The next day, in the morning.

Ji Cheng went to the company, dealt with some affairs a little, and then flew to Chicago.

When he was on the plane, he was thinking about the movie "Chicago".

According to the information he gathered from the modern society, "Chicago" actually did not shoot much in Chicago, most of it was filmed in Toronto, and it stands to reason that it should not stay in Chicago for more than a month.

Ji Cheng estimated that the director probably wanted to save money or for some other reason, so he put the film in the studio to shoot.

In fact, shooting in the studio is nothing, as long as the quality of the shooting is good.

He wasn't too opposed.

The premise is still that sentence, the shooting is good.

The plane set sail, first class.

"Mr. Cheng, you are the richest man in the world, and you flew to Chicago for a movie?" Tom asked, a little puzzled.

Derek, who has always been a reticent man, agreed, "yes, you have a lot of energy, so much effort for a movie? The box office of a movie is only one or two hundred million US dollars, and after removing the cost, publicity, theater and other expenses, it may be tens of millions of dollars, so it is better for you to buy some stocks and futures to make a lot of money."

Ji Cheng looked to the side with a smile, "There are some commercial things you don't understand, the box office of this movie is one thing, it may not make too much money, but the repercussions are not only its own value, but also may gain huge added value, for example, now that Huaying Pictures has been delisted, if it needs to be relisted one day, then how can I turn my equity into a huge amount of cash?"

Tom snorted and guessed, "Investor confidence?"

"Yes, investor confidence." Ji Cheng nodded, and asked rhetorically again, "Then how to make investors have the confidence to invest?"

Derek recklessly shook his head without thinking about hearing this question.

Tom pondered for a moment, then said tentatively, "Performance?"

"That's right." Ji Cheng snapped his fingers, "Only investors with performance will have confidence that the biggest performance of the film industry is the box office, followed by the peripherals, such as video tapes, you may only see a box office of one or two hundred million US dollars, tens of millions of dollars in revenue, in fact, the impact and added value it invisibly causes far more than these, in addition, an excellent film work, it can not only make you get a good box office, if the future enters the electronic age, maybe its streaming media copyright income is more than the current box office revenue."

"Streaming rights? What's that?" Tom asked, curious.

Ji Cheng realized that he had revealed too much information, so he casually said perfunctorily, "Oh, a new concept I came up with has not been implemented yet."

After speaking, he thought about the future development of Huaying Pictures.

Yes, film and television works in the current era basically rely on the box office, ratings and peripherals to survive, but it is different in the era of computers and mobile phones, and then streaming media alone can make film and television companies make a lot of money.

For example, the "Big Bang Theory" sitcom produced by CBDR, which sold more than $600 million to WarnerMedia for streaming rights alone, and another media report that was $1 billion.

In fact, WarnerMedia can make more profit from it.

This is not a joke, such as "Friends," a sitcom that makes Warner Bros. a billion dollars a year, and six of its leading actors also rely on "Friends" to make a huge fortune, each of them receives about two percent of the copyright share a year, or 20 million.

There is also the movie "Knives Out", which cost $40 million to produce and earned $311 million at the global box office. $469 million! More than the global box office revenue!

This is still the streaming royalty of one film, what if there are ten? What if a hundred, a thousand?

Of course, the vast majority of film works can't stand the test of time, but this is not the case with excellent works, Ji Cheng only needs to give Hua Yingying

The industry makes two or three classic films every year, and in the future, even if the company sits there, it can have a huge copyright fee every year.

That's why he attaches so much importance to it.

Besides, if Ji Cheng wants to sell Huaying Pictures to Sony at a sky-high price, he also needs to show performance, there are not a few blockbuster films, why should people pay billions of dollars to buy your company?

……

After more than two hours of flight, the plane landed at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Today, O'Hare International Airport is the world's busiest airport and has a lot of people.

As soon as Ji Cheng and the others got off the plane, they were found blocked by reporters.

Fortunately, Li Kai led someone to help him block it.

The three of them then got into a car from the company's Chicago office and rushed to the hotel.

In the car.

Ji Cheng is communicating with Li Kai.

"Except for outdoor shooting, the movie was shot in the studio?"

"Yes, it was all filmed in the studio in Essane."

"I didn't propose to shoot in Toronto, why didn't I carry it out?"

"Howard said there was no need to waste money and go to Toronto."

"Howard. Bruckner? Hasn't he died yet?"

"Huh? Why did he die?"

Ji Cheng was speechless for a while, and said in his heart that according to the information he had gathered from modern society, Howard. Bruckner should have died after filming "The Last Night on Broadway", why is this time and space still alive? Yes, it must be another butterfly effect, but time and space are corrective, and it stands to reason that this person should be revised even if he is affected by himself and has not died for the time being, so why did he still direct "Chicago"?

He suddenly thought of one thing, and that was Howard. Bruckner died after directing "The Last Night on Broadway", and this time and space "The Last Night on Broadway" project was cut by himself. Bruckner was stimulated by the bad movie "The Last Night on Broadway" to cause an outbreak of illness and died, and now he is not stimulated by the bad movie, so he is still alive temporarily?

Wait!

The fate of this guy is destined to make a bad movie and then die?

Ji Cheng couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, if he analyzed it like this, wouldn't it mean that "Chicago" would be replaced by Howard. Bruckner made a bad movie?

Depend on!

This film was carefully selected by my buddies to turn over Huaying Pictures, and if it is made into a bad movie, I am afraid it will be difficult for the company to turn over.

No, you can't let this guy direct.

Ji Cheng thought about it in his head, thinking about how to dismiss Howard together. Bruckner, you must not fire You Yu without reason, otherwise you will offend the entire director industry, and no one will be willing to work for you in the future.

After a while, came to the hotel.

As soon as he came up, Ji Cheng asked Li Kai to bring the original film that had been filmed so far to show him.

Li Kai immediately asked the staff of Huaying Pictures to bring the playback equipment.

A few people watched the film that had been filmed in the room, and it had not yet been edited and produced in post-production.

But Ji Cheng felt that it was wrong at first glance.

He's seen "Chicago" in the modern world, which begins with a night in an onyx nightclub, then a black announcer counts down to five, four, three, two, one, and then jazz music plays, from the ornate chandeliers to the bustling audience passing through the hall, and then step by step introduces the theme from the viewer's point of view.

But now the film is filmed, and it first talks about a narrative perspective, which is very dull and makes people drowsy.

Ji Cheng couldn't help frowning, and asked uncertainly, "This opening chapter will be edited into memories or flashbacks, right?"

"Huh?" Li Kai didn't understand what it meant, "Howard said that this is the beginning, he didn't say that he would edit, and he also said that I should use this opening as a promotion."

Ji Cheng was speechless for a while, "Do you think this opening is interesting?"

Li Kai said honestly: "I don't think it's interesting, but Howard is a director, and you know how much power a director has, even if I'm the chairman of the company, Ji

Ben can't be judgmental about the film."

That's right.

Since World War II, it has entered the period of "authorship" films.

Especially since the eighties, accompanied by Francis. Ford. Coppola, Martin. Scorsese, George. Lucas and Steven. With the strong rise of directors such as Spielberg, the power of directors to produce films is getting bigger and bigger, and even the right to final editing.

You must know that the final editing rights should belong to the producer.

But Ji Cheng to Howard. Bruckner was very dissatisfied with the film, and he said to Li Kai bluntly, "Fire him."

Li Kai said in a cold sweat: "Mr. Cheng, if we open him like this, what will happen to the Directors Guild? If you really can't hire a director when you go back, if you want to fire him, at least there must be a valid reason."

Ji Cheng pointed to the film that was still playing, "Isn't it a legitimate reason to shoot so badly?"

Li Kai said with a wry smile: "We think it's useless, and when we look back, people can say that they haven't edited well, and the post-production has not been completed, for all kinds of reasons, it's difficult to get it."

Ji Cheng thought about it.

He thought about it for a moment, "Let's go to the set first."

"Okay."

……

Essane Studio.

Ji Cheng and Li Kai were filming when they came by car.

At present, it seems that Aniston and Madonna's rivalry scene has been filmed.

Ji Cheng and Li drove out of the car and stood at the door without alerting the staff in the studio.

The setting is in the prison reading room, and Madonna, who plays Velma, absentmindedly says her thoughts to the actor playing Billy, "Do you know what I do on the witness stand? I think I'm going to have tears streaming down my face, asking you for a handkerchief, and peeking at the jurors like this......" she sat down on the table, "...... What do you think of showing a little thigh?"

Billy: "Seems good."

At this point, Billy shows his attention behind Velma.

Madonna turned her head and saw Aniston, dressed in a stunning role as Roxie, appear in the doorway.

After a graceful appearance from Aniston, he walked towards Billy.

Ji Cheng was very satisfied with the performance of Madonna and Aniston when he saw this, because what he saw from "Chicago" in modern society is the feeling of this performance.

However, director Howard. Bruckner suddenly shouted to stop, and then called Aniston and Madonna over and scolded them severely.

"Fake!"

"How many times do I have to teach you a walking position?"

"We're making movies, not Broadway stage plays, Aniston, you're acting like you're acting in a stage play, you're a waste of performance!"

Howard. Bruckner has a very hot temper, and even the queen of the singing industry like Madonna is scolded silently, which can be imagined how harsh it is.

Aniston is now making a movie for the first time, and her eyes are hazy when she is scolded, as if she may cry at any time, but she is holding back, and tears are just rolling in her eyes.

Ji Cheng couldn't help frowning, what does it mean to not be a stage play? The movie "Chicago" was originally a song and dance comedy, and it needed to bring some stage drama style in it, and Aniston and Madonna's performance just now couldn't be more consistent.

This director has a problem with his comprehension.

Li Kai lowered his voice and said, "Mr. Cheng, do you want to go in and talk to Howard?"

"No, let's see."

Ji Cheng still wants to give Howard. Bruckner's last chance, or rather, to give it another chance in the face of the Directors Guild.

Filming soon resumed.

But it didn't take long for it to be stopped again.

Aniston and Madonna were again replaced by Howard. Bruckner was scolded, and this time it wasn't just the two of them, but even the actor who played Billy was scolded.

This was repeated about a dozen times.

Ji Cheng's two eyebrows were about to be squeezed together, and he looked sideways to the side, "How much film did he waste by shooting like this?"

Li Kai said with a wry smile: "The normal shooting film ratio is 3.5 to 1, and Howard's shooting method, the current film ratio has reached 7 to 1, which is twice the film consumption of normal shooting, and ...... And ......"

"And what?" Ji Cheng asked.

Li Kai said helplessly: "Originally, we had a budget to shoot an average of 11 to 13 shots a day, but Howard now shoots up to seven shots a day, sometimes five or six, which greatly extends the shooting cycle, and I am afraid that the budget will not be able to sustain the end of filming."

Nima!

This grandson is a waste of my money!

Ji Cheng really couldn't sit still this time, you must know that this "Chicago" is funded by Joaquin Capital, which is equivalent to his full ownership, Howard not only increased the cost of filming, but also extended the filming schedule, the company's budget included publicity and distribution of a total of 20 million US dollars, if it was filmed according to Howard, I am afraid that the last 30 million or 40 million is possible.

You must know that this film was released in 2002 and the North American box office was only 170 million US dollars, who knows if it can achieve such a high box office result in the current era?

Maybe it's possible.

Assuming that this film finally achieves a box office of 100 million US dollars, and the production cost is 40 million, Ji Cheng may lose money!

But if the cost is only 20 million US dollars, as long as the box office meets expectations, it is basically impossible to lose money.

No way!

This guy has to be fired!

Otherwise, buddy will lose a lot!

Ji Cheng's gaze became firm, and he stood at the door and pondered for a while, pondering how to fire Howard for a valid reason. Bruckner, and it will not cause the Directors Guild to boycott itself.