Chapter 269: Landing In Cannes, Lao Peng
Industry rumors say that Chi Ye will likely have to compensate one or two hundred million this time because of the Influenza incident—because many contracts are profit-sharing contracts, and if the movie doesn’t make money, Chi Ye has to cover it out of his own pocket.
He relies on the money earned from Xing Ni and a few other movies to subsidize it, which is “only natural.”
So, Sister Qianzi unusually didn’t mock or ridicule this time, because she feels Chi Ye is now in a “low period,” and as a friend… she should count as a friend, right?
She still needs to give more comfort and support, at least… her attitude should be “softer” a bit.
But Chi Ye clearly didn’t “appreciate” it. He sized up Shi Jinwei a few times before saying: “Ah, I have to go be busy. I’m right here now, and I’ll go meet a few cinema chains later.”
“……Really can’t release in the Mainland anymore?”
Shi Jinwei held back for a moment but still asked.
The Mainland’s box office is too big. Others are just guessing that Influenza will likely release overseas, but Shi Jinwei, who has been filming with Chi Ye during this time, knows that Chi Ye really plans to do that.
Ever since the official announcement of technical adjustments for Influenza, he has been busy with this matter.
So… can Influenza’s box office be declared dead in advance too?
“Uh…”
Who knew, upon hearing this, Chi Ye was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed: “Not necessarily.”
“Can’t release? No problem… Hmm? Not necessarily?”
Sister Qianzi was stunned again.
How could there be talk of “not necessarily”?
Didn’t they say it failed review?
Could it be after the Cannes premiere, then edit and release?
Chi Ye didn’t explain much, just saying: “Influenza got stuck, there are content reasons, but more are other reasons.”
Other reasons…
Shi Jinwei pondered.
Regarding Influenza getting stuck on the Dragon Seal, the industry has spread different versions, but most people think it’s content plus Beijing Circle sabotage.
In fact, that’s indeed the case.
But if you really analyze it, just like the leader said, Influenza is the type that’s “passable or not,” and it didn’t pass now just because it’s still “not good enough.”
So wait until it’s “good enough” to talk.
Chi Ye won’t let go of the Mainland box office, the world’s second largest box office, and it’s his “home turf.” Chi Ye is now just trying to maximize his interests. If it really doesn’t get selected for Cannes, perhaps for profit, he’ll ultimately choose to cut and release.
Or, find the Empress Dowager to take the fall, quickly wrap me up, get married, let our grandfather explode some “privilege.”
Cough cough…
Not at that step yet, not at that step yet.
“So how are the talks with the cinema chains here going? Smooth?”
Sister Qianzi realized she really has changed, actually one day asking such a caring question about Chi Ye.
Chi Ye also felt she changed, thinking Sister Qianzi has become very boring now—you should keep mocking and ridiculing, like this, I don’t even know how to get along with you anymore, my Qianzi.
“Not great, I guess. Now’s not the time to talk copyright either. This is just to get acquainted, make contact. When we get to the Cannes Film Festival, we won’t seem strangers on first contact.”
Shi Jinwei: “……That’s pretty good.”
“Hm?”
Shi Jinwei glanced at him: “I said your talks aren’t going great, and that’s pretty good. I’m pretty happy to hear this news.”
Chi Ye: “……”
“Haha.”
Shi Jinwei had vaguely noticed Chi Ye’s “masochistic” trait, so she didn’t mind satisfying Chi Ye’s “special fetish” a bit.
“That’s it then. Losing money this time is fine, next time might keep losing. Get used to it in advance.”
“……Qianzi.”
“Ah?”
“Your Ghost billing order is gone. I’m promoting second male and second female up, you’ll be fourth.”
Shi Jinwei’s pupils shook: “What?!”
“Bye bye.”
Chi Ye turned around feeling refreshed all over and walked toward the RV.
“……No, I… Chi Ye, you can’t do this. I’m the female lead, and you rank me fourth? Isn’t that a bit inhumane? How am I supposed to explain this to fans, how will the industry see me?!”
Chi Ye turned back, smiled slightly: “Not only ranking you fourth, for Influenza’s premiere ceremony, I’m also ranking Sheng Ning first.”
“？！！！”
Shi Jinwei instantly went dark before her eyes: “You… you… you shameless!!”
“Sheng Ning, Chi Ye, parentheses: rankings in order.”
Chi Ye slipped into the RV, Shi Jinwei was so angry she was dumbfounded.
……
Chi Ye was of course teasing Sister Qianzi. Although he never fights for billing order… that’s because during Circulation, he was first, and after Xing Ni blew up, no one could top him…
He’s always been first, why fight for it?
If he weren’t, he’d definitely fight… This has nothing to do with bad habits. Now the global entertainment industry is like this. Inside and outside the industry, everyone values it. Billing order sometimes represents star power, star power represents filming fees and commercial announcement prices…
You think stars fight for billing just to look good on the surface?
They’re fighting for interests!
Blame the capital behind and all the film distributors and advertisers. If these people don’t value billing order, absolutely no one would fight over it to the point of dog-braining each other.
Of course… Shi Jinwei is an exception. Sister Qianzi really cares about billing order… she’s sick.
Sheng Ning also cares about billing order, but in Influenza, she really “can’t compete” with Chi Ye, who is both the investor and more popular than her.
Hm… Sister Ning has been having a tough time lately.
Although Influenza getting selected for Cannes gave her weary heart a bit of relief, after reacting, with her brain, she immediately realized the old problem—Influenza getting selected for Cannes isn’t necessarily good. Box office, box office, still box office!
If box office performance is poor, and it’s a commercial film, reputation definitely won’t beat those art films…
That would be double loss on box office and reputation.
At this time, people in Sheng Ning’s team, especially one of her partners, started feeling lucky that Sheng Ning sold her shares to Chi Ye back then. If she hadn’t sold Influenza’s shares and had invested in Influenza herself…
Then this time they’d really lose everything.
“See, I said back then you sold right. You were still regretting it privately… Regret what? Regret not losing money?”
Late January, Spring Festival approaching.
Airport VIP lounge heading to Cannes.
Partner Yang Fen smacked her lips, sincerely: “I say, Chi Ye’s move is a bit hasty. Doing a global premiere in Cannes at this time completely cuts off the box office path.”
“But for a commercial film, not going for box office, you gonna compete on reputation with those main competition art films? Can you beat them?”
Sheng Ning sat beside, not smoking, her red stilettos tapping the ground da da da, not speaking.
Yang Fen glanced at her, unscrewed the bottle cap, took a sip of water, then continued: “I say, you shouldn’t have acted in this movie. I said back then…”
“Can you stop? Annoying. Back then back then, who was so happy hearing I was ‘reconciling’ with Chi Ye that they came over in the middle of the night to say I actually have a big heart… Who said that? A dog?”
Hearing this, Yang Fen wasn’t angry, because she knew Sheng Ning’s personality. If she couldn’t tolerate the other, they wouldn’t be together.
She laughed playfully: “Aiya, look at you, get anxious after a few words… No, I mean, if Chi Ye loses money this time, you’re not allowed to help him. The company’s projects haven’t made much money in recent years, we don’t have much cash flow…”
“Where do you see that I’m going to help him?”
Sheng Ning was extremely shocked, even incredulous: “Have you gone mad?”
Yang Fen laughed: “Still pretending with me? Others don’t know, but I don’t know about you and him?”
Sheng Ning: “……”
“Sigh.”
Yang Fen sighed: “The kiwifruit side was pretty happy to get Ghost originally, but now this mess happened… Thought following Chi Ye could make a fortune… Eh right, it’s not like we can’t help him. We can cooperate on a TV series.”
Her eyes lit up: “How about you and Chi Ye do an ancient idol drama? Bring our company’s big gift packages too, guaranteed to explode. If not explode… at least a small hit. After all, it’s Chi Ye’s first big production ancient idol drama, full of hype.”
Sheng Ning was speechless for a while: “……Can you not be so mercenary.”
“Ah?”
Yang Fen seemed to hear a joke, sizing up Sheng Ning: “You… you’re calling me mercenary? You’re way more mercenary outside than me. No, Ningning, I was joking before, you wouldn’t really plan to ‘help out’ would you?”
Sheng Ning was silent for a while: “Influenza is also my work. I really like this movie.”
Yang Fen was taken aback, awkwardly shut up: “Alright… Not saying anymore. Hope this year’s Cannes… goes smoothly.”
……
This year’s Cannes is in early February, only about ten days from China’s Spring Festival. Chi Ye and Sheng Ning arrived in Cannes first. Other team members and main creators of the Influenza film crew will arrive in the following days.
At the same time, big stars and big shots from film industries around the world will also arrive in Cannes city these days.
——Including Internal Entertainment Circle.
Internal Entertainment Circle didn’t submit many works to Cannes this year, only two selected, but because of Cannes’ “special significance,” especially the most famous Cannes red carpet, an international top grand red carpet, many Internal Entertainment Circle stars drool over it.
So, even if just to mooch, everyone comes to join the fun.
Like Peng Chen and Chu Han Zhou, and a bunch from Beijing Circle.
Northwest Circle people came too. They’re not mooching, because although Teacher Zhang isn’t in Northwest Circle now, strictly speaking, the “Mou Girl” label is still very obvious.
And this time her selected work is mostly Northwest Circle team. They’re here to “support.”
Evening of the 2nd.
In a foreign city, Internal Entertainment Circle people gathered together.
The Influenza crew didn’t come, because they weren’t invited at all.
And as the only guest not present from the “friend circle,” the topic naturally turned to the chirping Influenza.
“Chi Ye flipped the car this time. I glanced at the midnight screening lineup works yesterday, basically all blockbusters. Influenza stands out awkwardly in there.”
At the cocktail party.
Director Lu raised his wine glass, regretful: “Too bad our post-production took too long this time. Otherwise, I really wanted to submit 749 Bureau too. China’s first industrialized blockbuster facade, 749 Bureau should bear that facade.”
“Eh, Old Lu, that reminds me. Didn’t Influenza have a lot of post-production too? They did special effects this fast? Submitted right on the deadline?”
Someone suddenly remembered something, a bit surprised: “This speed is faster than yours.”
“So I conclude its quality is poor. Getting selected is purely Cannes seeing too few Chinese film submissions this year, giving face… In previous years, many with scores of five or six could get in. I don’t get what there’s to boast about.”
Director Lu roasted: “Just one Cannes selection, and outside Chi Ye’s fans blow it into winning Cannes Movie Emperor… Traffic fans’ brains really don’t work well.”
“Marketing tactics. It’s not our first time experiencing Chi Ye’s marketing.”
Another team member from Chen Sicheng’s company walked over, smiling: “Our boss said Chi Ye’s marketing is even fiercer than his, a pro at cutting leeks.”
“On this point, I won’t argue with you.”
Director Feng nodded: “Chi Ye really has skills in traffic marketing. From the Yue Na incident, there’s never been a time without bad public opinion. Last time they said he was collapsing, ended up washing him even whiter. You say, ordinary people really can’t match this kung fu.”
“Just too bad…”
“Too bad what?”
“Too bad he’s too solo, doesn’t know how to share the cake.”
“Just say he didn’t give you money, haha.”
“Words rough but reason not, haha…”
“……”
Here they clink glasses, toasting back and forth.
In the corner, Ling Han scrolled Chi Ye’s super topic discussions, ear hearing these greasy uncles’ occasional laughter, pursed her lips.
What do you know? Gege is just temporarily lying low. Other young actors have flopped how many movies? Gege hasn’t flopped one yet. Every time bold claims before release…
Too low-class.
“Hanhan, playing on phone, hehe…”
Peng Chen thick-skinned walked over, bent down and sat beside Ling Han: “Why not go drink a few cups? So lively today.”
Ling Han glanced at him: “Don’t want to drink.”
Peng Chen undeterred, smiled: “Last time didn’t you say you wanted to hear about my old Rise days? Just right, free today. I’ll tell you.”
“Hm?!”
Ling Han’s heart stirred, calmly put down the phone, smile on her face: “Sure sure, tell me… um… about Chi Ye’s old days.”
“Ah?”
Lao Peng was slightly dazed: “Chi Ye? Why… why?”
“Weren’t you roommates with him before?”
Ling Han curiously: “Gege… the dog Chi Ye raised before, you still raising it? Why not give it back? You’re not doing the right thing.”
Peng Chen: “……”
He reacted, knowing Ling Han used to fan Yu Yan, now wall-climbed to Chi Ye fan…
Unrivaled Top Streamer, Unrivaled Top Streamer…
All because of this Unrivaled Top Streamer halo.
Fine fine fine… Chi Ye, after this Influenza, I see how you maintain this Unrivaled Top Streamer halo.
