Actor: Thank you.

Not long after, Zhang Yuan's lawyer, whom he often used in Hollywood, also arrived on the filming set.

When the lawyer heard that Zhang Yuan wanted to buy the house at a premium, he first looked puzzled, and then he was secretly delighted.

He was puzzled because he thought Zhang Yuan was stupid.

Many Chinese people, especially celebrities, come to Los Angeles to buy houses, and the real estate agents here know many big names.

But most people buy upscale apartments in the city center or luxury homes in top-tier villa districts.

Buying a house in this suburban area isn't exactly about buying an old, run-down, or large house; it's just an ordinary residential house.

There are almost no people who buy this kind of house.

With the same $50, you can buy a large house of several hundred square meters here, but in the city you can only buy a small one-bedroom apartment.

Even so, whether for rent or for sale, people still choose high-end apartments in the city center.

Buying ordinary residential houses can easily result in being stuck with unsold property.

The lawyer thought that Zhang Yuan was probably a nouveau riche.

Many people from Huaxia Run like to buy large houses in the suburbs as soon as they arrive, in order to fulfill the fantasies they have seen in the news or movies.

I must live a different life than I do in China, otherwise I'll have wasted my time.

Little did they know that there were many problems with large houses in the suburbs, and the costs of repair and decoration far exceeded their expectations.

Suburbs are far less safe than the city.

And they are a capitalist country, where everything is about money.

In suburban areas, it's common for people to "abandon" their homes.

Insufficient tax revenue leads to fewer police officers, reduced public welfare, and residents moving out, replaced by residents from lower social classes, ultimately creating a vicious cycle that results in a lawless environment.

In that case, housing prices will eventually drop to an absurd level.

A house in Hegang costs at least tens of thousands of yuan.

In Detroit, which, like the Northeast, declined due to industrial decline, there are plenty of properties that cost only one dollar.

The lawyers and agents thought Zhang Yuan was a complete idiot.

He thought to himself, "That's good. We've found an easy target to fool. We'll make a fortune in the future."

James Wan didn't say anything while he was cooperating with the lawyer's proposal.

Anyway, buying a house will benefit Zhang Yuan's filming.

He only asked about it when they rested for a while.

How do you usually make a living?

He found it hard to believe that an ordinary actor would be so generous.

Not to mention Chinese actors, even Hollywood actors aren't this "arrogant".

"One of the companies I invested in just went public on the US stock market."

"Oh!"

When he says it like that, people understand.

There's nothing we can do about it; we can't stop it.

"You're too impulsive." The Little Dragon Girl, who had already finished her makeup, came to his side while touching her wig.

This is starting to feel a bit like the Tomb Raider series.

It's like a living dead.

"I'm not acting impulsively; I have my own plans." Zhang Yuan straightened up, admired the scene for a moment, and then asked his assistant to take a photo of the two of them together.

Others might not know, not even James Wan, but he did.

The TV series "Lurking" will be a hit, a huge hit.

It directly became a major IP in American horror films.

He then went on to make five more films.

But James Wan only directed the first two films.

This is another area where James Wan is very capable; while he is ambitious, he is also very self-aware.

He only films the parts he has planned out.

If someone designs content for only two movies based on an IP, and those movies become huge hits, and the investors want to continue making money, they won't direct them themselves no matter how much money they're offered. At most, they'll act as a producer or executive producer.

He earns a salary, but he would never take on low-paying jobs just because of high fees, so he has a good reputation, which actually makes him even more valuable.

Therefore, he will film the first two installments of the "Lurking" series, and the scenes will be the same.

In other words, this house will be used to film a sequel after it becomes a box office hit.

This isn't a one-time thing; if the problem isn't solved, the second part will also encounter difficulties.

If they take advantage of your high box office numbers, they might try to make exorbitant demands.

Even if it wasn't used in the later installments, it was still because the film was a huge hit.

If this house can be linked to an IP address, it can become famous.

After becoming famous, am I afraid I won't be able to make it back?
Simply attaching the name of the filming location of "Lurking" will surely attract a group of fans or opportunists.

So, in Wen Ziren's eyes, Zhang Yuan was just putting on an act.

In Sisi's eyes, he acted impulsively.

But actually, for him, this was a business deal.

Moreover, it can also help ensure the success of this film, so it's a great deal no matter how you look at it.

Don't just focus on the gains and losses of a single city or battle; consider the overall situation.

Not long after, as the camera zoomed in indoors, a dirty-looking female ghost in white appeared on screen.

James Wan's requirement was to remain completely still and not to engage in any flamboyant behavior.

He would use rapid cuts and zooms in to create a bizarre effect.

Imagine working overtime until late at night, arriving at an empty parking lot to retrieve your car and head home.

At that moment, under the flickering light of an incandescent bulb in the distance, a strange figure dressed in white appeared.

At this moment, is it more frightening for the other party to rush up at you while waving their arms and legs, or for them to remain motionless and just quietly watch you?

James Wan's approach would be the latter.

And not only will it remain motionless, it will also suddenly disappear just when you think it's about to rush at you.

At this point, you'll panic because you don't know which corner or behind which door the other person will reappear from.

You don't dare to move, for fear that you'll be confronted in the face if you turn around.

James Wan designed the female ghost to be a neutral ghost. She used her right hand, with its black nails, to make a shushing gesture to the male protagonist, telling him not to move and attract the attention of other demons.

"Card!"

That's all for this one set of shots.

"Wow!" Sisi was quite playful, gesturing enthusiastically around him.

Zhang Yuan cooperated by pretending to be frightened.

"That's so fake, I'm ignoring you." She laughed and scolded, then lifted her skirt to remove her makeup.

Wen Ziren asked the cameraman to adjust the camera position, and then he went to stand next to Zhang Yuan.

"Are you planning to leave?"

"Yes, this is just a small activity during the holiday; we both have other vacation activities planned."

"I won't disturb your work any longer."

“Half a million, huh?” Wen Ziren said, nodding.

"Don't worry about it." Seeing that he was still thinking about housing prices, Zhang Yuan comforted him, "I can earn that back in a day."

After listening, James Wan frowned and glanced at his friend, the screenwriter.

Let him pretend, let him pretend...

After having dinner at a famous local restaurant that evening, the two returned to a mansion with a garden and swimming pool to rest.

Rented accommodations offer better privacy than hotels and can accommodate more people.

Post-meal exercise is essential.

After the activity, the two lay face to face on the master bedroom bed, quite relaxed, and whispered to each other.

Sisi's cheeks still had a faint blush, making her look full of vitality and surrounded by a glow of happiness.

"I had a great day," she said, her eyes sparkling.

"Although 'A Chinese Ghost Story' also tells the story of a female ghost."

"But this is the first time I've actually dressed up as a ghost."

“You always bring so many surprises to my life.” She said, raising her slender finger and pinching his nose.

"So I look forward to every time I see you."

"Although we are both very busy and cannot see each other all the time."

"But you put your heart into it every time, so the quality is very high."

"What you give me has always exceeded what I give you."

After saying that, she leaned over and affectionately rubbed her forehead against his.

"Me too, I really look forward to seeing you every time."

"Yes, I feel very relaxed when I'm with you," Little Dragon Girl replied softly.

“My mom said that you should be able to make a lot of money after Youku goes public.”

"We should be able to get back a lot of the grievances we suffered before."

"There's nothing to feel wronged about. Didn't I tell you earlier that selling Tudou.com's shares might not be a bad thing?"

"See, isn't it great now?"

"Oh, right." Zhang Yuan looked at her and said, "I've made quite a bit of money. What kind of gift do you want? I'll take you shopping tomorrow."

"This is your money, and I have my own money, so I don't need you to buy me expensive things."

"I am not a canary in a cage."

“Speaking of which, I also prepared a gift for you.” She propped herself up in bed.

Turn your head away, don't peek.

Because he wasn't wearing any clothes, she pushed his head.

"We've already seen everything, so it won't make a difference."

“Even the closest relationships need some privacy.” She pulled the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around herself. “My mom always avoids me when I change clothes.”

“I’m not like your mother.”

"Of course, you're shameless." She said, running to her suitcase, rummaging through it, hiding something in front of her, and then jumping back onto the bed.

"Ta-da!"

She lifted the blanket and took the item out.

"Look this way!" Then, somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, she turned Zhang Yuan's head down to look.

A mug appeared before his eyes.

It doesn't look like a particularly expensive designer or famous work.

A simple white background with a string of red English words written on it.

"The best actor in the world!"

Translated, it means the best actor in the world.

Congratulations on winning the Best Actor award at the Hundred Flowers Awards.

"Congratulations, even though it's a bit late."

"Thank you, I like it very much." Zhang Yuan took it and examined it carefully.

"I'll use it often."

"Yes, you must use it. That way, when you see the cup, you'll think of me every day." She rested her chin on her hand, looking at it, and only felt a little relieved when she saw that Zhang Yuan really liked it.

"Actually, I also prepared a gift for you." Zhang Yuan got out of bed, but he wasn't wrapped in a blanket.

"Put some clothes on."

"I won't wear it. Take it or leave it."

He strode forward with a clatter and a confident stride.

The person on the bed glanced at it a few times, then smiled and covered their face with the blanket. They then peeked out with half their head and looked at it a few more times.

"Na!"

After Zhang Yuan picked up his things, he came back with a clatter and handed her a bulging travel bag.

"what?"

She unzipped the jacket and took out a bright red woolen scarf.

"Where did you buy it?" She immediately gestured to her neck: "It looks like the style I saw when I was a child."

“I didn’t buy it, I knitted it.” Zhang Yuan gestured with his hands.

"Ah!" Sisi's eyes widened and her mouth opened into an "O" shape.

"In the movie I just filmed, my character could knit sweaters, so I learned how to do it."

"When I was knitting at home, the housekeeper and my friends who came over said it was a bit weird for a grown man like me to do this."

"Nonsense!" She immediately sat up. "It's nothing special!"

"Why is it considered perverted for a man to knit a sweater? This is discrimination against men."

"And this idea is that knitting sweaters is something only women should do, which is also discriminatory against women."

"I think you're really good at knitting. I even get prickly hands when I sew."

"Such a wonderful skill and hobby, others may not understand, but I do."

“I really, really like it, and when I heard that you knitted it by hand, I was almost reluctant to use it.”

After taking it off her neck, she examined it carefully, running her fingers over every corner.

For them, a bag costing tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of yuan is actually quite easy to buy.

What is a great gift to ordinary people is just an everyday item to them, and they have long since lost interest in it.

On the contrary, these small, inexpensive gifts seem more precious.

One of them was holding a cup, and the other was holding a scarf.

"Why don't we put it down for now and start a second playthrough?"

The cup and scarf rolled to the floor together, and the mattress creaked.

The next morning, Zhang Yuan held a mug, sipped coffee, and waited for the "salted fish" in bed to wake up.

"You're up so early?" Little Dragon Girl opened her eyes, squinted, and shielded her eyes from the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the bed.

"I had to go out, so I waited for you to wake up so I could tell you."

"Dandan will buy breakfast."

"You can sunbathe or play in the water by the pool in a little while."

"Hmph, that's not good of you. You said you were here for vacation, but you're still working."

"Fine, I understand, go ahead and get busy," she complained, then pulled the blanket over her head, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

Zhang Yuan changed into a suit and rushed to Paramount's office building.

Yesterday he told James Wan that he could earn back the $50 he spent on the house in just one day.

Director Wen thought he was showing off and talking nonsense.

But Zhang Yuan was telling the truth.

Sometimes, overwhelming strength can be hard to comprehend.

Saying it's for one day is a bit of an exaggeration.

You should be able to earn it back the next day.

Because of Paramount, as soon as he sat down in the office, the manager handed him an envelope containing a check for $55.

This is the royalties he received from toys, comics, movies, animations, magazine covers, and other works after playing Storm Shadow in "G.I. Joe".

This is something the Chinese film and television industry should learn from in the European and American markets.

The revenue from various IP developments and copyrights is far higher than in China.

This copyright fee was generated less than a year after the film was released. It will continue to be paid every year thereafter, but it will gradually decrease as the work becomes more distant.

It is often said that a star can live off the success of just one hit movie.

In China, people make a living by relying on their roles and memories to earn money through commercial performances and live streams.

In North America, it's different; they simply collect copyright fees passively.

For example, the top-rated American sitcom "Friends".

The six main characters have been able to share a total of several million dollars each year, and sometimes even tens of millions of US dollars in copyright royalties.

The same goes for Chen Long; the movies he filmed in North America brought in millions of dollars in copyright fees every year.

Zhang Yuan flicked the check with his finger.

Cool!
However, he didn't come just to get the check, and the foreigner wasn't that kind.

"Zhang, we are now planning to launch the 'Special Forces 2' project."

"I'd like to talk to you about continuing to play the role of Storm Shadow."

"What are your intentions? What are your thoughts on salary, profit sharing, and other benefits? We can discuss that first."

"G.I. Joe" cost a total of $170 million to make and grossed over $300 million at the box office.

Judging solely from box office revenue, it definitely lost money, but considering the revenue from related merchandise, it should still make a small profit.

Therefore, Paramount plans to start a sequel, but with a reduced budget.

Zhang Yuan knew all this.

Ultimately, it boils down to "reducing costs and increasing efficiency".

They succeeded. The second film only cost $1.3 million to make, but grossed over $4 million, breaking even and turning a profit.

But it ruined the reputation of the entire series.

But Zhang Yuan thought to himself, "I'm not the male lead, so the bad reputation can't be blamed on me."

As long as overtime pay is sufficient, reputation doesn't matter.

I only need to leave behind iconic characters; the works themselves are beyond my control.

He demanded a 50% raise, and a 10% increase in profit sharing and copyright fees.

The film set needs its own independent RV, and the hotel needs to be a luxury suite.

He was fearless because Paramount was planning to replace the director and team, so most of the original lead actors gave up participating.

But with all the actors replaced, the audience doesn't feel a sense of continuity, so there always has to be a few connecting elements, like him.

Take it or leave it. If you don't agree, I won't film it. I don't care about the money.

The Paramount employees frowned upon hearing this, thinking, "You Chinese guy, you're really ruthless."

But the character Storm Shadow is quite popular, and American audiences especially love ninja culture.

The new director and screenwriter have also stated that they plan to increase the amount of screen time for Storm Shadow in the second film.

Changing players...it's painful.

If we don't change the player... we'll have to pay more.

Zhang Yuan smiled and told the other party to consider it, adding that his schedule was quite full and he might not have time to film if it got too late.

The offensive and defensive strategies have shifted!
Let you white people beg me, and I'll "give you charity" depending on my mood.

After saying that, he took his leave.

Instead of wasting time arguing with you, you might as well go back and practice the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra with your aunt.

Not long after he left, he received a call from Bren House Films, the owner of the film "Lurking".

"Hey, what's up?"

"Could there have been another accident on set?"

Brun shook his head repeatedly.

He already knew that Zhang Yuan had bought the "film set" with a wave of his hand.

Chinese people are so rich!
Upon investigation, it was confirmed that, as he had stated, he was indeed a shareholder of a newly listed company.

No wonder he is so rich.

Since you're so rich, you should spend some money.

"That's right," Bren said with a smile, very politely.

“I have a friend whose film crew has recently encountered some financial difficulties.”

"I wonder if you'd be interested." (End of Chapter)