Huayu 1999: Starting with nothing but getting something for nothing

in the afternoon.

Yang Che took the burned copy of "Car 44" and the DVD to the Overseas Chinese Hotel, where he connected and played it in Barbara's suite.

The story is still the same, but the scene direction, camera language, and actors' performances are all very different.

For example, Yang Che also filmed the initial shot of the rapidly spinning wheels, but it was ultimately cut because it was redundant.

There's also the scene where the male protagonist is squatting by the roadside waiting. Yang Che uses a fixed camera angle. Although the roadside is lush and green, the loneliness is palpable through the few cigarette butts at his feet and the protagonist's bewilderment. The original film used a rotating camera angle to depict this loneliness, which disrupts the feeling. Furthermore, the panning shot when he gets into the car is in the opposite direction to the direction he's getting in.

The male protagonist didn't explicitly state "I was the only one who saved you," but instead asked, "Why...why?"

There are few shots that showcase technical skill; most are cold and direct, with concise and straightforward dialogue, like a sharp sword.

The final, empty gaze and indifferent face were truly chilling.

Nothing is more terrifying than 'meaninglessness'.

After the 8-minute and 36-second short film finished playing, Barbara let out a long sigh: "Martin Luther King Jr. said: 'The greatest tragedy is not the arrogance of the wicked, but the silence of the good.'"

Yang Che echoed: "Lu Xun said: 'Either erupt in silence or die in silence.'"

"It's a good movie."

"I think so too."

Barbara laughed and said, "Okay, I actually watched your other short film today, 'Not One Less.' So I'm curious, with your ability, background, and funding, why did you choose to collaborate with Columbia?"

Yang Che raised his hand: "I hope that my first film as a director can be world-renowned, and that would be impossible without the involvement of European and American film companies."

Barbara shook her head: "You're as direct as yesterday. So tell me your story."

"Actually, the structure is similar to that of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.' I incorporated Western film noir and the so-called 'existential anxiety' into a small Chinese county town."

The difference is that mine is a dark comedy suspense film, while Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a martial arts ethics film.

The story goes like this.

.......

The shooting style I envision is characterized by extensive handheld shooting, numerous subjective shots, ambient sound replacing background music, rapid jump cuts, and a sense of oppressive, restless psychological tension...

As he said this, Yang Che's throat felt a little itchy, so he picked up the bottle and took a few sips of water.

Barbara took a sip of her coffee. "You've convinced me. So, how do you want to collaborate?"

"For $400 million, Columbia Pictures can acquire the rights to all countries and regions except mainland China. Also, help me secure an award in one of the three major European awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor... anything is fine, this verbal promise is sufficient."

Barbara fell silent. Given Yang Che's reputation and the captivating nature of his story, $400 million was perfectly acceptable, especially since the Japanese were paying for it.

Who are you planning to cast as the male lead?

"Jiang Wen".

Barbara nodded, then hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "I can't give you an answer right now, and I need your complete script."

Yang Che nodded, "That's only right."

Moreover, he didn't expect to reach an agreement today; that would be too frivolous. Barbara isn't Xiao Yi.

It's okay if it's not finalized yet. Once "Saw" is released in North America at the end of October, "The Missing Gun" will be finalized soon.

Columbia Pictures is ultimately a good friend of the Chinese people, after all, it's spending Japanese money.

Negotiations for "Looking for a Gun" have come to an end.

Barbara brought up "Car 44" again.

"Columbia can distribute this film."

"How so?"

"The Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market..."

Barbara said, Yang Che asked, and then he understood. There are quite a few ways to monetize short films. The biggest source of revenue is the broadcasting rights on television. If a film like "Car 44" wins a few awards, the copyright in Western Europe can be bought for $3000 per country per year, and in the United States it would be over $5000.

The other is the copyright for audio-visual compilations. Audio-visual distributors usually combine five or more short films into one disc for sale. This is a one-time copyright fee, which is about $1000.

There are also copyright fees for screenings in art-house cinemas, universities, libraries, airlines, hotels, etc. Of course, art schools in China do not currently pay copyright fees.

The last major item is the film festival prize money.

"If you act as an agent, what percentage of your commission do you take?"

"40%"

Yang Che paused for a moment: "How about you give me $10 to buy it out in one go?"

How much did it cost to make this film?

"A little over 5 RMB."

"Okay, you're a very honest person. Deal."

"If you win the award, the trophy should be mine."

Barbara laughed: "Of course."

"It's a pleasure working with you."

"It's a pleasure working with you."

Afterwards, Barbara made a phone call to her subordinates in the port city and faxed them a contract.

And just like that, the contract was signed quickly and pleasantly.

Then the two of them had afternoon tea together and talked about the future of Chinese films. They both felt that the future was bright.

Barbara sighed, "By the time the Chinese film industry is fully marketized, I should step down. The Japanese on the board will definitely send a Chinese person to take charge."

Yang Che's lips twitched: "Although I hate to admit it, it's true."

Yes, Chen Guofu was alright at first, but after that, he basically became a dog of the Japanese, and Columbia Pictures was no longer an old friend of the Chinese people.

Of course, this is just an emotional perspective. In reality, it's about taking someone else's salary and obeying their orders. For example, Jiang Fangzhou also receives a salary from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Haha, before this, I really hoped to work closely with you. You are a genius creator, you understand the market better than Jiang Zhiqiang, and most importantly, you are very charismatic."

As Barbara spoke, her eyes gradually changed, revealing an undisguised glint in them.

So this is what the depth is.

This made Yang Che very uncomfortable. This foreign woman was not very good-looking, and most importantly, she had a face full of wrinkles. He would rather die than waste that 1 millimeter of his time on her.

"I'd also love to work with you. I have plans tonight, so I won't bother you any longer."

Barbara immediately withdrew the hook, still smiling: "I'll give it to you."

This is where adult dignity lies; not exchanging friendly words won't affect future cooperation.

When Barbara saw Yang Che off to the elevator, she said that the payment would be transferred within three business days, and reiterated her hope that this was a good start.

After leaving the Overseas Chinese Hotel, Yang Che headed straight for the small woods in Fengtai.

BMW's shock absorption is indeed better than Cherokee's, but the interior space is a bit cramped.

..........