1990My Entertainment System

Chapter 9: Home Alone

"Ding~ Completed the novel "Pagan", and received 36 exchange points, 5 world reputation points, 40 religious reputation points, and 200 reputation points with the Christian Mormon branch~"

After I gave the finished manuscript to Xiao Pai Luo in the summer and asked him to contact the publisher, a system prompt sounded in my mind.

But Xia Tian was confused. What the hell was 200 reputation points for the Mormon branch? Was it really that detailed?
What use would I have for this thing? They're not going to ask me to be a Mormon protector or ambassador or something like that, are they?

Even if you advocate marrying more wives, I can't agree to it. I tell you!

……

The American film and television company finally opened in the summer, and the office was temporarily rented in an office building.

The name of the film company is Sacred Loong Pictures, Inc.
The logo is an artistic representation of the geometric dragon curves of the Spring and Autumn dragon pattern.

Everything is being kept simple for now, as the company’s first film project has already begun – we can worry about the rest later, let’s get the film made first.

Because I plan to catch up with the schedule in the summer!
The movie that Xia Tian is planning to shoot urgently is "Home Alone", for which he had previously drawn a comic strip!
In fact, some film and television companies are interested in this comic, but the same problem still exists.

These bastards are really pushing the price down! They act like they have you for sure!

Xia Tian originally drew this because the IP was valuable, but he didn't expect these guys really didn't want to pay!
Coupled with what happened to Groundhog Day a while ago, I plan to do it myself in the summer!

I originally planned to set up a film and television company in the United States in the future - it would be convenient for me to do anything.

Now it’s just ahead of schedule.

The only problem now is that the project time is too rushed.

This is also the reason why Xia Tian set up the company address in New York. Here, he has more acquaintances and can help in many ways.

For example, Michael met a tall, golden-haired guy who worked in real estate and helped Xia contact the agent, so he was able to get the company procedures done within a few days by spending money.

Xia Tian also bought a small, old, single-family villa from him that was not in a good location. It was not easy to sell, so Xia Tian was returning the favor.

Now, in the summer, with the help of some Chinese compatriots here (people I have known for 82 and their connections), we have been working overtime to renovate the small villa, and we have also rented a studio for the renovation.

I don’t know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing - local white and black people don’t want to work overtime, and they are unwilling to work even if they are paid overtime.

Now is still the golden age for Americans, where one person works to support a family of several people, and they really don't lack money.

But the fellow workers here really work overtime when they are paid, working in three shifts and staying up all night to renovate the house (the film shooting location).

At this time, Xia Tian was screening actors.

It is winter now, which is very suitable for filming "Home Alone" - because the plot is that the whole family goes out for a trip during the Christmas holidays, but leaves a boy at home, and then the little boy bravely fights against the stupid thief.

It was also relatively simple to shoot, with only three main actors: the male lead, a little boy, and two stupid thieves.

The shooting scene is just a house. Although the decoration will be ruined, the house of Golden Retriever cannot be sold at a high price. It is not a pity to buy it and decorate it casually in the summer and then ruin it.

Now Xia has also started to "work overtime", on the one hand screening actors, on the other hand screening crew members.

The conditions are simple, so everything is kept simple.

It’s actually very easy to find two male actors who play the role of stupid thieves.

New York is also a city that film and television companies particularly like to shoot. The film and television industry here is well developed, and it is easy to find two male actors between the ages of 30 and 40 with good acting skills through the Actors Guild.

The main problem lies with the little boy who is the male protagonist.

Here, filming with children is particularly difficult. There is no time or rest. Time is tight in the summer, so this needs to be properly addressed.

I have no choice but to ask my friends for help.

Let me put it this way, at this time, if a yellow man in his twenties wanted to make a movie in the United States, the white people here would probably find it hard to believe.

This requires Michael and Golden Retriever to help with credit endorsement.

These two people are really particular.

After Xia Tian finished telling them this, Michael agreed and even said excitedly, "I can make a friendly cameo appearance in the movie, which will also help you gain people's trust!"

When Jinmao saw that they were all important people, he realized that he couldn’t leave them behind!
Golden Retriever: "Ha, Mike said what I wanted to say! I must make a cameo appearance in this movie. Charlotte, please make me look more handsome~"

Xia Tian: You are a very particular person! I won’t say anything more, I will keep all my feelings in my heart.

In the summer, they were screening suitable little boy actors and forming the crew.

Let me put it this way, the film and television industry here is too developed, and there are Broadway, big theaters and the like in New York, so there are too many actors and crew members.

Although he is a young Chinese director who makes people feel a little uneasy, he has a cameo appearance by Michael Jackson and is endorsed by a famous local real estate developer. After checking, it was discovered that he was also the winner of the Palme d'Or for short films at last year's Cannes Film Festival. This is a high-quality project!
In the first place, many actors work for money - no matter which country, in this industry, the top group of people take the lion's share, and the upper class also makes a lot of money.

But the middle class is just a job, and while the income is good, there's absolutely no room for choice. The bottom class is even more difficult, as Europe and the US have a culture of this kind – there are drama clubs and the like from school onwards, so many people choose to be actors part-time or full-time.

They have abundant actor resources!

Because the competition is so fierce, most of the extras cannot make a living from their acting career. Sometimes they even have to do other part-time jobs, or in other words, being an actor is just a part-time job.

So as long as you pay the money and follow the formal procedures, people will have nothing to say.

After all, this is the United States, a capitalist country, where the rich are the boss.

Then comes the skin color, religion, gender and other messes.

……

Now Xia is discussing the investment and plans for the "Little Devil" project with his newly recruited employees.

Xia Tian looked at the plan and budget report in his hand and laughed angrily: "Five million?! You're dreaming! You're dreaming!"

Xia Tian is not polite in his words. After all, as a boss, he must teach his unrealistic employees a lesson!

Otherwise he will think you are an amateur!
"Last year's 'Sex, Lies, and Videotape' only cost $120 million! For a movie like 'Home Alone,' you're planning to invest $500 million in me? I'm starting to doubt whether you're up to the job!"

At this time of summer, it really has the style of a capitalist boss.

This actually made Little Pilo and Golden Retriever very impressed - in their opinion, since you have chosen to be a boss, if you still have that humble and friendly attitude of an Oriental, there might be a problem! That is not suitable for the American workplace!

And their performance during the summer has made them take notice.

It also allowed Michael and Peggy to see another side of Xia Tian - this person seemed to be quite complicated, and there were many things they had not seen yet.

Xia Tian scolded the young producer so much that he couldn't even raise his head - he was so young and had participated in a few low-budget films with a few hundred thousand dollars each, and he wanted to become famous overnight?

Of course, it could also be the case that they ask for an exorbitant price, aiming for the best and getting nothing in between!

Anyway, Xia Tian has to make his point clear, so he doesn't have time to talk nonsense with you.

Two years later, Quentin's "Reservoir Dogs" only cost 120 million, and four years later, "Pulp Fiction" only cost 800 million!
"Home Alone" cost $200 million to make, but the copyright and filming location were already secured, no money was needed.

It's just the cast and crew salaries, equipment rentals, film stock, and other miscellaneous things...

(The original project was written by American filmmaker John Hughes. He originally wrote the script for Warner Bros., and Warner Bros. had already started pre-production. However, when filming was about to begin, the studio suddenly changed its mind and reduced the budget to $100-200 million. Later, it was sold to 20th Century Fox through a producer. Fox was very optimistic about the film and began filming step by step. Many sequels were later made!)
The crew members here are not very handy, and Xia Tian has already called Hong Kong to borrow a few people from Golden Harvest to help.

Soon, Xia Tian started her work for the day - "interviewing" actors.

The two stupid thieves have been found, one is a tall and thin male actor in his early 30s, with a "clear" look in his eyes.

Another short and fat male actor in his early 40s, with rosacea and a big belly, looks a bit "annoyed".

It's a classic mix of tall and short, fat and thin, newcomers and veterans, the clueless and the unhappy.

However, the focus is still on the little boy, the male protagonist, which is also the highlight of the whole movie.

You need good acting skills! And a good personality, otherwise crying and making a fuss will delay the filming time.

To be honest, there is not much time in the summer, and 30 days of shooting and post-production time seems a bit impossible.

This is also the reason why we have to borrow people from Hong Kong Golden Harvest. Only if there are many experienced people from there among the behind-the-scenes staff can we accomplish such a "miracle"!
……

"Hello, my name is Charlotte, what's your name?"

Xia Tian asked with a smile to the little boy who walked into the office with his mother.

...I've already interviewed six people today, and I still feel like I'm not quite there yet.

Some are too cowardly and feel like they are forced by their parents.

Some of them are very naughty and won't even sit still on their chairs. I'm afraid they are not very obedient.

Some are not good looking, some are not good at acting...

The casting of the male lead has become a difficult point!
"This is the last one!" Peggy walked in with the information. She had interviewed eight little boys today, and this was the last one.

During this period, she was considered to be on "vacation" and directly became a secretary here in the summer.

And little Palo went to form a crew.

"Please ask him to come in." Xia Tian casually flipped through the documents.

　Thanks to "Embrace the Lonely Life" for the 500-point reward!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)