Chapter 408
A Crushing Victory
Chapter 408 A Crushing Victory
May 25th, the last week before the release of Taken.
At this moment, the entertainment pages in the United States are extremely hot, with various media outlets aggressively promoting their products, leaving the hurricane in only a small corner.
Fang Xinghe's fame is no longer useful.
To be honest, fame isn't very useful at times like this. The North American summer movie season has always been a competition of multiple factors, and every project that makes the cut is well-known.
The primary factor determining a film's maximum box office potential is, of course, quality. However, the factors that determine how much potential a film can unleash are far more complex.
[I. Promotion relies on throwing money at it]
Offline advertising, cinema trailers, standees and posters, online promotion... whoever spends the most money attracts the most attention and gets the most screens.
II. Popularity Depends on Topics
Attention is not the same as popularity.
With the same amount of advertising money, you can only generate buzz if you create a topic; otherwise, no matter how much money you spend, it's all for nothing.
From this perspective, the fact that "Taken" directly clashes with "Ocean's Thirteen" is quite topical and has attracted a lot of off-screen discussion.
[III. Transformation through Hooks]
A popular movie doesn't necessarily mean a lot of people watch it.
One hundred million people discussed it, ten million people watched it, and the conversion rate was 10%.
Twenty million people discussed it, ten million people watched it, and the conversion rate was 50%.
If the latter were given more screen time or its screening period were extended, its final box office would definitely be higher.
To put it bluntly, it's all about attracting as many viewers as possible to the cinema, selling brand recognition, nostalgia, special effects, homoeroticism, mystery... it's all the same in essence.
IV. Sustainability depends on word of mouth
Every blockbuster film has its own core audience, which is people who will watch it no matter what.
Once the core customer base is exhausted and the focus shifts to reaching a wider general public, word-of-mouth becomes crucial.
The "Tiny Times" and "Twilight" series are typical examples of films with strong core appeal but weak audience appeal, which raked in most of their box office revenue within 10 days and then had no follow-up.
The large ship, on the other hand, represents a continuous long-running film with a consistently high reputation.
……
Of all the factors mentioned above, only popularity and conversion rate are related to fame to some extent, but not entirely positively.
This year's summer movie season is filled with blockbuster films with massive marketing campaigns and explosive buzz, making it a truly fiercely competitive market.
In contrast, "Taken" could only spend over 3000 million on marketing and distribution, a difference of several times.
Therefore, Fang Xinghe had to personally handle the publicity, traveling back and forth every day, and his sleep was already squeezed to less than 4 hours.
Since mid-May, he has participated in more than 100 events.
Interviews with 20+ print media outlets, including newspapers, entertainment magazines, women's magazines, and martial arts magazines.
Of course, the most noteworthy is Fang Xinghe's second appearance on the cover of Time magazine's US edition.
With over 40 offline events, including various business activities, she not only earns endorsement fees but also maximizes her exposure.
The rest were scattered radio and television projects, one talk show after another, either bragging or on his way to bragging.
Well, that's good too. One trip lasts for two years, which can be used to solidify our base in North America.
……
On the 25th, Fang Xinghe attended the premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean" in a glamorous outfit.
To avoid being disliked, he wore a formal suit, which was unusual for him, except that he wore more jewelry compared to other male celebrities.
In front of the media, Fang Ge and Johnny Depp shook hands and exchanged pleasantries like good buddies, praising each other highly.
"Of course, we are not rivals, but good friends who help each other grow."
The captain, looking serious, proclaimed friendship to the media.
Fang Ge made a high EQ statement: "I am a big fan of Pirates of the Caribbean. It's so cool and has a special kind of magnificence."
The media, always eager to stir up trouble, pressed on, asking, "But you've decided to face the pirates head-on in the second week."
"No no no."
Fang Xinghe shook his head repeatedly.
"Pirates is known for its fantastical plot and stunning special effects, while Hurricane is a fast-paced action film. Our fanbases don't overlap; in fact, they complement each other quite well."
"That's right, yes, that's how it is!"
Johnny Depp put his arm around Fang Ge's shoulder and spoke loudly to the media.
"My fans could totally watch another action movie, a return from the Middle Ages to the modern era! Your captain allows you to do so, go ahead, and then tell me on Weibo how cool SR is!"
The reporter stared wide-eyed, then looked at Fang Xinghe and suddenly realized.
Everyone in Hollywood knows how bad Johnny Depp's temper is, but that doesn't stop him from being a nice guy today.
Imagine Depp's attitude when he met Buffett; what's so strange about the current situation?
Entertainment reporters were filled with awe, uncovering an even higher level of identity in director Fang Xinghe.
The next day, public opinion suddenly went astray.
Several newspapers wrote: "The investment in Taken is negligible, but from another perspective, this is an action movie personally made by the world's fourth richest man for his fans, with him acting and fighting himself. How many movies like this do you get to see in your lifetime?"
Warner suddenly realized what was happening and trembled all over.
But it was too late, it was all too late.
When the message was received, George, Pitt, and the other two were on a show selling nostalgia.
"This is our last collaboration, and I am filled with reluctance."
"Yes, our friendship is still there, but there will never be another movie like this."
The host suddenly received a notification through his earpiece, and his expression turned extremely strange.
"If we consider the rarity of the film, how would you rate Taken?"
The three brothers, Joma and Pi, were taken aback: "Hurricane? Forgive my bluntness, but this seems to be just a violent action movie that's all fighting. Why is it so rare?"
The host replied quirkily, "It's an action movie where the world's fourth richest man personally takes on the action."
"..."
One sentence can kill a game.
Oh dear, we've run into a promotional mishap.
The three brothers finished recording with grim faces and immediately went home to have a meeting with Warner.
Warner headquarters was already in complete chaos.
“The situation is very bad.” The publicity director looked dejected. “SR and Sony have been carrying out their usual publicity campaigns. They have successfully misled us and kept us in the mindset of the final merger... Now, it’s their turn.”
Seeing the explosive marketing in the newspaper, the three brothers felt like their world had collapsed.
Fang Xinghe has sheathed his fangs and endured until now, consistently running around in print media, radio, and offline events, doing the same routine publicity that all celebrities do, deliberately suppressing media discussions about his other identity.
Because he is so low-key, he rarely comes to the United States and rarely appears in mainstream business media, so the public's first impression of him has always been that of a master director and an award-winning actor.
These two labels are so firmly attached that they have created a stereotype.
In other words, he is just a filmmaker and never cares about business.
This ultimately led to the current fatal vulnerability.
The core of the promotion for "Ocean's Thirteen" has always been "the last time they reunited," "the most precious memory," and "the swan song of three superstars," selling its rarity and exclusivity.
Then... he was killed instantly by Fang Xinghe.
Starting from May 26th, the media was flooded with publicity about the special nature of "Taken".
"A super-rich man wrote, directed, and starred in this film—it's breathtaking beyond words!"
"It would cost you a million dollars to have lunch with Warren Buffett, but for just $10 you can see Fang Xinghe perform in a movie theater!" "I don't understand why he's still making movies, but I'm planning to go see it."
"Guys, hurry up and go see it! Who knows when SR will get tired of playing around and never make another movie? Cherish every film he makes!"
……
The second wave of promotion focuses on a special identity.
In an instant, the attention, discussion, and popularity exploded.
This really had little impact on "Pirates of the Caribbean," and even less on "Superbad." However, "Ocean's Thirteen," which was released on the same day and had a very similar theme...
It looks a little dead.
……
May 28th, Monday, two big events.
The first big news is that the opening weekend box office figures for "Pirates of the Caribbean" are out.
The box office totaled 1.14 million yuan in three days, a huge success.
This figure is weaker than Spider-Man 3's 1.51 million and Shrek 3's 1.21 million, but surpassing 100 million in three days is still a figure comparable to a five-year film, which is very, very nice.
Disney had already booked a celebratory banquet in advance and even opened champagne on the day of the event.
However, the sequel's reputation declined significantly, and it didn't have the same staying power as the second film.
The second major event was that some cinemas adjusted the screening schedule for "Taken".
The opening screen is relatively fixed for now, but the screening time can be adjusted at any time and is decided by the theater chain itself.
As public opinion builds, many cinemas have launched their own questionnaires to ask audiences for their opinions after each film screening.
The main question is: Between "Ocean's Thirteen" and "Taken," both released on the same day, which one are you more looking forward to? Why?
86% of respondents filled out the "Taken" form.
The most common reason given was curiosity.
One middle-aged man bluntly told the camera, "That's one of the top super-rich people! Although I'm not interested in action movies, this one is different. I have to see for myself what he's made!"
The same answer was given countless times.
Housewives, young women who aren't star-studded, anime/manga fans, low-income laborers...
Fang Xinghe's imaginative promotion not only instantly generated a lot of buzz, but also boosted the conversion rate.
Regardless of their final impressions or whether they like it or not, they will definitely be "tricked" into going to the movie theater immediately.
Next, the second reason is "novelty". The Luohan series is no longer a mystery, but Fang Xinghe's first modern action film is still very fresh.
The original audience for those action movies almost all decided to see Hurricane first because of its novelty.
"SR always comes up with something new, I love his innovation!"
Then, the third major category of reasons is trust worship.
"I'm a huge fan of SR!"
"I've read 'The Return of the Condor Heroes,' it's really cool."
"Supporting the Star God is not a choice, it's my duty!"
"I love him! I will wear my wedding dress to see him on the day the movie is released!"
……
The second wave of promotion for "Taken" has blown everything away.
Ocean's Thirteen is struggling, and Warner Bros. is trying everything, but the gap between expectations and reality is widening day by day.
Even Pirates of the Caribbean was affected.
Despite its top-grossing week, it failed to receive adequate media coverage and discussion, with its daily box office decline exceeding expectations by 10 percentage points.
Around the 30th, the hurricane's publicity campaign was fully formed.
The core character is a 22-year-old world-class billionaire who doesn't care about money and makes movies himself.
This gave rise to the basis for public discussion.
The second trailer released is designed to attract attention and is full of tension and excitement, coupled with a visually stunning and charismatic cast.
The campaign to reach lower-income groups involved a group of Black influencers led by Harry, who captivated this group of people who had to steal or rob to get even $6.
The malicious publicity stunt involved disparaging "Ocean's Thirteen," comparing everything from the director's skill and the actors' looks to their action sequences, ultimately concluding—what garbage! Don't try to piggyback on my fame!
With the viral spread of various promotional materials, many Hollywood filmmakers have a sense of déjà vu.
Huh? Have we seen this scene before?
Yes, that summer several years ago.
"Less You" broke through limitations purely on its subject matter, becoming a phenomenal social hotspot. It achieved full coverage in four major aspects: attention, discussion, transformation, and word-of-mouth, ultimately becoming an "unreplicable" blockbuster.
"Unreplicable" was the prevailing assertion in Hollywood at the time.
Several years have passed, and it seems that the same scene is about to repeat itself.
Moreover, if you think about it carefully, which of "Less You" and "Hurricane" has a wider audience?
Thinking hard.
All five major Hollywood studios have sounded the alarm: the wolf is coming!
The only saving grace is that this time, no one avoided "Taken," and it deliberately crashed into one of the most crowded release windows.
Spider-Man still has one tail left, and it has thousands of screens.
Shrek is in its mid-to-late stages, with 3000 screens.
Pirate Ship was at its peak, dropping from 4396 screens to 3700.
The Arhats locked up 1600 pieces.
The hurricane only opened at 1000.
At least everyone can proudly declare: the advantage is in our hands!
However, as public opinion grew, their concerns gradually came true.
On the evening of May 30, several cinema chains publicly announced that they would adjust their upcoming screening schedules.
Apart from Ocean's Thirteen, which was a premiere and had a fixed screen contract, all other films currently showing had many screenings cut and rescheduled for Hurricane.
Fang Xinghe did not take the initiative to negotiate with the theaters, as he found it too troublesome. He simply patiently stirred up the audience's emotions and suggested a "questionnaire" to the theaters.
Pressure naturally arises, and interests naturally lead cinemas to switch sides.
+400 +300 +500 +200……
All theaters did their best to free up as many screens as possible, so that when the movie officially premiered on June 1st, the opening screen comparison between Ocean's Thirteen and Taken was completely reversed!
1600: 3088.
But this is still not the most tragic part.
What truly plunged the three brothers, Joma and Pi, into ultimate despair was... Rohan being completely relegated to garbage time.
Choose between midnight or morning sessions.
Prime time? Don't even think about it, that's for Brother Fang!
The opening weekend screening of "Oars Han" was only 1600 yuan. The original plan was to take a word-of-mouth approach, avoid direct competition with "Pirates of the Caribbean" in the first week, and then gradually increase the number of screenings in the second week.
Now, their dream has come true.
What Brother Fang means is... go ahead and focus on building your reputation, stop worrying about avoiding pirates, just avoid us!
Returning to Hollywood, Fang Ge once again delivered a crushing victory.
The competition ended before it even began.
(End of this chapter)