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This was the biggest challenge Dunn had faced since he started filming *Titanic*, even more worrisome than the poisoning incident.
The shoot was interrupted once again.
The scene where "Jack" and "Rose" bid their tragic farewell on the ocean surface had already taken 17 hours to film. They had moved from the swimming pool to the water tank, and from warm water to cold water, yet the results still didn't satisfy Dunn.
Dunn felt a deep sense of frustration.
Reality wasn't as beautiful as he had imagined.
Initially, his plan was to film from easy to difficult scenes, and the scene shot in warm water wasn't supposed to take much time.
But now Dunn understood—this wasn't going from easy to difficult; it was the other way around!
This sequence was perhaps the most challenging scene in the entire movie!
But there was no turning back now. Everyone on the crew knew that if this scene could be nailed, Leonardo and Kate, having endured such a test, would breeze through the upcoming water scenes, completing them effortlessly.
"Why aren't James and Grant here yet?"
Dunn had called the key production team together to discuss how to overcome the current difficulties, but these two hadn't shown up.
Just then, a crew member came running over, "James and Grant… they're arguing over there!"
Dunn frowned, "What's going on?"
"I heard that Mr. Jon Landau was terminated by the company, and Mr. Cameron is very upset about it."
Dunn raised his eyebrows. Grant sure moved fast.
In fact, he had no concrete evidence to prove that Jon Landau had ordered someone to poison them, but in such matters, it's better to believe it might be true than to dismiss it.
At that moment, a striking figure appeared at the door of Dunn's rest area—Kate Winslet.
She had a thick towel draped over her shoulders, her hair still wet, and her face was pale from the prolonged time spent in the water, even without makeup.
In fact, Dunn hadn't spent the night with her recently, allowing her to find her state of mind for the role.
"I'm sorry, gentlemen, could I have a few words with Dunn alone?" she asked softly, her voice weak. Clearly, the filming had pushed her body to the brink of collapse.
Given the leading lady's request, the others naturally had no reason to refuse.
Once they were alone, Dunn asked with concern, "Kate, what's the matter?"
Before he could finish speaking, large tears began to roll down Kate's pale cheeks. Despite trying to hold them back, quiet sobs escaped her.
Dunn panicked and quickly walked over, gently embracing her, speaking softly, "Kate, stay strong. I know you're a brave girl, and you can do it. I've always believed you could!"
Dunn understood Kate's tears. The pressure on her was immense!
She had spent two consecutive days submerged in water, dealing with repeated takes and constant failures, all while under immense stress.
Even Cameron and the other producers had praised Kate, calling her strong-willed and a potential star with limitless potential.
But… she wasn't even 21 years old yet!
Such overwhelming pressure had even Leonardo complaining constantly, and Dunn himself was mentally exhausted. How could a young woman like Kate bear it all?
"Dunn, I can't take it anymore. I really can't hold on! This shoot is too painful, I can't keep going!" Kate cried, leaning into Dunn's arms.
Dunn tried to comfort her, "Kate, we all believe in you. You can do this. You have to seize this opportunity, take control of your destiny, okay?"
Kate choked back sobs, "But… but I really can't go on. Can't we just make do, like with the other scenes?"
Dunn's expression turned stern, and he immediately rejected the idea, "Absolutely not! This isn't just some ordinary dialogue scene; this is the soul of the entire film. You must give it everything you've got. I need a perfect shot!"
In previous scenes, Dunn had sometimes taken a lenient approach. If Kate's performance was about 80% of what he wanted, he'd let it pass, which had led to several arguments with Cameron.
But this scene was different. Dunn had made up his mind—it had to be at least a 99% shot, or even perfect!
Dunn might have absorbed Cameron's professional skills like a mirror, but he wasn't content with just being a second Cameron. He wanted this film to carry his own distinct mark!
Seeing Dunn's firm stance, Kate bit her lip and cried quietly for a bit longer before pulling away from his embrace. Wiping her tears, she forced a smile, "I'm sorry, Dunn. I just needed to vent a little. Don't worry, I'll push through."
Looking at her haggard face, Dunn felt a pang of sympathy.
But the path to dreams is never easy.
"Kate, you're an outstanding actress—strong, brave, and fearless. Everyone sees that." Dunn gently kissed her forehead. "You've already breathed new life into 'Rose.' I believe if you keep pushing forward, you'll give her a soul that soars."
Kate nodded resolutely, "Dunn, I understand now. Don't worry, I won't let you down."
…
The day's filming ended, and it hadn't gone smoothly.
Dunn was feeling frustrated.
Not only because of the delays in the shooting schedule but also because of Cameron and Grant's argument.
When the poisoning incident first broke out, Dunn's immediate thought was that Jon Landau had set it up to sabotage him.
But now, on reflection, there seemed to be too many flaws in that theory.
The poisoning incident was too severe. Once it happened, it would be a big deal. Jon Landau was still in New York—would he really dare to entrust such a critical task to someone else?
One wrong move could ruin him!
Moreover, on the day of the incident, over a hundred people had eaten, yet only a dozen or so relatively unimportant staff members and extras were poisoned. A very convenient coincidence.
If Jon Landau had been behind it, he would have targeted some of the core crew members and main actors. Only that would have effectively delayed Dunn's shooting schedule.
Most importantly, Cameron's reaction was too intense!
Cameron and Jon Landau had been friends for many years and knew each other well.
Though Cameron had a fiery temper, he was an upright man, quite unlike the typical Hollywood director. He had even sketched a nude portrait of Kate Winslet using her bikini photo for reference—if it had been anyone else, they would have just asked the leading lady to strip down right in front of them.
If Cameron didn't believe Jon Landau capable of such a thing, then maybe… he wasn't behind it.
So, who was the real culprit?
Dunn sat on the couch in his room, racking his brain.
"Knock! Knock! Knock!"
A knock at the door revealed George Paxton's excited face.
"George? What's up?"
Dunn gestured towards the couch.
George Paxton was currently the assistant director, but he had no professional training and was clueless about the technical aspects of the various departments in the crew. He had only worked as a set assistant for six years and was quite mediocre in his abilities.
Dunn had promoted George because of their close relationship, but George was clearly not fit for the role.
However, his lack of ability didn't mean he was lacking in intelligence. On the contrary, George was quite smart and self-aware. Though his title was now Assistant Director, he continued to do the menial tasks of a set assistant without complaint.
After sitting down, George hesitated slightly before speaking, "Dunn, I think… it might be better for me to head to the New York set now."
"New York?" Dunn looked puzzled. "You're the Assistant Director; why would you leave the crew to go to New York?"
George shook his head with a self-deprecating smile, "I know my own abilities, Dunn. I'm not cut out to be an Assistant Director. Staying here, everyone just looks after me out of respect for you, and it's awkward. It'd be better if I went to the New York set to pave the way for you. I heard… Jon Landau has been there for over half a month, hasn't he?"
"Hmm?"
Dunn's eyes widened suddenly.
As Dunn's gaze bore into him, George's expression changed slightly, and his eyes darted away.
Dunn thought for a long moment before letting out a long sigh. "George, you were the one who poisoned them, weren't you?"
George remained silent for a while before finally saying, "Dunn, I don't want to lie to you."
Dunn's expression grew more intense, "George, do you understand the gravity of what you've done? Do you know how dangerous this is?"
George smiled wryly, a bit self-mockingly, "Dunn, I know my own abilities, but you're different. You're a genius, a rising star in Hollywood! In the future, you'll be surrounded by talented people. But what about me? What can I do? I need to find a position that suits me. Otherwise, I might as well go back to being a set assistant."
"You could go to jail!"
Dunn's voice was heavy, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and anger.
But George just smiled with a sense of relief, completely unbothered. "You'll find a way to get me out, won't you, Dunn?"
Dunn's face darkened as he sighed heavily. "George, you doing this… it pains me."
George chuckled, "Dunn, you don't need to worry so much. You're the boss—you give me a job, pay me a salary, so I should contribute something in return. It's only right, isn't it?"
"But this is too dangerous…"
Dunn's words were cut off by George, who spoke firmly, "Dunn, you don't need to say anything more. I know my abilities and my role. This was all my decision—it has nothing to do with you."
"But poisoning… that's really going too far."
George shook his head, a sinister glint in his eyes. "If I hadn't gone that far, how could Jon Landau have been fired? Dunn, you're not just my friend; you're also my boss. There are some things you can't handle directly, but I can."
Without giving Dunn a chance to respond, George confidently patted his chest and said with pride, "I'm not a genius, but I do have some smarts. Look at how big this poisoning incident blew up, but we didn't lose anything. We even got rid of Jon Landau, a major enemy, which shows that I'm pretty good at this kind of work."
Dunn didn't speak for a long time, his narrowed eyes flashing with a strange light. "George, I'll never admit to this."
"Of course!" George had already mentally prepared himself for this, and he smiled broadly. "Everything I did was my own idea, completely unrelated to you."
Dunn's fierce gaze softened as he took a deep breath, stepping forward to give George Paxton a big hug. "George, in this life, we are brothers!"