novellhall Chapter 358 There's Always Something If You Squeeze In
Chapter 358 There's Always Something If You Squeeze In
Chapter 357 There's Always Something If You Squeeze In
After finishing his communication with Warner Bros., Chen Xu thought for a moment and then called Mary Parent, the production supervisor of "Kong: Skull Island".
This legendary Hollywood female producer holds multiple major projects in the hands of Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros., and is also the person in charge of "Kong: Skull Island".
Chen Xun had interacted with her before at a Warner event, so they had met once.
When the call connected, Chen Xun politely introduced himself and then went over the coordination plan again. He was very sincere and did not use his status to intimidate anyone. He considered the other party's perspective in every sentence: "Mary, I know that the reshoot period is stressful. I will definitely not delay the filming schedule of 'King Kong'. Lawrence's core work is still with you. He just needs to squeeze out two weeks of concentrated time to complete the pre-production work for 'Joker'."
Mary Parent had some reservations at first, but after hearing Chen Xun's clear explanation and the fact that the plan wouldn't affect the project's progress, plus the fact that Warner Bros. executives had already spoken to him, and considering Chen Xun's personal influence, she immediately relented: "Chen, I understand what you mean. I'll talk to Lawrence about it. The reshoot schedule can be flexibly adjusted. Just have him coordinate the time with my executive producer. I've heard that you're extremely meticulous about the details of projects, even personally coordinating the director of photography's schedule. No wonder you won a Golden Globe Award; that kind of dedication is truly rare."
The three phone calls took less than an hour in total.
Chen Xun completely turned around the deadlock that had been troubling Todd for several days.
After hanging up the last call, Chen Xun tossed his phone aside.
The sky outside the window was already turning a pale white, and the morning light shone through the car window, illuminating the dust inside the trailer clearly.
You'd barely rested for two minutes when Todd called again, his voice trembling with excitement: "Chen! It's done! I just told Lawrence, and he agreed on the spot. He said the plan is totally feasible. He's been wanting to film this script for days, agonizing over it, and almost had to give up. He said he absolutely has to treat you to a drink when you get back to Los Angeles!"
"It's all for the good of the film."
Chen Xun smiled and said, "I've already communicated with Warner Bros., and the production team of 'King Kong' has also agreed. Lawrence's schedule can be flexibly arranged. You two just need to coordinate the location scouting schedule."
"I really—don't know what to say."
Todd's tone was full of admiration: "Chen, getting you to play this role and be a co-producer was the best decision I've ever made. I was worried that you might not be interested in this low-budget project, but it seems I was wrong."
He was completely convinced.
Chen Xun easily solved the problem that had driven him to the brink of baldness and kept him awake at night.
Not only did they retain the core creative team, but they also avoided offending any party within WarnerMedia; everything was arranged meticulously.
His influence, connections, and dedication to the project completely won him over.
You're too kind.
Chen Xun replied matter-of-factly, "This project isn't just yours, it's mine too. I care more about the character of Arthur and how far this film can go than anyone else."
After hanging up the phone, Chen Xun suddenly saw several attribute orbs fall from his body one after another:
[Control over Hollywood studio system rules +30]
[Stability of the core creative team and their influence on the creative process in film projects +35]
[Ability to predict and resolve risks in film and television industrialization projects +25]
[Ability to plan ahead for key aspects of the Oscar race +20]
[In-depth understanding of the visual style and creative logic of art films +18]
"Absorb it all!"
Chen Xun felt that countless experiences about Hollywood production processes, project risk management, and the core of art film creation were instantly integrated into his cognitive system.
The progress bar for the "Entering History" achievement on the panel bounced gently, eventually stopping at "27%".
Chen Xun had just finished filming his scenes for "Spider-Man" in Atlanta and took advantage of the three-day break during which the crew moved to different locations to set up the film to fly back to Los Angeles.
He brewed himself a cup of hand-drip coffee, but before he could even take a sip, his phone vibrated on the coffee table, displaying a familiar name: Kat Dennings.
Chen Xun paused for a moment upon seeing the name.
Come to think of it, he and Kate haven't been in contact for quite some time.
In the first three seasons of "2 Broke Girls", his portrayal of Han Lee became one of the core highlights of the show.
The two often contacted each other privately.
We had a good personal relationship back then.
We often study foreign languages together.
But in the fourth and fifth seasons, he plunged into the film industry, from Guardians of the Galaxy to La La Land, and then to domestic films like Cross River Map and The Wandering Earth.
My schedule is completely full, and I simply can't find the time to go back to the film set for a cameo appearance.
He answered the phone, and as soon as he put the phone to his ear, Kate's slightly lazy and husky voice came from the other end, her first words still the familiar teasing: "Oh, the busy man has finally answered the phone. I thought the Golden Globe-winning actor no longer answers calls from small, lowly TV dramas like ours."
Chen Xun leaned back on the sofa, laughing as he retorted, "Come on, Kate, your mouth is just like Max's; you can't speak without roasting people. What made you suddenly think of calling me?"
"Can't I contact you if there's nothing wrong?"
Kate snorted on the other end, but her tone softened, and she stopped joking: "But I really have something to tell you this time, and it's important."
Hearing her tone become serious, Chen Xun sat up straighter, picked up his coffee, and took a sip: "Go on, I'm listening."
"It's about '2 Broke Girls'."
Kate's voice was tinged with helplessness: "You know, you didn't really participate in the fourth and fifth seasons. At most, you recorded a few seconds of voice-over for a cameo, and the show's ratings dropped drastically."
17
Chen Xun understood.
In its previous form, "2 Broke Girls" was canceled by CBS after its sixth season due to its formulaic plot and the loss of appeal of its core characters.
Because of his addition, the ratings for the first three seasons soared to the top of the station.
But after he left, the series lost Han Li, the core comedic anchor, and lacked fresh highlights that broke stereotypes. Its popularity declined even faster than in its previous life, and the loss of viewers was obvious.
"CBS has already given their word."
Kate's voice lowered: "If the ratings don't recover in season six, we'll cancel it outright, without even giving it a proper finale."
"The producer and the people at the station discussed it and finally decided that I would be the one to persuade them. I am the one who knows you best in the whole crew, and I know that you have feelings for the character of Dui Han Li."
Her tone was full of sincerity: "Chen Xun, we really need you to come back. In the past two years, fans have been posting #BringBackHanLee# on the official Twitter account every day, asking where Han Lee is, whether the restaurant has closed down, and whether the boss has run away. Viewers say that without Han Lee, '2 Broke Girls' is like Coke without bubbles, bland and tasteless."
"Not only the audience, but Beth and I also felt that something was missing."
"7
Kate smiled, a bitter smile in her voice: "Back on set, you'd stand behind the restaurant bar, throw out a feng shui joke, do a coin trick, and Beth and I would connect so smoothly, the comedic rhythm would just come together. But now that you're gone, the scenes in the restaurant always feel empty. Even when we're arguing, we don't have a regular target anymore, and the lines we write feel so dry."
Chen Xun held his phone, a wave of emotions washing over him.
Han Lee in "2 Broke Girls" was the first role that allowed him to establish himself in Hollywood.
When he first received the script, the original character of the Korean-American boss was a buffoon who was ridiculed for his height and trapped by stereotypes. He gritted his teeth and argued with the producers and screenwriters to completely reshape the character, transforming him from a stereotypical joke into a witty feng shui master, and making him one of the most popular characters in the series.
This role not only earned him a ticket to the American TV series industry, but also made North American audiences remember the Chinese actor named Chen Xun.
His performance shattered Hollywood's stereotypes about Asian actors and even attracted the attention of DC and Marvel.
It's no exaggeration to say that this was the starting point of his Hollywood journey.
Now that his old partner is calling to say the show is facing cancellation, it's impossible for him not to be affected.
The problem is that his schedule is indeed packed right now.
Filming for "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is only halfway complete, with a lot of action scenes and reshoots to come.
The Joker project has finalized its creative team.
Filming is scheduled to officially begin early next year.
He needed to invest a lot of time in the early script readings and character preparation.
There's also the domestic film "The Wandering Earth." Although the main scenes have been filmed, there's still reshooting and dubbing to be done.
"2 Broke Girls" is a multi-camera sitcom. Although the shooting schedule is more flexible than that of a movie, it still requires on-site recording every week, which places high demands on the continuity of the schedule.
"Kate, I understand what you mean, and I also understand the expectations of the crew and the audience."
Chen Xun sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness: "But as you know, I have too many projects on my hands right now. Spider-Man is still filming, and there are several other movie projects in the pipeline. My schedule is really tight."
Kate on the other end of the phone immediately panicked and said, "Chen Xun, we know you're busy! The production company said they absolutely won't delay your filming!"
"You don't need to be a regular in every episode. We can adjust the script according to your schedule. Even if you're a special guest star, only filming a few core episodes, or even condensing your scenes into a week, that's fine! As long as you can come back and the character Han Li reappears in the restaurant, anything is negotiable!"
Afraid that Chen Xun would refuse, she quickly added, "You created the character Han Li yourself. Don't you want to give this character a happy ending? If the series is really canceled like this, Han Li won't even have a proper farewell. Don't you feel regretful?"
These words struck the softest spot in Chen Xun's heart.
Han Lee is a character he created himself, transforming him from a ridiculed stereotypical Asian buffoon into a cultural icon that North American youths eagerly emulate.
The phrase "immoral and corrupting, affecting one's aura" became a popular meme, and the coin trick was imitated by countless people.
This character is like a child he raised himself, so of course he wants to give it a happy ending.
Just then!
Christine, carrying a glass of water, came out of the kitchen, noticed his furrowed brow, raised an eyebrow, and leaned closer to ask in a low voice, "Did '2 Broke Girls' ask you to come back for a role?"
Chen Xun nodded and said into the phone, "Kate, don't worry. I'm not refusing. I'll have my agent, Robert, contact your production company and send them my schedule for the next year. Let's see how to coordinate and stagger the shooting times to squeeze out as much time as possible."
Kate on the other end of the phone instantly exploded with excitement, exclaiming, "Really? Chen Xun, you said yes?"
"Let's see if we can coordinate the schedule. I can't guarantee that I can stay for the whole season, but as long as I can find the time, I will definitely go back."
Chen Xun added with a smile, "And for Han Li's script, I still have to participate in the adjustments, as usual. I can't go back to playing a mere plot device, right?"
"Absolutely!"
Kate immediately agreed, her excitement practically overflowing: "The writing team already said that as long as you're willing to come back, you can change Han Lee's storyline however you want, add whatever plot points you want, we all believe in you, the audience will definitely love what you write!"
She went on and on and on.
Chen Xun listened to her with a smile, occasionally responding with a few words, as if he had returned to the set of "2 Broke Girls" back then, when a group of people were lively rehearsing their lines, improvising jokes, and the whole audience applauded and cheered after a scene was finished.
Before hanging up, Kate said earnestly, "Chen Xun, thank you!"
"Don't mention it."
Chen Xun smiled and said, "They are all friends who have worked hard together. Han Li is also one of my roles."
7
After hanging up the phone, Chen Xun tossed his phone onto the coffee table, leaned back on the sofa, and let out a sigh of relief.
Christine sat down next to him, raising an eyebrow. "Are you really planning to go back and film? Your schedule is booked until the end of next year. Do you think you can squeeze in the time?"
"There's always room if you try."
Chen Xun picked up his coffee and took a sip, saying with emotion, "After all, this is the first role that helped me establish myself in Hollywood. I can't just watch this show get canceled without even an ending. Besides, sitcoms are flexible to shoot. If we shoot in a concentrated period, we can squeeze in a week or two to finish the core scenes without delaying too much."
"Too!"
Christine smiled and poked his arm. "I still remember back then, you argued with the production company several times to revise the script, and you practiced the coin trick in the living room every day until your fingers were blistered. I said back then that you would definitely make this role a hit."
"Yes, several years have passed in the blink of an eye."
Chen Xun smiled too.
He picked up his phone, called Rob, and told him about "2 Broke Girls," asking him to talk to CBS.
We contacted the production company to coordinate schedules and try our best to finalize the return without affecting the film's production.
After hearing this, Rob wailed, "My goodness, your schedule is already almost full, and now you're adding another one! I can barely draw my schedule anymore!"
Don't give me that.
Chen Xun laughed and retorted, "I know you have a way. We can concentrate the filming, compress the scenes into a concentrated time period, and communicate with the Spider-Man crew in advance to stagger the filming schedule. We can always coordinate it."
"Fine, fine, what can I do? You're the boss."
Rob reluctantly agreed: "I'll go talk to the production company tomorrow and make sure to arrange your schedule perfectly. But then again, once you get back, the ratings for '2 Broke Girls' will definitely explode. CBS will be laughing in their sleep."
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