Huayu became famous overnight

Chapter 249 Meeting an old friend in a foreign land

CAA Building.

Pani led Xu Ming and his group to the conference room.

"This is our director..."

"Pani, you can leave now. Leave this to me," the portly, white-skinned man sitting in the center interrupted.

Pani's face stiffened, and she nodded awkwardly before leaving.

"You stay and act as my translator."

Xu Ming spoke up, then looked at the director: "Is it not allowed?"

Everyone present, listening to the former's fluent English, knew perfectly well that the other party didn't need a translator at all.

Moreover, the question wasn't "Is it okay?", but "Is it not okay?"

The rhetorical question instantly made everyone realize Xu Ming's tough stance.

The chubby director squinted and smiled, "Of course, CAA has always adhered to the service philosophy that the customer is God."

"I hope this concept can be maintained, and I will try my best to remain your customer."

Xu Ming smiled, his expression gentle, showing no trace of the toughness he had shown just moments before.

Whether it was Tiffany, the intern agent, picking him up at the airport, or CAA's arrangement to have Megan work with Xu Ming.

All of this reveals their attempt to gain more control over the narrative surrounding the projects.

Megan is the daughter of the world's fifth richest man, and her interests are hard to touch, so Xu Ming is the only easy target left.

The latter acted so forcefully from the start, deliberately trying to make the other party think that he was difficult to talk to.

Even though he knew this was a sign of weakness, he had no other choice.

However, there's a right balance to be struck when playing strategy. If you show your attitude, others will give you an out, so know when to stop.

"This must be Ms. Megan, she's so young and accomplished." Xu Ming looked at the woman on the other side of the table.

On the way here, he had asked Pani about her background.

Born in 86, he started working as a film producer in 08, which means he was already at the top of the food chain in the film and television industry at the age of 22.

He's one of the more hardworking second-generation rich kids.

"Thank you. I appreciate the compliment."

Megan agreed, her eyes lingering on Xu Ming's face as she smiled and said, "It's a bit strange to hear it from you. You're three years younger than me and already a top actor in China, so this assessment is more fitting for you."

"There's no need to feel inferior if you're not as good as me," Xu Ming said calmly.

Megan was taken aback, then her upturned lips widened: "Xu, I really like your confidence. You are very different from the Chinese actors I know; they are usually very reserved."

Xu Ming said he is also used to being reserved.

But when you're in a foreign country, you have to stand up for yourself, so you have to change this habit.

The way this burly woman looked at him made him inexplicably uneasy.

He hasn't even tasted the beauty trap yet; he shouldn't be the one being used as a beauty.

"I was in talks with a Chinese film crew a while ago about a movie called 'The Grandmaster'..."

Megan read the film title in a strange Mandarin accent.

This time, it was Xu Ming's turn to be stunned.

Tsk, even after running away to America, he still couldn't escape Wong Kar-wai.

But he realized what was going on and figured out the connection.

"The Grandmaster" had a large investment, and it would be difficult to recoup the costs by relying solely on the domestic market. It's not surprising that they sought an overseas distributor and turned to Megan Williams.

“It really was fate; I almost got one of those roles,” Xu Ming nodded.

“I’m curious about something. American Hustle is a very typical Hollywood script. How did you come up with it?” Megan asked.

"I have many stories in my mind, and what I need to do is to bring them to life in the form of a script."

Xu Ming paused for a moment, then calmly met the gazes of everyone in the conference room and said, "It's that simple."

His answer was like asking how many steps it takes to put an elephant in a refrigerator.

Although it was absurd, no one found it outrageous at all.

Geniuses are supposed to be different from ordinary people.

"In my plans, the production cost of this film should be at least 20 million US dollars. Can you accept that?"

After the other person finished asking their question, it was his turn to ask one.

The original production cost of this film was 40 million US dollars, but that was in 2013. A year earlier, and with his conscious control of costs, it was reduced to this figure.

“No.” Megan shook her head.

The atmosphere in the meeting room froze; were the talks about to fall apart right from the start?
"That's too low. My plan is 30 million. It's Annapurna's first investment project, and I won't ask for it to be shoddy."

Megan emphasized, "We only make the best."

Yes, I can understand.

Many entrepreneurs start out with this kind of ambition.

Besides, the other party's family is so wealthy.

What Xu Ming didn't know was that the other party was actually the producer of the previous version of "The American Deception".

The circle can be very large or very small.

“These kinds of dramas should be considered for the Oscars from the very beginning. If they’re not made into high-quality films, there’s no chance of making a profit,” Pani whispered to Xu Ming in Chinese.

The latter looked as if he had just realized something.

Upon seeing this, both the director and Megan frowned.

The former, in particular, seemed like an insignificant nobody, yet his skill in picking up a person somehow got out of control.

"I can secure around ten million US dollars in investment and guarantee resources for screenings and promotion in mainland China after 'American Hustle' is released."

As Xu Ming introduced his strengths, he stared directly into Megan's eyes: "But I can't just be a screenwriter."

He wants more say.

Otherwise, in the eyes of many Hollywood companies, overseas capital is simply seen as a sucker who pays money off others.

These stinking outsiders know absolutely nothing about filmmaking.

However, given his identity as a screenwriter, he has a reason to get involved, and collaborating with a startup like Annapurna increases the chances of success.

“I don’t lack money, especially since China Capital doesn’t really mean much to a film that focuses on the American market.”

Megan didn't avoid Xu Ming's gaze at all; instead, she winked at the Asian sweetheart.

Damn it, Xu Ming never expected that his infallible eye contact attack would one day backfire.

He slightly withdrew his gaze: "I'm not an outsider. I've never heard of a production company putting its own money into it. Besides, money is money. Chinese dollars and American dollars are both dollars."

If he weren't a reincarnated individual, he wouldn't dare to go all in on his movies every time.

Even so, they still managed to attract a number of companies to invest together.

As for the idea that money is money, that's pure nonsense.

The same money can have different effects in the hands of different people.

For example, with the same $10 million investment, Annapurna and CAA can take half the shares, while China Capital can only get less than one-third.

There's nothing we can do; the production staff, distribution channels, and so on are all other people's resources.

If Xu Ming were in China and negotiating cooperation with the other party, the outcome would be the same.

Jackie Chan's success in Hollywood is largely due to his ability to bring his own action choreography team to set.

His early Hollywood films, such as *The Killer* and *The Protector*, did not suit his style and therefore failed to achieve success. However, his Hong Kong film *Rumble in the Bronx*, which showcased his distinctive style, unexpectedly became a box office hit, grossing $30 million in North America.

Xu Ming's struggle for control of the narrative was a prelude to his future actions.

He didn't lack the script fee, so fighting for power became his top priority. With the foundation laid by this play, it would be much easier to negotiate with other partners in the future.

"Xu, although I like your confidence, too much confidence is arrogance."

Megan shook her head. "No matter how much you achieve in China, you're a complete newcomer in Hollywood. Nobody here knows you, including me before today."

"I can't offer you any position other than screenwriting, but of course there are suitable supporting roles for you to play."

In her view, this was a huge act of charity; these Chinese actors just wanted to appear in Hollywood movies.

"Then there's no need for us to continue this discussion."

Xu Ming looked at the chubby director and said, "Let's find another partner. Harvey from Miramax has also contacted me. He told me that as long as this movie is given to him, it will definitely make it to the Oscars."

Upon hearing the name Harvey, both the director and Megan were taken aback.

If Xu Ming had uttered any other name, they might have thought it was nonsense, but Harvey Weinstein was simply undeniably believable.

The latter's close ties with Chinese filmmakers are no secret in Hollywood.

In fact, this guy, who started out as an independent filmmaker, made his fortune as a middleman in Hollywood and other countries.

The promise to run for the Olympics adds even more credibility to the claim.

Miramax is indeed adept at winning awards, and Harvey often uses this promise to fool others, but the key is that they actually have the ability to do so.

"The American Hustle" does indeed look like it has the potential to win awards.

The two men observed Xu Ming with keen eyes.

After observing for a long time, I couldn't glean any useful information from the other person's indifferent expression.

"This is only the first negotiation, there's no need to get so worked up. Since we have differences, let's put it aside for now and talk again in a week. Maybe things will turn around then."

This is where the role of the chubby director as an intermediary becomes apparent.

He offered a way out for both of them and then extended an invitation: "There's a dinner party tonight. If it's convenient for you two, you'd be welcome to come and join us. We're all in the industry."

The last sentence was mainly addressed to Xu Ming.

As a newcomer, networking was exactly what he needed, so he readily agreed.

As Megan left the meeting room, she stopped next to Xu Ming and said with a smile, "Since your looks are to my liking, I advise you to learn about Harvey's reputation in the industry before making a decision."

"He has processed countless newcomers like you."

The chubby director standing to the side looked embarrassed and pretended not to hear.

Only Meghan would dare to say something like that.

Although Harvey is not yet at his peak, few people in the industry are willing to offend him.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he's the top producer after the Big Six Hollywood studios.

They both left the office.

Pani avoided the director's scrutinizing gaze and stayed close to Xu Ming.

The first negotiation ended in discord.

He was not discouraged; on the contrary, he felt that the dawn of victory was just around the corner.

As the saying goes, only those who complain about the goods are the ones who actually buy them. If Megan didn't have any ideas about "American Hustle," she wouldn't have valued the film's narrative so much.

"Brother Ming, did the talks fall apart?" Xiao Juan asked tentatively.

"It's a tug-of-war phase, and we'll still have to work out slowly, but it's a small success so far," Xu Ming said.

Megan's attitude gives him leverage in negotiations with other companies, even if he doesn't cooperate with her.

"Then let's..."

"Let Pani take us to our hotel first, and we'll attend a banquet tonight."

Xu Ming looked relaxed. "Relax, just think of it as a vacation."

Xiao Juan nodded, but the sorrow in her eyes remained.

She gradually came to understand the company's predicament and realized how besieged it was.

It's only because his employer's performance last year was so amazing that Qiming would have been besieged long ago.

……

Dinner.

Xu Ming arrived as promised.

Everywhere was filled with guests clinking glasses and toasting, and he joined them, holding a wine glass in his hand.

Faced with such a novel Asian face, the guests were only slightly intrigued before paying little more attention to him.

"Xu Ming?"

Clear and resonant Mandarin Chinese rang out from not far away.

For a moment, Xu Ming felt as if he had returned to China. He turned his head in surprise and saw a familiar face.

"Teacher Zhang?"

Xu Ming raised an eyebrow, not expecting to run into Zhang Ziyi here.

The two of them felt a little awkward.

Although there was indeed a moment of joy in meeting an old friend in a foreign land, the two of them were people who had heard of each other but had never met.

"What are you doing here?" Zhang Ziyi couldn't help but ask.

She considers herself to be on the international stage, so it's normal for her to attend dinners hosted by people in the Hollywood industry in New York.

But Xu Ming is different; the other party's influence is all within China.

"I came here to discuss a project. Someone invited me, so I came to take a look. What about you?" Xu Ming said casually.

"I...I'm also here to discuss a project," Zhang Ziyi paused before speaking.

She actually came to network and see if she could get a role in a Hollywood movie.

Ever since she started enjoying the benefits of being popular both domestically and internationally, she has been afraid of losing her title as an international star.

In the past, she had access to a series of top-tier resources, such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "The Banquet," and "Memoirs of a Geisha," and with the support of her wealthy boyfriend, she was able to barely maintain her position.

Now that she has lost her wealthy boyfriend, her niche in the domestic film industry has been squeezed out, and her overseas development is not going well. She seems to be stuck in a dilemma, unable to return home or go abroad.

Xu Ming was quite friendly when he met his domestic counterparts and was planning to chat for a while.

In the distance, a white man waved to Zhang Ziyi.

The latter gave an apologetic smile and left in a hurry.

If it were Xu Ming from last year, she wouldn't mind getting to know him better, but she knows a thing or two about Qi Ming's current situation.

Although the underlying reasons are unclear and I dare not ask, I at least know that Xu Ming's situation is not so good.

Given their influence overseas, they would only be a nobody here.

After all, that's how she went through it; she knows all too well how insignificant and humble she felt when she first started out.

Domestically, the two might be able to sit in the same row, but on the international stage, she believes they are not on the same level.

Considering we're both actors from mainland China, if I come across a suitable film project, I can help give this guy an audition opportunity, which would be a way of helping him out.

Xu Ming had no idea that such a brief half-minute encounter would trigger so much drama in the mind of this top domestic actress.

However, he couldn't care less about the other person anymore.

Because someone behind him was waving at him. It was Megan, whom he had seen during the day, and next to her was Bell. The other person was in the very center of the banquet.

(End of this chapter)