Three Hundred and Ninety-Six-1 Fool

In fact, Wayne rarely attends other people's movie premieres simply as a guest on the stage.

He doesn't really need to find job opportunities through socializing at cocktail parties. Guests from all walks of life came to the premiere, in addition to increasing their exposure, the biggest purpose was to socialize.

His main goal of coming here today has actually been accomplished. In the interview area behind the red carpet, it was enough to say those controversial words to gain more attention for the upcoming film.

At the subsequent cocktail party, Wayne didn't take it too seriously. He said hello to George Lucas, sent out an invitation to the premiere of "The Departed", and took Nina for a brief walk before heading back.

It won't take long for "The Departed" to be released. It will be very difficult for him to have time to spend time with his daughter.

The two of them walked around in the hotel banquet hall, greeting familiar and unfamiliar people. Just when Wayne was about to find Bruce Rosenblum and leave, someone stopped him. Got him.

The person who came was probably about the same age as him. He was wearing a neat and decent suit. His hair was neatly tied back. He had some common freckles on his face. Although he smiled, he gave people an uncomfortable feeling.

At least Wayne frowned slightly when he saw the other person's smile. He was quite familiar with this feeling, just like himself when he just graduated. It was a sense of pride that he thought highly of himself, especially his chin that was slightly raised no matter who he faced.

"Hello, what's the matter?"

After thinking about it carefully, Wayne was very sure that he did not know the other person and had never seen this person before. However, those who could appear at this reception must have something to do with Warner Brothers. He still raised the champagne in his hand and said hello to the other party.

"Mr. Greenberg, I'd like to talk to you alone."

The person who came here may not be well suited to the current situation, and his tone of voice may be stiff when speaking, or he may not be very social by nature.

After hearing the other party's request, Wayne did not respond. He took a sip of champagne from the wine glass and just looked at him. It wasn't until a long while later that he said, "I don't have much time. If you have anything to say, I'll just tell you."

The adaptors and security personnel in the banquet hall also noticed the situation here, and two people were approaching. They didn't know the young man who blocked the road, but they knew the great director Wayne Greenberg, and they were wondering if he was in trouble.

"Well, my name is Charles Leonardo. I graduated from the New York University Film School this year." When he said this, he slightly raised his head very naturally, as if the other party should have heard of his name.

Seeing that Wayne didn't express anything, but instead frowned more and more, revealing his impatience, he speeded up his speech and continued: "I am a doctorate in the Department of Film and Television Production and Directing. I have a project in hand right now. I don't know what you are doing." Not interested."

"ha."

Wayne tilted his head and looked at the other person with interest. Normally, anyone who dared to come to such an occasion to promote himself should have an agent to introduce him, but this one was indeed alone.

"Okay, let's go over there and talk."

As he spoke, he pointed to the seating area by the balcony and took Nina over there first. The reason why he agreed to the other party was because he wanted to see what kind of project it was that could make the other party so proud.

It can be seen that this young man named Charles usually doesn't talk much. After the two sat down, he didn't talk nonsense at all and took out a thin piece of information from his coat pocket.

According to Wayne's visual inspection, this thing was only as thick as three or four pieces of printing paper at most, and it was indeed the same after getting it. He was not in a hurry to read what was written on it, but instead took a rough look at it first.

It was exactly as he imagined. As soon as he got it, he sighed inwardly. This thing was most likely not worth his time.

But he found that the faces of his peers sitting opposite were filled with confidence, so he suppressed his irritability and looked carefully from the beginning.

This is a script, yes, although it is particularly short, it is indeed a script. More appropriately, it’s a cross between a script and an idea.

At first, Wayne was afraid that he would miss important information, so he watched carefully line by line. The main body of the story should be about a New York painter's entanglement with three other women. It ends with the painter killing these three women himself.

In a thin board of more than three pages, many things are not written clearly, and ambiguities abound.

However, after only reading the first page, Wayne was already convinced that this was a piece of shit, filled with the director's emotions and desire for expression, a bit like a small-budget independent art film.

"How about it? Mr. Greenberg, if you want to invest in this movie, I have some conditions to put in front of you. Otherwise, I would rather not have your investment."

When Wayne put down the so-called script in his hand and before he could decide whether to get up and leave directly or say something before leaving, the other party said proudly.

The sound came in time.

He looked up in surprise and found that the doctor was still continuing. "First of all, if you want to invest in this film, you must take on the position of producer. This is a prerequisite."

After Charles Leonard finished speaking, he noticed that Wayne had no other reaction. He nodded, thinking that the other party had tacitly agreed to this condition, and then said: "I can give out the script for free, but I want to be the director of the film. .

I don’t have to pay the director’s salary, but I will be given a share of the box office after the film is released. We can set up a tiered gambling contract. After the film is released in North America, if the box office exceeds 20 million US dollars, I will enjoy 5% of the proceeds, 10% for 30 million US dollars, and 100% for 40 million US dollars. Fifteen, and so on.

The filming location of the film must be in New York. Although you can serve as the producer, you cannot limit my authority on the crew..."

"Hey, hey, wait."

Seeing that the other party seemed to be talking incessantly, Wayne waved his hand to interrupt him, and looked at each other with Nina, both of whom couldn't help laughing.

"I'm sorry, I think you haven't figured out the situation yet. I can't discuss work with anyone without my agent present. So, I'm very sorry. We'll talk next time we have a chance."

Wayne shook his head, stood up and prepared to leave. This guy of the same age who had just graduated had no idea what Hollywood was. He was already regretting wasting his time on such a crappy project.

Seeing him stand up and straighten his suit jacket, ready to leave, a trace of anxiety flashed across Charles Leonardo's face. "When will your agent be here?"

"What?!"

"I mean, why is your agent here?" Charles Leonardo also stood up and asked urgently. "Let's make an appointment and continue talking while your agent is around."

For a moment, Wayne and Nina were stunned. The agent just gave a polite and tactful reason for rejection. Normal people should be able to understand what he meant. Unexpectedly, this film doctor actually took it seriously.

"Okay, then I'll just say it." Before leaving, he shook his head helplessly. "This project, well, let's just say this is a project, I'm not interested in it at all. You can ask other people if they have investment intentions.

One more thing, if you really want to market your project, at least write a complete script, not just a simple idea like this. Also, you must at least make a detailed project plan to have the slightest chance of impressing potential investors. "

In fact, Wayne has already guessed that this person has probably been in school, studying the so-called film major. It seems that his academic performance should be pretty good, otherwise he would not be full of pride.

But what you learn in school and how to actually create a movie are completely different things.

After saying that, regardless of whether the other party heard it or not, he took Nina and turned around and walked towards the elevator. Such people are mostly immersed in their own world and cannot listen to other people's suggestions.

When Wayne was still in college, he had such a dream more than once. A rich man will write him a check that is enough to finish the movie because he likes his script or discovers his talent.

Every student studying film and television production will probably have this kind of fantasy, but it is just a dream after all. Except for their own parents, no one would be stupid enough to pay for a director who has not proven himself.

"Wait, Mr. Greenberg."

Wayne and Nina had just stepped off the elevator and before leaving the hotel lobby, Charles Leonardo caught up with them again. In the doubtful eyes of the two, he said in a warning tone:

"Mr. Greenberg, my script has been registered with the Screenwriters Guild. If a similar film appears on the market in the future, I will reserve the right to use legal means to pursue it."

"what the fxxk?!"

As if he didn't see the two people who were stunned, after Charles Leonardo finished speaking, he proudly raised his chin slightly and walked out of the hotel, leaving the two people standing there staring at each other.

"Boss, are you a fool?" Nina raised her eyebrows and looked at her boss curiously, her tone full of uncertainty.

Wayne shrugged his shoulders and said as he walked out: "Maybe it wasn't the case before, but I can't say for sure if I was stupid in school."

It is very common in Hollywood to use an idea to make a movie, but that is the right only owned by successful producers or big directors. Those who can use an idea to invest in production companies are basically all big ones. A guy-level existence.

The most typical example of this era is Jerry Bruckheimer. He is a very prolific and continuously successful producer. The later "Pirates of the Caribbean" series all started from an idea or idea.

In any case, such a right is not something that a newcomer can have. If he does it, Nina's reaction just now will happen and she will be treated as a fool.