New York 2006

Chapter 244 Conflict between actor and director
At two o'clock in the afternoon on February 2009, 2, Penny wore a red evening dress and drove Sheldon to the Warner headquarters in Burbank in her red Toyota car.

Sheldon glanced at the dashboard, then stared at Penny anxiously: "Your car's 'check engine' light is on."

"Uh-huh." Penny looked straight ahead and said nonchalantly.

Sheldon thought Penny didn't understand, and then explained: "This is to remind you to check the engine."

Penny could only say helplessly: "It's nothing, this light has been on for a month."

Sheldon said doubtfully: "That gives you even more reason to check the engine."

"Sheldon, my car is fine."

Sheldon explained nonchalantly: "If your car is fine, then this indicator light will not light up. The manufacturer installed this light to tell you if..."

"I have no money, but the car can be used!" Penny yelled.

The car drove for more than 40 minutes, and Penny was annoyed by Sheldon.If Sheldon hadn't needed to take her into the party today, she would have kicked Sheldon out of the car.

Finally arrived, Penny said with a sigh as she looked at the building in front of her.

As soon as the car parked, a welcoming doorman came up. He looked at the clothes of the two people: "Madam, sir, are you here to attend the celebration party?"

"Yeah." Penny said with a smile on her face.

The guard said, "Can you show me your invitation letter?"

Sheldon immediately spoke: "We were invited by Logic. He said that we can just report his name here."

The doorman responded immediately: "What's your name, please?"

"Sheldon Lee Cooper."

"That's right." The doorman immediately took out the walkie-talkie and said, "Please inform Ms. Fiona that the person she is waiting for has arrived and is at the door."

The doorman then looked at the two of them and said with a smile: "Please get out of the car and wait for a while. Ms. Fiona will be here soon. I will help you park the car."

"Ok."

As the doorman drove to the underground garage, Penny looked around curiously.As one of the six major companies in Hollywood, Warner's company building is very majestic.

However, the imagined scene of a red carpet at the door and reporters gathered at the door did not appear, and Warner Bros. was operating as usual.It looks like this was a party without notifying the media.

"Hi, Sheldon."

Sheldon saw the person coming and raised his hand to say hello: "Fiona, good afternoon."

Fiona looked at the woman next to Sheldon curiously. She was wearing a red evening dress, and her breasts were very majestic and eye-catching.She's also pretty, like a silly blonde girl you see in Hollywood.

"Is she your companion?"

Sheldon nodded: "Yeah."

Petunia immediately stretched out her hand: "Hello, just call me Petunia."

"Ah."

Fiona did not shake hands with her, but just nodded, and then handed the two invitations to Sheldon: "Let's go in."

Sheldon asked excitedly: "Is Batman here? Logic said he would be here today."

Fiona said in a gentle tone: "Hahaha, his name is not Batman, but Christian Bale. Be careful when you get to the party and don't call him by the wrong name. He hates people calling him Bat now." Xia."

"Okay." Sheldon nodded solemnly.

Penny wanted to interrupt, but found that Fiona didn't have much interest in her. Instead, she looked at her warily from time to time, which made her a little depressed.

She could only follow the two of them and listen to their conversation.

Fiona smiled and said: "Sheldon, thank you for helping me with my Logic homework."

Sheldon looked indifferent: "He's quite smart. He can understand everything I say, otherwise I wouldn't want to pay attention to him. By the way, where did Logic go?"

…………

The banquet hall temporarily renovated by Warner Company is still very large.

Warner dominated the Hollywood box office last year and was the biggest winner in Hollywood last year.Today, they have invited some of the important figures from Warner Bros., the most successful films of the past year, to celebrate together.

Among the more well-known crews are "The Dark Knight", "The Twilight Saga", "1 Years Before History", "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", the movie version of "Sex and the City", and "The Confused Detective".

Of course, it wasn't just the cast and crew at the party, there were also some other Hollywood people.

Luo Ji was walking through the party with a glass of wine, and Kristen followed him every step of the way. As a big shot in Hollywood, Luo Ji was often approached by people to strike up a conversation.

No, after just a few steps, Naomi Watts walked up with a smile: "Logic, hello Christine."

"Hello." Christine also smiled and said hello.

Naomi pointed at the two of them: "Are you together?"

Luo Ji said vaguely: "She is my female companion today."

Naomi did not ask further questions. She said seriously: "Thank you, Logic, for giving me this opportunity."

"You're welcome."

Naomi took a sip of wine and said casually: "Logic, I don't know if you know that the filming of "World War of the Dead" has been postponed again."

"I know, I will take care of it." Luo Ji nodded solemnly.

"Ok."

Luo Ji continued, "Have you met Director Francis or Thomas Tull?"

"It's over there, I'll take you there." After Naomi said that, she led the way.

The three of them came to a corner of the banquet hall, where Francis and Tuer were sitting together drinking and chatting.A few people chatted for a while, and then they got down to business.

Luo Ji patted Kristine on the shoulder: "Go and go shopping with Naomi elsewhere. I have something to do here."

The smile on Kristen's face suddenly disappeared, and her face was full of embarrassment. Naomi's expression was also a little unnatural. They thought that the next conversation would bring them down.Obviously, they miscalculated.After all, Naomi has been around Hollywood for a long time.He quickly adjusted his mentality and pulled Kristen aside.

Thomas Tull smiled and said: "Logic, you are not a gentleman at all, they obviously want to participate."

"What actors are involved in? This is the company's business." Luo Ji waved his hand nonchalantly: "Let's get down to business. What's going on with the crew recently?"

"World War of the Dead" has a total budget of $1.3 million. Logic Pictures is investing 50%, Warner Bros. is investing 20%, Legendary Pictures is investing 10%, and Brad Pitt's Plan B Pictures is investing 20%.

Francis, with support from Logic Pictures, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures, has become the director of "World War Z."The entire project is now in his charge.

Francis took a sip of wine and said angrily: "Brad has been dictating the script during this time, and he doesn't agree with my shooting plan. He arranged a lot of his people on the crew. The shooting plan has been postponed for several times. Time, now he is like this before filming starts, but when filming starts he still doesn’t know what he wants.”

Luo Ji asked doubtfully, "He had a very good reputation among the crew in the past. What happened this time?"

Thomas Tull said: "What else, it's just too much. There are too many things like this in Hollywood. His Plan B Films has participated in many movies over the years. "The Departed", "Troy", "Charlie" "Chocolate Factory" is considered a success, not to mention that you gave him such great authority on the crew, he must feel that he can do it."

Luo Ji thought for a moment and looked at Director Francis seriously: "Tell me the truth, do you think you two can continue to work together?"

Francis was a little panicked, afraid that Luo Ji would replace him.

He immediately said: "Yes, we can continue to cooperate. But you have to tell him to stop being so willful. The script is adapted from the novel, and the plot is completely close to the novel. The script has been approved by all of us. He is now Jump out and say what’s going on in the script.”

Luo Ji said, "Any more questions?"

"He cannot interfere with my shooting plans in the future." Francis continued: "Logic, you also know that the crew can only have one voice. Otherwise this will be disastrous for a project."

Thomas Tull also hurriedly spoke: "It's true. I've seen many crew disagreements, shooting delays, and budget overruns. Our movie has many big scenes. If the shooting doesn't go smoothly, let alone 1.5 million meters. It’s possible to cut a knife to 2 million meters.”

Luo Ji nodded: "I will warn him and ask him to cooperate."

Thomas Tull said: "Are you sure you can persuade him?"

Luo Ji touched his chin and said, "The project is now in my hands. If he is willing to cooperate, that's fine. If not, there are ways to deal with him."

…………

A good party was supposed to be relaxing, but Luo Ji had to rush around for work, which made him feel a little unhappy.Brad Pitt is also at the party today. Last year's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" was also released by Warner Bros.

Luo Ji saw that he was taking his girlfriend Angelina Jolie to chat with Sarah Parker, the heroine of "Sex and the City".Without thinking, Luo Ji stepped forward and hooked his neck.

"Hey Julie, let me borrow your boyfriend."

"Of course," Angelina Jolie said with a smile.

Luo Ji then pulled Brad Pitt to a secluded place very affectionately.

Brad Pitt smiled all over his face: "Hi. Logic, why are you so enthusiastic today? Do you have anything to say?"

Arriving at a corner of the party, Luo Ji looked at him and asked seriously: "Pete, what's going on during this time? Why has the production been postponed so many times?"

Brad Pitt immediately explained: "You don't know, the storyboards designed by Francis are bullshit and do not reflect the wonderful scenes in the novel at all. I told him many times, but he just didn't listen."

Luo Ji spoke: "He once shot the zombie movie "I Am Legend", which grossed 5.85 million US dollars in global box office. He is a director, so you should respect him."

Brad continued: "But these are two different genres. There are many big scenes in our movie. "I Am Legend" is all a one-man show."

Luo Ji said seriously: "But the project must continue, and you must reach an agreement."

Brad continued: "Then he has to agree with me."

Luo Ji continued: "There is no such thing in Hollywood. No director would compromise with an actor."

"He must agree with me." Brand said firmly.

Luo Ji said with a cold face: "Peter, tell me the truth. Do you think you two can continue to cooperate?"

Brad Pitt felt bad when he saw Luo Ji's expression. He said softly: "As you said, you will give me the greatest power on the crew."

"I have given you the greatest power on the crew. The casting directors, actors, directors, and producers all joined the crew with your consent."

Luo Ji continued: "Now that the crew has been established, you should follow the rules of Hollywood. You must respect the director. He has successful experience. We should all believe in him."

Brad said angrily: "His storyboards are really stinky shit. He will ruin the whole movie. You have to replace him."

“A lot of people have seen it and they all think it’s pretty good.”

Brad continued: "That's because no one dares to oppose the director's authority, only I dare!"

Luo Ji Youyou said: "For a successful movie, everyone on the crew will say it is their own contribution. But for a failed movie, the director will be blamed the most in Hollywood. You think you are helping the crew, but after the movie fails , you will not be the main person responsible, the director is the one who takes the main responsibility, because he is the one in control of the crew, this is the rule of Hollywood."

Brad Pitt wants to continue to defend: "I..."

Luo Ji interrupted directly and said coldly: "I still say the same thing, do you think you and Director Francis can continue to cooperate?"

"What if I don't?" Brad also said coldly.

Luo Ji took a sip of his wine and said flatly, "Hollywood has no shortage of male protagonists who want to shoot top-notch blockbusters."

Brad was extremely surprised and said angrily: "You are going to replace me. Are you crazy? Don't you know how much the liquidated damages are?"

Luo Ji said casually: "Isn't it just a lawsuit? I can still handle it by delaying it for two or three years. Guess what it will be like when you have a conflict with the director and everyone in Hollywood knows about it."

Brad Pitt's eyes widened in disbelief: "That was not your attitude when you asked me to collaborate on a project with you."

"Then don't make me do this."

Luo Ji then scolded: "You were not like this before. I have never heard of you interfering in the director's affairs on the set. You M-Fxxk want to be a director now. When the filming of this movie is finished, I will You have 2000 million, can you go to Director's Addiction yourself?"

The air suddenly became silent, and Luo Ji turned sideways to let him calm down for a while.

His girlfriend Angelina Jolie walked over with a smile at this time: "What are you two talking about?"

"We are saying that filming of World War of the Dead will start as scheduled." After Luo Ji finished speaking, he patted Brad Pitt on the shoulder: "Don't you think so, Pitt?"

Brad looked angry, but still gave in and said, "Yes."

(End of this chapter)