Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 448 The Suicide of Love, Asking Again About Support

"I hold you in my hands, and devoutly burn incense. I cut a piece of candlelight to illuminate the scriptures. I don't ask for anything grand or epic, I only ask to love once. In the end, I was hurt by love, and cried in utter despair..."

"The Offering of Love" is definitely a great song worth listening to on repeat.

As long as you don't listen to the live performance, Da Mi's singing voice, under the rigorous high-tech tuning, is unique, gentle, and always in tune, possessing a distinctive charm.

No wonder it held the top spot in Baidu's song search rankings for more than half a year this year, and its songs were sung everywhere.

No wonder Da Mi will win Best Female Singer of the Year at the CCTV-MTV Awards next year with this song, beating Na Ying, Han Hong, and Zhang Liangying, making her fans incredibly proud whenever they mention it in the future.

At 30,000 feet in the air, Chen Nuo listened to the lyrics on repeat in his headphones, and for a moment he was also immersed in the artistic conception of the lyrics.

He did not joke with Yang Mi.

What right does he have to point fingers at Da Mi?

As his former close roommate and current good friend, he did, to be honest, have some disagreements with Da Mi's choices in some matters over the years.

But can he say it?
No.

If you talk about it too much, things will inevitably get distorted.

He must keep his distance and fulfill his duty as a friend.

Chen Nuo is serious.

He truly didn't intend to follow the same old path he'd walked before. Abroad, he went with the flow, and sometimes there was simply no other way. But in China, he was determined to keep his zipper in check.

When Liu Yifei saw him off this morning, he could tell that the girl was clearly not very happy.

The reason, though neither of them said it, is almost obvious.

It's not just because of another parting, because this time he won't be gone for long; he'll definitely be back before the Lunar New Year.

Strangely, Chen Nuo actually felt a little guilty.

It should be noted that even though Fan Binbing gave birth to Ruoruo for him, he could still act with a clear conscience and righteous indignation, even taking the initiative in front of Liu Xiaoli, making Aunt Liu swallow her anger.

But what about Janice Man?

WHY?

Yang Mi's voice became even louder in the headphones.

"I will dedicate my entire life to making offerings to you, hoping only that you will cease your wandering gaze. Please grant me the power to give and receive boundless love, so that I may peacefully contemplate beneath the Bodhi tree..."

As a former friend of Yang Mi, Chen Nuo would bet that the sound engineer must have used every trick in the book and all his skills to keep Yang Mi in a fairly stable pitch during this period.

However, while the song is beautiful and melodious, can love and being loved truly possess infinite power?

"Hello, dear Chen, have you rested enough? You've been pretending to be asleep for over two hours now. We're arriving in Hong Kong soon, can we talk about work?"

Chen Nuo's left earphone was suddenly taken off, and a voice said this.

He took off his eye mask, opened his eyes, and said with some dissatisfaction, "I wasn't pretending to be asleep."

Lorraine Eisner laughed and said, "I don't think so. I've been staring at you for about ten minutes and I noticed your butt kept moving around. Anyway, you're awake now."

Chen Nuo yawned and turned to Gulnazar, who was sitting on the other side of the plane, and said, "Nazha, get me a cup of coffee."

"Okay, Mr. Chen."

Although it was a leased private jet and was equipped with foreign service ladies, Chen Nuo still preferred to order his assistant around.

After he finished speaking, he turned around, looked at Rory Eisner and Qi Yuntian sitting to the side, crossed his legs, and swaggered over, saying, "Speak, what do you want to say? I'll listen."

As Netflix's high-level representative in this collaboration and also the show's producer, Lorraine Eisner paid no heed to the appalling attitude of her nominal subordinate, an executive producer.

It's unclear whether it's because of the way the two parties collaborated this time, but it can be said that it has reshaped the traditional division of labor in the production of American TV series.

The role of executive producer is greatly amplified, with their power covering the entire chain of creativity, production, and promotion. Producers, on the other hand, are more about strategic control by the platform and do not participate in direct project operations. They only have the final broadcasting rights and budget approval rights.

Therefore, strictly speaking, Luo Rui is the one who shouldn't be asking about the specifics.

But the woman showed no remorse for breaking the agreement. She glanced at the laptop on the table and said:
“Our company’s current plan for this series is to release it during the summer season, around July or August next year. That means our entire team only has eight to nine months to produce it. That’s quite a tight schedule for a Hollywood production. So, I think we should finalize the next steps as soon as possible so we can get started right after we land. Now, let me tell you about the plan I just discussed with Chris. First, we need to confirm the filming locations…”

"Stop, stop, stop." Chen Nuo raised his hand and said, "Relax, Luo Rui, speak slowly. Don't be in such a hurry, okay? Let me remind you, you just mentioned Hollywood, but where is our TV series being filmed? Hong Kong. Anyone who knows a little about Hong Kong films knows that the directors here can shoot a movie in seven days at their most insane. Nine months, let alone eleven episodes, I even think they could shoot one hundred and eleven episodes."

Luo Rui turned to look at Qi Yuntian, who smiled and shrugged.

At this moment, Gulnazar brought over the coffee. Chen Nuo took it, said thank you, took a sip, and continued:
"And I should remind you, while Reed Hastings was still hesitating, we weren't playing around. Didn't Chris tell you? Forget about the filming locations, we've actually built up the core team during this time. Producer, director, director of photography, costume designer... we've got the core members we need."

As Chen Nuo spoke, he smiled and looked at Luo Rui, "You really don't need to disturb my sleep, dear Luo Rui. Actually, at this stage, everything for the entire drama is ready. I mean, everything. I know you care a lot, but you can really relax now and get some sleep, just like me."

"With you?"

Chen Nuo chuckled, took a sip of coffee, and seemed to have completely forgotten his earlier vow to "keep a close eye on things." Come to think of it, foreign girls weren't originally subject to that vow.

Luo Rui looked at him for a while, then suddenly exhaled, placed her hand on the laptop, and prepared to close it: "Okay, since you say so, then I'll really take a nap..." But immediately, she looked at the laptop screen and suddenly laughed: "By the way, I saw something fun in the US before, and I downloaded it. Here, let me show you."

As she spoke, she turned the notebook around.

"what?"

Chen Nuo leaned closer, quite curious.

Luo Rui clicked on a video on the desktop, and it started playing immediately.

As he watched, Chen Nuo's originally relaxed expression slowly turned into a frown.

This is an interview video from CBS's famous program "Face to Face". Two people appear in the video: host Steve Croft and Donald.

The video is incomplete, but it's still over ten minutes long. It begins with Donald talking at length about his campaign platform, covering topics such as tariffs, Europe, and China.

The topic was serious, but the way he spoke made it hard to take him seriously. The host clearly didn't take him seriously either, with a half-smile on his face throughout, and the questions he asked all seemed to be jokes.

Luo Rui laughed from the side, "Is this interesting?"

"A little. When was this video taken?"

“Two weeks ago,” Luo Rui shrugged, “I heard that he somehow managed to get some money from some fool, barely survived his debt crisis, and then he started making a big splash again.”

She rolled her eyes dismissively. "What president-elect? He just wants to ride the wave of media attention. If he's lucky, he can get some publicity before the Republican primaries, and then use 'withdrawing from the race' to get some benefits, like business contracts, political resources, or debt forgiveness. That's what he really cares about. In the end, it's all about making money."

"However, the most interesting thing is actually this..."

Luo Rui dragged the progress bar and then turned up the laptop's volume a little.

"Donald, you've talked a lot about China, but I've heard you have a good relationship with Nuo Chen. If you succeed, how do you plan to handle your past relationship with him?"

Donald was indeed a gifted player; he showed no embarrassment whatsoever as he spoke, opening and closing his hands.

His answer not only made Luo Rui laugh, but also made Qi Yuntian and Gulnazar, who were watching from the side, laugh as well.

Chen Nuo laughed along with her.

While laughing, her mind was filled with thoughts that seemed to drift away like a celestial being.

If Lao Tang really does follow the same path as in his previous life, then this question will probably be asked by reporters countless times in the future.

It's like asking what background music this is.

And could it be that Old Tang was also very serious at first, but later... "The offering of love, then the question of suicide?"

Speaking of which, if there's a chance, I could introduce Da Mi Mi to Lao Tang.

They're both confident people, so they should get along well.

…… ……

On December 5, 2011, Johnnie To, the owner and director of Milkyway Image, hosted a banquet at the Fook Lam Moon Restaurant in Causeway Bay to entertain a group of mainland stars who came to Hong Kong to prepare for a TV series and representatives from Netflix, the largest streaming media platform in the United States.

This was an event that absolutely thrilled Hong Kong paparazzi, and entertainment marketing accounts on Sina Weibo once again enjoyed a surge in traffic.

Before 4 o'clock, cannons were set up on the road opposite the restaurant.

Subsequently, the arrival of one big star after another made the place comparable to the Hong Kong Film Awards, and the trending topic on Weibo that "half of the Hong Kong entertainment industry was there" felt like a statement of fact, rather than just boasting as usual.

There are many reasons for this situation.

Most importantly, rumors of a collaboration between Huanxin and Netflix to film a web series in Hong Kong had been circulating in the Hong Kong entertainment industry for over two months. The rumors then became increasingly outrageous and exaggerated. Given that a TVB drama series typically has a budget of around ten million Hong Kong dollars, and even a well-funded Media Asia film series typically costs between thirty and fifty million Hong Kong dollars, the idea of ​​a 10-episode drama series averaging tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars per episode sounds like something out of a ghost story.

But the news that came out from Milkyway Image later turned out to be a myth coming to life. Suddenly, the Hong Kong film and television industry, which had been stagnant for the past few years, was like being hit by a firecracker, and all sorts of gods and monsters jumped out.

Chen Nuo met many new and old friends at the banquet.

People like Carina Lau, Tsang Chi-wai, Chan Ho-sin, Tsui Hark, and even Wong Kar-wai, who was busy preparing for The Grandmaster, also came, but only stayed for more than ten minutes. After chatting with him for a while, he left in a hurry.

Aside from that, the person he talked to the most was Johnnie To, whom he had only met for the first time, but with whom he had already spoken several times on the phone and had officially signed a contract to serve as the producer of the film.

Johnnie To was appointed as producer not because he owed a favor to Milkyway Image's top screenwriter, but because he was truly suited for the position.

What is a producer?

In many mainland Chinese films and television dramas, the title of producer is merely nominal, and is more often used to attract investment or increase the project's value.

However, in the real Hollywood production system, this role is one of the core decision-makers throughout the entire production process, and sometimes even more important than the director.

The producer is the artistic director, a bridge between creation and reality. They are responsible for coordinating the entire team to ensure that the director's creative ideas can be realized without exceeding the budget or delaying the schedule. They also need to control the final artistic quality in post-production editing and audio-visual tuning.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a key figure.

The core team behind this revamped Hong Kong branch is the same group of "intern" who participated in the production process of Warner Bros.' "Inception" and learned everything from start to finish.

They learned the real Hollywood industrial process in that project, and now that they finally have the opportunity to put it to use, they naturally want to use the Hollywood production model to make this series in its original form. Under this system, the power and importance of the producer are greatly enhanced, and Chen Nuo has to make the decision himself.

After careful consideration, he finally decided to choose Johnnie To.

It wasn't just because of this person's status in the Hong Kong entertainment circle, but also because Wai Ka-fai and Yau Nai-hoi of Milkyway Image were involved in the scriptwriting from the very beginning, which made the collaboration between the two parties feel like a natural progression.

More importantly, as a producer, he needs to control the style of the entire series, and Johnnie To's aesthetic system is very much in line with his vision of "The Eagle Catches the Chicken".

The cold, restrained, and ensemble-style cinematography and atmosphere created in films like "The Mission," "Election," and "PTU" are very similar to the style of the original "The Squid Game."

When he learned that Johnnie To had directed TV series at TVB as early as the 1980s and was familiar with the TV series production process, he dispelled his hesitation and gave up Peter Chan, Tsui Hark, Wong Kar-wai and John Woo, and chose Johnnie To instead.

To be honest, it still made him feel a little sorry for them.

Peter Chan's humanistic narratives, Tsui Hark's boundless imagination, Wong Kar-wai's poetic and dreamlike style, and John Woo's violence and romance all piqued his curiosity. He was certain that if they were to direct, the resulting films would be refreshing and innovative.

However, just to be on the safe side, Chen Nuo had no choice but to reluctantly give up his other option and opt for Johnnie To.

He then personally made the call and quoted a production fee of HK$100 million per episode. Johnnie To was very straightforward and agreed directly over the phone.

With Johnnie To joining the team, things went much more smoothly from there.

At Johnnie To's recommendation, the director of photography was finally decided to be Wong Chi-ming, who had served as the cinematographer for films such as "Running Out of Time" and "Infernal Affairs".

The costume design was done by Park Ruomu, who had previously collaborated with them on "The Message". Although Mr. Park won a Golden Horse Award for his work on period costumes, modern clothing is actually his forte.

The art director had to choose between Cheung Suk-ping and Tony Au, the art director of "Infernal Affairs," and ultimately decided on Cheung Suk-ping. They hoped that this "godfather of Hong Kong film aesthetics" would create a more immersive atmosphere by blending the old Hong Kong spirit with a modern urban feel.

The sound director invited Mark Lui, who rose to fame with films such as "Lust, Caution" and "Hero," to oversee the overall auditory presentation.

The final core team comprised almost all of the top talents in the Hong Kong film and television industry.

That's why Chen Nuo had the confidence to say to Rory Eisner, "Everything is ready."

When Johnnie To approached him for a chat, he thought it was To, the producer, who was going to talk to him about the actors' auditions. However, to his surprise, To spoke of something else with a serious expression.

"You mean, we can't find a suitable photography studio in all of Hong Kong?"

Johnnie To said with a wry smile, “That’s how it is now. Our production requires a soundproof studio of at least 3000 square meters with a ceiling height of over 10 meters, but the largest indoor studio under TVB is only 1500 square meters, and the old Shaw Brothers factory has been out of use for a long time. I’ve also thought about renting a large warehouse in the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Area for renovation, but the approval efficiency in Hong Kong is very low. The whole process of applying for construction permits, verifying capital, and conducting environmental impact assessments takes at least three months, not to mention the subsequent construction time.”

"Damn." Chen Nuo couldn't help but glance at Luo Rui Eisner.

This niece of the Disney tyrant was completely at home in this setting. Her blonde hair shimmered under the lights, and she held a wine glass in her slender hand like a noblewoman raising a glass in an oil painting. The young actors she was chatting with, such as Shawn Yue, were clearly a little overwhelmed by her presence.

"So what do we do now? What's the solution?" Chen Nuo turned around and asked directly.

Johnnie To said, "If there really isn't a suitable venue, we might have to build it ourselves."

"There's a vacant old industrial site in San Po Kong, at the junction of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, with very convenient transportation. We can temporarily build a super-large soundstage there specifically for this drama. But we estimate it will cost over HK$100 million. Then there's the time factor; the fastest we can do is three months of preparation, which might affect the original filming schedule."

Chen Nuo's lips moved, and he uttered a sentence.

Johnnie To asked, "Nuozai, what do you say?"

"Suicide out of love, then asking about support... Just kidding. Let's go see him tomorrow."

"Good stuff."

……

……

The next day, Chen Nuo led his entire team in three cars, personally traveling throughout Hong Kong to inspect the locations Johnnie To had mentioned. They quickly discovered that To hadn't lied to him.

No one in the world truly understands what he wants better than him. Even Pang Ho-cheung and Wai Ka-fai are, in essence, just putting their visions into writing.

He's the kind of person who's worked in both large and small studios. Johnnie To doesn't need to explain much; it's obvious at a glance—to meet his requirements, the existing film studios in Hong Kong simply aren't up to par.

It's either too small or too old; it's really possible that it hasn't been upgraded in twenty years.

So, what should we do?
After returning from San Po Kong, the producers and supervisors decided to work overtime. So they gathered their staff and discussed countermeasures overnight in the Huanxin Hong Kong office building on Bonham East Street in Sheung Wan.

At this moment, Chen Nuo's face no longer showed the leisurely feeling of sleeping soundly on the plane. He didn't say much on the way back, making the atmosphere in the car low and oppressive.

He spoke, and as soon as his voice fell, the entire room fell silent.

"Then we'll build it ourselves."

His very first sentence, delivered in English, was the definitive statement: "We'll build it ourselves."

But the expressions of the dozen or so core members of the production team in the conference room did not lighten. After all, after a day of site visits, everyone was mentally prepared for the "self-built soundstage," but what was the problem?

Johnnie To frowned. He had anticipated this conclusion, but the problems remained: if they really wanted to build the set themselves, firstly, where would the money come from? Secondly, would they have enough time?
Chen Nuo glanced around the conference room before slowly speaking, “There are several advantages to building our own studio. First, we can customize it entirely according to the crew’s shooting needs, resulting in the best possible effect. Second, this studio can be used for a long time in the future. We can continue to use it when filming the second season or even other projects in the future, saving a lot of money on repeated rentals. Huanxin Pharmaceutical wants to take root in Hong Kong, not just move around from place to place. In the long run, building our own studio is actually the most convenient, economical, and sustainable approach.”

"But the downsides are also obvious, as Director Du said—funding and time."

“We build the studio because of the play, and everything revolves around the play. The funding problem is not difficult to solve. If we exceed the budget, we will find some excuse to get Netflix to invest more. They have already taken tens of millions of US dollars, so they will not be stingy with this.”

Johnnie To was slightly taken aback and glanced at Lorraine Eisner. He understood Chen Nuo's meaning, but he didn't expect her to say it so openly—to the face of the Netflix representatives, directly admitting that she wanted to swindle their money.

However, the producer opposite him—the "blonde beauty" who graced the cover of Hong Kong tabloids today—simply listened attentively without even raising an eyebrow.

Johnnie To felt a chill run down his spine, gaining a deeper understanding of what Wai Ka-fai and Yau Nai-hoi meant by their "extraordinary relationship."

Chen Nuo paused for a moment, then continued,
"The final problem is actually just one thing: time. We originally had a nine-month production cycle, but if we build our own soundstage, by the time we finish filming and officially start shooting, we might only have six months left, or even five. With the current methods, it's almost impossible to complete a whole season in such a short time while maintaining quality."

"Next is my solution. We suggested that we go all out and get Netflix to invest more money so that we could adopt a multi-episode director system. Xiangzai would be the main director and shoot the first two episodes to set the tone, and then several directors would shoot them at the same time."

"The candidates I've thought of so far are Chen Kexin, Tsui Hark, Zhang Yimou, Jiang Wen, Wang Jiawei, and John Woo. If there are any other suitable candidates, please feel free to add them. We can discuss it together and see who is the best fit."

(End of this chapter)