RPAGF Chapter 15 Project Establishment
Chapter 15 Project Establishment
When the three of them came out of the family compound, it was already a bit stuffy outside.
The sun was not only hot, but also covered with a layer of dusty haze. When the wind blew, even the sunlight seemed a bit murky.
Lin Ruiyang followed behind the two, clutching the file bag tightly in his hand, feeling hotter than the weather inside.
The dean's office is on the third floor of the administration building, and the staff quarters are not too far away; we arrived there quickly.
The door was closed, and Liu Yibing knocked twice.
"Enter."
The air conditioning inside was on full blast, making it feel like a completely different world from the sweltering heat outside.
Zhang Huijun was sitting behind his desk looking at materials.
"You've arrived? Have a seat." He greeted the three people as they arrived, his gaze finally settling on Lin Ruiyang.
"I heard that 'Condolences' was shortlisted for Venice. It's not easy to make a film like this in your freshman year of college."
"I've read the script too." That was a single sentence, devoid of commentary or emotion.
Tian Zhuangzhuang pulled out a chair and sat down without any ceremony: "So what do you think?"
Zhang Huijun tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.
"The script's subject matter is fine, and the content is within a controllable range. The structure is also complete, and the relationships between the characters are believable."
He paused for a moment, then looked at Lin Ruiyang: "But there's a problem."
Lin Ruiyang straightened up a bit: "Please go ahead."
"To be honest, I'm not entirely reassured that you're planning to film it yourself."
Upon hearing this, Tian Zhuangzhuang asked Lin Ruiyang to bring out the storyboard and opened it directly.
"I've reviewed the storyboard for this kid; his execution is fine."
Zhang Huijun did not respond immediately, but instead flipped through a few pages of storyboard and glanced at Lin Ruiyang again.
"The storyboard is indeed very detailed, but did you consider the budget for this script?"
"Even by the lowest standard, it would cost over a million."
Lin Ruiyang didn't speak, but Liu Yibing chimed in first: "The school can go through the Qingying Film Studio's channels to apply for approval first."
"I also support Lao Liu, but I'm wondering if we can bring China Film Group along as well, so that the school won't have to bear too much pressure."
"Moreover, if this film is made and sold through film festivals, shooting according to the storyboard will definitely recoup the costs."
Tian Zhuangzhuang kept adding to the stakes, vouching for it.
Although Zhang Huijun is indeed the principal, in terms of seniority, Liu Yibing, born in 49, is both the oldest and the earliest student to enroll.
Liu Yibing added, "At the beginning of the year, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television set up a Youth Film Fund to support young directors. We can also apply for a grant from there."
Zhang Huijun remained silent for a moment, then said with a hint of helplessness, "Since we've come this far, let's start with an internal project approval process, with Qingying Film Studio as the affiliated entity, and the project being developed by the Department of Literature."
"I'll approve the materials, but the prerequisite is that the director has to convince people that their investment won't go down the drain."
After leaving the administration building, the three people did not separate.
Tian Zhuangzhuang lit a cigarette and said as he walked, "Alright, you'd better go back and get ready. Zhang Huijun will probably call this afternoon."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhang Huijun's voice came from behind him.
"No need for the afternoon." Zhang Huijun hurried downstairs, still holding his phone in his hand.
"I just spoke with Han Sanping from China Film Group on the phone."
Tian Zhuangzhuang flicked his cigarette ash and looked at him.
"General Manager Han said to send the kid to China Film Group with the script and storyboard. He said he already knew about 'Condolences' going to Venice, but he had to see the script first."
That afternoon, Lin Ruiyang took the script to China Film Group.
He remembered Liu Yibing emphasizing to him before he left: "These kinds of things are all about speed. If it drags on for a week, it's a completely different story."
Entering, registering, going upstairs. The whole process went more smoothly than I had imagined.
He was greeted by Mr. Han's secretary, who briefly confirmed the appointment information before leading him outside the office.
"President Han is inside, please wait a moment."
The door was closed. Lin Ruiyang stood in the corridor, experiencing for the first time a very real feeling of being on the verge of success. Fortunately, a few minutes later, the door opened.
"Come in."
The office was small and simply furnished. Han Sanping didn't exchange many pleasantries; he took the script and immediately opened it.
Lin Ruiyang looked at the person in charge of China Film Group opposite him. He had thick eyebrows, a square face, and his hair was neatly combed. He was indeed the "Mountain Eagle" who had been passed down from his previous life.
Han Sanping was faster than Tian Zhuangzhuang. He didn't watch the scenes very carefully; he only watched a few scenes in detail and glanced at the rest.
He closed the script after reading it.
"Was it intentional that the little girl at the end didn't answer you?"
"Yes, whatever she says is wrong. If you choose Dad, then Mom loses; if you choose Mom, then Dad loses; if you don't choose either, then they both lose. Of course, the audience might have their own opinions."
Han Sanping looked at him for a few seconds, then suddenly slammed the script on the table.
"Okay, I've got my eye on the script."
He leaned back in his chair, his tone light yet carrying an undeniable air: "The total cost of the film was 150 million yuan. Your school's Qingying Studio contributed a portion, the Youth Film Fund applied for a portion, and China Film Group subsidized the remainder."
"The production team consists of China Film Group, Beijing Film Academy Youth Film Studio, and your studio; it's a three-way joint production."
He paused briefly, a hint of amusement on his face: "Since you're both the director and screenwriter, conventionally you'd only receive a salary. But I don't recommend you choose that; you could convert your salary into 10% of the investment."
"If the film makes money, you'll share the profits with us; if it loses money, you've worked for nothing."
"So, do you want your salary or a share of the profits?"
Lin Ruiyang did not hesitate: "I choose to take the dividends."
Han Sanping smiled.
"Okay, you do have some guts."
"Go to Venice properly. If the short film wins an award, I can increase the investment in the feature film when we get back."
He spoke softly, but his meaning was profound.
Lin Ruiyang nodded before realizing that his palms were sweating.
"Then it's settled." Han Sanping pushed the script aside. "Go back and list out the budget, shooting schedule, timeline, and scene list clearly, and give it to me as soon as possible."
"We can start contacting actors now," he added.
"Your film relies entirely on its cast; if the actors aren't well-chosen, all the previous work will have been wasted."
"clear."
Han Sanping waved his hand, indicating that the matter should end there: "Go on, the secretary outside will take you to handle the specific procedures."
It was already dark when Lin Ruiyang came out of the Central Film Studio. He stood by the roadside and took a deep breath.
He tried his best to control his emotions. The project was officially approved, but this was only the first step in a long journey.
I randomly picked a small restaurant on the street, sat down, and ordered a bowl of noodles.
While eating, I went over the whole situation in my mind. The funding issue was now resolved; the next two things were the production crew and the actors.
He first called Liu Yibing.
"The deal's done?"
"It's settled, President Han has agreed."
Lin Ruiyang briefly explained the process.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by an uncontrollable laugh: "You're something else, kid. I knew I wasn't wrong about you. Once you get past Han Sanping, things will be much smoother."
"Don't go out around these next couple of days. Focus on finalizing the shooting plan and other pre-production preparations. I'll keep an eye on the processes at Qingying Studio for you."
"it is good."