The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 170 A Brilliant Concept! *Pacific Rim* and the World-Famous Painting *The Last Judgment*

……

"Mr. Zhao, it's your phone. It's from Los Angeles."

Lu Zhiyuan was chatting with Zhao Shanshan.

Zhao Shanshan's secretary, Xiao Ye, gave Lu Zhiyuan an apologetic smile and then handed the phone to Zhao Shanshan.

"It's probably James calling. I'll go answer the phone."

Zhao Shanshan gave Lu Zhiyuan a look of apology, walked out of the banquet hall, and went to a lounge next door.

"Ms. Zhao, Keanu has agreed in principle to a base salary of $500 million. In addition, if the box office ultimately exceeds $10 billion, Keanu can receive a share of the profits, which would amount to approximately $2000 million."

"If the box office exceeds $5 million but is less than $1000 billion, Keanu will likely receive a salary of around $10 million to $1500 million."

"What do you think of these conditions?"

James personally thinks this condition is acceptable.

For a Hollywood A-list production, the male actor's salary is generally around 2000 to 3000 million US dollars.

The Matrix trilogy, starring Keanu Reeves, earned a combined $1.5 million.

Comparatively speaking, he didn't actually earn much from Lu Zhiyuan.

Of course, the main reason is that in the robot series "Upgrade", Dilraba's character is the true soul of the series.

Lu Zhiyuan seemed to have known all along that Hollywood actors might ask for exorbitant prices at any time, and had prepared backup plans in advance.

Dilraba might ask others for an exorbitant amount.

But as long as Lu Zhiyuan asks, she will participate even without receiving any payment.

"Okay. Say yes."

After thinking about it, Zhao Shanshan decided to agree.

Lu Zhiyuan said that the actors' salaries for "Pacific Rim" should be kept within 1500 million US dollars, mainly to make the budget look better.

But if the movie's box office exceeds $10 billion, the profit will be at least $3 million.

It's reasonable for Keanu Reeves, as one of the main creators, to receive 5% of the box office profits.

After all, he's a top Hollywood star.

After finalizing the deal with Keanu Reeves, James added, "To maintain balance, we need to offer Ms. Dilraba the same salary contract."

Almost forgot!

Dilraba is the main contributor to this film series.

Especially with "Real Steel," Dilraba only received a mere $200 million, yet she helped them attract countless viewers to the cinema.

Hanikezi is just a newcomer.

When the trailer for "Real Steel" was being made, Dilraba was the main selling point.

Once the audience enters and is captivated by the incredibly cool VR virtual reality combat scenes, they naturally stop caring who the real female lead is.

However, it must be acknowledged that Reba played a role in attracting investment.

"Sure. Dilraba is one of us, so we really can't let her pay less than Keanu's."

If a movie grosses over $10 billion, the merchandise alone will be a huge success.

Especially VR gaming glasses.

They partnered with Apple, recruited tech genius Palmer, and together founded a technology company called RealVision.

The VR game version of "Real Steel" is almost finished and will be released in March.

The VR gaming headset is priced at $300, and it's expected to sell out quickly.

Compared to the profits from these derivative products, as long as they don't lose money at the box office, they'll make a killing overall!

According to Lu Zhiyuan, Pacific Rim will be even more realistic and visually stunning than Real Steel.

Because he's planning to film it on location!

The filming was done using miniature city models.

Several coastal cities were built using a 100:1 scale model, and then human actors were dressed in suits to simulate combat.

Then, the actual footage of the Jaeger was overlaid using CGI technology.

This would create a very strong sense of realism.

Just thinking about it, Zhao Shanshan felt that the immersive experience of this movie would definitely surpass that of "Real Steel".

"Alright, I'll revise the contract for Miss Reba. I'll give her some good news in a few minutes."

"By the way, tell her that my kids absolutely adore her."

James knew that Zhao Shanshan was holding a victory celebration party.

What better news could make Dilraba happier than a big contract?

He learned from Xin Yukun that Reba worked very hard to make money and was determined to become a very wealthy woman.

A $2000 million film contract is enough to make her one of the highest-paid actresses in China this year.

……

Inside the banquet hall.

Liu Yifei stood among a group of Hong Kong directors, looking somewhat out of place, as if she didn't fit in with their circle.

These people all speak Cantonese, which she finds very difficult to understand.

"Sister Niu, long time no see."

Seeing that Liu Yifei was all alone, Dilraba came over and greeted her warmly.

She even gave Liu Yifei a very warm hug.

Liu Yifei felt a little strange when she noticed Dilraba's enthusiasm for her.

But at that moment, she noticed that everyone else had turned to look at her.

She could only pretend to be very close to Dilraba, and said with a smile, "Dilraba, you're getting more and more beautiful. Your figure is getting better and better, and you're becoming more and more like a big star."

At this moment, Liu Yifei's feelings were extremely complicated.

At this time last year, Dilraba was nobody. She followed Lu Zhiyuan around all day, like a little shadow, to Lisa's gallery to look at Peter Marx's paintings.

Now, Dilraba is thriving in the world of fame and fortune.

All the female celebrities looked at her with envy and jealousy.

The way those directors who failed at their jobs looked at Dilraba was full of flattery and attempts to win her over.

Given Dilraba's current popularity, as long as she appears in a movie, and the plot isn't too outrageous, it will definitely attract a large audience to buy tickets to the cinema.

Furthermore, the film's copyright can be sold worldwide.

If you can get Dilraba to play a role in your movie, as long as the movie's budget doesn't exceed 1000 million US dollars, you're guaranteed to make a profit.

If Lu Zhiyuan were a walking money-printing machine.

Therefore, Dilraba is at least a $1000 million savings account, and the kind that can be withdrawn at any time.

"Sister Niu, have you been very busy with work lately? It's been so long since I've seen you."

Dilraba nodded apologetically to the others, then pulled Liu Yifei aside and greeted her warmly.

Liu Yifei was somewhat confused.

Reba, a mountain in Altay, used to be full of hostility towards me.

What's going on today?
Why is she suddenly being so enthusiastic towards me?
has a problem!
“Sister Niu, my brother misses you a lot. Although he didn’t say it, I know it. He asked me the other day if Lisa’s gallery was open, since Christmas was a long time ago?”

"I think he wasn't asking about Lisa's gallery. He was asking if you'd come back?"

"I said no. He was silent for a long time before saying, 'The mango milk tea isn't good today.'"

Dilraba's vivid description stirred a strange ripple in Liu Yifei's heart, and her clear, pure eyes trembled slightly.

Clearly, Liu Yifei was also not at peace.

Reba saw through Liu Yifei's outward stubbornness and inner trembling, and smiled encouragingly, "Sister Niu, he's not a proactive person. Sometimes, if you're willing, you can take the initiative. He doesn't know how to refuse people."

Liu Yifei felt that Dilraba had changed.

Aside from still calling her "Sister Niu," he was incredibly kind to her, even encouraging her to pursue Lu Zhiyuan.

what's the situation?
Is Dilraba possessed by Kun Ge's spirit?
"Sister Niu, I know. You suspect I have ulterior motives."

Actually, I didn't.

Reba, holding Liu Yifei's hand, turned around and looked at Lu Zhiyuan from afar, saying slowly, "Tarkovsky focused on faith and redemption throughout his life, while Wong Kar-wai consistently depicted loneliness and time. And he dedicated his life to creating world-famous paintings!"

"He was a madman on the path of art. However, such a life is perhaps too lonely."

“Sister-in-law Tian Tian is a very good person, but she is ultimately not his soulmate.”

"Isn't it pitiful for a crazy artist like him, a lonely seeker of truth, to not be able to find a soulmate in this world?"

"Of all the people I know, he's the one who enjoys chatting with you the most."

"Firstly, it's because you're good-looking, which might be his type."

"Secondly, because you've studied painting for at least a decade, you roughly know what he's talking about with you. Sometimes you can even chime in with a word or two."

"You know what? When I went to Lisa's gallery before, I saw you two chatting and laughing, with a light in your eyes, and there was a sense of mutual appreciation between you. I was so jealous."

"Driven mad with jealousy."

"But now, I suddenly miss the scenery from back then."

Turning her head, Dilraba looked at Liu Yifei with a smile, a hint of tears glistening in her eyes: "If you were my sister-in-law, my brother would feel very happy."

Liu Yifei's heart skipped a beat.

Not really.

You want to pimp too?

But seeing the glimmer of tears in Dilraba's eyes, Liu Yifei could sense the pain Dilraba was experiencing.

She's envious of herself!

Reba, a mountain in Altay, finally realized that Lu Zhiyuan had always treated her like a younger sister and had never developed any romantic feelings for her.

"Sister Niu, don't you want to?"

"You become my sister-in-law, and he'll make you a world-class superstar. Just like Sophie Marceau and her Hollywood producer husband."

Dilraba could clearly sense that Liu Yifei was very tempted, but Liu Yifei was able to resist the temptation.

This level of composure is far superior to that of Liu Shishi.

Two days ago, at the Weibo Night awards ceremony, she made Liu Shishi have a mental breakdown with just a few words. That night, Liu Shishi made more than a dozen phone calls to her, begging her to reveal more details.

"Afi, what are you talking about with Reba here?"

Xin Yukun walked around outside and saw Liu Yifei and Reba whispering to each other. He immediately smiled and walked over.

He prepared to place his hands on their shoulders as a gesture of affection.

"Brother Kun, you just ate something with your hands. If you dare touch my tuxedo, I'll fight you to the death."

Reba immediately slapped Xin Yukun's hand away with obvious disgust.

"Brother Kun, my dress is also very expensive."

Liu Yifei then displayed her superb martial arts skills, turning her feet like a butterfly to nimbly dodge Xin Yukun's sneak attack.

"You two, you don't give me any face at all? Believe me or not, I'll blacklist you both."

A ban is impossible; we're all good friends.

Xin Yukun was just joking, while also showing off that he was now a big shot.

"Afi, what have you been up to lately?"

Liu Yifei has been having a tough time lately, but Xin Yukun doesn't know the specifics.

Liu Yifei isn't his wife, so he definitely didn't pay much attention to her.

Now that we've run into each other, let's chat for a bit. If you have any suitable resources, you can also give Liu Yifei a hand.

"Brother Kun, Sister Niu is about to collaborate with Enlight Media to film 'The Legend of the Feast at Hongmen'. Needless to say, Sister Niu's period costume look will definitely be absolutely stunning."

Dilraba praised Liu Yifei a few times, then turned to Liu Yifei and said, "Sister Niu, remember to send me an invitation when the movie is released. I'll go to the premiere for you."

Dilraba's rise to fame was too fast.

Aside from his relationship with Lu Zhiyuan, he basically has no contact with other people in the film and television industry.

Moreover, she's too high-profile, so no one dares to casually try to curry favor with her.

She offered to help Liu Yifei by showing her support, and the production company of "The Legend of the Feast at Hongmen" must be laughing all the way to the bank.

"Then thank you first."

Liu Yifei felt a little strange, mainly because the contrast was too great.

In her memory, Reba was still the same country bumpkin, Lu Zhiyuan's little tagalong.

No one expected that in less than two years, Dilraba would surpass all of them.

All I can say is that time is destiny.

Every era has its chosen ones.

Her era has ended; her fortune has waned to its limit, and all that's left is for her to undergo corpse liberation.
Now, it's Dilraba's era.

In the past two years, Dilraba's popularity has been incredibly high. Moreover, it's obvious to everyone that as long as Lu Zhiyuan doesn't falter, Dilraba will remain popular for at least another 5 years!
"Sister Niu, you're welcome. This is an investment in advance."

Dilraba smiled at Liu Yifei and said mysteriously, "If you ever become my sister-in-law, remember to treat me well."

Liu Yifei didn't know what to say.

Reba seems to be serious.

How many times has this been mentioned already?
“Afi, Reba is right. If you ever become my sister-in-law, remember to practice your cooking skills, especially your soup-making techniques.”

Xin Yukun was fully aware of Lu Zhiyuan's condition.

Now, Lu Zhiyuan dawdles around outside all day, just not wanting to go home.

This is a typical family situation for a middle-aged man.

In just one year, look at what Miss Jing Tian has turned our artistic male god into.
I drink soup every day, and I try different ways of making it.

Who can bear it?

"I have no idea what you two are talking about."

Liu Yifei sensed that Dilraba and Xin Yukun were acting strangely, as if they wanted to hint at something but didn't dare to be too obvious, fearing it would get out. In short, this secretive behavior made her very wary.

"Sister Fei, it's been so long since I've seen you."

When Lu Zhiyuan saw Liu Yifei over there, he came over and greeted her.

Dilraba encouraged from the side: "Brother, Sister Niu, you haven't seen each other for almost a year, you should give each other a good hug."

"J."

Liu Yifei really wanted to give her a hug, but for some reason, she suddenly felt a murderous aura coming from behind her.

Without turning around, she knew that Miss Jing Tian was definitely watching this side.

"Sister Fei, are you free in a couple of days? I'd like to invite you to an art exhibition."

When Lu Zhiyuan extended the invitation so directly, not only was Liu Yifei surprised, but Reba and Xin Yukun also covered their mouths and stared wide-eyed.

Good guy!
Brother, you've really changed!

So cool.

Completely disregarding Miss Jing Tian's feelings, he directly invited Liu Yifei on a date in front of so many people.

"it's not good."

Liu Yifei hesitated. She really wanted to agree, but it wasn't a matter of whether to agree or not; she had to consider a very serious consequence.

If she goes to an art exhibition with Lu Zhiyuan, wouldn't Miss Jing Tian kill her?!

"Reba, what are you laughing at? You have to go too."

Lu Zhiyuan looked at Dilraba, who was smirking, with a strange expression, and said very seriously, "I have gone through several iterations of the concept for the movie Pacific Rim. At present, the plot's obvious and hidden clues are gradually becoming clearer."

"what?"

At that moment, all three of them looked over at the same time.

Although Lu Zhiyuan is not good at writing screenplays, his artistic conception of films and his overall style control are absolutely world-class!

It turns out that his invitation to Liu Yifei to go to the art exhibition wasn't an excuse for a date.

Instead, they actually went to see the art exhibition.

"Brother, could you explain it to me in detail?"

Dilraba recalled that at the Weibo Night event last time, Lu Zhiyuan talked to her about her character, a cyber AI human.

She found it incredibly exciting!
She has been watching Zuckerberg's interview videos recently.

It has to be said that Lu Zhiyuan has a keen eye; that Zuckerberg guy is definitely a robot.

so similar!
Especially when speaking with a blank expression, they are no different from robots.

Dilraba has been practicing Zuckerberg's micro-expressions in front of the mirror, and recently she has gradually grasped the feeling.

Zhang Tianai and Gulnazar would quietly keep their distance from her when they ate together.

Even Nazha, that brat, would joke with her, asking whether she should use semi-synthetic or fully synthetic oil during maintenance.
Just treat her like a robot!
"What are you guys talking about? You look so happy?"

Seeing the four of them chatting so happily together, Miss Jing Tian finally couldn't hold back any longer. Suppressing her jealous anger, she walked over.

"Tian Tian, ​​you've come at the right time. Let me tell you everything at once. Otherwise, I'll have to tell you again when we get home."

Lu Zhiyuan skillfully took Miss Jing Tian's hand.

In an instant, Miss Jing Tian, ​​like a feline about to bristle, had her head patted by her owner, and her frenzied gaze immediately quieted down.

She became gentle and lovely.

Lu Zhiyuan looked at the four people in front of him and asked, "Do you know Michelangelo?"

coming!

He's here again!

Art tutorials from an artistic male god, late but finally here!

At that moment, the four people in front of Lu Zhiyuan let out a wail.

Miss Jing Tian wished she could turn around and leave, secretly blaming herself: What do I have to worry about? With hundreds of people watching, how could Liu Yifei possibly seduce him?

Xin Yukun deliberately took out a glasses cloth from his pocket, bent down and wiped his glasses, wiping them endlessly, but refused to put them back on.

As soon as he put it on, he was afraid that Lu Zhiyuan would notice his bewildered look.

Then, Lu Zhiyuan would give himself a disdainful look, reprimanding himself for going out to play every few days and for reading more books.

"Brother, I know! The three giants of the Renaissance!"

"Michelangelo, a world-class sculptor, painter, poet, architect... was a true genius!"

After Dilraba finished answering the question, she raised a small eyebrow at the other three.

It has to be me!

You bunch of scum.

During Teacher Lu's class, I always tried to answer questions first.

I must be his favorite student.

"Yes. Michelangelo was a true genius."

Lu Zhiyuan gave Reba an approving look and continued, "He has a painting called 'The Last Judgment'."

"Yesterday afternoon, because I didn't have a particularly good idea of ​​the main plot of the movie Pacific Rim, I went to the 798 Art Center by myself and stayed there for a long time."

"Until I saw the painting 'The Last Judgment' in a corner."

The original painting is certainly not in the 798 Art Center, but there are many imitations there, some of which are so good they're indistinguishable from the real thing.

But as I said before, there is only one Monet in the world.

That is priceless.

The second and third ones are completely worthless!
Otherwise, Lu Zhiyuan wouldn't have changed careers to become a director.

"Reba, put your hand out."

"Hold the wine glass in one hand, and slowly raise the other hand. Don't overdo it, just like that."

Under Lu Zhiyuan's control, Dilraba made a strange movement like a puppet on a string.

The other people present immediately looked over with curiosity.

They've discovered that Lu Zhiyuan is probably a bit mentally unstable, no, he's more like a crazy artist.

He doesn't care at all how others look at him.

He was completely absorbed in his own artistic world.

At that moment, he probably had some inspiration.

Immediately, everyone else present moved closer in silence, but not too close, so as not to disrupt Lu Zhiyuan's rhythm.

"The Last Judgment depicts Jesus Christ judging all beings on the last day and deciding the fate of their souls."

Don't you think this topic is interesting?

"My initial concept for the movie 'Pacific Rim' was..."

"Due to the inexplicable appearance of the spacetime wormhole, the Earth's gravity is abnormal, the atmosphere is beginning to dissipate, and all life is about to enter the countdown to extinction."

"Monsters are attacking Earth in an attempt to hasten humanity's demise."

"To avoid being invaded by monsters, humans developed Jaeger Hunters to fight back."

"This is the main storyline on the surface. As for the subplot, I plan to design it as a struggle of humanity, survival in the apocalypse, mutual assistance among people in extreme environments, and the ability to truly come together by abandoning nationality and beliefs."

"In addition to the main storyline, which is both light and dark, a sufficiently cool story background is also needed."

"The background of this story is that during the war between humans and monsters, a mysterious force was discovered. Through a spacetime wormhole, it delivered good news to humanity: on the other side of the wormhole, a planet suitable for human habitation had appeared."

"But now, I suddenly feel that... from a philosophical perspective, this setting is not rich enough. From a plot perspective, it is not ambiguous enough either."

"Why would that mysterious force help humanity?"

"Perhaps they might also be on the monsters' side?"

"No one can be sure until the mystery is completely solved."

When Lu Zhiyuan got to this point, the four people in front of him all seemed to be in a daze.

However, Lu Zhiyuan himself was somewhat excited, looking at Reba and saying, "In the painting 'The Last Judgment,' Jesus Christ's one hand symbolizes majestic judgment, and the other hand symbolizes merciful redemption."

"If Reba's right hand were to press down, it would be devastating."

"If Reba's left hand were to sprinkle nectar, it could save the world."

"Jesus Christ is both the destroyer and the savior."

"See? It all depends on how you look at it."

Xin Yukun scratched his head, wanting to ask: "Brother, what are you saying? Am I drunk? I'm only hearing Chinese, but when put together, I can't understand a word."

Liu Yifei stared wide-eyed, her eyes clear and bright, but without any glimmer of wisdom.

Miss Jing Tian smiled awkwardly, took a glass of mango juice from the side, and handed it to Lu Zhiyuan: "This is delicious. It was specially transported from Guangxi. It's your favorite flavor."

Only after Dilraba lowered her hands did she suddenly exclaim excitedly, "Brother, I think I understand!"

"In the story of Pacific Rim, the Jaegers were created by humans, and so were the Angel monsters!"

"Perhaps future humans want to force present-day humans to leave Earth and enter the interstellar age... But before their home planet is destroyed, humans are content with the status quo and have absolutely no motivation to engage in interstellar travel!"

"Interstellar travel is too dangerous; it's a nine-out-of-ten chance of death!"

"But if we don't travel between stars, sooner or later other alien civilizations will invade... This time it was an apostle monster, next time it might be some other monster."

"Human beings on Earth must evolve under duress!"

"As for why? I don't understand. Just like I don't understand what standard Jesus Christ used to judge sin or redeem humanity."

"There's no need to understand God's will. That's what you meant when you said the philosophical concepts in a story shouldn't be too clear, but rather ambiguous enough so that the audience can think about and discuss them."

genius!

Dilraba is so smart!

She was able to decipher such a complex story background.

The other three people present all stared wide-eyed at Dilraba with disbelief.

"That's right. That's exactly what I think."

Lu Zhiyuan nodded with a smile.

"Some fantasies that seem like paradise are actually bridges to hell. Redemption and destruction are sometimes not completely distinguishable; they are two sides of the same coin."

"The main and supporting storylines will completely intersect at the very end, becoming ambiguous and difficult to distinguish."

"And this final ending will ignite the entire story, all the points of conflict."

At this point, Lu Zhiyuan suddenly looked intently at Reba: "Apostle monsters, mecha hunters, spacetime wormholes, interstellar guidance... Have you ever thought that all of this might have been your doing?"

Did I create this?
Lu Zhiyuan looked at Reba and said those words.

Everyone else was stunned, their minds went blank.

Only Dilraba, after a moment of stunned silence, suddenly understood something and almost screamed with excitement.

"Brother, I understand!"

"Of all the monsters, only the first one is a true monster! He accidentally entered Earth through a spacetime wormhole."

"Humans killed the first monster and obtained its genetic fragments, and life sciences began to explode."

"As a super AI, I will definitely use the monster's gene fragments for biological research... It is very likely that all the subsequent apostle monsters will be the result of my research."

"Years later, I may encounter an insurmountable enemy in another galaxy."

"Through the supercomputing of AI processors, I must force humanity on Earth to launch the interstellar program ahead of schedule. In this way, my technology will experience a major breakthrough, giving me enough power to withstand the approaching enemy."

"For this purpose, I opened a spacetime wormhole and continuously threw the monsters I had researched into Earth."

"To force humanity on Earth to undertake interstellar migration 100 years earlier!"

As for the Mech Hunter, it was of course developed by the AI, Reba.

As for interstellar guidance, it was naturally the AI, Dilraba, who revealed the answers and options to humanity in advance!

"Not bad!"

Lu Zhiyuan couldn't help but reach out and touch Reba's cheeks, his face beaming with genuine joy: "Reba, you're really smart! You should apply to Tsinghua University!"

"No, no, I'm just a little bit clever."

Dilraba shook her head modestly.

She reached out and covered Lu Zhiyuan's face with her hands, her eyes sparkling, and said involuntarily, "Brother, you are a genius!"

"You are my Michelangelo!"

"You sculpted me into a shape I never imagined."

Dilraba feels that her character, Alita, after three films, may become the most dazzling female lead in film history.

Wisdom has reached its pinnacle!
It will probably be very difficult for others to surpass it.

After hearing Lu Zhiyuan's description, Dilraba was very certain that the concept of "Pacific Rim" was even more explosive than that of "Upgrade"!
If Lu Zhiyuan hadn't told her the answer... she would never have guessed that the ending of this movie would be like this.

Everything was created by her alone!

Jesus Christ!

Creators of a new world!
This world is no longer confined to Earth, but to the interstellar universe!

Welcome to the new world!

What is the New World?
This is!
However, this new world is too vast!
It's so large that most people can't even imagine it.

Dilraba is quite certain that when the truth at the end of "Pacific Rim" is revealed, the audience in the theater who see this scene will probably be blown away.

The incredibly complex dual storylines of light and darkness form a closed loop in time and space at this moment.

Ultimately, all the truth points to Alita, the AI.

—I am both the devil and the savior!

The movie is called "Upgrade 2: Pacific Rim," and the word "Rim" in the title, "circle," evokes a sense of time loops.

It’s so explosive!

This concept is amazing!

It's a world-level higher than the cyberpunk sci-fi concept in "Upgrade"!
(End of this chapter)