Chapter 45 Chief Negotiator

"Li Siming's first film in Hollywood was filmed silently in the summer of 1982. It was in an abandoned prison in Ohio. There was no reporter at all. It was not mentioned in the newspaper before the release because all those involved in the film were named. At least a week before the film premiered in 1982. But a great film was born since then. This movie, which has some similarities to Lee's personal experience, made people know a great Chinese director.

Not long after, in the minds of Americans, Li became synonymous with China. He could be called a 'civil diplomat'. With his success, he changed the image of Chinese people in the minds of Americans to some extent. This is probably something he himself never thought of, and this may be another power of film art."

——Harrison Sheeman, a famous film critic in New York

"Flying Knife Gate", also known as "The Ten-Side Ambush", was released in Los Angeles on July 20, and all 50 cinemas belonging to McKenner Pictures were released. Frankel's publicity work was done very well. Every Chinese in the Los Angeles area already knew that there was a Chinese movie about to be released, which was very attractive from the promotional poster. When the first audience left the cinema, Frankel knew that the film was successful, and more Americans began to talk about this 100% Chinese-dera movie. So, theaters in the eastern metropolitan area began to contact Frankel and demanded that the film be screened.

This is an unexpected surprise for Li Siming and Zeng Zhi. If you can earn more, you can earn more. The more you are, the better. Sales and administration matters are fully handed over to Frankel, the scalper, and Li Siming has already started preparing for the next step of the movie.

When Stephen King learned that Li Siming had arrived in the United States, he sent someone to hand over the completed script to Li Siming, and repeatedly stated that the author of the script could only be Li Siming, and Li Siming did not take it seriously, which was not important to him. However, his carelessness brought about a big and small storm.

With the script in hand, several assistants are needed next. Frankel gave a complete set of information. Li Siming picked two experienced assistant directors, Eric Greenwood and Thomas Spielberg, who will mainly bear the on-site coordination work.

The next part will be casting work, which is a key job. The male protagonist in the original work is of course the best candidate, but he is only 24 years old. Although he has a special liking for acting and has obtained a drama degree, he has not officially entered the film industry yet. Moreover, it does not match the general age of the protagonist in the play. Another protagonist, Red, Li Siming, chose Morgan Freeman, a black movie star who Li Siming respects extremely, and his status in his mind is definitely much more important than that of the later black stars. This black actor can sit there for 90 minutes and act well, and his acting skills are beyond words. In the original novel, the character Red has been imprisoned for 20 years when he appeared, which means he is about 40 years old, which is similar to his current 45 years old.

After leaving the US Air Force in 1959, Morgan Freeman started to develop from Broadway outside New York. He entered Broadway in 1968 and participated in a stage play "hello, dolly!", performed by black actors. After that, he wandered on the stages on Broadway and Broadway. From musicals, modern theaters to classical Shakespeare's famous dramas, the variety of performances fully demonstrated his performance skills. After making a name for Broadway, Freeman turned to the TV industry, 1971 to 19

In 1976, he played Mr. "Hao Read" in a children's English teaching program on American public television. During this period, he performed his first movie "www.piaotian.com't ride a rainbow", which is a children's film of warm sketches. During the 1970s, Freeman's works were scattered on large and small film screens, but they did not have very outstanding results. It was not until his superb performance in "The Storm of the Black Prison" in 1980 that he received unanimous praise from the film reviews.

But so far, he is not a very famous actor, and his value has not been fully explored. Li Siming has long been aiming at this future star, although he is now a 45-year-old actor, which is inconspicuous in Hollywood, which is full of handsome men and beautiful women. After receiving a warm invitation from McKenner Company, Morgan Freeman became Li Siming's first actor to be finalized.

Li Siming is still burying his head in the files that can be called "Actor Information Collection", trying to search for actors who are consistent with his memory. It is rare for Frankel to collect such complete information. Many people are not famous yet and are still rushing to win a role. Other supporting roles are okay, but the actor of Andy, the most important role, has not yet found a suitable candidate.

Assistant director Eric Greenwood walked in.

"Hi, Li, are you still worried about casting? How about I recommend a candidate to you?" he said.

"Tell me?" Li Siming raised his head and said.

"William Hurt!" said Greenwood. "This person's acting skills are beyond words. What's even more rare is that this person's work is rigorous and serious, even without pay."

"He?" Li Siming remembered this person because he later proved his honor because he moved, the Little Golden Man lost his honor, and suspected that he was patronized by a thief. This became a big news in Hollywood. This handsome man ushered in his heyday in the 1980s. Because he had the temperament of an extraordinary Hollywood star, was good at using his eyes to express his inner activities, and was rigorous in his operation and did not care about pay, he was recognized by Ektorba Literature. After playing the role of homosexuality in "Spider Girl's Kiss", he won the title of Oscar for the Best Actor in 1985 and was nominated several times, so his acting skills were highly respected. However, after becoming famous, such a person was still not as ostentatious as other stars.

"Does he have a film appointment now? If not, please contact me, okay?" Li Siming was very interested.

"He is my friend. He just finished a movie called "Body Hot" and is on vacation now. Lee, let him be the protagonist, that's right!" Greenwood promised, thinking about it and adding, "And it's cheap and good!"

"What are you waiting for? Go and call!" Li Siming expelled him from the outside.

Another assistant director, Thomas Spielberg, a character who Li Siming can call Uncle, also recommended some supporting actors.

Then Li Siming would write a storyboard script with two assistant directors. When writing this storyboard script, Li Siming clearly felt that the difference between Hollywood movie scripts and Hong Kong movie scripts: it does not have any modified words, it only starts from the business of commercial movies, always based on the ontology of the movie and uses audio-visual language to tell stories, that is, it never tells stories in literature. It makes money by using the ontology of the movie. To put it more specifically, it is by mobilizing people's audio-visual hallucinations to attract audiences. Therefore, Hollywood has never said "literary scripts", which is not just a small problem of name terms. Hollywood screenwriters try to visualize the script with visual amplitude and visualize the events mentioned or spoken in the play. There will never be a large number of modified words, because they only appear in novels.

On August 10, "Shawshank Redemption" officially started filming. The shooting location was the Mansfield State Regulatory Institute in Ohio. This was an abandoned prison, but because the prison was too dilapidated, the crew had to renovate before filming.

The state government welcomed McKenner's request to use the long-destroyed prison because they could earn a windfall.

"Mr. Douglas, the Ohio State Government has made a lot of money this time. Can't you support Hollywood movies? I'm a newcomer? Our company is also a small company!" Li Siming complained to a civil servant named Douglas of the Ohio State Government.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Li, although it's very ragged here, isn't this what you need?" Douglas shrugged and said he couldn't help, "This is also the public property of taxpayers! It is the responsibility of our Mr. Governor and all civil servants to consider it for the public interest."

"If my movie is so popular, you will become famous for a little golden man or something. Maybe you will receive more applications from crews to film in the future. This is all thanks to me. Perhaps there are movie fans who ask for a visit. You can also sell tickets and charge fees. Do you share the money for me?"

"this……"

"Also, I have recruited hundreds of extras here, and we have all recruited those who are unemployed at home. This has also solved the major employment problem for the Guizhou government. Do you have to consider it? If they complain all day long, or even steal, it is also one of the sources of social instability!" Li Siming continued to fool him.

"this……"

"Also, all our clothes and props are purchased locally. We have spent 3 million US dollars at present, and we will spend 7 million US dollars. This may also greatly promote the development of the local economy. You must know that these things are easier to buy in southern California!" Li Siming saw that the other party was a little relieved and decided to add another fire.

"Mr. Li, you are the most talkative person I have ever met! No, you should be the most talkative Chinese!" Douglas was already stunned, "I will go back immediately and convey your opinions to the state government. You know, it is not something that a person can decide when it comes to the public's interests!"

"No problem, but I can't wait too long. I have to pay tens of thousands of dollars this day! I heard that there is such an abandoned prison in Nevada!" Li Siming said with a smile.

Li Siming looked at the figure of the other party leaving in a hurry and couldn't help but want to laugh.

"Li, how could you be the director?" Thomas Spielberg could hear every word Li Siming clearly.

"Then what should I be?" Li Siming asked back.

"You should be a diplomat, or the chief negotiator of multinational corporations!" Eric Greenwood said in a very sure tone.

"Save some money if you can save some money!" Li Siming said.
Chapter completed!