Extracting skills from movies

Regardless of whether these claims are reliable or not, Du Sheng and his publicity team are happy to watch the drama unfold.
They were also secretly fueling the flames behind the scenes.

After all, this open ending was originally designed as a "hook" for box office success.

The more fiercely the audience argues, the more they want to prove themselves right, the more likely they are to buy tickets for a second and third viewing.
He specifically stared at the screen looking for a wedding ring, watched a spinning top, and counted floors, all to prove netizens wrong.

To put it bluntly, watching movies is like a student doing reading comprehension exercises.

Once it's released, the audience can interpret it however they want.

Sometimes, even when the director personally explains the film, the audience still complains that he "doesn't understand his own movie."
It's the same principle as an author getting zero marks for writing their own essay during an exam.

The more you look at it, the more detailed you analyze it, the more engrossed you become in the discussion, and you just can't stop.

This trend quickly spread to the North American media circle.

Reporters love to follow controversial topics.

The ending of Inception became the focus of public opinion.

During the film's promotional event, a group of reporters surrounded Nolan and bombarded him with questions:

Did Cobb return to reality or not?

Did the spinning top eventually fall over?
Give me a straight answer!

Nolan feigned ignorance:
"What are you talking about?"

The reporters erupted in uproar:

"You're the director! How could you not understand?"

Nolan immediately switched to "blame-shifting mode," directly blaming Du Sheng to avoid being dragged down:
"This ending wasn't decided by me!"

It was Du Sheng's idea, and I thought it was interesting, so I used it.

If you want to know the truth, you have to ask him!

On the other side, Du Sheng was chatting leisurely with Jessica Alba.

The next second, the reporters who had been surrounding Nolan suddenly turned around and rushed towards them like wolves smelling meat.

Jessica Alba looked bewildered and nudged Du Sheng:

"Who did you sleep with last night?"
These reporters are acting like madmen. Are they going to expose another scandal?

Du Sheng also looked completely innocent:
"I stayed home all night, I didn't go out at all!"

At most, it was a relay race with Elizabeth and Taylor.
This shouldn't have been leaked in the first place...

Jessica immediately took two steps back, giving me a "I don't know you" look:

"Then you'd better pray for yourself. I'll go get reinforcements!"

After saying that, he turned and left.

Du Sheng straightened his suit and let the reporters surround him like a barrel.

Ma Yaowei, accompanied by several bodyguards, quickly stepped forward to protect her, fearing that she might get crowded.

Leading the charge was a female reporter, her hair a mess, her clothes wrinkled, but her aura was anything but weak, and she shouted:

"Du! Is Cobb dead or not? Has the top fallen over?"

Du Sheng knew in his heart that he couldn't answer this question.

Answering would either offend the audience or ruin the film's popularity.

He immediately switched to "Tai Chi mode":
"You'd have to ask the director. I'm just an actor, how would I know all that?"

Another reporter immediately contradicted him:
"Nolan said that you suggested the ending!"

He filmed it exactly as you wanted it to be!

Du Sheng was taken aback.

Wow, it's a non-stick pan!

This director is even more outrageous than Jessica!

He paused, then began to speak in a bureaucratic tone:

As the saying goes, there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's hearts.

When I suggested an open ending, I wanted everyone to interpret it in their own way.

Everyone can have their own 'perfect ending'...

After saying that, he shifted the blame back to the person in charge:
"I just suggested an idea, but the final filming and editing were all decided by the director and producer."

Even though I'm the male lead, I don't have the right to interfere in these matters. You should really ask Nolan.

The female reporter wouldn't let it go:

"But you're not an ordinary actor!"
You're an international A-list celebrity, and also an investor and producer; you must know the truth!

Du Sheng shrugged. "You ask your questions, and I'll answer mine."

This nationwide discussion propelled Inception's box office to new heights.
Over its opening weekend, nearly 4000 theaters in North America raked in $7498 million.
It easily secured the box office crown.

Meanwhile, other big-budget films are still struggling to break even at the 30 million mark, and their only hope of recouping their costs is to slowly weather the storm with DVDs and streaming services.

Early Monday morning, in the Warner executives' conference room.

Oliver spoke first, his tone relaxed:

"As long as the momentum of 'Inception' can be maintained, we can break even and make money just from the box office. This project is considered stable."

Kevin Shigen was looking down at the detailed data of "Inception" without looking up, and said:

"Nolan is indeed a talented director; I wasn't wrong about him."

Jones Dick immediately poured cold water on the idea:
"But this time he has taken on more say, which will only make future cooperation more difficult. We need to be careful with our words."

Kevin Shiyuan pondered for a few seconds and said:
"We can loosen the reins a bit, but Warner Bros. must ultimately retain control of the editing process. That's the bottom line, and we can't give it up."

Oliver seized the opportunity to interject:
"A sample survey conducted by the theater chain showed that more than one-third of the audience during the opening weekend were fans of the Bajiquan Association."

Sitting in a high-level executive position, receiving company bonuses, he naturally had to speak on the matter of performance, subtly reminding everyone:
"Du Sheng's appeal is truly incredible. Without him, this film might not have become such a hit."

Jones Dick immediately retorted:

That's not how you say it!
This film is Nolan's; Du Sheng is just an actor. Don't give undue credit.

Kevin Shiyuan didn't reply, tapping his fingers lightly on the table as if weighing the pros and cons.

Oliver added:
“I think it’s a good thing to continue working with Du Sheng. He has good projects and strong box office appeal, which can only benefit Warner Bros.”

Warner is willing to maintain its partnership with him.

Kevin Shigen finally spoke, his tone firm and uncompromising:
"But the method must be Warner's; we have to take the lead."

He either accepts our proposal or lets Huaguo take a stake!

Oliver sighed inwardly.

This statement is tantamount to blocking the way.

The meeting then moved on to other projects.

Jones Dick began his report:
"We plan to combine elements of Terminator and Giant Slayer to make a fantasy fairy tale movie. It has already been approved and the budget is $1.6 million."

The director has been decided: Bryan Singer, who directed "X-Men" and "Superman Returns"...

He turned to another page of the document:
"And the rights to Darklands that we acquired at a high price before, Gillian Flynn is almost finished writing the script, and the project has been approved."

They plan to hire big-name actors and directors, with a budget of up to $8000 million.

In addition, Du Sheng's comic book adaptation "Wolverine" is highly anticipated; if it were released by Warner Bros...."

Oliver wanted to try again to retain Du Sheng's project.

Unfortunately, even in his last attempt, he couldn't persuade Kevin.

While Warner Bros. is still arguing over the collaboration, the European premiere of "Inception" has already begun in Paris.

On the day of the premiere, Du Sheng, Nolan, and other key members of the production team were all present.

Supporting actor Cillian Murphy was even more enthusiastic, specially inviting two European film goddesses, Monica Bellucci and Isabelle Adjani, to lend their support.

During the photo session, Cillian Murphy put his arm around one of the women's waists, smiling broadly.

Of course, Du Sheng was not ambiguous either.

The red carpet was entirely red on both sides.

Hundreds of fans, wearing red T-shirts from the Bajiquan Association, held up signs that read "Du Sheng" and chanted wildly:
"Long live the president!"

"President! Let's lead us to overthrow France's rule and establish the Du Kingdom!"

No wonder they dared to shout like that.

The French are known for their strikes; they cause trouble every few days.

Now that they've met their "spiritual leader," their rebellious nature has fully surfaced.

Du Sheng cooperated, taking a can of drink from his assistant and raising it high: "Long live the self!"

This completely enraged the local Du family members, who immediately began shouting for a strike to celebrate "the arrival of the chairman."

But nobody took it seriously.

After all, these words sounded like everyday complaints, so no one took them to heart.

In contrast, British actors like Tom Hardy and Jonathan Gill are much less popular, with fewer fans and little media attention.

The group acted as if they were just going through the motions, leaving as soon as they finished walking the red carpet, their presence felt completely nonexistent throughout.

The premiere concluded successfully.

When the event ended, Isabelle Adjani invited Du Sheng and Jessica Alba to her home.

Du Sheng knew that the other party was just being polite and had no other intentions.

And he has to conserve his energy.

Leonardo DiCaprio has arrived; the main event is the "Russian Girl Party," so he can't afford to exhaust himself now.

When the crew returned to the hotel, they ran into Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicholson, who were also staying there.

Leonardo also invited Nolan to a party, but unfortunately Nolan isn't one for crowds.

The Inception crew has a packed promotional schedule in Europe.

Du Sheng, Nolan, and Jessica Alba, at least two interviews a day.
From entertainment interviews in Bild to Frances's flagship program, the group took turns appearing.

But all that hard work paid off.

Inception was already a huge hit in North America, and with the addition of many European elements and the appeal of director Johnnie To and Christopher Nolan in Europe, it raked in $1889 million in Europe in its opening weekend.

The Asian market also performed well, with China achieving 7819 million RMB and Japan reaching 6 million NTD, figures that are truly enviable.

Needless to say, in North America, thanks to its explosive word-of-mouth, its box office performance has been rock solid.

The box office dropped by only 38% in the second week, and it brought in another $5898 million. Combined with the first week's performance, the total North American box office exceeded $1.5 million!
This performance would be considered a dark horse of the year in Hollywood.

Based on current trends, the global box office will not be less than $5.5 million when it is taken off the screens.

If we include peripherals and CDs, this number could increase by at least a third.

It's a total money-making machine!
That day, Nicholson pointed to the box office news and teased Du Sheng:

"There aren't many things that can be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, but you, you bastard, have it all. Your luck is just too incredible, isn't it?"

Du Sheng, relaxed and content, said:

"That's called having a discerning eye; choosing the right film, co-stars, and release dates are all essential."

Leonardo chuckled and interjected:

"You have such a keen eye, so tell me when I'll win an Oscar for Best Actor?"

Nicholson blurted out:

"It's still a long way off, let's wait another ten or eight years!"

"Maybe this time there's a chance."

Du Sheng put away his jokes and became serious:
"Didn't you see the news?"
Harvey Weinstein was exposed for sexual assault by The Century. Although he hasn't been jailed yet, it will definitely make his life in the entertainment industry more difficult in the future.

He's exhausted all his resources for Olympic qualification. If you act quickly, you might be able to snatch a spot.

Nicholson nodded:
"Now that you mention it, there's some truth to it."

Harvey used to dominate awards season, but now that he's fallen, it's definitely an opportunity.

Who will be the next Oscar winner for Best Actor?

Du Sheng uses "A Flash of Inspiration" to revisit the past, but the memories remain hazy.

However, in recent years, Harvey has used public relations to create a mess at the Oscars.

Now that he's fallen from grace, all the films and actors he previously promoted are now uncertain, which has indeed created a gap in his schedule.

Leonardo's eyes lit up:

"I think my performance in the new film was pretty good, right? The reviews and box office results were also decent."

Besides, I've been aiming for the Olympics for nine years, shouldn't those old men give me a chance?

Nicholson poured cold water on the idea:
"Oscar's thoughts are harder to guess than a woman's."

"Isn't it?"

Du Sheng first agreed, then started rambling:
"The Oscar contenders in recent years have all been films about same-sex relationships or LGBT issues."

These days, relying solely on acting skills and normal publicity, winning a Best Actor award is harder than climbing to heaven.

Besides, you were too arrogant back then and offended a lot of judges. Now you need to show some sincerity and prove that you've reformed!

Leonardo frowned:

"Haven't I been low-key enough all these years? What more do you want?"

Du Sheng, with a serious expression, offered a terrible idea:

"I have a plan, just follow it and you'll be a shoo-in for Best Actor next year!"

Leonardo knew perfectly well that Du Sheng was probably bluffing, but after all these years of trying to win an Oscar, he hadn't even received a nomination.

On the other hand, Du Sheng had already won two Oscars, and he had been holding back his anger for a long time. He couldn't help but ask:
"Tell me."

Du Sheng looked him up and down:
"Do you want the judges to believe you've come to your senses and changed your ways?"
simple.

Get married before awards season!

Immediately change your image and prove that you're no longer that unruly brat.

Hearing Du Sheng's confident assertion, Nicholson immediately joined in the commotion:

"Yes! Those old men at the academy all like mature and steady people."

"Leo, think about it, those guys running for governor or prefect, don't they all post pictures of their wives and kids every day just to garner votes?"

Leonardo DiCaprio thought of the examples of Guan Canghai and Hillary Clinton, and nodded:
"It seems that's really the case."

Du Sheng seized the opportunity to increase the intensity:
"It's a worthwhile deal to get an Oscar for Best Actor!"

Nicholson went even further, directly pushing sales:

"I have one right here!"

My adopted daughter is a big-butt, dark-skinned girl. Just give me the nod, and we can get married anytime!

Leonardo then realized what was happening and burst into laughter, slapping the table.
"You two really are scoundrels, trying to trick me into going to my grave?"
"No way!"

"Hey, you're wrong about that."

Du Sheng adopted a "I'm doing this for your own good" expression:

"We're helping you get rid of the 'Oscar poor' label. Otherwise, if people ask which member of the 'Handsome Duo' hasn't won an award, you won't be ashamed, but we'll be embarrassed for you!"

Nicholson finishes off:

"You're supposed to be an international superstar, but you're definitely not worthy of your position."

"Unworthy of his position? Hah!"

Leonardo almost got caught up in it, and sneered:

"Old Jack, you've won four Best Actor awards in your life, and you're still almost bankrupt and a bachelor your whole life!"

Du Sheng, a typical womanizer, also steals other people's girlfriends. So what if he has two Oscars...

"Stop! This is a distortion of the facts!"

Du Sheng immediately called for a stop, saying:

"I can accept the rest, but the 'poaching' accusation is pure fabrication!"

When did I ever do that?

Nicholson immediately switched sides:

"Have the guts to do it but not the guts to admit it?"
Do you think we're all blind?

Du Sheng was too lazy to argue, so he simply raised his middle finger to express his highest respect.

After finishing her promotional tour in Europe and attending Leonardo DiCaprio's private "Russian girl party," she felt completely refreshed.

The film crew finally headed home.

Leonardo and Nicholson, who were just there for the fun of it, are still lingering in Europe.

That night at the party, Du Sheng dominated with his 'tough and domineering' attitude, making them look like they weren't even as good as 'quick shooters'. Judging from his posture, he clearly wanted to regain some face before leaving.

...(End of this chapter)