Chapter 51

（A new week, climbing the charts, seeking recommendations and collections!）

……

Chen Tiandu was not a hardworking person. If he could simplify things, he naturally hoped that others would handle everything for him.

He had been intermittently revising the script for "The Matrix" for several months, and finally, it was settled. This included the storyboard, which detailed how to transform the script's content into scenes on the screen, as well as how to shoot these scenes.

The overall framework of the story remained unchanged, but how to express it and the details of the narrative were altered to make the film's rhythm more natural and in line with his vision. He particularly wanted to address the overuse of special effects and slow-motion scenes in the original.

From his perspective, having seen the future in his dreams, some of the sci-fi settings and props in the original were somewhat outdated.

For instance, the mobile phones used in the film were from 1999, with buttons and a pull-down design. While they were top-notch at the time, they would soon become obsolete, even unwanted in junkyards. The spaceship, the Zion base, and the internal structure of the ship, as well as the mechanical armor in the later films, all needed to be redesigned to better fit a futuristic sci-fi feel.

Chen Tiandu not only wanted to create a classic but also to ensure that the sci-fi scenes in the film would still feel fresh to viewers even a decade later.

Therefore, many scenes in "The Matrix" were redesigned by Chen Tiandu, with no consideration for cost, only the best effects.

For example, in the most iconic scene of "The Matrix," where Neo is implanted with "kung fu" skills and then spars with Morpheus in a virtual space. Morpheus and Neo fight four times, each time showing Neo's rapid improvement, with the final fight being so fast that Neo defeats Morpheus. While the original action scenes were impressive, the setting was always a narrow room with a tatami-like wooden floor.

Since the environment in the virtual space could be controlled, why not make it better?

Chen Tiandu set the scenes in bamboo forests, Wudang Mountain, northeastern snowscapes, and the Great Wall. By switching between these locations and the transformation of kung fu actions, he aimed to highlight Neo's progression. This would not only showcase the magic of Chinese kung fu to foreigners but also the beautiful landscapes of China.

He knew that over a decade later, Jackie Chan would make a film called "The Karate Kid."

This film did not perform well in China and had a rather cliché plot, but it sold nearly $200 million in the United States. A significant reason for its success was the extensive introduction of traditional Chinese festivals and the first-time introduction of the martial arts wonders of Wudang Mountain, which felt fresh to foreigners.

These were very obvious scenic elements.

Chen Tiandu knew that shooting these scenes would be very troublesome, especially since he would have to travel to several cities in China for just a few simple shots. However, he was determined to shoot them this way.

He wrote the storyboard very slowly, considering the consistency of the entire film's style. The green bamboo forests and beautiful landscapes would be used sparingly to avoid overshadowing the main story. He needed an experienced art director to control this and ensure it did not exceed the limits.

This was a task that required a lot of thought and effort, and he was not in a hurry. There would be more opportunities to discuss after the production team was formed.

Preparing to shoot a film on film required a lot of work. Chen Tiandu also felt for the first time how difficult it was to be a film producer, a process that started from scratch.

The first step was to acquire a special effects company, but could he produce a film without registering a film company?

"No."

Lawyer Donnie explained decisively, "The initial budget for your film is as high as $60 million. If you are the sole investor, you alone cannot handle it. Without a company to manage the project, the finances would be a mess. If you are not the sole investor, a company is even more necessary. The California government offers some incentives for small film companies. Registering and filming in California will return some of the film tax to you. Other places have similar policies, and while the tax returns may not be much, they are better than nothing. It also avoids the disadvantages of dealing with companies as an individual."

Chen Tiandu nodded in agreement. According to his shooting method, many detours would be avoided. The initial budget was over $50 million, and he did not have that much money or any channels. Collaboration was inevitable.

Just signing actors for the film would require dozens of contracts, and the production team would consist of hundreds of people, including cinematographers, lighting technicians, makeup artists, set designers, and more. Without a company, it would be a joke.

Therefore, the second step for Chen Tiandu was to have his own film company.

Setting up a shell company was difficult, involving finding an office, hiring talent, and more. Chen Tiandu found these procedures daunting. The shortcut, of course, was to directly acquire an existing company.

Lawyer Donnie explained, "In California, companies are formed and dissolved every day. Most of the time, these companies go bankrupt due to a box office failure, leading to significant losses; sometimes, they have not even invested in a film, but due to a lack of funds, they cannot continue operations. The internal operations of these companies are generally sound. I have collected information on some small film companies based on your requirements. You can review them."

Lawyer Donnie, now working for a wealthy client, was more enthusiastic.

The recommended information was very detailed, covering over forty companies, including their basic information such as the films they have produced and distributed, as well as their current status and analysis. For example, which company released a bad film, leading to a box office failure and significant losses; which company made a bad deal and is currently in a debt crisis; which company's chairman is willing to sell the company, and so on.

He carefully chose a company that was waiting for funding.

This company had no production experience, but Chen Tiandu did, so this was not a problem. Surprisingly, it had previously distributed several small films purchased from the Sundance Film Festival, released five films, with the largest release in 1,000 theaters. It could also produce and sell DVDs, so the company had a slight profit.

Chen Tiandu was not interested in the small profit, but he was pleased that the company had distribution and DVD production capabilities. Such a company would naturally be more expensive. Chen Tiandu did not want to waste time and finally settled on a price of $1.5 million, and both parties signed the contract.

Spending over $3 million in a few days felt like money was flowing like water. Lawyer Donnie, however, was more motivated, "Boss, do you need to change the company's name?"

Chen Tiandu thought for a moment and said, "Let's keep it as 'Matrix,' the full name being 'Matrix Film Studios.'"

"I hope you won't fire the old employees; they are all good guys," the former company owner said insincerely, trying to say a good word for his former subordinates.

Chen Tiandu shook his hand expressionlessly, "I will handle it. With employment contracts, I won't fire employees arbitrarily. Of course, I have my own evaluation standards, and if someone is just coasting, they will lose their job even with a contract."

Lawyer Donnie added, "Our boss is the director of this year's global box office champion film. The company employees should be grateful to work under him."

"Let's hope so."

After parting ways, Chen Tiandu did not immediately go to his new company. Kong Yiji was probably already there, so he decided to go back first.

On the way back, he felt a bit depressed. The film had not even started shooting, and he had already spent a significant portion of his budget, which made him uneasy and more acutely aware of the value of money.

"Maybe I should think of other ways to make money..." He took out his magical phone and casually browsed through it, suddenly noticing that an application that was previously unclickable was now lit up. He was startled, "Lawyer Donnie!"

"Boss, what's wrong?" Donnie turned around, puzzled, "Do you have any other instructions?"

"Please help me investigate this company, see if they have any plans to sell, and gather all the information you can." Chen Tiandu took out a pen and wrote a series of words on the back of a banknote.

Donnie smiled, "Boss, are you planning to acquire this company? The name sounds a bit strange, and it seems to be related to films. I will need a few days."

Chen Tiandu frowned, "No, it's an internet company. It should be relatively new. Please inform me as soon as you find the information."

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