Dreams of the Fragrant River

"Is the special effect made with this thing?" Kang Jianfei asked, picking up a robot model that was about a foot long on the table. He was not very familiar with the original special effects technology, because decades later, computer technology was basically used for special effects. , I thought how cool and advanced the Hollywood special effects were at this time. [;Starting]

After Zeng Bolin translated Kang Jianfei's words, a white man with glasses next to him said, "If Mr. Kang invests a few more millions, maybe I can make a full-scale robot."

The person who spoke was the future Hollywood special effects guru Stan Winston, a former Disney makeup artist who founded Winston Studios (ss) 11 years ago. Movies like future series, series, etc., the special effects in it are all from the hands of Winston Studio (Industrial Light and Magic also participated in cooperation, for example, the liquid robot in the film was made by Industrial Light and Magic, and was produced by Winston Studio. Responsible for model building, ILM for digital technology).

Although Stan Winston won an Emmy a few years ago, compared with the well-known regular military Industrial Light and Magic, the Winston studio at this time was still at the guerrilla level.

Winston Studio's fame, it is precisely because of his collaboration with Cameron, the two have become a pair of good friends since then.

Kang Jianfei, Xu Ke and Zeng Bolin knew nothing about special effects technology, so when Cameron started shooting, they could only stand by and observe silently.

The scene I'm filming now is a story about the injury of the robot played by Schwarzenegger. The special effects technology used is the miniature model stop-motion shooting, which is commonly known as rock animation.

It's not new technology, rock animations have been around for decades, but they were filmed with robot models.

I saw Winston and Cameron discuss it, and then the two discussed it with the photographer for a while. It started with Winston manipulating the robot model, basically making a move and then stopping and reshooting. Just like a Chinese puppet show, Winston uses wire to pull the robot to do some simple movements, and constantly changes the model during the filming.

Rock cartoons for small children are poorly made. The frame loss is very serious, but you can't cut corners like this, you have to make the picture smooth so that the audience can't see the flaws.

As a result, the film is just over ten seconds of footage. Cameron took days to shoot, and the various robot models didn't know how many were used.

Xu Ke shook his head and sighed: "This kind of special effects can also be done in Hong Kong, but not many investors are willing to waste money like this, and our models are not as refined as Hollywood."

"How's the talk with ILM?" Kang Jianfei looked at the Winston control model. While casually asked Xu Ke.

Xu Ke carried a satchel with him, took out a few pieces of paper and handed it to Kang Jianfei, saying, "The design is ready."

Kang Jianfei took a look and saw the conceptual design drawings of various monsters and magic weapons on it. He asked with a smile, "You've been in Hollywood for more than a month. That's all you have to do?"

Xu Ke nodded and said, "It's all made by people from Industrial Light and Magic. After returning to Hong Kong, we can make the design drawings into real objects."

Taking advantage of the filming break, Kang Jianfei took a closer look at the Hollywood special effects production from Winston, only to realize that he was too optimistic about setting up a special effects department in DreamWorks.

Nowadays, the biggest bottleneck for the growth and development of Hollywood special effects companies or studios is not that science and technology are not developed enough, but that it is too expensive to survive.

For example, the famous Industrial Light and Magic is the most famous and powerful special effects company in Hollywood today. But the company was losing money almost every year, and Lucas had to make money making movies to support ILM.

As for Stan Winston's special effects studio, it's even more miserable. It can last for more than ten years without closing its doors. It can only be said that Winston can persevere.

The development environment for special effects companies in Hong Kong is even worse. After all, few investors are willing to spend money on special effects. They would rather hire a few more big stars to attract the box office. If DreamWorks sets up a special effects department, the most likely situation is that it won't receive a single order in two or three years...

Kang Jianfei glanced at the pile of robot models on the ground and suddenly asked, "Mr. Winston, do you need funds for your studio?"

"What?" Stan Winston didn't know what Kang Jianfei meant.

"I mean, I'm very interested in your studio and want to invest in it," Kang Jianfei explained.

"That...that's great!" Stan Winston said incredulously. His current studio can only barely maintain, and sometimes he has to do other jobs to make money to subsidize it. There is a Kaizi... Oh no, it's as exciting as winning the lottery to have a gold owner throw money in.

If Kang Jianfei used money to buy Industrial Light and Magic, Lucas would definitely not sell it, but it would be easy to inject capital into Winston Studio, which has not really developed yet. If nothing else, Winston Studio will definitely become famous after it is released. If Kang Jianfei doesn't want to play anymore, he can make a small profit by selling it.

The crew got off work on time in the evening, and Kang Jianfei invited James Cameron and Annie Hurd to a nearby bar for drinks, and chatted about the progress by the way.

James Cameron said: "It will take at least a month to complete the development, and it will take more than a month in the later stage."

Kang Jianfei was relieved: "That is to say, just in time for the Christmas release?"

"Time is a little too tight, I'm afraid I won't be able to get many canvases." James Cameron said a little worriedly.

Anne Hurd laughed: "As far as I know, 20th Century Fox doesn't have any good films in the second half of the year. As long as they are optimistic, then the Christmas release will definitely be fine."

Kang Jianfei raised his glass and said, "Then I wish the box office a big hit!"

"Bah!" cried Anne Hurd in broken Chinese.

...

...

The cooperation between Kang Jianfei and Stan Winston went very smoothly. The result of their negotiation was: Winston Studio (ss) was renamed Kang-Winston Company ( ), Kang Jianfei injected a one-time investment of 800,000 US dollars, and obtained the company's 80 % of the shares.

Winston's studio changed to a company, coupled with the reallocation of equity, these things can't be done in a day or two. Kang Jianfei didn't have time to waste it, so he hired a professional lawyer to take full responsibility for the matter. He only needed to sign the contract sent by the lawyer.

When I left Los Angeles, not only Xu Ke and a few special effects engineers from Industrial Light & Magic went with me, but Guan Zhilin also went back to Hong Kong with them.

What makes people laugh or cry is that more than a dozen reporters at the airport just interviewed Jenny, who was flying to Taiwan, and blocked Kang Jianfei and his party.

Now that the paparazzi in Hong Kong have not really risen, the reason why Jenny can attract so many reporters is because of a big news two months ago.

Jenny's husband is Zhang Che's royal actor and famous Shaw Brothers star Fu Sheng. Fu Sheng died in a car accident two months ago. This news was the headlines of major newspapers for two consecutive weeks.

After dealing with her husband's funeral, Jenny shut down the Golden Note Records that she and her husband had co-founded, and planned to go to Taiwan alone to relax. Unexpectedly, her act of closing the record company turned out to be "Jenny decided to quit the music scene because of her husband's grief." Chased to the airport.

Zhen Ni just died of her husband, so she got on the plane without saying a word.

These reporters were about to leave in anger, but they didn't expect to bump into Kang Jianfei, along with Xu Ke, Guan Zhilin and a few foreigners.

The reporters' firepower immediately aimed at Kang Jianfei and asked, "Mr. Kang, are you and Director Xu Ke planning to make a new film again?"

"Mr. Kang, I heard that the film you collaborated with Jiahe is about to start. Is Miss Guan the second heroine in the film?"

"Mr. Kang, it was a hit recently. I heard that you are not only the producer of the film, but also participated in the screenwriting. Don't you think this film is too bloody?"

"Mr. Kang, who are these foreign friends around you?"

"..."

Kang Jianfei only felt that more than a dozen flies were buzzing in his ears. With his character of not letting go of the thieves, he naturally couldn't pass up the good opportunity to promote the movie when he accidentally encountered these reporters. He pushed Xu Ke to the front. Said: "If you have any questions, you can ask Xu Ke, he is the protagonist of today."

Xu Ke's eloquence is not very good, he coughed and said: "I do have a new film to shoot, which is adapted from the owner of Huanzhu. Thanks to Mr. Kang's trust and care, the budget investment is 35 million Hong Kong dollars. The special effects artists I brought in from Hollywood, they are also the special effects team."

"35 million!"

"The special effects team!"

More than a dozen reporters in the airport did not expect to ask such big news~www.wuxiaspot.com~ It was like going out to fight a rabbit, and the rabbit ran and hit a fat sheep!

You know, so far no Hong Kong film has cost more than 20 million yuan, and now Kang Jianfei actually wants to invest 35 million yuan for Xu Ke to make a new film.

The reporters immediately went crazy and hurriedly chased after Xu Ke: "Director Xu, who are the hero and heroine?"

Xu Ke glanced at Kang Jianfei, and when he saw Kang Jianfei nodded slightly, he said, "The male lead is tentatively named Zheng Shaoqiu."

"The male protagonist is actually Qiuguan, does Sir Shao agree to release him?" The reporters were even more excited. The news that Zheng Shaoqiu will appear in the new DreamWorks film is no less explosive than Kang Jianfei's investment of 35 million to make a blockbuster.

Kang Jianfei laughed in a timely manner: "Qiuguan's contract with TVB is about to expire, he has already decided to sign with the Oriental Entertainment Company, and at the same time, Miss Zhao Yazhi is also transferred. By the way, Miss Zhao is also the same. One of the heroines."