In the 70s, the American music scene was the world of bands, and there were very few singers who could succeed by singing solo, and even fewer solo singers who came to the United States from other countries to develop successfully, except for Elton_John a few years later, almost no foreign solo singers had succeeded, not to mention that Wang Zijun was still a yellow race.

That's why the record companies and the media didn't think he'd be successful, even if he sang good songs.

Those bigwigs of record companies will never understand the deepest thoughts hidden in the hearts of today's grassroots youth, in addition to the moving melody of "Hotel California", what can really resonate with countless young people is its lyrics.

Those young people who have long been numb, after hearing "Hotel California", it is like being pricked by a needle in the heart, and they suddenly feel it. Many people buy the record, sit directly in front of the record player, and listen to the song all day and all night (not only in the United States, but later in China, the song came to China, and many Chinese rock fans have the experience of listening to "Hotel California" all night).

Like the spread of the plague, "Hotel California" is centered on Los Angeles and California, and quickly radiates like the whole of the United States. The single sold 15,000 copies in its first week, ranking 24th on the weekly album chart. This is still not a good publicity, Wang Zijun's popularity is close to zero, as more and more nightclubs, bars, shops, and radio broadcast "Hotel California", the daily sales of records have soared rapidly.

The major record companies and media found out that under their noses, a single record from a singer they didn't know appeared out of thin air.

Some people who knew Ron immediately called him, and after learning that Ron had opened a small record label, some lost interest, and some quickly established a relationship with Ron.

But most of the media and fans have no idea about the singers, producers and companies of this record.

The characters on the album packaging don't give fans any answers, and the entire package cover is in dark gold tones, the deserts and mountains are common in Southern California, and the hotels in faraway places have only one outline. The person with the guitar on his back also walks against the camera with his back to the camera, and he can't even tell his race and age at all.

The only time Wang Zijun appeared in public in the United States was when he performed in Southern California, but unfortunately there was no Internet at this time, and without the help of the media, the news spread very slowly.

Now most people only know that the singer of "Hotel California" is a Chinese singer.

While everyone was speculating, "Hotel California" sold 70,000 copies in the second week, ranking 13th on the national singles weekly chart.

This scared everyone, and the people who said that "Hotel California" was just popular by luck shut up.

Don't underestimate the place of rock in the hearts of young Americans at this time, as a symbol of an independent and free spirit, a tool for them to fight against the secular world.

Five years ago, the Woodstock Rock Festival gathered 500,000 rock fans from all over the country because of the call of four unknown young people and countless media reports. They are utterly disillusioned with the deteriorating American economy, disgusted by the wars that cost countless young people their lives, and delusional about building Woodstock Rock Festival into a musical utopia of "love and peace."

It's a pity that this is just delusional.

The success of the Woodstock Rock Festival was immediately targeted by businessmen, and the second Rock Festival became a commercial tool for collecting money.

Rock festivals succumb to money, rock singers succumb to record companies, and rock 'n' roll gradually loses its free spirit, which makes countless young people sad but helpless.

"Hotel California" is like a magnet, sucking out the needle hidden in people's hearts and facing the pain; Like a leather whip, it tortures the hearts of young people. …,

Wang Zijun and Ron's Free_Well record label now have singers and rock lovers from all over the United States every day, just like they want to meet the singers of "Hotel California".

Some just want to have a hug with the singer, some want to say thank you to the singer, and even come with a pilgrimage mentality, in a vain attempt to regain the rock and roll dream they once had.

Wang Zijun is in no mood to care about these fans at this time, he is now being made big by the movie.

First of all, the casting problem, after more than a week of interviews, the supporting roles have basically been finalized, but unfortunately the actor and heroine and the important supporting role of Ota (black female psychic) can not find a suitable one.

In other words, Wang Zijun's requirements for these three roles are too high, and when auditioning, many actors got his assistant Lazim. George's approval was completely denied by Wang Zijun.

In addition to the actors, the biggest problem is the special effects of the movie, the special effects in the original film, which were considered the most advanced in the nineties, and now it is almost impossible to restore them.

For this reason, Wang Zijun had to put aside the problem of casting, and with the help of Lazim, he summoned four professional special effects personnel. These people turned out to be part of the 20th Century Fox special effects department. Two years ago, 20th Century Fox completely eliminated its own film special effects department due to the reduction of expenses, and all the staff of its department were laid off and unemployed, which was cheaper Wang Zijun.

Kuks. Barnett, 35, has been in the film special effects industry for 12 years and specializes in model building.

Evan. Bunier, 44, has been in the film special effects industry for 30 years and specializes in optical applications.

Root. Benjamin, 42 years old, has been engaged in the film special effects industry for 21 years and is good at WIA technology.

Barry. Charles Dickens, 40 years old, has been in the film special effects industry for 16 years and specializes in makeup techniques.

These four people, in today's Hollywood, although their skills are not top-notch, they are also first-class. Wang Zijun never thought that he would be able to gather these people so smoothly, thanks to 20th Century Fox.

In fact, 20th Century Fox was also helpless, losing money year after year in the past few years, and had to lay off personnel. If it weren't for "Star Wars", which will start filming next year, it would have to be removed from Hollywood in a few years.

Wang Zijun is now staying with the four of them in an abandoned factory, and from last year to now, I don't know how many factories and mines in the United States have closed, and such factories can be seen everywhere.

However, a wooden sign was erected outside the factory building, which read Industria_Light_and_Magic (Industrial Optical Magic Company).

Well, Wang Zijun put George. The name of ILM, which Lucas only established the next year, was shamelessly plagiarized. Anyway, Lucas also re-established his own special effects company because 20th Century Fox withdrew the special effects department, and he had no way to shoot "Star Wars". If Wang Zijun took the initiative to find him, Lucas would only go to get the special effects company to come out.

The four special effects crews, plus Wang Zijun and his assistant Lazim, are now having a headache because of the same problem - through the wall.

In "People and Ghosts", the male protagonist is a ghost, who wears through walls, people, vehicles, and various objects, which is the top priority of the special effects of this movie.

Kuks. Barnett said: "There is an old way, that is, through the printing of optical devices, coupled with the shutdown of shooting, by building a human body mold, little by little to shoot separately, and finally achieve the effect of penetrating the wall. ”

Wang Zijun frowned and said: "Let's not talk about whether it is realistic or not, how much time does it take?" ”

Kuks. Barnett replied, "It depends on how many cuts there are in the movie." It takes at least a week to shoot a 30-second footage of such an object, and this is still a one-time shot. If you add the running subway, this is more difficult to shoot, and the time is at least twice as long. ”

Evan. "How about shooting with movable film photography?" This may reduce the time a bit. ”…,

Cooks nodded and said, "It's okay, these methods can be combined, it depends on how the boss chooses." ”

"What about the Grim Reaper?" Wang Zijun said, "I want the kind of body that looks like a cloud of black smoke, yes, the illusory feeling of black ink immersed in clear water." ”

"It's easy," Evan laughs, "and let Cooks make a Grim Reaper model with some special treatment." During the filming, Rout used his coercion to drag the two Grim Reaper models and the actors back together, and then do some local atomization treatment in the later stage. ”

"Okay. You're all professionals, and I'm giving you the storyboard. I've marked all the places where you need to use special effects technology, and if you discuss it with each other, if you don't have the money or the tools or the manpower, you can contact Lazim, who was my assistant in the film. Wang Zijun said, "I have to choose actors now, I can't make a movie without them." ”

After shaking hands with several people one by one, Wang Zijun walked towards the company tiredly. Yesterday, I was in charge of the auditions of more than 100 actors, and when I got up early in the morning to discuss with these special effects personnel, Wang Zijun's head was a little dizzy.

This kind of day has to go on until the actors are chosen.

When Wang Zijun said to the company, the actors who came to participate in the audition had already arrived.

The first to come in was a middle-aged man with black curly hair named James. Jerry.

"You're auditioning for lead actor Sam?" Wang Zijun asked.

"Yes." James saw that the examiner was an Asian, and he didn't underestimate it. In Hollywood, a highly competitive place, there are countless professional and non-professional actors waiting to eat every day, not to mention that the examiner is Asian, even if it is a dog, he has to serve well.

Wang Zijun asked: "Have you ever been an actor before?" What roles have you played? Have you ever played an important role. ”

James said with some trepidation: "I've played a lot of roles like truck drivers, cops, prisoners and corpses. once played the male number five. ”

Wang Zijun said: "First of all, Sam is a ghost, a ghost who refuses to ascend to heaven because he is reluctant to love his lover. You come to show the panicked, dazed, and unbelievable look of him who has just turned from a human to a ghost. ”

"I'll try." James lay on the ground and pretended to be dead, then stood up again, looked at his hands with his mouth wide open, and then scratched around in the void, as if trying to grasp something but couldn't, and then walked a few more steps, fluttering like drunk.

"That's good," Wang Zijun nodded, although this person's performance can only be regarded as decent and superficial, but Wang Zijun, who really can't find an actor, can only pull out the general among the dwarfs, "Now that hanger over there is your lover, you go and show what it looks like to meet her by chance." ”

"Oh, Darling Darling, I'm Sam, you look at me, I'm here......" James grabbed at the hanger with one hand on his chest and the other hand spread forward.

"I'll go" Wang Zijun couldn't bear to watch it again, if his previous performance was superficial, then he was acting in a drama now.

One morning passed, a total of more than 20 people came to the audition, but none of them met Wang Zijun's requirements. In fact, this is also reasonable, firstly, because Wang Zijun has too high requirements for several main actors, and secondly, because the director and production company of this film are not famous, and actors who are a little famous will not come to audition. In that case, how much hope can you have for a bunch of actors who have only run through the tricks?

"Lazim, do you have any suitable actors to recommend to me?" Wang Zijun said, "Even those very famous actors are fine, I will take the script and try it with them." ”

Lazim thought for a moment and said, "I haven't thought of an actor who is suitable for playing Ota yet." But I think the male protagonist Sam can make Jack. Nicholson to play, the heroine can make Audrey. Hepburn acted. ”…,

"You're really welcome." Wang Zijun rolled his eyes, Audrey. Hepburn everyone knows, so there is no need to say more. Just say this Jack. Nicholson, who has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards, won 3 awards, and won 7 Golden Globe Awards. Although he is not as famous as he was later, he is relatively powerful, such an actor recklessly came to the door, and it is estimated that he was kicked out directly.

The script of "The Love of Ghosts" is good, but even the original version in the 90s, the director was heartbroken by the casting of the actor. At that time, I found many well-known actors, but they were all rejected for only one reason - I didn't want to play ghosts.

Lazim looked at Wang Zijun and said, "Boss, why don't you direct and act by yourself." Haven't you ever been an actor? ”。 Wang Zijun said: "It's not that I haven't thought about it, but can the current American audience accept a yellow person and a beautiful American woman in love, the villain is still a handsome white guy, but the supporting role in the front is a black man?" ”。

"Why can't you accept it?" Lazim said, "To put a Chinese-American identity on the male protagonist is to add a little white character through makeup." ”

"That's one way." Wang Zijun thought about it for a long time, and felt that it was really boring to drag on the casting issue any longer, "But, what about the heroine's problem?" ”

Lazim spread his hands and said, "Maybe you can really go find Audrey. Hepburn, she's been idle at home for several years, maybe she's thinking about coming out to make a movie. Besides, the content of this movie is very popular with women, and as soon as she was moved, she might have agreed. ”

Audrey. Hepburn is in her forties, and the heroine in the script is only in her twenties. Wang Zijun imagined the impression of Audrey. Hepburn's appearance is really close to the temperament of the heroine in the later "Ghost Love".

I just don't know how old Hepburn is, and his body is out of shape, and he ...... it.