Huayu: I was immediately ensnared by Jing Tian as soon as I entered the industry.

Chapter 91 Casting; Company Acquisition

Through Harvey's introduction, Wang Xuan met casting director Cassandra Kurukundis at The Weinstein Company.

"Wang, the youngest Silver Bear director, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Wang Xuan responded warmly: "Hello, Director Cassandra."

Despite Hollywood's arrogant attitude and self-proclaimed superiority over the Oscars, these directors who enjoy artistic pursuits still hold the European Big Three in high regard.

Cassandra took the briefcase from her assistant and pulled out a stack of Hollywood actor resumes. These were based on her experience with *Green Book*.

Choose a suitable candidate based on the personalities of the two main characters.

The male protagonist, Tony Lip: a bar security guard, aged 30-35, who speaks bluntly and vulgarly and has a volatile temper—but is kind-hearted and has a simple sense of justice.

Cassandra spread the resumes on her desk: "The actors who fit the bill best are Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Hugh Jackman —"

As he listened to the list of big names being announced, Wang Xuan nodded. Hollywood's acting powerhouses certainly offered a wide selection of actors to choose from.

"These are some of the top-tier male actors in Hollywood."

Harvey rubbed his hands excitedly, adding, "Of course, not including Leonardo DiCaprio, he's too expensive."

""

Wang Xuan nodded. If he remembered correctly, Sean Penn would win the Best Actor Oscar next year for his role in Milk.

What if we cast him and he takes the Best Actor award instead?

Wang Xuan also has his own ambitions, hoping to win an individual award, preferably Best Film or Best Director.

"The actors you mentioned are talented and fit the age range. How much do they get paid for art-house films?"

"800 million, 700 million, 600 million —"

Knowing that their commercial film salaries were high, I didn't expect art films to be so outrageous: "Send the script to Matt Damon first, and see if he accepts it."

According to Hollywood's unwritten rules, when inviting big stars to audition or make offers, you can usually only send an invitation to one person at a time. Only if the person explicitly declines can the invitation be sent to the next person. This is a sign of respect.

Cassandra nodded and then pulled out the biography of the Black male protagonist.

Don Shirley: A classical pianist, elegant in speech and manners, and a recipient of a top-tier elite education—he was ostracized by the white elite and rejected by the black community, which led to his withdrawn personality.

"The Black actors who fit the bill include Jamie Foxx, Don Cheadle, and Will Smith —"

Wang Xuan stroked his chin and pondered for a moment: "How much is Don Cheadle's salary?"

Don Cheadle's representative works include "Hotel Luanda", "Crash" and "The Strategic Task Force"—he is known in the industry as a benchmark for acting skills.

"$500."

"Okay, send him the script."

The other supporting roles weren't so troublesome; Cassandra could just find them through the union, as long as the pay was cheap.

Wang Xuan had already reached the door when he slapped his forehead and turned back.

"Director, is there anything else you need to explain?"

"Help me do a political background check on all the actors. I don't want actors with radical political leanings, especially those who are politically opposed; exclude them immediately."

When the disaster struck last year, Sharon Stone, that vile woman, made outrageous remarks that sparked a global boycott by Chinese people worldwide.

Cassandra nodded. Even if Wang Xuan hadn't said anything, she would have avoided actors with problematic roles.

If she ruins the production because of her choice of actors, her reputation will also be affected.

Casting takes time, especially for two big-name leads, which requires a lot of time and effort, including negotiating their salaries.

During the break between meeting with actors, Wang Xuan didn't rest. He copied down the script from memory and registered the account first.

Science fiction and horror are his main themes; the former is popular in the mainstream Hollywood market, while the latter allows him to quickly monetize his work.

Buzzing—

Wang Xuan shook his aching arms before answering the call from the client; the matter was progressing well.

In the afternoon, at the agreed location, Wang Xuan met the white broker, who was around thirty years old, wearing glasses, and dressed like an elite.

Five companies met the requirements but are about to close down due to poor management.

Apart from the top few giants in Hollywood, most film companies rarely support their own directors and film crews.

Because of the existence of labor unions, a film crew of hundreds or even thousands of people can be assembled at any time.

They place particular emphasis on the later-stage technical team, and almost every company has technical personnel.

"Anyone with more than fifty people is out of the question; we can't afford to support them right now."

Wang Xuan eliminated three companies, leaving two more to choose from.

Faced with the same problem, the project failed, the cash flow was insufficient, and the loans were about to mature. Not wanting to be wiped out, they had no choice but to sell off their assets.

Gower Street, known as the headquarters of independent film production, boasts comprehensive post-production support, including editing, special effects, and studio rentals—attracting countless independent film companies to establish themselves here.

The first one was ruled out; the price they offered was outrageous, and the conditions were too harsh.

Wang Xuan set his sights on the last company, which currently has 25 employees and works on film post-production, as well as taking on some special effects outsourcing work.

"Jamie, what's the deal with this company?"

"This company used to be very successful, with up to 200 employees. The owner's funds were tied up in the stock market, which is why he was in a hurry to sell it."

Wang Xuan nodded and stepped into the company called "Fengqing Film Industry." Anyone who didn't know better would think it was Santa Monica Film Studio that made adult films.

The first thing I did after buying this lousy name was to change it.

Upon entering the building, a white man with gray curly hair, a large belly, and gold-rimmed glasses appeared, looking somewhat like a refined scoundrel.

No wonder it has such a name, Wang Xuan thought to himself.

"I know you. There have been reports in Hollywood news recently that you're working with Lionsgate and Weinstein. I feel relieved to have this company in your hands."

"Let's talk about the price," Wang Xuan said.

"My childhood dream has been to own a film company. I've worked in Hollywood for over twenty years and achieved some success, but then the damn financial crisis—"

Listening to this person recount their psychological journey, Wang Xuan suddenly had another thought.

He couldn't stay in Hollywood all year round, and the company he bought needed someone to manage it. Moreover, having a white manager on the surface would make things easier.

Listening to this person's story, and hearing their passion for film, I can tell they are a capable individual.

At its peak, a company had two hundred employees, which was proof of its capability. Most independent film companies only had a few dozen people.

"Mr. Frank, if I buy this company, would you be willing to stay and help me?"

Frank was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant, his eyes gleaming: "I love filmmaking, and of course I'd like to continue this job, especially since you're the director who won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival—"

The subsequent negotiations went smoothly, and Wang Xuan acquired the company for $1.8 million, with Frank taking on the role of manager.

All the formalities were handled by a lawyer.

In just one day, Wang Xuan became the legal boss of Fengqing Film Industry.

The first thing Frank was instructed to do was change his name.

Wang Xuan had already thought of a name: Xuanyuan Film Industry.

A strong Chinese style.

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