lovenovelstory Chapter 78 2012 Angle Set
Chapter 78 2012 Angle Set
Chapter 77: The Angle is Set in 2012 (Seeking First Subscriptions for 7 Updates)
On September 19, just as Jiang Yu was about to put his coffee cup to his lips, Yang Siwei pushed open the door and came in, carrying documents in her hands.
"President Jiang," she said in a low voice, "Director Zhang Yimou and actress Gong Li are in the meeting room. They didn't make an appointment; they said they were just passing by and wanted to come up for a chat."
Jiang Yu almost choked on his coffee.
"Passing by?" He put down his cup. The probability of Zhang Yimou and Gong Li passing by this place was probably about the same as when he passed by the Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum in Shaanxi.
"How many people?"
"Just the two of them. Director Zhang was carrying a gift box." Yang Siwei paused for a moment. "The security guards said they drove here themselves, without an assistant, and parked in the visitor parking space in the underground garage."
Jiang Yu put down his coffee cup and straightened his shirt cuffs: "Arrange for me to stay in meeting room number one and bring out the box of Pu'er tea that I've been keeping."
in addition----"
He glanced at his watch. "Inform Zhou Mu that the morning report will be postponed to 10:30."
"OK."
Five minutes later, Jiang Yu pushed open the door to the No. 1 meeting room.
Zhang Yi and Gong Li were standing by the window, looking down at the traffic on the East Third Ring Road.
Hearing the door open, the two turned around.
Jiang Yu's first reaction was: These two people's aura could really turn a business meeting room into a Cannes red carpet event.
Today, Zhang Yimou wore a dark gray Chinese-style stand-up collar shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows. The rattan gift box he was carrying was hexagonal, with the character "福" (fortune) woven from bamboo strips.
"Director Zhang, Ms. Gong Li," Jiang Yu greeted them with a handshake, "Why didn't you call ahead? I could have made arrangements for your arrival."
"Oh, I was just passing by." Zhang Yi's voice was still very distinctive. He smiled and held up the gift box. "A friend sent this Lao Ban Zhang tea directly from the tea mountains in Yunnan. He said it was the first flush of ancient trees from 05. I tasted it and thought it was good. I thought Mr. Jiang knows tea, so I brought it over to taste together."
Jiang Yu quickly calculated in his mind: the straight-line distance from New Picture to China World Trade Center is fifteen kilometers, with most of Beijing in between.
Gong Li wore a light beige suit today, the simple cut of which perfectly outlined her figure.
"Ms. Jiang, I apologize for bothering you." Her voice was slightly lower than on screen, with a certain sandy quality. "It's just a small gift, nothing special."
She handed over the dark blue velvet jewelry box.
When Jiang Yu took it, the box felt heavy.
The three exchanged pleasantries for a while, and the atmosphere relaxed.
At that moment, a young woman from the administration department gently pushed open the door and brought in a tea set.
The young girl moved carefully, placing the tea set on the coffee table before quietly leaving.
"A fine tea set." Zhang Yimou was an expert. He picked up a fragrance cup and examined it closely. "The glaze is clear and bright, and the blue and white glaze is deep and rich. It is an official kiln piece from the Yongzheng period."
"Director Zhang has a good eye." Jiang Yu began warming the cup, adding tea leaves, waking the tea, and brewing it, his movements fluid and graceful. "Please."
The three raised their glasses.
Upon tasting the tea, the rich orchid fragrance explodes in the mouth, followed by a lingering sweet aftertaste.
"It is indeed top-grade ancient tree material." Jiang Yu closed his eyes and tasted it. "The tree is at least three hundred years old, and the harvest time should be around three days before or after Qingming Festival. This tea would cost about this much per cake on the market now."
He made an "eight" gesture.
"Eighty thousand?" Gong Li raised an eyebrow.
"Eighty." Jiang Yu put down his cup. "And it's priceless. Director Zhang's gift is far too generous."
Zhang waved his hand: "Tea is for people to drink. Even the best tea is a waste if it's locked in a safe."
He paused for a moment before finally getting to the point, "Actually, I came today for two reasons: first, to offer tea and express my gratitude, and second, to discuss a project with Mr. Jiang."
Jiang Yu understood the situation, but remained calm on the surface: "Please speak."
Zhang took out a kraft paper folder from his handbag. The folder was thick, indicating that it contained a lot of contents. The corners were covered with densely packed colorful sticky notes.
"The Flowers of War." He opened the folder, pulled out the first thirty pages of the script, and a stack of hand-drawn concept sketches. "I've been working on the script for two years for the adaptation of Yan Geling's novel."
Jiang Yu took it and quickly flipped through it.
The margins of the script pages were filled with handwritten annotations.
Zhang Yimou's handwriting is very distinctive, with strong and vigorous strokes.
The annotations were varied: "The lighting here should be cold and gloomy," "The color of the cheongsam should be faded but not vulgar," "The fear of a female student should be innocent, while the fear of a prostitute should be weathered and worn."
The concept sketches were drawn with charcoal, the lines wild yet precise: a dilapidated church dome, a blood-stained cheongsam hem, a desolate winter street in Nanjing, and thirteen pairs of embroidered shoes of different shapes.
"Nanjing, 1937." Zhang Yimou's voice lowered. "A church, thirteen prostitutes, a group of female students, several wounded soldiers, and a fake priest. The Japanese wanted to come in and arrest the female students, so the prostitutes dressed up in the students' clothes and died in their place."
He spoke succinctly, and Jiang Yu continued to flip through the pages.
"I wanted to capture that sense of realism," Zhang Yimou continued. "Not just simple gunfire, but the despair of the entire city. The collapsing buildings, the burning streets, the fleeing crowds, the winter fog—all of these require a lot of special effects. Especially the war scenes, I didn't want just 'bang bang bang,' I wanted that—a sense of oppression. You know? It's that suffocating sense of oppression that the audience feels when watching it."
He looked at Jiang Yu: "There aren't many teams in China capable of creating war special effects of this caliber. I've watched the destruction effects and physics simulations that Light & Shadow Digital created in 'The Witch' at least ten times. Especially the scene where the car crashes into the newsstand—the trajectory of the shattered glass, the angle at which the newspapers fly, the speed at which the sign falls—it's all so realistic. So I wanted to ask, do you take on historical war projects like this?"
Jiang Yu did not answer immediately.
He picked up his teacup and took another sip, using this action to buy himself some time to think.
Of course he knew about "The Flowers of War".
The film "Past Life" was released in 2011. It was said to have an investment of 600 million yuan and became the highest-grossing Chinese film of the year, but it also sparked huge controversy.
The film's special effects were indeed well done, but from his current perspective, there is still a lot of room for improvement; especially the crowd simulation and large-scale destruction scenes, for which domestic technology was indeed limited at the time.
"Technically, there's no problem." Jiang Yu put down his teacup. "For this kind of historical subject, we need to do a lot of research. The architectural style of Nanjing in 1937, the brick and tile structures, the types of wood, even the styles of rickshaws on the streets at that time, the fonts on the shop signs—"
Every detail must be based on evidence. This will significantly increase upfront research and development costs and time.
"Money is not a problem," Zhang Yi said readily. "New Pictures will fully invest; as long as the results are good, the budget is negotiable. As for the timeline—"
I hope filming can begin the year after next, so pre-production work on special effects should ideally start by the end of this year.
"Then we can do a technical rehearsal first." Jiang Yu had an idea. "Choose a few key scenarios, such as a church being shelled, streets being burned, and people fleeing. We'll create a 30-second test clip. After you see the effect, we can discuss the specific cooperation method and budget."
"Great!" Zhang Yi smiled, clearly relieved. "I like working with people who know their stuff. It's settled then. I'll have the production manager connect with your team."
At this moment, Gong Li gently put down her teacup.
"President Jiang," Gong Li said calmly, "Actually, I have another favor to ask of you today."
coming.
Jiang Yu thought to himself, "The real show is about to begin."
"Please speak."
"I heard that Light Chaser Pictures' '2012' still has two main roles uncast?" Gong Li's gaze was fixed on Jiang Yu, her eyes, which could express a thousand kinds of charm on the screen, now filled with undisguised longing. "It's that divorced couple, the novelist and his ex-wife?"
Jiang Yu's heart skipped a beat.
This news should have only circulated among senior executives of the three investors: Universal, Lionsgate, and Light Chaser Animation.
The casting plan was only finalized last week, and today is Friday.
Gong Li's connections are indeed impressive.
"There are indeed two roles," Jiang Yu admitted. "The casting decision isn't entirely in our hands. Director Roland Emmerich, Universal, and Lionsgate, as the main investors, will also recommend candidates. Light Chaser Animation Studios, as the Chinese investor and visual effects provider, does have two nomination slots, but—ultimately, it has to pass the director's approval."
Gong Li's expression remained unchanged; she had clearly considered this issue beforehand and may even have rehearsed how to respond.
"So I'm willing to lower my salary," she said decisively, "to $200 million."
The office was silent for a few seconds.
Even Zhang Yimou turned his head and glanced at her.
Gong Li's current international film salary, if she is the leading actress, is at least 500 million US dollars.
If it's an art film, which she excels at, the price might be even higher.
200 million, that's practically a rock-bottom price.
"And I can join the team three months in advance," Gong Li continued, "to receive professional medical training, learn disaster first aid knowledge, and even work in a real emergency room. Whatever it takes."
"
She paused, then offered another bargaining chip: "My box office appeal in Europe and Asia is proven by data. If '2012' wants to perform better in these markets, my involvement will help—"
She didn't finish speaking, but Jiang Yu understood.
Gong Li's status in European art circles is almost equivalent to that of a top-tier actress.
After "Farewell My Concubine" won an award at Cannes, she was hailed by the French film industry as "the Marlene Dietrich of the East".
If she stars in it, the screenings and promotional resources for "2012" in France will definitely be significantly boosted.
Zhang Yi chimed in at the opportune moment: "President Jiang, Gong Li is genuinely trying to win this time. She's been wanting to break into the North American market for the past few years, but she's been lacking a significant international project."
As he spoke, he glanced at Gong Li, his expression complex: "She prepared for this role for a long time."
Jiang Yu tapped his fingers lightly on the sofa armrest.
He did consider Gong Li.
The age is suitable; the ex-wife is set at around 40 years old, and Gong Li is 43 years old this year, which is just right.
His acting skills are beyond question, and he also has international recognition.
More importantly, having a mainland-born actress play the female lead in such a Hollywood blockbuster is itself a publicity stunt.
Just as Jiang Yu was about to continue, there was a gentle knock on the door of the reception room.
Yang Siwei pushed the door open and came in, his expression even more subtle than before: "President Jiang, um—Brother Cheng Long is in the lobby downstairs. He said he was filming GG nearby and came to visit you on his way."
Jiang Yu: "————"
Zhang Yimou and Gong Li exchanged a glance, both showing an expression of "I knew it."
"Please invite Brother Cheng Long up here," Jiang Yu said to Yang Siwei, then looked at the other two with a wry smile, "My little company is truly honored today."
Zhang Yi laughed: "Brother Long's nose is still as sharp as ever."
Two minutes later, Jackie Chan and his agent Willie Chan rushed in.
His outfit today was quite interesting: a white T-shirt, a distressed brown leather jacket over it, dark blue jeans, and white sneakers.
Although he is 54 years old, his vitality is palpable.
"President Jiang! Wait, Director Zhang? Gong Li? You're here too!" Jackie Chan exclaimed with delight, his acting so natural it could rival an Oscar for Best Actor. "What a coincidence!"
Zhang Yimou smiled, stood up, and shook hands with him: "Jackie Chan, long time no see. Was the last time we met at the Hong Kong Film Awards?"
"Right, right, the year you won Best Director!" Jackie Chan patted Zhang Yimou on the shoulder, then turned to Gong Li, "Gong Li, you're getting younger and younger! How do you maintain your youthful appearance?"
Gong Li also stood up and gave him a gentle hug: "Brother Long, please don't make fun of me. Your skills are what you call youthful."
The three exchanged pleasantries, and the scene briefly resembled a guest lounge at a film festival.
Jiang Yu watched from the side, finding it amusing.
These three represent three different eras and directions in Chinese cinema: Zhang Yimou is the banner of the Fifth Generation of directors, Gong Li is an oriental symbol on the international film scene, and Jackie Chan is a global icon of popular culture, breaking down cultural barriers with kung fu and laughter.
Now, they are all gathered in their reception room.
"Sit down, sit down, don't stand." Jackie Chan sat down on the sofa as if they were old friends, glanced at the tea set, script, and concept sketches on the coffee table, and then asked, "Did I interrupt your business?"
"We're discussing casting for '2012'," Gong Li stated directly, looking at Jackie Chan with a half-smile. "Is this why you're here, Big Brother?"
Jackie Chan laughed heartily and didn't try to hide anything: "Since Gong Li is being so direct, I'll get straight to the point. Mr. Jiang, I heard the male lead for '2012' hasn't been cast yet?"
Jiang Yu sighed inwardly.
What's going on today? The intelligence networks of these bigwigs are incredibly efficient; the CIA should really learn from them.
"It's not finalized yet," he said. "There are quite a few candidates. Hollywood has made many recommendations, and we've also been in contact with actors from Europe."
The director wanted an actor who embodied the spirit of an ordinary father, yet could unleash tremendous energy in times of crisis.
"I think I'm perfect for it!" Jackie Chan patted his chest, his muscles still clearly defined beneath his T-shirt. "A novelist, divorced, with two children, trying to save his family during a disaster; I can relate to this kind of character. And at my age, playing this kind of weathered father role is just right."
He paused, his smile fading, and his tone became serious: "Mr. Jiang, I wanted to use 'The Forbidden Kingdom' from earlier this year to make a comeback in Hollywood, but as you know—the box office was barely passable, and the reviews were mediocre. This time, '2012' is an opportunity, a true Hollywood A-list production, a budget of two hundred million US dollars, with global distribution. I need this role."
Chen Ziqiang added from the side, his tone as professional as if he were at a negotiating table: "President Jiang, Brother Long has come with the utmost sincerity this time. As for his salary, we can lower it to $500 million, which is more than half of his normal Hollywood salary. Moreover, the Jackie Chan Stunt Team can be on set the whole time, responsible for all action design and stunt direction, without extra fees. If the film requires it, we can also coordinate shooting resources."
This offer is indeed tempting.
Jackie Chan's international film salary, if he is the lead actor, is usually between 1000 million and 1500 million US dollars.
500 million is a genuine "friendship price". And the Jackie Chan Stunt Team goes without saying; they're the gold standard of Chinese action films, and countless Hollywood directors want to work with them but can't get a turn.
The problem remains the same.
"Brother Jackie Chan, Teacher Gong Li," Jiang Yu glanced at the two, deciding to be frank, "If the male and female leads of '2012' were both Chinese actors, the director might worry that the film would become an Asian-only production," losing its universal appeal in the global market. This isn't about salaries or acting skills; it's about market positioning. Hollywood films typically feature white leads, and that's not a coincidence."
Cheng Long and Gong Li exchanged a glance.
Both of them have worked in the international film industry for many years, so they naturally understand this principle.
During her years in Hollywood, the best roles Gong Li received were only supporting roles or special appearances.
Although Jackie Chan opened up the market with kung fu comedies, he has only starred in a handful of major Hollywood films.
"What if—" Jackie Chan stroked his chin, a habitual gesture when he was thinking, "What if we weren't playing a Chinese person, but an American of Chinese descent? The character would be a Chinese American who has lived in the US for many years, culturally Westernized, and would display Eastern family values and a spirit of sacrifice during the disaster. This way, we retain our features without making it seem out of place to international audiences."
Gong Li nodded: "I can accept this setting. In fact, many Asian actors who have developed in Hollywood play roles with ambiguous cultural backgrounds. The key is to make the character believable and to make the audience believe it."
Jiang Yu pondered; this was indeed one of the solutions he and Huanqiu had discussed.
2012 is about a global disaster, and the characters come from all over the world.
The fact that Jackson and Kate are portrayed as American citizens of Chinese descent makes perfect sense in the storyline.
But to convince him, we need more leverage.
Zhang Yi suddenly spoke up, making a startling statement: "President Jiang, if Gong Li can get this role, I can reserve the lead role in my future films for candidates recommended by Light Chaser Pictures."
He paused, and seeing that Jiang Yu didn't react, he added, "It's not just 'The Flowers of War.' I have several other projects in the works:
"Key roles in projects like an art film and a '14 Blades' drama can be collaborated on."
These words carried such weight that they could crush a coffee table.
Zhang Yimou's movies are the kind of movies that countless actors would kill to get on.
His promise is tantamount to allocating creative resources for the next three to five years to Light Chaser Animation.
This is not just about "giving someone a role," it's a strategic partnership.
Seeing this, Cheng Long immediately followed.
He winked at Chen Ziqiang, who understood and took out three folders from his briefcase, spreading them out on the coffee table.
"Mr. Jiang, these are three documents." Chen Ziqiang's voice was calm and professional. "The first document is a summary of Brother Long's box office data in major Asian markets since he entered the film industry. It includes countries such as Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The data is updated to August of this year."
Jiang Yu opened it, and inside were densely packed tables and charts.
Jackie Chan's films have grossed over $3 million in Japan, over $2.5 million in South Korea, and over $5 million across Southeast Asian countries combined.
Behind these numbers are real movie theater seats and audience attendance.
"The second document," Chen Ziqiang opened the second folder, "is a case study of collaborations between the Jackie Chan Stunt Team and Hollywood crews. It includes action design analyses of films such as the Rush Hour series, The Karate Kid, and The Spy Next Door. We've compiled the methodology by which the Jackie Chan Stunt Team combines Chinese martial arts aesthetics with Hollywood filming techniques."
This material is more professional, containing storyboards, motion breakdown photos, mechanics analysis diagrams, and even printed copies of several video screenshots.
"The third document," Chen Ziqiang opened the last folder. This page contained the simplest information, just one sheet of paper. "It's a list of Brother Long's distribution network in Southeast Asia. It includes contact information and cooperation history for major cinema chains, distribution companies, and local partners in each country. If Brother Long stars in '2012,' these resources can all be used to promote the film in Southeast Asia. We can guarantee that the screening rate will be at least 15% higher than that of a regular Hollywood film."
Jiang Yu was shocked as he looked at the three documents.
This is no longer "asking for roles," it's laying bare all its resources, telling you: choose me, and I can bring you these real resources.
Four people, eight pairs of eyes, all focused on Jiang Yu.
The tea had gone cold, and no one touched it.
Looking at the scene before him, Jiang Yu suddenly felt a sense of surrealism.
Before his rebirth, as a special effects boss, he had seen too many actors grovel and fawn over directors and producers for their roles.
Like today, two international superstars and a national-level director sit together, each bringing out their most valuable resources to negotiate:
Such a scene is rarely seen even in the offices of Hollywood's top producers.
This isn't simply "I want this role," it's "I deserve this role, and I can bring added value to this project."
It is a business negotiation, a resource exchange, and a strategic cooperation.
Jiang Yu picked up the now-cold tea and took a sip. It was bitter, but the aftertaste was even more pronounced.
He paused for a moment, then said, "I appreciate your sincerity. I will take you to Los Angeles to discuss this with Universal, Lionsgate, and Roland Emmerich. At the same time, I will fully present the resources of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, the Southeast Asian distribution network, and the sincerity of the two actors who are willing to lower their salaries to the director and investors."
He looked at the two men and said solemnly, "I can't guarantee it will work out. The final decision rests with Universal and Lionsgate, who will also have their own considerations. I can only promise that I will do my best to push it through. If they insist on using white actors—then we will have to accept it."
"That's enough!" Cheng Long immediately stood up, extended his hand, and said, "President Jiang, thank you! Whether it works out or not, I'll remember this favor! Please feel free to ask for help in the future!"
Gong Li also stood up and solemnly shook hands with Jiang Yu.
Her hands were cold, but her grip was firm: "Mr. Jiang, you can decide the time and place for the audition; I'm ready to cooperate at any time. Also—thank you for giving us this opportunity."
Zhang Yi finally stood up and patted Jiang Yu on the shoulder.
He didn't speak, but his gesture contained many things: recognition, entrustment, and a sense of generational transition.