Chapter 708 Ambition (5000 words updated!)
After reading Get Out, Murken Sorge immediately realized the value of the script.
Sometimes, you can't tell whether a movie is good or bad during a test screening.
However, whether a script is good or not is something that filmmakers can hardly argue about; they can tell at a glance.
If Lu Yanhe had received a more artistic and profound script, such as "Raise the Red Lantern," Murken Sorge certainly wouldn't have been interested.
Or rather, even if Lu Yanhe presented a classic thriller like "The Silence of the Lambs," Murken Sorge might not have felt it was suitable for him.
However, Lu Yanhe presented "Get Out," which is itself a very good and engaging thriller. The kind of psychological horror story of being hypnotized, controlled, and enslaved is in line with the horror aesthetics of Murken Sorge.
As seen in the film *The Mist*, Murken Sorge actually enjoys creating supernatural and surreal stories within a modern setting. Simply put, he breaks down the facade of everyday life, placing the protagonist in an extreme, terrifying environment to evoke both physical and psychological fear.
Building on this, Get Out has another naturally good subject to choose from—Black people as slaves.
If the Asian revenge theme in "The Mist" was something that didn't exist at the beginning but gradually emerged from D19's market feedback, then the theme of "Get Out" is straightforward and obvious from the text, with almost no attempt to conceal it.
Murken Sorge thought to himself, "If only I were Black. If I were, this film would probably have been a thorn in the side of some extremists from the very beginning."
He said to Lu Yanhe, "Did you write this script specifically for me?"
Lu Yanhe asked with a smile, "Do you like it?"
“Are you kidding me? This script is absolutely amazing!” Muken said. “How could you write a story like this? It’s simply—”
It's as if, despite not being an art film, the very theme alone is enough to make it a topical cinematic text, guaranteeing its place in awards season through massive discussion.
Art films are not the only ones with artistic value; there is another dimension to artistic value called social relevance.
The reason why "Get Out" became a box office hit and entered the awards season was because of the social discussion it sparked, thanks to its completely commercial and sensory-driven thriller style.
Its significance surpasses that of an ordinary thriller.
In a social context where many people say that Black people have been equal for many years, why do they still always identify as the victims of discrimination? This article incisively exposes the hypocrisy of some white people and the inescapable fear in the hearts of Black people.
A slave for a day casts a shadow over generations.
Moken Sorge asked, "Are you really willing to give me this script to direct?"
“Yes,” Lu Yanhe nodded. “However, I hope my film company can participate in the film’s production.”
Upon hearing this, Muken immediately frowned.
“I don’t mean to interfere with your creative process,” Lu Yanhe explained immediately. “I just hope to learn through this project. You know, I have a film company, and there are a few of my own scripts that I want to direct myself, but I don’t understand the filming environment here. If there is an opportunity for people from the company to truly participate in the production of a project, it would be very meaningful for us.”
Moken Sorge: "I really like the script, but if I'm going to work with you on this film, I need to discuss it with my producer."
"No problem." Lu Yanhe nodded. "Understood."
"Lu, is this a prerequisite for me to film Get Out?" Muken Sorge asked.
Lu Yanhe nodded.
“I made the same demands for movies like Red Eye and Source Code,” he said. “I don’t intend to take control of your films, but I don’t want to just provide a script either. I’m not just going to be a Hollywood embellishment.”
Muken Zorge looked at Lu Yanhe with some surprise.
Over the years, because his wife is Hua Ruzhen, he has been one of the Western directors who has had the most contact with Chinese actors.
In recent years, with the continuous expansion of China's own market, the "going overseas fever" of Chinese actors has gradually subsided.
Popular actors like Lu Yanhe, who go against the grain, are extremely rare.
However, Murken Sorge only felt that Lu Yanhe simply wanted to broaden his acting career.
He had never imagined that Lu Yanhe harbored such grand ambitions for Hollywood.
It's not just an actor's ambition.
-
The sequel to The Mist features two Oscar-nominated actors: Ryan Waters, who plays the ghost who attacks the ghosthunters at the beginning of the film and is eventually severely injured and driven away by Lu Yanhe's ghost; and Erin Wallace, who plays the leader of the ghosthunters.
Ryan Waters is 36 years old this year. The highlight of his entire acting career is the movie he starred in, which won the Oscar. Apart from that, his performances have been "mediocre". However, his acting skills have always been well received and he has never let his guard down.
Erin Wallace, now 28, once starred at the age of 19 in an Oscar-winning film as a teenage girl, a character similar to "Lolita," which shocked the film industry at the time. She was a strong contender for Best Supporting Actress that year, but ultimately lost.
Besides the two of them, the ghost-hunting team includes a former British diving team athlete who retired three years ago. After retiring, he transitioned into acting, Jason Porter, a well-known figure who, strictly speaking, is still a newcomer to acting.
In addition, because of Lu Yanhe's starring role, Darren Wilson also secured a position for another Chinese-American actress under his wing, Wang Jiaqi, as a member of the ghost-hunting team.
These individuals, along with Lu Yanhe, form the main star-studded cast for the sequel to "The Mist." The other actors, in comparison, are largely unknown.
On the second day after Lu Yanhe arrived in the United States, he went to try on clothes and styles.
Muken Sorge also came.
At first glance, the overall design is not much different from the first film.
However, many details have been adjusted.
The overall effect should be more eerie and ghostly.
If you compare this look with the look in the first movie, the difference in effect is like the same outfit, one is a buyer's show and the other is a seller's show.
After seeing this, the people in D19 had no objections.
It's important to know that his appearance in the movie involved a great deal of special effects.
Basically, every time he appears, there are several wind machines that create a gentle breeze to give his clothes a flowing, ethereal feel.
As soon as the blower was turned on, Lu Yanhe's black robe swayed and billowed like clouds and mist, an effect comparable to computer-generated CG effects.
This means a significant reduction in workload later on, and also means a substantial saving in production costs for the D19.
D19 has nothing to say.
Lu Yanhe's stylist did not mess things up, respected the styling of the first film without making major changes, and clearly demonstrated superior aesthetics and skills, far surpassing the stylist of the first film.
Lu Yanhe was also very satisfied with this look.
"You look so much more handsome now than in the first movie," said Murken Sorge.
Lu Yanhe: "Ten years have passed. My strength has recovered a lot, and it's normal that I'm more handsome now, right?"
Muken Sorge: "It's normal. I didn't say it was bad. What I mean is, I reckon your image will attract quite a few female fans."
“I’m really looking forward to it.” Lu Yanhe nodded.
Every actor has a few fans who admire their looks. Frankly, if you don't have many fans who admire your appearance, it's really hard to become a legend. There isn't a single legendary actor who wasn't good-looking. It's cruel, even brutal.
In reality, there are certainly some actors with poor public images who have climbed to the top tier or even the super-top tier through their own hard work and acting skills. However, if you take stock, you will find that such actors are never pushed into the position of "representative" by any industry.
All you can say is that he's a talented actor.
Acting is a profession that relies on one's looks.
Lu Yanhe doesn't think he can make a living based on his talent just because he's won a few acting awards. Without his face, he wouldn't have even gotten a role in his first drama, "The Golden Era."
Seeing that Lu Yanhe didn't mind that he "made a living with his looks," Muken Sorge was shocked once again.
In the Western film industry, generally speaking, actors with better looks tend to avoid being praised for their appearance in professional acting circles. This is because the mainstream Western view is that professionalism is respected, while physical appearance is considered superficial.
In China, this view is certainly held in professional circles as well. However, on the one hand, the line between actors and entertainers is far less clear-cut than in Europe and America, making this concept less of a "precept" influencing actors. On the other hand, many actors in the entertainment industry, let alone having formal training, have no acting experience whatsoever before their very first role.
It's not even a lot, it's a huge amount. When the entire environment is filled with actors who don't really see themselves as actors, it's very difficult to use mainstream values to tell these actors what they should respect.
Lu Yanhe doesn't mind being praised for his good looks. It's not because he's influenced by the general environment in China, nor because he disagrees with these things. He just feels that sometimes people should be honest with themselves.
Taking your face too seriously is a problem, and trying to prove a certain "professionalism" or "versatility" by damaging your face is also a problem.
Lu Yanhe has never intentionally "ruined his image" to play a role.
Because actors initially rely on their looks to attract viewers. This is an undeniable fact that no one can deny.
-
D19 CEO Scott Harris met with Lu Yanhe before filming began and they had dinner together.
However, as the CEO of D19, Scott Harris has to show respect to the protagonist of a hit sequel.
However, this time, in addition to talking to Lu Yanhe about "The Mist", Scott Harris also talked to Lu Yanhe about several other Hollywood projects.
“We at D19 are an independent film production company. We can’t compare to big studios like Parameter and Green Valley, but we at D19 are capable of making films like Source Code and Buried.”
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "Scott, my collaboration with them was based on the script and expanded to multiple dimensions. I was also one of the producers. I gave you the script for 'Buried' before, but you only wanted the script at the time."
Scott Harris chuckled and said, "The world is constantly changing, isn't it?"
Lu Yanhe smiled slightly and didn't say anything more about it.
Scott Harris: "You are an outstanding creator with exceptional talent, and this time, we will also be pushing you through the awards season with the sequel to The Mist."
Lu Yanhe: "Thank you."
Scott Harris: "But why have you been so reluctant to sign a follow-up contract for the Mist series?"
Lu Yanhe: "Scott, we haven't even started filming the second movie yet. Isn't it too early to talk about what comes next?"
Scott Harris: "You're a hot Hollywood star right now, and I can't rest easy until I sign your contract."
"Let's take it one step at a time," Lu Yanhe said. "You know I'm really busy, right?"
Scott Harris nodded.
"I know."
He smiled, seemingly unconcerned about Lu Yanhe's earlier rejection.
Lu Yanhe knew he wouldn't mind.
It's perfectly normal for a popular actor to be a little arrogant and flamboyant—that's what everyone thinks. Lu Yanhe gradually realized that sometimes, being a little arrogant and cold-blooded was actually easier and saved him trouble.
“Lu, I’m actually very curious, why didn’t you act in the movie Buried yourself?” Scott Harris said. “If you had starred in the movie, I would have considered it even if you had been the producer.”
Lu Yanhe: "If I had to act in all the scripts I wrote, I wouldn't have time to act in a movie like 'The Mist' that I didn't write."
Scott Harris: "That's true. Do you have an assistant who helps you write the script?"
"ah?"
“The number of screenplays you’ve written in the last few years is almost equivalent to the output of seven or eight screenwriters,” Scott Harris said.
Lu Yanhe shook his head, "I don't have an assistant, I wrote it all by myself."
"This is incredible! How could you create so many scripts?"
Lu Yanhe: "On the one hand, I am able to write, and on the other hand, the scripts I write are basically never asked to be rewritten or extensively modified by the production company."
To put it simply, the acceptance rate is extremely high.
Each success further solidifies the "Lu Yanhe myth," and with each additional layer of reinforcement to the "Lu Yanhe myth," the value of every word he writes increases.
The production company treasured it like a precious gem, so how could they dare to make any changes easily?
By the time it came to projects like "Buried Alive," "Red Eye Flight," and "Source Code," Lu Yanhe's abilities as a screenwriter had already been recognized both at the box office and in terms of awards. He was also in a relatively strong position when negotiating collaborations, so unless the other party had fundamental objections to the script, they wouldn't have brought them up so easily.
Or rather, they simply won't cooperate at all.
Scott Harris laughed: "That's true. No one will dare to change your script easily now."
Lu Yanhe thought to himself that although Scott Harris was saying this now, he probably didn't really take it seriously.
Steker Harris possesses a typical Hollywood arrogance.
His arrogance isn't directed at you; it's directed at all non-Hollywood filmmakers—you may be talented, but whether your methods work in Hollywood hasn't been proven yet.
Lu Yanhe thought to himself, once the box office results and returns of the "Source Code" movies are released, your smile will be much more genuine.
The capitalist world is easy to navigate; as long as you do two things, you can do whatever you want:
First, you have the potential to make money.
Secondly, you have the ability to avoid being scammed.
Lu Yanhe and Scott Harris ate the meal together, chatting and laughing, and took a photo together. Scott Harris then posted the photo on his Twitter account, fulfilling the "respect for talent" gesture that a film company CEO should demonstrate.
With this "endorsement," Lu Yanhe met with the cast of the sequel to "The Mist" for the first time.
-
“Lu Yanhe has gone to film ‘The Mist’.” Zhang Yuezhen put down her phone, which displayed a photo of Lu Yanhe and Scott Harris. She said to Chen Pinhe, “We need to speed things up too.”
Chen Pinhe said, "What's the rush? It's not a race."
Zhang Yuezhen: "If you have a project like 'Doomsday' again, would you be willing to let Lu Yanhe sabotage it again?"
Chen Pinhe: "This matter is in the past, there's no need for you to keep bringing it up, is there?"
His brow furrowed.
The movie "Doomsday" missed Chen Pinhe's chance. Zhang Yuezhen said that Lu Yanhe set it up and ruined it. In reality, they all knew that Chen Pinhe himself was worried that "Doomsday" would be downgraded and he would lose face, so he took the initiative to give it up, which gave Lu Yanhe the opportunity to work on it for Jiang Jun.
Zhang Yue knew that Chen Pinhe was actually quite bothered by this matter.
She stopped mentioning it.
"I don't mean anything by it, I just don't want us to be too slow and lose a lot of initiative later," Zhang Yuezhen said. "By the way, Yang Zhoujin invited us to dinner tomorrow night, are you free?"
"Yang Zhoujin? He's been released by his family again?"
“He reached an agreement with his father. If he doesn’t continue to cause trouble, his father will give him a fair chance to compete with Yang Zhouli,” Zhang Yuezhen said. “Yang Zhoujin will receive a sum of money to invest.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Pinhe showed a look of surprise.
Zhang Yuezhen said, "He needs results, and we need funds, so it's a win-win situation."
-
First update.
I recommend the new fantasy novel, "The Demon-Slaying Sword".
(End of this chapter)
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