No Fear of Controversy! (Seeking Subscriptions)

By rights, Shen Shanden should have avoided controversy, but he didn't.

Unafraid of controversy!

The more controversial it was, the happier he became. This was all buzz, all attention, all box office!

A true director dares to get involved in marketing!

"Director Shen! Can you elaborate? Is this your box office target?"

"Director Shen! Why are you so confident?"

"Director Han, is this China Film's intention?"

"Mr. Wu Jing, do you agree?"

"Shen Shanden, do you see yourself as making movies or being an idol? How do you respond to criticism calling you Shen the Cannon?"

The frenzied reporters surrounded them, countless microphones and recording pens almost shoved into Shen Shanden's face.

This is explosive!

One hundred million, and you call it a small goal? Why don't you aim for the sky!

Seeing this, Han Sanping wanted to cool things down.

Saying ten billion privately was fine, but shouting one hundred million in public? What if they came back to check the accounts later?

Ma Youde, in the media area, had his subordinates set up equipment and cameras to film his boss.

He knew this was a publicity blitz.

He himself took out his notebook and began to write. There was so much about Shen Shanden he couldn't learn; there was still much to study.

Shen Shanden didn't give the other main creators a chance to speak.

No one understood marketing better than him!

"Do you all know? Recently, my team and I have truly endured... saturation-level attacks! So much unreasonable treatment!"

Shen Shanden put one hand in his pocket and gazed at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle.

In the sunlight, his white T-shirt seemed to carry the stubbornness of youth. A hint of sadness touched his lips, and his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

He got into character in one second!

The scene fell silent.

"On countless late nights, I often asked myself one question: Why?"

"Why must our films alone suffer such a tragic fate?! A ban. I heard a very famous senior in the industry vowed to ban me. I don't understand why?"

"Why? Why?"

Shen Shanden lowered his head slightly but didn't avoid the cameras, looking directly into them.

He displayed the powerful acting skills of a director who had studied acting at the Beijing Film Academy, perfectly conveying a sense of tragedy.

The emotional impact was astonishing!

Han Sanping, standing beside him, felt a pang in his heart.

Yes, although Shen Shanden was in his twenties, he was still a child!

Chinese Cinema needed a child to carry it. It was a disgrace for them!

Fan Bingbing, who had been muttering the nickname "Shen the Cannon" with a strange expression, now felt a heavy heart.

Some things, though painful to talk about, were not easy at all.

Many of the main creators looked worried. After all, making the news of a ban public like this wouldn't benefit Shen Shanden.

The reporters went crazy!

Completely insane!

How dare Shen Shanden!

The well-informed entertainment reporters knew it was John Woo who had made the threat, but how dare Shen Shanden make it public?

Shen Shanden dared, of course!

He almost wanted to laugh.

Damn it!

Did they know how hard it was for him to hold back this explosive news until the project launch ceremony?

"I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand."

Shen Shanden repeated his question.

His tone carried confusion and pain.

He suddenly intensified his tone.

"We removed all the palace intrigue plots, including the mystery surrounding Emperor Wuzong's death and Jiajing's late-stage decline, to make the story more straightforward."

"We strengthened the roles of the Imperial Guards. We based our story within the institutional framework, making the alliance between the Imperial Guards and the eunuchs a key highlight."

"We discovered something that previous directors of historical blockbusters missed: firearms! My creative team and I discussed it for three days and three nights. Over thirty filmmakers stayed up all night and boldly decided to showcase the level of firearms in the Ming Dynasty. Based on historical and cultural heritage, we designed thermal weapons that fit the characters' traits."

"We want to enhance the sense of satisfaction! Give the audience the best viewing experience! We want to spend money on filmmaking! From the behind-the-scenes crew to the front-line creative team, we don't take kickbacks. We're not trying to make money to buy villas; we just want to make good movies!"

Han Sanping snapped back to reality.

He suddenly felt like a child.

He was so foolish!

He actually believed Shen Shanden would be crushed!

Shen Shanden's aura began to surge.

"We won't focus on the disabled crushing the able-bodied. We want audiences to spend their money and get what they deserve!"

"We don't want sensationalist perspectives. We don't play with metaphors. We don't do anything shady. We're straightforward!"

"We don't emphasize uniqueness. Even if the protagonist is a eunuch, what we want to show is life. This is something many historical blockbusters overlook and haven't discovered. We will reinvent it through script research and textual research techniques!"

Shen Shanden clenched his fist.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing his vibrant, youthful ideals and beliefs.

"Of course, we have ambitions too! We have great ambitions!"

"We will reforge the backbone of Chinese action films! We will redefine historical blockbusters! We will explore how to make martial arts films!"

"We will make Chinese Kung Fu crush Hollywood action design once again! We will clarify and categorize the Kung Fu system into distinct realms, make it realistic, and then use our industrial capabilities and engineering technology to recreate the soul of traditional martial arts, creating a new school of action aesthetics!"

"Thousands of soldiers, the rise and fall of dynasties, the soul of Chinese martial arts, all within The Grand Director!"

The reporters weren't fools.

They caught on.

Shen Shanden was introducing his movie.

Damn it!

He's a genius!

Shen Shanden pursed his lips, his gaze turning sorrowful again: "For this movie! I mortgaged the house I worked hard to save up for! Wu Jing also went bankrupt! Almost all our main actors are taking pay cuts to perform."

Shen Shanden's gaze swept over them.

Wu Jing's eyes welled up.

Director Shen has had it so tough!

The pressure is immense!

He used to think that juggling multiple roles, traveling all over the country for months, and often sleeping only four or five hours a day was difficult. But compared to Shen Shanden, his efforts were nothing!

Shen Shanden had consistently kept his promise to write him letters and was realizing them step by step. Wu Jing was deeply moved!

It was his honor to be part of this project!

Zhou Qifeng's eyes also turned red!

As Shen Shanden's junior brother, he was also constantly on the go, sleeping only a few hours a day. His girlfriend had complained, thinking he had found someone else.

He handed over his salary, and only then did she understand.

Now he finally realized how difficult things were for his senior brother!

The other actors, needless to say, were inherently emotional people, their eyes shining.

Clap clap clap!

Applause erupted from the audience area, with some people cheering encouragement!

Shen Shanden clenched his fist again, displaying his firm conviction.

"I asked myself, is it worth it to give up a good, happy life? Is it really worth it? I was very anxious."

"Later, as our project gradually took shape, with the strong support of our main actors, industrial-level management, world-class script creation, and world-class creative consciousness, it miraculously began to form."

"Looking at it now, our film hasn't even been shot yet, but it has already surpassed 99% of other projects!"

Shen Shanden looked towards the audience with gratitude.

"Crucially, many audience members are supporting us. I didn't sleep all night yesterday, and I'm here today on sheer willpower, but I've gained an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. Our work has truly been recognized!"

"Therefore, I want to say: for the sake of cinema, any sacrifice is worth it!"

"Of course, we must also strive towards becoming a strong film nation. Ultimately, all the contempt we face stems from our lack of strength. We must become stronger, stronger, and stronger!"

"One day, when we become a strong film nation and are no longer looked down upon, we will be able to create art with dignity!"

After Shen Shanden finished speaking, following a brief period of stunned silence, the audience erupted in thunderous, sustained, and enthusiastic applause!

They had never seen a director who showed such respect for the audience!

Many audience members were genuinely moved, especially Shen Shanden's fans and those who had been following The Grand Director. They were weeping uncontrollably.

Our Director Shen has had it so tough!

The reporters were completely electrified and went wild!

Shen Shanden is just too good!

He circled back to the previous triple blows of "A weak nation has no art," "Abandon art for commerce," and "Art alone cannot save Chinese cinema," and then threw out new topics like "the new backbone of Chinese action films," "redefining historical epics," and "martial arts films."

He shouted about being smeared and persecuted, directly pointing out that a major director was blacklisting him, adding in "a small goal of 100 million" and "Kung Fu will crush Hollywood's action design."

From professional film topics to social gossip, he covered it all.

One heavy bomb after another, the news value was through the roof!

The reporters had never fought such a well-supplied battle.

They loved Shen Shanden to death!

Sohu, which obtained the live text and image broadcast of the The Grand Director commencement ceremony, had its editors excitedly reposting Shen Shanden's speech.

"Director Shen, who is blacklisting you?"

"Director Shen, what are your thoughts on targeting Hollywood action?"

The reporters pressed him frantically.

They naturally positioned Shen Shanden as a director, and all previous controversies were completely covered by the new topics.

However, Shen Shanden no longer responded: "My views have been clearly expressed. The core is that I hope everyone will pay attention to the movie The Grand Director, and please direct your attention to our other main creators."

At this time, maintaining a certain sense of mystery was even better.

"I'll just say a few words. I think as a young director, Director Shen Shanden is very clear-headed. It's time for us Chinese filmmakers to wake up! Basing ourselves in our homeland, serving the audience, and striving for self-improvement are the only ways to resist the stormy waves of globalization."

Han Sanping said.

The reporters were stunned one after another. Han Sanping's words were too direct, and then they became even more frenzied.

The news value exploded today!