Entertainment 2000: Supporting female stars will bring you a hundredfold return

Chapter 265 Tang Wen's scheme, the money was received in 2010!
"The film 'Please Praise Me,' produced by Tang Wen, directed by Huang Jianxin, and written by renowned writer Liu Zhenyun, has been officially approved."

A news item about a movie quietly appeared in newspapers and online.

Is this director Tang's new movie?

Actors in the industry who were eager to improve immediately couldn't sit still.

They each used their unique abilities to gather information.

Since the news was published, Huang Jianxin's phone has been ringing non-stop.

"Teacher Zhao, oh dear, it's not a big production, at best it's an art film. If a suitable role comes up, we'll definitely think of you..."

Liu Zhenyun, who was polishing the script across from him, looked up:
Which Teacher Zhao?

"Zhao Benshan".

"Wow! A true star among stars, too bad we're not a comedy." Liu Zhenyun cracked his knuckles.

Zhao Benshan has too much of a comedic quality about him.

Huang Jianxin shook his head inwardly: Tang Wen's "Hidden in the Dust" allowed everyone to witness Lao Zhao's acting skills.

But not all directors dare to use him as a serious drama actor.

The comedy was alright.

When it comes to filming serious dramas, who is confident that they can handle the role of Zhao Benshan from Northeast China?
How can we integrate him into our film?

Liu Zhenyun: "Director Huang, you've received over a dozen phone calls today, haven't you?"

He secretly rejoiced that he was just a screenwriter, and others knew he had no say in the matter.

At most, they would try to subtly inquire about the situation.

"Eighteen."

"You counted them."

"Hehe, the actor we've been eyeing called me, and I've arranged to meet him tomorrow."

"Who? Wang Zhiwen?"

“No,” Huang Jianxin shook his head: “Fan Wei.”

"Great, one of the two male leads is secured. I'm sure Director Huang will succeed on the other one as well."

Liu Zhenyun had a big smile on his face.

Huang Jianxin showed no joy, only sighing, "Finding director Tang Wen to invest and serve as producer was the right move."

The script for "Please Praise Me" has been in development for over a year.

Because they can't attract investment, they remain stuck in a scripted state.

I tried asking a few people, but they all said they wanted to see the script first.

Now, Tang Wen is in charge, and the news has only been out for a day.

The number of people who came to inquire about the news could fill a large bus.

"You have to admit it, that's the influence of a Golden Lion Award-winning director," Huang Jianxin said with a self-deprecating laugh.

Liu Zhenyun smiled and reassured him, "Your idea is good, and our script is excellent. That's why Director Tang was willing to invest."

What he really meant was that Tang Wen's influence extends beyond art awards.

The film "Infernal Affairs 2," which he produced, just broke the box office record for domestic films.

Two hundred million!
In the past, it would have been unthinkable.

As the two were talking, another phone call came in.

It was a recommendation for actors, and it recommended Hao Lei.

"I'm afraid that won't work."

"No, Director Huang. Please don't refuse. Giving me an audition would be great."

"It's not that I don't want to give them a chance, it's that Director Tang has already decided on the person."

"Well, okay." The agent had a lot of complaints, but didn't dare to say a word.

Everyone knows that in Director Tang's films, the leading lady is often his lover.

She has such a good appetite; she's really not afraid of getting tired.

After inquiring about the female lead, the agent exchanged a few polite words and hung up the phone, then looked at Hao Lei and Deng Chao with a wry smile: "There was no audition; Director Tang has already cast the female lead."

Deng Chao scoffed, "The actresses in Director Tang's company are just so-so in terms of acting skills."

He and Hao Lei were filming "Young Emperor" when they got together.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Hao Lei patted his arm.

"I'm telling the truth. Although those guys are famous, who can compare to your acting skills?" Deng Chao spoke up for his girlfriend.

Before Hao Lei could say anything more, his agent quickly interjected, "This time it's not those actresses. The female lead is an actress from the Beijing People's Art Theatre named Chen."

"Senior Sister Chen?" Deng Chao raised an eyebrow.

Hao Lei said irritably, "What? You just said you couldn't compare to me. Now you're calling me 'senior sister'."

"Oh, no, this Senior Sister Chen is the only one who got into the Beijing People's Art Theatre without taking the entrance exam. Our teachers use her as an example to discipline us every day."

He was admitted to the Beijing People's Art Theatre without taking an entrance exam.

These days, it has considerable value.

"Senior Sister Chen isn't that kind of person, so how did she end up getting involved with Director Tang?" Deng Chao wondered.

"Come on, you've offended two people with just one sentence. You can't be so careless with your words when you're out in the world."

"I know. Besides, Director Tang isn't a stingy person. As long as I don't chase after his girls, I don't think he'll bother with a little karaomi like me."

Hao Lei rolled his eyes: "..."

He was also dating Tang Wen's girlfriend.

People have to look at you properly.

Chen is not only the lead actress, but also the producer.

Tang Wenmei named her: "Train her."

In reality, it was about finding a plausible excuse to increase her pay.

The higher her salary, the higher her cashback.

Chen was only somewhat famous, and he tried every means to raise her salary, but in the end he could only offer 50 yuan. Any higher and the system wouldn't recognize it.

Chen, however, was unaware of this.

"Ding"

My phone rang with a text message alert.

Chen's mother picked up her phone, intending to hand it to her daughter who was eating. The screen lit up, and she glanced at it casually, asking curiously, "A text message from the bank. Hmm, what's today? It doesn't seem to be your payday, does it?"

"No." Chen opened the text message and was immediately stunned.

"What's wrong?" Mr. Chen, who was reading the newspaper nearby, asked.

"Uh, it's nothing. Didn't I tell you guys that I got a role in a movie next year? The payment has already been transferred."

"You've already paid him for next year's film?" The chaos in the entertainment industry was known to people even earlier than in his previous life because of Tang Wen's scandals.

Seeing her daughter's unnatural expression, Chen's mother pressed, "Let me see, how much is it?"

"Hey, Mom, can't I have any privacy at all?" Chen stuffed his phone into his pocket.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen exchanged a glance, slightly worried.

Chen stood up: "I'll go make a phone call first."

She returned to her room and dialed Tang Wen's number: "Didn't I say I'd act for you for free to pay off your previous debts? Why did you call me so much?"

Tang Wen: "You're usually quite smart, how come you can't figure this out?"

"Don't try to fool me."

“This movie isn’t solely my investment; the director and China Film Group also have a share. You’re getting a high salary, so we’re both benefiting from it, you silly girl. Besides, I found a sanatorium for your aunt and uncle in Hainan; you can wait to pay for it.”

With a few words, Tang Wen suppressed Chen's desire to get a refund.

Everything else is negotiable, but a refund is out of the question.

It concerns cashback.

We have to give it to her, even if it's a race!

"But this is too much." On the other end of the phone, Chen was touched, and his tone softened.

"You're just a producer on my behalf, that's not too much for you." Tang Wen's tone changed, becoming more frivolous: "I, the director, personally negotiated a high salary for you, shouldn't you thank me?"

Chen spat at him, her face flushed with a smile.

This bad guy, he gets all cocky when given a little sunshine.

That day in the car, he almost succeeded.

This kind of thing doesn't happen on a car...

After hanging up the phone, Tang Wen had his secretary send Chen the so-called information about the sanatorium.

It's called a sanatorium, but it's actually a vacation villa that Tang Wen bought in Hainan.

Add a doctor, nutritionist, chef, and Filipino domestic helper, and you have a sanatorium. The reason for doing this is that reliable sanatoriums in China now require a certain level of access.

Those who only charge money cannot guarantee results.

Why not make one yourself?

At the same time, it's also about planning ahead, since I'll probably have quite a few mothers-in-law in the future, so I need to prepare in advance!

My own mother and two older sisters can go to Sanya for a winter vacation, can't they?

Of course, the number of villas will gradually increase, and they will not be located in the same place.

The chances of a collision are almost nonexistent.

After reading the information Tang Wen sent, Chen returned to the living room and told his mother about it.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen shook their heads repeatedly: "No, we won't go. There's heating in Beijing. Xiao Tang has arranged a car for you, and you've learned to drive. You can just get in the car when you go out, and we won't get cold."

Chen had anticipated this: "The money has been paid, and it can't be refunded."

"How much did you pay, you little rascal?"

Chen stuck out his tongue with a smile.

Chen's mother was not easily fooled: "Let me see the receipt."

"Sure, I'll have them issue an invoice."

"No, no, no, if you don't ask for an invoice, you might be able to get a refund."

"We can't refund it, you two can stay here without worry..."

The cast and crew of the TV series "Hero" came to Beijing for promotional activities.

Tang Wen hosted a dinner for Zhang Yimou and his party.

After meal.

I chatted with Er Zhang about the release of "Hero" in North America and Japan.

The two of them were extremely attentive.

Zhang Weiping asked with anticipation, "Based on your experience, Director Tang, what kind of success do you think our film 'Hero' will achieve overseas?"

Seeing that he asked the question cautiously, he was no longer as arrogant as before.

Tang Wen smiled and said, "I don't lie in front of real people. It depends on how much resources I invest in publicity."

Before the two could ask any further questions, he skillfully offered a pie-in-the-sky promise: "Director Zhang, how about we try to get a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars next March?"

Zhang Yimou's eyes narrowed, and he took a deep breath, but he couldn't suppress his excitement: "Of course I want to! Director Tang is planning to use 'Hero' to compete for awards?"

"Yes, but winning awards requires spending money on public relations. Even a nomination costs millions of dollars."

Tang Wen's meaning is clear: aiming for an Oscar would benefit everyone.

It would be more beneficial for Zhang Yimou.

You can't expect me to pay for everything, can you?
The two Zhangs understood his meaning; though they were tempted, they also felt conflicted.

No Money.

One million US dollars.

Even before "Hero" was released, Zhang Weiping's company was trying to stretch every penny of its funds.

"Spending a million dollars doesn't guarantee you'll win the prize!" Old Zhang sighed.

Zhang Yimou is no stranger to the Oscars, but without guidance, he didn't really understand how to play the game.

Back in the 90s, his films "Ju Dou" and "Raise the Red Lantern" were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

"Hero" is the third one.

Tang Wen: "I'm 50% confident that we can increase our public relations efforts."

Zhang Yimou is not an outsider; he's not easily fooled.

"Really? How much will it cost?"

"We need to prepare between 300 million and 500 million US dollars."

Zhang Yimou was shocked: "So many?"

"To be honest, it can help boost the box office." Tang Wen wanted to get something out of the two Zhangs, so he spoke in a mix of truth and lies.

The Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film isn't all that prestigious.

Tang Wen is one of Hollywood's own people, so it actually doesn't cost that much.

The two men frowned deeply: "This is such a large sum of money. Even if Tang Wen shares half or sixty percent of it..."

New Pictures will also need to spend tens of millions.

They are not Tang Wen.

I can't earn that much.

Tang Wen took his leave and returned to Li Dabai's house, where he enjoyed a gentle aromatherapy massage...

The two Zhangs didn't sleep all night.

Zhang Yimou has a Hollywood dream.

Perhaps they're tired of European film awards and are eager to see what the American Oscars are all about.

The desire to win an Oscar once became his obsession.

“Yi Mou, it’s not that I don’t support you! There are just too many. Even if we can persuade Tang Wen to pay two-thirds, we still need to get 100 million US dollars.”

Zhang Weiping knew the benefits of winning the Oscar for them.

But since there's only a 50% chance of success, it's no different from gambling.

Furthermore, 100 million US dollars is more than 800 million RMB, which is no small sum.

The two talked until late at night, and when Tang Wen was seen the next day, his eyes were bloodshot.

"President Tang, we thought about it all night, and due to objective limitations, we still need to postpone our Olympic bid." Zhang Weiping's tone couldn't hide his disappointment.

When he was making movies, Tang Wen was still in elementary school.

Tang Wen has earned more money in just two years than he did in twenty.

You can't compare people.

Just thinking about it makes him feel suffocated.

Tang Wen had anticipated that they wouldn't have the money to gamble, but he kept a low voice and continued casting his hook:
"This is a really rare opportunity. To be honest, I went to great lengths to get my hands on the list of films that will be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film next year."

All things considered, only one German film poses a threat to us. Therefore, we're about 50% confident.

After he finished speaking, he stared at the two of them.

Seeing their pain and helplessness, I knew they weren't acting; they were genuinely poor.

Despite the copyright fee for "Hero," they spent a considerable amount of money on the copyrights for related merchandise.

The investors are waiting to recoup their investment.

It won't land in the pocket of new images.

Zhang Weiping grabbed his hair and said, "President Tang, we've invested over a million US dollars, and we only have a 50% chance of success! We really can't gamble. If the odds were higher, I'd take out a loan to go for it!"

Tang Wen shook his head: "We're all compatriots, I can't lie to you. I'm only about 50% sure."

This is exactly the result he wanted: to know that you wouldn't dare to gamble.

Actually, I'm very confident.

Whether you participate or not, I'm going to aim for the prize.

But how can you expect to succeed without expending some blood?

Both Zhang were in pain and lit cigarettes.

Tang Wen also lit a cigarette, and after finishing it, he said, "This is a rare opportunity. If this works out, Director Zhang's commercial value will increase significantly, and even entering Hollywood will be a piece of cake. Then you two will be earning US dollars!"

Zhang Weiping swallowed hard. When he heard the word "US dollars," his heart skipped a beat, and he had an urge to blurt out an agreement.

Unexpectedly, Tang Wen changed the subject: "How about this, I'll handle the Oscar bid. You two shouldn't let me work for nothing. If it works out, Director Zhang will cast my people as the female leads in his next few films. If it doesn't, I only need one."

hiss--

Good guy!
Zhang Weiping's eyes widened: So this is where they were waiting for us!
You almost fooled me!
He felt he had seen through Tang Wen's plan, but instead of being angry, he felt a chill run down his spine.

Is this person really only in his early twenties?

At that age, I was still acting like an idiot.

Too monstrous!

"This?" Zhang Yimou resisted the urge to agree immediately and glanced at Zhang Weiping.

What could Zhang Weiping say at this point?
You wouldn't dare gamble without spending money?
How can they continue to publicly say they fully support Zhang Yimou?
"Mr. Tang, you're really amazing! After this is done, how many leading ladies do you plan to book?"

"Well, if it's up to me, three. If it's in order, five." Tang Wen said casually, and Zhang Weiping's heart trembled.

Goodness, that's a really harsh way to put it.

You can choose any of the roles, but you can specify three, or five!

You'll have received this money until 2010!
(End of this chapter)