Chapter 61

Yeming's experienced performance was no less impressive than Ge You's, which left everyone present speechless.

Is this still a newcomer?

Lao Bai gritted his teeth in the audience. He didn't even go home during the holiday, just to see Yeming make a fool of himself. But he never expected that Yeming wouldn't fall for it.

With no choice, everyone immediately shifted their attention to Feng Xiaogang and Ge You, hoping to dig up some explosive news from these two.

But they didn't get what they wanted.

Actually, the journalists weren't too disappointed. The key to a premiere is the quality of the film. If the movie is terrible, no one would give Old Three any face.

Old Three can command the wind and rain in the industry, but how many moviegoers even know who he is? If the movie is good, I'll buy a ticket; if it's bad, who cares.

The premiere officially began. After the introductions from the two production companies, an animated tiger roared, "Wishing all the people a happy Year of the Tiger."

A New Year's film should have the look of a New Year's film. The first New Year's film almost set a definition for the future New Year's film market.

This was a pit dug by Feng Xiaogang, which later trapped him.

Because his definition was that a New Year's film should be a comedy.

As a result, "1942" ended up being a tragedy, and "Lost in Thailand" became a box office legend.

Ge Dàyé's weathered voice rang out: "My name is Yao Yuan, I am thirty-eight years old, my character is a mix of good and bad, six parts good, four parts bad, and I am an actor without a role. In the summer of 1997, I, along with the idle assistant director Zhou Beiyang, the prop master Liangzi, and the screenwriter Qian Kang, filled a gap in the service industry. We called it 'A Good Dream for a Day'..."

The opening was full of the flavor of Beijing, with a touch of humor from the common people.

Instantly, the media and the audience found it interesting and were eager to see more.

A movie is at most two hours long, so a classic film must capture the audience's attention within the first five minutes.

Top classics can do it in less than three minutes. If a movie hasn't captured the audience after ten minutes, it's almost certain to flop.

The box office would be a disaster.

Music played, and a somewhat disheveled young man with a fiery red guitar stood at the entrance of an underground passage.

I want to fly up to the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun

The world is waiting for me to change it

I don't fear others seeing my dreams

Here, I can make them all come true

Laugh out loud, let us stand shoulder to shoulder

Where can't we find endless joy...

The passionate song, filled with the melody of youth, had a soul-stirring effect.

Instantly, the entire cinema fell silent.

"Believe in Me" and "Rice Loves Rats" are different in their slow-burn approach. From the start, this song was full of uplifting energy, grand and majestic, inspiring a sense of struggle.

The brilliant performance made Yeming seem like a king of music, using his music to make the whole world dance with him.

This was thanks to the system's "Jackson Mask."

A world-class performance.

Wuma, a commentator from the "Beijing Entertainment News," was also on the scene. At that moment, he widened his eyes, opened his mouth, and felt a sense of suffocation, swaying to the music.

This was a performance at the level of a superstar. The only time Wuma had seen such a powerful performance was at concerts by Jackson and other world-class superstars.

A flawless performance.

Wuma secretly vowed that he had come to the right place. It seemed that Yeming had not disappointed.

"I believe I am who I am, I believe in tomorrow, I believe youth has no horizon..."

At that moment, it felt like they weren't watching a movie but were at a live concert by Michael Jackson. The moving melody was unforgettable.

There is a feeling called being moved.

Many people, through this song, recalled their youth, their struggles, and every step of their lives, which was a process of persistence.

In Yeming's perfect singing, Ge You drove an old jeep with an American flag to the side of the underground passage.

In this perfect singing,

Ge You, with his Oscar-level acting, seemed like a supreme martial arts master, defeating his opponent without a move. Without any words, he honked the horn and waved, instantly shattering the perfect atmosphere Yeming had created.

This was the power of an Oscar-level actor, making a thunderous impact in silence.

A 600,000 RMB salary is not something everyone can afford.

Han Shanping, hearing the song, thought about his own youth, full of sweat, confusion, and passion, a mix of pain and joy.

But in the song, "I believe I am who I am, I believe in tomorrow, I believe youth has no horizon..."

Thinking back to his youth, when he was in the countryside, facing the dawn in the fields, he never gave up on his dreams.

Finally, after joining the army, working at Emei Film Studio, and now at Beijing Film Studio.

At that moment, Han Shanping felt that the song had a sense of pointing out the world, stirring up the spirit, and treating the powerful of the past as mere dirt.

So, after the song ended, Han Shanping led the applause, and the entire cinema erupted in thunderous applause.

Clapping for the superstar-level performance and for their own youth.

Amidst laughter, the movie finally reached the scene where Chef Li Qi appeared. When Yao Yuan told Li Qi, "I won't say a word, even if you beat me," it caused a burst of laughter.

Lao Bai, sitting among the journalists, turned red with embarrassment, feeling utterly humiliated.

Yeming's "I won't say a word, even if you beat me" was clearly aimed at Lao Bai. The kid was cunning, avoiding the sharp questions while promoting the movie.

How could a newcomer be so crafty?

The "Beijing Entertainment News" published the next day, "First New Year's Film Perfect Premiere, Featuring Superstar-Level Interlude"

The article highly praised Feng Xiaogang's first New Year's film and extensively recommended Yeming's "Believe in Me," concluding that not listening to this interlude would be a loss in the Year of the Tiger.

However, the "Southern Weekend" was less kind, "First Domestic New Year's Film, Box Office Only 200,000, Future Uncertain"

Moreover, Lao Bai even compared Feng Xiaogang's "A Good Man, A Bad Man" to Jackie Chan's "Rumble in the Bronx." Was there even a comparison?

Anyway, Lao Bai was determined to go all the way with Yeming.

The "Entertainment Morning News" was even less polite, "New Year's Film's Jackson-Level Interlude"

Originally promoting "A Good Man, A Bad Man," but Yu Guo was not polite at all. He praised the movie at the beginning but spent most of the article praising Yeming's "Believe in Me."

In the end, Yu Guo claimed it was a song that could inspire youth and dreams.

Most of the media supported Feng Xiaogang's "A Good Man, A Bad Man" and highly praised the song "Believe in Me."

In Shanghai, the Oriental Film City, located near the Bund in a bustling area, now hung a huge poster for "A Good Man, A Bad Man."

At that moment, the entrance to the Oriental Cinema was packed, even more crowded than the premiere in Beijing.

Feng Xiaogang was surprised by his influence in Shanghai and asked the cinema manager, "There wasn't such a big scene in Beijing. It seems the fans in Shanghai are very enthusiastic. I'm very hopeful about the box office in Shanghai."

The manager hesitated but said, "Director Feng, you might not know, but someone advertised in the newspaper today, saying they would buy out the screening of 'A Good Man, A Bad Man' and let anyone watch for free."

What is a tycoon? This is a tycoon. Without asking any questions or reasons, they directly bought out the screening, inviting everyone to come and watch.

A little girl took out her phone and dialed a number in the VIP lounge of the Oriental Cinema: "Miao Miao, the movie starts in twenty minutes. Hurry up, or I won't be nice."

An angelic face, but when she spoke, she sounded like a little adult.

Miao Miao grunted on the other end of the phone: "You're pretty good, buying out the screening. I'll do the same tomorrow. If I don't think Yeming's performance is good, I'll go to Beijing and smash their windows at night. Wait for me, I'll be there in ten minutes."

Two of Yeming's hardcore fans met quietly at the cinema.

The film market was thoroughly shaken by Feng Xiaogang's movie. City after city, word of mouth spread, and the box office in Beijing started at 200,000, then 300,000, 500,000, and by New Year's Day, when Feng Xiaogang and his team promoted in Tianjin, the news came that the box office had reached 1,000,000.

For the next three days, the daily box office hovered between 800,000 and 1,000,000.

The film industry was in a frenzy.

This was a game-changing pace.

The box office in Beijing alone had already reached over 900,000, and by then, Feng Xiaogang had promoted the film in eighteen cities.

The final stop of the promotion was in Quancheng, the capital of Shandong, a beautiful city with lotus flowers on all sides and willows on three sides, and half the city surrounded by mountains and lakes.

Lao She praised Quancheng in his writing about the winter in Quancheng.

The winter in Quancheng today was somewhat lazy, the sun hanging slowly in the sky, and the cold wind was hard to bear.

But even in thick winter clothes, it couldn't stop people's enthusiasm for watching the movie.

The media had already promoted it, and the main cast and crew of "A Good Man, A Bad Man" had come to Quancheng for promotion.

Feng Xiaogang, Ge You, and Yeming, who sang the touching "Believe in Me," a song that could make people shed silent tears and then set out with renewed confidence.

For a time, it wasn't just "A Good Man, A Bad Man" that was a hit, but also Yeming's "Believe in Me."

Beijing TV, which was not a satellite channel at the time, had limited influence and was intentionally suppressed due to behind-the-scenes operations.

So, Yeming's influence from the original song competition was limited to Beijing and nearby areas.

But "A Good Man, A Bad Man" was released nationwide, and "Believe in Me" quickly became a nationwide hit.

When even a man selling sweet potatoes in a remote city hummed "I believe I am who I am, I believe in tomorrow, I believe youth has no horizon," the song had truly taken off.

Few media outlets had initially been optimistic about "A Good Man, A Bad Man." Any praise was mostly out of respect for Old Three, Han Shanping, and those media outlets were mostly state-owned.

But no one expected that in the winter of 1997, just before the Spring Festival, Feng Xiaogang and his team created a miracle.

Back in Beijing, the total box office was calculated: 36 million RMB, with a 6 million RMB investment, resulting in a 36 million RMB box office.

"A Good Man, A Bad Man" established Feng Xiaogang's status in the entertainment industry and gave Yeming the capital to break into the newcomer wall.

Yeming delivered a perfect performance in "A Good Man, A Bad Man."

Finally, at that moment, he stood at the base of the newcomer wall, as he had at least become familiar to the national audience.

At this time, the company, to win Yeming's loyalty, specially provided him with a mobile phone and a dedicated agent, Fang Fang, a former agent from Hong Kong's entertainment industry, who was later poached by Yonghua for unknown reasons.

Fang Fang, with long hair and a heart-shaped face, wore a business suit, exuding a sharp and professional demeanor, a classic example of a white-collar elite.

At this moment, Fang Fang said, "Yeming, you are now officially in the entertainment industry. Do you know what an artist's value is based on?"

Yeming was taken aback and said, "Isn't it the salary?"

Fang Fang was blunt, "Salary is the foundation of an artist's value. Fame and influence determine the salary. But the true value of an artist is reflected in endorsements. The more high-end brands an artist endorses, the higher their value. Top global brands like Coca-Cola, LV, and Pica only choose top stars, whether from the entertainment industry or sports. Stars like David Beckham, Ronaldo, and Tom Hanks have the qualifications to endorse these brands.

Of course, I'm telling you this because you've finally caught the attention of some brands. Two companies are worth your attention: Beijing Beer, a well-known local brand, and Jiankangbao Sports Drink, a top domestic brand. They both want you to endorse their products. We'll meet with Beijing Beer tomorrow, so you need to be prepared."

With an agent, Yeming didn't have to worry about his schedule; it was all arranged by the dedicated agent.

As for Hong Fei, he was the agent for the entire Yonghua company, managing all the artists.

Fang Fang, on the other hand, was Yeming's personal agent, responsible for his daily life, film and TV projects, and advertising endorsements.

Fang Fang was like a major domo.

The phone rang, and Feng Xiaogang's familiar voice came through, "Yeming, the Directors' Association is holding a celebration tonight. Do you have time to come along?"

Good news makes people feel great, and Feng Xiaogang was almost in a daze.

He told the reporters, "After 'A Good Man, A Bad Man' grossed over 5 million in Beijing, it was reasonable to stop. When it reached 7 million, it wasn't just due to the creative team but also market operations. When it hit 9 million and 10 million, it had little to do with the director and was largely due to promotional efforts."

This was a great opportunity to expand his network,