Chapter 876 Script
After waking up from a nap, Lu Yanhe yawned.
When he came out of the inner room, he saw that Zou Dong was already sitting on the sofa reading a book.
Good morning, Dong-ge.
Lu Yanhe is currently staying in hotels, and if it's a suite, Zou Dong will sleep outside.
"Good morning," Zou Dong asked. "Should we order breakfast from the hotel now?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head and said, "I'll go to the restaurant with Yan Liang to eat later."
Zou Dong nodded.
"In the restaurant of this hotel?"
"Hmm." Lu Yanhe nodded. "This hotel is alright. Darren booked it. Many celebrities stay here. It's quite private. I'm too lazy to go out."
Zou Dong agreed, and then said, "There's a shoot later this afternoon. After the shoot, I'll go to the airport to prepare to go back to China."
Lu Yanhe agreed.
Lu Yanhe originally did not plan to return to China at this time.
Because there are many public relations events scheduled for "Dingfeng No. 1" coming up.
However, this time I'm going back to record a gala event, organized by CCTV.
Perhaps because the Jose Film Festival has been so successful over the past three years, the Film Bureau has organized a special non-competitive film festival this year, inviting many filmmakers from all over the world to participate. This gala is similar in nature to a welcome party.
Therefore, they invited Lu Yanhe many times. Lu Yanhe also spent a long time coordinating before finally managing to find a time to attend.
Lu Yanhe usually attends events like this whenever he has time. This is the first time he's gone to such lengths to find the time. Chen Ziyan said that he needed to stand on this stage. Lu Yanhe understood, so even with such a tight and busy schedule, he still agreed.
He is now the most internationally renowned filmmaker in China. If he doesn't participate, the event will be perceived as less prestigious by the media and the public.
Not only Lu Yanhe, but also Liu Bige, Yan Liang, Li Zhibai, Wen Shengming, Chen Pinhe and other filmmakers who came to attend the Golden Globe Awards all needed to rush back to China.
The recording of the gala will take place in 39 hours.
But only Lu Yanhe, after finishing recording the gala, needed to make an extreme effort to take the next available flight to record an interview program.
This was decided long ago; the timing couldn't be coordinated. Moreover, this was also a public relations effort for "Dingfeng No. 1".
-
Lu Yanhe and Yan Liang bumped into each other at the restaurant.
Yan Liang said, "That Li Zhibai is still not awake."
Lu Yanhe: "How could he possibly wake up so early? He usually likes to sleep in late, not to mention last night, he was most likely at Sister Yuqian's place."
Yan Liang shook his head.
"They might even put on a pitiful expression, as if they're being tormented by a mentally ill person and are very hurt, to gain sympathy."
"Absolutely disgusting."
The two of them simultaneously curled their lip in disdain.
After sitting down, Lu Yanhe asked Yan Liang, "Have you been looking at any other scripts lately?"
Yan Liang nodded and said, "I've been mainly looking at scripts that have the potential to win awards lately."
"Aiming for the prize?" Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised.
Yan Liang nodded. "Bai Jin's decision to study in the UK gave me some inspiration. The reason she chose to study in the UK now is because 'Friends' airs every year, maintaining her exposure. She doesn't have to worry about her popularity and attention declining because of studying. I have 'Friends' and 'Speed' coming up, so I want to take on a script that's vying for awards. Whether I win an award or not doesn't matter. First, I want to experience what it's like to create in a film crew like that. Second, I want to prevent the industry from forming a stereotype about me. If I only act in these commercial genre films, maybe when a director thinks I'm suitable for a role, they'll just assume I don't act in serious, artistic films and give up on that idea."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"But if I haven't found a suitable script by the time I finish filming my cameo in 'Men in Black' next year, I will still continue to take on commercial films." Yan Liang is very clear about his plans. "My schedule will definitely be mainly reserved for commercial films."
Lu Yanhe said, "Actually, you would be quite suitable to act in a romance movie now."
"A romance movie?" Yan Liang hesitated for a moment and said, "Is my image suitable for acting in a romance movie?"
Lu Yanhe: "What's unsuitable about it?"
Yan Liang was actually a little self-conscious, saying, "I don't think I look like the kind of person who's suitable for dating girls, like in the movies."
“What kind of appearance is suitable for dating girls? You’re underestimating yourself.” Lu Yanhe was speechless. “Besides, if you think like that, then there’s no point in you taking on art-house or serious movies. You’re bound by your image anyway, so it’ll be the same no matter what you play.”
Yan Liang was speechless.
Lu Yanhe then continued, "Romance movies aren't all the same. In 'Friends,' you played a gentle and honest character; in 'Speed,' you were a testosterone-fueled, high-energy character; and in 'Flypaper,' you were a somewhat mysterious and shrewd character. These characters leave a deep impression on the public. You say you're not suited for romance movies, but how many people were moved by the love story between Tang Yu Xiaobao and Anu in 'Chinese Paladin'?"
Yan Liang said, "That makes sense. The main reason they're looking for me is for romantic movies. They're mostly about handsome men and beautiful women, with characters who are attractive and likable wherever they go."
Lu Yanhe smiled.
"What kind of scripts do you keep accepting?"
Yan Liang shrugged. "Like you said, the scripts that come to me now, the better ones, are basically the kind of films like 'Flypaper' or 'The Gold Rush,' roles that don't require any particular image from me. Once you've succeeded with a role, those kinds of roles will come to you."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"That's just how the market is; there's nothing you can do about it."
Are you planning to write a romance movie for me?
“I’ve already given away all the romance movies I wrote, and none of them are suitable for you.” Suddenly, the movie “The Fault in Our Stars” popped into Lu Yanhe’s mind. The requirements for the male lead in this movie were not very high. Lu Yanhe hesitated for a moment.
"What's wrong? Is there actually someone suitable for me?" Yan Liang asked.
Lu Yanhe thought to himself, "The Fault in Our Stars" had already been rejected by Soren, who chose "Men in Black 2." This film, like "Flypaper," would be entirely funded and produced by Linghe himself. However, Lu Yanhe still hoped that this film could be released globally.
It doesn't seem like a bad idea to cast Yan Liang in the lead role.
“There was a script, but the focus was entirely on the female lead. The other characters weren’t very memorable, and the male lead was basically just a pretty face. Of course, his character was well-developed, always positive and sunny, and he was a character who helped the female lead transform. However, he was still very much a tool. I originally wanted to cast Liu Zefan in that role,” Lu Yanhe said. “This movie script is entirely from the female lead’s perspective. After ‘Speed’ is released, you will definitely become even more popular than you were with ‘Flypaper.’ Believe me, it would be a bit of a waste to cast you in ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ at that point.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Liang recognized the name and it even sounded somewhat familiar.
"Isn't this the movie you and Soren are going to collaborate on?" Yan Liang asked.
"Yes, but because I wanted to use an all-Asian cast for this movie, Soren was unwilling. I discussed with Soren beforehand that the movie would be produced by Linghe itself, but I also put forward that if Men in Black grossed more than $500 million worldwide, they would have to help distribute The Fault in Our Stars on a large scale worldwide."
Yan Liang was somewhat surprised: "Even so, you still want to do it?"
"I still wanted to give it a try, to see if an all-Asian cast film could replicate the success of 'Home Alone' and become a global blockbuster." Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and asked, "Do you think I'm crazy?"
Yan Liang shook his head.
"No, I think I can succeed at anything you want to do. I already have that kind of filter on me." Yan Liang laughed. "If you think I can act, then I'll act. But, you mentioned Liu Zefan before. Have you talked to him about this? If he has already agreed to act, then forget it. Don't let him feel like I'm stealing his role."
Lu Yanhe hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.
“Forget it, I’m not sure about this movie. It’s very likely that it won’t do well at the box office,” Lu Yanhe said. “If you were to act in it, on the one hand, your salary would definitely be high, which would increase our production costs and the risk of failure. On the other hand, this movie is not worth the risk for you. Even if it does succeed, the focus of the movie will be on the female lead, not you.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Liang said, "Why don't you let me see the script first? You're so sure that 'Speed' will make me famous in Europe and America, so my involvement might also have a positive impact on the film, right?"
Lu Yanhe shook his head.
“If it were a movie similar in style to Speed, that would be true, but the styles of these two movies are too different,” Lu Yanhe said. “I am more worried that after the success of Speed, The Fault in Our Stars will become your box office failure.”
Yan Liang asked in confusion, "If the script for 'The Fault in Our Stars' makes you so uneasy, why do you want to film it?"
Lu Yanhe paused in surprise.
He didn't know how to explain it to him, because in a parallel universe, this movie had grossed over 300 million US dollars at the box office.
This is a story that has been proven by the market.
Unlike Home Alone, he knew very well what the selling point of Home Alone was, but he didn't know what the selling point of the movie The Fault in Our Stars was.
In Lu Yanhe's view, this movie is a very melodramatic and tragic youth romance story, in which two patients with cancer have a love affair that is destined to end in a short time in their final days.
In fact, Lu Yanhe felt a deeper connection to the family relationships in the film.
At this moment, Yan Liang suddenly brought it up.
"Do you think this script is a good script on the one hand, but on the other hand, are you worried that the audience will not accept it or buy into it?"
Lu Yanhe thought to himself, "That's not entirely wrong."
"Pretty much," Lu Yanhe said. "First of all, it's a very touching love story that gives people the love and courage to live in the face of death. This is the core of the film. However, on the other hand, it's also very tragic. In the end, the male lead dies, and the female lead probably won't live much longer either, because both of them have cancer. This is an objective fact that cannot be changed. Therefore, it is destined to be a tragedy."
Yan Liang asked in confusion, "Are you worried that this tragedy will affect people's movie-watching choices?"
“Tragedies won’t attract people to watch this movie,” Lu Yanhe sighed. “I’m increasingly doubting why I insisted on using this movie to make this attempt.”
"What attempt?"
“An attempt to star an all-Asian cast in a Hollywood film,” Lu Yanhe said. “Without the global promotion and distribution capabilities of Hollywood companies, I can’t imagine how big a box office this film would be.”
Yan Liang was silent for a while, then said, "How about I take a look at the script first? Yan He, I rarely hear you so insecure. Usually, when you present a script, you are very clear about what kind of success it might achieve, and you are very confident in its success. I really want to see what this script is like."
Lu Yanhe agreed and nodded.
-
Yan Liang didn't believe Lu Yanhe's excuses about "too high pay." In his opinion, the main reason for Lu Yanhe's hesitation and back-and-forth was his own lack of confidence in "The Fault in Our Stars."
Is Liu Zefan's salary really that low?
Impossible. The difference in pay between Liu Zefan and him is definitely not more than one level.
Yan Liang knew that Lu Yanhe definitely wanted to give them the best and most suitable scripts.
However, Yan Liang felt that since there was such a script, and Lu Yanhe was somewhat worried, then no matter what, with his current international fame or box office appeal, he was definitely much stronger than Liu Zefan.
He can definitely be of some help to this film.
I'll be heading back to China soon, which means I'll have a long flight.
-
"My Sassy Girl has finished filming and is currently in post-production. We are aiming for a release during the Valentine's Day period."
In the afternoon, after completing a photoshoot for a brand he was endorsing, Lu Yanhe headed to the airport, while Wang Biao kept him informed about some company news.
Lu Yanhe nodded.
Wang Biao added, "In addition, President Chen sent five scripts, all of which the company is currently preparing to film. He would like you to take a look at these five scripts."
Lu Yanhe was extremely surprised.
Five?
“Yes,” Wang Biao said. “The films that Linghe produced in the past have achieved relatively good box office results, so the company’s cash flow is now quite abundant. President Chen plans to continue developing low-budget genre films like ‘Summer Night Villa Horror’ and ‘Childhood is an Adventure in a Summer Night’.”
These low-budget films did indeed achieve good box office results.
Lu Yanhe had initially thought he might lose money on one or two films, but to his surprise, none of them resulted in losses. The publicity and marketing for the films were exceptionally well done. Of course, the root cause was the excellent cost control.
Lu Yanhe took the e-reader from Wang Biao.
"I remember they said that besides 'The Corpse' being developed into a sequel, 'Summer Night Villa Horror' is also being planned to have a sequel, right?"
"Yes, but we don't have a complete concept for the sequel to 'Summer Night Villa Horror' yet. We're currently looking for screenwriters to pitch scripts," Wang Biao said. "The only thing that's confirmed right now is that Wang Jing will return as the lead actress, but it's not yet decided whether she'll play a new role or continue playing the same character from the first film."
Lu Yanhe said, "I remember that a male actor named Zou Xuan and an actress named Jiang Ting also became popular after watching this movie, right?"
Wang Biao nodded.
"Yes, they've all signed up for Shi Huo, but because they're preparing for their art and college entrance exams, they don't get much exposure," Wang Biao explained.
Lu Yanhe said, "The company could actually create a spin-off movie of 'Summer Night Villa Horror' tailored for them, since their characters are quite popular."
Wang Biao: "Should I go and talk to General Manager Chen?"
“Hmm.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “The idea of pitching is good. Whoever has the best idea will get their story.”
Wang Biao also said, "But now many film and television companies have copied our approach and started holding pitches, which has caused some resentment in the screenwriting community. Originally, no one had this requirement when accepting projects, but now there is an extra step for no reason. And many companies are not like us, who have signed many new screenwriters to train and have a base salary. They invite screenwriters from outside to participate in pitches, without paying them or paying them a salary. Only those who win the pitch can sign a contract and officially start writing the script."
“Then their approach won’t last.” Lu Yanhe shook his head. “Everyone needs to eat, and nobody’s a fool. They’ve ruined the ecosystem.”
“Of course, established screenwriters are not subject to these restrictions; the main impact is on newcomers who are not yet famous and are struggling to find opportunities,” Wang Biao said, “when their future is most precarious.”
Lu Yanhe said, "If those newcomers pass the pitch, will they directly become credited screenwriters?"
Wang Biao shook his head, "I don't know the specifics, I've just heard many people complain about this."
Lu Yanhe bluntly stated: "If those newcomers can stand out through the competition and become renowned screenwriters, I think it's not necessarily those new screenwriters who are complaining."
Wang Biao was taken aback.
-
Meanwhile, domestically...
A talk show-style cultural program.
Renowned screenwriter He Shizhe is one of today's guests.
The discussion centered on the screenwriters' creative output, their productivity, and their understanding of the scripts, with a variety of opinions expressed.
Some people say that Lu Yanhe is the most successful screenwriter in China right now. Several veteran screenwriters smiled and couldn't deny it.
When it was He Shize's turn to speak, he put down his fan and smiled slightly.
"The low output is because I write all the scripts myself. Sometimes I mentor students, but even when I mentor students, I still write many of the scripts myself."
“Scripts are not so easy to write. Of course, in our industry, there are many people who pretend to be something they're not. It may seem like they only have one person's name, but in reality, there are more than a dozen people helping them write the script. This is not uncommon.”
"Just like the era when filmmaking on the peninsula was at its most frenzied, a director could make more than a dozen films a year. Do you think that's an exaggeration? And look at this, do you really think that one person could have made all of them?"
The camera was focused on He Shize.
Immediately, someone looked at him with a smile and said, "Old He, who are you alluding to?"
He Shi waved his hand, "How dare I imply anyone? I'm just telling the truth. Many of you here are screenwriters. Who doesn't know what the normal writing speed of a screenplay is like? Even a genius, is he one or two times faster than us? Prolific like a sow, he probably thinks we're all pigs trying to fool us."
"Hahahaha." Someone laughed a few times and said, "Teacher He, according to you, then it's a done deal that someone hired a ghostwriter? Why not just name names directly?"
He Shize shrugged. "I'm just talking about a phenomenon, not targeting any particular person. If anyone has something to hide, they should come forward, admit it, and then explain."
“You,” someone immediately said, “what he just said only represents his own opinion, don’t drag us all into it.”
"You're such a coward," He Shi laughed.
(End of this chapter)
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