radicalducati Chapter 20: Signing a Director
Chapter 20: Signing a Director
On the second Friday of July, Lu Yang stood downstairs at Building 1 of the China World Trade Center, his heart inexplicably racing.
He was wearing a plaid shirt and carrying a bulging canvas bag.
It contained all the materials he had prepared for this meeting: script analysis notes, hand-drawn storyboard sketches, character biographies, and even a few rudimentary concept drawings that he had rushed to make overnight.
"Director Lu, this way please." Yang Siwei's assistant was already waiting in the lobby and politely led Lu Yang to the private elevator.
The elevator ascended smoothly, and Lu Yang tried to calm himself down.
When he received Yang Siwei's call last night, he could hardly believe it.
Light Chaser Pictures, a new company with a mysterious background that has recently been circulating in the industry, actually wants to have in-depth discussions with him, a recent graduate student, about the "Witch" project.
As the elevator doors opened, a highly designed reception desk came into view, with the Light Chaser Pictures logo being simple yet modern.
Yang Siwei was already waiting at the elevator entrance. She was wearing a light gray suit today and had a polite smile.
"Director Lu, welcome. General Manager Jiang is already waiting for you in his office."
"Hello, Mr. Yang." Lu Yang nodded quickly and followed Yang Siwei through the open office area.
In the spacious and bright space, many employees were busy at work, with various budget sheets and English email interfaces displayed on computer screens, creating a professional and efficient atmosphere.
Lu Yang noticed that there was even a small motion capture test area in the corner, where several technicians were debugging the equipment.
This is very different from what he had imagined domestic film and television companies to be.
Reaching the end of the corridor and standing before a heavy wooden door, Yang Siwei gently knocked and then pushed it open: "President Jiang, Director Lu Yang has arrived."
When Lu Yang walked into the office, the first thing he saw was not a huge desk, but a smart whiteboard that took up an entire wall.
It was covered with densely packed project milestones, technical terms, and English abbreviations.
Then, his gaze fell on the young man who had turned around by the window.
too young.
This was Lu Yang's first thought.
Jiang Yu was wearing a simple white polo shirt and khaki pants. He was tall and slender with a handsome face.
His eyes held a calmness and sharpness that Lu Yang had never seen in the eyes of his peers.
"Director Lu Yang, hello, I'm Jiang Yu." Jiang Yu stepped forward, extended his hand, and smiled warmly.
"Mr. Jiang, hello." Lu Yang quickly grasped his hand, which felt firm and strong. "Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity."
"Sit down." Jiang Yu pointed to the sofa area and sat down casually as well.
Yang Siwei sat quietly to the side, opening her notebook to take notes.
An assistant brought in three cups of tea, which slightly eased Lu Yang's tension.
"Director Lu, Siwei showed me the materials you prepared for 'The Witch'."
Jiang Yu got straight to the point, his tone calm, "Very solid, and full of ideas. I'm particularly interested in your approach to the conflict between the female protagonist's inner loneliness and awakening of power, as well as your concept for externalizing emotions in the action scenes. I invited you here today to hear your more detailed thoughts on this story and how you want to film it."
Lu Yang composed himself, took out the thick stack of documents from his canvas bag, and spread them out on the coffee table.
He pointed to his character relationship diagram and emotion curve diagram and began to explain.
"President Jiang, President Yang, I believe the core of 'The Witch' isn't simply a story about gaining superpowers and defeating bad guys. It's essentially an allegory about alienation and return, constraint and freedom..."
He concluded, "Therefore, the visuals and narrative rhythm of the entire film should rise and fall with the female protagonist's inner growth. From cold repression to chaotic explosion, to clumsy exploration, and finally to calm and tragic control and choice. Action is the outlet for emotions, and special effects are the reflection of the inner world."
After Lu Yang finished speaking, he picked up the slightly cooled tea and took a sip. He looked at Jiang Yu and Yang Siwei, feeling somewhat uneasy.
He didn't know if these ideas, which were highly personal and even somewhat adventurous, would be accepted.
Jiang Yu listened quietly, tapping his fingers lightly on the sofa armrest, his face expressionless, his eyes focused intently on Lu Yang's narration.
After discussing the creative process, the atmosphere became even more harmonious.
Jiang Yu asked casually, "Director Lu, may I ask if you've signed with a company or agent yet?"
Lu Yang paused for a moment, then looked a little embarrassed: "Not yet. I just graduated, and before that I just took on some short films and gigs on my own, or helped out on film sets with my seniors. I haven't officially signed with a company yet."
Jiang Yu and Yang Siwei exchanged a glance, and Yang Siwei nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Director Lu."
Jiang Yu leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming serious.
"I admire your talent and understanding of film. Light Chaser Pictures is not just a project-based company; we hope to build a long-term, stable, and mutually beneficial creative talent system. Therefore, I would like to formally invite you to sign with Light Chaser Pictures and become our contracted director."
Lu Yang was completely stunned.
Sign a contract?
He had considered it, but he always felt that he was too inexperienced, that big companies wouldn't be interested, and that small companies were unreliable.
The young yet unfathomable CEO Jiang in front of him had actually extended an olive branch to him.
"This, Mr. Jiang, I..." Lu Yang was at a loss for words.
Jiang Yu smiled and continued, "Of course, signing a contract isn't just empty talk. We will provide you with competitive industry-leading basic guarantees, project development and production support, and most importantly, respect and resource allocation for your creative work. 'The Witch' is your first opportunity, but it certainly won't be your last."
He paused, then offered an even stronger bargaining chip: "Moreover, Light Chaser Animation isn't just a company limited to China. We have a complete production and investment system in Los Angeles, North America, and we're a legitimate player in Hollywood."
He gestured to Yang Siwei, who immediately took out several copies of English reports from the folder and pushed them in front of Lu Yang.
Lu Yang looked down and saw that the top article was a Variety magazine report on Taken and Light Chaser Pictures/Light & Shadow Digital.
He scanned the pages quickly, his eyes widening.
"The movie 'Taken,' which is currently showing in theaters, has already grossed nearly $200 million worldwide, and we have an investment and a share of the profits."
"We own the film and television adaptation rights to the entire Twilight series and are co-producing it with Summit Entertainment."
"We were responsible for one-third of the special effects for director James Cameron's Avatar and made a strategic investment in it."
"We have multiple collaborative projects with Lionsgate and Fox Searchlight Pictures..."
The messages exploded in Lu Yang's mind like thunderclaps. He had only vaguely heard that this company had an overseas background, but he never expected that the background was so strong!
This was completely beyond his comprehension of a Chinese film and television company. The boss in front of him, who was even younger than himself, had already built such an empire in Hollywood.
Seeing Lu Yang's shocked expression, almost speechless, Jiang Yu calmly said, "So, signing with Light Chaser Pictures means that your future stage will not only be in the Chinese-language market. When you are ready, when your works are mature enough, the company can provide you with opportunities to study, exchange ideas, and even work on projects in Hollywood. We will open up international channels for you."
Hollywood! The gateway to international success!
These words possess an irresistible magic for any newly graduated young director.
Lu Yang felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest, and blood rushing to his head.
"President Jiang..." Lu Yang's voice was a little dry. He tried to calm himself down. "What do I need to do? What's the contract like?"
Yang Siwei then took out a draft contract that she had prepared in advance and handed it to Lu Yang.
"Director Lu, this is the preliminary contract framework. You can take a look. The core terms are: a five-year contract with a guarantee of at least three films. The company will provide you with a basic living allowance, social security, and a stipend during project development. Your director's fee will increase in stages based on the project budget and your growth stage. In addition, the contract includes clear box office rewards and award incentives, as well as priority opportunities and financial support for overseas exchanges and training."
Lu Yang took the contract and flipped through it with slightly clenched fingers.
The terms were not harsh; in fact, they were quite generous, especially for a newcomer like him.
Security, opportunity, respect, future... it almost fulfilled all his imagination of an ideal employer.
He looked up at Jiang Yu.
Jiang Yu's eyes were clear, devoid of any deception or scheming, revealing only his appreciation for talent.
"President Jiang."
Lu Yang took a deep breath, put down the contract, stood up, and solemnly extended his hand to Jiang Yu.
"Thank you so much for your appreciation and trust. I am willing to sign with Light Chaser Pictures. I will do my best to live up to this opportunity."
Jiang Yu stood up, his smile warm: "Welcome to the team, Director Lu. From today onwards, we are partners in building our dreams together. 'The Witch' is just the beginning. I believe that in the future, we will definitely be able to create works that will amaze the world."
A relieved smile appeared on Yang Siwei's face as she carefully put away the draft contract.
"Director Lu, I'll have the legal department refine the details of the formal contract based on today's discussions, and it can be signed next week. Also, starting next week, you can officially join the company and begin building the core pre-production team for 'The Witch.' Let me know if you need any support."
As Lu Yang left the China World Trade Center, he walked along the bustling Jianguomenwai Street. The evening breeze brushed his face, but it couldn't dispel the burning passion in his heart.
He glanced back at the towering glass building, clutching the notebook filled with countless inspirations in his hand, and then stepped into the crowd.