America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 72, Section 73: People from the Other Side

In the Nevada desert, Ryan Reynolds led a group of handsome supporting actors, panting heavily as they walked ahead, followed by dozens of American soldiers, all of them looking like they had just escaped death.

These soldiers were all handpicked by Eric. The young men were very enthusiastic about acting, and their emotions and expressions were quite convincing, making them suitable for the camera.

Not far away, there were houses and earthen walls temporarily erected by the props team, which looked like people lived there, with dozens of Arab extras creating the appearance of daily life.

These people were all recruited by the union, and they have to spend real money on them every day.

Unlike the original, Eric doesn't plan to actually go to Qatar to film. He doesn't have the time. Going abroad requires paperwork, and coordinating with the local government also requires paperwork.

The US is still stirring up trouble in the Middle East. If they encounter extremists, they'll have nowhere to turn for help. It's safer to stay in China.

"Transformers, Scene 15, Action!"

As Eric's voice faded, Ryan Reynolds and the others walked away dejectedly for a while.

"Look, there are people up ahead, we need to make a phone call!" Tom Hardy said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

After walking a few steps, the group suddenly stopped.

"Do you feel the ground shaking?" Ryan Reynolds asked with a grave expression.

Instantly, Michael Fassbender's expression changed drastically, and he pointed to a blank area, shouting, "Watch out!"

The group of people scattered hastily, as if they had been attacked by some monster.

"That's good! Everyone's in great form, get ready for the next game!" Eric shouted, giving an OK sign.

Assistant director Neill Blomkamp quickly jogged over to explain the next scene to the soldiers.

"Don't worry, Director, we treat them as a hypothetical enemy; we have training programs for that!"

"Yes, only the target has become imagined. We'll just perform tactical maneuvers as usual, right?"

Neill Blomkamp gave a thumbs up, saying that professional soldiers are indeed different; apart from needing guidance on expressions and movements, they completely outclass actors in every other aspect.

He nodded at Eric.

"Transformers, Scene 16, Action!"

After arguing with John Adams on the first day, Eric threw 20 dollars at him that very night, and with money paving the way, everything went smoothly.

They were immediately divided into two groups, with Eric leading one group and Patty Jenkins leading the other.

Thanks to Eric's incredibly detailed storyboards and the extensive annotations he put into the script, Patty Jenkins only needed to mechanically follow orders.

Don't try to be innovative, don't try fancy tricks, and don't design shots just to highlight your artistic sense; that's a waste of time.

We're a commercial blockbuster; audiences buy tickets to see Transformers, not these actors.

So, except for close-up shots of intense emotional outbursts, the actors' performances are generally acceptable as long as they are passable.

This is Eric's absolute advantage: there aren't many wasted shots. After filming, it only takes a short time to edit and splice them together to produce a rough cut.

Looking at the whole world, which director can do this? No one but him.

However, while the filming speed is guaranteed, it is not without its drawbacks. For example, when it is necessary to edit out some behind-the-scenes footage, it may run out of material.

Under this filming method, the progress was surprisingly fast. In just seven days, the scenes of the dizzying destruction of the military base and the desert battle with scorpions were completed.

That evening, looking at the footage that had been shot that day, Eric nodded.

"Most of them are fine, but this extra's expression wasn't surprised or shocked enough."

"Do we need to reshoot tomorrow?" Patty Jenkins asked.

Eric thought about it and decided to give up: "Forget it, it's just a minor role, let's move on."

Patty Jenkins curled her lip. The director who made "Monster" must have some obsessive-compulsive disorder. Although she knew she was just an assistant director, she couldn't help but suggest, "Isn't it a bit too hasty to go through it like this? I think it would be better to do some reshoots."

Eric glanced at her: "Patty, don't judge a commercial film with the eyes of an art film. This movie is scheduled for release in November, and I only have nine months to make it right."

"If we reshoot, we need to rebuild the set, get the actors back into character, and restart the equipment. It could take up a whole day, but I don't have that much time."

"You have to understand, he's just a minor character with two lines. Some viewers might feel that the emotions aren't quite there when watching the movie, but they'll quickly be drawn to the Autobots and Decepticons."

"When adrenaline surges, nobody cares about these details."

"But I'm worried about film critics," Patty Jenkins said hesitantly.

"Film critics? Who do they think they are? Do you expect me to win Best Director and Best Picture at the Oscars for Transformers? It only has one goal: box office, box office, and more box office!"

"All you have to do is film the script and complete the tasks I assign. Don't worry, I'm the director. If film critics want to criticize, they'll criticize me. I understand your concerns; it won't affect you, much less 'Monster'!"

After being bombarded with criticism, Patty Jenkins shrugged and conceded, "Fine, you're the boss, you call the shots."

Eric then looked at his assistant: "Neil, how many scenes are left?"

Neill Blomkamp checked the filming schedule: "There's one last scene left, the one where the tank is blown away by the dizziness."

"Okay, this is the most difficult shot. Let's try to finish filming it tomorrow and then leave this desert."

Neal Blomkamp chuckled. "I've been meaning to say this for a while now. This place is like a giant cage. There are no bars, nightclubs, supermarkets, restaurants, nothing at all."

"Don't worry, after we leave here we'll go back to Somano, California, and you can relax after get off work."

bell.

As they were talking, Eric's phone rang. It was Judy calling. He hadn't contacted her for two weeks since he went to the Sundance Film Festival.

But Judy has a keen eye; every time she approaches me, she brings something good. The first time it was James Wan's "Saw," the second time it was Patty Jenkins and "Monster," and I wonder what it will be this time.

Opening blind boxes feels so good!

"Hi, Judy, what's up?"

"Eric, I've come across an interesting project, so I thought I'd share it with you."

"Another script?"

"Not entirely. There are people in Hollywood trying to secure investment, Chinese people. You often say that the Chinese film market has huge potential, so I met with them."

"A Chinese person? Going to Hollywood to solicit investment? Which company? What's its name?"

"Stephen Chow, the star of Hong Kong's entertainment industry!"

Thank you to Lao Ma and Luciferhx for the 100-coin reward. Thank you, boss.

(End of this chapter)