Hollywood Director 1992.

Chapter 94 TV Interview
"Link, welcome back to the 'Billy Watches Movies' show. Did you know that you are the first filmmaker to participate in the show twice in a year since its inception?"

In the TNT TV program recording hall, host Billy Crystal laughed.

"So I accidentally broke another record?"

"Haha, yes. Since your debut, you have broken many records in film history, including the highest box office revenue ratio in film history, the highest box office record with the lowest cost, the youngest billion-dollar box office director, the highest box office record in the past five years, the highest horror movie box office record, the highest advance screening box office record, the most consecutive weekly box office champions, the most box office declines, etc. This is amazing."

clap clap clap!
The audience below the stage applauded and cheered.

Link waved his thanks.

“Link, after the release of Paranormal Activity, it broke many box office records, many of which were set by your previous film, Buried.

Some media commented that you are an expert in this field, you understand the market and the audience very well, and are good at making movies that the audience likes. Some media also believe that you are a lucky director, and the big sales of "Buried" and "Paranormal Activity" are all due to luck.

Regarding these two evaluations, do you think that after the big sales of Buried and Paranormal Activity, it was more about technical things or luck? "

Billy Crystal asked.

"It must be luck."

"Oh?"

Billy Crystal was visibly stunned. “I thought your answer would be half luck and half skill.”

"You asked which factor is more important in making a movie a hit, and my answer is luck."

Link gestured and said, “In Hollywood, there is a fact we have to acknowledge.

When filming a movie, technology plays a dominant role, and a director without technology cannot make a good movie.

But after the movie is released, luck plays a bigger role, and lucky movies become box office dark horses, such as "Paranormal Activity".

Unlucky movies have suffered setbacks after their release, such as "Dances with Wolves".

This movie is very good and it had a good release date in November of the previous year, but no one expected it to encounter two dark horses, "Home Alone" and "The Addams Family".

These two films were not expensive to make, and their technical or artistic quality was far inferior to "Dances with Wolves", but they were well received by the audience after their release and created amazing box office results.

If it weren't for these two movies, "Dances with Wolves" would have a great chance of becoming the annual box office champion.

This also shows that luck is extremely important after a movie is released.

When Paranormal Activity was released, the summer movie season was about to end.

Commercial blockbusters such as "Batman Returns" were coming to the end of their release period, and there were no blockbusters like "Home Alone" and "The Addams Family" released at the same time, so "Paranormal Activity" accidentally became a blockbuster.

It’s hard not to attribute this to luck.”

Link talked freely in front of the camera.

"This guy is really cunning."

Sophia said while watching TV on the sofa.

"why would you say so?"

Milla Jovovich asked.

"Billy Crystal asked him whether the success of the film depended on skill or luck. No matter whether he answered luck or skill, he would be criticized by his peers afterwards. But when he answered, he avoided the main point and told everyone that all the hit movies had luck, including Paranormal Activity. This was equivalent to saying nothing."

Sophia complained.

"Isn't this how you should deal with the media? My agent said that when answering reporters' questions, you can say the right nonsense, but you can't say the wrong truth. Saying the wrong thing is a big problem."

"I know, but Link is only 20 years old. He acted so cunning during the interview. He doesn't look like a 20-year-old at all."

Sophia snorted.

Milla Jovovich stared at her face and smiled, "Sophia, you've mentioned Link a lot recently and paid attention to his updates. Do you like him?"

"Don't talk nonsense. I admire his talent, not him as a person."

Sofia hugged Mira and stopped her from talking.

On TV, Billy Crystal continued to ask, "Link, we know that Paranormal Activity is your second movie, and it is also your second hit movie. Two movies sold well in a row. If it is luck, is your luck too good?"

"It seems so. After Buried became a big hit, many people said it was luck, that I was a lucky director, that my first movie was a big hit, but the next one would definitely fail. So before filming Paranormal Activity, I was prepared to lose money. But after the movie was released, the box office performance continued to rise, and the performance was better than Buried.

It was then that I realized that the goddess of luck seemed to still be on my side. "

Link joked.

"Damn it, this bastard is showing off again. Isn't it just a movie that grossed over 100 million yuan? What's so great about that? There are seven or eight movies that gross over 100 million yuan every year. What's the big deal about just one?"

In front of the TV, Robert Downey Jr. drank whiskey and cursed drunkenly.

"Link is too arrogant. I really hope he suffers a big loss in his next movie."

“It’s better to go bankrupt.”

"Haha, that's right."

Kiefer Sutherland's face was red from drinking, and he clinked glasses with Robert Downey Jr. with a bottle of wine.

Julia Roberts saw the two of them, shook her head, got up and left Kiefer Sutherland's apartment.

On TV, Billy Crystal continued to ask: "Link, you said that the success of Paranormal Activity was due to luck, but some people don't think so. Some people think that the success of this movie is due to technology."

"Really? I've read a lot of articles criticizing me in the newspapers these days, but some people also admit that I'm a good filmmaker?"

Link asked with interest.

"Yes!"

Billy Crystal looked at the information and said, "Aaron Kutcher of The Hollywood Reporter wrote in the latest film issue that we all underestimated Link and that the huge success of Paranormal Activity is definitely the perfect combination of film shooting technology and film marketing technology.

Mr. Aaron Kutcher said that you are a very bold, smart and creative new director. In the movie "Paranormal Activity", you have thought about and explored new types of movies and it contains many new elements, which is also the reason for the success of "Paranormal Activity".

Other directors cannot make this kind of movie because they have been influenced by Hollywood for too long, have long accepted the fixed pattern of Hollywood movies, and have long lost their creativity and courage to innovate.

Aaron Kutcher believes that veteran directors should learn from you, learn to innovate and try boldly. "

Billy Crystal said.

“This review is profound.”

Link smiled slightly.

"Don't worry. Aaron Kutcher also commented on your film marketing techniques. In his article, he mentioned that before and after the release of Paranormal Activity, Guess What Pictures invested tens of millions of dollars in publicity, which was a very bold move.

Equally bold was the way you promoted the film, including arranging numerous paranormal news reports before the film was released, creating the illusion that the 'ghosts' were real.

"Wait, Billy, this isn't an illusion, this is reality, because you can't prove ghosts don't exist."

Link said.

“Okay, let’s not discuss whether ghosts exist, let’s talk about Aaron Couch’s comments.

Mr. Aaron Kutcher said that after the movie was released, Guess What Pictures continued to promote the movie vigorously, and used the case in Murrieta and several accidental deaths of moviegoers to market the movie, so that "Paranormal Activity" always maintained extremely high popularity during its release.

He believes that this is the key to the success of Paranormal Activity. Without these marketing strategies, it would be difficult for Paranormal Activity to break 100 million yuan at the box office. Do you agree with this statement? "

Billy Crystal asked.

When Billy Crystal asked this question, many viewers in front of the TV perked up to see how Link would answer.

Because there is a pitfall in this question.

In the past few days, many people have criticized Link for marketing the movie in an improper way and profiting from the misfortune of others.

If Link agrees with Aaron Kutcher's statement, it would be tantamount to publicly admitting to marketing the movie in this way.

Afterwards, you will inevitably be criticized by the media.

If Link denies it, it will be difficult for him to deny it if the media determines that these things are related to Link.

Link was in a dilemma.

(End of this chapter)