Backtracking to the Age of Literature and Art

Chapter 353 This is what a black hole should look like!

Joe Schumacher has a problem.

Many of the problems faced by human beings are related to choices, and the problems encountered by Joe Schumacher are also the same.

Today he just bought a copy of YU's new book "Westward" and went home. Before he started reading it, Warner called him, hoping that he would direct the company's new movie "Time to Kill".

The script has been written, and even the actors have been drafted, he is only responsible for filming.

"The Killing Plan" is based on John Grisham's novel. Warner is very attached to this movie, and is also planning to find Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey to participate .

To be honest, Schumacher was a little tempted by Warner's plan.

But he is still waiting for news from YU.

After he found Jimmy last time, the other party replied to him that YU was considering it.

It is excruciating to be thinking about this reply.

There is no specific time, no specific results, and some are just waiting.

If Warner came to him two months later, he wouldn't have to be so entangled, but now that he had just contacted Jimmy, he turned around and accepted Warner's plan, which was somewhat unreasonable.

He also specifically asked Warner if he could give him some time to think about it.

And Warner's reply was to give him two weeks to consider at most, because the schedules of the actors they were going to invite were relatively tight, and the filming of the film must be completed in the spring of next year.

Schumacher thought for a long time, and finally decided to go to Deep Space Company himself to ask about the situation.

Before going, he called Jimmy first, and when he learned that Jimmy was in the company, he ran over directly.

……

"Mr. Schumacher, in fact, I have made it very clear on the phone that YU is considering the script. Based on what I know about him, I will definitely give you an answer within a month."

Jimmy poured a cup of coffee for Schumacher who came in a hurry, and continued, "And with YU's efficiency, as long as he agrees to you, the script will be delivered to you within a month."

Schumacher took the coffee and said apologetically, "I know I'm being presumptuous here, but let me tell you the truth, Jimmy, Warner has a new plan to invite me. They hope that this new movie will be released next year. Filming wraps up in the spring, and then comes out in the summer."

"I don't quite understand, Mr. Schumacher." Jimmy wondered, "Since spring will end, there is nothing to worry about. You can help Warner shoot the new movie first, and then come and shoot ours. Even if YU is willing to help you write the script, it will take at least one or two months to get the script."

Schumacher shook his head, "That's not the case. Apart from this movie, "Batman and Robin" is scheduled to start shooting in August and September next year. The time between the two movies is simply not enough for me to shoot another movie. .”

Jimmy knocked on the table with his hand, and pondered, "Well, I'll make a call to YU for you, and you talk to him directly."

Schumacher's eyes lit up, "Thank you, Jimmy."

Jimmy smiled and dialed the phone. After a while, the call was connected.

"Dong, do you have time now?"

"I won't answer your phone if I don't have time. You are willing to call me internationally. Is there something urgent?"

"Joe Schumacher is in my office and he wants to talk to you."

"Okay, you can give him the phone."

Jimmy nodded, and said, "Long story short."

Yu Dong smiled and said, "No, no matter how bad our company is, we can afford the phone bill. Let him answer the phone."

Joe Schumacher couldn't wait for a long time. As soon as Jimmy reached out, he took the phone and said, "Hello, Yu, I'm Joe Schumacher. I like your work very much. In fact, I wanted to shoot you before. That "Fatal Identity", unfortunately, I came a step late..."

"Yesterday I also bought a copy of "Xiang Xi". Although I haven't finished reading it, the content of the novel shocked me. Before I opened "Xiang Xi", I didn't expect that what I opened turned out to be an epic-level masterpiece If it wasn't for my inappropriate style, I would even try to ask you for the right to adapt the film history of "Xiang Xi"..."

Yu Dong on the other end of the phone laughed while listening, and Joe Schumacher is also a master of praise.

And Joe Schumacher is quite good at chatting, and he didn't get to the point after talking for a long time.

Yu Dong couldn't help reminding: "Mr. Schumacher, do you want to ask about the script when you call this time?"

"That's right, that's right, it's like this..."

Schumacher told Yu Dong again about Warner asking him to make a movie. After listening to it, Yu Dong smiled and said, "Mr. Schumacher, you can continue Warner's work."

"Ah?" Schumacher was taken aback, "YU, what you mean is that your script can't..."

"No, no, I'll give you the script."

Hearing Yu Dong's words, Schumacher was puzzled, "In that case, time..."

"I did the math, and the time is right. The movie I wrote doesn't need to be too long, and the time between Warner's two movies is completely enough."

Although he heard what Yu Dong said, Joe Schumacher was still worried, "YU, in addition to the shooting time, there is actually a lot of preparation work to be done. For example, casting is a big job. Warner's movie is because of the beginning. It was already planned so that it could end next spring."

Yu Dong smiled and said: "I know, casting is not too troublesome, because there are not many characters in the movie... Well, it's useless for me to just tell you, I can write the script in two weeks, by the time It’s time for Jimmy to show it to you, and after reading it, you will understand.”

"If you can see the script within two weeks, that's of course the best."

Joe Schumacher thought of the deadline given to him by Warner. If he can get the script within two weeks, he can naturally make a choice.

Yu Dong on the other end of the phone continued, "There is one more thing. I would like to mention an actor as the protagonist of this movie."

"Okay, you say."

"Matthew McConaughey, I think he's a better fit."

"Matthew McConaughey..."

Joe Schumacher knew this actor, he was a young man, he had just starred in "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 4", in which he played the killer Vimo.

Because he hadn't read the script yet, Joe Schumacher didn't know what Yu Dong's eyes looked like, so he just nodded and said, "Okay, I'll write it down."

When he was trying to write the script of "Sniping the Phone Booth", Yu Dong was already considering the lead actor.After thinking about it for a long time, he felt that Matthew McConaughey was more suitable.

Moreover, Yu Dong still has a few plans to use Matthew McConaughey later, so it is more advantageous to use him in advance and find him for filming in the future.

"Alright then, if you have any questions after you read the script, please feel free to contact us."

Yu Dong was about to hang up the phone, but Joe Schumacher was unwilling to give up this opportunity to communicate directly with YU, "YU, if the follow-up plan is launched, can you give some art direction on the spot?"

"Artistic director?" Yu Dong smiled, "I don't think it is necessary. The plot itself is relatively simple, and the script is also written very carefully. It doesn't matter whether I follow the group or not. But there is one thing I want to mention , if you want to find advertising sponsorship, you can contact those mobile phone manufacturers."

"Mobile phone manufacturer?" Jimmy who was listening on the side suddenly became interested, "Is there an advertisement space in this script?"

"I didn't keep it on purpose, but I just happened to have it. I knew you were interested in this. I won't say anything about it on the phone. You will know when you read the script."

"Then YU, will you write this script into a novel?" Schumacher asked, he was more concerned about this.

"It depends on the situation, there is no such plan for the time being."

Hearing Yu Dong's answer, Schumacher was somewhat disappointed, "I think readers definitely want to read this novel. Recently..."

In the next half an hour, Schumacher chatted a lot with Yu Dong.

The phone was disconnected twice in the middle, but Schumacher dialed back.

Jimmy rolled his eyes as he watched from the side. His family had a big business, and he couldn't afford such extravagance.

……

After "Westward" was published in North America, it sold 70 copies within two weeks, and "Alive" and "Frantic Finger" sold 30 and 20 copies respectively.

Selling 120 million copies of a set of books in two weeks is actually not a lot. On average, less than 500 copies per day. It is said that "The Old Man and the Sea" sold more than [-] million copies in just two days after its release.

However, the sales of more than 100 million copies are not too small, and it is important that Chinese literature suddenly enter the field of vision of American readers.

Such a gratifying sales volume depends on two points. One is the readership base that Yu Dong has built in the American book market, and the other is that "Xiang Xi" has become a recommended work by several universities.

The first to add "Westward" to the recommended books was Princeton University, in which Joyce made a lot of contributions.She also published a literary review in The New Yorker, recommending all three books in the Chinese Literature Series.

Immediately afterwards, several schools included "Xiang Xi" in the recommended bibliography.

Before that, few readers associated YU with Chinese literature, just like many people would not associate Verne with French literature.

They thought of YU, and it was like, oh, YU is a Chinese science fiction writer.Think of Verne, probably, oh, Verne is a French science fiction writer.

There are also some people who don't even know that YU is from China, or that Verne is from France.

In most people's minds, there is a dividing line between science fiction and traditional literature.

But after "Xiang Xi" was published this time and became the recommended bibliography of Princeton and other universities, readers discovered that YU is still related to Chinese literature.

American critics paid little attention to Chinese literature before. After the Chinese literature series came out, critics seemed to have found a research model, and major magazines and newspapers also published review articles related to these books.

Among these comments, there are praises, but there are also criticisms.

But no matter whether it is touting or criticizing, this series of books has entered the field of vision of American academic circles and readers, and has been seen by more and more people.

……

If "Westward", "Alive" and "Frantic Fingers" kept the American literary critics busy, then "Deep Space", which was released two weeks later, kept people in the natural sciences busy.

Because of the strong publicity, "Deep Space" became the darling of the book market as soon as it was released in the United States.

The description of wormholes and black holes involved in the novel has also become a topic that people talk about.

At first, the readers just thought that YU's imagination is good, and the description of the black hole is beautiful and abnormal.

Why do you say abnormal?
Because the black hole that ordinary people think should not be as gorgeous as described in the novel.

Of course, readers didn't take it seriously at first.

Science fiction is not a popular science article. After all, it is a literary work. Some artistic processing is really normal. However, they did not expect YU to be able to make an accurate description of the black hole.

In fact, there have always been many versions of descriptions of wormholes and black holes in science fiction works, because no one has ever seen what a black hole looks like.

However, there are always some readers who are more serious.

Sissoko is a fan of science fiction and a student of the Department of Physics at Caltech. When he saw the description of impulse and black holes in "Deep Space", many questions immediately appeared in his mind, and he also remembered Kip Thorne, a professor at their school, because wormholes and black holes are the research objects of Professor Thorne.

Mustering up his courage, Sissoko took an opportunity to meet Kip Thorne with "Deep Space".

"Professor Thorne, I wonder if you would like to take the time to read this novel."

Kip Thorne looked at the somewhat thick novel in Sissoko's hand, and said with a smile, "Student, I don't think I can spare so much time for the time being."

"Professor, you don't need to read all the novels, just read the descriptions of wormholes and black holes."

"Wormholes and black holes?" Kip Thorne became a little interested, "Whose novel is this?"

"YU's." Sissoko replied.

"I've heard of him." Kip Thorne nodded and asked, "Before I decide whether to read this novel, can you tell me why you let me read it?"

"Because I have some doubts about the description of black holes in it."

"Do you think what he wrote doesn't match the image of the black hole in your heart?" Kip Thorne smiled and stretched out his hand, "Show it to me."

Sissoko handed the book to Kip Thorne, and then turned to one of the pages, "The description here is the most specific..."

Kip Thorne nodded, and followed what Sissoko pointed out, looking at the description of the black hole in the novel.

【It looks like a disc, the only thing you can see is how it bends straight light when... 】

Seeing the first sentence, Kip Thorne showed a hint of disbelief on his face, and then this disbelief slowly spread on his face, and finally covered his entire face.

Kip Thorne didn't take this novel seriously at first. Science fiction writers always describe black holes more fantasy than science. This is understandable. Science fiction writers are not scientists. They do different things. .

But the description of black holes in "Deep Space" surprised him, because he had never seen a science fiction writer who could describe black holes so well.

Moreover, these descriptions are basically consistent with his research on black holes over the years, and even some things that he has never thought of before are also described in the novel.It's not that the descriptions in the novel are better than his research, but he never thought of describing black holes in a literary way.

After reading all the descriptions, he exclaimed in surprise, "This is exactly what a black hole should look like!"

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(End of this chapter)