Huayu: The director just wants to save money

Chapter 56 Director Zhuang cried
Zhuang Wenqiang also came to Yanjing.

Zhou Mo treated him to a meal.

At the dinner table, Zhuang Wenqiang's eyes were blurred with tears, and he stared at Zhou Mo with an extremely resentful look.

Zhou Mo got goosebumps all over his back when he saw it.

"Director Zhuang, if you have something to say, just say it. If not, just eat. We don't like to play the game of being left and right here."

Zhuang Wenqiang rubbed his nose and took a big bite of the mutton hotpot.

"Director Zhou, I heard that New World is going to be released during the May Day holiday?"

"Correct."

"Is it true?"

"of course it's true."

"why?"

"what why?"

Zhou Mo frowned. Why was this guy so hesitant in his words?

Zhuang Wenqiang felt wronged: "Why does it have to be released in advance? Didn't we already say that it will be released during the summer?"

"Hey, what about the schedule?"

Zhou Mo waved his hand: "Of course it's because we shot it too quickly and the post-production is almost finished, so we moved it up."

“But this will clash with the release date of ‘Guan Yunchang’,” Zhuang Wenqiang cried.

"I thought it was just a small matter. It's a collision, so it happens. I'm not afraid of Guan Yu." Zhou Mo was very calm.

He remembered that the box office of "Guan Yunchang" in his previous life was less than 200 million, but his "New World" was aiming for a box office of 600 million.

The two are not at the same level at all.

"But we are afraid of you." Zhuang Wenqiang said loudly.

"What are you doing with such a loud noise? If you have any problem, go to the property management!"

Zhou Mo was startled by his voice.

"Isn't it Guan Yu? What's your name?"

Zhuang Wenqiang was so annoyed that he pointed at himself and said, "I am the director of Guan Yunchang."

Zhou Mo: ...

Only then did he realize that the person in front of him was one of the directors of "Guan Yunchang".

"Well, I can only say that I didn't do it on purpose. The conflicting schedules were just a coincidence." Zhou Mo explained.

Zhuang Wenqiang: "But we did it on purpose."

Zhou Mo:? .

Zhuang Wenqiang explained: I heard a few days ago that Director Zhou was planning to release the film during the summer, so I decided to release it during the May Day holiday so that I could avoid New World.

His emotions at the moment were complicated.

When Zhou Mo first approached him about filming a new world, he was in a good mood and had great expectations for the future.

As a gold medal screenwriter, he knew clearly what kind of success the New World script could achieve in the market.

If "Guan Yunchang" and "New World" could be released one after the other, the performance of the two films would completely secure his position as a great director.

But now the dream is shattered.

Who could have thought that the two works would now collide with each other, it would be like a flood flushing the Dragon King Temple.

I really killed myself.

"Now it's our own people fighting against each other." Zhuang Wenqiang explained.

"Hey, I'm not one of you. I've read your Guan Yu's script, it's very outrageous. Don't involve me." Zhou Mo interrupted him.

Zhuang Wenqiang was speechless and choked.

"There's no use crying. I won't change my schedule anyway." Zhou Mo said firmly.

The May Day schedule has the added bonus of his performance of last year’s “Love Is Not Blind”.

At the very least, it can bring in tens of millions in box office revenue.

It's impossible to give in.

Zhuang Wenqiang also knew Zhou Mo's character. He always had the final say in the crew and it was impossible for him to give way to them.

He came here today without thinking of asking Zhou Mo to change his schedule, he just came here to cry and vent the pain in his heart.

It’s a pity that Zhou Mo didn’t even give him a chance to vent.

In desperation, Zhuang Wenqiang could only turn his grief and anger into appetite and work hard to eat.

Halfway through the meal, Zhou Mo suddenly had an idea: "Speaking of which, although I won't change the schedule, you can. Director Zhuang, why don't you just change it to the summer schedule? Then you don't have to accuse me of bullying you. I've already beaten you once, and I'm a little tired of it if it happens again."

Zhuang Wenqiang:
It's too Versailles. I really want to beat him to death.

He shook his head and explained, "It's not that we don't want to mention it, but the publicity expenses have already been spent, and Zhen Gongfu doesn't want to change it. He also has a movie coming out in July, and putting the two movies together will affect the box office."

"Wuxia?"

"Um……"

Zhou Mo saw the helplessness on Zhuang Wenqiang's face and laughed, "You can't do this, Director Zhuang. You are the director. In the crew, only Director Mai and the investors are above you. How can you be suppressed by real kung fu?"

Zhuang Wenqiang wondered what real kung fu meant.

There is another person named Jiang Wen who is even more domineering than him.

But he just thought about it in his mind.

Everyone in the world knows the relationship between Jiang Wen and Zhou Mo. Not only is Jiang Wen Zhou Mo's guide, he also treats him as his own son.

He didn't dare to sow discord between them.

Seeing that Zhuang Wenqiang had a bitter face, Zhou Mo thought that after all, he had used the other party as a tool, and there was a possibility that he would be exploited again in the future because of "Wushuang", so he decided to make things clear.

"Director Zhuang, to be honest, I don't think you need to worry about the schedule." "Huh?"

"To be honest, you've been on the crews of Guan Yu and New World. To be honest, do you think these two can be compared?"

Zhuang Wenqiang gritted his teeth: "There is still a gap."

"There is more than just a gap. Whether it's the subject matter, one is history and the other is police and gangster, or the type, one is action and the other is plot, there is absolutely no comparison, okay?"

There was no politeness in Zhou Mo's words, but Zhuang Wenqiang knew it was the truth.

“So, Director Zhuang, instead of worrying about the fact that Guan Yunchang can’t compete with New World, you should think about how to take the blame next.

You guys claimed to have invested 1.5 million yuan in Guan Yunchang, but the actual investment was probably around million yuan. With such a huge investment, you ended up writing a script like that. To be honest, even without me, would your box office be able to pass the test? If not, how would you explain to the investors?"

Zhuang Wenqiang was shocked.

He actually forgot about this.

According to the theory that box office = cost × 3, if "Guan Yunchang" wants to make a profit from the investment of more than million yuan, the box office must reach at least million yuan.

But Zhuang Wenqiang knew very well that "Guan Yunchang" would definitely not get this box office.

By then, investors will definitely need to vent.

To vent, you need a scapegoat.

Zhuang Wenqiang thought about it and found that all the leading actors, including the director, had special skills.

Only one's own foundation is the shallowest.

Subconsciously, he looked at Zhou Mo.

"Director Zhou, what should I do?"

"It's simple. Just pass on the blame or run away." Zhou Mo said casually, "There's a saying that goes, when there's a bear chasing you, you don't need to run faster than the bear, you just need to run faster than the people around you."

"Throw the blame? To whom?"

"I'll give it to whoever has a bigger reputation but a weaker foundation."

Several figures flashed through Zhuang Wenqiang's mind.

Jiang Wen, who had just finished filming "Let the Bullets Fly", ascended successfully.

Director Mai not only filmed "Infernal Affairs", but was also his mentor.

Apart from him, there is only one person left among the core characters of the film——

Zhen Kung Fu.

At this moment, Zhuang Wenqiang finally reacted.

"I understand. Thank you Director Zhou for reminding me."

"It's nothing. After all, you are one of us. You have contributed to the filming of New World."

Zhuang Wenqiang understood: "In a few days, when New World is on the road show, please save a seat for me, Director Zhou. I feel much more comfortable in New World than in the crew of About Growth."

"should."

Zhou Mo waved his hands, his face looking calm and composed.

These are just normal business competition.

The box office revenue for a period of time is limited. If there is more here, there will be less there.

By cutting the box office of "Guan Yunchang", Zhou Mo is confident that he can increase the box office of "New World" by another 20 million.

After eating and drinking, Zhuang Wenqiang stood up and said goodbye.

Return to work.

They ran into Jiang, Mai, Zhengong and the other two who had been waiting for news.

"What did Director Zhou say?"

Zhuang Wenqiang shook his head: "Director Zhou said at the time that the schedule had been completely set and could not be changed."

After these words were spoken, the expressions of the three people changed slightly.

Mai Zhaohong was under great pressure. Facing the aggressive "New World", he was unsure.

Zhen Kung Fu's face turned black.

This was the second time he had run into Zhou Mo, and the last time he was beaten by Zhou Mo was still fresh in his mind.

It's so miserable.

Now that he heard that Zhou Mo was going to compete with him again on the May Day schedule, he subconsciously felt scared.

Only Jiang Wen had a cigarette in his mouth and a smile on his face.

"Okay, this kid has become more capable and has learned how to make crime films. I wonder if he can take the first place in the schedule again like he did last year."

The words fell.

Zhen Kung Fu's face turned even darker.

　Thanks to Jidong Map for the two monthly tickets.

　　Thanks to Yang Zichen for the monthly ticket.

　　Thanks to book friend 20220812164828766 for a monthly pass.

　　Thanks to boredom, ccp1300, Huaiqing Luo, White Robe Army, klion, Don’t you see that supernatural powers are no match for destiny, Lianmu Lanpa, Xuanyuan Dragon King, Yang Zichen, stringless music, clumsy wisdom, Huashuilang, Snowy Night Stroll 0, book friend 20240126615-Da, tofu brain, catkins all over the sky, the breeze knows the elegant meaning, Shu Ni Erdai, kazusa Ai Yixi Te Road, the breeze blowing the setting sun in the dream, every time I worry about the username, and the recommendation votes of Extreme Map.

　　Thank you everyone, the update time should be back to normal tomorrow, sorry.

　　I still hope to receive your collections, recommendations, monthly tickets, follow-up readings, and comments.

　　thank you all.

　　Hope to advance to the third round.

　　Reading is so important.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)