Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 56: To make money, you must earn the wealth of the whole world
“Do you want to bring your talent to the world?”

Jason Blum's voice is deep and seductive.

The air in the negotiation room seemed to freeze. Sunlight slanted in through the blinds, drawing streaks of light on the table. The shadows of the two people were stretched out and slender, trembling slightly on the wall.

Hollywood.

In today's era, it is a "holy place" for filmmakers all over the world.

On the one hand, this is the place with the most developed film industry in the world, and it has been leading the development of film technology for nearly a hundred years.

On the other hand, the global distribution business model allows it to bear higher costs, obtain higher returns, and prove the abilities of filmmakers who come here to make a living.

Batches of outstanding filmmakers have injected new energy into the development of Hollywood, forming a virtuous circle.

“Wu, Hollywood has a collection of top producers, actors and talent agencies that can provide directors with a one-stop resource;

For example, John Woo (Wu Yusen) from your country has made a qualitative leap in Hollywood and has become an international A-level director."

At this point, Jason Blum couldn't help but touch his nose and felt a little embarrassed.

Wu Chen couldn't help but want to laugh.

Although Jason Blum is right, Wu Yusen's example is awkward.

"Windtalkers" was a box office failure, dragging down MGM, and the last independent production company among the "Big Eight in Hollywood" was about to fall to Sony.

“Wu, I believe you are an ambitious director. If you want your work to reach a global audience, then come to Hollywood.

This place will give you unexpected returns and a reputation that is unmatched by other markets!"

Jason Blum quickly put away his embarrassment and continued.

He has already started preparing to set up his own independent production company. If he can gain friendship and cooperation opportunities with a potential and high-quality director like Wu Chen, there might be unexpected surprises.

How many brilliant film companies took off because of one or two movies or one or two people when they started out.

"Mr. Blum, I understand everything you said!" Wu Chen nodded affirmatively after hearing this.

Although Hollywood has been declining over time, it is undeniable that it is now the center of world cinema.

When Jason Blum heard Wu Chen's words, he felt something was wrong, because generally speaking, saying something like that was a precursor to rejection. Sure enough, Wu Chen casually said, "But":
"But why did you choose me?"

"what?"

Jason Blum was stunned. He thought Wu Chen was going to reject him outright.

Wu Chen waited for the answer with a smile.

To be honest, he now felt like he was sleepy and someone was offering him a pillow.

Hollywood was originally part of his plan. After all, movies can be watched by people all over the world and earn wealth from all over the world.

Why are you only targeting the wallets of Chinese people?
It's useless to just act like a bully at home!
At present, China's economy has not yet taken off and the per capita income is not high. The box office is in a period of growth, but it is meaningless to keep focusing on the box office revenue.

If he were just an ordinary director, he might have stayed in one corner, after all, the risk of leaving his comfort zone is too high.

But he is not.

With the memory of his past life and the support of the Photography Department of Beijing Film Academy, he can stand up again even if he hits a wall. Why be afraid of giving it a try?

The worst outcome is to return home in disgrace like many of our predecessors.

Jason Blum reorganized his thoughts, because he felt that he was just one step away from success, and then he said slowly:
"Wu, because you are too young!"

"young?"

“The profession of director is actually similar to civil servants like doctors, scholars, and professors. The older you are, the more important you are, and the higher your status will be.

But it doesn't mean that the older you get, the more amazing works you can create. In fact, the human cerebral cortex is most active and thinking is most developed between the ages of 20 and 35.

However, because the profession of director requires accumulation, most of the masterpieces usually appear in middle age.

For example, Steven Spielberg was 28 years old when he made his first feature film released in theaters, "Rampage," and the following year he made the world's number one box office hit, "Jaws," at the age of 29.

James Cameron was 30 years old when he made "The Terminator".

"George Lucas was 29 when he made American Graffiti and 33 when he made Star Wars." Jason Blum said this with his eyes shining as he looked at Wu Chen:
"Wu, you have already acquired a solid foundation in directing at an age when you should be accumulating knowledge. You have a good value for money. I have to say this is incredible."

Wu Chen's lips curled up slightly, feeling comfortable with the breeze.

No wonder the emperor loves slander, it's so pleasant to the ear!

I originally wanted to contact Lionsgate by discussing the copyright of "The Dark Side" to see if I could break the situation with a new suspense thriller script, but at the moment it seems that Jason Blum seems to be a better choice.

Because Jason Blum has enough experience and corresponding resources, and Blumhouse has not yet been established, by cooperating with it, he can have greater room for negotiation and will not be too weak.

Sometimes it’s fate that brings candidates together.

Jason Blum gave him a good feeling, the timing was right, and the success of Blumhouse also proved that Jason Blum's vision was very unique.
After quickly making a judgment in his mind, Wu Chen chuckled and reached out to shake Blum's hand. "OK, Jason, congratulations, you convinced me."

Before the other party could be happy for a moment, Wu Chen said casually:
"So are you ready to work on a new movie with me?"

"?" Jason Blum was stunned, his hand still shaking Wu Chen's.

"Jason, I'm not gay!" Wu Chen joked.

"Sorry!" Blum came back to his senses and quickly let go.

"Jason, if you woke up 6 feet underground, what would you do?" Wu Chen asked with interest.

Jason Blum pondered for a moment:
"I will bang on the coffin with all my might and break open this cage. If that doesn't work, I can only pray to God to save me."

"A very standard answer!" Wu Chen showed a meaningful smile:

“What if this was a movie?

The male protagonist woke up and found himself trapped alone in a small space with only a mobile phone for company.

He is not only racing against death, but also constantly trying to save himself in despair. Every second is like a fight against time for life."

Led by Wu Chen, Jason Blum's eyes gleamed as he slowly muttered, "That feeling of dread, of being alone and helpless. Every faint ringtone could be a final salvation, or a desperate echo before the end."

“Yes, it is not only a desperate situation for the body, but also an ultimate challenge for the mind.

Every detail—from the deafening sound of a heartbeat to the chilling sweat in the thin air—pushes the audience to their breaking point, holding their breath.

And if the protagonist is still put into a coffin and buried in the ground by Iraqi anti-American forces, wouldn’t that be awesome?”

Before Wu Chen could finish, Jason Blum excitedly grabbed Wu Chen's shoulders and shook him violently:

"Wu, you are definitely a genius, an absolute genius, this picture has already flashed in my mind.

Such a simple setting, yet it can portray such a heart-wrenching struggle for survival, and also mock the incompetence of the US government. This is definitely Hollywood's favorite theme."

Jason Blum has no qualms at all about mocking the United States, because that is Hollywood and is part of the American political struggle.

"So you want to work with me?"

"Is the script finished?" Jason Blum calmed down, his professional habits making him cautious.

"Of course, I guess WGA West (Hollywood Writers Guild) has already registered it."

Since he can tell this story, he is naturally not afraid of others plagiarizing it.

Before leaving for Sitges, he found an agent to apply for WGA West script registration.

"I need to see the script to make an accurate judgment."

As a veteran in the industry, Jason Blum knows very well that sometimes the idea is really good, but if the script is a mess, it will still fail.

"Well, it's in the hotel, probably tomorrow." Wu Chen was not in a hurry. If he took it out immediately, wouldn't it be telling the other party that he had planned it in advance?

"Okay, let's make an appointment tomorrow!" Jason Blum nodded.

"To be honest, I initially thought you were here to buy the copyright."

Wu Chen mentioned it casually, but Jason Blum suddenly had an idea.

"Wu, do you want your copyright fees to be higher?"

(End of this chapter)