[Chapter 897: Let's Reshoot.]
"Sir, Mr. Cameron is here."
William White sighed; this guy always came running to him whenever he messed up. He should really take care of these things himself.
Well, thinking about it wouldn't help. A production of this scale? He couldn't possibly handle it all.
"Let him in. Get me a latte. This guy probably needs something strong."
William White rarely made decisions for others; it was considered quite impolite. However, because of this, those who had such privileges were usually people he trusted.
"Damn it, James, did you have to make a mess of things?"
"Sir, I think I messed up."
"What happened? Did Rose fall off the boat?"
James coughed and rolled his eyes; even if he hadn't taken charge, he shouldn't be carrying such grievances.
No, it must be that this guy looked down on the matter. After all, there weren't many who could refuse him. At least, Rose should still be eager. After all, sacrificing for art is no big deal.
Sure, the idea of doing it in a car on the ship got turned down; but there were still some rather bold scenes, right?
Honestly, if it were those with more clout, they might not even agree to such measures. You could be artistic, you could go big, as long as you pleased the audience through some nudity.
Ah, taking off was easy, but putting it back on was tough. The audience already had a role for him in their minds; he was now the object of their fantasies. If he suddenly put on clothes, they'd be thrown off balance. They would feel disappointed and dissatisfied.
"Damn it, I came to see beautiful women, not you covering up so tightly."
"Sir, there was a problem with the props. I didn't catch it in time. We need to reshoot dozens of scenes."
"Crap, it's not like I had asked them to recreate the Titanic exactly."
"Cough, boss, it's the dinnerware."
Looking at this persistent and stubborn guy, William White felt a headache coming on. Truth be told, he was getting a bit furious; what did it matter what cups or coffee they served? The audience wouldn't care!
After a moment of silence, William White clenched his jaw.
"Fine, fine, let's reshoot. How much is it going to cost? You go tell Nastassja; I don't want to see that figure."
"Sir, I'm willing to take a pay cut and lower my share. It was my mistake."
"I admire your dedication, but James, I've never been a stingy boss. You can hold the props accountable because they are under your stewardship.
What, I can't accept your mistake? Stop overthinking it; and please don't get into any trouble. Just don't throw Rose and Jack into the ocean. That's unacceptable to me; and as for being harsh, don't worry, anyone disobedient can be kicked out."
James felt touched; he needed William White's support. During this shoot, he had pretty much offended everyone who could be offended.
At this moment, James was indeed quite moved. Damn it, once this movie was finished, it could easily gross three hundred million dollars. He knew that a bunch of Hollywood big shots were just waiting for this production to flop, except for William White. If he had switched to another studio, he might have already gone bankrupt.
James left feeling unusually light. Who would really want to lower their pay? White Productions had profit-sharing, so in that sense, it was more like an IT company.
"You're being quite biased, letting him run wild?" Nastassja said with a skeptical look. To her, it wasn't that Cameron was particularly stubborn; it was just that two stubborn people collided.
She understood, of course, that this little man wasn't incapable of socializing with women. That Kate Winslet had nothing to do with him.
As for the rumors from the outside, they were complete nonsense. No matter how wealthy William White was, he wouldn't spend billions just to support one woman.
There was absolutely no need for that. She had been in the entertainment industry long enough to know about all sorts of shady dealings. At William White's level, he ought to be sitting back in the office.
Rest assured, as long as you have a request, the flunkies would definitely get it done for you.
"Running wild? What do you mean? You know, Nastassja, I'm not being modest. I can't handle movies at this level.
Let's say if I had to do it, it might even cost five hundred million dollars. If we hand it to Spielberg, he could do it for fifty million; it's a pity that's not what I want."
Nastassja was speechless; besides that film Cleopatra, what movie required such a hefty investment?
What? Only forty million? You must be kidding. You need to factor in inflation. Billionaires of that era were a rarity. If you had twenty billion, you were pretty much the richest person in the world.
Of course, hidden families didn't count.
"Don't worry, darling. I know the outside world is waiting to laugh at me. Honestly, I don't care. Even if I take a loss, so what? I'm not short on cash."
This reasoning was indeed top-notch. Even if someone ridiculed him, he could still throw it back. He was just a rich guy who nobody could talk back to; those who disagreed could give it a shot too.
"Haha, what do you think? Isn't Cameron a bit weird? The pair he picked cracked me up.
That Rose is just too large; shooting that scene on the bow was hilarious."
"Ugh, this is why you can't be a leading director. Rose is big, and it takes Jack half a year just to circle around. But have you thought about it, this is exactly what the audience wants."
Nastassja paused. Right, isn't that exactly how the character was set up? The poor kid overcomes all odds to win the wealthy girl.
"Darling, this is why Jack has to die, isn't it?"
"Of course, it's a tragic story. If they end up together, this movie would bomb, guaranteed. Don't worry, I'm sure it will end up as one of the most bombed films ever."
Nastassja shot him a look of disbelief, decisively ending that topic. How could it possibly flop? Simply by having William White's name on it ensured it would at least earn a hundred million at the box office.
Anyway, enough of that; it felt like it had been too long since she had felt fulfilled.
"Sweetheart, you should be a bit more gentle; this isn't iron."
"Stop being so dramatic. If it's not enough, then don't expect to leave work."
Sometimes having too many women around could be tough. All countries and people thought that dealings with money were immoral or illegal. But for William White, morality didn't really enter the picture; it was just a normal need, not much different from eating and drinking.
As long as it wasn't coercive, there was no need to be overly critical. He admired Howard Hughes immensely; he definitely wasn't made of steel.
Could it be that Iron Man isn't about the suit at all?
Back at the set, James immediately put on a long face. Don't let his fame fool you; in Hollywood, his relationships weren't comparable to Spielberg's.
Leonardo felt miserable; he had never imagined that making a film could be such torment. If there were pretty girls around, then maybe, but Kate? Forget it; he always had a sense of being pushed away.
"Leonardo, I meant spit, not sigh; you should take a look at Kate."
"Sure, director, could you get me a bottle of water? I just can't seem to produce anything; could you give me a minute?"
"Leonardo, you're very talented; don't waste your skills. All right, everyone, take fifteen."
Leonardo felt frustrated; he considered that part of the script to be too cliched. Did they really think people in that era would actually enjoy it?
Becoming famous young really tested one's mental strength. Tom Cruise was obsessed with Scientology, while Robert Downey Jr. liked laundry detergent. Kids like Leonardo and Depp were needed in Hollywood for their good behavior.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.