“Jason, this movie, it's kind of like a farce.”
In the Warner Bros. film screening room, after everyone had watched the film, many had complex expressions. A powerful figure here expressed his opinion to Zheng Baicheng.
He didn't quite know how to describe the film. At first, the people in it, it was like they couldn't act, they really couldn't act, like a bunch of newbies, they acted very well. He had to admit that, and the director, well, looking at the credits, he should be the actual director, he acted with a bit of exaggeration, but this also laid the groundwork for the future. This movie expressed the director's obsession and his unscrupulous means for his career…
It has to be said that this is a film that uses the elements of a horror film to express a director's perseverance and love for filmmaking.
As for the young Chinese man in front of him, he could be said to be still a bit young. He… should be an adult, right? But that's okay. This film should be released to test the waters. It's a different genre.
Especially the last scene, the contrast between the blood and the director's 狂喜 gave him some anticipation for how the film would perform once it was released.
While this powerful figure from the acquisition department was scrutinizing Zheng Baicheng, the latter was actually still very nervous. As far as he knew, none of these Western capitalists were good people. Moreover, they had just been taught a lesson by the mainland a dozen years ago. And, judging from the words just now, “like a farce”, he knew their impression wasn't very good.
“However, we can release this film for you, but we have to take a big risk. If we follow the normal process, I think it's too high. We need to talk about this in detail. Please come with me to the conference room.”
This gave Zheng Baicheng a feeling of immense joy and excitement, as if he had won a big prize. He took Amanda and Hans with him to the conference room, leaving Lin Xiaohua at home.
Once they were in the conference room and everyone had taken their seats, the other party said, “Let's get to know each other again. Tom, acquisition manager.”
“Oh, Jason, that's my English name.” Zheng Baicheng hadn't expected the other party to introduce himself so formally. It also surprised Amanda next to him.
After reintroducing themselves to each other, Tom continued, “Let's get started. Actually, I don't know if your film will be accepted by the audience, but we're still willing to give it a try.”
Tom said this for a reason. They needed a good performance right now, and this gave Zheng Baicheng a big advantage. Hollywood films had gone through a bad period, a very bad period. Many film companies were almost on the verge of collapse, and Warner Bros. was no exception. This year, Warner Bros. was going to be acquired. This was the time for Hollywood films to transform, and his strange film was exactly what they needed.
Early North American films were based on a guaranteed profit system, just like Hong Kong now, and even more so, it was a major studio system. Shaw Brothers was a typical example of the major studio system, and many of their practices were learned from the West, only Shaw Brothers was more stingy and petty.
Now, film stars are basically closely connected to big people, just like the sex goddess.
At this time, a woman's talent for bargaining began to come in handy. Naturally, Zheng Baicheng took a back seat and started chatting with Tom, the acquisition manager.
“May I ask, are you an adult this year?”
Manager Tom was a little curious. Although, in the eyes of their Westerners, Chinese people all look the same, sometimes their age is hard to tell.
Zheng Baicheng didn't expect him to ask this question. He was a little embarrassed and said, “I'm seventeen this year.” He shrugged, indicating that it wasn't his decision.
“Wow, Jason, that's amazing. What was I doing at your age? I think I was still in school, hitting on girls.” When Tom learned that Zheng Baicheng was only seventeen, it sparked his interest. He hadn't expected that youngsters in Hong Kong were so wild.
“I wish I was like you, at this time, in school, competing with other people my age for attention. That's what a teenager should be like.” Zheng Baicheng was helpless. He did want to be like Tom, but his situation was special.
“Wow, Jason, you seem like you've got a lot of stories.”
“Heh… My grades are terrible, and I'm a creative person at heart. At first, I wrote novels. Later, in Hong Kong, you probably don't know, that place is too small, it can't contain my boundless creative passion, so I had to come out, for my dream.” He had to establish his persona, someone with a dream, everyone is unique.
This conversation led them to talk about movies, wanting to know how he came up with the idea for the movie and where he got his inspiration. The two talked very enthusiastically, and suddenly Tom thought of something.
“You're a creative person, you write novels?”
“Yes, I'm also a writer.” At this moment, Zheng Baicheng was very proud. He felt that being a writer was a universally recognized card in the world.
Tom was truly surprised at this moment and immediately asked, “Wow, what novels did you write? I'm curious.”
“I have a few novels that have been published, War Between the Planets, My Alien Friend, The Game in the Age of Famine, Back to the Future, Butterfly Wings, The Adventures of Indiana Jones. They're all on the market. If I knew you liked novels, I should have brought them.”
“Wait a minute, Jason.”
Tom got up and went out. He came back soon, holding many books in his hand, and then said very formally, “Jason, can you sign these for me? I'm a fan of your work. You write so well, especially this one, Butterfly Wings. Is this a commentary on this Back to the Future? It's written so beautifully…”
While Tom was talking incessantly, the negotiations came to a halt. Everyone looked at the excited Tom, wondering what he was doing.
“OMG, I actually met a fan of mine, and a complete set at that. I'm so happy.” Since coming to North America, Zheng Baicheng hadn't learned anything else, but he had learned to speak like them, and he spoke very much like them.
“Haha… I didn't expect that my curiosity would lead me to meet you. I didn't expect that you could be such a genius in a place like Hong Kong. It's written so well here.”
Only then did everyone know that their manager was a fan of the young Chinese man in front of them, and it seemed like his books were really good.