novelraw Chapter 56: Searching for Coachella!
Chapter 56: Searching for Coachella!
A slightly bewildered Natalie Portman quickly calculated in her mind.
In the Back Bay area, a stand-alone classic manor house, even if the size of those legendary residences isn't that exaggerated, would probably cost around $15000 per month for a long-term lease.
This only covers the rent, not maintenance, utilities, or potential staff costs.
"Twenty-four months..." The number made her gasp; a full $36.
It's roughly the same amount as the "huge" salary she received as a rising star after filming "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace" (after tax).
This was just a Chinese guy casually prepaying "rent" for his residence for a three-week project!?
Her initial calculations about the "high salary" were completely bewildered by the handsome young man's inexplicable extravagance.
"Li!" she exclaimed, arms crossed.
"Let me guess... the 'budget' you've prepared for this independent film is probably not a 'normal' figure, is it?"
Natalie half-jokingly, half-seriously, but her guard was up.
"Renting a house like this in Back Bay for two years just to shoot a movie for three weeks? I'm starting to get curious about your project now!"
Could this handsome young Chinese man be using the guise of making an independent film to launder money?!
Making money is a good thing, but she doesn't want to get involved in any trouble!
"It's truly extraordinary."
Li Shuo smiled, turned around, and took out two documents, one thick and one thin, from his bag and handed them to her.
Natalie snatched it and first looked at the thin one with only three A4 pages of the budget plan written on it.
My gaze swept over the equipment list, the actors' fees... and finally settled on the total cost estimate.
"A lavish gift of crabs!" she couldn't help but swear, then looked up sharply at Li Shuo as if he were an idiot, "Only $8!?"
Not money laundering...?
That's even more wrong! The budget is so low that it's considered shabby even for an independent film.
Li Shuo seemed to have expected this, and I even increased the price to 8 for good luck!
He then pointed to the folder in her hand: "Don't get excited, take another look at the script and the publicity file."
After saying that, he turned around and walked towards the open kitchen.
"It's past lunchtime, let me get something to eat first."
Natalie was speechless at his unconventional attitude. Watching his back, she had no choice but to suppress her doubts and look down at the script titled "The Blair Witch Project" and the publicity plan attached to it.
Time passed quietly.
The faint sounds of running water and chopping vegetables came from the kitchen, but Natalie was quickly drawn to the documents in her hands.
The script itself tells the story of three student directors who go deep into the forest to investigate a witch legend but mysteriously disappear, in the form of a mockumentary. It is a novel concept!
But what she found truly "interesting" was the detailed marketing plan!
Moreover, although the budget for the publicity and distribution was not specified, it was implied that it would be much more than the investment in filming the movie itself!
The core of that publicity campaign was to systematically and through multiple channels disseminate the message, "This is a real video of a missing student that was discovered," before the film's release!
From creating websites for suspected missing persons and publishing "missing person notices" in local newspapers to deliberately "leaking" clips and discussions on online forums...
Each element is interconnected, aiming to completely blur the boundaries between reality and fiction, so that the audience is convinced of the truth before even entering the theater.
Natalie even recalled a saying passed down through generations in her "squid" family: the most successful businesses sometimes don't sell the product itself, but rather a story that people can believe.
This Chinese kid is pretty impressive...
If Li Shuo knew that Natalie was imagining all this, he would definitely say, "What the hell is this? This is just 'online fraud'!"
This is something that can be done again in a few years when the Internet is just emerging... oh wait, in a few years, with a different approach!
As she pondered, a rich, unfamiliar fragrance wafted over, pulling Natalie back from her thoughts.
The complex and enticing rich meaty aroma is mixed with a certain indescribable spice scent.
Then her stomach started growling...
I glanced absently at the open kitchen.
Li Shuo was wearing an apron and was focused on his work, while keeping an eye on the pot on the stove. His figure and profile were quite handsome under the kitchen light.
He noticed her gaze, turned to her and smiled, "We're a bit rushed today, we'll have to wait a while. There's some cut fruit here, have a bite for now."
Natalie then noticed that there was indeed a plate of exquisitely cut fruit on the central island.
Is this Li from China quite meticulous?
She walked over, picked up a piece of apple shaped like a rabbit, but her eyes couldn't help but follow Li Shuo's busy figure.
She can casually spend money to rent a luxury mansion, write such groundbreaking film proposals, and skillfully flip the ingredients in the pot (she doesn't know what "flipping the wok" means) and season the food. Even cooking looks so good!
And this aroma... the cooking seems pretty good!
"You look quite young, but you're such a good cook?"
She couldn't help but ask.
"Chinese men possess natural skills, plus a bit of personal interest."
Li Shuo answered casually, his movements fluid and graceful.
About an hour later, dinner was served.
There weren't many Chinese dishes in front of her, but they were enough to dazzle her.
Sweet and sour pork with a bright red color and a fragrant aroma, and a plate of steaming hot Three Cup Chicken with a rich sauce, served with rice.
The most special item was the braised meat platter, which looked tender and flavorful. This was made from rice that Li Shuo saw in the kitchen.
Furthermore, various Chinese seasonings, pork, chicken, and fresh beef were found in the refrigerator, along with a beef tongue!?
I immediately recalled the reward I won before: a pot of beef offal soup base that had been brewing for decades (from the movie "Living Together").
I thought Natalie wouldn't eat this, so I specially made sweet and sour pork and three-cup chicken.
Unexpectedly, she took a bite of the braised beef tongue out of curiosity. Instantly, the rich and smooth texture and the deep, complex, and incredibly fragrant braising sauce burst in her mouth, making her eyes light up.
She thought she wouldn't be used to this special part of her body, but the smell...it's so delicious!
"My God, what kind of magic is this?"
She forked another piece of beef, so delicious that she squinted her eyes, not caring that there was sauce on the corner of her mouth.
Li Shuo watched her eat with great relish, a smile flashing in his eyes, and then sat down to eat as well.
Halfway through the meal, Li Shuo wiped his mouth.
"Let's get back to business. Your assistant's salary will be $1000 per day, with all reasonable expenses during filming reimbursed. Filming is expected to last three weeks. You may also need to help with post-production and publicity; we'll settle that later. How does that sound?"
Natalie was eating fruit when she heard this and almost choked.
1000 a day? That's 21000 in three weeks?! And they even reimburse expenses?
This far exceeds industry standards; isn't it a bit too high?
She calculated quickly, a sense of vigilance rising in her heart once again!
Is he just burning money? Or...?
Her face flushed slightly, and she glanced at Li Shuo. Could it be... that he's taken a liking to me?
Li Shuo seemed to have seen through her thoughts.
"Don't overthink it. It's purely about 'paying for efficiency' and 'saving yourself trouble.' You need to help me efficiently handle all the miscellaneous tasks on set, coordinate schedules, and possibly deal with unexpected situations. And,"
He thought about it.
"I'll credit you as the producer of this film. Trust me, once it's released, this title will be a very prestigious addition to your resume, far more valuable than this salary."
He looked at Natalie, who was still processing the information, put down his water glass, and offered another suggestion: "By the way, how about earning some easy extra money?"
Natalie was jolted awake from the shock of the salary, her blue eyes widened, she crossed her arms, leaned back slightly, and assumed a defensive posture!
"Hey! What do you want to do?!"
Li Shuo was amused by her overreaction: "You wish!"
"I'd like to ask you to use your familiarity with the United States to help me find out about the recent activities of a company and a person. It shouldn't be difficult."
He found paper and pen, wrote smoothly, and pushed it in front of Natalie.
Goldenvoice
Paul Tollett
"Find out Paul Toretto's schedule or any activities at this company. A $1 reward will be given for any information."
Natalie looked at the note, her tense shoulders relaxed, and then a thoughtful expression appeared on her face.
"Goldenvoice...I think I know it. A friend took me to see a punk band show they organized in Los Angeles. It was pretty cool, and the atmosphere was great."
She looked up at Li Shuo, curiously asking, "You're interested in an independent music promotion company? What does that have to do with your movie making?"
Li Shuo simply smiled meaningfully and did not answer directly.
It's more than just cool!
Next year, this company will be hosting a music festival called Coachella in the California desert!
I, your humble servant, am planning to take advantage of their current weakness and invest in them.
And this company's future achievements will not be limited to this...!
"It's just a personal interest. I also play music, and I wanted to go and see what it's like to meet people... and make a good connection."
Li Shuo finally asked casually, "So, Natalie, is it a deal?"
Natalie gritted her teeth and didn't stomp her foot!
"Deal! I'll have my mom sign the contract later!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the system in Li Shuo's consciousness also activated.
[Reward: Target Affinity Female Star: Natalie Portman Affinity Material Reward *10]
[Start drawing rewards: Confirm/No]