章節 208: A Home Game Delight
Guo Fan was very talkative, and Lin was not a shy person either. After finishing their meal, the two had already become like brothers.
"Brother, I really admire you. You've made such a big name for yourself in the football world, unlike me, who can't even find investors for a movie and have to beg everywhere. It's so embarrassing!"
"Brother Guo, what kind of movie are you planning that requires so much money?"
"Oh, I've always had a sci-fi dream. Since I was young, I've dreamed of making a sci-fi film. But as you know, good sci-fi movies require a huge budget for special effects. We can't afford the big Hollywood studios, so we have to rely on domestic ones. But they lack experience in this area, and just organizing and integrating them will cost a lot of money.
There's also a high cost for trial and error. I feel that making such a movie would need at least 350 million!"
"You don't mean in dollars, right?"
"Of course not! 350 million dollars is the budget for top Hollywood blockbusters. Even if you handed me such a big project, I wouldn't dare take it!"
Director Guo, who had only directed "The Adventures of Li Xianji," was still relatively inexperienced. Although he had sci-fi dreams, he didn't have much confidence in his abilities. And more importantly, he didn't have the money! Without money, it's hard to make such a costly industrial blockbuster!
"Then why don't you first make a film that suits the current market demands, accumulate some experience and capital, and then pursue your dream?"
Lin suggested, to which Guo Fan responded enthusiastically:
"You really understand me, brother! To be honest, I have a script for a youth romance film right now. This genre is currently popular in the domestic market. I've calculated that if we don't hire top stars but instead use some second-tier or newly graduated young actors, the production cost can be controlled within 20 million. As long as the box office exceeds 60 million, we can make a profit!"
Lin was surprised to hear this. This guy had a strong ability to control project costs! No wonder domestic sci-fi blockbusters succeeded under his direction; it couldn't be separated from his personal capabilities.
Lin remembered that "The Wandering Earth," released in 2019, had a budget of less than 400 million yuan and a final box office of 4.6 billion yuan, with the producers earning over 1.6 billion yuan. This meant that the investors received a 400% return!
In any industry, getting a fourfold return in two years is astonishing!
Thinking of this, Lin said:
"Brother Guo, I'm very interested in the rapidly developing domestic film market and want to invest in it. Since you need funding, why don't we set up a company together, and I'll sponsor your film? What do you think?"
"Are you serious?"
Guo Fan's eyes lit up as if he had found a lifeline and stared at Lin, asking.
"A gentleman's word is his bond. Of course, I'm talking about the 20 million project, not the 400 million one!"
Lin quickly clarified the investment project to avoid getting dragged into something bigger by the resourceful Guo Fan.
"Yes, just the first one will do!"
The script for the sci-fi film Guo Fan wanted to make still needed polishing, and they needed to contact and coordinate with special effects studios, which couldn't be rushed. He wanted to complete the current film first before moving on to the next.
"If this film fails, how could I dare to spend three or four billion on a high-budget sci-fi film?"
"Then it's settled. I'll have my agent handle the necessary paperwork with you back home. How much funding do you still need?"
"The total cost is 20 million. I've managed to scrape together about 8 million, so we still need 12 million!"
"Okay, I'll cover the 12 million. If the film makes money, we'll split the profits fifty-fifty. How about that?"
Although Lin invested more money, he would be a silent partner. Guo Fan would handle the filmmaking, including the labor and director's fees, so a fifty-fifty split was fair.
Lin thought this was fair, but Guo Fan felt it was too generous.
"Brother, this isn't right!"
"What's wrong? Is the split too low? How about 40/60 in your favor?"
"No, no, no, I mean, you've invested 4 million more than me. It should be 60/40 in your favor. You're giving me an extra share; how could I accept that?"
Even though Guo Fan was adept at raising funds, he was still principled.
"Let's compromise: I'll take 55%, and you'll take 45%. Is that okay?"
Guo Fan, not wanting to be difficult, agreed immediately:
"That's settled, then!"
After resolving this long-standing issue, Guo Fan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Finally, this worry is off my chest. After I finish filming the last commercial for Mr. Yu at the end of this month, I'll return to China to select locations and actors and start setting things up as soon as possible."
An assistant chimed in, "The last commercial isn't easy to shoot. Mr. Yu wants to link music, family, and phones together. I can't think of a good idea!"
Guo Fan scratched his head upon hearing this. Although Huawei paid well, their demands were high.
Shooting commercials with stars like Lin was more straightforward since they had templates to follow. But those requiring creative freedom were much more challenging.
Lin, hearing their conversation, had an idea based on a future Huawei music commercial called "Dreams Come True."
"Brother Guo, I have an idea. What do you think?"
Lin shared his thoughts and even hummed the melody of the song.
Everyone praised the idea after hearing it:
"This is great!"
"The story is so touching!"
"The song is beautiful!"
"If this airs, it'll definitely be a tear-jerker!"
Guo Fan was also surprised. Lin's story perfectly aligned with the brand's requirements!
Moreover, incorporating the phone into the story wasn't awkward at all. It could even show several generations of phones, reflecting the protagonist's progress and the phone brand's continuous improvement to meet user needs!
"So, Brother Guo, what do you think of the idea?"
Guo Fan gave Lin a thumbs up:
"Brother Lin, it's a shame you're not a screenwriter!"
"Haha, you're too kind, Brother Guo. I know someone who could be perfect for the ad. She's from a musical family, and her father is a famous musician. I think she'd fit the role well."
Guo Fan, being sharp, understood the principle of returning a favor. Since Lin had helped him, he felt he had to return the gesture.
"That would be even better, saving me the trouble. I'll leave it to you!"
...
Back at his place, Lin immediately messaged Lily Collins, saying he had a surprise for her but wouldn't reveal it until after the tenth league game!
"What surprise? You're being mysterious!"
She tried to pry it out of him, but he was tight-lipped, not revealing a single hint. The more he kept silent, the more curious she became.
On match day, Lily Collins arrived in Manchester early, entered the Etihad Stadium for the first time, and sat near the field. Along the way, she encountered many friendly Manchester City fans who welcomed her warmly.
"Lin's girlfriend is here; we must win today, right?"
"Of course! If Lin sees his girlfriend in the stands, he'll give 120%!"
"Suddenly, I feel sorry for Norwich, facing such a terrifying Lin!"
The Manchester City fans were spot on. From the first minute, Manchester City dominated the game.
Lin's performance was as outstanding as ever. In the 17th minute, his shot after a solo run into the box led to an own goal by the opponent's defender, putting Manchester City ahead 1-0.
In the 20th minute, Lin and Aguero executed a one-two pass, and Lin calmly slotted the ball past the advancing goalkeeper, making it 2-0.
In the 36th minute, after dribbling past several defenders on the wing, Lin crossed the ball, which Negredo's shot was saved by the goalkeeper, but Lin was there to complete his hat trick with a follow-up.
Just over thirty minutes into the game, Lin had scored three goals. He also assisted Nastasic in scoring a goal in the 25th minute. By halftime, Manchester City led Norwich 4-0.
Manchester City's powerful offense shocked the commentators.
"Haha, poor Norwich. They met a Manchester City team angry after being held to a draw by Chelsea."
"If they had faced City earlier, it might not have been this bad!"
Commentator He Wei sympathized with Norwich. They were already in the relegation zone, and after this game, not only would they gain no points, but they'd also lose at least four goals in goal difference. Given City's momentum, scoring two or three more goals in the second half wouldn't be difficult.
Norwich had only scored six goals in the first ten rounds, while City scored more in just one game!
"Yes, Norwich is unlucky. But Chelsea isn't having a good time either. In another simultaneous match, Chelsea is currently 0-2 down to Newcastle."
"The match is in injury time, and it looks like Chelsea won't turn it around. Mourinho's team will face their second loss of the season and drop out of the top four."
Xu Yang was surprised by this scoreline, given how strong Chelsea looked against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
But away from home, they were being beaten by a mid-table team
like Newcastle. Chelsea had more possession but were outshot. Newcastle had 15 shots, eight on target, while Chelsea had 13 shots with only two on target.
Both teams had similar shot counts, but the accuracy difference was staggering. It made one wonder if Chelsea's forwards had been practicing their shooting skills.
"Chelsea's forward line problems seem unresolved. Torres failed to score again, and neither Hazard, Willian, Oscar, Schürrle, nor Eto'o could find the net. Including their Champions League group stage loss to Basel, they've been shut out three times."
"If you count their draws, Chelsea has four games without scoring this season!"
These stats were not typical of a strong team. Even scoring just one goal, if they could keep a clean sheet, would secure a 1-0 victory and three points. But if they didn't score, even a clean sheet would only get them one point. Was Chelsea aiming to win the league with draws?
Back to Manchester City, the second half started, and as He Wei predicted, they continued to attack Norwich's goal.
In the 60th minute, Yaya Touré also scored. In the 72nd minute, Lin assisted Aguero for another goal. The score was now a staggering 6-0! Norwich's players were demoralized, questioning everything.
In the 78th minute, Lin scored again, making it 7-0 and completing his four-goal feat. He and Aguero were substituted soon after.
As Lin left the field, the Manchester City fans stood and applauded. This overwhelming victory thrilled the fans at the stadium. This season, City maintained a perfect home record. Even Bayern Munich hadn't gained anything from Etihad.
This success made City fans proud and boosted ticket sales. Recent matches at the Etihad Stadium were sold out, with attendance rates near 100%.
With a capacity of 55,000, the stadium felt small. Every match saw large crowds outside, unable to get tickets.
This hot ticket market was unprecedented in City's history. While City had always had a loyal fan base, it was never as large as United's. Even after the Middle Eastern consortium took over City, attendance was still lower than United's.
But this year, everything changed. City's success attracted not only die-hard fans but also many international fans, many of whom came for Lin, especially Asian fans. City even added a Chinese ticketing option on their website to accommodate these fans.
In contrast, since Ferguson's retirement, United's ticket sales had been declining. Old Trafford's attendance dropped from 100% to about 90%. Considering its 76,000 capacity, this was still impressive. But tickets weren't as hard to come by as before.
As United's performance declined, this number might continue to drop. While United's fans were loyal, even they had limits to their disappointment. Especially compared to the glorious Ferguson era, United's current form was underwhelming.
At this time, some Red Devils fans couldn't help but feel jealous of their 'noisy neighbors.' Many believed they only lacked a player like Lin. If Lin had chosen United over City, the results would surely be different!
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