actresses is truly great!

Too bad he studied law in college, only having a slight grasp of painting and photography; the idea of becoming a director is something he dare not even imagine.

After a few more stars passed by, someone exclaimed, 'Liu Yifei, Liu Yifei has arrived!' Immediately followed by a series of 'click-click' camera shutter sounds.

After Liu Yifei passed, a veteran actor of modest fame walked the red carpet; the reporters took a couple of casual photos and then started complaining.

'You guys say, Director Jiang and Liu Yifei must have some connection, right?'

'Definitely, the rumor-mongering incident at the beginning of the year spread so mysteriously and all over the place; reportedly it was Director Jiang who stepped in to suppress it, even forcing Song Zu De to apologize, and then he chose Liu Yifei as the female lead; to say they have no connection, I don't believe it!'

'I don't believe it either!'

'Anyone who can get a photo, we'll buy it at a high price!'

'We're the same!'

Beside Guo Fan, Zhuo Wei, wearing a New Beijing Times reporter badge, thought to himself: 'Selling it to you guys would only fetch a few bucks; if I managed to get a shot, wouldn't it be fine to sell it to Jiang Heng? With such a huge net worth, he probably wouldn't care about small change.' He had already been mulling how to get a photo.

He had previously tried to follow him, but Jiang Heng was extremely sensitive, as if he had eyes on his back—either shaking him off or, even after tailing him for a whole day, he couldn't get any usable shots.

But Zhuo Wei believed that Jiang Heng, together with these female actresses he had worked with, couldn't possibly have nothing going on; it was just too secretive for anyone to have discovered yet.

Just as he was pondering, he suddenly heard someone shout excitedly, 'Director Jiang!'

Zhuo Wei, Guo Fan, and all the other reporters present perked up, clicking their cameras to photograph Jiang Heng.

At the center of the red carpet, beneath a huge display board, host Liu Yan conducted the interview, asking, 'Director Jiang, hello. Regarding this film Pacific Rim 2, do you think its box office performance will surpass that of the first one?'

(End of chapter)