He Zhengcheng never expected that Ge Ge would still think of him after half a year.
"Sorry, I thought about your script for a long time and really couldn't film it, so I gave it to Wong Kar-wai. You don't mind, do you?" Ge Ge asked.
"What? You gave it to him? Are you serious? Giving it to Wong Jing would be much better than giving it to him!" He Zhengcheng exclaimed, "Damn it, wasn't that just a commercial film?"
"Haha, I told you so, but you wouldn't believe me." At this moment, a Fat Man walked over.
"This is Wong Jing. It seems you know him." Ge Ge said.
"A quick shooter, making bad movies." He Zhengcheng commented.
"It seems I'm still quite famous." Wong Jing replied.
"I was just using an analogy. The script I gave Ge Ge was just a commercial film, not that profound." He Zhengcheng explained.
"But they were scared by the words 'death cycle' and thought..." Wong Jing started.
"Cough, cough..." Ge Ge interrupted.
"Everyone has their own ideas. What I'm saying is my understanding. Just thinking about Wong Kar-wai turning a good commercial film into an art house film fills me with a touch of melancholy..." He Zhengcheng said, somewhat helplessly.
"Hahahaha..." Ge Ge laughed.
"What has Cheng Zai been doing these past six months?" Ge Ge asked. He had actually tried to contact He Zhengcheng, but He Zhengcheng was abroad at the time, so they didn't talk much.
"Making money abroad, without a single day of rest." He Zhengcheng replied.
"What kind of work is so tiring? Why don't you write scripts for me? Your stories are very unique and different from those here in Hong Kong. I'm confident we can make money." Wong Jing suggested.
"You want me to write scripts?" He Zhengcheng chuckled.
"I'm serious..." Wong Jing insisted.
"Although Wong Jing makes bad movies, his films generally make money, and he doesn't mistreat his friends." Zhang Guorong interjected.
"I'd be willing, but he can't afford me." He Zhengcheng said calmly.
"Is Cheng Zai a young master from some wealthy family?" Wong Jing asked.
"No, I told Ge Ge that my family just runs a small liquor store. Last year, we almost went bankrupt because of the financial crisis. I had just graduated." He Zhengcheng explained.
"Then I don't believe I can't afford your salary." Wong Jing said.
"My income isn't that high. My basic salary is only a little over a hundred thousand US dollars a year, but it might be more this year. I don't know the exact figure yet; I haven't looked at the contract." He Zhengcheng stated.
"Is Cheng Zai deliberately bluffing to reject me?" Wong Jing wondered.
"Why would I? I work in finance; there's no need to offend people." He Zhengcheng replied.
"Didn't Cheng Zai say he studied hotel management before?" Ge Ge asked.
"It was the financial crisis. I graduated in July or August and was noticed by someone. I made some money by going long on the Hang Seng Index, and then I went to Silicon Valley in America." He Zhengcheng recounted.
"So that's how it is. Wong Jing, you have no chance. A script, at most, you'd give him 100,000 Hong Kong dollars, which he can earn in a month." Ge Ge explained.
"You finance people really make money. Can you help us get rich?" Wong Jing asked.
"Fundraising isn't my responsibility; I'm in charge of deploying the money." He Zhengcheng clarified.
"Which company are you with?" Wong Jing inquired.
"A small company established last year, Shanhai Capital." He Zhengcheng replied.
"I've never heard of it. Where does your money come from?" Wong Jing asked.
"Most of it was 'conned' over. I know of the Li Ban Cheng Foundation, Goldman Sachs Asia, and so on. I don't know if there's any private capital. We do high-risk investment projects with long cycles.
Our first product has a three-year term, and investors cannot redeem midway. We can choose to terminate early." He Zhengcheng elaborated.
"With such conditions, they still dare to entrust their money to you?" Wong Jing questioned.
"Our core team all came from Peregrine, and the company is a partnership, bearing unlimited liability, so we won't intentionally deceive people." He Zhengcheng explained.
"Why are you asking so many questions? Do you want to invest?" Ge Ge asked.
"I'm just curious!" Wong Jing replied.
"Ge Ge, if you're not making movies, what are you planning to do?" He Zhengcheng asked.
"If there's a good script, I'll still film it. Do you have any suggestions?" Ge Ge inquired.
"Movies. It's getting harder and harder for Hong Kong films to make money. Before, people didn't have a choice, but now it's different. With Hollywood films coming in, 'fast food' movies like Mr. Wong's are really not within people's choices." He Zhengcheng stated.
"Hollywood and us have too great a cultural difference..." Wong Jing argued.
"But the disparity in strength between you two is too vast, simply vulnerable. 'Titanic' is a good example, and there will only be more such films in the future." He Zhengcheng countered.
"..."
"Do you think Hong Kong cinema still has hope?" Ge Ge asked.
"What is hope? Hope is the human heart. As long as there are filmmakers in Hong Kong, Hong Kong cinema has hope. It just depends on how you filmmakers choose." He Zhengcheng replied.
"Do we still have a choice?" Wong Jing asked.
"It's not that you don't have a choice, but rather that you've lost the courage of your youth, fearing to learn, fearing to challenge." He Zhengcheng responded.
"Why do you say that?" Ge Ge inquired.
"Which film market in the world has the most potential, and where do you have the most opportunity?" He Zhengcheng asked.
"Of course, it's Mainland China!" Wong Jing exclaimed.
"Exactly. So, let Hong Kong filmmakers fully integrate into Mainland China, and it's best to have Hong Kong filmmakers, including behind-the-scenes personnel, go north together to diligently cultivate a group of Mainland Chinese filmmakers. You can seize this opportunity to find your allies. When the Mainland Chinese film market explodes, Hong Kong cinema and Hong Kong filmmakers can once again shine." He Zhengcheng proposed.
"If that day comes and Mainland Chinese filmmakers rise, won't we have even less opportunity?" Wong Jing asked.
"That's why you're all so small-minded; how can you achieve great things?" He Zhengcheng looked at the man, somewhat displeased.
"Cheng Zai, don't say angry words. Why exactly?" Ge Ge asked.
"Mainland China has a censorship system, Hong Kong does not. No matter how powerful Mainland Chinese film companies become, this is very difficult to change. We can utilize our geographical advantage to release some less controversial films in Mainland China under the name of Hong Kong cinema. It's best to reach a certain understanding with them.
Additionally, Hong Kong filmmakers are more familiar with the international market. If you don't lose this advantage, it will be very useful in the future.
Of course, there's also this: if Hong Kong can become the hub of popular fashion and entertainment center for the Greater China region, then how long do you think the prosperity of Hong Kong's entertainment industry can last?" He Zhengcheng explained.
"What you're saying is too difficult." Ge Ge said.
"You're not even willing to think about it, and you say it's difficult..." He Zhengcheng retorted.
"Is there still a way?" Wong Jing asked.
"Of course, but it requires sacrificing the interests of certain people." He Zhengcheng replied.
"Whose interests would be sacrificed? I am willing to contribute to the future of Hong Kong cinema, as long as I can still make a living." Ge Ge declared.
"It's not that bad. The first step is to turn the Hong Kong Film Awards into the chinese-language films Awards, and at least one-third of the judging seats must be given to Mainland Chinese filmmakers. In the first few years, the awards selection should favor Mainland Chinese filmmakers. Let them feel Hong Kong's goodwill towards them..." He Zhengcheng suggested.
"And then?" Wong Jing asked.
"Does Ge Ge have any acquaintances in South Korea? Why don't we go there and take a look? Maybe we can learn something!" He Zhengcheng proposed.
"What's there to learn in South Korea..." Wong Jing said disdainfully.
"..."
"Pride leads to backwardness..."