Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 96 [Hollywood can make special films, why can't I? ]

"Well, I'll trouble you, Mr. Tanaka."

Li Yishu smiled and nodded: "Regarding the continued cooperation with Dongbao, although there is no time for the time being, I do have a martial arts film that has started shooting. I wonder if Dongbao Company is interested in participating in the distribution?"

"Yes, of course!"

Ichiro Tanaka's eyes lit up: "Is this a martial arts film directed and shot by Li Jun himself?"

Hong Kong and Taiwan martial arts films also have a certain market in Japan, not to mention that the film was directed by the great director Lee Ye-su.

"Yes, I directed and filmed it myself."

Li Yishu suddenly thought of something when she said this, and said, "The setting of this movie is the Ming Dynasty, which is the Warring States Period in Japan. I plan to arrange several Japanese actors to play the roles of extraordinary samurai and ninjas."

"Si Guoyi!"

Hearing that Japanese actors were needed, and that the film was about the Warring States Period, which Japan is most proud of, Ichiro Tanaka said excitedly: "Mr. Li, please let Toho invest in this film!"

"There's no need to talk about investment. We can cooperate again in the future. I've already found a partner this time, but..."

Li Yishu smiled and said, "But Mr. Tanaka, can you help me arrange an audition? Preferably before tomorrow afternoon. I want to select a few outstanding Japanese actors to participate."

"No problem!" Ichiro Tanaka nodded quickly, indicating that this was not a problem at all.

"By the way, this movie will probably be released around September. As for the distribution, I hope Toho can help me arrange it in advance."

Lee Yi-su spent only one and a half months shooting this film, and the remaining one and a half months was used for post-production.

It took three months to complete the film and then release it.

Ichiro Tanaka said, "Okay, I will talk to the people in the distribution department tomorrow. Mr. Li is now an S-level director recognized by our Toho Corporation, and all treatment will be of the highest level."

"S-level director?" Li Yishu raised her eyebrows.

"It's like this, Mr. Li. We at Toho Corporation internally rate the directors we work with, from B to S. Last year, after Mr. Li's The Mountain was released, we rated you A, but this time after Love Letter was released, you were rated S."

At this point, Ichiro Tanaka seemed to want to explain how precious S-level directors are, and continued: "So far, Toho has selected no more than ten S-level directors, including Godzilla's father Tsuburaya Eiji, Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki, and film master Akira Kurosawa..."

Listening to Ichiro Tanaka's words, Li Yishu nodded without comment. This is probably equivalent to the rating system for actors and directors in Hollywood.

Top directors not only receive high salaries, but also share in the movie box office and even peripheral profits.

From this perspective, being rated as an S-level director by Toho does have its advantages. At least, he can save a lot of distribution fees in the future.

After chatting with Ichiro Tanaka for a while, Li Yishu found an excuse to leave. He glanced at Izumi Sakai who was still chatting with several singers. He also found Amy.

Li Yishu said, "Call the company later and ask them to inform Sister Xu to add a scene of Zeng Jing fighting against the Japanese pirates in the script of "Sword Rain", with ronin and ninjas."

"what?"

Amy hesitated and asked, "Boss, do we need to add a few Japanese actors?"

Amy is considered a veteran in the Hong Kong film industry and has long been accustomed to the various things like adding people and scenes to the crew.

Li Yishu smiled and said, "Yes, we will add a few Japanese actors. But you need to tell them that this scene of the Japanese pirates is not included in the original plot. It is a special edition for the Japanese version."

If Hollywood can make money in China by making special editions, why can't Lee Yi-su make money in Japan by making special editions?

If Lee Yi-su hadn't contacted the Korean film company yet, she would have wanted to make a Korean version.

Just relying on the strong self-esteem of the Simida Universe Country, they can find a few popular actors or singers there, make a special Korean version of the movie, and then personally go and praise the excellence of these Korean actors. That will be a sure-fire box office harvester.

Anyway, the Internet had not yet developed in those days, and international communications were rather complicated, so it was basically impossible to be discovered.

Even if someone finds out, the worst that can happen is that the movie is aimed at a global audience, and each market has different requirements and preferences. As a director, we must adjust our shooting style and plot to suit audiences in different regions.

Once these words are spoken, naturally someone will help to clean up the mess.

"I...I understand Director Li."

Amy also understood what Li Yishu meant. This was not a precedent for him.

Cheng Long's movies are divided into Hong Kong and Taiwan versions, Japanese and Korean versions, and even European and American versions.

There is just one difference, that is, Cheng Long made changes in the lines, character settings and some scenes, while Li Yishu filmed an additional plot purely for the Japanese market.

Make money, not shabby.

Li Yishu is not a big director with a literary and artistic complex. She makes movies for fame and money. What's wrong with making a special edition?
If Hollywood directors can do this, why can't I!
"Mr. Li."

At this moment, Izumi Sakai came over with a smile on her face, subconsciously took Li Yishu's arm, and introduced: "This is Miss Nakajima Miyuki, she likes the movie Love Letter directed by you very much."

Hearing this, Li Yishu glanced sideways and saw Nakajima Miyuki in a dress with a faint smile on her lips. Nakajima Miyuki, who was already forty years old, exuded an intellectual and mature beauty from the inside out.

"Smimasai!"

Miyuki Nakajima bowed politely and said with a smile: "Director Li's filming of Love Letter is so wonderful that it makes me feel like I've returned to my youth."

"Ms. Nakajima, you are too polite. Speaking of which, I am still a fan of yours. I really like the song "Accustomed to Loneliness" you sang."

When Li Yishu thought of this song, he also thought of the intimate scene with Yu Feihong in the private hot spring pool that day. It's quite interesting to think about it, he completed both times in Japan.

"Thank you."

Miyuki Nakajima smiled and said, "I am very grateful that Director Li likes this song. If there is a chance in the future, I hope to work with Director Li."

She was talking about the movie promotional song.

Li Yishu naturally agreed with a smile: "No problem, Miss Nakajima, there will definitely be a chance in the future."

"..."

After a few simple exchanges, Nakajima Miyuki gracefully said goodbye. Looking at her departing figure, Sakai Izumi said with emotion: "I really don't know when I can become a national treasure-level singer like Miss Nakajima!"

"Haha, take your time, you will be able to do it sooner or later."

Li Yishu smiled brightly, but in her heart she was not very optimistic about Izumi Sakai becoming the second Miyuki Nakajima.

Although he didn't know much about Miyuki Nakajima, he knew there was a saying in Hong Kong and Taiwan that Miyuki Nakajima supported most of the Hong Kong and Taiwan music circles.

Those classic songs, "Walking on the Road of Life", "A Woman Easily Hurt", "Sad Pacific", "The First Dream"...

There are more than seventy songs adapted from Miyuki Nakajima's works, all of which are well-known songs.

The charm of music is universal. As the original singer of so many high-quality songs, one can imagine how high Nakajima Miyuki's status in Japan is.

The banquet was almost over by this time.

Li Yishu also said something to Ichiro Tanaka, and then let Amy go back first.

"Where are you going to?"

"Still... still go to my place."

"It's all right."

Li Yishu smiled. He originally wanted to go to the hotel because the environment was better, but it seemed that Izumi Sakai preferred staying in her own single apartment.

Naturally, he readily agreed to the beauty's request, and on the way back, the two of them had some midnight snacks at a street stall.

Neither of them ate much at the banquet.

Once they got back to Izumi Sakai's single apartment, there was naturally some romance.

But tonight, Izumi Sakai is not as passionate as yesterday. Instead, she looks a little more immature and shy.

Instead, it allowed Li Yishu to experience a different kind of beauty.

It feels like two different people when they drink and when they don't.

One person really brings two joys~
Ichiro Tanaka was very efficient. The next morning, he contacted many outstanding actors for interviews through Toho Co., Ltd.

Among them are Miho Nakayama and Takuya Kimura. They have tasted the sweetness, and now when they hear that Director Li is going to select Japanese actors again, they naturally asked their agents to send their resumes.

In the afternoon, after Li Yishu arrived at Dongbao Company, she looked at the thick stack of resumes and sighed that big directors with box office results were different. Actors were begging to come.

"Supervisor Li, these are all screened by us."

It was naturally impossible for Ichiro Tanaka to let Li Yishu watch each copy one by one. Considering that the other party wanted to shoot a martial arts film, he selected several Japanese martial arts actors from them.

The first person Li Yishu took the lead to look at was the familiar "Xiong Ba" in Feng Yun, but his real name was Chiba Shinichi.

I was even more satisfied when I saw on his resume that Shinichi Chiba was also a black belt fighter at the International Karate Federation Kyokushin Kaikan. The role of Xiongba played by Shinichi Chiba can be said to be a classic.

Li Yishu asked, "Does Chiba Shinichi have a schedule in July?"

Ichiro Tanaka nodded and said, "Yes, Director Li, the actors I selected will all have schedules in the future."

"Then count him in."

Li Yishu flipped through a few more pages and saw a familiar face, Hiroyuki Sanada. He was the actor who played the role of "General Guangming" in the epic and epoch-making masterpiece "The Promise" directed by the famous director Chen Kaige.

Li Yishu has also seen many movies starring him. Although most of them were supporting roles, his acting was good and he also had a basic knowledge of karate, so she decided to take the role.

When she saw the resumes of Miho Nakayama and Takuya Kimura were also there, Li Yishu arranged it without thinking. These two people are very popular in Japan now. After finding two talented kung fu actors, it is natural to find two idols.

Li Yishu said: "Let's just talk about the four of them. We can discuss the schedule with them. From July 7st to July 1th, we can finish the filming in 7 days, so the pay may not be very high."

Four people, two samurai and two ninjas.

Ichiro Tanaka quickly said, "It's okay, Li Jun. They said that it's fine whether there's pay or not. As long as they can act in Li Jun's movie, it's a learning opportunity for them."

"Haha, then please tell them, Mr. Tanaka."

"No problem, Li Jun, I'll arrange it!"

(End of this chapter)