Chapter 161: Xiao Gangpao Inflates

January 22nd is the Spring Festival, and just a few days before the Spring Festival, the second-phase detached villa in Ziyu Shanzhuang located in Chaoyang that Cao Yang bought last year had already been finely decorated.

He considered it for a while and decided to bring his parents over this year to spend the New Year in Jingcheng.

At the same time, Columbia had already reached an agreement with China Film Group and the Youth Film Studio to jointly invest in *District 9* in the form of a co-production, with an initial budget of 48 million USD, publicly announced as 70 million USD.

The reason there was an investment budget of 48 million was because Columbia insisted on choosing a second-tier big-name actor, saying it was to drive the box office in North America.

Cao Yang was taking a share of the total box office; the higher the box office, the more he would get, so of course he had no objections.

This scale of investment is considered a major matter in the film and television circle in China today, and even the Film Bureau attached great importance to it; for this reason, China Film Group even specifically held a grand signing press conference.

Tang Mu Luo Si as the representative of Columbia, Han Zong representing China Film Group, Hou Yuan representing the Youth Film Studio, and Cao Yang, who was the producer and director, all four attended the signing press conference.

A lot of reporters came; although there had been co-productions before, there had never been such a large scale of investment.

Han Zong hosted the press conference, and one could see he was in high spirits.

"... We are joining hands with Columbia, one of the seven major Hollywood film companies, to spend heavily to create an epoch-making sci-fi film; this is the first attempt at this type of co-production in China, and we will use this as an opportunity to deepen exchanges with Hollywood..."

"... Co-productions are a new way of thinking and a new way out for domestic films; we at China Film Group and the Youth Film Studio will take the lead in exploring the feasibility of this path, learning from and drawing on the Hollywood model, cultivating and developing the domestic film market, and meeting new challenges."

"Clap clap clap..."

The guests and reporters who came to attend the signing press conference began to applaud, giving Han Zong a lot of face.

"May I ask Han Zong, what is different about this co-production compared to the past?"

A reporter began to ask.

"The form and content are both different; of course, the scale of investment is also different; 70 million USD, converted, is 580 million, which for China is an unprecedentedly large investment."

Han Zong waved his hand and said very imposingly: "The so-called co-productions in the past were mostly films with investment participation from foreign film companies, but the stories and actors were all domestic.

This time it's different; this time it counts as us going out; the story is no longer a domestic story, and the actors include both domestic actors and Hollywood film stars."

The reporter's heart stirred, and they hurriedly asked: "Does this count as pushing our actors toward Hollywood?"

Han Zong thought for a moment and nodded: "You can understand it that way."

"May I ask Cao Dao, in the field of art films, you are an unquestionable great director, but you have only filmed one commercial film so far, and it hasn't been released yet; what is the reason Columbia chose you as the director?"

The reporter began to ask Cao Yang.

Eh, this reporter isn't here to tear down the stage, are they?

"Your question is very interesting, but you asked the wrong person; you should ask Mr. Tang Mu Luo Si of Columbia, not me."

Cao Yang said with a smile: "I think Columbia chose me as the director, it must be the result of comprehensive consideration; maybe it's because I'm younger and have more potential? Haha, just joking; in short, they must have deeper reasons for choosing me."

If I were to say Columbia has requests of me, would you all think I'm acting arrogant?

Of course, Cao Yang wouldn't say it was because the copyright of the novel was in his own hands, and Columbia had no choice but to choose him as the director.

Saying it like that would make it seem a bit low.

The reporter didn't ask Tang Mu Luo Si, but continued to ask Cao Yang; only by asking him would there be something worth watching.

"Cao Dao, hello, as a big favorite for the Golden Globes, you didn't go to the United States to do promotion; there are rumors that you didn't go to the United States to participate in the Golden Globes because you knew you had no hope of winning; I want to ask Cao Dao, is this the reason?"

"This reporter, did you enter the wrong film set? This is the signing and cooperation press conference for *District 9*."

Cao Yang made a joke, and the reporters below also laughed.

"I'll just explain a few words simply; one is that I'm busy doing the post-production for *Nine-Tailed Fox* and can't spare the time to go to the United States. Two is that you also saw, Mr. Tang Mu Luo Si of Columbia came to talk to me about *District 9*, so I really am unable to attend to two things at once."

Thinking about it, Cao Yang added another sentence, "As for the Golden Globes, I also attach great importance to it; let it be, it's best if I can win it, and if I can't win the award, being nominated is also a kind of affirmation."

"Look, this kid is showing weakness."

Xiao Gangpao pointed at the entertainment news playing on the TV, where Cao Yang was saying "if I can't win the award, being nominated is also a kind of affirmation" while accepting an interview.

He is currently in high spirits; after a month of screening, the box office of the film *Cell Phone* successfully broke through 50 million.

This is a new high for his film box office; how many films in China can pass 50 million at the box office now?

This made Xiao Gangpao's heart infinitely inflated, feeling that there wasn't a single one in China who could fight, including Cao Yang, Chen Kaige, and Zhang Yimou; he felt he could stand at the commanding heights of the box office and look down on these so-called great art directors.

As for the 250 million box office of Zhang Yimou's *Hero*, Xiao Gangpao is currently unconvinced.

How much was that film's investment?

30 million USD, converted, that's 250 million.

!

What about the domestic box office?

Also 250 million.

Investing 250 million and getting 250 million at the box office, what kind of skill is that? If you only count domestic, you'd lose your pants.

How much was the investment for *Cell Phone*?

The film invested 15 million in production costs before and after, and 5 million in promotion and marketing costs, totaling 20 million.

However, before the film started shooting, Motorola's promotion fees and other advertising fees brought in 14 million, and the audio-visual copyright was bought out by Zhongkai Culture for 8 million.

In other words, before the film was even released, it had already earned 2 million.

The film's box office also had over 50 million; with this input-output ratio, what can Zhang Yimou compare with?

Xu Jinglei glanced at the TV.

"People are just saying it modestly; his film won the Palme d'Or, so he definitely doesn't care about a Golden Globe that only has some fame in the United States."

"Bullshit, who said the Golden Globes only have fame in the United States? Didn't you see the overwhelming media reports when that kid got five nominations a while ago? The Golden Globes are still very awesome."

Xiao Gangpao lit a cigarette, took a puff, blew out a smoke ring, and made a sound.

"This kid is really fucking lucky; there was no hope for the Golden Globes, and then those grandsons from Columbia sent a big gift.

70 million USD investment, and it's fucking sci-fi; I really don't know what those grandsons from Columbia are thinking; aren't they afraid of losing their pants?

This fucking claims 70 million, I estimate there's at least 50 million investment; 50 million USD, that's dollars, damn it!"

Xiao Gangpao only hated that Columbia was blind; why didn't they invest in him?

Where was he lacking? Who in China could compare to his box office output ratio?

It must be the dog-day China Film Group's black-box operation, secretly stuffing Cao Yang in; those grandsons from Columbia don't know a fart about directors.

Ptooey, disgusting.

January 26th is the fifth day of the New Year, and this day is the day of the Golden Globe Awards; Cao Yang didn't go to the United States and spent the New Year in Jingcheng with his parents.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 162 =====