"From now on, if I haven't told you about a meeting, then you mustn't turn up," Mo Ting said as soon as he got in the car.
"Don't worry, just this once," Tangning nodded her head obediently. Since Mo Ting emphasized this warning, there must have been a certain amount of danger. So she took note not to add to his worries. "What did Chairman Zhou say?"
"He would put away his scheming and let the films depend on their own capabilities," Mo Ting replied as he loosened his tie. "On the day of official release, I am expecting a distribution rate of 30%. On the second day, it will likely drop to 10%."
"You're allowing that to happen?"
Mo Ting looked at Tangning with a deeper meaning and smiled. Indeed, the person that understood him the most was Tangning. She knew straight away that he did it on purpose.
"Trust me, even if I allow it to drop like that, I can also allow 'Stupid' to make a full revival. This is your first film; I will definitely let everyone see that you are a skilled actress."
"That may be important, but, all I want is for you to be happy," Tangning said as she drove. "The entertainment industry is your empire...Anything you say, goes."
Mo Ting stretched out his hand and brushed it against Tangning's cheek. This silly woman, how could he not adore her?
Compared to its previous two pre-screenings, the third pre-screening for 'Stupid' once again increased in attendance to 30%. This proved many things.
Not long after, the day of 'Stupid's' official release came around. As promised, Mo Ting did not interfere with the distribution of the film. But, the industry had already experienced the sweetness of 'Stupid's' steady advancement, so they decided to distribute the film to 30% of theatres in the nation. It wasn't very high, but, it also could not be considered as low. Either way, it already exceeded Mo Ting's expectations.
Because of its good reputation from three pre-screenings and the popular topic of Tangning's acting beating down the young actors, 'Stupid' hit more than $40 million in the box office; a reasonable result.
"Hey, have you guys seen Tangning's film yet?"
"Pfft, how good could a model be at acting?"
"Watch it and you'll find out how good Tangning's acting actually is."
"I don't believe you..."
"Neither do I..."
Due to curiosity towards Tangning's acting, many members of the audience bought tickets purely to see her. They wanted to see if her acting was really as good as it was rumored to be. After all, the reviews from the three pre-screenings were so good, it was hard not to suspect that Hai Rui had paid people to write them. But, after watching the film, film fans gasped in surprise. It turned out, a model actually could act. In fact, her acting was so good that it was hard for one to withdraw themselves from the film after watching it.
If 'Stupid' had only convinced a selection of people during its pre-screening, after its official release, it had now truly convinced the film market.
"It's not mainstream and not your typical storyline. In fact, it's surprisingly entertaining to watch. I highly recommend it!"
"I originally turned up to the movie, ready to make complaints. But, Tangning made it impossible for me to find anything to complain about. Plus, the film is surprisingly good. I wonder who the screenwriter is."
"Tangning is awesome! Did she really not study acting in secret?"
On top of everything, at the end of the film, they showed moments from behind-the-scenes of Tangning and Lin Sheng. Film fans were stunned; Tangning was such a serious actor and completely let go of herself when acting.
"I came to complain, but I left as a converted fan, haha!"
"Tangning is the real deal, she is nothing like the sl*tty actresses out there. I hope she can remain like this. I will support her every film from now on..."
After the first day of screening, statistics showed that Tangning's rate of mention escalated at a steady rate. Above all, the film complied with the analysis of film critic's as a quality production by Hai Rui that was unforgettable. Whether it was the impulsive actress, the jerk athlete or the 'Stupid' boy that had been abandoned multiple times, all the characters left a lasting impression.
But...
...a great film like this was unexpectedly reduced to less than 15% distribution rate on the second day. Whereas, 'Devil Shooter' was at almost 40%.
As soon as these numbers were released, all those that had watched 'Stupid' were disappointed. It was obvious that the producer of 'Devil Shooter' had done something behind the scenes.
"I'd like to say that I've watched both films and concluded that 'Devil Shooter' is obviously an idol film. It's also obvious that they've done something to suppress the distribution of 'Stupid'; they are so shameless! This is proof that Hai Rui aren't hiding any underhanded schemes. Otherwise, who would dare to go against them?"
"Could the theatres please screen more films like 'Stupid'? I want to watch another one!"
"I'm sorry, I am resolute in boycotting idol films. The cast of 'Devil Shooter' are horrendous!"
"Both films show snippets of behind-the-scenes, but seeing Tangning fall numerous times without making a sound and standing back up to continue filming compared to an actress that needs the whole crew to console her after a slight scratch, I have decided to side with 'Stupid'. The difference is too dramatic!"
Sure, 'Devil Shooter' had a lot of fans, but the rest of the public weren't blind. Above all, the contrasts were too obvious. In the end, 'Devil Shooter' debuted at the box office with a few hundred thousand dollars less than 'Stupid', shocking all the film experts. They had originally thought it would be a huge hit...
This...
...was too big of a face slap. They had made their predictions so confidently, but were now faced with angry film fans.
Seeing the results, the distributors immediately returned all of Chairman Zhou's gifts and offers. They had seen how 'Stupid' performed and decided that the audience should not be offended. So, on the third day, 'Stupid's' distribution rate returned to 30%, whereas 'Devil Shooter' dropped to 15%.
The attendance numbers also highlighted the problem with the film. A lousy storyline paired with unfocused acting still made up the foundation of the movie.
Seeing the tables turn, Chairman Zhou crushed the wine glass in his hand.
He had never imagined that fans would not be convinced.
Actually, his biggest flaw was his arrogance. If he had not done a pre-screening, the first day of his release would have been a huge hit. Even if there were problems with the film, it would have at least remained popular for 3 days, instead of receiving a cold reception from the start.
"Chairman Zhou, we verified it, Hai Rui indeed did not interfere with the results," Chairman Zhou's assistant confirmed.
Chairman Zhou closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "OK, I know!"
Mo Ting must have predicted this outcome a long time ago. That's why he was willing to make Chairman Zhou such an attractive offer.
So what if he didn't interfere with distribution? His three pre-screenings were already enough to guide the audience and film fans in the right direction. So, even if he did nothing, victory was already in his hands.
Although Chairman Zhou didn't want to admit defeat, he knew he should no longer step over Mo Ting's territory; the entertainment industry was not a place he could compete in.
Fortunately for him, he wasn't easy to defeat either. He would definitely find another chance in the future to compete in other things...
As a result, these were some of the entertainment news headlines:
['Stupid' a Box Office Hit in 3 Days: Over a Billion Dollars in Ticket Sales...]
[Tangning Named Actress With the Most Potential!]
[Screenwriter for 'Stupid' a Mystery: Fans are Curious...]
['Stupid' to be Released in the Western Market: Latest Release Date July!]