"Director Zhang, I respect you."

"I salute you with this cup, I can say that I have learned a lot of things when I joined the group this time, and there are two of them that I didn't expect - the first one was that the American film industry has reached such a point; The second thing I didn't expect was that our Chinese directors could calmly control such a large Hollywood-style crew and master so many advanced shooting techniques with ease. It's amazing, it's really, really remarkable. I have gained a lot from joining the group this time, which has not only broadened my horizons, but also increased my knowledge."

"The film industry in the United States is indeed very developed, but I believe that with the continuous improvement of our comprehensive national strength, we will always catch up, and I am just one step ahead of others by chance."

Director Zhang Yimou drank too much at the finale banquet of "Gravity", and the filming process of "Gravity" caused a great psychological shock to him.

There are only 156 shots in the whole film, which is far less than most films of the same length. The 18-minute long shot at the beginning of the film is amazing and breathtaking.

It is not difficult to shoot long shots simply, but the difficult thing is how to shoot long shots wonderfully and not boring, and Zhang Yimou believes that Li Mu has completely achieved this.

80% of the CG special effects, the application of the most cutting-edge motion capture technology, and the subversive 3 shooting methods - perhaps Zhang Yimou still didn't understand Li Mu's exaggerated box office results in the world in the past, but after the experience of working in the same group this time, he completely understood how far the young man in front of him had come.

At the finale banquet, Li Mu was full of praise for photographer Emmanuel Lubezki, and Emmanuel Lubezki also admired Li Mu.

Many of the filming methods and shooting techniques used in the filming of "Gravity" were the top and most cutting-edge in the world even in 2013, and there were many disruptive innovations.

Emmanuel Lubezki is a god-like photographer.

In the original world, he won the Best Cinematography Award at the 86th Academy Awards for "Gravity"; won the Best Cinematography Award at the 87th Academy Awards for "Birdman"; He won the Best Cinematography Award at the 88th Academy Awards for the adventure film "The Revenant".

Many of the shooting techniques and techniques that were originally pioneered by him in the future do not exist at this point in time, but as a time-traveler who has been a photographer for more than ten years in later generations, Li Mu, these shooting techniques and techniques that have not yet appeared are very popular technologies.

Therefore, in the whole shooting process, many of the shooting techniques that are still original to this day are Li Mu first came up with feasible plans, and then handed them over to photographer Emmanuel Lubezki to realize.

This also made Li Mu extremely impressed in Emmanuel Lubezki's heart.

"Director Li Mu, you are one of the most tech-savvy directors I have ever met, this film has a lot of subversive advances, this is a work that has promoted the development of the film industry, Hollywood's director Cameron is a real technology maniac, you give me the feeling that I am very similar to him."

"You are the most professional and imaginative director I have ever met, and your cinematography skills are amazing!" Li Mu said while hooking shoulders with Emmanuel Lubezki.

Director Zhang Yimou had a more complicated mood after hearing the conversation between the two.

At first, he thought that Li Mu was at most exposed to and mastered the latest Hollywood shooting techniques and methods, but with the continuous advancement of film shooting, as he saw more and more Li Mu and this foreign photographer discussing the process of shooting technology, as this foreign photographer praised Li Mu's idea again and again, he was surprised, and said that this was another pioneering achievement, and no one had tried it before.

Zhang Yimou finally realized, where is Li Mu a Chinese director who catches up with Hollywood shooting technology? He is clearly a director like Cameron who is single-handedly pushing the boundaries of global filmmaking technology!

A Chinese director like Cameron!

"Director Li, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity, this shooting is a new experience for me." Gong Li also came over to toast.

"Sister Li laughed, who of our directors in Huaxia doesn't want to

Would you like to ask Sister Li to film?"

The filming of "Gravity" is indeed of great significance to Gong Li.

The six-meter-high special sound stage, 4,096 LE light bulbs, unpredictable lighting effects, huge display screens, and realistic scene environments all make it easy for her to find the feeling of being alone in space.

At the same time, the communication between Li Mu and the cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, the discussion with director Zhang Yimou, the application of a large number of new technologies, and the cooperation of thousands of cast and crew, all made Gong Li see the infinite prospects of this film.

She already had a vague premonition that the film would take her career to unprecedented heights.

"Director Li, we also toast you, I wish the movie a big box office hit and swept the Oscars!"

"Director Li, I respect you......"

At this time, Liu Yifei finally couldn't stand it anymore, she smiled and stopped everyone: "I said everyone, Director Li has already drunk a lot today, and I will drink for him next."

"Hurricane Rescue 2" started later than "Gravity" but finished earlier, and Liu Yifei has been with Li Mu in the crew for nearly a month.

Seeing that Liu Yifei came over to block the wine for Director Li Mu, everyone at the scene began to coax.

"Sister-in-law feels sorry for the director!"

"Do you think we should envy the director, every movie is a big hit? Or should I envy the director for finding a fairy wife?"

"All envy and envy ......"

Li Mu took Liu Yifei in his arms and took the wine glass in her hand and said, "Do you still help me drink as much as you drink?" Don't drink too much for a while...... I want to carry you upstairs!"

Liu Yifei drank all the wine in her hand without saying a word, and then she glanced up at Li Mu, although she didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes was clearly saying Who are you looking down on?

After the banquet, Liu Yifei helped Li Mu back to the room, and after throwing him on the bed, seeing him drunk, Liu Yifei took off Li Mu's shoes and coat and covered him with a quilt.

"When others toast you, they won't just raise their glasses and taste them, and it's not you who drink too much and feel uncomfortable? Get a good night's sleep tonight."

"Sleep? What do you sleep?" Li Mu's eyes were half-squinted and half-opened, "I'm going to deal with you ruthlessly tonight!" I'm glad the movie is finished!"

"You're a big-headed ghost."

Liu Yifei was stunned for a moment after speaking, and then turned around and found that Li Mu was already asleep at this time.

……

As the time entered December, the 08 Chinese New Year "Ring Competition" officially kicked off.

The action kung fu movie "Ip Man" starring Zhen Bullet and directed by Ye Weixin was officially announced to be set for December 19.

Directed by Feng Xiaogang and starring Ge You, Shu Qi, Fan Wei, Hu Ke and others, the love movie "If You Are Honest, Do Not Disturb" was officially announced to be rescheduled to December 18.

It is worth mentioning that the movie "If You Are Honest, Do Not Disturb" was originally scheduled for December 22, but the reason why it was raised to December 19 this time was because the movie "Red Cliff (II)" had just announced that the schedule would be raised from January 15 to January 5 in 09.

Director Feng Xiaogang also made it clear when responding to why he changed the file: "Because "Red Cliff" is on the premise, we are also on the premise."

Finally, there are unconfirmed rumors, saying that it is director Li Mu's masterpiece of two years of sharpening a sword, and the movie "Inception" starring Tom Hanks, Li Mu, Liu Yifei, Marion Cotillard and others will be officially set for December 25, 08.

For a while, fans across the country were boiling, and the Internet was full of related discussions.

"Exciting! This year's Chinese New Year stalls can be called fairy fights!"

"I'm looking forward to Director Feng's "If You're Honest, Don't Disturb", with an investment of 50 million, breaking the record of Feng's comedy investment, Uncle Ge, Goddess Shu Qi, Fan Wei, Che Bi, Xu Ruoxuan, Luo Haiqiong, many celebrities and beauties, super looking forward to it!"

"If you want to talk about comedy, Li Mu's comedy is also very powerful, "People in Embarrassment" has already been completed, and it should be able to be on it within the year, Shen Teng's new generation of comedy kings, certified by Han Han, Wang Baoqiang's acting skills are also very good, but I don't know if he can control the comedy role."

"Why did Director Feng change gears? Afraid of "Red Cliff (II)"

？ The upper part is not good-looking, and the lower part can be better? What's so scary?"

""Red Cliff (Part I)" is really not good-looking, it's just that people got 314 million box office!!

""Inception" invested 120 million US dollars, director Li Mu's longest-shooting film, with the blessing of Hollywood actors, Li Mu and Liu Yifei's couple starring are very topical, and I feel that this movie will form a slaughter trend for other movies!"

"Li Mu's movie? How to say it, good-looking is really good-looking, but ...... In short, I just don't feel that it's localized enough, if I like it, Director Feng's movie is more in line with my taste."

"To put it mildly, often those movies with greater investment and higher market attention in the early stage are often worse movies in the end, such as "Wuji"!"

"I deeply feel the same way, the $120 million investment is too exaggerated, exaggerated to the point of being a little unreal, how much money is really invested in the movie? Who knows?"

"No one can be successful all the time, no one can go uphill all the time, everything has a history of occurrence, development and demise, and Li Mu and his films are no exception. The peak often means decline, I feel that "Super Body" and "Assassin" are Li Mu's peak, and as for the $120 million investment in "Inception", it is very likely that it is really Li Mu's "Wuji"!"

"There is a hunch that investors are actually not optimistic about "Inception", and the evidence is that Feng Xiaogang announced that he would raise the file in order to avoid "Red Cliff (II)", but now that the schedules of "Inception" and "If You Are Honest, Do Not Disturb" are so close, Director Feng is indifferent. Things are clear, obviously Director Feng and they are not very optimistic about "Inception". You must know that Huayi Brothers is also one of the investors in "Inception", and it is impossible for them not to know the quality of the movie."

"It makes sense, maybe "Inception" will be slaughtered by "Do Not Disturb" and "Red Cliff (Part II)" in turn!"

……

Almost at the same time, in a luxury hotel box in Beijing.

Feng Xiaogang, Wang Zhonglei, Li Mu, Liu Yifei, Ge You, Feng Yuanzheng, Fan Wei, Shu Qi, Che Bi, Hu Ke and others sat around the table, and the table was extremely rich in wine and food.

Today is Wang Zhonglei to invite Li Mu, Liu Yifei, and the relevant personnel of the crew of "If You Are Honest, Do Not Disturb", everyone laughed at the banquet, and asked Hu Ke secretly in private:

"You said that Mr. Wang invited Li Muliu to a banquet, why did you call us? Or Mr. Wang wants to feast the main creators of "Do Not Disturb", why did he call Li Mu and Liu Yifei?"

Hu Ke looked left and right, then lowered his head and whispered, "We just announced that we will raise the file from December 22nd to December 18th, and there is no room for any more file increases. Heard...... I heard that the internal viewing of "Inception" has exploded, and it may be that other movies have no chance within a month of the release of this movie, so what if they are really scheduled for December 25......?"

Che Bi was surprised: "Mr. Wang invited Li Mu and us to the banquet, did he want Li Mu to raise his noble hand and release it later?"

Hu Ke nodded with a complicated expression.

At the banquet, Wang Zhonglei confidently mentioned the listing plan of Huayi Brothers, as the first film and television industry company to be listed and distributed in China, Wang Zhonglei is quite complacent at the moment.

"I believe that with the performance of Huayi Brothers, it will not be a problem at all for the company to double or even quadruple its share price after the company's official listing."

Saying that, Wang Zhonglei toasted to Li Mu: "But this is also thanks to Director Li's strong support to Huayi in the past few years, Huayi has made a lot of money by investing in several of Director Li's films, and the good relationship between our two families is also an important reason why we are full of confidence in the future of Huayi."

"Mr. Wang said seriously, the most fundamental thing for Huayi to have today's achievements is its own professionalism and ......."

Then Wang Zhonglei mentioned Huayi's shares again, and said that Huang Xiaoming bought 3.6 million Huayi shares at a price of 3 yuan per share, and he suggested that Li Mu could also buy some.

Li Mu turned his head to look at Liu Yifei next to him and said, "Since Mr. Wang has good intentions, why don't you buy some more?"

Wang Zhonglei immediately smiled and said, "Welcome! In this way, how about we also trade 5 million shares at a price of 3 yuan per share?"

Liu Yifei hurriedly waved his hand

"I can't buy that much, just 1 million shares."

Wang Zhonglei said: "We can help you pay for the money to buy stocks!"

Huayi helps people advance money to buy Huayi's own stocks?

Li Mu smiled: "Just 5 million shares, I'll make up for you how much money is missing."

I remember that Huayi's stock rose to 90 yuan per share at its peak, and the artists who bought Huayi's stock in the early days all made money.

However, Huayi is not at a loss, and the artist's purchase of his own stock is itself a signal to the outside world that the company has a good relationship with the artist, and this signal itself can increase the company's stock price.

Li Mu estimates that the high point of Huayi's stock in this life may be even higher, at least there is a variable of Li Mu in this life, Huayi has made a lot of money investing in Li Mu's movies, and the relationship between the two is still passable.

To be honest, Wang Zhonglei still has some regrets.

It is good that Liu Yifei can buy the company's shares, but after all, he failed to let Li Mu also hold the company's shares, that is, he failed to further bind the company and Li Mu.

Although he said that he was full of confidence in the company's listing plan next year, how could they really not be nervous and suffer from gains and losses in such a big event as a listing?

But fortunately, Li Mu has promised to delay the release time of the movie as much as possible.

To be honest, the high quality of "Inception" is a bit scary, and it is hard to fight "If You Are Honest, Do Not Disturb" and "Inception"? Wang Zhonglei really doesn't have the courage yet.

In the next few days, Li Mu intensively contacted the producers and distribution companies of "Inception", and everyone conducted rounds of research and consultation, and finally set the schedule of the film as January 9, 2009, that is, 4 days after the release of the movie "Red Cliff (II)".

There is no meaning to fight in the ring with "Red Cliff (II)", it is really that the schedule of "Inception" cannot be postponed any longer.

A few years ago, Huashang Media's "People in Embarrassment" was also released, and Li Mu always wanted to open the schedule of his two movies, so he couldn't beat himself up with his own two movies, right?

The Chinese New Year's Eve in 08 is January 25, and the release date of "People in the Way" is January 22, the first three days of the New Year, which is also considered to fulfill last year's Spring Festival file promise.

After "Inception" was officially announced to be set on January 9, 2009, some people on the Internet began to say that the reason why Li Mu set the schedule so late was entirely because he knew that his movie could not compete with Feng Xiaogang's "If You Are Honest, Do Not Disturb".

In this regard, Feng Xiaogang and Wang Zhonglei, president of Huayi, stood up to refute the rumors, and generously admitted that their side had made a special trip to ask Director Li Mu not to set the schedule too close.

In the original words of director Feng Xiaogang: "We don't want to let the schedules of "Inception" and "Do Not Disturb" collide together, and such two excellent films colliding together can only cause serious indigestion in the market, which is something that neither of us wants to see and try our best to avoid."

The comment of netizens on this is: "Okay, then let "Red Cliff (II)" lie down! You don't want two excellent works to collide together and cause indigestion, so your solution is to schedule the schedule three days after the "Red Cliff" schedule, right?! What's the matter, it's easy to bully "Chibi", right?"

Director Wu Yusen's response to this is that "Red Cliff (II)" is scheduled for January 5 and will not be changed!

……

After the film was officially finalized, large-scale publicity work was launched.

Advertise to terminals, subways, office buildings, and large supermarkets, participate in various variety shows, be guests on interview programs, release promotional videos, invite Internet Vs to stir up hot topics, place advertisements on TV and print media, and invite theater managers and theater managers across the country to watch movies and so on.

It's mid-December in the blink of an eye, and "Red Cliff (Below)", which just announced a few days ago that it would not be rescheduled, suddenly announced that it would be rescheduled to January 20. This is from the 4-day release of "Inception" to the release of "Inception" 11 days after the release of "Inception".

The distributor of "Red Cliff (II)" believes that no matter how strong "Inception" is, the box office peak should always pass after 11 days of release.

As for this, it collided with the schedule of Huashang Media's other work "People in Embarrassment".

You must know that the total investment of the upper and lower parts of "Red Cliff" is 600 million, and the investment in the lower part is 300 million if half of the investment is calculated, and how much is the investment amount of "People in Embarrassment"?

10 million!

Is there anything else to worry about?

Absolutely!

The screenwriter of "People in Embarrassment" is Li Mu, who can not worry about colliding with Li Mu's movie schedule?

However, it is better to bump into "Inception" written by director Li Mu, directed by himself, starring in person, with an investment of 800 million, an Oscar-winning actress and a group of Hollywood celebrities, right?

The box office of "Red Cliff (I)" is 314 million, and now there is a foundation for the upper part, and the lower part even has a chance to hit the box office of 400 million!

So how much box office can "People in Embarrassment" get?

With an investment of 10 million, the box office appeal of Shen Teng and Wang Baoqiang is just like that, or the Spring Festival is such a not very pleasing and not too commercial theme, in short, the box office of 100 million yuan is brought up by Li Mu's personal fame.

However, "Red Cliff (II)" just announced that it would not change the file, and it was not afraid of colliding with "Inception", but it was immediately announced under the pressure of various investors.

Can't beat "Inception" or beat you "People in Embarrassment"?