Ultimately, Cameron is still just a director, despite his prestige, fame, and numerous privileges in Hollywood…
******************
The sudden halt to filming of the movie, once the news leaked out, seemed to have caught the attention of several astute media outlets. I received several calls from media requesting interviews, but they were all handled by company personnel, and I did not respond to any of them.
The official statement was that there had been minor internal adjustments to the filming schedule.
The losses to a company when a film is halted are very obvious... First, there's the cost of renting the film set—every day it's closed costs money! Then there are the schedules of the stars! And the crew members, many of whom are paid on a daily basis.
But to the outside world, I act as if nothing is wrong, continuing to attend various business events in a high-profile manner and maintain my public profile.
On the fifth day after filming was suspended, I secretly met a mysterious guest at a Golden Palm restaurant that evening.
This restaurant was a carefully chosen meeting place, located about 50 kilometers from Beverly Hills. It's quite a drive to get here, so business isn't too good. The advantage is that it's quiet!
I sat there, casually holding a coconut cake in my hand. Across from me sat my VIP guest for the evening.
He looked much younger than he did on screen, and unlike his usual image, his beard was neatly shaved (in fact, those who know him well know that he only doesn't shave when he's working, because he's used to putting all his time and energy into his work. Only after each film is finished does he groom himself again). His face was long and slender, with a touch of refinement, and his signature round-lensed glasses perched on his nose... His face also bore the characteristics of someone of Jewish descent.
He wore a very neat, dark suit, and his eyes were full of wisdom.
If we were to list all the film directors still alive in the world today, he might not be the most talented, the most outstanding, or even the most authoritative...
However, he is absolutely recognized as the biggest star! He is also the undisputed No. 1 figure!
As the most influential director on the planet, he appeared very humble, merely sipping his coffee with a faint smile on his face.
Even so, no one, not even a single filmmaker, would dare to show the slightest disrespect in front of him.
Because he is now recognized as the godfather of the Hollywood film industry, a film company owner, and an authority among authorities... Steven Spielberg!
No one can deny Spielberg's status in the film industry now. He may not be a universally acknowledged master of cinematic art, but as a powerful figure, he is absolutely universally respected! His almost dazzling string of classic films, coupled with the prestigious status of his DreamWorks company in Hollywood over the years, are undeniable.
And most importantly... he is Jewish!!
Everyone knows that a third of America's wealth is in the pockets of Jews! Jews constitute a significant and undeniable force among America's elite! And Steven Spielberg, a Jewish film mogul, further solidified his position within Jewish communities with his iconic film, *Schindler's List*, which championed Jewish rights.
It could even be said that Spielberg is a representative figure of the Jewish group in Hollywood!
Moreover, he is a veritable godfather in the film industry… For example, Drew Barrymore, the notoriously promiscuous Hollywood star known for her drug use, alcoholism, stalker behavior, and rebellious nature, only becomes trembling in Spielberg's presence! Because Spielberg is her godfather! Similarly, a large number of Hollywood stars hold Spielberg in absolute respect!
It's fair to say that if Spielberg wanted to do something in Hollywood... there's very little he couldn't do!
In the last century, some people compared James Cameron and Steven Spielberg. With the global success of *Titanic*, Cameron could indeed be said to have come close to Spielberg in terms of pure film achievements… but Cameron remained primarily a director. Spielberg, on the other hand, possessed not only directing talent but also considerable business acumen and other shrewdness… all of which combined to create a godfather-like film mogul.
In Hollywood, no one can say "no" to Spielberg.
There are also legends that he was a member of the Freemasons, the most mysterious and powerful elite organization among Jews!
This wasn't my first time meeting Spielberg. I had a brief encounter with him at an event before, where we only exchanged a few words.
“Chen, I think I understand what you mean.” The tycoon spoke in a gentle voice, with a hint of scholarly refinement. “However, what I doubt is how much sincerity you can offer.” He glanced at me, smiling calmly. “Oh, please don’t misunderstand me. I’m very interested in your proposal. I’ve always been interested in turning such a world-shaking real-life event into a film. And I also believe in James’s directing abilities…”
“It’s simple.” I looked at him, without any attempt to beat around the bush: “Stephen, I think you understand I’m in trouble right now. Those Mafia vampires have their eyes on me. I don’t want anything to do with them! Everyone can see the series of troubles my company has been going through lately. Every day the film is on hold, I’m losing a lot of money. But I don’t intend to have anything to do with the Mafia… I’ve thought about it for a long time, and even if I’m going to make friends, I’d rather work with trustworthy Jewish friends!”
I was very careful to emphasize the word "Jewish friend".
Sure enough, Spielberg smiled, but he wasn't the kind of fool to be easily swayed by flattery. The shrewd tycoon spoke in his characteristically slow, deliberate tone: "Well, frankly, I like you too, Chen. I think you're a good guy, and right now all of Hollywood owes you a huge favor… Of course, I also really hate the Mafia. But that's not enough for me to step in and shield you from that trouble… You know, finding a scapegoat comes at a price." He looked at me with a playful smile, while gently stirring his coffee a few times with a spoon.
Without further hesitation, I stated my terms directly: "The current authoritative estimates suggest the risk of this film is less than five percent; it's a guaranteed money-maker. As a gesture of friendship and sincerity, I'd like to invite your DreamWorks to invest in this film! I hope all the computer-generated special effects will be produced by DreamWorks. In return, you can receive thirty-five percent of the film's final profits—yes, the final profits I'm referring to are the figures before deducting theater revenue sharing! In other words, you can get the first slice of this pie!"
Spielberg raised an eyelid slightly, quickly did some calculations, and smiled, "Oh, this is quite a generous gift. Thirty-five percent, and that's before the box office revenue sharing. So, DreamWorks can expect to earn at least close to one hundred million dollars. My friend, your offer is truly very generous."
I didn't say anything, I just raised my eyebrows.
The current Hollywood authority smiled at me, then shook his head: "I am very touched by your kindness, but I think this condition is a bit unreasonable... So, I would like to propose another condition, I wonder if you can accept it."
Huh? I was taken aback. Was he still not satisfied?
However, to my surprise, Spielberg then smiled and stated his conditions:
"Based on your proposed conditions, I'd like to make some modifications. In addition to using computer-generated special effects technology to offset the investment, my DreamWorks is willing to provide an additional ten million US dollars in cash as filming investment. As for the final profit distribution, I believe thirty percent would be sufficient to satisfy both me and my partners. What do you think, dear Chen?"
faint!
He actually lowered the price on his own?!
“Stephen,” I frowned at him, “do you understand that you’ve voluntarily given up approximately thirty million dollars in potential profits?”
He winked at me and said with a gentle smile, "As I just said, the whole of Hollywood owes you a huge favor, dear Chen."
I:"……"
******************
After meeting Spielberg, I was still a little dazed on the way back… or rather, I wondered if I was dreaming. Spielberg was so agreeable! He knew I'd asked him to be a shield, yet he readily agreed and even offered to lower his price?!
But then I started to get excited!
Hmph! Gao Qi, bring it on!
If you dare to continue provoking me, it's the same as provoking Spielberg! In Hollywood, no one dares to say "no" to Spielberg!
Provoking Spielberg is tantamount to provoking the Jewish community!
That's a Jewish group that even the US government wouldn't dare mess with!
Gao Qi, Gao Qi, I can't beat you in terms of power, but this "driving away the wolf to devour the tiger" tactic is one of the thirty-six stratagems passed down from our old clan...
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter 171: Wrongful Fury
The announcement by Billy Hill Pictures that it would co-invest with DreamWorks in the film "The Big Heist" caused a media uproar. At the press conference, the news was met with excitement from almost all the media outlets!
"Spilberg vs. James Cameron!!" This was the headline on the front page of USA Today that day!
In terms of acting alone, James Cameron is undoubtedly the only American director who can be compared to Spielberg. Of course, there are also super directors like Peter Jackson (who directed the Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong, etc.) who have suddenly risen to prominence in recent years and are gradually gaining the qualifications to challenge him, but they still lack some seniority.
Countless people are speculating whether Spielberg will take on the role of producer for this film that already boasts a super-star cast... Of course, this is a speculation tinged with schadenfreude.
Everyone knows that James Cameron has always harbored some resentment towards Spielberg in Hollywood, considering him his biggest rival. At the Oscars ceremony that year, Cameron swept all the awards for "Titanic," and at the end, holding his Oscar statuette, he stood on stage and proclaimed, "I am the king of the world!" This was clearly a challenge to Spielberg, the true number one figure in Hollywood.
Add to that James Cameron's arrogant, domineering, and autocratic style when directing films (of course, he is indeed a genius!)... which ultimately led to a falling out with the investors and collaborators of every film he had worked with! Otherwise, he wouldn't have earned the nickname "tyrant."
Imagine having someone like him collaborate with a giant like Spielberg—if disagreements arise during work… well, that would be a disaster! It would be an explosion, like Mars colliding with Earth!
Undoubtedly, Spielberg's DreamWorks involvement has further fueled the already immense hype surrounding this film!
Sure enough, Spielberg and I attended the press conference together, along with James Cameron, Lei Xiaohu, and several other big-name stars from the main cast! This star-studded lineup ensured that we dominated the front pages of almost every major media outlet across the United States that day! Because among those present were at least four Oscar winners, and more than half had been nominated for Oscars!
“DreamWorks will be one of the investors in this film,” I announced at the press conference. “Stephen will also serve as the film’s producer.”
The overly brief announcement immediately drew criticism from the media.
"Chen, say a few more words!"
"Chen, was this decision reached internally?"
"Chen, do you have any objections?"
Meanwhile, many reporters cleverly pointed their cameras at James Cameron! If James Cameron showed even the slightest sign of displeasure… well, tomorrow's papers would be full of juicy tidbits!
Moreover, with Spielberg joining the team, isn't this the best alternative? Everyone knows that James Cameron clashes with the studio owners during the filming of every movie… And with this film, if James Cameron clashes with the studio, they might just fire him! Then a "guru" like Spielberg would immediately step in to take over as director!
...
However, to everyone's disappointment, James Cameron showed no displeasure whatsoever; on the contrary, he even wore a slight smile… The satisfied smile in his eyes was genuine, not feigned! This only fueled the media's suspicions.
Spielberg then gave a brief speech... As expected of a big shot, his voice was gentle and not loud, but as soon as he opened his mouth, all the hundreds of media present immediately fell silent. No one dared to make a sound or interrupt him!
That's status!
Spielberg's remarks were utterly devoid of substance, consisting entirely of platitudes such as "Thank you Billy Hill Company," "Director Cameron is a great director, and it was an honor to work with him," and so on...
After he finished speaking, we casually announced that DreamWorks would be responsible for all the computer-generated special effects in the film…
This is also very exciting news!
DreamWorks' computer-generated special effects have already amazed the world countless times! Whether it's the purely animated film "Shrek" or the thrilling "Transformers" that gets countless movie fans excited! Without a doubt, DreamWorks' technology is world-class!
The press conference was brief; James Cameron remained silent throughout, a smile on his face the entire time.
What calmed this hot-tempered guy down was a few words I said to him last night when I visited him.
Of course I know the saying "two tigers cannot share one mountain"! Putting two super-star directors, two geniuses who are used to having the final say, together would be a disaster! It could only lead to infighting! Besides, their relationship wasn't necessarily harmonious to begin with. But last night I still managed to persuade this "tyrant" to cooperate obediently.
First, I made it clear to him that Spielberg's involvement was purely for "solving problems." Although he was nominally a producer, he wouldn't be involved in the film's production; his role was purely nominal.
Then I made a promise to James Cameron... he would have the "final cut" of the film!
"Final cut"! This is something every Hollywood film director dreams of! You see, under the Hollywood film production system, the director himself has no right to edit the final cut of the film! Editing is entirely outsourced to specialized companies by the film company.
The problem is that every director wants their films to retain their own complete style!
It's like giving birth to a child; of course, you want your child to look exactly as you gave birth to them. But then someone forcibly takes your child away, dresses them up, and even gives them plastic surgery!
If you were in that situation, would you feel good?
However, Hollywood's system is ironclad! Countless top-tier directors are helpless against it! Even incredibly talented directors like James Cameron and Peter Jackson have to watch helplessly as their films are edited piece by piece into something completely contrary to their wishes!
Of course, in the entire United States, only one director has the final cut! They can edit their own film according to their own wishes!
This person is Spielberg!
Whether as a director or as someone who considers Spielberg his lifelong role model, James Cameron desperately wants the "final cut" rights!
I gave him what he wanted, and then only asked, "Everything as usual. You continue your directing work, and no one will interfere with your work! That's all!"
Cameron almost woke up laughing from his dream!
This is why Cameron acted like a well-behaved child at the press conference.
(Author's note: Final cut is indeed something Hollywood resents all directors for. For example, John Woo, who went from Hong Kong to Hollywood, had a strong personal style in his Hong Kong films like A Better Tomorrow because he had the editing rights! But in Hollywood, his work immediately lost its luster! This is because he had no right to edit the films he directed! As a result, Hollywood edited them beyond recognition!)
After DreamWorks' high-profile involvement, I immediately announced that filming would resume, and anyone who resigned temporarily or left the crew under any pretext was fired without hesitation! At the same time, I openly reported the theft of props to the police, but I asked Officer Louis to keep it a secret and conduct a covert investigation…
In reality, the investigation was just for show. Its purpose was to intimidate Gao Qi.
Sure enough, with the involvement of Hollywood's top mogul, things were completely different! We rehired a group of professionals to bolster the crew, changed several management companies, and then filming proceeded smoothly...
After a relatively calm week, Yang Wei returned to Los Angeles from Las Vegas. As soon as she saw me, she laughed and said, "Xiao Wu, you're finally starting to show some power now. The one who's having a headache now is that guy Gao Qi."
I smiled and went up to give her a warm hug.
After picking her up from the airport and taking her back to our place, as soon as we entered the room, Yang Wei slammed the door shut and threw herself on top of me, and the two of us immediately began a passionate kiss.