China Entertainment: Great directors start by winning actresses

Chapter 326 Yang Mi's Tricks

"The budget cost is calculated at 75 million. Kyoto Television Drama Art Center contributed 20 million, plus Director Zheng's 5 million director's fee, so they now account for one-third of the share." Zhang Yuxia said as she paid attention to Su Zhe's progress in reading the contract.

Su Zhe quickly browsed the contents of the contract and nodded from time to time to show his understanding.

One third, twenty-five million.

After reading the contract, Su Zhe found that there was no problem with the content, so he stood up, took Zhang Yuxia out of the reading area and walked into the meeting room.

The two parties formally signed the contract in a solemn and serious atmosphere.

"Director Zheng, do you have any plans regarding the shooting schedule?" Su Zhe turned to Zheng Long and asked his question.

Zheng Long barely hesitated before answering, "We plan to start filming next month, as we still have some costumes and props to prepare.

The entire shooting period is expected to be four to five months. Because it includes both summer and winter scenes, autumn and winter are the most suitable seasons for shooting.”

Su Zhe nodded in agreement.

He turned to look at Director Liu and continued, "Director Liu, regarding the funding, you will need to advance the initial 20 million, and our company's funds will follow later."

After hearing this, Director Liu just nodded slightly, indicating that he understood and accepted the arrangement.

Zheng Long smiled and said lightly, "After Director Su's movie was released, the profit was at least several billion. It's really enviable. Do you still need this little money?"

Su Zhe laughed and responded, "Director Zheng, don't say that. My business is too big and I need money everywhere. You are a senior with a lot of experience. Why don't you try to enter the film industry?"

Zheng Long shook his head and said frankly, "I want to do that, but unfortunately the TV industry and the film industry are completely different.

Hundreds of movies are shot every year, but not many actually make it to the theater, and even fewer make any money.

I can count them on my hands, and it’s really daunting.”

It turns out that the older generation is more stable.

"Honey, I'm going out." It was a new day. Liu Shishi dressed up exquisitely and kissed Su Zhe on the cheek before leaving.

Su Zhe urged: "Study hard, there are many things worth learning from this large-scale crew. Remember to communicate more with Producer Wang and ask him for advice."

Although the filming of "The Story of Niu Hulu in the Harem" will not start until next month, as the real producer, Liu Shishi needs to take up the post in advance and devote herself to the busy preparatory work.

There were many complicated preparations before the crew started filming, including costumes, props, and venue selection and rental, all of which required her to coordinate personally.

In addition, the crew's budget and fund use are also important aspects that she needs to strictly control.

Money, as the producer's first priority, requires her to be thrifty and ensure that every penny is spent wisely.

For a large crew, the pre-production work is numerous and complicated, and must be prepared in advance to ensure smooth filming.

So, Liu Shishi started to get busy. She followed the company's Wang Minjun to learn the various responsibilities of a producer.

Although she knew nothing about it, she was willing to make efforts to learn in order to support Su Zhe.

In the entertainment industry, producers play an extremely important role, far surpassing actors and even directors in some aspects, second only to investment companies.

"Okay, one more kiss." When Su Zhe made this request before leaving, Liu Shishi agreed with a smile on her face.

She kissed Su Zhe again reluctantly, and then prepared to leave.

"No, it's not good to have your clothes messed up."

However, at this moment, Su Zhe became more and more demanding and wanted more intimacy.

Liu Shishi felt the man's impulse. Although she was also moved, she knew that she might lose control if she continued like this, so she quickly pushed Su Zhe away and fled the scene in a hurry.

"Haha." Su Zhe's hearty laughter came from behind, echoing in the air and spreading far away.

Since the woman was not around, Su Zhe focused more on the TV drama script and spent two days finally completing it.

Some of the plots that don't fit China's situation need to be modified, and finally perfected.

"Hello, Da Mi Mi." In the afternoon, Su Zhe received a call from Yang Mi.

Her voice was a little naughty and playful, "Director Su, I heard that you are going to film with a little star again?"

Su Zhe was stunned on the other end of the phone and asked in surprise: "What? How did you know? I just discussed it with China Film not long ago."

Yang Mi laughed on the other end of the phone: "So, Director Su, are you going to invite me to act?"

Su Zhe then realized that there really was no secret in the entertainment industry and that things moved so quickly that even the news on the Internet had already spread.

As for whether Yang Mi should come back to attend the celebration banquet, he thought about it and said, "Don't. It's too tiring for you to run back and forth. I'll feel bad. You should just stay in Hengdian and film well. Finish filming as soon as possible and come back. I won't be filming this drama in the short term. I've just filed a case."

Yang Mi on the other end of the phone was silent for a while, then said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

Su Zhe couldn't help laughing when he heard this: "Hh, be obedient."

"Is Da Tiantian not at home?" Yang Mi suddenly asked a question.

Su Zhe was a little surprised: "How do you know?"

Yang Mi smiled smugly on the other end of the phone: "Hehe. If she were at home, you would never dare to talk to me like this, you philandering man with lustful intentions but no guts."

Su Zhe shook his head helplessly: "Do I have the guts? When you come back, I'll let you see for yourself."

Yang Mi said provocatively: "Humph, I'm not afraid of you."

Su Zhe responded with a smile: "Really? Then we'll see, Little Red Riding Hood."

Yang Mi also smiled: "Big Bad Wolf, I'll wait. Bye, goodbye."

After hanging up the phone, Su Zhe still had a smile on his face and was in a particularly good mood.

In an ancient palace crew at Hengdian World Studios, an actor's lounge is filled with the faint scent of tea and the charm of ancient costumes.

Yang Mi was wearing a gorgeous ancient female costume. She had just hung up the phone with Su Zhe. She curled her lips slightly and muttered quietly, "A philandering man."

Then, she thought about it and changed Su Zhe's name to "Big Bad Wolf" in the contact notes of her phone.

Looking at this brand new note, she couldn't help but laugh out loud, finding it very interesting. "Haha." Her laughter was clear and pleasant, echoing in the lounge.

"Mi Mi, what are you laughing about so happily?" A male voice suddenly interrupted, breaking the silence in the lounge.

Yang Mi immediately put away his phone and looked up at the person who came.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and she said somewhat unhappily, "It's okay."

Then she looked at the handsome man in his twenties or thirties in front of her and emphasized again: "Feng Shaofeng, I hope you can call me by my full name. We are not that familiar with each other. Da Mi Mi is only used by my family and close people. Thank you."

Feng Shaofeng felt a little embarrassed when Yang Mi directly retorted him.

He touched his nose and tried to ease the atmosphere: "Okay, Yang Mi. I just think we have a good relationship, so..."

Yang Mi interrupted him: “Mr. Feng, we are just working in the same crew.

His face looked a little embarrassed. This new generation star was so rude. I thought they had been filming together for quite some time and it shouldn't be like this.

Shaking his head, "Okay, Yang Mi, I don't mean anything else. It's just that Producer Yu wants us to be closer and create some scandals for the TV series. It's really none of my business." This was Feng Shaofeng's real thoughts. He didn't like to curry favor with someone who didn't like him.

Normally, a handsome guy like him has no shortage of women, so now that Yang Mi said so, he would just make it clear.

Hearing this, Yang Mi was silent for a while, then shook his head: "I'm sorry, my tone was not good just now, but I have a partner, so I need to be careful."

"As for hyping up the scandal, forget it. I won't agree to it, and Director Su won't agree to it either." Feng Shaofeng showed a look of surprise when he heard it. It was also a pity. The woman in front of him was so beautiful, it was a pity that she already had a partner.

Hearing this, he shrugged and said, "Okay, I respect your choice. I don't think you need to apologize to me. You may have to talk to screenwriter Yu and producer Yu about this."

"I'm leaving now. I'll be more careful next time. I hope we won't be unable to be friends even if we nod to each other when we meet."

Yang Mi smiled and said, "Friends, of course. We have been filming together for several months, so of course we are friends."

When Feng Shaofeng heard Yang Mi mention that her boyfriend was narrow-minded, he immediately understood her concerns.

He smiled and nodded, showing his understanding: "Don't worry, we are both men, I understand, I will be careful to avoid some intimate words and actions that may cause misunderstandings."

After saying that, he turned and walked out, thinking to himself, "There are always better flowers in the world."

As a son of a noble family, Feng Shaofeng had no shortage of suitors around him, and he did not feel lost or frustrated because of Yang Mi's rejection.

time passes little by little

When Su Zhe learned that "The Martian" had officially entered post-production, he was filled with anticipation but also a little nervousness.

Immediately afterwards, he received a piece of good news and a piece of bad news, and these two emotions intertwined in his heart, making his mood even more complicated.

The good news is that "The Martian" has achieved huge success in North America and Europe, with sales exceeding three million copies, becoming a best-seller.

This is undoubtedly a huge affirmation for Su Zhe, and it also makes him more confident in his own creation.

However, the bad news that followed was like a bucket of cold water poured on his head.

He was sued by a man named Andy Weir for copyright infringement.

It turns out that Andy Weir wrote a novel called "Mission to Mars" in 2009 and serialized it on the Internet for people to read for free.

After learning the news, Su Zhe immediately realized the seriousness of the problem.

He quickly found someone to translate the content of "Mission to Mars" and compared it with his own "The Martian".

After careful comparison, Su Zhe found that the two works do have some similarities in terms of plot and character settings, but there are also many differences.

Su Zhe was quite scared when he learned that his "The Martian" was accused of plagiarizing "Mission to Mars".

He carefully compared the two works and found that although both works involved the theme of Martian rescue, the differences between them were very significant.

First of all, although both books contain the word "Mars" in their titles, there are obvious differences between "The Martian" and "Mission to Mars" in terms of story background, plot setting, character creation, etc.

Su Zhe's work describes a rescue operation on Mars by the Chinese Space Agency, while Mission to Mars is set in the American space agency.

In terms of characters, the two works have completely different numbers, names, and personalities, not to mention the years in which the stories take place and the spacecraft used.

Su Zhe's "The Martian" is richer in content, containing more details and plot twists.

More importantly, there are no abandoned plots in his works, which is fundamentally different from the setting of "Mission to Mars".

Su Zhe does not need to worry about this incident personally. The company has entrusted a well-known law firm in America to handle it. Su Zhe himself does not even need to show up in person.

However, what is puzzling is that someone leaked the matter, which immediately caused an uproar across the country.

As news pieces are released.

The accusation that "Su Zhe's science fiction novel "The Martian" was reportedly plagiarized!" quickly swept the country.

This sudden news caused an uproar among the public, who questioned the behavior of the famous director and the owner of Tai'a Media.

"What the hell, is this true? He's a big boss, but he still plagiarizes?" Such questions arise one after another. People find it hard to believe that a person with such a high status in the industry would be involved in a plagiarism scandal.

"It's hard to believe. I said, how could a Chinese writer write such a good science fiction novel? It turns out it's plagiarism!" Such voices are heard everywhere, and some people begin to doubt the true level of Chinese science fiction literature.

However, there are also rational voices: "Ahem~~upstairs, please go watch "The Wandering Earth" and "The Three-Body Problem", works by Liu Cixin!"

Some people pointed out that Chinese science fiction literature is not without excellent works, and Su Zhe himself is a talented author, and we should not draw conclusions based on just one piece of news.

At the same time, some people defended Su Zhe: "How can a director also be a novelist?"

They pointed out that Su Zhe is not only a director, but also a writer with rich creative experience. He started writing online novels in high school and became a leader in the online literature world.

"You are ignorant. Look at him. He has been writing online novels since high school. He is one of the supreme gods of online literature. Please understand him first before you speak!"

Such voices are getting louder and louder, and they call on everyone to remain calm and wait for the truth to come to light.

On the Internet, platforms such as Weibo, Tianya Forum, and Tieba were instantly set off by a piece of news. The news that Su Zhe's science fiction novel "The Martian" was accused of plagiarism directly topped the hot search list.

However, Su Zhe himself did not give any explanation for this and chose to remain silent.

(End of this chapter)