Six Hundred and Eighty-Seven - Grandson, Shameless, Shameless.

"Peter, I heard that Weta Special Effects Studio was founded by you and your friends. Are you one of the big bosses?"

In a business car driving from the airport to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, Wayne casually flipped through the drafts of props and costumes related to "Lord of the Rings" and asked a question casually.

The seemingly casual question made Peter Jackson, who was sitting next to him, tense up instantly, and his eyes began to flicker and dodge when he looked at him. Especially when he discovered that Wayne didn't look at him and was just flipping through the manuscript casually. The shirt on the back of the fat New Zealand man's shirt was soaked with sweat in just a few seconds.

"Yes, Mr. Greenberg."

Gritting his teeth hard, Peter Jackson glanced at Sergey who was driving and Nina in the last row of the car who was looking down at a magazine and finally nodded slowly. "Weta Special Effects Studio was established in 1993, initially to produce special effects for my new film "Angel of Sin".

After I established this studio with two friends, we achieved our original goal. "Angel of Sin" saved a lot of money by using our own special effects studio..."

The reason why Peter Jackson is so nervous is that Weta Special Effects Studio undertook all the special effects work for "Lord of the Rings" as a whole.

Including the concept drawings, props, costumes, scenery, models, sculptures, etc. of thousands of characters in "Lord of the Rings", as well as the design and production of monster models, weapons and armor that were used most in the filming of "Lord of the Rings".

The reason why he dares to use his own special effects studio is, first of all, because he has strong confidence in this special effects studio and fully believes that the studio in his hands can produce results that will not be inferior to those of Hollywood Legends. Special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic.

Secondly, of course it is because of the selfishness in my heart. Not only did he need "Lord of the Rings", but Weta Special Effects Studio also needed a chance to prove itself.

What's more, the overall special effects, props and everything in "Lord of the Rings" can allow Weta Special Effects Studio to obtain a lot of revenue. To put it bluntly, it can make a lot of money.

"Let's go back to the hotel first."

Turning back and throwing the stapled design drafts to Nina, who was sitting in the back row, Wayne just smiled at Peter Jackson, raised his hand and patted the seat in front of him twice, making a banging sound.

After Sergey raised his hand to indicate that he had received the instruction, he turned his head and stared carefully into the eyes of the fat New Zealand man. One hand scratched the stubble on his chin, and the other hand took out the cigarette in his pocket. He popped one into his mouth.

"Peter, let's talk about your special effects studio. You should understand what I mean, okay?"

"Yes, yes, I understand."

The fat New Zealand man nodded immediately, thinking about how to speak. "Weta Special Effects Studio was established in 1993. After the production of my new film "Angel of Sin" was completed, we discovered at that time that having our own special effects studio can achieve the effect of doing big things with a small amount of money on many projects. .

Mr. Greenberg, you know, the total investment in "Lord of the Rings" is actually not that much, at least not generous for such an epic, special effects trilogy. Therefore, it is related to using Weta Special Effects Studio to produce the film. For special effects, you can save a lot of money compared to using George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic. And all the money saved can be invested in the production of the film..."

Since the establishment of this special effects studio in 1993, Peter Jackson and his two partners and friends have discovered that special effects companies cannot actually make big money in the film industry. In other words, the special effects companies that make big money are only those at the top of the industry. A handful.

Fortunately, the film "Angel of Sin" was spotted by Hollywood's New Line Cinema. Coupled with the relatively low price of Weta Special Effects Studio, New Line Cinema gave them multiple projects.

You must know that in 1993, New Line Cinema was still in its glory days. Although it was only a subsidiary of Time Warner, if you only look at the box office figures, the total box office of New Line Cinema's large-scale production of low-cost films , was able to overwhelm Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox, which have the worst performance among the six major Hollywood studios.

Unfortunately, New Line Cinema has unexpectedly begun to decline rapidly. The low-budget horror films it is best at have become a hit. Now it has even completely sold out to Warner Bros., and even president Xie Yin has retired.

"No, Peter."

Wayne leaned comfortably on the car seat, crossed his legs, raised the finger holding the cigarette to Peter Jackson, and shook it back and forth. "It seems you still don't understand what I mean."

As he spoke, his upper body suddenly tilted to the left, closing the distance between him and the fat New Zealand man. He stared into the other person's eyes and said, "Why do I believe that your Weta Special Effects Studio is fully capable of doing "" All the special effects and props design and production of "Lord of the Rings"? You need to give me a reason that can convince me."

"You still have time to think about it."

The business car had arrived in front of the hotel. Wayne raised his hand and patted Peter Jackson's arm, then bent down and got out of the car door opened by the doorman.

"Peter." Standing at the door of the hotel, he buttoned his suit jacket and tilted his head, looking at the fat New Zealand man who was still sitting in the car. "Forget it for today. Tomorrow morning, you will accompany me to visit the Weta Special Effects Studio to take a good look at your work progress during this period. Also, check out the location being built. That's it, you go back first Bar."

After speaking, he waved his hand, ignoring the embarrassed look on Peter Jackson's face, and walked towards the hotel lobby with Sergey and Nina.

Several people registered smoothly and arrived at the presidential suite with the help of the waiter. It wasn't until the waiter bent down to take the tip and left the suite that Nina let the luggage pile up aside, frowned slightly and looked at her boss, and said :

"Boss, will this make Peter Jackson feel humiliated and make him angry and angry?"

"Hey, dear Ms. Klein."

Wayne glanced at her, sat down on the sofa, shrugged and said: "When Peter Jackson wanted to use Weta Special Effects Studio to prepare everything related to the production of "Lord of the Rings", it was you who persuaded me to secretly encourage Warner Brothers to agree. Come on. This plan was also planned by you, what? Now you are soft-hearted again? "

Nina rolled her eyes unceremoniously, turned around and started packing her luggage without saying a word again. In her opinion, her boss is a typical boss who employs people and works backward.

To put it bluntly, it's very simple. Throughout Hollywood, complete special effects studios are very rare. Standing at the top of the pyramid is Industrial Light & Magic, while the others are either small workshops, or they are also losing money and making money, picking up the leftovers of Industrial Light & Magic.

In fact, if you look at it broadly, there is no shortage of special effects production companies in Hollywood at any time, such as Sevfx, MPc and other larger ones. Of course, there are hundreds of other special effects companies, large and small, but they can really develop Only a handful of them got up.

There is no doubt in the industry that the emergence of film special effects, or the emergence of "Star Wars" produced with era-changing special effects, directly changed the development pattern of the film industry, and even directly changed the form of artistic expression of film.

Industrial Light and Magic first became a giant in the special effects industry. It can be said that the source was its fame in "Star Wars". Later, relying on George Lucas's abundant funds and connections, the "source sequence" computer processing method was invented as early as the early 1980s, and was successfully applied to the science fiction movie "Star Trek", making the film a It was the first film in history to have special effects scenes produced entirely by computers.

Subsequently, Industrial Light and Magic's development nodes basically relied on popular movies at every stage. "Sherlock Holmes" in 1985 produced the first computer-generated character in history, and "The Abyss" in 1989 produced the first computer-generated character in history. Computer three-dimensional characters, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" in 1991, simply produced the first computer-generated special effects protagonist in history, t1000.

Until the mid-1990s, Industrial Light and Magic gradually became the first choice for all major projects in Hollywood with the hit movies. Movies such as "Jurassic Park", "Forrest Gump", "The Man in Disguise", etc. have a mutually successful relationship with Industrial Light and Magic.

It is worth mentioning that Industrial Light and Magic originally had a "computer animation team" that had developed 3D animated film technology early on. However, George Lucas, the father of Star Wars, felt that this technology was too childish. In the 1980s, In the mid-1990s, all the personnel of this "computer animation team" were packaged and sold to Gang Leader Qiao.

It was this "computer animation group" that sold for $10 million. Later it got a more famous name. Everyone called them: Pixar! That's right, it's that Pixar whose technical staff all show off their bad attributes! It was the Pixar who made Gang Leader Joe stand up in one fell swoop! That No. 1 animation studio in Hollywood: Pixar!

As for Weta Special Effects Studio, it was because Nina had been eyeing New Line Cinema that she discovered this company with great potential and vitality.

Since 1993, New Line Cinema has used Weta Special Effects Studio for basically all its films, large and small. Not only does the studio offer low prices, but its results also exceed the average in the industry. The film company's culture of making big things happen with small things has been implemented very thoroughly.

It was also because of this that when Peter Jackson wanted to outsource the special effects, props and other preparatory work for "The Lord of the Rings" to Weta Special Effects Studio, Wayne secretly called Jeff Robinoff. Therefore, things went smoothly beyond imagination. The two investors of "Lord of the Rings", Warner Bros. and Greenberg Studio, did not face difficulties in this matter.

Now that the preparations are almost halfway through, props, armor, costumes, monster models, etc. have all begun to be made, and Wayne has thrown a problem to Peter Jackson for the first time.

Not to mention his grandson, shamelessness, and shamelessness, this is Hollywood. Hollywood has always been a commercial society, a melting pot composed of capital. If there were no intrigues here, all film-related practitioners would be pure little sheep, and no one would believe them if they told them.

More importantly, Wayne knew very well that what Weta Special Effects Studio lacked was the opportunity of "The Lord of the Rings". In his memory, it was also because of "The Lord of the Rings" that the New Zealand-based special effects studio , becoming one of the three major special effects studios in Hollywood.

Besides, Peter Jackson has never entered this category among the behind-the-scenes team surrounding him, or rather the circle of people around him. Since he is not one of his own, his code of conduct will not change at all.

In fact, many people in the circle know that Wayne Greenberg's code of conduct has always been to shake hands with you with a sunny and tough appearance, but the left hand hidden behind his back is always holding a hard stone.

In the suite of the Hilton Hotel in Wellington, New Zealand, Wayne and his party were relaxing and enjoying a dinner with New Zealand characteristics. In an office of Weta Special Effects Studio, which is headquartered in Wellington, three men were holding cold coffee, their faces very solemn.

"Don't have any other lucky ideas."

Peter Jackson has stayed in Los Angeles for a long time, and he knows the Hollywood boss very well from the outside. He threw the coffee cup onto the table and, ignoring the spilled liquid, punched the table with his fist and said in a low voice: "Give him shares, give him shares that satisfy his appetite!"

As a partner of Weta Special Effects Studio, Richard Taylor looked extremely ugly. Especially when he thought about the large number of things produced for "Lord of the Rings" in the studio, he felt as if he had been stabbed by someone.

"Peter, maybe we should be more patient and wait until Wayne Greenberg checks the preparation progress before making a decision..."

"That's right."

Another partner, Jimmy Selkirk, nodded, looked at the fat New Zealand man and said, "Wayne Greenberg is a film director after all. I don't believe it. The props and models will really break your heart and change to a special effects company!"

In fact, all three of them had confidence in their work and in the design of the studio, especially Jimmy Selkirk and Richard Taylor. They believe that those work achievements that are as exquisite as Industrial Light and Magic are their capital to fight against that vampire.

Yes, it's a vampire. When Peter Jackson talked about Wayne's words on the road, all three of them figured it out in a flash. The current timing is so good that Weta Special Effects Studio cannot fail to comply, otherwise the dust that awaits them will be wiped out.

"Damn it, don't think of him as a movie director, ever!"

No one expected that the fat New Zealand man almost jumped up after hearing the words of his two friends. Under the surprised gazes of the two of them, he gasped angrily, picked up the coffee he had just thrown out and drank it all in one gulp, and said in a low and hoarse voice again:

"You have never been in Hollywood, so it is normal to not know him. Even in Hollywood, no one has ever regarded him as a simple film director."

Glancing at his two friends, Peter Jackson seemed to be suddenly deflated, his upper body completely sunk into the sofa, and he weakly continued to explain: "The name Wayne Greenberg represents energy in Hollywood! In the eyes of senior filmmakers in the industry, he actually has three identities.

The first level is capitalists! Yes, he is a capitalist. He is the major shareholder of Warner Bros. and the largest natural shareholder of Warner Bros.! His net worth is conservatively estimated to be no less than one billion U.S. dollars. Note that this is the most conservative estimate. His Greenberg Studio has been flexing its muscles in Hollywood in the past two years. Financial experts from Fortune magazine analyzed that he also has Hold a large number of Internet company stocks!

The second identity is the producer, and the last one is the film director in people's eyes. Let’s talk about capitalists first. You must know that in North American society, capitalists are the most powerful group in society. A capitalist in North American society refers to a person who has a lot of resources that can be deployed. It can also be understood as a person who can mobilize resources and energy that far exceed his own wealth.

Wayne Greenberg is definitely among the top few in Hollywood in this regard. He is the master of dark-style films and the invisible leader of filmmakers in this area. He is the default leader of the new generation of the Jewish gang, and he is also the default leader of the next generation of Jewish bosses in the entertainment industry!

At the same time, after so many years of work and investment, the stars he has promoted, the movie giants who have made profits because of him, the industry bosses who surround him closely, and the friends in the industry who exist for the above reasons can all make him willing to Under such circumstances, the resources gathered and affected are so large that it is difficult for outsiders to imagine them. "

Under Peter Jackson's low and hoarse narration, Wayne's true face unfolded for the first time in front of Jimmy Selkirk and Richard Taylor.

If Wayne were here, he would definitely embrace the fat New Zealand guy. He would never have imagined that the person who truly understood him was not his opponent, his friend, or the woman he was sleeping with, but the fat New Zealand guy who had always been inconspicuous.

"Give me an example." Peter Jackson continued weakly. "For example, George Lucas is known as the richest man in Hollywood. However, if anyone can mobilize more capital and resources in the industry, I think it is still Wayne Greenberg.

Therefore, his role as a capitalist is very powerful, especially for a capitalist like him who knows how to share profits! Warner Brothers is his home base, and the world's top media industry represented by Time Warner is a giant beast standing behind him. And he doesn't have many friends, but they are either first-line superstars or top directors in the industry. Otherwise, why would a superstar as unruly as Tom Cruise take the initiative to move closer to him?

There is also the role of producer later on. Just wait and see. After this summer, there is a high probability that 20th Century Fox will become his invisible collaborator. If he wants, he can even use the role of producer to win the friendship of more than half of Hollywood's giant capital!

So, this is the real Wayne Greenberg. The gentleness, politeness, philanthropist, and gentlemanly demeanor on the surface are all packaged by the Times Group with the power of the media! Guys, this is the main reason why I say don't take any chances, I'd be out of the business of Lord of the Rings tomorrow if I wanted to!

Of course, as long as he thinks about it, even if Weta Special Effects Studio does half of the work and has outstanding performance, he will still be replaced by other special effects companies! "

A vivid image of the Hollywood industry boss emerged from Peter Jackson's description. For the first time, his two friends clearly understood the richness of the term "Hollywood boss". significance.

"If you say so, Peter."

Richard Taylor, who usually presided over the work of Weta Special Effects Studio, slowly relaxed his frown. He looked at his friend thoughtfully and whispered: "Then introducing Wayne Greenberg will be of great benefit to us, right?"

"From a certain perspective, that's true." Peter Jackson nodded. "Once he becomes the majority shareholder of Weta Special Effects Studio, as long as the studio completes the big project of "Lord of the Rings" well, there will definitely be no shortage of development funds and special effects outsourcing projects."

The reason is simple. Greenberg Studio is constantly launching movie projects, and Warner Bros. looks out for his face, and will also have a steady stream of outsourced special effects projects to Weta Special Effects Studio. The premise is that the special effects of "The Lord of the Rings" must be done well. As long as there are no technical problems and Hollywood's unspoken rules of taking care of its own people, there will be no shortage of work for Witt Special Effects Studio.

"only......"

Peter Jackson thought of some rumors in the Hollywood circle and said hesitantly: "It's just that no one knows how big his appetite is. Since he is deliberately plotting against Witt Studio, his appetite will definitely not be small."

Everyone wanted the benefits, and the three people present all thought at the same time that if Wayne Greenberg opened his mouth and wanted to swallow up most of the studio's share, the three of them would really be working in vain.

Commercial companies are infiltrated by capital, and rumors about founders being kicked out of the company frequently break out. None of the three of them has heard of it less. Wayne Greenberg, in particular, is fully capable of investing first and then slowly kicking them all away.

For a moment, the three of them fell into silence again.

"Forget it, when I take him to visit tomorrow, I will take the initiative to give him the agreed share." Peter Jackson was afraid of his thighs, shook his head and said helplessly: "We can wait until we talk about it tomorrow... ....”

The other two looked at each other and nodded helplessly. This was all they could do now. Apart from this, there wasn't much they could have done.

At nine o'clock the next morning, Wayne and Nina appeared in front of the Weta Special Effects Studio on time. Peter Jackson, who had not slept well all night, and his friend Richard Taylor, while chatting with him, welcomed him into the studio to see the items related to "The Lord of the Rings" that had been produced.

"This thing is much heavier than I thought. Well, it's also much more delicate."

Touching a pair of medieval armor in his hand, Wayne lifted it up curiously, nodding in approval from time to time with satisfaction.

This armor belongs to the Human Emperor Aragorn at first glance. What is being made now is just a sample. Once the actors are in place, it will be modified according to the actor's body shape and multiple pairs will be mass-produced.

"Actors need training." Peter Jackson stretched out his hand, knocked on the armor a few times, and explained: "My initial plan was to use polyethylene or Kevlar, but after experiments, I found that the main part should be made of copper. It’s the most realistic and has the best effect. So if an actor wants to move freely wearing this kind of thing, he must train in advance.”

"well done..."

Wayne patted Peter Jackson on the shoulder, smiled and praised.