At the Beijing Film Academy, a lecture was about to begin, featuring the renowned Hollywood director, Gilbert Landrini. Word had it that the Vice-Principal himself had specially invited him. In those days, various sectors of society were seeking to connect with the outside world, and the film industry was no exception. So, getting a Hollywood director to speak had the students buzzing with excitement.
It wasn't just the directing students; many from other departments also showed up, cramming the small auditorium where the lecture was being held. The auditorium, designed to hold just over a hundred people, somehow squeezed in more than five hundred. If the school security hadn't intervened in time, even more students would likely have entered.
Although Gilbert had a considerable reputation in North America, he wasn't as well-known in China. In that era, means of information were limited, and most people knew little about the outside world, let alone foreign celebrities. However, the film academy students were still aware of Gilbert's name; those few who weren't would be brought up to speed by their classmates, often with an expression that said, "You don't know who this is?"
As if to ensure students took it seriously, a sign was placed outside the auditorium detailing Gilbert's film career and biography. When they saw that Gilbert's first film, "The Shallows," was shot when he was twenty-one, many film academy students, especially those in directing, couldn't help but feel impressed. This admiration eventually escalated into a yearning for that dreamland across the Pacific Ocean. It seemed that in these students' minds, only the greatest country in the world could produce an unparalleled cinematic genius like Gilbert.
Wu Ershan and Zhao Xing were students who had entered the directing department of Beijing Film Academy last year, and it was currently the second half of their first year in June. As directing students, they naturally didn't have to sneak in like students from other departments; they could just walk right in.
While waiting for the lecture to begin, Wu Ershan looked at the small booklet in his hand, which contained Gilbert's introduction. Seeing that he had made five films in five years, each a huge success, he felt immense admiration. Zhao Xing felt the same way, shaking the booklet in his hand and saying, "I've seen all these films, especially 'Speed' and 'Real Steel.' I even went to the cinema to watch them. I have to say, the gap between us and them across the ocean is truly vast!"
Wu Ershan also seemed to agree. "Yeah, their films are exciting and highly entertaining, unlike our directors!" Wu Ershan didn't finish his sentence. He had a lot he wanted to complain about but didn't dare to say. Sometimes, words can bring trouble.
Starting with "Real Steel," Hollywood films delivered a huge冲击 to the stagnant film industry. The continuous bombardment of Hollywood blockbusters thoroughly awakened directors who were caught in their so-called "artistic dreams," and also shocked the unsophisticated audience. This isn't to say that these directors were wrong, nor is it to say that Hollywood blockbusters were like those outrageous films decades later. After all, circumstances and times change; things are different now.
The small auditorium was chaotic, with the students' noisy discussions threatening to blow off the roof. However, a teacher quickly came to maintain order: "Quiet, quiet, students, please be quiet. Our lecture is about to begin."
The stage in the small auditorium had been set up. The school arranged for two professors to accompany them, and also invited the renowned director, Master Zhang, to participate. Films like "Raise the Red Lantern," "The Story of Qiu Ju," and "To Live" had cemented his status in the directing world. Master Zhang was also a well-known alumnus of Beijing Film Academy, so he was invited to the lecture to engage in discussions with Gilbert as a fellow director.
The lecture quickly started, hosted by a beautiful female teacher whom Gilbert didn't quite recognize. The Vice-Principal introduced her as a famous actress. Gilbert was more familiar with actresses like Yuanyuan, Mimi, Shishi, and Yifei. Among actresses of the 90s, besides those from Hong Kong, he genuinely didn't recognize many from mainland China. He might know a name, but not what they looked like.
The introductions went smoothly. The professors participating in the lecture and Master Zhang all received warm welcomes from the students. However, when Gilbert appeared, the applause grew even more enthusiastic. Some mischievous students even let out playful whistles to show their welcome to Gilbert.
Wu Ershan clapped and said to Zhao Xing next to him, "He's really young, not much older than us, right?"
"Indeed, his bio says he was born in 1970, so he's almost twenty-five," Zhao Xing said.
A classmate beside them echoed, "He's young and quite handsome, too. I heard he's very popular in America."
"Nonsense, if you achieved what he has at his age, you'd be popular too."
Such occasions inevitably involved some formalities, like thanking the visiting guests and thanking Gilbert for coming all the way to China. The content of the lecture generally revolved around topics posed by the host, allowing the participating professors and directors to share their opinions. Throughout this, Gilbert's fluent once again greatly impressed the Beijing Film Academy students, increasing their goodwill towards this internationally renowned director.
Due to limited time, the lecture lasted about an hour. Gilbert, remembering these were people from his previous life's homeland, held nothing back, sharing as much as he could with the students, hoping it would be helpful to them.
At the end of the lecture, there was an interactive Q&A session. The host called on students to ask questions, and Gilbert would answer. Generally, the selected students and questions were pre-arranged and discussed with Gilbert beforehand. Gilbert didn't want to make an exception, so he simply followed the school's arrangements. However, how he answered was up to him.
One of the questions was assigned to Wu Ershan. He asked, "Director Gilbert, what advice do you have for young people in the directing department? If they want to pursue a career as a film director after graduation?"
Gilbert thought for a moment and replied, "If you want to pursue a career as a director, you need to be fully prepared mentally. This profession might be different from what everyone imagines. Once you become a director, you must always remember that you are part of a team; you cannot place yourself above the crew. Director Zhang and I chatted for a bit before coming up, and I learned that your film industry is director-centric. This means that besides being a creator, a director is more of a manager. This is completely different in Hollywood. For example, in my crew, my two pleasant producers, Charles Roven and Cain Waxman, assist me in managing the crew, allowing me to focus more on film creation and shooting. But whether here or in Hollywood, a director is not just a simple creator; often, they need to be involved in many aspects."
Gilbert's words were quite insightful, highlighting the differences and similarities between the two film industries. After thanking him, Wu Ershan sat down, satisfied.
Next was a girl from the acting department named Zuo Xiaoqing. Her question was quite interesting: "Director Gilbert, I think you're quite handsome and charming."
"Thank you..." Gilbert replied.
"It's true. My question is, with your looks, you could totally be an actor. Have you ever considered acting?"
"Hahaha," Gilbert chuckled and replied, "That's a very interesting question. Actually, someone did invite me to be a leading man in a film. Perhaps you know him, James Cameron, the director of 'Terminator' and 'True Lies.' But I still declined. I prefer the feeling of being behind the scenes, controlling everything."
The last question was reserved for Master Zhang on stage, who asked, "If one wants to develop in Hollywood, what advice does Director Gilbert have?"
Gilbert's answer was unexpected: "My advice is, don't go. If you go, you'll regret it. You can explore the specific reasons yourselves; I won't tell you."
Upon hearing this answer, most people were stunned, not expecting Gilbert to give such a response. However, even with Gilbert saying this, it couldn't stem the longing for that country across the Pacific. For those who hadn't been there, it was reasonable to have fantasies. Perhaps one or two people who did go would find that Gilbert's words were true.
After the lecture, everyone gathered for a group photo at the entrance of the small auditorium. With Gilbert and Master Zhang at the center, surrounded by school leaders, and students behind them, several photos were taken. Decades later, looking back at this photo would hold significant commemorative value and a sense of history.
After the group photo, students came up for autographs. Gilbert didn't refuse, signing dozens of them. It wasn't until a teacher announced that Gilbert needed to rest that the students reluctantly left.
At noon, the school hosted Gilbert at a restaurant, arranging for a few beautiful girls to accompany them, including the question-asking Zuo Xiaoqing and the female teacher who hosted the lecture. From the looks of it, if Gilbert wanted to take Zuo Xiaoqing to stay overnight, as long as Zuo Xiaoqing was willing, the school wouldn't object. However, Gilbert wasn't interested.
The meal was enjoyed by all; everyone had a great time. Zhu Zhijun, the Vice-Principal of Beijing Film Academy, expressed his welcome for Gilbert to visit China and Beijing Film Academy more often for exchanges in the future, and Gilbert nodded in agreement. Surprisingly, even though his fellow countrymen didn't know that this "foreigner" was inwardly , seeing their reverent gazes made Gilbert feel incredibly satisfied. It was just a pity he had so much work, otherwise, he could have stayed in China longer.
Gilbert also spoke to Li Jianshe, the head of Beijing Film Academy: "I come to China often, and staying in hotels all the time isn't very comfortable. It would be great if I had a house."
Li Jianshe immediately said, "In that case, if you need it, we can prepare a house for you."
"That's not necessary. Just help me scout for one. I heard that Beijing's siheyuan (courtyard houses) are quite famous; I'll buy one," Gilbert said.
A foreigner buying a house in Beijing? This was rare. Li Jianshe stated that he couldn't make the decision alone and needed to seek instructions. After passing through various levels of authority, the top approved Gilbert's purchase. And so, Gilbert acquired a siheyuan property in Beijing, and quite a large one at that. From then on, when Gilbert came to China, he could stay there.
Since he still had to return to the U.S., Gilbert reviewed the siheyuan's renovation blueprints and then entrusted Li Jianshe to oversee the work for him. Li Jianshe readily agreed, never expecting this "foreigner" to value him so much. This was also a favorable condition for Li Jianshe's promotion. Buying a siheyuan also fulfilled Gilbert's wish from his previous life to own a house in Beijing. He remembered how, after graduating from Beijing Film Academy, he had worked hard there, determined to put down roots. But he was naive; after more than a decade of struggle, he couldn't even afford a place the size of a toilet within Beijing's Third Ring Road. Now, he didn't need to be sad anymore; he had a siheyuan, a seven-courtyard compound, and it was in the Second Ring Road. If this were decades later, wouldn't it be worth two to three hundred million?
After concluding his trip to China, Gilbert returned to Los Angeles. Although Mel Gibson's case was still undergoing trial, according to the lawyers, Mel Gibson was estimated to be imprisoned for over a decade. After getting out in over ten years, Mel Gibson would be an old man, no longer a threat. Of course, the women he had abused didn't let him off the hook either, filing lawsuits and demanding compensation. Sheena Boone even thoughtfully helped out, hiring several good lawyers to assist these unfortunate women.
For Gilbert, Mel Gibson was already a thing of the past. Hollywood was now abuzz with rumors that Mel Gibson's sudden collapse was Gilbert's doing, and the rumors grew increasingly detailed, even describing specifics. Seeing Gilbert's ruthless approach, many Hollywood insiders secretly reminded themselves that unless they could utterly destroy Gilbert, they shouldn't offend this vengeful young director.
Rumors also circulated in the industry that Mel Gibson was imprisoned simply because he looked at Naomi Watts one too many times, and Gilbert had him taken care of. Only a few people knew about the drugging incident, and those who knew wouldn't spread it around. So, the fact that Mel Gibson was incarcerated for coveting Gilbert's woman instilled even more fear. It seemed a new rule needed to be added: don't covet Gilbert's women; he's petty. Gilbert himself hadn't expected the Mel Gibson incident to have this effect, which was a pleasant surprise.
As for Sophie Marceau, after this incident, she found Hollywood too terrifying and promptly fled back to France. Remembering her friend's warning, Sophie Marceau thought, "Sure enough, French people shouldn't mess with Hollywood; it's too dangerous."
When Gilbert returned to Los Angeles, Naomi Watts was still looking for Sophie Marceau: "Where's your French rose?"
"She went back to France. What do you want to do?" Gilbert asked.
Naomi Watts pouted and said, "I wouldn't dare. You ruined Mel Gibson for her, I'm scared."
This woman... Gilbert pulled Naomi Watts into his arms, inhaling her scent and saying, "After a few days apart, you're getting more mischievous."
"Yes, I'm free now, and I'm bolder!" Naomi Watts couldn't help but twist her body in Gilbert's embrace, her hand sliding down, unbuckling his belt, and then reaching inside. "Free? You're still a bit too early for freedom." Gilbert scooped Naomi Watts up in a princess carry, and amidst her soft cries, headed towards the bedroom...
---
With the Mel Gibson incident concluded, "The Rock" continued its run in cinemas. By May 28th, before the first North American box office revenue split, "The Rock" had played for four weeks, grossing $170 million. The first North American box office split wasn't enough for the film's major investors to recoup their costs, but the film still had a long theatrical run in North America. After Gilbert returned from China, "The Rock" had been in theaters for six weeks, reaching $189 million, firmly holding the title of this year's North American box office champion.
According to reports from professional data research companies, the film's final North American box office would be between $220 million and $250 million. The biggest surprise for the film came from overseas. As it gradually opened in international markets, the film grossed $271 million overseas, bringing "The Rock"'s global box office to $460 million. Both the film's North American and global box office broke Gilbert's own record set by "Real Steel," once again solidifying his title as the Summer Blockbuster Prince. However, some media felt that this title no longer suited Gilbert's status and suggested calling him the King of Summer Blockbusters instead. This title resonated with many film fans, leading to numerous "King of Summer Blockbusters" comments on Gilbert's Facebook page.
Upon his return, Gilbert was primarily busy with the IPOs of Facebook and Banana. After several months of IPO preparations, Facebook and Banana were finally set to go public. All shareholders eagerly awaited the performance of both companies on the stock market after their listing. Gilbert was no exception; this was his first time facing an IPO as a major shareholder of a company. His future wealth largely depended on this wave of listings.
Before the IPO, both companies held continuous meetings, but all the positive signals conveyed during these meetings made Gilbert feel very optimistic. The company shareholders were very satisfied with the company's prospects. In fact, with the rapid development of the internet, after entering 1995, internet companies, once established, would receive venture capital and have the opportunity to go public. This was a huge bubble, with capital continuously pouring into this emerging field, fostering many rising companies. From this perspective, Gilbert's two companies were not isolated cases.