Actor: Thank you.

Most people would think that the most powerful thing in the world is money, is capital.

In fact, the most powerful and important thing in the human world is always human beings.

The same applies to the film and television industry.

Why is it that in the later era of online platforms, everyone says that the works are not good?

Because the person is incapable.

The role of humans has been diminished, with platforms placing more trust in algorithms, media tactics, and capital packaging than in human talent.

Because people cannot be completely quantified, but data can.

Internet companies will naturally choose "path dependence" and use their own strengths to deal with this industry.

Unfortunately, no matter how much money is spent on packaging and promotion, it's impossible to create a second Charlie Chaplin or a second Marilyn Monroe.

China can't do it, and neither can North America.

For a star to be created, it must first have a celestial configuration.

Cecilia Cheung is a bit of a tomboy, but with a face like that, she could definitely be a star.

But some capitalists' ugly children, no matter how much money they throw at them, just have no star quality and are just feeding the audience shit.

The same applies to directing.

Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Feng Xiaogang are getting old, outdated, not as good as they used to be, and not as popular as many people used to be.

But it depends on who you're comparing it to.

Just as Ge You said in "A World Without Thieves".

"What's the most valuable thing in the 21st century? Talent!"

That day, after having breakfast with his aunt, Zhang Yuan went out to look for talented people.

Of course, you can't just meet them and say, "You're a talent, work for me."

This is the style of some shameless old Deng.

Moreover, this kind of talk only works on people who haven't yet made a name for themselves.

But now James Wan has already made "Saw".

In 23 days, from preparation to completion, the film cost $1.2 million and grossed over $100 million at the box office.

As early as 04, he was already being called "the next master of horror" by North American media.

But what happened next was somewhat like what Stephen Chow did after he made "A Chinese Odyssey".

After gaining recognition for "Saw", he was full of ambition and received offers from several major Hollywood studios.

They filmed two big-budget thrillers, "Dead Silence" and "Death Penalty," both costing tens of millions of US dollars.

Tens of millions of US dollars is indeed a big production in the horror film industry.

But the result was disastrous; it all failed.

The "golden boy" instantly became a "discarded pawn".

Hollywood is far more realistic than China.

When James Wan gets angry, he says, "I'm not playing with you guys anymore!"
He attributed the failure of his two films to chaotic internal management and infighting within the production company, where everyone had their own ideas.

These ideas would then be forced into his work.

I don't care what you think, I care what I think... That's how it is.

Although you are the director and I am just an administrator, I am of a higher rank than you, so I can guide you in making films.

They're a bunch of scoundrels.

I knew those directors only cared about making money when they met Zhang Yuan, and didn't care how touching the filming process was.

He has the life of a coal mine owner, but not the health problems. He doesn't even try to get a mistress into the film crew, nor does he ask to sleep with the leading actress.

Making money is a perfectly normal requirement, and no one would object to it.

This is what you call relying entirely on the contrast with your peers.

Zhang Yuan first found Harvey.

There's no way around it; when it comes to connections in Hollywood, this old Jewish guy is still the most powerful.

"Jason Brun, right?" The fat man said calmly, puffing on the cigar Zhang Yuan had brought.

"He's just a nobody who thinks he's Roger Coleman." The old Jewish man said nonchalantly, seemingly looking down on Bren.

Roger Coleman is a Hollywood legend.

He's a master of B-movies, and he only invests in and produces low-budget B-movies, never big-budget films.

He has never won any major awards like an Oscar, but half of the Hollywood bigwigs treat him as a "mentor".

Because he invests in low-budget films, he has given many young directors opportunities.

Of the four golden directors of Hollywood, Cameron, Scorsese, and Coppola all came from his tutelage.

In any case, the moment this person's name is mentioned, everyone at the Oscars has to sit up straight as a sign of respect.

Harvey used this legendary figure as a metaphor to satirize Bren, which reveals Bren's style.

They only invest in low-budget horror films.

They primarily invest in ultra-low-cost projects with investments under $10.

Only after making money selling DVDs of "Paranormal Activity" did he dare to invest in a project with a budget of one million US dollars.

That was already the best he could do.

The company was very poor; after more than ten years, it still hadn't made a fortune.

Therefore, someone like Harvey, who could even influence the Oscars, naturally wouldn't be interested in the other party.

However, the fat man thought about it.

First, his old friend Spielberg helped Brendan Wong, which allowed his film to be released in theaters and not just for three days.

The influence of a top-tier director still works.

And now this shrewd Asian kid, who's as cunning as a hairless monkey, is also mentioning him...

The fat man thought for a moment, wondering if he had some extraordinary talent.
But he wasn't very interested in low-budget horror films.

"I can help you find him."

“But if you invest in his film, I want to participate in the distribution.” Harvey thought to himself, what if this kid has a good eye and we make a profit?

After all, "Fast & Furious" became a hit and was completely revived.

Harvey still feels resentful whenever he thinks about it.

Not enough!
"I'm not interested in investing in movies, and I don't know anything about his projects," Zhang Yuan said, feigning ignorance.

"I just watched one of his movies in the theater a few days ago and found it very interesting."

"So I'd like to have a chat."

“Exchange…” Harvey immediately lost interest.

Why would you come to me if you don't have money to earn?

Although she was all smiles, she impatiently made a few phone calls for him to inquire, and then found the other party's contact information.

"If there is any progress or cooperation intention, I will contact you."

The fat man waved his hand listlessly; without cash on hand, he wasn't very enthusiastic.

I soon arranged to have dinner with that guy, Bren.

Upon learning that the person was a Chinese investor and a Hollywood actor, the other party readily agreed.

They were quite polite when we met, and didn't act like typical white people.

It's not that he's a particularly good person, it's just that he's poor.

In his efforts to get "Paranormal Activity" released in theaters, he visited dozens of distributors, but none of them paid him any attention.

Being rejected a lot will improve your attitude and make you more stable in your mindset.

In addition, there was a mindset of "I might as well meet them, in case there are any new opportunities."

Just try to get closer to them.

As Zhang Yuan ate and drank with him, he talked about his investments in some low-budget films in China.

He highly praised the other party's support for young directors and actors.

It also criticized the actions of many large companies.

They believe that these large companies are the ones that have stifled creativity in the industry.

Because they only know how to use ready-made formulas to make movies in a template-like way.

How can Hollywood be successful when surrounded by these scoundrels!

Zhang Yuan's words were radical, yet they struck a chord with this person.

Having been suppressed and looked down upon for so many years, especially seeing major Hollywood film companies constantly producing blockbusters that emphasize special effects but lack content, this person is extremely disdainful.

Good movies shouldn't rely solely on special effects to win over audiences.

Instead, we should create creative and unusual works.

Therefore, this person later produced thrillers of different themes and genres, such as "The Purge," "Happy Death Day," "Get Out," the new version of "The Invisible Man," and "Megan," and achieved great success.

In fact, North American audiences are also tired of formulaic movies.

This is called "not flying for three years, then soaring into the sky."

The older brother's insistence on making low-budget films earned him a good reputation in the industry, which naturally attracted a large number of young directors with ideas to join him.

The two hit it off immediately and chatted all night.

The prerequisite for them to hit it off immediately was that Zhang Yuan cooperated with him.

If you're envious of someone else's company, you have to go along with it.

The main reason is that the money he received from the "Fast & Furious" movies, as well as from his own filming, was all in US dollars.

Bringing it back to China is quite troublesome; the best way is to spend it abroad.

Instead of buying cars, houses, and boats in North America like the Wang brothers and many of their domestic counterparts, it's better to invest in the future.

It also gives me another foothold in North America.

The next day, Brun also invited him to visit his studio and showed him a lot of his previous works.

Most of them are niche films that I've never heard of before.

Compared to the people at Universal, who all wore suits and ties and looked very respectable.

His company has a lot of "human touch".

Not only were the clothes casual, but everyone in the company was also very relaxed.

"Zhang, you're Chinese, right?" Brun asked during a break and casual conversation.

"That's right." "Which province in China are you from, Malaysia, or Singapore?"

Zhang Yuan: …

You're even more ruthless than Genghis Khan, giving both of these territories to us.

Foreigners seem to have no geographical knowledge whatsoever; in their eyes, everyone with yellow skin belongs to the same country.

“I live in the capital, the imperial capital, where the Olympics were held last year.”

"Oh!" Once you say that, they understand.

“I know director Zhang Yimou. If there’s a chance, you can have a chat.” Zhang Yuan casually showed off his connections.

"Would he be willing to chat with us?" Bren was skeptical.

"if it is possible."

Zhang Yuan then changed the subject.

"Hey, a few years ago, I watched a really great horror movie. It was about an old man who set up all sorts of traps and cruelly played games with his victims."

"SAW?"

The man replied immediately.

That is, the original English title of "Saw".

"Yes, is this your work?"

"Unfortunately, that's not the case." The older brother said with a hint of regret.

"But it's quite a coincidence."

"What a coincidence!" Zhang Yuan asked, feigning nonchalance.

"I just spoke with the director of this film recently."

"Are you interested in him?"

"Yes," Zhang Yuan replied, suppressing his excitement.

“I can help you arrange a meeting with him. Coincidentally, he is your compatriot, a Malaysian of Chinese descent.”

Zhang Yuan opened his mouth, but didn't know how to explain.

Because what he said wasn't entirely wrong; James Wan is a Malaysian Chinese, but he grew up in Australia.

One by one, they called over James Wan, also known as James Wan.

He comes whenever you call; he's been free lately.

He was short and had a somewhat outlandish hairstyle.

Because of the failure of two dramas, he stopped working with major studios.

They then turned to Brun, a guy who specializes in low-budget films and has a good reputation, to discuss a collaboration.

Because his breakthrough film, "Saw," was a low-budget production, James Wan wanted to return to his roots and make another low-budget thriller.

He was discussing the project with Bren, and the topic came up during their conversation.

I'm thinking of making a film about a "haunted house".

Zhang Yuan participated in the discussion, talking about many Chinese supernatural legends, which served as material for the discussion.

Although it was not yet fully formed, he knew it.

This is James Wan's comeback film, the famous "Insidious"!
It wasn't Sun Honglei, the undercover agent.

It was the horror film "Insidious," which later had five sequels, none of which grossed less than $5 million.

After the success of this film, they created the even more powerful "The Conjuring" series.

It's that movie series with Annabelle dolls and The Nun, which created a horror universe centered around James Wan.

It's all money!

The Insidious series has grossed nearly $8 million.

The Conjuring series has grossed over $20 billion.

Don't even mention eating them all, that's impossible.

Even just getting a share of the pie is wonderful.

Furthermore, Zhang Yuan and Wen Ziren got along very well.

It's not just because they all have yellow skin.

This person also minored in Chinese ethnology during university, and learned a lot about Eastern folk knowledge.

Therefore, his horror films are completely different from the straightforward and bloody style of other North American directors.

He's the type who's good at creating a dramatic effect; when you think he's about to scare you, he feints, and when you feel safe, he stabs you in the back.

Moreover, they are particularly adept at integrating horror themes into everyday life scenarios.

Because these are all part of the Confucian cultural sphere.

It's not that Zhang Yuan looks down on white people.

The horror level of splatter films is nowhere near that of horror films from island nations like Siam.

Huaxia is even more impressive. Whether it's "The Lost Tomb" or the earlier "Lam Ching-ying Exorcising Ghosts" series, they have actually transformed the horror genre into an adventure genre.

Zombie movies are simply not viable in the context of Chinese society.

Just look at how different countries acted during the pandemic.

The fact that they were able to make this film and enjoy watching it is purely due to adapting to local conditions.

Zhang Yuan, Bren, and Wen Ziren found themselves getting along very well as they talked.

In particular, Zhang Yuan said that when he invests in projects in the country, he never interferes with the director's creative process.

I also recommend James Wan watch Ning Hao's "Crazy Stone" and "Crazy Racer".

He was told that the combined cost of the two films did not exceed $300 million.

Director Wen is currently looking for ideas and inspiration for his new film; I'll check it out when I get back.

I was deeply shocked after watching it.

It turns out that Chinese people can also make films on par with Guy Ritchie.

Ning Hao is imitating this person.

"So, you're preparing for a new film?"

A few days later, we met up again for a chat.

"Yes, what is the approximate budget?"

"Within 200 million," Director Wen replied.

“It would be best if it could be done for 100 million,” Brun replied.

It seems one has a goal, while the other hopes to reduce costs.

"I really appreciate your understanding of the film and television industry."

"I think we are like-minded."

“Bren, I also really like your ‘Ghostly Records’.”

"I think that such an interesting movie should not only be shown in North America."

"It should be promoted to the whole world."

"It's already very difficult to get it released in North America," Bren said with a wry smile.

“I can help you. I work at a film company in China and can handle film distribution in Asia and parts of the Pacific region.”

"Including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Siam... any Southeast Asian region you can think of, we can do it."

Except for India.

After all, Bollywood earns money locally and spends it all, not a single penny is intended to be taken home.

Jiang Zhiqiang didn't even dare to touch that cesspool.

As for mainland China, it wouldn't pass the review and can't be considered at all.

"We just don't have the resources of the Hollywood Big Eight, but we're more willing to support low-budget productions."

“Oh, that’s even better!” Bren replied immediately.

“Those big companies are unwilling to help me promote my business. They are arrogant and don’t even give me a second glance.”

James Wan was also standing nearby, grimacing.

He was tormented by Warner Bros. in order to make "Dead Silence".

In his own words, he felt that his work had been raped by a bunch of stinking pigs.

Later, Warner Bros. asked him to go back and direct "Aquaman." James Wan's conditions were that he would be the chief director, chief producer, and have final cut rights, and that Warner Bros. could not interfere too much with the filming process.

I'm really scared of being messed with... but the other party gave me too much.

“Okay, if you’re willing, I can handle the Asian distribution for your film.”

“Great!” Bren was naturally delighted; selling another country meant more money.

"Huh?" Zhang Yuan pretended to be acting on a whim.

"How about this."

Does your company currently lack investment?

"James is making a new movie, are you short of money?"

"Why don't I invest directly in your company, bringing in more funds, and then act as a long-term cooperative distributor in the Asian region?"

Bren readily agreed, but it was only on the surface.

You offered to help with the distribution, and of course I said yes.

But I still need to go back and investigate your situation.

What if they say they'll issue the shares, sell them, and then not give me the money? Who am I supposed to complain to?
White people aren't stupid either; there are plenty of swindlers among the Chinese.

In the early days, Chinese people had a very poor reputation in overseas business circles.

But now that they're talking about investing... they want cash in hand!

They were having such a good chat, and he was willing to pay.

Perhaps they are genuinely passionate about low-budget productions.

James Wan was also happy.

My new film is short of money.

The three exchanged glances; no matter how they looked at it, it was a worthwhile deal… (End of Chapter)