Chapter 124: Big directors all cherish their reputation

Cao Yang considered the specific date of his return to China repeatedly and only told Dong Xuan, letting her come to the airport to pick him up.

Li Xiaoran and the others were all Best Actresses, and their influence was too great. Reporters paid too much attention to them, and if they were found going to the airport to pick him up, it would be full of scandals.

Dong Xuan didn't have this concern. She was only slightly famous now. She had to wait for her *Snow Flower Goddess Dragon* to be released before her fame would increase greatly.

Dong Xuan drove an Audi TT given by Cao Yang. From Cao Yang's perspective, this car was really a bit ugly, but Dong Xuan fell in love with it at first sight, and Cao Yang couldn't help it.

Cars in this era were either square or round in the front and back.

Back at the residence, Dong Xuan cooked the meal herself. The taste was just so-so, but it won in warmth.

"How is it?"

Dong Xuan looked at Cao Yang eating a bite with eager eyes and asked impatiently.

She had never cooked before. This time, she specifically learned cooking skills from her mother during the New Year, just to cook for Cao Yang.

Cao Yang hesitated for a few seconds, but still picked up a large mouthful of vegetables and said while chewing: "Good, not bad."

Flowers clearly bloomed on Dong Xuan's face, and she asked with a smile: "How long are you going to stay this time?"

"It's hard to say. Before I came back, Hou Ke... Dean Hou called me and said there was something he wanted to discuss with me after I came back. I guess it's about a new film."

"A new film?" Dong Xuan asked suspiciously.

"Old Tian also called me and said that ever since Zhang Yimou's film won nearly 250 million, the upper level has been holding meetings non-stop. Several leaders of the school are called over almost every time."

Cao Yang said, opening his mouth to catch the vegetables Dong Xuan picked up, and said while chewing.

"During the period, they also called Kaige and Xiaogang over to attend several meetings, saying they wanted them to shoot a film to test the market and see if it was a coincidence or if the market had already improved. I heard they didn't dare to take the move."

"Ah? Why?"

Dong Xuan didn't quite understand. It felt like a good thing. Why didn't they dare to take it?

"You don't understand."

Cao Yang drank a mouthful of seaweed and egg drop soup. It was a bit salty.

"It looks like a good thing, but who knows if the market is crazy or developed? What if the film they shoot doesn't even have a fraction of Zhang Yimou's? What then? Doesn't it look much worse than Zhang Yimou?"

Dong Xuan nodded thoughtfully, indicating she understood.

"In other words, before they understand the market, they don't dare to shoot commercial blockbusters?"

"Hmm."

Cao Yang gently patted Dong Xuan's head and said with a smile: "Not stupid yet. I guess they will wait, wait until they are sure in their hearts, before they shoot commercial blockbusters like *Hero*. Both have concerns, and neither dares to enter the market first."

"Then how long will they wait?" Dong Xuan asked curiously.

Cao Yang laughed, pulled Dong Xuan over and let her sit on his lap, and then said: "Wait for Zhang Yimou's second commercial blockbuster to be released, wait for the market's reaction to see what it is like. If it succeeds, follow up. If it fails, play the original mode."

"Uh..."

Dong Xuan thought about it. From a market where 30 or 40 million was the top, it suddenly pulled up to 250 million. Everyone couldn't understand it and didn't dare to advance rashly.

The bigger the director, the more they cherish their feathers and care about their reputation.

Pah, what big director? Still timid as a mouse! Then suddenly stunned. Just now Cao Yang said the school had something to discuss with him. Should it be...

"The upper level wants you to take a move to test the market?"

Dong Xuan suddenly asked nervously. This kind of thing is too risky.

Although Cao Yang is also a big director, he is still so young. Why not let commercial film director Xiaogang do it? Why not let the senior big director Chen Kaige do it?

They don't want to, so they push this matter to Cao Yang?

This is too much!

Isn't this bullying an honest person?

Using a commercial blockbuster with an investment of over 100 million to test the market is a very rash thing. If it fails, losing money is a small matter, but what about Cao Yang's reputation?

He is still so young.

"I guess it's this matter. However, the school side definitely doesn't want me to take action, fearing that if it fails, it will damage my reputation."

Cao Yang kissed Dong Xuan on the face and continued: "It should also be the same idea as Xiaogang and Kaige. Wait for Zhang Yimou to explore the road again. If it's suitable, follow up. If it's not suitable, do whatever you should do."

Dong Xuan, who was still despising Xiaogang and Chen Kaige in her heart, nodded without hesitation this time and said: "If the school can think like this, that couldn't be better. I also don't want you to take risks."

!

Cao Yang couldn't laugh or cry, and used his hand to scrape Dong Xuan's nose.

"What risk? It's just testing the market's potential."

Dong Xuan looked at Cao Yang with some surprise. "You want to go? You want to shoot a commercial blockbuster?"

"Trying is also good. Everyone still recognizes big directors now. I guess besides Zhang Yimou, only I and Kaige, plus a commercial film director Xiaogang, the three of us are qualified to try."

Cao Yang thought and said: "If it were someone else, even if the quality of the film shot is good, there is no box office in the early stage, and there is no hope in the later stage. By then, piracy is already full of the market, and it is still impossible to see where the market limit is."

"Only big directors are recognized by everyone. They feel that the quality of the film shot is at least guaranteed. Big directors plus big investment, as long as the quality is not bad, can make people interested, can make people walk into the cinema, and can see the market potential."

Dong Xuan suddenly said seriously: "Don't go, it's too risky. It's better to wait for Director Zhang's second commercial blockbuster. Anyway, with so much box office for the first one, he will definitely shoot the second one."

Cao Yang's hand holding Dong Xuan used a little force, making her closer to him, and comforted: "Don't worry, who knows what the situation is? Maybe the school has already rejected it for me."

Then he patted Dong Xuan's butt. "Go, let's take a mandarin duck bath together."

"Director Deng, you must fully understand. Cao Yang is too young. He is still a student. You should discuss it with Director Chen or Director Feng again? They are all mature and prudent people, doing things reliably, and it will definitely be no problem."

Hou Keming hung up the phone and couldn't help rubbing his temples, only feeling his head was as big as a bucket.

He had already pushed back four such calls, but it was useless. People were still calling non-stop.

"Sigh, Cao Yang, Cao Yang, you really know how to pick the time. You said that your film is done, it's done. You have to hold a press conference. Now it's good. The upper level knows that you have no work in your hands now, and everyone has set their sights on you."

Just thinking about it, the phone on the table rang again.

Hou Keming sighed again. You said that the person who invented the mobile phone is also a bastard. He found that the mobile phone is for the convenience of others. When there is no it, people are quite free. With it, people become kites.

"Hello, hello, Han Zong."

"Hello, hello, Han Zong."

"Hello, Han Zong?"

"Hello, can you hear me? Han Zong? Han Zong?"

Hou Keming hurriedly hung up the phone. He could only pretend like this. Although he could escape the monk but not the temple, he still had to face it in the end, but he could be quiet for a while.

Really want to smash the phone!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 125 =====

Hou Ke Ming hurriedly hung up the phone; he could only pretend like this for now. Although he could run from the monk but not the temple, and he would still have to face it in the end, he could at least enjoy a moment of peace.

He really wanted to smash his phone!

(End of chapter)