I was just thinking about taking the arts exam and you said I've been playing supporting roles

Chapter 348 The Old Master's Ambitions!

boom!
The baseball bat slammed into Chen Jin's abdomen as she lay curled up. Chris Pratt's character, Yosef, the masked son of a mob boss, led a group of henchmen and ransacked Long's house.

Incidentally, he also drove off with his beloved Ford Mustang Boss 429.

And a dead dog, actually anesthetized, was thrown "bloody" at Chen Jin's feet.

In fact, this home invasion and vandalism originated from Long's car.

Yosef saw the car at the gas station and coveted it. He asked Long if he could part with it and sell it to him, but Long ignored him, which led to the scene described above.

This is also the catalyst for the revenge in "Killer: Dragon".

"no!"

Chen Jin sat in front of the monitor, watching the footage that had just been filmed, and couldn't help but shake her head.

"We still need a real fight!"

"I'll equip my gear, and swing the baseball bat down hard!"

"They also used their hands and feet to hit and kick, and they tried to go all out!"

Chen Jin was talking to the actors playing gangsters beside her, as well as Chris Pratt.

"..."

Chris Pratt shrugged: "Chan, I feel like I'd have a hard time doing that~~~"

"You know, if you get hurt..."

He didn't continue, because everyone understood what he meant.

In Hollywood, it's rare for movie stars to use real punches, and even stunt doubles rarely use real punches; because if you injure a star, some insurance companies won't pay out.

Even if some people say it's okay and let you hit them, if something really happens, no one can say for sure.

Although Chen Jin bought insurance, it was accident insurance; the same type of insurance as that for actors like Tom Cruise and Jackie Chan who film high-risk stunts.

This is a special skill risk that only applies to individuals.

Insurance companies will accept coverage for extremely dangerous scenes because no actor would risk their life; it's all life-threatening.

In the case of a real blow, the insurance company may not be able to assess whether your injury constitutes insurance fraud or is a genuine injury.

Therefore, overseas insurance companies, which are not charities, will also conduct relevant assessments.

"I will write a statement!"

"bring it on!"

Since Chen Jin had put it that way, Chris Pratt and the others also became serious.

In black and white, it has legal effect in the United States. Besides, Chen Jin will wear appropriate protective gear. Even if it is a real simulated blow, it will be more or less restrained, but it will definitely be much more realistic than what was just filmed.

Chen Jin wanted a realistic effect of being beaten, which would definitely come at a price!
"Boss, here's your phone!"

Wan Qian glanced at her phone, which had been ringing several times, and called out to Chen Jin, who was just about to enter the film set.

"They've called several times already, it must be something urgent!"

Wan Qian added a sentence, and Chen Jin then said to Chris Pratt and the others, "Let's take a break, and get started in a bit!"

"Ok!"

Chris made a gesture, and as he watched Chen Jin turn away, he couldn't help but make a face.

This young actor from the East really puts his heart and soul into his acting.

"Do they all have a gene for fighting desperately?"

"Is it because all Chinese people know kung fu?"

Chris couldn't help but make a self-deprecating joke, but in his mind he was thinking of Jackie Chan, the internationally renowned Hollywood superstar. This guy was known for his daring and fighting spirit, and the whole world knew that he was truly fearless when making movies.

Even Tom Cruise has to call him "Big Brother".

Because he learned it from Jackie Chan.

"Give!"

Wan Qian handed her phone to Chen Jin, who wasn't worried about her peeking because he had blocked the caller ID.

"Sister Wei?"

Chen Jin opened her phone and walked to the side, looking at the five missed calls, one of which was from Zhang Yimou.

Chen Jin quickly called Pang Liwei back.

"Xiao Jin, are you busy?"

Pang Liwei's calm and unhurried voice came from the other end of the phone, and Chen Jin quickly replied, "Yes, we're filming on set!"

"Are you done?"

"Okay, Sister Wei, what's up?"

The call from China is so late; Pang Liwei must have something to ask me.

"Chen Jin, what's it like being a director?"

Zhang Yimou's laughter suddenly came through the phone receiver, and Chen Jin laughed too: "Not bad!"

"Is 'okay' a good filming result, or do you think the director is competent?"

"Don't make fun of me, old man!"

Chen Jin took a stool and sat down, saying, "I'm just being modest, but being a director is really much harder than being an actor, especially in Hollywood, where you're completely unfamiliar with the place. We just started filming a few days ago!"

Chen Jin briefly recounted the filming process, and Zhang Yimou on the other end of the phone couldn't help but nod in agreement: "Then you are capable; you can make a living as a director!"

"Hahaha!"

His familiar laughter rang out: "Hollywood film crews are notoriously difficult to manage, and they're always defiant towards Chinese directors!"

"You're a new director, and the fact that you've even started filming is already a huge improvement over the average new director in China!"

This is Zhang Yimou's honest opinion, but Chen Jin is definitely much better than the new director.

After all, he is a well-known actor who has transitioned into acting.

"Take good care of the filming. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime!"

"If you can't handle those foreigners, I'll call Quentin, Weinstein, and Spielberg for you!"

Zhang Yimou clearly has his own connections in Hollywood.

Moreover, they are all world-renowned filmmakers.

Although Quentin Tarantino and Jiang Wen are kindred spirits, Zhang Yimou is the face of Chinese directors. His film "Hero" was released in North America with Tarantino as the producer, and the two are quite familiar with each other in private.

As for the future sex offender Weinstein, he's currently a powerful figure in Hollywood.

The founder of Miramax, the largest independent film studio in North America, led the company to produce and distribute a large number of films over the years, earning him the reputation of "savior of modern cinema".

But his most impressive skill is his public relations ability. He can get you an Oscar as long as you have the money and a good relationship with him.

This guy is very successful in Hollywood, and he especially enjoys interacting with Chinese filmmakers.

Because they earn more.

He earned hundreds of millions of US dollars just from Zhang Yimou.

Unfortunately, he was too arrogant in the future, and many Hollywood actresses filed formal complaints against him for sexually assaulting them.

Due to the suddenness of the incident and the fierce competition for capital, he ultimately lost in the world of Hollywood fame and fortune and was sentenced to 23 years in prison!
But four years later, he came back and the sexual assault verdict was overturned once again.

It can only be said that in Hollywood, money really can buy anything, and make the devil do whatever he wants.

Spielberg, needless to say, is a top-tier American director.

The people Zhang Yimou mentioned are indeed very important in Hollywood.

Chen Jin understood Zhang Yimou's status and knew that he wasn't just boasting about his connections; he genuinely wanted to help her.

It's perfectly normal to have no experience when directing a film for the first time.

Having someone guide you is definitely better than taking pictures all at once.

"Thank you, Director Zhang. I can manage it for now!"

"When I can't figure it out, I'll definitely call you and nag you!"

Chen Jin didn't stand on ceremony with Zhang Yimou. Zhang Yimou hummed in agreement before turning to Pang Liwei and saying, "You talk to him!"

"It's like this, Xiao Jin. I called you about 'The Flowers of War'!"

Pang Liwei knew Zhang Yimou didn't like these kinds of formalities, so she said, "Post-production on 'Jinling' is finished. Do you have time to come back for the screening?" "Around when exactly?"

"Next week, once the bureau issues the dragon seal, we can make arrangements!"

"It's too late if you don't make arrangements for many things!"

Pang Liwei and Zhang Yimou exchanged a glance. Chen Jin pondered for a moment and said with difficulty, "I might have to miss it. My plan is to come back before the Chinese New Year to attend the premiere of 'Jinling'!"

"It's nothing, you go ahead with your work, I just wanted to let you know!"

Zhang Yimou quickly spoke up.

"This screening is mainly for the leaders, and there will also be people from Berlin, as well as several European and American film companies!"

"Have someone from CETC send over to discuss the specifics of the issuance rights with us!"

"Okay, I'll talk to Chen Su right away. He'll be in charge of overseas distribution rights!"

Actually, this department was only recently established because of "So Young". The overseas distribution rights for "So Young" sold reasonably well because it broke box office records in mainland China, so it sold quite well in Southeast Asia.

Even in Europe and America, they were sold, although the price wasn't too high.

But "The Flowers of War" is different; it involves a lot of insider trading and overseas boycotts.

At first glance, with Bale starring, the distribution rights should sell well. However, the nature of the film must also be considered. Therefore, although many film companies are interested in making money from movies, the risks are also quite high.

Therefore, this deal is very difficult to negotiate.

Selling it too low is definitely not an option, and selling it too high won't attract customers either.

Chen Jin knew that "Jinling" had sold over 200 million US dollars outside of mainland China, and the distribution rights should easily exceed that amount.

Several film studios are going to lose money.

Chen Jin also wanted to use a big move to suppress Columbia and Sony, but that was simply unrealistic.

The key is still to find a way to get "Jinling" released in large quantities in North America and around the world.

Sending Chen Su to negotiate this time is also a test of his abilities.

"And then there's Berlin!"

"They want Jinling to participate in the selection. What's your response?"

"Berlin...we're probably out of luck, aren't we?"

Chen Jin was still considering this matter a few days ago.

Berlin still wanted to showcase "Jinling" as a channel for communication that could help spread the word about the Nanjing Massacre.

But if we just participate in the screenings as before, it's actually meaningless.

Not winning an award won't cause any sensation.

Originally, Zhang Weiping wasn't actually aiming to give "Jinling" an international voice, but rather to make money; he screened "Jinling" to maximize its box office revenue.

Chen Jin knows this guy too well, so even though he was shortlisted for the main competition, he couldn't win an award because of the domestic release.

This is undeniably a pity.

However, Chen Jin originally wanted to release "Jinling" during the Spring Festival, but the Berlin Film Festival will be held half a month later next year.

"You don't need to worry about that. If you want, I'll take care of it!"

Zhang Yimou spoke with righteous indignation, and Chen Jin replied just as decisively: "Go ahead, I'll handle the public relations here!"

"If you're guaranteed an award, just being shortlisted for the main competition doesn't make much sense!"

"We also have to consider the Golden Globes and Oscars, as both awards require the film to be released in North America!"

Zhang Yimou reminded everyone: "The Golden Globe Awards start on January 16th next year, so we need to schedule the North American awards as soon as possible. It's the earliest award, but the Oscars aren't in a rush!"

"Director Zhang!"

Chen Jin understands Zhang Yimou's current obsession.

He already has three major honors, so it doesn't matter whether he wins them or not, but the Golden Globe and the Oscar are the only two things he wants to pursue in his life.

Especially Oscar.

As a director, no one in the world can resist the star power of the Oscars.

Zhang Yimou is no exception.

Especially now in 2012, the Oscars' influence is at its absolute peak globally, and even the three major Oscars can hardly challenge its dominance!
Who can resist the allure of being nominated for an Oscar?
Zhang Yimou is obsessed with the Best Foreign Language Film award, and the Golden Globe Awards, as a precursor to the Oscars, are no exception; it also has a Best Foreign Language Film category.

Zhang Yimou has been nominated four times, but has not won any awards.

As expected, "Jinling" was nominated for the fifth time, but still failed to win an award.

This was originally Zhang Weiping's public relations effort through Weinstein, but he wasn't willing to spend the money, so the award slipped away. This guy is notoriously stingy, and coupled with poor box office performance in North America, there was also interference from two major Japanese film studios.

He'd be even less likely to let you win the award.

So Chen Jin never even considered the Golden Globe Awards, let alone the Oscars.
This isn't something you can get just because a movie is of extremely high quality.

This requires money to pave the way, connections, and also the right timing, location, and people.

"I think we should still go all out for Berlin; that award is a safer bet!"

"If we're just nominated for the Golden Globe, it doesn't really mean much. Besides, a North American release is different from a domestic release. Berlin might not even let us participate in the selection!"

"The most important thing is!"

Chen Jin carefully considered her words: "The Japanese can't interfere in Europe, but they can interfere in North America!"

"Columbia, Sony, and a few others can influence the direction of the Golden Globes and Oscars. Even if Weinstein has strong public relations skills, the risks of winning these awards are still high!"

"and……"

"We can't miss Berlin this year! We can wait for the Golden Globe and the Oscars next year!"

"Let's see how things go in China after it's released domestically. And there's no need to rush the release in North America. Let's find a better release date next year!"

Chen Jin comforted her.

He wasn't in such a hurry as Zhang Weiping.

In the original timeline, due to overseas boycotts and the falling out between Zhang Weiping and Zhang Weiping, Zhang Weiping was eager to release "Jinling" in North America first, causing all subsequent plans to fall through.

He didn't want "Jinling" to lose money, but the more he did that, the worse the subsequent domino effect would be.

He sold the overseas distribution rights of "Jinling" to Weinstein at a low price, asking Weinstein to help with public relations for the Golden Globes and Oscars, but in the end, he got nothing.

Most importantly, Berlin was shortlisted for the main competition, but it couldn't win an award.

A series of questionable actions resulted in "Jinling" only generating buzz domestically, while remaining completely unnoticed overseas.

Zhang Yimou's most desired Japanese release also came to nothing.

If the global box office market is good, the Japanese will actually find it hard to refuse.

Boycotts are boycotts, but business is business.

Oppenheimer was still able to be published, wasn't it?

The moral compass of "Little Life" isn't as strong, unlike in China where it needs to be censored for release.

"Will it be on the Ballon d'Or again next year...?"

Zhang Yimou was somewhat embarrassed.

He wanted to organize a screening of "The Battle of Nanjing" mainly for the Golden Globes and the Oscars. To be honest, he wouldn't have cared about the three major awards if it weren't for Dieter Kosslick's strong invitation.

"Director Zhang, if you trust me, then entrust 'Jinling' to me!"

"I'll take charge of the selection process for 'Jinling'!"

If Berlin wins the Golden Bear, everything else will fall into place naturally; and this is the most likely outcome.

The Golden Globe and the Oscar are truly castles in the air.

Zhang Yimou was blinded by his own involvement; he was full of confidence that "Nanjing" would win the Golden Globe, but in fact, Americans are the most fickle.

Europeans have it much easier to do public relations than they do with the Golden Globes and Oscars.

The original timeline is that Zhang Weiping and Zhang Yimou misjudged the quality of "Jinling", which led to their complete failure.

A chess piece must be placed in the most advantageous position to play its most important role.

Berlin, with its exceptional political enthusiasm, was undoubtedly the most suitable place to make its move!
The Golden Globe and the Oscar—those require preparation!

(End of this chapter)