Seeing that Ji Juntao was showing signs of softening, Shang Ye pressed on: "Don't you want to replicate the success of 'The Mute Woman'?"
In the past six months, Qingping Entertainment has produced several low-budget films and TV series. The investment was not high, but they all made a profit. However, none of them have achieved the same level of influence as "The Mute Woman," and they have remained in the category of quietly making small profits.
Many people say that the success of "The Mute Woman" was just a fluke, and Shang Yechu knew that this was something that Ji Juntao was always unconvinced about.
Shang Yechu studied Ji Juntao's expression, trying to figure out what her concerns were. "Are you worried about the investment? It's just a general store. Even if you use special effects to cover the entire store, how much money would it cost?"
The hardest part of anything is taking that first step from zero to one. Once the project actually starts, the amount of money invested is no longer up to Ji Juntao.
“Money isn’t the issue.” Ji Juntao was indeed persuaded. “I just don’t have a high chance of making it a box office success. Although the story is quite scary, I just feel, I feel—”
“Ye Zi,” Ji Juntao expressed his concern to Shang Ye Chu, “the film industry is very quick to reject films. This film is entirely produced by Qingping Entertainment. If it flops, it will have a greater impact on you.”
So they were worried that Shang Yechu would be rejected by the film industry. Then there's even less to worry about.
In terms of business acumen, Shang Yechu is no match for Ji Juntao. But in terms of familiarity with the plight of female filmmakers in the film industry, Ji Juntao is absolutely no match for Shang Yechu, who has experienced it firsthand for over a decade.
“Old Ji,” Shang Yechu stood up, stood behind Ji Juntao, and pressed her shoulder, “what do you think is the most important factor in determining a movie’s box office performance?”
Ji Juntao didn't answer without hesitation. Instead, he thought for a moment before saying, "First comes the subject matter, then the special effects and scenes, and then the director's reputation, or the lead actor's star power and popularity. These two are basically on par. Then comes the publicity and distribution; the plot and acting are ranked later..."
This answer pleased Shang Yechu: "Not bad, Lao Ji. You're better than me—"
Shang Yechu almost let slip that she was referring to "those investors I've met before," but thankfully she managed to catch herself in time.
"They're much better than those fans I see online who always claim 'xxx carries the box office'," Shang Yechu changed her tune.
The idea that actors carry box office success hasn't been too popular in recent years, but in another two years, it will sweep the internet, brainwashing many investors and creating a situation where "newcomers have no roles to play, while veterans are being overwhelmed with work." Then, a wave of box office flops will follow.
Thinking back to the cases of several big directors and middle-aged actors who signed gambling agreements and ended up losing everything, these things are even funnier than the comedies that Shang Yechu acted in.
"Carrying the box office?" Ji Juntao was a little surprised. "I've never heard of this before. Which fan group is so crazy?"
"Let's not talk about that for now." Shang Yechu brought up this topic, not to complain to Ji Juntao about fans' dreams of carrying the box office, but to ask you, since you know that the subject matter is the most important, what roles and scripts are suitable for an actress like me in the current film market?
Ji Juntao paused for a few seconds. His sclera rolled slightly upwards, then his eyes darted around in their sockets—a thoughtful expression.
Ji Juntao frowned: "A youth romance film. Or, a drama film..."
Ji Juntao was still choosing her words when Shang Yechu blurted out the word that was on her mind: "A sexy lamp in a chick flick, or a drama film?"
Chick flicks are romantic comedies or love stories starring women and aimed at female audiences. They are fast-paced and have a lighthearted atmosphere.
"Sexy lamp" is almost the opposite of "girl next door." It's a satirical term in the film industry: if a female character's role is replaced by a lamp, and the plot remains unaffected, then she becomes the "sexy lamp."
For example, the female protagonist is kidnapped, and the kidnappers use this to blackmail the male protagonist into giving up something. —Alternatively, a desk lamp is stolen, and the kidnappers threaten to smash it, demanding the male protagonist give up something. The plot is a bit comical, but it makes sense.
Of course, with the development of the times, the appearance of sexy table lamps is also being renewed, evolving into new images such as "heartwarming table lamps," "sexy daggers," or "serious refrigerators" and "multi-purpose storage cabinets." However, they remain fundamentally the same, still playing the role of a supporting element.
Ji Juntao pursed his lips slightly: "You've studied quite a few terms."
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