Chapter 71: The Gentleman's Agreement

71

At the end of November, Fang Jianhui received a notice from Industrial Light & Magic, and the special effects he had commissioned Industrial Light & Magic to develop were finally made more than a month in advance, and Fang Jianhui was also going to the United States to shoot "Alien E.T.".

Before leaving, Fang Jianhui held a meeting at Lishi and Angel Pictures in turn to plan the key work for the coming year.

In Lishi, after repeated discussions with Huang Xizhao, Mai Dangxiong and others, Lishi will have a series of big moves in the coming year (1982):

One is to change the name, Fang Jianhui once proposed to change the name to 'Angel TV', but was vetoed by Shirley. After synthesizing the opinions of all parties, Fang Jianhui changed the name of Li's TV to 'Asia Television' from the New Year, referred to as ATV, and will set off a huge publicity offensive from next month.

Second, in terms of TV dramas, in the coming year, "Silkworm Changes Again", "Dragon Babu", "Hero Huo Yuanjia", "Ma Yongzhen", "Pretty Girl", "Xiangcheng Prodigal", "Flying Over the Eighteenth Floor", etc., are all strong dramas that have been identified by Fang Jianhui, which can ensure victory in the head-to-head duel with wireless.

Third, in terms of variety shows, variety shows have always been ATV's shortcomings, Fang Jianhui has also made great efforts to this, and finally agreed that in the new year, ATV will cooperate with Angel Records and Rolling Stone Records to carry out the 'Asian Young Singers Singing Contest', and set up a permanent program of 'Music Billboard' on the TV station;

Of course, the fist product is still Fang Jianhui's 'millionaire', and the millions of Hong Kong dollars at this time are terrible, and when the time comes, not only ordinary citizens will be tempted, but also university professors, experts and scholars will be tempted. If it works well, it will definitely attract the attention of the whole city. However, it is precisely because the hopes for this show are too high that failure is not allowed. Therefore, Fang Jianhui first handed over the planning case to Fox TV Network, because in comparison, the production level in the United States is higher and the personnel capacity is stronger. Fang Jianhui transferred personnel from Lishi to the Fox TV network, and observed the whole process of Fox production from beginning to end. At that time, after learning from the relevant experience of the United States, it will be grandly launched on Asia Television at that time.

Then there is the key work of Angel Pictures and the cinema chain.

The first is to build Angel Film and Television City, seeing that the scale of Angel Pictures is getting bigger and bigger, after the acquisition of Lishi, the construction of a dedicated film and television city is becoming more and more urgent. The work was led by Ng Dick Ming, who first applied to the government for a land plot in Tsuen Wan. Because it is located in the New Territories and at this time node where the future of Hong Kong's return to Hong Kong is uncertain, and the film and television city belongs to the cultural and entertainment industry and is the object of support by the Hong Kong government.

Then there is the film shooting plan for the coming year. The key films are: "Difficult Brothers", "Little Life is Afraid", "Night Terror", "Happy Ghost Summer Vacation", "Taking the Wrong Car", "The Best Partner's Great Magic", and will also invest in "Running to the Angry Sea" produced by Jade Bird, "Pretty Girl" produced by McDonald's Bear, and "Youth on Fire" by Century Pictures.

"Happy Ghost Summer Vacation" is the sequel to Fang Jianhui's "Happy Ghost", in fact, the script has long been written by the company's screenwriting department, and after being sent back by Fang Jianhui several times for revision, the current version has a box office value of 85, which is quite a high rating. The film will be directed by Wang Jin, starring Huang Baiming, Zhu Baoyi, Lan Jieying and Li Saifeng, the starring Bai Annie of the first part is because she is Fang Jianhui's secretary, and she enjoys the position of secretary, so she gave the starring role to Li Saifeng.

Zhong Chuhong will star in "Little Fear" and "Beware of Little Hands", Lin Qingxia will star in "Taking the Wrong Car" and "Best Partner: Showing Magical Powers", and the two will also make cameo appearances as a pair of sisters in "Difficult Brothers". "Beware of Little Hands" was invested by Chen Xunqi's Yongjia Pictures, starring Hong Jinbao and Chen Xunqi, while Yongjia Pictures was funded by Fang Jianhui and established by Chen Xunqi.

Xu Anhua, the director of "Running to the Angry Sea", has cooperated with Fang Jianhui, this year's "The Story of Hu Yue" is directed by Xu Anhua and invested by Fang Jianhui, starring Zhou Yunfa and Zhong Chuhong. Sure enough, as he expected, the box office of this film is only more than 2 million, but its reputation in the critics is very good. Therefore, when Jade Bird Pictures, the producer of "Running to the Angry Sea", was short of funds, Xu Anhua came to Fang Jianhui again, and Fang Jianhui also donated generously again.

In addition to these movies, there is also a "Swordsman of Xinshu Mountain" that is more special, and he has to talk to Xu Ke before deciding.

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"Mr. Fang!" Xu Ke and Shi Nansheng walked into Fang Jianhui's office and shouted in unison.

"Brother Xu, Sister Shi, please take a seat. After Fang Jianhui shook hands with the two, he led the two to the sofa and sat down.

"Mr. Fang, come uninvited, don't be surprised. Shi Nansheng said with a smile.

"Where is it, it's better for Sister Shi to come, there are some things that Brother Xu would have consulted Sister Shi for your opinion. Fang Jianhui said.

"Mr. Fang came to me for the sake of "Shu Mountain"?" asked Xu Ke.

"Yes. Brother Xu, I read the script of your "New Shu Mountain Swordsman", and I think that according to Brother Xu's script, this movie may lose money. Fang Jianhui smiled:

As soon as he heard this, Xu Ke's face did not change very well, he believed Fang Jianhui's judgment, Fang Jianhui's god-like history, and the fact that every movie of Angel Pictures was making money, all told him that if Fang Jianhui thought that this movie would lose money, he would definitely lose money.

Shi Nansheng saw that he was depressed, patted him lightly on the shoulder, and said to Xu Ke with a smile: "Mr. Fang must have something to say, otherwise, if you think the script is not good, you can just veto it, and you don't have to go to you for a trip." ”

"Sister Shi is right. Fang Jianhui said: "I can see that Brother Xu, you have spent a lot of effort and placed a lot of expectations on you, and the script itself is also very good." ”

"What's the problem?" Shi Nansheng asked.

"The problem is that the story system of Shushan is too huge to be accommodated in a movie, and the result is that there are too many clues in the movie, and the audience is in a fog. Fang Jianhui said: "Also, as a fairy story, after moving to the big screen, a large number of special effects shots will be required, which will lead to excessive investment and ultimately unable to recover the cost." ”

"What does Mr. Fang mean is that he is unwilling to invest?" Speaking of which, didn't Fang Jianhui mean that he didn't want to invest, Xu Ke was quite frustrated.

"I know, even if I don't invest, most of you, Lao Xu, are unwilling, and you will definitely try it with Jiahe or Shao Lao. Xu Ke was silent, which was a tacit acquiescence. Fang Jianhui said: "Do everything if you think it's profitable, and push it out if it's not profitable." Brother Xu, you know that I am not this kind of person. ”

Xu Ke was embarrassed to say this, and felt that he was spending Fang Jianhui's belly with the heart of a villain. Moreover, knowing that he would lose money, he still wanted to find Jiahe or Shaw Brothers, which was not done by a gentleman.

So, my answer is: No, on the contrary, I'm willing to invest. Fang Jianhui said with a smile: "Moreover, you are the producer and director of this movie, how you spend money and how much it costs is completely up to you, and I will not interfere except for paying." ”

"Ah!?" Fang Jianhui's words turned too big, which surprised both of them, and Xu Ke said, "Mr. Fang, are you serious!?"

"It's true. Fang Jianhui said: "Brother Xu, you are talented and passionate about movies, I have no reason to discourage your enthusiasm just because you will lose money." If you lose some money, you can promote the progress of Hong Kong films, and I am happy to see it. ”

Xu Ke was worried first and then happy, and his emotions fluctuated too much in a short period of time, and he couldn't speak. Or Shi Nansheng felt that things were not so simple, and asked, "Mr. Fang, you really don't have any requirements?"

"The requirement is that there really isn't. Fang Jianhui said: "I only have a little hope, note that it is 'hope', not mandatory." ”

"Oh, what is Mr. Fang's 'hope'?" Shi Nansheng said.

"As I said just now, Brother Xu is talented, and I really value it. Fang Jianhui said: "My 'hope' is that Lao Xu can make films for Angel Pictures as long as possible." I hope to be able to make a gentleman's agreement with Lao Xu, how much you invest in this movie, who you want to invite to act, how much you want to spend on special effects, how you want to promote the movie, etc., are all up to you, I only look at the final result. The film ended up losing millions, how many years did you make films for Angel Pictures, for example, if you lost 10 million in the end, that would be ten years, and if you lost 20 million, it would be 20 years, and so on. ”

After a pause, Fang Jianhui said again: "According to this agreement, if you make a film for Angel Pictures, the salary and share you should have are the same as now, and you will not be missing." Oh, by the way, this is a gentleman's agreement, it has no legal effect, I just want to get a promise from Brother Xu. ”

"Uh..."Xu Ke groaned, Fang Jianhui's novel proposal really stumped him.

"Lao Xu, what else do you have to hesitate about?" Shi Nansheng was a little anxious, Fang Jianhui's conditions were simply too good, it could be said that it was not a 'condition', but a treatment. You must know that Fang Jianhui certainly needs a director like Xu Ke, and Xu Ke also needs a company that supports him and allows him to make films with peace of mind.

"Mr. Fang, I have a question, if I agree to this agreement, do you want your film to make money or lose money?" Xu Ke said suddenly.

"To tell you the truth, I hope to lose money, and the more I lose, the better. Fang Jianhui laughed. "It's best to lose 50 million, in that case, Brother Xu, you have to film for me for the rest of your life. ”

"In that case, I agreed to this gentleman's agreement. Xu Kedao, although he believes in Fang Jianhui's judgment, he still has to work hard to prove himself: "I want Lin Qingxia, Zheng Shaoqiu and others to star, I want industrial light and magic to do special effects, and I want Nan Sheng to resign from ATV to help me manage the accounts." ”

"Okay! As long as Qingxia agrees, I have no opinion. ILM can also help you get in touch. Fang Jianhui said: "But you let Sister Shi resign... And what about my ATV?"

"Mr. Fang, I think Manager Yue Yiling can replace me in the position of director. From the resignation of ATV, it seems that Xu Ke has reached a consensus with Shi Nansheng, Shi Nansheng said.

"Uh, okay. Fang Jianhui said with a smile: "However, Brother Xu, Sister Shi is just taking care of the accounts for you alone, which is overkill, I suggest that Sister Shi come to my Angel Pictures as the administrative director, which can help you and me." Brother Xu, Sister Shi, what do you think?"

The two looked at each other and nodded in unison, Shi Nansheng said: "Mr. Fang values it so much, I might as well be respectful." ”

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After getting "New Shushan Swordsman", everything was arranged, Fang Jianhui came to the United States on November 30.

He first went to San Francisco Industrial Light & Magic to check the computer demonstration, and after thinking that he could, he came to Los Angeles to officially prepare for the start of filming.

Fang Jianhui's identity and his past achievements are there, almost at the same time as he decided to start filming, Twentieth Century Fox has equipped the best elite soldiers.

The props team started working first, focusing on making models of alien ET and alien spaceships, and with Fang Jianhui's lifelike comic book foundation, the designers knew that it would take a lot of time to complete the production. Then came the music, where Fang Jianhui handed over the written score to Fox Records, and the record company found a suitable symphony orchestra to rehearse and play.

When the behind-the-scenes staff began to work, Fang Jianhui's main job was to audition, and the protagonist of this film was a little boy. Coincidentally, Fang Jianhui has made four films in the United States so far, except for "People and Ghosts", the protagonists of the other three are all little boys. And the requirements of the characters are different, and you can't use the same person, so you have to find it again every time.

After a few days, the little boy Elliott did not find a suitable one, and the rest of the characters were found. In the film, the younger sister of the little boy Elliot, the little girl Gertie is played by Drew Barrymore, who is less than 7 years old, and Elliott's brother Michael (Michael) is played by Robert McNafton Thomas's children came to audition and were taken by Fang Jianhui at a glance, so far, the main creative staff of the movie is complete.

On December 6, "Alien E.T." was officially launched.

In order to cultivate the affection and tacit understanding between the children, Fang Jianhui shot completely according to the plot sequence, and lowered the lens of the camera to the height of the children's eyes.

Ten days later, the model of the alien ET was completed and made its first appearance. Fang Jianhui wanted to capture the real reaction of the children, and did not inform the little protagonist of the existence of ET in advance, and when Thomas pushed aside the grass and saw the ugly ET, he was really taken aback.

When it came time to shoot the full-body shot of ET, it was done by a dwarf who was only two feet ten inches tall hiding in a shell made of an alien ET model, and in the kitchen scene, in order to take care of the height of the lens, the assistant director even found a person who was born without legs and was used to walking with his hands to hide inside the model.

The communication device made by the alien ET to call home was made by the scientific advisors of the crew, and it is not an ornament, it does work.

Later in the film, when the aliens were surrounded by a group of white coats for treatment, under the instructions of Fang Jianhui, the crew found a group of real doctors and nurses from a hospital and asked them to discuss the treatment as if the alien was a human patient.

After more than a month of filming, the young actors have established a deep relationship with ET, and when ET leaves the scene at the end, Thomas's reluctant performance is completely true.

On January 16, 1982, "Alien ET" was completed, and Fang Jianhui, who had worked intensively for more than 40 days, finally breathed a sigh of relief. After finishing the editing, soundtrack, etc., Fang Jianhui's next step was to stare at Industrial Light and Magic, and carry out post-production special effects for the film.

On January 20, the Industrial Light & Magic continued to deal with it, and Fang Jianhui returned to Xiangjiang.