My absurd experiences in North America over the years

In early April, Los Angeles was sunny and bright.

Li Fu met Bill McNichol, the producer of Hacksaw Ridge, and Robert Schneider, the screenwriter, in a conference room at MGM.

McNiccol was in his fifties, rather thin, and wearing a dark blue casual suit. He was carrying an old briefcase with worn-out edges.

They seem to be people who live a relatively simple life or don't care about these little things.

Robert was a bit younger than him, wore black-rimmed glasses, and was the kind of slightly overweight middle-aged white man often seen on TV.

Li Fu stood up and shook hands with the two men, gesturing for them to sit wherever they pleased.

He has changed a lot since he transmigrated. His skyrocketing net worth and the experiences of the past two or three years have transformed him into a genuine young tycoon, and his aura is now completely different.

McNiccol sat down across the long table, placing his briefcase beside his chair. Robert sat down next to him, both of them feeling somewhat excited.

After four whole years, someone is finally willing to invest in their script.

The investors are MGM's new investors, who recently launched a major investment in the production of the 007 sequels and The Hobbit.

Everyone knows that this young man has plenty of money.

"I've finished reading the script." Li Fu looked at the two of them, his tone very frank. "I think it's very well written and deserves to be adapted for the big screen."

McNichols sat up a little straighter. "We are very grateful that Mr. Lee is willing to take the time to read this script."

The moment had finally arrived, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"However, before we collaborate, there are some details about the script that I'd like to discuss with you," Li Fu then posed a question.

Robert looked up, his fingers tightening slightly. He had finished the script; were there any areas the investors were still dissatisfied with?

"Regarding the presentation of the war scenes, I hope for a more realistic and direct style. In addition, I would like to add a new character to the script, a medical nurse working in a field hospital..."

Li Fu put forward his own requirements.

Robert thought there was no problem with the beginning, and that it wasn't really his responsibility as the screenwriter; the final presentation of the footage depended on the director.

But upon hearing the rest, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

"How much screen time would you like this nurse to have?"

"Her relationship with Doss is one of camaraderie, not romance, so you can rest assured about that. Her role is to provide a different perspective from the protagonist, allowing the audience to see the cruelty of the war, the ferocity and madness of the enemy more directly through her."

Li Fu patiently expressed his thoughts, and his tone was very polite.

Of course, unsurprisingly, I was rejected.

Robert stated directly, "This script has been repeatedly polished, and suddenly adding an important character would disrupt its integrity. I understand that you, as an investor, want to be more involved in the project, but we really find it difficult to agree to this request."

Li Fu's attitude was more resolute: "I understand your insistence. Adding a new main character will indeed change the original story structure, but from my perspective, such an adjustment is necessary."

He wasn't making this movie to make money; if he wanted to invest, he had many better options.

If the screenwriter is too insistent, then it's better not to invest in this movie.

Robert's expression remained unchanged, but he didn't dare to respond, fearing that the investor he had finally found might change his mind.

McNiccol, on the other hand, was not so persistent. He had been looking for investment for the script for four years, but it had not yet started filming. Director Gibson had rejected them repeatedly because of a lack of investors and insufficient budget.

If things continue like this, when will the film be approved, and when will the copyrights in our hands be monetized?

"If we're willing to make changes, does that mean this project can be approved at any time?" He didn't care about anything else.

"If you're willing to revise the script, the $50 million production budget is readily available. Once production is complete, it can be distributed globally through MGM's channels," Li Fu immediately assured them.

While a $50 million investment couldn't compare to top-tier productions, it was still considered a mid-to-high-tier A-list production budget in Hollywood in 2010.

This scale is sufficient to hire A-list celebrities, use top-notch special effects teams, and support large-scale global promotion.

Keep in mind that when Hacksaw Ridge was first conceived in 2014, the production cost was only $4000.

McNiccol clearly hadn't expected Li Fuyi to make such a large move; as expected of a financial market tycoon, he was almost ready to agree immediately.

Robert's jaw dropped. "Fifty million?"

He thought he had misheard; his expectation was only twenty or thirty million.

"Yes, fifty million," Li Fu nodded. "This cost is enough for you to hire top-tier actors and a production team, but on the condition that you adjust the script according to my previous requirements."

"I can make adjustments if it's just adding female logistics soldiers or field hospital nurses, but I really can't give them any more screen time," Robert compromised.

However, this level of concession was clearly insufficient to satisfy Li Fu's demands.

In his vision, the character's public identity should ideally be a captain in the United States Army Nursing Corps (ANC), stationed at a frontline field hospital in Okinawa.

He served as a shooting instructor at a recruit training camp in Japan from 1942 to 1943 (he was forced to transfer to the medical system due to a shortage of field nurses), and thus witnessed the cruelty and bloodshed of the war on the front lines.

She is an expert marksman, which contrasts with the protagonist Doss, who doesn't carry a gun.

The plot conflict lies in the fact that as the head nurse, she should not have been able to take up arms and kill, but she was forced to do so because of an attack by an enemy suicide squad.

The carnage she depicts, along with the protagonist Doss's act of risking gunfire to save people, perfectly illustrates the multifaceted nature of war.

Li Fu presented his ideas to Robert in a complete and systematic way, which was immediately met with opposition.

Robert believes this is no longer a matter of making changes, but a serious breach of the integrity of his entire story.

"Mr. Li, there are too many things that need to be changed with the addition of this character. You could even say that we've added another protagonist," Robert firmly disagreed.

"No, no, no, you may have misunderstood my request. This part of the plot can be kept under 20 minutes," Li Fu still tried to persuade calmly and respect the original author.

However, it didn't have any effect.

Robert was becoming increasingly agitated, and the negotiations could break down at any moment.

"Mr. Li... could you give us some time to discuss this?" McNicholm tried to salvage the situation. "Robert is a very serious person. He treats his work like his own child... let me talk to him first."

He knew how difficult it was to attract investment, and the investors did indeed have to make significant changes to the script, but after listening carefully, he didn't think it was outrageous.

More importantly, he didn't want to wait any longer and wanted to cash out as soon as possible.

"OK, you can discuss it first, and let me know when you've thought it through," Li Fu said as he walked out of the office, leaving them plenty of space.