Chapter 365 Mr. Zhou Yan Is Indeed Very Confident

During the entire meeting, Zhou Yan was talking most of the time, and the others were listening.

Because the others knew very little information, they didn't know what the script was like, nor did they know what Zhou Yan was thinking, so naturally they had no way to discuss with Zhou Yan.

The main purpose of today's meeting was to form the entire filming team, and there was no need for too much discussion. All they had to do was execute.

About an hour later, Zhou Yan smiled and asked, "Does everyone have any questions? If not, we'll adjourn the meeting."

Zhou Yan was always straightforward in meetings, and he would adjourn the meeting after saying what he had to say, without any dragging of feet. Everyone present understood this.

Xiao Can raised his hand and said, "Director Zhou, can I ask about the budget for this movie?"

Zhou Yan smiled, "In fact, I haven't talked to Mr. Xu about the budget yet. But I can give you a rough range. The final cost should be between 20 million and 30 million."

Hearing this budget range, everyone looked at each other with surprised expressions.

They were surprised in two aspects. On the one hand, Zhou Yan did not even discuss the budget with the investors, but held a mobilization meeting for them. Is this something that an ordinary director can do?

On the other hand, the budget of 20 to 30 million can be said to be a big production.

According to the domestic situation, anything over 10 million can be considered a big production.

And this budget is not low even in Hong Kong.

After all, it is not easy to recover the cost of Chinese-language films with such a high budget.

This is also Zhou Yan's highest-budgeted film. The investment cost of Zhou Yan's films has never exceeded 20 million before.

Of course, their surprise only lasted for a moment, because these situations are also reasonable for Zhou Yan.

With the relationship between Zhou Yan and Xu Feng, there is no need to worry that Xu Feng will not invest in him. Basically, as long as Zhou Yan says a number, Xu Feng will approve it without saying a word.

Even if Xu Feng is unwilling to invest, Zhou Yan can also pay for it himself. They also know a little about Zhou Yan's strength.

As for whether the cost can be recovered, it doesn't seem to be a problem. None of the movies Zhou Yan shot had low box office.

Seeing everyone's surprised expressions, Zhou Yan smiled and said, "Don't worry about the budget for the time being. Someone will control the cost. Any other questions?"

Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Well, let's adjourn the meeting."

...

After the meeting, Zhou Yan went to the recording studio and continued to record "Snow Flower" with Akina Nakamori.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Akina Nakamori had just finished recording once. Zhou Yan was telling her about the problems in the previous recording. Suddenly, Akina Nakamori looked at the door and her eyes lit up, "Shizuka!"

Akina Nakamori spoke in Japanese, but Zhou Yan could tell that she was calling Shizuka. He turned around and saw Shizuka Kudo standing at the door with a smile.

Shizuka Kudo was dressed casually today, with gray shorts, a white shirt, and a straw hat with a bow on her head. She looked very refreshing.

Zhou Yan knew she was coming today, so he was not surprised.

Seeing Kudo Shizuka, Akina Nakamori was very happy and went up to hug her.

"Shizuka, you're finally here."

"I wanted to come earlier, but I couldn't get away."

Kudo Shizuka was going to have a concert, and she was originally planning to come with Nakamori Akina, but because she had other things to do in Japan, she couldn't go with her, so Nakamori Akina had to come alone first.

"It's okay, I'm glad you're here."

"Did the recording go smoothly?"

"The Japanese version went quite smoothly, but there were some problems with the Chinese version." Nakamori Akina pursed her lips, "My Chinese level is far behind yours."

Kudo Shizuka comforted her, "It's okay, take your time."

After that, she looked at Zhou Yan again and said in Chinese, "You should be a little patient with Akina."

Zhou Yan shrugged, "I'm already very patient."

"Then you should be more patient." Kudo Shizuka pouted.

Iida Naoko couldn't help but gasp at the side. She didn't expect that Kudo Shizuka would talk to Zhou Yan like this. It seems that their relationship is really good.

Although Zhou Yan usually looks very approachable, Iida Naoko has never seen anyone talk to Zhou Yan so casually in the studio. Everyone respects Zhou Yan very much.

It was only after listening to Iida Naoko's translation that Akina Nakamori realized that Shizuka was speaking for her, which made her a little embarrassed. She pulled Shizuka and said, "Mr. Zhou Yan is already very patient."

"Well, he is indeed very patient, but he just looks a little cold." Shizuka muttered.

This is Kudo Shizuka's personal experience. Before she and Zhou Yan were not together, Zhou Yan helped her record the album, and he always looked aloof.

Zhou Yan looked at his watch and asked, "Do you two want to chat for a while? I'll give you some time."

Akina Nakamori waved her hand quickly, "No, no, let's continue recording. We can't waste your time. Shizuka, I can't accompany you."

"It doesn't matter. I have to leave soon. I have to go to the live rehearsal. The concert will start the day after tomorrow. Do you have time tomorrow? You are a guest, so you must rehearse too."

Akina Nakamori looked at Zhou Yan, "I'm afraid it's not possible."

Shizuka Kudo asked Zhou Yan directly, "Can you give Akina some time to rehearse tomorrow?"

Zhou Yan thought for a moment and said, "It's OK to do it later."

"That's good." Kudo Shizuka nodded with satisfaction.

...

Kudo Shizuka left the recording studio not long after she left. She hadn't seen Zhou Yan for a long time, so of course she wanted to have a good chat with him, but Zhou Yan had to work and couldn't accompany her.

At five o'clock in the evening, after Akina Nakamori finished recording once, Zhou Yan said to her, "No need to record again, this is enough. There is still some time left, let's study the Chinese version of the singing. After I brought the tape back last night, I listened to it many times, and today I listened to you singing all day, and I found that the main problem is that you are too obsessed with pronunciation, and there are no other problems."

Akina Nakamori nodded. Zhou Yan had already mentioned this problem last night.

But it would be difficult for her to correct the pronunciation problem in a short period of time.

"So what should I do now?"

"Forget the pronunciation."

"Forget...the pronunciation?"

Zhou Yan nodded and explained, "If you feel comfortable singing, keep it. If you feel uncomfortable singing, don't worry about it. Just sing it in a way that feels comfortable to you."

"Will that be..."

Zhou Yan didn't even know what she was saying, so she waved her hand and said, "Let's try it this way first."

Akina Nakamori glanced at Seiko Ida and could only nod, "Okay."

Then she went back in and started singing the Chinese version.

This time, her pronunciation was indeed different from last night's, but it didn't get better, but worse.

Without Zhou Yan saying anything, Akina Nakamori knew that she didn't perform well this time, and her expression became a little frustrated.

She followed Zhou Yan's instructions and tried to sing in a familiar way when encountering unfamiliar pronunciations, but unfortunately, the effect was not good.

But Zhou Yan was not disappointed at all.

Although she didn't sing as well as last night this time, Zhou Yan could hear that she had made some changes in some details, which showed that she had a strong ability to adjust.

The effect is not good now, or it is because she wants to change too deliberately, so there will be problems.

As long as you continue to adjust, you will see the effect later.

"It's okay, do it again. But pay attention to the middle sentence, don't let you be too far away from me, just swallow the word "li"."

Akina Nakamori's Chinese is not very good, Iida Chengzi can only communicate with her carefully before she understands what Zhou Yan means.

The reason why Akina Nakamori sang like this is because the two words "you" and "li" are next to each other, and Akina Nakamori can't handle it well, so she simply let her swallow one and try.

Not to mention, after swallowing the word "li", she really sang much more freely, and this sentence is basically no problem.

As more and more details are changed, Akina Nakamori's performance is getting better and better. Of course, she can feel this improvement, so she is more and more confident.

At seven o'clock, Shizuka Kudo came back from rehearsal. Zhou Yan looked at her and called Akina Nakamori out.

"Let's stop here today. The problems have basically been fixed. Let's go eat."

"Thank you, Mr. Zhou Yan, for your hard work." Nakamori Akina bowed politely.

Kudo Shizuka took Nakamori Akina's arm, "You've been singing all day, so you're really tired. Let's go, let's go eat."

"How was your rehearsal? Did it go well?"

"Of course it's okay." Kudo Shizuka patted her chest.

"That's good."

...

When they went to the cafeteria, no one was eating, but the cafeteria was not closed because they knew that Zhou Yan and his friends had not eaten, so they kept the food for them.

Because Kudo Shizuka was there, the atmosphere was much more lively. She was originally more lively and familiar with both sides.

"It's a pity that you have to record tomorrow, otherwise, we can go shopping in Yanjing. You haven't been here since you came here, right?"

Nakamori Akina shook her head, "No."

The last time she came to Yanjing, she either stayed in the studio or went to participate in activities, and she had no time to go out and play.

Besides, she and Iida Naoko didn't want to go out.

"Akina, you are so pitiful. How about we go out for a walk later?"

Nakamori Akina looked outside, "It's getting late."

"It's just past seven o'clock. Let's go out for a walk for two or three hours and then go back. How about that?" After that, Shizuka looked at Zhou Yan again, "You can also come with us, Mr. Zhou Yan, after all, you are the host."

Zhou Yan nodded, "No problem, where do you want to go?"

"Let me think about it..." Kudo Shizuka thought for a long time and only thought of Sanlitun, "Or, let's go to the bar."

"Okay."

...

In the past two years, many new bars have opened in Sanlitun, but Zhou Yan is not familiar with these bars, so he chose the Yunsheng Bar that he and Kudo Shizuka had been to before.

When they arrived at Yunsheng Bar, the atmosphere of the bar had just started, and there was an unknown singer on the stage, singing Black Panther's "Shame".

The singing was average, but the song was popular enough, so the audience responded very well.

They were lucky, there was only one booth left in the venue. If they had come a little later, they would have had to sit in the pool.

When they came to Yunsheng Bar again, Shizuka Kudo was quite emotional, because this bar had a special meaning for her and Zhou Yan.

Nakamori Akina usually likes to drink, but because she has to record tomorrow, she only ordered a glass of juice, while Zhou Yan and the others ordered a bottle of beer.

Zhou Yan looked at the singer who was singing "Shameless" on the stage, and suddenly thought of Xu Wei. The last time he and Shizuka Kudo came here, Xu Wei was singing on the stage.

But now that Xu Wei has made a name for himself in the rock circle, if he appears here again, the audience's reaction will be very different, at least they won't ask for other people's songs for Xu Wei to sing.

The year before last, Xu Wei's "Perseverance" made him famous, and everyone in the industry and outside the industry knew that there was a figure like Xu Wei.

However, Zhou Yan is still not optimistic about Xu Wei's development in Red Star Production Co., Ltd. The model of Red Star Production Co. is completely dependent on the style of rock and roll itself.

If the wind blows strongly, they can fly with it, but as soon as the wind drops, the Red Star Production Company will be revealed.

Although they are called Red Star Production Co., they do not have the ability to produce Red Star. It is a complete waste for Xu Wei to sign with their company.

"Akina, in the bar here, everyone prefers this kind of songs sung by current singers." Kudo Shizuka said.

"Well, it can be seen that the audience's response is very enthusiastic. So, are this kind of rock songs only popular in bars, or are they mainstream in the Chinese music scene?"

"It's considered mainstream." Kudo Shizuka wasn't very sure either.

She actually doesn't know much about the Chinese music scene and has not done any research. She only knows that this type of song was very popular in China in the past two years.

Kudo Shizuka asked Zhou Yan again in Chinese, "Are these types of songs considered mainstream in China?"

Zhou Yan smiled, "Never."

Maybe some people will be impatient with Zhou Yan after hearing what he said, thinking that Chinese rock music has created brilliance, or at least it was once mainstream.

But this is what Zhou Yan thinks. Rock has never become mainstream, and rock singers have always regarded themselves as "rebels" and are unwilling to become mainstream. If you say they are mainstream, they will be impatient with you.

"Rock and roll should be regarded as a shining meteor."

Kudo Shizuka blinked, "Are you saying that rock music will decline in China?"

Zhou Yan shook his head, "It's not that it will decline, but it has already declined."

"Is that so?"

Kudo Shizuka was very surprised, "Then Wang Feng and the others..."

"They will not be affected."

"Why?"

"Because of me."

Kudo Shizuka couldn't help but roll her eyes, but she couldn't refute Zhou Yan's confidence.

Moreover, Wang Feng's rock music is indeed different from the rock music popular in bars.

Ida Nariko quietly translated the conversation between Shuhiko and Kudo Shizuka to Nakamori Akina. Nakamori Akina secretly sighed that Mr. Shuhiko was indeed very confident. (End of chapter)