"As for these terms, since Ed has no objection, I naturally have no objection, Mr. Wang," Angela smiled and looked at Wang Zhongjun opposite, "I trust professionals in this regard."
Wang Zhongjun finally breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. When he was in China, he was the latest to get the news, but with his own skills and relative understanding of the Americans, he still got the other party's initial promise.
The next step is to go to the United States to discuss the specific terms. Wang Zhongjun knows very well what such a movie means for Huayi, and he also understands why Pixar can produce and distribute so many profitable movies - the previous year's "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" was similar It took away about 60 million box office, which is 1/18 of the total domestic box office for the whole year; not to mention the "Transformers" introduced by China Film at the beginning of this year, with a box office of nearly 200 million, it will definitely be the domestic box office champion this year.
So before he came, he worked hard to study Angela Mason's information. Although he had heard about this so-called Hollywood genius before, and also knew about this woman with extraordinary achievements, he really made a detailed study but let him He felt his head jump.
Sure enough, people are more popular than people. He, Wang Zhongjun, has returned to China to work hard and is now a very successful person, but compared with this young lady, he has the urge to throw his hands and do nothing. How many people in this world can act, sing, write, and direct? Moreover, she is still a 24-year-old young woman, and a talented director who makes Oscar dilemma. She even made a fortune for herself without relying on her parents, as if God is behind her.
Wang Zhongjun doesn't believe that there really is a God in this world, so he thinks this woman who claims she has no financial talent must be very difficult to deal with. However, after coming to the United States to meet at an appointment time, he found that the originally planned rhetoric was completely useless. The other party did not make things difficult or ask for a price. Basically, Pixar CEO Ed Kam was in charge of the negotiation.
"Let the professionals do things, don't do things you don't understand." Angela said.
Well, anyway, it seems that the distribution rights of this movie that can make Huayi a double harvest at the box office and word of mouth have no problem, but it is not over yet.
He glanced at "General Manager Yu" who was following him, and couldn't help laughing bitterly in his heart, what were these officials thinking in their heads? Complaints are complaints, and what should be done must be done.
"By the way, Miss Angela," Wang Zhongjun bit his head and coughed dryly, "Have you considered... finding someone to share the investment in this movie? At least it can avoid some of the risks."
After speaking, even an old Jianghu like him couldn't help showing a slight embarrassment. Angela on the opposite side raised her eyebrows, glanced at General Manager Yu next to Wang Zhongjun and said with a half-smile, "Why, Huayi Media wants to invest in this movie? Sorry, I don't think it is necessary at all."
Did she see it? Wang Zhongjun, who was looking at it, thought in surprise. Does she know so much about the situation in China
But I don't have time to think about it now. After looking at Yu Hongtao, who was sitting next to an old god who barely spoke, he resisted the urge to scold his mother and continued to persuade him: "We do have this idea, you see, We are much more familiar with the situation in China, and it is more convenient to dispatch, and it is easier for us to communicate if there is any problem..."
"It doesn't matter," Angela interrupted her with a cold face, "I don't care about that. If necessary, I will change the location without hesitation, even in the middle of shooting. How about the Philippines? It's not difficult, and their labor may be cheaper, as for the cost, I can still afford it."
When she said the last sentence, her eyes were fixed on Yu Hongtao beside Wang Zhongjun, as if the king was declaring his authority. While Wang Zhongjun felt a headache, he was also a little inexplicable. What the hell is this woman doing? Fortunately, Yu Hongtao, as a person in the system, is very good at examining the timing. Although he frowned and seemed a little dissatisfied, he returned to normal and sat motionless in his seat without saying a word.
The conference room fell into silence. Wang Zhongjun didn't know what to say. Ed tried to speak several times, but Angela stopped him. After a long while, Angela suddenly said, "This is my movie."
Although this sentence is a bit mindless, Wang Zhongjun has a keen grasp of the meaning, and his eyes lit up: "Of course, this is of course your movie. I don't think anyone can question and... point fingers."
He said this carefully, putting on a very sincere look. Angela's eyes turned immediately, still looking at him with a half-smile, she tapped on the armrest a few seconds later: "Okay, I can consider accepting your investment."
The specific negotiations are still handed over to Ed, but Angela clearly told him before leaving that Huayi can invest, but it is responsible for all the needs of the crew in China, and must not raise any objections to the filming. To put it simply, this is an unequal treaty, but Angela doesn't care. Even if Wang Zhongjun sitting in front of him is the CEO of Huayi Media, which has developed rapidly in a few years, or the CEO of China Film Group, she will still pose this. a contract.
You must know that although it is a threat to set up a studio in the Philippines, it is not just a talk. Angela clearly told the other party that even if the subject matter is very sensitive, it is her thing, you can take a look, but don't think about it if you are fingering. Of course, if she really wants to suspend and leave and start again, she will also choose to build a studio in Hollywood. She can still get the investment of 200 to 300 million yuan. Anyway, this movie does not need to consider making money at all.
However, although those people are heavily bureaucratic, they always like to lead the experts from the layman, but after all, they are not idiots. Such a film is enough to show their achievements, not to mention that there are Chinese funds in it.
Allowing Huayi to invest is exactly the compromise made by Angela, just like what she said to Wang Zhongjun when she left, Huayi must be responsible for a certain scissors to be put away, and it cannot be changed at all after the film is completed, but in fact Just kidding. What should be compromised has to be compromised. The movie "Queen" made her understand this very deeply.
After handing over these bits and pieces to Ed and those in the film department, Angela began to continue to have headaches about the actors. Most of the actors have already been settled, and Rabe is played by a German actor named Heinz Matthias, who is as strict and stern as most Germans. It was recommended by Thomas Kletchermann, who once collaborated with Angela in "The Pianist". It is quite famous in Germany. More importantly, after he shaved his head and put on circular lenses, and in the file photo. John Rabe is eight-point similar in temperament, and Angela settled on him just by looking at his looks and acting in the movie.
As for Minnie Weitling, she chose Meryl Streep, and the other party finally agreed after considering it.
"Frankly speaking, this role is very similar to Sophie. Although it was my best performance, it also troubled me for a long time. However, your script and those materials moved me, Miss Angela. , as you said, some things should not be forgotten," Meryl said on the phone.
As for Dr. Robert Wilson, Angela still found Steve Busmi. Although the two had only collaborated on "Snatch, Kidnap", the other party readily agreed. It took a lot of effort to play Hatohiko Asaka. Angela originally wanted to find a Japanese actor who had worked hard in Hollywood, such as Ken Watanabe who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for "The Last Samurai". But after thinking about it for a long time, the other party politely and firmly declined.
Angela was a little dissatisfied but didn't say much, and then turned her attention to the actors in Japan. However, the progress has been very slow, although because the two "The Grudge" and Kadokawa Films have a good relationship, although she had met with Kadokawa Haruki a few years ago, she still heard about what kind of person she was, so she bypassed them and proceeded directly. selection. It is conceivable how protracted the efficiency will be. Even if it started a long time ago, it was not settled until the day before Wang Zhongjun and the others arrived in the United States.
Kagawa Teruyuki, or this Japanese actor. When it was confirmed, Angela didn't know it was him - after all, the translation from Japanese into English had another meaning, and it was only after I found out that he had starred in "The Devil is Coming" that I understood. Angela was stunned for a long time, but because of this, she also had the last Chinese role actor candidate.
After the doorbell continued to ring for a while, the door was finally opened, and an impatient, fierce-looking face was suddenly revealed, but when he saw the person outside the door, he was stunned: "Yo, What wind brought you here?"
"Of course it's Dongfeng." Wang Zhongjun outside the door helped his glasses, then moved away, "Hollywood's Dongfeng."
Behind him stood a tall girl with combined hair. Although she wore sunglasses that covered half of her face and dressed very simply, she had an extraordinary temperament, plus two tall white men standing not far away. The bodyguard is obviously not an ordinary person.
"Hello, Mr. Jiang, we meet again." The girl took off her sunglasses and said in fluent Chinese with a smile.
"Well...Miss Angela?" Jiang Wen, who recognized the other party, suddenly showed a stunned expression, "Have you come to Beijing?"
With a slap on the forehead, he quickly moved his body away: "I'm sorry, please come in."
Jiang Wen's villa is not big but quite exquisite. He is obviously a person who enjoys life very much, but he is the only one in the villa. Because she had already learned about Wang Zhongjun before she came, Angela did not ask about his wife.
After Jiang Wen served the clear tea, they exchanged a few words with each other and finally got to the point.
"I didn't expect you to come to Beijing, I thought it was made clear on the phone." Jiang Wen shrugged with a wry smile.
However, Angela, who was drinking tea, smiled and looked at him without speaking, while Wang Zhongjun simply spread out his hands to indicate that he was just a spectator. Jiang Wen scratched his head depressedly, and explained again: "To be honest, Miss Angela, I am very honored to have your invitation, and it is such a role, but I am really not suitable."
"In my opinion, you are the most suitable." Angela said lightly with raised eyebrows.
"But the problem is that the previous "Devils Are Coming" that I directed made me become a thorn in the eyes of those old guys, and then I was banned and ordered not to be a director and blacklisted. This role is also controversial, I didn't expect it At that time, I was ordered to not even be an actor." Although he used a joking tone, his dissatisfaction was still relatively obvious.
"There are still many good actors in China, they will rush to cooperate with you as long as you want," Jiang Wen spread his hands when he said that, "Who doesn't want to work with big Hollywood directors? Who doesn't want to have a seat in Hollywood? Including me Inside. Really, if I hadn't had any scruples, I'd definitely have agreed."
"I have a general understanding of China's national conditions. Mr. Wang will help you solve the things you are worried about," Angela looked at Wang Zhongjun. "As an investor, this work should still be done, right?"
"Should... there is no big problem, if Miss Angela is willing to express her position." Wang Zhongjun adjusted his glasses and gave such an answer after thinking for a few seconds.
"Look, isn't this resolved?" Angela smiled and looked at Jiang Wen, then picked up the teacup and said slowly: "If you refuse, then I will have to consider Japanese actors. When someone accuses me, I just told him that it became like this because a promising Chinese actor refused to act."
"What... what?!" Jiang Wen's eyes widened suddenly, "Hey, hey, this is not good."
Angela shrugged and spread her hands, her serious look clearly told him that it would definitely be like this at that time.
"How can there be such a rogue? How can there be such a rogue?!" He couldn't help shouting, and he didn't know where to put his hands, "This is the first time I've seen someone threaten others in this way. It's too ridiculous..."
Having said this, Jiang Wen suddenly stopped, turned around to look at Angela for a long time, and slapped his thigh hard: "No, this doesn't feel right!"
The sudden question sentence startled Angela, and even her two bodyguards couldn't help but look over here.
"Why... why..." Jiang Wen stared at Angela with an indescribable look on his face, "Why do I feel... I seem to be negotiating with a Chinese big man?!"
The room was silent. After a long while, Wang Zhongjun burst out laughing. Although he closed his mouth in time, everyone heard it, and Angela, who was staring at Jiang Wen in a daze, became strange.
"It's a good joke, Mr. Jiang, a good joke." She raised her eyebrows and clapped her hands lightly.
"Well... this..." Jiang Wen wanted to explain, "probably because you speak Chinese so well, so..."
"Okay, Mr. Jiang," Angela raised her hand, "can you tell me whether your answer is 'yes' or 'no'?"
Jiang Wen closed his mouth, wrapped his hands around his eyes and kept cruising. After a while, he said in a muffled voice, "Obviously, you didn't give me too many choices."
There was obviously resentment and dissatisfaction in her tone. Angela didn't care and just smiled slightly: "You made a wise choice, Mr. Jiang, I will have someone come over to discuss a specific contract with you as soon as possible."
After a pause, she spoke again: "In addition, I want to remind you that China is very different from the United States in terms of film production, and I happen to know a lot of your 'bad deeds', so..."
"I know, Miss Angela, I know," Jiang Wen sighed, "It doesn't matter, I will obey all the rules honestly, and I won't do anything out of the ordinary, just like I gave in under your coercion and temptation before. the same."
"It seems that I only coerced." Perhaps because he agreed, Angela's mood became very good, and she teased a little. However, she then got serious again: "Well, I want you to start dieting now and have to hit 100 pounds by the end of the month. Let me think about it, it should be... 90 kilograms. Plus you have to do your best Maybe change my temperament, I need to see a cautious and gentle Han Xianglin."
Although this trip to Beijing came and went in a hurry-she contacted Jiang Wen as soon as she asked for Jiang Wen's phone number from Wang Zhongjun, but was declined, and immediately came to Beijing with Wang Zhongjun, who was going back to China, and went after a short rest Jiang Wen's family. Settled the guy to rest for a night, and immediately returned to the United States.
It was tiring and inconvenient—compared to some guys who are used to flying private jets—but she was happy with the end result. Although there are still some good actors in China, I can think about the past and Jiang Wen is relatively suitable for the role of Han Xianglin, the secretary who always silently provides support when Rabe needs it.
This movie can be said to be a group play headed by John La Bay: First of all, American characters must be in American movies - especially to be accepted by mainstream society - fortunately, both Weitling and Wilson are respectable people ; Then Asaka Miyagihiko, a character that was deliberately forgotten for some reason, had to show it anyway; then, the real Han Xianglin, as Rabe's assistant and secretary, also tried to protect it after the establishment of the International Security Committee. Many Nanjing citizens can also be regarded as another image that can represent the Chinese people.
However, it is necessary to highlight Weitling and Wilson, but it must not be overwhelming; it is necessary to highlight the identity of Asaka Miyazaki, but it must not be too obvious; to show another image of the Chinese, but it must not be disgusted by the mainstream society. In addition, it is necessary to be as objective and fair as possible, so Angela really put a lot of effort into the plot arrangement.
You know, the reason why she felt awkward when writing the script before was because she mixed too many feelings and opinions from her previous life.
"There are a lot of injustices in this world, so a proper compromise is necessary, just like Queen Elizabeth II. Even if you don't want to, you have to make a compromise, because you want to ensure the main goal." Angela said to herself .