Chapter 741 A New Weight (5000 words)
Uber Clark looked at Lu Yanhe with some surprise.
He never expected that when he came over to say hello to Lu Yanhe, he would unexpectedly receive an invitation to a new film.
Lu Yanhe said, "Shall we set a time to talk about it later?"
“Okay.” Uber Clark nodded without hesitation.
An actor like Uber Clark would never be arrogant toward talented filmmakers, including screenwriters.
In Hollywood, screenwriters enjoy a much higher status than elsewhere.
Even the idea that "film is the art of the director" originated in Hollywood.
However, Hollywood places great importance on scripts.
In order to create a good script, even within the screenwriting profession, there are many categories: draft screenwriters, polishing screenwriters, screenwriters who specialize in writing character dialogue, screenwriters who specialize in writing plot, and so on.
In Hollywood, no director would ever say that a good movie can be made without a good script.
Everyone is looking for a good script—that's the premise.
Instead, everyone is looking for a good project—Lu Yanhe often hears this kind of talk in China.
Lu Yanhe often tells actors like Huang Kairen that what they should do most now is to find a good story, and then use their industry status and influence to protect that good story, find the best and most suitable people in each department, and work together to make it a good project.
There's a Hong Kong actress, Michelle Ye, who once said something to the effect of: In the past, when everyone was filming a movie, conditions were tough, but everyone was fully committed and worked hard to make a good film. This was because everyone could see the script, knew they were making something good, and were willing to give their all, even beyond the financial aspect. Now, many films, as soon as you see them, you know deep down they're just mass-produced goods. The actors are just doing their jobs, and there's no way around it; a mediocre script simply can't ignite anyone's passion.
That's really how it is.
Why is it that many projects, which look incredibly lavish with big-name directors, master-level production staff, and even star-studded casts, end up being so disappointing?
Because of the very basics, the story is unengaging, and the characters are unappealing.
Having a good script doesn't guarantee a good movie; it requires the collaborative efforts of people from all departments.
However, without a good script, unless you're a director like Wong Kar-wai, who focuses on creating atmosphere, even a master like Wong Kar-wai can "tarnish his reputation in his later years," and even Ang Lee can produce an old film like *Gemini Man* that seems to have crawled out of a coffin (the funniest thing is Zhang Ziyi's Weibo post; she watched the movie and shared her thoughts, clearly showing support, but her first sentence was: "What attracted the director back then must not have been the story itself." She's really outspoken; even Ang Lee, who has been so helpful to her career and whom she so wanted to collaborate with again, wouldn't have insincerely praised the story if it weren't for *The Birth of an Actor*).
With the success of his two films, "Home Alone" and "Buried," Lu Yanhe demonstrated his screenwriting talent to Hollywood, proving that his success was not limited to just Asia.
This made him an actor that all the big-name actors in Hollywood couldn't help but take notice of, and that they wanted to have in-depth exchanges and collaborations with.
-
When Lu Yanhe ran into his agent Darren Wilson again, he first apologized.
“I forgot to mention you when I was giving my acceptance speech just now,” Lu Yanhe brought it up. “I was so nervous and excited that I just kept talking about whatever came to mind.”
Darren Wilson patted him on the shoulder with a beaming smile and said, "I'll let it slide this time, but the next time you step onto the podium, I have to hear my name called."
Lu Yanhe smiled and nodded, saying okay.
They were photographed together.
Lu Yanhe also posted this group photo as the first image on his social media feed tonight, adding another expression of gratitude to Darren Wilson in his post.
Darren Wilson saw Lu Yanhe's post before going to sleep and finally laughed.
-
That night, Lu Yanhe fell into a deep sleep, not at all too excited to sleep because of winning the award.
Instead, after lying down in bed, he felt a sense of relief, like he had finally reached the destination after a long journey.
I can finally relax.
Starting in December, he spent three months running around the awards season, with countless public relations activities, and finally, tonight, it all came to a close.
Lu Yanhe slept for ten hours straight and didn't wake up until 11 a.m. the next morning.
Chen Siqi was no longer beside her.
He grabbed his hair, opened the door, and saw Chen Siqi sitting on the sofa outside, holding a laptop, seemingly working.
"You're awake." Chen Siqi looked up at him and smiled when she heard his voice. "How did you sleep?"
"I'm completely dazed and dizzy," Lu Yanhe said.
Chen Siqi pointed to the table and said, "I made you some coffee over there."
Lu Yanhe nodded, sat down, and poured himself a glass.
Chen Siqi said, "My flight is this afternoon, so I'm going back to China first."
"So fast?" Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised.
"Yeah, I have a lot of work waiting for me to get back," Chen Siqi said with a helpless expression. "So, I need to go back as soon as possible. You'll be going back in a couple of days, right?"
“Yes, I still need to meet with a few people; there are some things I haven’t finished taking care of.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “I’m going back to China this Saturday.”
“Okay, then I’ll wait for you to come back.” Chen Siqi nodded. “I thought you weren’t going back for the time being, since you’re going to be promoting ‘Buried Alive’ here.”
“Buried Alive” won’t be released until April. Lu Yanhe shook his head. “I have to go back. I have several movies to be released this year, and I have a lot of things to do.”
Chen Siqi nodded.
"Indeed, but do you have a lot of films to shoot this year?"
“This year is alright.” Lu Yanhe shook his head. “The second season of ‘Burning Fire’ and Midoriya’s ‘Godless’, and then the fourth season of ‘Friends’ at the end of the year.”
Compared to previous years, he does have significantly fewer films to shoot this year.
Chen Siqi was somewhat surprised and asked, "Aren't you going to film that movie with Chen Bige this year?"
She was referring to the play that Wang Zhong wrote for them.
"I haven't heard anything yet." Lu Yanhe smiled. "Director Wang should still be making some revisions to the script."
Chen Siqi: "Okay, that's good. You can rest more this year."
“Yes,” Lu Yanhe said. “By the way, Sister Zixing is restarting the ‘City Travelogue’ series. In addition to the regular recordings, they are also preparing to record some special episodes and invited me. They plan to make this program the same documentary format as before, without any variety show elements. I’m actually looking forward to traveling around. If you have time, would you like to come with me?”
"Sure," Chen Siqi nodded. "Does recording a special episode take a long time?"
"I don't know." Lu Yanhe shook his head. "It's quite free. From what Sister Zixing said, she doesn't want the program to have too many restrictions, so the whole program is just a pure record."
Chen Siqi immediately laughed, "That sounds exactly what you wanted to hear."
“Hmm.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “If it’s more like a reality show or variety show, I don’t want to go.”
“That’s great.” Chen Siqi nodded. “Actually, I’m also discussing with Bingyuan Video about making a book program.”
"Hmm?" Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised.
Chen Siqi said, "On the one hand, we have many signed authors for 'Jump Up,' and many of them have accumulated popularity, readers, and fans over the years. Making such a program may help them further expand their popularity through this media format. On the other hand, this kind of niche program is becoming more and more popular now, and the audience's demand for humanities content is increasing."
Lu Yanhe said, "But these kinds of programs usually have a hard time getting high viewership, right?"
“Yes.” Chen Siqi nodded. “However, we don’t expect this show to make a profit or anything. We just hope it doesn’t lose money and can further build the ‘Jump Up’ brand. The cost of this show won’t be too high. We won’t hire celebrities or top-tier program teams. Li Bi’s team can do it.”
Lu Yanhe understood.
The program that Chen Siqi produced is less of a commercial program and more of a derivative of the "Jump Up" brand and the "Jump Up" magazine.
It is mainly aimed at the range of radiation from "jumping up".
Lu Yanhe nodded.
Chen Siqi: "On the other hand, I think making such a program is quite meaningful. Besides the worldly significance of it 'jumping up,' the most important thing is, as you know, with all sorts of self-media emerging and all kinds of entertainment products, fewer and fewer people are reading books. I remember once in a meeting, Lin Yu and the others said that they rarely have time to read anymore. Sometimes, when they're on a business trip, on the plane, they might want to read, but they can't concentrate. But sometimes, when they're on the subway and see someone reading a book, they suddenly feel stimulated and have the urge to read. I think, at least, we should make reading a more common activity in the mass media field."
Lu Yanhe understood Chen Siqi's thoughts.
“We’re doing book clubs with many partner bookstores and affiliated school literary societies, right? Besides sharing within small circles, we also share on social media,” Chen Siqi said. “Many people see these posts and become interested enough to buy one or two of the books they’re discussing, and then join in the sharing and discussion. These phenomena aren’t large-scale, but you can often see people in the comment sections of some books, including the comment sections of some of our self-media, saying that they bought the book because of a recommendation from someone else.”
Lu Yanhe: "Little by little, it adds up. The main thing is that it's good to be able to create this kind of atmosphere within a certain group."
“Yes.” Chen Siqi nodded. “Moreover, we live in an attention economy now. If we can’t attract more attention, we may be ignored and forgotten over time. I’m just an ordinary person. My only principle is that, no matter what, the magazine ‘Jump Up’ and the brand name must exist in people’s minds in a mainstream way and not become something outdated.”
Lu Yanhe: "The task is arduous and the road ahead is long."
"Yes, it is a long and arduous journey, but we have been established for almost seven years." Chen Siqi said with some pride, "It has not declined, and its vitality is still very strong."
Lu Yanhe: "Now, 'Jump Up' is published monthly for a total of twelve issues. Then, a special issue is published every summer and winter, and a special issue of 'Jump Up Theater' is published every quarter, making a total of eighteen issues per year?"
“Yes,” Chen Siqi said. “Last year, we published 315 works for 102 authors.”
Lu Yanhe was extremely surprised.
Chen Siqi: "Bai Yu's literary magazine is about to publish its first issue. When she left, I was a little unhappy, although I was happy for her... But now I think it's good. Another magazine is coming out, another medium, which can provide a platform for writers."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"That's great."
Chen Siqi: "Yes, by the way, I was invited to the Honghe Awards ceremony next week. They said they would give me a special award from the organizing committee to recognize the Jumping Theater for discovering and sending many outstanding creators to the TV drama industry over the past two years."
Lu Yanhe showed a hint of surprise.
"congratulate."
Chen Siqi looked at him with a smile and said, "After you go back this time, you'll probably be busy for a while."
"I'm not going to be busy at all." Lu Yanhe shook his head. "I definitely need to take a good rest so that no one can find me."
Upon hearing this, Chen Siqi asked, "So where are you planning to go?"
“Just stay at Ziyuan Bridge,” Lu Yanhe said. “After a few days, I’ll go to Lingyang. I think it was a wise decision for you to buy a house there. The house can serve as the editorial office for ‘Jump Up,’ and it also has a yard that surrounds the area, preventing others from entering.”
Most importantly, the house also has a dedicated room for sleeping and resting.
Chen Siqi smiled.
"I gritted my teeth and bought it back then, which definitely saved me a lot of trouble," Chen Siqi said. "I plan to buy the two buildings next door as well."
Now, if Chen Siqi wants to buy the two houses next door, it won't be as difficult as it was when she bought the current one.
Over the years, the money he's made by "jumping up" has been enough to buy up that entire area, enough to buy twenty buildings.
Of course, the main reason is that Lingyang District is located in a remote area, and the housing prices are much cheaper than in places like Ziyuanqiao.
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and said, "That's a good idea. If there's a suitable one, we can definitely buy it. We can renovate it, and the environment will be much better if we live there in the future."
Chen Siqi nodded.
"That's what I think too."
Lu Yanhe asked, "So what are you planning to do with these two buildings you're buying now?"
That area was actually a villa residential area, but Chen Siqi converted it into an editorial office.
Chen Siqi said, "We currently have more than 200 permanent employees at 'Jump Up,' but only the magazine editorial department and the integrated media staff work in Lingyang District. Li Bi's filming team and our marketing and publicity team all rent office space in other places. Our current premises can't accommodate so many people, so I plan to prioritize renovating these two buildings for them to use."
Lu Yanhe nodded, "That's good too, otherwise we'd be scattered in different places and have to keep running around."
“Yes,” Chen Siqi said. “The rent in Linghe must be quite high every year, right?”
“Yes, we expanded last year and rented another floor. Now the rent alone is more than 20 million yuan a year,” Lu Yanhe said. “In the long run, it is indeed better to buy a house.”
The two chatted about trivial things.
At noon, we went to the hotel for lunch.
Afterwards, Chen Siqi headed to the airport.
Lu Yanhe went out in the afternoon to Green Valley.
He had made an appointment with Schmidt Lowry to discuss several collaborative projects before returning home.
The box office success of "Home Alone" has given Lu Yanhe, his collaborator, a new significance in Schmidt Lowry's mind.
-
“Home Alone 2 has finished filming and will be released during the Chinese New Year period next year, around the same time,” Lu Yanhe told Schmidt Lowry. “If Green Valley still wants to handle the North American distribution, we can’t give it to him as we did with the first movie.”
Schmidt Lowry said without hesitation, "Of course, twenty million dollars, and we hope you can give us the European and American distribution rights for Home Alone 2."
This 20 million US dollars is not included in the box office revenue share that Linghe can normally receive.
Schmidt Lowry's price includes what should have been paid for the first film.
Lu Yanhe smiled, nodded, and said, "I have one more condition."
"What are the conditions?" Schmidt Lawley asked.
"The film 'Red Eye Flight' needs to be released in more than 3,000 theaters," Lu Yanhe stated frankly.
Schmidt Lowry smiled helplessly.
"We will release Home Alone 2 in more than 4,000 theaters."
“I know, but Red Eye Flight, 3,000 theaters,” Lu Yanhe said. “If Home Alone had been released in more than 3,000 theaters from the start, I believe it would have done better at the North American box office.”
For this kind of thing, the window of opportunity is very important.
At its peak, this movie was not shown in many cinemas.
Once it's rolled out, many viewers who initially wanted to see it may no longer have that desire.
It's just like distributing goods.
Schmidt Lowry said, "The male lead for Red Eye has not been decided yet."
"This is another thing I wanted to discuss with you. What do you think of Euber Clark?" Lu Yanhe asked.
Schmidt Lowry was taken aback.
“This villain role requires both acting skills and fame,” Lu Yanhe said. “Eub Clark, who has just had a huge exposure during the awards season, is already very famous, and has excellent acting skills, should be a good choice.”
Schmidt Lowry nodded.
“He’s really good, but he might not be willing to act in this movie, right?” Schmidt Lowry said. “In recent years, the films he’s chosen have mainly been those that have won awards.”
“If you have no objections, I’ll talk to him,” Lu Yanhe said. “I’ll persuade him.”
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
