Chapter 19： difficult difficult difficult

In the morning in Cannes, the sun is shining, but I tend to sweat on my forehead when I walk. Lehmann looked at the high-rise building in the modern business architectural style in front of him, without hesitation, he strode forward.

Just yesterday, Thomas also rushed over from Paris. After the trio assembled again, they couldn't wait to start the next job.

If a movie wants to be released in theaters, it naturally needs to negotiate with the distributor and the theater chain, and then the theater chain will arrange the free time for its cinemas, and finding a suitable film distributor is the purpose of their trip.

In France, in the Alps, there are many film companies with theatrical distribution channels, but they are roughly divided into two types. One is some subsidiaries established in France by major Hollywood companies that distribute their films around the world, including Paramount, Columbia, Warner Bros., MGM and the French Film Federation-Fox Distribution Company, etc.; the second is the local French film companies, such as Buck, Europa, EMI, etc., and there are many independent distributors. , is the kind of second-order dealer that shows in the area.

The ideal choice in Lehmann's mind is of course those big companies. After all, big companies not only mean strong strength, but also richer film and television resources.

So his first choice was the Warner Bros. office in France.

And there are so many big companies, the reason why the first target is it, and there is nothing special new, it is nothing more than the fact that the office of Warner Bros. is near Cannes.

Well, the distance is short and convenient.

"Hello, welcome to Warner Bros. France!" The front desk lady greeted her with a smile. She was a white woman in her twenties. Although her smile was fake, she was unexpectedly pleasing to the eye.

Ryman glanced at the work card hanging on her chest, and knowing that her name was Sivir-Woma, he said, "Hello, Miss Sivir, I'm Ryman, and I made an appointment with your company yesterday to buy films. Division Manager Gaiman."

"Okay, please wait a moment." Sivir turned around and started to make a phone call to confirm related matters.

When the three of them saw this, they also sat casually on the bench beside them and waited for news.

Touching the sturdy seat under his butt, Lyman looked around at the surroundings. For some reason, his heart suddenly became a little nervous.

At this time, Sivir, the lady at the front desk, finished the call and said kindly, "Mr. Ryman, our manager is already waiting in the screening room on the second floor. I'll take you up. Please come with me."

"Okay." The three of Lehman also stood up, with Ryan and Thomas each holding a briefcase, which contained various materials and the final cut copy of the movie "Buried Alive".

When I went up to the second floor, I first passed the Warner Bros. office area. There didn't seem to be many people inside, but it seemed very busy. Everyone was working hard, or they were talking on the phone.

Sivir took the three to an independent office, she knocked on the door, and there was a voice of "come in", she opened the door and reported inside: "Mr. Gaiman, Director Lyman is here. That's it." After speaking, she turned around and went back to the front desk.

After the three of Lehman entered, they saw a middle-aged white man in his forties, with a common appearance in the United States, with sparse hair, very bald, wearing a gray suit and black tie, sitting Behind the desk, looking at something. When he found them coming in, he raised his head, got up with a smile, and said, "Hello. Director Lyman, hello."

"Hello, Mr. Gaiman." Lyman smiled and shook hands with him, and said politely, "Nice to meet you."

Thomas smiled and didn't say anything. Instead, he asked, "Mr. Ryman, you look so young. Take the liberty to ask, how old are you?"

"25." The answer was very succinct.

After hearing this, Gaiman frowned slightly, obviously a little dissatisfied with the young director who said he wanted to work with him. 25 years old, just graduated from university, this so-called movie will not be a ridiculous "playing house" game.

Although he didn't want to see him and felt that he was wasting time, he agreed to meet him and people came, so he couldn't avoid it directly, so he said, "Then, let me enjoy your film work first, I hope it will be A pleasant experience."

"I brought a copy of the movie." Lyman said, and took the briefcase in his hand from Ryan, who was standing beside him.

"Well, let's take a look."

Gaiman took the copy of the film, put it into the player in the office cubicle, and pulled down the curtains installed in the room.

The four of them sat on comfortable chairs and looked at the small screen in front of them together.

Gaiman pressed the start button of the remote control, and saw a black screen light up on the small screen.

As time went on, there was still no other picture on the screen, and the screen was still full of darkness.

"Wow, this..." Gaiman pressed the pause button, looked at Lyman, and questioned: "Director Lyman, are you sure this is a movie? Why isn't there a picture, is it a full-length dark film? ?"

Lehman was thinking about it, so interrupted, but when he came back to his senses, he also quickly explained: "This section of more than 20 seconds is drawn by sound, and you will know what it means later."

Resisting the farce, Gaiman pressed start.

I saw that on the screen, the camera zoomed in, and Heath Ledger, who was alone in a coffin and buried alive, was hidden in a large shadow, his eyes full of panic and doubts rolling uncomfortably.

The background music gradually sounded, which further enhanced the atmosphere.

Lehmann didn't cut a single shot in the difficult shooting of this group of one shot, and it took nearly 30 seconds. Completely shocked.

Time passed slowly, and after 90 minutes, it suddenly became dark, the whole film came to an end, and the subtitles gradually appeared. The film screening is over.

At this moment, the eyes of Lyman, Ryan, Thomas, all three focused on the bald man sitting next to him.

They have watched this movie many times, but they still find it wonderful.

The first time, you think it's abusive, the second time, you think it has some deep meaning, and the third time, you can find that this movie vividly shows the despicable methods of the US government and the entire public opinion, and truly analyzes international politics. Interests clash on the battlefield.

All in all, in a word, it's pretty good!

But the three of Lyman said no, in this room, Gaiman has the most decision-making power. He thinks it is true.

"How is it? Mr. Gaiman." Seeing the quiet atmosphere, Ryan couldn't help but speak first.

His eyes were fixed on the manager of the film purchasing department, for fear that he would hear "No" from his mouth.

"Director Lyman, your movie... how do you say it." Gaiman's hesitant words made Lyman on the side even more nervous, "It's surprising, and it's really interesting, at least it gives me peace of mind. to watch the full movie.”

Immediately, he laughed at himself: "However, this extremely strong personal style, coupled with the fact that the whole film is just one character and scene, it's really crazy, I've never met such... such an alternative. Movies. You know, I'm just an office manager, and I don't have much power, but you handled the whole story well, but..."

As soon as Lyman heard the uncertainty in Gaiman's words, he knew that the result of this operation might not be very good, and sure enough, Gaiman spread his hands and said: "I can only buy the copyright and put it in the offline market and distribute the video tape. Love is love, business is business, director Ryman, I am willing to convince the company to spend a sum of money to buy the distribution rights of this movie, but it can't be pushed to the cinema, what do you mean?"

Lyman's heart sank. What Gaiman means in his words is nothing more than that the style of this movie is too strong. Instead of taking a lot of risks and spending a lot of money to persuade the cinema to arrange the screening, it is better to directly enter the offline market for distribution. In that way, the up-front cost paid is higher than that of the cinema. Say, it's too easy.

To put it bluntly, movies may have value, but they are not willing to take risks.

"I know, but the market is always elusive. Maybe we can try to show it first, just in a dozen theaters, and see the audience's reaction before deciding on the subsequent release, how about it?" Lehmann was unwilling. Make your own suggestions.

But Gaiman still shook his head I have seen the film investment, and it cost 500,000 euros to shoot, right, our company is willing to spend 1 million euros to buy the distribution rights of this film, and guarantee it As for the profit of the offline market, as the producer, you have a 25% share, how about it? "

500,000 turned into 1 million, and in a blink of an eye, the entire investment amount was recovered. It stands to reason that Lehmann should be happy. When he first crossed over, he thought that he could make money by making movies. Do it in one line? But why was he so unwilling.

"Can't you really give this movie a chance to try?"

"Sorry, this is beyond the scope of my rights, there is nothing I can do about it." Gaiman cut off the last slim chance of screening cleanly.

As the film purchasing manager of Warner Bros. Pictures' French office, of course, he has the right to push a film to theaters around the world. After all, he also has the opportunity to intervene in the release of films from the head office in France every year. of. It is not difficult to have a good relationship with the theater, not to mention that the distribution channels of the head office are all over the European and American continents.

But he didn't want to take risks. The directing style of "Buried Alive" is too prominent. It is more like an author's film, not the so-called "literary" film that brushes the **** ball. This kind of thriller and niche type is not acceptable in France. What will be welcomed, this is his long-standing experience in buying films.

There is value, but the prospects are uncertain. There is no need to risk his dereliction of duty to push it. Instead, it is to release offline video tapes. For him, it will definitely pay off and create profits.

It is clear at a glance which is light or heavy.

"Can you give me some time to think about it?"

"Of course, in the following days, you can call me at any time."

"thanks."

......