Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 112 [Nobody]

"Actually, I really want to work with Miss Qingxia."

Li Yishu thought about it and said with a smile, "How about this, I'll look back and see if there is a suitable script, I can work with Miss Qingxia."

Qiu Fusheng smiled and said, "Okay Director Li, I believe Qingxia will be very happy if she knows this."

After the two chatted for a while, Qiu Fusheng basically decided on the movie he wanted to shoot, which was "Central Station".

Just from Lee Yi-su's rough description of the plot of "Hidden in the Dust", we can understand what kind of story it is. Such a movie is aiming for awards, but awards are uncertain.

Qiu Fusheng, on the contrary, is more optimistic about "Central Station", a road movie similar to the American ones, interspersed with a heartwarming journey of a strange woman and a child.

If such a movie is performed well, it can actually gain something at the box office.

Especially since Li Yishu had the super high box office performance of "The Mountain, the Man, the Dog" in Japan before, Qiu Fusheng did not ask for the same millions of viewers as "The Mountain", but even if it was only half, it would definitely be a huge profit.

After all, the investment cost of such a movie is actually not high. In addition, Li Yishu is the producer, so he will definitely take the lion's share. Therefore, the biggest cost, the director's fee, can be saved a lot.

"Where will Director Li shoot the movie "Central Station"?"

Qiu Fusheng said with a burning gaze: "There is an old train station in Taichung that was built in the sixth year of the Republic of China. It has a strong sense of history. Such an old train station can be given a new lease of life."

"The old Taichung train station? What does it look like?"

Lee Yi-su doesn't really care where the filming takes place.

The only thing you need to pay attention to is that the station cannot be too modern.

It would be best if the station style was that of the Republic of China period, because only this kind of architectural style can give the audience a warm feeling of the old times.

The cold, modern train station and the huge waiting hall do make travel more convenient for people, but they give people the feeling that they are not suitable for such a heartwarming film.

“It’s a Japanese style…”

“Forget about the Japanese style.”

Before Qiu Fusheng finished speaking, Li Yishu waved his hand and said, "If the building is in Japanese style, it will easily give people a sense of déjà vu of a Japanese movie."

"Is that so... Then I'll check back later."

Qiu Fusheng didn't say anything else. He probably understood what Li Yishu was thinking.

The two chatted for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, Li Yishu stood up and said, "Okay, I won't bother Mr. Qiu anymore. I'll talk to him after I finish writing the script. I'll let Amy talk to him about the specific investment matters."

"No problem, Director Li! I'll take you there."

Qiu Fusheng nodded and stood up to see him off.

"No need, Mr. Qiu, please stay."

After declining Qiu Fusheng's offer to see him off, Li Yishu left the Era Film Company and walked alone on the streets of Hong Kong, which had a sense of the times. The rows of billboards hanging on the outer walls of the buildings can only be seen now. In another twenty years, they will no longer be there.

"Jingle Bell--"

Just as Li Yishu was walking aimlessly on the streets of Hong Kong Island, his cell phone suddenly rang. He took it out and saw that it was Huo Wenxi calling.

Li Yishu answered the phone and put it to her ear and asked, "What's wrong, Wenxi?"

"Boss, where are you? Someone is looking for you."

"Looking for me? Who?"

"It's Miss Zhang Manyu. She's in the company."

"Zhang Manyu..."

Li Yishu's eyes flickered. Zhang Manyu came to see him, probably because she knew that she came to Hong Kong for cooperation.

He thought for a moment and said, "Okay, ask her to wait for me at the company. I'll be back now."

Twenty minutes later.

Art Film Company.

As soon as she returned to the company, Li Yishu asked the front desk clerk, "Where is Manager Amy?"

The front desk clerk hurriedly said, "Boss, Manager Amy is out. It seems that she is going to discuss the release of "Sword Rain"."

After a year, art film companies have gradually become more formalized. In addition to producing films, they have also gradually started to participate in film distribution. Of course, they are mainly responsible for supervising distribution and will not directly participate in it.

This is also what Li Yishu meant. The film market in Hong Kong and Taiwan will gradually decline sooner or later, and domestic cinema chains will gradually be privatized in the future. It would be a good time to let Amy get familiar with it now, so that she can take advantage of the state-owned enterprise reform to buy a small cinema chain in the future.

Whether it is to grow and develop, or to be sold to Wanda in the future, it will be a good deal.

After all, Li Yishu knows that in a few years, the state-owned enterprise reform of the cinema chain will bring huge profits.

Many of those state-owned cinemas have land ownership rights and are located in the bustling city center. At least when real estate has not been fully developed, the land of these cinemas alone is worth a lot of money.

After confirming that Zhang Manyu was still in the reception room, Li Yishu walked over, knocked on the door and walked in. Zhang Manyu, who was chatting with Huo Wenxi, heard the door open, turned around and saw that it was Li Yishu who came. She also quickly stood up and said, "Director Li!"

"Sit down."

Li Yishu walked into the room with a smile on her face: "Ms. Manyu, why didn't you call me in advance? That way I could wait for you at the company and not make you wait so long."

"It's okay, Director Li."

Zhang Manyu smiled and said, "I wanted to call you, but I was too eager to see you."

"Haha, Miss Manyu is so polite."

Li Yishu smiled, took the tea brought by Huo Wenxi, took a sip, and said, "Miss Manyu, what do you want to see me for?"

Zhang Manyu hesitated and said, "This... is like this, Director Li, I heard that the martial arts film you recently collaborated with Ms. Gong Li has been completed. I wonder if you have any new production plans next?"

"There is one. He just came back from talking with Mr. Qiu from Era Company."

While answering, Li Yishu was thinking, can Zhang Manyu play the role of her son's mother?

In this case, it would be a double combination of Berlin Film Queen + Venice Film Queen.

But when I think about the fact that the mother’s character doesn’t have many scenes in this movie and dies in a car accident, I decided to forget it.

Previously, Zhang Manyu made a cameo appearance without having to pay, so it’s a bit insulting to let Zhang Manyu, who won the Berlin Film Festival Award, make a cameo appearance as a supporting actress.

"Then I wonder if I will have the opportunity to star in your movie, Director Li?"

Zhang Manyu looked at Li Yishu expectantly.

Since her guest appearance in "Farewell My Concubine" at the beginning of the year and winning the Berlin Film Festival Best Actress award, Zhang Manyu has been very busy this time when she returned to Hong Kong Island.

After returning from Berlin with the award, she has already shot six movies in a row in only October, including "Three Makes the World", "Police Story 3" and "New Dragon Inn", averaging one movie per month. This efficiency is only achieved by Hong Kong films.

By the way, we also have to count the "Ashes of Time" which has not been completed yet.

Of course, there are also two cameo appearances, and these are all commercial films. Zhang Manyu herself is also busy shooting, so she has plenty of time.

After filming several commercial films in succession and receiving a considerable amount of pay, Zhang Manyu's artistic heart began to overflow again. Perhaps she was afraid that her hard-earned acting skills would be wasted after filming too many commercial films.

In addition, when he learned that Li Yishu had come to Hong Kong, he immediately came to seek cooperation.

"Ms. Manyu, of course I like working with you, but..."

Li Yishu hesitated and said, "My role doesn't really match your image."

Zhang Manyu's face is definitely beautiful, a typical oval-faced beauty, but because her apple cheeks are too full, her two dimples are very obvious when she smiles. If she were to play a modern urban beauty or a noble lady in the Republic of China, she would look very noble and generous.

But if I were to play the role of a peasant woman, it would feel out of place.

It’s just like in the movie “I Am Not Pan Jinlian” starring Fan Bayi. With her looks, she is not Pan Jinlian, but she is better than Pan Jinlian.

"I can change it."

Zhang Manyu said urgently: "Director Li, I can change my image!"

Seeing Zhang Manyu's serious and sincere face, Li Yishu thought for a while and said slowly: "I wrote a script before, and there is a role that should be quite suitable for you, but..."

“I can act!”

Zhang Manyu said without hesitation: "No matter what role it is, I can do it."

"Don't rush to agree. This is a character who has lost his mind and his life due to a car accident, resulting in high-level paraplegia. Maybe... he needs to be in bed..."

Li Yishu stretched out her hand and gestured.

Zhang Manyu was a little confused at first, but when she remembered what Li Yishu said about high-level paraplegia and the fact that they had to be on a real bed, she immediately realized that it was probably a problem with excretion.

She hesitated for only a second, then quickly agreed: "I can! I can go back... and try."

Seeing that Zhang Manyu is now the winner of the Berlin Film Festival and is also a first-line actress in Hong Kong, and she can endure peeing in bed for the sake of filming, why should Li Yishu not agree?
"it is good!"

Li Yishu said, "Since Miss Manyu is so sincere, I will leave this role to you. However, the specific filming time may be next year. I also have to go back and polish the script and give it to you before the end of the year."

The script he was talking about was "Nobody". In Li Yishu's opinion, the male lead Chen Jianbin was not the key to this movie, but the female lead Ren Suxi, who played the high-level paraplegic Ma Jiaqi, gave people a bright sense of déjà vu.

Especially the faint feelings she developed with Hu Guangsheng later on, which gave people a sense that they were the protagonists.

"No problem, thank you Director Li for giving me this opportunity."

Zhang Manyu was very excited, as one could tell at a glance that this kind of role was aimed at winning awards, and she now hoped to star in more award-winning films.

There are very few directors in Hong Kong who make art films, and even fewer who can win awards.

Li Yishu smiled and said, "It's not that I'm giving you a chance, but this role is very suitable for you."

(End of this chapter)