1980 My literary era

The next day, Lin Weimin brought Yu Hua's computer to the Chinese Social Society and gave it to Yu Hua. Yu Hua was overjoyed when he heard that the computer only cost 6,000 yuan.

"Teacher Lin, I have a friend..."

Lin Weimin's death ray glanced at Yu Hua's face, and he finally chose to shut up.

If I wasn't afraid that this guy would spill the beans, I would have to charge him the original price.

When he thought of Yu Hua taking advantage of two thousand yuan, Lin Weimin felt that the squeeze on him was not harsh enough.

He asked: "How is the writing of the novel going? Didn't it just come to an end?"

Yu Hua said with a guilty conscience, "Hurry, hurry!"

At noon, Yu Hua went outside to withdraw money and gave the computer money to Lin Weimin.

After get off work, when Lin Weimin returned home, he heard Tao Huimin say that Cheng Ximi had just left and came to give him money for the computer. Lin Weimin asked Tao Huimin to put the money in the safe at home.

After dinner, Wang Shuo brought Jiang Wen to the door. Two months had passed since the last time Jiang Wen came to ask for help.

Seeing Lin Weimin again, Jiang Wen looked happy, "Teacher Lin, it's done! The investment is done, Mike helped me get investment from Columbia Company."

Lin Weimin nodded, with a calm expression on his face, "Mike called me and told me about this. Let's have some tea first."

Jiang Wen sighed in his heart, it turns out that everything is under the control of Teacher Lin!

A few people sat drinking tea and chatting for a while, and then Lin Weimin heard Jiang Wen talk about his experience of going to the United States to meet Michael Phillips.

Because of Lin Weimin's recommendation, Jiang Wen arrived in the United States and met Michael Phillips smoothly. They met and chatted for the first time. Michael Phillips could not understand the Chinese script.

Jiang Wen could only tell him the story of "Animals" and his thoughts on the movie. Michael Phillips listened in confusion and felt a little disappointed.

A few days later, Jiang Wen learned the lesson from the last meeting and specially prepared the storyboards he drew.

Jiang Wen had never studied art at all, and his shots were drawn like stick figures, but the pictures on paper were still more convincing than the translated words. Michael Phillips saw his talent in movies. , decisively agreed to help him attract investment.

It took half a month before Michael Phillips took him to meet with four or five Hollywood companies, and finally confirmed Columbia's investment. At that time, there was still a slight hiccup in the amount of investment.

Jiang Wen was making a movie for the first time, and he was afraid that the number he mentioned was too high and would displease the investment company. After careful consideration, he came up with a figure of five hundred thousand dollars.

In fact, in his mind, the budget for filming "Animals" would have been at least one million dollars.

But he's a thief, you can't just come up and take off her pants to coax your girlfriend, right? You have to coax her to go home first, and then...

In short, this matter cannot be rushed.

But Jiang Wen didn't expect that after he finished talking to Michael Phillips, Michael Phillips looked at him in shock, "Are you kidding me? Five hundred thousand meters?"

"Really! Teacher Lin, it's no exaggeration. I was so stupid at that time! How can there be anyone in this world who thinks the money invested is too small?"

"Mike said, no, it's at least two million dollars. I've never produced a movie with such a low budget!"

"You are absolutely right, Lao Mi is really stupid and rich!"

Jiang Wen talked about his investment experience with a strange look on his face.

Lin Weimin smiled and said: "It's just that the exchange rate is different. Besides, Mike is quite famous in Hollywood. He supports new directors. If he only gives 500,000 yuan, people may say that he is in twilight and can't attract any investment." Now, who will dare to ask him to save movies in the future?"

After listening to Lin Weimin's words, Jiang Wen immediately understood the twists and turns, "Your analysis is so right."

Then, Jiang Wen's face hesitated, "Teacher Lin, did Mike tell you about that matter?"

"Did you tell me about being a producer for you?"

Jiang Wen nodded, "Yes."

Lin Weimin mused: "I may not be able to spare the time. Besides, I don't have much experience in film production."

Jiang Wen hurriedly said: "Don't bother me! Teacher Lin, Mike said that he doesn't trust anyone but you. You also know that he is in the United States and his time in China is limited. If this movie of mine... Without your help, I would be really unsure, and Mike wouldn’t be at ease either!"

Wang Shuo also advised: "For the sake of the people, you help people to the end and send the Buddha to the west. Jiang Wen'er has invested all the money, and all that's missing is this last tremor."

Lin Weimin said helplessly: "When I go there, it's just a name. It's of no use."

When Jiang Wen saw him relenting, he was filled with joy, "Just put your name on it, just put your name on it. With you as your name, my film will be half complete."

With the joint persuasion of Jiang Wen and Wang Shuo, Lin Weimin reluctantly agreed to the job.

It was Jiang Wen's first time making a movie, and he received a $2 million grant from Columbia Pictures, one of the six major Hollywood studios. With a gold medal producer like Michael Phillips to protect him, it was a great start.

Jiang Wen did not expect to have such abundant production funds, so he proposed to Lin Weimin that he hope to revise the script.

Lin Weimin vetoed his suggestion without saying a word. This guy would be a waste if he didn't have any money, let alone if he had money.

"You and Wang Shuo go back and seize the time to perfect it. Don't think about how to spend money. The budget will never be enough." Lin Weimin warned.

Jiang Wen was a little disappointed. He didn't expect that as soon as Lin Weimin was brought in as a producer, his hands and feet would be tied.

A few days later, when Lin Weimin was at work, Yu Hua came to his office and slapped a stack of manuscript paper on Lin Weimin's desk.

"Teacher Lin, Wang Shuo has already received royalties, and this time I will also require royalties for the publication of my novel." Yu Hua said with a serious face.

"Then you have to ask the president to study it!" Lin Weimin pulled away his hand and picked up the manuscript.

Yu Hua changed his face and said, "Teacher Lin, you have to fight for the rights of us young people!"

Lin Weimin said impatiently: "If you want royalties, go talk to the agency yourself. I haven't received any royalties for my novel yet!"

"That's too much in the club. I'll have to apologize to you later on."

Lin Weimin looked at him speechlessly. After finishing the novel, is it so swollen?

Leaving the manuscript behind, Lin Weimin drove Yu Hua away, and then quietly admired the finished manuscript.

The story of "Alive" is not complicated. It mainly tells the story of the prodigal son Fugui, a lone evil star who killed his whole family.

just kidding.

The novel actually tells the story of the misfortunes and bumpy fate that the protagonist Fugui suffered in his life during the rapid changes of the times. It uses calm and restrained writing to show the meaning of life and the value of existence, and reveals the inseparability of fate. Elusive and helpless when faced with this situation.

Although he already knew the story of "Alive", after reading this novel, Lin Weimin couldn't help but sigh.

Fugui is so miserable!

Your family is really unlucky for eight lifetimes.

Lin Weimin feels that Yu Hua has learned his eight powers in healing readers.

After spending two days previewing it, Lin Weimin handed over the novel to his colleagues. The review process must not be messed up.

In the following days, Lin Weimin could hear sighs coming from the editorial office from time to time.

"Fugui's father is dead!"

"He's dead too!"

"Alas, Jiazhen is dead too!"

"Why is Fengxia also dead?"

"Huh? Why is Youqing dead too?"

"Er Xi also dies? Isn't it too much?"

"You are riding a horse, your bitter roots are dead, what the hell are you writing!"

The complaints from colleagues are of course not because Yu Hua's writing is not good, but because he writes so well that veteran editors who are accustomed to the world can't help but lose their composure after reading the novel.

"Weimin, who taught him to write this novel like this?" He Qizhi, who was in charge of the review, grabbed Lin Weimin and stared at him and asked.

"How do I know?" Lin Weimin avoided his eyes and changed the subject: "By the way, have you finished reading the novel? How was it?"

He Qizhi hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth and said, "Well written!"

"That's good! I've read all the manuscripts. Are the full schedule of long-form manuscripts in the next few months?"

"Well, it's already scheduled until December."

"Then put this novel in the first issue next year!"

He Qizhi nodded and was about to chat with Lin Weimin about the novel when he happened to bump into Yu Hua who had been out wandering for several days.

"Yu Hua, come here!"

After finally catching this kid, He Qizhi brought him into the office. Everyone must have a good understanding of his mental journey when he wrote the novel "Alive".

After more than an hour, Yu Hua finally escaped from the clutches of the editors and ran to Lin Weimin's office.

"Teacher Lin, I heard that you agreed to publish "Alive"?"

"Um."

"As for the royalties..." Yu Hua's eyes were full of expectation.

Lin Weimin mused: "Forty for a thousand words!"

Yu Hua was overjoyed when he heard this. Forty yuan for a thousand words is currently the highest publishing fee.

"To Live" has more than 130,000 words in total, and the manuscript fee is more than 5,000 yuan, which just makes up for the shortfall in buying a computer. This does not include the manuscript fee for future novel publishing!

After finishing the novel and confirming its publication, Yu Hua's purpose of coming to Yanjing this time has been perfectly achieved, and there is no reason to stay anymore.

Looking at his reluctant expression, Lin Weimin said: "Yimou will return to Yanjing in a few days. He really liked your article "The Mistake by the River". If you are fine, you can wait a few days to chat with him."

"The Mistake by the River" is a novella written by Yu Hua while he was studying at the School of Liberal Arts. Zhang Yimou had mentioned this before when chatting with Lin Weimin.

Yu Hua's face burst into joy again, "That's great!"

I can stay in Yanjing for a few more days. It doesn't matter whether I adapt it or not.

Before the National Day, Zhang Yimou returned to Yanjing.

Throughout this year, he has been busy with the pre-production and filming of "Raise the Red Lantern". This novel is adapted from Tong Zhonggui's novella "Wives and Concubines", which was originally introduced to him by Lin Weimin.

As his second film after "Red Sorghum", Zhang Yimou put all his efforts into this film. After all, the light of "Red Sorghum" was so dazzling that he himself was not confident that he could replicate that success.

The constant consumption of time and energy barely made up for the restlessness and anxiety in his heart.

In the past few days, the filming of "Raise the Red Lantern" has ended. Zhang Yimou finally returned to Yanjing from Shanxi and will be busy with the post-production of "Raise the Red Lantern".

After returning to Yanjing to rest for two days, Zhang Yimou took time out of his busy schedule to visit Lin Weimin's house. Lin Weimin called Yu Hua, who had been waiting for several days.

"Don't you really like his article "The Mistake by the River"? We just want to meet and have a chat."

Zhang Yimou was very happy to see Yu Hua and took the initiative to chat with him. Hearing that Yu Hua came to Beijing this time to write a novel, Zhang Yimou asked curiously: "Can I have a look?"