Chapter 214: The predicament that is not the predicament
"Oh my god, Zhou Yang, don't cause trouble. Now is the time for you to aspire to dominate the world. Let's not move too fast, okay? Take your time step by step!"
"Yes, you are the hope of Chinese movies. I didn't expect you to be like great directors like Chen Kai, who suddenly get hot and go straight in..."
"Hey, is Zhou Yang going to follow in the footsteps of those great directors again? As he was filming the movie, he suddenly started shooting special effects blockbusters, and then he went further and further away..."
"Chinese blockbusters are really a cancer. And if you invest 50 million US dollars, 50 million US dollars is 400 million yuan. How much box office will it take to get back the money?"
"No, Zhou Yang, listen to my brother's advice. You are too young. You can't handle Chinese blockbusters... We don't want to go back to before liberation!"
"Yeah, calm down, you must calm down!"
"..."
August 31st.
Nine o'clock in the evening.
When Zhou Yang's personal Weibo and Huaxing Company's online Weibo announced the approximate shooting date of "Spider-Man", netizens were all in an uproar.
Everyone was dissuading Zhou Yang on Zhou Yang’s Weibo, and advised Zhou Yang not to be impulsive...
In addition to netizens, some rational fans also rushed in and joined the team of persuasion.
these years……
There are too many directors who have appeared in so-called "Chinese blockbusters".
Often after making a few movies that are well-received and sold out, one suddenly gets excited to shoot some Chinese blockbuster. The overwhelming publicity makes one’s scalp numb, and ultimately everything fails when it is released.
Expectation gradually turned into disappointment, and disappointment gradually turned into despair. "Chinese blockbusters" seemed to be synonymous with a certain great director's transition from prosperity to decline.
And Zhou Yang.
It seems that I am repeating the trajectory of my predecessors and going further and further down the wrong road...
……………………
"Xiao Zhou, don't be impulsive!"
"Director Zhou, please listen to my advice and don't be so impulsive..."
"Xiao Zhou, blockbusters are not so easy to shoot. If you lose money, you have to know the consequences..."
"Zhou Yang, don't do this. Huaxing Company is on the rise now. Although it has made a lot of money, its foundation is really not as good as that of an established Chinese company like Xinghui. If "Spider-Man" loses money, you will be in dire straits...
…”
"Director Zhou, I don't mean anything else. I just feel that when we Chinese make superhero movies, we can't really make those big directors in Hollywood. You must not be dazzled by the success of "Infernal Affairs". You must
We need to recognize the reality clearly..."
"Oh! God! Mr. Zhou Yang, don't be so crazy, really don't be so crazy..."
"..."
When Weibo announced the filming of the "Spider-Man" blockbuster, not only did online public opinion explode, but Zhou Yang's cell phone was even used up.
Wang Shuai, Song Yiyi, Zhou Yilin, Will Smith.
Countless friends in the industry who were familiar with or were not familiar with Zhou Yang rushed in and used various methods to dissuade Zhou Yang from doing such a thing of seeking death.
Zhou Yang answered the calls one by one and answered them seriously.
But somehow, Zhou Yang not only failed to listen to the advice and recognize the so-called reality, but the stubbornness in his bones became stronger and stronger.
nine thirty.
The phone finally stopped due to receiving too many calls.
Zhou Yang browsed the webpage for a while. Except for a few people, other netizens basically either discouraged or badmouthed...
Zhou Yang can understand.
But you have to take the first step, right?
Others think he is unstable, but only he knows that he is actually stable when filming "Spider-Man"...
Although the "Spider-Man" in the original world has decades of comics roots and decades of audiences, Zhou Yang vaguely remembers that when he first watched "Spider-Man", he was deeply attracted by "Spider-Man".
"I was shocked by the pictures in "and attracted by the plot of ordinary people rising up due to an accident and saving mankind.
Before this, he had never read the "Spider-Man" comics!
Of course, even if this is the case, Zhou Yang is taking a risk when filming "Spider-Man", and there is also an element of gambling in it.
"The worst thing you can do is lose everything!"
"Anyway, I came from nothing..."
After turning off the computer.
Zhou Yang was alone in the office talking to himself.
Then he lowered his head again.
At this moment, he suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of loneliness, and for a moment he was at a loss as to what to do...
"Dongdongdong!"
"Come in……"
Wang Jing walked in, her face not very good-looking.
"Sister Jing, isn't the investment going well?" Zhou Yang asked after seeing Wang Jing's expression.
"After the "Mineral Bottom" incident, many coal bosses gradually withdrew from the stage of history...and some of the capitals that control the right to speak are very smart. Behind each capital there are several market analysts, Wang Sikai, Zheng Shaocong
The head of the investment company is not optimistic about the future of "Spider-Man" and is not willing to directly invest in "Spider-Man"..."
"What does direct investment in "Spider-Man" mean..." Zhou Yang heard a hint of it and asked subconsciously.
"This is a gambling agreement for those capitals. Mr. Zhou, do you want to take a look first?"
"oh."
If we were in the golden investment era, it would be easy for capital to pay for movies.
However, with the failure of Chinese blockbusters one after another, and the impact of the "Under the Mine" incident, those coal bosses gradually withdrew from the stage of history early, and the capital began to become gradually disappointed with "Chinese blockbusters".
The mode of cooperation has also changed from direct investment to signing a "gambling agreement."
Zhou Yang opened the "Betting Agreement" and was shocked when he saw the contents of the "Betting Agreement".
"Spider-Man" must have a global box office of more than 2 billion yuan, otherwise, they will recover all their investment with profits...
Moreover, during the filming, they will send people to review the script. If necessary, they have the right to modify the script. In addition, they have special requirements and restrictions on the casting of actors. They can change actors at any time when necessary...
Each clause almost deprived Zhou Yang of his control over the film, and also made Zhou Yang vaguely understand the greed and terror of some capital.
["You can laugh at me now, but I can't do it. Do you fucking know what my situation is now? I signed a gambling agreement. I can't donate all the profits from the box office. I will die badly."
Tragic! But if you think you won, you are wrong!"]
Zhou Yang's mind unconsciously recalled Jiang Ge's madness and despair when he was yelling at him.
He realized that in fact, Django's "The Departed" was also filmed under the control of capital. Perhaps under the protection of other seniors, it could be relatively relaxed, but it was still shackled and unable to speak.
"Forget it! Where are the advertisers who cooperate with us?" Unless a person is really at the end of his rope, unable to survive and has to make a desperate move, it is impossible for Zhou Yang to sign the gambling agreement.
"Most of the advertisers are waiting and watching. Among the companies that came with us, Miao Miao and Lin Xiaoxiao bought a theater chain. They are now thinking of ways to re-plan and have already emptied their wealth... Meng Xu's "Tiancheng Company"
Although it is profitable, it is expanding and has borrowed a lot of money... Mr. Zhang is willing to invest 100 million yuan, but Mr. Zhang Genshui is currently building a laboratory, and overseas stores are also expanding, so he can only support so much.
, Mr. Zhang has taken too big steps recently, almost to the point of blind expansion, which makes people quite worried..."
"Well, I understand, Sister Jing, you should go and rest first." Zhou Yang nodded.
"Okay." When Wang Jing took the information and was about to leave, she hesitated for a moment, then looked at Zhou Yang: "Mr. Zhou..."
"ah?"
"I can personally spend 7 million to invest in our "Spider-Man". In fact, many people in the company are willing to invest..."
In the office.
After Zhou Yang saw the way Wang Jing spoke, his throat trembled slightly.
"Let me first calculate the approximate investment required..."
"good!"
Not long after Wang Jing left, Li Qiang came over, followed by a middle-aged man with disheveled hair.
"Mr. Zhou, they are the seniors of Huaxia Special Effects Company. His name is Zheng He. Yes, he has the same name as the senior who went to the Western Ocean. He is a very powerful senior at the Capital University of Science and Technology. He is currently running the "Pioneer"
This Chinese special effects company...this is the special effects cost we came up with after repeated budgeting."
"Oh, hello, Mr. Zheng..."
"Hello, Mr. Zhou!"
Zhou Yang greeted the middle-aged man with disheveled hair and a hint of white hair very enthusiastically, and then looked down at the budget on the paper.
Zhou Yang didn't understand other budget details very well. He only saw the words "30 million".
"Mr. Zheng, is thirty million RMB or US dollars?"
"RMB...Mr. Zheng..." Zheng He seemed a little restrained, even slightly uneasy, but he still quoted the price nervously.
His company "Pioneer" is not only too poor to get rid of the problem, but also has debts of close to 10 million. It is on the verge of bankruptcy. He needs to take over a business to maintain the last dignity of the company.
"Can it be done like Hollywood?" Zhou Yang was a little surprised when he heard that 30 million was RMB, but he still looked at Zheng He seriously.
"I..." Zheng He lowered his head, as if he was confident.
Zhou Yang keenly noticed that Li Qiang pushed him.
But Zheng He still looked unsure: "With so many special effects, we can't make them as good as Hollywood..."
His answer shocked Li Qiang, who was completely speechless.
Why are you here if you can't do it?
Zhou Yang, on the other hand, was not nervous, but looked at him: "What is missing?"
"Everything is lacking, talent, technology..." Zheng He answered honestly.
"If these are satisfied, is that enough?"
"Yes, it can be done, but my company now has a debt of more than 10 million and is about to file for bankruptcy..." Zheng He nodded, but it was obvious that he lacked confidence.
"If you work hard and just do one or two special effects, can you do it the same as Hollywood?"
"able!"
"Oh... show me the special effects movies you have done in the past."
"good."
More than an hour later.
After Zhou Yang finished watching the movie, he took another look at Zheng He.
"Give me a copy of the company's detailed information. I will review it carefully and give you a reply tomorrow..."
"good."
Just when Zheng He nodded.
There was a knock on the door in the office.
Zhou Yang raised his head...
Later, he saw Wang Jing leaving and returning in surprise, and then whispered in his ear: "Directors such as Mr. Zhou, Wang Shuai, Huang Jiacheng, Zhou Yilin, etc. are all outside, and they want to invest in our movie..."
Just as Wang Jing finished speaking, there was another knock on the door, and Xu Mei came over excitedly: "Mr. Zhou, when you confirmed that you were going to make "Spider-Man", the fans in Yangcun went crazy, and they also wanted to invest.