China Entertainment special effects started in 1997

Xiangjiang, Jiahe Company.

Zou Wenhuai, Cai Yongchan, and Liang Feng gathered in the conference room to discuss the Spring Festival of 1998.

Before Jiang Heng was born, there were only three films scheduled for the Spring Festival of 1998, namely "Lucky One-stop" released on January 16, "Who Am I" on the 17th and "98 Young and Dangerous" on the 24th "Enter the Dragon and the Tiger".

Among them, "One Train of Luck" is Zhou Xingxing's return of favor, and its quality is very limited.

"Young and Dangerous" was very popular in 1996, but the second highest-grossing film, "Way of the Dragon", only had over 20 million, which was not at the same level as Cheng Long's films.

In addition, Zhou Runfa has gone to Hollywood. In the eyes of Jiahe's leadership, the box office champion of the 1998 Spring Festival has long been theirs.

When Jiang Heng and his "The Matrix" announced that they would be scheduled for the Spring Festival and were going to compete with Cheng Long and Zhou Xingxing at the box office, Jiahe didn't bother to pay attention.

How should I put it, the level difference is too big, it feels like if they look at or respond to Jiang Heng, they will lose.

Unexpectedly, "The Matrix" that appeared out of nowhere was actually the first to open in mainland China, and its box office performance has been soaring, with a box office of more than 70 million, and it was reported by CCTV News. This has to be taken seriously!

"What is the origin of that boy?"

Zou Wenhuai looked deeply and took a long drag on his cigarette.

Cai Yongchang said: "It turned out that he was a walk-on in the Shaw Brothers studio. After his father died, he left him an apartment, a car, and a lot of cash and stocks, estimated to be more than 20 million! It didn't take long for this kid to Registering a film company called Youteng is a complete empty shell without even employees. "

Chow Wenhuai showed doubts. He left Shaw Brothers with He Guanchang and Liang Feng to establish Jiahe Company. He also attracted his cousin Cai Yongchang and other Shaw Brothers colleagues, and hired Bruce Lee at a high salary to film "Brother Tangshan", which allowed Jiahe to work in Hong Kong Film Company. The altar is established.

This Jiang Heng seems to have jumped out of a rock. One person, a shell company, and two newcomers were tricked into starring in a special effects blockbuster that grossed tens of millions at the box office in the mainland, and may even exceed 100 million. It’s too Incredible!

"Too strange!"

Zou Wenhuai didn't know where to start, and it took him a long time to say this.

Liang Feng suddenly said: "I heard an even stranger thing!"

Seeing Zou and Cai looking at him, Liang Jie slowly took out a cigarette, lit it and took a slow puff, "I heard that Yuan Heping is in the United States and is helping Hua Na Brothers train actors for a filming. It seems to be some kind of internet, artificial intelligence, or science fiction movie!”

"What's the meaning?"

Zou Wenhuai's eyes narrowed slightly, feeling full of pressure.

"I was wondering if there was a possibility that someone stole Hua Na's script, and then...!" Liang Feng made a bold guess.

"How is it possible? How could a walk-on on the Shaw Brothers studio steal Hua Na's script? Even Yuan Heping probably only knows the outline of the plot!" Cai Yongchang questioned.

The Hollywood film industry is much more regulated than the one in Hong Kong, and many measures are taken to keep scripts confidential.

If printed on dark red paper, every word on the script will be difficult to read, whether taking pictures with a mobile phone or camera, or making copies.

Or don't give the actors paper scripts, only allow them to read them on IPADs, and set up an automatic deletion program.

When Marvel was filming "Avengers 4", it was said that only one actor read through the script, and that was Robert Downey Jr., who played Iron Man. The rest could only see scenes related to the characters they played.

It is said that Jiang Heng worked as a bit player on the Shaw Brothers studio before. Even if he was a bit player on the Hua Na studio, he could not steal the script!

"Why are you thinking this way?" Zou Wenhuai asked with confusion.

Liang Feng smiled and said, "I just think it's too strange. Jiang Heng's growth and work experience have nothing to do with the story of "The Matrix". It's not like he could write it. And that film has Clearly Hollywood style!”

Although Liang Feng never went to the theater to watch it, he sent someone to Shenzhen and knew what "The Matrix" was about!

Zou Wenhuai and Cai Yongchan both nodded slightly.

The latter said: "What do you mean?"

"I suspect that it was other Hollywood film producers who got Hua Na's book out and somehow ended up in Jiang Heng's hands!"

Liang Feng expressed his judgment, but Zou Wenhuai and Cai Yongchang both felt that this was very possible, otherwise the special effects would be difficult to explain!

Without the support of Hollywood blockbusters, how could Jiang Heng alone handle such difficult post-production special effects production?

"It's easy to verify your guess. Send someone to Shenzhen immediately and secretly take some videos and photos and send them to them!"

Zou Wenhuai's eyes were profound and striking.

Jiahe and Hua Na began to cooperate as early as the Bruce Lee era and have been in contact over the years. As long as the "evidence" is sent over, Hua Na will not ignore it as a prank.

Cai Yongchang said: "Stealing the script is just a random guess on our part. The probability is too low. Or let's talk about how to deal with it if the plot is different?"

Zou Wenhuai said domineeringly: "The soldiers will block it, the water will cover it, and the soil will cover it. Ah Long's film, why should we be afraid of him?"

Cai Yongchang smiled bitterly, his cousin has been dominating the Hong Kong film industry for decades and is becoming more and more arrogant.

The three of them discussed and discussed, all talking about the conventional "playing methods"!

In fact, there is an extra trick, which is to send someone to a theater in Shenzhen to get a clearer complete source of the film and send it to Fatty Li. First, they can get the pirated video tapes out, which will definitely affect "The Matrix" Box office.

But he said that Jiahe employees went through customs to Shenzhen, went to the theater to shoot clips and photos of "The Matrix", and handed them over to Liang Fie when they came back.

The latter briefly wrote a document about the plot of "The Matrix", packaged it together with the photos and sent it to the email address of Hua Na Company's office in China. He also compressed and sent the plot clips of "The Matrix".

Immediately, he called the office manager Zhao Yan, "Hey, brother, I saw some interesting things in a theater in the mainland. I feel that they should be related to the film that Hua Na Company is preparing. It has been sent to your company email. , open it quickly and take a look!”

Zhao Yan was a little confused when he answered the phone. What does the film shown in mainland theaters have to do with Huana Company?

His position as the manager of China Sodium Corporation's office in China may sound impressive to outsiders, but within Warner Bros., he can only be considered a middle-level manager.

First, the mainland market accounts for a very low proportion of Hollywood’s global box office market, and the company attaches limited importance to it.

Secondly, Xiangjiang's plate is even smaller. If the company didn't value Xiangjiang's outstanding filmmakers, it wouldn't have set up this department.

Therefore, since Zhao Yan joined the company, he has known very little about the affairs at the headquarters. After all, they are separated by the Pacific Ocean!

I also heard that the company spent one million US dollars to buy the copyright of a script from the Wachowski brothers. They needed an excellent martial arts instructor, so they contacted Yuan Heping to recommend him.

As for the content of the film being prepared, he was completely unaware of it.

What's more, under normal circumstances, who would have thought that the script would be leaked and filmed in advance?

Impossible!

Zhao Yan returned to the office and opened his mailbox, reading the plot summary written by Liang Feng and the stills shot in the theater.

"This is Jiang Heng's "The Matrix"?"

Zhao Yan had heard about directors and special effects blockbusters that suddenly appeared, but he never thought they were related to his own company.

It can only be said that the confidentiality measures at the headquarters are very good, or because he is Chinese, it will take a certain amount of time and merit to gain the trust of the company.

Zhao Yan felt his heart beating fast. Although he had no responsibility for this matter, he still felt extremely excited.

I took a few glances at the video download in the second email and turned off the player.

"call!"

Zhao Yan took a deep breath, walked a few steps in the office, and dialed the number of the vice president of Warner Brothers.

"Hey, man, I have some big news that I need to confirm with you!"

Warner Bros. Vice President Silver looked outside, stood up and pulled down the blinds.

"What happened?"

This Zhao Yan was recruited by him, and he was also the one who strongly recommended him to take the position of manager of Warner's office in China. He usually calls him vice president on the phone, but now he calls him brother, which is obviously not a small matter.

"Is the company planning to make a movie called "The Matrix"?"

"Who did you listen to?"

"Don't worry about this for now, tell me, is it true?"

Silver said: "Yes, the company is preparing a science fiction blockbuster, but the name The Matrix was only decided this morning. How did you know about it?"

Many films have their names changed repeatedly during the preparation, filming and final screenings. Some of them feel that the name they initially thought of is not good, and some use a confusing name out of confidentiality needs to confuse competitors.

Therefore, even though Zhao Yan had heard the words Jiang Heng and "The Matrix" for a long time, he could not connect them with the film prepared by his company.

Because the script was kept secret from him, the name was decided upon after revision.

At this moment, Zhao Yan felt like his brain was about to explode. He had never experienced anything like this before!

"Well, in mainland China, a special effects blockbuster is being released. It has already grossed more than 80 million yuan at the box office. It can be said that the results are very good!"

Silver smiled and said disdainfully: "So what, you made a cross-country, ah no, cross-Pacific call to me, just to tell me this? The Chinese make science fiction movies, this joke is not funny at all!"

"That movie is called "The Matrix"!"

Silver felt even more amused, "And then, you don't think that what they shot is the same as what we are preparing for, right? This is impossible!"

Zhao Yan was speechless. Although he also knew that this matter was a bit bizarre, Silver was a little too arrogant.

"Well, I don't know either, because I don't know the script outline of the film the company is planning to produce yet. However, the story of "The Matrix" is being released in mainland China!"

Zhao Yan immediately read out the content written in the email slowly.

After reading only half of it, Silver on the other side of the phone felt like he had seen a ghost.

"Impossible, impossible, how is it possible? How could you have the content in the script? Where did you see it?"

Zhao Yan looked helpless, closed his eyes and said slowly: "Jiahe Company sent it to me!"

"Stealing, they are shameful thieves, they stole our script, we are going to sue them until they are completely bankrupt!"

The script in preparation was stolen and filmed in advance by another company. This is definitely a major scandal for the company.

Silver didn't know if he would be involved. After all, many things were unclear in the end.

Once caught in the game of power and factions, the truth no longer matters.

That's why he seems confused and even a little illogical.

"That film was not produced by Jiahe Company, but by a young man named Jiang Heng. The film he made has been released in mainland China. In Xiangjiang, it is scheduled for January 17th!"

"Oh, sorry, this is too serious, I just lost my composure!"

Silver also knew that he was too panicked just now, so he calmed down and said slowly, "Well, let's talk about what happened again!"

"Okay, let's talk about it again!"

Zhao Yan slowly told Silver the content of the email, combined with what he had heard during this period.

The latter ended the call when he confirmed that he had figured it out and would not make mistakes when reporting to the board of directors, and ordered Zhao Yan to send the relevant information by email as soon as possible.

After Zhao Yan got everything done, he went online to find the report of Jiang Heng's interview. Looking at the young and handsome face on it, he murmured: "Young man, you don't know how high the sky is. If you offend Warner, you will not end well!"

But he didn't know that the headquarters of Warner had been messed up by the news he brought.

First, it is necessary to confirm whether the film "The Matrix" released in mainland China was filmed based on the content of the script written by the Wojciech brothers.

Second, it is to investigate the responsibility!

This is definitely the biggest scandal in Hollywood in recent years, bar none.

Not only did they spend a million to buy the script, but they also invited various stars to audition, but it was already filmed in advance.

How to hold them accountable and how to end it? There is no precedent!

Of course, it is too far-fetched to think about these things, and the first thing to do now is to confirm.

The company immediately booked tickets and arranged for the screenwriters, the Wochoski brothers, and Vice President Silver and others to fly to Shanghai.

At Pudong Airport, after getting off the plane, the group ordered the assistant to send the gifts to the hotel, and the rest went to the nearest cinema.

"I didn't expect that so many people would come to watch movies in China?"

"Didn't they say that their film industry is very depressed and a large number of cinemas have closed down?"

"From the looks of it, it seems that they all came for that "The Matrix"!"

"Let's go and see it first!" said the older brother of the Wochoski brothers.

Several people entered the ticket office and queued for a long time before they bought tickets. As a result, they were not the nearest show, so they could only wait bored in the hall.

Silver finally got smarter and stopped a couple, speaking Chinese with a slightly strange accent: "Hello, I'm in a hurry, I really want to see that movie, can you sell me your tickets?"

Seeing Silver pointing at the "Matrix" poster eagerly, the couple felt proud.

This foreigner has also started to watch Chinese blockbusters, and he looks so anxious!

"Okay, I'll give it to you!"