Rhapsody of Entertainment Rebirth

"Cliff" is doing very well in China, and "Pirates of the Caribbean" is also doing its final promotion in M ​​country.

With only two days left before the premiere on July 11, Disney Pictures held the last regular marketing meeting before the film's release.

Qu Ling is also on the list!

Robert Iger and Disney Pictures take "Pirates of the Caribbean" much more seriously than Qu Ling imagined!

In the ten days since she came to Hollywood, Qu Ling has attended three similar preparation and situation summary meetings, each time hosted by Robert Iger, the current president of Disney Pictures.

The preparation status of each department will be put on the table in detail. Qu Ling can intuitively understand the publicity investment and results achieved before the release of "Pirates of the Caribbean".

Based on feedback from these markets, Disney Pictures expects the first-week box office of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" to be around US$30 million.

This result can guarantee the recovery of the investment cost. As long as the total box office of "Pirates of the Caribbean" in North America can exceed 100 million, plus the global release, peripheral income and video tape income, the investment in the film will definitely make a profit!

"Each department will first report on their respective situations. This is the last regular preparation meeting. I don't want to see any surprises. "Pirates of the Caribbean" is very important to Disney. Do you understand?" Robert Egger's calm speech woke up the audience. Qu Ling, who was distracted.

Qu Ling looked at the calm Bruckheimer beside him, smiled to himself, and focused his attention on the meeting.

"Three,890 theaters and nearly 5,000 screens have already decided to release "Pirates of the Caribbean" in the first week. The first day's film schedule is above three levels. Later, it depends on the audience's reputation and the actual box office situation. , no matter what, our distribution department will try our best to maintain this scale within two weeks."

"The film's early promotion budget has been fully realized, and the effect has exceeded our expectations. Among them, Qiu's screenwriter status has brought us some surprises. Qiu's box office appeal has been underestimated. It is a pity that he did not participate in the promotion. Otherwise, the effect will be better than it is now! North American audiences are very curious about him, because he has many fans in North America, and his works have never failed in Hollywood! And Qiu gives people such a mysterious impression..."

The Propaganda Department's speech focused everyone's attention in the conference room on Qu Ling.

Qu Ling looked at the Disney leaders around him, spread his hands like people from China, and shrugged, "Gentlemen, Qiu is my boss. I can't control his behavior. Your Disney's past propaganda The operation scared my boss, and he has a psychological shadow on you!"

Ha ha…

Qu Ling's words triggered a burst of laughter.

Robert Iger responded with a smile: "Qu, Qiu is already a big shot in Hollywood. He is our strategic partner at Disney and one of the cores of our Disney. We will respect his choice. You have to convey this clearly to Qiu." , as for some necessary publicity methods, these are Hollywood conventions, Qiu don’t need to worry too much!”

"I will convey Disney's meaning to him clearly, but I must give priority to my boss's wishes. Qiu is a genius, and there will always be something different from ordinary people!" Qu Ling responded with the same smile.

"Qiu is too low-key. He doesn't look like a young man in his twenties at all. I will bring him to Los Angeles no matter what next time. He can have the final say in publicity. The key is that he has to enjoy the glory of victory with us. !" Bruckheimer also chimed in with a smile.

Qu Ling looked at Bruckheimer with a smile and responded: "Jerry, you are Qiu's best friend in Hollywood. You have the same vision and aesthetics. I am optimistic about your actions. Come on!"

This somewhat joyful episode made the originally solemn meeting much more relaxed.

Next, the peripheral distribution, cooperation with Disneyland, etc. all went smoothly.

Everyone in the conference room also began to speak freely and ask questions.

Qu Ling sat in a corner of the conference room and listened silently to everyone's speeches, writing down some data in his notebook from time to time.

Because "Pirates of the Caribbean" is linked to Disneyland attractions, this movie will become the top priority of Disney's summer schedule. Its success is related to Disney's core competitiveness.

Generally speaking, Disney Pictures executives are optimistic about the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. They have all seen the finished film and know that the quality of the film will definitely not be a problem.

It's just that the pirate theme has brought too serious losses to Hollywood. This shadow cannot be broken by quality alone.

However, there are a few people who agree with Bruckheimer. They have great faith in Shanhe's vision and luck, and have even discussed the sequel project at the meeting!

The actual production investment of "Pirates of the Caribbean" is 100 million US dollars, and the external publicity is 130 million US dollars. The total investment is 150 million US dollars, and the external publicity is 200 million US dollars.

The screenwriters of Shanhe will get a 5% share, and River Film and Television’s investment of US$1,500 will get a 10% share.

This is Shanhe's largest investment since his debut, and one can imagine how much Qu Ling attaches importance to it.

Whether you are optimistic or worried, after a year and a half from preparation to now, "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" has been released as scheduled!

Its premiere was arranged at Disneyland in Los Angeles. Qu Ling did not attend the premiere, which was mainly to promote Disneyland. Instead, he quietly went to the China Grand Theater with several management staff from River Films. Movie theaters are waiting for the movie to be released.

The theater was quickly filled with 80% to 90% of the audience. As soon as the movie started, there were still some whispers in the theater.

With the appearance of Jack Sparrow, everyone's attention and attention were attracted by this unique pirate captain.

Until the end of the movie, almost no audience in the theater stood up or commented. The fantasy characters and plot kept the audience deeply involved in the movie.

As soon as the subtitles of the movie appeared, there was a buzz of discussion in the cinema.

"This pirate-themed movie is great. Jack Sparrow is so different and charming! I must tell others that I will write a review online when I get back soon!"

"It's unexpectedly good-looking. Qiu's screenwriter really didn't disappoint me. Johnny Depp's performance is great. How could anyone come up with such a pirate image? It's so creative!"

"You're right. The propaganda on TV didn't lie. Qiu and Disney will indeed break the curse and taboo of the pirate theme!"

"The soundtrack is so nice. Let's listen to the ending song before leaving! What's the name of this piece? I must save it, it's so touching!"

…

It wasn't until the subtitles and music ended that most of the audience were ready to get up and leave.

Suddenly the skeleton monkey from the movie appeared on the big screen again!

"There are Easter eggs! Are you already preparing for the second part?"

"It is said that Qiu has already thought of a trilogy!"

"Wow! Trilogy? I'm so looking forward to it!"

…

The Easter egg that lasted for more than a minute pulled back the audience who had already stood up.

Qu Ling did not sit back in the chair and walked out of the theater together with several management members of River Films.

On the way to the entrance of the cinema, several people kept hearing praises from the audience. The movie peripheral counter in the cinema lobby was also full of spectators, buying pirate dolls and other peripheral supplies.

"Mr. Qu, "Pirates of the Caribbean" is a success. Looking at the fans' reaction, I can guarantee that "Pirates of the Caribbean" will be the front page of all film and television media tomorrow!" York said to Qu Ling excitedly.

The management of several other companies also echoed this.

"York is so right! I dare say that the box office in the first week will definitely be higher than Disney's prediction. Thirty million is too little. In this case, it will be at least $40 million!"

"It is estimated that the second and third parts will be released soon, we have to be ready!"

Qu Ling replied with joy: "The specific box office data has not been released yet, but I hope the results are as everyone said. York, you will accompany me to Disney Studios to wait for the box office data in a while. You all go home! Have a good night's rest. It’s been such a busy few days, and we have to cooperate with Disney to continue promoting it tomorrow!”

When Qu Ling and York arrived at the large conference room on the 18th floor of the Disney Building, the entire conference room was like a headquarters in a war. Staff members kept running past them with data reports and a hint of joy on their faces. !

Bruckheimer was sitting in the middle of the conference room. When he saw Qu Ling's arrival, he stood up and laughed loudly: "Qu, you are finally here. We can celebrate success again! Qiu has indeed been protected by gods and Buddhas. "Pirates of the Caribbean" 》The audience feedback is even better than we imagined!”

Qu Ling walked quickly to Bruckheimer and asked eagerly: "Has the box office data for the first day come out? How much is it?"

"Qu, the box office data is not so fast yet, but the audience feedback survey has come out. 90% A+, 8% A. Do you know what this means? It means that based on word of mouth alone, we can establish Invincible!" Bruckheimer replied with a smile.

"Okay! You are an expert, Jerry. When will the box office data come out? I haven't seen the exact numbers, so I'm still a little worried!" Qu Ling looked at Bruckheimer and said.

"Usually it's after one o'clock in the morning!"

"We'll wait here!"

"Of course, I'll be here too, Qu. I think it's at least fifteen million dollars!"

"I hope it's as you say!"

During the anxious waiting, time seemed to pass much slower than usual, and the two people who were still chatting gradually fell silent.

Finally, a high-pitched voice came from outside the door, "16.8 million! 16.8 million U.S. dollars! We succeeded, both at the box office and in word-of-mouth!"

Qu Ling and Bruckheimer both stood up, and Bruckheimer even shouted: "Fuck! Peterson, get the damn report in quickly!"

A curly-haired young man rushed in with a note, "Mr. Bruckheimer, you have succeeded again, with 16.8 million US dollars, crushing other movies, Sean Connery's "The God of Heaven" is the most promising one on the market. "Pirates of the Caribbean" is less than half of "Pirates of the Caribbean"!"

"Haha..." Bruckheimer took the report and laughed, "I said, I must give those damn old antiques a good look. This is my revenge! Qu, we have to make a lot of money again, Call Qiu quickly, FCUK! He is really awesome!"

Qu Ling also clenched her fists and cheered in a low voice. Bruckheimer's words made her quickly take out her mobile phone from her bag and dial Shanhe's number.

At this time, on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, it was exactly noon in the capital. This time of the season was the hottest time in the capital.

Today is the premiere day of "Pirates of the Caribbean", and Yang Liu is also waiting for news from Hollywood with Shan He in the courtyard.

Shanhe was rummaging through a bag of millet. The feeling of golden millet leaking out from his fingers made him feel very comfortable. Shanhe kept repeating the action of picking up millet from the bag.

Yang Liu looked at Shanhe, curled his lips and said, "This Wang Baoqiang is really interesting. I thought he was looking for an excuse to get close to you, but I didn't expect that he really wanted to give you millet! This must weigh forty or fifty kilograms, right?"

"People are different. I can see that he just wants to sincerely thank me. He doesn't have so many snobbish thoughts. I like this smart but sincere approach!" Shanhe responded with a smile, "You didn't just come from " Are the crew of "Cliff" back and how is the situation there?"

"It's okay! I just went over to take a look. I don't know the details. I heard that I have to go to the Northeast in a few days. It's summer now and there's no heavy snow to shoot. We have to wait!" Yang Liu said with a sip of water.

"The scenes in "Cliff" are not all winter. They can afford to wait for two or three months!" Shanhe replied while still playing with Xiaomi.

"Boss, how much box office will "Pirates of the Caribbean" earn on the first day? I heard that most of the Hollywood media are not very optimistic about it." Yang Liu asked.

"Listen to the media, you can't do anything, and the box office shouldn't be bad!"

"Guess a number, I think it must be 16 to 7 million!"

"You're thinking well, 12 million! If it exceeds 40 million in the first week, the second and third parts will probably be launched!"

"A US$150 million investment! It makes my scalp numb just thinking about it, how many box office it will take to recoup it!"

"Big Hollywood productions, especially fantasy movies like this, only account for less than half of the box office revenue, which is very different from the domestic situation!"

While the two were chatting, Shanhe's phone rang.

"Boss, news from Mr. Qu is here. Please pick it up quickly!"

Shan He glanced at Yang Liu, who was slumped, and calmly answered the phone. As soon as he connected, Qu Ling's excited voice came out.

"Hey, Xiaohe, 16.8 million US dollars. The box office on the first day of release was 16.8 million US dollars. Xiaohe, you are so amazing and your vision is so great!"

Yang Liu on the side also heard the voice on the phone and was already cheering, "My guess was so accurate!"

"Aunt Qu, how is the audience's reputation?"

"It's very good. I watched the first show at the Huaguo Grand Theater. Almost all the audience praised it, and the peripheral products were also sold very well!"

"Aunt Qu, based on this ratio, the box office will be at least 50 million US dollars in the first week. We have made a lot of money this time!"

"Haha...Jerry is right next to him, he's telling you!"

Bruckheimer's high-pitched voice soon burst out from the microphone,

"Qiu, FCUK, you are really my angel. It's a pity that I can't celebrate with you. You know what! Tomorrow all the newspapers will sing praises to us. We broke the taboos and curses of Hollywood. It's a pity that you are not here. Otherwise, you You will be the target of media and capital pursuit, and you will be the most popular figure in Hollywood!"

"Haha... Jerry, help me collect these things first. I will go to Hollywood to take them back sooner or later!"

"That's great! My friend, you have to take me with you then!"

"Jerry, after today, you will probably be at the top of the Hollywood power list. I will give you a damn!"

"Those bullshit rankings are just gimmicks for the media. They are useless! Qiu, it is our cooperation that has made us famous, not those bullshit media, they only praise the high and suppress the low!"

"Okay, you're right! Are Annie and the others not here?"

"The creators of "Pirates of the Caribbean" flew to New York after the premiere. They will be very busy recently. Disney will increase investment in publicity tomorrow. After North America, they have to go to Europe. Anne probably doesn't know the box office news yet. , she will call you tomorrow!"

"OK, congratulations Jerry!"

"Qiu, this is our success, haha... you can start writing the second and third parts!"

"Fuck, Jerry, you are such an insatiable guy, you should enjoy your glory first!"

"OK, I will go to China to find you!"

Shanhe put down his cell phone and let out a long breath. Although there were memories of later generations cheating, Shanhe was still concerned when the matter was not settled. Now that the news was confirmed, Shanhe suddenly felt relaxed.

"Yang Liu, what do you want to eat tonight? I'm treating you! Call Mr. Zhong, Wu Liang and the others, and let's celebrate too!"

"Okay! How about we stay at the same place? I haven't had enough of Fengzeyuan yet!"

"That's it, you are responsible for positioning!"

Shanhe's celebration banquet lasted until nine o'clock in the evening.

At this time, Los Angeles has been enveloped by the success of "Pirates of the Caribbean".

Bruckheimer is right, almost all the Hollywood media are singing the praises of "Pirates of the Caribbean".

It hyped up its success and analyzed the reasons for the success of "Pirates of the Caribbean" in a coherent manner, praising everything from the plot to the director to the actors.

The multinational combination of Bruckheimer and Shanhe is naturally the top priority, and they are the initiators of the project.

The media praises them in all kinds of ways.

"The magician Qiu from the Far East..."

"Hollywood's twenty-year curse was broken by Hollywood's most talented combination..."

"Bruckheimer and Yau have never failed, they are the guarantee of the box office..."

"Disney Pictures wants to create a "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, and Hua Guoqiu already has the screenwriter for the trilogy..."

…

Even the topics of Shanhe and Hathaway, which had been hyped to death, were brought out again and written about in great detail.

One is the planner and screenwriter of the project, and the other is the heroine. Shanhe and Hathaway, a multinational couple, have become the most famous couple in Hollywood.

There are all kinds of stories about talented people and beautiful women being fabricated in Hollywood. Some tabloids have even begun to sell the offspring of these two people. What mixed-race children are both handsome men and beautiful women? Who will inherit the advantages of the two people? Who will be the most famous second-generation star in Hollywood? Fascinating! Sales have really increased!

It’s really dumbfounding!

Shanhe and Anne Hathaway had a phone call that night. After exchanging a few excited words, Anne Hathaway was busy with her film promotion schedule.

Johnny Depp, who gained the most, became a Hollywood first-line actor overnight. As long as the second movie maintains this momentum, he will soon be at the top of Hollywood actors.

His weird vision made him successful!

Not surprisingly, "Pirates of the Caribbean" dominated the North American box office that weekend.

16.8 million on Friday, 18.2 million on Saturday, and 16.4 million on Sunday.

"Pirates of the Caribbean" opened with a box office of 51.4 million!

For a non-sequel original pirate-themed movie, this box office has broken Disney's imagination ceiling. Their best estimate is 47-8 million!

For a time, Disney's stock price hit the daily limit for several days. This is a series of movies, and it is also linked to the Pirate Land in Disneyland. Its great success directly increased Disney's core competitiveness.

Robert Iger made the right bet, and he's so high-spirited these days that his opponents are tucking their tails between their legs and it would be foolish to go up against him when his luck is on his side.

Disney has begun a major management adjustment, and Robert Iger is pursuing the victory with arrogance!

Bruckheimer also took a share of the pie and was promoted to director of production, with power only under a few Disney giants!

Shanhe didn't care what power changes he brought to Disney. He was currently cooking millet porridge with a smile on his face.

We can't live up to the good wishes that Wang Baoqiang brought all the way from his hometown. How comfortable it is to have a bowl of millet porridge in the summer!

When Shanhe was about to turn off the fire and pour porridge, Han Shanping's call came.

"Hey! Shanhe? I'm Han Shanping!"

"Hello, Mr. Han, please speak if you need anything!"

"Haha...Shanhe, your voice is full of joy. I heard that the movies you wrote are popular in Hollywood!"

"Thanks to you, I should be able to make a small profit, it's not worth mentioning!"

"Haha... You have a big appetite. Hundreds of millions of dollars of investment have turned into small profits in your mouth. Come on, don't be jealous of your wealth. The script of "Three Kingdoms: Battle of Chibi" has come out. Come to China Film Academy tomorrow. , let’s discuss it, and if it works, we’ll start working on it, and we’ll make a blockbuster movie that belongs to China!”

"Has it finally come out? I'll go there tomorrow morning, I'm looking forward to it! Has my senior brother seen it? What's his opinion?"

"He doesn't have any objections, but he's still studying it. We'll talk about it when you come tomorrow!"

"Okay, let's see you tomorrow!"

The next morning, Shanhe arrived at China Film Group early. When he knocked on the door of the general manager's office, Han Shanping had just arrived at work.

"You came so early, it seems you really take "Three Kingdoms" to your heart." Han Shanping joked with a smile.

"Aren't you making fun of me! "Three Kingdoms" is an idea I gave you. I don't have to take it seriously. It is a crucial step for our country's film industry!" Shanhe responded with the same smile.

Han Shanping took out the script from the drawer and handed it to Shan He who was sitting opposite, "You are right, this time we can only succeed but not fail!"

"You can't fail. The foundation of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is too strong." Shanhe took the script and replied, "Mr. Han, I'll finish reading the script first."

"Okay, let's see!"

While Shan He was reading the script, Zhang Yi and two other China Film CEOs also came to Han Shanping's office.

They did not disturb Shanhe who was engrossed in reading the script. They just sat on the coffee table and whispered about the script of the Battle of Red Cliff.

This script, which has been brewing for more than half a year, is quite exciting. It cannot be written by one or two screenwriters. There should be many historical experts who gave their opinions and even directly participated in the screenwriting.

"The Battle of Red Cliff of the Three Kingdoms" not only retains some wonderful allusions in the novel, but also adds historical facts to the war.

The plots of Zhuge Liang borrowing the east wind, straw boats borrowing arrows, Pang Tong's serial plan, and Jiang Qian's stealing of books are all described, and the arrangements are quite reasonable.

Most of the wars refer to historical facts. For example, Cao's army once suffered a plague caused by acclimatization. The fire burned not only Chibi, but also the unknown battle of Wulin.

The beginning of the script does not describe the background in a large space, but directly enters into Cao Cao's determination to dominate the world. The background is naturally revealed in the plot, and it is handled quite brilliantly!

The protagonist of the whole movie is naturally Zhou Yu. There is no female protagonist. Xiao Qiao only appears a few times as a supporting role. The scene where Cao Cao mocks Zhou Yu with his poems is reappeared.

There are many characters in the script, but the appearances are not chaotic. Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and Zhao Yun all have some unique scene descriptions.

It can be seen that he is really preparing for the filming of his personal biography.

Generally speaking, this script basically satisfies the audience's appetite, with heroic characters, classic stories, and descriptions of large-scale wars.

The important thing is that it is smooth and not awkward. It is a good script that combines romance and historical facts!

After Shanhe finished reading the entire script, he raised his head and let out a sigh of relief.

Finally, the embarrassing harmony of the Three Kingdoms in my memory was gone!

"After reading it, how do you feel?" Several people in front of the coffee table looked at Shanhe and asked.

Shanhe gave them a thumbs up and praised: "It is indeed a masterpiece that China Film Group has been preparing for so long, and the writing is great!"

"Don't just say yes!" Han Shanping said with a smile, "I called you here just to find fault."

"Mr. Han, this script must have been adapted and discussed several times! I, a student who has never graduated from college, cannot change the results of experts and screenwriters. It's really good!" Shanhe replied sincerely.

Zhang Yimou also agreed: "There is really no fault with the script. The plot, characters, and scenes are all explained clearly and smoothly. There are just too many characters. How do we choose actors?"

Zhang Yimou's question made several people think deeply.

"It's really hard to choose. If it's all based on the TV series, it won't work. It has no freshness and no appeal. If you want to choose based on fame and appeal, you have to choose stars from Hong Kong and Taiwan. It's a bit uncoordinated for peacekeeping and it's not easy to handle!"

Han Shanping looked at a few people and asked: "Yi, let's not talk about the actors for now. If you have any other difficulties, please tell me first!"

Zhang Yimou pondered for a while, "There should be no problem. We have all the props, scenes, and personnel. I plan to shoot the war scenes in real locations as much as possible. I also have experience in this aspect. There shouldn't be many post-production special effects. The main difficulty is the water." We’ll fight, but I believe we’ll be able to figure it out by then, but if it doesn’t work, we’ll have to spend money on special effects!”