Chapter 534: The God of Gamblers Screenplay
Chapter 534: The God of Gamblers Screenplay
Three days later, Tian Pengyu handed the script written by the screenwriter to Lu Jiaxin. If she had no objections, they could proceed to hire a director.
Television series typically have a large number of episodes, resulting in lengthy scripts that couldn't be read in one sitting. After putting down the script for "Family Honor," Lu Jiaxin handed him another script she had written: "I was inspired to write this the other day while watching TV. Take a look."
Tian Pengyu excitedly took the script and immediately saw the two large words, "God of Gamblers." Without even reading the content, the title alone hinted at a story involving gambling.
In her past life, Lu Jiaxin had watched the "God of Gamblers" and "King of Gamblers" series and could recite the plots by heart. Even so, she only wrote an outline for the story.
After Tian Pengyu finished reading the script, Lu Jiaxin said, "For this movie, invite Wong Jit to direct, and give him the script to flesh out the details. As for the cast, let Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung play the male leads, and leave the female lead and other actors to the director's discretion."
Not only did Wong Jit direct "God of Gamblers 1" and "God of Gamblers 2," but he also wrote the screenplays. Lu Jiaxin only provided the outline, leaving the content to be filled in by Wong Jit. When the movie was released, he would still be credited as the screenwriter.
Lu Jiaxin's primary objective was to have the actors in the movie wear her company's clothing and jewelry. This popular theme would undoubtedly boost the sales and popularity of her products. She recalled that "God of Gamblers 1" was filmed the following year, so filming a year in advance shouldn't cause any issues.
Tian Pengyu was reluctant, saying, "This theme is very innovative, and there are no similar productions in Hong Kong yet. If we make it well, it will definitely be a hit. Boss, we can definitely produce this ourselves."
Lu Jiaxin was displeased, "I don't want to repeat myself on this matter."
This was someone else's creative work and labor; she only intended to profit from her foreknowledge and didn't want to take undue credit.
Tian Pengyu genuinely believed that this theme would be a hit and tried to persuade Lu Jiaxin to change her mind, "Boss, if Director Wong and Chow Yun-fat don't have room in their schedules, then we can produce it ourselves."
Lu Jiaxin didn't consider this an issue, "If you think this theme will be popular, don't you think Director Wong will realize it too? Also, as long as the money is right, he will definitely agree. In addition to the director and screenwriter's fees, give them an additional 5% profit share from the movie."
The profit referred to the money left after distributing the proceeds with the distributor and deducting production, marketing, and other expenses. The more popular the movie, the higher the box office revenue, and consequently, the higher the profit share.
Tian Pengyu thought she was being overly generous, "Boss, by giving Director Wong such a high fee, we'll have to follow this standard for any future directors we hire."
If you offer less, it would be disrespectful.
Lu Jiaxin nonchalantly said, "As long as the director's reputation is comparable or better than Director Wong's, we'll follow this standard. Don't be stingy; this is a profit share. The company still takes the lion's share if the movie does well."
What could he do? He had no choice but to go along with the boss's decision. Sigh, Tian Pengyu lamented to himself, Miss Lu and Fourth Young Master were like two extremes. In the past, the Fourth Young Master was unwilling to spend heavily on renowned directors, only hiring those he personally favored, and those directors tended to be unknown. On the other hand, Miss Lu was like a spendthrift, willing to splurge on famous talents as long as they suited their productions.
Tian Pengyu said, "Boss, I've finished reading the 'Family Honor' script, and it's excellent. Do you have any directors or lead actors in mind?"
Lu Jiaxin shook her head, "The director should be someone experienced in filming costume dramas. The actors must fit the image and personality of their characters; otherwise, no matter how famous they are, we can't use them."
If the female lead is supposed to be strong, decisive, and independent, you can't cast someone who looks soft and pitiful; that would be a disaster. No matter how good their acting is, they can't make up for a mismatch in innate characteristics.
Tian Pengyu now had a better idea of what to look for.
Two days later, Nie Zhan informed Lu Jiaxin that his bone marrow match with Mina had been unsuccessful, and Cliff was now mobilizing his relatives and friends for a match.
Lu Jiaxin felt that Zong Jinghua's daughter was lucky to have found a suitable bone marrow donor, "Since Cliff has to take care of Mina, he won't be able to work. You should cover his medical expenses."
Nie Zhan said, "I've transferred one hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars to Cliff, and I've also promised that the Nie family will take care of the subsequent medical expenses. However, I plan to have my mother cover this expense."
Lu Jiaxin looked at him quizzically, knowing full well that Nie Manlin would never willingly spend money on her daughter's treatment; she would probably complain that it wasn't enough.
"This one hundred thousand can be considered an advance on next year's living expenses. If it's not enough, deduct the difference from the living expenses allocated from the family fund."
Although he could afford it, he was unwilling to spend this money. It was Nie Manlin's responsibility and obligation, not his.
Lu Jiaxin approved of this arrangement. To lighten the mood, she teased, "Aren't you afraid that your mother will scold you for being a stingy?"
"I'd rather be a stingy in her eyes than have her squander my money," Nie Zhan replied.
Just because he hadn't complained didn't mean he didn't resent Nie Manlin. His older brothers had grown up with their parents' companionship and love, but he had been like an orphan without parents. What was even more chilling was that Nie Manlin never felt that she was in the wrong, always touting the value of love.
Lu Jiaxin also despised Nie Manlin's behavior. It wasn't wrong to pursue a passionate and unfettered love, but to give birth to a child and then neglect and abandon them was no different from being a beast.
Lu Jiaxin said, "Don't give her that hundred thousand. Anyway, even if you don't stop her, your grandfather won't let her stay in Hong Kong."
To avoid seeing her, Grandpa Nie would rather stay in a hospital filled with the smell of disinfectants. As for what would happen after Grandpa Nie passed away, that could be dealt with later. For now, she strongly disliked Nie Manlin and didn't want her to set foot in her home or have future interactions. Even when she had children, she didn't plan to let Nie Manlin have any contact with them to avoid any negative influence.
Nie Zhan didn't want to continue the topic, "Jiaxin, is your evening dress ready? Once the dress is done, you'll need to buy matching jewelry, bags, and shoes."
He had to manage all the big and small matters at the company, and now he was even concerned about her evening gown at home. Lu Jiaxin smiled, "You don't have to worry about these things; I've already taken care of them. You just focus on working hard and making more money."
The next day, Tian Pengyu called Lu Jiaxin to inform her that Wong Jit had agreed to direct "God of Gamblers," and the company was currently negotiating with Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung. With a great script and Lu Jiaxin's willingness to invest, Tian Pengyu was confident that the two actors wouldn't refuse.
Hong Kong was known for its efficiency, and true to form, Lu Jiaxin received the completed "God of Gamblers" script in just three days. The filled-in plot was similar to what she had seen in her past life, so she only made some minor adjustments to the details. Once the script was finalized, Lu Jiaxin left the rest to Tian Pengyu and didn't involve herself further.
(End of Chapter)
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