The script discussion for Juno was completed within two days.
Since the script was simple and the scenes weren't complex, the filming process proceeded smoothly.
The original film took only 37 days to shoot.
Ethan had allotted 40 days for this version.
However, compared to Juno, the preparation for Inception was progressing much more slowly.
There were very few special effects teams in Hollywood that met the requirements, and those that did were already engaged in other projects, so Ethan had to wait for their schedules to clear.
There were also casting difficulties. Leonardo DiCaprio's schedule was full—he was producing a documentary and couldn't make time.
As for Heath Ledger, he politely declined Ethan's invitation because he was fully immersed in his role as the Joker and didn't want any distractions.
Ethan was somewhat helpless and planned to visit them with the script after wrapping up Juno to have a proper discussion.
While things weren't going smoothly on his end, other companies were thriving.
In particular,Bernays & Co Relations, after making a name for itself at the Oscars, quickly attracted numerous film companies and producers eager for its help in securing a place on the Oscars stage.
Meanwhile, Supreme Creative and Ford had recently released a new commercial, which not only won the New York Advertising Award but also boosted Ford's new model sales by 20%.
This success opened the door for Supreme Creative in the automotive market, leading to partnerships with several major car brands.
As for the Durex collaboration, the results were even more striking—the commercial doubled Durex sales on the very day of its release. Fearing an unexpected pregnancy and ending up with a mischievous child, countless young men and women rushed to buy Durex.
While all this was happening, Ethan was on set, watching the footage.
"Cut! That was great!"
For the first time, Ethan had no additional suggestions and approved the scene immediately.
The assistant director was taken aback.
But Ellen Page's performance was indeed natural—this kind of quirky, independent girl role was effortless for her. She completely embodied the character of a teenager struggling with an unplanned pregnancy.
Moreover, the film itself didn't require heavy, dramatic acting—keeping it light and natural was enough to achieve the comedic effect.
As a result, the entire shoot was filled with laughter, making it one of the most relaxed productions for the crew.
However, during breaks, many film studios approached Ethan.
"I noticed you've been deep in thought all afternoon. What's wrong, Ethan?" That evening, Anne Hathaway asked while drying her hair.
They were staying in a suburban apartment three kilometers from the set.
Ethan had rented the place, and it was the best house in the area.
"It's because those film studios want me to direct their movies." Ethan changed into his pajamas.
"That's a good thing. Why do you seem so troubled?" Anne asked through the vanity mirror.
"Hmm… I've been thinking," Ethan explained. "I have several movie offers in front of me, and I need to choose the one with the most potential."
"That's definitely tough. It's like when I receive a stack of scripts and struggle to pick one."
"Doesn't your agent help you?" Ethan leaned back against the bed.
"I don't let him. I'm an actress—I need to find the scripts that suit me best."
"Fair point."
"So, do you need some advice, Mr. Ethan?" Anne put down her hairdryer and lay beside him.
"Of course, my dear." Ethan stroked her smooth hand. "There are three movies—one from Universal called Charlie Wilson's War."
"The second is a Warner Bros. film, The Assassination of Jesse James."
"The last one is also from Warner Bros., I Am Legend."
"What are they about?" Anne tilted her head against his shoulder.
"Charlie Wilson's War is about a group of Americans involved in Afghanistan's fight against the Soviets—though honestly, I think that sounds like a joke."
Ethan had little interest in the so-called power struggles between major nations. He understood that history was written by the victors, and the tragedies of third-world countries were deeply tied to the actions of superpowers. But now, history had become a stage where those in power dressed it up however they pleased.
"What about the second one?"
"The Assassination of Jesse James is a Western—about an outlaw who robs from the rich and gives to the poor but ultimately gets killed by one of his own men."
"Okay. And the third one? Is it a superhero movie?" Anne guessed based on the title.
Ethan chuckled and shook his head. "Not at all. It's about a man and his dog surviving in a post-apocalyptic world. Apparently, Will Smith personally pushed for me to direct it."
"Haha, he really does think about you all the time."
"Come on, I'm not thinking about him." Ethan joked before saying, "Though I'd love to accept, my schedule simply doesn't allow it."
"Inception is going to demand a huge amount of effort—it'll probably take at least a year."
Ethan's previous films were either small-budget projects or had fixed locations, so they didn't take long to shoot.
But Inception was entirely different. Whether it was the dream sequences, the various visual effects, or the unique storytelling structure, Ethan needed to be fully committed to leading the crew in order to pull it off.
So Charlie Wilson's War and I Am Legend—both large-scale productions—were already out of the question.
Understanding this, Anne curiously asked, "So, are you taking The Assassination of Jesse James?"
"No…" Ethan shrugged. "I'm not taking any of them."
"Why?"
"Because I don't think The Assassination of the Jesse James has any hope of winning awards."
Ethan didn't want to waste his limited energy on a film with no chance of winning. On one hand, Juno and Inception were already enough to make money. On the other hand, he needed a film that could truly win a major award to solidify his status in Hollywood.
Right now, he was already highly regarded, but it wasn't enough.
A nomination was still just a nomination.
So he leaned against the headboard, thinking for a while, until Anne Hathaway's hand stroked his leg, bringing him back to reality.
"What did you think of?" Anne Hathaway asked.
"I thought of… a lot. I feel like I just remembered something." Ethan narrowed his eyes. "A Western… maybe I have a brand-new choice."
The next morning, when Carl crawled out of bed, he suddenly received a call from Ethan.
Recently, he had been accompanying John Lone in China for interviews and filming. He had to admit, Chinese cuisine was far richer and more diverse than American food. Carl had been eating with John Lone every day, and as a result, he had gained five pounds.
Though John Lone enjoyed being loved by the Chinese audience, he was also feeling a bit overwhelmed and exhausted by the extreme media attention.
So now, John Lone had returned to his home in Canada to rest, and Carl was finally free as well.
But just two days into his break, Ethan assigned him a new task.
"You want me to acquire the film rights to Cormac McCarthy's novel, a Pulitzer Prize winner?" Carl immediately knew Ethan was preparing for a new film.
He tidied himself up, combed his hair in front of the mirror, then looked at his puffier face and swore, "I have to control my appetite."
After making his vow, he went downstairs, where his wife had already prepared breakfast for him.
There were various breads and bacon on the plate. Carl looked at them, thought for a moment, then stuffed the bacon into the bread and took a bite. "This isn't Chinese fried dough sticks. Eating some shouldn't make me gain weight."
After finishing breakfast, Carl called the publishing house that handled Cormac McCarthy's books.
"Hello, I'm Carl, a producer at Norton's Eye."
"I'd like to discuss acquiring the film rights to No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy."
"Yes, our company's boss is very fond of this novel and wants to buy the rights for adaptation."
"As for the price, I believe it would be more sincere to discuss that in person, don't you think?"
"Alright, 2 PM this afternoon, at this address?"
"No problem, see you then."
After hanging up, Carl joked with his wife, "No Country for Old Men—just from the title, it sounds like a tragic story. Maybe the Oscar judges will love it."
At 2 PM, Carl sat on the publisher's office sofa.
Across from him was Hawcroft, the publishing executive, who was pouring him tea while sporting a receding hairline.
"Thank you." Carl politely accepted the tea, then said, "Let's get straight to the point. We want to acquire the exclusive adaptation rights for No Country for Old Men."
Hawcroft nodded. "That's great news, but unfortunately, others are already interested in adapting this novel. In fact, they have already spoken with Mr. McCarthy before you."
Carl immediately frowned. "So the rights have already been sold?"
"Not yet, but I think they have a higher chance."
Carl's expression relaxed. "Don't worry, Mr. Hawcroft, we are here with sincerity. No matter what our competitors offer, we can bid higher."
Ethan's order over the phone was clear: spare no expense.
This level of determination was a first for Carl, so no matter how difficult it was, he had to complete the task beautifully.
Seeing Carl's firm attitude, Hawcroft was momentarily stunned.
Then he said, "Alright, in that case, I'll relay your offer to Mr. McCarthy."
"Not just relay it, Mr. Hawcroft," Carl said seriously. "We are different from those big companies. Norton's Eye is Ethan Norton's private company. We don't have the bureaucratic issues of major studios—we won't just buy the rights and then shelve the script indefinitely."
"And you should know that last month at the Oscars, our films received many nominations and awards. Our goal is to make the best movies possible."
"Mr. Norton believes McCarthy's novel is an undeniable masterpiece. As he read the book, he was already envisioning the film adaptation. For this, we are willing to buy the entire book's rights, paying a lump sum upfront, and we will begin filming this year."
"We will also hire Mr. McCarthy as a screenwriter to co-develop the film with us."
Carl spoke with such conviction that even the experienced Hawcroft was slightly moved.
"Alright, I'll do my best to persuade Mr. McCarthy. If your sincerity is truly this strong, I believe Mr. McCarthy will be willing to collaborate with you."
After leaving the publisher's office, Carl called Ethan to report the progress.
"Good, Carl. You did the right thing." Ethan looked at the paused film set, then continued, "No matter what, arrange for me to meet Mr. McCarthy."
"Alright, then that's settled."
Ethan hung up, picked up the mic, and said, "One more take!"
The crew began resetting the scene, and the actors prepared their lines again.
Meanwhile, Ethan kept tapping his fingers on the armrest. It was only when he heard about The Assassination of the Jesse James that he suddenly remembered No Country for Old Men, another Western.
When this film was released, it swept the Oscars, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
It was exactly the kind of film Ethan needed.
Moreover, the filming process was simple, the settings were not complicated, and the production cost was low. It wouldn't interfere with Inception at all.
That's why Ethan was determined to acquire it.
And the reason he even remembered this film in the first place was because of an ex-girlfriend from his past life.
She was a hardcore movie enthusiast. After graduating from film school, she dedicated herself to making indie films.
She often attended film festivals, winning a few minor awards here and there.
Ethan had caught her attention with his cinematography skills, and after they got together, he watched many of her favorite films.
One of them was No Country for Old Men.
But that was a long time ago—back then, Ethan wasn't the "dark industry cinematographer" he would later become.
He was still a young man full of hope, walking the straight path.
So his memories of those days weren't particularly strong.
Thus, after Ethan gave his instructions, Carl started visiting the publishing house every single day to hassle Hawcroft.
Since Carl had plenty of free time, he'd drop by Hawcroft's office, have a cup of tea, and browse other books for adaptation potential.
Before he knew it, another afternoon would pass.
Seeing Carl's persistence, Hawcroft had no choice but to step up his persuasion efforts with McCarthy.
Finally, after a week of negotiation, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy finally freed up time for a meeting with Ethan.
So Ethan paused filming, put everything else aside, and flew back to New York.
...
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