Early the next morning, Leon drove to the last stop of his West Coast trip—Warner Bros. headquarters.
As soon as he walked into the conference room, he saw Jeff Robinov sitting at one end of the long table, a cup of black coffee by his hand, his lecherous eyes wandering up and down his secretary's pencil skirt.
"How was the prison trip?" Jeff lit a cigar and patted the female secretary's butt. She sensibly walked away holding the documents.
The day before yesterday, he learned from Leon about the itinerary for shooting the MV in Pelican Bay.
"Very enlightening." Leon shook his hand back and sat opposite him. "I met Charles Manson. That old bastard is nothing special, looks about the same as those homeless people on Kensington Avenue who have been doing drugs all their lives."
"Charles Manson?" Jeff's body couldn't help but stiffen, thinking of the great academic director Polanski. "What did you talk about with him? Did you talk about the North Valley, Hollywood case in 1969?"
"No, Manson's time is harder to book than Buffett's. The prison only gave me ten minutes." Leon said, "I'm not interested in those embellished curious murder cases."
"Okay, that case once shocked Hollywood. I hadn't entered the film industry when it happened." Jeff blew a cloud of smoke from his nose. "It's been more than forty years, and Polanski still tears up when mentioning that matter now."
Tears up?
Leon snorted. "I think Polanski chose the wrong career direction. He would be more talented as an actor than a director."
"I agree with your point of view." Jeff shrugged. "Those academic directors are all extremely hypocritical guys."
As a loyal supporter of commercial films and a Hollywood "box office supremacist," he has always scoffed at academic films.
Warner Bros. invests in several pure literary and artistic films every year, mainly to participate in the three major international film festivals to add luster to the company in terms of awards.
But the investment in literary and artistic films was cut by half directly after Jeff took office as president.
After the Sharon Tate murder case in 1969, Polanski repeatedly showed a heartbroken look in front of the camera.
He claimed: "I am the saddest man in the world; my heart has gone to another world with my deceased wife."
The sincere acting deceived the whole world. This mask of "Hollywood's No. 1 Affectionate Man" was soon completely torn apart.
In 1973, he had sexual relations with a young girl at the home of Oscar Best Actor Jack Nicholson.
After that, Polanski fled to Europe due to rape charges, hiding for more than thirty years.
"I made Charles Manson kneel in my MV for five minutes. Felt like a temporary manager of hell." Leon said casually.
Jeff was speechless for a moment, then teased after more than ten seconds: "No wonder the media says you are a master of hype. But I have to remind you, if you play this trick too much, the audience will think you are a clown who only sells weird moves."
Leon shrugged, his tone relaxed and indifferent. "Whatever the audience loves to watch, I show them. I'm not here to talk about MVs today, Jeff. Let's talk about our movie."
Jeff smiled, took out a folder from the desk drawer, and took out three pages of paper from it. This was the copyright transfer agreement for Ready Player One.
This agreement is a complete buyout agreement, with a buyout fee of $3 million.
After the buyout, it means that Leon will own the complete copyright of this novel, including film adaptation, game development, protagonist character IP, and peripheral product development, etc.
He roughly read the content above, then handed the agreement to Bonnie. "I have to take this agreement back and read it carefully. If there is no need for changes, my lawyer will sign with my power of attorney within three days. Warner will receive this money soon."
Jeff looked indifferent. This $3 million really couldn't interest him, not to mention this money wouldn't fall into his wallet.
He opened the folder and tapped the desktop with his finger. "I sold this project hard to the board. Virtual reality, nostalgic culture, 80s Easter eggs... These elements are very popular in the current market. Everyone is staring at Apple's new product launch and Facebook's dynamics. The anxiety of the digital age is fermenting; your idea hit the right beat."
"So the project application has been approved?" Leon asked straightforwardly, staring at Jeff, not letting go of any subtle expression on his face.
"How can it be as simple as you think?" Jeff waved his hand. "Hollywood is not what you think. A good idea doesn't mean it can succeed, especially for big companies."
"Execution is the key. Although we have discussed many times, there is no result until now. Who will direct? Who will act? How to control the budget? Also, when do you plan to arrange actor auditions?"
Leon frowned, his tone a bit impatient: "We have talked about the director many times on the phone. I recommend James Wan. He not only knows how to save money but also understands what the audience of this movie likes. Most importantly, his salary does not exceed $5 million!"
"I agree." Jeff narrowed his eyes, took a sip of coffee, making a slight "clink" sound when putting down the cup.
Christopher Nolan, whom he strongly recommended, had a tighter schedule than Spielberg. At present, it seemed he could only follow the opinion of Leon, the major shareholder.
"As for actors, we are a CGI sci-fi movie, not Mission: Impossible or Fast & Furious. We don't rely on big-name actors to hype topics. I plan to use young actors, arrange an audition just like you said."
The heroine role of Ready Player One is very popular. Currently, actresses showing strong interest include Amber Heard, Megan Fox, and Elizabeth Olsen.
Even Robbie called to hint that she wanted this role.
For a CGI movie, the leading actors usually only need to wear professional equipment and change shapes in the green screen studio.
No need to run around the world with the shooting team for framing, nor worry about the audience criticizing their acting skills.
As long as the box office is passable, it is very likely to participate in sequel shooting, or even eat off a series for a lifetime.
Making money easily and happily, it's hard not to be moved.
"Miss Heard seems to want this role very much..." Jeff took a sip of coffee, as if suddenly thinking of something. "What are your thoughts on the male lead candidate? You seem to have never mentioned it."
"That's simple. Just hold a small audition event in Los Angeles. There are plenty of boys who fit the character profile."
The male protagonist in the original novel is an extremely ordinary high school student.
Not only average-looking but also introverted and cowardly. The author attempted to use such a character setting to highlight the contrast between the protagonist's ordinary real life and omnipotence in the game world.
Such boys can be found by grabbing a handful in any high school.
Jeff was silent for a moment, then said with a serious face: "I have a bold idea about the male actor. Do you want to hear it?"
"Of course."
"How about Leonardo DiCaprio?"
Looking at the other party's serious expression, Leon couldn't hold back his laughter. "Jeff, have you been drinking since morning? I heard you have Russian blood..."
"I'm not joking. Leonardo proved himself in Shutter Island and Inception. He is in the second peak of his career. His fans are a guarantee for the box office!" Jeff said, "I know you and Leonardo had some unpleasantness because of rumors about Robbie. Don't worry, I have a good relationship with him. I can negotiate an incredibly favorable salary."
"This has nothing to do with personal grudges. You have to consider his age. Our protagonist is an 18-year-old teenager."
"This is not a big problem. It is easy to make Leonardo return to 18 through CGI technology."
The two argued for a while. Although Jeff racked his brains to brag about the benefits of Leonardo joining in various ways.
But Leon still felt it was too ridiculous.
Leaving aside the age issue, Leonardo's body size is at least twice that of his peak. Judging from the photos secretly taken by paparazzi on the beach, the greasiness is about to overflow.
Even using CGI technology to rejuvenate, he simply can't act out the youthfulness of the character Wade.
"Okay~" After wasting a lot of breath without result, Jeff raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I decided not to interfere with your casting issues. If we keep struggling on this issue, I think I won't have energy to deal with other things."
He knocked on the table with his hand and leaned forward. "Implement all the work of script adaptation, director, actor list within a month. Of course, there is the most important funding issue... Can you do it?"
"I think no problem."
"Cheers to our great movie~" Jeff raised his coffee cup as if clinking glasses.
After the matter of Ready Player One was settled, Jeff leaned back in his chair and changed the topic to gossip. "By the way, Hollywood has not been peaceful recently. Have you heard? Weinstein is up to his old tricks again. The day before yesterday, an intern ran to TMZ to break the news, saying he was touching her in the office."
"I'm not interested in this old lecher's affairs, but I have to say, after all, everyone has a smartphone now. Catching a bit of his scandal can make headlines on Blue Bird (Twitter)." Leon was not surprised at all about those rotten crotch things in the entertainment industry.
Harvey Weinstein is a highly influential investor and producer in Hollywood, having loved and killed each other with David Geffen for decades.
Movies he produced and executive produced were nominated for Oscars 22 times, winning 6 times.
Including The English Patient in 1996, Shakespeare in Love in 1998, Chicago in 2002, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003, The King's Speech in 2010...
And movies he participated in producing and distributing were nominated for Oscars more than 300 times, achieving an amazing result of more than 70 little golden men.
In the past two decades, sexual scandals involving Weinstein have emerged endlessly. More than a dozen women have filed sexual assault charges in court.
However, he has always been able to escape punishment. Yacht orgies have always been the theme of his life.
According to The New York Times, the reason why David Geffen launched a fanatical offensive against old mainstream media recently was largely influenced by the Weinstein sexual scandal.
Controlling the media, such things will never happen.
He stands at the top of Hollywood, one of the members of the powerful alliance.
"He has always been at the top of the food chain..." Jeff shrugged, raising his hand to glance at his watch from time to time. "I have to remind you to try to avoid such scandals. Don't have such trouble during our movie shooting."
He kept chatting about gossip in the circle intermittently. Leon listened more and more impatiently, feeling more and more boring.
When he heard the other party revealing his fangs and talking about investment advice, he immediately found an excuse to slip away.
"Why not listen to him? Aren't you always interested in social software?" Bonnie asked out of curiosity.
"Investment is not gambling." Leon shook his head. "Don't you think he was brainwashed by those Silicon Valley geeks?"
Reid Hoffman's investment advice is a typical casting net style, buying lottery tickets in the list of more than forty apps he gave.
He claims that every app received his financial support in the start-up stage.
You can invest with confidence, waiting to ring the bell at NASDAQ within three years.
Various weirdness made it hard for Leon not to suspect that these more than forty apps and the startup companies behind them are basically a shell, a big pocket used by Reid to gather funds.
After returning to New York, Leon didn't have any rest time and rushed directly to the Columbia Records office.
Tim sat in the office, Rihanna's new song We Found Love playing on the vinyl record player.
"I have no doubt that I can hear this song even when sitting on the toilet in a public restroom." Leon pulled out a chair and sat down.
We Found Love achieved phenomenal success, continuing Rihanna's brilliant record of one divine song a year.
Sweeping across the US while also achieving good results overseas, becoming a phenomenal hit single.
"Feeling the pressure?" Tim asked.
"Not at all." Leon looked indifferent. "Every song of hers is this style, copy-paste electronic music, industrial assembly line products."
"But the market buys it, right?" Tim curved the corners of his mouth. "You must speed up the album production process. Speed is the lifeblood of the music industry. Heard? Lady Gaga's new album Born This Way flopped all the way after the first week. Today you are the son of God, tomorrow you might be sprayed into dog sht."
In the latest Billboard chart, We Found Love took the crown strongly, surpassing Leon's new work We Don't Talk Anymore and Adele's Someone Like You.
Although the results of We Don't Talk Anymore are also good, with first-week physical record sales exceeding 300,000 copies and streaming copies sold over 500,000.
"When market competition is fiercest and showiest, the real annual hit single steps on other hit singles to ascend." Tim said, "Heard the shooting of the new song's MV went very smoothly. I just saw the bill sent by Mike; the budget cost exceeded $100,000."
"This $100,000 is an essential expense; this MV will create history." Leon explained.
"You don't need to explain at all; Stringer didn't set a budget cap for you at all." Tim said, "Then let's strike while the iron is hot. How about using Heathens as the second promotional song?"
"No, I have other ideas. I wrote a new song recently. Give me some time to polish it. This song will set the tone for the entire album."
"Very good, looks like this will be a heavy bomb."
Tim's smile spread to the corners of his mouth, light in his eyes.
Facing the aggressiveness of Rihanna's new album, Heathens is obviously no longer suitable as a promotional song for the new album.
The rhythm of this song is too flat and lacks changes, and the chorus part is repetitive.
Even if the MV is shot with gimmicks, it cannot be used as a weight for Billboard's ranking calculation.
In contrast, the retro disco tone of Blinding Lights plus the atmospheric drum beats perfectly fit the album tone of "Future."
The strong electronic music style is also more in line with current trends.
Leaving Columbia Records, it was already 5 pm. Leon originally planned to go home and rest well.
Open a bottle of fine wine, take a bath while enjoying the night view of Manhattan.
But a call from Phil dispelled this idea. The other party's tone was anxious, asking him to come to Apocalypse Music immediately.
Just pushing open the door of the recording studio, Leon was stunned by the scene in front of him.
"WTF? Did I go to the wrong place?"
"Is this a recording studio or a strip club?"
In the recording studio, Cardi B was wearing headphones and shaking her head, looking like she was recording.
However, she only wore a crotch-hugging G-string on her lower body, even lying on the ground on all fours.
Her body was covered with the oily luster of essential oils.
In front of her, separated by a layer of glass, were four physically strong black guys, standing in line shirtless.
Guarding Cardi B like the Queen's guards.
On the walls of the recording studio, there were pink and red decorations everywhere, and some posters of pure love action movies.
"Buddy, although this looks a bit strange, we are indeed recording." Max walked over and patted his shoulder.
"Recording a song? I think you guys are holding an orgy in my recording studio." Leon tore down the poster of the classic woodpecker factory movie Pink Kong on the wall and threw it on the ground.
"We were recording a new song for Cardi, but after a busy afternoon, she didn't find the best state." Max shook his head helplessly. "We did these according to her request. Just now you, the boss, arrived. Listen to how the effect is?"
Max put monitor headphones on Leon, gave a thumbs up to Cardi, and pressed the play button on the equipment.
Four male models twisted their crotches synchronously, shaking their bodies.
Cardi performed a twerking dance, got up from the ground, and bit her fingertip painted with red nail polish.
There's some whores in this house
There's some whores in this house
Swipe your nose like a credit card
I want you to park that big Mack truck right in this little garage
"I spent more than three months completing the accompaniment of WAP. Now it seems everything is worth it. The effect is very good, right?" Max looked proud.
"Interesting..." Leon stared at the black girl's oily and shiny taillights in the recording studio with interest, like staring at a moving black gold mine.