Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Brokeback Mountain
In the Vanity Fair dinner party, men and women of all kinds made various deals - roles, magazine covers, and advertising endorsements.
Charles drove his Corvette with Scarlett Johansson straight to a beachfront villa in Santa Monica.
As soon as they entered the house, they couldn't wait to embrace, tearing the plain evening dress under external force.
"Aw, I only wore this once!" Scarlett Johansson seemed a bit heartbroken about the dress.
"Forget about it, it's just a dress," Charles said as he lifted the girl and carried her into the bedroom.
The night continued with passion!
Three days later, Carpe Films and Hong Kong's Media Asia Group signed the agreement to purchase the script of Infernal Affairs.
They bought the remake rights of Infernal Affairs for 1.5 million USD in cash, with a clean cut, straightforward.
As a result, Carpe Films' available funds were down to 3.5 million USD. However, the Netflix shares bought by the Carpe Fund were rising, almost reaching the initial public offering price.
Netflix's stock truly began skyrocketing, bringing much joy to Charles.
In Santa Monica, at the Lionsgate Entertainment headquarters, Charles enjoyed his coffee while sitting in the meeting room.
Tom Ortenberg, the manager of Lionsgate Films' distribution department, was reading the script of Saw.
"Whew, Charles, the scenes in this movie are indeed innovative," Tom Ortenberg put down the script and imagined the scenes in his mind. "The gore is the main selling point!"
"How about it? Released during Halloween, it would surely attract a specific audience," Charles said with a slight smile.
"Halloween, the timeline is tight," Tom Ortenberg chuckled, "Charles, your movie's budget is only about a 1.5 million USD. The scenes and characters are simple. I suggest going directly to DVD distribution!"
Alright, Lionsgate wasn't ready to sign a distribution contract yet.
"Then, after the movie is done, your company can review the final cut, and we can discuss further?" Charles didn't want to sign now anyway, as he couldn't secure a good distribution deal.
"That works!"
Leaving the Lionsgate building, Charles got into his Mercedes A and drove off.
In the following days, Charles and James Wan discussed the production process of Saw. Given the low investment, they had to save every penny.
They hired a producer who rented an abandoned warehouse in Toronto as the main filming location. Toronto's tax incentives made it an even more attractive choice for Saw.
"Everything is ready now, we can start filming," James Wan was eager to fly to Toronto and begin shooting.
"Yes, everything is ready, we can indeed begin," Charles patted James Wan on the shoulder, "Don't worry about the distributor, I'll handle it!"
After James Wan left, Dona brought over the script for Wedding Crashers.
After five months of work, the adaptation of Wedding Crashers was completed. But Charles didn't have the funds or manpower to develop it right now.
Because Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain was still in the preparation stages.
"How's the casting for Brokeback Mountain going?" Charles asked.
Dona thought for a moment, then responded, "Aside from Heath Ledger, the other male role was chosen to be Jake Gyllenhaal. Several actresses have been recommended as well."
"Jake Gyllenhaal, the whole family works in the film industry, right? Parents, sister, director, screenwriter, and actor," Charles reviewed the information. Jake wasn't well-known yet but had considerable acting skills with a lot of independent film experience.
"He just finished filming a disaster sci-fi blockbuster, The Day After Tomorrow, co-produced by Lionsgate and 20th Century Fox!" Dona explained further, noting that actor selection was not random and involved various considerations.
Finding actors for Brokeback Mountain was tough. Famous male actors wouldn't take on such roles. Many directors had hoped to develop the script, but big names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Edward Norton had all declined.
The sensitive topic of homosexuality, despite its strong artistic value, wasn't enough to attract such famous male actors due to the sensitivity of the subject.
The novel Brokeback Mountain was written because of an actual event in Wyoming in 1998, where a college student suspected to be gay was tied to a pole and beaten to death.
"Director Ang Lee is currently looking for suitable locations for Brokeback Mountain," Dona Williams continued to report.
"Looking for locations?" Charles thought for a moment, then said, "Canada, Alberta, the Rockies. Beautiful scenery: blue skies, white clouds, prairies, and picturesque peaks that resemble the Wyoming farms of the 60s and 70s."
"Got it, I'll let them know!"
The foothills of the Alberta Rockies were indeed the filming location for Brokeback Mountain in a previous life, saving the trouble of searching.
"Mel Gibson's Icon Productions sent a message that The Passion of the Christ will start shooting next month in Matera, Italy, and they invited the boss to attend."
Charles nodded. The Passion of the Christ was low-key. Among the cast, the only name Charles recognized was Monica Bellucci.
One movie, Malena, indeed made this Italian beauty famous, earning a reputation in Europe alongside Sophie Marceau, "The French Kiss."
"Keep an eye on Saw's progress, and have Ang Lee expedite Brokeback Mountain," Charles felt overwhelmed by the number of projects at hand, "And make arrangements for the trip to Italy."
Without any surprises, Saw, Brokeback Mountain, and The Passion of the Christ were all expected to be R-rated movies.
The Passion of the Christ would definitely face backlash from the Jewish community, and Brokeback Mountain would surely meet opposition from American conservatives and traditional religious groups.
Right now, the most normal one seemed to be the gory horror Saw. Once these three movies were released, Carpe Films' reputation will certainly raise - well, who knows if it will be good or bad!
*****
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