Actor: My Entertainment Era

Chapter 130

There is no official trading market for such short film festivals, but the many activities and parties of the film festival have built a good platform for investors, encouraging them to expand high-quality short films into long-term films, or to support the creation of outstanding directors.

Today's UCLA forum mainly focuses on a series of issues of short film expansion and investment in new directors.

The host is Mark Rothman, a professor at UCLA's School of Drama, Film and Television, and a director and screenwriter himself.

The main guests were a professor from the same school, Andrew Nicholl, the director of the upcoming movie "Lord of War" in North America, who also came to promote the movie, a short film director named Rodrigo Cortez, and a screenwriter named Arthur Gordon.

The five sat onstage, with Andrew Nicholl and Arthur Gordon promoting their film first.

Having said that, Zhang Yuanjun and Liu Yifei who were sitting in the audience realized that Arthur Gordon was the screenwriter of Memoirs of a Geisha.

"Do you think that's Zhang Ziyi?" Zhang Yuanjun and others sat in the middle and back. He saw a woman sitting in the first row, who looked a lot like Zhang Ziyi.

Liu Yifei and Xiao Zhao poked forward and saw half of the woman's face: "It's quite similar."

Under the guidance of the host Professor Mark, the four guests discussed the theme of this forum.

Zhang Yuanjun and Liu Yifei listened with gusto. Zhang Leping was not interested in movies, so he went off while listening.

"Although the shooting cost of short films is low, there is still a lack of investors. Many of our directors can only get investment from some non-profit cultural funds." Rodrigo Cortez said, "I know many excellent directors, but they cannot rely on short films to make a living. Most of them work as assistants on the set. After two or three years, they have enough money to make a movie."

"However, the profit prospects of short films are particularly unclear. In other words, apart from participating in awards, there are basically no other distribution and profit channels for short films."

"With 100 short films from 100 directors, at most only two of them can get the opportunity to shoot feature films, and the feature films they shoot still cannot guarantee profitability."

Rodrigo Cortez shared the pain of short film directors all over the world, and won applause and cheers from the directors present.

Because he himself is like this, making a short film in two or three years, participating in awards and judging everywhere, hoping to be appreciated by the film dealers and investors.So far, there has been no opportunity to shoot a feature film.

Other guests spoke one after another, expressing their views on the issue of short films.

After the discussion, came the audience questioning session.

The audience in the audience raised their hands to ask the guests some sharp questions. For example, a student from UCLA asked Andrew Nicholl: "I am a directing student who is about to graduate, but the short films I shoot can only be shown in the school, and I have no chance to promote them. I sent them to Fox and other film studios, but I didn't get a reply from them. In the era of monopoly by big studios, how can new directors get official shooting opportunities?"

This question was confused by Andrew Nicole, who said: "I think new directors still have to keep creating. As Rodrigue said before, short film directors are not easy to do, but if you want to be a director, you must stick to creating. The starting point of directing students is already higher than others. Don't think about becoming popular overnight. You are only in your twenties. Since the birth of movies, how many directors have become famous in their twenties? A director's golden period of creation is after 40 years old. Don't worry, as long as there are good works, there must be one. Chance."

Afterwards, five more audience members asked questions to the guests, and the event ended.

Liu Yifei was going to say hello to Zhang Ziyi in the front row: "I'm here, see you."

Before Zhang Yuanjun agreed, Liu Yifei waved her hands and shouted forward: "Teacher Ziyi!"

Zhang Ziyi turned around and saw Liu Yifei and others.

She is actually not familiar with Liu Yifei and Zhang Yuanjun, but she does.

When meeting people from another country, even if Zhang Ziyi doesn't want to meet them, he still has to greet them with a smile.

"Why are you here?" Zhang Ziyi asked in surprise.

"We were on vacation in Los Angeles and came to the film festival."

Zhang Ziyi glanced at Zhang Yuanjun and Liu Yifei ambiguously, guessing their relationship.

It's not clear yet.

"Oh, no, he's in Los Angeles and I'm in New York, so we just happened to meet." Liu Yifei couldn't even speak clearly.

Zhang Yuanjun didn't explain too much, just said: "Sister Ziyi is here to promote "Memoirs of a Geisha"?"

"That's right," Zhang Ziyi said with a smile, "It will be released in a few months, let's do a small-scale publicity first."

Speaking of "Memoirs of a Geisha" she was very proud.

"How about your movie?" asked Zhang Yuanjun.

She has never met Zhang Yuanjun, but she still knows that "there is a student in the Film Academy who does not know how to make a movie."

"It's almost there, and it will start up in a month or two." Speaking of his movie, Zhang Yuanjun is also very proud.

"Then I wish you a smooth start." It can be seen that Zhang Ziyi does not want to chat with a few people.

Zhang Ziyi wanted to leave, but at this time Rodrigo Kertesz stepped forward to chat: "Hi, Zhang, what are you talking about?" As a short film director who is not good at high and low, Rodrigo Cortez is very good at finding opportunities.

He knew that the Orientals were rich, and Zhang Ziyi's partners were rich at first glance.

Zhang Ziyi took the opportunity to get away: "This is our famous young actor in China. This Zhang is also an investor and film producer. The film he invested in will be launched soon."

Rodrigo Cortez said in surprise: "My God, you are investing at such a young age. Orientals can really surprise people."

"You talk, I still have activities over there, I'll go first." Zhang Ziyi got away.

Rodrigo Cortez began to chat: "Zhang, I have always been curious about the mysterious East, but unfortunately, I have no chance to work in China, can you tell me about it?"

But Zhang Yuanjun said, "I'm here for vacation, and I have no intention of investing."

"It's okay," Rodrigo Cortes said with a smile, "we will be friends from now on, this is my business card." He handed over his business card.

Reaching out to not hit the smiling face, Zhang Yuanjun also gave him the phone number of his hotel.

Of course Rodrigo Cortes knew that Zhang Yuanjun didn't want to talk to him, otherwise he wouldn't just call the hotel, or at least he should have called his assistant.

But Rodrigo Cortez is an old fritter after all, and he doesn't care.

If he can get film investment from this oriental guy—if he has a date or not, he will hit three poles—it doesn't matter if he is wronged a bit.

Therefore, in the week after the film festival, Rodrigo Cortez came to "harass" Zhang Yuanjun every day.

Call the hotel to contact Zhang Yuanjun, invite him to dinner, invite him to go to the film festival, invite him to the party.

During the period, I kept promoting the short films I had already made, as well as the ideas in my mind.

Zhang Yuanjun was dragged by him to watch the short films he had made before, and he could see that he was a thoughtful director. Although the camera language was not very good, it was enough.

As he said himself, he just lacked an opportunity.

Therefore, Zhang Yuanjun decided to give him a chance.

On this day, Rodrigo Cortez came to the hotel again and asked him to go to the bar for a drink.

Zhang Yuanjun said: "Don't rush to drink, I have an idea here, take a look."

(End of this chapter)