Chapter 749: Script Controversy
Fang Minghua didn’t know that the script he had written was buried in a pile of documents on his desk by a middle-level leader at Warner Bros. After New Year’s Day, he was busy with another thing.
The Third World Chinese Literature Prize Preliminary Reading Class held a meeting at Tangcheng Hotel in Xijing. As one of the members of the reading class, Fang Minghua certainly had to attend.
As in the last two sessions, he is still a member of the novel group, and selected five novels, five novellas, and five short stories from hundreds of novels.
As in previous years, there are many excellent novels and the competition is fierce. The most eye-catching one is "No One With Me" written by the famous South African female writer Nadine Gordimer. Everyone thinks it is possible to win the prize. Sex is the biggest.
Of course, the other four shortlisted novels are also very excellent and very competitive. Wang Anyi's "Song of Everlasting Sorrow", Han Shaogong's "Maqiao Dictionary", Mo Yan's "Big Breasts and Wide Hips", and Yu Hua's "Xu Sanguan Selling" "Blood Notes".
Yu Hua has been very popular in the literary world in recent years, and is almost a frequent visitor to the World Chinese Literature Award. His "Screaming in the Drizzle" was successfully shortlisted for the first edition, and for the second edition, his "Screaming in the Drizzle" was successfully shortlisted. "Alive" won the award; this time, "Xu Sanguan Sells Blood" once again stunned the judges' eyes.
However, everyone privately believes that it is unlikely that he will win this time. According to the general awarding convention, it is impossible to award the best to the same author for two consecutive years.
For the other four films, Fang Minghua thought about them himself and didn’t know which one to rate as the best.
Haha, this is none of your business, let the people on the jury have a headache.
The meeting ended after ten days. Fang Minghua went home in the afternoon, and his wife Song Tangtang also returned from the United States in the evening.
“Where are the two kids?” Song Tangtang’s first words came in.
"It's not a holiday anymore. Your parents will be here to stay for a few days." Fang Minghua explained.
Song Tangtang said oh, put on home clothes, sat down on the sofa and said:
"I won't say anything about Lili. Anyway, I often send emails, and you will tell me right away We are going to San Francisco, where the movie is being filmed. Wu Tianmin and the others have basically obtained their visas and will go to Los Angeles immediately.”
"But it's Spring Festival?" Fang Minghua asked.
"Warner Brothers is pressing hard and hopes that both parties will sign the contract as soon as possible. They have been in contact with several famous Hollywood directors, but they have not yet finalized it. The main reason is that the script has not been written yet. Hey, Minghua, yours Have you sent the script?”
“It was sent early. After Lili translated it, I sent it to Warner Brothers, but there was no reply,” Fang Minghua said.
"I have also read it and thought it was well written. I will call Jeff later. This time Wu Tianmin went over to discuss the script!" Song Tangtang replied and asked Fang Minghua: "What are you planning? When is the right time to leave?”
“The Chinese New Year is in more than twenty days. I’ll go after the Chinese New Year.” Fang Minghua replied.
"Forget it, you can leave in a few days. There are only Lili, my second aunt, and a baby in San Francisco now. It's quite lonely during the New Year. Also, you should worry more about Warner Bros. and get in at once. Ninety million, I don’t feel at ease.”
At the end, Song Tangtang sighed.
"What are you worried about? Didn't someone go there? Wu Tianmin has been the director of Xiying Film Studio for almost ten years, and has stayed in the United States for five more years. He is an old fox. If he is in charge, the United States will not What's wrong?" Fang Minghua comforted.
"That said, 90 million. Most of it is equivalent to you paying for it yourself. What if the filming doesn't go well? What if you lose money at the box office? You are a star in the United States now. Writer, things were easy for you in the past!”
Fang Minghua was dumbfounded after hearing his wife’s words.
What does I Am a Star Writer have to do with making movies?
I don’t know how to choose actors for filming?
But seeing the other person’s anxious look, he swallowed his words again.
"Okay, I'll leave in a few days."
"Okay, no more." Song Tangtang looked at the clock hanging on the wall of the living room: "It's ten o'clock in the evening. It's eight o'clock in the morning in Los Angeles, and it's time for Jeff to go to work. I'm going to make a call." After that, he stood up and walked upstairs.
"I'll put hot water on you and you can take a shower later." Fang Minghua shouted at Song Tangtang's back.
More than ten minutes later, Song Tangtang came down from upstairs with a bad look on his face.
"What's wrong?" Fang Minghua asked. "Jeff said that the script is being reviewed by their planning department, but the result has not been informed to him yet. Really, the efficiency of large companies is so low!"
"Okay, yes. What are you angry about? Let them watch slowly." Fang Minghua comforted: "The water has been put in the bathtub. Go take a bath. Call me later and I will rub your back."
"Yeah"
Song Tangtang walked into the bathroom, and Fang Minghua sat on the sofa and read the newspaper.
In the office of the vice president of Warner Bros. Pictures thousands of miles away in Burbank, Jeff's face looked a little ugly.
He sat on the boss's chair and looked at a middle-aged bald man in front of the boss's desk with his head slightly lowered.
"Thomas, I remember that I sent Mr. Minghua's script to your email address half a month ago, right? Did I remember it wrong? Do I need to check the historical records?"< br>
"No, Mr. Nick, you remembered correctly, it was December 26th. You sent it to my mailbox on the first day after work on Christmas Day."
"What's the number today?"
Thomas hesitated before saying: "January 14th."
"It's been almost 20 days and you haven't finished reading a single script?!" Nick suddenly became furious: "This is your planning department Efficiency? Thomas, give me a reasonable explanation!"
"Mr. Nick, we have already finished reading it." Thomas had to tell the truth: "But I want to wait for Mr. Tony's script. I will review each script together and report back to you after comparing the pros and cons.”
"Oh?" Nick calmed down his anger, sat back on the boss's chair and crossed his legs and looked at him: "Has Mr. Tony's script been sent over?"
"It was sent over the day before yesterday. Several editors from our planning department Reviewed it overnight."
"What's the result? Who do you think is the best writer?"
Thomas was silent for a moment, and finally said, "Mr. Nick, the editors in our corporate department. I have always thought that Mr. Minghua's script is better, with a compact structure, smooth plot, and is more faithful to the original work."
"Oh, you mean, Nick's script is not as good as Minghua's?" Tony was a little surprised.
"Yes, in fact, the script written by Nick is also quite good, maintaining his previous standards. Without Mr. Minghua's script, I think it would have been completely filmable. It's a pity." Tomatos said.
"Really? Give me both scripts and I'll take a look." Tony suddenly became interested.
"Okay, I'll send it to you right away."
Thomas left the office, and within a few minutes he brought two manuscripts and put them on Tony's desk.
Tony looked seriously.
These days, Tony read the script whenever he was not too busy at work. Later, he even took it home and continued reading while sitting in front of the fireplace in the living room while drinking coffee.
In the end, he had to accept a fact.
That Chinese man is not only an excellent writer, but also an excellent screenwriter.
(End of this chapter)