Entertaining Children

  Chapter 1016 Surprise

"Lao Mu, what are the specific requirements for this BMW placement ad? Do you need to modify the script for them?" After everyone went on the road, Xiao Yao did not rush to ask about the formation of the crew, nor did he mention his relationship with BMW. Concerned about the placement of BMW's advertisement.

"No!" Mu Ying shook his head. "Their requirement is that there are at least three shots of their BMW cars in the feature film, and one of them can see their car logo, but they don't need a close-up to be able to distinguish them. Theirs The car logo is so obvious that it can be recognized even if the entire front of the car is in the lens. They did not require the specific model of the vehicle to appear. Based on our current script, it can be completely satisfied without any adjustment. If you need to adjust the script If so, I will definitely discuss with you before deciding whether to accept their sponsorship."

   "That's good!" Xiao Yao nodded, "What about the cost?"

"The basic sponsorship fee is 500,000 US dollars, and we will provide us with three SUVs and a seven-seater multi-function station wagon as crew cars." Mu Yingdao, "In addition, according to our movie box office, they will also add sponsorship fees. I don’t remember exactly how much the box office has been increased. I will show you the contract when I go back."

   "It's okay, you'll be responsible for these things. You can make up your mind. I just care about it!" Xiao Yao said, "You are more experienced than us in this respect."

   "I didn't talk about the specific rules, but I found a professional business person to help us handle it." Mu Ying smiled, "I am not as versatile as you!"

   "Xiao Yao, BMW's sponsorship conditions are very good," Xu Fei asked again, "what is the relationship between you and BMW?"

Although half a million US dollars is not a lot, the conditions for placing advertisements are quite loose, which is very good for their film, not to mention that they also provide a car for the crew, and there are additional sponsorships based on the box office. fee.

   "It doesn't matter, I just helped them write a few scripts for advertising movies." Xiao Yao said.

  "Advertising movie script? You wrote the script of that series of commercial movies played by Josini?" Chen Xiaoting also asked.

   "Well," Xiao Yao nodded, "The "Hostage" the year before last was written by me and Lao Mu. Last year's "Heart" and this year's "Star" were written by me!"

  After the release of BMW’s second commercial film last year, the response was still good. Later, Martin Grotz contacted Xiao Yao and asked him to write the third script. Xiao Yao thought that it would be a good thing to maintain a relationship with BMW, so he wrote the "Star" from the previous BMW series of movies. Martin Grotz.

   "He's not just writing scripts." Mu Ying interrupted, "The idea for this advertising film series was created by Xiao Yao. He can be regarded as the master planner of this series."

"Chief planner?" Zhao Rui curiously asked, "When did you start advertising for BMW on August 1? When you came to the United States last year? No, you didn't come to the United States in the first half of last year, only France. That was the summer vacation the year before the university?"

  "It's not the United States." Mu Ying laughed. "Although BMW's advertising films are all shot in the United States, they are not a BMW American project, but a German headquarters project!"

   "German headquarters?" Zhao Rui said suddenly, "The time you helped Zhan Youcheng order a prosthesis? No wonder you visited the BMW headquarters!"

   "It's not right," Zhao Rui shook his head again, "That was at the beginning of last year, and BMW's first commercial film was from the year before last!"

  "It's not Germany, it's France!" Mu Ying said, "It was the time he went to France to attend the Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival."

"I know," Zhao Rui nodded, "Bayi said that you met him at the film festival, and parkour movies were also the ideas you came up with at that time. But how did the BMW headquarters project in France and Did you contact? Don't you say that the people at BMW's headquarters in Germany went to France to find Xiao Yao for their planning?"

"No," Mu Ying said, "Clermont Ferrand is the seat of Michelin. That time, the marketing director of BMW's German headquarters went to the Michelin headquarters on a business trip, and was entertained by people from Michelin to watch the closing ceremony of the film festival. Xiao Yao Didn’t his "Tuner" win the film festival’s most popular audience award? BMW’s marketing director wanted to find him, the award-winning director, to help BMW make commercials. At that time, he said that he still had a job in China and was not interested in making commercials. But they gave them an idea to use a short film to advertise and make a series. They also recommended me to be a director."

   "At that time, I was going back to China to record the fast-moving propaganda TV series with you." Xiao Yao added with a smile.

   "Wow~ Xiao Yao really has nothing to say to you two!" Chen Xiaoting looked at Zhao Rui and Xu Fei and said, "In order to help promote your TV series, even the opportunity to be a BMW commercial director has been pushed!"

   "Yes!" Xiao Yao echoed.

"Come on," Xu Fei said, "Your family also has an investment in that TV series. We all work for your family, and you are also one of the screenwriters of that TV series. Shouldn't you do publicity? How can it be for us? "

   "Our family invests in more film and television works, do I contribute to each one of them?" Xiao Yao pouted, "You see, I haven't done much promotion for the works invested by our family on Weibo."

   "Indeed, you don't necessarily invest in your family." Zhao Rui said, "But you must not push the BMW advertising director for us! Most of it is because you dare not!"

   "I dare not?" Xiao Yao stared.

   "Don't dare!" Zhao Rui said confidently, "I may dare now, but I dare not at that time!"

"Ha, as expected, Zhao Rui knows Xiao Yao better!" Mu Ying smiled. "At that time, Xiao Yao pushed down BMW's advertising director because he was not sure about it! I asked him at that time and he replied in person. mine!"

   "Old Mu, do you want to break through me so quickly?" Xiao Yao smiled helplessly.

  Everyone chatted all the way, and before they knew it, they arrived at the place Mu Ying had prepared for them.

  This time Xiao Yao and the others came to the United States to make a movie. Mu Ying did not help them book a hotel, but rented some apartments for them.

  There are many differences between filming in the United States and filming in China. One of the important differences is that there are various labor unions in the United States.

  In the case of the American Screen Actors Guild, they stipulate that all dramas with a production cost of more than US$3 million must use union actors. In addition to this, the union will also provide various guarantees for union actors. As long as they are actors from the American Screen Actors Guild, they only work 8 hours a day, and the extra part must be paid extra for overtime. They must have a rest every week, and they cannot rotate for seven days.

  Although their film was not invested by a Hollywood film company, not a Hollywood movie, it is more convenient to shoot in the United States and want to release it in the United States in the future. It is more convenient to get the union's approval and approval.

  These things Mu Ying passed through Xiao Yao long before he determined the shooting location, and Xiao Yao also considered this factor before determining the shooting location.

  The film is not invested by Hollywood. The union just stipulates that there must be union actors, and not all actors must be actors’ unions. Xiao Yao usually doesn't like staying up late, and filming is not the kind of temperament that has to be filmed day and night. No overtime and weekly holiday restrictions are not a big problem for Xiao Yao. The actors are relaxed, and they are also happy. It is nothing more than a longer shooting date, which Xiao Yao can accept. In contrast, Los Angeles is Muying's site and one of the European and American cities that Xiao Yao is most familiar with. This advantage is even more rare.

  Become a project recognized by the American trade union, and naturally have to abide by the rules of the trade union. Observing the eight-hour work day and weekly vacations means that they will have a lot of time outside of filming. The hotel is just a place to sleep. Since there will be a lot of free time outside of filming, of course, living in an apartment is more comfortable and convenient than living in a hotel.

  The assistants of the four Xiao Yao are all women. Among them, Pei Minyi is not only Xiao Yao's assistant, but also a makeup artist in the crew. The girls are less courageous. If they are away from home, they feel safer to live together, so Mu Ying rented six apartments in the same apartment building for the eight of them. Xiao Yao, Zhao Rui, Xu Fei and Pei Minyi are in a separate room, Chen Xiaoting and his assistant live in the same room, and Zhao Rui and Xu Fei's two assistants share a room.

  The time difference between Los Angeles and Yenching is nine hours. Xiao Yao and others took off from Yanjing at 12 noon, the flight time was twelve hours, and arrived in Los Angeles at nine in the morning. From the meeting at the airport, the airport to the apartment in the city, and then after Xiao Yao and the others packed their luggage in the apartment and packed them up, it was almost time for lunch. Next, it was Muying who took the dusty lunch for everyone.

   "There is no arrangement in the afternoon, I will send you back to the apartment!" After lunch, Mu Ying said to Xiao Yao and others.

  Xiao Yao and others arrived in Los Angeles today, but Mu Ying did not arrange work. They had been on the plane for twelve hours, and there was still a jet lag. Mu Ying didn't plan to take them out to play, and was going to send them back to the apartment to rest.

   "Old Mu, I slept all the way, and now I don't need to rest at all," Xiao Yao said to Mu Ying, "Can you arrange for me to see the actor you chose in the afternoon!"

   "Interview in the afternoon?" Mu Ying looked at Xiao Yao in surprise, "Are you tired after sitting on the plane for twelve hours?"

  As for the actors, some small group performances and small supporting roles were handed over to Mu Ying to finalize. With the exception of Xiao Yao and the three of the YRF team, the protagonist and some big supporting characters, let Mu Ying choose some candidates first, and wait for Xiao Yao to come, and then conduct an audition with him. The two finally discussed the decision. determine.

   "I said I slept all the way," Xiao Yao smiled, "I slept well on the plane, and now I can't sleep when I go back!"

   "Me too! I'll go with you!" Zhao Rui also said.

   "We~" Xu Fei and Chen Xiaoting also said.

"You don't go!" Xiao Yao intercepted their words, "Look at the tired faces of the two of you, don't hold on to it, or go back to rest! Our division of labor is different, and it is impossible all the time. Act together! You two are not directors, there is no need to follow this matter."

   "This~ okay!" The two thought for a while and nodded.

  "Let’s get in touch and have a try." Mu Yingdao, "I originally informed them that the interview time is tomorrow. This is coming. I’m not sure if I can call all the actors over in the afternoon."

   "It doesn't matter, you can count as much as you can, and you can also reduce the workload for tomorrow!" Xiao Yao said.

   "By the way, I have to contact people from the Screen Actors Guild." Mu Yingdao, "When we interview, we must also have people from the Screen Actors Guild present."

  Hollywood American Screen Actors Guild's project, the director, producer and actors from the Screen Actors Guild must be present at the same time and pass all three parties during the casting interview. Because there are union actors among the candidates, Xiao Yao and the others must also be present from three parties during the casting interview. Mu Ying and Xiao Yao are directors and producers, so they need to notify the union to be present at this time.

   "It's okay, chant! Today is not a weekend, they will definitely be able to send someone!" Xiao Yao said indifferently.

  As Xiao Yao said, today is not a weekend, it was originally time for work. Mu Ying contacted the union staff who accompanied him in the previous casting interview, and the other party happily agreed to come over for the casting interview with them in the afternoon.

  The two crew drivers sent Xu Fei and others back to the apartment. Mu Ying contacted some candidate actors and notified the time and place of the interview. Then, he took Zhao Rui and Xiao Yao back to the residence to get the script and camera and other things needed for the interview, and then drove to the interview. Location.

  The interview location is not in the studio, but in a cafe with outdoor seating. When Xiao Yao and the others arrived, the actors and actresses' union staff were already waiting for them in the outdoor seats, drinking coffee.

  Muying introduced each other for several people. After a polite greeting, the four of them sat down at the same table.

  The casting staff member of the Screen Actors Guild is called Kate McCann. She is a young woman in her thirties. She is not particularly beautiful, but she appears shrewd and capable.

  Zhao Rui has the title of action director in this movie, but he is not a director. This time the casting audition came to watch and learn, so it was Xiao Yao, Mu Ying and McCann that made the decision.

  Muying and McCann have interviewed many people together before, and they are familiar with each other. Kate McCann’s attention is mainly on another director, Xiao Yao. At this time, actors who had not yet interviewed arrived, Kate McCann took the initiative to talk with Xiao Yao.

  As the casting director of the labor union of this movie, McCann has also learned some about Xiao Yao. Xiao Yao's music works have been on the US bulletin board, because the case has been on US social news, and his performances in the Eva Swimsuit Special, the Eva Show and the celebrity competition at the beginning of the year were very brilliant. Kate McCann was also very curious about this Chinese teenager who was younger but more famous than Muying, and also deliberately brought topics to those things during the conversation.

  However, Xiao Yao did not tell Kate McCann about the "brilliant achievements", but deliberately turned the topic to this movie, explaining to her his understanding of those roles and the requirements for the actors who played those roles.

   "Neither arrogant nor impetuous, he looks very serious and professional!" After a conversation, Kate McCann gave an impression of Xiao Yao in his heart, and looked at him a little higher.

  The two chatted for about ten minutes, and the first actor for interview arrived. The actor did not call and found the table of the four directly.

  "Miss McCann, Mr. Mu, Mr. Xiao, Mr. Zhao, hello! I'm here to audition for the role of Jocelyn!" A young girl bowed to the three of them.

   "Gold!" Xiao Yao looked at the girl in front of him in surprise, "Are you here to audition?!"

  The girl standing in front of Xiao Yao is not someone else, it is Zhou Jingyi!

   "I am an actor, can't I come to audition?" Zhou Jingyi smiled.

   "Old Mu, there is no gold in the candidate list you gave me!" Xiao Yao turned to ask Mu Ying.

  Originally, after meeting McCann, several people switched to the English mode. At this time, in a hurry, Xiao Yao even spoke Chinese.

   "Surprise!" Mu Ying smiled and said in English.

  (End of this chapter)