Park City, a beautiful ski town in Utah, USA, is January 17th.
The town has been decorated lively, full of tourists, and huge posters. During the ten-day film festival, there will be more than tens of thousands of audiences from all over the world, as well as many famous Hollywood film companies, former
Come to this town to dig for gold. Countless famous filmmakers were discovered from here and went to Hollywood.
Well-known directors such as Kevin Smith, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Steven Soderbergh, etc. Such as "Saw", "Blair Witch"
", "Hot Mochi", "Destiny's Gate", "Reservoir Dogs", "The Lone Ranger", "Crazy Clerk" and other famous movies. They all originated from this.
The Sundance Film Festival, also known as the Sundance Film Festival, is a film festival specially established for unknown filmmakers and films. It was founded by American actor and director Robert Redford in 1984. After years of accumulation, this American film festival
Small local film festivals have become an important spiritual pillar of the independent film industry. Many emerging Hollywood directors regard them as a springboard for directing mainstream commercial blockbusters. And when major Hollywood studios are looking for new talents, the "Sundance Film Festival"
It is a human resources library not to be missed.
The original "Buried Alive" made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival.
Five people, Shao Shuaijun, Zhao Cheng, Wang Yixue, Li Xiuxiu, and Ma Hu, hired a car to come to Park City to participate in this film festival. After contacting the organizer Sundance Institute, "Buried Alive" was screened three times a day in three small theaters.
.The cinema here can only accommodate less than a hundred people at a time, which is really small.
However, last year's Sundance Film Festival had a pioneering initiative, which was to cooperate with Yahoo to hold simultaneous online film festivals across the United States. The response was very good, and this year it will also adopt a simultaneous online film festival.
The promotion of "Buried Alive" is very poor. Apart from putting up posters at the entrances of three small theaters, there is no other way to promote it. This is not China, so there is no reason to give "Buried Alive" excellent resources.
On the morning of the first day, the screening room for "Buried Alive" was filled with less than twenty people, including five people from Shao Shuaijun.
"The Americans are too disrespectful to have so many people come." Zhao Cheng, who had already completed the company's establishment, as the general person in charge of the trip to the United States, followed him.
"There is no way, this is the current situation of Chinese-language movies, no one can watch them." Shao Shuaijun shook his head.
The version of the movie released was a re-edited version by Shao Shuaijun, with some scenes of swearing and cursing the government added. This version was not shown in China. If you dared to curse the government, you would have been banned. Ninety minutes later,
Shao Shuaijun discovered that the more than 20 people before him actually sat quietly and finished reading.
After reading it, several people clapped and talked in English.
Shao Shuaijun and Zhao Cheng could understand English, but Wang Yixue and Ma Hu couldn't. Top student Li Xiuxiu translated: "They said the movie was cool, very meaningful, and a good movie. They wanted to call their friends over to watch it."
"Huh, this old lady still knows her stuff." Zhao Cheng started to praise.
In the second scene, the five people separated and found their own cinemas. Shao Shuaijun and Li Xiuxiu still stayed in this cinema. The number of people in the second scene increased significantly, estimated to be more than 40 people. After watching, applause rang out again.
"Ah Jun, it seems that "Buried Alive" was a success."
"Not necessarily. If a film company doesn't like it, it can't be called a success. Let's go back to the Internet and see what the online reviews say."
There was a lot of applause on the Internet.
Shao Shuaijun was surprised. He thought, "Buried Alive" is a niche film after all, and it was made in China, so it shouldn't have such high ratings and popularity. But in the blink of an eye, those who pay attention to the Sundance Film Festival have unique tastes.
It is normal for the audience to favor "Buried Alive".
Four days after the movie was released, the three small theaters were almost full, and the movie received rave reviews online.
But no film company came to our door.
Shao Shuaijun couldn't help but feel anxious. Are Americans so arrogant that they don't like movies made in China?
At this moment, Wang Yixue ran over: "Ajun, the fish is hooked!"
"Let's go see you!" Shao Shuaijun stood up.
The person who came was a white man with a mustache and a pair of wandering eyes. After introduction, it turned out that he was the director of the distribution department of Telescope Entertainment. His name was Mike. Telescope Entertainment. Shao Shuaijun had heard of "Memoirs of a Geisha" written by Zhang Ziyi in later generations.
This is the company that participated in the production.
"Our company is optimistic about the potential of "Buried Alive" and plans to buy its distribution rights."
"How much are you prepared to bid?" The copyright is in the hands of Huayi Brothers, Zhao Cheng makes the decision, and Shao Shuaijun listens.
Mike shrugged: "To be honest, "Buried Alive" is not suitable for release. We mainly want to make it into a DVD for sale, or even just to increase the storage capacity of the film library. We are willing to pay $200,000 to buy it. Depending on the cost, it is even $10,000.
No, you’ve made a lot of money.”
Zhao Cheng and Shao Shuaijun looked at each other.
"Wait a minute, Mike, did I hear you right? 200,000 U.S. dollars? How do you want to beg for food? In China, "Buried Alive" has already taken nearly 3 million U.S. dollars at the box office. Here, you want to buy it for 200,000 U.S. dollars.
?”
"200,000 is already very high. You know, Chinese movies, except for Bruce Lee, are difficult for the audience to recognize. It's good to make a little money, isn't it?"
"I'm sorry, I think there is no need to discuss this issue any further. Please come back, Mr. Mike."
"Really, you will regret it! Movies made by Chinese people, hehe, wait until they are ruined!"
"I'll sell it to you even on a bad street, go away!" Zhao Cheng angrily drove Mike out, "This American guy with eyes and a head, wants 200,000? He really thinks we are begging for food!"
After Wang Glass Entertainment, another three days passed, and they came to Lakeshore Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Shao Shuaijun had almost never heard of the first two companies, and one offered 300,000.
One offered 350,000 yuan, but Zhao Cheng drove them away.
As for Jerry Bruckheimer Films, it is somewhat famous. "Pirates of the Caribbean" was produced under it. But the big company is indeed even more arrogant. It even wanted to take away "Buried Alive" for US$100,000, but it still bought it out completely.
"Brother Zhao, do you think we are taking things for granted?"
Shao Shuaijun was lying on the sofa, a little lost, with his hands behind his head: "Is "Buried Alive" a failure? Is it really only worth this in their eyes?" He clearly remembered that "Buried Alive" was a big success at the Sundance Film Festival.
It was so popular that it was eventually picked up by Lionsgate for $3 million.
How come it's so cheap two years in advance and the content doesn't change much?
"Don't be discouraged. The audience has responded so well because those who make movies are just ignorant." Zhao Cheng was also troubled, but still comforted him.
"'Buried Alive' can't be sold, and 'Source Code' won't be sold either..." Shao Shuaijun sighed. He was already panicking after being widely criticized, and he was waiting for "Source Code" to turn back.
It seems now that movies that will be popular in the future may not necessarily be popular now.
What if "Source Code" fails?
Shao Shuaijun felt that he had indeed acted too hastily, relying on the memory of later generations to take a big step forward.
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