China Entertainment Mythology 2004

Chapter 244 Too Rich!This is strength!

"Would you like to play the English version?" Liu Yifei raised his head and asked Li Mu before watching the movie.

Li Mu nodded and said, "I feel that the English version is better."

Liu Yifei asked again in a low voice: "Is it because the production location is mainly in the United States?"

"No." This question was a bit difficult for Li Mu to answer.

He can't say that this movie was originally copied from Hollywood, can he?

Liu Yifei asked again: "Didn't you say that only "Let It Go" that matches the movie screen can be called the perfect "Let It Go"? I think Liangying's singing is already perfect, so I am a little curious about this song. How perfect it can become when combined with a movie lens."

Li Mu said with a smile: "Watching the English version of this song together with the movie screen, the effect is also very good."

"Alright then." Liu Yifei said, turning his gaze back to the screen in front of him.

……

Half an hour later, the movie finally showed the part where the heroine ran away and used magic to build an ice castle.

With the prelude to "Let It Go", Liu Yifei, who was already familiar with the song, immediately became excited.

She looked at Li Mu with a smile on her face, and at the same time said: "Is this here? You are always mysterious, and the songs that can conquer the world with the movie screens are here, right?"

Li Mu rubbed her head with his hands, and said with a smile, "Well, it's here."

Liu Yifei snorted softly, and said, "I want to see how good this place is. My ears are about to grow calluses from hearing you praise me."

Li Mu smiled dotingly, and Liu Yifei also turned his attention to the screen of the movie that was playing.

Three and a half minutes later.

The foreign executives of Li Mutong's studio, as well as Yang Yu and Tian Xiaopeng, all stared at the screen intently.Li Mu was evaluating the subtle differences between this version and the original version, while the three assistant directors were indulging in their "great masterpiece", while silently waiting for the boss and his girlfriend to be shocked by the movie.

For two and a half years, Li Mu has been paying attention to and participating in the production of cartoons, and the cartoons are all dominated by Li Mu from plot to character design to soundtrack episodes, etc., so it seems very difficult to shock Li Mu , but it should be no problem to suppress the boss's girlfriend, right?
Don't say anything else, let's just talk about the three of them?

The three of them participated in the production of this cartoon, but when the finished cartoon was put in front of their eyes, the three of them still felt incredible!

To put it simply, the more the three of them participated in this project, the more shocked they became. No one thought that this project would be so awesome!
When the "Frozen" project was just launched, who among the three would have thought that what they were doing would be so awesome?
It is said that Disney animation is awesome, and Pixar Studios is awesome, but if you look at the "Frozen" in front of you, how can it not be half as good as the top Hollywood animation movie?

It's really hard to believe that people like myself have actually produced this level of animated movies!
Especially the part where the Ice Queen builds the ice castle, even though I have watched it countless times, I will still be deeply shocked by the exquisite picture when I watch it again.

"That's right, it basically met my previous expectations." After watching the most important part of the film, Li Mu turned his head and said to Yang Yu, Tian Xiaopeng and others.

Yang Yu and the other three smiled and nodded at Li Mu, and Li Mu casually raised some fine-tuning opinions, and the three nodded slightly while listening.

During the two-and-a-half-year production cycle of this film, Li Mu often put forward his own opinions on some production details of the film, because Li Mu's opinions were basically based on the original movie in his mind, so many times It can convince the hearts of the three people, so the three people now dare not neglect Li Mu's opinions in the slightest.

But listening to Li Mu's comment of "Not bad, it basically met my expectations.", the three of them still couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Except for a few animated films such as "Wall-E", "The Lion King", and "Up", the three really couldn't think of a few animated films that could be compared with this "Frozen". In the eyes of the boss, this is just "good"? !
Looking at the reaction of the boss's girlfriend, Liu Yifei, Ms. Liu didn't even look at the screen in front of her!
This dealt a big blow to the "arrogant mentality" of the three people, "I have produced a masterpiece cartoon".

So why didn't Liu Yifei's gaze fall on the movie screen?

Because she was staring at Li Mu's side face in a daze.

From the moment the movie finished with the story of the Ice Queen building an ice castle, Liu Yifei had already turned her attention to the face of her boyfriend.

"So cool!" Liu Yifei thought, "How can he write such a beautiful song, and also make a movie that fits the song so well?"

"It's awesome! This movie should be very popular, right?"

"It should be much more popular than "The Hunger Games", right?"

……

After watching the movie, Li Mu asked Yang Yu and Tian Xiaopeng to talk, and Liu Yifei accompanied him and temporarily acted as the secretary.

Li Mu wants to move Manwu Animation Studio back to China as a whole, or more precisely, to Beijing. He has already selected an office location in China.

This was in Li Mu's original plan.

In fact, as early as when he set up an animation studio in the United States, he was already intentionally recruiting a large number of Chinese animation talents, in order to wait for one day to learn the experience of the Americans and copy a mature animation in China at any time. animation studio out.

Two and a half years have passed now, and two and a half years is actually not a long time, but if you wait to make another animated film and then move the studio back to China, then the time will be too long, at least There will be another two or three years of delay.

So he wanted to ask Yang Yu and Tian Xiaopeng for their opinions.

Obviously, these two people also want to return to China for development.

"It's no problem to return to China. As long as the amount of funds allocated to the studio by the parent company does not decrease after returning to China, we have the confidence to continue to produce works like "Frozen"." Tian Xiaopeng said first.

"Beijing is an international metropolis. In fact, many foreigners do not reject working in Beijing. As long as the salary is enough, the studio will return to China. Not only the original Huaxia employees can return to China to develop together, but also those outstanding foreign workers in the studio. Employees, companies can also use high salaries as bait to recruit them back to China for development.”

Li Mu nodded and said: "As long as you are really capable, high salary is not a problem."

Yang Yu and Tian Xiaopeng nodded together.

Immediately, the two began to care about the next work of the studio after returning to China.

The production cost of "Frozen" is as high as 1.5 million U.S. dollars. It is no exaggeration to say that, not to mention domestic, it is screened all over the world. How many companies can spend such a large amount of money to produce cartoons?

Therefore, before coming to the United States, the two of them may have some intentions to establish themselves or change jobs to seek higher development sooner or later after completing their studies, but after seeing the brilliance of "Frozen" and seeing how Li Mu spent money on cartoons Afterwards, the two of them had no intention of being self-reliant or job-hopping for the time being.

Therefore, before returning to China, the two of them had already started to worry about their work after returning to China.

"Director Xu Chengyi is currently busy with the later stage of "Monster Hunt". When he finishes this work, the company's next animated film will start, which is the "Despicable Me" project. This animated film will be directed by me. Co-directing with director Xu Chengyi, the investment scale is expected to be around 7000 million U.S. dollars." Li Mu said slowly.

Yang Yu said, "I've read the cartoon of "Despicable Me". It's a work with great potential."

Tian Xiaopeng said: "The "Shrek 3" co-directed by Xu Chengyi and director Chris Miller is very exciting. It is a very wise choice for the project of "Despicable Me" to be directed by Director Xu."

Well, even though the two of them said so, they were inevitably a little disappointed in their hearts.

The co-director of the company's next animation film is director Xu Chengyi, so the two of them can only be assistant directors at most.

In fact, an assistant director who has invested tens of millions of dollars in animation films is not bad. Although Li Mu does not always stand on the front line of animation film production, let's take the movie "Frozen" as an example, right?

The plot was completed by Li Mu alone, and the character image was designed by Li Mu himself. In addition, the camera, and even the soundtrack of the episode were all completed by the director Li Mu himself, and these are exactly what an animation director should do in his job.

In other words, if the company's new cartoons continue to be directed by Li Mulai, then the two of them will continue to be Li Mu's tool people, and they are sincerely convinced.

But if you are working under the director Xu Chengyi - Xu Chengyi's director is of course very good, but it may not be comparable to the two who have just completed the production of "Frozen"!

At this time, Li Mu turned to Tian Xiaopeng and said, "In addition to this "Despicable Me", the studio is also planning to start the "Coco" project at the same time. You and Yang Yu have done a good job on the "Frozen" project. Now I plan to let you complete the production of this "Coco" project, it can be regarded as co-directed by you and me, do you have a problem?"

Tian Xiaopeng pointed to himself and asked, "Me? Another new animated film? Am I still the co-director?"

Li Mu nodded.

Tian Xiaopeng's expression immediately became agitated. His eyes accidentally glanced at Yang Yu next to him. Dumpling Yang Yu seemed a little dazed and at a loss. I don't know why Mr. Li only talked about co-directing with him Tian Xiaopeng and didn't mention Yang Yu. He wanted to help Yang Yu with a question, but felt that Mr. Li might have other arrangements, and these were definitely beyond his control.

For himself, the top priority now is to secure the position of co-director of "Coco", and everything else must give way to this.

"Mr. Li, let's co-direct this new project. Is the investment as much as "Despicable Me" 7000 million? I'm talking about US dollars!"

Li Mu shook his head when he heard this, and said, "Not only that, I guess it will cost at least 1 million to 1.5 million U.S. dollars."

Hearing this, Tian Xiaopeng's heart was beating wildly.

With a production cost of 1 million to 1.5 million US dollars, I have to act as the co-director!
We all know that Mr. Li is responsible for a lot of things, but he is basically the shopkeeper on a daily basis. That is to say, he is basically in charge of this 1.5 million US dollar project at ordinary times!

I really didn't expect Mr. Li to trust and value him so much!
In fact, this is also a helpless move for Li Mu.

As a glorious traveler, the animated film he needs to make in his mind is twenty if not thirty.

Let’s count twenty films. Taking the experience of “Frozen” as an example, it takes about 3 years for an animated film to go from project approval to release.It takes 3 years for an animated film, and 60 years for [-]. How could it take Li Mu such a long time?

Fortunately, he is not short of money now. Even if he is really short of money, with his current fame, status and previous brilliant achievements, there are still a lot of companies rushing to put money into his hands to let him Making movies, so starting multiple animated movies at the same time has almost become a must for him.

That's why today's arrangement to invite Tian Xiaopeng to be the co-director of "Coco" came about.

With Tian Xiaopeng's current ability, it may be a bit difficult to take charge of such a big project as "Dream Quest", but fortunately, Li Mu personally checks it out.

In this way, the matter of "Coco" is preliminarily settled.As the co-director Tian Xiaopeng is naturally full of ambitions, but Yang Yu next to him seems a little confused and embarrassed.

He is 5 years younger than Tian Xiaopeng, maybe Li always thinks he is too young so he didn't entrust him with important tasks?

That's right, he is indeed young, but no matter how young he is, how can he be as young as Mr. Li Mu?

Just take a step back, Mr. Li thinks that he is too young to entrust him with important tasks, so let him continue to be the head office of the deputy director, right?

No matter if he is in the group of "Despicable Me" directed by Xu Chengyi, or in the group of "Coco" by Tian Xiaopeng, he can do it.

At this time, Li Mu, who had just arranged for Tian Xiaopeng's next job, shifted his gaze to the face of the dumpling Yang Yu next to him.

"In addition to the "Despicable Me" and "Coco" projects, the company is also preparing to launch a new animation film project."

Hearing that Yang Yu, who was born in 1980, almost shed tears.

Just now I saw President Li arrange Tian Xiaopeng to be the co-director of the $1.5 million project, but Yang Yu didn't mention him.

It turned out that Mr. Li felt that he was too young to entrust him with important responsibilities?

Mr. Li clearly has another important task for him!

Looking at the young man Yang Yu looking at him expectantly, Li Mu continued: "The name of the project is "Zoo City", which is a project that I value very, very much. Now I officially invite you to co-direct this project with me A new animated movie, you see—”

"I'm sure it's fine!" Yang Yu replied quickly.

Li Mu nodded.

At this time, Yang Yu asked a little meanly again: "Mr. Li, no, director, can I ask about the investment amount of our "Crazy Zootopia"?"

Li Mudao: "It's also about 1 million to 1.5 million US dollars."

"Yes!"

Yang Yu lightly waved his fist and said.

……

After Li Mu and Liu Yifei left the American company together, Yang Yu and Tian Xiaopeng calmed down from the excitement one after another, and then they both thought of a problem at the same time.

Mr. Li said that the budget of "Despicable Mom" ​​is about 7000 million US dollars, and the budgets of "Zootopia" and "Coco" are both 1 million to 1.5 million US dollars. According to Mr. Li's tone, the investment of the latter two works is 1.5 million US dollars The probability is undoubtedly greater.

In this way, the studio's investment in these three projects will add up to almost $3.7 million?
Converted into RMB is almost - 25 billion? !
Invested 25 billion in it, and started the production of three cartoons at the same time—Is Mr. Li too rich?

Then the two thought almost in unison again:
"I do have great confidence in Mr. Li, but the total investment of three animation films is likely to exceed 25 billion yuan at the same time. This is 25 billion yuan! How much global box office will these films have to win in order to pay back?!
These three projects are basically impossible to pay back, right? "

……

After Li Mu and Liu Yifei left the studio together, Liu Yifei couldn't help but bit his lip and looked at Li Mu.

"Too rich!"

"What?" Li Mu asked.

"I said, three animated films with an investment of 3.7 million U.S. dollars, Mr. Li is too rich!"

Li Mu laughed and said, "Your husband, I am not too rich, but too talented. The reason why I dare to invest so much money in it is because I am confident that I can make money from these few movies, and The reason why I have this confidence is because your husband has my confidence in my own talent. Are you right about your husband? Haha..."

After Li Mu went to drive, Liu Yifei couldn't help but stood there and muttered in a low voice: "One mouthful of 'your husband and me', and it turned out that you just talked but didn't practice, you are proposing marriage!"

(End of this chapter)