"That's the way it is, I need a way to solve the problem right now." Inside Miramax's break room, Anthony? Minghella said this to his assistant director and several assistants.

He brought them over, originally wanting to get things done here in one go, so that the preparation of the movie would not drag on any longer, but who knew that it was still a stalemate. And the assistants, you have seen me, I look at you, staring at each other, not knowing what to say for a while, if you say the wrong thing at this time, you may be reprimanded and lose a lot of points.

Half an hour later, the assistant director Steve who worked happily with Minghella in the last film? E. Andrews spoke, "Or can we have Jude play Ripley and another actor as Dick?" ”

"No, Jude is better suited to Dick, he has that temperament." Minghella categorically denied it.

"Weishenme: We can't look for other sources of funding." With Andrews leading the way, an assistant also spoke.

It's a pity that Minghella unceremoniously refuted: "Stupid! Haven't you read the contract? ”

If it weren't for the fact that the contract stipulates that the investment in the film must be operated by Miramax, and a single individual cannot pull the investment at will alone, Minghella would still need to whisper here? He was extremely angry at the mention of this, and he never thought that Weinstein would bury such a sum in the contract, so the assistant who didn't figure it out was unlucky.

Of course, no matter how stupid people are, they will not mention giving up the final editing rights in exchange, which is a symbol of power, and most of the directors who are deprived of this power are because the film has failed, how can there be a like Weinstein. It's just that this can't be that can't, and everyone has nothing to say again, and Minghella glanced at them, and couldn't help but show a look of disappointment.

Then, a voice rang out: "Maybe we can come to an audition, an audition for the newcomer." ”

"Oh?" Minghella looked over in surprise, was that Dakkers? Roman, one of the assistants, is usually a bit unremarkable.

"Tell me about it." He looked at him with interest.

"Just now Mr. Minghella said that Weinstein Zuihou told us to go to the rookie actors to choose the leading actor, I think, we Weishenme don't do it?" Roman said.

"And then let an unknown guy be the leading actor?" Someone sneered and whispered.

"Go on." Minghella didn't care at all and motioned for Roman to continue.

"We're going to have to be very formal, and it's going to look like that, and we need a lot of fanfare, but we're going to have to let Miramax know what we're going to do, and then we're going to put pressure on them: you see, if you don't want to invest more, and you want us to choose the lead actor from among the newcomers, then we're going to do it, and if the film fails, you're mainly responsible." Roman spread his hands, "At the same time, we can put pressure on the actors: you see, because your asking price is so high, we have to find new actors, and you are missing out on a good role." ”

If the first sentence tickled Minghella's heart, the second sentence scratched even deeper, he had already taken a fancy to several actors before, and the contact was not bad, and the other party was very interested in this role. But the problem is that the lowest price among them is 5 million, and Minghella, who has already spent a lot of money on the salary, can't afford to pay, so he finds a way to ask Miramax for additional investment.

"It's ridiculous."

"That's too rash."

"Isn't it a deception to gather some actors to audition and Zuihou tell them not to use it?"

"Weinstein is not a fool, so how can he not see that we are posturing?"

The other assistants were talking nonsense, basically criticizing, and Minghella, who was groaning, was noncommittal, and Zuihou looked at his assistant director, Andrews.

"I think we can try," Andrews said after a moment's thought, "and we didn't promise that someone would get the role for it, so it's not cheating, and as long as it works properly, no one can blame us." As for Weinstein, it's up to us and him to see who has the better patience. ”

"So be it." Minghella thought for a moment, and then made a decision.

He didn't mind using this means to achieve his ends, and as for Weinstein's side, he didn't care, and soon someone would send the information over-

"You say...... Anthony? Minghella them, ready for a new round of auditions, and also auditions for new actors? Weinstein looked at the man in front of him with some bewilderment.

"Yes, Mr. Weinstein, and Minghella they're doing it very formally, they've started contacting agencies and the Screen Actors Guild." The person in front of him replied respectfully.

Weinstein smacked his lips, and after a moment, he picked up the cigar in his hand and took two puffs: "Ignore it for now, let them work, they just want to put pressure on me." ”

Then, he glanced at the person in front of him, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table: "Hoberg, you are also one of the executive producers of "The Genius Ripley", and you have to take on your own responsibilities. ”

"Yes, sir, I'll take care of it." Hoberg owes a debt and exits the office, a few simple words, but both sides know what it means.

Taking another puff of his cigar, Weinstein leaned back in his chair and slowly exhaled the smoke ring: "Okay, Anthony, then it's up to us who is more patient." ”

It's not that he has the heart to embarrass Minghella, but after the success of "The English Patient", Minghella has become an A-level director, and it is inevitable that he will want to get more rights in filmmaking. But in Weinstein's view, Miramax was at least half the credit for the film's popularity, but Minghella now seems a little carried away and intolerable.

So he decided to knock him down a little, so he asked the lawyer to bury a hidden foreshadowing in the contract, Minghella is British, and this little trick will not cause much backlash in Hollywood. Besides, Weinstein didn't plan to keep it like this, and getting back the final editing rights was just a gesture, as long as Minghella showed a little weakness, he would immediately put on the appearance of releasing his previous suspicions, and the additional investment was also a trivial matter.

Weinstein laughed, pressed the cigar into the ashtray, and then got up and moved himself comfortably, with a smug face, as if he had seen the future.

Not to mention Weinstein's idea, under the operation of Minghella and his assistants, the crew of "The Genius Ripley", which is still in preparation, is about to cast the actor again, and the news is very large, has spread rapidly in Hollywood. Although the media didn't know much about it because of its deliberate low profile, well-informed agents still rushed over like sharks that smelled blood.

Who made Minghella famous? At the end of last year, "The English Patient" not only won the 69th Oscars for Best Film and Best Director, but also made Juliet? Binoche became one of the few French actresses to win an acting award at the Oscars, so even if they felt that there might be something wrong with it, the actors still came to the audition with a glimmer of hope that they might be favored.

"How?" After another rookie actor came to audition, assistant director Andrews leaned into Minghella's ear and asked.

"There are a few that are not bad." Minghella said so.

Since you have to pretend to be very formal, as a director, it is normal to go to the audition location to have a look. Of course, Minghella is not always there, and there are many people participating in the audition this time, so it is generally the actors or agents who submit their resumes first, and several assistants will select according to the requirements of the director, and then the casting director who is in charge of the casting will preside over the first round of auditions.

The first round of auditions has a lot of room to play, but it is too big, and it is generally a topic that is selected, and then performed according to this topic on the spot, and the assistants and casting directors present will eliminate another batch according to the specific situation. In the second round of auditions, the actors who participated in the audition will get a script for "The Talented Ripley", and this is when Minghella will come to see it.

But just to see, although it is true that a few good new actors have been found, some things are already predestined, and it is impossible for Minghella to use a lesser-known actor as the male lead in this film. So, at this moment, he looked at his watch and prepared to get up and leave.

Sitting on the other side of the? Roman couldn't help but be a little anxious, wanting to say a few words to stay, but he couldn't think of a suitable reason, and when he was in a dilemma, the next candidate had already walked in. Minghella was stunned, and sat back with his raised buttocks, and everyone had already come in, and it would be a bit rude for him to leave regardless of it. Although as a director and producer, he is understandable to do this, but he feels a little guilty in his heart, so he sits down again, which also makes Roman breathe a sigh of relief.

It was a young man, about twenty years old, with dark brown hair and features that looked obviously mixed-race, but he gave him a very sunny look. The script he gets is that Ripley impersonates Dick after killing him on the spur of the moment, only to be discovered by Freddy in person.

This scene is not easy, Ripley has to be nervous and worried about what the other party will find out, but also have to be calm and not let the other person find out something, and at the same time have to endure the cynicism of the other party. To get that contradictory emotion just right, many veteran actors may not be able to do it, let alone these young people.

But this is also one of Minghella's tactics, using this method to eliminate as many people as possible, lest they say that they are deliberately fooling.

"In fact, the only one like Dick's...... It's you! ”

"It's not that much like it."

"Have you ever had your hair?"

"What do you want to say, Freddy?"

"What?"

"What do you want to say?"

"I think I'm talking about something wrong, either he changed his faith or something else happened."

"I'd suggest you go to Dick yourself and ask, the Otello restaurant is at the corner of the street."

"Right at the intersection of the streets? You're a fast learner, aren't you? Last time you couldn't even tell the difference between elbow and butt in Italian, now you can show me the way. It's so unfair, you might be able to tell the difference between your ass and your elbow...... We'll zaijian noodles. ”

“Cut！”