America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 113. The Word "La" Reigns Supreme

Thursday arrived in the blink of an eye, and everything was proceeding smoothly.

The only thing that bothered Eric was that there were still MJ haters leaving abusive comments on MGM's official website.

Moreover, many classic films produced by MGM have recently been maliciously flooded with negative reviews, such as "Gone with the Wind," "Ben-Hur," and "Tom and Jerry."

Some local television stations received letters of boycott when they broadcast these films.

Unfortunately, these ignorant guys don't understand the situation, because most of the boycotted films no longer belong to MGM, but are now under Warner Bros., which is both laughable and frustrating.

Casting for the low-budget thriller "Don't Breathe" is complete. The British trio all auditioned for two of the three male thieves.

These two roles are actually not particularly special, and most young male actors could have played them well.

There's absolutely no need to cast the same actors as in the original movie. If the casting doesn't fit the character, then just change the character design.

This kind of character is neither like Hannibal Lecter, a high-IQ criminal, nor like the T-800, a powerful robot. It is a character that does not give the audience any psychological hints and is not irreplaceable.

Finally, Tom Hardy, with his slightly roguish and scoundrel-like demeanor, successfully auditioned for the role of Alex, the simp among the three thieves.

Michael Fassbender successfully auditioned for the somewhat reckless Mino, who was also the first one to fail.

The female thief Loki was captured by Evangeline Lilly. At this time, she was not as famous as she would be in later years. She was still more than ten years away from playing the Marvel superheroine Wasp. At present, she was just a small role for the beginning of her career.

I only started working on the small screen last year, and I've only played minor roles on the big screen. However, I did get a role in a very famous movie, "Freddy vs. Jason," where I played a character named Karami who was killed by Jason.

Landing the lead role in "Don't Breathe" will keep her excited for a long time.

All three have signed contracts with MGM for four films.

Signing the contract is equivalent to being tied to MGM, and for the three who are currently minor characters, having roles to play is actually a good thing.

The most important role in "Don't Breathe," and the true male lead, the blind veteran, was played by Dolph Lundgren.

Saying he "won" the role is a bit inaccurate. In fact, the production team sent Lundgren the script and an audition invitation, and the veteran tough guy ultimately accepted the role.

His salary was also the highest in the entire series at $180 million, while Fassbender and Tom Hardy both received $7, and Evangeline Lilly received even less, only $2.

Some might think it's beneath Dolph Lundgren, a veteran action star, to take on such a low-budget horror film.

This shows a failure to grasp the market situation. The era of tough-guy action films like those starring Dolph Lundgren is over; the golden age was in the 1980s and 90s.

Lundgren is currently 46 years old, and the films he takes on can't even make it to the big screen; they're either TV movies or go straight to DVD.

Of those tough guys from back then, only a handful, such as Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone, are still able to play leading roles and star in blockbusters.

My lord, times have changed!

As for the film's director, there were quite a few candidates early on, with more than a dozen people applying, all of whom were new directors.

The producer also sent invitations to several established directors who specialize in thrillers, but they didn't respond after seeing the investment amount.

It's not even enough to cover the $1000 million production cost; you can't even scrape by with that little money.

As for profit sharing, that requires someone to believe that this movie will become the next "The Blair Witch Project" or "Saw".

It's not worth it compared to the time cost.

The final director chosen is Tim Miller, who just released his first short film last year.

Although he hasn't fully matured yet, he will become the director and producer of excellent works such as "Deadpool" and "Love, Death & Robots" in the future.

At MGM Studios, the crew of "Blue Is the Warmest Color" is filming today the scene where Emma and Adele first meet on the street.

Their fleeting glance is considered one of the classic moments in the lesbian world, enough to secure their place in film history.

This shot is important, but it's not long. Closing the road to film it would be a waste, so we simply rented a set from Universal Studios.

While MGM has studios, it doesn't have a filming base the size of a movie studio.

Andrea clapped her hands as she looked around, inquiring about the preparations of each group. After a few days of getting used to each other, she had adapted to Eric's pace.

One half-day of filming was directly handed over to her by Eric for direction; he took a phone call, gave a few instructions, and then left.

This was the first time Andrea had ever seen a director like this; it was truly an eye-opener.

This was also her first time directing a feature film, which made her feel both nervous and excited.

After filming the scenes meticulously according to the script, Eric thankfully gave her a positive response and praised her for adding some details based on her initiative.

Andrea Arnold, who was already in her early forties, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although she was twice the age of Eric, the difference in their status and her experience in the entertainment industry made this woman with little background always cautious.

After that successful shoot, she finally relaxed and became more adept at her work on set.

"James, what have you been up to lately? I haven't heard from you," Eric asked.

James McAvoy pointed east: "Director, I went back to England after I finished filming my scenes in Transformers. Patty was in charge of the filming at that time, and you weren't there, so I didn't bother you."

"After we went back, we rehearsed a play, but unfortunately, we performed it three times in the small theater, but not many people watched it."

As Zhan Yimei spoke, she lowered her head with some shame.

"It's okay. Theater is the best way to hone your acting skills. The result may not be good, but at least it's the right step," Eric comforted her.

"Yes, that's what I think too, Director. Does MGM have any new movies coming out recently? Are there any roles that would suit me?"

"Actually, I don't necessarily have to act in movies. I can also act in TV series. The Walking Dead is very popular. I watched every single episode."

McAvoy looked at Eric with some hope. He had already heard from Tom Hardy that Eric and Fassbender had both signed contracts with MGM, so at least for the time being, they wouldn't have to worry about getting roles and would have exposure.

Unfortunately, she didn't get the role in the audition, and after her cameo in "Blue Is the Warmest Color," she had to go back to England.

Perhaps after Transformers is released at the end of the year, some film crews will approach him for roles, but what about the six months in between? Does he really have to spend all his time at school and with the temporary drama troupe?

James Yi-mei knew she might only have two or three days left, and whether she could have more opportunities depended entirely on the handsome young man in front of her.

Eric thought for a moment, but no suitable role for McAvoy came to mind.

The male lead for "Happy Death Day" is alright, but he's already been snatched up by Benjamin McKinsey, and the contract is signed.

"Sorry, James, I can't think of a suitable role for you at the moment."

McAvoy was somewhat disappointed: "There aren't many directors. This is Hollywood, with so many film crews starting work every day. I can always find something suitable. Even if there isn't, I can go back to England and act in plays."

Eric patted him on the shoulder: "If there's a suitable role, I'll save it for you."

"Thank you, director."

Neill Blomkamp walked over: "Director, we can begin."

James McAvoy discreetly left and returned to his small stool.

"Scene 9 of *Blue Is the Warmest Color*, action!"

The once still square suddenly came to life, cars began to drive by one by one, and the extras really talked and walked like ordinary passersby.

At this time, Adele was in the early stages of realizing her sexual orientation, but she was tricked by a female friend who toyed with her feelings.

She felt extremely empty inside, and her expression was dazed as she walked down the street.

The cameraman's lens followed Ashley as she walked out of the revolving door, carrying a typical shoulder bag, and quickly walked away into the distance.

The close-up shot first showed footsteps, the hurried pace revealing Adele's impatience and haste.

The camera then panned up to her face, where she began looking around impatiently.

"Cut! Ashley, your gaze is off. Distract yourself. I need a confused and helpless look. Yours is too sharp."

Ashley gave an OK sign, and the camera reshot.

On the monitor, Ashley's eyes were much more unfocused this time, as if she had just woken up and looked confused.

"Cut! That's too much. You're just confused, not woken up in the middle of the night. You look too silly right now. Also, furrow your brow slightly. I need you to show a hint of distress between your brows."

When they reshot the scene, Ashley's expression changed again, but she used too much force and looked too distressed.

"Cut! This one's okay, but try to tone down the expression a bit more. Also, what's wrong with the makeup? The hair's too smooth, make it a little messy."

"Mary, your hair needs some tidying up too. I need it to be more organized."

"Disorganization versus tidiness—that's the contrast between your lifestyles, understand?"

The makeup team rushed over with four people and fiddled with the two people's hairstyles for a few minutes, perfecting the detail.

Art films are just that difficult, completely different from commercial films. If it were Transformers, Eric wouldn't care about such trivial matters.

Finally, after countless takes and repetitions, Ashley filmed a walking scene 19 times before Eric finally let her pass.

"Okay, take a five-minute break."

Instantly, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Ashley rubbed her face: "This guy seems unusually serious today; my facial muscles are almost cramping."

"Was your acting too bad? We just had a professional tutor teach us these things not long ago," Mary teased with a laugh.

Ashley glared at her sister: "Really? Well, I'll have to see how you do next."

Just then, Judy appeared out of nowhere: "Ashley, are your facial muscles a little sore? Let me help you relax. I've studied professional massage techniques."

Ashley quickly took a step back: "No need, I can do it myself."

She had learned about Judy's hobbies from the staff and finally understood why the other woman always looked at her with strange eyes.

"It's okay, let me help you."

As Judy spoke, she pressed her hand against the other person's cheek and gently rubbed it with both hands.

"Am I right? I'm a professional. I used to work in a gym, and this is my main business."

Ashley squinted her eyes. It really did feel quite comfortable. It seemed like a good idea to have the other person help her relax.

"Hmm."

The five minutes ended quickly, and filming resumed.

"Scene 10 of *Blue Is the Warmest Color*, action!"

As Ashley walked to the edge of the road, a blue-haired girl across the street caught her attention because the girl was embracing another girl without any restraint, and the position of their hands and their expressions clearly indicated that they were lovers.

The camera zoomed in, and Mary first whispered a few words to the extras, then looked up and gave a bright smile.

"Great, that's the smile I wanted. One more take, this time make it even brighter."

The second time, Mary laughed even more freely and relaxed. Her short blue hair and blue coat accentuated her sunny and confident smile.

The camera panned to Ashley, who showed a slightly surprised expression, as if wondering why the other person dared to be so bold as to display their sexual orientation in public.

"Good job, that's a good take, next shot!"

Mary was secretly pleased with herself for finishing in just two takes.

"It's nothing, Ashley actually filmed it 19 times, it's tiring to watch."

What followed was a classic moment of the two looking back as they passed each other, with multiple cameras surrounding them.

The props team activated the green light, and the two walked towards each other. However, after only a few steps, before they could even turn around, Eric called them to stop.

"Mary, your expression and movements are key in this scene. Don't just walk; give me a gesture like flipping your hair."

The second time, Mary did as instructed, brushing her hair behind her ear as she walked, revealing her smooth, pointed chin.

"Cut! No, no, there's something wrong with your face."

He was stopped again before he could even turn around.

Mary looked at Eric with some confusion: "Director, what's the problem?"

Eric stared at the monitor for a while and then said, "Change the earrings. You're the one in control in this relationship. These earrings are too gentle. Get her something sharper."

The props team rushed forward and, with the help of Eric, Andrea, and others, changed the earrings to a new one.

Is such a shot important? Actually, it's unnecessary to be so critical in an art film.

For example, Eric's requirements for scenes involving eating and school were not as high as they are today.

The main reason is that this scene is so representative that even he himself would feel guilty if he didn't nitpick. The details are just right.

Of course, he wouldn't be as crazy as Wes Anderson; "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is truly torturous.

Mary put on her new earrings, and the shoot resumed.

This time, we finally captured the moment she looked back, but unsurprisingly, we were stopped again.

"Mary, your eyes lack allure. You've already discovered that Adele is just like you."

"Mary, put your hands in your pockets, be cool."

"Mary, take your hands out of your pockets and be more stylish."

"Mary, look back a little longer, you're moving too fast!"

"Mary, what about your expression? Give me a slight curve to the corners of your mouth, but not too big, I want a smile."

"Mary, are you looking at her like you want to devour her? Be weak."

"Mary."

"Mary."

"Mary."

When the scene was being filmed for the 25th time, Andrea reminded everyone, "Director, let's take a break and let everyone get back into character."

Eric watched the monitor screen. Mary's cheeks were starting to twitch involuntarily, and he knew she was almost at her limit.

"Ten-minute break!"

Thank you to Lao Ma for the 500-coin donation, Luciferhx for the 100-coin donation, and Liangzaiwoliang for the 300-coin donation. The boss is very generous, thank you to all the readers!

Tomorrow, we'll see the plot that everyone loves to watch.

(End of this chapter)