The King of Directors 2000

The winter in Yanjing is quite cold. As soon as we enter December, it might snow one day.

For those who like snow scenery, they are looking forward to this day, where they can take pictures, build snowmen and ski.

This year's snow came a little later than in previous years, but luckily it came anyway.

Li Shengyao liked snowy days when he was young, mainly because he lived in the south and had never seen the kind of snow that did not melt for several days.

It occasionally snows in his hometown, but it usually melts in less than a day.

Things are rare and valuable, and even picking up a handful of snow flakes is fun.

One morning at the end of December, after he got up, he suddenly found that the outside was covered with snow and white flowers.

Chen Hao was very happy. She put on the ultra-thick cotton pants she had bought for her child a long time ago, then went out to take photos and post them on WeChat to show off her baby.

Lee Sheng-yew was not in such a mood. Before "La La Land" was completed, his heart kept hanging and he could not relax.

Therefore, his life is still the same as before, ten hours a day, his eyes are dry and he often needs eye drops.

Finally on December 29, he and three editors completed the editing of "La La Land".

He immediately called Lu Guanting, who was thousands of miles away.

At eleven o'clock in the morning on December 30th, the weather in Yanjing was even colder.

However, there are many people coming and going at Yanjing Airport. It is New Year's Day soon and many people are traveling.

Li Shengyao led two assistants and waited for others at the passenger exit channel.

He was wearing a hat and a mask, so he wasn't worried about being recognized, but the weather was too cold, so he couldn't help but rub his hands and breathe.

Finally, a man and woman who looked to be in their fifties came out. These two gentle people were Lu Guanting and Tang Shuchen.

"Teacher Lu, Teacher Tang, please come this way."

When Lu Guanting and Tang Shuchen heard Li Shengyao's words, they both looked over in shock.

The two of them thought that Li Shengyao would arrange for his subordinates to come to pick him up at the airport, but they did not expect that Li Shengyao came in person.

"Director Li, you are too polite."

"It's okay. I finished editing anyway. I don't have much work to do now, so I rushed over here. I met the two teachers and I happened to have something to discuss with you."

Last year, Lee Sung-yew invited Lu Guanting and Tang Shuchen to dub for "La La Land". When the two received the task, they began to study the script and write songs and arrange music based on the script.

But such a thing is not something you can have if you want it.

Inspiration is not that easy to find.

Especially since Lu Guanting and Tang Shuchen are older, their thinking is naturally not as active as when they were young.

Fortunately, the time was long enough, and the two of them still wrote a few good songs and arranged a few beautiful tunes.

When the two of them were on Hong Kong Island, they were quite confident.

But when I came to Yanjing, I felt the sub-zero climate here, and saw Li Shengyao’s expectant and serious eyes.

Come to think of it, this movie is going to be at next year's Cannes Film Festival.

Both men felt the pressure.

"Okay, Director Li, let's have a nice chat."

"Let's eat first."

When Lu Guanting and Tang Shuchen heard this, they both breathed a sigh of relief. They thought that Li Shengyao was going to chat in the car. They would chat while eating later, which would naturally be much more relaxed.

Soon after, Li Shengyao, Lu Guanting, and Tang Shuchen sat down in the Guomao Hotel restaurant.

Li Shengyao invited them to eat Jiangsu cuisine. When the exquisite dishes were served, he smiled and poured tea for Lu Guanting and Tang Shuchen. "Suzhou cuisine has a milder taste. You will not get tired of eating it, and it is better for the body."

So the three of them talked about the soundtrack of "La La Land" while eating.

Li Shengyao mainly explained to Lu Guanting and his wife the style he wanted and how to operate it. He is a layman and will not get too involved.

In fact, they have already talked about this point, and now they are just repeating the old talk, which can be regarded as a final explanation.

"I will stay in Yanjing for a few days, and then go south to Shanghai to participate in the event. You two will decide what kind of music to use."

Lu Guanting breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this.

As an artist, I naturally don’t like to be stared at.

It seems that Lee Sheng Yew personally picked him up at the airport just to express his concern, rather than to interfere with the couple's work.

He couldn't help but look at Tang Shuchen, and both of them saw the smile in each other's eyes.

After a meal.

Li Shengyao solemnly said: "Teacher Lu, Teacher Tang, please leave me the soundtrack work for "La La Land"."

"Don't worry, Director Li, we as husband and wife will do our best."

……

Li Shengyao did not want to put too much pressure on Lu Guanting and his wife, so he did not interfere with their creation.

After picking him up at the airport that day, he didn't go to the company. Instead, he stayed with women and children in several houses.

On January 2014, 1, Li Shengyao went to the company to say hello to Lu Guanting and Tang Shuchen, and then took a plane south to Shanghai.

One day later, at the New Jinjiang Hotel in Shanghai, an awards party was held on Sina Weibo Night.

Li Shengyao, Cheng Long, Lao Mouzi, and Xiaogang Pao all came over.

It seems that fewer and fewer people use Weibo nowadays, but it has to be said that “hot searches” on Weibo can still stir up news.

Sina hinted at Lee Sheng Yew, saying that as long as he attends, there will be no negative topics about Lee Sheng Yew on Weibo this year.

Anyway, he had nothing to do, so Li Shengyao went to participate.

Cheng Long was dressed in a Tang suit with a smile on his face and waved to the audience from time to time, but it was still obvious that he was very tired and not in a good mood.

When you do something you like and can achieve results, you will be happy even if you are tired.

And when you can't achieve results in what you do, and all your efforts are in vain, then you will feel much worse.

Cheng Long is in this state at this time. In the 2013 Lunar New Year festival, there were not many blockbusters, and they were not even as lively as the 2012 Lunar New Year festival.

The only two movies worth looking forward to are "Police Story 2013" and "Private Order".

Others like "Waiting for the Wind", "The Storm", "Fire Fighting Heroes", "On the Move", and "The Ex-Raiders" didn't have much box office at first glance.

"Police Story 2013" invited Cheng Long and Liu Ye to work with Jing Tian. Cheng Long thought that with the reputation of the previous "Police Story", there would be good feedback. However, he was disappointed and the box office was not ideal.

Although some netizens joked that it was because of Jingtian, Cheng Long knew very well that it was mainly because his own appeal was not as good as before.

This made him somewhat helpless, unwilling and at a loss as to what to do.

The opposite of Cheng Long was Xiaogangpao. At this time, Xiaogangpao's face was full of joy, his smile could not be suppressed, and he was very proud.

Last year's "1942" was his attempt. He wanted to make some serious movies.

The box office didn't do that well, but the reputation was pretty good.

This year, in order to deal with the Wang brothers, he made another comedy, and the result was that he easily dominated the Lunar New Year show. Who else in the Chinese-speaking circle has such ability?

At this time, Xiaogangpao was in a very good mood, according to his agreement with the Wang brothers.

"Private Order" has done well at the box office, and he can make another serious movie.

Although he is not from a major, and although he has never won the top three in Europe, Xiaogangpao has always had the idea of ​​​​proving himself.

He wanted to make serious movies.

Seeing Li Shengyao at this time, Xiaogangpao immediately greeted him with a smile on his face, "Director Li, you have been really busy recently. Have you finished working on "La La Land"?"

"The editing is completed, but other work has not been done yet. There are still many things to do later."

"How about you win a prize? Your attitude is really convincing."

Now Lao Mouzi and Brother Kaizi have no way to win the grand prize.

Xiaogangpao doesn't envy these two people very much. He now envies Lee Shengyao because Lee Shengyao can still win awards.

And this is the honor that Xiaogangpao can only dream of.

If he can get the Palme d'Or, he can go around Yanjing City and talk for ten years with a big microphone.

"Director Li, I'm thinking about a new movie right now. How about you help me look at it after I decide on the story?"         "Okay, but I don't have time before three months. If you come to me after three months, I should have time by then. .”

Hearing this, Xiaogang Pao nodded happily.

Lee Sing-yew is going to Berlin in February to participate in the Berlin Film Festival with "Dalian by the Sea".

So I don’t have much time.

I can only wait until March to read the script.

At that time, "La La Land" should be in the process of producing special effects. At this time, Lee Sheng-yew couldn't do anything. If he had time, he could help Xiaogang Pao read the script.

When Lao Mouzi and Cheng Long heard this, they both looked at Li Shengyao with some excitement.

Needless to say, Li Shengyao's business vision is a good idea. It would be a good idea to help him read the script.

However, Lao Mouzi is currently producing "Return". When he finishes "Return" and prepares for the next movie, Lee Sheng-yew will definitely run out of time.

Cheng Long thought for a while and decided to think of another story and talk to Li Shengyao again. He was really not willing to sink into this.

Next, everyone watched the Weibo Night Awards Ceremony.

This is an awards ceremony where small actors and directors can win awards. On the contrary, big guys like Lao Mouzi and Lee Sheng Yew just came to watch the ceremony and did not receive the award.

After the Weibo night, all the big guys went to the celebration banquet together.

There have been a lot of things going on in Shanghai recently, and Li Shengyao and the others couldn't leave. They had to attend some activities.

They have many topics in common.

So with Lee Sheng-yao, Cheng Long, Lao Mouzi, and Xiaogang Pao as the core, more and more filmmakers were attracted to join, and they were the top bigwigs in the mainland film industry at this time.

Except for Cheng Long, the others are all mainland filmmakers.

Outside the circle of people, John Woo and Huang Baiming were holding wine glasses and looking at them with smiles.

John Woo came here this time, naturally not to apologize. He wanted to talk to Lee Sheng Yew about something.

Finally, the big guys dispersed as they had their own business and had some private conversations.

Li Shengyao was free and there was no one around him.

John Woo glanced at Huang Baiming, then strode over, getting ahead of Huang Baiming, "Director Li, do you have time? I have something I want to talk to you about."

Hearing this, Li Shengyao nodded, "Director Wu, what's the matter?"

"Director Li, I am currently producing a blockbuster film involving stars from China, Japan and South Korea, called "The Peace Wheel". This film is divided into two parts. The estimated investment is 500 million."

Li Shengyao naturally knew "The Taiping Wheel", but what he was wondering was what did this matter have to do with him?

"Director Li, we are in the process of production, and everything is progressing very smoothly. There is only one thing that is not ideal, that is, the budget of this film is a little overrun. I have thought about it and thought you might be interested. Do you have any intention? What about investing?

By then the movie will be released in China, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia, and there will be no problem making money. "

Hearing this, Li Shengyao looked at John Woo speechlessly and actually invited him to invest.

It wasn't the investment before filming started, but the film's budget had overrun, and I wanted to rope him in to cover the cost.

If I remember correctly, there are many investors in "Tai Ping Wheel". Film and television companies from China, Japan and South Korea have invested in it, and China Film Group has a very high proportion.

That is to say, this movie is not good. Han Sanping has clearly seen the appeal of John Woo's movies and has not voted for John Woo's movies again since then.

Lao Wu's previous "Red Cliff Up and Down" tasted the benefits, and now "The Taiping Wheel" is also a two-parter.

Moreover, "Red Cliff" invited stars from China, Japan and South Korea.

It can be said that "Taiping Wheel" is an investment, and the selection of actors is completely an enlarged version of "Red Cliff".

But the audience knows the story of the Three Kingdoms, and many people like it.

Gave John Woo a chance.

It’s hard to say whether the audience will buy into the unknown “Tai Ping Wheel” now.

Lee Sing-yew knows very well that the audience does not like "The Wheel" and the film will be ridiculed and become a joke during next year's Lunar New Year film.

Naturally, he has no desire to invest.

"Director Wu, I don't care much about the company's investment now. If you have time, you can discuss it with the manager of our Fenghua Investment Department."

This is a shirk. Previously, Li Shengyao had encouraged Wu Jing and Chen Sicheng in a friendly manner, saying that he could ask for any amount of money.

If you respond like this now, it's natural that you haven't taken a liking to John Woo's new film.

John Woo was not a fool and quickly understood what Lee Sheng-yew meant.

He couldn't help but think of something. It was said that China Film and Television would recommend his movies to Lee Sheng Yew, but Lee Sheng Yew never agreed and did not recommend investment.

What does this mean?

Is this really the case for your movie, so it’s not worth investing in?

John Woo was somewhat angry.

He wanted to refute, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he remembered that he had asked China Film Group for additional investment and was rejected coldly.

He still hopes to win over Lee Sheng Yew. Everyone knows that Lee Sheng Yew is rich, and his promising movies attract other people to invest. Just like the movies that Lee Sheng Yew is optimistic about, there are obviously more advertising sponsorships, so he suppressed his anger and continued: " Director Li, can you help me? This movie is not about Titanic. It is more about reflecting that special period and the different situations of different people. There is no movie that tells such a story.

Now this movie can fill that gap.

I believe that when the movie is released, the audience will love it. "

This is what old-school filmmakers think.

Especially among Hong Kong filmmakers, except for Tsui Hark and Peter Chan, who pay more attention to the opinions of mainland audiences, no one else cares.

They think that mainland audiences will definitely like their works.

Mainland audiences are really not interested in the story of "The Wheel". In fact, even Hong Kong audiences are not interested.

Only people like John Woo, whose parents and elders experienced that period and heard about it since childhood, wanted to make such a story.

"Director Wu, when you say these words, you should find a company to do market research. Then you will know what the mainland audience thinks."

Upon hearing this, John Woo couldn't help but said: "Director Li, your recent "Three Billboards" didn't have a high box office. Why can you support "Three Billboards" but not "The Wheel"?"

""Three Billboards" has no big stars, big scenes, and the production cost is only 30 million. Before I made the movie, I relied on advertising placement to recover the cost. It is completely different from "The Taiping Wheel". If "Three Billboards" Brand" costs 500 million in investment, and I don't know how to shoot it at all."

Li Shengyao paused and added: "Director Wu, to be honest with you, your biggest problem is not your concept, but that after you came back from Hollywood, you never considered investors. How is it possible to recoup the cost of investment? It’s scary to invest in your movie, who dares to continue investing?”

"Director Li..."

John Woo is much older than Lee Sing Yew, and it was very embarrassing for him to say this to Lee Sing Yew.

"Director Li, "The Taiping Wheel" will definitely not be bad at the box office."

Of course, Lee Sing-yew won't compete with John Woo, and it's not his movie. "We'll see."

Soon after, Lao Mouzi found Li Shengyao.

"Director Li, did you quarrel with Director Wu?"

"There was no quarrel, just normal communication."

He then recounted what had just happened.

Hearing this, Lao Mouzi sighed, "I feel like I can't keep up with the times. Young people don't like the things I photograph."

He then looked at Li Shengyao and said, "Director Li, I think the subject matter of "Three Billboards" is a bit old-fashioned and not your style. You shouldn't make such a movie. You should lead the film industry.

"1937" and "Parasite" are very good, and the choice of themes is eye-catching.

Although the production of "Three Billboards" is neat, the subject matter is not that exciting. "

Li Shengyao was stunned when he heard this, "Director Zhang, are you worried about my film selection?"

"It's not a worry, it's just a suggestion. I think you should consider this aspect. In the past, you were the one who led the trend. This time, "Three Billboards" didn't feel that way. Looking at the movie trailer, "Dalian by the Sea" didn't feel that way either. a feeling of."

Li Shengyao thought about it seriously, "Thank you for the reminder.

When I chose the subject this time, I didn't think comprehensively enough. "La La Land" is much better and should be able to make people's eyes shine.

I will seriously consider this in the future. "

He didn't expect that Lao Mouzi would view his movie this way.

"Three Billboards" and "Dalian by the Sea" are indeed neat in terms of subject matter and production, but they don't have any eye-catching settings.

Now I can only watch "La La Land", I hope this movie can be powerful.

(End of this chapter)