Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 116 The Moonlight Is Beautiful Tonight

After finalizing the copyright purchase agreement, Wu Yuchen and Pete released each other's hands and immediately asked:

"Mr. Pete, I'd like to discuss the filming of 'Frequency' in more detail."

Pete smiled and said:
"Wu, your script has passed our internal greenlight committee. Thanks to your two films, 'The Night of the Comet' and 'Run Lola Run,' the committee believes you are very good at making time-travel themed films and has decided to invest in 'Frequency,' with a production budget of 2500 million."

As for your personal director's fee and script fee, they total 200 million, which is already much better than the treatment of a new director in Hollywood.

Pitt was full of confidence and didn't even ask if the other party was willing. No one can refuse an invitation from Hollywood.

Wu Yuchen pondered for a moment.

2500 million in funding?
This treatment is similar to what Wu Baige received back then. Wu Baige's first film in Hollywood was "Hard Target," starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, with an investment of between 2500 and 3000 million.

The film only grossed $3000 million in North America, but it broke even through overseas box office revenue and made a profit in the videotape market, which allowed Wu Baige to barely gain a foothold in Hollywood.

That's the situation now. Even though he made the blockbuster "Run Lola Run," he's never made a Hollywood movie before, so he's still a relative newcomer to Hollywood. They can't just give him a lot of funding right away. He has to use this opportunity to prove himself.

Wu Yuchen was eyeing this opportunity precisely because he had been invited there by the other party.

As for the director's salary plus the budget of 2 million, he didn't have much of a question about that. The average new Hollywood director only gets 200,000 to 300,000 per film; his salary was considered mid-range.

With that in mind, he said to Pitt, "I'll accept the salary and script fee, but I must guarantee my rights as director. The script cannot be heavily cut, and I hope to be involved in the final editing."

"Hey Wu, you're the director and screenwriter, so you naturally have a lot of power on set. You can participate in casting, which is our way of showing our sincerity. But we can't guarantee you the final cut. You can participate in the editing, but only with suggestions. At the same time, we'll assign a very experienced producer to the crew as your partner."

Seeing that Wu Yuchen didn't speak, Pete continued:
“Wu, since we are willing to invest in ‘Frequency,’ our common goal is to make a good-looking and commercially successful movie, right? Nobody would create trouble for no reason.”

Wu Yuchen understood in his heart that even a top director like Ridley Scott couldn't guarantee the final cut. He had just asked around and found out it was true.

However, Frequency itself is a very well-structured Hollywood commercial story. Just as the other party said, everyone is in it to make money, and no one is deliberately trying to mess with you.

Thinking of this, Wu Yuchen asked again:
“Pete, may I ask who my producer is this time? What if they’re a racist…”

After all, Hollywood is producer-centric, and as an outsider, the producer has more power on set than the director. If you can't get along with the producer, you might as well not make the film, and the crew might fall apart.

"No, no, no, Wu, you're overthinking it. The producer is Jeff Franklin, and as far as I know, he doesn't have any racial issues."

Wu Yuchen listened carefully to Pete's introduction of Franklin and gradually felt relieved.

Jeff Franklin, a veteran producer with a screenwriting background, is 50 years old, white, and values ​​family...

"Wu, I've told you everything I know. As for the specifics of the project, you'll need to discuss them with Franklin separately." After saying this, Pete left Wu Yuchen his contact information.

……

After seeing the two off, Wu Yuchen let out a long breath, digesting the transaction that had just taken place.

First, there's "Run Lola Run," which cost 15 million, plus 8 million for videotapes, DVDs, and other copyrights in Europe, 1.5 million for the script adaptation rights, and 5 million for the screening rights a month ago.

That adds up to 2950 million. If you add the 4000 million share you get after the 100 million, it's 3050 million. You can say you've achieved financial freedom overnight.

It seems unlikely that "Run Lola Run" will break 100 million at the European box office like it did in the previous film. Getting 60 or 70 million would be good, and we'd be satisfied with an extra 2 or 3 million.

Wu Yuchen couldn't help but sigh, the film market was truly a case of some being starved of talent while others were flooded with it.

He now understands why Harvey Valuation values ​​Quentin Tarantino so much; one film, Pulp Fiction, can bring Miramax nearly 100 million yuan in revenue.

Although Wu Yuchen's earnings are still far from Harvey's nearly 100 million yuan from "Pulp Fiction," he is very satisfied with 30 million. Even in later generations of Chinese films, it is rare to see overseas rights sold for such a large sum.

That is, "Hero". The North American rights alone sold for $25 million. The total global rights amount has not been disclosed, but it is certainly no less than $40 million.

As for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which grossed $2 million, although it is a Chinese-language film, it is actually an American investment, funded by Sony. So, the profits are theirs.

"Hero" benefited from the martial arts craze sparked by "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," while the success of "Run Lola Run" was largely due to its box office performance in Europe.

Last year, Wu Yuchen sold the rights to three works: "Car 42" for 120, "We Two" for 300 million US dollars, and "The Night the Comet Came" for a total of just over 3 million in global rights and adaptation rights. But "Run Lola Run" sold for ten times that amount, making him feel a bit surreal.

However, it will be difficult for him to achieve the same success as "Run Lola Run" in future Chinese-language films because its style is too unique—avant-garde, novel, and international—making it relatable to young people, something most films struggle to achieve.

Wu Yuchen recalled that he initially wanted to invest in Yahoo and make enough money by 99 to invest in Tencent's angel round. However, Yahoo's stock is still dormant, while he has already made enough money from just one movie, which makes him sigh.

He hasn't figured out how to spend such a large sum of money yet: buy a house? Hoard land? Invest in his own special effects company?
Wu Yuchen shook his head, deciding to calm down first. He could pay the taxes on last year's income now; in China, film copyright income is taxed at 20%, amounting to approximately nine hundred thousand US dollars. That's a huge sum in China these days, but compared to the revenue from *Run Lola Run*, it's nothing. He'd really feel the pinch next year when it came time to pay taxes.

……

"What? You're going to Hollywood to make a movie?" Hou Keming almost choked on his tea when he heard Wu Yuchen's words.

Seeing that Wu Yuchen wanted to come over and pat him on the back, he waved his hand, signaling him to speak quickly.

"Yes, Sony Columbia took a liking to my script and invited me to make a movie. I felt it was a rare opportunity, so I decided to give it a try."

Hou Keming quickly put down his teacup: "Tell me the details right now!"

Wu Yuchen then recounted the positive reception of "Run Lola Run" in Europe, which attracted the attention of Hollywood. Apart from not mentioning how much the copyright was sold for, there was nothing else he couldn't talk about.

This news can't be kept secret any longer; the European box office figures will likely be reported back to China soon and then covered by some media outlets.

Hou Keming nodded, then asked, "What about that romantic movie you mentioned before..."

"There are still three months until summer vacation, so I thought I'd go to Hollywood first to see how things are going."

Everything that needs to be prepared for "If Love Has a Destiny" has already been arranged, and even the theme song has been put into production, so Wu Yuchen isn't worried.

"Yes, it's a rare opportunity indeed. Hollywood is, after all, the world's film center!"

Hou Keming sighed and said, "Go ahead and don't worry. Going to Hollywood to learn advanced film production experience will benefit both you personally and Chinese cinema!"

Hou Keming now clearly regards Wu Yuchen as one of the hopes for China's future.

……

Zeng Li, with her long legs, rushed back to her dormitory in a hurry. Class was about to start, but she had forgotten to bring her things.

As soon as Zeng Li pushed open the dormitory door, she saw that there was still someone in the room. Upon closer inspection, a look of joy appeared on her face: "Sister Ting, you're back!"

Mei Ting was taken aback when she saw Zeng Li, then smiled at her and said, "Li Zi."

Zeng Li hurriedly went to Mei Ting and asked with concern, "Sister Ting, they said you had a falling out with the school..."

Mei Ting picked up a letter from the table and handed it to Zeng Li: "Li Zi, it's perfect that you're back. Could you give this letter to Teacher Chang for me? I won't go see her."

"Sister Ting, what are you going to do..." Zeng Li was both puzzled and surprised, guessing what was going on but not sure.

"If they don't let me go, then I won't go," Mei Ting said calmly.

Confirmed by her suspicions, Zeng Li reluctantly took Mei Ting's hand and asked, "Sister Ting, are you really leaving? Is there no other way?"

"I've already signed a contract with an outside production team, so I can't worry about that now. The production team won't wait for me alone."

"Didn't you retire to take exams and go to school? What a pity! Do your parents know? Can't we ask them to help?"

Mei Ting shook her head upon hearing this:

“I’ll make my own decisions. There’s nothing to regret. I retired from the military to go to university so I could better act, but what I learned in school wasn’t what I expected. And Pear, opportunities don’t wait for anyone. You haven’t really been in the entertainment industry yet, so you don’t know how rare a good opportunity is.” Saying this, Mei Ting glanced at Zeng Li, and before parting, couldn’t help but say some heartfelt words to her:
"Pear, do you know how envious all the girls in our class are of you? Including me. You have a famous director boyfriend, so you'll never lack opportunities to act if you want to, and you can focus on your studies at school. But I can't do that. If I miss this opportunity, I might never get another one!"

Zeng Li was taken aback by what she heard, but she didn't know what to say at that moment.

Then Mei Ting softened her tone:

“Pear, I’m not saying this to blame you for anything. It’s just that everyone’s circumstances and destiny are different, and we don’t necessarily have to walk the same path. The acting profession is quite special. It’s not about diplomas, and this diploma doesn’t mean much to me anymore.”

After Mei Ting finished speaking, she was about to tell Zeng Li to hurry up and go to class when she heard Zeng Li lower her head and murmur:

"Sister Ting, actually... he's really not my boyfriend."

Mei Ting glanced at Zeng Li. She had said this before, but no one really believed her.

Mei Ting had always been the eldest sister among the girls. At this moment, facing Mei Ting who was about to leave, Zeng Li couldn't help but reveal her true feelings: "He has a girlfriend, from Beijing Film Academy."

Mei Ting paused for a moment, looked closely at Zeng Li, and saw that her expression did not seem to be fake. She suddenly realized why Zeng Li kept emphasizing that Wu Yuchen was not her boyfriend.

Mei Ting pulled Zeng Li to sit on the edge of the bed, then asked, "Do you like him?"

Zeng Li nodded.

"That's settled then. So what if you have a girlfriend? Just steal her away! Are you really agonizing over this?"

Zeng Li was stunned for a moment, then stammered, "But, but..."

Seeing that she hadn't said anything for a long time, Mei Ting said:
"I don't know what happened between you two, but I can tell he likes you and you like him, so there's nothing to be conflicted about. Someone like him would definitely have a bunch of girls vying for him. If you don't have the courage or can't accept this reality, then you should just break up with him sooner rather than later. If you want to be with him, then go for it. If you don't even try, you'll regret it later."

Seeing that Zeng Li was biting her lip and not speaking, Mei Ting sighed and said:
"Pear, I won't talk about your relationship. To be practical, with a big director like Wu Yuchen supporting you, your starting point is much higher than ours."

Then Mei Ting changed the subject and asked, "Do you know that Ziyi has a boyfriend?"

"Huh? Ziyi has a boyfriend?!" Zeng Li exclaimed in surprise.

Mei Ting nodded: "He's a celebrity, the singer Gao Feng, the one who sang 'Great China'. I bumped into him once when he came to the school to see Ziyi."

"Then, how come she's never mentioned it before?"

"Don't let Ziyi's usual boisterousness fool you, she's got a strong will. You have a boyfriend like Wu Yuchen, a big director, and he dated guys outside of school. How can she compare?"

"But isn't a matter of the heart a personal matter? How can you compare it to something else?"

Just because you're not interested in competing doesn't mean others aren't. Be more mindful!

Mei Ting patted Zeng Li's hand as she spoke.

……

Zeng Li felt uneasy after leaving the office. She had just handed Mei Ting's letter to Teacher Chang Li, who read it without saying a word, but looked extremely haggard.

Then she recalled her conversation with Mei Ting earlier that day, which left her with mixed feelings. Just then, her pager went off.

In the park, Wu Yuchen accompanied Zeng Li as she recounted Mei Ting's story. He thought to himself that Mei Ting had indeed followed the same path of dropping out of school as in her previous life.

"Don't you miss her?"

Zeng Li nodded: "When we first started doing homework at school, Mei Ting helped us with anything we didn't know. She took good care of us."

Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "I am quite optimistic about Mei Ting's future. She has a good foundation and great drive."

Then he turned his head and said:
"If you really want to maintain a good relationship with her, then you can't let her leave you behind. If two friends are in the same entertainment industry, one will become a big star in the future, and the other will just be an ordinary third-tier artist. It is highly unlikely that they will remain good friends. Changes in status will bring changes in feelings, and it will be difficult to have equal communication like when they were classmates."

Is this how the entertainment industry is?

"It's the same in other industries, but it's more obvious in the entertainment industry because it's a place of fame and fortune."

Zeng Li nodded upon hearing this. In fact, she had studied opera before and worked in a drama troupe, so she could more or less understand how big the difference was between a leading actor and an ordinary opera singer.

At this moment, Wu Yuchen said, "By the way, Pear, I came to see you today to tell you that I'm going to America soon."

Zeng Li's heart skipped a beat when she heard this. These days, when people say they're going to America, they're mostly talking about studying abroad or immigrating, and it usually takes at least a few years.

Zeng Li felt a little panicked. Having just experienced Mei Ting's departure, and now Wu Yuchen was also leaving, all the sadness she was feeling welled up in her heart, and she unconsciously grabbed Wu Yuchen's arm tightly.

Wu Yuchen was pulled away by Zeng Li and turned to look at her. He saw tears welling up in her eyes, and she suddenly threw herself into his arms, sobbing, "I don't want you to leave..."

This caught Wu Yuchen off guard. In fact, since last year, although he would visit Zeng Li from time to time and often call her to chat, the two had always maintained a distance and hadn't even held hands much.

Wu Yuchen didn't know why Zeng Li suddenly threw herself into his arms and started crying, but he was overjoyed at the moment, as if she had broken through the barrier.

Wu Yuchen immediately put his arm around her and gently patted her back: "What's wrong? Pear, don't be sad, let's talk about it slowly."

"Why are you all leaving...? Ting-jie is dropping out of school, and now you're going abroad too..."

Wu Yuchen took a moment to realize that Zeng Li had misunderstood, but he didn't explain immediately. He just held her tightly without saying a word.

After a while, Zeng Li's crying subsided, and then she asked again, "When are you leaving? How long will you be gone?"

"Just a few days, as for how long... how long do you want me to be back?" Wu Yuchen asked with a smile.

Zeng Li realized she might have misunderstood when Wu Yuchen asked her that question.
"What are you going to America for?"

"Hehe, I submitted a script and it got picked up. Hollywood invited me to act in a movie there!"

"Aren't you going to study abroad?"

"What? You actually want me to go study abroad over there?"

Zeng Li breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, then patted Wu Yuchen on the shoulder: "Why didn't you explain clearly just now?"

Wu Yuchen wrapped his arms around her waist and said with a smile, "You didn't even give me a chance to explain!"

Zeng Li blushed upon hearing this and tried to get out of Wu Yuchen's arms, but found that he was holding her tightly.

"I can't just come in and go as I please," Wu Yuchen said with a soft laugh as he looked down.

Zeng Li stopped moving and nestled in Wu Yuchen's arms: "So what do you want to do?"

Wu Yuchen lowered his head, gently cupped her face, and looked directly into her eyes.

Zeng Li's heart suddenly started racing. She felt flustered and confused by Wu Yuchen's burning gaze, and her eyes unconsciously darted to the sides.

Wu Yuchen pressed his forehead against Zeng Li's and said with a smile, "Li Zi, you're so beautiful!"

After saying that, he leaned down and captured a pair of soft lips.

Zeng Li's eyes widened involuntarily. She swayed slightly but did not break free. Feeling the other person's burning breath, she couldn't help but be captivated by it and then wrapped her arms around Wu Yuchen's neck.

The moonlight is so beautiful tonight.

(End of this chapter)