"Westward Journey" has achieved unprecedented success in China. However, in terms of overseas channels, "Across the Pacific" has performed even more brilliantly. It has been released in Japan, South Korea, Thailand and other places. All box office revenue combined is almost more than "Westward Journey"
》More fierce.
However, "Westward Journey" has no overseas channels, and no one is willing to take over the overseas distribution rights of "Westward Journey", even though the movie includes Li Qing, Cui Zhiye, Hua Rong and others.
Everyone in the industry knows that Liu Weilin's movies have never been very popular overseas, and therefore he does not have strong relationships overseas.
Li Qing once approached Wang Jiachen about this.
As one of the few well-known directors of literary and artistic films in Hong Kong, Wang Jiachen is a prize-winning presence internationally, and his films are also very popular abroad. Even before "Love Words" has been completed, it has already set off a wave of discussion throughout Southeast Asia.
, theater distributors from Japan, Korea, Thailand and other places came one after another to discuss overseas release matters. Even in North America, many distributors took over the North American distribution rights of "Love Words".
Therefore, even if the domestic box office of Wang Jiachen's movies is not as good as Liu Weilin's, their international influence is much higher than Liu Weilin's.
Wang Jiachen understood Li Qing's thoughts very well, but he also bluntly said that "Westward Journey" is not suitable for release abroad.
Not only are the jokes in "Journey to the West" difficult for foreigners to understand, but the most important thing is the translation problem.
No matter how difficult the Chinese language is to pronounce, it can still express some meaning when translated into a foreign language. However, many ancient words and allusions in "Westward Journey" are no longer a problem that translation can solve.
Let’s not talk about whether the foreigners have read "Journey to the West". Just talking about the relationships and titles between the Bull Demon King, Sun Wukong, Niu Xiangxiang, Fairy Zixia, Princess Iron Fan, etc. is enough to make foreigners confused.
This is a geographical restriction and cannot be changed.
But if it were a modern, modern movie, such as "Love Story", it would be easier to be released overseas.
Especially for movies that analyze human nature, Chinese directors shoot them more delicately than foreign directors. This is the strength of Chinese directors and what gringos prefer to watch.
Furthermore, when it comes to action movies, Chinese kung fu has always been a genre that gringos are obsessed with, so "Over the Pacific", an Asian movie mixed with a lot of action scenes, is very popular abroad.
The reason why Li Qing came up with "The Truman Show" was because he felt that this movie could lay the foundation for his popularity in foreign film and television circles.
Of course, Li Qing also wanted to make "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", but the key is that Jiang Chendong's directorial style is not suitable for this kind of movie.
"The Truman Show" became a global hit after it was released in its previous life. It also won multiple Oscar nominations that year, as well as the Best Original Screenplay Award.
Although the names of all the characters in the script were changed to Chinese by Li Qing, this did not affect the filming of the film.
The reason why Li Qing wants overseas relationships is to show off at international film festivals such as Oscars, Cannes, and Berlin, so as to lay the foundation for his popularity abroad. Talented screenwriters have always been a person that all filmmakers like to deal with.
Even though "The Truman Show" was a flop and received extremely poor box office, a good script is a good script after all, and there are so many talented people in the world. Li Qing's skill as a screenwriter has been demonstrated, and all he needs is Jiang Taigong fishing.
Waiting for those who wish to take the bait.
Of course, the premise for everything is that it must be able to be released overseas.
Jiang Chendong looked a little surprised.
He didn't expect Li Qing to be so ambitious, but when he thought of the script of "The Truman Show", the blood flowing in his heart was completely burned.
"Yes, my movies have been screened overseas, and I have acquaintances in Southeast Asia, including theaters in North America."
Jiang Chendong clapped his chest loudly: "You leave "The Truman Show" to me, and I will help you contact overseas theaters."
The more confident Jiang Chendong showed, the less Li Qing believed him.
He looked at Jiang Chendong and said suspiciously: "Do you really have overseas connections?"
Jiang Chendong choked: "You don't believe it?"
"I don't believe it. Your movies don't seem to be very popular overseas." Li Qing said bluntly.
If it were an ordinary person, Jiang Chendong would have become furious at such ridicule.
But now Li Qing's prestige in the circle does not belong to him, and in Jiang Chendong's view, Li Qing's screenwriting ability is simply a national treasure.
In his opinion, the plot of "Westward Journey" can only be considered average, but its script skills can definitely surpass all domestic screenwriters.
Now, with a script like "The Truman Show" that amazed him, Jiang Chendong simply felt that Li Qing was the hope of the Chinese film industry!
Hope, of course, must be held in hands.
Jiang Chendong took out the mobile phone on his waist and made a call. Then he said something in extremely poor English and handed the phone to Li Qing: "Please answer it."
"Whose?" Li Qing asked.
"Ron Strong." Jiang Chendong's voice was a little hoarse: "Fox's overseas distributor."
Fox?
Li Qing raised his eyebrows, glanced at the phone screen, and said in proficient English: "Hello."
A lazy voice came from the phone: "Hello, I heard from Jo that you have a good script?"
jo? Li Qing was stunned for a moment, then realized that the word referred to "ginger", so he nodded and said: "I have a good script. Are you Ron? I just heard jo introduce you, he said you
He is a well-known figure in Fox, with a very high level..."
Ron's voice sounded a little happy: "Really? Then he is so honest."
"..."
After Li Qing chatted for a while, he handed the phone to Jiang Chendong.
Jiang Chendong asked: "What are you talking about?"
Li Qing: "..."
Fox is one of the eight major studios in Hollywood in the United States and is very powerful. This so-called Ron is Fox's overseas distributor. Seriously speaking, it is Fox's film purchaser in Asia. It specializes in selling overseas in Asia.
Foreign films are screened in Los Angeles and other theaters at extremely low prices.
Because the purchase price is low, Ron has never made a loss-making business. However, all the films he purchased have basically achieved box office profits.
This kind of person, any well-known director or film production company from various countries basically has his business card.
To put it simply, Ron took a fancy to the desire of Asian directors to send their films to Hollywood, so he cast a wide net and gave all Asian directors a hope. However, the price he offered to acquire the films was low.
Outrageous.
Therefore, it now seems that Jiang Chendong's introduction is completely unreliable.
However, Li Qing didn't have high hopes at first. In fact, he also had his own contact channels, and he was much more reliable than Ron. If "Westward Journey" was not suitable for overseas release, Li Qing would have started it long ago.
Preparations are being made for overseas release.
You know, Li Qing is not without reputation in foreign film and television circles.
Even among the eight major studios in Hollywood, several have personally sent people to contact him not long ago, let alone other powerful film production companies.
After all, Li Qing is the author of the "Harry Potter" series, and there are more than a dozen film copyright production companies recommended by Bloomsbury Publishing alone.
What Li Qing values most most is Jiang Chendong's directing ability.
A person who can firmly occupy the first and second place in the mainland movie box office has his directorial talent proven by the market.
"Li Qing, let me tell you the truth, I don't have a strong distributor relationship overseas. I want to be honest with you about this, but I believe that as long as it is a good movie, it is like a piece of fragrant honey, sparkling
There is absolutely no shortage of buyers for these shining gems!”
Jiang Chendong said firmly: "And as far as the domestic market is concerned, I believe no one can make this movie better than me!"
"Director Jiang is very confident."
Li Qing smiled and said: "Okay, let's discuss the price now."
Jiang Chendong was stunned for a moment, then said happily: "How about one million?"
Li Qing looked at Jiang Chendong: "Director Jiang, you just said that this script is a shining gem..."
Jiang Chendong coughed and said awkwardly: "This gem can be bought for tens of thousands cheap..."
"Director Jiang, what you said is a bit insincere."
Li Qing frowned and said, "The script I worked so hard for two nights to complete is worth one million?"
Li Qing didn't finish his words, but Jiang Chendong already understood what Li Qing meant.
In fact, if you think about it carefully, how can Li Qing, who is worth hundreds of millions, afford one million?
He smiled bitterly and said tangledly: "I know you are not short of money, but there is only so much I can take out. How about you wait until I get investment..."
Li Qing smiled: "If I invest in this script and ask you to film it, Director Jiang, what do you think is an appropriate salary for you?"
"You invest?"
Jiang Chendong was stunned. He lowered his head and looked at the script in his hand, gritted his teeth and said, "I get zero pay!"
"Zero pay?"
Li Qing was a little moved.
At Jiang Chendong's current level, even if he asks for a share of the box office, it is natural, but now he bluntly said that he will get zero pay, and judging from his expression, he is obviously very serious...
"Yes, I don't want a penny, as long as you give me the script to film!"
Jiang Chendong has obviously figured it out, but his smile looks a little sour: "I can't help you with overseas release, but I will definitely be able to shoot this movie well. Trust me, I haven't seen anything that can inspire me in a long time."
The script is full of sparks.”
What kind of magic does "The Truman Show" have that makes the most famous director in the country fall in love with it so much?
Li Qing thought for a moment and felt that if it were him, he might have the same reaction.
After all, this is a movie that will go down in history!
Even if it has been twenty, thirty, or fifty years, this movie will not be outdated.
Just because of the plot, investment is a huge problem.
The entire script mainly tells the life of the protagonist "Truman" who is at the mercy of others:
Thirty years ago, a television production company adopted a baby and deliberately groomed him to become the protagonist of the world's most popular documentary soap opera, "The Truman Show." The company achieved great success.
However, there is only one person who is completely unaware of all this, and he is Truman, the only protagonist of the play.
Truman has lived in a small town called Taoyuan Island since he was a child, but in fact, this small town is just a huge studio, and he is an agent of an insurance company in this small town.
Truman seemed to be living exactly the same life as ordinary people, but he didn't know that there were thousands of cameras watching him every second of his life.
Every moment, audiences around the world are watching him, not to mention that everyone around him, including his wife and friends, are actors in the soap opera "The Truman Show."
Although he felt that everyone seemed to pay attention to him, and everything he did from childhood to adulthood had some unexpected and dramatic effects, these did not make this simple-minded young man too concerned.
Once, due to a moment of negligence, the production team of the show actually allowed the "father" who "died" because of Truman when he was a child to reappear. Although the "father" was immediately taken away by the staff, this also caused Truman's worldview to collapse.
Start a real life of doubt...
It can be said that the bizarre plot design of "The Truman Show" has fascinated many audiences around the world, because there are many symbolic designs throughout the movie.
For example, Taoyuan Island can be compared to the planet where humans live.
The soap opera director in the movie can be regarded as the son of God.
In a sense, Truman before the age of thirty was almost created by the soap opera director, just like God created man.
Later Truman's rebellion can be seen as mankind's rebellion against God.
This kind of controversial and thought-provoking content is not only loved by the audience, but also loved by many film festivals and film awards. Therefore, as long as it can be filmed, this bizarre plot setting alone will definitely gain huge attention.
.
But at the same time, the cost of shooting this movie is also very high.
For example, Taoyuan Island in the movie, and Taoyuan Town on the island.
Where can I find such a Taoyuan Island?
Where can I find such a Taoyuan community full of people?
If it is built with money, without investing several hundred million, I am afraid that even the most basic shooting location will not be available.
Of course, if there really is such a Taoyuan community in reality, then the cost of filming will undoubtedly be greatly reduced, and tens of millions may not even be spent.
In his previous life, "The Truman Show" was filmed in Seaside, Florida, in the southeastern United States, but Li Qing didn't know if there was such a place in the world. Even if it was, how could the buildings there be suitable for Chinese people?
The aesthetics of the world?
A group of Chinese people living in a European and American style community?
Li Qing just thought about it and felt that it was completely inconsistent.
This is too inappropriate——
Thanks to jeffreyjoshu for the reward, this chapter is two in one