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Everyone is not stupid, Murphy is not here to simply visit, Richard Taylor can also guess this.

Murphy did not immediately respond to Richard Taylor's words, but walked around the special effects dressing room with great interest.

On the wall of the special effects make-up workshop, there are many "human heads", which are real faces, such as Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Brad Pitt... Surprisingly, there is also Bruce- Li's face model.

Why is there a model of Bruce Lee? According to Murphy's guess, Bruce Lee may have left a face model, and Weta's work was later reversed.

From these models, it can be seen that every process of Weta Studio’s production of models is strictly checked. There is a bear’s head in a corner, and there are a bunch of remote control lines behind the head. Whether it is true or not, there is even a wet feeling on the nose.

"Richard..." Murphy stopped, "It's really shocking. Weta Studio's technology is indeed the best in the industry."

"Many people think that special effects should be digital technology and computers," Richard Taylor said with a smile, "actually not, this is auxiliary, the most important thing is the powerful ability to make models."

This is what Murphy said. It is not the computer that really determines the special effects, but the people.

Under the leadership of Richard Taylor, Murphy's visit to the Weta studio was very interesting. Although everything in the studio is not unfamiliar to a director like him, it is also quite emotional.

Murphy went from room to room as Richard Taylor introduced him to the studio's artists and technicians, who were usually responsible for rubber noses, miniatures, makeup, modeling, weapons and anything he could imagine for physical effects. to work.

In the corridors of the rooms of the different departments are displayed samples of their success, including swords, tomahawks and shields, as well as models of the faces of famous actors, which will be used in the near future to design the makeup and costumes of the characters.

In addition, there is an area between the passages with a collection of simulated creatures. Here, a dazzling array of buildings, cars and sets used in different crews are displayed. These props can help the film develop visual effects and help the film complete Real shot work.

Weta Studios has dedicated a room to their earliest trophies, including the undead baby from Deadly Dead; But the base model of the dead pet dog, not to be confused with its partner company Weta Digital, Weta Studios was responsible for building real props and objects, rather than creating virtual creations through film graphics.

During this overview visit, what impressed Murphy the most was Weta Studio's attention to tiny details, which directly determine the effect of special effects.

Finally, Richard Taylor took Murphy to a reception room and had coffee delivered.

"We're not empire builders," Richard Taylor said, though he didn't know what project Murphy wanted to work with Weta on. After visiting the studio, you know how big it is, and you know all the things that are going on here.”

Spreading his hands, he said with a smile, "But we don't come up with a conceptual business plan and then implement it by building new departments and opportunities in the company. What drives us to do this is our understanding of many unique aspects of life. The desire to create things, it's all based on our love of making things and the joy of creating with our hands. I never want to limit our prospects with a norm, such as we are special effects people. I want to always keep an open mind, That mentality has allowed us to embrace extraordinary opportunities over the years."

Weta's technology is sufficient for the shooting of any movie now, and he knows that it is not an easy task to impress a director like Murphy.

After seeing so much and hearing so much from Richard Taylor,

Coupled with the reputation in the industry and actual work success, Murphy also has a bottom line in his mind.

"No other company in the world can leave such an unforgettable impression on me."

The other party said it politely, and Murphy's words were naturally very pleasant, "and I have always maintained a low-key, close, and human side. From the showroom to the products, from the eclectic and diverse themes, to the staff's attitude towards The sheer quest for quality and consistency, I think Weta Studios is such a unique company that can make a profound impact on different people.”

Hearing Murphy's approval and praise, the smile on Richard Taylor's face became brighter.

Murphy took a sip of coffee, turned to the topic, and said, "For the second part of "City of Chaos", I plan to use large-scale model special effects and shoot on-site in New York."

The not bad results of the first film gave him more ideas about the second film, the most important of which is to make a difference in the awards season.

In this way, the CG special effects should be reduced, and most scenes should be shot in real life as much as possible.

Richard Taylor nodded lightly, "Weta Studio has a good partnership with the New York City Hall, and real shots are absolutely fine. Props and models can be made in Wellington and then shipped to New York. The labor cost here is relatively low. , there is still an advantage."

"So..." Murphy thought for a moment and said, "After I return to North America, I will send my deputy Michelle Williams over to do a detailed investigation, and he will talk to you about the details."

It is enough for him to confirm his intention, and it is enough to leave the rest to the people below.

Besides, the second film needs to leave enough time for the first film to ferment. As long as the cooperation is confirmed, these tasks can be meticulously crafted.

Of course, this matter has also been agreed by Twentieth Century Fox, after all, they are the investor and producer.

Murphy has notes in the plan for Kara Firth, and 20th Century Fox has no objections.

Afterwards, Murphy declined Richard Taylor's dinner invitation and drove directly out of the Weta studio.

As soon as he got back to the hotel, he received a call from Kara Firth. Many international distributors were asking, when will the second part of "City of Chaos" be released?

Twentieth Century Fox also wants Murphy to provide the full version of the crew and project proposal as soon as possible to start the necessary internal review process, and then start pre-sales, raising as much filming funds as possible from overseas distributors to reduce their own costs. risk.

On the surface, now that the box office in North America is soaring, Hollywood should be prosperous, but in fact, Hollywood's source of income has shrunk.

So far this year, Hollywood's DVD sales revenue has decreased by 29% compared with the same period last year, and overseas distributors are only interested in pre-sales of typical Hollywood blockbusters.

"What's going on these days is that you can't make a movie if it doesn't have big stars and famous directors involved."

On the phone, Kara Firth said to Murphy, "There will be no overseas buyers willing to pre-purchase the distribution rights."

The sharp decline in pre-sale revenue is also a major problem facing Hollywood. Even the source of TV revenue has declined due to the decline in advertising sales and competition from online video.

The financial crunch has also forced major Hollywood producers to adjust the production ratio of various films, and a "dumbbell effect" has appeared in the entire industry, that is, the two extremes of big-budget movies and low-budget movies are frequently released, while those with middle costs Videos are scarce.

Hollywood studios will spend more money on blockbusters like "Transformers," and on the lower end of the spectrum, there will be more less risky ones like "Reaper" and "Saw." Genre movies, and movies like that with a budget of $50 million to $100 million will be significantly reduced.

To be precise, Hollywood’s financing channels are far less extensive than before 2008, which is also an important reason why 20th Century Fox accepted Wanda Group’s investment.

To use the words on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, those who hold large sums of money will become Hollywood's "Gods of Wealth". As long as they are willing to pay, Hollywood doesn't care where these Gods of Wealth come from.

Hanging up the phone with Kara Firth, Murphy first called Gal Gadot to confirm the arrival time of her flight, and then called Bill Rossis. CAA urged Henry Cavill to start as soon as possible. More specialized training.

James Franco became crazy, and his aura was very strong. If Henry Cavill can't strengthen himself, his role will inevitably be out of balance in the future.

The aura of an actor is never born, but has to be professionally packaged and trained, and is precipitated by various factors such as time, acting skills, status, and fame. Just like more than ten years ago, no one would I think that James Franco has a strong aura and can give the character an invisible and intangible temperament.

Don't say that aura is not important, the aura given to a character by an actor is enough to dominate the film.

It was said that he was on vacation, but Murphy actually had no leisure time. The next morning, he went to a seaside studio on the North Island of New Zealand. Paul Wilson was leading the crew of "Game of Thrones" to shoot here. Now this This magical TV series has been recognized as a classic, and each season can bring Stanton Studio more than 50 million US dollars in net profit. It is definitely the chicken that will lay golden eggs in the hands of Murphy and 20th Century Fox.

But as time went by, the series inevitably came to an end. However, Murphy has reached an agreement with George R. Martin and Twentieth Century Fox. .

After staying here for half a day, Murphy returned to Wellington, went to the airport that night, and received Gal Gadot who was flying over from the Caribbean. Gal Gadot also brought a few decisions about himself .