sovbooks Chapter 30 Summary
Chapter 30 Summary
On October 1st, "Caught in the Web" was released nationwide.
Fu Yibai was unable to participate in the roadshow, so Wang Peng, who was the producer, had to lead the team to various ticket markets for the roadshow.
However, since the market is not large now, they don't need to go to too many cities.
A few first-tier cities plus five or six second-tier cities would be enough.
Thanks to intensive and highly topical publicity, the popularity of Fu Yibai and Fan Binbin, the film's high quality and sharp social issues, "Caught in the Web" achieved a successful opening day.
Data from China Film Group Corporation shows that...
It grossed 728 million yuan on its opening day, far exceeding the opening day performance of "Black Coal, Thin Ice", and far surpassed the others in the 2003 National Day film season.
Word of mouth spread rapidly.
Most media reviews gave it a positive rating:
"Fu Yibai once again proves his keen social insight and solid directing skills. 'Caught in the Web' is a high-quality drama film with a sharp edge to reality."
"Fan Binbin's transformation is a pleasant surprise. She portrayed Ye Lanqiu's tragic fate with rich layers, which touched people's hearts."
"The film is not a simple moral critique, but rather peels back the layers to expose the weaknesses of human nature and the gaps in the system in the internet age, prompting deep reflection."
The online discussion was even more heated.
On forums such as Tianya and Douban, posts about topics such as "Ye Lanqiu's innocence," "the boundaries of media responsibility," and "cyberbullying" are emerging one after another.
Many lines and plot points from the film have been widely quoted and debated.
"After watching 'Caught in the Web,' I felt a chill down my spine. Haven't we all unknowingly become 'snowflakes' at some point?"
"Fan Binbin is really different this time; Director Fu has a knack for training actors!"
……
Of course, there are also dissenting voices.
Some media professionals believe the film portrays the media in an overly negative light.
Some people felt the ending was too heavy and depressing.
But it was precisely these controversies that further fueled the film's popularity.
The box office performance remains stable.
During the seven-day National Day holiday, "Caught in the Web" firmly occupied the top spot in both screenings and box office rankings thanks to its high attendance and continued buzz, with its first-week box office exceeding 4000 million yuan.
China Film Group and Chenxi Media were overjoyed. Han Shanping sent another congratulatory telegram to Fu Yibai, his tone even more excited than when he was filming "Black Coal, Thin Ice".
As the leading lady, Fan Binbin received the most widespread recognition for her acting skills since entering the film industry, and her commercial value and personal image have been greatly enhanced, with film offers and endorsements pouring in.
The battle for box office revenue during the National Day holiday continues.
"Caught in the Web" led the box office with an astonishing 4000 million yuan in its opening week, injecting a strong boost into the somewhat lackluster domestic film market in 2003.
China Film Group's publicity team followed up with a series of events, including film critic seminars, university screenings, and media debates, continuously pushing the social discussions sparked by the film to new heights.
Online discussions on topics such as "snowflake theory," "the debate on media boundaries," and "whether Ye Lanqiu deserves sympathy" have continued to escalate, even extending beyond the realm of film and becoming hot topics in public discourse.
This "movie phenomenon" level effect is exactly what Fu Yibai and Han Shanping hoped to see.
It signifies not only sustained box office success, but also the true establishment of influence and a voice in the market.
October 8th, the first working day after the long holiday.
The atmosphere in the conference room of Chenxi Media was even more enthusiastic than during the holiday.
Fu Yibai rushed back to Beijing from the set of "No Country for Old Men" to preside over this crucial interim meeting.
He had lost some weight, and his skin was roughened by the sun and sandstorms of the Northwest, but his eyes were sharper and calmer, like a knife that had been tempered.
On both sides of the long table in the conference room, core management members including Zhao Qi, Lin Wei, and Wang Peng were all present, along with Chen Mo, the newly promoted head of the music business, and Xu Liang, the head of the cinema acquisition team.
Each person had a thick stack of reports and plans in front of them.
"Let's begin."
Fu Yibai sat down and, without any pleasantries, went straight to the point.
"Sister Qi, please report the latest data from 'Search' first."
Zhao Qi opened the folder, her voice clear and steady.
"As of yesterday, October 7th, 'Caught in the Web' has grossed 42.8 million yuan in its first seven days of release."
Yesterday's box office still reached 650 million, a very healthy trend.
According to China Film Group's model predictions, the final box office will be between 8000 million and 1 million yuan, making it highly likely to become the highest-grossing domestic film this year.
(Because of rampant piracy at the time, the majority of the box office revenue came in the first half of the month.)
A low gasp filled the conference room, followed by an irrepressible surge of excitement.
8000 million to 1 million!
In 2003, this was an absolute figure that shook the entire industry.
Fu Yibai remained calm; this number was within his expected range.
"Reputation and public opinion?"
"Persistent high fever."
Zhao Qi continued his report.
"Mainstream media reviews are almost entirely positive, and it ranks first in online discussion."
Fan Binbin's acting skills have been widely recognized, and his personal commercial value has increased at least threefold.
More importantly, your personal reputation and influence, Director.
She looked at Fu Yibai.
"It is no longer limited to 'Berlin Award-winning director'."
Instead, he is widely recognized as a "top director who combines artistic pursuits with social insight and achieves market success."
The level of attention we've received from the industry, especially regarding Chenxi Media's subsequent actions, has reached unprecedented levels.
Fu Yibai nodded and looked at Lin Wei.
"Artist Management Department"
Lin Wei immediately took over.
"Thanks to the success of 'Search,' our success rate in reaching new people has increased significantly."
Two people have been officially signed: Huang Bo and Lei Jiayin.
The contracts are all long-term, with generous terms and strong binding force.
Three other promising newcomers have entered the final negotiation stage, and it is expected that a deal will be finalized within this month.
At the same time, there has been a significant increase in the number of established actors proactively contacting us, hoping to sign contracts or collaborate. I am currently building an evaluation file.
What are the next plans for Huang Bo and Lei Jiayin?
"Huang Bo is currently in the crew of 'Crazy Stone' and has an important role. Director Ning Hao gave him excellent feedback, believing that he 'naturally possesses grassroots vitality and a sense of humor'."
Lin Wei continued.
"His appearance is distinctive. After he finishes this film, I plan to give him some supporting roles that can highlight his acting skills, and steadily build his career."
Lei Jiayin's image is more versatile; he can play both righteous and villainous roles. I have several supporting role offers for TV dramas and am currently screening them.
"Can."
Fu Yibai agreed.
"Remember our principles: do not pursue short-term exposure, but focus on honing acting skills and building a long-term image."
I'll take any project, even if the pay is low and the role is small, as long as the character is memorable.
The company prioritizes them for its own projects.
"clear."
Fu Yibai turned to Chen Mo.
"Music business."
Chen Mo is a capable man in his early thirties who previously worked in copyright management at a record company before being poached by Zhao Qi.
"Mr. Fu, the master tapes for all ten songs have been completed, and the quality is top-notch."
The access agreements for the ringback tone service with China Mobile and China Unicom have been officially signed, with a 50/50 revenue split and monthly settlement. These are the best terms that can be negotiated at present.
The first batch of five songs is expected to be officially launched on the ringback tone platform in mid-October.
In addition, we contacted several provincial radio stations' music charts, and they were all very interested after listening to the demos and were willing to give them prominent recommendations.
"Promotion strategy?"
"Combining online and offline methods."
Online, we secured featured placements with the music channels of several major portal websites, as well as emerging MP3 download websites.
Offline, they will rely on radio charts and plan to integrate their songs into KTVs in some key cities.
Initial promotional resources will focus on three songs: "Ten Thousand Reasons," "Seeking Buddha," and "Autumn Never Returns," to test market reaction.
Fu Yibai pondered for a moment.
"Add an extra budget to produce simple but emotionally clear story-driven music videos for 'Ten Thousand Reasons' and 'Seeking Buddha,' which will be played on TV music channels and emerging video websites."
The core of the ringback tone service is emotional resonance and convenient dissemination; visual aids can accelerate this process.
Chen Mo's eyes lit up.
"Great idea! I'll get on it right away."
Finally, there's Xu Liang, the head of the cinema chain, a man in his forties who previously worked in project development at a large commercial real estate company.
"Mr. Fu, the renovation project of Beijing Chaoyang Cinema is 80% complete and is expected to open at the end of November. As per your requirements, it has been transformed into six halls with a total of 820 seats, all equipped with the latest digital projection equipment and surround sound system."
The design drawings for the Shanghai Pudong project have been finalized, and construction will begin in early November. After renovation, it will have eight halls with 1200 seats.
In second-tier cities, the acquisition of three cinemas in Chengdu, Wuhan, and Xi'an has been completed, and equipment upgrades and room renovations are underway. They are expected to be put into operation before the end of the year.
In addition, we have identified two targets in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and are currently in contact with them.
Xu Liang paused, then added.
"At the current pace of progress, by the end of this year, Galaxy Cinemas will have seven cinemas with a total of more than fifty screens."
Although its scale cannot yet compare with large cinema chains, it has already established a preliminary locational advantage in the core cities where we are focusing our efforts.
Fu Yibai carefully looked at the renovation renderings and operational calculations submitted by Xu Liang and nodded.
"The cost control is quite good."
Remember, the core of a movie theater is the viewing experience and its location.
The equipment must be state-of-the-art, the service must be meticulous, and the location must be precise.
We do not pursue blind expansion, but every location must become a benchmark in the region.
In addition, the membership system should be built simultaneously, leveraging our future content advantages to create user stickiness.
"yes!"
After all the departments finished their reports, Fu Yibai leaned forward slightly, placed his hands on the table, and glanced at everyone.
"The success of 'Search' proves our content production capabilities and vision."
Filming of "Crazy Stone" went smoothly, and "No Country for Old Men" is my flagship product for the Berlin Film Festival early next year.
Music and cinemas are our two wings: one is a light-asset business with quick monetization, and the other is a heavy-asset business with long-term strategic planning.
Artist management is a core asset for the future.
His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and forceful.
"The next few months are a critical period."
Zhao Qi, you need to oversee the overall situation, ensure the coordinated progress of all business lines, and maintain a healthy cash flow.
Lin Wei, expedite artist signings and development. We'll be increasing our self-produced projects next year, and we'll need our own people.
Chen Mo, the ringback tone business is currently the fastest cash cow, and we must make it a resounding success.
Xu Liang: The cinema construction is proceeding according to plan, steadily and surely.
"also."
Fu Yibai paused for a moment.
"I've decided to launch a new department: the Morning Light Pictures Distribution Department."
Everyone's expression tightened.
"Currently, our film distribution relies on China Film Group, which is good and will not change in the short term."
In the long run, however, we must build our own distribution capabilities and channel relationships.
Initially, the distribution department did not pursue scale, and had two main functions.
First, we will study in depth the distribution processes, channel maintenance, and publicity strategies of major companies such as China Film Group.
Second, try to independently operate some low-cost, distinctive film distributions to accumulate experience.
Zhao Qi is in charge of finding the right person; they need to understand the market, be driven, and be able to work hard.
Zhao Qi quickly wrote it down: "Understood."
"at last."
Fu Yibai looked at Wang Peng.
China Film Group is already in talks regarding the overseas distribution of "Caught in the Web".
Please follow up on this, focusing on the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition, keep a close eye on film festivals in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia to see if there are any suitable opportunities for "Crazy Stone" to be screened.
This type of film, with its multi-narrative structure and dark humor, is likely to attract attention at film festivals and can also generate buzz for its domestic release next year.
"Okay, Director Fu."
The meeting lasted for a full three hours.
After the meeting, Fu Yibai stayed in the conference room alone to deal with some documents that had accumulated recently.