[Chapter 791: Chaotic Plot]
Since the movies could be exported to China, William White wanted to take advantage of it.
But what sort of movie would be suitable? The premise of the film The Myth wasn't bad. With some minor tweaks, it could be adapter to this timeperiod. Alas, the only regret is that Jackie Chan is too short. Damn, such a guy would have a hard time being a soldier in that era.
[T/N: In the original, the MC removed all parts of India and South Korea from the movie and changed them to Chinese elements.]
"Raymond, I just sent a script over to you; check your email," William instructed.
"William, when do you plan to start shooting?" Raymond Chow responded.
"Hey, you're aiming for an IPO by the end of the year. If you collaborate with White Films right now..."
"Haha, thanks for the consideration! Do you have any requirements regarding actors or directors?"
"The film's background is as follows... The Westerner will be the main antagonist, and the primary filming locations will be Hong Kong, South Korea, India and China. Because there will be many war scenes, you'll need to find a domestic collaborator. Raymond, there are only ten films made a year; there simply isn't enough to go around. You know who to look for, right? Oh, and send me the information on some actors from Hong Kong to see if there are any suitable ones."
"Sure, let me finish the script first before I get back to you."
William White obviously wouldn't be directing this film himself. It wouldn't be sorted out in less than six months. He could afford to be reckless and unconventional, but not to that degree. If he went to Asia to shoot for six months, Filson would probably lose his mind. Not to mention, the situation in Mexico was precariously explosive; if he wasn't properly prepared, it could be genuinely dangerous.
...
Raymond Chow was certainly in high spirits; he clearly understood how to make movies. How to raise the company's valuation was where he always fell short. Adding in Drunken Master 2 gave them two films collaborating with the Hollywood giant. He understood the significance of this quite well.
"Jackie, come over here and take a look at this script." You couldn't deny that Raymond Chow's favoritism for Jackie Chan was genuine and not just talk.
"Boss, this script doesn't seem like what we typically see here. The investment is far too extravagant, isn't it?"
"Is it too extravagant? What makes you say that?"
"Don't mess with me, boss; this can't even be filmed in a studio. Without 50 million Hong Kong dollars, it's a pipe dream."
"50 million? What nonsense! William White told me that it would require about 30 million USD. If we were to save a bit, we'd still need at least 25 million."
"Hollywood rates?"
Now it was Jackie Chan's turn to feel dizzy. My goodness, this script looked nothing like something from America!
The antiques dealer was a Brit, and cough, he even planned to have James Bond make a cameo. What the heck, that would only be possible because of this guy; no one else could think like that.
"Boss, I want to film it. I'd even accept a lower salary."
"Alright, let's finish filming Drunken Master 2 before we head to Los Angeles together."
...
White Films' new project caught the market off guard once again. Having a Black actor as the lead wasn't a problem at all. Having a female lead wasn't an issue either.
This time, they planned to have an Asian actor in the starring role. What's up with that? Can't we have someone whose acting we can take seriously?
With so many stars in the U.S., why couldn't they find a single one who fits?
Alright, 30 million USD, while high, wasn't completely ridiculous. Tsk, should they invest in this?
"George, there isn't much of a budget. You have to give me a special price for these effects. Otherwise, I'll let Steve Jobs do it on the computer."
"Come on, don't kid yourself; that kind of special effect would work on kids, but it won't hold up for an actual film. There's no way we can do it for that price. Just 30 million USD? It's no big deal if you add another 5 million."
"I really can't. You know, George, the division of revenue for films in China is ridiculous. I can only get a small cut. That's not even the main issue; the theaters are only open for a week. After that, it's all piracy DVDs on the streets."
"You can't be serious! Isn't White's cinema chain known for global synchronization? Why are you releasing the tapes so early? At least wait six months!"
William White was speechless; could they not conduct a decent conversation? Didn't they know there was something called pirate copies?
"What? Are you serious, filming directly in cinemas? My God! With that talent, you should switch careers to be a photographer."
"Hoho, you shouldn't expect much quality. But hey, since it's all digital, editing is pretty easy. For instance, if some bastard in front suddenly stands up to pee..."
"Alright, alright, William, I really don't get it. Why do you care so much in this terrible market?" Lucas asked, looking sternly at him. It was fine to lower the price a bit, given that this was a special case, but he needed a reason first.
"Come on, with a population of combined 2.5 billion, don't you realize their incomes are rapidly rising? Come on, old pal. When income is low, why wouldn't piracy be normal? Once their incomes rise, they will naturally have better demands. Not only will they need IMAX, but they'll also want a good viewing environment. It doesn't take too many people; even 1% of them equals 25 million."
"Ahem, alright, although that makes sense, I still don't quite believe it."
"Whatever, for now, this is just an experiment; I'm not hoping to make a profit."
Lucas thought to himself, your name and reputation ought to be big enough at this point. Even buying pirated copies costs money; films like JFK wouldn't sell too well for pirated copies.
This guy was being pretentious; he clearly knew that since William White hadn't said he couldn't invest, there was at least some profit to be made.
Moreover, White Films wasn't a joke. It would be tough to lose money on them. It was just that they hadn't found their niche, which made making big bucks impossible.
...
"Old Fox has left?"
"Hoho, you know, the old guy is actually kinda nice. There's a saying: better to lean on an old person than a younger one."
"What? I haven't heard that before."
"Old folks are generally easier to please. Moreover, since they're at odds in some areas, don't other places deserve some compensation?"
"Bah! Old folks are the worst."
"Okay, fine, let's stop talking about that; let's discuss something happier."
William White fully understood Nastassja; dealing with such an old bastard, there really wasn't much to say.
What? William White was also a scoundrel?
Ahem, that doesn't really count. There was neither trade nor coercion. The most important point was that they were all adults, alright?
There was clearly a difference between flirtation and vulgarity. Roman Polanski was something else altogether; that bastard was the epitome of a scumbag. The funniest part was the French seemed unperturbed.
*****
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