At first, I just wanted to make money

Chapter 354 "The Stabbing Horse"

Chen Kexin is really brave!

He actually took "If You Love" as the first movie of Beishang.

Musical!

Let's not talk about anything else, a musical...how could it be a blockbuster in the Mainland?
Generally speaking, in China, musicals are still regarded as a niche existence like imported products. Many popular films in Europe and the United States have received mediocre responses in the domestic market, far from Hollywood science fiction films and other strong genre films. It is highly sought after, so it is considered "acclimatized" by many people.

The reason may be that the unrestrained and unrestrained spiritual core in musicals has strong characteristics of American culture, while domestic audiences who are more restrained and reserved may always prefer emotions like "still waters run deep".

So why did SMI dare to invest?
do not know…

Maybe it's out of "trust" in Chen Kexin?

However, judging by Shen Xudong's experience over the years, the so-called investors are ignorant, and there may be...

But if you want to say that a film cost hundreds of millions of investment, and a pair of cloth shoes and a straw hat cost thousands of dollars, will the funders know that there is a pitfall?
Shen Xudong didn't believe it!

Not all investors are laymen——Mr. Liu who invested in "Butterfly on the Shoulder" jumped off the building directly, and 6000 million was in vain!
Xingmei's Tan Hong and Tan Hui are laymen?

Fools don't believe it!
The only possibility is that the money does not belong to Xingmei...

Whose is that?
who knows…

……

Qin Hong wears glasses, a black shirt and a suit, looking very businesslike.

Shen Xudong...is a mid-sized windbreaker with a patterned shirt inside. He has recently gone yuppie style!

We met, shook hands, exchanged greetings, and then sat down.

Qin Hong introduced Chen Kexin, and Shen Xudong hurriedly shook hands: "Director Chen! Long time no see!"

"It's almost a year..."

"nor."

Qin Hong was curious: "Have you two met before?"

Chen Kexin: "I went to Venice to sell a film last year, and he happened to be shortlisted for the main competition with "Outstanding Citizens"...I have met briefly..."

Shen Xudong also nodded: "Last year in Venice, Director Chen directed "Three Watches 2"... I remember the response was quite intense!"

"The copyright is not bad..." Chen Kexin looked at Shen Xudong: "Did you forget something... I watched "The Screening Room" and there is still no introduction about me!"

"Yes... There is a detailed introduction of UFO company... I personally wrote the copy, maybe it hasn't been broadcast yet..."

UFO Films, established in 91, was funded by Zeng Zhiwei and actress Zhong Zhen, and Chen Kexin participated in the shareholding in the form of director fees. It mainly focuses on the Hong Kong local market and has released classic works such as "A Tale of Two Cities", "Sweet Honey", "Rogue Doctor", and "Golden Branches and Jade Leaves". Produced mostly literary films.

Chen Kexin is also a very typical Hong Kong filmmaker, wherever the water and plants are abundant...

But the pastures are never maintained.

Hong Kong filmmakers went north mainly because of the stimulus of A Mou in 02. "Hero" sold 2.5 million in the mainland and 1.77 million US dollars worldwide!
So Chen Kexin cooperated with American producer Andrew Morgan, and the other party suggested that he make a musical film, and Chen Kexin found a love story, which is "If Love"...

……

In fact, Xingmei at the stage of realization does not know much about publicity and marketing...

So, talking about the release date of "If Love" is December 12th...

Shen Xudong asked curiously: "Don't you know that "The Promise" will be released on December 12th?"

Chen Kexin answered: "This year's Lunar New Year has 4 movies, "If Love", "The Promise", "Riding a Thousand Miles Alone" and "The Great Sage of Love"...I think it's up to each one!"

"You're thinking too much... If it's true that everyone depends on their own abilities, why is "A World Without Thieves" released on December 12? It's just to avoid "The Promise"!"

Qin Hong hurriedly asked: "The Promise is of good quality?"

"I don't know, but I know that "The Promise" is China Film's annual project...The so-called promotional film is to advertise to attract media coverage...The schedule of a movie is very important, you can't hit the schedule with blockbusters, such as "The Promise"..."

"why not?"

"Because "The Promise" can mobilize most of the media reports in the country, why do you have it? Is your movie more popular than "A World Without Thieves"? Believe it or not, if you go to "The Promise" together, you won't be screened if you haven't seen the theater. film!"

"...It can't be..."

"Isn't it? Then you just wait and see!"

That's all Shen Xudong said...

"If Love" is a good movie, in fact, the core of the story is the same as "La La Land"...

The difference is that "La La Land" is a dream-making story, while "If You Love" is a realistic story.

What Mia pursues is dreams, what Sun Na pursues is success.

Mia and Sebastian came together because of a dream, and separated because of a dream.

Sun Na and Lin Jiandong came together because they supported each other and wanted to be successful, and separated because of the pursuit of success...

……

"So you still want to make a big movie?"

"...Well, you can either make a work with an investment of less than 800 million, or you can make a blockbuster with a cost of [-] million. There is no medium scale for you to choose!"

"But blockbuster movies with a box office revenue of more than 1 million yuan require a production fee of more than 1 million yuan, and the temporary box office in the Chinese market is not enough to support the cost of the film!"

"So, you need overseas markets..."

Shen Xudong spread his hands: "The current market is like this. If you want to make a movie with hundreds of millions of dollars, many people line up to invest, but no one votes for a movie with tens of millions of dollars."

"really?"

"it is true!"

Gao Fenfen nodded: "Including the theaters believe in a theory: Only a blockbuster movie with a big scene can draw the audience into the theater...The "Glory of the Tang Dynasty" we participated in confirmed the starring Jackie Chan, and the production cost was 1.5 million yuan, and a bunch of people took the money Come and rush to invest!"

Chen Kexin was distressed: "But I don't know how to make blockbuster movies!"

Shen Xudong waved his hand: "What's the matter? Could it be that a young poet recites it? The most important thing for a director is execution ability! Are you lacking in this aspect?"

Chen Kexin heard what he said, and immediately asked: "...do you have the script in your hand?"

"There is a story about an adaptation of "The Stinger"..."

"The Stinger? Zhang Che's "The Stinger"?"

Of course Chen Kexin knows "The Thorn Horse". Zhang Cheh, as a generation of martial arts masters, most of his works are familiar to most filmmakers in Hong Kong!
But... "The Assassin" is a very small movie, and it shows more emphasis on the love and hatred between individuals...

"The Assassin" is adapted from the case of the Assassin. It is a very simple story. In 1870, Ma Xinyi, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, was killed by an assassin under the protection of heavy soldiers. The assassin did not resist and disarmed on the spot.

Later investigations found that there were various doubts behind this case, but due to the chaotic current situation and the involvement of high-ranking officials behind it, it had to be left alone...

The "Thorn Horse" narrated by Shen Xudong reflects on common sense such as the so-called deep brotherhood, family and country righteousness, etc. from a more naked and sharp angle.

"...At the inauguration ceremony, at the most glorious moment of power, Pang Qingyun died at the hands of an assassin. The assassin was his third brother, Jiang Wuyang!"

After a pause, Shen Xudong added: "I plan to call it "Certificate of Fame"!"

(End of this chapter)