novellhall Chapter 61: One gamble, casting a net in four places.
Chapter 61: One gamble, casting a net in four places.
The reshoot of the hospital scene was completed in half a morning.
Similar to last time, Zhou Xun changed into a blue and white striped hospital gown, lay down on the hospital bed, and put on an oxygen mask. The makeup artist added some shadow under her eyes and lightened the color of her lips.
Zhang Yibai squatted behind the monitor and shouted, "Start!"
She slowly closed her eyes, her hand loosened, and the silver-gray Motorola StarTAC slipped from her fingers, falling onto the blanket. The screen was still lit, the words "Calling" clearly visible.
"Cut. Passed."
Zhang Yibai asked the cameraman to take two more close-up shots of the phone—the camera zoomed in to show the silver-gray body, the folding hinge, and the call time displayed on the screen.
The cameraman squatted by the hospital bed, adjusted the lighting, shot one take, and then shot another take from a different angle.
"Alright. That's it. Filming wrapped."
Zhou Xun sat up in bed, took off her oxygen mask, and rubbed her nose. Li Si'an walked in from the corridor and leaned against the doorframe. "Xun-ge'er, you've worked hard."
Zhou Xun reached for her cigarette case on the bedside table, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and exhaled a puff of smoke. "Working for money is only fair," she said, tilting her head to glance at him. "I remember that red envelope you gave me."
"I can't forget it."
The workers started moving equipment out. Li Si'an walked into the corridor and shouted to everyone, "Everyone, lunch is on me. Let's have a good meal at 'Changping First Restaurant' over there."
The workers yelled and moved the equipment much faster.
"Changping First Building" is a restaurant diagonally opposite the hospital. It has a large storefront, two floors, red-painted pillars, and a gold-lettered signboard, making it the most impressive in the area.
Li Si'an booked a private room, and about ten members of the film crew squeezed into one table. Braised pork knuckle, braised fish, four-happiness meatballs, shredded pork with sweet bean sauce, and stir-fried potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers were served, plates piled high, and a case of beer was opened.
Zhang Yibai sat in the main seat, with the cameraman next to him, and the lighting technicians and stagehands squeezed on the other side. Zhou Xun sat next to Li Si'an, picked up a piece of braised pork knuckle with her chopsticks, chewed it a couple of times, and nodded.
"This pork knuckle is so tender it's almost mushy."
The cameraman held up his beer glass and raised it to Li Si'an.
"Boss Li, you've put a lot of effort into this music video. Film, flip phone, reshoots—you didn't skimp on anything. I've been in this business for years, and I've never seen anyone so willing to spend money."
Li Si'an raised her glass and clinked it with his. "Thank you all for your hard work. As long as the film is good, this money is well spent."
Zhang Yibai picked up a peanut and chewed it. "I'll oversee the post-production: developing, transferring from film to video, editing, dubbing—the whole process will take seven to ten days."
"Okay, call me when the film is ready." Li Si'an put down her chopsticks. "I'll take advantage of these next few days to contact Motorola. I need to have something to show them when I meet them."
Zhang Yibai nodded. "Okay, I'll keep an eye on things."
Zhou Xun, listening nearby, stubbed out her cigarette and picked up her beer glass. "Come on, let's have a toast. Wishing Boss Li a successful deal and lots of red envelopes to give out."
Everyone at the table laughed, and their glasses clinked together.
That evening, Li Si'an went to her uncle's house.
Zhou Weidong was sitting on the sofa watching TV when he heard the door open. He turned around and glanced at him. "Have you eaten?"
"have eaten."
"sit."
Li Si'an sat down and recounted the entire story of Motorola from beginning to end.
When filming the music video, I bought a StarTAC on a whim. In the scene where I was actually playing the piano, I put the flip phone on the piano lid. In the scene in the hospital room, Zhou Xun was also holding it. Zhang Yibai took a close-up shot of the phone.
Post-production will be completed in seven to ten days. Then we'll edit a music video and, while we're at it, also cut a 30-second clip.
After listening, Zhou Weidong picked up his teacup, took a sip, and didn't rush to speak.
"Your idea is good. But there's a problem—who are you going to talk to? You can't even get past the security guards at Motorola's gates."
"That's why I came to see you." Li Si'an leaned forward. "Uncle, you've been in the industry for so many years, do you know anyone who can get in touch with Motorola?"
Zhou Weidong leaned back on the sofa, his fingers tapping unconsciously on his knees. "Most of the people I know are in the entertainment industry. I don't really have any direct connections with them when it comes to phones..."
He paused for a moment, then said, "But you can ask someone to inquire. I'll give Xu Zhongming a call for you; he's in business and has more connections than I do."
Alternatively, you could try asking Wang Xiaojing. His Star Disc Records is located in Dongcheng District, and he has a wide network of connections. He also has ties with overseas companies, so maybe he can indirectly get in touch with someone at Motorola.
"Alright." Li Si'an nodded. "Anyway, we'll cast a wide net and catch something somewhere."
Zhou Weidong picked up his teacup and took another sip, looking at Li Si'an. "Tell me the truth, how confident are you about this?"
Li Si'an thought for a moment. "I'm 100% confident about the film itself. But whether Motorola will be interested—maybe 50%."
Zhou Weidong nodded. "Fifty percent is more than enough."
"Uncle, you've seen how fiercely Nokia is fighting for survival this year. Motorola is definitely thinking of new tricks as well."
Li Si'an leaned back on the sofa, "For my music video, the story and the visuals are already there. My phone is just sitting there, integrated with the plot."
If they like it, my song will be on a huge success. If they don't, I've only spent less than ten thousand yuan on a phone for myself; it's not a loss.
"And there's another layer to this." Li Si'an leaned forward. "If it really works out, money is one thing, but sponsorship fees and GG fees are secondary."
The key is dissemination. How extensive was Motorola's GG campaign? Television stations, newspapers, billboards—it was everywhere.
You saw what Tai Cheng-hsiao's song "My Heart Wants You to Hear It," which was a fanservice song for Motorola pagers, was like last year.
Li Si'an got a little excited as he spoke, waving his hand as if to encourage himself: "If 'Fairy Tale' can get on this bandwagon and be released as a GG song..."
Zhou Weidong put down his teacup.
"Then this song of yours is not at the level that a record company can promote."
"That's right." Li Si'an sat up straight on the sofa, slapped her thigh, and said, "So this 50% chance is worth the gamble."
Zhou Weidong remained silent for a moment. The evening news was playing on television, and the announcer's voice hummed in the living room.
"Okay. I'll make the call for you tomorrow."
Li Si'an left his uncle's house and rode his bicycle back to the shop. The light in Tang Yun's room on the second floor was still on, its orange glow seeping through the curtains. He locked his bicycle by the door, went upstairs, and pushed the door open.
Tang Yun was still awake, leaning against the headboard flipping through a magazine. Hearing the door open, she looked up. "How is it?"
Li Si'an took off her coat and draped it over the back of the chair before collapsing onto the bed. "My uncle promised to help me find someone. Xu Zhongming, Wang Xiaojing, ask anyone I can."
Tang Yun closed the magazine and turned to look at him. "Can you find it?"
"I don't know. Just cast a wide net; you're bound to catch something somewhere."