Chapter 28

March 1st, in a small conference room at China Film Group.

Cao Yang came over with Hou Keming. The film is set to be released tomorrow, and Han Zong of China Film Group has mentioned several times that he wants to meet Cao Yang; today is an opportunity.

After meeting, there were naturally some polite exchanges. Han Zong mainly showered Cao Yang with various praises, talking about him being young and promising, a hero among the youth, and that they must strengthen cooperation in the future.

Hou Keming smiled without saying a word.

This meeting was said to be for discussing matters related to the film's release, but in reality, it was mainly because Han Zong wanted to see Cao Yang.

Previously, like others, he did not quite believe that this film, which won two Silver Bears, was shot by Cao Yang. He also thought it was something Tian Zhuangzhuang had cooked up, and that Cao Yang was just a puppet pushed out to circumvent the ban on directors.

But after the screening at China Film Group's internal viewing session, Han Zong was greatly shocked, and two thoughts instantly arose in his mind.

First, how could such an obvious auteur film be Tian Zhuangzhuang's? It is completely different from Tian Zhuangzhuang's style; this was indeed shot by that twenty-something-year-old student!

It is truly incredible; he must be properly recruited.

Second, where did that actress named Li Xiaoran pop out from? She is truly amazing! This film doesn't look like acting; it's like watching her autobiography. No wonder she could win the Berlin Best Actress award.

Han Zong was a bit unsure whether he should marvel at Cao Yang's luck or Li Xiaoran's luck.

He could only conclude that a suitable script had miraculously encountered a suitable actor, and they achieved success through each other.

This time, the main discussion was about the film's touring premiere activities—it is not that there were no roadshows in this era, but the terminology is different; now they are called touring premiere activities or touring screening activities.

Actually, it is the same thing as a roadshow: touring for promotion, running through several major cities one by one, taking turns holding screening events and meet-and-greets at local theaters, where the film's creative team meets the audience, signs autographs, and interacts.

China Film Group selected seven major cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Wuhan. Later, at Cao Yang's suggestion, they added Ludong Island, the film's shooting location.

No one has realized yet that at a film's shooting location, as long as public opinion is slightly guided, the box office can bring surprises.

Cao Yang will attend the premiere meet-and-greets in Beijing and Ludong Island, while the other cities will be left to the main actors to run.

The reason for choosing to go to Ludong Island is that Cao Yang still wants to keep the shooting location there, so it is a good chance to go over and take a look.

The Jingcheng premiere was chosen to be held at the Jingcheng Theater.

In this day and age, the internet is not yet popularized; online news mainly relies on a few portal websites, and print media is still the mainstay.

Therefore, holding touring premiere activities is very meaningful; it can maximize the mobilization of the viewing audience, create news hotspots, and let more potential viewers see it.

The domestic market is not bad right now; it is the potential market that is not bad. Look at "Titanic," look at "Hero," which will open the era of blockbusters next year. As long as the potential viewing group is mobilized and a craze is formed, the market still has great potential.

March 2nd, 5:00 PM, the invited guests have begun to arrive one after another.

Cao Yang, Tian Zhuangzhuang, Li Xiaoran, and Ding Jiali are welcoming those who need to be welcomed and greeting those who need to be greeted. It mainly depends on status and rank; in the film and television circle, the underlying hierarchy is still very distinct.

When older-generation or Fifth Generation directors come over, even if they are not very famous, Cao Yang must welcome them. Most of those who came are from the Beijing Film Academy, so sometimes one's background is also very important.

As long as they are in Jingcheng, almost everyone from the 1978 Directing Class came. Cao Yang needs to receive them personally; after exchanging pleasantries, he personally leads them to their seats in the venue.

The National Master also came. Although he is from the '78 cohort, he is not from the Directing Department, so the relationship is one step further removed. Cao Yang received him personally and then let Li Xiaoran lead him to his seat, creating an opportunity for Li Xiaoran.

Although Cao Yang knows that the National Master is very likely to compromise with the market and choose the International Chapter, Li Xiaoran is not without a chance; it all depends on the box office and influence after the film is released.

Huang Lei brought Milk Tea Liu as well. In this kind of setting, he dares to bring Milk Tea Liu openly, not afraid of public opinion or Sun Li having an opinion.

It can only be said that the media in this era is not yet developed, and it has not yet faced the impact of self-media. People in the entertainment industry play much more "openly" than in later generations.

Huang Lei is not only a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy but also one of the hottest idols at the moment. Because of his identity as a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy, Cao Yang also has to come forward to receive him.

Huang Lei first offered congratulations and said many nice things. As a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy, he certainly does not misunderstand this as Tian Zhuangzhuang's film like the outside world does. Milk Tea Liu, as Huang Lei's fourth emotional object, also knows very well whose film this is.

He first apologized and explained that he was preparing a new song at the time and regretted missing such a good film. If there is a chance next time, he will definitely push aside everything, as long as you, Director Cao, say the word.

Well, the entertainment industry is just that realistic.

In the entertainment industry, perhaps because they have seen and played too much, many things are no longer cared about.

Look, Xiao Gangpao also came, and the key is that he brought Xu Fan.

He still chats and laughs with Old Tian, and even jokes about Old Tian's growing prowess, winning two Silver Bears in one go.

Xiao Gangpao also thought this was a film directed by Old Tian. Before watching the film, no one thought this was something a twenty-something-year-old student could shoot.

Beside him, Xu Fan also followed along with a smile, offering congratulations and complaining that Old Tian didn't give her a chance even when he had a good role.

Xiao Gangpao's smile paused for a moment, and then he returned to an indifferent appearance.

Li Shaohong of the '78 Directing Class is a classmate of Tian Zhuangzhuang and also his close confidante. She has directed the highly acclaimed "Palace of Desire" and also the heavily criticized "New Dream of the Red Chamber."

She once said jokingly, "He (Tian Zhuangzhuang) just wants to fall in love with people in his films; once the film is finished, the drama is over."

!

So, when Xu Fan goes to act in Tian Zhuangzhuang's films again, Little Cannon Feng is not completely indifferent, right, Gangzi?

Besides the '78 cohort, there is another very famous class in the Beijing Film Academy's Directing Department, and that is the '85 cohort.

The '85 undergraduate class has 9 people, and those with greater fame in the film circle include Wang Xiaoshuai, Lou Ye, and Lu Xuezhang.

Today, several people from the '85 cohort came together; four came. Besides the three mentioned above, there is also Wang Rui, who stayed on to teach.

It is quite interesting to mention that the instructor for the '85 undergraduate class is Xie Xiaojing, the current head of the Directing Department.

Xie Xiaojing is from the '78 cohort and is a student of Old Situ. Old Situ took on Cao Yang, so if placed in ancient times, Cao Yang would become the junior uncle of Wang Xiaoshuai and the others...

Of course, this is purely a joke; we won't discuss that now.

Old Situ did not come today. He said that when Cao Yang wins one of the top awards at the three major European festivals, he will attend Cao Yang's premiere.

This can be considered a kind of expectation and motivation.

Besides these directors, many heads of private film companies also came, but Hou Keming did not let Cao Yang come forward. I don't know what he was thinking; is he afraid that Cao Yang will be snatched away?

When the time came, Cao Yang and several of the film's actors went on stage to start chatting.

These are fixed procedures, material for reporters to write their articles, chatting about the original intention of making the film, the difficulties encountered, and interesting anecdotes that happened during filming.

Of course, these all have "scripts"; what can be said and what cannot be said was already decided long ago.

What high-minded original intention could there be for making a film? It is nothing more than fame and fortune, but is that something that can be said?

As for the difficulties and anecdotes, these are all things they want you to see, not what actually happened.

Could Cao Yang say, "I sent an invitation to Xu Jinglei, and she ignored me; I entrusted Huang Lei to invite Milk Tea Liu, and Huang Lei didn't bother with me either"?

It is not that it cannot be said, but that it is inappropriate.

If the film hadn't won an award and was about to be released and needed heat, many directors wouldn't mind exposing some explosive news, talking trash, and wouldn't care about offending some people who "can" be offended.

(End of chapter)