Chapter 960: The Attraction of Melodrama

No matter how harshly the audience scolds melodrama, as a creator, never underestimate the attraction of melodrama itself to the audience.

What creators need to do is to make the melodrama acceptable to the audience, rather than turning the melodrama into a so-called reasonable but mediocre story.

Speaking of melodrama, there was *My Fair Princess* before, and *Empresses in the Palace* after. Which plot wasn't a divine development? Which wasn't melodramatic? Did it affect them becoming classics?

Not at all.

Moreover, Lu Yan He knew very clearly that in Europe and the United States, this kind of chick flick—or to put it broadly, female-themed films—had always had a large market.

Whether it was *A Simple Favor* starring Anna Kendrick, or the more famous *Legally Blonde*, none were not melodramatic, but none failed to achieve success.

In the European and American markets, they care very much about "story creativity."

As long as you have a super divine idea, you can sell it for a lot of money just with this idea.

For example, *The Purge*. People who have actually watched this film know how ridiculous this film is and how rough the production is. However—

In the future, there is one day every year when murder is legalized, grievances are settled, and grudges are avenged.

Such a worldview, no matter what the film looks like, does not affect a group of audiences from wanting to try it out.

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Therefore, for the script Wan Qingqing sent, rationally, Lu Yan He didn't like this script very much. Emotionally, to be fair, Lu Yan He really finished reading this script in one go, completely attracted to reading on, wanting to know the development of the story.

Its melodrama is good because it is not cliché and has many developments that Lu Yan He did not expect.

Chen Yin said: "The female lead... her values are a bit incorrect. I mean, she is very easy to fall into such criticism in public opinion."

Indeed, her husband just passed away, and she sparks a love with an illegitimate child (even if it is discovered at the end that he is not). If this were in China, wouldn't public opinion explode?

Lu Yan He said: "In Europe and the United States, this set is very common."

Chen Yin really couldn't refute it.

Because it really is like this.

Lu Yan He said: "If it were you, would you produce it?"

"I don't understand the European and American markets, I can't make a judgment." Chen Yin said cautiously.

Lu Yan He: "Then don't say anything else, would this story itself attract you to keep watching?"

Chen Yin hesitated for a moment and shook his head.

"I wouldn't."

Lu Yan He nodded.

"I need you to help me do one thing. Take this script to the company to evaluate it. Oh, they should all be able to read English scripts, right?"

"Yes, our people at Linghe basically can read and write English." After all, it is a film company that has started to face the overseas market.

"You can collect feedback. Not just a comprehensive opinion, but what the situation is for those who don't like this script and those who like this script respectively."

Chen Yin nodded.

Chen Siqi was a bit surprised.

"You hope the editors of *Jump Up* also take a look?"

"Yes." Lu Yan He said, "What I want to know is, among our group of practitioners, what is the situation of acceptance for such a story."

Chen Siqi: "What if the acceptance is below 50%?"

"No, what I want to know is, among those who accept this story, do they like this story very much, or do they like it normally, or do they just accept it." Lu Yan He explained, "In short, a film might be scolded by many people, but there is a group of people who like it very much and are willing to spend money to buy tickets to watch the film. Then should this film be produced?"

"I understand what you mean."

"Hmm." Lu Yan He nodded. "Of course, I don't want to use these opinions to judge whether this project is worth doing. I just want to see our domestic acceptance of such a story, just a survey."

Chen Siqi nodded: "So, actually, you have already decided that you will support Wan Qingqing in making this film."

"Hmm." Lu Yan He said, "For Linghe, this is also an opening of a new field of subject matter. In fact, the moral controversy in this script is indeed already commonplace in Europe and the United States, and it doesn't count as anything."

**As far as European and American film and television literary works are concerned, it is not a matter at all.

Chen Siqi: "But, you have to know, in fact, there are many people who, although they accept it in their hearts, are afraid to say their true thoughts due to the pressure of social rules."

"It doesn't matter, watching a film is a private matter to begin with, it doesn't have to be a social activity."

Lu Yan He has always believed that everyone has things they like and are good at. Catering to and copying others seems to be taking the strengths of others, but in reality, it is just an ugly person imitating a beauty, and what's more, everyone is imitating, and the success rate is lower instead.

This is the reason why he has always refused Wan Qingqing to do another *Flypaper*.

The role Wan Qingqing played in the *Flypaper* project was not in terms of content—Lu Yan He personally checked this part.

Wan Qingqing built a high building from the ground up in production, distribution, and promotion.

Therefore, the last thing she should do is to continue to copy the content of *Flypaper*.

Then she should find a subject matter that truly touches her heart.

This is because only when it touches her heart can she know what the truly moving and attractive parts of this story are.

This is also the reason why you can't make good content using formulas and equations.

People's feelings, a tiny difference leads to a thousand miles of error.

Many people are shocked, confused, and puzzled by some big hit works, feeling it is unreasonable. In fact, there is no need to be confused. The simplest truth is "you are not its audience."

If any boss decides the production of their company based on their own likes and dislikes, no company can grow big and strong.

Doing business, except for matters of principle, everything looks at money, not at likes and dislikes.

Wan Qingqing was very surprised that Lu Yan He was willing to support her in filming this film.

She even had a moment of doubt and hesitation.

Why did Lu Yan He think the projects she judged worth doing from a market perspective were not okay, while Lu Yan He directly agreed to this work that she felt was not very safe from a market perspective?

Of course, such doubt and hesitation did not last long.

Wan Qingqing is a smart girl. Her luck is extremely good, being able to meet Lu Yan He at the beginning of her career and get on the fast track to success. But if she lacked even a little bit of ability or EQ/IQ, she wouldn't be able to catch such an opportunity.

Just like Song Jiang, who joined at the same time and on the same starting line as her, basically belongs to "one step slow, every step slow," and has never been reused like her. Lu Yan He is not a boss who needs others to guess his thoughts. He will tell you his thoughts directly—

He doesn't like repetition, because he believes that blind repetition is destined to usher in failure.

This seemingly melodramatic script has a sense of freshness and a desire to keep people reading.

Wan Qingqing's production budget for this film is 20 million USD. Since Lu Yan He promised her a budget of no more than 20 million USD to make a film, she wouldn't just spend 5 million USD to do it.

She is not Lu Yan He, who can make up for the shortcomings of insufficient budget with talent.

Her strengths lie in communication, negotiation, and utilizing resources.

The resources that 5 million USD can mobilize are naturally far less than 20 million USD.

For her, a film made with 5 million USD is absolutely different from 20 million USD.

And for this film, the photographer actually doesn't need to be invited to be particularly good, because the selling point of this film lies in the performance of the characters and the rhythm of the film.

At the same time, Wan Qingqing didn't just focus on this 20 million USD.

She decided to pull in advertising sponsorships.

The female lead is a walking model—a beautiful widow. How could such a character not appear with a good image? In other words, she is a walking billboard.

Wan Qingqing pondered for a long time and invited a director who specializes in filming 7-8 point modern urban comedy films.

He is not a famous director and doesn't have particularly successful works, but every one of his past works has had good results, the audience has enjoyed watching them, and the reviews have been good.

This is what this film needs.

It doesn't need to be filmed as a big production, nor does it need to be filmed as a film festival film. It just needs to be like those chick flicks, with a light and smooth rhythm, allowing people to finish watching it in one go without burden.

This director's salary is 1.8 million USD. Wan Qingqing didn't cut the price, but the director couldn't enjoy the film's profit share; this 1.8 million bought it out.

The director also accepted it gladly.

Then there is the female lead.

Wan Qingqing was very clear that the female lead of this film must find a suitable actress who fits the character and can generate topics.

For example, Lily Williams wouldn't work. Although she is popular, her playing this character wouldn't have any chemistry, and people wouldn't have expectations.

After looking around, Wan Qingqing found the Spanish actress Julieta Pedraza.

This actress has been famous in Hollywood for several years. She is also one of the most popular Spanish actresses in Hollywood, somewhat similar to Penelope Cruz's status in a parallel space-time, but she doesn't have as high a status as Penelope—after all, she hasn't won an Oscar yet.

Wan Qingqing doesn't need Julieta to have won an Oscar either.

The reason Wan Qingqing used to persuade Julieta was very simple: "This script was selected by Lu Yan He."

This one sentence was enough for Julieta to seriously read this script instead of putting it aside.

Julieta also agreed very quickly, but she was very concerned about who the male actor playing opposite her was.

Wan Qingqing said: "The British actor Jason Potter who collaborated with Lu Yan He on *The Mist 2*."

"That retired diver." Julieta's voice revealed some surprise.

Wan Qingqing said: "That's right."

Julieta was hesitant for a moment.

Wan Qingqing said: "Our film's budget is limited, so we can't choose a particularly famous male actor to play this role. Plus the age restriction, Jason Potter is the most suitable choice."

Julieta said: "But, after Jason Potter acted in *The Mist 2* with Lu Yan He, the few works he appeared in were not very successful, right?"

Wan Qingqing: "He indeed hasn't played a lead role, but if you look at his past few works, you will find that his acting skills have improved rapidly. Although he was an athlete before, he is handsome, has a sexy body, and has the hormones of a young person, which is very suitable for this character. After all, he has to play a story about making a woman of a certain age almost fall in love. To find such a male actor whose salary also meets our standards, there are not many choices."

Hearing Wan Qingqing say this, Julieta seemed to have reluctantly accepted it.

Wan Qingqing actually understood why Julieta would mind this matter.

Julieta's venture into Hollywood actually hadn't been very smooth. The most successful work she achieved after arriving in Hollywood was playing an important female character in a series of films, and with that film that broke 1 billion USD at the global box office, her popularity skyrocketed.

After that, it wasn't that Julieta didn't have other successful works, but none of them had exploded again; she just maintained her status as a popular actress—somewhat like Jiang Yuqian, having works shortlisted for top international film festivals every year or two, and often appearing in various high-exposure activities.

But she was just hanging on by a thread, unable to go further.

Her breakthrough point would be either to explode another film she starred in or to rush into the awards season and stir up a storm in the awards season. It wouldn't matter if she didn't get an Oscar nomination in the end, as long as she could become a highly acclaimed "lost pearl," it could still help her career usher in a new peak.

In this situation, the male lead wasn't some popular young actor, but a British actor whose situation was no better than hers, which made Julieta a bit disappointed and a bit unsure about the future prospects of this film.

Although after Julieta read the script, she also knew very clearly that this was the best character with the most room for performance she had received in recent years.

Plus this script was produced by Linghe, and Lu Yan He would serve as the producer.

With Lu Yan He's status in Hollywood today, it was obvious that it could have a very good prospect.

Starring Julieta and Jason Potter, just from the cast, it was a bit short of a first-tier production.

However, 20 million USD itself was not enough for a first-tier production.

This amount of money, in Hollywood, could basically be classified as a low-to-medium cost or even a low-cost production.

Julieta's salary was 1.8 million USD—from her salary, it could actually be seen that her "popularity" in Hollywood had some elements of being manufactured.

And Jason Potter's salary was even lower, only 500,000 USD.

With the salaries of the two leads pressed so low, plus the director's salary of 1.8 million USD, there was sufficient capital to put into filming.

On this film, Wan Qingqing, as the producer, took a salary of 500,000 USD, and at the same time, she could enjoy the film's profit sharing. ===== CHAPTER 961 =====