enjoyebooks Chapter 52: Screening
Chapter 52: Screening
When Han Sanping called, Liu Yu was revising his graduation thesis in his dormitory.
Yu Li has urged me three times, saying she won't sign it until it's completely revised.
He sat in front of the computer screen for half an hour, deleted two lines of text, added three lines, stared at the cursor for five minutes, and finally closed the document and played a game of Minesweeper.
He stepped on a landmine when his phone rang, and the screen exploded into a grid of squares.
"Liu Yu, are you really not going to hold the premiere?" Han Sanping's voice came through the receiver.
Liu Yu held his phone between his ear and shoulder, typed a few random words on the keyboard, and then deleted them.
"Chairman Han, let's call it a day. We've won the award, sold the rights, and as for the domestic box office... to be honest, I don't really care anymore." He wasn't being pretentious; he genuinely thought so.
The Silver Bear trophy sits on the table, the copyright fees lie in the account, and whether the domestic box office is a few million more or a few million less, it's no longer a matter of life or death for him at his current size.
Instead of spending time doing roadshows, dealing with reporters, and faking a smile for the camera on stage, it's better to stay at school and finish your thesis.
Han Sanping remained silent for a moment on the other end of the phone, probably processing the information in Liu Yu's words.
The freshman who ran himself ragged for millions of dollars in investment three years ago now has the confidence to say such things.
He sighed, his tone softening, "Alright, then you go ahead and do your thing."
"Thank you, Chairman Han." Liu Yu hung up the phone, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling for a while.
......
On March 1st, "Hearing Girl" was released nationwide.
Liu Yu didn't go to the movie theater. He stayed in his dorm all day, revising his thesis on the computer. He got distracted while revising.
Wang Chaowen went out on a date, Liu Xiao went to the library, and Xin Hao went to the company.
Around 11 p.m., Wang Chaowen pushed open the door and came in with a gust of cold wind. His face was red from the cold, and he stamped his feet as soon as he entered.
"Brother, guess what I saw at the movie theater today?" He took off his coat and threw it on the bed, rubbing his hands as he walked to the radiator. "I saw an elderly couple, their hair completely white. When they came out, the old lady had red eyes and was holding the old man's arm, saying, 'This movie was really good.'"
Wang Chaowen said this with great excitement, as if he had won the lottery, "Brother, even old ladies can understand your film, what does that mean? It means it's down-to-earth!"
Liu Yu didn't reply, but smiled slightly.
He knew Wang Chaowen was comforting him, and this way of comforting him was quite effective.
.....
March 2nd, early in the morning.
Liu Yu was awakened by Wang Chaowen's noise. He squinted and peeked out from under the covers. He saw that Wang Chaowen was already dressed and sitting at his desk with a laptop in front of him, his fingers typing away on the keyboard.
Wang Chaowen, who usually sleeps until he naturally wakes up and then stays in bed for ten minutes longer, actually got up earlier than him today.
"Brother!" Wang Chaowen saw Liu Yu come out of the bedroom and jumped up from the stool, almost knocking the computer over.
He frantically steadied the computer, raised his hands and waved them, his face beaming with the excitement of someone who'd won the lottery. "The opening day box office figures for 'The Hearing Girl' are in! Guess how much?"
Liu Yu walked over, poured himself a glass of water, and took a sip.
"How many?"
"Five million one hundred and twenty thousand!" Wang Chaowen turned his computer screen towards Liu Yu. The headline on Sina Entertainment was glaringly obvious: "The word-of-mouth is exploding!"
Liu Yu stood in front of the table with a water glass in his hand, staring at the numbers on the screen for a few seconds.
His expression didn't change much, but he tightened his grip on the water glass slightly.
Five million one hundred and twenty thousand for an art film, the kind that's slow-paced and restrained in its emotional appeal. To achieve this number on its opening day was a minor miracle in the Chinese film market of 2005.
It's been almost two weeks since "Peacock" was released, and its total box office has barely exceeded five million.
He achieved in one day what others took half a month to accomplish.
He put down his water glass and sat back down in his chair. He suddenly remembered that when they were filming the last scene in Weihai last year, the sea breeze was very strong, and Liu Yifei was standing on the embankment, her skirt was blown by the wind like a flag.
The song she sang was written by him. His voice was hoarse when he recorded it, but the effect was surprisingly good, with a kind of hoarse realism.
"Brother? Are you unhappy?" Wang Chaowen tilted his head to look at his expression, his tone carrying a hint of unease.
"I'm happy. But after the happiness, we still have work to do. Go open the window and let some fresh air in. It's too stuffy in here." Wang Chaowen responded and ran to open the window.
A cold breeze rushed in through the window, dissipating the warmth from the heating. Liu Yu shivered and zipped up his coat.
......
In the days that followed, Liu Yu deliberately kept a low profile.
It wasn't an act; he genuinely didn't know what to say about the overwhelming media coverage.
He went to the cafeteria for a meal and met some unfamiliar classmates who congratulated him. He nodded and said thank you.
My phone kept receiving messages.
People in the industry whom I had previously exchanged QQ or phone numbers with at dinner parties, but had never actually chatted with, suddenly appeared to send congratulations, each one more enthusiastic than the last.
On March 6th and 7th, "The Hearing Girl" grossed over 35 million yuan in its first six days of release.
When this number came out, the people at China Film Group were overjoyed.
The media has started using the term "over 100 million".
A portal website published a long article titled "From to
The first film grossed over 100 million, the second film grossed 90 million, and the third film grossed 35 million in just six days. If this trend continues, breaking 100 million is not a dream.
After reading the article, Liu Yu wondered if these reporters had been taught math by a PE teacher.
"Speed Scandal" was forced to be taken down, it didn't just disappear naturally, so it's unfair to leave it there for comparison.
......
By mid-March, two weeks after its release, "Hearty Girl" had grossed over 70 million yuan.
Pirated copies were already available. Liu Yu downloaded a copy online, opened it, watched it for a few minutes, and then closed it.
He wasn't angry, he just couldn't bear to watch it; the shaky screen made him dizzy.
He cursed the pirates in his mind; their technology was so bad, they couldn't even do a proper covert filming.
The industry has started to do the math. The cost and copyright transaction of "Hearing Girl" were already reported by China Film Group during their previous promotion.
The production cost of "Hearing Girl" was seven million, and the overseas copyright sold for ten million US dollars, which is equivalent to more than eighty million RMB. This alone has earned more than ten times the cost.
With a domestic box office of over 70 million, after deducting theater revenue share and taxes, the net profit is still around 20 to 30 million.
In total, the film's revenue exceeded 100 million.
A financial media outlet published a special report with a very straightforward title: "How profitable is the film and television industry when a movie earns 100 million yuan?"
The report thoroughly dissected Liu Yu's company, detailing its equity structure, investor background, and cost-benefit analysis—it was written in a very professional manner, even more detailed than the company's own financial model.
Liu Yu read the report, smiled, and shook his head.
The film and television industry was once again in an uproar.
There were all sorts of people: envious, jealous, and eager to try.
State media seized the opportunity to publish an editorial entitled "Film and Television Culture Industry Ushers in Golden Development Period," encouraging private capital to actively invest in the cultural field.
After reading the editorial, Liu Yu thought to himself: You're speaking too soon. A few years from now, when hot money floods in, and coal bosses, real estate developers, and internet companies all rush in to grab projects, that will be the golden age of development.
This current spectacle is merely an appetizer.
The media began conducting interviews everywhere, asking everyone they could, "What do you think of the box office performance of 'The Hearing Girl'?"
Chen Kaige was cornered by reporters at an event. Unable to avoid them, he waved his hand and said a few words.
"Yeah, I watched the movie. This junior brother is pretty good."
The tone was as if evaluating a new employee, with the condescending tolerance typical of a senior colleague.
Zhang Yimou was asked by reporters during a break from preparing for his new film for the Olympics. He was wearing a black jacket and had a tired but still gentle smile on his face.
"I've seen 'Hearing Girl.' Liu Yu, as a young director, handled it quite well. He is one of the best directors and screenwriters of the younger generation, and this script is first-rate."
Regardless of outside reports, Liu Yu has always kept a low profile, staying at the school or company, occasionally checking the box office data.
Wang Chaowen was much more attentive than him. Every morning, the first thing he did was open the backend to check the data, and then he would run over to report to Liu Yu, his tone becoming more and more excited each time.
In mid-March, Liu Yifei sent Liu Yu a very long message.
It begins with, "Director Liu, thank you."
The middle line reads, "After the release of 'Hearing Girl,' I received many offers, including movies, TV series, and some GG endorsements."
The ending reads, "I will continue to work hard and live up to your trust in me."