Market testing and film adjustments for "Red Face": Going all out for a perfect release

I. Test Preparation

As the film "Red Face," into which countless efforts had been poured, neared completion, Ah Yu, Zhong Hua, and Su Yao knew that accurately grasping the audience's preferences and expectations was crucial for the film's global success. Therefore, they decided to conduct small-scale market tests in select countries and regions, much like performing a final performance check on a ship before its official launch.

The three leaders and their team worked diligently to prepare for market testing. They first carefully selected representative countries and regions—the United States, Japan, India, France, and China—based on the film's target audience and the characteristics of different regional markets. The United States, as a major market for the global film industry, has audiences with high acceptance of various types of films and diverse aesthetic tastes; Japan, with its thriving anime culture, has audiences with unique demands for the subtlety of visuals and storytelling; India, with its large film-consuming population and distinctive local culture, pays close attention to the integration of cultural elements in films; France, with its rich artistic atmosphere, has audiences with high expectations for the artistry and innovation of films; and China, as one of the film's important potential markets, has a large audience and a rich cultural heritage, with audiences placing great importance on the emotional resonance and value transmission of films.

After determining the testing regions, the team began considering the testing methods and channels. They partnered with well-known local film distribution companies, cinemas, and online streaming platforms to ensure the film reached audiences through multiple channels. Offline, they selected representative cinemas in various locations and arranged dedicated screenings. To gather more comprehensive and authentic feedback, they organized on-site discussion sessions after each screening, inviting audience members to speak freely. They also set up suggestion boxes in cinemas for audiences to leave written feedback. Online, they collaborated with major streaming platforms to release test versions of the film and designed detailed online surveys covering aspects such as plot pacing, character development, visual presentation, and cultural understanding, encouraging active audience feedback. Furthermore, the team utilized social media platforms to initiate related discussions, attracting more viewers to participate in evaluating the film.

II. Feedback Collection and Classification

After the market test officially launched, feedback from different countries and regions poured in. The team members worked day and night to collect, organize, and categorize this massive amount of feedback.

Regarding pacing, some American viewers felt that certain plot developments were too slow, especially in the first half of the film, where excessive background information and exposition led to some fatigue during the viewing experience. Japanese viewers, on the other hand, pointed out that the pace of some key plot points was too fast, resulting in insufficient emotional development and making it difficult for them to fully immerse themselves in the story. For example, a significant emotional turning point between the main characters felt rushed to Japanese viewers, who failed to appreciate the nuanced emotional shifts. Indian viewers, however, preferred a narrative style with a strong sense of rhythm, hoping for a plot as dramatic and suspenseful as their own films.

Regarding character development, French audiences questioned the portrayal of some supporting characters, finding them somewhat vague and lacking in distinct personalities, appearing merely as fleeting figures who failed to leave a lasting impression. Chinese audiences, on the other hand, desired a more three-dimensional and nuanced protagonist, feeling that the film didn't adequately depict the protagonist's inner struggles and conflicts when facing crucial choices, thus affecting the character's credibility and emotional impact. American audiences, however, had high expectations for the character's growth arc, finding the protagonist's transformation somewhat abrupt and lacking sufficient foreshadowing and logical consistency.

In terms of visual presentation, both Japanese and Chinese audiences paid close attention to the detail and refinement of the visuals. Japanese viewers hoped for more exquisite depictions of certain scenes, such as the details of traditional architecture and the textures of clothing, to showcase the charm of Eastern culture. Chinese viewers, on the other hand, had higher expectations for special effects, hoping for more realistic effects that blended more naturally with the real-world scenery, especially the presentation of fantasy elements, which they felt would create a strong visual impact. Indian viewers had a unique preference for the color scheme, favoring vibrant, highly saturated colors that they believed better conveyed the film's energy and passion. French viewers emphasized the artistry and uniqueness of the visuals, hoping for more innovation in composition and style to create a truly eye-catching experience.

III. Team Discussion and Decision-Making

Ah Yu, Zhong Hua, and Su Yao organized the core team members for an in-depth discussion based on the feedback they had collected. The atmosphere in the meeting room was lively, with everyone freely expressing their opinions and offering suggestions for adjusting the film from their own professional perspectives.

The screenwriters sat down together to carefully analyze the pacing of the plot. They believed that the issue of the first half being slow, raised by American audiences, could be addressed by streamlining unnecessary background information and exposition, focusing more on the main characters and the core storyline. Regarding feedback from Japanese audiences that the emotional shifts were too rapid, the screenwriters decided to add more nuanced emotional descriptions and inner monologues to make the emotional changes between the main characters more natural and fluid. To meet the Indian audience's demand for a strong sense of pacing and dramatic conflict, the screenwriters planned to appropriately increase the number of conflict points in the plot to enhance the story's tension and appeal.

Regarding character development, the character design team collaborated with the screenwriters. They believed that addressing the French audience's concerns about insufficient character development for supporting roles could be addressed by adding unique personality traits and backstories to some important supporting characters, making them more vivid and three-dimensional in the film. In response to Chinese audiences' suggestions for a more complex and nuanced protagonist, the screenwriters planned to delve deeper into the protagonist's inner world when facing choices, showcasing his complex emotions and conflicting values. To ensure American audiences were satisfied with the protagonist's growth arc, the screenwriters planned to lay more groundwork for the protagonist's transformation early on, making his growth process more logical and natural.

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