Chinatown, East Village.

It is about a kilometer away from Mr. Wu's Chinese Restaurant.

There are social classes everywhere, and there is a gap between the rich and the poor, even in Chinatown.

There are also rich people here, or wealthy areas, such as where Guo Yongkun rented a house last year. Landlords there are much richer than the average American.

Leah's family was originally in the middle of the pack in Chinatown.

More than the above, at least one restaurant is open there.

The East Village, on the other hand, is the worst place in the entire Lower Manhattan Chinatown.

Not only is the economy poor, but the security is also poor, and people with a little money will not go here.

At this time, outside a three-story old apartment building at No. 69 East Village, a group of people were approaching in groups by the dim light of the street lamp.

Because of the large number of people, the figures of the three or two groups hiding in the corners of the walls covered with graffiti paintings on the side of the street just watched coldly and did not make excessive moves.

This trip was Zheng Xiaolong and others who walked back from Mr. Wu's Chinese restaurant.

But instead of going to the main entrance of the apartment building, they came to the far right side of the house, where there was a cramped passage that descended below the concrete pavement, and a rusty, single-door iron door at the innermost.

"Xiaogang these guys are also real, and if they are not locked, they are not afraid of being robbed. ”

Zheng Xiaolong took out the key from his trouser pocket, only to find that the iron chain on the door was not tied at all, and a copper lock was also open there.

"Director Zheng, I think you are too sensitive, who would run to the basement to rob it? Besides, there are so many of us, even if there are three or two little thieves, they will give meat. Someone behind him answered.

It is also because since I came to the United States, I have been a little annoyed by the various safety rules and cautionary warnings of the leaders.

"Send meat?" Zheng Xiaolong turned his head and scratched him, and snorted coldly: "Even if a person rushes in and holds a gun in his hand, see if you send meat or he sends meat!"

"I don't know how many times I've told you about the proliferation of guns in the United States.

"Besides, although we don't have much money with us, aren't these equipment and instruments money? ”

The man who spoke was so speechless that he had to "raise his hands and surrender."

The iron door opened, and the group entered one after another.

Due to the consideration of efficiency, the crew is usually divided into two groups, AB, each with its own work arrangement. For example, tonight, Zheng Xiaolong led the team to go out to shoot, while Feng Xiaogang led technicians to do the review and editing of the shots at home.

The so-called home is actually a basement.

Eerie and dim, even if the lights are on, there are a lot of places that do not shine, the area is acceptable, the boxy and open pattern, the cement pillars stand there like guards, along these cement pillars, with wooden or cardboard to divide a lot of independent small spaces.

The entire crew adds up to nearly 30 people, and they usually eat and live in this basement of about 200 square meters, which makes the air that is not circulated even thinner, so it always feels hot and dry to stay inside.

"Huh, Director Zheng, why did you come back so early today?"

Zheng Xiaolong and his entourage walked in mightily, and it was difficult not to be noticed.

A young man ran out of a cubicle with a surprised expression on his face and looked up at a domestic flying pigeon watch on his left wrist.

11:46 min.

It's not yet early in the morning.

You know, they didn't come back until three or four o'clock in the morning a few days ago.

"What about Director Feng?" Zheng Xiaolong didn't answer, but asked rhetorically.

"In the screening room. ”

Zheng Xiaolong sighed, ignored the others, and paced towards the so-called screening room.

The door wasn't closed, the lights weren't turned on inside, only the snowflakes on a display screen shone brightly, so that people could see that there were four people gathered in front of the screen, all of them stretching their necks and looking at the screen motionlessly.

It was a set of images that the crew had just shot during the day.

"How?"

A sudden sound interrupted everyone's attention, and they all reflexively turned their heads to lean in.

"Lao Zheng, what time is it, why did you come back so early?"

At this time, Zheng Xiaolong turned on the fluorescent lamp in the room, causing Feng Xiaogang and the others to reach out and cover their eyes.

"What are you doing, this hasn't been checked yet!" Director Feng complained, a little dissatisfied.

"Don't look at it, I'll tell you a serious matter. ”

"What could be more serious than what I am doing now?"

After his eyes adjusted to the light of the fluorescent lamp, Feng Xiaogang, who was wearing a blue jacket, handed Zheng Xiaolong a big white eye.

"We're moving soon. ”

“......”

"Still moving?" Before Feng Xiaogang could say anything, the person next to him said with a sad face: "Director Zheng, we all know that the crew's funds are not sufficient, but we all live in the basement, and then move ...... Why don't you go sleep on the street?"

Zheng Xiaolong knew that they had misunderstood, and waved his hand with a smile, "No, we are moving to a good place, and from tomorrow, we will stay in a hotel." ”

“......”

Including Feng Xiaogang, everyone in the room stared at Zheng Xiaolong in surprise.

Is this still the Zheng rooster who is not allowed to take a taxi within two kilometers?

The sun is coming out in the west, are you willing to let all the big guys live in the hotel?

"Xiaolong, don't talk nonsense, how can we have that money?" Feng Xiaogang said with a straight face.

Who doesn't want to live in a hotel, he also wants to live, but also take into account the actual situation, close to the 30th person, if all stay in a hotel, even if it is a motel, every day is a lot of extra expenses.

Funds are already stretched thin, so wouldn't this make matters worse?

Don't be at that time, and you can't even afford duct tape halfway through filming.

"I've got a sponsorship, a big sponsor!"

When Zheng Xiaolong said this, even he was excited, and the excitement that had been suppressed for a long time finally broke out, and his face was ruddy: "The other party said, let's shoot well, eat and drink well, take out the fullest mental state, and strive to shoot the best film, money is not a problem." ”

Several people who heard the words were a little dumbfounded for a while.

This is far away in a foreign country, where do you go to get sponsorship, isn't it a dream?

Also a big sponsor...... Money is not an issue......

Even if there is really sponsorship, it is impossible to say such a thing, and it is not bad if you don't give you a lot of reasonable or unreasonable demands for advertising effects and all kinds of reasonable or unreasonable requests.

"What kind of sponsorship?" Feng Xiaogang asked.

Even he was a little suspicious.

"Beverage sponsorship, Jianlibao soda ......" Zheng Xiaolong did not have the idea of selling Guanzi, and immediately talked about the things he had just drunk with Guo Yongkun in Mr. Wu's Chinese restaurant and what he discussed.

"It's him!"

At this moment, even Feng Xiaogang jumped up.

Let's just say that this is far away in the United States, how can it suddenly get sponsorship, if it is Jianlibao, it is really possible!

He knows that Jianlibao has been sold to the United States, and it is said that it is quite popular.

"Old Feng, do you know him too?"

"Aren't you talking nonsense. ”

Feng Xiaogang lit a cigarette, took a deep breath, and spit out a thick white mist, "Haven't you ever eaten a female pork, haven't you seen a pig run." This person has been in the newspaper a few years ago, and in recent years it seems that he has deliberately kept a low profile, but no matter how low-key he is, Jianlibao is becoming more and more popular, as long as people who have read the newspaper before, they can't forget it. You seem to be young, huh?"

"Indeed, I don't know if I have reached the age of 30, it's hard to imagine. Why do you think this person is so capable?" Zheng Xiaolong said sourly.

Feng Xiaogang put on an expression of "you ask me, who do I ask", ignoring this topic, and asked, "How did you talk to him? How much money does he plan to sponsor?"

"His request was a bit peculiar, not to have subtitle ads at the beginning or end of the credits. ”

Feng Xiaogang paused for a moment and asked, "What do you want?"

Could it be that the TV series is put halfway, and the picture is everything, giving him a hard-plugged kernel advertisement?

He has really seen this kind of undisciplined form, but it is not feasible in China, and it cannot pass the trial at all.

"Drink implantation. ”

After Zheng Xiaolong said these four words, he saw that Feng Xiaogang and the others had ignorant expressions, and explained: "That is, if there are some scenes such as drinking water and eating in the play, you should move Jianlibao up and let the actors drink Jianlibao."

"If there is no such shot in two episodes, then we need to add Jianlibao's promotional advertisements in the background of some scenes......"

He paused at this point, pointed to the image that was still playing on the screen in front of everyone, and gestured, "Well, like this." ”

This is a quarrel scene, and the male protagonist Jiang Wen and the female protagonist Wang Ji are on a remote street.

"Here we can make a billboard on the back wall, or graffiti a Jianlibao advertisement. ”

I see...... Feng Xiaogang suddenly had a lot of thoughts in his mind for a while.

Although they have never used this advertising model, they know that it is very beneficial when they think about it. It is definitely more noticeable to the audience than having a subtitle at the beginning or end of the TV series.

You know, a lot of viewers don't like to read those subtitles at all.

Of course, this benefit is for the sponsor.

For them, it increases the content and difficulty of the work.

"I have carefully considered that this is completely operable and will not have any impact on our entire drama, after all, Jianlibao is also sold in the United States, so as a Chinese wandering in a foreign land, keen to drink drinks from their hometown, it is a good thing." And in a way, it can also imperceptibly render a kind of hometown feeling. ”

Zheng Xiaolong said seriously.

"Yes, it can be operated. ”

Feng Xiaogang did not object to this, "The key question is, how much money does he plan to sponsor? Lao Zheng, you should understand, so that we have to add one more item to the preparation for each filming." If you can't meet a dinner scene, it is not easy to make a background arrangement in advance. ”

He said that he covered all the living expenses of the crew in the United States, and he provided a sponsorship fee of 1 million US dollars, and secondly, he would let the American Jianlibao Company fully cooperate with us from all aspects......"

Before Zheng Xiaolong finished speaking, Feng Xiaogang and the others were already stunned.

"it, it!"

Before Feng Xiaogang could express his position, some people were already dancing excitedly.

No wonder you dare to change your hotel stay?

It turns out that there is a big boss who pays the bill!

Since the cost of living is all-inclusive, this also means that not only the hotel is lived, but also their food will inevitably have a significant increase in the future.

Eat meat at once...... Judging by the boldness of this boss, it shouldn't be a problem.

Also, $1 million!

What is this concept?

The production cost they used to shoot the entire TV series was only $1.3 million.

With this sudden injection of $1 million, many things will become completely different, and it will definitely improve the effect of the TV series by more than one notch.

And one last point: let the American Jianlibao company fully cooperate with them.

It's so fragrant!

They came to the United States, with no connections and no background, just like a child who had entered a giant society, lonely and helpless.

Well, now I feel like I've finally found a backer!

It is said that the American branch of Jianlibao occupies an entire floor of the Empire State Building, which is located in New York, and it is not a small business!

"Old Feng, what do you mean?"

"What the hell!