Three days later.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Li Mu got up and went out after changing into a formal suit, and after leaving the community, he called a taxi and went straight to Zhongying.

China Film Group was established in February 1999 by eight units, including the former China Film Company, Beijing Film Studio, China Children's Film Studio, China Film Co-production Company, China Film Equipment Company, and Film Channel Program Center.

When he came to Zhongying, he looked at the time, 9:40, and there were still 20 minutes before the agreed time.

After asking the route, Li Mu went straight to Han Sanping's office as deputy director, and before he had walked a few steps, a middle-aged man walked across the street.

"You're Director Li, right? I am Han Dong's assistant, my surname is Zhang, Han Dong and several other guests are already in the office. ”

Li Mu nodded, then followed Assistant Zhang, and asked as he walked, "May I ask, who is in Han Dong's office now?" ”

Assistant Zhang said with a smile: "There is President Yu of Bernard, President Wang Zhonglei of Huayi, and Director of Xiying Yan." ”

Li Mu asked again: "Did the three bosses arrive early?" ”

The assistant smiled: "I just arrived." ”

Li Mu nodded and didn't continue to ask.

When I entered Han Dong's office, I saw several presidents sitting around the coffee table, and Deputy Director Han Sanping was facing the direction of the door, so I saw Li Mu come in first.

"Li Mu, come, sit."

"Okay."

"Director Yan, Mr. Yu, Mr. Wang."

"Sit, Sit, ......"

After greeting several CEOs one by one, Li Mu found a vacant seat to sit down, and Assistant Zhang came over and poured Li Mu a cup of tea before withdrawing.

Everyone first said some innocuous little things to liven up the atmosphere, and then quickly got to the point.

Han Sanping first said: ""Hurricane Rescue" is one of the benchmark works of Chinese films going overseas in recent years, especially in the context of Hollywood movies conquering cities all over the world, and even Europe, the birthplace of movies, has been impacted and can only survive in the background, "Hurricane Rescue" can achieve a global box office result of 270 million US dollars, which is even more commendable, and the superior's evaluation of "Hurricane Rescue" is twelve words: good results, guard against arrogance and rashness, and forge ahead. ”

Wang Zhonglei said: "What's more difficult is that Xiying and Cheng Long dare to adopt the sharing model, the buyout price of 25 million US dollars, a few months ago, it was a sky-high price, but now it is a blood loss, Director Yan, you have earned two to three times more income this time." ”

Yan Yiyun said with a smile: "I'm ashamed, I was against signing a buyout contract at that time, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to receive the money, but it was Li Mu's idea, let's find the National Credit Insurance Company, and through the means of credit insurance, we will pass on the risks of delayed payment or non-payment, underreporting box office revenue, and over-use of copyrights by the buyer, but I didn't expect it to happen." ”

Yu Dong said: "The success of "Hurricane Rescue" shows that kung fu movies are still promising in the world, and Cheng Long and Li Lian have global influence, so we must make persistent efforts to achieve greater results. ”

Then everyone looked at Li Mu, and then heard Han Sanping say again: "Li Lian asked Li Mu to write the script by name, in fact, his vision is quite vicious, if the new movie only wants to sell well in China, then you can find someone else, there is not no good screenwriter in China." ”

"If you just want a new movie to be a big seller abroad, you can also find someone else, and there are also many excellent screenwriters abroad. But if you want a new movie to be a global hit like "Hurricane Rescue", and blossom both domestically and internationally, I'm afraid it really has to be Li Mu. ”

"I also recently heard that Li Mu also published a book in the United States, which sold 8 million copies in 8 months, and it is almost a sure thing that it will exceed 10 million copies a year ago. It is impossible for a native of China to achieve such results without a considerable understanding of the psychology of Westerners, and this is the guarantee that the new film will be sold internationally. ”

Li Mu said: "The Hunger Games" can have today's results, there may be a considerable element of luck. ”

Han Sanping laughed and said: ""The Hunger Games" is a fluke, and "Hurricane Rescue" is also a fluke, if there are really so many lucks, it will even more show that you Li Mu is a lucky general, sometimes the lucky general is better than the brave general." ”

Several people in the office laughed when they heard this.

Then Han Sanping Zhengse asked, "How is it, is there any difficulty?" Pull the two kung fu hurricanes together to have a peak showdown, this is the long-cherished wish of the people of the whole country, what difficulties do you mention, several of us here today are pivotal figures in the film circle, in order to meet the wishes of the people of the whole country, everyone has to cross the sea with eight immortals, each showing their magical powers. ”

Li Mu groaned: "The biggest difficulty is to balance the coffee positions of Li Lian and Cheng Long, with the status of the two in the film industry now, as well as their international prestige, neither of them is likely to accept that they are inferior to each other, the roles of the two in the movie must be equal, good and evil, and even kung fu strength must be equal, this is no longer dancing with shackles, but being tied up with five flowers and asking you to dance at the same time, which is almost an impossible task." ”

Several of them groaned.

Everyone knows that what Li Mu said is the truth, but now Li Lian asked Li Mu to write it by name, Cheng Long has even more trust in Li Mu, and when filming "Hurricane Rescue", he can listen to Li Mu's persuasion and cancel the plan to add action scenes, so today's script can almost only be written by Li Mu.

In the end, Han Sanping broke the silence and said: "It's true that I'm dancing under the five flowers, but in my opinion, writing a novel that sells 8 million copies in the United States in 8 months is even more difficult than climbing to the sky." You can climb to the sky, and there is no reason why you can't dance under the big flowers. But since things are extremely difficult, the remuneration can't be rich, so I propose, if this thing is done, give Li Mu a 3% dividend at the global box office, what do you think? ”

Several people didn't express their stance for the first time and gave Li Mu a 3% dividend, so what about Cheng Long and Li Lian? Do you want to give another 6% per person? That adds up to 15% of the global box office.

In the end, it was Yan Yiyun who was the first to say: "Giving Li Mu 3% of the global box office dividend is not much. ”

He glanced at a few people and continued: "Li Mu's "The Hunger Games" has only been written for a few months, and it has sold 8 million copies now, and it may sell 10 million copies in the future, or even 15 million copies, according to the pricing and royalties in the United States, this is nearly 30 million US dollars, not counting the income from a series of rights and interests such as the follow-up film adaptation rights, as well as other benefits in the following decades. Li Mu takes 3% of the global box office, so how many billions does it take for Li Mu to share 30 million US dollars? Not to mention that if Li Mu responds, the energy spent on this movie may far exceed the energy spent on "The Hunger Games". ”

Li Mu glanced at Yan Yiyun gratefully, Yan Yiyun had no expression, and had a completely matter-of-fact attitude.

Then several people expressed their positions:

"Yes."

"If it can be recognized by both Li Lian and Cheng Long, I have no opinion."

"Agreed."

Then everyone's eyes fell on Li Mu's face again.

Li Mu said: "I tried my best, but this matter is too difficult, I am not sure, if it is messed up in the end, a few bosses should not blame." ”

Everyone laughed.

"Just do your best."

"There is nothing in the world that can be assured."

"Success comes from breaking through."

Han Sanping asked again: "What else do you want, just mention it now, while everyone is here, let's discuss it." ”

Li Mu groaned: "If the project is completed, can I be the director this time?" ”

The others stopped talking.

The investment of five or six million US dollars may not be enough, the first collision between Cheng Long and Li Lian, the peak showdown between the two kung fu superstars, is expected to surpass the project of "Hurricane Rescue", but Li Mu, a person who has never been a director, directs it......

Everyone has indeed heard that director Li Mu has good skills, and even director Huang Jianxin commented that Li Mu himself is fully capable of being the director of "Hurricane Rescue", but after all, this time has a lot to stake.

If it's just an ordinary movie, or even a big-budget movie with an investment of 70 or 80 million yuan, Li Mu can be used.

But this time......

And it's unlikely that two foreign investment companies, Lionsgate and Columbia Pictures, will accept a pure newcomer to direct.

Han Sanping groaned: "This project is a Sino-foreign co-production, the director candidate, not our side can decide by ourselves, if the director uses the words of our country, I am afraid that foreign companies can only accept directors of the level of Zhang Yimou and Li Yan, and they can only be fought for through difficult negotiations." ”

Then he changed his style: "I have seen your performance in "Hurricane Rescue", and it can be said that you have the potential to be a star, otherwise, you will arrange yourself a role in the top three scenes in the script as compensation, and at the same time, like in "Hurricane Rescue", give you a position as an assistant director, what do you think?" ”

Li Mu pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, I'll do my best." ”

……

Out of Zhongying, Li Mu expressed his gratitude to Director Yan Yiyun before renting: "Thank you Director Yan for speaking for me just now." ”

Yan Yiyun waved his hand and smiled: "Yes, everyone is from Xiying." ”

Li Mu nodded, said goodbye to Yan Yiyun, and then got into a taxi and left.

In the taxi, Li Mu thought of what he said to his uncle a few months ago: "What Qingda and Peking University are not as bold as being bold, what Harvard and Yale, it is better to dare to break through yourself, the opportunity is to break out, how can it be calculated?" Be bold, seek ...... in wealth and danger"

"Fight!"