Chapter 856: Are you a bit precocious? (7600 words update!

"You should be very clear about the film 'Yellow Smoke'; we don't want it to be released. So, if you hope that we will cooperate with some promotion for this film, under normal circumstances, we won't agree. Having filmed a work that isn't very good, we would rather reduce its connection with us than have it involved with us more."

Li Zhibai sat in front of Zhong Benshuo and said very frankly.

"Of course, you have won the distribution rights for this film, so it's impossible to keep it in your hands and not take it out. This affects your interests, and I can't ask you not to put this film online. But how about delaying it for two months?" Li Zhibai said. "I won't say anything else; if my future plays are on Maxine, I will do a few more rounds of promotion for free."

Zhong Benshuo sat in front of Li Zhibai, smiling, and said: "Zhibai, we are already very familiar, these things are easy to talk about. The scheduling plan for 'Yellow Smoke' wasn't decided by me. They also know that 'Love is Not Blind' is about to be released, and it's starred in by you and Jiang Yuqian, so they want to borrow the east wind of 'Love is Not Blind'—"

This sounds good. After learning Chinese culture for a few years, "rubbing" has become "borrowing the east wind".

Li Zhibai silently complained in his heart.

He listened on.

"I certainly welcome you being willing to propose such conditions," Zhong Benshuo said. "However, I have also always wanted to collaborate with you. Your 'Flying Over the Grass' was broadcast so well, it almost suppressed 'Seventeen Layers: Reboot'. In China, you are the top star. You should have come to find me for 'Flying Over the Grass' and collaborated with our Maxine."

"Let's forget about that. The two dramas 'Flying Over the Grass' and 'Seventeen Layers: Reboot' fought fiercely in China. If they were both put on Maxine, you would definitely be better to 'Seventeen Layers: Reboot'. It's not like I don't know the value of this IP to Maxine is far higher than 'Flying Over the Grass'."

Zhong Benshuo: "Seventeen Layers is also doing other spin-offs. If you are willing to participate, I would be very welcome."

"You really don't understand at all," Li Zhibai had an expression of "no wonder". "I have an incompatibility with the production party and copyright party of 'Seventeen Layers', Jingtai. We have public conflicts and have torn our faces. You want me to collaborate with them? Don't disgust me."

Hearing this, Zhong Benshuo showed a look of surprise.

Li Zhibai said again: "Of course, I would also be very happy to collaborate with you, but the scripts you sent before were too average and didn't meet my requirements."

Zhong Benshuo: "I don't mind you putting forward your modification opinions on the script as a producer."

Li Zhibai: "Are you sure? I must say, I am not an easy person to deal with. Except for Lu Yanhe's scripts, on which I don't give many opinions, for other projects, I generally give a lot of modification opinions on the script, including 'Flying Over the Grass'."

Zhong Benshuo: "Maxine has always not interfered with content creation. You should have seen this in many news reports."

"Then what about the online time of 'Yellow Smoke'?" Li Zhibai asked. "Is it that if I don't agree to collaborate with Maxine, this time will be very difficult to postpone?"

"Zhibai, I sincerely want to collaborate with you and also want to be friends with you," Zhong Benshuo spread his hands. "For friends, when 'Yellow Smoke' goes online, or even whether it goes online with great fanfare or quietly, for Maxine, it is not an important thing. Of course, it will cause some losses, which is unavoidable, but Maxine can also bear it. I can make the decision."

Li Zhibai nodded and said: "Since you said so, I can promise you. I can pick one from the projects you are preparing, and I will do it. But as you said, in terms of content creation, I hope Maxine will not interfere."

"Our Maxine never interferes. Once we decide to collaborate with a certain creator, there is only one reason: we fully trust him," Zhong Benshuo said. "You can even prepare the project yourself, and Maxine will be responsible for the funds needed."

Li Zhibai: "Subject matter, type, style… do you have no restrictions on these?"

"Zhibai, I said, I fully trust you," Zhong Benshuo said. "In China, there is an old saying that I like very much: don't suspect the person you use, don't use the person you suspect."

"Are there restrictions on funds?" Li Zhibai asked again. "Can I spend it as I please?"

Zhong Benshuo said helplessly: "I still need a project proposal for the headquarters to look at and sign."

Li Zhibai laughed.

"Just kidding," Li Zhibai said.

"I have already solved the matter of 'Yellow Smoke', don't go to Zhong Benshuo again." As soon as he finished talking with Zhong Benshuo, Li Zhibai immediately called Lu Yanhe, "The matter of 'Yellow Smoke' wasn't big originally, but if you take the initiative to go to him to communicate about this matter, even if it's not you, but Chen Yin, he would definitely want to bite a piece of meat off you. It's better for me to communicate directly."

Lu Yanhe was astonished.

He asked: "You found him so quickly and finished talking with him?"

From the time he called Li Zhibai and told him about 'Yellow Smoke', not even twenty-four hours had passed in total.

"As soon as I heard you tell me that you were preparing to let Chen Yin go to communicate with him, I had a headache. I don't want to add trouble to the film 'Love is Not Blind' because of our reasons anymore," Li Zhibai said. "It wasn't a big deal originally, but I promised to collaborate with him on a play, and he nodded readily."

"You didn't take a play randomly, did you?" Lu Yanhe asked in surprise.

"No," Li Zhibai said. "I have full autonomy, which is a bit like the mode of collaboration between you and Solon. There is even no time limit. Actually, he just wanted to use this as an excuse to collaborate with me once. He even mentioned that the film 'Yellow Smoke' could not go online and keep being pressed in his hands."

Lu Yanhe: "You believe his nonsense. When you don't collaborate with him, 'Yellow Smoke' will be taken out."

Li Zhibai: "Take it slow. I am increasingly realizing that any appeal can be discussed. If it can't be discussed this time, it will be discussed next time. Time and situation, who knows when the situation will change. Doing 'Flying Over the Grass' really made me understand why you told us a long time ago that when we have the ability to arrange the board and form a team, don't be afraid of failure, we must do it. Because 'Flying Over the Grass' is doing a series, I don't know how many people are trying to participate to get a share of the pie now, and it's not just about throwing money."

Lu Yanhe laughed.

"Before, just as an actor—even the most popular actor—when you negotiate and consult with them, they just treat you as an actor," Li Zhibai smiled. "Do you know, what is the place I am most proud of in my communication with Zhong Benshuo this time?"

Lu Yanhe: "I don't know, where is it?"

Li Zhibai: "He said he doesn't mind me putting forward various modification opinions on the script. If the script really can't be modified, he is also willing for me to do a project I want to do myself. They don't interfere with content creation at all. As long as I have an idea, they are responsible for providing funds."

Lu Yanhe: "Your successful manipulation of the project 'Flying Over the Grass' made them believe in your ability to control a project and believe in your vision."

"Yes," Li Zhibai's tone could be heard with some excitement. "This is what makes me feel the most refreshed, and it's also the moment I suddenly realized what the difference is. As an actor, even if I win the Oscar for Best Actor one day, even if I win all the Best Actor awards in the world, in their eyes, I am just an actor."

"Actors can harvest respect in art and respect in commercial value, but they can't get complete respect," Lu Yanhe smiled and shrugged his shoulders, although Li Zhibai couldn't see his action.

"Yes, and this is another point I learned from you. It was clearly a matter where I took advantage, but because they hoped to collaborate with me, this opportunity for collaboration became the price I paid to achieve another goal. Zhong Benshuo instead had a feeling of having picked up a bargain. Clearly under normal circumstances, if I wanted to produce a project and went to him with a project proposal for funds and a green light, he wouldn't necessarily agree easily."

"That would still be agreed to, don't underestimate your own value," Lu Yanhe said. "He is not a real fool, how could he do a losing business? But indeed, because you have been refusing Maxine's scripts, your collaboration has become extra precious to them."

Li Zhibai: "Are you a bit precocious?"

He suddenly asked such a sentence.

Lu Yanhe was stunned.

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"Ah?"

Li Zhibai: "Forget it, it's okay. I just feel that you seem to understand these things many years earlier than us."

Lu Yanhe was between laughter and tears.

"Not to that extent, right?"

Li Zhibai: "How can it not be to that extent? In this regard, you seem to have an innate intuition."

"It's Sister Ziyan helping me check," Lu Yanhe shook his head. "If it were really just me, I would have been sent into a pit by others long ago."

Li Zhibai, however, said: "Sister Ziyan taught you some specific methodologies, I know this, but many times, what is needed is the most instinctive reaction. I didn't understand before, but now I am increasingly realizing that many of your instinctive reactions are correct, especially in this worldly wisdom. I am one year older than you, and I really feel ashamed now."

Lu Yanhe: "What's wrong with you today? Were you bewitched by Zhong Benshuo? Suddenly saying things that don't sound like you would say."

"Sigh, I just suddenly feel that before the film 'Love is Not Blind' was released, because of my own reasons, I almost caused negative effects once or twice. It hasn't been like this before," Li Zhibai said. "Yuqian is right, I shouldn't have acted in this film from the beginning. We both forgot that once the two of us were exposed, it would bring trouble to this film. Even, in the final analysis, she and I shouldn't have collaborated casually. This one plus one is greater than two's influence."

"Don't start taking things too seriously just because 'Love is Not Blind' is my film. I never felt that it was a bad idea for the two of you to act in this film. Even if your romance was really exposed before the film was released, even if it really caused an impact on the film's box office, I don't think this matter is that serious or bad. If you weren't suitable enough to act in the role of Wang Xiaojian, I wouldn't have looked for you because of Sister Yuqian's suggestion," Lu Yanhe said. "You two are very interesting, saying as if this film was decided by the two of you. This was also my decision. When I decided that the two of you would act, didn't I know that you two were dating?"

Li Zhibai didn't know what to say for a moment.

"Whether it's you or Sister Yuqian, these things that happened before 'Love is Not Blind' was released are not what you wanted to happen, and we have all solved them," Lu Yanhe said. "Just wait for 'Love is Not Blind' to be released. Believe me, this will definitely be an excellent film."

"Yes, 'Love is Not Blind' is also scheduled. It will be released in the United States on March 4th next year."

At a party, many people asked Lu Yanhe about this film, because during the day, Green Valley had just announced the release date of 'Love is Not Blind', and the slogan hit was "The latest screenwriter work of Oscar winner Lu Yanhe".

The works that Lu Yanhe served as a screenwriter for either achieved success at the box office or achieved success in awards, without a single failure.

'Love is Not Blind' is naturally highly concerned.

Not to mention, the female lead of this film is Jiang Yuqian.

The success of 'Red Eye Flight' indeed made Jiang Yuqian a film actor who attracted much attention. A film in which she plays the absolute lead achieving success is far greater than the bonus brought by her playing a supporting female lead in three films.

This is the second collaboration between Lu Yanhe and Jiang Yuqian.

Counting it up, this is already the fourth time Jiang Yuqian has starred in a work written by Lu Yanhe.

From the big hit drama 'Squid Game', to 'Phone', 'Red Eye Flight', and 'Love is Not Blind', except for the film 'Phone' which didn't achieve particularly eye-catching success globally, 'Love is Not Blind' hasn't been released yet, and the other two collaborations were significant successes.

Especially 'Red Eye Flight', in crime films, it is extremely rare for a female to play the absolute lead to fight against the villain. The audience word-of-mouth for this film is very high, and it is a very successful commercial film.

However, after many people learned that 'Love is Not Blind' is a romantic comedy subject, their optimistic attitude toward this film instantly changed, and they began to hold reservations.

Nothing else, purely because the romantic comedy type is quite difficult to break through the differences in cultural background.

In terms of male-female relationships, love, especially sex, the differences in different cultural backgrounds are too great. Whether it's the theme discussed or the mode between men and women, it's not that easy to get through. The things behind this represent not only love, but also the values and cultural views presented by different cultures based on this.

Regarding this, Lu Yanhe doesn't think it's a problem. The story of 'Love is Not Blind' itself happens in a modern urban background, talking about discussions on male-female relationships, interpersonal relationships, and views on marriage and mate selection. In the film, there are different relationship settings to carry out the collision of concepts. And at the end of the film, just like all romantic films facing the public choose, it chooses sincerity and true love—

In this point, it is universally applicable globally.

"This film indeed also comes from the real doubts, confusion, and entanglement of many friends around me," Lu Yanhe introduced it to many people like this. "It is not a pure, simple story about love. There are all kinds of characters in this film. Everyone, their concepts of life, love, career, and life are different. And in such a story, these concepts of theirs will collide, contradict, and rub against each other. Some can be harmonious but different, some can be the same but not harmonious, but no matter what, it is the life they chose themselves."

Lu Yanhe knows very well how to say things that can mobilize these people's interest in this film.

In short, this is not a pure commercial film. From the script, this is actually a typical auteur script—

And the so-called auteur script is actually easy to understand as corresponding to an auteur director. This story carries a lot of "private goods". These "private goods" come from the creator's life, representing the creator's outlook on life and values, and shaping a world in their ideal or from the creator's perspective.

And saying it like this, naturally more people are interested.

Hollywood talks about commerce, but at the Oscars, it talks about artistic commerce—art with poor commercial returns is high-brow and few follow, which is not their orientation, but pure commercial things are not artistic enough.

Film people like Lu Yanhe are Hollywood's favorites. They have style and can make money. They have both face and lining, which is very in line with Hollywood's "main melody".

Then a film story like 'Red Eye Flight' looks like a pure commercial film at a glance. It can only be said that Lu Yanhe can write a good story, but it is not worth their extra attention in art. But 'Love is Not Blind' is different—Lu Yanhe himself said that his focus on this film script comes from his thinking about life.

This is not a simple chick flick.

In the history of the Oscars, from 'The Devil Wears Prada' to 'Rachel Getting Married', from 'Juno' to 'Past Lives', they all stand out because of the "auteurism" in the film—or rather, the "auteurism" reflected by the life choices made by the protagonists in the film, and because of such "auteurism", they sparked discussions like social issues, thus being noticed by the Academy.

Lu Yanhe didn't think that the film 'Love is Not Blind' could go to impact the awards season. The commerciality of this film is still a bit higher, especially the ending, which is a typical romantic ending of a commercial romance film—

However, using such packaging can prevent everyone from positioning it as an ordinary, vulgar chick flick first.

Just at this time, news suddenly came from Solon.

They are preparing to release 'The Notebook' next summer, probably around June to July.

'The Notebook' is the first film Lu Yanhe collaborated with Solon on.

Its box office performance naturally has many symbolic meanings.

Even Solon doesn't understand why the first work Lu Yanhe brought out was actually a romance film.

However, Solon now finds that 'The Notebook' is not Lu Yanhe's first romance film—another 'Love is Not Blind' came.

Solon didn't watch the film. However, they don't think 'Love is Not Blind' can achieve much box office success. This is a Chinese film, and the lead is an Asian face. Will Americans be interested in a romance film about two Chinese people?

However, the strong presence of 'Storm Calmer No. 1' in the awards season right now makes people at Solon unable to say directly "Impossible, absolutely impossible!".

This film is even more incredible. It has almost sold 30 million dollars in box office in the United States now, which is simply incredible. This is really surprising. Until now, Hollywood companies haven't figured out why this is, and in the end, they can only attribute it to Lu Yanhe. That's right, because this film stars Lu Yanhe, his miracle radiated to this film.

Another suspense also appeared:

This film won't make Lu Yanhe get his third Oscar acting award nomination in a short time, right?

A month ago, this was a question that didn't hold water at all.

Because no one felt that this was a possible thing.

The film's public relations strategy clearly focused on Wen Shengming for the Best Supporting Actor award.

However, everyone also knows that if 'Storm Calmer No. 1' is successful enough to need the praise of the Oscars, then who can ignore the contribution made by Lu Yanhe?

"American Critics Choice Awards, you didn't get a nomination for Best Actor. Next month, the Screen Actors Guild Awards and BAFTA nominations will be announced," Darren Wilson said to Lu Yanhe. "Now in the nomination pattern for Best Actor, you are considered the 'sixth man' by major prediction agencies."

"Sixth man?" Lu Yanhe was a bit confused.

Darren Wilson nodded.

"It means that under normal circumstances, you are not among the five people nominated, but if someone drops out, you are the one who will replace them," Darren said. "'Storm Calmer No. 1' box office is still selling until now, the long-term run is very excellent, and the audience's degree of liking for this film far exceeds other competitors for Best Foreign Language Film."

The unit of Best Foreign Language Film has a very full content of literary films.

Unlike other Oscar awards that focus on commercial performance, the unit of Best Foreign Language Film is often the competition of the main competition unit of the four major international film festivals. So, whether this unit is concerned, it is indeed concerned, but for the audience, it might be unfamiliar, at most they are familiar with the name, and not many people have really watched the film, because that is not their dish.

Lu Yanhe said: "The films Liu Bige films have always been very watchable. He cares very much about whether the film is good-looking, including 'Late Spring', which is also like this. Such a literary, to put it bluntly, cruel youth subject matter, was filmed by him in an interlocking way, always with a few hooks hooking the audience to watch down, like a suspense film, and the rhythm is also good."

'Storm Calmer No. 1' is also like this. This can't even be described as "strong story", but "the rhythm of storytelling" is very excellent.

Darren Wilson said: "Liu Bige has already attracted the attention of several Hollywood film companies and has been sent invitations to direct. There is a blockbuster that found him, wanting to invite him to direct, do you know?"

"What blockbuster?" Lu Yanhe really didn't know.

Darren said: "'Moon Legion'."

Lu Yanhe showed a look of surprise, "This series!"

The 'Moon Legion' series is to Hollywood in this space-time, a bit similar to the status of 'Star Wars' in the parallel space-time.

This film series, which has a history of nearly fifty years, has a pivotal position in the hearts of Americans.

How to say it, this is a film series that would be seen as a failure if the global box office only reached 500 or 600 million dollars.

Exaggerated.

Darren nodded and said: "This series basically launches a film every two or three years. Previously, this series had never looked for an Asian director. However, because the last two films launched had very poor word-of-mouth and very average evaluations, feeling that they were all repeating the previous works without new ideas, I guess this is also the reason, so they started looking for directors outside of Europe and America."

After hearing this, Lu Yanhe went back and asked Liu Bige.

"Are you preparing to direct this film?"

"Didn't expect it," Liu Bige sighed. "Didn't expect you to hear about it too."

"What's wrong?" Listening to the tone, it seemed very difficult. Lu Yanhe didn't understand.

Liu Bige said: "Very tangled."

"You don't dare to direct?" Lu Yanhe thought about it and understood, "Because it's 'Moon Legion', the pressure is high?"

"Yes," Liu Bige said. "Furthermore, I have never directed such a big production."

Lu Yanhe: "That doesn't matter. Hollywood's industrialization level is very high. You only need to be a director, issue orders, and the level of each department—especially a film series like 'Moon Legion'—is absolutely very high. You don't need to worry about everything. Do you have any ideas about the 'Moon Legion' series?"

"Watched it before, but to be honest, I don't like it that much, and I'm not a fan of 'Moon Legion'," Liu Bige said. "This is another aspect I'm tangled about. What attracts me is just because it might be the biggest project I can encounter in my life."

Lu Yanhe: "Indeed, such an opportunity is very rare. For such a big production, the production budget alone might be 200 million dollars. The scale of resources you can use is something you can't encounter in other film projects."

"If this series of films asks you to star, will you act?" Liu Bige asked.

"Act," Lu Yanhe said without hesitation.

"Why? You don't lack box office either."

"Just like you said, this might be the film project with the largest investment you can participate in. It's the same for me. Like you, I'm not a fan of 'Moon Legion', but I really want to participate in such a work that has become a cultural symbol and leave my mark," Lu Yanhe thought about it and said, "Can you understand it as some kind of collection addiction? I am quite willing to play a role in major classic series."

Liu Bige: "But directing is another concept."

"Yes," Lu Yanhe said. "Indeed, if it flops, it will be a devastating blow to your career."

"You actually don't encourage me?"

"Because in my heart, you can't flop," Lu Yanhe said. "Among the directors I know, your personal expression style is exactly the kind of director that the audience likes. Even if you are not a fan of 'Moon Legion', with such a huge worldview for you to play, I believe you can also create your own 'Moon Legion' story."

Liu Bige laughed with a hiss.

"You said this so that my face has to be a few points thicker."

"I really think so," Lu Yanhe said. "However, whether to take it or not depends on yourself. And for such a series, they might not give you full creative autonomy. Maybe they will interfere a lot, and you might not be able to accept it."

"It's not even a start yet. They just came to talk to me about the intention, and I didn't reply."

"Anyway, it's your own business," Lu Yanhe laughed. "I'll say it first, although I just told you that if the 'Moon Legion' series asks me to star, I would be willing to go, but I won't go to the one you direct."

"Why? You were so determined just now, and now you finally betrayed your sincerity?"

"I don't want people to feel that the 'Moon Legion' series has changed its quality all of a sudden, becoming a story of a Chinese person. By then, the fans of this series will only be afraid of boycotting it," Lu Yanhe said. "Such a series is absolutely impossible to let a Chinese person be the absolute lead, just like stories like 'Journey to the West' and 'Three Kingdoms' will absolutely not use foreigners to star. If I don't make it clear to you, maybe you will think of a story for me to star in."

"Then what if you are asked to play one of the main characters?"

"If you really want to find me to act, I will definitely support it. However, for me, the significance is not great. It's better for you to leave such an opportunity to those who need it more," Lu Yanhe said. "Being able to play a role in such a series might directly allow this actor to break into Hollywood." ===== CHAPTER 857 =====