Chapter 97 Music

The rehearsal of the drama "Romeo and Juliet" started with a stumbling start.

Whether it is Wu Yuan or Luo Jin, Zhu Yawen, Liu Yifei and others, this drama rehearsal is a rare exercise.

Every week, Wu Yuan takes them to rehearse on the weekends, helping them integrate into the characters bit by bit, integrating the storyline and themes into the entire theater atmosphere.

While Wu Yuan was busy rehearsing the drama, time was passing quietly.

As the weather gradually turned hotter, the pneumonia epidemic was gradually brought under control.

Zhang Guorong did not take the leap like Wu Yuan dreamed, but instead he was enthusiastically preparing for the release of his new movie.

"Stealing Hearts" has been rescheduled to be released simultaneously in mainland China and Hong Kong Island on June 4.

"The Hangover" was successfully released on a small scale in North America, with a box office of more than 5 million US dollars in its first week, and the number of theaters it was released in is growing rapidly.

Wu Yuan himself, while rehearsing the drama, had almost perfected the script of "Your Name" and started the preliminary preparations for the film.

First of all, the first thing he had to do was to ask Director Han for a favor.

On April 21, Wu Yuan came to the China Film Group Building with the script.

Without any obstruction, he arrived at Director Han's office.

"Director Wu, you are a rare visitor."

Director Han, who was reviewing documents, saw Wu Yuan coming to visit. He was stunned at first, and then a smile appeared on his face.

He knew very well that Wu Yuan never came to the Three Treasures Hall for anything, and would never come to China Film Academy when he had nothing to do.

Seeing Wu Yuan in the office this time means that Director Wu can't stand the loneliness and wants to do something!

Sure enough, after Wu Yuan entered the door, he walked straight to Director Han's desk and put a script on the table.

"Director Han, this is the script of my new movie."

"I plan to shoot in mainland China during the summer vacation and try to release it within the year."

The wait is finally here!

Director Han's eyes lit up and he immediately asked without even looking at the script: "What's the budget?"

"Forty to fifty million, no more than sixty million yuan at most." Wu Yuan spread his hands.

"We have voted for China Film Academy!" Director Han waved his hand and said without hesitation.

After finishing speaking, without waiting for Wu Yuan's reaction, Director Han kept talking and said with some pity: "It's a bit short. I thought you would make a movie with an investment of over 100 million."

"Invest over 100 million? Where should I go?" Wu Yuan was dumbfounded.

"You are a well-known director in Hollywood, but you are still worried that the movie will not sell?" Director Han said with an envious tone: "Both "Juno" and "The Executioner" have done very well at the box office in Japan and South Korea."

"Other mainland directors' films cannot be sold in Japan and South Korea. Only films from Hong Kong Island have an Asian market."

"But you are different. You are a Hollywood-level director. Your movies are sold throughout Asia. Even if you invest 100 million in a movie, you won't be able to make back your money."

"Director Han, I plan to invest in my new movie this time." Wu Yuan spread his hands, "This year, private companies have fully liberalized investment in movies."

"I also plan to set up my own film production company. I will invest in my own production and be responsible for my own profits and losses. This will also reduce the burden on China Film."

"If China Film Group wants to take a stake in this movie, I will only accept a maximum investment ratio of 20%, and I will pay the rest myself."

"So I still have to save some money, and it's not easy to make some money."

Although the overseas box office distribution of "The Embalmer" has not yet been obtained so soon.

But with the money from selling the copyright plus the box office split between the Mainland and Hong Kong Island, as well as the director's fee of US$8 million, Wu Yuan now has US$10 million in hand.

It's definitely more than enough to make a "Your Name" movie.

Director Han's words are indeed not wrong. Wu Yuan also feels that even if he makes a commercial film with an investment of over 100 million, he can still make money by relying on the Asian market.

"Juno" and "The Embalmer" have already proven this for him.

Even if Wu Yuan invests 100 million in his next movie, as long as there is an Asian market, there is no need to worry about not being able to recoup the cost.

But this does not mean that Wu Yuan will listen to Director Han and make blockbusters with an investment of over 100 million.

Why spend 100 million when you can get box office revenue with an investment of about 40 to 50 million? This is not a very cost-effective choice.

Spending half as much money may not necessarily double the box office results.

Speaking of which, for the two films "The Night the Comet Came" and "The Embalmer", Wu Yuan's share of profits to China Film Group was enough.

If it hadn't been for the filming of "The Embalmer", all his money was spent on the filming of "The Hangover" by Guang Era, and he wouldn't have much money for a while, otherwise Wu Yuan of "The Embalmer" wouldn't have let China Film Group Corporation take over it. So many.

Now that he wants to make movies solely on his own, he must be pursuing the maximum profit ratio.

Spending 50 to 60 million is really enough. For other mainland directors, such an investment is already unimaginable.

"Hey, you kid!" Han Dong pointed at Wu Yuan, shook his head and laughed.

Wu Yuan's words were beautiful and relieved China Film's burden.

This statement can be applied to other fifth- and sixth-generation directors. Most fifth- and sixth-generation directors have basically lost all the investment they received from China Film and Television, and few have ever recovered their original investment.

But Wu Yuan is different. This is a high-quality stock, and the money invested in him can be earned back several times.

Isn't it just that he wants to make more money and not share the profits with China Film Group? Director Han is completely understandable, and he doesn't mind this very much.

The policy of the upper level is to introduce private capital to activate the film market. As the leading state-owned enterprise in the film industry, China Film Group must respond to the policy.

It is good that Wu Yuan is willing to invest money to make movies.

He is capable of making a lot of money by making movies himself!

However, Mr. Han's doubts also followed.

"Aren't you here to ask me for investment?" Mr. Han asked curiously: "Then you came to me specifically to inform me that you are going to make a new movie?"

"Just make a phone call for this matter, no need to go there in person."

"Of course not." Wu Yuan shook his head and sat down, "I have something I want to ask Mr. Han."

"You should know some people in the entertainment circle of Taiwan, right?"

"Can you help me contact a band in Taiwan?"

"The band is called Mayday, and it won the Golden Melody Award for Best Band."

"I want them to help me make a few soundtracks for this new movie."

I thought of asking Mayday to write songs for "Your Name" when Wu Yuan was chatting with Liu Yifei before.

The movie "Love in May" is about two Mayday fans who met each other through the Internet and then met in person in Taiwan.

It was Liu Yifei who mentioned this movie that made Wu Yuan think of the band Mayday.

You know, in the original version of "Your Name", several soundtracks are perfect and fit the movie perfectly.

Whether it is the theme song "Previous Life" or Sanye's personal song "Spark", they are very nice to listen to, and the most important thing is that they fit the characters and the theme of the movie.

For movies, the soundtrack is a very important part.

Excellent soundtracks can bring a very high blessing to the movie, and even become the symbol and memory point of the movie, and complement each other.

For example, "My Heart Will Go On" from "Titanic", "He's a Pirate" from "Pirates of the Caribbean", and "Pacific Rim" from "Pacific Rim".

As soon as the music sounds, people will think of these movies, or they will think of these songs when they see these movies.

What's more, just mentioning a few keywords can make people think of classic soundtrack clips.

For example, when mentioning the snowy day, the telephone booth, and Yuan Hua, "A Cut Plum" automatically plays in my mind.

This is the importance of soundtracks to movies.

The soundtrack of the original "Your Name" is very good, but the original songs are all Japanese songs, written by an RB pop band.

Wu Yuan's singing level is still good. Although he has not learned professional instruments and cannot compose music, he can still sing some Chinese songs that he remembers.

Japanese songs are really not good. It is really difficult for Wu Yuan to reproduce them.

He can only hum a rough melody at most, and he still has to ask a professional music production team to supplement and improve it, or even re-create it.

In the Chinese music scene, Wu Yuan thought that the only one who can do this job is Mayday.

It's not that Mayday is so good that it has no rivals in the Chinese music scene, but there are not many bands playing pop rock in the Chinese music scene.

Bands like Tang Dynasty and Black Panther in the mainland are pure rock bands. Their songs are great, but they are not suitable for a youth love movie.

In terms of youth love, Mayday is the most suitable pop rock band at this stage.

They are on the pop route.

In 2001, Mayday won the Best Band Award at the 12th Formosa Golden Melody Awards with its second original album "Long Live Love".

And there is a song called "Gentleness" in this album.

At this time, Mayday has become famous in both sides of the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong.

Next year, they will have another blockbuster song that will be popular all over the country.

This song is called "Stubborn".

At this time, it is the most suitable time to invite Mayday to compose the soundtrack for "Your Name".

They are already popular, but not completely popular yet. They are in the rising period and their value is just right.

And Mayday is really good at writing songs for film and television dramas.

The songs they wrote for film and television dramas later, "Step by Step", "Entering the Battle", "Light Years in Summer", "General's Order" and "Later Us" are all great.

Wu Yuan was more relieved to find this band to do the soundtrack for "Your Name".

Although Mr. Han did not know this band from Taiwan, he always gave Wu Yuan money and support.

Mr. Han agreed to Wu Yuan's request on the spot and would help Wu Yuan contact this band as soon as possible.

"No problem, I'll help you contact them and ask them to come to Beijing to see you as soon as possible!"

In Mr. Han's opinion, Wu Yuan was definitely too high to find a band from Taiwan to do the soundtrack for his new movie. As long as they were notified, they would definitely take the initiative to come to Beijing to see Wu Yuan.

It was impossible for Wu Yuan to go to Taiwan to meet them in person.

Coincidentally, Wu Yuan thought so too.

After finalizing this matter, Wu Yuan chatted with Mr. Han for a few more words and left China Film with satisfaction.

After completing this matter, there was only one more important thing left in the early preparations for "Your Name".

Later that night, Wu Yuan made a phone call to Jerry after confirming that it was early morning in the United States.

"Jerry, can you help me contact Industrial Light & Magic?"

"Yes, I need their help with some special effects."

"No, no, no, just a minute of special effects footage."

"OK, thanks."

This chapter has 3,000 words!