Chinese Entertainment: Academic Director

Chapter 175 The Best Actor and Best Actress

Cao Yang announced that he would return to China in three days, and Fox Searchlight could no longer sit still.

They contacted Cao Yang again and said they wanted to buy the film adaptation rights for "Juno".

Then let’s make an appointment to talk.

To show their importance, Fox Searchlight sent the production manager and a vice president of the company.

Regarding the film adaptation rights, Cao Yang put forward several requirements:
One is that the film adaptation rights of "Juno" sold to Fox Searchlight must be approved for filming within one year, otherwise the adaptation rights will be withdrawn unconditionally.

Second, the film must be released within two years, otherwise it will be a breach of contract. Not only will the adaptation rights be revoked, but there will also be corresponding liquidated damages.

Third, the adaptation of the script cannot deviate from the main storyline of the novel.

If the above conditions are met, Cao Yang will only collect 15% of the global box office and dividends from the subsequent film and peripheral products as copyright fees.

Another option is that one and two remain unchanged, Cao Yang can write the script and be listed as the producer or supervisor.

If this option is chosen, Cao Yang will receive 20% of the global box office and dividends from the subsequent film-related products.

This movie has neither big scenes nor special effects, and it doesn't even need to hire big-name actors, and the production cost is also very low.

The risk taken by Fox Searchlight is not big, and Cao Yang believes that they should not refuse.

Fox Searchlight wanted to bargain, but Cao Yang directly refused.

"Gentlemen, I will be returning to my country the day after tomorrow. Before that, I have to audition for a new movie. I don't have time to waste here talking to you. So this is my bottom line. These two choices are not harsh. You can choose to refuse."

After looking at the two senior executives of Fox Searchlight, Cao Yang continued.

“I think you should have noticed that my second novel has sold very well and has a large base of young people, which may be converted into movie audiences.

Moreover, Juno is a very controversial story, so controversy will lead to widespread discussion, which is probably why you value it. "

The two senior executives of Fox Searchlight looked at each other. This condition was a bit beyond their expectations. Their bottom line was 13%, and Cao Yang had to be the producer.

Simply put, they want to use Cao Yang's current popularity to promote this movie and add an extra layer of insurance to the movie.

But Cao Yang had just won the Oscar for Best Screenplay. If he wrote the script himself, it would also be a big publicity gimmick.

They could consider it, but they couldn't agree to it right away.

So they said they would go back to the company to discuss it and would give Cao Yang a reply as soon as possible.

Cao Yang naturally had no objection. To him, it didn’t matter whether it could be sold or not. What he cared about were the two numbers, 15% and 20%.

This is a "precedent". With this, next time we talk about other adaptations, there will be a "trace" to follow, and others will also take this into consideration.

Regarding the casting of "District 9", Depp has been confirmed as the leading actor, and the commander will choose a Chinese, who is directly responsible for this by Cao Yang.

As for the remaining three main roles, one is the hero's father-in-law, and Columbia can just choose the one. With Depp's 40% discount on pay, the budget will be a little larger, and they should be able to find a famous and golden supporting actor.

Another thoughtful leader among the aliens. Columbia originally wanted to use all computer special effects and then find someone to dub the role.

However, after discussing with Cao Yang, I felt that using a headgear combined with computer special effects would be faster and more cost-effective.

Then just make a mold.

And in this case, we have to hire a special actor, who, although not showing his face, can be considered one of the male protagonists.

So Cao Yang took the opportunity to take the role and prepared to find an actor in China - even though his face would not show, as one of the nominal protagonists, he would definitely be in great demand.

Colombia has no problem with this. It's a faceless character, so it doesn't matter to them who they find.

Another one is the gang leader. Since this is a movie about racial discrimination, a black uncle is indispensable, and the gang leader is very suitable.

It is not as exaggerated as it is in later generations, and many movies have black people as villains.

This gang leader is actually not a villain. He even saved the protagonist, although his intentions were not pure.

Cao Yang also initially wanted to shoot in Johannesburg, South Africa, as it was cheap and possible to shoot on site, but considering the chaotic situation there, he was a little hesitant.

In his opinion, the story could be set in South Africa, but it doesn't necessarily have to be filmed there.

Like several of his films, the story takes place in Hong Kong, but he never filmed there.

Some places in Europe, especially Eastern Europe, are very suitable.

In addition, North Africa, which is close to Europe, is also acceptable.

After learning of Cao Yang's concerns, Columbia assured him that South Africa had ended the apartheid system as early as 1994 and was now relatively stable.

Moreover, Colombia has partners in South Africa who are very powerful, so there is no need to worry about security issues.

He also advised Cao Yang that if a world-famous director like him came to make a movie locally, the local government would only welcome and protect him and would never cause any trouble.

No trouble is allowed to occur.

Well, Cao Yang really doesn’t know much about South Africa.

But there are people who understand.

This year's Oscar-winning actress, Charlize Theron, took the initiative to chat with Cao Yang for a while at the Oscar dinner and exchanged contact information.

Charlize Theron's father is French and her mother is German. She was born and raised in South Africa and should know South Africa very well. So Cao Yang called Theron to ask about South Africa, mainly security.

He didn't want to be held hostage and blackmailed by gangsters there.

In a chaotic and disorderly country, anything can really happen.

"You want to shoot your new movie in South Africa?"

"Yes, there is a related plot in the movie, and it would be more realistic to shoot there," Cao Yang replied.

"Don't worry, the security there is pretty good now, especially in Johannesburg. You don't need to worry too much."

Charlize Theron smiled and replied on the other end of the phone: "In addition, because I won the Oscar for Best Actress, President Mandela called me personally and invited me to return to the country to promote the film and to meet with me.

I can tell him about this when the time comes. He will surely be very happy that a world-class director is going to South Africa to make a movie, and he may personally invite you."

“Mandela?”

Cao Yang was a little confused. Wasn’t he no longer the president of South Africa?

Charlize Theron solved Cao Yang's doubts with just one sentence.

"Mbeki, the current president of South Africa, has been Mandela's deputy for many years."

Okay, got it.

Finally, Charlize Theron jokingly asked, "Director Cao Yang, since your new film is about South Africa, as a South African, is there a suitable role for me? I can make a cameo appearance."

Then, he added with a smile, "My salary is quite high now, but don't worry, if it's just a cameo, I can do it for free."

It was obvious that she was trying to show goodwill. Even if she won the Best Actress award, she still had to humble herself in front of the big director.

Cao Yang thought about it and found that there was indeed a role, but she had very few scenes and did not appear on screen very often. She was the male protagonist’s wife.

He originally wanted to ask Anne Hathaway to make a cameo appearance, but Charlize Theron would have been even better.

Well, in this way, the movie has gathered all the new Oscar winners for best actor and best actress, which is also a big publicity gimmick.

It's a pity that Mark Ruffalo, the Oscar-winning Best Supporting Actor, is too young, otherwise having him as the leading actor's father-in-law would give him more publicity advantages.

Before Cao Yang returned to China, Columbia quickly confirmed the actors for the two roles with more important parts: the male protagonist's father-in-law and the gang leader.

The gang leader chose Samuel L. Jackson, the one known as MF-Man, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Avengers.

Even though he was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 95 and won the Berlin Film Festival at the 98th Berlin Film Festival in 48, his pay is really cheap.

If it were any white actor who achieved this, his minimum salary would be 500 million, but this guy's current salary is only 100 million.

Americans are like that. They keep saying that there should be no racial discrimination and they organize equal rights movements from time to time...but in real life, discrimination is everywhere. They just don't shout it out; it's already a tacit understanding.

You should know that Samuel L. Jackson had starred in many popular movies before 04.

Like "Pulp Fiction", "Die Hard 3", "A Time to Kill", "Dangerous Liaisons", "Ace vs. Card", "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace", "Unbreakable", "Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones", "Kill Bill 2", etc.

He was actually quite unlucky. He later signed a contract with Marvel for more than ten movies at one time, and his salary was just over 100 million...

When he played the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in "Avengers", his salary was still more than 100 million. He was offered so many movies at once. I wonder how he solved the salary issue later.

For the hero's father-in-law, Columbia chose Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and Eric Magneto in X-Men.

In this way, all the main roles of "District 9" were selected except for the Chinese.

The leading actor is Oscar winner Depp.

The nominal heroine is Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron.

The protagonist's father-in-law, who is also the leader of the transnational joint organization, is Ian McKellen.

The gang leader is Samuel L. Jackson.

This lineup is nine blocks ahead of the original "District 9", which did not have a single well-known actor.

The director is Cao Yang, who is also one of the hottest actors in Hollywood recently. The original director was still an unknown when filming "District 9".

No matter how you look at it, as long as the film is not bad, the box office will definitely exceed the original.

Just when Cao Yang was about to return home, Fox Searchlight came over to negotiate.

It can be seen that they really want the adaptation rights of "Juno".

This time they didn't say much and offered Cao Yang 18% of the global box office and subsequent peripheral dividends, but required Cao Yang to write the script and serve as producer and supervisor.

Cao Yang refused.

Seeing that Cao Yang was unwilling, Fox Searchlight changed its cooperation method.

They can get 20% of the global box office and subsequent peripheral dividends. In addition to requiring Cao Yang to write the script and serve as producer, Cao Yang is also required to direct the film.

Cao Yang hesitated. Isn't this embarrassing? I have a project on hand now, so how can I have time to direct "Juno"?

(End of this chapter)