Hollywood Hunter

In the spacious Boeing 767 cabin, after a long 16-hour journey, Simon felt the same as on the ground.

Work, eat, sleep.

When I woke up again, the aircraft had entered the southern airspace of Australia. Looking through the porthole, the Melbourne city and Port Phillip Bay surrounded by the city were clearly visible.

It is winter in Melbourne at the end of August, and the four-season temperature difference in seaside cities is usually not too great, but it is not a summer outfit that Los Angeles can resist.

In the cabin bedroom, Janet helped Simon dress up as usual, watching him put on a dark woolen sweater and black slacks, and put a black short windbreaker on Simon, and finally nodded in satisfaction. Said: "It looks more mature like this."

Simon looked at the pale pink coat on the woman with a smile, and said, "So, is there anything else to explain, such as some topics that must not be mentioned in front of your family?"

"Tony hates people talking about being beaten by girls when he was a kid," Janet tilted her head, obviously deliberately'remind', but quickly took out a watch from her bag and handed it over, "Here , Just take this, you don’t mind to please my old man a little bit, right? I’ve helped you adjust the Melbourne time."

Simon glanced at it. This was the Patek Philippe 1518 stainless steel model of Patek Philippe's father brought by Janet's eldest brother Anthony Johnston on his twentieth birthday at the beginning of the year. This is the first Patek Philippe perpetual calendar watch.

As a classic luxury watch brand, more than 90% of Patek Philippe's watches are made of precious metals, and the number of stainless steel models that are said to be only single digits has become the most precious collection. The most rare thing is that this watch made during the Second World War is still brand new.

He happily took it over and put it on his wrist, Simon smiled and said: "I have been kept by you, I thought you planned to use it as a collection."

"Dad likes to collect watches. I don't like it. Moreover, the collection value of watches is actually very low. No matter how expensive and luxurious watches are, they are all mass-produced, and their ages are near. It's a brand like Patek Philippe that is good at making complicated watches. Collect it. However, as long as you like and have enough money, of course you can collect whatever you want," Janet said, and suddenly smiled: "The old man likes the gold watch paragraph in Pulp Fiction. He just said to save it. The gold watch is too vulgar, haha."

After talking and laughing, the Boeing 767 landed on the runway of Melbourne Airport whizzing.

Simon looked at the watch he had just put on when he got off the plane. The time was 5:23. Because the daylight hours were shorter in winter, the sun was already setting here.

When everyone got off the plane, Simon saw Janet’s eldest brother Anthony Johnston and some other people greet them at a glance, and greeted everyone enthusiastically. Anthony turned to Simon and said: "Let’s go back soon, everyone I'm all waiting for you."

After completing some necessary formalities, everyone quickly left the airport.

Jennifer and several entourage were arranged to go to the hotel in the city center, while Simon and Janet drove to Johnston's house by car. Departing from Melbourne Airport in the western suburbs, after more than half an hour's journey, the car entered a tree-covered manor on the Yarra River in the eastern suburbs.

When the car stopped in front of the main building of the manor, Simon couldn't help stopping to look at the building in front of him after getting off the car. This is obviously an English-style castle, with a Gothic spire, but without the dense arc-shaped columns of the Palace of Westminster, it looks square and majestic against the golden sunset.

However, Simon stopped because of the style of the building.

Anthony Johnston walked over, stood beside him and looked at his mansion side by side, and said with a smile: "I have seen some of the "Batman" concept drawings you drew. Is this house suitable for Wayne? Manor? Oh, but this can’t be loaned to you. There are still some similar buildings around Melbourne. You can choose it slowly in the next few days."

Simon certainly doesn't want to use Janet's house as a filming location. Even if Melbourne can't find other castles suitable for Wayne Manor, there are so many in England, many of which are even deserted. He just thought this coincidence was very interesting.

Janet leaned over to take Simon's arm and said, "Dad and they are out, let's go over."

At this time, a group of people came out of the castle surrounded by groups. Janet had already shown Simon the photos of her family, and Simon could roughly distinguish the identities of some people.

Raymond Johnston, who happens to be 70 years old this year, is tall and thin, with gray hair and sharp eyes. He has the sturdy temperament of an old western cowboy, obviously not like a person who is too easy to get along with. Trish Johnston is Janet's mother. Compared to her aggressive husband, this old woman has a softer temperament. After everyone approached, Janet threw herself into her mother's arms like a bird.

Introduce them to each other. In addition to Janet’s parents, there are also Janet’s eldest brother Anthony Johnston’s family of four and second brother Norman Johnston’s family of three.

Simon did not see Janet’s aunt Veronica Johnston and the other two younger brothers David Johnston and Patrick Johnston. He actually knew that Anthony Johnston’s eldest son did not appear either, which avoided some small embarrassment, because the eldest grandson of Raymond Johnston is Janet’s nephew Brandon John Ston is also 20 years old this year, the same age as Simon.

As night fell, the Johnston family had already prepared dinner in advance.

In the castle, after the room was settled, Janet threw Simon directly to her father and brother. The little girl came to the kitchen together with her mother, watching the chef and the servants busy dinner, twisting a piece of dessert in spite of her image. Then, I asked my mother: "Mom, even if David and Pat can't come back in England, what about the iceberg? Why is she not here."

Trish Johnston no longer expected her daughter to change her name as her sister-in-law, and said helplessly: "Your aunt went to Perth a few days ago. It seems to be a mine in Western Australia."

Janet was puzzled: "She is in charge of the company's finances. Shouldn't it be my father and brother who come forward for this kind of thing?"

Trish Johnston opened her daughter's little hand and stretched out a piece of cake, and said, "I don't know this, but your father and brother have left. Who will entertain the guests?"

"Then I will wait for her to come back. She will definitely be back these few days?" Janet said, facing her mother's puzzled eyes, she proactively explained: "She has done a lot for me and Simon. Of course thank you. She's gone, hehe, it's really strange to say that she has never been so enthusiastic before."

Trish Johnston said in a spoiled tone: "Your aunt has always been the best to you. What's weird, you girl, just don't know how to be content."

"Okay, okay," Janet hugged her mother again, and suddenly said, "Wow, I see."

Trish Johnston was a little surprised by her dissatisfaction with her daughter, and helped her tidy up the crooked collar, and said, "What?"

"I have brought my boyfriend back," Janet analyzed trivially: "My aunt definitely didn't want my father to talk about her again, so I deliberately avoided it."

Trish Johnston also had a little helpless expression in her expression, and she pushed her daughter again: "Okay, don't make trouble here, you go and accompany the guests."

"Just call him Simon, what kind of ‘guest’’, ‘guest’," Janet smiled and leaned in her mother’s ear again: "Mom, what do you think of him?"

Trish Johnston smiled and said, "Your father thinks it's pretty good, I can look at it."

Janet was dissatisfied: "It's just not bad?"

"Daughter really wants to face outsiders," Trish Johnston took a picture of Janet, and looked at the chefs and servants around him, before saying: "Your father said, this kid is very satisfying. You are right. If he is good, he will treat you well."

Janet hummed twice and asked, "What else?"

Trish Johnston smiled and said: "It's quite profitable, enough to support you, a little prodigal daughter."

Janet pouted dissatisfiedly, and continued to ask: "What else?"

"How can you chase your mother to praise your boyfriend," Trish Johnston pretended to blame, and then whispered: "You get along on weekdays, he, is there any problem with that?"

Janet pretended to be wrong, blushing and learning her mother's tone just now: "How can you chase your daughter and ask his boyfriend?" After that, when her mother glared over, Janet quickly added: "No problem, he has always been normal, he should be completely cured."

"I heard that mental illness is difficult to cure, and it can be inherited." Trish Johnston is also a little worried: "He, will he drop something in private, or hit you?"

Janet shook her head immediately: "Of course not."

The mother and daughter whispered, and the dinner was ready unknowingly.

The men who were chatting in the living room turned into the living room, a total of eleven people, large and small, old and young, together with the servants and servants around, it was very lively.

In the next few days, Simon also settled in the Johnston family mansion, and he also had a better understanding of the family.

The Johnston family has the Johnston Holding Group as its core. 70% of the family’s business is in ore mining and smelting, another 20% is in transportation, and the last 10% is in surrounding areas such as animal husbandry industry.

Raymond Johnston, 70, still serves as the chairman of the family group, based in Australia. Janet’s aunt Veronica Johnston is the group’s chief financial officer. Anthony Johnston and Norman Johnston serve as CEO and President, respectively. Anthony Johnston is mainly responsible for the European business, and Norman Johnston is in charge of Asia and Africa.

Johnston Group's business in North America and Latin America appears to be somewhat weak.

In addition to Anthony Johnston and Norman Johnston, Raymond Johnston’s other two sons, David Johnston and Patrick Johnston, have no interest in family affairs. David Johnston, 25, and Patrick Johnston, 22, are both still studying in the UK. In Janet’s words, David Johnston is the standard nerd and Patrick Johnston is the standard. The dude.

At the beginning, Raymond Johnston thought he would be a single pass like his father and grandfather. After accidentally having two sons, he devoted all his energy to cultivating Anthony Johnston and Norman Johnston. The son and second son are also very good.

As a result, when it was the turn of Janet's third siblings, Raymond Johnston was no longer so harsh on them, and did not force them to inherit family affairs, so the current result appeared.

As for the main purpose of Simon's trip, "Batman", with the assistance of the Johnston family's strong connections in Melbourne, it was basically finalized before he arrived.

It is expected that helicopters will be used in the filming of "Batman". Helicopters are prohibited from flying over Melbourne. This is similar to the problems encountered in the original time and space "The Matrix". However, compared to the "The Matrix" which was almost stopped because of this "Before Simon came to Australia, Melbourne had already issued a new ordinance that relaxed the restrictions on helicopters in the city.

This time Simon mainly came here to sort out the selected location. A few months ago, the company sent a special location to this side. For several months, through fax, Simon has been working continuously. The remote control is viewable, so this problem is not big.

In addition, on the issue of tax rebates, the Melbourne Film Bureau finally agreed to give 15% of the total expenditure of the "Batman" project in Australia as a tax rebate.

This ratio is not high compared to Australia's support for local films, but compared to other foreign films shot in Australia, this tax rebate ratio is already very good.

Moreover, the tax refund agreement signed with Daenerys Entertainment here is also very relaxed, which is what Simon values ​​most.

Because under normal circumstances, overseas films wanting to get tax rebates are not just as simple as shooting in Australia. In most cases, they also require the participation of local Australian funds and require the employment of a certain percentage of local Australian filmmakers. Everyday spending in Australian cities must be limited, and a fixed amount of expenditure must be consumed every day to get a tax refund. Problems in some of these links may cause the tax rebate to sink or shrink.

In comparison, Daenerys Entertainment’s contract only needs to hire 30% of the local Australian employees and does not require Australian funds to participate. There is no limit on the expenditure of the crew in Australia. The filming is completed, Daenerys Entertainment Only need to provide a total expenditure statement, you can get a 15% tax refund proportionally.