r18novel Chapter 16: Lutaro
Chapter 16: Lutaro
The actors are in place, and sponsorships are coming in, but there's still one spot vacant: the director.
Liu Yu had considered taking the lead himself.
He wrote scripts, drew simple storyboards, and even directed skits while in the army, but those are two different things.
There are ten thousand details between a fifteen-minute skit and a ninety-minute movie.
He had seen thousands of movies in his previous life, so he had a good eye for them, but his practical skills were lacking.
Whether a shot should be zoomed in or out, whether a scene should use one camera or three cameras—these technical aspects cannot be mastered simply by watching a lot of videos.
He listed three criteria for selecting directors: First, they must have experience in feature films, having directed at least one theatrical release; second, they must be skilled in emotional themes, not just a rough guy who can only make action films; and third, the budget must be kept within an acceptable range, capped at 300,000.
When Yu Li heard that he was looking for a director, she offered a suggestion: "Professor Jiang has a student named Lu Chuan. He directed 'Looking for a Gun' last year. You've all probably seen it, right? Jiang Wen starred in it, and it was quite well-received. He happens to be free recently. Would you like to meet him?"
Liu Yu's heart skipped a beat.
Lu Chuan, he knew that name all too well.
It's not because I like him, but because I've seen too many controversies about him in my past life.
Who actually directed "The Missing Gun"? Was it Jiang Wen or Lu Chuan? This question has been debated in the industry for twenty years, and there is still no definitive answer.
Later, Lu Chuan directed "Kekexili: Mountain Patrol," which received good reviews and somewhat redeemed his image. Then he directed "Nanjing! Nanjing!", which generated even more controversy.
Some say it's a work of conscience, while others say it's exploiting national pain.
Liu Yu hadn't seen the film, but he remembered one detail: Lu Chuan added a lot of "humanized" scenes to a Japanese officer in the film, which led to him being called "Lu Taro" by netizens.
He had seen this nickname countless times online in his previous life.
It was 2002, and Lu Chuan had just won the Huabiao Award for Best New Director for "The Missing Gun," and was in the prime of his career.
Yu Li personally recommended her; he would lose face if he didn't meet her.
"Okay, Teacher Yu, could you please schedule a time for me?"
.......
The meeting place was a tea restaurant near the Asian Games Village.
Liu Yu arrived fifteen minutes early, ordered a lemon tea, and sat by the window to wait.
He didn't bring Wang Chaowen or Xin Hao; he came alone. It wasn't because he couldn't handle it, but because bringing his underlings was inappropriate for this kind of situation. If the negotiations fell apart, the more people present, the more people would know, and that wouldn't be good for anyone if word got out.
Lu Chuan was ten minutes late.
He was wearing a black jacket over a dark gray turtleneck sweater, his hair was neatly combed, and he wore black-rimmed glasses. He certainly had the air of a "young talent".
But his expression, how should I put it, was as if he were scrutinizing a room he didn't think was worth entering.
Liu Yu stood up and extended his hand: "Director Lu, hello, I'm Liu Yu."
Lu Chuan shook hands briefly, then withdrew his hand. Instead of sitting down immediately, he looked Liu Yu up and down.
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-one."
"Freshman year?"
"right."
Lu Chuan pulled out a chair and sat down, placing his phone on the table. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and said in a tone as if he were in a rush, "Teacher Yu introduced your project to me. I've read half of the script, but I haven't finished it."
"Why didn't you finish watching it?"
"Because the preceding parts weren't appealing enough to me."
Liu Yu picked up his lemon tea, took a sip, and didn't reply.
He was already starting to feel annoyed, but he didn't show it on his face.
In his past life, when he was a car salesman, he encountered customers a hundred times more difficult than this; those who would walk in and yell, "Your car is garbage," he could still sell them with a smile.
Lu Chuan's arrogance is so extreme that he wouldn't even rank in the top ten among the clients he's ever met.
......
"Director Lu, what's the reason you came to see me today?"
Lu Chuan took out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, took one out, and lit it without asking Liu Yujie if he minded.
It wasn't a year when smoking was prohibited in tea restaurants, so the waiters didn't come over to check.
"I'd like to see the complete script for your project, as well as the investment plan." Lu Chuan exhaled a puff of smoke. "If I think it's feasible, the director's fee is two million, and you'll use my team. I'll need to revise the script."
Liu Yu put down his lemon tea cup and looked at Lu Chuan.
Two million? His total budget was only seven million, and the director's fee alone would take up almost a third of it.
Moreover, Lu Chuan's own team, including photographers, art directors, lighting technicians, and sound engineers, would be used, which would be another considerable expense.
In addition, he wants to revise the script, and after the revision, it's uncertain whether the film will still be "A Moment to Remember".
Liu Yu suddenly laughed, a genuine laugh that came from the heart because he found the whole thing hilarious.
He had seen many people like this in his past life. They thought they were the best in the world after achieving a little success, and they talked about "my team," "my style," and "my pursuit" all the time, as if the whole world had to revolve around them.
But those people usually have been in the industry for ten or twenty years before they have the right to be so arrogant. Lu Chuan has only made one movie, and he's already this arrogant.
"Director Lu," Liu Yu put down his cup, "two million is too high. My total budget is seven million. If two million goes to the director, the remaining money won't even buy film. I can't accept this amount."
"That's your problem." Lu Chuan flicked his cigarette ash. "This is my director's fee. If your budget is tight, you can cut back on other expenses. You don't need to hire expensive actors; Liu Ye is unnecessary, just find an older, relatively unknown actor. You can also use cheaper cinematographers and art directors."
Liu Yu's smile slowly faded.
"You think Liu Ye doesn't need to?"
"I've seen his work, and he's alright, but he's not suitable for this role." Lu Chuan stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and crossed his arms over his chest. "What I need is a male lead with a more weathered look. Liu Ye is too young; there's no story in his eyes."
Liu Yu took a deep breath and told himself to calm down.
This was someone recommended by Teacher Yu; it wouldn't look good to break ties. But the next moment, Lu Chuan said something that made him completely lose his composure.
"Your script," Lu Chuan tapped the table with his finger, "is too emotionally direct. The audience isn't stupid; you don't need to wear your emotions on your sleeve. What I need to change is to cut out those sentimental scenes and replace them with more subtle expressions. For example, the scene where the female lead has amnesia—you wrote three pages of dialogue, that's too much. I can probably solve it with just one long take; she sits there, her eyes change, and she doesn't have to say anything."
Liu Yu leaned back in his chair and stared at Lu Chuan for three seconds.
"Director Lu, I have a question for you."
"you say."
"Did you actually direct the film 'The Missing Gun'?"
The tea restaurant fell silent for a moment.
Lu Chuan's expression visibly froze; his lips twitched, and his fingers unconsciously clenched.
This question touched a nerve with him; he had heard the rumors circulating in the industry about who would direct "The Missing Gun."
Jiang Wen is the lead actor and a notorious control freak. Who would believe that he completely relinquished control to a new director who was directing independently?
"What do you mean?" Lu Chuan's voice lowered.
"I'm just curious." Liu Yu's tone was very calm, as if he were talking about the weather. "I've seen 'The Missing Gun,' and the visual style is very Jiang Wen's. The camera language, the sense of rhythm, the handling of details; to be honest, it doesn't seem like the work of a new director."
Lu Chuan suddenly stood up, his chair sliding backward with a screeching sound, his face turning bright red.
"What right do you, a student who didn't even graduate from university, have to critique my work?"
"I'm not really qualified." Liu Yu remained seated, looking up at Lu Chuan with a calm expression. "But I think a director should have their own style. They can't make something exactly like the lead actor. Otherwise, the audience will say, 'This film is starring Liu Ye, but it looks like it was directed by Lu Chuan.' No, it looks like it was directed by Jiang Wen."
"You fucking..."
"Director Lu," Liu Yu interrupted him, "please don't get agitated. What I mean is, if one day you make a film on a big subject, I hope it reflects your own style, not someone else's."
Lu Chuan's face turned from red to purple. He grabbed his phone from the table, turned around, and left.
He took two steps and then stopped, turning back to glare at Liu Yu: "With an attitude like yours, you can forget about working in this industry in the future."
"Thank you for your concern, Director Lu." Liu Yu raised his lemon tea cup and toasted him from afar.
Lu Chuan slammed the door and left.
The other customers at the tea restaurant turned to look at Liu Yu. Liu Yu nonchalantly finished his lemon tea and then asked the waiter for the bill.
(Please vote with monthly tickets and recommendation tickets, thank you everyone)