2001 Media Godfather

Chapter 83 Returning a Favor
"Wu! I think we need to carefully consider the market tolerance for 'Windtalkers'."

Nicolas Cage is currently enjoying great success, but he still cherishes his reputation.

Nobody wants to act in a bad movie, especially one that touches on politically sensitive issues.

So, Cage really backed out.

Director Wu Yulin across from him felt like the sky had fallen.

It's worth noting that as the most successful Chinese director in Hollywood, his first Hollywood production, "Hard Target," grossed $3000 million, and his second film, "Broken Arrow," jumped to $7000 million.

Then came "Face/Off" with Nicolas Cage and "Mission: Impossible 2" with Tom Cruise.

It can be said that each film is a step up, and each one is more successful than the last!
This greatly boosted Director Wu's confidence, making him determined to make the next film, "Windtalkers."

Now, the leading man he has worked with for a long time has wavered. One can imagine how devastating this is for Director Wu.

The key point is that he didn't see anything wrong with what Chu An was saying. What's wrong with a film funded by white people being biased towards white people?
After hanging up the call with Cage, Director Wu became increasingly angry. This Chu An was just too annoying!

He grabbed the phone, contacted his friends in mainland China, and frantically searched for Chu An's contact information. He wanted to ask this Chu guy himself what he really meant.
You know what, most people couldn't find Chu An, but he actually did.

Director Wu had previously worked with Zou Qingsong, and Zou happened to have Chu An's phone number.

Having obtained the number, Director Wu dialed it aggressively.

结果
The number you dialed is currently busy.
"Oh, Mother Derek!"

Director Wu swore. It's already past midnight, and that guy surnamed Chu is still busy!

Chu An was really busy. After Cage and Sophia left, he contacted Director Wu, while Su Manqing kept contacting Chu An.

At this moment, Goddess Su was still immersed in the unreal shock.

Today, she received several Hollywood directors who were interested in collaborating, including David Lynch.

This left Su Manqing, who just a few days ago had offered to pay extra to participate in a B-grade police thriller, somewhat at a loss.

"I've found that things become simpler when they're in your hands."

Chu An did not take credit for this, saying, "This is normal."

"You've always thought that Hollywood is the mecca of commercial films worldwide. But in reality, Hollywood also needs art films to broaden its creative scope."

"So, you can fire your American agent; the marketing plan she came up with for you is terrible!"

It's a mistake to let a double European Best Actress compete with a white woman for commercial film resources.

Su Manqing's advantage lies in her achievements in art films.

"Previously, you were playing against stronger opponents, failing to utilize your strengths. But now..."

Su Manqing understood Chu An's meaning, "You mean, we're now attacking from a high position! Europe is the center for art films, and Hollywood needs art film actors like me."

Chu An on the other end of the phone nodded. "Besides, we brought a good script with us."

Su Manqing said, "Teacher Chu has finally told the truth. We still have to attribute the credit to your script."

Chu Anhou shamelessly said, "Hey, it's all just empty fame. It doesn't matter who gets it. I just happen to need it."

"Tch~!" Su Manqing said coquettishly, "Take it, who cares?"

"By the way!" After a round of mutual flattery, we must get back to the main topic.

“I actually prefer David Lynch to direct it.”

Although Chu An had just jokingly expressed his preference for her to work with Sofia Coppola, however...
David Lynch's reputation speaks for itself, and he just won the Palme d'Or at Cannes last year.

In the past, Su Manqing was someone unattainable, but now she is taking the initiative to cooperate. No one would want to miss such an opportunity.

"Teacher Chu, are you really going to reject David?"

"You have to understand, Sofia only has one debut film. Although she has shown talent, no one dares to bet that her next work will be just as good, and it has to be good enough to win over Cannes!"

Chu An listened quietly; he actually understood Su Manqing's longing for a renowned director. However...
"I just asked you one question!"

"If David asked you to contribute nude scenes in 'Fire in My Heart,' would you agree?"

Su Manqing paused for a moment, then began to seriously consider the question.

After a long silence, she said, "I think so!! It's just work!"

Su Manqing is an ambitious and courageous woman; otherwise, she wouldn't have ventured to Hollywood alone after reaching the top in China. It's worth noting that she was never this humble when she first started out in China.

It's just taking your clothes off!
Su Manqing cheered herself up, saying, "Hollywood actresses, no matter how big their names are, which one hasn't taken their clothes off?"

"Phew," Chu An sighed deeply on the other end of the phone.

"That's the problem."

"What?" Su Manqing teased with a smirk, "Chu An, don't you want me to take my clothes off? Someone just said they wanted to buy tickets."

Chu An had no intention of joking at all, and said something that instantly petrified Su Manqing: "It's not that I don't want you to take your clothes off, but that the Chinese audience doesn't want you to take your clothes off."

Su Manqing, “.”

Chu An said, "In the current era, let alone a superstar who is the focus of the whole nation, any Chinese person's exchanges with foreign countries will be elevated to the level of national and familial issues."

"They'll say that the actresses we've nurtured only managed to get a foothold in Hollywood by taking their clothes off!"

"If Teacher Su believes you can withstand this kind of public pressure and the subsequent consequences, then let David direct it. I have no objection!"

Chu An's words were not polite at all, and even carried a hint of reprimand.

Su Manqing was clearly overwhelmed with joy, and Chu An, as her public relations and planning officer, had a responsibility to remind her.

In the current environment, whenever issues involving Chinese and foreign stances are raised, the public opinion environment is even worse than it will be twenty years from now.

Because the Chinese people of this era desperately need that spirit to propel this nation back to the top of the world.

If Su Manqing really takes off her clothes, then it won't be her own problem, nor will it be a sacrifice she made for her career. It will bring negative public opinion.

Leaving aside others, in another timeline, someone wore a collar in a film, and the public outcry exploded.

Su Manqing's breathing became a little rapid, clearly indicating that she hadn't thought that far ahead. After a long pause, she solemnly replied, "I'm sorry, I didn't consider things thoroughly."

"Therefore, I cannot take it off! I must never take it off!"

Chu An didn't give a direct answer, which was actually telling her that this was the right way to think.

After a moment of silence, he said, "Actually, you don't need to feel that giving up David Lynch is such a regrettable thing."

"A simple analysis will show that he is completely unsuitable for this film, and there is no regret in giving him up."

Su Manqing smiled wryly, "You don't need to comfort me."

Chu An, "That silly old woman..."

"What?!" Su Manqing exploded upon hearing this. "Who are you talking about?"

Chu An, "I'm talking to you!"

"Putting aside the issue of whether or not he takes his clothes off, let me ask you this: Does David Lynch have any successful commercial films?"

Su Manqing: "No."

Chu An: "So do you think he can make an art film with commercial appeal?"

Su Manqing, "It shouldn't be, right?"

Throughout David's directing career, his talent is undeniable, but his films are often obscure and difficult to understand, making it hard for him to achieve commercial success.

Chu An: "That settles it then. Let him direct 'Heart Fire,' so what if it wins Cannes?"

What is your ultimate goal?

Su Manqing, “.”

Chu An, “Your goal is Hollywood! Even if you sweep Cannes, it won’t matter if David Lynch directs it; Hollywood won’t see your commercial value.”

Okay, Su Manqing understands.

Now that you mention it, that's definitely true.

Chu An hadn't finished speaking when he said, "Let's talk about Sophia next."

"First, she would never make you take your clothes off just to create a sensation!"

"Secondly, you should watch her debut film. She is a rare director who pays attention to the artistic aspects of the film while also taking into account some commercial appeal."

"Third, she can seduce Nicolas Cage!"

Chu An's words made it sound as if Su Manqing was mentally challenged for not choosing Sophia.

Su Manqing gave in to Chu An's wish and finally nodded, "Alright! I believe you! Let Sophia direct, okay?" Chu An replied, "That's right!"

“If you make the choice, I will keep my word and invest $300 million.”

Su Manqing, “.”

Did she really think Chu An's previous words were a joke? Did he really want to vote?

"Are you serious?"

Chu An: "Of course I'm serious."

Little did Chu An know that when he learned Sophie Coppola wanted to direct, he immediately wanted to invest.

First of all, there is no doubt about this woman's directing ability; her later films, such as "Lost in Translation" and "Cleopatra," were of excellent quality.

Moreover, he is a director who can balance artistic merit with commercial appeal.

More importantly, Chu An knew that Sophia was also very good at controlling costs.

To avoid exceeding the budget, filming for "Lost in Translation" was completed in just 27 days.

Many of the less important transitional shots in the film were even shot using a handheld digital camera.

Even worse, she secretly took photos on the streets of Tokyo to save money.

The expressions and movements of pedestrians, along with post-production dubbing, were cleverly integrated into the film. Many Japanese soldiers unknowingly became extras in "Lost in Translation."

A director who can save money, has ideas, and can also take commercial advantage, plus the fact that "Heart Fire" already had a good box office in the original timeline.

After the redesign, the commercial potential is even greater; only a fool wouldn't invest!

"My own money, plus your consulting fees, should amount to 1500 million RMB. Although that's not enough, I can borrow some from Lao Lu and raise 300 million USD without any problem."

Chu An spoke frankly, "If you have spare money, you can also invest some."

"Let Sophia kidnap Cage. That will save a lot of money on her salary. You can also use your salary to invest in the company."

"Oh, right! This film is going to be shot in Europe. You can use European crew members; they're cheaper."

At this point in time, the cost of a medium-budget Hollywood drama film would be around 1000 million. A low-budget film would cost around 500 million.

Of course, they couldn't afford to use someone of Cage's caliber. But what could they do when the director was Sofia?
Moreover, Chu An had considered the cost when selecting scripts.

He was afraid that Su Manqing would have difficulty finding investment if she copied a script with a large budget, so he chose "Heart Fire," a film with extremely simple scenes.

The entire film has only two large sets: one is on a ship, and the other is Godwin Manor.

There weren't many roles, which meant a significant amount of money was saved on costumes, makeup, and props. Only two ballroom performances required a few extras, so there wasn't much else to spend money on.

After the shoot, send the film directly to Cannes. If it wins an award, it will save a lot of money on publicity.

Therefore, according to Chu An's plan, the bid would be at most six or seven million.

There was a reason he suggested using European backstage support.

Many people believe that the cost of behind-the-scenes personnel in Europe, Hollywood, and China is definitely the cheapest in China.

The idea that labor costs are the lowest is actually wrong!

The pay for low-level crew members in domestic film and television productions is indeed low, so low that it's unimaginable to most people; it's even less than what you'd earn working on a construction site.

In reality, the top-tier behind-the-scenes figures are not cheap at all, but extremely expensive!
It's normal for a good cinematographer to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars for a single film.

For the top performers, earning millions is commonplace.

The cheapest options are actually in Europe! There's no way around it; the European film industry is too small. And European films struggle to reach a global audience and earn money worldwide.

This has resulted in a generally small scale of European cinema. Consequently, the income of those working in the industry is typically low.

A top-tier cinematographer typically earns around 30,000 to 40,000 euros per film. Occasionally, a film might earn 100,000 euros, which is something to be incredibly envious of.

In short, Chu An was a very competent public relations professional. He thought of everything that Su Manqing needed to know. "If the costs are controlled well, even if we win another award later, the total cost, including publicity, will not exceed 500 million!"

At this moment, Su Manqing had only one feeling: spending 200 million was absolutely worth it!

With a gleam in her eyes, she asked, "Teacher Chu is so dedicated; I wonder how her project is progressing?"

"Forehead"

Chu An was embarrassed. He already considered Goddess Su a friend, so he didn't hide anything. "Not very good!! If all else fails, we'll have to hold our noses and go to Tiandu to have Xu Shu play the role."

Su Manqing pursed her lips, "I've read the script. Is Xu Shu willing to play the role? This role is too easy for her."

Chu An frowned. "You must have discussed this with Xu Shu, right?" These were exactly the same words Xu Shu had said.

Su Manqing: "I'm not familiar with her, I'm just guessing."

Chu An sighed, "She really doesn't want to act."

Su Manqing suddenly blurted out, "When will you start filming?"

Chu An, "October."

Su Manqing: "When do you think 'Heart Fire' will be finished filming?"

Chu An said, "If you want to make it to Cannes next year, you have to finish filming this year."

Su Manqing: "Do you think we can finish filming it? Sophia only read the script for the first time today, and it will take time to prepare the crew."

Chu An replied confidently, "No problem at all!"

He knew all too well how efficient Sofia was. To produce a film like "Lost in Translation" in 27 days, which won a Golden Globe, a Venice Golden Bear, and was nominated for an Oscar, was incredible.
"Okay!" With Chu An's reply, Su Manqing felt more at ease and suddenly joked, "If you can convince Director Lu, I think I'll have some free time at the end of this year."

Chu An, "."

I thought to myself, "Stop messing around!"
"Are you serious?"

Su Manqing pouted, "What's this about being serious or not? Teacher Chu has done such a big favor. If we don't show our appreciation, how can we maintain this relationship?"

"I will need your guidance in the future!"

As a result, Chu An couldn't help but say, "There's no need to go through all that trouble. You can actually repay me with your body. I don't mind an older man dating a younger woman at all."

"Get lost!" Su Manqing laughed loudly. This kid was getting more and more audacious.

Getting back to the main point, "So, I'll play Qiao Jingjing?"

Chu An: "I'll call the sponsor tomorrow morning."

Su Manqing, "What are you doing?"

Chu An: "We need to pay more."

Chu An felt dizzy after hanging up the call with Su Manqing.

You could say that when luck comes, there's no stopping it!

Su Manqing playing Qiao Jingjing? I can't even imagine!
Chu An knew, of course, that Su Manqing was more suitable for the role of Qiao Jingjing. Not only him, but Lao Lu had mentioned it to him several times in the past few days, saying that Su Manqing's appearance at Chu An's house that day was exactly how he envisioned Qiao Jingjing.

But Chu An didn't mention this matter to Su Manqing at all.

Movie stars, especially those of Su Manqing's caliber, why would they act in TV dramas?

Firstly, it's unnecessary! Secondly, it might even have a negative impact on one's acting career.

Just like Zhang Ziyi, who condescended to act in a TV series, even when her career was clearly declining.

This still sparked considerable public debate and damaged her public image.

Therefore, Chu An didn't speak, nor could he bring himself to do so.

But now, Su Manqing herself has brought it up.
Then that's it!
That's so damn loyal!

Old Lu has no choice but to wait.

If he doesn't wait, his leg will be broken; even if the hospital bandages him for two months, he'll still have to wait.

Just as I was enjoying myself, my phone rang again.

Chu An looked down and saw an unfamiliar number, and it didn't look like a domestic number at all.

He answered suspiciously, "Who is this?"

On the other end, "Hello, Professor Chu, this is Wu Yulin. May I ask, what have I done to offend you?"

Chu An, "."

.

(End of this chapter)