Chapter 1405 1507. Director Ning's multiple-choice questions
In the past, Huayi would hide any news about new movies, fearing that the news would be exposed in advance by reporters. However, at that time, Huayi was a company that was expected by many fans in China and even the world.
But now, Huayi is indeed a company that is looked down upon by most people.
Therefore, the previous model of hiding things must be changed. Regardless of whether the movie is released or not, at least it should create momentum first, giving the public a sense that Huayi has not collapsed and is still making progress, which can also make the public more confident in Huayi.
In the jargon, this is called good news.
And what Boss Wang is most looking forward to is undoubtedly Director Feng's film works.
In recent years, except for the movie about the famine in the Republic of China, Director Feng's other works have basically not lost money. Even the worst-received "Night Banquet" actually made some money.
And before Nie Wei transformed into a director, Huayi had always been led by Director Feng.
As a top director in the country and a director who is good at commercial films, Boss Wang is full of confidence in Director Feng, which is why he dared to promise Director Feng 400 million.
You have to know that even if Director Feng's name can attract a lot of investment, Huayi will have to pay at least half of the 400 million investment.
On the one hand, it is because the investment amount is large, and it is not easy to find such a large amount of funds. On the other hand, Boss Wang is also ambitious. The more investment, the greater the risk, but if the box office is a big hit, the return will be higher.
Boss Wang thinks that Director Feng's movie will be a big hit. By then, Huayi will have data in the account to speak for itself. The public will have confidence in Huayi, and the market value will naturally rise.
That's why Boss Wang is so anxious.
But inspiration is not something that can be obtained just by saying it, not to mention that Director Feng's heart suddenly floated a little after getting the promise of 400 million investment. Those petty ideas before were immediately thrown behind his mind, and his mind was full of the idea of making a big production.
After all, as one of the few top directors in China, he has the fewest big productions to show off, but as a director, how could he not have a dream of a big production?
"Boss Wang, it's useless to urge me. I'm also anxious. I'm so anxious that my mouth is blistering, but I'm not a machine. You tell me when to finish the work and I'll finish it. I've tried hard to think about it, but I just can't think of any ideas for the time being. What can I do?" Director Feng was also complaining bitterly.
He was really anxious. After all, he was also afraid that Boss Wang would change his mind and not give him 400 million.
But inspiration is really not something that can be obtained just by thinking about it. Sometimes, the more anxious you are, the less inspiration will come. In short, this thing is very fate-based and cannot be forced.
"Don't you have any ideas at all?" Boss Wang asked, with a helpless tone.
"Really not, Boss Wang, I have been locking myself in the study these days. I have been at home for almost a week and haven't gone out, but I really can't think of anything." Director Feng's tone was quite painful.
This feeling of not being able to catch inspiration can really make people feel crazy. He even felt that he was about to become neurotic. At noon, when his wife was cutting vegetables and cooking, she made a little loud noise and he felt uncomfortable. He became very irritable and had quarreled with his family more than once recently.
Boss Wang also knew about inspiration and knew that it could not be forced, but he was anxious.
"What should I do?" Boss Wang tried hard to think of an idea, and suddenly a light bulb flashed in his head. He hurriedly said: "Old Feng, haven't you made so many classic movies before? How about you just pick one and make a sequel? Isn't it popular in the market now to play the sentimental card? You're going to make "Party A and Party B 2" or "Cell Phone 2" and so on. I guarantee that a lot of people will be willing to go to the cinema to watch it."
Director Feng was not happy when he heard it.
As a top director, the innovation he pursues is to constantly surpass himself, rather than resting on his laurels.
Didn't you see that Nie Wei only shot two episodes of the popular series "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"? Why? Isn't it just boring?
He wanted to shoot a brand new story, to put the audience into a new world and new characters.
Of course, the most important thing is that those movies have nothing to do with blockbusters.
How much did it cost to shoot "Party A and Party B" and "Cell Phone"? Even if prices have soared in recent years, 100 million yuan would be enough. There are no grand scenes, and the biggest star is Ge Da Ye. Director Feng felt sick of it when he thought about it.
Can 400 million yuan be used to shoot this?
When he thought of this, Director Feng, who was going for 400 million yuan, felt resistance from the bottom of his heart and quickly refused: "No, I won't do things that rely on old capital. Give me some more time. I think I'm about to get inspiration."
Boss Wang was speechless when he heard this.
What do you mean by "about to get inspiration"? Are you kidding me?
"Why not? What do you mean by living off the past? That's your honor, and the audience wants to see it. Aren't we going to make the movies that the audience wants to see? If you don't feel confident, why don't we just do an online survey to see if the audience is willing to let you make sequels to these movies? If they are willing, you can make them, okay?"
"No, Mr. Wang, those were movies from many years ago, and the creativity can't keep up with the times."
"You can innovate, I don't ask you to shoot it exactly like that, you can write a similar one based on this era, you said you have no inspiration, my method will give you a clue, are you still worried that inspiration won't come?"
As the saying goes, everything is difficult at the beginning, and writing a script is actually the same. Once the beginning is done, the rest will be easy. Boss Wang thought it was simple. Shooting a sequel is equivalent to getting through the most difficult beginning, and the rest depends on Director Feng's performance.
We still have to see how the script is, but at least the project has been confirmed, and he can start promoting it.
There is also a sequel to a classic movie, which is such great news. Just like his brother's return to the company before, shooting a sequel to a classic movie is actually similar.
"And it takes less time to shoot the sequel of this film. I remember that you shot "Party A and Party B" in more than a month, didn't you finish it?" Boss Wang spoke more and more fluently, and his eyes became brighter.
At this moment, Boss Wang couldn't help but give a thumbs up to his wit. In his opinion, this is really a good way to kill three birds with one stone.
"It's boring. I don't want to shoot it." Director Feng said impatiently.
"Why don't you want to shoot? What do you think in your heart? Can you tell me the truth?" Boss Wang was so anxious that he was furious when he heard that Director Feng was still refusing. Why is this man like a child? He is still so willful at this time?
If it were his own son, Boss Wang would have kicked him with his big feet and sternly warned him not to be angry and must shoot.
But this is Director Feng, the biggest hope of Huayi now. Even if Boss Wang is angry in his heart, his words are as gentle as water.
"Old Feng, everything can be discussed. Just tell me the truth. Why don't you want to shoot? As long as I agree with the reason you give me, then we won't shoot. But now you don't say anything and just say you don't want to shoot. I can't get over it."
Director Feng was embarrassed to say that he wanted to shoot a blockbuster for 400 million yuan and looked down on "small productions", so he could only find a random reason.
"I just have no interest."
"Boss Wang, if you have no interest in doing something, how can you produce a good work? Otherwise, you should wait a little longer and give me some time." Director Feng pleaded.
Boss Wang was silent for a moment, still feeling that Director Feng was unreliable.
This statement of giving some time actually did not promise anything. Inspiration was too illusory, and he did not know when Director Feng would find it. Thinking of this, Boss Wang gritted his teeth and made a decision in his heart.
"Director Feng, then you think about it first."
"Okay, then I'll hang up."
After hanging up the phone, Boss Wang rubbed his temples and felt a little headache. The situation on Director Feng's side made him know that this guy could not be counted on for the time being.
When he was having a headache about what to do next, the secretary suddenly knocked on the door and walked in.
"Boss Wang, Ning Hao has something to do with you."
"Please come in!" Boss Wang said immediately after hearing this.
After a while, Ning Hao walked in, and Boss Wang enthusiastically got up and took the initiative to greet him and went to the sofa next to him.
"Director Ning, are you here to make a new movie?" After sitting down, Boss Wang asked impatiently.
"Indeed, there is a clue, that is..."
"Just tell me if you have any questions, the company will fully support you." Boss Wang saw Ning Hao hesitated and asked anxiously.
Perhaps Boss Wang's words gave him courage, Ning Hao gritted his teeth and said, "Boss, I want a lot of investment."
After saying that, Ning Hao stretched out four fingers.
"How much?" Boss Wang's heart skipped a beat, feeling a little panic, and his voice trembled when he asked this question.
"Four hundred million, production cost." Ning Hao replied.
For a moment, Boss Wang thought it was God's arrangement. He was just about to cancel the investment reserved for Director Feng, but Ning Hao asked him for four hundred million.
And this is just the production cost.
You have to know that the cost of a movie from production to release is only one aspect. Another big part is the publicity cost of the movie, which is at least hundreds of millions of yuan. If you count other miscellaneous expenses, it is possible that this movie will cost 600 to 700 million yuan.
If this money is spent on Director Feng, Boss Wang will definitely not hesitate, but if it is spent on Ning Hao, he is a little nervous.
"Is the script out?" But Boss Wang did not directly refuse, but asked about the script.
Ning Hao knew there was a play when he heard it, and he was a little excited. He quickly replied: "The specific script has not come out, but I have written the outline."
"Show it to me." Boss Wang asked for the outline and read it carefully.
The outline is only a few pages, but Boss Wang read it very carefully, almost word by word, and it took more than 20 minutes to finish it.
Ning Hao's movie this time still takes the black humor route, but it adds science fiction elements. It tells the story of aliens suddenly coming and two male protagonists fighting against aliens.
Of course, science fiction is just a decoration. In essence, Ning Hao's movie still follows the black humor of the little people, and the aliens are at most a gimmick and a role in guiding the plot conflict.
But it's interesting!
This is what Boss Wang thought after reading the script outline. There are gimmicks, and the consistent style is maintained. As long as the quality of the final script is not broken, it has the potential to sell well.
"How long will it take for the script to come out?" Boss Wang was silent for a long time, and just when Ning Hao thought there was no play, he suddenly asked.
"Half a month will do!" Ning Hao was stunned, and then immediately answered.
"Have you decided who the actors are?"
"Neck, Shen Teng, I also want to find Bald Xu to play a cameo role."
"Can it be released in time for the Lunar New Year?"
Hearing this question, Ning Hao hesitated. It is early October now. Even if he finishes the script in half a month, it will take time to set up the crew. Especially this time, the movie needs special effects, which may take more time.
So he really can't guarantee whether it can be released in February next year. After all, even if the movie is finished, there is still time for review, right?
Ning Hao told Boss Wang about these situations, meaning that he really can't guarantee this.
"We can contact Lei Ting for special effects."
"But Lei Ting is Fanxing..." Ning Hao didn't say anything, but the meaning was very clear.
Needless to say, Lei Ting's special effects technology is world-class. Ning Hao also hopes to use this company in his heart, but if it is expedited, the other party may not buy it.
There are many special effects companies in China, but when it comes to business, Lei Ting may be the only one that is not short of business.
The orders are at least half a year later, and they don't accept all movies, because they are afraid that bad movies will ruin their reputation.
In the past, Lei Ting was Nie Wei's company, and for Nie Wei's sake, they could naturally give priority to Huayi's films, but now Nie Wei and Huayi have parted ways.
"Don't worry about this. I will contact Nie Wei to discuss Lei Ting. What you need to do is to prepare for one month and then shoot the film in two months. Can you do it?"
"As long as you can do it, I will agree to the investment you want." Boss Wang said, and pointed at the script outline on the table with his finger.
Ning Hao swallowed his saliva, struggling violently in his heart.
It is not easy to complete a movie from scratch in three months, and it is a big-budget movie, but it is also a challenge.
Before he came, his bottom line was that if he could get an investment of 200 million, he would be basically satisfied, and if he could get an investment of 300 million, he would be considered to have completed the task excellently. The 400 million he reported at the beginning was completely the most perfect budget in his mind, but in fact he really didn't dare to think about it.
But now Boss Wang seems to have given him a chance to achieve perfection.
This is a multiple-choice question. One option is a production cost of 400 million yuan, but the production period is only three months, which is very tight. The other option is that the production cost may not be so much, but the production period is very relaxed.
Ning Hao had a fierce mental struggle between the two options and finally made up his mind.
Thank you book friends for reminding me of the chapter number problem.