The rehearsal of the play of "Romeo and Juliet" began like this.

Whether it is for Wu Yuan or Luo Jin, Zhu Yawen, Liu Yifei and others, this drama rehearsal is a rare exercise.

Every week, Wu Yuan would take them to rehearsals on weekends, taking them into the characters little by little, and integrating the storyline and theme into the whole theater atmosphere.

And while Wu Yuan was busy rehearsing the drama, time was also passing quietly.

As the weather gradually warmed up, the pneumonia epidemic was gradually brought under control.

Zhang Guorong did not jump as Wu Yuan dreamed of, but was full of enthusiasm to prepare for the release of his new movie.

"Stealing Hearts" was rescheduled to be released simultaneously on the mainland and Hong Kong Island on June 4.

"The Hangover" was successfully released on a small scale in North America, earning more than $5 million at the box office in its first week, and the number of theaters released is growing rapidly.

And Wu Yuan himself, in addition to rehearsing the drama, almost perfected the script of "Your Name" and began the preliminary preparations for this film.

First of all, the first thing he had to do was to ask Han Dong for a favor.

On April 21, Wu Yuan came to the China Film Group building with the script.

Without any hindrance, he came to Han Dong's office.

"Director Wu, a rare guest."

Han Dong, who was reviewing the documents, saw Wu Yuan come to visit, first for a moment, and then a smile appeared on his face.

He knew very well that Wu Yuan had always been on the Three Treasures Hall for nothing, and he would not come to Zhongying at all when he was fine.

Seeing Wu Yuan in the office this time shows that this Director Wu can't bear the loneliness and wants to do something!

Sure enough, after Wu Yuan entered the door, he walked straight to Han Dong's desk and put a script on the table.

"Han Dong, this is the script of my new movie."

"I plan to shoot in the mainland, shoot it during the summer vacation, and strive to release it within the year."

It's finally here!

Han Dong's eyes lit up, he didn't even read the script, and immediately asked, "What's the budget?" ”

"Four to fifty million, no more than sixty million, RMB." Wu Yuan spread his hands.

"We've been shot!" Han Dong waved his hand and said without hesitation.

After finishing speaking, without waiting for Wu Yuan's reaction, Han Dong smashed his mouth, and said with some pity: "It's a little less, I thought you would make a movie with an investment of more than 100 million." ”

"Invested over 100 million? Where am I going? Wu Yuan couldn't laugh or cry.

"You're a well-known director in Hollywood, and you're afraid that the movie won't sell?" Han Dong said in an envious tone: ""Juno" and "The Undertaker" have performed very well at the box office in Japan and South Korea. ”

"Other directors in the mainland can't sell their films in Japan and South Korea, and only films on Hong Kong Island have an Asian market."

"But you're different, you're a Hollywood-level director, your movies are selling well throughout Asia, and you're not afraid that a movie with an investment of 100 million yuan won't be able to return to its original value."

"Han Dong, this time I plan to invest in my new movie." Wu Yuan spread his hands, "Isn't it that private companies have fully opened up their investment in films this year." ”

"I also plan to start my own film production company, invest in my own shooting in the future, bear my own profits and losses, and reduce the burden of China Film."

"So I'm still saving some money, and it's not easy to make some money."

Although the overseas box office distribution of "The Undertaker" has not arrived so quickly.

But with the money from the sale of copyrights, plus the box office accounts of the mainland and Hong Kong Island, and the $8 million directorial fee, Wu Yuan now has $10 million in his hands.

It's definitely more than enough to make a "Ling's Name".

Han Dong's words are indeed not wrong, Wu Yuan also thinks that even if he makes a commercial film with an investment of more than 100 million, he can make money by relying on the Asian market.

"Juno" and "The Undertaker" have proved this for him.

Even if Wu Yuan invests 100 million in his next film, as long as there is an Asian market, there is no need to worry about not recovering the cost.

But this does not mean that Wu Yuan has to listen to Han Dong and make a blockbuster with an investment of more than 100 million.

The box office income that can be obtained with an investment of about 40 or 50 million, why spend 100 million, this is not a cost-effective choice.

Spending half of the extra money may not necessarily bring double the box office results.

Speaking of which, in the two movies "The Night the Comet Comed" and "The Undertaker", Wu Yuan has divided the profits to China Film enough.

If it weren't for the filming of "The Undertaker", all his money would be used to shoot "The Hangover" in the light era, and he wouldn't have been able to get much money for a while, otherwise Wu Yuan would not have let China Film take so much of it.

Now he wants to make his own films, which must be the pursuit of the maximum profit ratio.

Spending fifty or sixty million is really enough, and for other mainland directors, such an investment is unimaginable.

"Hey, you kid!" Han Dong stretched out his finger and pointed at Wu Yuan, shaking his head and laughing.

Wu Yuan's words are beautiful, reducing the burden on Zhongying.

This is no problem for other fifth- and sixth-generation directors, most of the fifth- and sixth-generation directors have basically lost the investment they have drawn from China Film, and few have returned their capital.

But Wu Yuan is different, this is a high-quality stock, and the money invested in him can be multiplied several times to earn back.

Doesn't he just want to make more money and don't want to share the profits with China Film, Han Dong can understand it, and he doesn't mind this very much.

The liberalization of the above policy is to hope to introduce private capital to activate the film market, and China Film, as a leading state-owned enterprise in the film industry, must respond to the policy.

It's good that Wu Yuan is willing to invest his own money to make a movie.

can make his own movies and make a lot of money, that's his ability!

However, Han Dong's doubts also followed.

"Didn't you come to me to invest?" Han Dong asked strangely: "Then you came to me specifically to inform you that you are going to make a new movie?" ”

"Just make a phone call about this, you don't have to run it yourself."

"Of course not." Wu Yuan shook his head and sat down, "There is something I want to ask Han Dong for." ”

"You should know some people from the entertainment industry on Treasure Island, right?"

"Can you put me in touch with a band over there?"

"The band's name is Mayday, and it won the Golden Melody Award for Best Orchestra."

"I'd like to ask them to help me make some soundtracks for this new film."

Looking for Mayday to write a song for "Your Name", this is what Wu Yuan thought of when he chatted with Liu Yifei before.

That "May Love" is the story of two Mayday fans who met each other through the Internet and then ran to the treasure island.

It was also Liu Yifei who mentioned this movie that Wu Yuan thought of the band Mayday.

You must know that in the original version of "Your Name", several soundtracks are perfect, which fits this movie very well.

Whether it is the theme song "Before, Before, Before", or Sanye's solo song "Spark", it is very good, and the most important thing is to fit the characters and the theme of the movie.

The soundtrack is a very important part of the film.

An excellent soundtrack can bring a very high blessing to the movie, and even become the symbol and memory point of the movie, achieving each other.

For example, "My Heart Is Eternal" in "Titanic", "He's a Pirate" in "Pirates of the Caribbean", and "Pacific Rim" in "Pacific Rim".

It's all that when the music comes on, it reminds people of these movies, or when you see these movies, you think of these songs.

What's more, it only takes a few key words to recall a classic soundtrack clip.

For example, when it comes to heavy snowy days, phone booths, and Yuan Hua, "A Cut of Plums" will automatically play in my mind.

That's how important the soundtrack is to the film.

The soundtrack of the original "Your Name" is very good, but the songs of the original version are all Japanese songs and were written by an RB pop band.

Wu Yuan's singing level is still okay, although he has not learned a professional musical instrument and has no way to compose music, but he can still sing some Chinese songs that he has an impression of.

Japanese songs are really not good, let Wu Yuan come to reproduce, it is really a bit difficult for him.

At most, he can hum a rough melody, but he still has to ask a professional music production team to supplement and perfect, or even re-create.

In the Chinese music scene, Wu Yuan is only Mayday if he thinks about it.

It's not that Mayday is so good that it is invincible in the Chinese music scene, but there are few bands in the Chinese music scene that play pop rock.

The Tang Dynasty and Black Panther in the mainland are pure rock bands, and their songs are very good, but they are not suitable for a youth love movie.

When it comes to youth love, Mayday is the most suitable pop-rock band at this stage.

They're taking the popular route.

In 2001, Mayday won the Best Orchestra Award at the 12th Treasure Island Golden Melody Awards for his second album "Long Live Love".

And in this album, there is a song called "Tender".

At this time, Mayday has become famous in the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Next year, they will have a blockbuster song that will be popular all over the country.

This song is called "Stubborn".

At this time, it would be the perfect time to ask Mayday to make the soundtrack for "Your Name".

They are already popular, but they are not fully popular, they are on the rise, and their value is just right.

And Mayday is really good at writing songs for film and television dramas.

The "Step by Step", "Entering Song", "Midsummer Light Year", "General Order" and "Later Us" they later wrote for film and television dramas are all great.

Looking for this band to make the soundtrack for "Your Name", Wu Yuan is also more relieved.

Although Han Dong didn't know this treasure island band, he had always asked Wu Yuan for money and support.

Han Dong agreed to Wu Yuan's request on the spot, and would help Wu Yuan contact this band as soon as possible.

"No problem, I'll help you contact them and let them come to the capital to see you as soon as possible!"

In Han Dong's opinion, Wu Yuan wants to find a band from Baodao to make the soundtrack for his new movie, and it is definitely the other party's high climb, as long as it is notified, the other party will definitely take the initiative to come to the capital to meet Wu Yuan.

It was impossible for Wu Yuan to go to Treasure Island to meet them in person.

Coincidentally, Wu Yuan also thought so.

After finalizing this matter, Wu Yuan chatted with Han Dong for a few more words, and then left Zhongying satisfied.

After this is done, there is only one more important thing left in the preliminary preparation of "Your Name".

That night, a little later, Wu Yuan made a phone call to Jerry after making sure that it was early in the morning in the United States.

"Jerry, can you help me contact ILM?"

"Yes, I have some special effects that they need to help with."

"No, no, no, it's just a minute or so of special effects."

"OK, thanks."