Huayu: The director just wants to save money

Chapter 485 I Want to Break Through the Limit
Zhou Xingxing frowned slightly, and his mentality was a little unstable.

His directing style is well known in the industry.

He chooses all the important roles himself, and investors generally don't force people into the roles because he can indeed produce good works and make money.

At the moment, although Zhou Mo agreed to the conditions very smoothly, it was a bit exaggerated for both the heroine and the hero to intervene.

"Who is Director Zhou going to call?"

Zhou Mo noticed the change in Zhou Xingxing's expression and said directly without any ambiguity:
"You, Director Zhou, you will be the one to act in this movie."

Zhou Xingxing was stunned and asked uncertainly.

"Director Zhou is talking about... me?"

"Just you, Zhou Xingxing, no one else."

Zhou Xingxing saw Zhou Mo's smile and realized that the other party was not joking.

He waved his hands and said, "Director Zhou, stop joking. I haven't been on the screen for many years."

"I haven't finished watching the movie yet, I just want you to act in it." Zhou Mo once again gave an affirmative answer.

Meanwhile, other people in the room were also quite surprised.

After the surprise passed, it quickly turned into joy.

Let Stephen Chow return to the stage?

It seems really good.

Whether it is people from Shanhe Company or Zhou Xingxing Company, many of them are just like Zhou Mo, who grew up watching Zhou Xingxing's movies.

The impression of Stephen Chow as an actor is definitely deeper than the impression of Stephen Chow as an actor.

On the side, Fan Qiaoqiao was also a little surprised, but when he saw Da Tiantian's calm expression, he raised his eyebrows.

It seems that it was not a spur of the moment action, but rather something planned?
Zhou Xingxing was silent for a moment and let out a long breath.

"Director Zhou, can I ask why?"

"The reason is very simple. Director Zhou, you are a famous actor with high level of skills. I am willing to spend money to act for you."

Zhou Xingxing subconsciously said: "I am also very famous as a director, and my level is also very high."

"But it's not as big as the actors. Not only me, but all the fans in China think so."

Zhou Xingxing remained silent.

He knew that what Zhou Mo said was true.

Even after "Journey to the West", the most common information about him on the Internet is "When will Zhou Xingxing be able to star in a movie again?"

“But I haven’t acted in a movie for a long time.”

"Then this is a good opportunity. I'll be frank. Director Zhou, I value not only your acting skills and abilities, but also your passion. The four words 'Master Xing is back' are so powerful.

Unlike other actors who appeal to nostalgia, the audience is really willing to buy tickets for your sentimentality.”

Many people are talking about sentiment.

Especially in the Hong Kong circle, the Four Heavenly Kings are all veterans in boosting sentimentality.

And there is Fatty Wang.

Why did Huang Silang play two roles in "The Man from Macau", one of which was the God of Gamblers Gao Jin? Isn't it just to appeal to the nostalgia?

But by this point in 2015, sentiment has become less and less effective.

Except Stephen Chow.

He really has a lot of emotions.

The audience was really supportive too.

Otherwise, the box office of "The Mermaid" would not have reached over 3 billion.

Zhou Mo praised him a lot, and Zhou Xingxing didn't seem to be particularly embarrassed.

As the person involved, he actually knows better than Zhou Mo how powerful his feelings are.

Even now, part of the sentiment towards him on the Internet was created by him.

However, Zhou Xingxing still doesn’t want to play the leading male role.

"Director Zhou, thank you for your appreciation of me, but I haven't been on screen for a long time. The reality may not be as good as you think, and the audience may not recognize it.

There are still many good actors in the entertainment industry. For example, I actually value Deng Chao more. He is quite good at comedy and is also suitable to play the leading role in "The Mermaid". "

Zhou Mo waved his hands and disagreed with this statement.

"Brother Chao is indeed good, but it is obvious that you are doing very well. Director Zhou, I think you must have heard of a comment about you on the Internet: Only Zhou Xingxing can perform that kind of flavor in Zhou Xingxing's movies, so the protagonist must be you.

Besides, you said that your acting skills are not up to par now. I don't think so. As far as I know, Director Zhou, you have always been on the front line when making movies, and you often even go on stage to teach people how to act. You call this a decline in standards, then other people might as well just give up their jobs.

To be honest, our company has done a survey before this, which is about who is the most suitable to play the male lead in your movie, and it covers almost all the well-known male leads in the circle at this stage.

Your ratio is far ahead of others, even far ahead of the sum of others.

So, Director Zhou, market recognition and even the ability to carry the box office are not a problem. You should believe in your own box office appeal.”

A slight smile appeared on Zhou Xingxing's lips.

It feels good to be recognized by peers and audiences.

only……

Zhou Xingxing hesitated for a moment, then slowly took off his hat, revealing a head of slightly gray hair.

"Director Zhou, even if I have the box office potential, but in my current situation, do you really think I'm suitable to play the leading role?

I am already quite old, over 50, and my appearance alone cannot compare to young people in their twenties or thirties. The audience has good feelings towards me, but that doesn’t mean they can really accept an old man playing a young man.”

Before Zhou Mo could speak, he continued, "Also, Director Zhou, you may want to talk about special effects, but special effects are actually for the audience to see. I understand my own state, and my mentality is no longer that young."

Zhou Mo suddenly said: "What if I can make you younger?"

Zhou Xingxing was puzzled.

Zhou Mo didn't explain much, and directly showed Zhou Xingxing a set of pictures. There were not many people in the room, and they were all core figures of both parties, so there was no need to worry about the news being leaked.

Zhou Xingxing looked at it for a few seconds and his eyes suddenly widened.

"Is this... Nicole Kidman?"

In the first few photos of Nicole, you can still see some signs of aging, but after just a few photos, most of the signs on her face have disappeared.

To say he is in his twenties is an exaggeration.

But when it comes to the state of being around 30 years old, there is basically no problem.

You know, Nicole is almost fifty years old.

Zhou Mo continued, "Director Zhou, I know what you want to say. Don't worry, this is not photoshop, nor is it some new technology. It's just Nicole's recent photo."

Zhou Xingxing felt that it was a bit fake, but there was a voice in his heart that kept urging him to find out the truth.

"Then this is..."

"Our company has recently reached a cooperation with a foreign medical beauty company to help celebrities with medical beauty maintenance, and Nicole Kidman is one of the company's clients.

Tiantian can testify to this.”

The medical beauty company is naturally the company that the system sent to Zhou Mo.

Before this, he had been thinking about what opportunity could make the company a success.

He had already found the candidate from abroad.

It was Nicole.

This year's Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film.

In China, "The Mermaid" and Stephen Chow will be his spokespersons.

Even though Stephen Chow seems to not care much about his appearance since he started being a director, not only does his hair turn gray, but he sometimes even goes on screen with an untidy beard without trimming it.

But through some of his interviews, we can know that he actually cares quite a bit about his appearance.

Zhou Xingxing looked at Da Tiantian, and after getting a positive answer from him, a huge feeling of touch rose in his heart.

Although he acted in dramas when he was young, rather than art films like Liang's, he was still a handsome man.

Let your appearance return to its previous state.

It's really worrying.

Zhou Xingxing slowly opened his eyes, his gaze had become completely firm.

"Director Zhou, I've accepted the male lead role."

Zhou Mo stretched out his right hand: "Happy cooperation."

The two hands were clasped together.

After the contract was signed, Zhou Xingxing suddenly asked: "Director Zhou, I have another question."

"what?"

"You want me to play the leading role. It shouldn't just be the two reasons you just mentioned. Are there other reasons?"

"Um…"

Zhou Mo nodded: "Indeed, to be honest, what I'm going to say next may sound a bit pretentious, but it's really what I think."

In front of everyone, he spoke slowly.

“Since Chu and Han, I have been the champion of the domestic box office. For several years now, I have been the champion for several consecutive movies.

Seriously speaking, it's a bit boring to always be number one, so I want to have more competitors so that more people can create better films and get higher box office.

It is impossible for one person to develop the market. Our company cannot monopolize all the projects on the market. Only when more and more people can continuously refresh the box office and create records, the market will achieve better development. "

Fan Qiaoqiao was surprised: "Director Zhou, do you want others to break your record?"

"It may sound hypocritical, but I really think so. Competition can bring development. A market with unchanged rankings is stagnant."

Zhou Mo's words were very pretentious, but no one thought he was hypocritical.

Because he actually has this achievement.

Currently, there are only two domestic films with box office revenue exceeding 2 billion yuan.

They are all other people's movies.

It would be impossible for a director without ambition to achieve this.

Stephen Chow asked, "Director Zhou, do you think The Mermaid can break your box office record?"

"Yes, not only can it refresh my box office, it can even achieve a major breakthrough and reach the level of more than 3 billion.

It takes an opportunity for a domestic film to break through the billion-level box office, and I think The Mermaid is that opportunity.”

Zhou Mo was certain, but no one believed him.

Even Zhou Xingxing himself doesn’t believe it.

More than three billion, that’s outrageous.

The most he wanted to do was to break Zhou Mo's record.

Only Zhou Mo knew that the box office of "The Mermaid" was really over 3 billion.

The promotion of "I owe Stephen Chow a movie ticket" was very successful.

The key is that others can’t imitate it.

Only Stephen Chow has this kind of emotional ability.

Zhou Xingxing smiled happily. After being fooled by Zhou Mo, he also aroused a lot of fighting spirit.

"Okay, then I'll borrow Director Zhou's good words and try to break the record with 'The Mermaid'."

(End of this chapter)