[Chapter 551: The Big Ship Wants to Change the Male Lead?]
It's said that the James Cameron was not only a tyrant on set but also a detail-obsessed perfectionist.
The preparations for Titanic were nothing short of meticulous. To achieve the utmost realism and bring his vision fully to life, Cameron decided to construct a full-scale, 1:1 replica of the Titanic itself.
When he first pitched this idea, it nearly scared the producer Linton had sent -- Nacho Missy -- out of his mind. Having worked in Hollywood for over a decade, he'd never heard of any film company wasting money like this.
Did that mean, in the future, if they wanted to shoot a scene blowing up the White House, they'd build an exact copy of the White House? And if they needed to destroy a plane on camera, would they really blow up a real one?
Usually, movies shoot such scenes using scaled-down props, then employ lighting, editing, and computer-generated effects to create convincing illusions.
Nacho had done the math: a traditional approach -- using props plus effects -- would cost no more than $10 million for the ship.
But Cameron's plan to build a true-to-history Titanic replica would exceed $50 million -- the cost was five times higher.
To him, this was no work of cinematic art, just pure waste -- and borderline criminal.
So, as producer, he exercised his authority and rejected Cameron's proposal.
James flew into a rage, barged into Nacho's office, and unleashed a tirade accusing him of disrespecting both film and art.
Nacho was furious inside but dared not fight back against this world-class director, especially since Cameron was personally appointed by the big boss. So Nacho firmly maintained his stance.
But to his bewilderment, Cameron called Linton and complained. Even more surprising, Linton sided with Cameron's plan -- only instructing Nacho to supervise carefully.
When Nacho received that order, he thought the world had gone mad. The big boss had clearly fallen under Cameron's spell.
Still, since the decision had been made, he had no choice but to comply.
So, in the seaside town of Rosarito, Mexico, a jaw-dropping project launched.
A massive shipyard sprang up, sending huge beams, including enormous keels, streaming in from elsewhere. Engineers and workers swarmed the site. A genuine ocean liner began to take shape.
Things became even harder to grasp as Cameron's demands for authentic sets escalated. He insisted on creating an absolutely genuine environment.
To achieve this, he recruited Hollywood's top props master, Peter Lamont. Peter and his team painstakingly studied the few surviving interior photos of the Titanic and her sister ship, the Olympic, along with myriad historical records.
They precisely recreated layouts for the first-class dining room, reception halls, smoking rooms, promenades, afternoon tea rooms, gymnasiums, and several first-class cabins. Thousands of design blueprints were drawn.
Then Cameron went full obsessive -- insisting the ship's interior adhere strictly to those blueprints.
Every detail mattered: the carpets in the dining and meeting rooms had to be ordered from their original manufacturers, crafted according to century-old patterns and dye formulas, faithfully recreating the exact carpets.
Wooden flooring, deck chairs' materials and paint, porcelain used on board, lifeboats, passenger trunks, navigation compasses, crystal chandeliers, tablecloths...
In total, over ten thousand objects had to match their 1912 counterparts precisely.
Nacho couldn't help but wonder: was this still a movie, or a serious archaeological restoration? Cameron's demands weren't about perfection; they reeked of twisted compulsion.
What made it worse was that fulfilling these perverse demands forced the crew to shell out over $30 million more.
By his count, with a reasonable approach, $5 million was already pushing excellence in set design.
He couldn't grasp why Cameron's extravagances would magically improve the film's quality or draw a bigger audience just because props were historically accurate.
Even if some viewers appreciated this, they wouldn't cover a $30 million production overrun.
He stubbornly refused and had a rare, heated argument with Cameron.
Then, unforgivably, Cameron again complained to the big boss. To Nacho's disbelief, Linton approved the extra funds and even phoned Nacho directly, instructing him to cooperate with Cameron.
Thanks to Cameron's dogged pursuit of perfection, the film's preliminary costs bled away like an endless river.
Even before production officially started, over $120 million had already been spent -- and likely much more would follow. Who knew what wild "artistic" money pits Cameron would dream up next?
Nacho estimated the original $170 million budget was nowhere near enough. If things continued this way, just reaching the start of filming would be a struggle.
Although he held the purse strings as producer, he was powerless to stop the boss, who seemed bewitched by Cameron's vision.
Nacho predicted final costs could surpass $250 million.
Faced with this bleak forecast, he often felt a sickening despair.
The company's incentives for producers were twofold: the base salary was minimal, while the bulk of earnings came from profits on the films they managed.
His previous work on Good Will Hunting had made him rich.
Now, with Titanic's production alone exceeding $250 million -- and at least another $100 million for marketing -- the total budget would cross a staggering $350 million.
For him to get a bonus, the worldwide box office had to top $1 billion.
No movie had ever done that -- only Linton's other summer release, Mission: Impossible, was expected to hit that milestone.
The problem was, Titanic wasn't an action or sci-fi flick -- it was, at best, a disaster movie but more accurately a romance.
Historically, romance films capped around $300 million worldwide box office. The highest-grossing before was As Good As It Gets, with just $331 million globally.
Though he believed Cameron and Linton could push Titanic beyond that, the genre's limits meant the box office probably wouldn't exceed $900 million.
His hopes for a big production bonus had all but vanished.
He privately vowed never to work with such an out-of-control, budget-blind director again.
Thankfully, this project was personally assigned by Linton. Nacho remained diligent, rejecting unreasonable demands repeatedly -- each time overruled directly by the boss.
Even though he resented Cameron's insatiable energy and perfectionism, he admired his work ethic. Cameron clocked over 80 hours a week.
Lately, however, Nacho noticed subtle mood swings in Cameron, sometimes bordering on strange.
This probably began after Forbes released its global wealth rankings.
Once, Cameron casually asked if Linton was still suitable as the film's lead, suggesting they consider recasting the male lead.
Nacho nearly fainted on the spot. After investing so heavily, replacing Linton -- who also starred -- would jeopardize box office success. Who would cover such massive losses?
He refused to entertain the idea then.
He thought Cameron had moved past it.
Yet, Cameron's resolve was devious and stubborn, threatening to sink him.
Come October, as preparations entered their rhythm, the budget was nearly spent.
Cameron presented a fresh budget -- about $80 million more, pushing production costs to $250 million.
Nacho hopelessly realized he couldn't trim it. Whenever he challenged expenses, Cameron wielded endless justifications, insisting, "I'm making a great film -- these are artistic necessities. No cuts."
Behind his professionalism, Nacho thought, "Who is Cameron fooling with this 'great film' talk? Lucky I'm no amateur."
Neither side budged. Finally, Cameron proposed they take the matter straight to Linton.
Though reluctant, Nacho welcomed the chance to face the boss after months.
But nothing could prepare him for what followed.
Upon hearing their report, Linton immediately approved Cameron's new budget -- also commending Nacho's diligence.
Then, shockingly, Cameron revealed his real intentions.
As Linton prepared to leave, Cameron said something that made Nacho's head spin:
"Linton, after much thought, I think you're not right for the role of Jack Dawson. We should recast the male lead."
Nacho blacked out briefly, fearful that Linton would believe he'd conspiring with Cameron.
He opened his mouth to explain, but an overwhelming psychic pressure slammed into him -- immobilizing and suffocating him.
It felt like being stripped naked and left to freeze in the Arctic wasteland.
This was Linton's striking punishment. Cameron had dared to suggest replacing him -- the lead star and financier of the film.
And despite Linton having already backed Cameron with massive funds, Cameron had the audacity to propose this in person.
Ending with a glare at Nacho, Linton reminded him that such meddling was ridiculous.
To remind them who was boss, Linton released a sliver of his spiritual pressure -- enough to make them feel utterly isolated, facing inevitable death.
Of course, he quickly retracted the pressure -- it had only lasted under a minute -- lest someone actually keel over.
Nacho, gasping for air, broke into a cold sweat, resurrected from near collapse.
Cameron looked equally shaken. Despite his notorious on-set dominance, he couldn't withstand this otherworldly force.
Just then, Linton's frost-cold voice cut through the room.
"Alright. Give me one good reason, or both of you are fired."
Nacho, still struggling for breath, stammered, "Boss, this wasn't my idea. James mentioned recasting, but I firmly opposed it."
"So, James, this is your personal opinion?"
Cameron, gradually steadying his breathing, admitted, "Yes, it's my own thought. It has nothing to do with Nacho. But I do want what's best for the movie."
"Alright. Explain your reasoning."
"Linton, by late August, Forbes ranked you the third richest man worldwide. Everyone knows you're a billionaire. But Jack Dawson was a poor artist. Do you think, given your status, you can convincingly play that role? Will audiences empathize with you?"
"You're the director. Actors separating their personal lives from roles is basic. Do you not understand this? Besides, which A-list male star in Hollywood isn't at least a millionaire in real life? You want a newbie to play it?"
"I know that. But no other star is as wealthy as you. And audiences don't know how rich they are. The main problem is, your public billionaire status is too well-known globally. Viewers just can't connect with you in that poor-boy role."
After hearing Cameron's explanation, Linton's anger faded somewhat. He realized Cameron genuinely cared about the film's success.
But regardless, Linton refused to give up the role. He knew this part would boost his worldwide fame immensely -- accelerating his personal power cultivation.
After all, the final say lay solely with him. He saw no point debating. He'd simply use his willpower to assert it.
"Film is film; reality is reality. No discussion. Your job is to make this film. If you don't like my performance, demand retakes until you're satisfied."
"And if I insist on recasting?"
"Then you can quit directing. This is my project. I'm footing all the bills."
His face darkened, radiating a subtle but crushing aura -- less intense than before but still enough to unsettle Cameron.
"You-- you..."
Cameron was silenced, finally managed, "Aren't you afraid of ruining the film?"
"Why would I? I have the money. It's just a sunk cost if it fails. And don't overestimate yourself -- this world doesn't revolve around you. Think I can't find another director?"
Faced with Linton's blunt threat, Cameron hesitated but eventually conceded, "Alright. I trust you can play Jack Dawson well."
Seeing Cameron capitulate, Linton withdrew his aura and offered reassurance.
"Don't worry, James. I'm not blowing this kind of money on a joke. I will make Jack work."
Cameron finally smiled, feeling the world's beauty again, no longer defiant.
"Then let's work together and create a legendary film."
Meanwhile, Nacho, sensing favorable winds, quickly jumped in with flattery.
"Boss, with your involvement, this movie is sure to break box office records and become a cinematic classic."
*****
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