The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 283: A spin-off of "Real Steel"! No woman can resist such a surprise.
……

If……

Leonardo da Vinci's art is like the ocean, vast and profound; Michelangelo's art is like a mountain, majestic and magnificent.

Raphael's art, then, is like a clear mountain stream—beautiful, tranquil, and pure!
Beautiful, serene, pure... these wonderful words perfectly match Gao Yuanyuan's temperament.

……

early morning.

When Gao Yuanyuan woke up, she found that there was no one next to her. She was stunned for a moment, and then she remembered that she had not slept in her own room last night.

She slept in Lu Zhiyuan's room!

But now, where is that heartless man?
For a moment, she felt a sense of emptiness in her heart.

A strange bittersweet feeling.

She felt like a lonely little boat adrift on an empty sea, with dark clouds gathering in the sky and the wind growing colder.

A violent storm could erupt at any moment, engulfing her small boat adrift at sea.

At this moment, Gao Yuanyuan held back the tears that were about to well up, slowly got up, and prepared to wash up.

The man I chose... I said he's the last man I'll ever have, the very last one! There's no such thing as separation in life, only separation in death!
suddenly!

Gao Yuanyuan caught a glimpse of something and paused for a moment.

She found a piece of paper on the table.

She walked over barefoot in a few steps, wanting to see what was going on.

The curtains were pulled back slightly, and the morning sunlight streamed into the room through the white, silk-like fabric.

On that piece of paper, dappled light was left.

"what?"

Gao Yuanyuan rubbed her eyes, and after seeing what was in the painting clearly, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and gasp in surprise, tears streaming down her face.

It's not sadness.

I was just so happy!

Because this is a wedding photo!

No, since it's not a photograph, it should be described as a wedding painting!

There are two people in the painting!

That man, of course, is Lu Zhiyuan!
The female lead, dressed in an elegant white wedding gown and a light veil, had a gentle and dignified face and eyes full of affection.

The background is a classical courtyard in the Jiangnan style.

Soft light streamed through the arched window and fell on the woman's face.

The whole scene is filled with a sense of tranquility.

In particular, the delicate light and shadow, the folds of the wedding dress and the texture of the skin look so real... as if they are coming to life.

Although this is a painting, it is painted so realistically... In Lu Zhiyuan's words, this is hyperrealism!

One of the most difficult techniques to master in oil painting!
In addition, Lu Zhiyuan also used Raphael's technique of color transition on the female lead!
Although Gao Yuanyuan didn't recognize this extraordinary technique, she found it very beautiful and delicate.

There is a special emotion brewing within the entire picture.

It was Lu Zhiyuan's love for her.

For a moment, she was completely drunk.

What does it mean for talent to be visible to the naked eye?

This is!
"This painting is truly beautiful!"

"I knew from the start that dating an artist would be incredibly romantic!"

"No woman could resist such a surprise!"

Gao Yuanyuan never expected that she would receive such a big gift today, after having sex just yesterday.

She also knew that it was impossible for her to marry Lu Zhiyuan, get a marriage certificate, or take wedding photos... there was a high probability that none of these things would happen.

However, this painting was enough to make up for all the regrets in her heart!
……

"I've heard that Raphael was a Casanova."

Gao Yuanyuan suddenly remembered some rumors about Raphael, one of the three masters of the Renaissance.

Raphael died young at the age of 37.

Rumor has it that he died from excessive indulgence!

"No, I have to stay with Reba and protect him! I can't let him make the same mistake as Raphael, which led to his health failing and his untimely death!"

If Lu Zhiyuan really let loose and had fun, Gao Yuanyuan suspected he could dominate the entire entertainment industry!
Whether at home or abroad.

Every female celebrity would be captivated by him!
It's not just because he's an internationally renowned director, skilled at photographing female celebrities and creating unforgettable tragic aesthetic images for them...

In addition, he also has superb painting skills!

Gao Yuanyuan herself, well, she couldn't resist!
When she woke up in the morning, she still harbored some resentment towards Lu Zhiyuan, but Lu Zhiyuan had only left behind a painting.

She instantly felt like she had been poisoned again!

"Sigh, artists are great, but I hope he doesn't get too promiscuous!"

……

Because it was an oil painting and the surface was not completely dry, Gao Yuanyuan dared not touch it, lest she damage her token of love!
Although Lu Zhiyuan had given her some gifts.

But nothing can compare to this gift!
This is a gift worthy of being passed down as a family heirloom.

……

When I went downstairs to have breakfast.

Gao Yuanyuan saw Lu Zhiyuan in the restaurant. She was overjoyed and couldn't help but go up to him and sit next to him.

"Honey, grape juice."

She also handed Lu Zhiyuan a bottle of grape juice.

Lu Zhiyuan glanced at it for a moment, then finally accepted it, saying, "Thank you."

Then, he thought for a moment, took a picture of his breakfast, and sent it to Dilraba: "Xiao Gao said to drink more grape juice, it's nutritious."

Dilraba was overjoyed to receive this message.

In return, she replied, "You finally get to go abroad, remember to buy Xiao Gao some gifts. Don't neglect her. She's following you without any status or recognition, and she doesn't want anything in return."

Upon seeing this text message, Lu Zhiyuan was at a loss for words.

There's a feeling that he's the outsider, and Dilraba is the one who ended up with Gao Yuanyuan.

These two are so strange. They get along so well, like best friends... I've been worrying for nothing for so long.

"Mr. Gao, you look great today."

After a while, the others also arrived at the restaurant.

Upon seeing Gao Yuanyuan, everyone praised her, saying she looked radiant and exceptionally beautiful today, and that good news was sure to follow.

"What happy event? Don't talk nonsense."

Gao Yuanyuan covered her mouth and laughed.

Although she said no, her eyes were full of joy.

It exudes a sweet scent from the inside out.

Lu Zhiyuan glanced at it a few times and said to Zhang Ruonan, who was looking suspicious not far away, "See? This is a kind of spiritual power."

"You need to experience more and gain more insights."

"Spiritual strength is not simply a belief, but a manifestation of willpower, emotion, and one's passion and vitality... It is a comprehensive life force!"

"Don't think there are any shortcuts to this."

Having been a director for so long, Lu Zhiyuan has observed the performance styles of many actors... The method of expressing spiritual power is his ultimate secret!

Just like the supreme martial arts techniques in martial arts novels.

Once Zhang Ruonan fully comprehends it, he will directly become a top-tier expert!
"Brother Yuan, I will try my best!"

For the sake of 3000 million, Zhang Ruonan felt she could endure any hardship.

……

Although he verbally agreed.

However, after finishing her meal and returning to her room, Zhang Ruonan immediately called Zhou Xun, requesting the initiation technique.

Hopefully, she can unlock her full potential overnight and catch up with Lu Zhiyuan's pace.

"Teacher Zhou, what is spiritual power? Brother Yuan explained it to me, but I still can't understand it at all."

Zhang Ruonan was willing to disregard all pride in order to earn 3000 million.

Go to whoever you can ask for help.

“Little Zhang, I can’t help you with this. He practices evil techniques. You don’t know how he dealt with Hanikezi last time.”

Zhou Xun couldn't keep up with Lu Zhiyuan's routine at all.

Hanikezi thought that the previous reversed footage was already extremely bizarre... and it was also thanks to Lu Zhiyuan himself that the editing art was extraordinary.

Otherwise, that shot would have given us away long ago!
After the release of "Real Steel", many people praised Hanikezi's superb acting skills.

Switch expressions in a second.

One moment she's like a melancholy, lonely girl, and the next she's full of energy, like an iron-fisted warrior.

That's absolutely amazing!
Zhou Xun desperately wanted to log onto her social media account and expose all of this.

Unexpectedly, three years later, Lu Zhiyuan came again?
This time, it's even more bizarre.

What kind of spiritual power?
She had never heard of it.

Did Lu Zhiyuan make this up himself?

"Teacher Zhou, can you teach me a little? You know how."

Zhang Ruonan settled for second best.

If she has acting skills like Zhou Xun, that should be enough, right?

It's not like we're making an art film; it's just a Hollywood blockbuster with special effects. As long as a few shots are passable, Lu Zhiyuan probably won't be cursing anymore.

"That's fine."

Zhou Xun thought for a moment and said, "Listen to me... like this... like that... anyway, it's like this. Do you understand?"

I don't understand at all!
Zhang Ruonan was dumbfounded; this was even less reliable than Lu Zhiyuan.

At least Lu Zhiyuan took her along, letting her experience different atmospheres, different lives, and broaden her horizons... As an actress, this is an extremely valuable experience!
Zhou Xun didn't say anything, just delivered a stream-of-consciousness speech.

……

Sellafield Nuclear Power Station is located in a coastal area in northwest England.

The surrounding area is very desolate.

This nuclear power plant has been operating since 1950 and looks old and decaying.

Besides serving as a nuclear power plant, this site also played a role in the UK's nuclear weapons development program, producing plutonium.

"This place is fantastic!"

Lu Zhiyuan led his team on a tour of the surrounding area.

He was extremely satisfied with the location of the nuclear power plant.

"At that time, we will design such a scene in an abandoned building of a nuclear power plant..."

"A team of maintenance workers, chatting and laughing, entered the nuclear power plant with their tools. Suddenly, everyone froze in place, their feet feeling like lead."

"At this point, some visual labels are needed."

"Inside the factory, there were long drag marks on the ground and burn marks on the walls from the monster's nuclear radiation."

"As for humans, considering the expression of fear, most people just widen their eyes and open their mouths numbly, which makes it difficult to bring a strong sense of fear to the audience."

“We need to create all of this through the atmosphere conveyed by the camera.”

"A confined space, oppressive sounds coming from behind, the sound of light touching and rubbing coming from above... Oh right, and glass."

"In horror or disaster movies, glass is a very important prop. Whether it's seeing a monster walking by outside through the glass, or seeing a monster's hideous corner through the reflection of the glass, it creates a great atmosphere."

Humans are animals that are very good at filling in the blanks.

If you see the whole picture, the fear will only last for a moment.

However, if one only sees a part of the scales or claws, this fear will begin to fill in the gaps in one's mind.

Let that feeling of fear engulf your entire body.

Imagining the atmosphere is a very important technique for creating a sense of atmosphere.

Just like making a drama, when making a horror film, you need to leave just the right amount of blank space to create a lasting impression and generate a continuous wave of fear in the audience's mind.

"Xiao Guo, take notes on the general environment and structure of this place."

"After returning, I will find a similar abandoned factory in China, renovate it, and use it for filming."

They certainly wouldn't let Lu Zhiyuan film at this British nuclear power plant.

This shabby place might even have a nuclear leak.

At this moment, they dared not approach, standing far away on the side of the road, using drones to take aerial photos from a distance.

"Brother Yuan, I understand!"

Miniature models are needed for the scenes where monsters appear, which is Guo Fan's forte.

Looking at the whole of China, no, it should be looking at the whole world, Guo Fan feels that he is the top special effects director.

Even Eiji Tsuburaya had to call him Teacher Guo.

"Xiao Su, take the drone and go check out the beach. Maybe it'll bring us a pleasant surprise?"

After the monster kills everyone inside the factory, it will dive into the sea and travel across the ocean to Japan to find a mate and reproduce.

"Brother Yuan, there's nothing special about the beach."

Su Lun controlled the drone and showed Lu Zhiyuan the situation.

"Well, I thought there would be some unexpected surprise. I originally thought that some real sea monsters would appear on this nuclear-radiated beach."

Nuclear radiation can cause gene mutations in organisms, but 99.99% of organisms will die from gene mutations without undergoing any changes.

That would be fantastic if we could find a sea monster here in the UK!
Unfortunately not.

Knowing what Lu Zhiyuan was thinking, Su Lun couldn't help but laugh and said, "Brother Yuan, if we discover a sea monster, will the BBC come to film it immediately? They must be the best at making documentaries in the world, right?"

"At that time, the title of this documentary may be 'The Great Director Lu Zhiyuan and His Sea Monster Friend'."

On the way here in the morning, Lu Zhiyuan had already finalized the general plot with Xin Yukun, and everyone felt very relaxed.

Once the plot is set, things will move quickly from here on out.

They thought the Godzilla movie was pretty good in terms of its plot.

It is full of human struggles and shining moments.

Most importantly, the characters are extremely extreme.

Lu Zhiyuan is treating this special effects film like a drama film.

From a plot perspective, it's a complete game of cat and mouse.

Hollywood's big-name commercial film directors are generally not as good at controlling the plot as Hollywood's drama or art-house film directors.

Those directors of drama or art films are precisely the ones who cannot master the shooting of special effects films.

Even Nolan couldn't do that.

Only a handful of people, such as Spielberg and Peter Jackson, have been able to perfectly blend plot and special effects.

Lu Zhiyuan is a master of all trades.

"Xiao Nan, you've personally visited the areas affected by nuclear radiation. What are your feelings?"

As Lu Zhiyuan spoke, he pointed out some local news to Zhang Ruonan.

This place is practically deserted.

However, residents dozens of kilometers away were still greatly affected.

Cancer, congenital malformations, and thyroid diseases are significantly more common in this region.

Because this place is close to Ireland, Ireland, a country that frequently files lawsuits with the United Nations.

In addition, this place stores 50% of the world's plutonium, which is a radioactive element and a Group 1 carcinogen.

This nuclear power plant was built half a century ago, and many of its facilities are already aging.

A nuclear leak could occur at any time.

This is absolutely terrible!

"Brother Yuan, I only have one feeling right now: I want to leave here as soon as possible."

Zhang Ruonan has been hanging out with Lu Zhiyuan for half a year and they are quite familiar with each other now. She knows that Lu Zhiyuan won't be angry if she speaks her mind.

As long as what you say makes sense, that's fine.

"That's right. That's the feeling."

Lu Zhiyuan smiled: "Humans are filled with fear of the unknown. But if you understand it and study it, you will begin to be fascinated by these things... Remember, in the movie, you will be a crazy science girl!"

Do not!
I'm not!
I'm not crazy at all, I'm very well-behaved.

Zhang Ruonan shook his head inwardly, but on his face he showed a very approving smile: "Brother Yuan, I understand. I will study hard, learn about Godzilla, and learn about nuclear radiation!"

"it is good."

Lu Zhiyuan was very satisfied with Zhang Ruonan's attitude: "Take a rest tonight, we'll go to a Michelin-starred restaurant for a meal, and then I'll take you to Los Angeles."

In Los Angeles, Lu Zhiyuan didn't need to investigate at all.

Over the years, he has visited Los Angeles countless times, and his understanding of the city even surpasses that of his hometown.

The main reason is that there are some things that need to be taken care of with Netflix.

Although he wasn't on Netflix's board of directors, he held the title of Netflix's Art Director of Content and occasionally went to work.

……

The next day.

Los Angeles.

Lu Zhiyuan's team has been working non-stop lately, and many of them are quite exhausted.

Only Zhang Ruonan, being young and strong, had an exceptionally good recovery ability.

Once she arrived in Los Angeles, she couldn't stay still and wanted to go out and explore.

Last time, she came to Los Angeles with Lu Zhiyuan to attend the preview screening of "Art Students". However, at that time, her future was uncertain, and she was just a nobody, so she didn't dare to run around recklessly.

This time it's different; she's been confirmed as the female lead, and her treatment has been significantly improved.

"Xiao Nan, Xiao Su, I'll go with you."

Gao Yuanyuan offered to take the two of them out shopping.

As the company's vice president, she was new to the company and needed to win over Su Lun and Zhang Ruonan.

She could tell that Lu Zhiyuan valued these two people very much.

Su Lun goes without saying; she's Kun Ge's little sister and the first veteran to start working with Lu Zhiyuan!
Besides serving as assistant director for Lu Zhiyuan, Su Lun has already directed three works: "How Long Will I Love U", "Love O2O", and "The Journey of Flower".

Zhang Ruonan is even more impressive! Over this period of time, Gao Yuanyuan felt that if Lu Zhiyuan's attention to her were taken as a basic unit, then the attention he paid to Zhang Ruonan would be at least 10 units!
No wonder Dilraba was unwilling to accompany Lu Zhiyuan to film.

That brat Dilraba probably already knew... When working, Lu Zhiyuan only showed concern and care for the female lead from every angle, but he was indifferent to the woman who slept with him every day!
This kind of personality is truly speechless.

But since she had chosen this man, there was nothing she could do about it!

I have no choice but to accept his personality.

……

Gao Yuanyuan took the two of them out shopping.

Although she usually spends very little, since it's about winning people's hearts, she naturally has to spend a little more; otherwise, it would be better not to spend at all.

What's more, she's an absolute super-rich woman!
Nvidia's stock, I don't know what happened... She and Dilraba had just bought it not long ago, and in just a few days it went up by 10%.

Before they knew it, they had made $1 million!
How can she possibly spend all that money?
Why not use this to help your husband win over his team and help him achieve his all-time best performance!
"Xiaonan, I know you care a lot about your younger siblings' studies. My dad and my older brother are both graduates of Tsinghua University... Getting into Tsinghua is, of course, very difficult, but there must be some tricks to it. Would you like to know the tricks?"

During their shopping trip, Gao Yuanyuan paid special attention to Zhang Ruonan and whispered a few tempting words to him.

"Ah? Is that okay?"

The surprise came so suddenly.

At that moment, Zhang Ruonan suddenly realized that Gao Yuanyuan was different from her, a vocational high school student!
She's also different from other art students like Dilraba, Gulnazar, and Hanikezi.

She comes from a family of high achievers!

In an instant, Zhang Ruonan felt immense respect for Gao Yuanyuan!
Although people from Wenzhou like money, they also value education very much!

"Of course."

Gao Yuanyuan nodded with a smile, then said to Zhang Ruonan, "From now on, you can call me sister-in-law in private. I'll pass on my older brother's and my father's secret to getting into Tsinghua University to you, so your younger siblings can have a chance to become top students. What do you think?"

"sister in law!"

Zhang Ruonan immediately changed her mind.

Changing one's address doesn't cost anything; it's a way to please Gao Yuanyuan without losing anything in return.

But what if Gao Yuanyuan's study secrets actually work?
My own younger brother and sister, let alone getting into Tsinghua University, even if they got into Zhejiang University, it would be enough for their whole family to brag about for a lifetime!

There are too many rich people in the rural areas of Wenzhou.

However, if a family produces a top student, it is definitely a source of pride and honor for the family.

If even one dog in the surrounding villages doesn't know that its younger siblings got into Zhejiang University, then it's definitely because the older sister, "I," didn't do a good job of publicizing it!
"Call again."

The title "sister-in-law" seemed to have some kind of magic, making Gao Yuanyuan feel a few pounds lighter all over.

Zhang Ruonan called out in a very cooperative manner, "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, sister-in-law... sister-in-law, are you and Brother Yuan secretly together?"

She was quite clever and wanted to take this opportunity to find out the truth.

"not yet."

Gao Yuanyuan glanced at Zhang Ruonan, a helpless expression on her face.

After a while, Gao Yuanyuan secretly asked again, "Who do you think is more suitable to be your sister-in-law, me or Reba?"

"Hehe. Of course it's you! Sister-in-law."

Although Zhang Ruonan is young, she has mastered the skill of speaking to people in a way that suits them.

"Have vision!"

Gao Yuanyuan was overjoyed and went into a clothing store to buy Zhang Ruonan several beautiful outfits for her to wear while filming the movie.

The money spent on clothes can be included in the film project's expenses.

……

Netflix headquarters building.

"Director Lu, it's been a long time."

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos gave Lu Zhiyuan a grand reception in his office.

"Ted, it's been a long time."

The two shook hands, and Lu Zhiyuan got straight to the point: "Ted, what is it that you want to discuss with me at the company headquarters?"

"Lu, congratulations! You bought our company's stock at the bottom and made a fortune!"

Lu Zhiyuan owns 10% of Netflix, and now, with the airing of the first season of "House of Cards," Netflix has gained 3 million new paid subscribers.

Netflix's internal financial calculations indicate that just 100 million new subscribers would be enough to cover the show's costs.

Now, it has exceeded 200 million!
The monthly fee for each user is approximately $8 to $12.

In other words, Netflix can earn an extra $2000 million every month just from this one show!
As a result, Netflix's stock price skyrocketed.

As of now, Netflix's market capitalization has reached $200 billion.

The value of Lu Zhiyuan's shares also skyrocketed, reaching 20 billion US dollars.

"Ted, you called me here just to congratulate me on making a fortune by buying at the bottom?"

Lu Zhiyuan shook his head, feeling somewhat bored.

"of course not!"

Ted Sarandos couldn't understand Lu Zhiyuan at all.

Ordinary people have made so much money, why aren't they going crazy with joy?
A $4 million investment turned into $20 billion!
That's a full five times!

However, he considered that Lu Zhiyuan's "Art Student" could earn around 3 to 4 million US dollars, more than Netflix.

For a moment, Ted Sarandos calmed down.

He organized his thoughts and said seriously, "Lu, last year, Disney acquired George Lucas's company, including the production company, animation company, and special effects company. It was a one-time package deal that cost $40 billion. Did you know about this?"

"I heard something."

Lu Zhiyuan nodded, then suddenly realized something and frowned as he looked at Ted Sarandos: "Netflix, do you also want to acquire my company?"

Netflix is ​​rich now!
With a market capitalization of $200 billion, many Wall Street giants would be willing to help Netflix pay for external financing through a private placement of shares.

"No, we don't have that much money."

Ted Sarandos shook his head and smiled. "The most important thing is that I know your production company is not for sale. You won't sell your company until you become the greatest director in history."

The whole world knows what Lu Zhiyuan wants to do.

Some people don't want to see this.

However, some people are willing to help others achieve their goals.

For example, Netflix, which has a very good relationship with Lu Zhiyuan.

After a pause, Ted Sarandos said, "We've been in talks with Disney recently to acquire the rights to some of Marvel's superheroes for television adaptations."

"However, Disney's exorbitant demands made me feel that they were not sincere at all."

"Therefore, I would like to seek cooperation with you."

Lu Zhiyuan owns the copyrights to "Upgrade" and the "Real Steel" series, as well as crime art films like "Art Student".

There are many distinctive characters in the series, which could be used as individual storylines to create several spin-off series.

If you look closely, these movies all share the same worldview.

"Currently, Netflix has approximately 4400 million paid subscribers, including 3300 million in North America and 1100 million international subscribers."

"In addition, the company has already made strategic plans for next year, preparing for a full-scale expansion into Europe and Asian countries."

4400 million subscribers!
This is amazing!

Lu Zhiyuan recalls that Netflix's revenue in 2013 was approximately $40 billion, with each user contributing $100 to Netflix.

If we calculate it this way, almost every user, once they become a Netflix subscriber, will start a continuous monthly subscription and eventually become an annual subscriber!

Starting from this year, Netflix officially surpassed HBO in terms of users, becoming the king of streaming media!
Prior to this, HBO had approximately 3000 million paid subscribers!
If Lu Zhiyuan hadn't appeared, Netflix would most likely have bought several IPs from Marvel, such as Daredevil, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage.

However, this was a choice Netflix made out of necessity.

Because, as the current king of streaming media, Netflix is ​​heavily restricted by copyright, and many of their original series were produced in collaboration with Starz.

However, Starz raised prices overnight... The licensing fee, which was originally $3000 million a year, jumped to $3 million!
Therefore, Netflix was forced to embark on the path of original series!
There are many players in the streaming media industry in North America.

Besides traditional television stations, many internet companies, such as Amazon, also have their own streaming platforms.

As expected, Disney, which holds many copyrights, will most likely develop its own streaming platform.

Having tasted the success of its own productions, Netflix naturally wants to capitalize on this momentum and capture even more users... Using world-class IPs to create superhero series will naturally attract more potential users!
Marvel is awesome!

However, Lu Zhiyuan also holds a considerable amount of copyrights.

But here is a crucial question.

Universal Pictures has signed an exclusive deal with HBO.

The agreement stipulates that Universal Pictures must be exclusively streamed on HBO for 18 months after its theatrical run ends approximately nine months later.

During this period, these videos cannot be played on other platforms!
Several films produced by Lu Zhiyuan at YT Pictures are currently being exclusively streamed on HBO.

Although HBO has brought him a lot of stable income, it is now holding him back from collaborating with Netflix.

……

In Europe and America, the development of film copyrights is a very important source of revenue for film production companies.

A classic film can have so many copyrights that can be developed!
This is why, even though Lu Zhiyuan and Jing Tian broke up, they still maintained a close connection.

YT Pictures, which holds the rights to the "Real Steel" series, generates substantial profits for everyone involved.

No one can give up easily.

Now, Lu Zhiyuan's several major films have found new ways to make money!
“Ted, which movie rights do you want? I can get Adam Ferguson to sit down with us and discuss the details of this collaboration.”

The science fiction film directed by Lu Zhiyuan is currently copyrighted by YT Pictures!

This company is half owned by Universal Pictures.

Under normal circumstances, given the agreement between Universal Pictures and HBO, it's highly unlikely that Universal Pictures will sell these copyrights.

However, Universal Pictures has its own ulterior motives.

Their collaboration with HBO is also temporary... because Universal Pictures changed owners a few years ago!

Now, Universal Pictures' parent company, Comcast, also owns its own streaming platform, Peacock.

From a certain perspective, this platform is also in competition with HBO!
Too complicated!

The streaming wars in North America are even more intense and exciting than the domestic battle between iQiyi, Youku, and Tencent Video!

If Lu Zhiyuan hadn't had the ability to see through things and knew that Netflix was a sure winner... he wouldn't have dared to place a bet in such a chaotic situation.

Under these circumstances, Lu Zhiyuan naturally hopes to hand over all these copyrights to Netflix.

In this way, one's own interests can be maximized!
“Lu, your copyrights are all very valuable… If possible, we would certainly like to acquire them all!”

Ted Sarandos rubbed his hands together, speaking with great excitement.

Upgrade and Real Steel are part of the same series, and there are many backstories of the characters that are worth exploring.

For example, how did the protagonist in "Art Student" and Miss T in "Upgrade" meet?
What happened during the gap between these two films?
As a fan of these two films, you'll definitely find it very interesting.

As for Lu Zhiyuan... if Netflix were willing to create a spin-off series based on the characters in the "Real Steel" series.

This is also very beneficial to him.

Because he was just temporarily lacking inspiration.

Once he finds inspiration, it's not impossible for him to make "Real Steel 4".

However, the audience is like leeks; it takes time and careful cultivation. Once the leeks have grown strong, then we can wield the sickle and harvest them thoroughly.

Only by harvesting in this way can you get a truly bountiful harvest!

After thinking for a moment, Lu Zhiyuan gave a message: "Ted, I heard that Adam Ferguson and Universal Pictures' parent company don't have a good relationship. They once wanted to find someone to replace Adam Ferguson."

Upon hearing this, Ted Sarandos immediately sensed something was amiss.

His eyes flickered, and he smiled happily: "Lu, thank you. This news is very important! I believe I can handle these copyright issues."

As long as a person has weaknesses, they can be exploited.

Given Adam Ferguson's significant weaknesses, Ted Sarandos felt he could handle the situation himself without even needing Lu Zhiyuan's intervention.

"Lu, have fun while you're in Los Angeles! The company will cover all your expenses."

After saying that, Ted Sarandos even joked, "Remember to get the invoice back."

……

All the characters in the Real Steel series are very three-dimensional and outstanding.

However, only a few of these people are suitable for acting in TV dramas.

This character needs to be somewhat popular, but cannot be the main character in the movie.

Because a leading lady like Dilraba, who has caused a sensation worldwide, would never act in a TV series.

Needless to say, Keanu Reeves is another story.

He's too lazy to even act in action movies now, and too lazy to make money. He just wants to act in some elegant art films to treat himself.

Jing Tian might be more suitable.

However, she's very angry right now and might not be willing to come.

After much consideration, only Wang Baoqiang and Liu Shishi would be the ones Nazha would agree to star in Netflix spin-off series.

Among these, Liu Shishi is probably the most likely!

……

at dusk.

Gao Yuanyuan and her group returned to the Hilton Hotel where Lu Zhiyuan's team was staying in high spirits.

They were carrying large and small bags, clearly having made a good haul.

After putting her things in the room upstairs, Zhang Ruonan skipped downstairs, her curiosity piqued: "Brother Yuan, I have a question I'd like to ask you?"

"Go ahead."

Lu Zhiyuan ordered a glass of grape juice and sipped it slowly, sitting leisurely by the window and enjoying the cool autumn scenery outside the street!

“Brother Yuan, I just took a walk around Los Angeles and found that a lot of people here are working two or even three jobs.”

"The supermarket only hires part-time staff."

"why is that?"

"Isn't Los Angeles supposed to have a very developed economy and very high incomes? Isn't it a bit too tiring for these people to have to work two or three jobs?"

Zhang Ruonan really didn't understand!

Americans live such a hard life, working two or three jobs a day. They're worse off than animals back home!
"It's very simple."

“Let’s do the math, and everything will be clear.”

Lu Zhiyuan was very pleased that Zhang Ruonan had discovered this little secret.

He turned away from admiring the scenery and began to analyze the situation to Zhang Ruonan like a robot: "If I were the owner of a shopping mall, and a worker's after-tax salary was $3000, then guess how much the company would have to pay in labor costs?"

Zhang Ruonan shook her head.

Of course she doesn't know.

She was only 17 years old; how could she know the wickedness of imperialism?

"With a net salary of $3000, plus statutory social security and personal income tax, the cost for a company to hire an employee is roughly between $4500 and $5000."

"But if the company hires two part-time workers, each working half a day, it can save on the extra social security and personal income tax."

One full-time position was split into two part-time positions.

The company saved $1500!

This is the reality of the capitalist world!

It's all about economics, nothing more.

"What? Is that so... I've never considered it from this perspective before."

After Lu Zhiyuan finished speaking, Zhang Ruonan was stunned for a long time.

Such a shock to reality was unprecedented for a vocational high school student like her.

"Besides that, didn't I take you to Japan?"

"Haven't you noticed that many restaurants in Japan have 'eel sage' or 'gyoza sage'? A group of old ladies and gentlemen serve us the food."

"Do you know why?"

After Lu Zhiyuan asked the question, Zhang Ruonan immediately learned to apply what she had learned to other situations.

At that moment, she raised her hand and answered, "Is it because the elderly are retired and don't need to pay social security or income tax? So, these shops prioritize hiring the elderly to save on expenses?"

Lu Zhiyuan smiled and nodded.

"Not bad!"

"Anything that seems absurd at first glance always has some very reasonable underlying logic."

"You've learned to observe the world, which is a fundamental skill for becoming an excellent actor!"

Many actors don't have a real life at all!

They had no idea what kind of work and mental state the characters they were going to play usually had.

They were just putting on an awkward performance there!

However, there's nothing we can do about it.

Most talent agencies don't care about the actors' lives at all. They throw a bunch of people out, and as long as one becomes famous, they'll torture that person to death.

As for whether the actors are educated or have life experience?
It doesn't matter!
Because other companies don't have artists either.

However, this only applies to idol dramas... If you want to make a splash on the big screen and leave a classic on the big screen, this is absolutely not going to work!

"Teacher Lu, thank you for teaching me a lesson!"

At this moment, Zhang Ruonan's admiration for Lu Zhiyuan reached its peak!
Even at school, no teacher would teach her these things... Perhaps only her parents would teach her these principles for surviving in the world.

"Don't call me teacher. The word 'teacher' reminds me of my good-for-nothing apprentice."

After taking Hanikezi as his apprentice, Lu Zhiyuan already felt the pressure of being a parent.

He can't even train one apprentice properly!
Another one... He really has no interest in anything.

"Brother Yuan, I want to learn to paint with you. Let's start with sketching, then move on to gouache, then to oil painting... until I can paint a painting like 'Waterfall,' what do you say?"

Zhang Ruonan looked at Lu Zhiyuan with great anticipation.

"not good."

Lu Zhiyuan refused outright, without any hesitation.

"Why? I will study very hard and very seriously." Zhang Ruonan looked pitiful.

"No reason why. Stop talking nonsense. Go back to sleep now!"

Lu Zhiyuan waved his hand, directly shooing Zhang Ruonan away.

The actress he found herself shouldn't be focusing on acting, striving for her best performance in history, or learning to paint.
waste time!

Moreover……

The painting "Waterfall" is a classic work of the Hudson River School, and it is a high-level challenge in the field of oil painting, which is extremely difficult.

Even someone who has studied art for over a decade may not be able to master it.

Of course, compared to the T0 level of hyperrealistic oil painting (representative figure of Chinese hyperrealism, Leng Jun), the Hudson River School seems to be nothing.

(End of this chapter)