"Director Moran, do you have any ideas for promotion?"
The executives at New Line were eager to hear her opinion. Just considering the promotion of the two films she had already screened, each one could be considered a case study in textbooks. Furthermore, their analysts believed that the so-called mysterious supernatural events surrounding the movie "Final Destination" were probably just another promotional tactic.
Seeing how many people already knew the name and release date of "Final Destination," they knew the promotion had been highly successful. What was even more remarkable was that the expenses were minimal, mostly relying on word of mouth and some media hype.
Creating the maximum impact with minimal funds was a genius promotional strategy. Regardless of whether it was Leila or someone else from the Moran Group who came up with the idea, they were seeking some hints from her.
As an investor in this film, the box office performance would determine whether she would make a profit or loss on her $10 million investment. Even if she didn't come up with a promotional strategy, They believed she would receive some good ideas from her advisors.
In response to their inquiry, Leila smiled calmly, "I think this movie already has many aspects worth promoting, don't you think?"
The people at New Line instantly understood what she meant and smiled meaningfully together.
They loved working with smart directors who were not rigid. Since she had already agreed to capitalize on her name for promotion, they wouldn't hold back.
In Hollywood, being too aloof would only lead to alienation and being looked down upon by others. Leila, in a way, did possess the mind of a businesswoman. When it came to profit, she could unhesitatingly use herself to gain advantages. For instance, when she made the bet with Cooper, it was also a way to indirectly promote the movie.
This time was no different. She invested $10 million, accounting for nearly one-third of the total investment. The higher the box office, the higher the return on her investment. Similarly, if the movie flopped, her $10 million would be as good as being thrown into the water with no hope of any return.
Under such circumstances, she certainly didn't mind having her name used for promotion.
The highly anticipated fourth film by the genius director, her first-ever attempt at directing an Eastern martial arts film. From any perspective, this was a very promotable selling point. Additionally, the lead actor was of Eastern descent, while the supporting role was played by a black actor, another aspect that could be used for promotion.
In the minds of some, in a Hollywood dominated by white actors, having Eastern and black actors as leads was an out-of-the-box shooting plan.
Moreover, Leila had another reason to agree to their promotion - her movie "Final Destination" was also about to be released. By leveraging New Line's promotional efforts, she could also gain more popularity for "Final Destination." It was a win-win situation.
After chatting for a while, Leila declined New Line's dinner invitation, citing a prior engagement, and prepared to return home to turn the thoughts that had just come to her mind into a viable plan. But before that, there was a small problem that needed to be solved.
"I want to find a suitable martial arts consultant. Do you have any recommended candidates?"
Before leaving, she sought out Jackie Chan.
Jackie Chan was curious, "Another movie plan already?" No wonder people said she was a prolific director, having already released several works in a short amount of time. They had just finished shooting one movie, and there were already plans for another.
"Maybe this shoot has made me very interested. I feel that my enthusiasm for martial arts films hasn't faded yet." Leila shrugged, "If you're interested in something, you should act on it immediately. If you miss the chance due to unforeseen circumstances, you'll regret it for a lifetime." This was also her biggest realization during the filming of "Final Destination."
Jackie Chan didn't know the plot of "Final Destination," so he took her words as a reflection on her previous experiences. On further thought, it made sense; life was short, and no one knew when it would end.
"Of course, I know many people. Why don't you tell me what kind of martial arts you're interested in, and I can make a recommendation?"
"That's a good idea. I want something sharp in action, suitable for women to perform, preferably leaning towards Japanese styles like Kenjutsu."
Leila didn't invite Jackie Chan to be the martial arts consultant for her new movie because she knew his focus was on Hollywood. Even if he reluctantly agreed to return the favor, it wouldn't benefit either of them, and she also believed his style wouldn't quite fit the new film.
Having him recommend a candidate was the better option. After all, she was a well-known director in Hollywood, and in terms of fame, she might be even higher than some directors who had been struggling for decades. To enter her crew was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone from the East.
Hollywood was the world's film capital, and she believed no one in the film industry could resist its allure. Leveraging the opportunity to enter her crew and make a name for themselves in Hollywood was undoubtedly a dream that could come true!
Jackie Chan knew it was a great opportunity, not only to pave the way for his people but also to deepen his connection with Leila. So, he had to be more cautious in making a decision; otherwise, if he introduced someone unreliable, it wouldn't be making friends but creating enemies.
"I think I have a suitable person in mind. His name is Hong Jinbao; he's my senior brother and excels in Wing Chun, Jeet Kune Do, and Karate, among others."
Afraid that she wouldn't understand these martial arts, he explained, "Wing Chun was founded by a woman. It's a style that's soft yet not weak, hard yet not aggressive, and it emphasizes cleverness. It's very suitable for women and somewhat smaller men.
Jeet Kune Do was created by Bruce Lee, and it's an all-round combat system that incorporates various martial arts from around the world, focusing on rapid suppression and preemptive strikes. Karate is a martial art developed in Japan from the transmission of Chinese Tang hand techniques."
"He does seem like a very suitable candidate." Leila nodded in satisfaction.
Even without his explanation, she was very familiar with this Hong Jinbao. He claimed to be the most agile fat man and was both talented in martial arts and filmmaking. He could pick up a microphone to direct and pick up staff to be a martial arts consultant. He won numerous awards in the future, making him a very talented martial artist.
Jackie Chan continued, "It's quite a coincidence. He recently accepted an invitation from director Tang Jili to play an Eastern police officer in a CBA TV drama. If you're interested, I can arrange for you to meet."
"That's convenient. If possible, please ask him about his opinion. The new film is just an idea that has come up recently, and it will take some time to develop the script. But I can say it will be a revenge story for a woman, with intense fighting scenes, lots of bloodshed, and many opponents to deal with."