The Birth of the Best Director

Chapter 218: Let's create a grand spectacle! A black hole devours a star—do you want to see it?

……

Los Angeles.

YT Pictures.

“Mr. Cage, suppose you are the head of a counterfeit money mafia syndicate, and you find a very talented young man somewhere and want to recruit him into your gang.”

"what will you do?"

"Can you give me an impromptu performance?"

The script for "Project Gutenberg" was revised by Zhuang Wenqiang after he returned from Naples.

Many realistic details have been added.

From a script perspective, he felt it was already perfect.

However, Chow Yun-fat is the actor he thinks is most suitable for the role of "the painter".

When he was writing this character, he was thinking about Chow Yun-fat's heroic nature.

Now, the role of the "painter" has been played by Nicolas Cage, and he actually feels a little regretful about it.

However, he could also understand the arrangements made by Lu Zhiyuan.

While Chow Yun-fat is very well-known in Southeast Asia, his global fame is nowhere near that of Nicolas Cage.

In order to expand beyond Asia and reach the world, it is indeed necessary to find an internationally renowned actor.

Not to mention…

Nicolas Cage's current salary is lower than Chow Yun-fat's.

Considering the project as a whole, he also had to admit that buying Nicolas Cage at a bargain price was a wise choice.

Of course, all of this is predicated on Nicolas Cage's approval of his performance.

"Mafia boss, counterfeit money ring?"

"Hiring a new person?"

"Let me think about it."

This is a project by the renowned director Lu Zhiyuan.

This is Nicolas Cage's best chance right now... If he performs well, he could very well turn his career around.

All debts can be cleared in an instant.

Although the salary for this movie wasn't much, he could use it to open up the Chinese market and make money in China.

China's economy is booming, and there are just too many rich people!
I heard that there is a Chinese company called Wanda that spent 26 billion US dollars to acquire the AMC Theatres, which had been losing money for years. What a rip-off!
spendthrift!
In addition, he heard that after Robert Downey Jr. became popular again with "Iron Man", he went to China to participate in business activities recently and was able to get a million dollars for his appearance!
This money is so easy to make.

In addition, there are various interviews, filming events, banquet performances, and even if a wealthy person is getting married, he can act as the officiant and earn some money!

In short, the Chinese market is huge, and you can make money from anything!

As a former Best Actor winner, he is quite popular in China. If he could go to China to make money, he wouldn't be much less successful than Robert Downey Jr.!

However, his agent is terrible; he can't expand his business to China at all, so he has no way to make money.

It's different now.

As long as he latches onto Lu Zhiyuan's coattails, he will not only be able to shoot critically acclaimed blockbusters, but his commercial value will also experience a major surge.

In comparison, the paycheck is a minor issue.

"Sir, before we begin the performance, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

This audition was crucial to his career turnaround, so Nicolas Cage took it very seriously and was prepared to give it his all.

However, before he can unleash his acting prowess, he needs to figure out the director's true intentions.

Otherwise, if he played a role that was completely contrary to his own, wouldn't he be eliminated immediately?

"You said."

Zhuang Wenqiang adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and nodded expressionlessly.

Actually, his chubby little hands under the table were a little sweaty.

Oh shit!

This is a former Oscar-winning actor.

Even in his downfall, he was still a figure who left his mark on film history, yet now he's like a primary school student, respectfully seeking my advice.

All of this was because Brother Yuan was there to protect me.

Otherwise, how would I have had the chance to play the role of a big shot and control the fate of a movie star?

"Sir, I play a big shot in this movie, right?"

"I should be a domineering and eccentric character, right?"

"I have a lot of power, I don't need to worry about what others think, right?"

"In other words, I'm the godfather of this industry. Is that a fair interpretation?"

Nicolas Cage asked Zhuang Wenqiang three questions.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhuang Wenqiang nodded in agreement with his guess.

As for the fourth question...

This is not a problem.

Rather, it was Nicolas Cage defining his role and preparing to portray the character as the Godfather.

"Yes. Now you can begin your performance."

Zhuang Wenqiang pretended to be impatient.

This actually made Nicolas Cage a little nervous.

They were afraid of missing this golden opportunity.

After a moment of contemplation, Nicolas Cage unbuttoned one button of his shirt, took a deep breath, and adjusted his breathing and composure.

Suddenly, his entire demeanor turned cold.

His gaze, no longer as uneasy as before, became like that of a hawk, fixed on Zhuang Wenqiang like a nail.

He pulled out the chair in front of Zhuang Wenqiang, his eyes filled with a hint of madness, and sat down with an air of authority.

"Ah……"

Nicolas Cage looked up, stared at Zhuang Wenqiang, and let out a low, slightly hoarse chuckle.

His laughter was very unique.

It felt as if a breath was rubbing against his throat, like a sigh, yet with a hint of mockery.

"Squeak, squeak~~"

While staring at Zhuang Wenqiang and Nicolas Cage, he lightly rubbed his fingers on the tabletop, making it creak.

It makes your ears ache.

Seeing Zhuang Wenqiang frown slightly, he finally spoke a line: "Kid, you're just like a stupid pigeon whose feathers have been plucked."

Zhuang Wenqiang was stunned for a moment.

That line is interesting.

In Florence, Italy, there is a special breed of pigeon called the Florentine pigeon.

These pigeons have unique feathers, sturdy bodies, and are very aggressive... but they are also a local delicacy.

Nicolas Cage's line might sound a bit strange at first, but if you set the story in Florence, it becomes very authentic.

"who are you?"

If he were an actor, Zhuang Wenqiang would have been utterly crushed by now.

However, he is a director, so he doesn't need acting skills.

At this moment, he simply recited the question in return.

"Next time we meet, you'll know who I am."

Nicolas Cage himself didn't know who the character he was playing was. At this moment, he could only grin, but the smile was stiff and unstable, making him look like a mental patient.

He looks extremely crazy.

It's just like some kind of criminal who walks on the edge of death.

Not bad, I'm starting to get the hang of it.

In his heart, Zhuang Wenqiang silently gave Cage a good review.

Although Cage's acting style is completely different from Chow Yun-fat's, he doesn't have that Hong Kong gangster boss vibe.

However, it has a greater spiritual penetration.

More neurotic, closer to the villainous temperament of a "mad artist".

very nice!
"The wine is good. Thank you for the treat."

With a grin, Nicolas Cage picked up the glass of water in front of Zhuang Wenqiang, downed it in one gulp, and then placed the glass back in front of Zhuang Wenqiang.

Then, he slowly wiped away the fingerprints he had left with a tissue, but he acted more like a germaphobe.

This is a small detail.

The way he does it is aesthetically pleasing and neurotic.

After finishing, Cage turned and left with a flourish.

After taking a few steps, he turned around, feeling a sense of relief: "Thank you, my impromptu performance is over."

After he finished speaking, Cage deliberately looked up at the camera in the room.

Clearly, the truly powerful figures are behind the cameras.

"A good performance."

"Very wonderful."

At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan stopped observing from the shadows, pushed open the door and walked in, clapping lightly.

Behind him, Jing Tianhe and Zhao Shanshan also walked over together.

They had just seen Nicolas Cage's performance and thought it was quite good, with a particularly manic emotional tension contained within his acting.

It's like a lion poised to pounce.

He has a very villainous boss vibe.

His lines, in particular, are husky yet contain a unique rhythm, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes like a slow murmur, and sometimes full of explosive energy.

This is a super actor whose lines alone are enough for the audience to recognize him.

This distinctive voice is Cage's unique trademark.

"Road guide."

Upon seeing Lu Zhiyuan enter, Nicolas Cage immediately revealed a fawning smile.

He knew that this was the real big boss.

The one who truly takes charge.

"Sit down and get back into your chair."

Lu Zhiyuan, with one hand in his pocket and a soft voice, pointed with his finger at the chair that Nicolas Cage had just pulled out.

At that moment, Cage seemed to be frozen in place.

He paused for a moment, then slowly sat back down.

At this moment, his imposing manner was completely overwhelmed by Lu Zhiyuan.

After all, he's currently at the lowest point in his life, so what backbone does he have left? Meanwhile, the renowned director Lu Zhiyuan on the other side has just grossed $12 billion at the box office!

He's a true super boss.

The influence is huge.

Cage was acting, but Lu Zhiyuan wasn't.

In terms of presence, who looks more like the boss? Everyone present could tell at a glance.

"Nick, your lines are good. But that's not enough."

"Your role is that of the core leader of a counterfeit money syndicate, a true world-class fugitive."

"You need control."

"Whether it's madness or tyranny, these are all appearances... What you need is control over everything around you and your subordinates!"

"Counterfeiting is a meticulous technical job. If you don't control it well and neglect the details, everyone will die."

“Just now, you didn’t do anything in this regard.”

"look at me."

Lu Zhiyuan took a coin out of his pocket and waved it gently in front of Nicolas Cage.

Then, he simply tossed the coin.

There was a ding.

The coin flicked from his fingertips and began to spin rapidly on the table.

"A human head, or a number?"

"If you guess right, your salary will double, and I'll buy your house in Las Vegas. If you guess wrong, your salary will be reduced to 1%."

"Want to play this game?"

Everyone present was very surprised to hear Lu Zhiyuan's words.

They all know Lu Zhiyuan very well.

He never gambles.

"The coin will stop in about 10 seconds. Quickly state your choice: heads or suit? You only get one chance. Don't miss it."

Lu Zhiyuan began to interrogate Nicolas Cage.

He waved to Zhuang Wenqiang and pointed to the empty cup in front of him, indicating that he should pour some drinks or something.

Zhuang Wenqiang walked over blankly and poured Lu Zhiyuan a glass of vodka.

"Three seconds, countdown."

"3, 2..."

The coin began to sway gently; the mystery was about to be revealed.

"Heads!"

Nicolas Cage quickly did some mental calculations.

If you guess wrong, you'll lose $90.

If he guesses correctly, he will not only receive a $200 million salary, but he can also sell his house.

This bet is too biased towards myself.

Not gambling is foolish.

At that moment, he couldn't wait to shout out his answer.

"you lose."

A faint, mocking smile appeared on Lu Zhiyuan's face.

Hehehe~ Haha~~

At first, his smile was faint, but gradually, it became somewhat manic.

"How did you guess that?"

The moment the coin stopped, everyone leaned over and looked at the side facing up. Sure enough, it was an architectural design with a circle of text.

At this moment, everyone looked at Lu Zhiyuan in disbelief.

Nicolas Cage was utterly shocked, wondering how Lu Zhiyuan had managed to do it.

Suddenly, something occurred to him, and his eyes lit up as he kept asking, "Director Lu, why are you so confident? Is there some secret to it? Are you a gambling god?"

Lu Zhiyuan shook his head and returned to normal.

"I'm not a gambling god."

"Because $200 million means nothing to me. Of course I can bet with you with extraordinary confidence."

“Even if I lose 100 times, I won’t care. But for you, this is a lifeline, and you must hold on to it tightly.”

"do you understand me?"

Nicolas Cage lowered his head and pondered for a while, gradually realizing what was going on.

confidence!

Just now, although he acted like a mafia boss, his demeanor was too arrogant and lacked confidence.

It's more like a bluff.

A true leader exudes confidence from the inside out.

Even if I lose 100 times, I won't care.

Why would a big shot like him act so anxiously and hysterically when trying to recruit a young person into his team?
You can be completely elegant and composed.

Just like Lu Zhiyuan just played a trick on him.

However, if we evaluate that scene as a single shot, Lu Zhiyuan's most explosive moment was the instant he tossed the coin.

The outcome was already decided the moment the coin was tossed.

The coin spun endlessly on the table, much like its own fate, held in the grasp of an invisible hand, also spinning incessantly.

And the moment the coin stops.

No matter what answer you give, your fate has already been determined.

Brilliant! No wonder he's a great director.

Even their acting is phenomenal.

"Director Lu, you're the young man I recruited, right?"

Suddenly, Nicolas Cage realized something.

Just now, Zhuang Wenqiang asked him to give an impromptu performance on how a gangster boss would recruit a young man.

The theme of this film seems to be about a painter.

He wasn't stupid; he understood immediately after a moment's thought.

At this moment, Cage couldn't help but get excited and kept asking, "Director Lu, is our relationship like Denzel Washington's 'Training Day'?"

He would be overjoyed if it were a similar storyline.

obviously.

Lu Zhiyuan's acting skills are absolutely phenomenal, surpassing most Hollywood actors.

Especially when playing a big-shot painter.

It was practically a natural performance.

No one can surpass him on this track!
"This story is not that simple."

Lu Zhiyuan had someone bring the contract over and gestured for Nicolas Cage to sign it first.

"Sorry, I was presumptuous."

Nicolas Cage glanced at the amount on the contract; it was originally a $1 million salary, but now it had been cut by a zero.

However, one must accept the consequences of a bet.

Although his heart was bleeding, he couldn't renege on his debt.

At this point, we have no choice but to bite the bullet and sign the contract.

Moreover, he believed that Lu Zhiyuan, a famous director, would not betray him.

Although he is currently living a very poor life, his family still has a lot of influence in Hollywood.

“Nick, this is an IOU.”

"How much money do you need to avoid being sued by the bank? Enter a number here. James will transfer the money to you later."

"As for the guarantee... let's sign a contract for five films with YT Pictures."

After the movie "Project Gutenberg", Nicolas Cage will most likely experience a career resurgence.

Five film contracts as collateral are more than enough.

"Director Lu, thank you so much."

The pressure of mortgage payments is suffocating Nicolas Cage. Although he is confident that he can get through it, who knows when that day will come?

Lu Zhiyuan used his future five film contracts as collateral, which was a blank check for Nicolas Cage at no cost.

Without any hesitation, he wrote an IOU on the spot.

not much.

Only $500 million!
This money should be enough for him to get through this.

He still believes the economy will recover and US housing prices will rise again.

……

Nicolas Cage left in high spirits.

Although he lost the bet and his salary was reduced from $100 million to $10, he still managed to get a $500 million loan from James.

For him, this ending was wonderful!

Before he arrived, he never imagined things would go so smoothly.

"Hey, Ah Kun, my good brother, thanks for pulling me out of my lowest point. Next time I go to Japan, I'll treat you to a whole tour!"

Nicolas Cage has made up his mind to firmly align himself with Lu Zhiyuan!

Just now, during the moment he acted with Lu Zhiyuan, he felt that Lu Zhiyuan had a special aura.

This aura is very similar to the feeling he had when he watched "The Godfather" as a child.

It was filled with oppressive force.

But it's also easy for people to feel close to it.

He gives off a strict father vibe.

It’s ridiculous.

Even though Lu Zhiyuan was much younger than him, Nicolas Cage sensed a trustworthy, fatherly quality in Lu Zhiyuan.

"Nick, take care of your messy affairs, study your script properly, and wait for the crew to call you."

“My brother Yuan likes actors to be fully focused on the set and not be disturbed by worldly affairs.”

Outsiders may not know what Lu Zhiyuan was thinking, but Xin Yukun knew it very well.

Lu Zhiyuan chose Nicolas Cage.

But Nicolas Cage is now only interested in making money quickly to weather the risk of bankruptcy.

Under such circumstances, how could he possibly have the mind to calm down and properly study the character?
James could use YT Pictures as collateral to lend Nicolas Cage a sum of money, using Cage's future five film contracts as collateral, so that Cage would have no worries and could focus on acting and everything would be alright.

If Cage is a smart person, he should know how to repay kindness.

"Don't worry, Ah Kun. I know what to do."

Made it through!

We've made it through!

At that moment, Nicolas Cage rushed up and gave Xin Yukun a tight hug, which was also a way of indirectly hugging Lu Zhiyuan.

I am grateful to the great director for his guidance and support.

……

YT Pictures.

"Boss, your acting was absolutely phenomenal."

"The way you flipped the coin just now was absolutely cool. You completely outmaneuvered Nicolas Cage..."

With no outsiders present, James began to boast wildly about Lu Zhiyuan.

Nicolas Cage is an award-winning actor, but he couldn't last a single round against Lu Zhiyuan.

He completely crushed them with a single coin toss.

"Ah Yuan, is this what you meant by designing a cool visual identity for your character to make a lasting impression on the audience?"

Miss Jing Tian belatedly realized something.

She thought Lu Zhiyuan's gesture of putting one hand in his pocket, casually tossing a coin with the other, and then slowly sipping his vodka was particularly cool.

It's like a real underworld boss stepped out of a movie.

That cool and imposing aura is simply overwhelming.

He's so handsome!

It made her shudder involuntarily.

Tonight, she must make herself a pot of soup to nourish herself.

"A movie is too short."

"To leave a lasting impression on the audience, in addition to having explosive lines, the most important thing is that the character has a unique visual identity."

This is Lu Zhiyuan's personal interpretation of the film character.

After making several films over the years, he has become increasingly adept at using these little tricks from a director's perspective when it comes to acting.

The reason why Liu Shishi's character in "Pacific Rim" was so popular is because he designed a scene where she walks while biting a headband.

Liu Shishi in this shot is incredibly charming, dashing, and exceptionally beautiful.

It quickly spread like wildfire on the internet.

This also gave the character Liu Shishi some recognition worldwide.

After all, most netizens are happy to share beautiful or handsome shots.

As a commercial film, such aesthetically pleasing shots are indispensable.

Of course, the same applies to art films.

Any film that focuses on character development requires the director to master some similar basic skills.

However, every director has their own unique preferences.

Lu Zhiyuan likes to film characters to make them look exceptionally beautiful and handsome... He is well aware that his acting skills are not as good as Nicolas Cage's.

However, he possessed a unique aura.

Perhaps because he has been a famous director for a long time and is quite wealthy, over time, he naturally develops this kind of authoritative aura.

Therefore, he directly used his strongest advantage to single-handedly overwhelm Nicolas Cage's entire acting performance.

If that scene had appeared on screen, just that one shot would probably have been enough to leave a deep impression on the audience regarding his character.

“Ah Yuan, you always speak with such confidence. Your confidence is so charming.”

"I can't wait to see you on screen, transformed into a painter, commanding the landscape, exuding boundless charm."

Jing Tian always wanted the whole world to see how outstanding her boyfriend was.

However, Lu Zhiyuan has always been a behind-the-scenes worker.

The audience cannot directly perceive Lu Zhiyuan's talent and unique charm.

Unexpectedly, Zhuang Wenqiang was able to persuade Lu Zhiyuan to also appear on the screen and showcase his acting skills.

pity.

She is not the female lead.

It's that damned mistress, Gao Yuanyuan!
"Zhuang sir, where are you planning to go for your next inspection? Colombia or Mexico? Both places are good."

If the goal is to make a Hollywood blockbuster, then the Golden Triangle or Thailand are not suitable locations for small-time warlords.

The most notorious gangsters in the world are, of course, in South America.

These two places are 100 times more abstract than that counterfeit money town in Naples.

"Well, Brother Yuan, I'm going to ask around first, preferably find an insider guide, just in case something goes wrong."

This time, Zhuang Wenqiang didn't make a foolish mistake again.

Last time he went to Italy, he was almost kidnapped.

Fortunately, Italy still has some legal system, and the other party did not dare to kill or commit arson. After beating him up, they released him.

But if it were in South America, its fate would most likely be to be stuffed into diesel drums and sealed off with cement.

"No rush. Take your time asking around."

Lu Zhiyuan has not yet started filming the movie "Interstellar". The "Project Gutenberg" project is just in the early stages of preparation.

It will be at least another six months before we can actually start filming.

……

Three days later.

Kashgar.

After attending the Oscars, Lu Zhiyuan had successfully won over Nicolas Cage and was in a great mood.

He returned to the set of Interstellar once again.

Ready to show off my skills.

In the final installment of the sci-fi mecha movie series, he's going to go on a killing spree.

On the way back, he abandoned all his artistic ideas and prepared to make this movie a benchmark for mecha monster movies!
The pace must be accelerated.

Some science fiction concepts were also downplayed as much as possible.

Because it was made for teenagers, not for science enthusiasts!
After all, Nolan's "Interstellar" is said to be hard science fiction, but in reality, it's not hard science fiction at all.

Only relatively speaking.

What's truly breathtaking is Nolan's creation of the straw hat black hole, the distorted spacetime wormhole, the giant wave planet... which visually stunning the audience.

The film then became the subject of intense discussion.

After all, if we're really talking about science, what kind of spaceship could withstand the powerful gravity at the edge of a black hole's event horizon without being torn to shreds?
Putting aside the issue of gravity, just consider the edge of a black hole's event horizon—how hot is it? It could be trillions of degrees!

Could humans survive in such an environment?
Can a spaceship withstand this temperature and not turn to ashes?
In short, this isn't hard science fiction; it's just a fantasy movie.

If it's really hardcore, then movies can't be made!

……

Kashgar.

Inside the hotel.

"Brother Yuan, you've been watching me eat an apple for 10 minutes now... Don't I look adorable eating an apple?"

Naza sat opposite Lu Zhiyuan, eating an apple in small bites.

She deliberately ate in a very ladylike manner.

Because Lu Zhiyuan kept staring at her, which made her very happy.

But the next moment, Lu Zhiyuan took out his phone and called the head of his special effects company.

"Schwarzschild, I need a picture."

"Stars are torn apart by black holes."

"To be specific, the entire star is torn apart like noodles by the black hole and swallowed up bit by bit."

"I remember there should be a technical term for this phenomenon: extreme nuclear transient."

"Find an astronomer to find out what this scene looks like. Then, recreate it for me using special effects!"

Why would those monsters in the constellation Perseus attack Earth through a wormhole?
There could be many reasons.

For example, a spacetime wormhole suddenly appears.

The first apostle monster entered by accident.

However, the most likely explanation is that the environment in which the Apostle Monsters exist is about to be destroyed, making them eager to find a second home.

This is the most reasonable reason.

The audience can accept it.

What kind of devastating blow can make the audience feel incredibly shocked at first glance?

It must be a galactic-destroying catastrophe!
When Lu Zhiyuan saw Nazha eating an apple, a scene couldn't help but come to mind.

When the Earth expeditionary force finally managed to traverse the wormhole, they suddenly discovered that in the distant starry sky, a black hole was slowly devouring a giant star.

That star, like a soft bun, was slowly torn apart, and the fiery currents that filled the entire starry sky circled the black hole, forming a huge accretion disk.

At the center of the black hole, a terrifying jet of gamma rays shoots skyward.

Because the process of a black hole devouring a star can last for several years, this scene will be particularly awe-inspiring in the dark night sky.

"Schwarzschild, why won't you speak?"

"Tell me, did you feel anything from this scene? Was it breathtaking enough? Did it give you goosebumps the first time it appeared on a 3D IMAX screen?"

Lu Zhiyuan had never seen such a scene in a movie before.

He saw the term "extreme nuclear fission" in a science fiction magazine while on a plane.

The description above was something he had never seen before.

He plans to include it in his own movie!
Lu Zhiyuan believes that if audiences see this scene in a movie theater, they will definitely feel their minds go blank and their thoughts freeze.

And this is the world-famous painting he is looking for!

No.

It must be a masterpiece of the universe!
"Boss, the visuals are stunning. But, if we do it this way, what about the budget..."

The Schwarzschild surname comes from an astronomer, and there is even a black hole named after Schwarzschild.

If he could create a special effect of a black hole swallowing a star, it would definitely be a hot topic on social media.

However, the most important thing when it comes to special effects is funding!
Schwarzschild initially estimated that such a magnificent scene would require 1000 computers to create, and the rendering time could exceed 800 hours.

In addition, he needs to quickly find someone to program and develop a new rendering software.

After all, rendering the area around a black hole is something that most ray tracing engines simply can't do.

We need to develop a special "bending ray renderer" to simulate the visual effects of black holes and wormholes!
Hey!
One sentence from a famous director is enough to make me work overtime for at least 3 months!

"Schwarzschild, funding is not a problem. The revenue sharing from 'Pacific Rim' is coming soon, and I've prepared $2 million for you."

Zhao Shanshan previously asked Lu Zhiyuan if 1.5 million US dollars was enough.
He said it was about time.

Now, he feels he's far from good enough!
He was ready to go completely crazy and do everything according to his own ideas.

Currently, in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue sharing from "Pacific Rim," YT Pictures also has a sum of money from Apple's acquisition of shares in the VR gaming glasses company that has not yet been received.

—The acquisition cost $30 billion, with YT Pictures holding a 40% stake, which is $12 billion.

They have a lot of money.

Even if Lu Zhiyuan spends 5 million US dollars to film his ideal sci-fi masterpiece, the other partners will at most complain a few times during meetings.

But it's highly unlikely they will stop it.

Because Lu Zhiyuan earned all the money on his own.

He has the right to be willful just this once!
(End of this chapter)