After a quick glance at the script, Ronan fell into deep thought, because the plot described in the script was really familiar.

There are many movies about aliens in Hollywood, and Ronan has seen countless alien movies, and many related movie plots are even confused.

Aliens have always been a major theme in Hollywood science fiction movies.

In Hollywood movies, aliens always come to the earth in waves, as if there is something special about the earth that can attract them, as if the earth is the center of the whole universe.

Aliens have invaded the earth again and again, some are friendly and willing to be "alien traitors" on their own planet for the sake of the earth; some are belligerent and want to destroy the earth at every turn; some regard themselves as earthlings and become gods when they bask in the sun; and some are not far away for thousands of light-years and have to come to the earth to promote family planning......

The script that Ronan saw was somewhat different, the aliens described in the script had made the earth a place of immigration.

"This idea ......" Ronan shook the script in his hand, "What do you think?" ”

Seeing Ronan's interest, Neil Blomcampnier handed over a stack of drawings and said, "This is the design of some aliens I have drawn, they are like a group of interstellar refugees. ”

Ronan took it and looked at it, probably working on VFX work, Neil Blomkampnier's painting work is very solid, the sketches are very fine, and the arthropod-like aliens are lifelike.

Seeing this alien that is far clearer than the short film, especially the prawn-like appearance, Ronan's more chaotic memories of the alien movie are becoming clearer little by little.

A film that was once included in the list of science fiction films that won big income from various small costs gradually appeared in his memory.

Prawn-like aliens come to Earth to destroy the White House? No, it's Independence Day.

Johannesburg, Shrimp Man ......

Neil Blomkampnier is answering Ronan's question: "Since I was a child, I have watched a lot of movies and stories about aliens, such as "Contact of the Third Kind", "Aliens" and "Alien", and human imagination of extraterrestrial life is always very rich, but I think that in many alien-related themes, aliens always represent a kind of power or cultural conflict that earthlings cannot reach, and they always can't integrate and go their own way. ”

He glanced at Ronan, saw that Ronan was listening, and continued: "So since then, I have been thinking, if one day, many aliens from other planets also immigrate to the earth, their technology is similar to that of humans, and their knowledge and language have not changed much, but they are far from humans in appearance, what kind of changes will happen to the society in which humans live, and what will humans do?"

Neil Blomkampnier scratched his head and said with a smile: "With this in mind, I made the short film "Aliens in Johannesburg", which mainly tells about human society in this state. In fact, my original plan was to shoot a feature film, but due to various restrictions, it never became a reality, so this short film put a lot of ideas on me, and the short film also made my thinking clearer, and this is why I have the script. ”

Ronan put down the sketch, looked at the script again, and said, "Neil, how are you going to make this film?"

"Highlighting the theme of apartheid, it's going to be a Kafka-like Metamorphosis!" says Neil Blomcampnier without hesitation: "In order to be realistic, I only need about $30 million to shoot in a pseudo-documentary way......"

Probably staying by James Cameron's side all year round and accustomed to high investment, Neil Blomcampnier's consciousness seems that $30 million is not much of a film investment.

Ronan didn't speak, flipped through the script again, and then asked Neil Blomcampnier again for his thoughts on the filming, which gradually settled on.

Pseudo-documentary-style sci-fi movies, prawn-like aliens, and Kafkaesque metamorphoses, these extraterrestrial movie plots are all stacked on top of each other, and Ronan is roughly certain that this should be the "Ninth District".

I can't remember the specific plot of the movie very clearly, and the script in my hand, the plot in some places is quite different from the part that can still remember the movie, which may be the relationship between the first draft of the script.

"District 9"?

The plot of the movie barely impressed Ronan, and now that I think about the movie, I think about it and remember more, but it is similar to "Blair the Witch", as if this is a typical viral marketing success movie.

Just now Neil Blomkampnier himself mentioned that he intends to shoot the film in the form of a pseudo-documentary.

In this way, the film naturally has the basis for viral marketing.

If Ronan remembers correctly, this will be a sci-fi film with more marketing than the movie itself, and maybe once this film was not so much the success of the film itself as another victory of viral marketing.

Of course, the quality of "District 9" is much better than that of "Blair the Witch" and its ilk.

Neil Blomcampnier looked at Ronan and wanted to say something, but when he saw that Ronan was thinking, he closed his mouth and kept quiet.

Because years of experience in Hollywood have taught Neil Blomcampnier that the choice is in the hands of Ronan, the investor and producer, and not in the hands of him, a rookie director who has never made any formal feature films.

Ronan quickly made a decision: "Neil, I'll accept the script first, and I'll ask Shahai Entertainment to send someone over to talk to you about specific cooperation matters when I go back." ”

Neil Blomkampnier said with a bit of urgency: "Mr. Anderson, I am very honored to work with Sand Sea Entertainment, but I have this script...... I...... I want to direct ...... myself"

"I just watched the short film you made. Ronan judged from the short film: "It's a good shot, you have a talent for directing, and if we can reach a cooperation, you can also be the director." ”

Neil Blomkampnier's face was full of surprise, and it was the best result that could have been hoped for.

Ronan's voice changed: "But there are some things that I must say in front. First, the investment in this project will not be very large. Second, the project may take some time to prepare. Thirdly, your filming and production must be in line with Relativity Entertainment's specially tailored promotional and marketing promotion plan......"

Speaking of this article, the power of the director is greatly restricted.

Especially in conjunction with publicity and marketing promotion, it is almost certain that the guideline of the film is to focus on publicity and promotion.

In Hollywood, directors, especially newcomers, can get a lot of power? Neil Blomkampnier has been in the industry for many years, and he is not surprised or dissatisfied.

"I don't have a problem. Neil Blomcampnier said directly: "I still have to work on the crew of "Avatar", even if I leave, I have to ask Director Cameron for advice, and I have also considered other aspects, Mr. Anderson, I have always felt that the publicity you used on "Blair the Witch" is a stroke of genius, and I plan to shoot it in the form of a pseudo-documentary, which is also for this consideration." ”

Ronan nodded lightly: "How to cooperate specifically, someone from Shahai Entertainment and Embassy Pictures will come to talk to you." ”

Neil Blomcampnier knew that Ronan wouldn't care about this kind of specific work these days, and said, "Okay, I've been staying at Wellington and Weta Studios lately. ”

Ronan got Neil Blomcampnier's contact information, left the office, and after meeting Connie, he told Connie about the relevant matters, and asked Connie to inform George Clint to send someone over to talk to Neil Blomcampnier about specific cooperation.

Goodbye James Cameron, James Cameron didn't talk about it again.

It is clear that he is only responsible for referrals.

For a director at the level of James Cameron, it can be said that he can provide a recommendation opportunity for his subordinates, which can be said to be a very conscientious superior.

In the business circle, more superiors like to press the lower employees all their lives.

Even, some bosses will take the initiative to provoke the relationship between the employees below, so that there are conflicts between employees in order to better control.

Like James Cameron, the most typical representative of Hollywood who can recommend his staff is Spielberg.

In addition to the businessman qualities necessary to sit in the position of the head of DreamWorks, Ronan feels more and more that Spielberg is closer to the traditional good guy.

Ronan spent three days in Wellington, during which he took time to chat with the relevant people in charge of Industrial Light & Magic and Weta Studios, and it didn't matter if he didn't understand special effects production, but he had to grasp the general direction of the crew.

The investment in this film project is huge, and the returns are equally huge, so Ronan can't afford not to pay attention to it.

Ronan also talked to Andy Serkis, who is the director of motion capture, the former Hollywood "king of motion capture" is really very thoughtful in motion capture, and starring in the Beauty and the Beast scene in "King Kong" also made him more interested in the industry.

Unfortunately, Ronan couldn't find another project for Andy Serkis for the time being.

And Andy Serkis entered the crew of "Avatar", and in the next two or three years, there is no time to think about other film work.

While Ronan was leaving, a three-person team from Sand Sea Entertainment arrived in Wellington to begin formal negotiations with Neil Blomcampnier about the film project.

"Avatar" began to prepare, and Ronan prepared "Alice in Wonderland", which borrowed the 3D east wind of "Avatar", and also completed the first draft of the script.

This is a fantasy adventure fairy tale, and at Ronan's request, the script highlights the theme of all ages, and strives to make the future film a PG-level family carnival.

A PG-level family movie can also face a wider audience and fully ferment the popularity brought by the 3D wave.