Made in Hollywood

"Have you read the original, Kate?"

Looking away from the white clouds outside the business jet, Duke looked at Cate Blanchett, who was sitting opposite, "If you've read it, you'll understand what I mean by saying Queen Galadriel is one of my favorite characters. ."

Cate Blanchett tidied up her blond hair, with a smile on her chiseled face, "Of course I read it, this is a must for an actor to prepare. However, I still don't quite understand why you like her. , I think both Aragorn and Gandalf are good, and even if they are elves, King Elrond is also good."

"Galandriel has the ability to read people's hearts, she is very kind, understanding, and at the same time a little arrogant and self-willed."

Picking up the coffee cup, Duke took a sip, put it down, and continued, "She is the leader of the Noldor and the last of them to remain in Middle-earth, she has conquered the tyranny of power and territory, Lived the test of the temptation of the Lord of the Rings..."

"Anything else?" Blanchett asked.

Duke said, "She loves everything that is right and good in the world."

Blanchett tilted her head to look at Duke, as if thinking, before saying after a while, "But I don't think that's the main reason you like this character."

"The main reason?" Duke tapped the coffee cup stuck in the card slot with his fingers. "Well, I admit, the main reason is that Queen Galadriel is a female elf!"

Duke raised his eyebrows and looked at Blanchett, as if to say that you are satisfied, Blanchett laughed softly, and the crisp laughter caused Nancy who was sitting in front of him to turn his head curiously.

However, she then turned her head back again, Duke was her most important client, and as long as he was happy, these female clients were nothing.

"According to some descriptions in the original book. If you even count the time you lived in Aman," Cate Blanchett joked casually, "Queen Galadriel should be around 8,000 years old..."

"It's really a problem." Duke pretended to hold his chin seriously and considered, "When I was writing the first version of the script outline, I thought about pairing her with Gandalf."

"She and Gandalf?" Cate Blanchett's eyes widened. "There's a love between them?"

"No, but the descriptions in some places. It's easy to make people think."

Hearing Duke say this, Blanchett quickly asked, "Where is it? Why didn't I notice it when I read the original."

Duke put away his joking tone and changed his tone, "In Lothlorien, in the golden forest, in the forest where mortals are rare. Few mortals have ever seen that light, that eternal, dazzling gleam. The light of yours. Galadriel! Galadriel! Your wells are known far and wide for their clean waters, the stars gleam in the hands of white jade, and the forests of pure and unblemished noble. In Lothlorien, in the golden forest. Where mortals cannot see The beautiful woods..."

After the aria-like recitation, Duke looked at Cate Blanchett, "Your Majesty, after arriving in Sydney. Have you been honored to invite you to the banquet?"

"At a banquet?" Cate Blanchett wondered.

Duke showed an enthusiastic smile, "Can I know your contact information? I can call you."

He hesitated for a few seconds. Cate Blanchett opened her handbag, took out a business card with only a name and a number, and handed it over.

As for the content and time of the banquet, Duke did not say. Because now such a banquet does not exist.

The plane arrived in Sydney and walked out of Smith International Airport. Duke saw Cate Blanchett off before getting into the car to pick him up. Nancy Josephson sat in the same car with him.

"Nancy, I remember a lot of Australian actors working hard in Hollywood."

Hearing Duke's question, Nancy nodded immediately and replied, "Yes, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts, Russell Crowe..."

After thinking for a moment, Duke said again, "Before leaving Sydney, convene a banquet, um... In the name of the management of Warner Bros., you can also send an invitation to the Australian gang in Hollywood..."

Nancy Josephus immediately understood, "I understand."

Since Wellington is not too far from New Zealand, the flight didn't take much time. After the car arrived at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney, Duke met Doug Walter, who came here for inspection, in a reception room.

The person who accompanied Doug Walter and other senior Warner Bros. executives was Zach Snyder who arrived here ahead of time.

"Zach?"

After sitting down, Duke first looked at his deputy, Zach Snyder, who was about to become independent.

"I've been around Sydney with Doug."

Looking at Doug Walter, Zach Snyder went straight to Duke's habit, "I think the last two films should still be filmed on the Sydney and Fox studios, since Sydney's architecture is more in line with the crew's requirements, Second, the City of Sydney assured us that a newly built highway would be available for filming."

Doug Walter sighed, "I still hope the crew can go to Warner Bros. Movie World on the Gold Coast."

"If I go there, what about the highway?"

This is the first time he has directed a large-scale production film independently, and Zach Snyder doesn't want to see any surprises. "We contacted Queensland, and they refused to provide highways, while the highways provided by Sydney are not only new, but only charge A nominal maintenance rental fee."

"Here we need to rent the studio of Fox Studios." Doug Walter still insisted on his opinion, "After the completion of the studio of Warner Movie World, there has been a lack of heavyweight crews to move in..."

It was obviously not the first time that the dispute between the two had occurred. After listening for a while, Duke raised his hand to interrupt the words of the two.

He beckoned to the side, and Tina Fey stood up and handed a large file bag to Doug Walter.

"This is the cost of the expressway that I asked someone to calculate." Duke watched him open and said as concisely as possible, "If we go to Queensland to shoot and can't find a suitable expressway, we need to build one ourselves. This is what Tina specially designed. It is estimated that it will cost around US$15 million to find someone based on the cost of labor and other costs in Queensland, and only US$300,000 if renting in Sydney.”

Cost control is an important factor that every commercial company must consider. As the controlling shareholder of Duke Studios and the major shareholder of Warner Bros., which holds nearly 8% of the shares, Duke must not ignore this aspect.

"There are also taxes." Duke said directly, "Doug, I understand that you want to rely on heavyweight films to start the Warner Movie World, but have you ever thought about why Hollywood crews are reluctant to go to Queensland, where labor is cheaper. state, but the Fox studio in Sydney?"

Doug Walter put down the papers. "Tax benefits."

"New South Wales, where Sydney is located, can provide a 12.5 percent tax concession for films." Zach Snyder took over. "Queensland is only 4 percent!"

"So, Doug."

Duke stood up, walked to the map in the reception room, and looked at the state of Queensland on the map of Australia, "The first thing Warners has to do is to convince Queensland to give more tax incentives to the crew who go to Warner Movie World. If They can provide tax treatment like Sydney, and those of us will definitely be shooting there where labor costs are cheaper.”

Sitting there, Doug Walter was silent for a while, and finally nodded.

Zach Snyder breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to argue with the top management of Warner Bros. unless he had to, and there was news that Jeff Robinoff was likely to be transferred to Time Warner as group president and succeeded Warner Bros. For the CEO position, Doug Walter has the greatest hope.

Flying to Sydney from New Zealand, Duke was there to settle differences between Doug Walter and Zach Snyder.

Although Warner Bros. accepted his proposal and agreed to Zach Snyder as the director of the latter two "Matrix" films, it would certainly not give him as much say as Duke did.

After working together for so many years, the two of them are also good friends. Zach Snyder is deeply influenced by him, and Duke has confidence in him. Otherwise, he would not have handed over the last two episodes to him, instead of looking for that. to the present brother.

The last two parts of "The Matrix" have a total investment of up to 250 million US dollars and will be filmed together.

For this, Doug? Walter also has objections, but he more trust Duke's vision in the film, the objection is not directed against Zach? Snyder.

"Duke, I think we need to hurry up and finish the second part first."

Seemingly anxious, Doug Walter stood up and took a few steps, "The fans of hackers are so crazy. I heard that Warner Bros. will not release a sequel to "The Matrix" in the next two years. They gathered thousands of people to besiege Warner Bros. The building, protested against us, and your Duke Manor was also besieged, if you weren't in Malibu, you would have been chased and blocked by them."

Turning around, Duke smiled helplessly. The influence of "The Matrix", which he added appropriately, far surpassed that of the past, and created a large number of crazy fans.

"The expectations of the sequel have been pushed to a considerable height by fans." Doug Walter continued, "If we launch a sequel in time, it will inevitably lead to a boom in the market and relieve the pressure on Warner Bros."

Frowning slightly, Duke considered for a while, this is indeed an objective situation.

"Doug, I have a proposal, doesn't Warner Bros. have an animation studio? We can make animations that complement the world view, which can not only solve the needs of fans, but also continue to drive peripheral sales, while promoting the sequel. publicity."

Doug Walter thought for a moment and said, "This is a good idea. I will communicate with Los Angeles tonight."

The two sides discussed the details and the meeting ended today.

When walking out of the parlor, Duke invited Doug Walter, "I'm going to throw a party..." (To be continued ~^~)

PS:   I have to go out today, so I can only update it automatically.