I’m a Director, I’m Not Bad

Chapter 813 810.

"How's it going, Xu, is it great?"

Jodi came over, put his arm on Xu Xin's shoulders and asked.

At the same time, I didn’t forget to add:

"I don't have that much cash with me, but I will report this fee into the additional expenses for props, and I will pay you back tomorrow."

"..."

Xu Xin's mouth twitched...

To be honest, as a director, he is quite sensitive to this kind of "clever creation of names".

But he understood what Jody meant.

He didn't intend to shirk it, but took this opportunity to ask:

"Will there be any trouble?"

"Of course not. Look~"

He pointed at a few small props wrapped in plastic film that Court was holding over there.

I can't see clearly what it is, and I don't know what it is used for.

"There will always be something about these props that the director is dissatisfied with and needs to be changed. I only need to pay an extra $500 for a scrap. It's definitely not enough to do it often, but it's okay once in a while."

"……All right."

Xu Xin said nothing more, but asked:

"Can we take a tour?"

"Visit? Haha, Xu, have you forgotten what I do? These props and designs are definitely confidential to other people in the crew, especially... Of course, I don't mean to offend. But for the actors' personal team, they must be confidential . But these are all made by us. When I am here, it is not called a visit, but called home."

As he spoke, he walked forward, twisting and opening his arms as he walked:

"Welcome home, Xu."

"……Ha ha."

Xu Xin couldn't help laughing.

Follow him and walk inside.

The first thing we came to was this area that looked like steel ruins.

"Dong dong dong..."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise:

"Really steel?"

Unconsciously, he looked up.

Jody nodded:

"That's right, steel."

"This... how did you do it? This kind of steel column needs to be poured in one piece to ensure that it does not tilt, right? The steel column of this kind of structure can be used as a load-bearing. This... how did you install it? Does this require disturbing the foundation?”

"Only one floor, my friend."

Jody also tapped this wide and solid steel column with his hand:

"Did you see it? It's just one layer, and the top part is made of PVC material. We first build a frame with steel, and the parts on top are all PVC material props. After the two sides are overlapped, they are painted with paint, and the surface will not be visible. If it were pure steel, it would be a big project. But there is no need... It is the same from here to the launch silo. These structures are not actually strong, so when filming, we need to use CG technology to move the actors Put it in a very high position..."

Seeing that Xu Xin seemed really interested in these, he took the trouble to start introducing them.

"For example, here, both sides are green screens when filming starts... Guess what model this is? It's a mecha! The actors will walk in through this door. This is the elevator passage leading to the mecha... "

"Xu, come here and take a look... This is a miniature model used to simulate the physical impact of mechas. Ha, it's very realistic, right?"

Just as he was talking, the sound of an engine sounded.

The two of them turned around and saw a forklift coming in with a large box in it.

Jodi knew what was inside at a glance and quickly pointed in one direction.

"Xu, let's go."

Xu Xin quickly followed.

Finally, we followed him to a place...

how to say.

It looks like some kind of research laboratory, but it is very dilapidated. It is full of rust, pipelines, and areas that are not adjacent to the spotless laboratory with bright windows and shiny tiles that people have in mind.

The box, under Jody's direction, was placed on a platform.

"Court, man, you have to help me open it and hoist it down."

Hearing this, the testator, who was paid to do things, nodded:

"No problem. Do you want to dismantle it now?"

"Tear it down."

So, several workers dismantled the wooden box, revealing the true figure inside.

An... aquarium.

There is also a... huge, ugly monster floating in the aquarium-like thing.

"Xu, how is it? Is it beautiful?"

"..."

Xu Xinxin said, buddy, if you have normal aesthetics, you would not ask such inhuman words.

He watched silently as Court's gang used a forklift and straps to place the monster prop on the base. After the other party left to continue moving things, he came to the water tank, took a closer look and asked:

"What is this for?"

"Monster specimen. The director needs a specimen of a deformed baby born by a monster caesarean section. A masterpiece, right?"

"..."

Xu Xin still ignored him.

He really couldn't boast about this disgusting thing.

But he still asked:

"What material is this made of?"

"The fish tank is made of resin, and what's inside is the texture of formalin solution mixed with water and fluorescent pigments. As for this monster, the foam is wrapped with a layer of silica gel. Believe me, the feel of silica gel is the best!"

"..."

No, bro.

Why did your style of painting suddenly become strange?

he asked:

"The cost of this thing..."

"Well... not counting the design cost, the materials alone are at least two thousand US dollars."

"..."

…

In the midst of this nonsense, Court's side finished unloading a whole truckload of goods.

It was a pleasure to work with.

And Xu Xin also learned a lot about the behind-the-scenes work of "Pacific Rim" from Jodi.

According to Jodi, more than 110 staff members in their company have joined the crew. The total cost of all the props, models, designs, etc. in Pacific Rim exceeded 25 million. Of course, this is what he guessed through these props.

If you add employee wages, design fees, and the boss's profit.

The cost of the props alone ranges from approximately 3,000 to 35,000,000.

Note that this is just a prop.

Jodi didn't mention it, but Xu Xin knew it himself.

The construction company, venue, scheduling, and the food and drink of other crew members also cost money.

He made a rough estimate based on the standards of the Celestial Empire.

I think...not counting the actors' remuneration, the shooting cost of the entire crew should be between US$70 million and US$80 million. I just don’t know if these supporting characters are very famous. If they are very famous...then add another 10 to 20 million...the total budget is about 100 million.

100 million for shooting, 80 million to 100 million for post-production.

Not counting the announcement.

If the publicity and distribution principle of 50% of the investment is followed, then... the final investment may be around 280 to 300 million...

Comparing the investment and return in North America, it would take at least 900 million to recover the capital.

Global box office of $900 million...

Thinking of this, Xu Xin's heart pounded for no reason.

This pressure...

Not small.

Although he didn't know how Guillermo Toro...or these directors who were active in Hollywood would react psychologically when facing this kind of investment pressure...but for him, an outsider, he asked himself, if He became the director of a movie with an investment of over one billion, and before filming started, he knew... If he wanted the movie he made to not lose money, then he had to reach a box office of 7 billion...

His heart felt a little blocked.

I was thinking about one thing unconsciously...

Do they really make money when they make such a big-investment movie?

Although he also knows that Hollywood has always been about big investments and big returns... but as a practitioner, he has a natural intuition. Today's seemingly prosperous Hollywood is...a little too...blooming.

The flowers were so blooming that it gave him an unreal sense of déjà vu.

After all, this kind of "blooming flowers" itself should also be a kind of involution, right?

So……

Suddenly, Xu Xin had an idea in his mind:

"Can I think that the Hollywood model is also a huge crisis?"

As soon as this idea was born, it was immediately replaced by a wave of absurdity.

Please.

This is Hollywood.

A huge crisis?

How can it be……

But...what if it's possible?

Isn't this just like an arms race?

Endlessly raise the budget, and then pass on the profit points to consumers.

The latter are consumers, and it is up to them to ultimately recoup their investment, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. But the problem is...if the many considerations in terms of market factors are added to the Hollywood model of large investment and large income...once it becomes a "common phenomenon", then...

What are the consequences of resorting to militarism?

Need to ask?

Implosion.

Maybe before consumers pay the bill, the industry itself will explode.

And isn't this ending... the decline of Hollywood?

After this idea was born, his heart was immediately replaced by even more absurd speechlessness.

The current Chinese film industry system can only be said to be in its infancy. Why is he worried about Hollywood?

No matter how weak people are, at least they were once brilliant. But Chinese-language films don’t even have the glory of the industrial system. Isn’t this just a matter of taking carrots and not worrying about them?

But……

He thought for a while, then took out his cell phone and wrote a line on the memo:

[On the possibility and future judgment of Hollywood’s “implosion” due to huge investment]

After he finished writing the topic, he looked at the two lines above what he had noted as "thesis topic."

1. [From the increase in actors and actresses, we can judge the future development and changes of the industry market and its possibilities]

2. [Discussing market development and the possibility of "standardization" prospects based on low-cost movies such as "33 Days After Love" and "The Hangover\