novellhall Chapter 65 Roadshow
Chapter 65 Roadshow
March 2nd, Beijing.
The slightly chilly air already carries a hint of early spring.
The premiere of "Take My Brother Away" was held at a high-end cinema in the CBD.
The red carpet wasn't long, and there weren't too many media outlets, but for Zhang Lei, Chen Nianbei, Liu Haochun, Zhou Yiran, and Wang Hao who came along excitedly, every step was significant.
Liu Haochun was wearing a simple white dress. It was her first time facing so many cameras, and she was so nervous that her palms were sweating, but she tried her best to keep smiling.
Zhou was still quite lively, linking arms with Liu Haochun.
Chen Nianbei, dressed in a well-tailored dark gray suit, walked at the front with an upright posture, responding calmly to media questions and flashing lights.
"Nianbei, how does it feel to be both a film producer and lead actor for the first time?"
"It's more of a responsibility. I hope to bring a good story to the audience."
"Haochun, this is your first movie role as the female lead. What was it like working with Chen Nianbei?"
"Brother Nianbei helped me a lot on set; he's incredibly inspiring when he acts..."
After a brief interview, we entered the theater.
The main creators sat in the front row, watching the finished film with the first batch of invited media, film critics, and some audience members.
The lights dimmed, the dragon emblem appeared, and the familiar opening theme music began.
Despite having seen it countless times, when the noisy yet heartwarming daily life of Shimian and Shifen appeared on the big screen...
Chen Nianbei could still feel Zhang Lei holding his breath slightly beside him, and Liu Haochun unconsciously straightening his back.
One hundred minutes passed quickly.
As the end credits rolled and the lights came on, the theater was silent for a moment, then erupted in enthusiastic applause.
Many audience members had red eyes, especially female audience members and young people who came in groups.
Several film critics huddled together, talking in hushed tones and nodding frequently.
The post-screening Q&A session was lively.
Audience members actively asked questions and shared their viewing experiences. Many mentioned being moved by the sibling relationship and being reminded of their own brothers and sisters.
A middle-aged female audience member choked up and said, "My younger brother used to bully me all the time when we were little... He works in another city now, and watching the movie made me miss him so much."
Liu Haochun's eyes also reddened as she listened.
Press releases and initial film reviews following the premiere quickly spread online.
"Sincere and touching", "a dark horse in low-budget films", "Chen Nianbei's surprising transformation into a producer", "newcomer Liu Haochun is full of talent"... Keywords began to appear.
The roadshow officially kicked off the following day.
First stop: Shanghai.
As soon as the plane landed, it was filled with promotional activities arranged by Guangming.
In the morning, there was a group interview with local mainstream media; in the afternoon, there were audience meet-and-greets at two large cinemas; and in the evening, there was a live online broadcast.
Movie theater meet-and-greets are the most direct test. Facing a genuine audience who have bought tickets, any pretense or perfunctory behavior will be exposed.
As the core member, Chen Nianbei had to both control the situation and create a lively atmosphere.
"Hello everyone, I am Chen Nianbei, and I play Shi Fen, the older brother who always makes his younger sister angry in the movie."
After a brief self-introduction, he didn't rush to promote the film, but instead chatted with the audience like a friend, asking:
"After watching the movie, does anyone have an older or younger brother/sister they both love and hate?"
Immediately, an audience member raised their hand.
A boy wearing glasses stood up, looking a little embarrassed.
"I have a younger sister. When we were little, I used to take her snacks and make her cry... After watching the movie, I think I understand why she was so angry back then."
The scene was filled with good-natured laughter.
Chen Nianbei smiled and continued, "So the moments in the movie might be the shadow of the 'annoying' siblings that many of us had when we were kids. But the care hidden behind the noise might only be understood much later."
This down-to-earth interaction quickly bridged the gap between them.
During the Q&A session, an audience member asked Liu Haochun if she was nervous about acting for the first time, while another praised Wang Hao's portrayal of "Wansui" as particularly funny, creating a relaxed and lively atmosphere.
At the end of each meet-and-greet, the cast and crew would pose for a photo with the audience, making the iconic "sibling reconciliation" gesture from the movie, with the slogan "Take my brother/sister away? No way!" This became a regular part of the promotional tour.
After completing the three races in Shanghai, I took a late-night flight to Guangzhou.
The non-stop work schedule caused Liu Haochun and Zhou Yiran to fall asleep on the plane.
Zhang Lei, holding his laptop, was still fine-tuning the script and segments for the upcoming event based on the audience's reactions during the day.
Chen Nianbei sat by the window, looking at the dark night sky and the city lights below. Although he was tired, he was in a strange state of excitement.
He could sense that the audience liked the movie.
The feeling of conveying emotions through light and shadow and receiving a response is captivating.
Day three of the roadshow, Guangzhou.
An event held at a university town cinema attracted an audience that was almost entirely composed of young students, and the response was particularly enthusiastic.
The film's themes of youth, school, family, and a touch of fantasy resonated deeply with them.
During the interactive session, some students even spontaneously shouted out lines from the movie, creating a lively atmosphere.
Word-of-mouth on the internet began to spread further. On Weibo, viewers who had seen the preview screenings or roadshows spontaneously became enthusiastic advocates, recommending this "surprisingly good" and "tears that made me cry my eyes out" movie.
The hashtag #TakeMyBrotherAway# has seen a steady increase in views.
The names of Chen Nianbei, Liu Haochun, and others were mentioned more frequently.
During breaks in the roadshow, Chen Nianbei's phone kept receiving messages.
Naza sends greetings and encouragement almost every day, occasionally secretly sharing a few photos of herself at work, complaining that Sister Li is keeping a close eye on her and that she can't go to the scene to support her.
Dilraba would forward links to positive film reviews or audience feedback to him, adding comments like "Look, everyone likes it!" and "You've worked hard on the roadshow, take a break."
She also reposted the movie poster on Weibo, writing: "Support good movies, support people who take filmmaking seriously @Chen Nianbei".
Actors who had worked with him, such as Yang Zhi and Hu Ge, also reposted the Weibo post to help promote it.
Chen Nianbei expressed his gratitude to them one by one.
Chen Nianbei's fan club also became active, and they compiled photos of the roadshow, audience reviews, and media reports, calling on those who were able to support her.
Tian Xiwei even started a small event on the super topic called "Show off your movie ticket stubs and share your sibling stories", which received a lot of responses.
However, such intense travel ultimately takes a toll.
A week later, backstage at an event in Chengdu, Zhou, who had only slept four or five hours a day for several days, was still suffering from low blood sugar and almost fainted.
Chen Nianbei decisively instructed his team to adjust the itinerary for the next two days, reducing unnecessary media interviews and ensuring basic rest time.
"Health is the foundation of everything."
Chen Nianbei said to Zhang Lei and the two girls, who looked apologetic, "A roadshow is a marathon, not a sprint. We need to meet the audience with full energy, not with exhausted bodies."
His composure and decisiveness gave the team a backbone.
After the adjustment, everyone's condition improved.
Wuhan, Changsha, Xi'an... heading west, then turning back east.
Airplanes, high-speed trains, and automobiles; cinemas, campuses, and shopping malls;
Media, audience, live broadcast cameras... In just half a month, they practically became "frequent flyers".
It was tough, but worth it.
The genuine laughter and tears from the audience at every meet-and-greet, along with the ever-increasing ratings and popularity online, all seemed to inject a powerful boost into this tired yet excited team.
The data feedback from Enlight Media is also very positive: the pre-sale box office, driven by the cities where the roadshow is held, is significantly higher than that of similar films released during the same period.
On March 14th, the day the film was officially released, the promotional team returned to Beijing for their final large-scale fan meet-and-greet.
The event was packed with people, many of whom held up homemade support signs.
When the creators appeared, the cheers almost lifted the roof off.
Looking at the enthusiastic young faces below the stage, and listening to them shouting lines from the movie and the names of the characters, Chen Nianbei felt an indescribable warmth welling up in his heart.
At this moment, all the hardships of preparation, the sweat of filming, and the hustle and bustle of the roadshow seemed to have found the most perfect answer.
The roadshow has come to a temporary end, but the life of the film has only just begun to truly blossom on the big screen and in the hearts of millions of viewers.