I’m a Director, I’m Not Bad

Chapter 802 799. Hollywood Rules

Derek Kostad.

Xu Xin knew that he had published a script called "Package" and Sister Mo voted for it.

As for the progress of filming the movie so far, it is not clear who will be starring in it.

In fact, sometimes friends still need to pay attention to some sense of propriety.

Since it was the other party's responsibility, Xu Xin would definitely shut up. Otherwise, if you think about it from another angle, when you do something by yourself and others are gesticulating... he will feel uncomfortable.

So I didn’t ask at all.

Just wait for the results.

He played football with Lang Lang at midnight last night. At about 9 o'clock the next morning, he yawned and got into Liu Momo's car.

Looking at the coffee she handed over, Xu Xin waved his hand:

"If you don't drink it, it will be bitter."

"..."

Liu Momo was speechless and said in a dumbfounded voice:

"When we first met, do you still remember what we drank?"

"Uh...forgot."

"Lanshan. You also said it was bitter at that time... You said it has been all these years, but your taste is still the same as that of a child. If I had known better, I wouldn't have bought it. It was a waste of money."

"No, no, no, can't I drink it?"

Xu Xin quickly picked up the cup of coffee from the holder.

Take a taste.

It was ice cold and bitter.

"Tsk, it tastes bad."

Liu Momo rolled his eyes again.

Obviously he didn't want to talk to him anymore.

But it doesn't mean that Xu Xin doesn't look for her.

"Sister Mo."

"what?"

"Is there any news around you?"

"What?"

"Boyfriends and stuff like that..."

Speaking of this, Xu Xin paused and suddenly said:

"Sister, there are no outsiders here, tell me the truth, brother. Do you... don't like men?"

"Yes, I like women, especially proud young women. Just like Mimi~"

"……ah?"

Xu Xin was stunned.

For a moment, I couldn't tell whether what she said was true or false.

But immediately came the sentence:

"Is it so exciting..."

Unexpectedly, Liu Momo spat at him directly:

"Bah! Your head is full of obscene thoughts! That's your wife! If she knows, you'll be beaten."

Xu Xinxin said you know too little about her.

She has more fun than you think.

Liu Momo said while driving:

"I'm of normal orientation, there's no doubt about it."

"...Really? I don't believe it?"

"I'll slap you! Who can I imitate? How about imitating that Pai Gu Jing?"

Liu Momo rolled his eyes.

Perhaps the sun was a bit dazzling, so she pulled out her sunglasses and put them on her face, blocking her eyes.

Xu Xin was so forced that she had to move her head back and forth to see her eyes clearly from the side.

"What are you doing?"

"Let's see if you lied."

"..."

The corner of Liu Momo's mouth twitched, and he took off his sunglasses helplessly. Using the traffic light, he turned to look at him:

"I'm heterosexual! I'm heterosexual! I'm heterosexual! Do you believe it now!"

"I believe it, I believe it, please put it on quickly."

Xu Xin quickly handed the sunglasses back to her sister whose eyes were almost cannibalistic.

Liu Momo rolled her eyes at him angrily, put on her sunglasses again and said calmly:

"As I said, this kind of thing is about fate. Think about it, in my current job, who do I deal with every day?... If nothing else, let's just talk about blind dates. What about me... Let me tell you. Either we are well-matched. But the problem is, I am very career-oriented. Even if we get married, well, they are in the system and I am floating abroad every day. Come on, if it were you, what do you think? "

"Each one plays his own way, a political marriage, a tragedy with no emotional basis."

"That's right."

"What if I find someone better than me... That's possible. But the problem is, if someone is better than you, they have to control you. Do you think I have the kind of character that is obedient? My dad can't control me yet..."

"..."

"Find someone worse than me. I'm so willful, and if he wants to take care of me, he might even consider taking care of the family, but he doesn't dare to take care of me. In the end, it's still a tragedy for both of us, right?"

"..."

"So, why bother? Just let nature take its course. My dad and I were talking some time ago, and I said you don't mind me. If you want to raise a grandchild, the worst I can do is to have one as a surrogate..."

"...Uncle Liu didn't scold you?"

"Just destroy it with humanity. Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

She sighed funnyly:

"But fortunately, the mountains are high and the emperor is far away. Take your time. If I really meet the right person in the future, I will marry. If I can't find the right person, then I will be free for two years. Anyway, technology is so advanced now, and I am older. You’re not afraid at all of not being able to have a baby, right?”

"...What you said makes sense, but I think you're farting."

"Haha~"

Obviously, Xu Xin didn't quite agree with her "rashness".

But Liu Momo didn't continue to refute.

The two of them chatted about the so-called views on marriage and love, and reached the coffee shop they agreed with Derek.

After getting out of the car, Xu Xin looked at the cup of Starbucks in his hand.

He had just taken a sip, but he threw it into the trash can without hesitation.

"……Hello."

"if not?"

Looking at Sister Mo's ridiculous look, Xu Xin pointed to the name of the shop called "Kadi Coffee":

"Do you think it's appropriate?"

"...If I buy you coffee again, I will be a dog."

"Haha~ let's go~"

Pulling her along, the two of them went directly into the cafe.

He had never seen Ai Qing's cousin, but Liu Momo quickly found the bald man sitting by the window.

"Derek."

She pulled Xu Xin to say hello and walked over.

"This is Director Xu Xin. You should be familiar with him."

Hearing this, Derek smiled and stretched out his hand:

"Of course, Xu, nice to meet you."

"Me too. Hello, Derek."

Xu Xin smiled and shook hands with him, and the two sat across from him.

It seemed that Liu Momo was really familiar with him. After sitting down, he said directly:

"Where's the script? Let me take a look."

"good."

Derek picked up one of the two documents directly from the table.

Relatively thick.

The other portion was a bit thin.

It's probably only two or three pages.

After Liu Momo took it, he asked casually:

"what is that?"

"This? This is an idea for another story I constructed. It tells a world full of killers..."

"Oh~"

Liu Momo nodded.

She didn't seem to want to know more.

After all, those few pages may not even be considered a story.

He looked down at the title of the script in his hand: "One in the Chamber"

She just flipped the script.

At this time, the waiter came over.

Xu Xin glanced at Liu Momo and asked:

"What to drink?"

"One cup of espresso, one cup of...lemonade."

Considering his child's taste, Liu Momo thoughtfully asked for a glass of lemonade.

After the waiter left, Liu Momo began to read the script, and Xu Xin, in a "warming up" attitude, smiled and said:

"Destiny is really amazing, isn't it?"

"yes."

Derek also smiled and nodded:

"I didn't expect Emily to get to know you. Xu, how is your movie going? Emily was still telling me about you after she came back from Venice. Has the filming been finished?"

"Well, it's over. I plan to come here for post-production. What you just talked about was the world of killers... what is the story?"

"this?"

He pushed the pages in front of him:

"I also want to show this to Molly."

"Can I see it?"

"certainly."

This guy readily pushed these pages over.

What I found was a synopsis of the story without even a name.

And it's quite messy.

It fits the content of "just an idea, no concrete story yet".

"Wick is a retired killer. What does he mean by... Boogey Man?"

He just asked, but before Derek could answer, Liu Momo said without raising his head:

"Monsters, weirdos, and scary people can all be translated this way."

Xu Xin nodded slightly and continued to look down, feeling a little puzzled again:

"What's Baba Yaga?"

"The mythical Russian witch who eats children is the old monster on a broomstick we see in Tom and Jerry."

"...I found the episode of Tom and Jerry very scary. Just the part about Tom riding the broom..."

"Yes, that is it."

"Oh~"

After the two exchanged words, Xu Xin continued to look down.

"Wick had a dog, which was the only... comfort left to him after his ex-wife died."

"The dog is dead. Killed by gangsters."

"Wick vows revenge."

"The entire gang in New York, after hearing about...Baba Yaga's return, began to praise his former strength."

"Legend has it that he once killed three people with a pencil."

"Bogey Man was executed by him and died..."

Seeing this, Xu Xin was stunned.

I subconsciously read the beginning.

"Derek, is there something wrong here? Isn't he called Bogey Man?"

Hearing Xu Xin's question, Derek's face flashed with pride:

"No, Xu, this is exactly my design. The previous information is wrong. Bogey Man is very powerful. I want people to think that he is Bogey Man. But later, I will tell you through some people's information, Bogey Man is very powerful, but Wick is not Bogey Man, but the person who executed Bogey Man. In other words, he is more powerful than Bogey Man!"

"Well……"

Although his words were a bit convoluted, it would take Xu Xin a while to understand what he was saying based on his current English proficiency.

but……

I have to admit, this little twist is indeed quite pleasing.

It also successfully transformed this story from a "a bit vulgar and a bit bland" to a "a bit vulgar, a bit bland, but quite interesting" level for Xu Xin.

Of course, the script hasn't been developed yet.

The first page is just about setting up the story.

For example, the setting of "Wick", the setting of the world view, etc.

The general outline of the plot is still very rough, and I can’t tell what it is specifically about.

The second page is a line drawing.

Apparently Derek drew it himself.

The man on the line drawing has messy mid-length hair, is wearing a suit, and is holding a pistol in his hand.

The third page is some tree diagrams.

There are some people's names written on it, which seems to be the relationship lines of the characters in the script.

But most of them are just names, and it’s unclear what they are used for.

After roughly looking at it, Xu Xin asked:

“What is the worldview like?”

"A world composed of killers. Killers are no longer hiding in the shadows, but a huge force in a... similar gray area. I want to ignore the role of the police and just write it with the revenge of the killer. The story is no longer about a killer killing people and the police pursuing justice... That is too cliche. Just discard it. No matter how many people the killer kills in revenge, there will be no police in this film..."

Hearing his words, Xu Xin thought of a very classic line for no reason.

From "Kung Fu" by Xing Ye.

"Police, come out and clean the floor!"

He couldn't help laughing:

"Sounds like a very straightforward revenge movie?"

"Yes, that's it. And, the story started just because of a dog~a gangster killed Wick's dog..."

"A murder caused by a dog?"

"Yes."

Seeing that the director understood him very well, no matter what he mentioned, he would understand. Derek had a look of excitement on his face:

"Xu, what do you think of this theme?"

"It's okay."

Xu Xin nodded.

But in my heart, I felt that this story was actually ordinary.

It can't be said to be average.

But... from a director's point of view, this film belongs to the type where you can guess the ending after watching the beginning.

Not his favorite style.

If it's a popcorn movie, that's fine.

But if you let him take the photo...

Suddenly, he realized that he was getting into trouble again.

No matter what you do, you have to move closer to art films.

He quickly shook his head and got rid of this thought.

At the same time, I was thinking... It seems that the style of having fun all the way to the end is not bad.

The old man's words swirled in his mind.

The audience finally had a rest on the weekend, so they bought a bucket of popcorn and planned to relax in the cinema for a while.

It's not for you to torture people with a movie about bitterness and hatred.

Thinking about it this way...

Derek's script is "excellent".

The two of them started chatting about the world view around this world full of killers until Liu Momo finished reading the script.

"show you."

She handed the script into Xu Xin's hands.

"good."

Xu Xin took it.

Derek's script is actually relatively mature.

The reason why it is so thick is because he has already designed the lines.

However, Xu Xin's focus is not on the script, but on the plot.

"Andrew is a killer..."

Fine.

He could sort of see that Derek seemed to specialize in writing this kind of story... or in other words, he liked this type of story very much.

Is this person writing stories on the same theme without getting tired of writing?

He thought about it and looked at it.

And Liu Momo was chatting with Derek:

"The story is pretty flat."

"Yes, gun fight movies and killer movies don't actually need so many other stories. Exciting scenes can stimulate hormones. This is my creative concept. Molly, the investment in this story actually doesn't need to be a lot. I don't There are not too many big scenes designed, and all the gun battles are actually done indoors, which just fits the name of the film..."

"Um……"

The two chatted and Xu Xin watched.

But as Xu Xin looked around, he gradually realized that... there was something wrong with the script.

Can't say it's bad.

All I can say is... it combines the storyline of a killer who repeatedly jumps around and does things for money into a hodgepodge about the tacit understanding between men, the killer's principles, the guilt of the past, etc.

The two gangsters switch back and forth, inviting killers to each other to kill each other, and the heroine is inexplicably silly and sweet, and during the gun battle, she is as fierce as a tiger one second and is being fooled the next...

This story seems very confusing.

If it's just a mess, that's fine. But the problem is, even if it is sorted out bit by bit, it is still the kind of "from the beginning to the end" level.

It gives Xu Xin a sense of déjà vu like those mindless police and gangster movies in Hong Kong in the 1990s.

Speaking from my heart.

This story is really ordinary.

I'm looking at the script and thinking about it.

At this time, Liu Momo happened to chat with Derek about production.

"I think if we hire an actor with some reputation for this scene, the production cost will be higher. The scenes in this film are all about two killers, and there must be one who is relatively attractive..."

Xu Xin was a little stunned when he heard Liu Momo's words.

What does it mean?

Is this for investment?

But he said nothing.

But the spirit is no longer in the script.

"Derek, I bought this script. How much do you plan to sell it for?"

"Just make a price, Molly. I'm fine with it."

"Then... how about one hundred thousand?"

"Okay, no problem. It's even higher than last time~"

"OK, it's settled then. When will the contract be signed? Are you free this afternoon?"

"Yes, then I'll see you in the afternoon?"

"good."

"I'm also very interested in your story about killers. When will you finish writing it?"

"How about... give me...two months or three months? After all, Christmas is coming soon."

"no problem."

At this time, Xu Xin also put down the script.

After thinking for a while, I came up with this sentence:

"Well, this story is quite refreshing."

Hearing this, Derek smiled and nodded:

"Yes, this is my style. Of course, it also has some imperfections, but in order to be "refreshing", it is necessary to sacrifice some reasonable ideas in the plot... However, Xu, Molly, if you think about the story later If it’s not suitable, we’ll change it.”

"Okay. Then... let's meet in the afternoon?"

"Um."

After hearing Liu Momo's words, Derek stood up directly:

"Then you're busy, so I'll leave first. Molly, nice cooperation. Goodbye, Xu, nice to meet you."

"Bye, Derek."

…

This guy took the bag and left.

At this time, Liu Momo left his seat and sat opposite Xu Xin.

Pointing to the script left by Derek:

"How does it feel?"

"to be honest?"

Hearing Xu Xin's rhetorical question, Liu Momo directly became the "respondent":

"Pretty average, right?"

"..."

This time it was Xu Xin's turn to be surprised.

After thinking for a while, he asked:

"You know so much, but you still buy it?...You don't really plan to invest, do you?"

"Whether you invest or not is one thing. Whether you buy or not is another matter."

Liu Momo shook his head slightly:

"It's not just Derek, I... Just this year alone, there are about ten scripts in Nifeng's hands. Just buying scripts, I have spent nearly 1 million this year."

Of course she was talking about US dollars.

"..."

Looking at Xu Xin's puzzled look, she shrugged helplessly:

"No way, Hollywood is like this. Do you think...why do big companies like Paramount, Universal, and 21st Century Fox come out with so many excellent scripts every year? Screenwriters are actually debts of gratitude. The same scripts , Headwind offers 100,000, and Paramount offers 80,000, then most screenwriters will choose Paramount. Because their company is big enough and has enough resources. As long as a movie can be a hit, the status of the screenwriter will rise. . But now small companies cannot do what these big companies can do. They can ask screenwriters, directors, and actors to take the initiative to invest, and we can only do it as a favor."

As she spoke, she pointed to the script Derek left behind:

"I know his story is very ordinary. But... he is also a human being. He needs to eat and make money. As I said just now, I am actually not optimistic about this script, including his... killer world and so on. I’m not optimistic about inspiration either. But why do you think he came up with such an unfinished story today?”

"..."

Xu Xin was stunned for a moment, and then he understood what she meant.

It's very simple.

Although one hundred thousand US dollars is a lot, after deducting taxes and other factors, it is actually equivalent to the annual income of a middle-class family.

Hollywood screenwriters have a high status.

But it cannot be said to be particularly stable.

only……

"It costs a lot to raise them like this."

Upon hearing this, Liu Momo knew that he understood what he meant.

But he still shook his head:

"This is the United States, and everyone talks in dollars. How big a name is a domestic screenwriter whose script costs one million? But here, the price set by the Screenwriters Guild is here. One hundred thousand dollars for a script is already very low. . His last film was "The Package." I only spent $40,000. That was the lowest price."

"So... it's like sowing seeds?"

"That's right. Who knows whether the inspiration of these screenwriters will bring about a hit? I'm not the only one doing this. Hollywood companies basically follow this process. Whether the script is filmed or not, it doesn't matter.

The important thing is that after these screenwriters create their works, people buy them. If someone buys it, they won't go hungry and can continue to compile it.

The price of a script is tens of thousands to more than ten or two hundred thousand, but if it becomes a hit, it will be tens of millions or even hundreds of millions in revenue.

Where do you think Hollywood got its nickname Wall Street? ...To put it bluntly, everyone is just gambling.

We use their inspirations, their creations, and our small and big ideas to make profits tenfold, twentyfold, or even a hundredfold. In this gambling game, the most important thing is not the quality of the chips, but that we must ensure that we have someone to continuously provide chips.

Only in this way can we continue to play in this game. "

Liu Momo's words, to Xu Xin, were like unraveling the mysterious veil of this famous dream factory and revealing its inner workings.

In fact, he can understand this.

Because this is how things work in China too.

It's just that... although the general direction of both sides is the same, the details are different.

After thoroughly understanding how Hollywood film and television production companies operate under the rules in this position, Xu Xin unconsciously let out a sigh:

"Okay. Sounds very capitalist~"

"Yes."

Liu Momo nodded and his eyes fell on the title page of the script on the table.

"This is capitalism."