The focus of attention was originally on Tim, but after the topic of "Frank Marshall", all eyes were instantly piled up on Lan Li.

After the end of the "Pacific War", Lan Li and Steven seem to have never crossed paths again, but it has been rumored in the industry that Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, two producers, are indeed full of praise for Lan Li, and Steven and Tom have contributed to the Oscar nomination for "Buried Alive".

However, rumors are just rumors after all. At least in public, Lan Li seems to have severed all ties with these two top figures in the industry. Today, Frank's words are relayed by Tim, and all the threads are connected again. Not only Paul, but even Lucinda was impressed.

"Phew, I guess I should say something at this point. Lan Li pursed the corners of his mouth, and the relaxed tone made everyone laugh, "I'm not sure what Frank meant, because I didn't hear this on the spot." So, I should either say thank you right now, or I should be responsible for thinking of a brand new movie name. Since Frank wasn't there, I automatically chose the latter. ”

The witty and humorous words carried a thick self-deprecation, but there was a dazzling confidence between the eyebrows, and the atmosphere suddenly became relaxed, and everyone couldn't help but chuckle.

As for the topic of Frank, Lan Li heard about it for the first time today, and he is not sure what is going on, whether Andy is behind it, or Jeff is in touch with Steven, or Frank is interested in the project after browsing the blacklist?

In the previous life, Tom Cruise was the sole master of the "Edge of Tomorrow" crew, and there was no room for two tigers, and naturally, there was a lack of big names in the producer list;

Lan Li's gaze fell on everyone, "Do you have any special ideas?" Subconsciously, Lan Li looked at Derek, because he was the writer of the first version of the script, "The original book is a relatively heavy and profound style, discussing the reincarnation and fate of oriental culture, but now our script is more relaxed, and there is even some black humor." Indeed, the name 'Killing Reincarnation' is still too heavy and too cruel. ”

Derek didn't think much of it, frowning and shaking his head, and Paul, who was sitting next to him, took the initiative to speak, "I think we need to determine the core of the whole work first. The core of the original book is reincarnation, so what about the core of our movie? This is the first step in clarifying the mind. ”

This is the first meeting between Lan Li and Paul, but Lan Li likes Paul's style very much, the style of a bone news person, accurate and sharp, based on the overall situation, and then starting from the details, seeing the big from the small, this way of talking and communicating, as if returning to the distant college days.

"The current script has a good story, a good rhythm, and a good idea. But, it's too Hollywood. Paul's tone of speech is very plain, not too exaggerated, not too restrained, down-to-earth and straightforward, not so much "blaming" Derek's script as exploring, "This can be a great commercial film on the assembly line, but I don't see him qualified to be the third on the blacklist." ”

Derek was the one who was "attacked", but he didn't care, touched his bald head, and had a simple smile on his rosy cheeks, "When I was writing the script, I actually thought about this." But, to be honest, I don't know enough about the reincarnation of Eastern culture to write anything, but it will slow down the rhythm, so I simply undo it all. ”

"That's why the script was able to be blacklisted. Tim spoke his mind on the sidelines, expressing his support for Derek's work. "Because it's a commercial film script with great ideas, a smooth story, but something different. ”

"The different part, I don't see. Paul was blunt, shook his head and denied it, "I don't see any depth in this version of the script now. It's just a fluid single-player story, with a framework, content, but no soul. ”

"Reincarnation is not difficult to understand. Seeing Paul and Tim back and forth, Lan Li interrupted directly and returned to the topic, "It's the meaning of time." In the script of 'Groundhog Day', the screenwriter first makes time meaningless, because every day repeats itself, no matter how hard you try, it is the same, and then re-gives meaning to time. Reincarnation can also be understood in this way. ”

Lan Li pondered for a moment, if you want to explain reincarnation in Buddhist literature, this is obviously a huge and profound theme, even Lan Li himself, it cannot be said that he has a deep understanding. So, he plans to put it in a more simple and popular way, "Samsara can be simply understood as a cycle of cause and effect, a good act can bring about a positive effect, and a bad decision can lead to punishment." In the movie, Cage is suffering from the effects of the cycle of killing. ”

"Are you saying that every killing has a different impact on Cage?" Billy spoke for the first time, his voice was hoarse, like a crow, it was really ugly, and in an instant, everyone looked away, and after getting Lan Li's affirmative answer, Billy shook his head firmly, "It's impossible, we're shooting a movie, not one, we can't write out the impact of every killing, that will lead to the script being too trivial and the plot too heavy." On top of that, the attributes of commercial popcorn are gone. ”

"I don't think that's a problem. As long as one shot or several sets of shots are left after each killing, or different ways of dying, the different pictures that have been seen before death bring out the changes in Cage's heart. It was Paul who spoke, and his mind switched to director mode again, "I believe that is enough, for Lan Li, he is enough to express the emotional changes of the character, and it will not drag down the rhythm of the film." ”

This is a compliment and trust in Lan Li, but this is not a good time to praise each other, Lan Li directly cut to the topic, "No, I didn't mean that. Lan Li sorted out his thoughts, "What kind of character was Cage? selfish, greedy for life and afraid of death, cunning and treacherous, clever and clever, he is a typical salesperson, only this time, he sells war and victory." Deep down, he looked at the war from above......"

"Oh?" Paul said with delight, and from these simple words he connected Cage with the senior officials of the White House, and the sensitivity of the news was truly unusual, and this difference was projected in each of his works.

Lan Li couldn't help but smile dumbly, and glanced at Paul, "Commercial films, we are making commercial films now. The eyes of the two exchanged a tacit understanding that only they understood each other, and before the others could react, Lan Li continued, "But in this cycle of killing again and again, he began to learn to take responsibility, he began to learn to empathize, he began to cherish the friendship of his comrades-in-arms, he began to understand the cruelty of war, and he also began to understand that in the face of human life and death, all interests have no meaning." ”

Derek and Billy both had pensive expressions, and Billy didn't know where to take out a notebook and began to jot down something quickly.

"In the process, he began to grow. From the initial evasion, to the courage to face, in the face of death after death, he endured great pain, so he decided to fight alone. Not because he wanted to be a hero, but because he couldn't bear to see his comrades die again and again, and because he finally tried to carry the weight of war on his own shoulders. Still, he failed. In the end, he understood that this was not the burden of one person, but the burden of all the soldiers, who had come together not to be heroes, but to protect their beloved family and their last home. ”

Derek suddenly stood up excitedly, "This can echo the beginning of the story, the rest of Team J, why did they participate in the war, and why did they hate Cage so much as a deserter? Not because Cage is greedy for life and afraid of death, but because Cage treats this war as a game - there is no reason to fight, there is no meaning to live, and naturally it loses the color of life." ”

Billy shook his head at the excitement of Lan Li and Derek, "You know what that means? It means that we need to write the characters specifically to make the characters fleshed out without dragging down the pace of the whole script, and more importantly, to make connections between the other characters and Cage." It's easy to say, but it's incredibly difficult to do. The heroine Rita is easy to say, the love line is pulled, two conversations, and two shared hardships, which is enough. But what about the other characters? Jesus Christ, we don't have that much space. ”

What Lan Li means is that the core thread of the whole story is Cage's growth and transformation, and the core meaning is that in the process of each kill, different characters die in different forms in front of Cage, again and again, which makes Cage establish a wonderful connection with them. Finally completed the epiphany. ”

It was Paul who spoke, and his eyes lit up, staring intently at Lan Li, gushing endlessly, and the inspiration in his mind burst out, this feeling was really amazing.

"Actually, this is the same as 'Groundhog Day'. Every time reset, every reincarnation experience, the protagonist is undergoing a test, for others, they are simply repeating the same day, but for the protagonist, he has experienced thousands of trials of life and death. Between the protagonist and the supporting role, the appearance of that contrast does not need pen and ink at all, and naturally reflects the core of the movie: the meaning of war, the meaning of death, and the meaning of life. Is that so?"