Chapter 9

Chapter 11

"Are you aware of the problem?"

"Please tell me what the issue is."

"The direction is wrong."

"What do you mean by the direction being wrong?"

"It's not a story you're good at."

"You mean it's not a story I'm good at because I didn't properly understand what Lee Gwan-han said?"

"Earlier, we talked about the strengths of a writer, right? What did you say were the strengths of screenwriter Ahn Yu-cheon?"

"Bringing characters to life, and comedy."

"Good memory. But the story you wrote, 'A Very Minor Incident That Happened That Night,' what genre is it?"

"It's a thriller."

"Is it funny?"

"People keep dying, so of course it's not funny."

'A Very Minor Incident That Happened That Night' is a thriller. Moreover, the main theme is a serial killer. How can it be funny when people keep dying? This was the essence of what Ahn Yu-cheon said with a serious expression.

After hearing this, Lee Gwan-han asked again.

"What about the twist? Is there a twist that surprises the audience?"

"The twist... there isn't one."

To be more specific, 'A Very Minor Incident That Happened That Night' was a psychological thriller. Therefore, solving the case or finding the culprit was not the main focus of the story. It was a psychological thriller that revealed the killer from the beginning and then traced why the killer committed the serial murders. Naturally, it was difficult to have a stunning twist like in 'Usual Suspects.'

"Do you understand now why I said the direction was wrong? You are a writer who specializes in character-driven comedy, not thrillers. By writing a thriller, you abandoned your strengths."

"Are you telling me to write comedy from now on?"

"Human comedy is the genre that can maximize screenwriter Ahn Yu-cheon's strengths."

Ahn Yu-cheon slowly nodded, finally understanding Lee Gwan-han's point. However, his expression did not brighten.

"I'm not confident. I've never written a character-driven comedy before," Ahn Yu-cheon replied hesitantly.

"Don't worry. I'm here for you."

"You mean I should only trust PD Lee?"

"Yes, I already have the material and know how to develop the story. Your job is to strengthen the story, characters, and comedic elements."

Of course, this was not an easy task. However, Lee Gwan-han believed in Ahn Yu-cheon's abilities.

'If it's Ahn Yu-cheon...'

He had confidence that Ahn Yu-cheon could write a very entertaining script. This confidence was the reason he made this proposal.

"What genre is it?"

The moment Ahn Yu-cheon showed interest, Lee Gwan-han answered.

"It's a fantasy."

"Fantasy?"

Ahn Yu-cheon was taken aback by the answer.

"Why are you so surprised?"

"Of course, I'm surprised. Don't you remember what you told me last time?"

"What story?"

"Movies need to be realistic. So don't even mention the word 'fantasy.' You emphasized that to me, didn't you?"

"Did I say that?"

"Really don't remember?"

"People can change."

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, my thoughts have changed."

"Why did your thoughts suddenly change?"

"Even things that seem impossible, like fantasy, sometimes happen."

The reason Lee Gwan-han's thoughts changed was that he had experienced something that could only happen in a fantasy movie.

Lee Gwan-han glanced at Ahn Yu-cheon, who had an unsatisfied expression, and picked up the soju bottle.

*Pouring sound.*

While filling Ahn Yu-cheon's empty glass, Lee Gwan-han asked.

"Will you do it, or not?"

"That's..."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Of course, I trust you."

"Then why are you hesitating? You don't have anything else to do, right?"

"I'll give it a try, trusting PD Lee."

"Good decision. Let's have a toast to celebrate."

As Lee Gwan-han raised his glass, Ahn Yu-cheon asked again.

"What's the title?"

Lee Gwan-han answered.

"Suspicious Woman!"

*Clap!*

After reading the last page of the revised script, Park Tae-hyuk carefully placed it on the table. Closing his eyes, he thought for a moment before asking.

"Does it need more revisions?"

"You saw it yourself, right?"

"I did, but it feels a bit lacking."

The moment Park Tae-hyuk spoke, Lee Gwan-han immediately responded.

"Tell me what's lacking."

"It's just that..."

"Can't think of anything to say, right?"

Lee Gwan-han chuckled, knowing this was a natural reaction. How could there be any flaws in the final draft of a script that had attracted over 8 million viewers by word of mouth alone in 'Over-Speed Scandal'?

"What if I ask for one more revision?"

"One more revision? Why?"

"You managed to make this much progress in a week. If you put in a bit more time and effort, wouldn't it be even better?"

The moment Park Tae-hyuk finished speaking, Lee Gwan-han became serious.

"Any more changes will make it worse." "But..."

"Listen to me."

"...I understand."

After a moment of contemplation, Park Tae-hyuk nodded and asked again.

"What's the next step?"

Park Tae-hyuk was asking how to proceed with the next steps now that the script was complete. There were two options in this case.

The first option was to submit the script to the production company immediately. The second option was to complete the casting and then submit the script to the production company.

'Which one is more advantageous?'

After a brief moment of thought, Lee Gwan-han answered.

"Let's start with casting the actors."

"Why? You said you were confident in the script?"

"I am confident in the script, but the director is too weak."

There were several factors that influenced a production company's decision to invest. Prioritizing these factors, they were as follows:

1. Director

2. Actors

3. Script

4. Production company and producer

As the saying goes, a film is the art of the director, and production companies often prioritize which director is directing when deciding to invest.

Next was the actors.

The presence of box office stars was a crucial factor in investment decisions.

The third factor was the script.

'What a joke!'

Lee Gwan-han shook his head.

Ultimately, a film is about telling a story through visuals. The most important part of this process is the script.

'How solid is the script?'

The structure and quality of the film are determined by this.

However, the completeness of the script was often undervalued in the investment decision-making process.

Lee Gwan-han was not pleased with this.

But what could he do?

It was a structural issue he couldn't change immediately. If he couldn't change the problem, he needed to find another solution.

"The director is indeed weak."

Park Tae-hyuk nodded.

Kang Hyung-jin, who wrote and directed 'Over-Speed Scandal,' was a director who had failed in his debut film. He was the type of director that production companies were most hesitant to work with.

Of course, Lee Gwan-han was confident in the script's completeness. However, as mentioned earlier, the script's completeness was only the third most important factor in investment decisions.

Therefore, if they submitted 'Over-Speed Scandal' to the production company as it was, the probability of failing to secure investment was high.

So, the method Lee Gwan-han chose was to complete the casting to compensate for the director's weakness.

"I think starting with casting is the right approach."

Park Tae-hyuk agreed and asked Lee Gwan-han.

"Who do you have in mind for the lead role?"

"When you read the script, did any actor come to mind?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Cha Tae-hoon. Is that right?"

"That's right."

Lee Gwan-han nodded in agreement.

Park Tae-hyuk read the revised script by Ahn Yu-cheon without any prior casting information. The fact that he immediately thought of Cha Tae-hoon as the lead actor was evidence of Ahn Yu-cheon's excellent revision.

"And the female lead?"

"Park Bo-young."

"Will Park Bo-young do it?"

Park Tae-hyuk was worried because Park Bo-young had been inactive in recent projects. Her inactivity was due to her being very selective about her roles.

"We have to try."

"You have no plan, do you?"

Park Tae-hyuk said with a gloomy expression. However, Lee Gwan-han was confident he could cast Park Bo-young.

He had his reasons.

"Watch and see. I'll definitely cast Park Bo-young."

After confidently stating his goal, Lee Gwan-han left the office.

The Producer of 100 Million Viewers