Actor: Thank you.

On the plane back to China, Zhang Yuan carefully read through the script of "Double-Faced Martha" again.

His conclusion remained the same: this is a somewhat contradictory art-house film.

It opposes cults, but not enough.

The main focus is on the female protagonist's experiences and psychological trauma.

It reflects the distorted values ​​of young people after they have been brainwashed and transformed by strange cults.

And it's not the kind of particularly shocking morally distorted content, such as murder, abuse, or mental illness.

Rather, it is "abnormal".

Zhang Yuan carefully recalled the scene from the script, where the female lead appeared completely naked from behind while swimming in a lake.

In front of his sister and brother-in-law, he stripped naked and went into the water.

Normal people would at least wear a swimsuit or underwear, but the female protagonist took off all her clothes without any restraint.

This is because she was brainwashed in church and came to believe that it was normal for men and women not to wear clothes or even to have promiscuous sex.

Later, when she was playing on her sister's and brother-in-law's bed, she would come into the room and want to sleep with them, which was a similar behavior.

Using such details to portray the character's twisted nature is a very artistic approach.

After reading it, Zhang Yuan's expression turned serious.

Because he thought of the people around him.

The female lead in the script is corrupted by the cult, but many people in the entertainment industry are corrupted by money and their own desires.

In order to become famous, some people sleep with others, which is considered normal and natural behavior by them.

Isn't this a kind of distortion?

Moreover, fundamentally, its source is actually the alienation of producers by capital.

Zhang Yuan looked out the airplane window. Perhaps the most terrifying brainwashing in the world does not come from religious sects, but from capital.

He closed his eyes and rested for a while.

As a result, the brain quickly abandoned its critique of capitalism and instead kept picturing the female lead, Elizabeth Olsen's, bare back.

Tsk tsk tsk... So white.

Zhang Yuan thought that if he really wanted to choose an English name, he wouldn't choose James or Bruce, but Vision would be fine too.

As soon as I got off the plane, I called Ted Hopper, a producer who was familiar with China.

He shared his thoughts after reading the script and inquired in detail about the funding sources for the current project.

In addition to several small investors who each contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars, the film also received a one million dollar investment from Fox Searchlight Pictures, a subsidiary of 20th Century Fox.

Fox Searchlight Pictures is a company that 20th Century Fox uses specifically to invest in non-mainstream, low-budget independent films.

But given that it's 20th Century Fox, one of Hollywood's top eight studios, they don't just invest in any film.

So Zhang Yuan pressed on, asking if the film currently has any actors in mind.

The older brother hadn't mentioned it before, but now that he'd asked, the other person brought up the name Elizabeth Olsen.

Zhang Yuan indicated that he understood.

“It’s true!”

Some projects are conceived first, and then the actors are chosen.

In some cases, the actors come first, and then the project begins.

Searchlight Pictures probably wouldn't have invested in or even approved this independent film project without Olsen starring in it.

In China, people know Elizabeth Olsen because of her role as Scarlet Witch in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "Avengers: Age of Ultron".

She did indeed gain global fame through this role.

But this person himself is extraordinary.

The one who's in charge isn't her, but her two older sisters.

There are many famous Vanity Fair sisters in North America.

The Kardashian family, the Hilton sisters, and the Fanning sisters.

There are also the famous Olsen sisters.

Whether it's the Kardashians or Fanning, these sisters come from wealthy, powerful, and well-connected families, and their wealth has lasted for more than one generation.

The Olsen twins are the only ones who come from a truly ordinary family.

These twin sisters started acting when they were nine months old, and rose to fame from the famous American TV series "Full House".

If Friends holds a similar position in American TV shows as Princess Pearl does in China...

"Full House" is a work of the same caliber as "My Own Swordsman".

He accumulated his first pot of gold through dividends and other means, then started his own production company, released albums, and finally opened an entertainment company at the age of 18, engaging in light luxury and clothing brands.

In particular, betting on Obama significantly boosted sales of their accessible luxury brands.

The Olsen twins are the same age as Liu Shishi, but they already have a paper net worth of over 10 billion US dollars.

That tells you how formidable those two women are.

Elizabeth Olsen is the younger sister of this famous sister.

The two older sisters definitely had to pave the way for their younger sister, which is why this drama came about.

Without the Olsen sisters, Searchlight would never have funded it.

Although they shared the same parents, Elizabeth was more beautiful than her two older sisters, and was also taller and had a better figure.

The two older sisters may have started working too early, which may have affected their growth and development.

Ao Mei has two older sisters who support her, and she has been well-fed and well-cared for since childhood.

Anyway, their "Lumberjack Family" is quite famous in North America.

The movie "Martha Marge" was produced to help Elizabeth Olsen win various newcomer awards.

The two older sisters are now focused on their business and have retired from the entertainment industry, so they've poured all their resources into their younger sister.

A family needs both face and substance. Now the older sister is the substance, and we're going to make her the face.

Both domestically and internationally, there will be fewer and fewer superstars from humble backgrounds; most will be second or third-generation heirs.

Elizabeth Olsen is a 1.5 generation actress; overall, she's decent in all aspects, and not overhyped.

Zhang Yuan thought about it for a moment and realized that this was just another way of lying to me!

Given the Olsen sisters' considerable wealth, they would have invested in the film themselves if it were profitable.

He knew there was a high probability of not making money, so he found someone to invest so his younger sister could win a prize.

So you guys reap all the benefits while I cover the costs, right?

Holy crap, no wonder he's a billionaire at such a young age. He really knows how to do accounting.

Capital is setting me up!

I got home and put down my luggage.

I sat on the sofa and thought about it carefully again.

From a purely financial perspective, the film is definitely losing money.

But from a broader perspective, that may not be the case.

At least Elizabeth Olsen isn't that famous yet, so getting in touch with her now wouldn't be a bad thing.

He then called the producer to tell him that he was interested in investing.

But he can only pay a maximum of $50, and there are additional conditions: he has to have dinner with the main creators of the film crew, especially the actors, in a few months.

He only agreed after the other party confirmed that he just wanted to eat and didn't want to do anything else.

He had just hung up when he received a call from Cheng Hao.

"you are back?"

"Shall we have dinner together tomorrow?"

Zhang Yuan asked him questions like a foreign producer.

Are you sure you just want to eat?

"Tch, what else can I do? I'm already tired of you." The good older sister said defiantly.

"But I'm not tired of it yet." Zhang Yuan knew the other person was joking.

Whether something is greasy or not, can you say that with your own words?
You can't judge a book by what she says, you have to judge it by what she does.

"I'm tired of this. I'm not free tomorrow either. I have to go to Hong Kong to have a meeting with those old Dengs."

"You're only just getting back?" Cheng Hao felt a pang of emptiness in her heart upon hearing this.

"There's nothing I can do, damn it, I still have to wait for these guys."

"It would be much more convenient if the meeting were held in the capital." Cheng Hao felt sorry for him.

"Yes," Zhang Yuan sighed.

The next morning, he boarded a plane again and headed to Hong Kong.

After everyone had gathered, he flipped through a pile of company briefings.

In summary, it's all good news, good news, good news...

"Let the Bullets Fly" almost reached 7 million yuan at the box office, breaking the record for Chinese films. "Ip Man 2" surpassed 4 million yuan at the box office, a considerable success.

These two films together generated over 11 billion in box office revenue, bringing in hundreds of millions for the company.

"Lost in Thailand" and "My Own Swordsman" were also released.

Opening a film before the Spring Festival season allows it to avoid the fiercest competition.

The results were not bad; the movie version of "My Own Swordsman" grossed over 100 million yuan in its opening week, which did not disappoint.

"Lost in Thailand" was an even bigger surprise.

Because the cost was very low, the company didn't take it too seriously.

I don't even quite understand why Zhang Yuan went to such lengths to get this role.

The total cost is only 5 million yuan. The box office has soared in the first three days due to word of mouth. In addition, with the Spring Festival approaching, watching this kind of movie about returning home is quite relatable. It has already grossed more than 20 million yuan.

These are all joyous occasions for making money, so everyone naturally looks happy.

Taking advantage of everyone's high spirits, Zhang Yuan brought up several projects he had negotiated in Hollywood.

Ted, Kick-Ass, and Martha's Marcy.

After a detailed discussion, these Hong Kongers revealed that they were only interested in projects with established intellectual property, such as "Teddy Bear".

It remains a conservative approach.

Various excuses followed.

Making money is hard, but spending it is like water flowing away.

Blindly investing will deplete resources.

Let's focus more on the domestic situation.

Zhang Yuan didn't argue much. If you're unwilling to spend the money, I'll pay for it myself.

When they heard that he had brought back the rights to the Chinese distribution of "The Expendables 2", the group was overjoyed.

They reversed the narrative, praising his good judgment and strong abilities.

You've already said everything.

I do all the work.

Zhang Yuan was still too lazy to argue, and he treated these compliments as nothing more than fleeting clouds in his ears, not taking them to heart at all.

"These are all minor matters. The company has many projects, so we can take them one at a time."

"There's still a big problem."

"As everyone knows, Zhang Yimou and Zhang Weiping have fallen out."

"Our Director Zhang has now become the most sought-after figure in the market."

"So many people are watching."

"I think we should officially join this competition as well."

"Especially when several films are very popular at the end of the year, and we have plenty of funds."

After speaking, Zhang Yuan glanced at everyone.

"Not only do we have plenty of funds, but I also have plenty of personal funds."

He arrived riding the wave of the New York Stock Exchange, and all the business owners present could clearly feel his strong confidence.

They felt that Zhang Yuan's attitude was problematic.

Too conservative...

At his age, to suddenly acquire such a large fortune, wouldn't he go crazy and squander it all before he could recover?

These Hong Kongers thought he must have been living a life of debauchery and extravagance in North America all these days.

So, when we had the meeting today, it turned out you went to work?

They pulled back a bunch of projects, and their attitude was frighteningly calm.

These guys were all crazy when they were young, so they find it strange that he isn't.

“You were already talking to Yimou before, before you went to North America,” Jiang Zhiqiang said, speaking from his closest relationship with Yimou.

"Yes, but at that time I was speaking in my personal capacity, in private."

"My suggestion now is to speak with him publicly, using our identities as film companies from both sides of the strait."

"Moreover, we must make a big show of it, make it known to everyone, and let the other party feel our sincerity."

Zhang Yuan stood up, straightened his suit, and assumed a formal posture.

"I hope everyone will pass a resolution so that I can represent the company in negotiations with them from now on."

"I will control all the conditions."

"Everyone should understand the value of Zhang Yimou."

"Any price is worth paying to get him."

Several people nodded almost imperceptibly when they heard this.

"Moreover, he already had projects in hand when his talks with Zhang Weiping broke down."

"As long as they are there, the project can be launched immediately."

"Therefore, we need to allocate at least 100 million yuan to his works."

"In addition, he has to pay a lot of fines because of his children, and I think these can also be used as a condition for us to bear them for him."

Upon hearing this, those who had just nodded began to shake their heads again.

They're happy to get things done, but not happy to spend money.

Why should we give it to them?

Zhang Yuan felt that it wasn't for any particular reason, but simply because Zhang Yimou was worth the price.

He can be used as a brand anywhere, and he's recognized both domestically and internationally.

His works and box office performance are not that important; he himself is a living advertisement.

“I generally agree with what you said,” Boss Jiang finally spoke up, supporting him.

"However, he has a lot of suitors lately."

"It will probably cost a lot, and we may not even be able to win."

“And you said you wanted to recruit openly and in a big way…” Jiang Zhiqiang stared at him intently.

"Is there a personal reason?"

The rest of these seasoned veterans understood immediately.

Several major companies are now fighting tooth and nail over Zhang Yimou's work.

Hua Yi, in particular, was full of confidence and determined to win.

Zhang Yuan and Hua Yi have had disagreements over the past year, so why are you making such a big fuss now? Are you trying to challenge them?

"Would you believe me if I said there were no personal reasons?" Zhang Yuan did not give a direct answer.

Since you wouldn't believe me anyway, what's the point of me saying anything?

Not only do they not believe it, but anyone who knows him well will not believe it!
But what if this is exactly what he wants?
"In any case, this is an opportunity, and we must seize it."

"If we win, we'll make a fortune."

"Even if we lose, it's not a huge loss."

"Besides, even without Zhang Yimou, we still have Ning Hao now."

“His new project will be ready soon, and I will sign a multi-year cooperation contract with him before the end of the year.”

"Speaking of Ning Hao, we don't quite agree with the idea of ​​giving him shares for free."

They brought it up again.

Those shares mean that money is split among multiple people, and if others take more, I take less.

“It’s not free; it’s paid for, giving him the opportunity to invest,” Zhang Yuan corrected.

"It doesn't matter, you can bring up any ideas you have."

I might not listen.

"Let's vote on the matter of Zhang Yimou first. Those who agree to launch a full-scale recruitment plan, please raise your hands."

Zhang Yuan raised his arm.

The others looked at each other and slowly raised their hands as well.

Anyway, if you do it, we support you.

If it doesn't work out, that's your responsibility too.

"Good!" Zhang Yuan nodded in satisfaction: "Unanimously approved."

"I will prepare the official letter tomorrow and release the relevant information on Weibo and the website."

Zhang Yuan rubbed his fingers vigorously.

It's time to bring Zhang Yimou's matter to a close. (End of Chapter)