Chapter 321: Choice of Roles

Cao Yang called Hou Keming again.

Hou Keming is different from Boss Han. He understands very well that as long as there is hope for Cao Yang's films to bring along the Beijing Film Academy, he will definitely give the Beijing Film Academy this opportunity.

This is also the reason why the Beijing Film Academy has been sparing no effort to support Cao Yang.

One could say that even if it wasn't Hou Keming in that position at the Beijing Film Academy, if it were replaced by anyone else, they would support Cao Yang sparing no effort.

Conversely, most of Cao Yang's films will bring along the Beijing Film Academy and the Youth Film Studio.

In November this year, at the 8th National Congress of Writers and Artists, Cao Yang's position as vice chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles was pushed up by the Beijing Film Academy mobilizing all its strength.

The Federation of Literary and Art Circles is different from the Youth League where Cao Yang holds a concurrent post.

The China Federation of Literary and Art Circles is a national-level people's organization for the arts and literature, clearly designated for high-ranking officials.

The chairman and vice chairman of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles produced by the 8th National Congress of Writers and Artists will no longer be concurrent posts, but official positions produced by election.

If Cao Yang is pushed to this position, it will be very beneficial to the Beijing Film Academy.

Other political considerations aside.

Just say one point: the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards are film awards co-hosted by the Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Film Association, and the Golden Eagle Awards are television awards co-hosted by the Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Television Artists Association.

The Federation of Literary and Art Circles has extremely high discourse power in the choice of judges for each grand award.

Although there are multiple vice chairmen of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the vice chairman with global influence still has very great discourse power.

The invisible benefits of this to the Beijing Film Academy circle can be imagined.

Cao Yang told Hou Yuan about *New Pirates of the Caribbean* and also stated the risks, asking Hou Yuan if he wanted to invest with China Film Group.

Hou Yuan laughed heartily after hearing it and almost didn't consider it before saying: "As long as it's your film, the Beijing Film Academy will fully support it."

Fine, Cao Yang understood. Afterward, he called Xie Xiaojing of the Youth Film Studio again and talked about this matter.

Xie Xiaojing was obviously more excited than Hou Keming. He once again experienced the happiness of sitting at home and having political achievements smash into his head.

Our Youth Film Studio is a school-run enterprise, but looking at the whole country, how many can compare with the Youth Film Studio today? Our Youth Film Studio has awards, and it has box office... it just lacks when to upgrade.

Xie Xiaojing is confident that this matter can be completed in his hands.

Um, this confidence is all brought by his good junior brother, close junior brother Cao Yang.

Most film companies in Hollywood dare not pit China Film Group, but it doesn't mean that cooperating with China Film Group will give China Film Group special treatment—not pitting you is already the greatest treatment for you.

Therefore, the investment share of China Film Group and the Youth Film Studio, what these investments can get, and what needs to be paid before the film is shot and released, all need to be negotiated.

During this period, Cao Yang called over Li Mingyi, the on-site assistant director he has always used, and Liu Shan, the actor assistant director.

Ning Hao is serving as Old Tian's assistant director shooting *Pieta*, and Cheng Jianye is representing Cao Yang, serving as the executive producer of *The Fault in Our Stars*, adapted from the novel *The Fault in Our Stars*.

After Li Mingyi and Liu Shan arrived in Los Angeles, Cao Yang, together with the executive producer sent by Disney, started casting.

When he first entered Hollywood, Cao Yang was very careful and cautious when casting for *Milk*, completely following Hollywood's rules.

Casting not only hired a professional casting company, but even for interviews, there had to be union people present, and he rarely contacted actors privately.

Now, it doesn't need to be so troublesome.

Hollywood's rules are for ordinary directors and producers to follow. This is also what Hollywood film companies want to see, which will prevent some bad things from happening to a certain extent.

But at Cao Yang's current status and influence, he can ignore all of this. Many links can be skipped directly, and no one will be full enough to jump out and question anything.

In Hollywood, as long as you are always successful, everything you do is right, and the film company will definitely escort you.

Jack Sparrow is definitely Depp's. He is the soul character of this film and also the key to the film's success.

Facts have already proven that relying solely on the little blacksmith and the female lead falling in love and going on an adventure "tour" will not achieve success. Viewers watching this type of film want to see not only adventure and big scenes, but also have certain requirements for the plot.

No one will like films that use the love line to drive the plot in fantasy blockbusters. Of course, sci-fi blockbusters won't work either. In this regard, the domestic *Shanghai Fortress* later also gave a demonstration.

Will Turner, the little blacksmith character, Cao Yang cut a lot of his scenes, so his positioning for this character is "male vase," so he must be handsome.

Furthermore, the actor of this character must have a certain fame, otherwise it won't be easy to act against Depp.

After careful consideration and combining the information collected, Cao Yang sent audition invitations to three people.

Casey Affleck, Ben Affleck's younger brother, had cooperated with Cao Yang and played the "boyfriend" hired by the male lead Milk in *Milk*.

This guy looked quite handsome when he was young, and his acting skills were also quite good. He later won the Oscar Best Actor for *Manchester by the Sea*.

*Manchester by the Sea* has already been written into *Cao Yang's Fantasy Journey* by Cao Yang.

The second is Chris Evans, the later Captain America. He doesn't have such great fame yet. The most famous film is *Fantastic Four* which has already been released, where he played Human Torch.

This guy is a little fresh meat now, at least in the cognition of American viewers, he is still very handsome, otherwise he wouldn't play Captain America.

The last audition was given to Jude Law, the "Jude Flower" before he went bald, very handsome and beautiful. Although his "flower" period was a bit short, the current Jude Law is at his "flower" period.

Jude Law was rated as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world in 2000. In 2004, he was still on this list, which shows his "beauty" is recognized.

Among these three candidates, in terms of status, only Jude Law is qualified to act against Depp. The status of the other two is still far behind.

However, when Cao Yang read a piece of information about Jude Law, his first reaction was that Jude Law had no hope—he joined Wong Kar-wai's first English film *My Blueberry Nights* in June this year.

As everyone knows, Wong Kar-wai's films are all shot in "years." Shooting a film in three or five years is a conventional operation.

However, the facts were again beyond Cao Yang's expectations.

According to the information given by Disney and the casting company, Jude Law had already finished shooting in August, which is to say, Wong Kar-wai's English film only took two months to complete shooting.

Oh, it turns out Wong Kar-wai can also shoot films normally!

It's really unexpected.

Cao Yang asked the person sent by the casting company with some curiosity. As a result, the person was even more surprised and said: "Actors sign contracts according to the plot and plan. The longest is to sign a two-month schedule for this film. If it exceeds the schedule, money must be added."

After being stunned for a moment, Cao Yang understood the meaning.

Oh, oh, Hollywood actors, under normal circumstances, sign contracts for how long the schedule is. If it exceeds the schedule, the remuneration must be recalculated, or they just won't act.

Of course, there are very few who just don't act. Otherwise, the reputation will collapse, and they will be labeled as "weirdo."

But, exceeding the schedule, adding money is certain, and the producer won't spoil the director. Maybe they will just change the director directly.

Therefore, Wong Kar-wai hasn't been powerful enough to let others adapt to his rhythm. When he shoots Hollywood films, he can only adapt to others' rules.

It's different when shooting films domestically. Even if it's International Zhang, she has to adapt to Wong Kar-wai's rhythm.

However, if it reaches Cao Yang's status and influence, there is no need to care about so much.

After *Milk* won ten Oscar nominations and won five awards: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Screenplay.

After this, whether it was *District 9* or *Inception*, when he signed contracts with actors, no actor or their agent would propose how long the schedule was.

Even if it was Leonardo's nominal guest appearance, what was signed was a part contract, not a schedule contract.

Fine, Hollywood's agency companies and actors also look at people to serve dishes and treat them differently.

For the female lead Elizabeth Swann, Cao Yang originally wanted to give this role to Anne Hathaway, but she was shooting *Becoming Jane*, which was controlled by Disney's subsidiary Miramax.

Cao Yang combined the information and his own understanding of Hollywood actresses and sent audition invitations to Natalie Portman and Eva Green.

Both are very suitable in age, and their looks also meet the public aesthetic.

Coincidentally, Natalie Portman is also one of the leads of Wong Kar-wai's *My Blueberry Nights* and currently has a schedule.

As for Eva Green, this person was quite amazing when she played Princess Sibylla of Jerusalem in *Kingdom of Heaven*, which was released last year.

It's quite coincidental that the male lead of this film is Orlando Bloom, the original male lead of *Pirates of the Caribbean*.

Cao Yang saw on the information that Eva Green also had a big IP that hadn't been released yet, the 007 series *Casino Royale*. She is now considered the new "Bond Girl."

In *Pirates of the Caribbean*, there is also a relatively special character, Hector Barbossa, the pirate leader who "loves and kills each other" with Captain Jack.

Compared to Captain Jack Sparrow, who calls himself a pirate captain but is actually a lone adventurer, this "betrayer" Hector Barbossa is more like a legendary pirate.

Looking at the first one alone, maybe you will feel that Hector Barbossa is a big villain, but after watching the third one, you will feel that Hector Barbossa is also a pirate with great charm.

Others don't know Cao Yang's plan, at most they know that Hector Barbossa is a big villain on the surface.

Therefore, when Cao Yang wanted to give this role to a Chinese person, even Disney CEO Robert Iger didn't object.

After all, this film is also considered a co-production. Giving a Chinese person an important role is nothing, and it's not two male leads.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 322 =====