Made in Hollywood

When he left the training ground and walked out of the door of the studio, Duke stopped, and a middle-aged man followed from behind. This was Jimmy Carter, the action director who had been cooperating with him since "Breaking the Dead Island".

"Any ideas, Jimmy?" Duke asked.

"The training has just started, and I don't have a clue yet." Jimmy Carter shook his head. "This is a completely different way of action from Hollywood, and it's also different from the movies of Bruce Lee and Jack Chen. Their movements are very fancy and seem to be completely different. It does not meet the requirements of actual combat.”

"But it's beautiful, isn't it?" Duke patted him on the shoulder. "We're making movies, not fighting fights, and every kind of movie that thrives has its merits, don't you think? Is Hollywood's way of acting too rigid and rigid? So, Jimmy, go for it, I'm waiting for you to surprise me in the future."

"My people have photographed the entire training process." Jimmy Carter vowed, "and later, we can get more image data, I will analyze it carefully. Duke, when will I let You were disappointed."

"You can get in touch with that tiger? Chen." Duke thought for a while and said, "He has lived in the United States for many years, and it is easier to integrate into Hollywood. When the film is finished, you can try to keep him. "

"I know what to do," Jimmy Carter said.

Nodding, Duke walked into another large studio next to him, where the scene construction was busy. The subway station, the majestic martial arts hall, the cyberpunk-style hovercraft cabin, etc. can already see the prototype. The DP John Schwartzman was looking for was talking to the set designer to get the right camera positions while the set was being built.

Seeing Duke, John Schwartzman came over immediately, "Is it busy over there? Let's go to the side to talk, Collins from ILM is waiting."

The two walked around the set area. Walking into a separate area in the studio, several special effects engineers from Industrial Light and Magic were making some special effects props according to Duke's requirements, and some people were doing other experiments.

"Hi Duke. Hi. John."

Collins took the two of them to the lounge area, and the three sat around each other, getting straight to the point.

"I have discussed with John several times." Collins said first, "Although it is difficult to achieve, it is not impossible. In the "Stendhal Syndrome" released last year, you used CGI and a bullet to express what you want. Elaborated bullet time effects. In our capacity, it can be done better.”

After listening to John Schwartzman about that movie, Duke also saw it, "I need more than a bullet, but coherent, smooth movement in a 360-degree scene."

"Collins and I have a preliminary plan." John? Schwartzman took over. "We'll simulate the design with a computer, then do a series of actual shots to figure out what works best."

"Then I'll wait for your test results."

Although some ideas and opinions were put forward in the early stage, it was like handing over the art of spear fighting to Yuan Heping to design. Professional things, Duke will leave it to professionals to complete. In terms of photography and special effects, John Schwartzman and ILM are more professional than him.

And those methods that have been circulated, if you don't test them in advance, can you really use them?

busy preparations. June passed quickly. Except for the work on the Sydney side, Duke would go to New Zealand almost every weekend. The work on the other side was progressing smoothly. The design work of weapons, armor, set art, and prop production had already started. After reviewing the completed design drafts, I also communicated with relevant personnel in a timely manner to revise many details.

Charles Rowan also contacted two horse training farms to domesticate war horses for filming; he leased a hilly land in the suburbs of Wellington. After the design pattern is approved, Hobbiton will be built here.

In addition, the early special effects of Weta Studio are also gradually being carried out, such as designing the shapes of half-orcs and strong orcs, and improving and applying motion capture technology according to Duke's requirements.

While the two crews were preparing, a large amount of money was spent like flowing water. "The Matrix" is okay, after all, there is investment from Warner Bros., but the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is only invested by Duke Studio for the time being. His funds Some tension is inevitable.

Fortunately, good news from North America keeps coming. Duke and Warner Bros. are now the closest partners, and the other party has no intention of delaying the payment to damage the relationship between the two parties.

By mid-July, "Chicago" had ended its last screening in Moldova and was officially removed from the global market. The film's global box office finally stopped at $357.51 million.

Subsequently, Duke Studio and Warner Bros. began negotiations with overseas distributors on various overseas copyrights of the film. By the end of July, the main overseas market negotiations were basically completed. "Chicago" in 77 overseas countries and regions. Video tapes, VCDs 10-year copyrights such as TV broadcasting and others, sold a total of 38.2 million US dollars, and also enjoyed a sales share ranging from 4% to 7% in different regions.

According to the agreement, the publisher Warner Bros. took 10% of it, and the copyright sales did not arrive immediately, and it took time to get back and forth, but the $10 million received in advance was enough to support the "Lord of the Rings" crew for a long time.

So far, not counting Warner Bros. as the publisher, Duke Studio has made nearly $47 million in pre-tax box office profits from "Chicago", from discs, videotapes, TV broadcasts, soundtracks, and protagonist dolls. In terms of planting peripherals, more than 34 million US dollars were harvested, and the total pre-tax profit of the film was as high as 81 million US dollars!

This is not the end. Although the various peripheral income of the film has slowed down, it is still slowly increasing. As long as the film still has a market, the income of Duke Studio will continue to be generated.

A successful movie can bring huge income and influence, even terrifying. It is not only the investors who benefit, but also the various actors and staff involved in the movie, especially the leading actors.

No one can deny that Naomi Watts, with the high box office of "Chicago" and the Oscar nomination for Best Actress, has soared into the sky, and has steadily rushed to the position of Hollywood's first-line actress.

"Is it strange to see me?"

In the studio lounge, Naomi Watts looked at Duke, "Don't forget this is Australia, this is my hometown."

"I just didn't expect you to come to visit the class."

Taking a cup and placing it on the table in front of her, Duke poured a cup of coffee, "According to my calculations, you should be a busy person now."

"Yeah, I have a new movie. If there is no accident, I will join the crew in the second half of the year." Naomi drank coffee and looked at Duke like an old friend, "This time is more leisurely, So I went back to Australia and saw in the paper that your crew was on Fox and came to see you."

"New movie?" Duke asked curiously, "Can you know what movie it is?"

In Duke's view, Naomi Watts is one of the Hollywood stars most influenced by him, and even, like Sean Connery, who retired early, has taken a completely different path from what he used to be, especially " After "Chicago", her status is higher than that of her most glorious moment.

Now the North American box office is nearly 200 million, the global box office is more than 300 million, and there are Oscar nominations for best actress, which are much heavier than after the new century.

He was curious to know if Naomi Watts was taking Mulholland Drive.

"For a big production, the investment will probably be around $150 million."

Naomi Watts' words completely rejected Duke's conjecture, "A remake of Universal Pictures."

She winked at Duke playfully, "You can guess."

Then he laughed again, "There will be a reward for guessing right."

"It seems a bit difficult." Duke sat across from Naomi, "always give me some hints?"

"Not born in the United States, then went to the United States, and died in the United States."

Hearing Naomi Watts' prompt, Duke thought for a while and asked, "Did you go to America by accident? Did you go there yourself?"

"No." Naomi shook her head slowly.

"Is that from some mysterious and weird place?"

"Yes."

"Did you go by boat?"

"Yes."

"Still in chains?"

"Yes."

"Have you shown it with a chain?"

"Yes."

Looking at Naomi Watts, who had a bright and charming smile, Duke had an answer in his heart. Although the time was wrong, it was not impossible. Qu Qi knuckles lightly tapped the table and said, "King Kong?"

"Dear..." Naomi Watts smiled even more brilliantly, "It really can't be difficult for you."

Duke frowned slightly and asked, "Can you know the director's name?"

"A New Zealander." Naomi Watts put on a disapproving look, "It's called Peter Jackson, not to mention you are not even a second-tier director."

She added, "It is said that he took the initiative to find Universal and asked to remake the film, and he only paid a very low salary. He has no particularly successful works, and I am not very satisfied with him."

Sure enough, it was Fat Peter, Universal Pictures was really persuaded by him!

With a slight sigh, Duke could hear from Naomi's words that the director will definitely be troubled when dealing with big-name heroines in the future. The reason is very simple, the status of the two sides is completely unequal.

Duke then confirmed this from Naomi Watts' words, Peter Jackson didn't want to use such a big female star either, but Naomi Watts was the finalist for Universal Pictures, even though it was just A Grade, but like all A or super A, such an actor has a huge reputation and appeal, and coupled with the possible high investment in the film, the film company certainly wants to have a blockbuster movie star.

Peter Jackson was once squeezed by New Line Pictures, and now he has changed a series, and it seems that there are no less problems encountered. (To be continued ~^~)

PS:  I'm not here today, don't look for anything ~~~ I will send it to the third shift, and bring the tickets~~