Chapter 67
On a weekend night after temporarily repelling IBM's attack, Yang Xinxin sat on the sofa with an envelope in his hand, shaking and said, "Brother, your invitation letter."

Zhang Lexing took it over and saw that it was actually written by Lucas, inviting him to a party at his farm next weekend, but did not disclose the content of the party.Zhang Lexing hesitated, "Sister Xin, do you decide that I should go?"

"It's okay, you don't have to worry about the company, just go. I guess this should be a gathering of the film circle, maybe it will help you."

……

A week later, Zhang Lexing brought a bodyguard to the Skywalker Farm, about 110 kilometers from San Jose, east of Nicosio, California. This is where Lucas works and lives.The Skywalker Farm covers an area of ​​4700 acres (approximately equivalent to 19 square kilometers). According to the "Wall Street Journal", Lucas spent more than 1 million US dollars for this land.

Skywalker Farm is also the headquarters of Lucas' entire business, including the 3000-acre Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound Effects, and Lucasart, which is engaged in the game development industry.This is not the first time Zhang Lexing has visited Skywalker Farm. After investing in Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound Effects, he visited it a few times under the leadership of Lucas, but he has no time to come back in the past two years.The car was driving on a somewhat bumpy country road towards the gate of the Skywalker Farm. Zhang Lexing looked out through the window, and the scenery around the farm was the same along the way.

The car stopped at the gate of the farm. Zhang Lexing took out his invitation letter and handed it to the doorman. The doorman looked carefully, then looked at the car again, and then returned the invitation letter to Zhang Lexing. He turned around and pressed the button. The door opened slowly.

The car drove along the road in the farm, turned a few turns, and drove forward for more than ten minutes. At the end of the road, there was a sparkling artificial lake. A two-story villa stood beside the lake. Lucas is usually used to entertain friends or host a party.There is a parking lot behind the villa. When Zhang Lexing came, there were already more than ten cars parked there. He found an empty space and parked the car. Zhang Lexing got out of the car and walked towards the villa.

As soon as he turned a corner, Zhang Lexing met Lucas who was walking towards him. Before he arrived, his hearty voice came first: "Aha, Zhang, you are finally here, so glad to see you. Did you When we came, we were still worried."

The relationship between Lucas and Zhang Lexing was not harmonious at first, and he even kept on guard against Zhang Lexing.However, over the years, Lucas discovered that Zhang Lexing had really fulfilled his original promise, and he did not dictate to his beloved companies such as Industrial Light and Magic, nor did he try to annex his company, so the relationship between the two gradually improved. Cass also fulfilled his promise by sending industrial light and magic technicians to support the computer animation production company run by Zhang Lexing in Hong Kong.In addition, Lucas sometimes invites Zhang Lexing when he holds private parties, such as this time.

Seeing Lucas coming to greet him in person, Zhang Lexing smiled and said, "George, I'm also very happy to meet you. By the way, I'm not late, am I?"

"It's not too late, it's the right time." Lucas shook his finger, and then continued: "Come on, let me introduce a few friends to you first."

The two walked towards the crowd who were attending the party in the front courtyard of the villa. A middle-aged man with glasses and gray hair came up to him: "George, where have you been? We were talking about you just now."

Lucas walked forward in a few strides and hugged the visitor: "I went to pick up a friend just now."

"Is this the one behind you?"

"This is my partner Zhang Lexing. Thanks to him all these years, otherwise I don't know if I can persist." After introducing the person, Lucas turned to Zhang Lexing and said, "Zhang, this is my old friend. Steven Spielberg, worked with him on Indiana Jones and Raiders."

Hearing this, Zhang Lexing was startled, and said, "Mr. Spielberg, I really like your film "ET Aliens."

Spielberg shrugged and smiled at Lucas: "George, it seems that I have met my fans."

Lucas also smiled: "Steven, the first sentence Zhang and I said back then was almost the same."

Zhang Lexing smiled embarrassedly: "Mr. Spielberg, I made you laugh."

"It's okay, it's my honor to meet someone who likes my movies. By the way, you can call me Steven."

"Steven, nice to meet you."

"Zhang, I've heard George talk about you before, but I didn't expect you to be so young."

The three looked at each other and smiled, and continued to walk into the crowd hand in hand.While walking, Lucas introduced Zhang Lexing.

"Robert Zemeckis, a great director, has filmed the "Back to the Future" series, and the latest third part will be released in May..."

"These two are Ed Catmull and John Lasseter of Pixar. They were still working together a few years ago, but unfortunately..."

"This is Richard Dreyfuss, who used to be in my American Graffiti and Steve's Jaws..."

"This is Mark Hamill. Zhang, do you think he looks familiar... Yes, it's Luke, Luke Skywalker..."

"Our photographer, Alan Hume, helped me shoot "Star Wars 6", and he has also filmed many 007 films before..."

"Sid Ganesh, producer of Lucasfilm, former chairman of Paramount and vice chairman of marketing and distribution at Columbia Pictures..."

"This is Harrison Ford, who played me in "Star Wars", and that Dr. Jones in Steve's "Indiana Crusaders"..."

"John Williams, the film dubbing master, was introduced by Steve at the beginning. The dubbing in "Star Wars" is thanks to him..."

"The director James Cameron we worked with last year, our Industrial Light and Magic helped him use computer-generated images in "The Abyss". The most prominent thing is the irregular wriggling cylindrical snake-shaped liquid alien organism. Satisfied..."

……

Under the introduction of Lucas, Zhang Lexing got to know many people in the film circle.Although there is no friendship, but with the two big directors Lucas and Spielberg accompanying him all the way, Zhang Lexing's identity has aroused the interest of many people.However, Zhang Lexing has not heard much about these people. The one he is most familiar with is Harrison Ford, but the two people from Pixar are the ones he is most interested in.Zhang Lexing actually knew that Lucas had sold the animation production department of Industrial Light & Magic to Jobs, but at that time he thought it was just an ordinary animation production department. This time he heard Ed and John talk about it and found out that Lucas 500 Selling it for US$[-] turned out to be the famous Pixar in the future, which made Zhang Lexing feel like "I wish I could never meet when I was not married".

"You two, it's a pity that you came one step too late, otherwise..." Zhang Lexing said regretfully.

"Oh, yes." Ed Kettlemoor sighed. "It would have been nice if it hadn't been sold back then."

"What's the matter, is there something wrong with Pixar now?"

"It's not just a problem, I don't know if I can persist..." John Lasseter introduced Pixar's current situation with a look of frustration.

After hearing what the two said, Zhang Lexing knew that Pixar was almost at the end of its rope.When Jobs acquired the animation production department of Industrial Light & Magic, he did not interfere with Pixar's specific operations at first. At that time, Pixar's business was selling special computer hardware for animation production, and its main customer was Disney.But then Jobs found that the money was too slow, so he tried to transform Pixar from a hardware company to a software company that made a living by selling software and advertising. bring in more income.Since the date of Jobs' acquisition, Pixar has not made a profit, and the estimated loss this year is as high as $800 million. Jobs' patience has gradually run out.Ed and John also heard that Jobs planned to do major surgery on the company, and it was very likely that he would lay off employees on a large scale to reduce expenses, or even sell the company.

"Well, if it hadn't been sold back then, it might not be so difficult now." Ed Kettermoor sighed again: "I really envy those brothers in the past."

Zhang Lexing knows that Pixar's difficulties will not last long. Once he gets on the Disney Express next year, he will soon turn himself into a dragon.But right now is a very good opportunity for myself, so I left two business cards for Ed and John, asking them to contact them in time. I believe that with the current situation of Pixar, if Jobs wants to sell it, the asking price should not be much higher.

After bidding farewell to Ed and John, Zhang Lexing followed Lucas and Spielberg and continued on.After walking for a while, Lucas stopped, and two people appeared in front of Zhang Lexing.One was about fifty years old, wearing a black beanie, with many signs of age on his face.The other is about 20 years old, with long brown hair, wearing a white waist dress, full of youthful atmosphere.

"Zhang, this is my old friend Francis Coppola, and beside her is her daughter Sofia Coppola." Lucas began to introduce the two parties: "Francis, this is my partner Zhang Lexing."

Zhang Lexing shook hands with Francis Coppola and his daughter while maintaining a smile, but he was thinking in his heart: "Francis Coppola seems very familiar, but he can't remember who it is?"

Suddenly a flash of light flashed in his mind, and Zhang Lexing remembered who was in front of him: "I believe in friendship, and I am willing to show my friendship first."

"Life is so beautiful..." Francis Coppola showed a smile on his face: "Ha, I didn't expect to meet my fans here. I'm so lucky. "The Godfather 3" has already finished filming , would you like me to get you a ticket to the premiere?"

Zhang Lexing said politely, "That's really my honor."

……

After leaving Coppola's father and daughter, Zhang Lexing found a young man standing alone in a corner with a glass of wine, watching the surrounding crowd with a hint of melancholy in his eyes.The appearance of the young man looked very familiar, and Zhang Lexing felt that he should have seen him often for a certain period of time, but the figure in his impression was more mature than the one in front of him.

"George, who is that young man?"

"The one in the corner?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"Oh, it's Francis' nephew, Nicholas King Coppola, but he doesn't like being called Coppola. If you want to greet him, you'd better call him Cage."

"Nicolas Cage?"

"That's right, he's a nice young man. Although he's still a little immature, he already has his own style."

Nicolas Cage is one of the Hollywood stars that Zhang Lexing is more familiar with. He has seen many movies starring him, but he never knew that he is related to Francis Coppola, the great director of the "Godfather" series. See It's really not in vain to come here.

(End of this chapter)

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