Chapter 747: A New Look
Later, as a producer, Ronan also joined the discussions of Martin Scorsese, Tom Cruise, Will Smith and Andrew Liu.
In addition, there are two screenwriters responsible for adapting the script into the American version.
For this kind of customized project, the screenwriter basically has no right to speak, especially when facing such a group of people in the conference room.
From Hong Kong City to Boston, the main line and framework of the film have not changed, but the background of the story and the setting of the characters have all become very thorough.
There is no romantic romance, only facing the cruelty of fate!
To put it simply, when fate or other people come over harshly, the response is not to be poetic, but to go back!
Therefore, the word beginning with F in the script appears more than 300 times!
This project, made into a movie in Hollywood, will inevitably appear with a new look that meets the aesthetics of the North American market.
Ronan looked at several people in the conference room, and finally fell on Martin Scorsese, saying: "This is not a simple remake, but a brand new creation, an American gangster story filmed and produced by Sandsea Entertainment! "
Martin Scorsese nodded slightly. During this time, he had watched the "Infernal Affairs" trilogy. Although the third part dragged down the quality of the whole series, the first and second parts were really excellent.
Andrew-Liu asked: "Can you keep the original features as much as possible?"
Among them, the most unwilling person is him, who sold the North American copyright and remake copyright of the series at the price of cabbage.
Especially the latter, it is simply a luxury gift package.
But he respects the contract, and Hollywood's remake of his film is also an honor, and he is also fortunate to be unwilling.
"I am fascinated by this great story." Martin Scorsese respects the creator of the original work, but he also has his own insistence: "But we must realize that even if it is the same story from Port City to Boston, There should be characters with completely different characteristics to support it. Although I like how every character in "Infernal Affairs" is so deliberate, my idea is the same as that of Ronan, and I want to create an American tragedy. Not in the Eastern style."
He emphatically said: "The script is well written. Once a person is forced to separate from the life he knows, he is doomed to a tragic end."
Ronan nodded slowly: "Andrew, you can't let two American hooligans say those romantic and poetic lines on the rooftop?"
Andrew Liu opened his mouth, but finally said nothing.
"Infernal Affairs" directed by him fully conforms to the artistic conception of oriental culture, and gangsters are also cultured. It is a typical gangster crime movie loved by oriental movie fans.
The gangsters in Hong Kong movies are always full of romanticism, such as the "Young and Dangerous" series filmed by Fatty Wang. A group of low-level ruffians shocked the world and wept ghosts and gods, affecting countless people.
The screenwriter who has been silent said: ""The Departed" is not a remake of "Infernal Affairs". We were only inspired by the humanity in the story when we created it."
Another screenwriter continued: "In addition to using the same story clues, the script we created is also very different from the Hong Kong version. What really touches people's hearts here is not the intricate relationship between the characters, but the strongest and most powerful human nature. The most invincible side."
In the words of these two people,
With American and Hollywood arrogance.
Ronan raised his hand to stop the two from continuing to talk. Anyway, this is a remake, and it is useless to say more.
Andrew Liu has worked hard in the entertainment industry in Hong Kong City all year round, and the situation there is just as chaotic, so it's not surprising.
The big guys like Ronan are very easy to get along with, but it's the two unknown little screenwriters who say some sour words from time to time.
This can be regarded as the American version of Hades, so the little devil is hard to deal with.
Tom Cruise and Will Smith didn't speak much, they have already decided to play the two leading roles, and they firmly believe in Ronan's vision.
Perhaps, they most believed that Ronan's operation of this project would be successful.
"You are best at shooting gangster movies, Martin." Ronan said at this time: "I want to hear your opinion."
Martin Scorsese does not have the arrogance of a great director, and perhaps his failure at the Oscars for two consecutive years has also made his mind clearer: "This is very different from the films I have made in the past, not only The setting of the film was changed to Boston, the main character was changed to an Irish gangster, and also because it was the first time I was involved in discussing the internal issues of American police agencies and corruption issues.”
Although a large number of gangster films have been shot in the past, few of Martin Scorsese's films directly involve relevant government departments.
Ronan said: "These will not be problems. I can guarantee that no relevant organization will put pressure on you or the crew."
With the current strength of Relativity Entertainment, general pressure is not a problem.
Besides, from Washington DC to the state capitals of various places, they are the most common scapegoats in movies.
One of the two screenwriters said: "We have done related investigations in Boston, and related corruption is not uncommon in the Boston area, and was even a relatively common problem at one time."
Another screenwriter answered: "In South Boston, from the early 1970s to a few years ago, the Irish gangsters have been controlling the city's underground gangster organization. They are the absolute core of crime. How can Irish criminals run so rampant in Boston? This is inseparable from the corruption within the police.”
“Two young men are forced into a world that is the exact opposite of what they expected,” Martin Scorsese seems to be musing over the script and film planning: “Nervous inhumans living in police agencies and gangsters.” Life……"
He looked at Will Smith and Tom Cruise: "Although they are two completely different characters, they have something in common. It's just that one chose this path, and the other chose another path...these two paths , are all roads of no return.”
Will Smith said at the right time: "I contacted the Los Angeles Police Department, and I will experience life with them for about two months. I will patrol with the police, participate in some paperwork, and so on."
Tom Cruise spread his hands helplessly: "In terms of experiencing life, I am not as good as Will. I can't go to the gangsters to experience life?" Everyone present laughed, and he laughed too: "CAA is passing Contact the FBI, they will connect me with one or two retired agents who have been involved in undercover, and through them, I will have a more intuitive understanding of undercover.”
Hearing these two Hollywood super kings say this, Andrew Liu sighed in his heart, no wonder Hollywood movies are popular all over the world, and Hong Kong movies...
Although the "Infernal Affairs" trilogy is considered by the Hong Kong City media and the industry as the rescue work of Hong Kong City Films, after the trilogy is released, looking back, apart from the box office of "Infernal Affairs" itself, in fact, Hong Kong City Films still The appearance of neither dead nor alive.
Why are the two film production centers in the world, which were originally comparable in size, developing completely differently? It's not just industrial and technological gaps.
There is no doubt about the dedication, ability and charisma of Tom Cruise and Will Smith. Martin Scorsese also likes to work with big-name actors, although he has worked with Leonardo DiCaprio one after another. Twice, but it's not bad for these two top superstars to work together.
"I accept your invitation, Ronan." Martin Scorsese made a decision: "You have someone discuss the specific conditions with my manager."
In order to impact the Oscar, he can lower his personal salary, which is not a big deal in front of the Oscar statuette.
Taking over the position of director, Martin Scorsese felt that the theme of the script was very good and suited his style very well; on the other hand, Relativity Entertainment's Oscar record in the past two years has been getting better and better.
Especially this year, two of the four major awards were directly taken away.
In the past two years, Martin Scorsese has deeply realized that if he wants to hit the Oscar-winning statuette, the film is very important, but the operation is even more important.
Harvey Weinstein and Miramax are caught in the vortex of Walt Disney’s infighting, and they will not be able to get out of it for a while. From the current situation, Ronan Anderson and his Theory of Relativity Entertainment is the most suitable choice .
Ronan will not take care of the specific negotiations, and with Martin Scorsese's Olympic mentality, it is impossible to raise excessive conditions.
Ronan said: "The production budget of the project is 70 million US dollars, but the film needs to be shot in the Boston area. Sandsea Entertainment has reached an agreement with the state of Massachusetts. Massachusetts will provide the crew with a tax rebate policy of up to 15%. .”
Will - Smith and Tom - Cruise two certainly have no objection.
Martin Scorsese said: "I have no problem." But he changed his voice and said: "For such a subject, the crew also needs to hire professional technical consultants, preferably senior police officers in the Boston area."
Shahai Entertainment has already done a lot of work, Ronan said: "Shahai Entertainment has already contacted. After the crew is established, they will hire retired police detective Thomas Duff who has worked in the Boston Police Department for more than 30 years as a special consultant. , he is good at investigating organized crime and has participated in the investigation of the conviction of South Boston's most notorious gang leader. The villain in the script is partly based on the criminal experience of this gangster."
In fact, this employment does not have any direct cost of money. Thomas Off is very interested in Hollywood movies, and the only condition he put forward is that he can show his face in the movie.
Martin Scorsese said: "I have no other questions for the time being. If I have other ideas later, I will communicate with you in time."
Ronan finally said: "This film will start preparations this year and will be released during the 2006 awards season. The goal is the 79th Academy Awards."
This meeting ended, and the crew of "The Departed Walker" was established. After Sandsea Entertainment signed a director agreement with Martin Scorsese, the relevant preparations will officially begin. The latest chapter of the best entertainment era is here: