Chapter 198: Is Making Money So Simple?

Cao Yang held the Venice Best Director Silver Lion, stood in front of the microphone, looked at the applauding guests below, and was still a bit trance-like.

Fine, take out the momentum of Best Director. This is an experimental film. No matter who comes, no matter who questions, this is an experimental film!

Cao Yang's gaze gradually became firm.

A good director must be a good actor. Entering the play is still very simple.

"Thank you, thank you, it's not easy. I am very excited now, more excited than when I won the Golden Lion here three years ago."

Cao Yang said on the stage with excitement and great infectiousness.

Clatter clatter clatter...

The guests applauded again.

When the applause gradually became smaller, Cao Yang continued: "Art-house films and commercial films are two different types. Commercial films pursue high returns, so big stars, big productions, compact structure, focusing on entertainment and visual effects.

Art-house films focus on the expression of thoughts and emotions, emphasizing the thinking on human nature, social ethics, and human feelings, with more diverse narrative styles, and may contain more personal characteristics and artistic expression.

Art-house films are suitable for specific audience groups, usually requiring the audience to have a certain artistic appreciation ability and emotional resonance, so art is niche.

However, art is also for the masses.

It can touch everyone's heart, let people feel the existence of beauty. Art is a universally existing cultural phenomenon, and anyone on earth has the right to appreciate art.

I was thinking, since art is for the masses and is common, why can't art-house films be understood by everyone and let everyone feel the existence of beauty?"

Cao Yang looked at the people off the stage, shrugged his shoulders, and continued, "So, call me young and frivolous, or call me high-minded and unrealistic. I just want to try whether I can shoot a mass art-house film.

Maybe I failed.

Maybe some people think that I didn't master the scale well, a bit like a commercial film, but at least, I have tried, and I have explored the complexity and diversity of human nature in the film, which is enough!

I will continue to work hard, thank you!"

He didn't thank anyone either, Cao Yang walked off the stage after speaking.

The guests reacted and all applauded desperately. I don't know if it was sincere, but it doesn't matter. Everything that should be said has been said, let them think whatever they want.

"Junior brother, you are an incredible person. As a senior brother, I am very ashamed..."

Han Zong held Cao Yang's Best Director Silver Lion, looked at it many times, and then sighed and said.

You are ashamed of a wool thread.

I don't even know what you are talking about.

"Hehe..."

Cao Yang could only laugh. Just like this, love to think whatever you want.

Li Xiaoran and Gao Yuanyuan looked at Cao Yang with tenderness like water. They never thought that this film had such significance. Cao Yang had never said it face to face.

Maybe he was afraid that the actors and staff would have pressure?

Pang Bing secretly looked at Cao Yang's side face across several people. Worthy of being a great director, the shot is extraordinary. An experimental film can win two big awards.

Simply too charming.

The "Cao Yang Bar" at this time was simply crazy, with countless posts and follow-up posts appearing in an instant.

"Shocking, Cao Yang won Best Director and Best Technical Contribution Award in Venice."

"Holy shit, I didn't know *Painted Skin* was actually shortlisted for the Venice main competition section, and even won Best Director. What are the domestic media doing? There were no relevant reports before." "Don't understand, ask, isn't *Painted Skin* a commercial film? It was hyped before, this is Cao Yang's first commercial film, with an investment of over 100 million."

"Upstairs, I just said that the media cannot be trusted. Maybe they felt they reported it wrong before, so they didn't dare to report on *Painted Skin* entering Venice on a large scale this time."

"Hehe, you underestimate the thickness of the reporter's face. They dare to eat what they said yesterday, let alone what they said so long ago."

"Is *Painted Skin* a commercial film or an art-house film? If it's a commercial film, it's impossible to win an award, right?"

"Experimental film, Cao Yang said it himself in his acceptance speech after winning Best Director. This is an experimental film for the masses, otherwise it would be impossible to win."

"Cao Yang is really awesome. Since his debut, every film he has shot has won big awards."

The film festival ended, Cao Yang let the actors and staff with work arrangements return to the country first, and he and Han Zong wanted to talk to the distributor about some copyright matters.

The European and American copyright had already been sold. It is estimated that Harvey would laugh out loud after watching today's awards ceremony—he had more material for hype, Venice Best Director, Cao Yang's first experimental film.

Speaking of the European and American copyright fees, Han Zong still couldn't believe this fact.

!

24 million USD, that is 24 million USD.

According to the current exchange rate, it converts to more than 198 million!

What is the total investment of *Painted Skin*? 75 million.

The film hasn't been released yet, and it has already earned 100 million?

When did films become so easy to make money?

Han Zong thought, how come I don't know that films are so easy to make money? So able to make money? This is faster than robbing money.

In the next few days, except for East Asia and Southeast Asia, the copyright fees sold in other places, Han Zong didn't look at them much anymore. Tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, does that count as money?

The Japanese copyright was finally won by Kadokawa Pictures for a total price of 6 million USD.

Kadokawa Pictures, as one of the five major Japanese film companies, is still very powerful.

Back then, the great poet Chen Kaige's *Farewell My Concubine* was the Japanese copyright bought by Kadokawa Pictures, and it also set the highest record for foreign film distribution in Japan.

When Hong Kong films were still prosperous, the Japanese liked to buy the copyright of Hong Kong films very much.

Among them, the one that sold the best copyright fee was Cheng Long, whose films could mostly sell for 3 million to 5 million USD.

Cao Yang broke Cheng Long's record.

The South Korean copyright sold for 2.5 million USD, which finally didn't reach the 2.74 million USD of Cheng Long's *Police Story 4: First Strike*.

However, it exceeded the 2 million USD of *Hero*.

The copyright of Hong Kong and Taiwan, including the whole of Southeast Asia, was bought by Jiang Zhiqiang for 2.8 million USD.

In this way, Japan plus South Korea, plus Southeast Asia, sold a total of 11.3 million USD, which converts to 93.45 million!

It's almost another small target.

Plus other miscellaneous places, it is definitely more than 100 million.

Han Zong calculated with his numb brain, the film hasn't been released yet, and it has already earned 200 million?

Unbelievable, dare not believe!

"Why don't I shoot an art-house film and try?"

Han Zong couldn't help but think in his heart, and had an impulse to try.

Subsequently, he forcibly suppressed this thought for the time being. I didn't even see that Cao Yang's film was an experimental film, what qualifications do I have to shoot an art-house film that can win an award?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 199 =====