The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 154 received rave reviews at its preview screening! Guaranteed box office of at least $5 million!
……

YT Pictures, which has just been renovated.

The company's private cinema uses a 4K laser projector, which is relatively rare at this time.

Watching in the small theater, the visual experience is not much worse than most IMAX theaters on the market.

after all……

In this day and age, many cinemas claim to be digital IMAX, capable of resolutions of 8K or higher... but in reality, they use dual 2K projectors.

The quality is far inferior to that of a genuine IMAX film with a resolution of 8K or higher.

When watching on a huge screen with dual 2K projectors, small pixelation often appears.

The actual experience was not good.

……

After putting on the pre-prepared 3D glasses, the film officially began.

Everyone found a comfortable angle and prepared to enjoy this sci-fi action movie.

……

The movie has just begun in a noisy classroom.

It looks like students are taking a break between classes.

However, it soon became clear to everyone that this was a child protection agency (CPS).

The female protagonist, played by Hanikezi, becomes an orphan after her parents are suddenly involved in a car accident and she is temporarily taken in by a child protection agency.

However, the personnel in this organization are a bit too chaotic.

The female protagonist is a bit withdrawn and doesn't like to communicate with others. Taking advantage of the staff's inattention, she secretly slips out of the facility.

She walked along the chaotic streets back to a dilapidated apartment.

The apartment's visual effect evokes a strong sense of loneliness, as if it were completely cut off from the real world.

It's like a cage.

The female protagonist, living in such a cage, would naturally be out of place with the outside world.

Like many internet addicts, they treat games as a utopia, where they freely express their youth and passion.

On the contrary, they are somewhat indifferent to the real world.

"Good visuals and composition."

"Although there are no lines, a sense of coldness and loneliness washes over you."

"No wonder they're art students; their use of light and shadow, and color, is simply superb!"

Of those present, while not all are experts, they have all watched countless movies and are certainly qualified to offer their critiques.

Putting aside everything else, Lu Zhiyuan's films are absolutely top-notch in terms of lighting and color.

Never disappoints.

……

The female protagonist's home appears to be a slum, and the environment is not very good.

But for the female protagonist, this is her paradise.

After returning home, she relaxed a little from her initial wariness and casually turned on some music—the kind of American country rock that makes you want to move your body.

At the same time, a gentle breeze blew in from behind the curtains.

The faint light shone on Hanikezi's face.

At that moment, Hanikezi glanced at the empty room and realized that her parents had died in a car accident!

In an instant, her eyes, which had been shining like bright pearls, dimmed, and her eyelids drooped.

At this point, the music also lowered in pitch.

In just a moment, the atmosphere changed, and Hanikezi suddenly exuded a melancholy aura.

"Wow, the female lead is so cute. She looks like an elf, especially her eyes, which are as bright as pearls. She's so beautiful."

"She was as cute as an elf, but just now, when she lowered her eyes, she exuded a deep sense of melancholy, like a fragile piece of porcelain, making people feel tenderness involuntarily."

"What's her name? I bet she'll be famous!"

There are quite a few cute blonde child stars in Europe and America, but their appearance is often rough and not as delicate as that of East Asians.

Especially the young girl Hanikezi, who possesses both Eastern and Western aesthetics.

Her features are well-defined, her facial lines are very soft, her skin is delicate, and there are no blemishes on her face.

It made her look exactly like a piece of exquisite porcelain.

This single shot garnered high praise for Hanikezi's acting skills and beauty.

Unfortunately, she didn't come to Los Angeles and is still catching up on her academic studies back in her hometown... Otherwise, hearing so much praise, this little girl probably wouldn't want to study anymore.

……

The movie's plot continues.

Thirty seconds later, we finally got to the point.

Hanikezi discovered his parents' belongings: a pair of VR gaming glasses.

She was puzzled, so she put on the VR gaming glasses.

The next second, an exciting electronic sound rang in the audience's ears, and the movie plot officially began!
"Iris scan locked, identity verified. Enter the game 'Real Steel'?"

"Yes!"

The game notification sound came to her ears. Hanikezi didn't expect it to be a game. As a 13-year-old girl, she was very curious about it.

The game's startup screen flashed by in an instant.

Immediately afterwards, instead of logging into the game, Hanikezi saw Steve Jobs holding a phone and appearing at the press conference.

Holding his phone, Steve Jobs uttered the catchy declaration: "Only Apple can do!"

This statement was so catchy that it made the others present unable to help but chuckle.

However, no one was offended; on the contrary, they found it very interesting and even had personal experience with it.

Nowadays, various electronic software programs often include embedded advertisements upon startup.

Hanikezi's impatience seemed to become a shared memory for everyone at that moment, adding to the sense of immersion in the film.

However, Apple's ad placement, like a little prank, ended quickly.

The scene shifted, and everyone's eyes widened in surprise.

“What a beautiful scenery.”

"where is this place?"

The movie features a small town with an exotic atmosphere.

It looks just like the scenery in the Middle East.

Hanikezi appeared in a low courtyard, her jewel-like eyes peering curiously out through the diamond-shaped window.

The camera follows Hanikezi's gaze, exploring outwards.

The maze-like alleyways meander among the rammed earth buildings, with sunlight slanting across the carved wooden windows and glazed tiles, casting dappled shadows.

Countless buildings, layered and staggered, seem to be built suspended in mid-air.

The green plants on the terrace and the silks drying on the terrace add a touch of vibrancy to the rustic color scheme.

The streets outside were filled with festive music, colorful fireworks, various acrobatic performances, and people dressed in strange costumes.

It is full of fairytale charm.

In addition, a melodious dutar sound and a siren-like humming without lyrics echoed across the vast sky.

It brought an excellent audio-visual experience to the audience.

"Absolutely awesome!"

"Where was this filmed? Afghanistan, Iran, or some other Middle Eastern country?"

Absolutely stunning!

"Although it looks a bit like a fairy tale dream after the post-production special effects rendering, the use of light and color is absolutely unique in the entire film industry."

Lu Zhiyuan was unaware that he also had his own unique visual identity.

His use of light and color is among the best in the world.

His use of light and color creates a powerful narrative effect, providing viewers with an unparalleled sense of immersion.

The movie continues.

Suddenly, their gaze was drawn upwards, and accompanied by a sirens-like humming and the melodious sound of the dutar, a long camel caravan came into view.

It's obviously not modern.

Because many of the guards in the camel caravan carried a curved knife at their waist, which was inlaid with beautiful gemstones.

The camera even gave it a close-up.

The light reflected off the scimitar-shaped gem made the audience squint.

The camera suddenly switched in the next second.

The caravan leader saw the sunlight in the sky and squinted slightly.

An eagle with a wingspan of over 10 meters is hovering in the sky.

Its size was so enormous that it almost blocked out the sun.

Suddenly, the eagle let out a sharp cry and swooped down on one of the camels, moving with lightning speed.

A camel weighing 500 kilograms looks almost like a chicken in front of this giant eagle.

At that moment, when the eagle swooped down, the 3D effect was explosive, making it feel as if the eagle was swooping down on you, creating a strong sense of oppression.

Many people leaned back slightly, unable to resist the urge to dodge.

"The visual effects are amazing!"

“I can see even the beak of an eagle clearly; it gleams with a sharp light in the sunlight.”

"Not only that, there's also a tiny worn notch on the beak, with a bit of skin peeling up. Didn't you notice?"

"The details are just perfect!"

It's so real, so real it's like watching a movie, like a real eagle swooping down on you.

The immersion is simply unparalleled.

It's just as good as Avatar.

"Wow!"

"What kind of robot is that? It's so cool!"

Just as the eagle grabbed the camel, preparing to find a quiet place to enjoy its meal...

Just then, a sandstorm churned up near the camel, and a robot that looked like a samurai suddenly emerged.

Lights flickered on the robot's exoskeleton armor, accompanied by a steam-like rumbling sound. Suddenly, its right arm emitted a low-saturation blue-purple light.

Then, seemingly slowly but rhythmically, like a servo motor, the robot aimed a particle cannon at the eagle in the sky and fired a shot.

"boom!"

Hit by the particle cannon, the eagle in the sky instantly turned into a turbulent flow of numbers, exploding into countless gold coins in the next second.

The robot waved its hands, and all the gold coins were put into its warehouse.

After the battle, the robot shrunk to the size of a Rubik's Cube.

A man dressed as a cowboy in the West gently swung the robot cube, seemingly putting it into his game storage.

"Thank you for your cooperation in helping me complete the task."

The man dressed as a Western cowboy is a character played by Duan Yihong.

After killing the eagle, he turned and left, graceful and decisive, like a wandering knight-errant, leaving without a trace.

"cool!"

"What's this robot called? It's an exoskeleton armor, very cool. It has dragon patterns carved on it, and the shoulder armor has mythical beasts baring their fangs and claws. Is it a Qilin?"

"This is only the first robot to appear, and it's already this cool. Besides, it shouldn't be one of the four main characters, right?"

Everyone present received a document before watching the movie.

They knew that the four main robot characters in the movie were [Qin Palace Guard], [Onimusha], [Templar Knight], and [Planet Ripper].

Clearly, the robot controlled by Duan Yihong is not a Qin Palace Guard.

……

Three minutes into the game, we saw a robot battle.

Compared to other Hollywood movies, this pace is ridiculously fast.

In most Hollywood movies, the first battle usually takes place about 15 minutes into the story.

But it must be said that this kind of fast-paced movie is comfortable to watch, allowing the audience to quickly determine the film's style.

So you won't be halfway through watching a movie and still not know what its theme is.

But the next second, they all forgot what the robot was called.

Because they saw Hanikezi, whose face was covered in oil paint and whose eye makeup resembled a green peacock's tail.

For a moment, everyone held their breath and exclaimed in admiration.

"Oh my god!"

"Oh no, I've fallen in love with a 13-year-old girl!"

"What's the female lead's name? Ophelia? No, I mean, what's her real name?"

"Why didn't I see the female lead at this preview screening?"

Hanikezi's original appearance was definitely above 80 points; she was a beautiful girl in the traditional sense.

However, after being transformed by Lu Zhiyuan's powerful artistic aesthetics, her entire appearance was forcibly elevated to over 95 points.

Absolutely unforgettable at first sight.

At that moment, the blue spiral graffiti on Hanikezi's forehead, like a vortex, immediately attracted everyone's attention.

Then, they couldn't help but be drawn to Hanikezi's beautiful eyes.

Immediately afterwards, through the change in the angle of light and shadow, Lu Zhiyuan shifted their gaze to Hanikezi's upturned eyes, which resembled the tail of a green peacock.

For a moment, everyone was stunned.

They even forgot what Hanikezi looked like, only remembering her eyes, which were as beautiful as those of an elven princess.

This doesn't look like a real person anymore.

She's like a little princess straight out of a fairy tale!
"The whole of North America!"

"No, you can't find such a perfect little princess anywhere in the entire Western world!"

The top executives at Universal Pictures were the most excited.

Disney has its own little princesses.

We at Universal Pictures have finally found our little princess!
"Look at her cheekbones. After applying these bright gold powders, she looks incredibly sweet, with that youthful, budding charm... I can't even describe it in words."

All I want to say is, this is the princess of my dreams!

"Flawless, playful and adorable, with innocent eyes, as if she stepped out of a fairy tale world, untouched by any worldly dust."

The executives at Universal Pictures are going crazy.

They are well aware that Hanikezi is currently a free agent and has not signed with any agency.

Lu Zhiyuan hoped that she would focus on her studies and was not in a hurry to bring Hanikezi into the entertainment industry.

However, the executives at Universal Pictures felt that Lu Zhiyuan was being far too conservative. With such a princess-like figure, such looks, such acting skills, such clear eyes, and such an endearingly melancholic air… what need did she have for further studies?
She should be a big star and enjoy the cheers of the whole world!
Just three minutes before the movie started, everyone in the room realized that this movie was likely to be a hit.

The battle scenes are highly immersive, with top-notch special effects.

The background music is also unique, full of exotic charm.

For a movie, familiarity is important, as it increases the sense of immersion.

But novelty is also important.

Audiences don't like watching the same old stories and the same old scenery.

Balancing these two aspects, just like balancing commercial appeal and artistic merit, is a challenge that all directors must face.

However, at least in this movie, Lu Zhiyuan did a good job.

“Welcome to the new world!”

The surprises didn't stop there; soon, another surprise arrived.

This line, following the immense popularity of the movie "Upgrade," has become a viral internet meme, especially among teenagers.

When they discover something new and interesting that their friends don't know about... they cheer and say this line.

They thought that sentence was really cool.

The post-credits scene in the movie "Upgrade" has left many people wondering when Alita will be resurrected.

And now, she's back.

The king has returned.

In the movie, Dilraba wore a black dress and her hairstyle was still the Empress Princess Cut. She looked heroic and dashing, with bright red lips that made her stunning at first glance.

"Little one, are you surprised? Have you never seen such a stunning beauty as me before?"

Reba winked playfully at Hanikezi.

After saying this line, she snapped her fingers lightly, and her robes began to twist and turn, like the chaotic movement of molecules.

A moment later, she put on a black robe with gold trim, and a magic wand that looked like a pointer appeared in her hand.

Her hairstyle has changed too.

It transformed into elegant and sophisticated wavy curls.

Dilraba's outfit combines the images of a teacher and a magician. In either case, the audience can immediately tell that she is a wise character.

"Little one, is this your first time playing Real Steel?"

Seeing Hanikezi lost in thought, Reba twirled her magic wand and jumped off the table.

She circled around Hanikezi, and seeing her adorable expression, a smile appeared on her lips: "Looks like I'm in luck today, I can do a beginner's tutorial quest."

"go!"

"Let me take you for a spin first!"

Dilraba gently tapped the magic wand.

The next moment, the ground beneath their feet suddenly began to churn, and then endless earth elements intertwined to form a magic carpet, carrying the two of them as they flew through the streets of Kashgar.

special effects.

Special effects again!

However, it is very realistic.

Especially when presented with 3D effects, it looks just like the real thing.

Lu Zhiyuan even considered that the shadow cast by the magic carpet as it flew through the air would resemble a snake, slithering up and down across the ground.

The details are so well done.

"and many more!"

"Something's not right here."

"Why can Alita change outfits instantly? And why does she have magical abilities?"

"Isn't the theme of this movie robot fighting in a ring?"

Suddenly, someone realized something.

There is a huge bug here.

However, even if director Lu Zhiyuan overlooked such an obvious bug, the crew members would have pointed it out in post-production.

If it really was a bug, Lu Zhiyuan would have fixed it.

James, that cunning old fox, as the producer, would definitely force Lu Zhiyuan to make changes when he saw this scene.

But now, both James and Lu Zhiyuan are smiling very calmly.

"I understand!"

Suddenly, the person realized something: "Alita is an AI program. In this game, she is a bug herself, playing a role similar to a game administrator, so of course she can do whatever she wants."

interesting!
The game administrators are no longer human programmers, but rather AI-powered systems that act as guides for the players.

This person vaguely sensed that Dilraba's character was not as simple as she seemed.

However, less than five minutes into the movie, he had no idea what Lu Zhiyuan's plans were for Dilraba.

I can only patiently continue watching.

As someone working in the industry, he was eager to know what would happen next... One can imagine that after the movie was released, the audience would also be just as eager to watch it!

However, he is now certain that this film is not a pure popcorn commercial movie, but rather has various hidden meanings.

It's another film that combines art and commerce.

"He's becoming more and more like Nolan."

"He's like he's chasing after Nolan, getting closer and closer to him step by step... As for when he'll overtake him? It probably won't be too long."

Christopher Nolan's latest masterpiece, Inception, has almost finished its theatrical run.

It grossed $8.25 million worldwide.

Considering that the film's production cost was only $1.6 million, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures made a killing.

The box office revenue alone will fully cover the costs, and far exceed them, with an estimated profit of around $1.5 million.

The revenue from home entertainment DVDs exceeds $1 million.

There are also television rights and streaming media rights.

In North America alone, they received $3000 million in copyright fees for the television rights. Globally, the copyright fees would not be less than $2 million.

Movies that receive rave reviews command incredibly high copyright fees!

There's also game development, theme park development...

If you do a quick calculation for Inception, the film's total revenue is definitely over $5 million!
"If the quality of the sequel to 'Real Steel' is as exciting as the first five minutes, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the box office performance of this movie will not be much worse than that of 'Inception'."

"Most importantly, the game copyright and the copyright of derivative products... In this area, Real Steel has more development value than Inception."

While the movie "Inception" is entertaining and has a very fresh concept, it is also full of suspense. The final shot, with its spinning top, has sparked countless speculations among viewers about what it represents.

But what kind of games can be developed from Inception?
What derivative value does it have?
In terms of game copyright value and derivative product copyright value, "Inception" has almost none.

However, Real Steel is different.

The cool robot model, if developed into a doll or figurine, would probably sell like hotcakes.

The representative from Hot Toys, ever since he sat down and saw the first robot, the Great Wall Guardian, hadn't stopped working with his hands.

He was frantically texting his boss.

He strongly advised the boss that they absolutely had to acquire the merchandise rights to this movie!
If even a minor character's robot model is this cool, one can only imagine how amazing the robot models of the four main characters must be.

The representative strongly suggested making an initial payment of $100 million, followed by a 10% revenue share, to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

A $100 million upfront payment is quite a substantial amount.

Only top-tier IPs like Marvel or Star Wars can secure upfront payments of over $100 million; ordinary, niche IPs might only get upfront payments of $50 at most.

As for the profit-sharing ratio, 10% is already quite a lot.

Because the 10% commission is based on the selling price...

For example, if a retailer sells a product for $200, they must give $20 in royalties to "Real Steel".

This doesn't apply to the ex-factory price.

DC only receives 8% of the revenue from its partnership with Hot Toys.

A revenue share of over 10% is something only popular characters like Iron Man can achieve.

……

The movie continues.

Reba, the AI ​​assistant, forcibly sent Hanikezi to the steel arena to play PVP point battles.

Here, since it takes place within a game environment, Lu Zhiyuan is no longer limited to the combat environment.

What kind of arena are we fighting in?
Too low-level.

In Hanikezi's first match, the battle environment was directly switched to the ancient Roman Colosseum 2000 years ago.

In the second match, the battle environment was transformed into a volcano on a Pacific island. Amidst the flowing lava, the steel warriors delivered brutal punches, sparks flying everywhere.

As long as you use your imagination... you can do anything in the special effects department.

Don't be afraid to spend money.

In this day and age, how much do programmers in China earn?
Lu Zhiyuan's "Black Hole Horizon" employs more than 500 people, with an average salary of 2 yuan per person, resulting in a monthly expenditure of 1000 million yuan.

Converted to US dollars, it's less than 200 million.

He never expected to make money from this company; all the money he earned was used to support his employees.

Lu Zhiyuan has prepared a budget of $3000 million for the special effects of the movie "Real Steel".

Of course, there are also expenses for servers and computing power... but even so, the cost of special effects production is still very generous.

"Look at our little princess. Just a moment ago she was a fragile beauty, but as soon as she stepped onto the stage, she immediately turned into a violent little loli."

"Oh, that's brutal. She knocked someone's head off with one punch."

"Haha, the little princess said she doesn't know how to fight... Look at her smooth butterfly steps, look at her dodging... Her side slide is so cool, so that's how the robot's wheels are used!"

Each robot has two rows of very fine wheels under its feet.

At first, the audience was a little confused about how the wheels worked, but then they saw Hanikezi piloting the combat robot and performing a side-sliding spin.

This rotation immediately compensated for the robot's weaknesses, such as insufficient steering and poor flexibility, caused by the servo motor jamming due to rigid body mechanics.

"So handsome!"

"The little princess has won three games in a row!"

"passionate!"

"So robot arena battles, especially unrestricted combat, are so cool!"

"It's much more exciting than those robots in Transformers that are indestructible!"

For the robot combat scenes, Lu Zhiyuan specifically hired a martial arts instructor to simulate them according to real physics.

There should be no unrealistic combat maneuvers such as leaping across rooftops or scaling walls.

However, he also added the kind of lag that is unique to robots, such as the servo motor jerking and the limitation of steering torque.

Combined with the roar of machinery, this scene is simply an ultimate audiovisual experience.

While Transformers is visually stunning, it lacks a sense of realism.

Real Steel, on the other hand, is the complete opposite.

It abandons some of the flashy effects in pursuit of a stronger sense of realism, impact, and the steel violence of sparks flying when machinery is hit hard.

"Sophie, a big guy is coming, I can't beat him."

After winning three consecutive matches, the enemy became stronger and stronger. Hanikezi, thinking it was time to quit while he was ahead, prepared to log off and exchange the gold coins he had earned for real money.

She is now in the care of child protection agencies, and whether she is adopted or taken away by relatives in the future, she needs money.

"Who says we can't win?"

“Adi, don’t be like Scrooge, hoarding gold coins and never spending them.”

The character played by Dilraba is holding Hanikezi's hand and rapidly swiping it across the virtual screen.

"Spend some gold coins to upgrade the robot's equipment, and I bet you can win all the way. You're a genius! You have to believe in yourself!"

"Don't you want to win 10 games in a row and claim that huge bonus? Maybe there's a super prize package worth 1000 million US dollars inside!"

While praising Hanikezi in various ways, Reba also helped Hanikezi choose a direction for advancement.

"Ah Ti, how about the particle cannon?"

"Don't like it? No problem. There are others."

"What about a plasma lightsaber? That's super cool, and its attack power is absolutely explosive."

"Hmm, you don't like it either? What a difficult little girl to please."

"But you can't stump me. Look at this, you'll definitely like it..."

Reba swiped around on the virtual screen, selecting combat weapons, but Hanikezi repeatedly rejected them.

But in the end, she suddenly laughed.

Because she helped Hanikezi find an incredibly cool Qin King sword!

At this moment, with the help of 3D special effects, the Qin King's sword floated there lifelike.

The sword's blade meanders like a dragon's reversed scales, its edge pattern conceals the stars of the heavens, and ancient seal script of birds and insects is engraved on the bottom of the blade, exuding a divine power that transcends a thousand years.

In an instant, the audience, immersed in the movie's plot, were all drooling.

"Buy it now!"

"Buy equipment to boost our attack power, keep fighting!"

"I want to see them win 10 straight games and get the extra bonus!"

In the movie, Hanikezi is hesitating, wanting to log off with the gold coins and then turn around to exchange them for real money.

However, the audience's appetite has already been whetted.

All they wanted to see was Hanikezi upgrade his equipment, keep fighting, keep winning, and get that so-called extra reward.

After winning 10 consecutive games, there will be a surprise.

This Easter egg will be the game's ultimate secret.

But what exactly it is, nobody knows for sure. And even if they did know, they wouldn't tell anyone.

Moreover, achieving a 10-game winning streak in this game is extremely difficult.

Because as your ranking in the points race increases, the opponents you encounter will become stronger and stronger.

Hanikezi initially ranked outside the top 1 million in the competition. After winning three consecutive matches, her ranking jumped into the top 100.

After playing the fourth match, she should be able to break into the top 1000 in the entire [Sand Island]!
Winning 10 games in a row seems completely impossible.

However, the fact that Reba, the AI ​​assistant, found Hanikezi is enough to show that this young girl has extraordinary talent.

These are the chosen children!
Everyone feels that they are unique in this world, just missing a guide to choose them and assist them!
"He understands so well!"

"The player's mentality, the teenager's arrogance... This movie has a firm grasp on the audience's mentality, there's no reason for it to fail!"

Besides having a good grasp of the audience's mindset, the film's plot, while somewhat thin, is fast-paced and features explosive special effects.

The movie is 15 minutes long, and it's packed with high-energy scenes from start to finish, with no dull moments!

"It's bound to be a hit!"

"A minimum box office guarantee of $5 million!"

"It all depends on what the publicity department can do."

(End of this chapter)