Huayu Entertainment: You have been directing for three generations, are you comparing your qualifica

Chapter 167 The Pangu Pictures Project, South Korea's Hospitality!
News from the 57th Berlin International Film Festival has caused a stir in the domestic film and television industry.

Wang Quan'an's film "The Wedding of Yatu" won the fourth Golden Bear Award for Chinese-language films.

The media widely reported this good news, emphasizing that this is another important achievement for Chinese filmmakers at a top international film festival, following in the footsteps of directors such as Zhang Yimou and Ang Lee.

For ordinary viewers, yet another director has enhanced the international influence of Chinese films.

"Apple," directed by Li Yu and starring Fan Binbin, failed to win any awards, but Fan Binbin's achievements among the actresses were elevated to a new level.

Fan Wenfang, who auditioned for the female lead in "The Forbidden Kingdom," suddenly announced that she had signed an agency contract with Huayi Brothers.

There is widespread speculation that Huayi Brothers promised her the lead role in the film before signing her.

At the signing ceremony, Wang Zhonglei revealed to the media that the female lead for "The King of Kung Fu" would be chosen from among his actors Li Binbin, Ruby Lin, and Fan Wenfang.

As for who will be ultimately chosen, that will depend on passing an English dialogue test.

Tian Xiaole admired Wang Zhonglei's actions. If anyone else were selected, they would probably be labeled as "resource-backed" or "parachuted in" by the fans of the three groups.

Meanwhile, Liu Xiaoli became somewhat anxious upon seeing the news.

She had been dragging her feet with Wang Zhonglei without giving him a definite answer, but now that she has signed a contract with another actress who auditioned with her, she suspects that the lead role has really been decided on someone else.

"Mr. Wang, after careful consideration, I believe that signing with Huayi Brothers will indeed lead to better development for Sisi, the female lead in 'The Forbidden Kingdom'..."

"Once Yifei signs with us, the leading role will be hers. I can guarantee that."

Liu Xiaoli did not easily believe Wang Zhonglei's guarantee. In order to secure the role, but not wanting to actually sign with Huayi, she came up with a compromise.

"I agree to Sisi signing with Huayi Brothers, but we'll announce it when the movie is released, when the buzz and discussion will be much greater..."

Wang Zhonglei agreed without hesitation.

Watching Liu Xiaoli's departing figure, he revealed a shrewd smile.

This was a scheme devised to get her to agree, and Liu Xiaoli fell for it, taking the initiative to come and discuss signing the contract.

If she doesn't agree, Minkoff will have to finalize the casting, and it will be impossible for him to get a contract through a sham.

After leaving the Huayi Building, Liu Xiaoli felt something was off. Wang Zhonglei seemed to have agreed a little too readily, but she didn't think much of it.

As long as I get the role, that's fine; signing a contract is something for later.

···
Ning Hao's dream of joining the 2 million yuan box office director club has been dashed.

Despite rampant piracy, "Extreme Job" ultimately grossed 1.7 million yuan at the box office.

Compared to the investment cost of 30 million, it achieved a five-fold return on box office revenue and double the profit.

Ning Hao's initial investment of one million yuan yielded a return of three million yuan, including interest.

Although the hopes of several investors were dashed, they are already preparing a celebration banquet.

Lionsgate sent an email saying that post-production on the sequel to Annabelle is complete and it is expected to be released during the summer season. They also mentioned the script for Insidious.

The copyright is in Tian Xiaole's hands, and we want to invite him over to discuss the copyright issue.

Similarly, the success of "Night at the Museum" prompted the production of a sequel, and Fox prepared to capitalize on the momentum by making a second film.

After thinking about it, I realized I really should go over there and find something for Pangu Pictures to do.

Otherwise, it would become just a decoration, and we would still have to spend money to support a group of employees.

He asked his assistant to buy plane tickets, called Chen Zhixi over, and handed over company matters to her.

····
The celebration banquet for "Extreme" was held at the Grand Hotel in Beijing. No outsiders were invited; only representatives from a few investors attended.

With two successful commercial films under his belt, Ning Hao has finally established himself firmly.

The only question is whether it can continue to succeed without Tian Xiaole's script.

Many people have noticed that he, the screenwriter and investor, is nowhere to be seen.

"Has Xiao Le arrived yet?"

Han Sanping looked around but didn't see Tian Xiaole, so he called Chen Zhixi over and asked her about it.

"Chairman Han, the boss has gone to North America."

Hearing this, Han Sanping's eyes lit up. Last time she went, she brought back a project, so this time...

"If someone asks you, just say you don't know."

"Understood, Chairman Han."

····
Tian Xiaole took a nap on the plane and landed in Los Angeles immediately after waking up.

As I sat in the car James had picked me up in, I heard him recounting Hollywood news with a sigh:
"Leon failed to win the Best Actor award again; his face, as always, is not favored by the Academy judges."

"Is the Oscars over?"

"It ended last night, and Martin Scorsese, as expected of a master, became the biggest winner."

"Infernal Affairs" swept four awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and the screenplay was even adapted from a film from your country.

Tian Xiaole nodded. He still preferred "Infernal Affairs" because the plot was more restrained, the dialogue was stronger, and the actors' performances were better.

The adapted version of "Infernal Affairs" has lost its essence; it just starts with the letter F and has no substance whatsoever.

Those who say China has no good actors are talking nonsense; he admits there are no good scripts.

Due to censorship, many topics are not allowed to be touched.

If restrictions in this area are relaxed, Tian Xiaole dares to guarantee that screenplays written by Chinese people will be absolutely top-notch.

Because when the Chinese were writing articles, these foreigners were still in the trees, and had already completed their evolution.

Leonardo DiCaprio is really pitiful. He was nominated for two films this time, and he missed out on two-quarters of the chances of winning.

The so-called awards are just a game for those old white men who enjoy taming Leonardo.

The next day, Tian Xiaole and James went to Lionsgate, where Mike Byrne grinned and gave them a warm hug.

They made a lot of money from several consecutive collaborations on horror films, and in their eyes, the scripts provided by Tian Xiaole were the main factor in their success.

"Tian, ​​would you like to see the finished product of [Annabelle] first?"

"Okay, let's take a look first."

Inside the Lionsgate screening room, staff inserted a film copy.

The film continues the style of its predecessor, and in terms of the horror atmosphere, it bears a strong personal touch from James Wan.

The use of light and shadow and background music creates atmosphere, while tense sound effects and clever camera work create a strong sense of horror.

They are skilled at using sound to strike, suddenly introducing horror elements when the audience's nerves are relaxed, thus amplifying the sense of fear.

"James has never disappointed, and this is sure to be another successful film."

Upon hearing Tian Xiaole's praise, James Wan smiled without any modesty. His successive successes had solidified his status in the horror film genre.

After leaving the screening room, the group went to the conference room, where Mike Byrne brought up the "Infiltrator" project.

Tian Xiaole replied that they would talk about it after the release of "Annabelle," thus giving him a sweet answer.

Horror films are cash cows. He had previously asked James Wan if he could direct foreign films, and the answer was yes.

Tian Xiaole wants to hire him to film the "Lurking" series. There's no need to worry about the release and distribution; Hollywood has no shortage of companies in this field.

After leaving Lionsgate, he didn't rush to Fox, a Hollywood giant, because if he went to greet them proactively, he would be looked down upon.

Passing by Beverly Hills, known as the world's most luxurious residential area, which is equipped with the most upscale commercial street.

The developer's marketing is brilliant, attracting a large number of celebrities to buy properties here.

Tian Xiaole wants to buy a house, as he will be traveling between the two places frequently in the future, and it would be a good place to stay.

But not now. I'll wait until later to buy a larger house at a bargain price.

His goals also included top-notch equipment and top-notch engineers.

James noticed that Tian Xiaole was looking at the manor outside the window and said enviously.

“Boss, with your assets, buying this estate is no problem at all. One of my biggest dreams in life is to buy a house of my own here.”

Only oxen and horses with dreams have motivation, and Tian Xiaole painted a rosy picture for him:
"As long as you work hard, your dreams will definitely come true."

Back at their own Pangu Pictures, the employees noticed the Eastern boss, who hadn't been seen for a long time, but that didn't stop them from greeting him warmly.

"Besides handling box office revenue sharing, what other business does the company usually take on?" Tian Xiaole asked.

"The post-production department took on outsourced animation and film special effects work, and they all did an excellent job," James reported from the side.

Tian Xiaole nodded. Being able to be self-sufficient proved that James was still capable.

Turn on the computer you brought and have your assistant print out the contents of the document.

Before long, the script for the "Human Purge Project" was printed out, containing only a dozen or so pages of content.

"We'll handle this film project ourselves."

"Boss, you've finally decided to come out of retirement. I've been waiting so long for you to say that."

James exaggeratedly exclaimed that although the company was established, it was just an empty shell company without any film production business, and they still had to find business to support a group of people.

"stop.

I think you've got it wrong. I won't be directing this low-budget project myself. You should find someone from the guild to film it, and the post-production will be handled by the company.

【The Purge】is the first project produced by Pangu Pictures, with a very low investment cost, not exceeding three million.

This movie is more than enough to make you famous.

The registration and approval of the script were handed over to James.

The next day, news of Tian Xiaole's appearance in Hollywood made the news there and quickly spread back to China.

In the accompanying photo, Mike Boone and Tian Xiaole are seen chatting happily.

Fox couldn't sit still any longer and sent an invitation to Tian Xiaole, who responded.

The box office revenue sharing for "Night at the Museum" has been gradually arriving, probably because they've already secured the sequel and haven't caused any trouble.

In the afternoon, Tian Xiaole and James went to the Fox headquarters.

As one of the eight major Hollywood film companies, its headquarters are located in Beverly Hills, which Tian Xiaole passed by yesterday, demonstrating its extreme wealth.

Shawn Levy, the director of "The Museum," came up to us.

The film achieved great success worldwide, largely thanks to the script provided by Tian Xiaole, making him a guest of honor wherever he went as director.

"Tian, ​​long time no see. How have you been lately?"

"not bad."

The two shook hands and, led by Sean, went to the conference room.

The white foreigner I met during the last negotiation had been sitting in the head seat for quite some time.

"Tian, ​​it's a pleasure to meet you. With the success of the first 'Night at the Museum,' we should talk about collaborating on a sequel."

Tian Xiaole nodded. As agreed, Fox had priority for the sequel, and its share remained unchanged.

"I have no problem with filming the movie sequel, but I need another role in the cast."

In the first installment, Tian Xiaole modified two Chinese-American characters, but fearing that too many changes would affect the plot, he only requested one more character.

As it turns out, as long as the plot isn't ridiculous and the film is of good quality, it won't affect the box office.

The sequel adds a character and continues to promote its artists. Since he wrote the script, it won't seem out of place.

Huang Bo's current film contracts and commercial endorsements are at the top level, proving that the strategy of Lai Du Jin was correct.

At least those brands and audiences approve of it.

"The main cast is already classic; adding other characters rashly might backfire." "The newly added characters will not be part of the main cast; they will only assist the main characters in the sequel."

In the second part of the script, a new character is summoned by Huang Bo to fight the biggest villain, and is then sent back to the future, which is equivalent to a trial experience.

With the success of the first film, the negotiations went smoothly, and after agreeing on a time to sign the contract, Tian Xiaole left Fox.

With the booming development of independent film companies, traditional Hollywood giants like these are no longer as arrogant, monopolistic, and domineering as they used to be.

If they don't agree here, any other independent film company in Hollywood would be more than willing to take on a project with a successful predecessor.

···
James acted quickly; the script registration was approved, and a director for the film was found through the union.

Previously, I worked as a screenwriter, producer, and executive director.

The investment budget is only three million. We want to find a director with existing works. Before we even start filming, we have to use half of that money to pay his salary.

At the company, Tian Xiaole met the person James had brought, a middle-aged white man named James DeMonaco.

In his forties, he had only filmed short films and worked as an assistant director on film sets a few times.

But his basic skills are very solid, so he would have no problem making a feature film.

"Director James, The Purge is a series. As long as the movie is successful at the box office, a sequel will be made."

Tian Xiaole didn't mind giving him some information; for a frustrated director, this was an opportunity to prove his worth.

James clearly cherished this opportunity, thumping his chest confidently and promising to give his best in filming the movie.

Tian Xiaole nodded, and after everyone left, he said to James, who was standing to the side:
"Sign the contract with him, including a priority shooting clause for the sequel."

"Okay, boss."

Over the next few days, the crew was quickly assembled, and James began filming.

During this time, Tian Xiaole received an email from CJ, who had their eye on a script and wanted to buy the copyright, offering a high price.

After all, they had collaborated twice and both collaborations were very successful.

After observing the filming for two days and confirming that there were no problems, we prepared to go back.

A group of people in China have been eagerly waiting for this, and their appearance in Hollywood must have been a guess that the renewal of "The Museum" should be put on the agenda. They're all waiting for their turn.

"Boss, you should stay a few more days. I feel uneasy without you."

On the way to the airport, James kept talking, saying it was his first time handling a project and he was afraid of messing it up.

With a renowned director like Tian Xiaole overseeing the project, the film's quality is guaranteed, and most importantly...

He also promised to give him a bonus if the movie did well, which brought him one step closer to Beverly Hills.

"Alright, this is the company's first leading project. Don't let me down. If there's anything you're unsure about, email me."

Tian Xiaole gave the instructions and then waited to board the plane.

He did not return to China, but flew directly to South Korea.

CJ wants the script for "New Century," so we need to have a serious talk with them about this project.

With the same flight time, you can take a nap and arrive around the same time, which is a good way to adjust to the time difference in advance.

From afar, a very fat person rushed over with outstretched arms.

Tian Xiaole frowned and dodged away, thinking she had encountered a pervert, but after listening to the person's words, she knew it was a misunderstanding.

"Xiao Le, it's only been half a year since we last met, and you don't recognize me anymore?"

"Old Park?"

Tian Xiaole exclaimed uncertainly, looking at his body, which weighed over 200 pounds. "The change is too great!"

"Director Tian, ​​the company has already arranged a welcome banquet. Let's go straight there."

President Kim said with a smile, he had guessed what would happen when the two met.

Park Jong-hwa, relying on his family connections and his classmate Tian Xiao-le, is doing very well at CJ Corporation, and his figure has become somewhat unrestrained.

The dinner arranged by CJ was as simple and unpretentious as ever. Apart from a few senior executives of the company, everyone else was an artist under their management, both male and female.

As an old comrade-in-arms, Jeon Ji-hyun's seat was empty, and no one dared to go over and sit down, knowing that it was reserved for someone else.

With her roles in the Tian Xiaole version, as well as the South Korean versions of "The Thieves" and "Extreme Job," she became the undisputed number one actress in South Korea.

When Tian Xiaole arrived, he was surprised by the scene before him.

Several well-known girl group idols, dressed in their performance costumes, danced in unison in the middle of the stage.

Both Girls' Generation and Crown were present.

Among that row of long, white legs, many people share the same face, and a few are easily recognizable and quite familiar.

CJ Entertainment truly lives up to its reputation as the tycoon of the South Korean entertainment industry.

Wanting to take a few more glances, she felt a warmth on her arm and realized she was being held in Jeon Ji-hyun's embrace.

"Oppa, I miss you so much."

When women act coquettishly, it's irresistible, especially when they're in a superior position. They cling to the person's body, their eyes practically brimming with tears.

Tian Xiaole withdrew his admiring gaze and pinched her cheek.

It was called a dinner party, but it was more like a silver party.

Each CJ executive is attended to by at least two female idol group members.

She has unusual fetishes and enjoys playing with boy band members.

Originally, Tian Xiaole was the one to curry favor with, but Quan Zhixian was sitting on the side, and no one dared to come over.

The South Korean entertainment industry has a strict hierarchy. At the bottom are idol groups, followed by actors, and at the top are award-winning directors and screenwriters.

Even though Jun Ji-han was popular, she was still just an actress. But after currying favor with Tian Xiaole, her status changed.

Even companies like CJ have to curry favor with her to maintain a good working relationship between the two sides.

The series of hit products had already attracted the attention of CJ's old rivals, who were afraid of having their talent poached.

After the banquet, Tian Xiaole did not go to the hotel that Xijie had prepared.

They have a tradition of being afraid to install random or haphazard things in unfamiliar environments.

Seeing that Tian Xiaole was concerned, Quan Zhixian thoughtfully suggested that they spend the night together at her home.

Drink tea and eat lots of kimchi.

"..."

When I woke up the next day, it was almost noon.

Thinking about the craziness of last night, I lost control and indulged myself a bit.

Women have a strong ability to recover. After Tian Xiaole finished washing up, lunch was already prepared on the dining table.

Quan Zhixian, wearing an apron, was busy in the kitchen. Tian Xiaole took a closer look and saw a dish that had recently become very popular on the grill: cola chicken wings.

"Oppa, this is the last dish. It will be ready soon. Please wait a moment."

"It looks good, and it looks delicious."

Although it was a bit over the top, it didn't diminish the emotional value that Tian Xiaole provided.

When the two arrived at CJ's company, it was already afternoon.

I ate too much and came here to digest.

Seeing that Jun Ji-han's face was rosy and her legs were a little weak when she walked, Park Jong-hwa gave her a knowing look.

He puffed out his chest, as if to say that he could be just as strong.

Tian Xiaole ignored him, his expression too lewd, and looked at the person in charge beside him.

"The script for 'New World' is very suitable for filming on Hong Kong Island. Giving it to you is not out of the question. How about we collaborate this time?"

If a movie is filmed according to a script, it won't pass censorship in Hong Kong.

The script tells the story of a person with a clean identity and background who goes undercover in a criminal organization. As the environment changes, he also gets used to using unscrupulous methods to manage the organization, and in the end, he is corrupted by it.

CJ's people knew that there was no possibility of buying out the script, so they could only stick to the previous cooperation method and hope that Tian Xiaole wouldn't make unreasonable demands just because the results were good.

"According to the cooperation model of [Extreme Job], Director Tian doesn't need to worry about anything. We just need to film, produce, and release it."

Tian Xiaole smiled. This model was indeed very convenient. He invested a portion of his cash and used his script and fame to exchange for a 50% share.

"Yes, but there's a condition."

In the conference room, CJ's men had just started to smile when they quickly put their smiles back down.

Then Tian Xiaole continued, "【New World】is a male-dominated drama, and Quan Zhixian is not suitable to play a minor role in it. I hope CJ will invest in an A-level production and let her star in it."

As soon as Tian Xiaole finished speaking, Quan Zhixian pounced on him, pressing herself tightly against him.

"Oppa, you're so good to me."

Tian Xiaole pinched her cheek and said in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"This is a reward for your performance last night."

The people in the conference room looked at Jeon Ji-han with complicated expressions. They were South Korea's number one beauty, and they had never seen her so proactive.

At the same time, I was also envious, because I was able to curry favor with such a powerful figure and get her a project so easily.

Without hesitation, the person in charge agreed immediately. After all, Jun Ji-han was a top-tier actress in South Korea, so investing in her would be a good deal.

"Director Tian, ​​CJ can purchase a portion of the 'Night at the Museum' tickets at a premium."

The "Museum" project is part of a film series, so it's no secret. CJ was also following the news that Tian Xiaole was in Hollywood.

With the box office success of the first film, a sequel should be on the horizon.

Tian Xiaole shook his head: "The share has been determined, there are no extras."

CJ's people were disappointed, but they didn't say much.

···
With the contract settled, Tian Xiaole wasn't in a hurry to return to China. He only thought about going back after he got tired of eating kimchi.

A group of people in China were impatient, even though they were photographed boarding a plane, they never actually appeared in China.

When the news of the incident in South Korea reached back, some people were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

"Still haven't been able to contact him? Is he doing this on purpose?"

The secretary, seeing Han Sanping's impatient expression, whispered:
"My phone keeps saying it's switched off."

From the moment Tian Xiaole boarded the plane in Los Angeles, the companies he was familiar with contacted him, keeping track of the time.

Upon seeing the news appearing in South Korea, the investors of the [Museum] were even more anxious than Han Sanping.

The problem is that if a portion is given to South Korea, much less will be left for China.

Huayi Brothers and Shanghai Film Group, in particular, were afraid of missing this opportunity and were constantly in contact with each other.

"If we give the 'Night at the Museum' share to the Koreans, I'll definitely break their legs when we get back."

Han Sanping said through gritted teeth, but without much confidence.

···
"Brother, we probably won't be included in this batch."

"Still haven't you been able to contact them? Have you been able to contact the others?" Wang Zhongjun asked anxiously.

Wang Zhonglei shook his head: "No one can contact him. I'm afraid that if we give the South Korean share, we'll have to cut off our previous partners in China."

"We will try our best to secure this project, even if it comes at a higher premium. Such collaborative projects are beneficial to our IPO valuation."

(End of this chapter)