Chapter 1040: Auditioning for the Female Lead with My Wife

Since I released a collector’s edition album at the beginning of the year, there is no rush to release a new album this year.

It has been scheduled for the end of the year.

The reason for this arrangement is to facilitate the promotion of the Oscars.

“Manchester by the Sea” can be said to be Hao Yun’s most expensive and most successful film in Hollywood so far.

Everyone knows that this movie is aiming for the Oscars.

The support rate among ordinary audiences is also very high. They all think that this movie will definitely win an Oscar, but they don’t know how many awards it will win.

Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor…

Which one should I take, or should I take all four?

In fact, ordinary people are obviously more confident than Hao Yun.

This is thanks to marketing.

But if you want to win an award, marketing alone is definitely not enough, the most important thing is public relations.

Paramount said it would help Hao Yun with the public relations expenses.

However, there is no exact standard as to how much money should be spent on public relations and to what extent the public relations should be done.

So Hao Yun must also contribute a part of it himself.

Fortunately, he had already escaped poverty and became rich, and is now a billionaire.

It is difficult for other actors to get three to five million dollars for public relations.

It’s no big deal for Hao Yun to take thirty or fifty million.

In addition, in order to make Paramount work harder, Hao Yun also signed a production agreement for the film “Life of Pi” with Paramount.

The film will be jointly produced and distributed by FC Films and Paramount.

Paramount has truly lived up to its reputation as “Hollywood’s trailblazer”, with some media outlets even openly criticizing them for this.

President Brad Gray explained that movies have no borders, while happily leading FC Films to make money from the American people.

All I can say is that interests are the most important thing.

Paramount has been able to sit firmly in the top three of the eight major Hollywood film studios in recent years, not only because of Michael Bay’s “Transformers”, but also thanks to its cooperation with FC Films.

“Manchester by the Sea” has been lukewarm at the box office and is certainly not going to be able to replicate the $2.4 million success of “Source Code.”

However, there is still a very strange phenomenon that is talked about in the North American film market.

That is, the movie has been released for more than two weeks, and the box office is still strong at over one million per day.

This is simply a miracle for an art film.

Six million on the first day, and no more than eight million US dollars at its peak.

But even though it is a little short, it is long-lasting enough, so long that it is unbearable.

The total box office has now reached more than 20 million US dollars.

This phenomenon is caused, on the one hand, by strong publicity and promotion and the lack of strong competitors, and on the other hand, by the continuous fermentation of word-of-mouth, which has formed a phenomenal discussion atmosphere on the Internet.

Some viewers even went to the cinema multiple times.

I used this movie to treat my emotional indifference. Well, the effect was very good. After watching it several times, I became even more indifferent.

Of course, it is impossible for Hao Yun to encounter all good things.

Two weeks after Manchester by the Sea was released, Resident Evil: Resurrection and Fell into Love were released on Miguo.

The former is a big IP.

The basic foundation of IP movies is very strong. Hollywood has formed a complete process for operating IP movies. As long as the director does not commit suicide – and even if he does, the producer will stop him – the box office of IP movies will not be too bad.

The latter is a healing love story.

It’s truly healing, not depressing like “Manchester by the Sea”.

It is a pure story that is almost like a fairy tale, about a boy, a girl, a tree, two families, family affection, growth, and love. There is not even a serious kissing scene, but it is very touching.

Many fans who were deeply tortured by “Manchester by the Sea” rushed into the “The Fault in Our Stars” screening crying, and then came out laughing.

When Paramount saw this situation, it immediately arranged for the publicity and promotion department to “interact” with “The Fault in Our Stars”.

While saying “By the Sea” you can’t feel your heart beating.

While saying that “Heartbeat” is just a fairy tale and real life is not like that, let’s take a look at “By the Sea”.

Paramount also produced a lot of press releases that criticized “Resident Evil”.

You don’t need to use your brain when watching “Resident Evil”. It’s completely unnecessary. A good movie doesn’t necessarily succeed; a “bad” movie doesn’t necessarily fail. The “Resident Evil” series is the best example. After all, there are very few movies like “Manchester by the Sea”.

Can this be tolerated?
The production cost of “Resident Evil: Next Generations” was 60 million US dollars. The film had long been dissatisfied with “Manchester by the Sea” and immediately responded fiercely.

In fact, “Resident Evil: Resurrection” shouldn’t be so impulsive.

“Manchester by the Sea” is already at the end of its strength. If you pick up the stalks from it now, you’ll just be adding to its popularity in vain.

Moreover, “Resident Evil” is a typical commercial film.

If you compare the depth of this film with that of “Manchester by the Sea”, you will be asking for trouble.

Even Milla Jovovich, the female lead of “Resident Evil”, said that she and her husband watched “Manchester by the Sea” together, and the couple hugged each other and cried bitterly.

By the way, her husband is Paul Anderson, the director of the first Resident Evil movie and the fourth one which is currently being released.

He also wrote and directed Alien vs. Predator.

However, no matter how much discussion “Manchester by the Sea” can win, its box office is inevitably declining.

After all, not so many people are deceived into going to the cinema with the idea of ​​being cured.

There are fewer people who are willing to challenge themselves.

The film’s North American box office ultimately remained at 2910 million U.S. dollars, and in other regions where it has been released, it has grossed tens of millions or even millions.

Plus, the film will be released throughout Asia in October, so it’s not impossible for the global box office to reach 40 million US dollars.

This result is already outrageous for an art film.

“Whiplash” had about this much box office revenue a few years ago.

But at that time, Hao Yun was a complete unknown.

Hollywood audiences had no idea this guy existed, and the movie had no marketing.

If it were released now, the box office might be much more than that.

Hao Yun can now proudly say that he also has considerable box office appeal in Hollywood.

Many people will go to see movies just for his name, regardless of whether they are interested in the subject matter.

The most important thing is that the momentum has been created.

On IMDb, “Manchester by the Sea” has a high score of 8.4, which is already a very high score.

Nolan’s subversive science fiction masterpiece “Inception” only scored 8.8 points.

“Infernal Affairs” only has an 8-point score on IMDb.

The three highest-rated Chinese-language films on IMDb are “To Live” with 8.3, “A Brighter Summer Day” with 8.2, and “Devils on Doorstep” with 8.2.

Hao Yun is taller than all of them.

Of course, this comparison is very shameless because Hao Yun is making a Hollywood movie.

“Manchester by the Sea” is very consistent with Hollywood’s aesthetics and emotional identification, so it is not surprising that it got a high score of 8.4.

Moreover, Hao Yun’s score of 8.4 is only a temporary one.

As the film wins awards at various award ceremonies and as it sells discs and reaches television stations, this score may rise.

Hao Yun’s highest-rated film was not “On the Beach”, but “Whiplash”, with a score of 8.5.

And Source Code is 7.5.

“Source Code” loses because its novelty is easy to be spoiled. When everyone knows what kind of movie it is, there will be no sense of surprise when watching it again.

“Buried” has a score of 7.0.

As a director who is less than 7 years old, Hao Yun has four films with a score of more than on IMDB, which definitely puts him in the first tier.

It was only three short years from the time he came to Paramount to shoot Buried.

Each one is a classic and never fails.

I have to say one thing – awesome, yeah, the system is awesome!
After the movie is taken off the screen, it doesn’t mean you can sit back and relax. From now until December, it is a critical period for marketing and public relations.

For example, in December there are the National Board of Review Awards, the Washington Circle of Film Critics Awards, the Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards; in January there are the National Board of Review Awards, the Washington Circle of Film Critics Awards, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards. These are basically the indicators of the Oscars and are award ceremonies that must be attended.

Only by making a name for yourself and gaining widespread recognition at these award ceremonies can you gain the favor of the academy.

Hao Yun’s new album was released in December.

It can be regarded as a supplement to Oscar marketing.

There are many good songs in the new album. By that time, the children of the college judges’ families will be humming his songs and discussing his songs, and they will also be influenced subtly.

Unconsciously, I equate Hao Yun with awesomeness.

If there are fans among the judges, I can get a few more votes.

In order to free up time to compete for the Oscars in December, Hao Yun had to finish filming “Black Coal, Thin Ice” as soon as possible.

Hao Yun did not choose An Xiaoxi to play the leading female role in this movie.

An Xiaoxi gave birth to her baby on July 7th, and it’s not even three months old yet. It’s not suitable for either her or the baby to go out to work this year.

An Xiaoxi also had no plans to leave.

Her plan was to start participating in some activities at the end of the year and start filming after the Chinese New Year. Therefore, Hao Yun had to find another woman to act in the movie.

Zhou Xun was ruled out first, definitely not because of her bad acting skills. On the one hand, her image was somewhat different from the character in the film, so if she was asked to play the role, changes would need to be made. On the other hand, she was unable to free up her schedule for the time being.

Unless Hao Yun postpones the filming to next year.

Zhou Xun currently has two signed scripts in hand, one is the “Flying Daggers of Dragon Gate” which is currently being filmed, and the other is Er Dongsheng’s “The Great Magician”.

Do you think this is over?
No, she is also approached by “The Accidental Murderer” and “Shoplifters”.

So Hao Yun didn’t even consider looking for her.

Shu Chang definitely can’t do it, and Hao Yun doesn’t have that much patience to train her.

As for An Xiaoxi, it’s okay if her acting skills are a little worse, because she is Hao Yun’s wife. It is his responsibility to train her, so that people won’t say that An Xiaoxi can’t win awards by following him, but her acting skills can only improve by following others.

Then we can only look for it outside.

There is no need for auditions, as Hao Yun has them all clearly written down in his notebook.

Who had contact with him and when, whether there was any commitment to audition at that time, and now that there is an opportunity, all he needs to do is call.

For example, Gui Lunmei, whom Jay Chou once recommended to him.

Gui Lunmei has starred in Jay Chou’s “Secret” and the MV of the same name.

Xu Ke had also recommended it to him.

Xu Ke’s film “Women Are Not Bad” was co-starred by Zhou Xun, Gui Lunmei and Zhang Yuqi.

Zhou Xun has a very high opinion of Gui Lunmei.

They are currently filming “Dragon Gate Flower” together.

Gui Lunmei also starred in “Ocean Paradise” directed by Xue Xiaolu, and collaborated with Li Lianjie, Chen Guanxi, Gao Yuanyuan and others.

According to comprehensive understanding, the audition is just a formality.

Before the filming of “Black Coal, Thin Ice” began, Hao Yun took some time to receive his yacht.

Doctors do not recommend going to the beach if you have just given birth, even if you wear thicker clothes. They believe it is best to wait at least two months before going.

An Xiaoxi is now just over two months old.

Gui Lunmei’s audition was arranged on the yacht.

If the director is a male, he would choose to hold the audition on his private yacht.

The implication is very obvious.

Whatever happens on the yacht, female stars had better be prepared to limp off the boat.

However, Hao Yun particularly emphasized that this time he and An Xiaoxi went to see the yacht together and invited her to play on the yacht.

This audition was too innocent.

So innocent that anyone with even a little dirty thought would feel ashamed.

Although Hao Yun weakened the sentimental drama in the script, he found himself in a melon field and under the plum tree.

Delete what should be deleted, use metaphors where necessary, and use a more obscure and seductive method to express it.

If it really doesn’t work, we plan to arrange a substitute.

Female stars can arrange stand-ins, so why can’t he, a male star, do the same?

His action was a bit excessive, but it was very necessary. Since he asked An Xiaoxi not to have any contact with other actors, he must also make equal efforts.

Of course, it’s okay for An Xiaoxi to kick Chen Guanxi when filming “The Witch”.

The agreed location is Qingdao.

After signing the ship contract, Hao Yun made some additional changes.

The current yacht better meets the needs of him and An Xiaoxi.

It happened to be the time of the Qingdao International Boat Exhibition, and Hao Yun’s yacht was towed there for delivery.

It can be considered as participating in the exhibition, but private viewing is not allowed.

Aunt Liu knew that Hao Yun was going to act with another woman.

She was quite worried that her daughter would be upset.

So, when Hao Yun proposed to take An Xiaoxi to the boat exhibition, she agreed without much hesitation.

Aunt Liu was very pleased with her son-in-law’s consideration and love for her daughter as Hao Yun arranged Gui Lunmei to audition under An Xiaoxi’s nose.

As for the little crabs, they are naturally taken care of by their elders and nannies.

The child is too young to go see the yachts.

However, this girl was born in Rome. When she was born, her family already had a manor and a yacht, and her father even planned to leave Apple stocks to her as a dowry.

Hao Yun and An Xiaoxi appeared at the scene in a low-key manner.

After waiting for a while, Gui Lunmei came over and after a brief greeting, the group boarded the yacht.

Sunseeker, which sold the yacht to Hao Yun, hopes that Hao Yun can complete the handover under the attention of the media.

As a Chinese, she knows the importance of Hao Yun and An Xiaoxi better than anyone else.

Especially since An Xiaoxi is still breastfeeding, she is perfectly protected from the media’s attention.

So far, the outside world has not taken even a single photo.

Once An Xiaoxi appears, she will definitely be the focus of news, and the headlines of Heimi Weibo will be directly blocked.

Unfortunately, Hao Yun didn’t agree with her at all.

Hao Yun sent someone to do a receiving inspection with Sunseeker, and then entrusted the yacht to a professional yacht club for management and maintenance.

Hao Yun brought more than 20 bodyguards on this trip.

Some followed him, and some blended into the crowd. The security was very good.

However, he was made fun of by An Xiaoxi.

An Xiaoxi teased him for being paranoid. When he saw Li Xiaoran’s boyfriend Yan Pi being stabbed 12 times by several big men, he was scared and arranged so many bodyguards.

Hao Yunqi was so unhappy that he vomited blood.

You heartless little girl, I arranged so many bodyguards just to protect you.

Hao Yun doesn’t need to do anything to receive the goods, as there are professional personnel to inspect them.

By the way, let the captain and sailors take them out for a stroll on the sea. If there are any problems later, Sunseeker will definitely provide after-sales service.

“My wife really likes the play you acted in, so she wanted to come and watch it. Actually, the audition is just a formality. Let’s meet first. I’ll give you the script, and you can continue to complete the rest of the performance of “Flying Daggers of Dragon Gate”. When you finish filming, you can go directly over.”

Hao Yun helped An Xiaoxi to smooth things over.

You can’t say that Ms. An is a jealous person and she would feel uneasy if she wasn’t allowed to attend the interview.

“Thank you!” Gui Lunmei was a little reserved.

He was even more reserved than when he met Xu Ke, not only because of Hao Yun’s achievements, but also because Hao Yun’s train of thought was notoriously weird.

It is widely rumored in the entertainment industry that you must be alert when chatting with Hao Yun, otherwise you will not be able to follow what he says.

“Do you think Mr. An has gained weight?”

Sure enough, Gui Lunmei’s worries were not unnecessary. He was talking about filming one second, and the next second he started talking about whether his wife had gained weight.

Who the hell cares whether your wife has gained weight.

If I said that she had accomplished a little bit, she might hold a grudge against me, and the role that was about to be in my hands might be lost.

But if I say she is not fat at all…

What if you think I’m being dishonest?

No wonder there is a rumor that talking to Hao Yun is more difficult than talking to one’s girlfriend.

“I really envy Xixi, you are so beautiful no matter how you look at you. It’s really stressful to sit with you.” Gui Lunmei cleverly avoided the question and turned to praise An Xiaoxi’s appearance.

At least she won’t feel guilty about praising this.

At this moment, An Xiaoxi did not look like someone who had just given birth to a child more than two months ago.

Apart from being a little fatter than before pregnancy, she looked like a flawless porcelain doll. Gui Lunmei couldn’t imagine how good it would be to hold Hao Yun in her arms at night.

Every woman would be envious of her.

“See, I told you you’re not fat. You’re 1.7 meters tall, and it would be harmful to your body if you weigh less than 100 kilograms.” Hao Zhuanyun said, shaking his head.

“I won’t lose weight after I reach 95.” An Xiaoxi touched the flesh on her body.

Actually, it’s not that much. She is only twenty-three years old and has amazing recovery ability.

“I need a guarantee to participate in this movie. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, the movie may not be released. There are hundreds of people in the crew and we cannot afford the loss.” Hao Yun and An Xiaoxi discussed the standard height of a girl who is 1.7 meters tall for a while, then turned around and said something to Gui Lunmei.

“Please speak.” Gui Lunmei, who had been alert all the time, quickly sat up straight.

“I need to make sure you are not alone. National Day is coming in a few days. I will post a message on Weibo to wish our motherland prosperity and strength. Would you like to forward or like it?”

Hao Yun’s audition was not actually about his acting skills.

It’s about her attitude.

In fact, forcing others to express their opinions is a bit excessive. When Hao Yun went to Taiwan, he didn’t force anyone to express their opinions.

However, as time goes by, he can control his own destiny and the destiny of others to a certain extent.

If Gui Lunmei showed great resistance, Hao Yun could completely deprive her of this opportunity.

(End of this chapter)