Chapter 122: The Lower Part of the Movie Selection

  "Where are we going?" Xiaozhou asked on the evening of December 31st in Tokyo, sitting in Uncle Jing's car.

  "Let's go home." said Uncle Inoue.

  "But this isn't the direction of my home."

  "That's not your home, it's just a house you rent. On New Year's Day, in a place like that, can you feel the meaning of home?" said Uncle Inoue.

  "But somewhere else... oh... I see." Zhou Xiao glanced at Uncle Inoue.

  "I'm glad you understand. We have everything at home, and my wife has already prepared your room yesterday. Why don't you stay at our place tonight?" said Mr. Inoue.

  "Then I won't thank you," said Zhou Xiao.

  "That's right." said Uncle Inoue.

  "Also, what's your goal next?" asked the uncle.

  "Uh... the movie in late January is about to be released, and a single will also be on sale around that time. So from late January to early February, it should all be promotional activities. By mid-February, it's basically graduation season. S-M also has a single coming out, so we'll make way for them. So during this period... there are two options: one is preparing for the second movie, and the other is... I think I'll start another company." Zhou Xiao said.

  "What kind of movie is this? What kind of company is this?"

  "As for movies...do you think it's better to make a warm and fuzzy film or a tragic one with a comedic twist?" Zhou Xiao asked.

  "Are you going to make another sad movie? 'A Liter of Tears' was already very sad, if you keep making this kind of film, won't your style be limited?" Uncle Inoue asked.

  "This is also a half-problem... then... how about making a film that will have a big social response and may even trigger discussions?" Zhou Xiao asked.

  "What's this movie again? How many film scripts are stored in that brain of yours?" Inoue asked.

  "There isn't even one yet, it's just an idea for now," said Zhou Xiao.

  "A sentimental film, a socially responsive film, and a tragic film disguised as a comedy?"

  "That's right."

  "I can't give you an answer because I don't know what each one will look like after filming. But all I can say is... I support you, and you'll definitely do a good job." said Uncle Inoue.

  "It's really hard to choose..." Zhou Xiao said.

  "What about the company? What kind of company are you thinking of starting this time?" Uncle Inoue asked.

  "I want to start an... internet company," said Zhou Xiao.

  "Internet company!? How did they even get involved with the entertainment industry this time?!"

  "Hehe, what can I do? My next goal is to create a very special kind of website, but this type of website has not yet appeared in Japan and been successful. However, I think Japanese people will definitely like it. So instead of waiting for others to start one, why don't I just start one myself?" Zhou Xiao said.

  "What website is this you're talking about?"

  "Do you know blog?" asked Zhou Xiao.

  "What's a blog? I've never heard of it." said Mr. Inoue.

  "This blog thing... is a deadly weapon for Japanese people." said Zhou Xiao.

  Blog, called Boke in Chinese, was once a favorite pastime of the petit bourgeoisie in China, but it never really caught fire. In fact, by 2014, it had largely fallen out of mainstream fashion. However, in Japan, blogs have taken on a completely different trajectory.

  Everything is because of one reason, that is Japanese people... like blogs too much!

  There was once a statistic that showed among all the blogs in the world, about 4% were written in Chinese, 36% in English, and an astonishing 38% in Japanese! It's worth noting that there are many more people who surf the internet in English than in Japanese, yet Japanese blogs still managed to outnumber English ones by two percentage points. This is enough to prove just how much Japanese people love writing this stuff!

  As for the reason... ...it is estimated that there are two main reasons. One is that Japanese people have a habit of writing diaries, and another reason may be that Japan is a nation that focuses too much on etiquette and hierarchy, which makes their society orderly, but on the other hand, it also means that most of their etiquette and relationships with superiors, subordinates, and peers are actually just constrained by social norms rather than coming from their true hearts. This would lead to them accumulating too much pressure and resentment in their minds. They need a place to express themselves, and blogs seem to be such a place.

  "You want me to do it myself?" Inoue asked.

  "Of course not. If I were to do it, I wouldn't be doing it either. This thing already has a prototype in Europe and America, and there must be people in Japan who want to do it too. It's just that no good one has appeared yet, so there must be a problem with the investment side. So as long as we find the right place to invest, we can do it." said Zhou Xiaodao.

  "This is about right, if you suddenly said you were going to change careers..." Ikeda let out a deep breath.

  "Of course not, in fact, I'm doing this not just for the money. To enter the internet era, the biggest reason I'm doing this is that I hope to utilize it on my own path in the entertainment industry in the future." Zhou Xiao explained.

  "What's so good about this thing?" Inoue was perplexed.

  "As for how to specifically do it, I don't have a specific idea at the moment either. However, when the time comes to do it, I will tell you." said Zhou Xiao.

  "Alright then, let's talk about romantic films, what kind would you like to shoot?" asked Uncle Inoue.

  Japanese movies, the most popular ones are those warm and sentimental films with a small fresh and petty bourgeoisie style.

  "That warm movie... I estimate the investment won't be small..." Zhou Xiao said hesitantly.

  "An investment? What kind of investment does a simple romantic movie need?"

  "Because I want to depict Japan in the 50s and 60s, setting up the backdrop will cost a lot of money."

  "So it was like this... The predicament and warmth of Chinese immigrants in the 50s and 60s?" said Uncle Inoue.

  "Chinese immigrant? Ah... I forgot to mention that... If so, this film can't be shot..." Zhou Xiao suddenly remembered when he heard Uncle Jie's words, his own identity conflicted with the warm film he was about to shoot.

  Zhou Xiao is a Chinese ethnic, which is unchangeable. Such a Zhou Xiao may be able to write good songs and adapt good movies, but it's unlikely that he would make a film about Japanese people reminiscing about 1950s Tokyo.

  "It seems that I can only invest in 'Eternal Sunset on Third Street' when someone else wants to film it...". Zhou Xiao thought helplessly. That's right, this was the directorial debut film that Zhou Xiao had initially wanted to choose, "Eternal Sunset on Third Street" is a manga from the 70s, and Zhou Xiao had originally wanted to buy it and film it himself, but now it seems that this idea has been aborted before it even started.

  "So what's left is just making conversation." Zhou Xiao said.

  "What kind of topic is it?" Inoue asked.

  "Ah... The girl is pregnant."

  "What, a pregnant girl!? You... you're still so young, and you're already tackling this topic!?" Inoue's face was filled with incredulity, he even suspected that Shuuxiao was still a virgin, yet he was dealing with the subject of teenage pregnancy.

  "This is what makes it topical!" said Zhou Xiao.

  When it comes to teenage pregnancy, both Japan and the West have had a TV show or movie that has become popular. In Japan, it was "14-year-old Mother", while in the West, it was "Juno". If we compare the two, "14-year-old Mother" can't hold a candle to "Juno". The essence of "14-year-old Mother" is whether it's right for a 14-year-old to give birth and how the parents should treat their child, but "Juno" explores respect, faith, and other aspects of human nature when faced with life choices, rather than just superficial issues like the former.

  If Zhou Xiao were to film it, he would definitely make "Juno" instead of "14-year-old Mother", the latter requires some funding for filming and sales, and the scope is too small to be broadcast only once on Japanese TV, whether in terms of revenue or topicality. As for the former, on the one hand, adaptation can save investment, and participate in various film festivals, on the other hand, the requirements for Zhou Xiao are not too high, as long as the real story told in "Juno" is still there, this film can produce very good social value and box office revenue.