lovenovelstory Chapter 74 Two-pronged Approach
Chapter 74 Two-pronged Approach
Los Angeles, Century City, Fox Searchlight Pictures headquarters.
Although it was midday, the typical California sunlight was completely blocked out of the office by the huge blinds.
Roger Sutherland slammed a thick document onto the table with a dull thud.
Sitting behind the desk was Pete Rice, senior vice president of Fox Searchlight.
As a core label under 20th Century Fox specializing in independent films, art films, and award-contending films, Searchlight Pictures has been a dominant force in Hollywood award seasons in recent years.
From "Million Dollar Baby" (co-released with Warner Bros.), which won four awards including Best Picture at the Oscars the year before last, to "Side Step," the dark horse that swept major film critic associations during last year's awards season and finally won Best Original Screenplay at the Kodak Theatre.
Fox Searchlight has almost perfectly figured out the tastes of the old judges at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, becoming one of Hollywood's top Oscar harvesters.
"Roger, if you're here today just to secure Fox investment for your rising Chinese-American star, Lin, then I have to say you're being a bit too hasty."
"The filming of 'The Devil Wears Prada' in Manhattan was indeed stunning, but you have to understand that before the fashion world has proven its box office appeal to theaters, Big Six is unlikely to give his second film the green light."
"Pitt, don't try to fob me off with those platitudes you give newcomers. Your Searchlight Pictures auditing department knows better than anyone how meticulously Lin controls production costs in Manhattan and how well he leverages the funds of major luxury goods giants. He's not just an artist who spends money; he's a born super producer."
Roger braced his hands on the table, leaning forward, his shrewd little eyes gleaming with the keenness of a top Hollywood hound.
"Moreover, what I've brought this time isn't the kind of mass-produced popcorn movies that Fox is used to, nor is it a sentimental piece with a touch of middle-class warmth like 'Side Step,' which you just won an award for."
Roger stretched out his finger and tapped hard on the copyright agreement on the table that read "Dallas Buyers Club".
"This is a truly hardcore, realistic subject that could help Searchlight win that Oscar at the Kodak Theatre next year or the year after."
"AIDS, illegal drugs, homosexuality, transgender people, FDA corruption allegations. Roger, are you sure this is a project handed to you by that young director who made 'The Devil Wears Prada'?"
Although Searchlight Pictures is affiliated with Fox, it is naturally more willing to tackle sensitive topics than traditional big studios. Even so, the subject matter of "Dallas Buyers Club" was still too risky.
AIDS-themed films are inherently weak at the box office, and homosexual elements are more likely to spark controversy.
Furthermore, content such as "fighting the FDA" could easily cause trouble for both pharmaceutical companies and the media if not handled carefully.
At the same time, outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing, China, in the headquarters office of Huayi Brothers.
Compared to the high-pressure and calm business atmosphere of Los Angeles, the air here is filled with a strong smell of Cuban cigars and tobacco.
At that time, Huayi did not yet have the magnificent independent office building that it would later build, but this floor next to the Kunlun Hotel was enough to demonstrate its status among private film and television companies in China.
The eldest son, Wang Zhongjun, sat behind his desk, holding a cigar and looking thoughtful, while the youngest son, Wang Zhonglei, paced back and forth in the office.
On the sofa sat Feng Xiaogang, the pillar of Huayi Brothers today.
Feng Xiaogang slammed the newspaper on the table, a cigarette dangling from his mouth:
"These media outlets are really good at exaggerating now."
The front page of the newspaper featured a photo of Lin Ruiyang on set in New York: "Hollywood's rising director returns to China, potentially altering the landscape of the domestic film industry."
Feng Xiaogang took a drag of his cigarette, leaned back on the sofa, and chuckled self-deprecatingly: "A couple of years ago, people said that Zhang Yimou's 'Hero' ushered in the era of Chinese blockbusters, all because they were counting on period dramas to make money off foreigners in US dollars."
And what happened? This year, this young man in his early twenties is teaching Hollywood how to make fashion films right here in Manhattan, and even Meryl Streep has to listen to him obediently.
"We're stuck here every day pondering tunnel warfare, Eighth Route Army soldiers, and ordinary citizens; in the eyes of the six major American film studios, we might really just be a workshop."
"Xiao Gang, don't dampen your spirits." Wang Zhongjun flicked his cigar ash, his expression still relatively calm.
"Your film 'A World Without Thieves' was the box office champion last year. In China, audiences only recognize your name. No matter how successful Lin Ruiyang is abroad, in China, which theater chain, distributor, or media outlet wasn't built by Huayi Brothers?"
Wang Zhonglei walked to the liquor cabinet and poured himself half a glass of whiskey.
"But this kid is really something. He broke into Hollywood and even got Fox to pave the way for him. You can't find another one like him in Asia, let alone in China."
Feng Xiaogang leaned back on the sofa, a cigarette between his fingers, and remained silent.
He actually understood better than anyone what this "momentum" meant.
Feng Xiaogang suddenly spoke up: "You want to collaborate with him?"
"Nonsense." Wang Zhonglei sat back down on the sofa.
"If you don't build relationships with these kinds of people beforehand, it will be too late to make connections once they've really gained influence."
Wang Zhongjun looked at Feng Xiaogang: "Xiaogang, Huayi Brothers is currently seeking a listing. We need the veneer of internationalization to fool Wall Street and the domestic capital market."
Lin Ruiyang holds the reins of Fox and European luxury capital. If they can tie him to Huayi Brothers' coattails, any humiliation he faces today can be recouped many times over in the stock market tomorrow.
Feng Xiaogang exhaled a puff of smoke, chuckled, and looked somewhat wistful: "Well, capitalists are quick to calculate."
"Capitalists don't do accounting. Do they expect the popcorn machines in movie theaters to magically generate money?" Wang Zhongjun smirked self-deprecatingly, placing the half-smoked cigar on the rim of the crystal ashtray.
"Now that Lin Ruiyang has returned to China, he's a golden brand in the industry. Xiao Lei, you just said Zhao Kai called the Beijing Film Academy, what did that kid say?"
Wang Zhonglei took a big gulp of wine, then spread his hands with a hint of helplessness: "He's very polite, calling me Director Zhao all the time and saying he'll give his regards to President Wang. But the underlying meaning is very clear. He's using the excuse that he's still jet-lagged and needs a couple of days to talk. Brother, this kid is just putting on airs with us; it's obviously for show."
"The fact that he's leaving us hanging shows that he has bigger plans in mind. If he had rushed over to the dinner right after getting off the plane, I would have suspected that he was just a figurehead at Fox."
A shrewd glint flashed in Wang Zhongjun's eyes.
"Xiaogang, Huayi is going public, and we can't rely on you alone." Wang Zhongjun's tone was unusually lower.
"Lin Ruiyang's brand is not useful in the domestic market for the time being, and Hollywood films have nothing to do with Huayi Brothers. But what about his next project? He can't work for Hollywood forever. He has his own production company in China, and sooner or later he will have to come back to China to develop projects."
Feng Xiaogang leaned back on the sofa, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled: "You two, do you want me to sound him out for you?"
Wang Zhongjun glanced at him, knowing what his old partner was thinking. From "The Dream Factory" to "A World Without Thieves," Feng Xiaogang almost single-handedly carried half of Huayi Brothers' business.
But now, a young man in his early twenties has returned from Hollywood and, in less than two years, has mastered the ins and outs of the international market better than anyone else.
"You are the pillar of Huayi Brothers." Wang Zhonglei picked up his whiskey glass and raised it towards him.
"If you step in, he won't see it as a business negotiation; he'll just treat it as two directors having a chat. He's made art films, and so have you; he's made commercial films, and so have you—you two have plenty to talk about."
"Alright, but let me make this clear first: if he doesn't want to be associated with Huayi, I won't force him."