Literary Master 1978.

Chapter 461 Pay attention to the pattern
“We can choose two distinctive novels to adapt, such as a few new writers you discovered when you were an editor.

We can also discover some new directors from the mainland. Lao Chen's son has won many awards in the past two years.

And his photographer, his name is Zhang Yimou, right?
He has won as many photography awards as Lao Chen's son. He is a potential candidate."

Listening to Lin Chaoyang's clear thinking, Tao Yushu nodded and said, "Then let's follow your idea."

After the couple finished their discussion, the next morning they took Hu Qiming to Golden Harvest to talk with Zou Wenhuai about introducing "The Truman Show" to the mainland.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, there have generally been only two ways to introduce foreign films into the country.

One is film exchange, which is a non-commercial distribution.

The other is a buyout offering, and the buyout price is usually $2.

This method is the same as the way "The Truman Show" is distributed overseas today, except that most of the films that can be bought for $2 are old films.

Zou Wenhuai was very happy when he learned that China Film Corporation wanted to introduce "The Truman Show". It is true that the domestic economy is backward nowadays, but it is a big country with a population of one billion after all.

The box office scale of the film market is several times that of the Hong Kong market. If it can really be opened to Golden Harvest, he is confident that he can make a fortune.

But after he learned the situation from Hu Qiming, he couldn't help but be disappointed again. It turned out that they wanted to buy out the copyright.

The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. After talking with Hu Qiming, Zou Wenhuai fell into hesitation.

"Mr. Zou, there is still a long way to go. It is a good thing that The Truman Show can be introduced to the mainland.

Our mainland is now reforming and opening up, and the film industry will reform sooner or later. It is not a bad thing for film and television companies like Golden Harvest to cooperate with China Film Group and gain a foothold as soon as possible. "

Tao Yushu tried to persuade Zou Wenhuai. She knew very well why Zou Wenhuai was hesitating. It was simply because he was worried about the Freedom Association.

But now we are just selling movies after all. Freedom will always be overbearing. We can't block other people's way to make money, right?

She deliberately mentioned the issue of "reform" again. She understood that for a businessman like Zou Wenhuai, stance was not important; what was important was interests.

There is a "hook" hooking him, and he will always try to have the best of both worlds.

Tao Yushu's idea was not bad. After hesitating for a moment, Zou Wenhuai finally said, "Okay. Cooperating with China Film Corporation is also a new opportunity for us at Golden Harvest."

The introduction was discussed and the atmosphere was harmonious between the two sides.

Lin Chaoyang originally planned to take Hu Qiming away, but was stopped by Zou Wenhuai.

"Mr. Lin, there must be a lot of film companies that have approached you recently, right?"

"Yes, it is indeed a bit much."

"Is there anyone who doesn't follow the rules?"

Lin Chaoyang immediately understood what Zou Wenhuai meant. The so-called "unruly" naturally referred to the H Club.

The Hong Kong film industry has been booming in recent years, and some H-boys have begun to enter the film industry.

However, this trend is not serious at present. Most of the bosses of film companies have some connection with the H Society, rather than the H Society directly starting a company.

Because Hong Kong’s current film market is still not hot enough and lacks hot money.

The H-society film companies in Hong Kong really started to proliferate after 87, when martial law was lifted in Taiwan and a large amount of hot money poured into the Hong Kong film market.

Just gather two stars and find a director, and you can churn out a movie in half a month or a month, and make a few million Hong Kong dollars easily. It's no different from robbing money. How could those crazy H-gangs resist such temptation?

Therefore, after 88, a number of film companies founded by H-type groups emerged in the Hong Kong film market, including Junsheng, Jianghu Ren, Fuyi, Changhong, Longying... Among them, the most famous one is China Star.

"I haven't encountered it yet." The thought flashed through his mind and Lin Chaoyang replied to Zou Wenhuai.

Zou Wenhuai nodded and said, "That's good. If you have any trouble, you can call me."

"Thank you Zou Sheng!"

After leaving Jiahe, Lin Chaoyang was still thinking about what he had just talked about with Zou Wenhuai. Zou Wenhuai reminded him that the H Club issue was indeed a problem.

It's okay in the next one or two years, but the environment in the Hong Kong film industry will take a sharp turn for the worse in another two years. He doesn't want Tao Yushu to put himself in danger.

Tao Yushu saw him thinking about something after he came out of Jiahe, so he asked, "What's wrong?"

"nothing."

Hu Qiming came to Hong Kong for two reasons: one was to introduce "The Truman Show" to the mainland, and the other was to represent Yanying Studio to try to cooperate with Lin Chaoyang again.

Now the introduction of "The Truman Show" has been confirmed, but there is no set rules for cooperation with Lin Chaoyang.

"Chaoyang, do you have any specific ideas about this co-shoot?"

On the way back to the hotel, Hu Qiming asked Lin Chaoyang.

"I plan to bring Yindu with me, and then..."

Lin Chaoyang's words were similar to Tao Yushu's, except that he added "Yindu" to his idea.

The so-called "Yindu" refers to the new film company established in 1983 by the merger of three Z-style film companies, namely Great Wall, Phoenix and Xinlian.

Since the 1960s and 1970s, after continuous suppression from the British Hong Kong government and Taiwan, Hong Kong's Z-style films have long since withered away. The three once-glorious Z-style film companies, Great Wall, Phoenix and New United, have also been unable to withstand the decline and have been forced to band together for warmth.

After Hong Kong's return, the situation of the Silver Capital Organization has improved a lot compared to previous years, and cooperating with them is an extra layer of protection.

Hu Qiming had no objection to Lin Chaoyang's suggestion of "involving Yindu". Instead, he was very happy because Yindu was the bridgehead of the domestic propaganda base in Hong Kong and was one of their own.

"That's better. But Lao Chen's son is currently filming "The Great Parade", so if you want to ask him to make a movie, you may have to wait a while."

"There's no rush for this. Let's talk about it after Yushu and I return to Yanjing. We can go talk to Yindu in the next two days."

"Okay. I'll communicate with them first, and then we'll decide on the details after you return to Yanjing."

After some discussion, Hu Qiming got out of the car and returned to the hotel.

Tao Yushu asked Lin Chaoyang: "We will be back to Beijing in a few days? What about "A Better Tomorrow"?"

"Let Yumo keep an eye on it. We still have too few people we can use, so we need to recruit some more."

The "manpower" that Lin Chaoyang mentioned was naturally people that the couple could trust and were capable, rather than the clerks and financial staff of the Prince Building Company.

"Indeed. I've been thinking about this recently. You can't let these mundane things waste your time and energy. It's been almost a year since The Truman Show was finished, and you don't even have time to write a new novel."

Lin Chaoyang:?

Wife, you changed the subject so abruptly!

However, what Tao Yushu said is not without reason. Lin Chaoyang is indeed wasting a lot of energy on things other than writing.

"This time when you return to Beijing, you should treat it as a retreat and think carefully about what you should write. For a writer, the most creative energy is only in these few years."

Tao Yushu has already thought of Lin Chaoyang's life arrangements after returning to Beijing, and can sum it up in one word: locked up in a small dark room.

After returning home, Lin Chaoyang received a letter from Li Tuo in China.

The news that "The Truman Show" was a huge success at the Cannes Film Festival has been reported back to China for quite a few days. Li Tuo's letter was mainly full of compliments.

By the way, I'd like to make a gloating bet that those critics and readers who criticized "The Truman Show" harshly last year must be regretting their decision now.

Two days later, Lin Chaoyang was invited by Ming Pao Publishing to attend a reader meeting organized by them in Central.

After the novel "The Truman Show" was published in Hong Kong in September last year, it achieved sales of nearly 9 copies in half a year, which is a good result.

But Hong Kong is a small city with a limited population, and the audience for literary works is also limited.

In fact, the real explosive period for novel sales is the first three months after the release of the novel. In the following three months, sales have been in a downward trend.

In April, sales were only 4 copies, a 3200% decrease from March.

According to normal trends, the sales of "The Truman Show" are likely to continue to decline for a few months and maintain sales after hitting the bottom.

But no one expected that "The Truman Show" would win three awards at the Cannes Film Festival, which directly ignited the enthusiasm of Hong Kong citizens.

Now not only has the movie become the hit of the year, but the sales of the original novel of "The Truman Show" have also skyrocketed.

Before the film won the award, the cumulative sales of "The Truman Show" in bookstores across Hong Kong had fallen below 200 copies per day. After winning the award, the sales volume directly exceeded 500 copies, then 1000 copies, copies...

In the last two days of the first week of the movie's release, the daily sales of The Truman Show novel reached an exaggerated record of 3000 copies per day, a result that had never been achieved even when the novel was first released.

Faced with this situation, Ming Pao Publishing House was naturally ecstatic and hurriedly extended an invitation to Lin Chaoyang to add fuel to the hot sales of the novel.

On the morning of the meeting, hundreds of enthusiastic readers came to the scene.

Among these enthusiastic readers, college students and white-collar workers account for a large proportion. They have always been the most active and most consumption-capable groups.

After seeing Lin Chaoyang, these people became extremely excited, just like fans meeting their idol.

This atmosphere startled the invited guests Liu Yichang and Shu Xiangcheng. Liu Yichang joked, "I don't think this is like a writer's reader meeting, but more like a celebrity's fan meeting."

Although Shu Xiangcheng's words were a joke, they did make some sense, because among the readers who came to the meeting today, quite a number of them were deeply moved after watching the movie.

I went to buy some novels again and developed a fondness for the writer Lin Chaoyang.

Compared with literary works, movies and television have more convenient dissemination properties. Once they are successfully adapted, the added value they bring to the original work will be enormous.

This point has been verified countless times in the adaptations of Jin Yong's works.

During the interview session at the meeting, Shu Xiangcheng said with emotion: "Hong Kong has not seen a writer as popular as Lin Chaoyang for many years!"

His "red" refers to the field of serious literature.

In the past three or four decades, Hong Kong's popular literature has been developing well. The main reason is that writers do not have the same high status as in the mainland, and their economic income depends entirely on whether their works are popular.

Therefore, "books are a form of strategic planning" became a reality that writers had to face. Xu Su, Liu Yichang and other literati who moved south had published a large number of serialized novels in newspapers and magazines in their early years.

The creation of this kind of serial novel forced them to pay more attention to enhancing the story of the article and how to please the readers.

The writers' lowering of their standards has resulted in the overall writing style and style of Hong Kong literature becoming increasingly popular.

Even today, the works written by serious writers are considered "semi-serious, semi-popular" in the eyes of true literary readers.

In such an overall literary atmosphere, Lin Chaoyang's rise in the Hong Kong literary world in just two or three years is a miracle that can only be admired.

What is even more amazing is that he is a writer from the mainland.

Although the two places belong to the same China, the subtle cultural differences brought about by different regions will often still affect readers' perception of the work.

But Lin Chaoyang's works are suitable for all ages and are popular among the audience, which is of course very admirable.

“I have read all four of Lin Sheng’s novels published in Hong Kong, and what impressed me most was his unconventional writing style.

I don’t know if Xiangcheng has this feeling, but the works of our generation of writers tend to rely too much on reality.

This emphasis is of great benefit to young people, but it is also a limitation for many mature writers, making them less inspired.

Reading Lin Sheng’s novels, such as "Crossing the Guandong", one can find both the style of magical realism and the weight of history. The combination of the two creates a sense of magnificence and vicissitudes that is different from ordinary historical novels, which makes people unable to help but indulge in it.

For example, "The Truman Show" has a more prominent style. In my opinion, the unique imagination and profound satire of reality shown in the novel have reached the extreme of what a serious writer can do.

Some people compare this novel to China’s 1984, and I agree with this statement…” The reader meeting was carried out in the form of a guest dialogue. Liu Yichang and Shu Xiangcheng were the guests invited by Ming Pao Publishing House.

During the exchange, the two spoke highly of Lin Chaoyang's work, to the point where it was a bit embarrassing even after removing the commercial elements of mutual flattery.

But the readers present felt very happy to hear this, because such comments made them feel recognized.

When it came to the question-and-answer session, these readers burst into amazing enthusiasm, and the question most mentioned was when the new work would be released.

Faced with readers' enthusiastic requests for updates, Lin Chaoyang was speechless and could only respond with "I'm still thinking about it."

After the morning's meeting ended, the readers were reluctant to leave and surrounded Lin Chaoyang to ask for his autograph. They reluctantly dispersed after more than half an hour.

The day after the heated meeting ended, a related report appeared in Ming Pao. The report also published a photo of readers flocking to the event, which looked very misleading.

It is indeed as Liu Yichang said, it feels like a celebrity fan meeting.

The next day, Lin Chaoyang and Tao Yushu went to visit the set of "A Better Tomorrow" together.

The total investment of "A Better Tomorrow" was HK$800 million, of which Lam Films invested HK$100 million, but its share of profit was 26%.

The film was originally scheduled to start shooting in early May with an investment of HK$5 million. However, after the news of "The Truman Show" winning the award reached Hong Kong, Cinema City decisively added HK$600 million, and has not yet sought to increase its share of profits.

Instead, the film's promotional focus was quietly placed on Lin Chaoyang, winner of the Best Screenplay Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

The leading actors in the movie are all very famous, but they are all relatively unknown now. In comparison, Lin Chaoyang, a screenwriter who has won two Academy Awards and one Cannes Best Screenplay Award, has more publicity potential.

The crew was shooting scenes today in Repulse Bay. As soon as Lin Chaoyang and his wife appeared, they attracted the attention of everyone in the crew.

Now that "The Truman Show" is in theaters, everyone who has anything to do with the movie has benefited from it, not to mention Lin Chaoyang, the screenwriter who made this movie possible?
It’s so popular!
John Woo specially stopped working and chatted with Lin Chaoyang for a while. When Lin Chaoyang asked about the current progress of the crew, John Woo's eyes were full of joy.

“We have almost finished filming half of the scenes. Thanks to Mr. Lin’s recommendation, several actors fit their roles very well and there was no need for adjustment during filming.

Especially Ah Fa, he is a natural born little brother."

While John Woo was speaking, Lin Chaoyang looked at Chow Yun-fat who was standing not far away.

Wearing sunglasses, a windbreaker, and a slicked-back hair, the sea breeze from the Repulse Bay makes his hair dance and the sleeves of his windbreaker flutter. He has an indescribable sense of elegance and uninhibitedness, and he really has the style of "Xiao Ma Ge".

Seeing that Lin Chaoyang was looking at Chow Yun-fat, John Woo thought that Lin Chaoyang was dissatisfied with Chow Yun-fat's lateness just now.

He had a scene with Ti Lung today. The original notice said it was for 8 o'clock, but Chow Yun-fat didn't arrive until 8:.

John Woo called over to Chow Yun-fat and said, "Ah Fat, how many times have I told you? Why are you late again today?"

"Mr. Lin, Director Wu, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Brother Long just bullied me." Chow Yun-fat said apologetically.

In the Hong Kong film industry, it is normal to have multiple projects at the same time. In addition to "A Better Tomorrow", Chow Yun-fat is currently filming "The Wife Killer" directed by Kenny Bee. He stayed up all night last night and was late again this morning.

Just now after he arrived, he was stopped by Ti Lung and talked to for a while. Ti Lung was from Shaw Brothers and was old-fashioned, but his work ethic was impeccable.

In contrast, most of the new generation of movie stars like Chow Yun-fat are in the mindset of making money through filming.

Lin Chaoyang knew that John Woo's words were directed at him, so he waved his hand indifferently.

After chatting for a while, Tao Yushu was still looking at Chow Yun-fat's back when he left. Then he suddenly said to Lin Chaoyang, "Hey, if this movie is a hit, black windbreakers should sell well, right?"

Lin Chaoyang joked: "If the movie is a hit, who cares about the money made from selling windbreakers?"

"Don't underestimate the clothing city. Du Feng wrote a letter a few days ago saying that the clothing city's daily turnover is now more than 50,000. In a year, it's 20 million, and the profit is 5 to 6 million."

As he spoke, Tao Yushu himself felt that something was wrong.

The net profit of "The Truman Show" is sure to exceed 1 million Hong Kong dollars, which is nearly million RMB. The money comes much faster than that of the clothing city.

"Making movies is really profitable!" she said suddenly.

Lin Chaoyang laughed and said, "It's not about making movies that makes money, but about making successful movies that makes money."

"So do you think "A Better Tomorrow" can be successful?" Tao Yushu asked.

"You'll have to ask Director Wu about this."

Lin Chaoyang threw the question to John Woo, who immediately said with certainty: "It will definitely be a big hit!"

Several people laughed.

When the crew finished work in the evening, Tao Yushu specially invited the main creative team of the crew to have a meal. She also told John Woo that she would be returning to the mainland during this period of time, and Tao Yumo would come to the crew at that time.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Lin. There will be no problem. The filming may be completed by the time you come back from the mainland," said John Woo.

"Thank you for your hard work, Director Wu."

After finishing their meal, the couple returned home and saw that there was one more person in the house. Maggie Cheung and Tao Yumo were playing with the two children.

After "The Truman Show" won the award, a group of actors who participated in the film became popular stars in the Hong Kong film industry, and Maggie Cheung was no exception.

Although he did not receive as much support as the male and female protagonists, he also received a lot of notices and his pay was rising.

Logically speaking, she should be so busy making money at this time that she doesn't even have time to sleep. I don't know why she still has the leisure to come to Lin Chaoyang's house to play.

After Tao Yumo talked about it, Lin Chaoyang finally understood that she was dissatisfied with the commercial films that Chen Ziqiang had recently given her and didn't want to act in them. She had a big fight with Chen Ziqiang and then ran to Lin Chaoyang's house.

Lin Chaoyang felt that he had a responsibility in this matter, so he went to Cannes and raised Maggie Cheung's horizons.

"Brother-in-law, you told me to act well, so of course I will choose good roles." Maggie Cheung said tearfully after recounting her argument with Chen Ziqiang.

“There are only bad movies, not bad actors. You are an actor, you can’t decide how the movie is, the only thing you can control is to perform well in every movie.

What is a good movie? Before a movie is released, can you guarantee that it will be good or bad? "

Lin Chaoyang's words left Zhang Manyu speechless, and Tao Yushu also advised:
"You are not yet at the stage where you can choose your roles. In fact, the role that Chen Ziqiang has arranged for you is already very good.

"The Truman Show", "Police Story" and "Rose Story", all of them have good box office and reputation. "

Maggie Cheung cried and clung to Tao Yushu's arms, "But I also want to win an award, I want to be the best actress, I don't want others to keep saying that I'm just a vase!"

Lin Chaoyang looked at her with a frown. If you want to cry, just cry. Why do you always rub against my wife’s arms?
Tao Yumo said venomously: "With your acting skills, you still want to be a movie queen? Don't dream on!"

The vicious comments from her bad friends broke down Maggie Cheung's defenses. She was pretending to be nice just now, but now she was really crying.

Tao Yushu glared at his sister and said soothingly, "It's a good thing that you have aspirations, but you have to eat one bite at a time. How can you become fat in one go? Michael acted in movies for more than 20 years before he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival."

Maggie Cheung raised her head with tears in her eyes and said with a sob: "I don't... I don't need the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival, the Best Actress Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards will do!"

Tao Yumo couldn't help but sneer when he heard this. He wanted to say something sarcastically, saying that the toad was yawning with such a big tone.

Lin Chaoyang and his wife looked at Maggie Cheung with both laughter and tears, you really dare to think that, no matter how good the Best Actress Award at the Academy Awards is, it can't be won by just talking!

However, the two would not laugh at Maggie Cheung. She just pursues art and has dreams, which is great for everyone!

"Well, then. How about you make winning the Best Actress Award at the Academy Awards your goal now and strive to achieve it in ten years?" Tao Yushu asked.

Maggie Cheung hesitated, "Ten years? I'll be 32 by then."

Tao Yumo rolled his eyes, and Tao Yushu said like coaxing a child: "Winning the award is just a goal. It won't interfere with your work and life."

Maggie Cheung thought about it and felt that it made some sense, then she asked Tao Yushu eagerly: "Sister Yushu, you will be the producer in the future, and I will be your leading actress, okay?"

Tao Yushu hesitated and said, "That also requires the role to be suitable."

"I recently found an acting teacher, and Willy said my acting has improved."

Maggie Cheung said she wanted to perform for Tao Yushu, but Tao Yushu quickly stopped her and said, "Okay, okay, if there is a suitable opportunity, I will definitely invite you to come."

Maggie Cheung smiled brightly upon hearing this and hugged Tao Yushu excitedly, "That's great!"

Every time she hugged Tao Yushu and rubbed him, Lin Chaoyang's eyebrows twitched and he always felt uneasy.

After she left, Lin Chaoyang began to slander Tao Yushu, "Wife, have you ever thought that it is very likely that Chen Ziqiang sent her here?"

Tao Yushu glanced at him with an indifferent expression, "What does it matter? Maggie is quite famous now. Isn't it a good thing that she is eager to cooperate with us?"

"This..." Lin Chaoyang was speechless.

What he said just now was of course just a guess. Maggie Cheung's personality is indeed naive and innocent, and it is not impossible that her performance just now was a revelation of her nature.

But he still felt a little unhappy, as if his home had been robbed.

He decided to test Comrade Yu Shu's revolutionary will tonight and must not let her be corrupted by the big orange cat's arms.

Two days later, Lin Chaoyang and his wife flew back to Beijing with their children.

It was already getting hot in Yanjing in mid-June. Besides the heat, the biggest feeling after getting off the plane was that the air suddenly became dry.

Returning to Xiaoliubukou Hutong and passing the West Courtyard, Lin Chaoyang discovered a small sign hanging at the door with the words "Author's Home" written on it.

When they arrived at the east courtyard gate, old couple Lin Erchun were already waiting at the door with eager eyes, holding a girl and a child in their arms and calling them "my dearest babies".

"Dad, Mom, he's only been gone for two months, it shouldn't be that serious." Lin Chaoyang said lightly.

Lin Erchun glanced at him and said unhappily, "It's not that you can't see the child, so you can talk without any pain in your back."

After saying this, he gave his grandson in his arms a kind smile.

"Dongdong, look at what good things grandpa bought for you?"

Lin Chaoyang was bored and asked Zhang Guiqin, "Mom, who put up that sign at the entrance to the west courtyard?"

"Li Tuo. People always come to our courtyard because they find the wrong place, so Li Tuo put up a sign like that."

Lin Chaoyang nodded. He had a good idea. He could tell at a glance that the brand was Li Tuo’s style.

The children and grandchildren were all back, and Zhang Guiqin prepared a sumptuous dinner. During dinner, Lin Erchun asked, "Chaoyang, the news said you won an award in Cannes, which is quite impressive?"

"It's OK. The award from the film festival is quite famous in Europe."

"It's a good thing to win an award, but it's a pity that it's not for our country."

"Dad, you need to improve your awareness. Hong Kong is also an inseparable part of China."

"Get lost! I didn't know Hong Kong was going to return?" Lin Erchun cursed, and then said: "But it's still a little bit lacking in meaning."

Tao Yushu said, "Dad, Chaoyang and I came back this time just to make a co-production with Yanying Studio."

Lin Erchun asked with concern: "Can you win another award to bring glory to the country?"

"It's hard to say." Tao Yushu said somewhat unconfidently.

Lin Erchun looked regretful, "This is just a waste of money!"

"Layout! Pay attention to the layout!" Lin Chaoyang reminded.

Lin Erchun raised his chopsticks and Lin Chaoyang fell silent.

(End of this chapter)