Global Film Emperor

Chapter 347 The Night the Rainstorm Arrived

On the way back from Clive Company, Lu Ze and Mickey were both rather silent. Seeing that the two of them were not in a good mood, Elena did not dare to speak and kept fiddling with her phone in the back seat.

Lu Ze understood what the business Mickey had mentioned this morning was all about: resolving the film's release issue and discussing it with Saul, the owner of Clive. Mickey had initially thought that, given his reputation, he would be willing to negotiate a revenue-sharing agreement with Saul, even if it meant giving up some profits. After all, this was about redemption, not profit. As long as the film was a hit, he wasn't worried about not making money with the next one.

He can't talk to the publishing company now, after all, he had a bad time with the publisher when he was young and impetuous. This is the only connection he has in the industry, so the only person who can help him is Saul.

Unfortunately, Clive Films hadn't produced any good films in previous years, so they could only rely on the videotape and online markets. However, the revenue from these markets wasn't enough to cover the production costs, meaning they were losing money. This led to a break in their cash flow, forcing them to cut production costs again and again. Ultimately, they could only survive by making low-brow films like Category III movies, and they lost all their remaining bargaining power with distributors and theaters.

Clive hadn't had a film released in theaters for three years. Distributors and theater owners basically considered Saul a pathetic figure. Even if he brought up Mickey Mouse's name, it wouldn't be enough to sway them. After all, Mickey's last film was a huge flop. To put it bluntly, those bigwigs didn't really trust a director who had made bad movies before and was now on drugs. Besides, whether the audience would buy into it was also uncertain.

These capitalists are only willing to do things that are sure to make money. Rather than giving screenings to Mickey, a director whose career is full of uncertainties, they would rather give the screenings to those blockbuster movies. Even if Mickey really redeems himself and the movie becomes a huge success, they will not regret it. After all, their income will still be the same, and Mickey will still come to them for the next movie.

The overseas market really only cares about money, not people, unlike in China, where personal relationships are sometimes more important than money. The advantage is that you can't get any director's work released online like in China. The disadvantage is that it's even harder to find talented directors and actors in China than in China.

So Mickey had no choice but to accept reality and start over in the videotape market, just like before. He signed a contract with Saul, giving Saul a 45% cut, since Saul didn't invest in movies but only in distribution and online sales. Although this cut was quite high, it was a one-off deal, so it was up to Saul to decide whether to take it or not.

Although Lu Ze was somewhat disheartened, he still signed the contract with Mickey. He had no other choice; since he had come all this way, he couldn't leave empty-handed, could he? Although the videotape market was no longer as glorious as it once was, we were now in the internet age, and there was still some potential in the online film market.

The three of them arrived home in silence. The contract had been signed, so it was time to start studying the script. Elena followed them upstairs, but when Mickey opened the door, he was somewhat surprised to see an elderly Asian man sitting on the sofa.

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

"Me? I'm here to take back my house! Look at the mess you've made of the place! I really don't understand why you're still thinking about making movies after you've been out of jail?"

"Stop, calm down. I brought a friend with me. You know Elena, and this is Lu Ze, who is from China. He's your compatriot, doesn't it feel familiar? Lu Ze, take Elena back to your room to study the script and teach her how to act. She can come out later."

Lu Ze looked at Mickey's father. The old man was quite a character. Even when he saw Lu Ze, a fellow countryman, he didn't give him a friendly look. Perhaps it was because there were quite a few Chinese people in Britain now. It was no longer the era of thirty or fifty years ago when people would be friendly to anyone of Asian descent. Seeing his father like this, Lu Ze felt quite helpless. He took the script that Mickey had printed out, pulled out a third of it, and took it into the guest room with Elena.

This is also a rule set by Mickey: apart from Lu Ze, no one else can see the complete script. He will only give out the next part when the script he has given out is almost finished filming. This is a way to protect the script, but it also shows Mickey's possessiveness towards the script.

"Okay, you've never been an actor before, so we'll start by learning the basics. Do you know what the most basic thing in film is...?"

"Making movies! Do you want to end up in jail again?! You're being foolishly persistent, Mickey! I know you have talent! But talent can't pave the way for everything or solve all your problems!"

"Ahem... Um, you must remember the most important thing: no matter what, don't look at the camera. Even if you accidentally fall, get injured, or forget your lines, don't look at the camera. You must always remember this. You can't stop until the director yells 'cut'."

The sound of arguing could still be heard outside the door. He had always heard that families abroad supported and encouraged their children's dreams, but now it seemed that wasn't the case. Just because the old man was Chinese didn't mean anything. After living abroad for forty or fifty years, even if you didn't want to change your way of thinking, you would still be influenced by the environment. In Lu Ze's opinion, this old man was just a big potato with yellow skin and white flesh.

Elena seemed more serious than Lu Ze had imagined. Usually, young girls dream of becoming big stars, but their dreams are limited to the dazzling spotlight in front of others, rather than the hard work behind the scenes. For example, some domestic stars are very popular, but their acting skills have not improved after several years in the industry, which may be related to this aspect.

But Elena is different. She seems to be very interested in acting. Lu Ze has taught many students over the years, but none of them are as serious as her.

Knowing that Lu Ze, a renowned actor of the highest caliber, was giving her a lesson today, she quickly and neatly took notes on the key points he mentioned in her notebook. Even if she couldn't keep up, it didn't matter, as her phone was still recording. She planned to listen to the recording a few more times when she went to bed tonight to reinforce her memory.

Lu Ze really likes this kind of student. I doubt any teacher would dislike him, so he doesn't mind passing on all his unique skills without worrying about the saying "teaching a disciple will starve the master." After all, many of Lu Ze's skills are things that others can't learn, no matter how hard they try.

“Let’s do a short practice exercise. There are only fifteen lines, one, two, three… It’s not tongue-twisting. I’ll give you five minutes to memorize them. Then we’ll go over the lines, and you perform them for me. OK, let’s begin… Stop. The lines aren’t poetry. Don’t hold your throat like you have a big lump of phlegm stuck in it. You know some young people deliberately lower their voices to make their voices more magnetic. What do you think about that?”

"I feel...it's childish, and a bit...funny."

"That's the feeling you're giving me right now. Don't put on airs, don't be coy. In England, it's illegal to teach students corporal punishment, but in China, a master can hit his apprentice as he pleases. If you don't want me to whip you with a stick, do as I say, continue... Stop, don't touch your trouser crease. Is there money in there? That's your subconscious action when you're nervous. You'd better straighten it and continue..."

In Elena's eyes, Lu Ze was definitely a strict teacher, but he seemed a bit lazy. At this moment, he was nestled on the sofa, a cigarette dangling from his lips, playing on his phone with his head down, and occasionally flicking cigarette ash into the water bottle. Even so, the lines he spoke were still full of emotion, as if another person lived inside him.

The scariest thing is that even when he's looking down at his phone, he can still point out her flaws, as if he has eyes in the top of his head. Every time he tells her to stop, her heart skips a beat, and she feels as nervous as if she's taking a driving test.

Lu Ze is now multitasking, keeping an eye on Elena's performance, playing Candy Crush, and eavesdropping on the argument between the father and son in the living room. It's been half an hour, and the two are still arguing, and it seems to be getting more and more heated.

"You're using your last remaining savings to make a movie? Are you out of your mind? You can be a writer! You can even continue as a screenwriter if you like! As your father, I will support you, but directing is far too dangerous for someone with your personality! You're too likely to offend people, Mickey! This time you were wrongly accused and spent a year and a half in jail! What if you get killed next time?"

"You're trying to kill me by stopping me now! Your life is already set. You can continue being a designer, and after retirement you can collect a pension and rent from your house. Your life is peaceful and comfortable. But what about me? I'm only thirty! Why should I, at thirty, live the life you lived at sixty? This isn't comfortable for me! It's restrictive!"

“I’d kill you? I’m your father, how could I kill you? There’s a Chinese idiom to describe you: stubborn and incorrigible! I don’t want to say anything more to you. I know you won’t listen to me. Just leave, or pay me the rent, three thousand pounds a month.”

"How many?"

"Three thousand pounds! If you can't afford it, get out! Get out of my house, take your friends with you! Get out of my house! I have no more expectations of you. You and him, get as far away as possible!"

The old man pulled open the door, pointing angrily at Lu Ze's nose and then at the door, his meaning very clear. Lu Ze was stunned. In China, no matter how much disagreement there was with their child, parents would be very friendly to their child's friends for the sake of their own and their child's reputation. Even if they had a huge argument after their child's friends left, they would not show it in front of their child's friends.

This was a rare occurrence for Lu Ze, and he was momentarily stunned. However, Lu Ze knew that arguing with this big, yellow-skinned, white-fleshed potato would not be a wise choice. So, Lu Ze waved his hand at him, got up, and pulled his suitcase.

"Jeff! It's 5:40 PM! We haven't had dinner yet! It's almost dark! You want us to leave? Fine, I'll pack my bags and leave right now, never to come back, never!"

Mickey blushed and stopped calling him "Dad," calling him by his full name instead. This made Big Potato even angrier, and he forcefully pushed the three of them out of the room and slammed the door shut. The loud argument attracted many residents from other apartments to come out and watch the commotion, making things a bit awkward for a moment.

“I really wish he could experience what it feels like to lose everything in an instant. Seriously, if he went bankrupt, I’d like to see if he could still be as open-minded as he is now in advising me.”

The three of them didn't knock on the door, but listened as Mickey complained as he came downstairs. Lu Ze could only offer words of comfort; who would be stupid enough to complain about the other person's parents? That would be like having cement in their brain. But it's true, although this old man had a British way of thinking, perhaps influenced by his childhood education, his approach to raising his children leaned more towards the Chinese style. Just like how, if you were beaten by your parents when you were a child, most parents will beat their own children too, otherwise they'll feel they were wronged as a child.

As the three of them went downstairs to drive away, Mickey's clothes kept falling from upstairs, and many of them hit the car windows. Who threw them... isn't it obvious?
"I'm so angry with him! You still think he's just a bit strict, but actually he's doing it for my own good? Look at the things he's done."

Lu Ze's words of comfort stuck in his throat, and in the end he could only shrug and reply, "Maybe he was worried that you wouldn't have any clothes to wear. Although his attitude wasn't very good, he was worried that you wouldn't be able to afford clothes and would catch a cold."

Mickey picked up the clothes from the ground, shook them off casually, didn't fold them properly, just crumpled them into a ball and stuffed them into the car. He glared at Lu Ze, said nothing, and drove away.

"We have no choice but to go to Ilklóu Castle now, otherwise we'll have to sleep on the streets. I don't have any money to stay in a hotel."

At this point, Elena, who had remained silent until now, quietly offered a suggestion: "Actually, you can stay at my house."

"Forget it. If Depp knew that I, the director, am so poor that I can only live in an actor's house, he'd probably punch me so hard I threw up my midnight snack last night. What's your decision? Are you coming with us to Ilkurburg, or going home?"

"I... I think I'll go home. There's a night match tonight, so I'll probably be very busy. That's all for now. I'll go back and take care of my things, and then I'll come to Ilklóu Castle to see you tomorrow. Bye."

"Remember to bring me two cases of beer tomorrow! I don't know if I'll be there before dark, it's like a nightmare."

After Elena left, the two drove to their destination, Liverpool. That's why many people call Liverpool "Liverpool Village." After leaving the city center, all they could see were rural scenes. The environment and scenery were quite nice. British rock music was playing in the car. Lu Ze stared blankly out the window. The journey didn't take as long as he had imagined.

Compared to the suburbs of Liverpool, Ilkurt is not just like a village, but a rural area with a population of less than two thousand. Few outsiders drive here at night, and the few pedestrians on the street keep their eyes fixed on the vehicles as they enter.

Mickey drove all the way to a two-story building at the end of the village, parked the car, and introduced the house to Lu Ze, a house that held countless memories for him.

"This is my maternal grandmother's house. I lived with her for a period of time when I was a child, and that was probably the best time of my life. I liked to write stories for my grandmother, and it was her praise that led me to the film industry. However, I rarely come here after my grandmother passed away. I only occasionally spend money to repair it. Come in with me."

The power was switched on and the room lights were on, but they were dim due to the excessive dust. The room wasn't too messy; newspapers were spread on the furniture, but there was a lot of dust.

There were two bedrooms on the second floor, but no mattresses. The two grown men didn't mind and prepared to wipe the bed boards, put some clothes on them, and make do with sleeping. But just after they finished tidying up, they heard someone shouting in the courtyard downstairs.

"Who's up there! Get down!"

Hey Claire! Long time no see! How are you?

“Mickey? When did you get here? Oh my god, Judy! Look who it is! Little Mickey! He’s back.”

As Lu Ze expected, the man named Claire was Mickey's former neighbor, and they had always had a good relationship. However, they hadn't seen each other much since Mickey became famous. Claire invited the two of them to his house for dinner, and the two, who were starving, readily agreed. However, what they originally thought was just a free meal turned into a huge gathering of dozens of people, which was incredibly lively.

During the dinner conversation, Mickey revealed that he had returned to make a film. This group of people had been paying attention to the great director who came from Ilklóborg and knew that he was now down on his luck. Everyone patted their chests and guaranteed that they would come to them if they had any difficulties.

Lu Ze noticed Mickey's smile at that moment. It was the most genuine and radiant smile he had shown since he came to Lü Hua to find him. Unconsciously, Lu Ze recalled his own village, where the villagers were just as warm-hearted and sincere.

The commotion continued until after 11 p.m. before everyone dispersed. The two returned to their old house to wash up and rest. At that moment, Mickey was like a chattering old man, telling Lu Ze about the origins of all the items in the room until they got tipsy and went back to their rooms to rest.

until……

"Boom!"

Lightning flashed through the window into the room, startling Lu Ze, who was dozing off during his class because he had received a role. He sat up and looked out the window, where he could already hear the sparse sound of rain. After thinking for a moment, he seemed to have forgotten something. Suddenly!

"Holy crap! Props!"

"Holy crap! Props!"

At the same time, two voices shouted the same meaning in two languages ​​from inside the two rooms. The doors opened simultaneously, and the two rushed downstairs. The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the two were even barefoot. They quickly lifted the sunshade on the raptor and carried the filming props that they had brought back from Clareve one by one.

This might be the first time in their many years in the entertainment industry that the two of them have cared so much about these cheap props. They used their bodies to shield the rain that should have dripped onto the props as much as possible, and didn't even notice when their feet were cut. They both knew that small items were fine, but if the big items were ruined by the rain, the entire production team's funding would be cut off. The current "Effect" production team couldn't withstand even the slightest bit of wind and rain.

After all the items were moved inside, the two of them were soaked to the bone and sat on the floor breathing heavily. There were quite a few heavy items here, and such rapid moving was really too much for a man who had given up exercising for a long time and a man who didn't like exercising at all.

"To be honest, ever since I became famous... I've never... never cherished props again... This time it really scared me. Damn, it's a few hundred pounds, and I never cared about it at all."

"I...I am..."

"Take a shower and then go to sleep. I hope I don't catch a cold tomorrow."

After taking a shower, the two returned to their room. Lu Ze lay down and listened to the sound of raindrops hitting the window. Lu Ze usually loved listening to the sound of rain and would fall asleep in no time, but tonight he couldn't fall asleep no matter what he did. He kept thinking about something, and finally couldn't help but get up and quietly go downstairs, only to find... the candlestick on the table was lit. In the dimly lit room, Mickey was sitting on the sofa, his eyes fixed on this movie prop that was only a few hundred pounds.

Hearing footsteps, the two smiled at each other. Lu Ze, wrapped in a blanket borrowed from Claire's house, sat down next to Mickey, offered him a cigarette, and then lit the candlestick.

The two of them probably never imagined a few years ago that something they once took for granted would now be their lifeline, keeping them so afraid that they couldn't sleep on this stormy night.

"..."

(End of this chapter)