In early 2008, a film with an investment exceeding 100 million yuan represented a monumental concept in the Chinese film market. It signified a super blockbuster with enormous ambition and risk.
According to China’s box office sharing rules, a production cost of 100 million yuan would require roughly 300 million yuan in total box office to break even or turn a profit. If Huanyu was not boasting and genuinely planned to spend over 100 million on a film, their expectation was to claim the 2008 box office championship.
The 2007 Chinese domestic film box office rankings had just been released. The top spot went to a period war epic, which topped the annual domestic chart with 190 million yuan after three weeks in release.
The film market was growing rapidly. Based on 2007 data, industry insiders predicted that while this year’s champion had 190 million yuan, next year’s could double, with the winner aiming for around 400 million yuan.
Anyone can dream, and there was nothing wrong with Huanyu aspiring to next year’s box office crown.
Wen Ying called the Ran family petty mainly because Ran Keqing’s chosen genre clashed with Director Zhang’s idea.
Of course, Director Zhang had not secured exclusive rights to the genre. Ran Keqing was free to pursue it. By selecting the same theme, rushing to register the project, and holding a press conference first, Ran Keqing was deliberately provoking Wen Ying’s side.
Wen Ying did not mind much, but Director Zhang was in a foul mood.
The idea to film this genre originated with Director Zhang.
While dining with Ran Keqing, he encountered Wen Ying and mentioned wanting her as screenwriter. Ran Keqing impulsively jumped in.
Director Zhang agreed.
Ran Keqing could not accept Wen Ying’s script quote and backed out midway.
Director Zhang said nothing.
Yet Ran Keqing proceeded to have Huanyu film the same genre, even announcing it first at a press conference. When Director Zhang’s side held theirs later, the media would only say Liansheng was copying Huanyu!
The two films were destined to be compared directly.
Right after Huanyu’s press conference, Yuan Fenghui immediately summoned Wen Ying to the company for a meeting.
“Xiaoyu hasn’t started writing yet. Shall we switch genres?”
No matter the genre, the script quote remained 5 million yuan. That was non-negotiable. Production costs might vary by theme, though.
It did not matter. Yuan Fenghui was not afraid to renegotiate with Director Zhang.
Director Zhang also felt Ran Keqing had gone too far.
Liansheng was smaller than Huanyu. He had known Chairman Ran for years, yet this time Ran Keqing showed him no respect. With so many genres available, why crowd Liansheng’s lane?
Director Zhang gritted his teeth. “We won’t change genres. We’ll proceed as planned. Don’t let Huanyu distract us.”
Yuan Fenghui was frank. “Miss Ran’s side has over 100 million investment. If we match that scale, even 40% would be beyond Tianjiao’s means. We can’t compete on investment with Huanyu.”
“Why compete on investment?”
Director Zhang sneered. “Big investments often yield high box office, but are all high earners built on massive spending? If Huanyu invests 100 million and gets 200 million back, while we invest only 60 million and also hit 200 million, we’re the ones profiting!”
100 million invested, 200 million box office: a loss.
60 million invested, 200 million box office: a gain.
Anyone could do the maths, but few achieved it.
For starters, a 100 million budget could afford a far superior cast than 60 million.
For most audiences, strong actors plus a renowned director plus an appealing genre drew them to cinemas. If two similar films released simultaneously and they could watch only one, they would choose the one with the best cast.
Director Zhang suddenly turned to Wen Ying. “Our investment lags Huanyu’s, and genres clash. In the end, we can only compete on story. Here, I have faith in Teacher Xiaoyu, because Huanyu would never spend 5 million on a script.”
A 100 million budget sounds vast. Hiring a slew of A-listers could cost tens of millions in fees alone.
The rest goes to sets, post-production effects, and sustaining the crew. Where would they find 5 million for the script?
Moreover, in the Ran father-daughter duo’s view, and most industry bosses’, a film script simply was not worth 5 million!
Director Zhang placed high hopes on Wen Ying, and she immediately felt the pressure.
By now, this was far more than earning extra income for Wen Ying.
If Huanyu casually commissioned a script for their over-100-million project, spending far less than 5 million, and achieved massive box office success, it would be Huanyu’s victory.
But if Liansheng filmed the same genre with only 60 million total investment, willingly paying 5 million for the script, and the film flopped, it would not just be Liansheng’s failure.
It would be Wen Ying’s personal failure.
Proof her script was not worth 5 million.
A blow to all screenwriters.
Wen Ying looked serious. “Director Zhang, my quote is not low. My script will justify the 5 million.”
Even just the script direction required several meetings with Director Zhang and Yuan Fenghui for Wen Ying to gain confidence.
Though Director Zhang was an iron rooster who could squeeze oil from stone, his grasp of the film market was quite professional.
He analysed past years’ trends. Wen Ying knew the future ones.
One knew the past, the other the future. Through repeated discussions and clashes of ideas, could they create a film both critically acclaimed and commercially successful?
No one knew.
Outwardly confident, inwardly everyone worried.
Whether a film was good ultimately rested with audiences, not the studio, screenwriter, director, or actors. It had to face public judgment.
Exam week ended. Other students welcomed winter break. Wen Ying’s screenwriting work had just begun.
Facing Xie Qian, Wen Ying felt rather embarrassed.
Xie Qian’s rehabilitation plan would mostly conclude this winter break. Wen Ying had planned to spend more time with him, but thanks to Ran Keqing’s interference, she truly had to devote herself fully to script creation.
Mentioning Miss Ran’s disruptive antics, Wen Ying stabbed her chopsticks into a poached egg. The perfectly runny yolk burst and flowed out.
Clearly targeting the egg, yet Xie Qian’s scalp tingled.
He suspected his girlfriend might burst Miss Ran’s head the same way.
“Of course your creation matters more!”
Xie Qian replied firmly. “You focus on the script. I’ll focus on rehab. Let’s complete our respective milestones together.”
Wen Ying set down the chopsticks. Her emerging smile turned to worry. “But if we’re each busy, will I not see you? I really want to see you…”
Finally official, what fun in not meeting daily? Wen Ying was not into long-distance romance!
Xie Qian struggled to shift his gaze from the mangled egg. Boyfriend power surged from 100% to 200%. “Of course we can meet. You concentrate on writing. I’ll come accompany you for meals every day.”
Wen Ying was satisfied with this answer and finally spared the poor egg.
She began clocking in daily at Tianjiao. An independent office aided focused creation.
“Little Director Wen” was back.
Tianjiao employees worked diligently, none daring slack.
Li Mengjiao heard about it and fumed. “Has God Xie even glanced at her properly? So delusionally self-infatuated! I must join this film’s cast, even as a passer-by. Hey, that’s a publicity angle. Let me play a passer-by and hype it hard… Ah, Teacher Yuan, why hit my head? Stop, stop, or I’ll go stupid!”
Li Mengjiao fled clutching her head.
Yuan Fenghui trembled with anger. “I poured so much effort into you. For you to play a speechless extra? Remember, you are Li Mengjiao. You will never play extras!”
“Oh, got it.”
Li Mengjiao escaped the office and ran into Yun Chen and Zhang Yangning.
“Teacher Yuan’s in a terrible mood today. Be careful not to provoke her!”
Yun Chen had just returned from a set.
Filming movies differed from TV dramas.
In TV, one take often sufficed. Directors praised Yun Chen endlessly: camera-friendly face, excellent poise, born for this.
In film, one shot led to countless NGs.
He thought he performed well. The director said emotions lacked depth!
The big screen magnified faces and performances. TV-level acting fell short in cinema!
After one film, Yun Chen had not recovered from daily directorial beatings. He craved more cinematic thrashing.
More importantly, the company’s new project clashed with another. Yun Chen wanted to contribute.
“I can play a supporting role.”
“I can compose the score!”
Yun Chen and Zhang Yangning spoke in unison.
Yuan Fenghui, half-dead from Li Mengjiao’s antics, revived. The idiot was an exception. Her judgment was not that poor. These two were quite normal.
Yuan Fenghui smiled pleasantly. “No rush. I’ll arrange when needed. For now, wait for Wen Ying’s script.”
Yun Chen and Zhang Yangning exchanged glances. Teacher Yuan’s mood was bad? It seemed fine!
Suitable roles naturally went to company artists first.
Tianjiao had artists. Liansheng did too.
If a role suited both Yun Chen and a Liansheng male artist, Yuan Fenghui would pin Director Zhang down and seize it.
But only if it truly fit Yun Chen!
Yuan Fenghui never interfered with Wen Ying’s creation, never demanded roles tailored to Li Mengjiao, Yun Chen, or Zhang Yangning.
Even if Wen Ying wanted a lead mirroring Li Mengjiao, Yuan Fenghui would advise against it. She refused extras for Li Mengjiao but knew her current acting could not carry a film lead!
After Li Mengjiao, Yun Chen, and Zhang Yangning pledged loyalty in turns, Tianjiao’s other signed writer Song Foxiang arrived in flowing white robes and long hair.
“I can co-write the script with Xiaowen. Rest assured, I won’t fight for credit. I want no pay. I simply cannot stand a rich girl bullying others with power!”
Song Foxiang felt righteous. Yuan Fenghui rejected outright. “No, you cannot join script creation.”
“I want no money!”
Song Foxiang glared. “Who knows my lecture fees better than you? To help Xiaowen resist the rich girl’s oppression, I’ve cancelled events. Not only no pay, I’m subsidising. Why exclude me?”
Yuan Fenghui sneered. “Let you join the writing team? I’m afraid half the film would need cutting for censorship approval.”
Song Foxiang raged. “Depictions of love and desire are normal artistic creation!”
Yuan Fenghui’s eyes twitched wildly. Face dark, she pointed at the door. “Three seconds to vanish. I don’t want to resort to force.”
Song Foxiang was ejected from the office.
Li Mengjiao watched him flee clutching his head, lingering fear in her heart. Teacher Yuan’s mood truly was poor.
