Reborn and become a Great Scientist

Chapter 316 55 Stand and make money

In fact, without Oppenheimer's explanation, Chen Muwu also knew what United Artists was about.

Although movies, a new form of entertainment, were not invented by Americans, Americans have long realized how huge and broad the prospects of the movie market are.

In addition, most of the wars of World War I were limited to Europe, with a small part in Africa and Asia, and almost no impact on the mainland of the American continent.

Therefore, when several countries were fighting fiercely and bloody on the European battlefield, the lives of the American people were still very nourishing.

Coupled with the huge war fortune, the U.S. economy has also been booming.

What followed was an increase in the spiritual and cultural needs of Americans, and the film industry boomed. At the beginning, enthusiasts spontaneously shot, produced, edited, and broadcast out of interest.

The big conglomerates and big capitalists on Wall Street sensed the huge business opportunities hidden behind the movies, so they invested a lot of money to join the industry and entered the film industry, which became a means of making profits. The level of American movies is also at this level. The stage has undergone tremendous progress and development.

Abundant capital and increasing film production ensure that the American film market is dumped around the world.

Pauli of Germany, after finishing his work as a professor of theoretical physics at the University of Berlin for a week, walked into a street cinema on the weekend, intending to watch a movie to relax. What he watched was a film produced by an American film company.

Far away in Sihai in the Far East, Mr. Lu Xun, who had just finished writing a new article, put down the pen and cigarette butt in his hand, stretched his body, left his seat and walked out of the house, and walked into the concession with several young and progressive students. In the large theater, the films produced by American film companies are still playing on the screen.

Although there are also local film directors and Japanese films imported from Japan, they are ultimately no match for American films with clearer and more beautiful pictures and more interesting storylines.

The entry of capital allowed American films to achieve great success during this period, but the capitalists were unwilling to let go of any opportunity to exploit people.

Although they have made a lot of money from audiences and movie theaters by selling tickets, copies, and overseas copyrights, they can return to the other end of film production, the screenwriters, directors, and actors who can make the film come into being. Capitalists are unwilling to provide returns commensurate with their abilities and efforts. Instead, they are trying every means to exploit and keep pay as low as possible. At the same time, they do not allow workers to make their own decisions based on personal likes and dislikes in the choice of subject matter. , but stipulates that they must shoot subjects that are popular in the market, so as to maximize their own interests.

Faced with this kind of oppression that is almost like "killing the goose to retrieve the eggs", small filmmakers may choose to swallow their anger and endure unfair treatment silently. After all, they still hope to sell their films through the channels of film companies.

But for some famous and talented film masters, they obviously cannot accept being treated like this by capitalists.

"If you don't leave me here, I will leave you somewhere." Anyway, the talent is with you and no one can take it away.

Several well-known like-minded actors and directors got together to discuss and decided to break away from the film companies controlled by Wall Street capitalists, raise their own funds to form their own film company, stay away from constraints and oppression, and strive for more creations Freedom and greater profits, and United Artists was born.

Among these well-known filmmakers, in addition to Chaplin, whom Oppenheimer just mentioned, there is also Griffith, who is known as the "Father of American Film" and whose representative works are "The Birth of a Nation" and "We Are Different" , as well as Fairbanks and Pickford.

The "Gold Rush" that Chen Muwu and Eve watched in Paris was a work released by Chaplin after he founded and joined United Artists Film Company.

Why did the people from United Artists come to Cambridge to find me?
Could it be that they wanted to adapt George Chen's series of detective novels into movies and put them on the screen, so they first went to Penguin Publishing House to find out information about themselves, the original authors, and then came to him?
This guess was Chen Muwu's first reaction, and after a short period of thinking, he thought it was the only thing that could connect him to the movie.

But in fact, if you insist on looking for it, you can also find another layer of connection between Chen Muwu and the movie.

In the swimming competition of the 1924 Paris Olympics, in the freestyle event, there was a competitor from the United States named Johnny Weissmuller.

This athlete was originally supposed to be the Olympic champion and world champion in the 100-meter freestyle. Unfortunately, Chen Muwu came out of the blue in Paris and stole his limelight at the Olympics.

After Weissmuller retired, the muscles he had developed through regular swimming training allowed him to join the film industry in the United States and filmed many Tarzan movies, in which he played Tarzan.

Maybe in this life, because the Olympic champion and the limelight are his, the film companies did not set their sights on Weissmuller, but on Chen Muwu, and wanted to invite him to star in Tarzan?

Of course, this reason was so far-fetched that Chen Muwu couldn't even remember such a thing.

What he was thinking in his mind was that the people at United Artists were really good at eyeing the IP of George Chen, another classic detective character after Sherlock Holmes.

But this series of film buddies also plan to set up a film company themselves, how could they be handed over to others?
Unless a rich American can offer a price that no one can refuse, Chen Muwu will consider it.

Moreover, United Artists was founded not long ago, and now it is barely able to gain a foothold among American film companies. It is simply impossible to offer a price that would make Chen Muwu excited.

He complained in his mind that Penguin Publishing was not very reliable. Why did he expose his pen name so casually when a Yankee asked?

Although he had just returned to the Cavendish Laboratory and things were going wrong before his chair was even warm, Chen Muwu could clearly distinguish between his professional work and his leisure and entertainment.

He planned to answer Chadwick's questions first and give him an explanation before going to receive the guests from the United States.

"Robert, I understand. Please wait a moment. Mr. Chadwick and I still have something to talk about."

Oppenheimer, who had just rushed into the office excitedly, did not expect that Chadwick was also in this room.

Although several years have passed since he entered Cambridge, the relationship between them is still not harmonious, and they can only maintain a delicate state of "well water does not interfere with river water".

Chen Muwu did not let Oppenheimer leave, but the latter quietly exited the office and closed the door.

"I don't know why the Americans came to me as soon as I came back. I mean the American at United Artists, not Mr. Oppenheimer."

Chen Muwu was afraid of misunderstanding by Chadwick in the room and by Oppenheimer outside the door, so he had to add this sentence at the end.However, Chadwick still responded with a smile: "Director Chen, you are really a busy man. Sir Rutherford once told me a long time ago that the Cavendish Laboratory can produce someone like you who often logs in." Being a topical figure who appears in newspapers and radio and interacts with the media is actually a good thing. To a certain extent, it can also attract the attention of the public for our laboratory, and maybe it can also attract those who often talk about it. Rich people who 'love science' should donate more funds to us."

What he said was very sincere, and it really sounded like something a teacher could say, rather than making fun of himself.

"Thank you for your message, and thank you for the teacher's compliment. Let's go back to the particle accelerator, Mr. Chadwick. Didn't Mr. Zhao and the others bring back the imagery contract they signed with the University of Chicago?"

Because Chen Muwu had to go to Rome, it was neither convenient nor safe to carry too many things with him, so all the documents signed in Como and Compton were brought back by Zhao Zhongyao and Cockcroft.

"I did receive that contract, I mean the other...contracts."

Although selling one unit is already considered a success, it is obvious that Chadwick and Rutherford, who is far away in New Zealand, are looking forward to more.

"Well, other things, Professor Compton said that he has sent telegrams to the physics departments of various universities in the United States. I think if things go well, it may not be long before people will come to the UK to sign with us one after another. contract."

"Dr. Chen, are you so sure of this?"

"Of course, you also know that Americans have a lot of money, but lack of foundation and good reputation. They often look to European universities, and Cambridge University is one of their benchmarks.

"They always want to get the things we have as soon as possible. Now that they have such an opportunity delivered to their door, they will definitely not miss it."

Chadwick nodded, deeply convinced by Chen Muwu's remarks.

"However, I think the price seems to be a bit high. Except for Americans, other European universities can basically not afford it. During this meeting, Professor Planck from Germany started talking to me from the very first meeting. He said, I hope I can bring the price down a little, and the University of Berlin also wants to buy one."

Germany, the word representing the country, deeply touched a certain place deep in Chadwick's heart.

He is an old German student in the Cavendish Laboratory, but he is different from other German students. Others studied in prestigious universities, laboratories, and research institutes, while Chadwick studied in Germany as a prisoner of war. camp.

During the First World War, Chadwick, a British enemy of a hostile country, had been imprisoned in a prisoner of war camp in Germany. Fortunately, a group of German scientists worked hard for this. In the end, the German Academy of Sciences came forward to give Chadwick Gram found a dilapidated place where he could do some simple experiments.

Therefore, Chadwick had very complicated feelings about Germany. On the one hand, he hated the country that had imprisoned him for several years, but on the other hand, he was very grateful to the German scientists who had helped him.

After the war, due to Germany's defeat, all German scientists were excluded from the scope of world scientific exchanges. Chadwick was also one of the earlier British physicists to travel around for this matter.

Now that he heard Chen Muwu suddenly mention this place, he actually wanted to agree with the price reduction proposal.

only……

"Dr. Chen, of course I also want to lower the price of particle accelerators so that other countries and universities in the world can use the most advanced instruments to conduct scientific research and create more research results, thus promoting the progress of physics and also can better benefit all mankind.

"But should I ask Sir Rutherford for advice on this matter? Or I can send a telegram to New Zealand and see what he says?"

"If you want to do that, of course you can. But I don't think there is any need to waste this money. Price reduction is not only a must, but also something that has to be done.

“In the second half of this year, physicists from all over the world will hold the Solvay Conference in Belgium, and everyone who just separated in Italy will meet again in Brussels.

"I estimate that by that time, the particle accelerator in the United States will have been installed, and they should also know what is inside this big thing. It will not be so easy to sell the machine to other universities by then.

"So I think that as long as the price difference is not too big, it's better to sell it as soon as possible and make a profit."

A profiteer, a proper profiteer.

But not only will he not be scolded, but he will also sell things at reduced prices and let others think well of him.

What does it mean to make money while standing?This is!
"In that case, then do as you say. I think if Sir was in the laboratory, he would also agree with your approach.

"Since you still have guests, I won't disturb you any more. I'll come back to you tomorrow and the day after after so many days of handover work in the laboratory."

Chen Muwu got up and left the office with Chadwick, walking straight to the conference room and living room on the first floor.

Seeing a person with an East Asian face come in, people in the conference room quickly stood up from their seats.

"Hello, Dr. Chen, I am a staff member of United Artists Pictures."

Chen Muwu took the business card handed over by this person. He thought it was some big director at first, but it turned out that it was just a salesman who was based in Europe and was responsible for handling some copy sales and other matters here.

United Artists is a bit too contemptuous of people. When buying the adaptation rights, the director does not come in person, but he also has to have an assistant director, producer or something, right?
Chen Muwu still insists on his own idea, thinking that they want to buy the copyright of George Chen.

But what the visitor said next made him realize that he had been completely wrong.

(End of this chapter)