There were not many hot news on the Internet in late April. Although the box office of "Titanic 3D" was about to reach 1 billion, the biggest topic was that the domestic version deleted the scene of Ruth Quanguo painting Leonardo DiCaprio.
When it was released in 1997, this scene was retained. The boys and girls who watched the movie at that time are now young women and uncles, but they want to watch the abridged version.
The 3D version of nude Ruth was a scene that many viewers were looking forward to before it was released. When it was deleted, many people were disappointed.
But there’s nothing you can do about it, just delete it.
In addition, "The Truman Show" is becoming more and more bizarre as it spreads online, almost becoming a science fiction film.
The key is that many people believe it!
It's also strange that the content of Li Qian's movies is beyond the audience's expectation every time. No matter what kind of audience he makes, it's not surprising to the audience. This time it is said to be a comedy on the surface, but who knows if it is a science fiction comedy.
However, the next day, Xinlang News published a piece of news about Li Qian's interview. Li Qian refuted the matter, saying that all the speculations by netizens were wrong.
"No, we guessed wrong again?"
"Hahaha, I have already said that Li Qian's movies are not so easy to guess, but now I am slapped in the face just one day ago."
"It works normally, but I would be surprised if I guessed it right this time."
"I am happy for nothing, but I guess I am lonely!"
Yesterday's discussion was full of enthusiasm, but in the blink of an eye Li Qian told them that you were all happy for nothing and you all guessed wrong.
It makes people a little boring and boring.
There are also voices questioning the authenticity of the news.
"It's fake. Xinlang and Tengxun don't deal with them in the first place."
"It must be fake. Li Qian is still filming, so how can he have time for interviews?"
"Probably not. This is not speculative news. It was written by Li Qian during an interview. How could a big media like Xinlang do something with such obvious loopholes."
"Although the media has no integrity and it is commonplace to confuse right and wrong, they should not do such things out of thin air. They will not make up news without an interview. It should be Li Qian who really accepted the interview."
...
However, what made more noise was another sentence that Li Qian said, product placement is a key point in the movie.
"I don't think it's that easy to guess. Now Li Qian has said that advertising placement is the key. What is the reason for two different advertising placements in the same place?"
"If it doesn't have any sci-fi elements, it wouldn't make sense at all. Otherwise, why would there be two identical shots, and the two actors would perform exactly the same."
"It's mainly advertising. Is there anything special about these two advertisements?"
"What's special is that it's just a Western-style fast food and a Chinese-style fast food."
"This is nothing special, it's not all fast food."
"Is there any other meaning? Western fast food is a metaphor for capitalism, and Chinese fast food is a metaphor for socialism?"
"Uh...what's the matter? Wallace is also a domestic brand. According to what you said, it should be replaced by KFC."
"Ahhhhh...it's so nerve-wracking. Li Qian's movie hasn't even been released yet, but it's like a brain-burning movie. I can't stand it!"
"I think we have been led astray. Going back to the beginning, the location, characters and behavior have not changed, but the time has changed. Could it be a dream or something? Different advertisements also represent reality and dreams?"
...
"The Truman Show" is being discussed in full swing on the Internet, and those who don't know it might think that the movie industry is booming right now.
Imported films are rampant in the film market, and "Titanic 3D" is sweeping the mainland market. All major companies are silent. I just feel that Li Qian's film has just started filming, and the popularity of the film has surpassed all other films, making it even more dazzling.
However, when major companies saw that product placement was the key, they became happy.
Domestic film companies are not unfamiliar with product placement, especially Huayang Media, which is very familiar with it.
In Ma Xiaogang's movie "Mobile Phone" ten years ago, in order to give back to the sponsor BMW, Ma Xiaogang specially designed a plot in which Guangyuan students secretly went out to play, and 12 girls crowded into a BMW car to return to school. They were caught and criticized by Xu Fan.
.
12 girls ride in one car, or a sedan, which fully demonstrates the spaciousness of the BMW's interior space.
In "See You or See You", a scene in which Ge You goes to see Xu Ban was specially arranged at BMW's 4S store. The scene lasted for 5 minutes. During the conversation between Xu Fan and Ge You, the camera kept changing, and the BMW
I took enough photos from all angles of the car.
In "A World Without Thieves", at the beginning when the protagonist steals the mobile phones of pilgrims in Western Xinjiang, Nokia is given a close-up.
In the early years, no one said anything about these few advertising placements. However, since Ma Xiaogang became popular in the "If You Are the One" series, and two films earned 80 million from placements, advertising placements have become a very annoying thing for audiences.
As an expert on product placement in the Mainland, Huang Zhongjun looked down upon Li Qian's approach, "This Li Qian not only makes comedies, he also imitates Ma Xiaogang and engages in advertising placement."
"I guess he is obsessed with money. "I'm Not the God of Medicine" made 500 million. How can such a phenomenal movie be so agreeable? I guess Li Qian is not sure that he will get another 1.6 billion box office, so he wants to rely on
You can earn more by placing ads." Huang Zhonglei analyzed with confidence.
"If a movie makes 500 million yuan, that's a special situation. This movie will definitely not make that much, unless it can trigger social discussions and attract national attention, but it's possible!"
"It's not impossible. Maybe the protagonist of this movie also has a terminal illness or something?" Huang Zhongjun laughed.
"Haha..." Huang Zhonglei also laughed.
After joking for a while, Huang Zhongjun added, "Two identical shots sold two advertisements. It seems that his movie will have fewer advertisements, maybe more than the 20 in "Fei 2". This
That’s good news too.”
"Brother is right, we are becoming more and more confident during the Lunar New Year period." Huang Zhonglei agreed.
How can a movie have so many opportunities to perfectly fit advertisements? If there are too many advertisements, it will inevitably appear deliberate and even sacrifice the smoothness of the overall narrative, making it awkward to watch.
Even domestic advertising expert Ma Xiaogang cannot avoid it. Even if Li Qian is a film genius, isn't he still an advertising genius?
If you are so capable, how can you make movies or do business?
Huang Zhongjun thought for a moment and said, "Zhonglei, call the guys up and open your bottle of 90-year-old Romanee-Conti tomorrow."
"Brother, I saved this for the Lunar New Year celebrations." Huang Zhonglei had a look of pain on his face.
"It's just a bottle of wine. When the Lunar New Year comes, I'll ask someone to buy a bottle of 1992 Screaming Eagle to celebrate!" Huang Zhongjun waved his hand and said quite proudly.
Li Qian's behavior of sacrificing the quality of the film in order to make money made Huang Zhongjun more confident about the Lunar New Year movie at the end of the year.
If the Lunar New Year holiday can achieve what I want, step on Li Qian's feet and wash away the depression of the past two years, a seven-figure bottle of red wine is nothing.
Let alone one bottle, he can open a box, drink one bottle and pour another!
.......
At the studio of Liangjiang Film and Television Base in Chongqing, the famous commercial director Ma Xiaogang learned that Li Qian's new film will have a large number of advertising placements.
"Mysterious!"
Ma Xiaogang smiled disdainfully, saying that if you make money, you will make money, and he also said that advertising placement is the key to the movie.
Who believes it?
After being a cousin, you still want to build an archway?
However, judging from the comments on the Internet, it seems that many viewers believe it and are discussing it seriously.
Ma Xiaogang's face turned ugly again. Li Qian did a lot of implants, but no one scolded him, and he was scolded as an advertising director.
Not only did the media treat him differently, but the audience also began to rebel, favoring Li Qian more and more.
This is discrimination!
Shivering!
"I want to see what ingenious advertising placement methods you can come up with!" Ma Xiaogang snorted.
He is the professional when it comes to selling advertising!
...
"Ad placement?"
On the direct flight from Xiangjiang to Beijing, Zhou Xingchi carefully recalled the news he had read on the plane.
A director who specializes in making sci-fi, reality, and drama films suddenly got involved in comedy films, which made him, a comedy director, very curious.
Advertising placement is also very novel for Xiangjiang directors. After all, only movies with modern backgrounds can have advertising placement.
Due to cultural differences, Xiangjiang directors rarely make movies with modern backgrounds.
He couldn't figure out what Li Qian, a director worth 1.6 billion whom he had never met before, was filming, so Zhou Xingchi stopped thinking about it.
After getting off the plane, Song Ge was already waiting at the airport.
This time Zhou Xingchi came to the capital for the mainland distribution rights of his new film "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons". To be precise, it is a guaranteed distribution.
The production cost exceeded 100 million, and Chow Sing-chi's companies Bigou and Village Roadshow accounted for 90%, and nearly 100 million cash was poured into it.
Zhou Xingchi also has other businesses. He has bought many properties in Xiangjiang in the past ten years, and the income from buying properties is more than making movies. The house prices are rising all the time, so he can just sit back and collect the money.
Cash flow is tight, there are still ten months until the scheduled release date, and we have to wait three months for box office settlement. One year is too long.
Only then did Zhou Xingchi come up with a guaranteed issuance method to recover part of the cash first, so he contacted Song Ge for an interview. After all, Wanda Cinema Chain is already the largest cinema chain in the country.
Regarding Zhou Xingchi's proposal, Song Ge agreed without much bargaining. After all, although Zhou Xingchi did not star in the movie, the cast of Wen Zhang and Huang Bo was not bad at all.
Moreover, all major companies are targeting the Lunar New Year stalls, and there will be no rivals for next year’s Spring Festival stalls.
Wanda Pictures has been established for more than a year, but big projects have not been launched so quickly. The movie directed by Zhou Xingchi is exactly what Song Ge needs.
"Director Zhou, let's just say this. We will hand over "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons" to Wanda for distribution. I will immediately report the situation to the head office. Once approved, we will sign the contract and pay for it immediately!" Song Ge said with a smile on his face.
.
Zhou Xingchi nodded, "Mr. Song, I hope to have a reply in half a month."
"Half a month..." Song Ge hesitated for a second, then smiled, "No problem!"
Currently, large projects of Wanda Pictures have to be submitted to Wanda headquarters for review. Large companies have many review departments in various aspects and the process is cumbersome.
However, Song Ge is still confident. At worst, he can go directly to Wang Jianlin. For Zhou Xingchi's sake, it should be fine to skip those complicated procedures.
Song Ge smiled and stretched out his hand, "Then I wish us a happy cooperation."
“A pleasure to work with.”
Zhou Xingchi shook hands with Song Ge, then thought about it and said, "Mr. Song, what kind of person do you think Li Qian is?"
"Li Qian?"
Song Ge was slightly startled, why was this question so familiar?
By the way, when I talked about "Lin Hai Xue Yuan" with Tsui Hark last time, Xu Ke stabilized his understanding of Li Qian.
As a result, within a few months, Li Qian hooked up with Tsui Hark and went to film "Ghost Blowing the Lamp".
Fortunately, "Lin Hai Xue Yuan" was originally supposed to wait for Xu Ke to finish filming "The Prequel of Dee Renjie", so it had no impact on Song Ge. He had to wait for a movie anyway.
Now Zhou Xingchi also asked about Li Qian, wouldn't he also...
Song Ge was slightly worried as he thought about it, but secretly shook his head.
Although Zhou Xingchi has a straight temper, is a bit weird, and is not as easy to talk to as fans think, but as a partner, he can be trusted. It is precisely because of his straight temper that he makes people feel at ease.
Speaking of which, Li Qian has a straightforward personality and is also a good partner.
"What do you say Li Qian? He is very similar to you, Director Zhou, in some ways. The biggest thing you have in common is that you are both geniuses." Song Ge laughed and said.
Zhou Xingchi was not very happy because of his genius, but said, "I just happened to come to the mainland. I wonder if Mr. Song can take me to meet Li Qian?"
"Director Zhou wants to see Li Qian?"
"I'm very curious about the comedy he's filming. I'm going to Jiangning to change planes on the way without wasting time."
"Okay, I'll give him a call and see if it's convenient."
Song Ge did not refuse. There is nothing strange about the sympathy between great directors and geniuses.
After calling Li Qian and explaining the situation, Song Ge and Zhou Xingchi flew to Jiangning early the next morning.
After getting off the airport, we went directly to the Huazhong Film and Television Base with the people who picked us up from the crew.
Li Qian, who was filming, signaled them to wait. After a while, when the scene was finished, he asked the crew to rest for a while, then stood up with a smile and said hello.
"Mr. Song, Director Zhou, what brings you here? Please take a seat."
Looking at Zhou Xingchi with half-white hair, Li Qian was filled with emotion. This was the first time he saw a real person.
If I hadn't been on the set, I would have called him "Master Xing". After all, I grew up watching the movies of Zhou Xingchi, Cheng Long, Jet Li, and Zhou Runfa throughout my teenage years.