Ethan met Christopher Nolan at his company's old office.
Norton's Eye, Angel's Declaration, Supreme Creativity had all completely moved out of this place.
Fernando had found an office building in Queens and rented four entire floors to serve as the future headquarters for Norton's Eye, Angel's Declaration, Supreme Creativity, and Burney & CoPR.
So now, this old office was basically abandoned.
Because of the lack of people, when Christopher Nolan walked in, he was momentarily stunned.
"Over here." Ethan was sitting on a chair near the entrance, lost in thought as he gazed around the lobby, reminiscing about the past two years.
Staying in a place for too long always creates a sense of attachment. Ethan tapped his fingers on the table, producing a rhythm like a piano melody—just as he had when he first rented this office building.
Christopher Nolan walked over and extended his hand to Ethan. "Hello, Ethan."
"Hello, Nolan."
Once they sat down, Ethan spoke first. "I heard from Ledger that you wanted to ask about Inception?"
"Yeah…" Nolan thought for a moment before saying, "Actually, I've been working on a script about dreams for quite some time now. I haven't settled on a title yet, but I've been thinking about it for years. Uh, I've also started writing some of the script's core concepts… So when I heard about your movie's title and its connection to dreams, I rushed over immediately. I wanted to know… could you give me a little insight?"
"Of course, no problem."
If it had been any other director, Ethan wouldn't have shared a single detail about his script for fear of leaks or someone rushing to make a low-quality film to steal the market.
But Nolan—the perfectionist madman—was an exception.
Even if Ethan handed him the entire script, Nolan would probably spend at least a year or two preparing everything before even starting to shoot.
Nolan and Cameron had a lot in common—they weren't prolific directors, but every time they made a movie, it was a masterpiece.
Ethan, on the other hand, was more like Spielberg—highly productive and consistently delivering box office hits.
But for Ethan, this was just the early stage of his career. Once he had secured enough of the easy money, he planned to slow down and focus more on refining each film, rather than packing his schedule as tightly as he did now.
"In fact, this movie is about…" Ethan briefly explained the film's concept and general storyline—though it was a heavily modified version.
He changed the names and altered some of the story details.
After hearing it, Nolan found some similarities with his own ideas, but not enough to be the same.
At most, it could be called a coincidence—or perhaps, great minds think alike.
"A genius idea, Ethan. My original concept was more like this…" Nolan described his current idea. "A dream infiltrator who steals entire dreamscapes to obtain what he wants. But your approach is the opposite—diving into dreams to search for something. That's a brilliant twist."
"I actually think your concept is fantastic as well—it feels even more suspenseful and full of twists."
"No, I think your idea is more mature, and the execution is more controllable. And that token? Honestly, I had thought about something similar before, but I envisioned using details in a painting to determine reality. An endlessly spinning top? Wow, I love that detail."
The two of them talked about movies for nearly two hours.
Nolan was truly a filmmaker by nature. Even though Ethan had effectively taken his core concept, Nolan still managed to find a completely new approach.
He had already discovered a different angle from his original script concept—though for now, it was just an idea. It would probably take another six years before it came to fruition.
After their conversation, Nolan sighed, "This is an amazing feeling. You know, having a friend you can truly talk to—it's rare."
"Absolutely." Ethan nodded in agreement.
For creators, the worst thing isn't being criticized—it's having no one who understands their work, no one to share their creative struggles with.
So for Ethan and Nolan, sitting down together and talking like this felt incredibly rewarding.
"Ethan, does your movie need an executive producer?" Nolan suddenly asked.
Ethan was slightly surprised but nodded. "Of course. If you're willing, it would be an honor."
"Then it's settled."
Nolan felt that since Ethan had been so open and shared so much about the movie with him, it was only right for him to return the favor.
"Looking forward to working together." This time, Ethan was the one who reached out first for a handshake with Nolan.
Two days later, the Inception production team officially announced that Christopher Nolan would serve as the film's executive producer.
The news immediately sparked excitement among film fans.
Since Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan had been one of the most closely watched directors in the industry. Add to that his cult hits Memento and The Prestige, and he had become a prime example of balancing artistic integrity with commercial appeal.
His decision to join Ethan's new film shocked many people.
At the same time, the announcement accelerated the bidding process for product placements in the film.
"Ethan! We actually sold all the movie's props!" Jimmy rushed into the new office, full of excitement.
He had forgotten that the new office was twice the size of the old one, so by the time his voice reached Ethan, it was slightly muffled.
TAP, TAP, TAP—the sound of Jimmy's leather shoes echoed across the sleek floor as he walked over to the dark green couch and sat down, facing Ethan's desk.
Behind Ethan's black desk, several massive movie posters were displayed, with various awards lined up beside them—representing his directorial achievements over the years.
The collection wasn't massive yet, but in a few more years, it would surely become an awe-inspiring display.
"What's up?" Ethan looked up from his desk.
He had been reviewing the company's financial reports. While he didn't enjoy the task, he couldn't just leave everything in the hands of others.
As long as he paid close attention, no one could take advantage of him.
However, perhaps because he had been focusing entirely on filmmaking for the past six months, the company was starting to face some financial strain.
"Our product placement bids were a success!" Jimmy handed over a folder. "Ford—$8 million, Armani—$6 million, plus other smaller deals, bringing the total to $20 million."
"Not bad." Ethan nodded.
The budget had originally been $150 million, but now it was effectively down to $130 million.
But money wasn't the most important thing.
What mattered more was the attitude of these major brands toward the film—this would significantly impact Norton's Eye's share of the film's profits.
"Now we can start talking to the studios about investment deals." Ethan tapped the desk. "I plan to raise $80 million in financing for this film, spread across four studios. Each one will get a 10% cut."
That meant 40% of the film's earnings would go to the studios.
As for Norton's Eye? Of course, it would take the largest share—50%.
And the remaining 10%?
That belonged to Ethan himself.
For this film, Ethan set his own salary exceptionally high—not only did he secure a ten percent cut of the box office, but he also had a base salary of ten million dollars.
If he had already released a true commercial blockbuster, he would have set his box office share at twenty percent long ago.
But he was certain that once Inception and Valkyrie were released, his salary would instantly reach the highest level in Hollywood—
A twenty-million-dollar paycheck plus a twenty percent box office share.
"No problem, but honestly, this is insane." Jimmy grinned. "Before, I thought making a fifty-million-dollar film was already fast enough, but now, you're actually making a one-hundred-and-fifty-million-dollar movie."
Saying this, Jimmy suddenly shrugged. "But I'm not going to say something dumb like 'I think this is too risky' again. You're sharper than anyone! This movie is definitely going to make money."
"Looks like you've learned your lesson," Ethan teased.
"Of course, I'm not stupid!"
Just as Jimmy finished speaking, the office door was suddenly knocked upon.
"Come in," Ethan pressed the intercom button on his desk, and soon, Kane and Fernando entered.
"Boss," Kane no longer called Ethan by name but addressed him as 'Boss' instead.
"Take a seat." Ethan leaned back in his chair, gesturing for them to sit down.
The others took their seats, and Jimmy found a spot on the couch.
"Take a look at this." Ethan tossed the financial report he was holding to them.
Kane and Fernando carefully examined the numbers and comparisons in the report, their brows furrowing tightly.
"There are now instances of bribery and embezzlement in both Supreme Creative and Angel Declaration." Ethan folded his arms across his chest, his tone flat. But to Kane and Fernando, it sounded as thunderous as a storm.
"We absolutely cannot tolerate this," Kane was the first to speak. "Boss, this was my oversight—I failed to notice that some people were using research as a cover to embezzle company funds."
Numbers may not speak, but they reveal the truth.
Because the company's finances were managed under Black Umbrella Consulting, and they weren't directly affiliated with Ethan's companies, they could maintain fairness and impartiality.
Their financial reports were far more transparent than those from within the company, exposing hidden dealings in dark corners.
For instance, within Angel Declaration, some employees had been requesting large research subsidies under the guise of studying the music market—without producing any results.
And in Supreme Creative, members of the sales team had accepted bribes from clients, bringing in customers who did not meet company standards and providing them with advertising services.
"If this continues, Supreme Creative's reputation will be ruined by these people." Ethan turned to Fernando.
Fernando's expression was grim. "I understand, Boss. I'll investigate this as quickly as possible. But how far do we go?"
"Fire them and take them to court—along with those non-compliant clients." Ethan's tone held no trace of sympathy, like a cold, unmoving sculpture. "There's an old saying in China: 'Kill the chicken to scare the monkey.' If we take down a few, the rest will be frightened into line."
"So, those who dare to violate company regulations should be shown no mercy. And this is also a great opportunity for publicity—we need to send a strong message to the industry, preventing top-tier clients from losing faith in us."
"Understood."
Fernando and Kane left the office with heavy hearts.
Despite the company's relocation to a bigger office and its continued expansion, the rapid increase in personnel brought with it inconsistencies in quality, which was now becoming a new challenge.
But there was no way around this—it was an inevitable problem that came with a company's growth.
No major company could escape this fate.
Luckily, the company was still in a growth phase, and the internal management remained in sync with Ethan's vision.
Three days later, after an internal investigation and purge, five employees were fired, and two junior managers were taken to court.
With that settled, the investors for Inception were finally confirmed.
MGM, Lionsgate, Sony, and New Line Cinema.
Two of these companies had collaborated with Ethan before, and New Line had even been a competitor in the past.
New Line had tried to recruit Ethan to direct some of their films, but unfortunately, none of their projects suited his taste, so they never reached an agreement.
Still, New Line's president had kept a close eye on Ethan, and as soon as Inception was announced, he immediately came forward to negotiate investment terms.
With the financing secured, Inception officially entered pre-production.
Ethan arrived at the largest film studio in Los Angeles, where his props team had already built a full-scale rotating hallway and was conducting tests.
"Look at this, Ethan. This idea is absolutely insane," Leonardo DiCaprio said as he stepped into the studio with Ethan. Seeing the set, his eyes widened.
A long rectangular hallway was surrounded by hexagonal steel ring structures, resembling the rotating rings of a space station. Inside, various lighting and props were installed.
The entire structure stretched about a hundred feet long, and its visual impact was astonishing.
The prop team controlled mechanisms that allowed the hallway to rotate, and when Leonardo saw this, he was at a loss for words.
"Ethan, you're out of your mind—filming this practically?"
Even for him, this seemed like an extravagant expense.
Ethan, however, shook his head. "It's necessary, Leo. You have to understand—visual effects will always become outdated. But practical effects ensure a film remains timeless, surviving for decades, even centuries."
"Yeah, you're right," Leonardo laughed, placing his hands on his hips. "Lucky for me, I don't have to do parkour in that thing."
"Haha, true. But poor Heath Ledger," Ethan chuckled.
The two exchanged glances, both enjoying a moment of schadenfreude.
"But the other set? That one's for you," Ethan said, leading Leonardo next door. When he saw the suspended bar set controlled by various steel structures, Leonardo instinctively rubbed the back of his neck.
"Ethan, I think I might throw up."
"No worries, I've got bags ready."
....
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