Chapter 661 You'd better keep your word
After meeting with Director Lu Nei, Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan returned to the hotel together.
Chen Ziyan asked, "Are you having dinner with Schmidt Lowry again tonight?"
Schmidt Lowry of Green Valley Films is one of the people Lu Yanhe is most familiar with in Hollywood.
Lu Yanhe collaborated with him on several of his films.
Even the film "The Mist" was made possible through him, which led to his acquaintance and contact with director Murken Sorge.
But this time, Lu Yanhe came not just to catch up with Schmidt Lowry.
Besides "Source Code," Lu Yanhe also brought a script called "Buried Alive" this time.
The script has been in development for a long time, and they have been looking for producers and directors at Hollywood film companies, but they haven't found suitable ones yet.
“I’ll talk to him first, as a friend, without getting into any business negotiations,” Lu Yanhe said. “He probably has something to tell me too.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Ziyan asked, "Is it a movie project?"
“It’s possible,” Lu Yanhe said. “He asked me about my schedule for next year, and I told him that it’s basically full, with several films to shoot.”
Chen Ziyan said, "If he really has a role for you, don't rush to refuse. We can try to adjust the schedule. If it's a good project, at least we can postpone our own projects."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
-
We arranged to have dinner at a restaurant near the hotel where Lu Yanhe was staying.
The restaurant was booked by Schmidt Lowry, of course.
When Lu Yanhe entered the restaurant, he was recognized by the waiter who greeted him and excitedly asked for a photo together.
He exchanged pleasantries with Schmidt Lowry.
Schmidt Lowry said, "Love Letter has done very well at the box office, already exceeding eight million, and its long-term performance has exceeded the predictions of all box office statistics systems."
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "Perhaps if you give it a large-scale screening, the box office would be more than what it is now."
Schmidt Lowry smiled and shook his head, a gesture of remark, but instead of answering directly, he said, "I also saw the news today that you've made another sitcom like Friends?"
"It is a sitcom, but it's not like 'Friends,' it's completely different," Lu Yanhe said. "Which media outlet published this news?"
“Variety,” Schmidt Lowry said. “Sometimes I wonder if you’ve invested in the magazine, otherwise why would it pay so much attention to your news.”
Lu Yanhe: "Perhaps I really have invested."
Schmidt Lowry: "Then it won't question that you've been making commercial films all along in Hollywood."
Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised. "Huh? It questioned this of mine?"
"Didn't you know? One of its columnists wrote an article that reviewed the development of some foreign actors, including you, in Hollywood."
"I haven't looked at it." Lu Yanhe shook his head. "I'll go find it and take a look later."
Schmidt Lowry: "These people know perfectly well what box office success means for actors, yet they always evaluate creators with an idealized perspective."
Lu Yanhe smiled.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, the conversation finally turned to "Buried".
"It's a fantastic story idea," Schmidt Lowry said, not holding back his praise for the script. "But the whole movie takes place in a sealed coffin. Honestly, how many viewers will it actually attract after it's made into a film?"
"Of course, this is not a large-scale film in itself."
"You want to keep the film rights yourself, isn't that the biggest obstacle in your negotiations with various companies?"
“Yes.” Lu Yanhe nodded, not denying it. “The script has been written for a while, but finding a suitable company to produce this movie has not been as smooth as I imagined. Even after the release of the movie ‘The Mist,’ this situation has not changed in any substantial way.”
“Because the male lead in Buried is an American in your script,” Schmidt Lowry smiled slightly, “but your box office magic is your Asian identity.”
The box office success of "The Mist" is considered a classic case of film marketing, with several key marketing factors, including Lu Yanhe's Asian identity, driving audience attention.
Therefore, quite uniquely, in the current Hollywood system, Lu Yanhe's box office appeal, unlike many Asian actors, is mainly based on his Asian identity.
This is why Darren Wilson invited him to endorse Edward and garner votes from Asian academy members in Hollywood.
Even if Lu Yanhe himself didn't think so, the reality is that he has unwittingly become the actor with the most "Asian" label in Hollywood.
Lu Yanhe said, "Actually, I can make this movie myself without your investment, but I need a company to help me with distribution."
Schmidt Lowry said, "If you want us, Green Valley, to handle the distribution of Buried, I'm telling you, it'll be on the same scale as Love Letter at best, and it can't be any bigger."
To put it bluntly, I'm still not optimistic about the market performance of the movie "Buried".
Lu Yanhe laughed and said, "Schmidt, just tell me what you want in order to agree to my conditions?"
Schmidt Lowry: "Come and participate in a film series produced by our Green Valley, and appear in at least three films."
They finally laid their cards on the table.
Hollywood is a business. As long as it's business, there's always something to discuss. It just depends on whether you can offer the price the other party wants.
Lu Yanhe asked, "What movie?"
"The film is adapted from a bestselling novel and is tentatively titled 'Godless,'" said Schmidt Lowry. "It's a fantasy film based on Norse mythology."
"Norse mythology?" Lu Yanhe asked, somewhat surprised, "This kind of subject matter has Asian characters?"
"That's what makes this novel a bestseller; it's been adapted into a story set in a modern era," Schmidt Lowry stated frankly. "And you are the inheritor of a mysterious figure from Eastern mythology."
Lu Yanhe suddenly realized.
He thought for a moment and said, "A contract for a film series, with at least three films to star in, in exchange for the massive release of just one film, 'Buried'? That's not worth it."
Schmidt Lowry said, "Lu, this film will become your masterpiece. Its box office and influence will only be higher than 'The Mist.' We aim for it to challenge the $300 million domestic blockbuster. It will not lower your value."
Lu Yanhe said, "I don't want to be positioned as a commercial film actor in Hollywood."
Schmidt Lowry said, "If you agree to join us, Green Valley will do everything we can to make Love Letter a contender for awards this year. Its good reputation in the mainstream media makes it a strong contender. However, to be honest, we don't own the rights to this film, so even if we manage to make it a contender for awards, it won't be very profitable."
Lu Yanhe showed a hint of surprise.
"Love Letter grossed over eight million dollars in the US, and with its overseas performance, I believe it will at least make some noise and gain some success during this year's awards season, if managed properly," Schmidt Lowry said. "Especially your script."
Lu Yanhe: "At least let me finish reading the novel 'Athena' first."
Schmidt Lowry said, "Lu, we've collaborated several times before. I admire your talent and have high hopes for your projects. You should be able to tell that I'm not the kind of con artist who tries to fool people. You can't always make me carry your coattails and earn a little extra money. That doesn't really mean much to Green Valley. The revenue you brought to D19 with 'The Mist' is greater than the revenue we received from twenty 'Love Letters' and 'Path of Glory' films."
"Schmidt, you want me involved in 'Godless' mainly for the Asian market, don't you?"
“No, to be honest, you have box office appeal in the global market right now. Although you don’t have a film that has proven that appeal yet, many data agencies have calculated that,” Schmidt Lowry said. “You have international cultural influence, which is the biggest difference between you and other Hollywood stars. So, I hope you can join the Godless film series.”
"Let me read the novel first. Also, you need to tell me how much you've adapted the novel?"
“Basically, we respect the original novel’s storyline and characters,” Schmidt Lowry stated frankly. “Your character is a pivotal one, even if he is not the protagonist.”
“You should know that my salary is not low, especially for movies that require signing contracts for three films at once,” Lu Yanhe said. “Even if we have worked together before, I will not give you a friendly price.”
“I’m willing to pay your fee,” Schmidt Lowry said, “as long as you don’t ask for an exorbitant amount.”
“Schmidt, you’re too cunning. So if you’re not willing to pay, it’s because I’m making exorbitant demands, right?” Lu Yanhe shook his head with a smile.
Schmidt Lowry: "No, Lu, you have to believe me. My sincerity towards you is enough for me to say this."
-
To be fair, Schmidt Lowry did not actually cheat Lu Yanhe.
"Road to Glory" helped Lu Yanhe make a run in the awards season. Although he didn't get a nomination for any of the key awards, it did boost his reputation and visibility, bringing him to the attention of mainstream American media and film critics.
This inadvertently helped Lu Yanhe accumulate his initial capital.
This is why, for many of Lu Yanhe's later films, if he were to make the decision, he would prioritize collaborating with Midoriya.
After returning to the hotel, Lu Yanhe told Chen Ziyan about his meeting with Schmidt Lowry.
"The Godless, a movie series? A blockbuster?" Chen Ziyan was somewhat surprised. "Did he think you wouldn't take this movie under normal circumstances?"
"It seems so."
"If the film's positioning is really as he says, then is it that he overestimated your current position, or that we underestimated your current position?" Chen Ziyan meant that for Lu Yanhe at this stage, such a film wouldn't be something he would casually say "don't take."
“Because it’s a supporting role, albeit an important one,” Lu Yanhe said. “Also, it’s probably because the characters we’ve portrayed before were too realistic. He’s worried that I won’t be willing to take on any more commercial films in Hollywood recently, since all the films I’ve done before have been commercial films.”
“That’s true. Putting aside commercial films, you are already a young artist who has achieved outstanding success in the film industry,” Chen Ziyan said. “Hollywood treats these famous artists like nouveau riche. They may not think that these artists can help them make money, but they all hope to get one or two to decorate their table, especially for commercial films.”
Lu Yanhe said, "Signing for three films at once is a bit overwhelming for me. I feel like I have too many series on my plate. Friends is still being filmed every year, the last installment of Seventeen Floors hasn't even started filming yet, and there are sequels to Burning Fire and The Mist. If we can't find a suitable actor for Home Alone, I'll have to act in Home Alone."
Chen Ziyan: "In this situation, we have to make some cuts. After the sequel to 'The Mist' is finished, we will not participate in the third installment of 'D19' in the short term, regardless of whether D19 will start a third installment. This decision has already been made. There are no plans to film 'The Seventeenth Floor' next year either, and the second installment has not yet been scheduled. If we really take on 'The Godless,' the filming schedule is the most important thing to pay attention to in the contract."
"I originally wanted to slow down my filming pace."
“Actually, if Friends hadn’t followed the filming-as-you-go model and had followed the normal filming pace, each season of the show could have been filmed in less than a month,” Chen Ziyan said. “It was the filming-as-you-go model that lengthened the time, requiring a full two months.”
"But I like this shooting rhythm; it makes me feel very comfortable," Lu Yanhe said. "I don't know when filming for 'Godless' will start yet."
“According to the practice of Hollywood film companies, it usually takes two years to shoot one film,” Chen Ziyan said. “This is the normal production cycle for a blockbuster series.”
"That's alright," Lu Yanhe said. "I'm just worried that we'll have to make one film every year again."
Chen Ziyan said, "Under normal circumstances, the big film 'Burning Fire' has not been finished yet, and you shouldn't take on 'Godless,' which has the same theme. But the situation is special. The global publicity resources of the 'Godless' series are several orders of magnitude higher than those of 'The Mist,' which is beneficial to your career."
"Mm." Lu Yanhe nodded.
Chen Ziyan: "Of course, you can also choose not to film 'Godless' and wait until the sequel to 'The Mist' is finished before considering Hollywood commercial films."
“There are only a handful of Hollywood productions of this caliber each year, let alone an important role that suits me.” Lu Yanhe knew what was important. “Since they’ve already approached me, I definitely want to accept.”
Chen Ziyan: "Look, you know everything. Let me talk to Darren about this first. Let's see what he thinks we should negotiate regarding the salary for this movie."
-
Darren Wilson was very surprised when he heard the news.
As a top Hollywood agent, he hadn't heard anything about the project; in fact, he only learned about it from his client.
The reason why Hollywood agents take such a large cut is because Hollywood has developed a very stable and complex system where everyone has their own tacit agreements. All information about film and television projects reaches actors through agents.
In short, if an unknown actor wants to get roles and be seen, they need an agent in the industry to recommend them so they can get audition opportunities.
Otherwise, you might not be able to know a lot of information.
It's a monopoly.
For an actor of Lu Yanhe's caliber, an outsider, a Chinese actor whose roots are not in Hollywood, Darren Wilson sees him as someone who is very dependent on him as an agent.
Of course, Darren Wilson wouldn't put on airs in front of Lu Yanhe because of this.
This is simply a matter of information and resource disparity between locals and outsiders.
This is a natural difference.
The fact that even an agent of Darren Wilson's caliber hasn't received any news about a film of "Godless" can only mean one thing: the film project is still in the very early stages of development and there's definitely no substantial progress.
However, under these circumstances, the film company approached Lu Yanhe and actively sought to cast him in the film.
This exceeded Darren Wilson's assessment of Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe's development trajectory in Hollywood is unprecedented, but no matter how unprecedented it is, he is not the master of Hollywood. His trajectory is still that of a "supporting actor". He is Asian, and both his roles and fame are closely related to his Asian identity.
Therefore, Darren Wilson never worried that Lu Yanhe would kick him out if he became more and more famous.
Even if Lu Yanhe becomes a world-renowned filmmaker in the future, he will still need an agent in Hollywood who is familiar with the situation in Hollywood.
Darren Wilson served Lu Yanhe with this very idea and attitude.
Therefore, when Darren Wilson learned that "Athena" had bypassed him and gone directly to Lu Yanhe, his first reaction was to scold Schmidt Lowry for being unruly, and his second reaction was that Lu Yanhe was valued by Schmidt Lowry to the point of being "unruly".
In layman's terms, this means that Schmidt Lowry wanted his relationship with Lu Yanhe to be a personal one.
-
At a private screening of "The Office," Darren Wilson personally drove to pick up Lu Yanhe.
Because there was no media coverage and it wasn't a public screening, it was relatively relaxed.
They even asked beforehand if they needed a version with Chinese subtitles.
Both Edward Hodgson himself and his public relations manager seem to value Lu Yanhe's attitude.
Lu Yanhe had been wondering before: if he really praised Edward Hodgson's performance in the media and promoted him, could it really help Edward Hodgson's awards season campaign?
If he has such influence, how come he can't get a nomination for a prestigious award?
Chen Ziyan said: "On the one hand, your achievements are recognized by them, and your attitude can influence who gets the cake at the table. On the other hand, you are not part of their circle, so you can't get the cake yourself before you sit down at the table."
To the point.
-
Edward Hodgson, in his early thirties, has always been known as a good actor in Hollywood.
He wasn't the kind of actor who was very famous, but as he acted in one production after another, he gradually built up his reputation, especially gaining favor from critics.
Lu Yanhe looked into his acting resume a couple of days ago.
It can be said that since he entered the industry, he has always acted in relatively serious films and has worked with many famous directors. He is an actor with high self-discipline.
Lu Yanhe believes that actors like him, who have gradually gained recognition, will definitely have opportunities if they are willing to act in more commercially oriented films.
Films from all over the world follow the same logic when casting actors: they need well-known actors who can carry the box office to play the lead roles, and they also need actors with good acting skills and professional image to play supporting roles. The cast should give people the feeling that "this movie is worth watching". And having an actor with a high reputation for choosing films in the public's mind to star in your movie is definitely a powerful tool.
This time, Edward Hodgson starred in "The Office," where he was one of the two male leads and had a significant role. However, his PR team ultimately decided to aim for the Best Supporting Actor award, as they calculated that this award had a higher chance of winning.
This is also a common strategy during the Oscars season.
Despite being one of the lead actors, she chose to apply for a supporting role award in order to increase her chances of winning.
Edward Hodgson was waiting for him.
There were other people as well.
Lu Yanhe greeted him and exchanged a few pleasantries.
Edward Hodgson said, "I hope you enjoy the movie."
Lu Yanhe: "Many people have told me that this movie is very good, and your performance is also very good. I can't wait to see this movie."
In fact, Edward Hodgson did deliver a very good performance in this film.
The quality of that performance was top-notch.
Lu Yanhe's first reaction was that if he were to play this role, there would be many aspects that Edward Hodgson's performance could not capture.
I didn't have that kind of experience.
After the movie ended, Lu Yanhe honestly said, "No wonder so many people praised this movie and your performance. I was very inspired."
Edward Hodgson had one hand over his chest and the other on the back of the chair.
“Thank you,” Edward Hodgson said. “They said this is the closest I’ve ever come to an Oscar, but the competition this year is very fierce.”
“I will recommend this movie to my friends,” Lu Yanhe said. “It deserves to be seen by more people.”
“Thank you so much.” Edward Hodgson shook hands with Lu Yanhe. “This means a lot to us, and I’m glad you enjoyed the movie.”
-
"Have you noticed? In Hollywood, many people are very confident. If they think they acted well, they might say a few humble words, but they would never deny it."
After the movie ended, Chen Ziyan whispered something in Lu Yanhe's ear.
"Their desire for awards is also undisguised."
“They have developed this kind of cultural atmosphere. Every year at this time, anyone with a fighting chance will throw themselves into this long awards season public relations battle,” Lu Yanhe said. “If you ask me to be like Edward, constantly recommending my film to different people, talking about my understanding of the character, talking about acting, I would still feel ashamed, because we don’t have this kind of cultural background.”
“You should learn from him,” Chen Ziyan said bluntly. “First of all, you have to accept yourself before others will take a second look. Look, if it weren’t for Darren’s invitation and this screening, you probably wouldn’t have seen this movie before the Oscars, and you wouldn’t have known how well he acted.”
Lu Yanhe nodded.
“Public relations managers can exist openly because that’s exactly what they do: get more Academy members with voting rights to see the film and his performance,” Chen Ziyan said. “If Schmidt Lowry really does manage Love Letter for this year’s awards season, we should do the same thing.”
"I don't have time like Edward, who spent two or three months on this long public relations battle."
“When you have a film that is really likely to be nominated, I will definitely push you to get involved,” Chen Ziyan said. “This is not the time for you to be pretentious and act out. You have to make your stance clear and firm. These are the rules of the game. Don’t give away the trophy you might get just because you’re too lazy to follow the rules. I’ll be furious.”
Lu Yanhe immediately said, "I was just saying, I will definitely abide by the rules."
Chen Ziyan snorted, "You'd better keep your word."
-
I recommend the new fantasy novel, *The Demon-Slaying Sword*.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
