Chapter 495 New Ways to Play in the Traffic Era
The living room fell into a suffocating silence.
After a long while, Ji Lingling was the first to break the silence, regaining her professional composure, and offered a long-term suggestion: "Ziyi, perhaps you can consider transitioning to a behind-the-scenes role.
Look at Fan Bingbing, Li Bingbing, and Zhou Xun. They are all putting a lot of effort into running their own companies, training new people, and participating in investments, leaving themselves an extra way out and an extra layer of security.”
She stopped there. Zhang Ziyi had tried before, partnering with Guangguang to open a film and television company, but it had always been a small-scale venture, never truly running it with all her heart.
Zhang Ziyi was silent for a moment after hearing this, then slowly nodded. The pressure of reality kept coming, and she couldn't help but be sober.
If my business still doesn't improve in the next two years, maybe I should really focus more on capital operations.
"I understand." He reluctantly agreed, then, as if grasping at the last straw, he looked at his agent and said with a hint of earnestness, "I'll need your continued attention in the awards race for 'The Grandmaster'."
At present, it seems that only Wang Jiawei's painstaking work and the awards and honors that may come can bring her a sense of comfort and hope of returning to the top. Ji Lingling saw the lingering hope for awards in Zhang Ziyi's eyes and sighed inwardly, but still nodded affirmatively.
"I will do my best to win the award. Wang Jiawei's reputation and the quality of The Grandmaster itself are your confidence. However!"
The tone suddenly changed to a more realistic tone, "Zi Yi, you really can't have too high expectations. At least you can't expect to return to the golden age with just a few trophies.
Times have changed! Internet capital now dominates the entertainment industry.
Even if you’re lucky enough to win an award, the platforms and investors who control traffic and funds may not be as enthusiastic as before.”
Zhang Ziyi's eyes were a little confused. She leaned against the sofa and muttered to herself, as if asking her agent, or perhaps asking herself:
"How did this circle become like this? It wasn't like this before. Good was good, bad was bad, and people's pursuits seemed less impetuous."
"The market has changed, and the way of playing has naturally changed." Ji Lingling was extremely calm. She took out her mobile phone and spoke while sliding the screen.
"I stumbled across a lengthy industry analysis on Weibo a while ago. It was incredibly insightful and to the point, practically outlining the current state of the industry. I'll dig it up and read it to you."
Zhang Ziyi sat up slightly straighter, listening intently. She knew Ji Lingling's professional vision, and the article she specially saved and recommended must have its own unique features.
Ji Lingling found the blog post she had saved, cleared her throat, and read clearly and calmly:
"Why is the entertainment industry paying less attention to traditional film awards like the 'Three Golden Awards'?
Its essence is the game between Internet capital and the new evaluation system it brings, and the traditional professional evaluation system."
The first sentence of the article made Zhang Ziyi's eyebrows move slightly.
"In the past, the right to define who was qualified to be a star and who was an A-lister was firmly in the hands of big directors, famous producers, professional judges and major film festivals.
This is an authoritative certification based on professional judgment and industry qualifications." Ji Lingling read it, looking up at Zhang Ziyi. "You and I both came from that era, and we understand this very well."
Zhang Ziyi nodded silently. She was the best person born under this system.
"However, now internet capital represented by Tengda, Alibaba, and Baidu has entered the entertainment industry in a big way. They bring not only money, but also a new set of gameplay and values.
For video platforms, what they need most are actors who can bring in membership recharges and advertising revenue, not necessarily award-winning actors.
In a world driven by algorithms and big data, traffic is a harder currency than awards because it can be monetized directly and quickly and is used to measure the success or failure of all projects.
Having read this, Ji Lingling deliberately paused and looked at Zhang Ziyi meaningfully.
"A star with huge popularity can carry a project and ensure its basic support. However, a star with only awards as a blessing may not necessarily guarantee box office success and broadcast volume."
The subtext of this sentence is self-evident. They have just experienced this. "The Grandmaster" is a typical example of a film that was well-received but not commercially successful. The high reputation that had the hope of winning awards was not effectively converted into high profits.
A bitter smile appeared on Zhang Ziyi's lips, and a sense of sudden realization mixed with helplessness swept over her.
Many changes that were previously vaguely felt but difficult to explain were sharply pointed out in this article.
Ji Lingling continued, “Internet capital has already built a circular ecosystem: they can create stars through online dramas and variety shows;
Stars are judged by social media data and viewing volume, and then consumed through the fan economy. There is no need for traditional film festivals and awards to endorse and empower stars.
They even started their own awards system, such as Weibo Night and LeTV's annual awards ceremony, to consolidate their voice in the industry."
"That's true!" Zhang Ziyi sighed softly.
The grand occasion of Weibo Night last month is still vivid in our memory. It was a star-studded event, dominating the hot searches, and its popularity even overshadowed traditional award ceremonies.
The huge amount of attention gathered by the Internet platform cannot be ignored.
Ji Lingling swiped the screen of her mobile phone, feeling sad in her heart.
As an ace agent who has experienced the transition between traditional media and the Internet era, he has personally felt the impact and pressure of adaptation brought about by this power transfer.
"The article also mentioned a key point: Internet big data confirms that the commercial conversion rate of Best Actor and Best Actress titles is not stable.
Shooting an art film aimed at winning awards may require actors to remain silent for a year or even longer, during which time their exposure will be greatly reduced. For stars who rely on popularity, this is a high-risk gamble.
Moreover, there are many uncertain factors involved in winning awards, such as luck, connections, and the tastes of the judges, so huge investments may result in nothing in return.
On the contrary, investing in traffic and data, as long as the funds are in place and the operations are done properly, will almost certainly yield returns. Even if it's 'black and red', it's still red and can be converted into real money."
Putting down the phone, I concluded with exhaustion and clarity: "In the final analysis, it's all about profit.
The traffic model created by Internet capital has demonstrated tremendous efficiency and profitability in business, almost crushing the traditional model.
The entire industry's resources, capital, talent, and media attention are inevitably and rapidly shifting towards the traffic model. We are just one part of the impact of this torrent."
Zhang Ziyi listened quietly, as if all her strength had been drained away.
In the past, we may have only felt a slight chill, but now, through this calm and even cold analysis, we can feel for the first time so intuitively and systematically the subversive transformation of traditional rules by Internet capital.
The value system that she used to rely on and believe in is collapsing at an unprecedented rate.
He asked weakly, as if grasping at straws, "So, does that mean awards are completely unimportant from now on? Is there a mention of that later in this article?"
"Yes." Ji Lingling's eyes fell back on the phone and she quickly browsed to the last part.
"The article also provides additional analysis at the end. It's not that awards have completely lost their value, but rather that their functions and audiences have become differentiated."
Select the key sentence and read it out: "For some international luxury brands that pursue brand identity and establish a high-end image, they still value the authority and professional endorsement brought by awards.
In addition, awards will become an important channel for traffic stars to "gild" in the future.
After accumulating enough wealth and popularity, many traffic stars will have a strong desire to prove their acting skills and achieve transformation through awards."
The room fell silent again.
Zhang Ziyi cast her gaze out the window at the dazzling nightscape of Peking. That light belonged to the internet giants of the new era. Yet, she seemed still mired in the glory of the previous era.
Under the same night sky of Peking, the atmosphere was in stark contrast to the cold and low pressure in Zhang Ziyi's apartment.
Fan Bingbing's studio was brightly lit, and the warmth of the complacent and noisy atmosphere still lingered.
Having just returned from Paramount's celebration party for "Transformers 4", he took off his luxurious dress jacket and casually draped it on the armrest of the sofa.
Her cheeks were still flushed with excitement from the champagne, her eyes were surprisingly bright, and her whole body was in high spirits, in stark contrast to Zhang Ziyi's decadent look.
Her agent, Mu Xiaoguang, looked at her drunken yet high-spirited appearance and cautiously advised, "Bingbing, you've been tired all day. Why don't you go back and rest? We can discuss the details tomorrow."
Fan Bingbing waved his hand, his voice slightly drunk and hoarse, but remarkably clear: "No need! I'm perfectly sober, this little bit of alcohol is nothing."
Seeing that she spoke clearly and had a quick mind, Mu Xiaoguang stopped trying to persuade her and smiled: "After the official announcement, the matter has finally been settled, and the big stone in my heart has also been put down.
I've already arranged for my team to follow up on the press release, and both domestic and international media will cover it. This time, we must take advantage of this favorable situation to increase the hype and take your popularity to the next level."
"Thank you, Mr. Mu, for keeping a close eye on me." Fan Bingbing was in high spirits, leaning lazily on the sofa, with an unconcealable smile on his lips.
Being able to participate in a top Hollywood IP like "Transformers" and play an important role is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any Chinese actor.
Mu Xiaoguang nodded, then frowned as if he had thought of something, with a look of regret on his face: "Speaking of which, it's such a pity!
As for Tengda Culture, for some reason, the relationship suddenly became distant, and the subsequent cooperation and support were not as active as before.
I still don’t fully understand what went wrong to make this Buddha unhappy.”
"If you don't understand, don't bother thinking about it." Fan Bingbing was quite open-minded and didn't even care.
He took a sip of sobering tea and said in a relaxed tone, "This is a different time. Now we are reconciled with Huayi, aren't we? And we have a good relationship with Hengtai boss Xu too.
There are many ways. Without the successful butcher Zhang, would we still have to eat hairy pigs? We can still thrive."
He exhaled a breath of alcohol and brought the topic back to reality: "By the way, how is the preparation for "The Empress of China" going? This is our foundation."
When mentioning this drama, Mu Xiaoguang's expression straightened up and he immediately became serious: "It's all settled!
The total investment budget is 300 million yuan, with Tangde Film and Television as the main investor, and our studio and Hengtai Film and Television also investing, and our studio is responsible for the production."
"Yeah." Fan Bingbing's expression also became serious. This drama is of great significance, and she is deeply involved in it as a producer.
"I had tea with Zhao Yanzi a couple of days ago, and she told me that Tang De has high hopes for this drama. She hopes it will generate impressive ratings, boost the company's performance, and pave the way for its subsequent IPO application."
"I know the seriousness of this matter." Mu Xiaoguang promised solemnly, "Don't worry about filming Transformers 4. I will personally oversee the crew's early preparations in China and make sure everything is handled properly."
Fan Bingbing nodded with satisfaction. He had worked with Mu Xiaoguang for many years and had a perfect understanding with him.
"I feel at ease with you here. By the way, my schedule has been very tight these past two years, so I'll leave all the company matters to President Mu."
Mu Xiaoguang's eyes suddenly lit up when he heard this, and he asked with anticipation and tentativeness, "Is there a play about 'X-Men'?"
Fan Bingbing smiled brightly and confidently, nodding vigorously, his voice filled with suppressed excitement. "Yeah! I just got the news, it's basically been confirmed! The role of 'Flash'!"
"Good! Good! Good!" Mu Xiaoguang was so happy that he couldn't help but clap his fists, "Great!
With two Hollywood super-productions, "Transformers 4" and "X-Men: Days of Future Past", in hand, you can truly gain a foothold in the international arena and increase your global visibility!
As long as you continue to develop at this pace, you will undoubtedly be the top female star in the Chinese entertainment industry in the future!"
"Forget it!" Although Fan Bingbing felt pleased, he still curled his lips as usual and teased her half-heartedly, "Where's that top sister sitting there? With her around, who would dare to claim first place so easily?"
Mu Xiaoguang laughed, his smile showing a clear understanding of the world: "Liu Shishi? She won't be your competitor.
Your positioning and development paths are fundamentally different. She is more like a symbol than a pure artist."
He lowered his voice and said meaningfully, "From what I've observed, she won't stay in this circle for too long.
For her, giving birth to a heir safely for the Song family and consolidating their position is probably her top priority now and in the future. Acting may just be an occasional pastime.
"That's true!" Fan Bingbing sighed, with indescribable envy and jealousy.
"She's so lucky! If she hadn't been childhood sweethearts with Song Ci, she wouldn't have been able to enjoy this immense wealth and become the richest woman's wife!"
Mu Xiaoguang sighed after hearing this: "Who says it's not true? Looking at the entire entertainment industry, she's probably the only one who can marry into such a wealthy family. It's probably hard to find another one in the future."
Outside the studio window, the night in Peking was thick. Both of them were silent for a moment.
One is looking forward to the brilliant star career he has forged with his own strength and international resources, while the other is lamenting the unattainable top destiny that is destined by marriage.
(End of this chapter)
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