Xu Zheng, Huang Bo, Wang Baoqiang and other main creators held the cup together, and everyone's face was filled with happy smiles.
They couldn't help but be unhappy. "Embarrassed in Thailand" was so popular that it grossed almost 800 million in box office in just over half a month, knocking Cheng Long and Feng Xiaogang to the ground.
Fanxing has secured the extension key and is on track to exceed 1 billion in box office, and is even expected to hit the top three in mainland film history. Such a phenomenal work will definitely benefit a lot for the main creators like them.
"Brother, you are now a billionaire director, and you and Director Jiang are the only ones in the entire entertainment industry."
Wang Baoqiang has a simple and honest appearance and a gentle personality, but that doesn't mean that he is really stupid in the movie. On the contrary, he is quite good at talking.
The entertainment industry is a vanity fair, full of good people and stupid people. However, Wang Baoqiang, who has always been on the front line, has a continuous supply of high-quality resources, and is extremely popular, is definitely not among them.
Although he suffered big losses in the future, there is a saying. Who can always guard against someone's careful calculations, let alone someone close to Nobushige. This is not a crime of war. There are many boss-level figures.
It also overturned.
And judging from his subsequent counterattack, his tactics were still very resolute and decisive.
When his confidants and his wife rebelled, and the family property was taken away, which was almost a desperate situation, he risked his life, exposed the family scandal, borrowed public opinion, abruptly reversed the situation, and punished the bad man and woman.
Don't think it's easy. It's very difficult to have the courage and courage to do anything.
Not to mention that wearing a hat is a very shameful thing for men. Many people would rather endure it than expose it, not to mention that he is still a first-line artist.
A comparison will make it clear that in the subsequent short composition era, Huo and Wang can be seen from various subsequent revelations that they are not without the power to fight.
Huo, in particular, can't be said to be completely innocent, but he can definitely be called a victim. The cheating is completely fictitious. Many of the screenshots are spliced together. The only drawback is his colleagues from the Kouha program and Haiguwan.
But there are many people who have never been verbally high on others, or even cursed behind their backs, let alone sea dog pills. Taking tonics is not illegal, but a man in his early 30s who has low energy will be beaten into a greasy and wretched man after taking some tonics.
It can be said that this small flaw was completely magnified by other things, and most of those things were fictitious, and the person involved was even arrested by the authorities later.
Huo was forced to withdraw from the industry when his career was at its peak, his reputation was ruined, and he didn't know when he would be able to come back later. It was completely unfair.
So it can be seen from this that if there is a war, if you have information, release it as soon as possible. Don't be beaten passively, and don't hesitate. Taking into account your reputation or past relationships, if you are not ruthless, others will beat you to death.
Wang Baoqiang was smart because he struck preemptively, losing five hundred to himself and killing two thousand enemies. He did not hesitate to become a laughing stock but also beat Ma Jinlian to death to seize the opportunity.
If he hesitates and chooses to solve the problem privately, Ma Jinlian will be wary, and Ma Jinlian might write a short essay first.
What about domestic violence? Once he is accused of cheating, even if he is innocent, he will still be covered in feces and it will be difficult to clean it off. Yao Dazui and Hong Shixian are the best examples...
"I'm just lucky, I can't compare with Director Jiang."
Faced with Wang Baoqiang's praise, Xu Zheng touched his bald head and kept humbled himself.
Although the box office of "囧囧路之囧" is expected to exceed 1 billion, and he will also become a 1 billion Chinese-language film director, Xu Zheng is still a little worried.
As a low-budget comedy, "A Journey to Thailand"
Success comes from a lot of chance and luck.
If the time and opponents were changed, maybe the box office would not be bad, but it would definitely not reach the level of such a phenomenal hit.
It is precisely because of this that although "Journey to Thailand" has a high box office, its reputation is average, and many people feel that it is not worthy of its reputation.
After all, there are several other mainland movies with a box office of over 1 billion, three are Hollywood blockbusters, and one is "Let the Bullets Fly", a Chinese classic jointly created by three major movie stars.
Although the quality of "Journey to Thailand: Lost in Thailand" is not bad, its selling points are a bit weak compared to these films.
Some experts even criticized this, believing that if a movie like "Journey to Thailand" exceeds 1 billion, it will be a shame for Chinese-language films or lead to the reversal of the existing good trend of Chinese-language films.
This statement is definitely far-fetched. Comedy movies can easily become dark horses.
In the past two years, the North American low-budget comedy "The Hangover" was also very impressive at the box office in North America. It ranked fourth in one year and fifth in the other year. The two films accumulated a total global box office of US$1.05 billion.
In commercial movies, comedy movies are definitely an indispensable and important branch. Being a dark horse is far from a shame.
Of course, experts' concerns are not unreasonable.
You know, the total cost of filming and publicity for "A Journey to Thailand" was only around 50 million.
And the income is terrifying. Fanxing has fully invested in this movie, and the estimated box office dividends for the producer alone are up to 500 million+. Add in income from advertising and channels, it is not a dream for Fanxing to earn 600 million.
If we also calculate the distribution share that Fanxing deserves as the publisher, and the revenue that Fanxing Cinemas gets from it, then Fanxing can really have a mouthful this time.
Even putting aside several Hollywood movies, this project is definitely the most profitable Chinese-language film since the establishment of Stars.
Low investment, high return!
Who wouldn't be jealous after seeing this? In addition to last year's "33 Days After Love" and "The Girl We Chased Together All Those Years", Fanxing has already launched many low-cost dark horses.
From the perspective of Fanxing itself and the market, small costs and large returns are a good thing, but from an industry perspective, it may not be a good thing.
Because of this example, many film and television company bosses are willing to spend money to bet on dark horses, instead of spending big money to make big productions, which have high risks and low returns.
This is not a good thing for Chinese-language films that are currently on the rise. Of course, it is not that exaggerated. Dark horses are not cabbages on the street. When the limelight passes, they will naturally return to normal.
The uproar from the outside world made Xu Zheng not dare to be too arrogant, maintaining a low-key style and frantically building up his character.
But it would be unrealistic to say that he didn't have any fluctuations in his heart, so Xu Zheng spoke modestly and still showed a bit of reserve on his face.
Before "Journey to Thailand", although he could barely be considered a front-line actor, he was not outstanding. He was better than most ordinary actors, but he was not up to the level of the top stars, let alone those big-name superstars.
But after this movie, he was regarded as number one among the upper echelons of the entertainment industry.
At least when he hasn't revealed his "original form" in his second film, even the big names have to give him some face.
This can be felt from the changes in today’s banquet.
In the past, on the set of "Embarrassed in Thailand", Huang Bo firmly sat in the C position. He was the Golden Rooster Best Actor, backed by many stars, and was very popular. He would dominate the other two in every aspect.
Let's give Wang Baoqiang a 50-50 shot at director Xu Zheng. After all, "Soldier Assault" made him very popular.
But with the success of the movie, the status among the main creators has changed, and Xu Zheng has become the well-deserved centerpiece.
Even old friends Huang Bo and the honest Wang Baoqiang expressed concessions and flattery in their words. Xu Zheng is also a human being, how could he remain indifferent.
I look calm on the outside, but I feel happy inside!
While everyone was changing cups and laughing, the crew producer Chen Zhixi hurried over in high heels.
"I'm sorry everyone, I was delayed in the meeting just now."
"It's okay, it's okay, isn't it coming?"
Xu Zheng smiled and asked the waiter to add more dishes. They were all acquaintances. Chen Zhixi simply ordered two of his favorite dishes and then looked at everyone with a smile.
"I'm not late for nothing, our movie performed well, and our boss personally decided to send you red envelopes."
"real?!"
"Boss Cao is mighty."
"How much do you give me?"
Chen Zhixi didn't show off, and said with a smile: "It's not much. All official crew members, whether they are artists or other positions, all get double salary."
Everyone was not sure what it meant at first, but Chen Zhixi also explained it specifically.
The so-called double salary refers to their remuneration when working on the crew of "Journey to Thailand", no matter how much, Cao Xuan will give them another share.
For example, a makeup artist earns a monthly salary of 6,000. After working on the set for two and a half months, plus some miscellaneous commuting expenses, subsidies, etc., the cumulative income is 16,000. After double salary, the total income is 32,000.
If the income is directly doubled, everyone will be happy, especially those with high incomes, who will benefit the most.
For example, Huang Bo's salary was 3.5 million, which became 7 million this time, and Wang Baoqiang's 2 million was also doubled.
It seems a bit unfair, but in fact, the more money you get, the more contribution you make to the crew, otherwise the crew would not have offered such a high price before.
Even if we change the reward method, the amount of the reward will decrease from top to bottom. It is not as good as double salary. Everyone gets as much as they do, which is more in line with the psychology of most people.
Even if there are a few who may perform well and suffer a bit of a loss with double salary, Cao Xuan also asked Chen Zhixi to give them some extra compensation.
The production cost of "Journey to Thailand" was only 30 million, which was largely spent on various aspects such as traveling to locations. The actual labor expenses were just over eight figures.
For Cao Xuan, who is expected to earn hundreds of millions this time, these rewards are trivial.
Not to mention that most of the main creators are Fanxing employees, and Cao Xuan has never been stingy with his own people.
"Don't be impatient. The finance department is making statistics right now. In addition to the release of movies and other movies, there will be some finishing work. The accounts will be calculated thoroughly. The money will be transferred to your accounts in small amounts."
Chen Zhixi is not very old, but she works quickly and straightforwardly, and everyone trusts her after working with her.
Not to mention that Fanxing's name is mentioned here. Boss Cao has never broken his word when it comes to money.
At the dinner table, everyone praised Boss Cao, not forgetting to include Xu Zheng and Chen Zhixi.
After all, this movie would not have been possible without Xu Zheng. As a producer, Chen Zhixi deserves the most credit. She announced the award this time, so naturally she deserves a share of the credit.
However, this was not the end. Later, Chen Zhixi "quietly" told Xu Zheng in front of several main creators that Cao Xuan had guaranteed a bonus of 10 million for him.
"How dare you do this?"
The bonus was so huge that Xu Zheng was naturally modest. Chen Zhixi smiled and said, "The boss is very discerning and said that you let him be your boss again. Just keep it."
Xu Zheng nodded, unable to stop the smile on his face.
Although he is the director of "Journey to Thailand", because he is a new director, he does not receive any dividends, only the film salary and director's fee.
This is normal. People invest to make money, and it would be very kind to hire new people. How can they give dividends to the director?
But then again, Fanxing was right to do what he did, but for Xu Zheng, seeing his movie become a big hit and earning hundreds of millions in one breath, it was impossible not to have any thoughts in his heart.
The previous double salary could be regarded as a small way to soothe some inner dissatisfaction. This extra 10 million can soothe even more.
Cao Xuan ate meat, but at least he could still take a sip of soup.
The reason why Cao Xuan did this was that on the one hand, there were clear rewards and punishments. Xu Zheng did have the greatest contribution and must be rewarded. On the other hand, it was also to win over him to some extent.
No matter what his directorial level is, at least at this stage, his brand and the "Unfortunate Journey" series are still very valuable.
The two consecutive works, especially the second one "囧" which was a hit, have allowed this series to accumulate a high brand effect and appeal.
Fanxing has internally estimated that if there is another sequel, the box office may reach more than 800 million, making it an absolute SSS-level project.
As the core character of the first two parts, Xu Zheng was indispensable, so Boss Cao offered a price.
The director's fee and remuneration total 10 million, and you can choose to receive a 5% dividend directly or invest 20% of the share.
"Brother Xu, the boss is very sincere. Only Director Zhang and Director Xu in our company have the kind of treatment you receive, and even Ning Hao may not be able to get it.
I'll put it harshly, if it weren't for the special nature of "The Lost Journey", you would never have gotten this price."
Chen Zhixi and Xu Zheng are also good friends. Even the project "A Journey to Thailand" was possible thanks to her help, so they didn't make any twists and turns in private and just laid out the conditions.
"I'll think about it."
Xu Zheng's face looked a little ugly. If possible, he would of course want to independently promote the third part of "The Lost Journey" on his own. If he did it well, he could even become a film and television capital.
However, he couldn't get around the stars at all.
If he and Fanxing fall out, Fanxing's theater chain will be closed directly to him, and a movie may even be released at the same time to stop him.
He has seen Fanxing's publicity capabilities. Although "Awkward in Thailand" was created by luck, various channels behind Fanxing also contributed to the flames. If these channels became enemies, it would be enough to kill any movie.
And the most important thing is that the series "People on the Road" is in the hands of Fanxing.
What was he thinking? Without Fanxing's nod, it wouldn't work. If he tried to force the sidelines, he would try the power of Fanxing's number one legal team in the entertainment industry.
This is just an open gun, if it is a hidden arrow.
Let's put it this way, with Fanxing's current power and energy in the entertainment industry, Xu Zheng, the so-called billionaire director, can get out of the quagmire within a week. To be more ruthless, he can even be forced out of the industry directly.
After all, Zhu Bajie likes to eat secretly, so he has a lot of tricks to deal with.
Although it is not customary for bad artists to be banned by the authorities these days, if their reputation is too bad, no one would dare to risk using him.
Boss Cao has never liked to do things right, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have the ability. If he really gets angry, he can't even estimate the consequences.
If Xu Zheng really wants to set up his own business, it's not impossible. Fanxing is not that domineering, but he definitely can't touch the "People on the Road" series, and it's not okay to brush aside.
Xu Zheng knew how good he was as a billionaire director. It was very risky to start a new project, so he might as well continue to pursue it.
He could still get the 20% share by gritting his teeth, and even though he made a small profit, he still made a profit.
There was a battle between heaven and man in Xu Zheng's mind. Chen Zhixi took a few glances at the dishes in front of him while tasting them, and was not nervous about whether Xu Zheng would agree to it.
They are all well-known, and Xu Zheng is not stupid, so how could he not agree to Fanxing's request.
Chen Zhixi was even sure that Xu Zheng was very dissatisfied with this condition and felt that he had done a lot of credit for this series and he was the one who shared the cake.
But for Fanxing, the money is invested by himself, and the theater promotion channels are also supported by Fanxing. Without Fanxing, this project would not exist. Xu Zheng is just lucky, and now he is given a 1/5 share.
What dissatisfaction.
The ideas of both parties cannot be miscalculated. Everyone has their own interests and positions. It just depends on who chooses to compromise in the end.
Comparing the strengths of both sides, it is obvious that Xu Zheng is the one who must surrender.
He felt a little aggrieved, but he didn't know that many people within Fanxing were dissatisfied with this result.
Cao Xuan previously gave Xu Zheng a 20% share, but many people within Fanxing were opposed to it, including Chen Zhixi, who also thought that 10 to 15% would be enough.
What's more, they directly planned not to pay dividends. Fanxing asked, Xu Zheng dared not to take pictures. Fanxing had not treated him badly before, and even took the initiative to support him. Now it was his turn to repay the favor.
It's just that Boss Cao didn't want to be too harsh, and he didn't want Fanxing to become a bully who bullied him wantonly, so he went against all the odds and gave him 20%, plus 10 million in film salary and director's fee. The treatment was quite generous.
Xu Zheng was dissatisfied because he wanted more and thought his contribution was great, but in the eyes of outsiders, most people would probably think Fanxing was kind.
Chen Zhixi originally thought that Boss Cao was soft-hearted, but after thinking about it along the way, coupled with Xu Zheng's various performances, she realized Cao Xuan's intentions behind it.
It's right to be prudent when doing business, but given Fanxing's current status, sometimes being picky about things can lead to criticism.
Therefore, the province must spend what it deserves!
Whether it's a double salary or a favor to Xu Zheng, to some extent it is for people to see, letting everyone know that Fanxing does not treat those who have done meritorious service badly.
At the same time, he quietly established his image with Xu Zheng. Fanxing was good at food, drink and treatment. He had to work down-to-earth and it might be a good story in the future. But if he had second thoughts, Fanxing could beat him up with just one sentence.
Become an ungrateful traitor.
"Turn your hands to make clouds, turn your hands to make rain, you are worthy of being a boss."
The more Chen Zhixi thought about it, the more he felt that this was not a conspiracy, but a conspiracy.
It is said that Cao Xuan set a trap for Xu Zheng, but from the beginning to the end Cao Xuan was aboveboard, rewarded according to his merits, and rewarded those who were able. He could not find any faults, so it cannot be said that giving benefits was just a conspiracy.
The scariest thing is that you can trick someone into applauding, but other people don't realize it, and instead think he is a good person.
Chen Zhixi felt that he had to study hard. This kind of big boss skills would be useful throughout his life.
Cao Xuan didn't know that he had unexpectedly accepted a disciple. If he knew, he would still feel dumbfounded. It cannot be ruled out that he has some ideas, but it is really not as vicious as Chen Zhixi thought.
He himself is not short of money, and he does not want to leave any excuses when doing things. He is upright, considerate and appropriate, and acts in a royal way, which will naturally help him to be invincible.
Chen Zhixi couldn't be wrong after thinking so hard, but he somewhat underestimated Boss Cao.
For Xu Zheng, it is not as if he is deliberately calculating. Even if he earns 1 billion per year, it is just the money he gives to the East and West Palaces for clothes...
