"Look at this, look at this, this is Roger Ebert's evaluation: What I like very much about "The Ghost Story" is that its silence and waiting are far better than rough cuts and blood splatters. It seems that everything It didn’t happen, but it gave people a bone-deep fear, wow, that’s great.”
"Yeah, I heard that Roger has always been very harsh on horror movies."
"That's because he failed so badly as a horror film screenwriter that he turned to film criticism."
"Roger is saying good things about our movie, and you're like, well, look at this again, Los Angeles Times: A simple movie that seems to have been created by a minimalist, but it creates an unexpected frightening effect."
"The Boston Globe, with its shoddy graphics and shoddy production, is like those boring family trivial videos on YouTube. Ah, the Boston Globe, I remember this newspaper."
"Just throw it in the trash can."
"Um."
"Let's watch this, "Hollywood Reporter", this is the authority, an extremely outstanding experimental attempt, the first-person daily life of young lovers and the footage like a surveillance camera, bringing the audience a very special kind of viewing. experience.”
"This, this, the New York Times is more authoritative than the Boston Globe. The Venice Film Festival has concluded. Takeshi Kitano's "Hanabi" won the Golden Lion, and the hit "Life is Beautiful" returned empty-handed."
"Hey, what does this have to do with our movie?"
"Ask yourself. You also brought a copy of the news about the Venice Film Festival. However, I look forward to when we can participate in the Venice Film Festival."
"Oh, it will definitely be soon. Now that the media feedback of "The Ghost Story" is so good, Daenerys will definitely promote it. As long as it sells well, it will be easy for us to get opportunities for other characters."
"It's you, I'm just a supporting role."
"It doesn't matter, Jesse. When I become famous, I can hire you to be my follower, and I will give you some more opportunities for auditions in the future."
"Ai~mi~ you are really my good sister, give me a hug."
"Um...ah, strangled, strangled, you wanted to murder, okay, okay, I was wrong, I apologize."
In a hotel room in downtown Toronto.
Amy Adams and Jessica Chastain played around for a while and continued to look through a pile of newspaper review copies of "The Haunted Man" in front of them, which Amy had just received from the New World Pictures team.
It was the day after the premiere of "The Ghost Story".
In another room of the hotel, Danny Morris convened a meeting with several staff who came together this time. The discussion was naturally about the follow-up announcement of "The Ghost Story".
Compared with the two girls who could only browse some movie reviews, the New World Pictures team has made a detailed media feedback report.
Although some negative reviews are unavoidable, based on today's feedback from dozens of North American mainstream media film critics, preliminary estimates indicate that the comprehensive media score of "The Ghost Story" is as high as 8.3 points, which is a very good result.
In this case, there is no need to be restrained in the next announcement.
Compared with "Titanic" which is only 3 months away from release, "The Ghost Story" has a very tight schedule. The filming start date is confirmed to be September 26th. Today is September 14th, which only takes less than two weeks. Therefore, it is necessary to build momentum as quickly as possible.
Of course, it also needs to be within the budget.
After all, it is an ultra-low-cost film. "The Ghost Story" will not carry out any expensive TV advertising. The team can only use the limited budget to find ways to create buzz.
Fortunately, this movie has another advantage, which is the support of Tinker Bayer.
Tinkerber's autumn new product launch will be held on September 27, which is the second day after the filming of the film begins.
The two parties have previously reached an agreement. As long as "The Ghost Story" can receive good feedback at the Toronto Film Festival, Tinker Bayer will help recommend the film in the next autumn new product launch conference and even subsequent product marketing that will attract global attention. For a movie of the size of Tinker Bayer, just this incidental marketing is enough to bring an advertising effect equivalent to tens of millions of dollars in publicity investment.
Now, the film's comprehensive media score has reached 8.3 points, and Tinker Bayer will definitely take action.
However, before that, Daenerys Entertainment still has to create as much momentum as possible.
"I think you can stir up controversy. This is the most direct way to increase the popularity of a movie," a staff member said to Danny Morris in the hotel room, and picked out the copy of the "Boston Globe" The film review went on to say: "The Boston Globe's review is obviously biased. It did not discuss the plot of "The Haunted Man", but attacked the film's use of iRec's rough production techniques, arguing that "The Haunted Man" does not count at all. Movies, we can create buzz from this point.”
"Sean is right, Danny. I have already thought up some theories to refute it. If the picture and sound are not good enough, it is not a movie. Then, do the silent movies in the past count as movies, and do black and white movies count as movies? As long as The debate was heated enough that two weeks would be enough time for "The Ghost Story" to be known across the country."
After this person finished speaking, another person said: "I think we should be more cautious. "The Ghost Story" is a new and ultra-low-cost attempt. We cannot deny this. If the discussion about iRec shooting movies is too hot, it will be considered a movie." , no matter what the result is, many people will inevitably feel that "The Ghost Story" is cheap and not worth entering the theater. Therefore, the reputation of the movie must still be given priority."
"This is not a big problem. We just need to frequently mention the affirmation of "The Ghost Story" by famous film critics such as Roger Ebert in the review drafts that we can influence."
"Actually, it's just a question of how to provoke controversy, and it can't be taken too far."
"Also, regarding the new genre of mockumentary movies, it is also worthy of our focus on marketing. The first mockumentary movie is just a gimmick. Coupled with the quality of the film and proper publicity, I believe that many viewers will buy tickets. field."
"My idea is similar to John's, focusing on highlighting the new film theme of pseudo-documentary movies, and then combining it with the horror genre of the film. Danny, I also thought of a slogan, 'A different horror experience.'"
“…”
“…”
The lively discussion lasted for an hour, and the team finally drafted a two-week publicity plan, which was mainly divided into two parts. The first was to proactively stir up controversy based on the "Boston Globe" article, to the greatest extent possible in the shortest possible time. The other one is "A Different Horror Experience", which focuses on promoting the new film type of pseudo-documentary film.
Once the plan is finalized, execution begins immediately.
At noon that day, an article refuting the Boston Globe film review appeared on the Igret portal. On Facebook social networks and some film and television forums, various celebrities and Vs divided into two groups and began to debate this and related topics. Quickly log into various hot topic lists.
Immediately afterwards, the controversy quickly penetrated from online media to traditional television and print media.
In just two or three days, countless members of the public knew that a movie called "The Ghost Story" was making a lot of noise in the media.
On the other hand, while the movie is gaining popularity, Daenerys Entertainment has not forgotten the "different horror experience" promotion, because it is to build reputation for the film.
On Wednesday of the new week, the famous film critic Roger Ebert logged on to the "Late Show with David Letterman" to discuss recent controversies and at the same time praised the content of the film, claiming that "The Ghost Story" created a A whole new genre of movies.
As the topic of "The Ghost Story" becomes more and more popular, on September 19th, another Friday, the movie officially released a trailer on the YouTube platform. It was only a 45-second trailer. The dark lens splicing creates a suspenseful and terrifying atmosphere.
Upon closer inspection, the trailer basically has no actual content. It only uses visual techniques to present the film's text story about a couple who encounter a supernatural event in a three-dimensional way.
However, even so, the trailer attracted a large amount of public attention.
At 9 o'clock in the evening on September 19, just one hour after it went online, the number of views of this trailer exceeded 13 million. As of 9 a.m. the next day, 12 hours after it went online, the cumulative number of views of the trailer was close to 70 million. , so it can be indirectly seen that the publicity operation that lasted for a week has achieved remarkable results.
The New World Pictures team even deliberately adjusted the opening scale of the first week based on the YouTube trailer playback volume of "The Ghost Story", directly increasing it from the initial 1,200 yuan to 2,000 yuan. After all, unlike "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", which requires a step-by-step art film, "The Ghost Story" is a low-cost small production, but it is a standard commercial film model.
When the popularity is sufficient, the best way is to get the most box office in the shortest time.
Malibu, Point Dume Estate.
While the New World Pictures team was busy promoting "The Ghost Story", Simon had been doing something around three goals.
This is Saturday, September 20th.
At nine o'clock in the morning, the three invited physicists entered the manor in a special car sent by the Westeros family. As soon as they got off the car at the square in front of the Shell Villa, Simon came up with several women and children, and the three Greet everyone one by one.
The three physicists are Burton Richter, Steven Weinberg and Leon Lederman.
The three have one thing in common: they are all Nobel Prize winners in physics.
The three old men, all in their 60s and 70s, were a little happy to see Simon Westeros greet him in person. However, when they saw that this young man was not only followed by several beautiful women, but also a little girl, they were inevitably worried. I had a bit of a bad premonition.
no way.
Once I was extremely disappointed, and when I see disappointment again, I will inevitably worry about gains and losses.
It all started in 1983.
Due to the atomic bomb and the fact that it was still in the Cold War stage, major countries in the East and West attached great importance to the research of particle physics and did not hesitate to spend a lot of money. The United States' first large particle collider project was built against this background. The project was established in 1983.
In 1986, the design of the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) was completed, with a total design length of about 22.5 kilometers. This was the world's first large-scale particle collider project, more than ten years earlier than the final LHC project in Europe.
Although the budget ballooned from the initial US$4 billion to US$11 billion, the two presidents from the Reagan era to later Bush were very supportive of this project. Unfortunately, in 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed and the Cold War ended. Dramatic changes in the political landscape of the human world have also made extreme scientific exploration projects like ITER's SSC, which have huge investments but seemingly slim output, no longer popular.
Finally, in 1993, after spending $3 billion to dig foundation holes in Texas, the SSC project was shut down by the Clinton administration.
The entire physics community was in mourning.
Until today, a few years later, the three top physicists who were working hard for the SSC project once again saw the dawn of hope: Simon Westero intends to sponsor the Large Particle Collider project in a private name.
Today is the first meeting between the two parties.
In the small square in front of the Shell Villa, after Simon greeted the three physicists, he did not forget to introduce the people around him, the two Jennys, as well as Emmanuel Brandt, who was temporarily brought in as a science consultant, and himself Personal assistant girl A.
The last little girl is naturally Seattle.
Introducing his daughter, Simon smiled and said to the three of them: "Mr. Lederman, my daughter Syl has just read your work "The God Particle" recently. Mr. Weinberg, your "Dream of the Ultimate Theory", Syl I’ve read it too. Oh, and Mr. Richter, Seal has also read some of your papers.”
When the three physicists heard what Simon said, they looked at the little girl who was at least four or five years old in front of them, with obvious surprise and confusion on their expressions. They even felt that Simon Westeros was probably playing a not-so-funny joke on them. joke.
Simon didn't say much, and actively motioned for the three of them to enter.
Everyone sat down by the glass curtain wall with a wide view of the Shell Villa. Simon didn't talk too much and got straight to the point: "You three, Aiman has introduced enough issues about the particle collider to me in the past few days. Frankly speaking, I may not understand as much as my daughter.”
When Simon said this, Burton Richter, one of the three, once again looked at the little girl sitting next to her father with a somewhat cold expression, and couldn't help but said: "Mr. Westeros, aren't you here?" Are you kidding us?"
Simon smiled and looked to his side: "Sil, say hello to the three gentlemen."
Seattle glanced at his father, then blinked at the three people opposite him, tilted his head slightly, then jumped off the sofa and ran away without saying a word.
Watching his daughter leave, Simon could only shrug: "Sorry, many times, I don't know what my daughter is thinking."
Emmanuel Brandt, who was tall and red-haired, smiled at this time: "Burton, it's true. Sear probably inherited the boss's genius and has a very high IQ. She has read some of the works of the three of them. , I can prove this, but Ciel doesn’t like to talk very much.”
Burton Richter is a professor at Stanford University. He has had some interactions with Emmanuelle who is hosting FusionTimes. He also knows that this red-haired girl has a high degree of Ph.D. in particle physics. When she said this, think again. The miracles created by Simon Westeros can only be believed to a certain extent.
Simon waited for Emmanuel to finish speaking, and continued without dwelling on what had just happened: "So, I don't need the three of you to give me more popular science. I just hope that the three of you can convince me to agree with an example that I can understand." Fund the large particle collider project. Moreover, Ayman and I have discussed that the 22.5-kilometer SSC project in Texas is still somewhat conservative. I can directly fund the construction of a very large particle collider with a circumference of 100 kilometers.
When the three of them heard the number 100 kilometers, their hearts beat faster obviously, like passionate young people seeing a beautiful girl.
Looking at each other, Leon Lederman was about to speak, but Simon suddenly interrupted: "By the way, Einstein's energy formula, this Ayman has already told me, you have to change it."
Leon Lederman was immediately choked up, he really wanted to give an example.
After all, it is the easiest to accept, has been proven and has been put into practical application.
So the three of them got together in front of Simon and started to communicate. After a while, Burton Richter said: "Simon, how about giving you a more science fiction example?"
"As long as I understand."
"For example," Burton Richter said: "The ultimate goal of our research on particle physics is to explore the ultimate microscopic rules of the universe. When we understand these rules, perhaps in the future, using the rules we master, we may Achieving ultra-long-distance space travel does not mean traveling at the speed of light. Instead, we can use our understanding of the ultimate rules to directly poke a hole in the universe and easily reach the other side of the universe across millions of light-years. "
"It's specifically like this." Burton Richter said, rolling a piece of paper he just took out of his handbag into a paper tube: "This is the universe. The diameter of the paper tube is 10 million light years. When We master enough rules, just like we master the rules of this piece of paper, then when we want to get from one side of the paper tube to the other side, we don't need to cross 10 million light years, but flatten the paper tube, Then, poke a hole.”
Simon watched as Richter used his pen to make a wrong hole in the center of the flattened paper tube. He nodded slightly, but then asked: "How to flatten the space, and what to use to poke this hole?"
Burton Richter smiled and said matter-of-factly: "I know the physical rules of the pen and paper in my hand very well, so I can flatten it and poke a hole. As for how to flatten the space and poke holes in it, Mr. Westeros, This requires you to fund our research. However, I can give some hypotheses, for example, antimatter burns through space through positive and negative annihilation techniques. Antimatter particles happen to be the targets of the Large Particle Collider."