Literary Master 1978

Xu Guanwen laughed, "Of course, it may not be successful to cooperate with you. But I know that if I still find those people I have cooperated with before, I will be walking the old path."

"This new road may not be smooth all the way, but it may be a shortcut to another success.

If I take the old road, I can see the scenery over there at a glance."

Listening to Xu Guanwen's words, Lin Chaoyang fell silent.

He had to admit that Xu Guanwen was a very sober person who knew clearly how to achieve his goals. No wonder he could achieve such great success in the film industry.

While he was silent, Xu Guanwen said to himself:

"Mr. Lin, I haven't read your works as a screenwriter in the mainland, but I have read "Behind the Curtain" and "The Chess Master".

In my opinion, your creative style is very different from that of filmmakers in Hong Kong. You have a calm and upright temperament.

This style may not be so popular, but I think it is a creation that combines popularity and artistry."

The characteristics of Hong Kong movies, if you want to use two words to summarize, can probably be described as - excessive.

Everything is over the top, everything is crazy, which is the most true portrayal of the Hong Kong film industry in the 1980s and 1990s.

Xu Guanwen's words certainly have the elements of flattery to Lin Chaoyang, but there are also some of his own feelings in it.

Xu Guanwen spoke for a long time, and he finished the lines he prepared for himself, but Lin Chaoyang remained silent. Xu Guanwen couldn't help but feel a little headache, and couldn't figure out Lin Chaoyang's thoughts.

"Chaoyang..."

Li Hanxiang observed the situation and was about to speak for Xu Guanwen, when Lin Chaoyang spoke.

"Michael, movies are collective wisdom after all. You came to me because you saw my ability to write scripts.

But there are too many factors that determine the success or failure of a movie, including director, art, photography, distribution...

Under the influence of so many factors, even if the script is good enough, it may not be successful."

Lin Chaoyang's words sounded like he was trying to create fear in Xu Guanwen, but Xu Guanwen heard a hint of hidden meaning.

"Mr. Lin, you are right. But the script is the foundation of a play. It must be the foundation of a movie's success. A good script is the prerequisite for a movie's success.

In addition, you should believe me.

I dare not say anything else. I, Xu Guanwen, will not lack funds for the movies I want to make. I can find the top production team in Hong Kong."

Xu Guanwen's words are domineering, but who makes him Xu Guanwen?

A male actor who has starred in a movie that has become the annual box office champion of the Hong Kong film industry for five consecutive years and has broken the highest box office record in Hong Kong three times, it is almost impossible for him to form a team to transform.

Of course, this premise is that he cannot fail.

Even if Tom Cruise has three consecutive movies, those production companies dare not use him again. The film industry is so realistic.

When you succeed, your farts are fragrant. When you fail, what you say is fart.

Xu Guanwen's words are a bit arrogant, but they also show his determination.

Lin Chaoyang stared at him, and Xu Guanwen's eyes were firm.

Lin Chaoyang asked, "Michael, have you ever thought about what to do if the movie box office is mediocre or fails?"

Xu Guanwen smiled carefreely, "At worst, I can go back and act crazy and stupid."

"By that time, the audience may not buy it." Lin Chaoyang said faintly.

Hearing this, Xu Guanwen fell silent. After a long while, he said, "Everyone has his own era. It's over, it's over."

There was a hint of determination in his words, and there was a kind of tragic grandeur like the wind whistling and the cold Yishui River.

Li Hanxiang laughed and said, "Don't be so exaggerated. It's normal to fail when making a movie."

Xu Guanwen's face also relaxed, "No one wants to fail. Of course, success is the best. Mr. Lin..."

Feeling Xu Guanwen's sincerity and determination, Lin Chaoyang took the initiative to say, "Old Li should have told you before that I don't really want to write scripts now. Writing movie scripts is really not profitable for me."

Xu Guanwen's eyes lit up, "We can still discuss the price..."

Lin Chaoyang waved his hand, "Based on my understanding of the Hong Kong film industry, you may not be able to give me a satisfactory price."

His words made Xu Guanwen's face a little embarrassed. Li Hanxiang had previously offered Lin Chaoyang a figure of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars, but the other party was indifferent. This appetite was indeed too big.

But this time Xu Guanwen made up his mind. As long as Lin Chaoyang could write a script that satisfied him, he didn't mind a thousand gold and bone.

"Michael, you are eager to change now. You can pay a price far exceeding the market price for a good script, but doing so obviously involves great risks.

How about this, I can write the script for you. If you are satisfied, you don't need to pay me for the script, just put it into the investment.

When the movie is released in the future, I just want my share of the profit, how about it?"

Xu Guanwen never thought that Lin Chaoyang would have such an idea, and he hesitated for a while.

Li Hanxiang looked at Lin Chaoyang with a strange look in his eyes. Based on his understanding of Lin Chaoyang, the previous struggles were probably just for these last few words, right?

In recent years, the Hong Kong film industry has been hot, and hot money has been pouring into the industry. When a movie is successful, it is normal for the boss to give a red envelope to important figures such as the director, screenwriter, and main actor.

Some bosses value talents and will also provide dividends and support talents to establish their own businesses. New Art City and its many satellite companies are products of this culture.

Therefore, Xu Guanwen and Li Hanxiang have no objection to the screenwriter receiving dividends, but they have never experienced the fact that Lin Chaoyang proposed that the script be converted into investment and participate in the profit sharing later.

For investors, the benefits of this approach are obvious. With less investment, the risks will naturally become smaller, especially since the price of Lin Chaoyang's script is not cheap.

But the downside is that if the movie is really successful, part of the profits will definitely be divided.

In essence, this operation is the same as book royalties, and both creators and institutions share risks.

Xu Guanwen thought for a while and asked Lin Chaoyang: "Then how do you calculate this income?"

"If the movie doesn't make money, I won't take any money. If it makes money, I'll take 10% of the overall profit."

Xu Guanwen felt relieved when he heard the words "not taking a penny", but then he heard the number "10%" and his brows immediately wrinkled.

"Isn't this number too much? You alone split 10% of the profits."

Lin Chaoyang said calmly: "You spend hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars to buy me a script. If the profit is three to four million, it may not be a good deal. If the movie fails, I will write you a script for nothing. If it succeeds, I will give you more money. This Isn’t it normal?”

Xu Guanwen was speechless. He pondered for a long time and finally made up his mind, "Okay, I promise you!"

If it is an ordinary Xiangjiang screenwriter, naturally he will not receive such treatment, but who has allowed Lin Chaoyang to not fail since he entered the film industry?

What's more, Xu Guanwen is now eager to transform, whether he is sick and seeking medical treatment, or he is thirsty for talents. Anyway, he has caught a screenwriter with top creative ability like Lin Chaoyang, and he will never let go easily.

Having made his choice, Xu Guanwen no longer struggled. He asked, "Lin Sheng, do you have any ideas for the script?"

"I'm writing a new work recently, and I think this story is more suitable for your transformation."

Xu Guanwen:......

Li Hanxiang:......

Now that you've dug the hole, you're just waiting for me to jump in, right?

Xu Guanwen's eyes were full of resentment, but Lin Chaoyang had no psychological burden.

"How about I tell you this story first?"

When he said this, Xu Guanwen immediately put aside his thoughts and asked with some expectation: "What is this story about?"

Lin Chaoyang lowered his voice and said to Xu Guanwen:

"Mi Gao, have you ever thought about what if one day you suddenly woke up and found that everyone, everything, and things around you were unreal?

The parents are fake, the wife they live with is fake, the trustworthy child is fake, and even the sun is fake! Everything is fake!

What will happen to you? "

For some reason, Lin Chaoyang hadn't started telling the story yet, but Xu Guanwen suddenly felt a chill running through his body.

"Is everything fake?"

A shudder ran through his heart, "If that's the case, I might go crazy, right?"

Lin Chaoyang did not continue speaking, but Xu Guanwen's curiosity was aroused by Lin Chaoyang's few words, and he asked urgently:

"Then what? How did the story develop? Why is it all false? Am I being controlled by bad people?"

The continuous questions fully revealed his inner curiosity. Lin Chaoyang did not show off and continued to talk in an unhurried voice.

He spoke for more than half an hour, and Xu Guanwen and Li Hanxiang were completely immersed in the story he weaved, unable to extricate themselves.

After Lin Chaoyang finished speaking, he sat there and drank coffee for a few minutes before Li Hanxiang came back to his senses.

He grabbed Lin Chaoyang's hand and said, "Chaoyang, leave this script to me! I'll shoot it, I'm sure I can do it well!"

Xu Guanwen was shocked back to his senses by his operation. Just when he was about to accuse Li Hanxiang of cutting him off halfway, Lin Chaoyang said:

"You? You can't take pictures of this book!"

Li Hanxiang shouted: "Why can't I take the photo?"

"I said you can't take a picture if you can't."

Li Hanxiang was very angry. He thought of what Lin Chaoyang said to him a few days ago and said angrily: "Okay, you kid looks down on others, don't you?"

"Hey, hey, can you attack someone personally?"

Seeing that Lin Chaoyang did not agree to Li Hanxiang's request, Xu Guanwen was no longer anxious. He pulled Li Hanxiang and said, "Lin Sheng must have his own ideas. Don't make trouble first."

"What do you mean I'm causing trouble?"

It was okay if Xu Guanwen didn't speak, but when he spoke, Li Hanxiang became even more angry.

He was the one who originally set the stage for this matter, but now Lin Chaoyang and Xu Guanwen are wearing a pair of trousers. Can he not be angry?

Lin Chaoyang said at this time: "Old Li, Michael is going to make a transformation this time. If this script is completed, it can win awards. Your technique is old-fashioned, and you will suffer a loss in the awards."

Li Hanxiang almost jumped up when he heard this. He has been a director all his life, but was called "an expert in technique" by a screenwriter who had never made a movie before.

To Li Hanxiang, these words sounded like a child pointing at him and scolding him for impotence!

It's really intolerable, what can't be tolerated!

"My skills are great? My skills are great? Do you understand movies? Didn't I win the Academy Award? Didn't I win the Golden Horse Award?"

Facing the furious Li Hanxiang, Lin Chaoyang looked calm and calm, and uttered a few words in his mouth.

"Palme d'Or, can you pass it?"

Li Hanxiang stood stunned on the spot.