Chapter 384

Online news quickly settles down, because netizens are always forgetful; a news story, no matter how hot, once a new hot story appears, the previous one naturally gets overshadowed.

If there isn't one temporarily, you can even 'make up' one.

As for the media side, it's also easy to handle, since there are always conglomerate companies or supervising leaders.

Only the Film Bureau side is not easy to deal with.

The so-called 'if the people don't report, officials don't investigate' actually, some leaders also feel that Outstanding Rising Film Company's share of the Chinese-language film market is too large, which is not a good thing.

But even if the other companies are given favorable policies, they may not be able to grow, so they just turn a blind eye.

After all, there are precedents; for example, in the animation field, the state invested huge sums, only to produce a bunch of fraudulent subsidy-scamming garbage cartoons.

But this time is different; a film company has actually reported Outstanding Rising Film Industry for monopoly, and the hottest slots in the mainland market—Spring Festival, summer, and New Year—are all occupied by films produced by Jiang Heng and his other companies, leaving no room for others!

The Film Bureau also finds this difficult, after all, the current Chinese-language film market relies entirely on Jiang Heng to prop it up.

Imagine if Jiang Heng fled to Hollywood, and if his controlled Outstanding Rising Film Industry and Broad Sodium Film Industry didn't release a film for a year, the box-office scale of the entire Chinese-language film market would plummet off a cliff! Even the leaders couldn't bear such consequences; after all, even a slight negative growth in the data can still be smoothed over.

If a knife cut the thigh, it would be inexcusable.

So, the interview is definitely going to happen, but the ones summoned are Du Huan and Yu Dong.

What is to be investigated is the suspicion of monopoly problem of Outstanding Rising Film Industry and Broad Sodium Film Industry.

Jiang Heng, under a friend's 'suggestion', took a plane to the United States.

The reason is also sufficient; One Person Under is about to be released worldwide, and Jiang Heng needs to go there for promotion.

But in the following days, the wind direction in the entertainment circle changed.

First, Yu Dong announced externally that he would launch Broad Sodium Film Industry's plan to list in the US, preparing to use five years to turn Broad Sodium Film Industry into an international film and television investment and production company.

Then, Du Huan also announced on behalf of Outstanding Rising Film Industry that he would increase overseas investment efforts and lead Chinese-language films to go global.

Afterward, he led a team to Thailand to discuss a film and television city investment plan with the local tourism bureau.

Because Lost in Thailand had a hot release, the popularity of Thailand tourism quickly heated up domestically.

Thailand side, they were pleased to see this happen.

The local government received Du Huan's entourage with relatively high standards, showing great sincerity in discussing investment projects.

Du Huan's side also discussed seriously, because Jiang Heng had once told him that many films unsuitable for shooting domestically would be fine if their story background were changed to Thailand.

This time coming for inspection, he found that there really is great potential here.

Anyway, Outstanding Rising Film Industry has plenty of money in its accounts—buy, buy, buy, invest, invest, invest!

Du Huan's straightforward, solid-gold investment in Thailand news transmitted back domestically, instantly reversing the wind direction.

The media that had previously heavily criticized Jiang Heng for monopoly now said he should increase investment in the mainland market.

The executives of Outstanding Rising Film Industry laughed and cried, earlier you said we were monopolizing via full industry chain layout! Now we want to go overseas, yet you won't allow it! But these news aren't the most shocking to viewers. When Outstanding Rising Film Industry released the news that Jiang Heng will be absent from the premiere ceremony of One Person Under held in the capital this year, it instantly sparked heated discussion online! Director Jiang Heng missing his own premiere—what huge event could have happened? Everyone thought it was too unbelievable! Actually, though, this isn't that rare.

Back then, Zhang Yimou was absent from the capital premiere of Man Cheng Jin Dai Huang Jia, because he was directing the opera Qin Shi Huang in the United States and couldn't rush back.

But Jiang Heng is different this time; since he brought The Matrix northward years ago, over more than a decade, even if he occasionally went to Shanghai for a new film premiere, he always attended in person.

At such a critical juncture, Jiang Heng actually missed his own new film premiere; the news is inevitably somewhat shocking.

Later, Hollywood media reported that Jiang Heng staying in the US was to discuss cooperation on a new film, supposedly a sci-fi war movie about Earth's civilization battling alien invaders.

Several major Hollywood companies highly value Jiang Heng's directing ability in the 'sci-fi war' genre, calling him the true 'number one in the world' in that field.

As for other genres like mythology, mecha, and monsters, Jiang Heng's advantage over other directors is not that obvious.

For example, in the mecha genre, the Transformers series is gradually improving, while the Pacific Rim series is somewhat lacking in successors.

Hollywood side is genuinely very optimistic about this cooperation, with companies led by Sony Pictures jointly lobbying, expressing willingness to invest five hundred million US dollars, Jiang Heng would get box-office dividends, during filming he could obtain military assistance, and as many advanced weapons as possible could appear and be displayed in the film, etc.

Speaking of which, Jiang Heng really felt somewhat tempted, while domestically, after the media reported the related news, public opinion instantly exploded.

All over the net were voices calling for a 'punishment' of several domestic private film companies, saying they lack filmmaking ability and are top in internal strife.

Since they can't compete at the box office, they play the 'reporting' trick, forcing Jiang Heng to flee to Hollywood!

Moreover, some people posted so-called insider information online, naming the informants, frightening those named to publicly vindicate themselves before the media.

Public opinion has already completely reversed; China Film Report published a long article enumerating Jiang Heng's pioneering measures over the years and his huge contribution to Chinese-language cinema.

Other media also ran articles praising Jiang Heng, and online naturally there was a chorus urging Jiang Heng's return.

Seeing this, Jiang Heng hurriedly posted a dynamic on Weibo, saying that this trip to the US was merely to promote One Person Under.

The so-called new project discussions were also approached from the angle of Sino-American co-production, and he would not defect to Hollywood.

Whether now or in the future, he always takes the Chinese film market as the main focus…

After the Weibo post was released, it quickly rose to the top of the hot search list, with views, likes, and replies surging sharply.

These scenes of reality actually scared several mainland film company bosses and directors.

Knowing Jiang Heng's popularity and great influence, who could have imagined it could reach this extent! Fortunately the reporting matter wasn't leaked; otherwise, if audiences boycotted, they could shut down and leave the industry—too frightening!

No need to say more; from now on, we should maintain good relations with Jiang Heng, and frequently show up to support his events.

For the upcoming premiere of One Person Under in the capital, Jiang Heng isn't unable to return? All the more reason to go and show support!

Thus, more than a week before Spring Festival, on the day of the One Person Under premiere, many bosses and contracted directors of Chinese-language private film companies flocked to the scene, making it extraordinarily lively.

(End of chapter)