HuaYu97: Starting as a Singer

Chapter 416 [416] The director of "Saw" is in place, marking the first step in Qi Yuan's Hollywood blueprint.

The first Saw movie had a production cost of only $1.2 million, a shooting period of 18 days, and a global box office of $100 million, creating a myth of a small budget driving a huge box office.

This film became a hit because of its subversive creativity and tight narrative techniques.

As for extreme cost control, this is indeed Wen Ziren's strength, and he is very impressive at it.

But Qi Yuan let Ning Hao film this without extreme cost control, because he has plenty of money.

Wen Ziren had no choice. He wanted to be the director, and his partner wanted to be the lead actor and screenwriter. Both of them were newcomers, and the film company shook its head in disapproval.

Film companies won't feel comfortable betting on them unless they push costs to the limit.

The biggest problem can be easily solved with Qi Yuan; Ning Hao just needs to follow the script.

Qi Yuan wrote the script overnight.

The story is not complicated: two people are trapped in a dilapidated bathroom, locked at opposite ends, with a corpse between them.

The corpse was holding a gun in one hand and a tape recorder in the other. The tape recorder's voice told them that they had to play a game to survive.

Then the camera work and plot kept leading the audience to mistakenly believe that the boss was outside the scene.

In the end, there was a shocking twist: the corpse in the bathroom got up and revealed that he was the real boss, and the game ended.

Interspersed throughout are various minor plot twists, creating suspense and impacting the audience's psychology, with the sense of suspense and tension building layer by layer.

The most important thing about this film is its ingeniously structured script. There are no special effects shots or difficult scenes, so Jiang Ninghao can definitely handle it with ease.

What? Rewrite the script? They're already in Hollywood. Jiang Wen is planning to teach Ning Hao a lesson, and Qi Yuan can also teach Jiang Wen a lesson, to let him know what producer-centric systems are all about.

After finishing the script that night, Qi Yuan drew some simple storyboard sketches the next day.

……

The next day, afternoon.

Jiang Wenjia.

Ning Hao pondered for a long time: "Perhaps President Qi didn't take a liking to my script; there's been no news at all."

Jiang Wen shook his head: "This kid has fallen into depravity, he's gotten himself into a harem and can't get out. He probably hasn't even seen it yet. You need to calm down."

Last night, they saw with their own eyes a pretty, big-eyed girl get into Qi Yuan's flashy Porsche sports car, which was supposedly a gift from Cheng Long.

Damn! Why isn't anyone giving them a sports car?

Just as I was complaining, the phone rang. It was Ning Hao.

"Mr. Qi, Mr. Qi's phone call."

At this moment, Ning Hao felt the happiness of a devoted admirer finally receiving a response from his goddess.

He quickly answered the phone: "Hello, Mr. Qi."

"Come to the company for a moment, I have something to discuss with you."

……

After half an hour.

In the boss's office of Starry Sky Company, a junior assistant brought two steaming cups of tea to Ning Hao and Jiang Wen.

That's right, Jiang Wen came along too, claiming that he gave Ning Hao some advice, which would make him practically one of the screenwriters.

Moreover, Ning Hao promised to invite him to participate in the film, so it makes perfect sense for him to come here, right?

Qi Yuan turned her gaze to Ning Hao.

"Haozi, I read your script last night, it's quite interesting. However, you're a new director just starting out, and the mainland film market isn't doing too well."

"You made a film that cost at most twenty or thirty million at the box office, it's not very interesting. If you really want to practice, why not go big and make one in Hollywood?" "!??"

Ning Hao's pupils dilated.

Holy crap! Hollywood? Is this something a rookie director like him can handle?
Jiang Wen's eyes lit up, Ning Hao gestured for him to remain calm, and then urged, "President Qi, please elaborate."

To be honest, if Qi Yuan really gave Ning Hao a few million to practice with, Jiang Wen felt he'd had his fill of the challenge. But it would have been a little lacking, not quite satisfying at all!

Go to Hollywood and become a tyrant on set, sidelining the director—just thinking about that plot is freaking exciting!
"Take a look at this script first. I wrote it a while ago. It definitely won't be released in China, but Hollywood could give it a try."

Qi Yuan took the script out of the drawer.

Jiang Wen, sitting opposite him, was even more awake. Was this kid just like him, enjoying watching banned films?

After looking at him, I realized he was overthinking it; his "banned films" were just too much vinegar.

Qi Yuan is very serious. This is a horror movie script with a lot of bloody and violent content, so it's normal that it can't be released in China.

Both were drawn to the story of the script, which revolved around an escape room and incorporated elements of suspense, horror, and gore, exploring themes of humanity, survival, and redemption.

The plot is full of tension, with amazing twists and turns!
You really don't know who the mastermind is until you see the very end of the script.

Ning Hao was incredibly excited: "President Qi, you're awesome! Your script is really creative, the twist where the corpse gets up and reveals its identity at the end is absolutely brilliant!"

Those who can become directors must have excellent imagination and a strong sense of imagery. He thought about the scene and already felt a chill run down his spine.

He believes this script is much better than his "Crazy Stone".

His hands trembled slightly at the thought of going to Hollywood and directing his debut film with this script.

What makes a good boss? What makes a benefactor?
"Not bad, that's interesting, but I think it would be better this way... and here too..."

Jiang Wen also thought the script was good.

He wasn't surprised that his younger brother Qi Yuan could write screenplays.

"Bouquet" was written by Qi Yuan, and it even won the Best Screenplay Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

However, he feels uncomfortable if he doesn't inject a bit of ginger flavor into the script.

In his opinion, the script was good, but it still had some logical flaws.

For example, a Black police officer discovers a clue, and the two of them venture into the den of iniquity alone. When they encounter the boss, they hesitate and dare not fire.

A Black police officer was nearly killed after his throat was slit.

The companion fell into the trap and died on the spot, and the boss also ran away.

And that accomplice, poisoned with a slow-acting poison, didn't seek medical help, believing the boss possessed the only antidote to save his life...

These are all logical flaws that Jiang Wen pointed out.

However, the most important aspects of horror films are the sense of suspense and immersion. To achieve these two goals, it is normal to sometimes selectively sacrifice some logical coherence.

For example, in many horror movies, the police only appear after the movie has ended. If the main characters call the police and the police arrive five minutes later, how can the story be filmed?
That's just how the subject matter is; you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Qi Yuan ignored Jiang Wen and only said, "What does the director think?"

"I think……"

Jiang Wen was eager to answer, but then he noticed Ning Hao looking at him with a questioning gaze, so he had to quickly change his answer.

"Haozi, you say you're the director."

Ning Hao continued to scrutinize Jiang Wen with a suspicious look. For some reason, he had just had the illusion that Jiang Wen was the director.

Maybe he's overthinking it. Jiang Wen would take his place? Impossible! Old Jiang isn't that kind of person.

(End of this chapter)