Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

You figured it out in Chapter 90? (7th update)

Stepping out of the theater, the afternoon sun in Los Angeles was a bit too bright.

"What are your thoughts?" Jiang Yu asked the young man behind him.

Jing Tian spoke first: "I think—my understanding of acting used to be too superficial. I thought memorizing lines,

Just make the right expressions. Watching Yifei act today, I realized that acting is about emptying yourself out and then filling in the character. That process of emptying yourself must be very painful.

Zhu Yilong continued, "Another key element is focus. During the three hours of filming, everyone's attention was highly concentrated. This kind of work atmosphere is rare in domestic film crews. It's not that everyone is unprofessional, but rather—the level of focus is different."

"Because this is Hollywood." Jackie Chan put on sunglasses. "The competition here is too fierce. If you miss one opportunity, you may never have another. So everyone works very hard and dares not relax."

Gong Li added, "It's not entirely about competitive pressure; it's more about respect for professionalism. Filmmaking is a collective endeavor, and one person's lack of professionalism can affect the entire team. So everyone has a sense of contractual obligation; once you're paid, you have to do your best."

Ye Ning and Lu Zheng exchanged a glance, understanding from a business perspective: "This kind of professionalism is exactly what the Chinese film industry needs. It's not about connections or hype, it's about doing the job well in a down-to-earth way."

"And it's highly efficient," Lu Zheng said. "I saw their shooting schedule, accurate to the minute. They pay huge overtime fees for exceeding the allotted time, so no one dares to procrastinate. This industrialized process is something we should learn from."

The group got into the car and headed to Beverly Hills.

Cheng Long suggested having dinner at his villa that evening, to eat Chinese food.

Everyone was in favor. After spending a few days in Los Angeles, they were tired of Western food and missed the taste of Chinese food.

As the car headed towards Sunset Boulevard, Jiang Yu sent Liu Yifei a text message: "We're heading to Brother Cheng Long's house. What time do you expect to finish work? Do you want me to pick you up?"

A few minutes later, a reply came: "No need to pick me up, I'm driving. I should arrive around 6 o'clock. Send me the address."

Jiang Yu sent the address and then put away his phone.

Cheng Long's villa is located halfway up a hill in Beverly Hills. It is not particularly luxurious, but it has an excellent view.

The terrace overlooks the dazzling night view of Los Angeles, and the pool glows blue in the twilight.

In the evening, the chef was already busy in the kitchen.

An enticing aroma wafts out—the familiar taste of Cantonese cuisine.

"I specially hired a chef from San Francisco," Cheng Long said proudly. "He's a first-rate Cantonese cook. It's not easy to find authentic Chinese food in Los Angeles, so this chef only comes a few days a month to cook just for me."

Gong Li walked into the kitchen, took a look, and nodded: "It's really professional; the ingredients are all carefully selected."

Everyone, please rest in the living room first.

Cheng Long turned on the TV and tuned to a Chinese international channel, which happened to be broadcasting news about the press conference for "2012".

In the scene, Jackie Chan is demonstrating a kung fu stance, Gong Li nods slightly, and Jiang Yu shakes hands with Ron Meyer.

"Oh my, we're on CCTV!" Cheng Long laughed.

The news anchor's commentary was very positive: "This is the first time Chinese filmmakers have played leading roles in a Hollywood S-level production, marking the rise of the international status of the Chinese film industry —"

Watching the TV, Ye Ning sighed, "This level of publicity is something you can't buy with any amount of money."

"That's why we need to make it even better," Jiang Yu said. "If the movie flops, the more publicity we do now, the worse the backlash will be in the future."

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Jackie Chan's assistant went to open the door and returned with a somewhat subtle expression: "Brother, Miss Liu Yifei is here."

Everyone looked towards the doorway.

Liu Yifei walked in. She had removed her makeup, changed into a simple silver jacket and jeans, and tied her hair in a ponytail, looking like a college student.

"Sorry I'm late." She was carrying a paper bag. "I brought a cake, I don't know if it'll suit everyone's taste."

"You're here, why did you bring anything?" Cheng Long greeted him. "Come in quickly, it's almost time to eat."

Liu Yifei greeted everyone and walked over to Jiang Yu, where she naturally sat down on the single sofa next to him.

This small detail was noticed by several people.

Gong Li picked up her teacup, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Cheng Long raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

Jing Tian and Zhu Yilong exchanged a glance; young people are most sensitive to this kind of subtle atmosphere.

Dinner was prepared quickly.

The long dining table was filled with authentic Cantonese dishes: poached chicken, steamed grouper, roast goose, bok choy with oyster sauce, slow-cooked soup, and a chocolate cake brought by Liu Yifei as dessert.

"To be able to enjoy a meal like this in America is such a blessing!" Jackie Chan poured tea for everyone. "Let's celebrate the successful launch of '2012' with tea instead of wine, and also wish Yifei a successful filming of 'Black Swan'!"

Everyone raised their glasses.

The atmosphere became more relaxed after we started eating.

Since everyone is in the industry, the conversation naturally revolved around the sector.

"It took me a while to get used to Darren's working style," Liu Yifei said, recalling a funny incident during filming. "There was one scene where he made me try twenty different ways of crying. From silently shedding tears to wailing loudly, from laughing through tears to laughing and crying at the same time—by the end, I didn't even know how to cry anymore."

"That's how method directors are," Gong Li said. "They believe that emotions have countless layers, and you have to find the most accurate one. Although it's grueling, it helps actors grow."

Jackie Chan nodded: "In my early days working with Hong Kong directors, they would say, 'Jackie, you have to laugh here,' and I would laugh heartily. Later, when I worked with some art-house film directors, they would ask me, 'Why are you laughing? Is it a happy laugh? A bitter laugh? A cold laugh?' At first, I was confused, but later I understood the depth of acting."

"Do you have any scenes with that kind of depth in '2012'?" Liu Yifei asked.

"Yes," Jackie Chan said. "The character of Jackson has a lot of inner turmoil. Especially the scene where he thinks his family has died; the script only says three words: 'He cried.' But how should he cry? Should he break down and cry? Should he cry numbly? Should he cry while searching? I've been thinking about that for days."

Gong Li chimed in, "Kate is the same. She is both a mother and a scientist. When faced with disaster, her fears are twofold: fear for the safety of her family and fear for the destruction of civilization. How these two fears intertwine requires a very delicate understanding."

Jiang Yu listened and interjected at the right moment: "That's why Emmerich insists on two weeks of script readings. He wants the actors to work out these details before filming begins."

"Speaking of the reading aloud," Cheng Long looked at Jing Tian and Zhu Yilong, "are you two kids ready? The director might ask a lot of questions."

Jing Tian put down his chopsticks and said seriously, "I've been observing the interaction between fathers and daughters these past few days. My dad is a government official, and he's usually very serious, but on the day of my high school entrance exam, he waited outside the exam hall all day, and when I came out, I saw that his eyes were red. That kind of silent fatherly love—I want to use it in my performance."

Jiang Yu nodded in satisfaction.

Although these two young people were inexperienced, they were serious and their methods were correct.

Ye Ning and Lu Zheng also shared their observations.

"I spoke with Universal's distribution director yesterday," Ye Ning said. "Their biggest concern is how much box office revenue the Chinese market can contribute. I did some calculations with them: China's total box office in 2007 was 33 billion RMB, and this year it's projected to reach 45 billion RMB, a growth rate exceeding 35%. If this growth rate continues, by the time '2012' is released in 2010, the Chinese market could reach 8-10 billion RMB. Hollywood blockbusters typically capture 80-15% of the Chinese market share, which is 100-15 billion RMB, or 1.2-2.2 million USD."

He paused for a moment: "This is just a conservative estimate. If the film receives rave reviews, and with the added premiums from 3D and IMAX, the Chinese box office could reach $2 million. That's no small number for Hollywood."

Lu Zheng added, "Moreover, the growth potential of the Chinese market mainly lies in second- and third-tier cities. Wanda's cinema layout in these cities is perfectly positioned to capitalize on this growth. That's why Universal values ​​its cooperation with us so much."

Cheng Long listened with great interest: "I don't know much about these business matters, but they sound very impressive."

Gong Li, however, focused more on the creative aspects: "President Jiang, as a visual effects company, did Light Chaser Animation have any special considerations for participating in this project?"

This question touches on Jiang Yu's area of ​​expertise.

He put down his chopsticks and organized his thoughts: "We started out doing special effects, so we understand best the role of special effects in movies. Good special effects aren't about showing off technology, but about serving the story. '2012' needs a lot of disaster scenes, and if there are only scenes without emotion, the audience will quickly get tired of them."

He continued, "So we reached a consensus with director Emmerich that the special effects scenes must be closely integrated with the characters' emotions. For example, in the tsunami scene, it's not just about showing how high the waves are, but more importantly, showing the characters' fear, helplessness, and final will to survive in the face of the waves. The special effects must serve this emotional logic."

"Are there any technical challenges?" Liu Yifei asked.

"The challenge is immense," Jiang Yu frankly stated. "What we need to do is seamlessly combine live-action filming with CGI. Many scenes have to be shot in front of a green screen, and the actors have to imagine realistic disaster environments. This demands a high level of imagination from the actors and even higher technical skills from the special effects team. We must create an apocalypse that the audience can truly believe."

Jackie Chan lamented, "Movies these days rely more and more on technology. In the past, we did all the dangerous stunts for real. Now, many things can be done with special effects, which is safer, but it lacks that kind of real thrill."

"Special effects can also create scenes that are impossible to achieve in reality," Jiang Yu said. "Some disaster scenes in '2012' could not have been filmed live. For example, the collapse of an entire city and the movement of continental plates—these had to be done with special effects."

"The key is to make the special effects feel real, so that the audience feels that this could actually happen."

The conversation shifted from special effects to industry gossip, making the atmosphere more relaxed.

Jackie Chan shared some amusing anecdotes from his early days in Hollywood: "When I was filming the first 'Rush Hour' movie, my English wasn't very good. There was a scene with a long line, and I spent the whole night memorizing it, but I still messed it up the next day when we started filming. The director yelled 'Cut,' and I quickly apologized. He said it was okay, the version you messed up was funnier, so we'll use that one!"

Everyone laughed.

Gong Li also shared her experience at Cannes: "My first time at Cannes was in 1993, for the film 'Farewell My Concubine.' I was extremely nervous walking the red carpet, and my high heels even got stuck in the gaps. Leslie Cheung stopped to help me. There were many reporters taking pictures, and the next day, the French newspapers ran the headline 'The Gentlemanly Demeanor of the Oriental Prince.'"

She paused, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes: "Back then, Chinese films were rare on the international stage. We were very careful with every step we took, afraid of bringing shame to Chinese cinema. Things are different now. Chinese filmmakers can lead projects in Hollywood. Times have really changed."

These words evoked mixed feelings in everyone present.

Jing Tian whispered, "I think we're very lucky to have been born in such a good era."

"The responsibility is also heavier," Zhu Yilong said. "Our predecessors paved the way, and we must walk it well and not narrow it."

Dinner lasted until 10 p.m.

Cheng Long was in high spirits and opened another bottle of red wine. Everyone drank in moderation; the script reading was to begin tomorrow, and a clear head was needed.

At 10:30, everyone said goodbye one after another.

Cheng Long arranged for cars to take everyone back to the hotel.

When it was Liu Yifei's turn, she said, "I'm driving, I can go back by myself."

Jiang Yu stood up: "Let me take you to the parking lot."

The two walked out of the villa and strolled slowly along the garden path.

The nights in Beverly Hills are quiet, with only the chirping of cicadas and the faint sound of cars in the distance.

The streetlights cast a warm glow on the stone pavement, and the air was filled with the faint fragrance of night-blooming jasmine.

"Thank you for inviting me today," Liu Yifei said first. "It's been a long time since I've had such a relaxed meal and chat."

"Of course," Jiang Yu said. "You're working so hard filming, you need to relax."

After walking for a while, Liu Yifei suddenly asked, "Jiang Yu, why did you choose to work in special effects?"

The question came as a surprise, and Jiang Yu thought for a moment before answering: "Actually, it was quite accidental. I first saw Star Wars in the cinema when I was in high school and found the special effects particularly interesting. Later, I learned that visual miracles are created using code, and that sense of accomplishment is very special."

"Then why would you want to invest in making movies? Wouldn't it be better to run a special effects company?"

"Because I want to do bigger things," Jiang Yu said. "Special effects are just one part of the film industry. I want to participate in the entire process from concept to finished product, and I want to tell my own stories. Moreover—China needs its own film industry system; we can't always be working for others."

Liu Yifei turned her head to look at him, her profile clearly defined under the streetlight: "So you invested in '2012' not just to make money."

"Of course we need to make money; the company can't survive without it," Jiang Yu smiled. "Making money isn't the only goal. I want to prove that Chinese filmmakers can create global content and collaborate with Hollywood on an equal footing. It's difficult, but worth trying."

The two walked to the parking lot.

Liu Yifei's car is a silver Lexus, which suits her low-key personality.

"And what about you?" Jiang Yu countered, "Why did you take my role in 'Black Swan'? That kind of role might be considered a departure from my image in China."

Liu Yifei leaned against the car, thinking for a moment: "Because I don't want to be typecast. The label 'Fairy Sister' has followed me for many years, and while I'm grateful for it, it's also a kind of constraint. I want to prove that I can play complex roles and handle different types of characters."

She looked up at Jiang Yu: "Moreover, I want to leave my mark internationally. Not just a minor role, but a truly significant one. If 'Black Swan' is a success, the roles I get in the future will be completely different."

"Very visionary," Jiang Yu nodded.

The two remained silent for a while, as the cool night breeze blew by.

"Jiang Yu," Liu Yifei suddenly said, "what kind of role do you think I'd be suitable for?"

Jiang Yu looked at her, thinking seriously: "You have many possibilities. You can be a complex woman in an art film, or a leading lady in a commercial film. You have a quality that combines innocence and stubbornness, vulnerability and resilience. This contradiction is very dramatic."

Liu Yifei laughed: "Such high praise?"

"To be honest," Jiang Yu laughed, "so do your best in 'Black Swan,' this movie will make everyone see you in a new light."

Another silence fell, but this time it wasn't awkward; instead, there was a comfortable, tacit understanding.

Liu Yifei opened the car door, but then stopped.

She turned around and looked at Jiang Yu: "Thank you, Jiang Yu."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"A lot," Liu Yifei said. "Thank you for being the first to visit the set after the press conference, thank you for bringing me to tonight's party, and thank you for your continued support."

She spoke with great sincerity, her eyes sparkling in the night.

Jiang Yu's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm on the surface: "We are close friends, it's only right."

Close friends.

This word is both intimate and maintains a certain distance.

Liu Yifei nodded: "Then I'm off, take care on the road."

"The same to you."

The car started and slowly drove out of the parking lot.

Jiang Yu stood there, watching the taillights disappear around the bend.

He stood there for a long time until David called.

"Boss, where are you? The driver said he didn't pick you up."

"I'm in the parking lot, I'll be right back."

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Yu walked back.

When they returned to the villa, Cheng Long and Gong Li were still having tea in the living room.

"Did you send them off?" Cheng Long asked with a smile.

"Um."

Gong Li studied Jiang Meng's expression, smiled, and said nothing.

Cheng Long was quite direct: "Yi Fei is a good girl, earnest, hardworking, and not impetuous. In the cutthroat world of entertainment, it's not easy to maintain Yi Fei's mindset."

Jiang Meng didn't understand what he was implying, and simply nodded: "She is indeed very outstanding."

"Okay, as long as you know what I mean." Cheng Long said no more.

After saying goodbye, Jiang Meng returned home, washed up, and lay down on the bed.

My phone lit up; it was a text message from Liu Yifei: "Arrived home safely. Goodnight."

The brief words made Jiang Yu's lips unconsciously curl into a smile.

He replied, "Good night, you get some rest too."