Hollywood Director 1992.

Chapter 464 Buying an Island and Becoming its Owner

"Scene 128, 3 shots, begin!"

On the set of "The Truman Show," Link and his crew continued filming.

On Paradise Island, after meeting his father, Truman discovers the flaws in the world around him and prepares to find a way to leave.

To stop him from overthinking, the producers of "The Truman Show" arranged for Truman's father to be brought back to life and return home, claiming that he had been rescued from drowning and then lost his memory.

Producer Christopher initially thought he could use this method to keep Truman, but it didn't work. Truman took advantage of the camera's position and put a doll under the covers while sleeping in the basement to avoid being monitored by the crew. He then sneaked out of the villa through a pre-dug tunnel.

After discovering Truman's disappearance, the production team arranged for people to search for him everywhere, and finally found Truman on the sea preparing to leave by boat.

To prevent Truman from escaping, the production team used tools to create storms and lightning, hoping to discourage Truman from doing so.

Unfortunately, this tactic still didn't work.

After weathering the first storm, Truman shouted towards the end, "What other tricks do you have up your sleeve? You can only stop me by killing me!"

"cut!"

"Good, keep filming!"

Jim Carrey was completely immersed in the role when he performed this scene. His movements, expressions, and language were impeccable. Even if Link used the most demanding standards to measure it, he could not find any flaws.

This is one of the problems that directors need to face during filming.

Sometimes actors don't perform well and need guidance; various methods are used to help them get into character.

Sometimes, however, an actor's outstanding performance can also be a problem. When an actor goes beyond the character's established role and far exceeds the script's expectations, it requires the director's courage and aesthetic sense.

Mediocre directors will interrupt actors' performances, demanding that they act according to the script and not allow for improvisation, in order to avoid affecting the overall arrangement of the film or the performances of other characters. Sometimes, it is better for two actors to both perform mediocrely than for one actor to perform well and another to perform poorly.

Top directors have strong control over films and actors, allowing actors more freedom to improvise and giving them more opportunities.

This is also why actors all hope to work with top directors.

Working with top directors can showcase their acting talent, improve one's own acting skills, and also lead to awards.

Working with mediocre directors and crews prevents you from improvising and will only lead to a worse performance.

Link has directed more than ten films, gaining a wealth of experience, and no one can compare to him in terms of directing skills.

Therefore, Jim Carrey can perform freely in front of the camera.

Boom! !

After Truman issued his challenge, Christopher, the producer of "The Truman Show," was enraged and demanded that the crew increase the intensity of the storm, using strong winds to blow Truman into the sea and make him back down.

Despite the crew's attempts to dissuade him, Christopher insisted on doing so.

After he pressed the button, towering waves surged up on the sea and crashed towards Truman's small boat.

After being hit by several giant waves, Truman was blown into the sea and lost consciousness.

The storm attack arranged by the production team has ended.

Truman slowly wakes up on the ship, and in front of billions of viewers around the world, he raises the sails and continues onward.

"cut!"

After filming a scene, Link checked his watch. It was 8:40 p.m. Because the scene was being shot in a studio, the room was brightly lit by thousands of lights on the dome.

He noticed that Jim Carrey looked tired and asked him if he wanted to continue.

Jim Carrey wants to continue filming.

After a day's voyage, the small sailboat suddenly crashed into the 'sky'. Truman went to the bow of the ship and discovered that the sky was fake, a wall painted with blue sky and white clouds. He hit the wall hard, but he couldn't break it open.

Truman jumped off the boat and walked along the edge of the wall, where he saw steps leading upwards.

"Truman! You can speak now, I can hear you."

As Truman opens the exit door, producer Christopher shouts over the loudspeaker; his voice comes from the sky, like the voice of God.

Truman stared at the sky in shock.

"who are you?"

"I am the creator. I created a television program that has attracted worldwide attention."

"So who am I?"

Truman asked.

"You are a star on television."

"So everything was fake?"

"You're real, that's why so many people enjoy watching you."

Christopher said.

Truman nodded and turned to walk towards the exit.

"Wait, Truman!"

Christopher said, “The outside world is just as fake as the world I created for you, with the same lies and the same deceptions, but in the world I created, you don’t need to be afraid of anything. I know you better than you know yourself.”

“You can’t put a camera in my head,” Truman interrupted him.

“You’re scared, so you won’t leave,” Christopher continued. “Don’t be afraid, Truman. I know you. I’ve witnessed your entire life. I watched you being born, I watched you learning to walk, I watched you going to school, and I even watched you lose your first baby tooth. Truman, you can’t leave here. You belong here, with me. Say something, Truman. You’re on TV, being broadcast live to the whole world.”

Truman turned around at the exit, looked up at the sky, and said with a smile the words he said to his neighbor every morning, "If I never see you again, good morning, good afternoon, and good night!"

Truman bowed to the sky, then turned and walked through the entrance.

"cut!"

"Well done, Jim, that's a good take."

After shooting this set of scenes, the filming progress reached 90%, with only some fragmented indoor shots remaining. These shots were not difficult to shoot and could be completed in about two weeks.

During filming in Florida and Los Angeles, Link's phone unexpectedly received a call from Epstein, who claimed to be a fan of his and hoped to visit the set.

Link did not object.

When Epstein arrived, Link chatted with him, but because he was too busy with work, they didn't talk for long. He then handed over the task of entertaining Epstein to the assistant director.

When Epstein left, he warmly invited him to join his club, telling him that there were many acquaintances in the club, including Bill Gates, Prince Andrew, Clinton, and others.

Link declined, saying he was too busy with work and didn't have time for other activities. He also mentioned that he rarely attended the clubs he used to be in, and to avoid being impolite, he never joined any other clubs.

Epstein indicated that he knew inside information about the financial industry and could share it at the gathering.

Link said he was not interested in investing, and that the work at FlashGold Investment Company was mainly handled by the management, which he knew nothing about and that knowing too much would be useless.

Seeing his repeated refusals, Epstein's face turned very ugly, and he finally left with an awkward laugh.

After the other person left, Link didn't take it to heart and continued filming on set.

After more than three months of filming, The Truman Show wrapped up. Link returned to the company studio with the film tape and began editing the movie.

While editing the two films, post-production on "American Beauty" and "Armageddon" was completed, and Link received systematic evaluation and rewards.

His participation rate in "American Beauty" was 73.1%, the film's completion rate was 99.1%, and the film's market fit was 93%.
The rewards include a 2.8x box office bonus; a 20% increase in director experience; a 15% increase in director physical fitness; and a 16% increase in film quality.
"Armageddon" achieved a 65.3% participation rate, a 96.8% completion rate, and a 90% market fit.
The rewards include 2.5x box office bonus; 15% increase in director experience; 20% increase in director stamina; and 15% increase in film quality.
After gaining 35% more physical strength, Link's physical abilities underwent another qualitative leap, with all his test data exceeding the limit, approaching the level of almost Superman. Unfortunately, he was just a director and had no interest in saving the world. Otherwise, with his abilities, he could easily change the outcome of many wars and even alter the course of the human world.

However, after his physical fitness improved again, his girlfriends at home suffered.

Whether it's Monica, Brooke Shields, Sandra, Sophie Marceau, or other actresses at home, or Jennifer Aniston, Vivian Chow, Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Li Bingbing, Shizuka Kudo, or those around her like Liu Xiaoli, Monica Lewinsky, and Aishwarya Rai.

The cities have all become post-war cities, filled with smoke and littered with debris, requiring a long period of rest and recuperation to recover.

Because he was so active, 21 women, including Diana, Jodie Foster, Brooke Shields, Jennifer Connelly, Diane Lane, Nicole Kidman, Cindy Crawford, Gong Li, Vivian Chow, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, and Chen Hong, announced their good news one after another.

For safety and privacy reasons, Link spent $6 million to buy 98% of the land on Lanai Island, Hawaii, so that his girlfriends could have their pregnancies on the island.

Lanai is the sixth largest island in Hawaii, with a total area of ​​365.2 square kilometers. It boasts 18 beaches, five coral reef diving spots, a whale watching destination, as well as golf courses, horse riding ranches, and shooting ranges. It is conveniently located 60 miles from Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii.

Originally, the company belonged to the Dürr Company, the largest pineapple producer in the United States. In 1922, James Dole Smith, the owner of the Dürr Company, bought the island for $1.1 million and spent another $5 million to transform it into a pineapple plantation, build docks and roads, and dig water sources, eventually establishing the city of Lanai.

In the 1960s, Dürr was acquired by Castle & Cooke, a U.S. food company.

Due to climate and market reasons, the pineapple industry declined sharply. After Castle & Cooke found that growing pineapples was no longer profitable, it began to develop tourism and real estate on Lanai Island.

After more than 20 years of development, Lanai Island has gradually become a famous tourist destination in Hawaii.

However, due to mismanagement, Lanai Island did not bring much profit to Castle & Cooke, but instead became a burden to the company.

When Link was vacationing in Hawaii late last year, he heard that Castle & Cooke was thinking of selling the island, so he arranged for someone to negotiate with Castle & Cooke.

After multiple rounds of bidding, the Link Family Foundation paid $6 million to buy 99% of the land on Lanai Island from Castle & Cooke, with the remaining 1% belonging to the State of Hawaii.

After purchasing the island, Link plans to renovate it, separating the most scenic areas with artificial canals and building a super-luxury resort on the island, allowing only family members to enter.

This area is approximately 50 square kilometers.

Build luxury resorts in secondary scenic areas, open them to the public after completion, and rent them out to wealthy people for vacations.

This area is approximately 100 square kilometers.

The remaining 200-plus square kilometers will be used to build public tourist attractions, open to the public, increase the island's revenue, and also increase tax revenue for the state of Hawaii.

These investments are expected to cost approximately $30 billion and are projected to be completed within five years.

"This huge island now belongs to our family?"

Standing atop Lanai Ridge, over a thousand meters high, Monica gazed at the beautiful sandy beaches and forests at the foot of the mountain and asked happily.

"Yes, the property rights belong to us."

However, land tax, also known as property tax, is payable every year. Depending on the land use on the island, Lanai Island pays approximately five million US dollars in property tax annually. This is why the island's property prices are not high, but not many wealthy individuals are willing to invest in acquiring properties there.

"This place is so big. There must be many countries on Earth that are not as big as our island."

Liu Xiaoli said, her face flushed.

"There are probably twenty or thirty."

There are certainly many countries on Earth smaller than Lanai, including Vatican City, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu, and San Marino, but the exact number of links they could occupy has never been calculated.

"This is fantastic! From now on, I can ride horses whenever I want on the island, go diving whenever I want, and even run naked here without being photographed by paparazzi. It's amazing!"

Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron, and Kate Winslet excitedly shouted down the hill.

Link smiled and continued climbing the mountain with his girlfriends.

(End of this chapter)