Chapter 81 Preparation
Kitano Takeshi's self-deprecating question left Tanaka Yuko at a loss for how to answer.
"Senior Brother Kitano, there's actually no need to say it..." Baichuan Feng tried to persuade him with embarrassment.
"Haha" As soon as the words fell, everyone else in the room couldn't help laughing, even Tanaka Yuko, who met him for the first time, had a smile on her face.
"Shirakawa boy, why didn't I realize that you have the talent to be a comedian?"
Although Kitano Takeshi was teased by Shirakawa Kaede, a smile appeared on his face.
Shirakawa Kaede, who was called out, looked at Kitano Takeshi with admiration, "Of course it was my senior who taught me well."
"Haha." This time, Kitano Takeshi couldn't help laughing. "I said that Shirakawa is suitable for being a manzai. He will definitely be famous."
After the jokes were told with a hint of greeting, everyone raised their glasses to celebrate today's meeting.
After drinking a glass of wine, Baichuan Feng regained his serious face. He waved his hand and said, "Artists are not suitable for me. I still like to watch other people perform."
Hearing what Baichuan Feng said, Kitano Takeshi laughed triumphantly. "Boy, no matter how much you say, you still have to stand in front of my camera obediently in the end."
"Then the two leading actors of the movie have been decided. Shirakawa-kun plays the male role, and Tanaka-san plays the female role."
Kitano Takeshi breathed a sigh of relief when the main actors and actresses of the film were decided. At least the work of the crew had moved forward one step.
"Eh." Tanaka Yuko, who had just put down her wine glass, looked at him in surprise when she heard that Shirakawa Kaede would be the male lead.
Kitano Takeshi was surprised to see this scene, "Why, didn't Shirakawa tell you that he was the male role?"
"Uh..., I forgot." Baichuan Feng smiled awkwardly, then looked at Tanaka Yuko and turned to Kitano Takeshi with an expression that said he was forcing me.
"What a surprise." Tanaka Yuko's eyes seemed to accidentally pass across Shirakawa Kaede's face and she muttered.
Shirakawa Feng didn't know if it was his illusion, but he always felt that there was a smile in Tanaka Yuko's eyes just now.
Kitano Takeshi and Matsuda Mikiko looked at each other, and then smiled knowingly.
These things that young people do are most interesting when they are still vague.
"Cough" Kitano Takeshi coughed lightly, awakening the young men and women's unintentional glances at each other, while also attracting the attention of others.
"Then the crew is officially formed. I will be the supervisor, Shirakawa Tanaka will be the lead, and Mori Masayuki-san will be the producer."
This is the main creative team of "The Quiet Sea That Summer", and there is no doubt that this is a young team.
A cross-border team composed of people from all walks of life who have no experience in film.
A manzai, a TV program planner, a newly debuted TV actor, and the young president of a small company.
If you think about it carefully, this is a completely unreliable alliance.
This unreliable franchise also encountered the first difficulty since its establishment.
"Shirakawa, there is one more question I need to inform you of in advance." Kitano Takeshi suddenly became embarrassed.
"Brother Kitano, please go ahead." Baichuan Feng was curious about what question stumped him.
Kitano Takeshi filled his glass first, then spoke awkwardly, "There is no problem with the crew, but we haven't found enough investors."
In fact, it’s not that we didn’t find enough investors, it’s that there were no investors at all.
Anyone with a little experience in the industry can tell at a glance how unreliable movies directed by manzai are.
Who would want to be the sucker in a business that has a high chance of losing money?
Although Kitano Takeshi had already made up his mind to make a movie, Mori Masayuki also used his connections to actively look for investment.
But the result is that nothing has been achieved so far.
"How much is left?" Baichuan Feng asked calmly.
Kitano Takeshi moved his lips and was about to speak, but Mori Masayuki gave him the answer. "It's about three million yen short."
Although the cost of this movie is not high, it still requires an investment of at least 8 million yen.
The most expensive thing is not labor, but film. This is not the era of digital cameras, and all movies are made with film.
The cost of film is quite expensive. For example, the filmmakers in my hometown across the sea are very careful with their money when making movies and dare not waste a single cent.
Now that he can’t find an investor, Takeshi Kitano has to pay for it himself.
However, although he has frequently appeared on the small screen in the past two years, Takeshi Kitano has not saved much money.
Otherwise, we wouldn’t still be living near Asakusa now. Today’s Asakusa is no longer a tourist destination visited by tourists from all over the world.
Asakusa in the 1970s was Tokyo's downtown, where ordinary people lived.
Geisha, bars, and gangs are everywhere here. Most Tokyo people are reluctant to go to Asakusa, thinking it is too vulgar and obscene.
The movie couldn't be made without enough money, so there was no choice but for Masayuki Mori to start paying out of his own pocket.
But no matter how much they scraped together, they were still unable to make up the shortfall of three million.
When Kitano Takeshi saw Shirakawa Kaede silent, he felt that he had lost face in front of everyone.
"Pah." Kitano Takeshi put the wine glass on the table. "Don't worry, Shirakawa. I will raise enough funds within two months. "The Quiet Sea That Summer" will be filmed."
"I'll pay the three million."
"Ah?" Everyone thought they had heard it wrong and looked at Baichuan Feng in surprise.
"I'll pay the three million, but there are conditions." Baichuan Feng emphasized again.
"Shirakawa boy, how can a student like you get so much money? Don't talk big at this time." Kitano Takeshi said what Mori Masayuki and the others were thinking.
Well, three million is not a small amount, especially for a student.
Hearing this, Baichuan Feng straightened his body and reached into his pocket skillfully.
But he stopped halfway, as he then remembered that he was wearing a kimono today and didn't bring any business cards with him.
Damn, I didn't get it. Baichuan Feng withdrew his hand with regret.
"Ahem." Shirakawa Kaede cleared his throat, "Brother Kitano, I am not only a student, but also the president."
"Huh?" Kitano Takeshi and the others blinked to make sure he was not talking nonsense.
Seeing everyone's suspicious eyes, Baichuan Feng spread his hands and said, "If you don't believe me, ask Tanaka-san. She can vouch for me."
Seeing everyone's gazes directed at him, Tanaka Yu's face turned red, but he still nodded seriously.
"Boy, tell me in detail." Kitano Takeshi felt that his junior brother always seemed to be able to do something unexpected, whether it was writing songs or writing scripts.
Baichuan Feng waved his hand and said, "It's a long story now, I'll take Brother Kitano to see it in person some other day.
But if the funds are in place, when do you plan to start filming, Brother Kitano?"
"Of course the sooner the better," Kitano Takeshi blurted out, and then he added another sentence.
"The weather is just right now. After September, the temperature at the beach will drop a lot. Then it will be you, Shirakawa, who will be soaking in the water."
"Then when will it be released?" Baichuan Feng continued to ask, touching his chin.
"April or May next year would be the most suitable time." Kitano Takeshi and Mori Masayuki looked at each other and gave the same answer.
Baichuan Feng had a plan in mind, "Then let's follow this time, but I also have conditions."
"What conditions?" Everyone looked at him curiously.
