Chapter 95: Big Production, Big Cast, Big Scene, Big Boobs
As the release date of "Man Jiang Hong" approaches, related publicity is also in full swing.

Just like the last time with "Crazy Stone", in addition to the media and the Internet, offline is also filled with promotional posters for "Man Jiang Hong".

In residential areas, bookstores, and shopping malls, you can see print posters and roll-up banners of "Man Jiang Hong" everywhere.

"Man Jiang Hong" can be seen everywhere, on buses, on taxi signs, in subway stations, and even in airport waiting halls, train station waiting rooms, bus station waiting rooms, etc.

……

This time, the three companies spent 15 million on publicity alone.

The ratio of publicity and production costs reached 1:2, which is an extraordinary ratio in this day and age.

Although many films claim to have invested billions of dollars, those numbers are mostly used to bluff the audience, letting them know that they really spent money to make the film.

Then, if we cut off half of the exaggerated water from this number, it is almost the sum of all costs including production cost + publicity cost + distribution cost.

Moreover, the gap between New Picture and Emperor Entertainment Group and China Film Group in terms of promotion and distribution in the mainland is not small.

Zhang Baimao and Jiang Zhiqiang saw what was happening and were worried, but they had no good solution.

Promotion and distribution have never been an easy task.

……

Promotion, at first glance, seems easy; it is nothing more than spending money to buy space and advertisements in various media.

In fact, the water inside is very deep.

In the eyes of the media, Lin Yicheng and Zhang Baimao are respectively a long-term and stable partner and a last-minute collaborator.

Over the past two years, whether it is releasing albums, novels, or promoting TV series and movies, the money Lin Yicheng has spent on various media has already exceeded eight figures.

How much more sales did the print media increase by publishing various news about Lin Yicheng?
How many clicks were added by various websites reporting or reprinting news related to Lin Yicheng?

In addition, some TV stations want to buy TV dramas from Xinghe Film and Television Company, and some TV stations want Lin Yicheng to be on their shows.

In the eyes of these media, Lin Yicheng is the person who can bring them stable returns.

In contrast, New Picture and Enlight Pictures rarely use the media and only interact with them when a movie is released.

And they can't bring any additional benefits to the media.

To give a very simple example, Galaxy Pictures, New Picture and Enlight Pictures paid the same amount of money to buy the front page of a newspaper.

However, if the newspaper publishes news related to Lin Yicheng, in addition to earning advertising fees, it can also earn sales again.

This is just the apparent effect. The newspaper's market share and influence can also be improved to a certain extent through this cooperation.

In this case, unless New Picture and Enlight Pictures offer a much higher bid than Galaxy Pictures, the media are not stupid and they know exactly which one to choose.

……

Let’s talk about distribution.

Why did Bona develop into a film and television giant? It was the first private company to obtain a distribution license, which was the basis for its rise.

Distribution is more complicated than promotion.

Cinema chains are branded stores and film producers are suppliers.

The issuer plays a role similar to that of a logistics company, and sometimes has to promote for both parties or act as a negotiation middleman.

Not only do we need a stable and reliable copying and burning factory that can make the relevant copies in the shortest time and with the least money, but we also have to prevent accidents from happening during the burning process.

It is necessary to establish a good relationship with the theater chain and be able to negotiate on the screening rate, screening time, profit sharing ratio, etc.

Although the producers could get up to 41% of the revenue through Zhang Baimao's two efforts, only a few films could get this figure.

Most films, due to quality reasons, the fame of the director and actors, the strength of the production company, etc., simply cannot get this number.

The specific amount you can get depends on the help of the issuer in negotiation.

After the discussion, relevant personnel must follow up and supervise to see whether the cinema is following the contract.

We must also prevent piracy and prevent cinemas from underreporting, concealing information, or even misappropriating box office revenue.

China Film Group can do these things, but New Picture and Enlight Pictures cannot.

Especially Zhang Baimao, who previously used Zhang Yimou to control the theaters. At that time, the theaters had no choice but to swallow their anger.

With the choice of "Red River" and Lin Yicheng, how can the cinema chain not take the opportunity to retaliate against Zhang Baimao? Although they won't stop copying or scheduling the film, they can still take the opportunity to threaten him.

In the previous batches of goods, you took more than you deserve. But this time, shouldn't your goods be cheaper? If you don't make them cheaper, we can always ask Boss Diao for the goods.

Moreover, we heard that your number one henchman, Lao Mouzi, will not have time to ship the products in the future. You don’t want to see that in two years, this market will be taken over by Diao Lao Da alone, right?
……

Just like this, before it was released, "Curse of the Golden Flower" was shrouded in many glooms.

On Thursday, December 12, "Curse of the Golden Flower" was released.

Therefore, the audiences who watched the movie all remembered the word “big”: big in every aspect!

Big production, big cast, big scenes and big-breasted girls.

Then?

Oh, "Chrysanthemum Terrace" is very nice, and the lyrics of this song do not mean anything else at this time.

Then again?

Sorry, I didn’t remember it. I was too busy looking at girls with big breasts.

……

Amid this unfavorable situation, something unexpected happened within the crew of "Curse of the Golden Flower".

Zhang Baimao originally planned to hold more roadshows, at least visiting first- and second-tier cities in China, to attract audiences to cinemas in the early stages as much as possible.

In this way, when "Man Jiang Hong" is released again, "Curse of the Golden Flower" will have already become a big hit. Even if it still has to be reduced in screening schedule, it is estimated that the reduction will not be too much.

The idea is beautiful, but the result is cruel.

As the top star of the crew, Zhou Runfa, who received a salary of 4000 million yuan, did not come to the roadshow at all.

I'm busy.

Zhang Baimao was almost mad. Did you know that for only 4000 million yuan, the contract clearly stated that you need to cooperate with the crew in related publicity?

The money is taken away and the person is not coming?
Zhou Runfa, fuck you!
Zhang Baimao wanted to fly to Hong Kong Island, kill Zhou Runfa with his own hands, and get the 4000 million back.

But he couldn't leave, as the roadshow in Beijing had already been arranged, so he had to bite the bullet and continue.

Bad news came one after another. After two performances, Jay Chou also withdrew from the roadshow due to his own work reasons.

The biggest star in the crew didn't even show up, so why would he be so stupid as to go on the roadshow?
The two biggest cards are gone. Zhang Yimou is busy with the opening ceremony of the Olympics and has no time to travel out of town.

As for Gong Li? This is the Queen Gong, and she has a stubborn temper. She doesn't listen to Zhang Baimao at all. The two of them have already fallen out. If Lao Mouzi wants to leave, she has to leave too.

Zhang Baimao looked around in confusion. He and Liu Ye were the only two people left in the crew, staring at each other in wide eyes.

Is he going to take Liu Ye and the other two to the road show? Who would watch it?

Zhang Baimao was desperate.

Forget it, let it be destroyed. I’m tired. Let it be whatever it is.

……

In the domestic film and television circles, the first person to promote the concept of roadshow was Feng Kuzi.

For the films "Big Shot" and "Cell Phone" back then, Feng Kuzi took the crew to more than a dozen cities across the country.

In the end, it achieved box office success as expected.

For the theater chains, the roadshow is a gesture of goodwill from the crew to the cinemas.

We have come here in person, attracted more audiences to watch the movie, and increased the popularity of your cinema. Shouldn't you help us schedule the films and give us some preferential treatment?

For the audience, roadshows are a chance for them to meet their idol stars in real life. For most people, this may be their only chance.

Audiences are of course willing to buy a ticket to the cinema to see their favorite idol stars, which is much cheaper than buying concert tickets.

But this time, "Curse of the Golden Flower" has offended both the theaters and the audience.

Your crew had previously said that you would hold a roadshow across the country, but you ended up standing us up?
Don't make excuses. If you don't come to the roadshow, it means you don't value this movie. Then why should we value it? And give you preferential treatment in the screening schedule? You wish!
If you don't come to the roadshow, you are fooling us and disrespecting us. Then why should we watch your movie and contribute to your box office? At most, we can wait a few days and watch it online.

A movie that offended both theaters and audiences at the same time, "Curse of the Golden Flower" is a historical first.

The two are worthy of being called the two, and they have really pioneered many things in the field of film!
(End of this chapter)