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Chapter 1086: Chapter 951: Revering This Restless World
Noon.
Delicious food.
It made Uranus feel that even giving up a commercial performance worth hundreds of thousands was worth it.
His two assistants also wolfed down their food voraciously.
Like Uranus, Tang Qing ate meat and vegetables with big bites, while the girls at the table chewed slowly, which wasn’t considered rude for a set meal at noontime.
A mishmash of a set meal.
Steak.
Seafood.
Barbecue.
Snacks.
Salad.
...
Everyone in front of them had a large square plate, the amount of food slightly adjusted to each person’s appetite to avoid waste. The largest portion was in front of Tang Qing.
It looked frightening.
Thankfully, everyone was used to it.
This casual atmosphere made them feel very comfortable. As Kai would say, "Elegance isn’t something you fake, only kids do that."
Uranus swallowed a piece of grilled lamb.
"Tang, I really... these days I just can’t enjoy anything else. Abalone, lobster, foie gras, matsutake—they’re all so bland. Look at me, I’ve even lost a little weight."
Tang Qing looked up at Uranus. "You’ve always been thin, right?"
Uranus laughed, "Heh heh, even thinner now! You know what, how about you open a restaurant? I’d pay to eat there, so I wouldn’t feel bad about mooching off you."
"This is the only one, no branches." Tang Qing shook his head.
"I think I’ve had similar dishes and fruit in a hotel in Qingyan City before," Uranus suddenly remembered.
"That’s one of the sources of the ingredients, but the production is mostly reserved. You could have some fruit and vegetables if you want. I can give you a share, around ten kilos a week isn’t a problem.
It’s just a bit pricey, and you have to transport it yourself since we don’t offer delivery services." Tang Qing explained that sending out too much of these would not be an issue even with Uranus added to the list.
Uranus was thrilled, "That’s great, money is no issue. I’ll just fly out once a week to get it."
"That’s up to you."
"By the way, has the box office for Civilization 2 come out yet?" Uranus asked curiously.
The total box office hadn’t been released by Comet Group yet, involving dozens of countries worldwide. Without their release, no one else could possibly know.
It wasn’t a secret anyway
"It came out yesterday," Tang Qing said, "Over 1.1 billion US dollars in the first month, and it will continue showing for another half month. Some countries will extend it by a month, so the total box office will have to wait another month."
"Then you’ve really made it," Uranus remarked with emotion.
Tang Qing couldn’t admit that.
Besides, he didn’t feel that this amount of money was anything to boast about.
"Made what? Half of the money goes to the theater circuit, and the other half goes to various taxes and fees. What we get in our hands is already heavily reduced; the box office figures are just nice to look at."
Hearing this, Uranus chuckled bitterly.
"If you say so, how can domestic directors live on? We’re still striving for a box office of hundreds of millions, and your films are breaking the ten-billion mark, and not just one, but two in a row. It’s really discouraging."
Seeing the success of Civilization.
Domestic directors were all conflicted.
And very envious.
Wanting a piece of the action.
But they couldn’t produce good work.
It’s not that they couldn’t create good work, but they lacked sufficient investment. Domestic investors prefer to gamble with small amounts, where an investment of ten million aims for a box office of one hundred million. That’s what everyone chases.
Spending a billion.
To gamble for a box office of ten or twenty billion.
Not many have the boldness to take such risks.
Your vision determines your destination. You might make some money domestically, but to go global, all you can do is pin your hopes on various arthouse films to win those foreign ’so meaningful’ awards.
Such a pity.
Apart from a few lucky ones, the rest disappear from sight, all done in the name of artistry.
"There’s no comparison. My goal from the start has been the global film market, to offer the most intense visual stimulus in a culture where it’s hard to find common ground," Tang Qing reflected.
Uranus sighed, "The farther your vision, the farther you can go. I don’t think domestic directors are incompetent; it’s the investors who fall short. All these demands they make, but no money. Directors have no choice but to cut many things."
As an actor.
He felt no less frustration than the directors did.
"Movie investment is a high-risk industry. Breaking even is already difficult, let alone making a profit. It’s understandable that they’re cautious," Tang Qing understood from an investor’s perspective.
Most movies shot each year don’t even qualify for release. A lucky few sell to movie channels. The rest never see the light of day, and nobody’s money falls from the sky.
But.
If you lack the boldness and still want to profit,
Then it’s nothing to encourage.
"What I fear the most are those troublesome investors, constantly inviting you out to eat and drink, arranging people around, and if you refuse, they accuse you of being arrogant.
Sometimes, all we want to do is act well," Uranus said helplessly, shaking his head. Even with his current status, he sometimes had to compromise with capital and the powerful.
"You can’t help but play the game in Jianghu, unable to avoid these performances," Tang Qing commented with feeling.
"Ha ha, you’re quite reflective," Uranus laughed.
Tang Qing smiled, "You get used to it when you’ve seen a lot. My choices have simply increased, and I have to attend certain events. But sometimes, I think, even the world leaders, at the pinnacle of power, have to join various gatherings and meetings, right?"
