Chapter 321 Premiere and Opening Day Box Office
On the day of the premiere of "Three Mountains" in Yuming, Li Zhibai and Yan Liang both came to support Lu Yanhe.
Nowadays, movie promotions often include segments where "celebrities and audience members share their viewing experiences," and these comments are often posted on short video platforms for further promotion.
Therefore, such premieres usually invite many celebrities to support the event, leveraging their fame and fan base to expand the film's reach.
Since this wasn't a movie starring Lu Yanhe, Lu Yanhe didn't intend to make a big fuss. He simply asked Li Zhibai and Yan Liang if they were free, and since they were, he invited them over.
After all, it was a movie he acted in. No matter how much conflict he had with the publicity team in the early stages, as the movie was about to be released, Lu Yanhe still hoped that the movie would achieve good results.
After the movie ended, the audience erupted in applause.
This is just a matter of habit.
Negative feedback is generally not received at movie premieres.
Basically, they're either shills or people they've met through personal connections; they'll have to say a few words of praise even if they have to force it.
Many people from the film industry attended the event, especially several renowned directors.
Lu Yanhe went up on stage with everyone else.
Chen Jiang and the others offered him the center position next to Director Wang Zhong, but he didn't go. He told them to go and stood on the very edge.
The host also asked, laughing, why Lu Yanhe was so afraid of standing in the center position.
Lu Yanhe said, "They are the main actors, and I'm just here for a cameo. This is their turn to receive everyone's applause."
As soon as Lu Yanhe finished speaking, the whole audience burst into applause.
The host first interviewed each of the main creators for a few minutes.
When asked about Lu Yanhe, the question was: "We all heard that you only filmed this scene in one night. Why did you come to make a cameo appearance in this movie?"
Lu Yanhe said, "To be honest, my agent helped me get this role, so I came. Before this, I hadn't seen any of Wang Zhong's films. After that, I watched all of Wang Zhong's films. After watching them, I understood why my agent helped me get this role. Even if it's just one shot, it's worth it. That was my feeling after watching Wang Zhong's film."
The host laughed and said, "It seems that Director Wang Chong is very kind to you, giving you ten minutes of screen time."
“Yes,” Lu Yanhe immediately said with a smile, “I will cherish these ten minutes of footage.”
The host then asked, "Your response to director Wang Zhong's film style at the Sitour Film Festival previously sparked heated discussions in the international film industry. Did you anticipate such a significant impact when you made those remarks?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head, "How could that be?"
After he finished speaking, he looked at the host, who had a "Huh? Is that all?" expression on his face. Lu Yanhe had no choice but to continue: "As an actor, I think it is very important to be able to feel the charm of movies with different styles, themes and types. My interpretation is not the real Wang Zhong, but just my Wang Zhong. Everyone has a different perspective. Movies like 'Three Mountains' will definitely be like that. Different people will see different content. This is the most enjoyable moment for me as a participant in a movie."
...
When it came time for the audience to share their thoughts, the host called out Li Zhibai's name first.
"I heard Li Zhibai is here today too. Where is Zhibai?"
Li Zhibai stood up from the audience and waved to the people on stage.
Many audience members immediately took out their phones to take pictures of him.
Li Zhibai said, "Director Wang Zhong, I am Li Zhibai, a friend of Lao Lu. Let me recommend myself first. I am also an actor. If you have any roles in the future, please consider me. Even just one shot is fine."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone laughed. Many actors volunteer themselves, but it's rare to see one volunteer at someone else's film premiere.
However, Li Zhibai has always been unconventional, and everyone's impression of him has already been formed, so it's not surprising.
Director Wang Zhong nodded and said, "I've seen your films."
"Huh?" Li Zhibai exclaimed in surprise, "It's not 'Take You to the End of the World,' is it? Director, do you watch idol dramas too?"
Director Wang Zhong nodded again and said, "My daughter is a fan of yours. She dragged me to watch two episodes with her."
Many people at the scene were shocked, mainly because no one expected that director Wang Zhong, an artist with thick eyebrows and big eyes, would watch an idol drama like "Take You to the End of the World".
Li Zhi laughed twice and said, "Then I must thank your daughter for introducing me to the director."
Wang Zhong said, "I'll look for you next time when there's a suitable opportunity."
“Great!” Li Zhibai’s eyes lit up.
They inexplicably started exchanging pleasantries.
After exchanging pleasantries, Li Zhibai finally got down to business and began to talk about his feelings about watching the film.
“I don’t usually watch these kinds of movies. I’m a very ordinary person; I like movies that get my blood pumping. But just now, I sat in the theater and watched it from beginning to end, completely absorbed. I’m not exaggerating; my attention was firmly held by the visuals the whole time. I didn’t lose focus for a moment. I really thought I wouldn’t be able to finish it.” Li Zhibai held the microphone with both hands. “Actually, I’ve never seen Director Wang’s movies before, but it seems that because of the descriptions of Director Wang I’ve seen in the media and online, I have some stereotypes about him. I think his movies are obscure and hard to understand, and not good. But today, I feel like I’ve received a huge surprise. I don’t think this movie can’t be defined as a commercial film—if the standard for judging commercial and art films is whether they are good or not, then without a doubt, this is a very good movie. I genuinely think so.”
Wang Zhong's fans immediately cheered, meaning that Li Zhibai was right.
Li Zhibai continued, "The performances of the actors were all excellent. Before watching the movie, I felt that Lao Lu's ten-minute performance was the essence of the film. But after watching the movie, I realized that there were so many wonderful parts and the actors' performances were also very good. That's why I had the urge to ask Director Wang for a role. They are all very young actors, about my age. I am very envious of them for being able to give such outstanding performances in the movie 'Three Mountains'."
After Li Zhibai finished speaking, he handed the microphone back to the staff member.
Host: "Thank you, Zhibai. Your sharing really shows how much you like this movie. Yan Liang, what about you?"
Yan Liang sat next to Li Zhibai.
After his name was called, Yan Liang stood up and greeted everyone.
"Li Zhibai has said everything I wanted to say, and I don't know what else to say," he said with a smile.
Host: "It's alright, just say a few words. Li Zhibai was praising others but not your good brother. Why don't you talk about Lu Yanhe?"
“He has nothing to say,” Yan Liang said immediately.
Lu Yanhe exclaimed "Damn it!"
The whole audience burst into laughter.
Yan Liang: "I was deeply shocked after watching it. It was a profound shock to my soul. I haven't seen a movie like this in a long time. It will probably take me a long time to process the impact it had on me."
"What kind of stimulation?"
"Faced with desire and temptation, what choices should people make?" Yan Liang said. "This movie is like a dream that is full of unpredictable and bizarre elements. It is far from our real life, but it seems to vaguely resonate with the shadows in our hearts. Does saying this make others think I am a bad person? Hahaha."
Lu Yanhe immediately replied, "It's because you didn't have anything good to say to me; others must have already thought you were a bad person."
Laughter broke out again.
Yan Liang smiled.
"In short, I will definitely watch this movie again. It's incredible that a movie can bring such an experience after watching it."
-
After the premiere of "Three Mountains", a small media interview was held in Sanhe.
Lu Yanhe accompanied the film crew to give interviews and stayed up very late.
Wang Chong organized everyone to go out for a late-night snack. Lu Yanhe said that Li Zhibai and Yan Liang were still waiting for him and had arranged to go get something to eat together.
Wang Zhong said, "Then let's invite them to come along."
Lu Yanhe thought to himself, "That's a good thing."
Li Zhibai and Yan Liang are both actors. If they can participate in Wang Zhong's movies in the future, that would be a good thing. Even if they can't participate, knowing Wang Zhong might bring a suitable opportunity for them to be recommended by him sometime in the future.
Lu Yanhe immediately called Li Zhibai and Yan Liang to come together.
Chen Ling organized a trip for everyone to a Chaoshan hot pot restaurant.
The release date for "Three Mountains" is in two days. Feedback from the premiere is starting to emerge, with many media outlets giving it positive reviews. The speeches by Li Zhibai and Yan Liang at the premiere have also been trending on social media.
I'm just waiting for the movie to be officially released to see what kind of results it will achieve.
When everyone is having a meal together at this time, it's inevitable that they can't help but speculate about the box office and the situation after the movie's release.
Especially Chen Jiang and his group.
Wang Zhong also earnestly advised you: "You must act well, work hard to hone your acting skills, and don't get carried away by the praise from those around you."
Chen Jiang and the others immediately nodded.
In front of Wang Zhong, Chen Jiang and the others were very well-behaved.
Lu Yanhe is different from them.
Chen Jiang and the others were all people that Wang Zhong had personally discovered. This kind of friendship is something that Lu Yanhe can't compare to.
Just like director Luo Yuzhong, who holds a position in Lu Yanhe that no other director can match.
It's safe to say that Lu Yanhe will definitely help Luo Yuzhong whenever he needs it, regardless of the pay or the size of the role.
Wang Zhong added, “You all came from the movie ‘Three Mountains’. You should support each other in the future and not quarrel or fight over trivial matters. Learn from these friends. Friends you made in your youth may not be the strongest, but they are the purest. Help each other out and you can go further on your journey.”
After saying this, Lu Yanhe exchanged a glance with Li Zhibai and Yan Liang, and smiled.
We met in our youth, a rare and precious friendship. The older we get, the more people we meet, the more we feel this way.
-
In the middle of the conversation, Wang Zhong went outside to answer a phone call.
Lu Yanhe went to the restroom and happened to run into Wang Zhong, who was also walking back, in the corridor on his way back.
"director."
"Xiao Lu, thank you so much for inviting Li Zhibai and Yan Liang over today."
Li Zhibai and Yan Liang may not have high status in the film industry, but they are currently popular stars with considerable influence. Their appearance together at the premiere of "Three Mountains" is entirely thanks to Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "Director, you're too kind. I also have my own reasons. I hope to introduce them to you."
Wang Chong smiled.
He said, "You are a really good young man. I only worked with you on the film for one night, but we went through a lot outside of the film. Your handling and courage surprised me."
Lu Yanhe quickly shook his head and chuckled softly.
"Oh, no, you're praising me so much, I'm almost embarrassed."
“I selected Chen Jiang and the others to act in this play. From the time I selected them to the training, and now, it has been three or four years, and they have only acted in this one play. I don’t know if I have delayed them, since they had to turn down many other offers in between,” Wang Zhong said. “Besides acting, you also write scripts and produce. If there are any good opportunities, please give them a helping hand.”
"Director, I will do my best," Lu Yanhe said.
Wang nodded.
“After winning the Best Director award at the Citium Film Festival, everyone treats me with utmost respect, as if I were a master. It’s as if something tremendous has changed, but in reality, I’ve always been myself, without any change.” Wang Chong smiled. “To my shame, I’m only now experiencing and facing the impact of this immense fame and fortune. In this respect, you are my senior. Your composure truly impresses me; you don’t seem like a young man in his early twenties.”
Lu Yanhe: "Director, you're exaggerating. You've always put all your heart and soul into making movies, so you haven't paid attention to these things before. I was often forced to confront them and change myself to appear calm, but that's not actually the case."
Wang Zhong gave Lu Yanhe a deep look and smiled slightly.
-
On its opening day, "Three Mountains" earned 3.72 million yuan in pre-sales and accounted for 12% of all screenings.
Li Zhibai and Yan Liang each booked out a theater to invite their fans to watch the movie.
"Jump Up" has released a film review of "Three Mountains" and launched a "Three Mountains Film Review Contest". Selected writers will receive remuneration and their articles will be published on "Jump Up" social media.
Lu Yanhe was filming on set for "Late Spring" and did a ten-minute live stream, sharing some behind-the-scenes stories about his experience with the film "Three Mountains" at the Xituer Film Festival.
The Youth Association of Zhenhua University announced that it will hold a forum entitled "Wang Zhong and His Films" in seven days, inviting Wang Zhong, winner of the Best Director Award at the Citium Film Festival, to be the keynote speaker.
YeMai.com, together with many of its film bloggers, organized a film screening event.
...
These were not publicity activities arranged by Sanhe; they were all orchestrated by Lu Yanhe.
Chen Siqi posted a Weibo post saying: I didn't want to put in so much effort to promote a movie that Lu Yanhe doesn't star in, but he said something very true: even if he's not the lead in this movie, he would still feel honored to have participated in its filming, and that's something we should do.
With the help of various parties, "Three Mountains" achieved a box office of 19.27 million yuan on its opening day. Combined with the 860,000 yuan from the previous preview screenings, the opening day box office exceeded 20 million yuan, far exceeding the 10.5 million yuan predicted by professional box office prediction agencies.
Lu Yanhe only posted an official congratulatory image at this point, celebrating the first day's box office exceeding 20 million, and said: Thank you.
Many fans celebrated remotely.
However, some haters mocked and ridiculed Lu Yanhe's big-budget film, saying that it only grossed 20 million yuan on its opening day, which was even less than an older film that was released last Friday.
Lu Yanhe didn't say anything.
Fans, however, responded angrily, emphasizing what a great box office result this was for an art film.
The following day was Saturday.
Box office pre-sales figures and the upward trend are not obvious.
By 3 p.m., the daily box office had just surpassed ten million.
It looks like Saturday's box office will be lower than Friday's.
This box office figure gave more haters a point to attack, and they started saying that Lu Yanhe's fans were not persistent enough, and the box office declined the next day.
Generally speaking, Saturday's box office is much higher than Friday's.
Lu Yanhe and his group themselves also found it strange.
However, research by professional box office data agencies has led to the conclusion that yesterday's box office figures were mainly achieved thanks to Lu Yanhe's fans. The loss of this audience today reveals the true market situation of the film.
This data analysis circulated within the industry, expressing both regret that the film ultimately failed to achieve better box office results and surprise at Lu Yanhe's ability to drive box office success.
A movie that he didn't star in, yet its opening day box office was mainly supported by him.
This is so unbelievable, it's unbelievable.
If a cameo role in a movie can achieve such results, what will happen when Lu Yanhe stars in a movie?
This question has subconsciously popped into many people's minds.
Ultimately, "Three Mountains" grossed 15.3 million yuan on Saturday, bringing its total box office to over 35 million yuan.
This is already the best box office result for director Wang Zhong's films in the country.
The film's box office is expected to exceed 50 million, which has surprised Sanhe.
They had almost given up.
Before the release, so many problems arose, and Lu Yanhe and Wang Zhong refused to cooperate with their publicity strategy, leaving them helpless, contradicting each other, and damaging their reputation.
Unexpected.
Industry insiders were pleasantly surprised by this figure.
But those who don't know the industry are all seriously discussing whether Lu Yanhe's popularity is genuine or not.
"It's a joke. They acted like superstars before, but they've shown their true colors as soon as the movie is released. The box office probably won't even break 60 million. What's wrong with art films? Art films are the ones that truly test an actor's ability to carry a film at the box office." Yu Jiang said sarcastically. "With so many people helping with the promotion, including a writing contest supposedly organized by the best-selling magazine in the country and a director forum held by the top university, I thought they could make a fortune at the box office. If other movies had this kind of support, they would have broken 100 million on the first day."
Chen Siqi reposted her Weibo post, saying: "This shows how much a person can lie through their teeth - the opening day box office record for domestic art films is still held by director Zhang Haizhou, 84.2 million on the first day. What kind of 100 million are you breaking? Are you breaking the 100 million that you can't stand seeing others do well and are so jealous that you smell like a sour cucumber?"
A group of people were commenting on Chen Siqi's Weibo:
—Sister is awesome!
—I just love watching my sister rant about that old witch.
—I really want to know, what kind of grudge do you have against Teacher Yu Jiang that makes her keep targeting you?
...
At this time, the magazine "Movie Jianghu" revealed a statistic: the production cost of "Three Mountains" was only 17 million yuan, and the publicity and distribution cost was only 3 million yuan, totaling 20 million yuan. It had already made a profit through overseas copyright sales before the film was even released in China, and the box office sales in theaters are now pure profit.
Chen Siqi commented on Yu Jiang's post: "Teacher Yu, have any of your works been adapted into movies with this kind of success? Oh, sorry, I forgot, your works have never been adapted into movies before. You don't even know how movies work. No wonder you can only watch the show from the sidelines and say sour grapes."
When Yu Jiang saw the message Chen Siqi sent to her, he was so angry he almost smashed his phone.
"How can such a young girl speak so harshly and viciously?" Yu Jiang's friend, Jin Huixiu, said immediately when she saw Yu Jiang's anger about to erupt.
Yu Jiang sneered and said, "Girls this age are truly impolite and ill-mannered."
“Sigh, you can’t blame her for this. After all, she never had a biological mother to discipline her when she was little,” Jin Huixiu said.
"Huh?" Yu Jiang was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, and asked, "Sister Jin, do you know her?"
“I don’t know her personally, I’ve only heard that her family has business dealings with my husband.” Kim Hye-soo smiled and said, “I’ve met her stepmother once before. She’s a real actress, you know, I hate people like that the most, so we haven’t had any contact since.”
Yu Jiang smiled and said, "Sister Jin, I also hate this kind of person the most, but I always get ridiculed by this girl. It makes me angry just thinking about it. I really want to find a way to teach her a lesson."
Jin Huixiu glanced at her and said, "Why are you arguing with a young girl? She's riding high right now and talking big, but in a few years, when she runs into some trouble, her temper will naturally improve, and someone will teach her a lesson. Why should a big writer like you lend a hand?"
"Oh, Sister Jin, I've been provoked by her time and time again, how can I possibly hold back my anger?" Yu Jiang said immediately.
Kim Hye-soo: "I can't help you with that."
Upon hearing this, Yu Jiang's heart sank instantly.
But Kim Hye-soo was not someone she could afford to offend; she couldn't help her, and she couldn't afford to be rude to her.
"Alright, I'll figure it out myself then." Yu Jiang sighed, feigning helplessness and pitifulness.
-
On Sunday, the box office of "Three Mountains" dropped slightly again, only earning 13 million yuan in daily box office, while the opening weekend box office reached 48 million yuan, just short of breaking 50 million yuan.
Although this number is insignificant compared to the overall film market, "Three Mountains" still celebrates its success.
A celebratory poster will be released every time the number of ten million is surpassed.
From this perspective, "Three Mountains" has a good chance of breaking 60 million in total box office revenue.
This figure is enough to shock the industry. After all, this film has no stars among its main actors, and its production cost was only seventeen million.
Lu Yanhe was also very happy. He didn't have any specific expectations for how high the box office would be; he only hoped that the projects he participated in would at least not lose money.
No matter how much he pursues art and ideals, Lu Yanhe doesn't want things to turn into a losing proposition.
Wang Zhongdu once said that everyone says he is an art film director, but he controls the budget of every film very carefully, wishing he could stretch every dollar to two dollars, just to reduce the pressure of breaking even and allow investors to make a little profit.
He's not the kind of director who gets funding and just focuses on making the movies he wants, completely disregarding the investors' well-being.
Fortunately, the production costs of each of his films were relatively low, and he was able to sell the rights internationally, so the investors never lost money. Basically, each film was profitable thanks to the long-term revenue from the subsequent rights sales. It's just that the profits weren't large.
"Three Mountains" is Wang Chong's most profitable film since he became a director.
The overseas copyright revenue has already reached 20 million, and the domestic box office is expected to earn another 20 million.
With the addition of copyright sales to video platforms, television stations, and other sources, the film's expected revenue could reach over 50 million.
For a film with a production cost of only 17 million, this is considered a very high profit.
Industry analysts attribute the film's success to Wang Zhong's award at the Sittor Film Festival and Lu Yanhe's participation.
The success of the film "Three Mountains" at the box office has brought director Wang Zhong a new group of movie fans.
His previous films also attracted a new audience on video platforms, bringing him new revenue sharing.
Just then, Lu Yanhe received a bonus of five million from Chen Ling.
Lu Yanhe was extremely surprised.
Chen Ziyan was even more surprised when she heard this.
“Although the film will gross around 50 million, it will probably take about six months to recoup that much money. Moreover, the lion’s share will go to Sanhe and his team, leaving Chen Ling and Wang Zhong’s production company with less than half,” Chen Ziyan said. “They are really generous.”
Lu Yanhe said, "Sister Ziyan, should we return this money?"
“Then no need. You deserve it. Without you, how could we have achieved such high box office numbers?” Chen Ziyan said.
"Should we report this bonus to the company? And what about the profit sharing?"
“Actually, if you keep it yourself, no one will say anything, but to be on the safe side and to avoid future troubles, I think you should split it with the company according to the contract. Anyway, based on your annual earnings, the current split with the company is already 7:3, so you get the bigger share.”
"OK."
Chen Ziyan suggested that Lu Yanhe do this in order to avoid future troubles.
Bonuses, in the end, are a supplement to the film's salary; they are the payment received for acting in the film.
Judging from the terms of the contract Lu Yanhe signed with the company, it falls into a gray area. It can be covered by his salary and related income, or it can be interpreted as a bonus paid by the producer and director of the production company to Lu Yanhe for his personal performance, which is a private matter.
Chen Ziyan felt there was no need to leave this potential problem behind. The main reason was that Lu Yanhe was very popular now and was expected to become even more popular in the future. His contract with Xingyu could be renegotiated and renewed within a year, so there was no need to leave any ammunition for gossip at this time.
-
The week after "Three Mountains" was released, on a weekday evening, Liu Bige invited everyone to go see "Three Mountains" after finishing work early.
Lu Yanhe booked out a whole theater and invited everyone to watch this movie.
Because of filming commitments, they hadn't seen the movie yet.
After everyone finished watching the movie, their expressions towards Lu Yanhe changed.
He Qingqing was the first to say, "Lu Yanhe, I finally understand why everyone praises you as a genius. When I filmed 'Late Spring' with you, I only thought you acted well, but I didn't think you acted that well. Those ten minutes of your performance in 'Three Mountains' gave me goosebumps. How can you act so well?"
"I'm stunned." Kong Fan was also speechless. "I can't believe you only spent one night filming this scene."
Lu Yanhe: "Alright, alright, stop praising me."
His face was beaming with a smile.
Liu Bige patted Lu Yanhe on the shoulder with his right hand and said, "You're putting a lot of pressure on me."
Lu Yanhe exclaimed, "Huh?"
Liu Bige said, "After watching 'Three Mountains,' I feel that my expectations of you were too low. You still have a lot of potential to be explored."
"What's the meaning?"
Liu Bige said, "From now on, every scene of yours will have at least ten takes."
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe's eyes widened. "No way?"
Liu Bige nodded, his face beaming with excitement, his eyes gleaming with fervor. "You'll have to deliver a performance of this caliber in 'Late Spring' too!"
Lu Yanhe: "...This is something that can only be encountered by chance."
"Are you saying the script for 'Late Spring' is no good?" Liu Bige asked.
"They are completely different styles."
“But the ultimate goal is the same.” After Liu Bige finished speaking, he looked at Yan Lingyu and the others. “You are the same. Think about it. Maybe a year from now, you will see your performance on the big screen. What kind of mood do you hope the audience in the movie theater will have after watching this movie? What kind of impression do you hope they will have on you? The main characters of ‘Three Mountains’ are all young people, about the same age as you. Can you leave the film industry with the same deep impression as them?”
Yan Lingyu and Kong Fan looked at each other, seemingly lacking confidence.
Liu Bige said earnestly, "Believe me, my expectations for you are no less than those for Director Wang Zhong. Although I am just a new director and this is my first time making a film, I know what a good film is and what a good film looks like. I can tell you very clearly that 'Late Spring' will definitely be a film that will go down in film history. The way you perform will determine how you go down in film history."
Liu Bige's words were resounding.
Lu Yanhe wanted to ask if it was a bit of an exaggeration, but seeing the determined light in Liu Bige's eyes, he wisely kept quiet.
This moment marks Liu Bige's directorial moment.
As an actor, if he doesn't show his support now, when will he?
Two updates, 8,000 words, please vote with monthly tickets!
(End of this chapter)
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