America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 78. Gal Gadot is Bambi.

Santa Monica, a resort hotel.

Eric and Colossevini lay in bed, savoring the afterglow of their encounter.

"Is the movie promotion over?"

"Pretty much. There's not much to promote about art films. It was just released last week, and the response wasn't great, so I'm not counting on the box office. Anyway, I'm not an actor with box office appeal."

"No box office success? You can win awards. There's no time for the Oscars and Golden Bear this year, but Cannes and Venice are still worth looking forward to."

Eric offered a word of comfort, saying he wasn't the type to completely renege on their promises after the fact; after all, they were still in bed together.

"Haha. I know the quality of this movie; it has no chance at all. And for me, Cannes and Venice are important, but only winning an Oscar will truly excite me."

"Yes, I almost forgot, you've already been nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. You have higher aspirations."

Colossevini sighed: "But this last step may take decades, or even a lifetime. You need to find a good script, a good director, good actors, and a good crew."

"At the same time, we also need to hope that your opponents are not strong, and that the people on the organizing committee are not blind. In short, too many people can only look at that little golden man their whole lives."

"I don't have high hopes for the Best Actress award. Rather than hoping for that, I'd rather increase my box office appeal, which would at least allow me to earn more money."

"Haha, are you still short of money?"

"That depends on who you're comparing me to. Compared to waiters, I have plenty, but compared to you, I'm severely lacking. Besides, is there anyone who doesn't love money?"

Eric turned to the side and rubbed her hard with his large hands, really hard, because he knew this girl's preferences.

"Let's get down to business. I remember the movie for which you were nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars was 'Boys Don't Cry,' right?"

"Wrong! There's also a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress."

The woman gave the middle finger in protest.

"You just said these awards aren't important."

"Yes, but I've changed my mind, is that not allowed?"

"Sure, of course, humph!"

"F, you're hurting me!"

"Let's get down to business. I remember you played a same-sex lover in 'Boys Don't Cry,' and you also dressed as a woman in 'If Walls Could Talk,' right?"

Sevierni reached down and asked, "Yes, what's wrong?"

"I have a movie here, a lesbian-themed one, and I'd like you to play a role."

"Another lesbian film!" Colsevigni muttered to himself.

He then glared at Eric and asked, "You gave me a small role in Transformers, fine, I'll treat it as a cameo. But can this movie you're talking about win me an Oscar?"

Eric frankly stated, "Not necessarily. At most, I might get one nomination, or I might not even get a nomination. It depends on my opponents."

"So why should I act in this? Eric, I don't want people to think I can only act in lesbian films. I also want to get into mainstream movies, but you're pushing me out."

"Don't say that about Seville. This role won't take up much time; it's more like a cameo."

Suddenly, Eric felt a tightening sensation below, and the force was increasing.

"Okay, Seville, there aren't any suitable projects for you at MGM right now, but I promise you, you'll be the top choice if we do get one, okay?"

"Whether it's good or not depends on your skills!"

"You need to let me rest; I have to work tomorrow."

"That's your problem, I don't care!"

"Wait, I suddenly remembered a horror movie. If you dressed in a more innocent style, you could probably play the female lead."

Santa Rosa, the filming location for "Transformers".

Eric and Colossevini have both joined the group, but of course they can't appear in the same car, otherwise rumors will inevitably circulate.

You can drive the same car, but you can't drive the same car twice.

Today is Monday, and to avoid traffic congestion, MGM's vehicles arrived before the students arrived, and all preparations are now complete.

There's a story circulating in Hollywood about Santa Rosa High School.

When Dimension Films decided to film "Scream" at this school, they had already reached an agreement with the school and the film crew had arrived.

When filming was about to begin, the school suddenly said it couldn't be filmed because the movie contained horror elements that were harmful to the health of teenagers.

Unfortunately, the production team had to find a new school at the last minute, which caused a significant delay.

Who exactly was behind this remains a mystery, but director Wes Craven couldn't swallow his anger, so he gave a scathing critique at the end of the film.

As a result, Dimens Corporation issued a notice to the entire industry, stating that it would blacklist Santa Rosa High School.

Santa Rosa High School then realized the seriousness of the problem, knowing that Hollywood had brought the school a great deal of fame and money, so the school administration quickly backed down.

After what happened back then, the school learned its lesson. Who would turn down money?

After Eric arrived, the crew split into two again, with Eric and Patty Jenkins each leading one group.

Eric was directing the male and female leads, while Patty Jenkins was directing James McAvoy and Colisevini's side.

Transformers 35, Action!

As soon as the order to start filming was given, all the actors who had been standing still came to life; these were all extras.

"Sam, she's great, isn't she?" an extra nudged Chris Evans.

The young Captain America watched as the teenage Wonder Woman walked by in the distance, seemingly completely captivated by her presence.

"Yes, she is the best!"

card!

Eric yelled, "Chris, emotion! More emotion in your eyes! I need you to show that you're longing, understand?"

Chris Evans nodded: "Okay, director!"

"Let's try again!"

Filming resumed.

"Sam, she's great, isn't she?"

The camera zoomed in, and this time Chris Evans' eyes seemed to light up a little more: "Yes, she's the best!"

card!

Chris Evans quickly looked at Eric, mentally telling himself, "Chris, what's wrong with you today? You're best at this kind of acting. Relax, relax. All the movies you've made are like this."

Eric didn't mean to blame him. When filming, there's always a chance of making mistakes; even geniuses can't do it.

"Chris, your gaze was great just now, but it felt like something was missing. Next, I need you to smile and think about something sweet, not cheese, but your first love. Think about your first love."

"I understand, director, but please give me five minutes."

Why?

"There are too many, I need to think about it carefully."

The third take was noticeably better, and Eric nodded in satisfaction as he looked at the camera.

"Very good, pass!"

Before we knew it, the morning had passed in a flurry of activity during filming. After Eric arrived, the crew's pace more than doubled.

There were originally about two days' worth of filming left, but now most of it was done in one morning, and Patty Jenkins can film the rest.

"Neil, come here for a second!"

During the break, Eric called over Neill Blomkamp, ​​the assistant director.

"What is it, Director?"

"I'm planning to have you lead a team as well."

"What! Me? But... but I'm worried I won't do well. This is too sudden."

Neill Blomkamp was very surprised. Of course, he wanted to be a director, but only if he was capable enough.

If you want to wear the crown, you must bear the weight of it; otherwise, you'll be sitting on a fire and messing everything up, which will only ruin your future.

Eric gave him a speechless look: "What are you thinking? I asked you to take a team to Hoover Dam to shoot some location footage."

Upon hearing this, Blomkamp breathed a sigh of relief.

"Do you remember my request?"

"Yes, we must shoot according to the storyboard!"

"Yes, we can shoot other shots too, but we must not forget the storyboard I designed."

"Great director!"

The next day, the crew returned to Los Angeles. Today they were to film the highlight scene of "Transformers," the final battle in the city.

This scene was also the most difficult to film among all the scenes because it involved the issue of road closures.

Since a backdrop of skyscrapers was needed, a film studio was definitely not an option, and using special effects would only create more problems—even the Autobots couldn't keep up with that demand—so they had to film it practically.

Whether in Hollywood or China, filming on closed roads is always the most troublesome thing. In China, film crews have had many conflicts with the public because of this, which then made headlines and got them criticized.

In Hollywood, especially in Los Angeles, because it's a film capital, residents are more accepting of the city, but conflicts often arise.

There are many things to pay attention to during filming, such as not showing the names of shops if there are shops on both sides of the street.

It's not that we're talking about playing GG for free, but that would be copyright infringement, and the production team would have to pay the other party.

Therefore, the shops you usually see in movies are all based on contracts, and many of them have had their names changed using special effects.

After all, signing contracts with each company is troublesome, and verbal agreements are unreliable; you never know when a stranger might jump out and demand compensation.

The passersby you see in movies are actually extras. They usually don't hire real passersby, and even if they do, they won't show their faces.

It also involves infringement; if a passerby has nothing better to do, they can sue you.

Another classic newspaper issue: why use a specially produced prop newspaper for filming instead of buying one from the street? Isn't that copyright infringement?

That's how strict things are in Hollywood.

More than a month in advance, MGM applied for filming permission from the city of Los Angeles. Because they knew the city, the approval process was quick, and they had already issued a notice a week in advance to remind residents to take note.

So after the morning rush hour, traffic police came out to maintain order, cordoned off the area, and vehicles were prohibited from passing. This is the treatment you get at a big company.

You want traffic police assistance for a small company that doesn't pay much tax in a year?

Dream on! It's a miracle you even got approved.

Meanwhile, staff began visiting shops and residents on both sides of the street, delivering small gifts to everyone.

The gifts weren't expensive; they were all made by the props team themselves. But they showed sincerity, which made the residents feel comfortable and reduced the trouble they caused.

During this process, I also had to ask these people not to record or take photos to prevent spoilers, but it was basically useless.

If someone is secretly filming through the glass, you won't notice, and even if you do, you can't go to their door and steal it.

The wind can enter, the rain can enter, but the king cannot enter, but the tax office can enter.

Are you the tax bureau? Want to get shot?

With the cooperation of the residents, the area was cleared first.

Then the props team quickly set up the scene, with several trucks towing wrecked cars sponsored by General Motors parked on the side of the road. They were painted new and became good cars, and if they were wrecked, they were repaired, painted and reused.

The makeup crew was working against the clock to apply makeup to the actors; there were over 50 makeup artists for every hundred actors.

On the other side, the demolition team began installing explosives on the vehicle. These explosives were specially made; they looked quite loud, but the hazard area was small.

Including the busy staff of the entire production team, the number is close to 500, not including the actors. Small companies simply can't afford to play this game.

With the mechanized process in place, the preparation work took a full hour to complete.

Eric glanced at Patty Jenkins, who quickly surveyed the group and listened to their reports before giving an OK sign.

Picking up the megaphone, Eric shouted, "Transformers 127, Action!"

As he finished speaking, the cameraman carried his equipment to an alley. In front of the camera, Ryan Reynolds, Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, and Ben Foster leaned against the wall, their clothes and faces covered in dust.

Behind them followed a group of soldiers transferred from a nearby military base.

"They're here!"

Ryan Reynolds roared, and the cars on the road were violently pulled into the air by the crane, their bodies exploding as if they had been blasted away by some monster.

The crane truck reversed rapidly until more than a dozen vehicles were blown up and smashed, and the footage was transmitted to the monitor screen.

"OK, this one's approved!"

Cheers erupted on set. Reshooting such a large-scale scene would cost more time than money, even if the money was spent.

Patty Jenkins sat down next to Eric and pointed to a car: "Its landing position wasn't good enough, which narrowed the road. It might affect the filming of Gadot's scenes later."

"It's okay, we can use special effects to move the position in post-production. If such a small problem is discovered, consider it a reward for the observant fans."

"Hehe. That's quite a novel way of putting it."

"Patty, like I said before, time is our greatest enemy. Inform the equipment crew to move that car and prepare for the next round."

The next scene is Gal Gadot's car chase scene. She has to drive a pickup truck and perform various stunts. The purpose of this scene is to showcase the female lead's ability and perseverance, which is very important for character development.

Eric looked at Gadot in the distance, and as if sensing his gaze, Gadot nodded slightly.

Not far away, Colossevini, who had been watching Eric closely, couldn't help but smile.

"Transformers, Scene 128, Action!"

boom!

As Eric finished speaking, the roar of an engine soon filled the air, and a pickup truck drifted out from around the street corner, its tires leaving a dark mark on the ground.

"Oh no, she's going to crash!"

Patty Jenkins' expression changed as he watched the monitor.

Eric clenched his fist instantly. To turn a novice into a car expert in such a short time, was that really too exaggerated?

In the pickup truck, Gadot was controlling the steering wheel. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the rearview mirror and saw that the rear of the truck was about to crash into a prop car.

This isn't a training ground; there are no safety measures around, and according to the plot, she won't have time to fasten her seatbelt.

In this situation, if a collision were to actually occur, the car would definitely overturn at the current speed, and there would be absolutely no chance of sustaining minor injuries like before.

Generally speaking, dangerous scenes are usually performed by stunt performers, but because they involve close-ups from all angles, the effect of using a stunt double is definitely not as good as the actor doing it himself.

"I can do it! I definitely can!"

With a loud roar, the veins in Gadot's arms and neck throbbed, but the sensation of impact in her mind did not come; the rear of the pickup truck swerved at an incredible angle.

The speed then increased again, and the pickup truck suddenly seemed to have divine assistance, speeding through the chaotic streets until it finally ended with another beautiful drift.

"Excellent, absolutely perfect!"

Eric roared and stood up from his chair, prompting applause from both the staff and the actors. Such a daring and courageous person deserves respect.

call.

After a brief pause, Gadot got out of the car and felt her legs go weak. She couldn't even remember what had just happened; she was just panting heavily.

Eric walked over and praised her, "Gadot, seeing you reminds me of that little deer leaping in the flames."

Gadot leaned against the car door, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead: "Bambi, that's quite a metaphor."

Patty Jenkins walked over with a smile: "Girl, that was really dangerous. You were only centimeters away from that car. You really looked like a deer running through flames, but I also saw a figure."

"What? Which character is it now?"

"Tom Cruise also likes to do everything himself. If you keep doing that, you'll become the kind of actor that directors love."

Here's another chapter. Would any readers like to give me a reward?

(End of this chapter)