In a small screening room at Shaw Brothers Clear Water Bay Studio, when the theme song "Happy Ghost" played, everyone in the crew gave warm applause in unison.
There were no outsiders in the screening room, just Kang Jianfei, Zhao Yazhi, Hu Juncai, Wu Chenggang, Zhong Zhiwen, Qi Bo, Zhong Yuan, and Wen Bixia who became Kang Jianfei's little tail.
"How did you feel after watching it?" Kang Jianfei asked. Although he was sure that the film would be a hit, he still couldn't help but want to gain recognition from the crew. After all, this was the first film he had directed in his two lifetimes.
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Wu Chenggang said with half encouragement and half certainty: "The audience will probably like it. This kind of comedy ghost movie is rarely made."
Zhong Yuan, a fat guy with a bad mouth, poured cold water on him and said: "I think the situation of this movie is not good. In terms of comedy, it is not as funny as others, and in terms of ghost movies, it is not as scary as other ghost movies. What is its selling point? If it doesn't have a selling point, sell it.
If it doesn’t do well at the box office, it will be sold out!”
"Say less." Qi Bo quietly poked Zhong Yuan.
Zhong Zhiwen was also not sure, and commented: "The shots in "Happy Ghost" are great, but as for the rest, I can't say anything about it."
All said and done, everyone actually doesn't think very highly of this movie.
Why?
A new director with no experience and unknown new actors produced another strange movie that is neither a comedy nor a ghost movie. Except for Kang Jianfei himself, no one else has confidence in it.
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This is the case with movies. Before it is actually released, even veterans with a keen eye in the industry cannot prepare to predict the box office of a movie.
In another time and space, the filming cost of "Happy Ghost" was 2 million. Since the bosses of New Art City were not optimistic about this film, they refused to promote it. At the same time as "Happy Ghost", "The Province" was released.
"Hong Kong Flag Soldier" and "Provincial Hong Kong Flag Soldier" had the strongest behind-the-scenes team in Hong Kong at the time: Hung Kam-po, McDonald's Bear, and Shum Kin-hsun, and they created a huge publicity campaign.
The result was shocking. The two movies were released at the same time, and there were long queues at the theater ticket windows. The audience of "Provincial and Hong Kong Flag Soldiers" only bought one or two tickets each, while the audience of "Happy Ghost" bought six
Seven tickets, some even draw a row.
When the film was finally completed, "Happy Ghost", a small production with a new director and new actors, had a box office of more than 17 million, while "Hong Kong Flag Soldiers", a large production and heavily promoted, only had a box office of 10 million.
Such a result made everyone in the Hong Kong film industry miss the mark, including Gao Zhisen, the director of "Happy Ghost" himself.
Kang Jianfei couldn't help comforting himself, it was also "Happy Ghost", even if it couldn't sell like Gao Zhisen at the box office, at least it wouldn't be a hit on the street!
However, Kang Jianfei really can't guarantee it. There are many factors that affect the box office of a movie, such as film quality, schedule, publicity, stars, cinemas, other movies in the same period, etc. A change at any point may make a movie that should be a hit
Fight until death!
Kang Jianfei took a breath and smiled at everyone: "Everyone, please wait for my news."
Zhao Yazhi consoled her: "A Fei, I think "Happy Ghost" is very good. It will definitely be a big hit at the box office."
Wen Bixia also said: "Yes, yes, I think it's great and interesting. Everyone will definitely like to watch it."
Kang Jianfei said to them: "Thank you, I won't let you down."
After Zhong Zhiwen, Qi Bo and others left, Wu Cheng just said: "A Fei, are you planning to release it in Lisheng Cinema?"
Kang Jianfei nodded and said, "Yes, what's wrong?"
Wu Chenggang said: "Let me go with you. Maybe we can get to know a few acquaintances."
Kang Jianfei also refused, and took Wu Chenggang and Hu Juncai straight to the Lyceum Cinema, a subsidiary of Lydia Cinemas, where the company's headquarters is located.
When he arrived outside the Lisheng Theater, Kang Jianfei was dumbfounded.
The door of Lisheng Cinema was closed, and a notice was posted on the door - "This theater is undergoing major renovations and is temporarily closed for business." There was also a clanging sound coming from inside the cinema.
Kang Jianfei and Wu Chenggang looked at each other, then walked around the construction area towards the general manager's office, with Hu Juncai following closely behind holding the sample film of "Happy Ghost".
Perhaps because of the closure of the business, no one was seen inside. Kang Jianfei knocked on the door for a long time before a middle-aged man came over and asked, "Who are you looking for?"
Kang Jianfei smiled and said: "Hello, I am the owner of an independent film company. I have just shot a movie. I would like to find Mr. Li Maowen, the general manager of Lisheng Cinemas."
The middle-aged man said: "All the cinemas under Lisheng Cinemas are being renovated. Come back after the Chinese New Year."
"What?" Kang Jianfei was stunned on the spot as if he had been struck by lightning. He had been doing all the calculations before starting the filming of the movie, but he did not expect that such an unexpected situation would occur, and he unexpectedly encountered the unified decoration of Li Sheng Cinema.
Isn't this a joke!
Christmas is coming soon, followed by New Year’s Day and Spring Festival, which happens to be the busiest time for movie box office. Why did Lisheng Cinema choose this time to decorate?
Don’t you want to make more money if you feel your hands are burning because of too much money?
Wu Chenggang asked: "Sir, is it true that all the cinemas in the Lisheng Cinema chain have been renovated?"
The middle-aged man sighed and said, "Yeah, there's no attendance anyway, so I'd like to take advantage of this time to do some decoration."
When Kang Jianfei heard that there was something in this person's words, he quickly forced himself to calm down and asked: "Why is there no attendance? This theater is in a very good location."
The middle-aged man glanced at Kang Jianfei. Kang Jianfei suddenly stepped forward, grabbed a handful of Hong Kong dollars and quietly stuffed it into his hand. The man looked at the money and said, "Well, let me tell you straight, this one
For many months, Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest have issued a ban on Lydia Cinemas, scaring the film companies and directors from showing their films to Lydia Cinemas. Lydia has repeatedly released a few bad films from small companies.
The audience refused to come to the movie, so the general manager decided to take advantage of this moment to renovate all the theaters."
This person didn't say much, but he revealed a lot of information.
Kang Jianfei quickly figured out the whole thing. Facing the pressure from Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest, many of the more than ten independent cinemas that had just joined the Lydia Cinema Line were already making noises about disbanding. And Lydia Cinema Line
The boss of the company, Lei Juekun, chose to delay the decision in the face of internal and external difficulties.
Delaying time is not the same as burying your head and being an ostrich, but accumulating strength.
First, the Sinica Cinema Line has just been established, and many of its cinemas are dilapidated. After unified renovation, the hardware and equipment of the old cinemas can be upgraded.
Secondly, before fighting the outside world, one must first settle the inside. Lei Juekun can take advantage of the time when the theater is closed for renovation to straighten out the conflicts within the theater chain.
Thirdly, Lei Juekun must be looking for a capable film company at this time, and plans to own one or several film companies himself, using Lisheng Cinema as a base to compete with Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest in the box office battlefield.
Wu Chenggang was a little panicked and asked Kang Jianfei: "What should we do? Fei, why don't we go to Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest theaters to try it, maybe we can get some theaters to show it."
"No need." Kang Jianfei shook his head. At this time, he had completely lost his panic, and his expression was calm and confident.
Although his cousin Wu Chenggang acted prudently, his vision was really limited. He only heard a dilemma in the middle-aged man's words, but Kang Jianfei saw a rare opportunity.
How did Xinyi City get up in another time and space? It wasn’t because Lei Juekun was fully supporting it from behind.
The dilemma Lei Juekun is facing at this time is probably more anxious than his own movie not being released. He came to the house with the movie and planned it for Lei Juekun. In the future, Oriental DreamWorks will definitely be fully supported by Ritz Cinemas.
This harvest is the strategic growth of Oriental DreamWorks, which is rarer than a successful movie.
Kang Jianfei struck up a friendship with the middle-aged man and asked, "I wonder if Mr. Li, the general manager of Li Sheng, is free now?"
The middle-aged man said with a smile: "I am just a supervisor watching the construction site. How do I know about Manager Li?"
Kang Jianfei asked: "Then do you know where Manager Li's home is? I have something important to discuss with Manager Li."
"I don't know." The middle-aged man said.
"Let's go back first." Kang Jianfei said to his cousin and Hu Juncai. He planned to go back and ask Wang Tianlin to see if he could get Li Maowen's contact information, or simply go directly to Lei Juekun, the boss behind Lisheng Cinemas.
