Echoes of Hollywood

"Everyone, quiet down."

In the large conference room of Stanton Studio, Murphy stood at the head of the long conference table, clapping his hands forcefully. The previously buzzing room immediately fell silent.

Murphy's gaze swept across the faces of the people seated on both sides of the table. On the left were key behind-the-scenes department heads: Philip Lasher, Michelle Williams, Helena Espla, David Robbie, Josh Griffiths, and Gal Gadot. On the right were the actors: James Franco, Margot Robbie, Henry Cavill, and Jonah Hill. Sitting across from them was Bill Rossi from CAA, who was providing packaged services.

These people formed the basic framework of the production and filming team for Murphy's new project.

"Last week, 20th Century Fox officially approved the budget for 'Dark City.'" Murphy got straight to the point. "The film's production budget is $200 million, with a marketing budget of $130 million. 20th Century Fox will raise this through pre-sales, advertising, and financing. American International Group will provide third-party completion bonds for the project. The initial $40 million in startup funds has already been transferred to the guarantor's account by 20th Century Fox."

The others mainly listened, knowing they could discuss any questions with Murphy later.

The preliminary work for "Dark City" began immediately after the Oscars. While some aspects would be prepared once the crew was assembled, CAA had already completed negotiations with 20th Century Fox regarding the salaries of those present. Murphy's team had signed contracts with 20th Century Fox once again.

Murphy's salary was still the highest in the crew. With an Oscar for Best Director under his belt, his base salary of $20 million and 25% of the film's total revenue made him one of Hollywood's highest-paid directors, even when considering actors.

Among the actors, James Franco had the highest salary at $12 million. Henry Cavill's lead role salary wasn't very high, as his only notable work was "City of Chaos."

Overall, the salaries of the "Dark City" crew would not exceed 35% of the total production cost, which was Murphy's limit to ensure that production and filming costs were not compromised.

"Philip, the cinematography should be similar to 'City of Chaos,' but more realistic within the dark tones. I'm also having Kara Faith negotiate with 20th Century Fox to possibly add an additional $20-30 million to our budget. This would allow us to film over 60% of the scenes in IMAX. Be prepared!"

Murphy's instructions were brief and to the point. Seeing Philip Lasher nod, he turned to Michelle Williams, "Michelle, continue as the casting director. We need a lot of actors suitable for gangster roles and some very attractive models. You know my standards."

"I understand," Michelle Williams noted down.

Murphy then looked at Helena Espla, "Helena, I want all scenes shot on location. Once the script is completed, go to New York to scout and design the preliminary plans."

Helena Espla asked, "Has the New York City Hall agreed to the filming?"

"Basically, yes," Murphy glanced at Gal Gadot. "Gal has already communicated with them. The Occupy Wall Street crowd has thinned out, and the event's hype has mostly died down."

"David," Murphy emphasized, "prepare adequate hard light facilities."

"No problem," David Robbie nodded.

Murphy then addressed Josh Griffiths, who hadn't been involved in "Diego-Ross" due to family reasons, "Study Michael Mann's 'Heat,' especially the classic shootout scenes."

"Realistic gunfights?" Josh Griffiths pondered, then said, "I understand."

Murphy turned to the actors, "Henry, you've gained some weight."

Henry Cavill smiled sheepishly, "I've been eating a lot of barbecue lately."

"The crew will hire professional fitness and combat coaches for you," Murphy said directly. "Get back in shape by the end of July."

"I will," Henry Cavill promised confidently.

Murphy then addressed Margot Robbie, "You've received the script. Focus on the character's psychological development. That's your main area to prepare."

Margot Robbie smiled, "I have no issues."

Next, Murphy looked at James Franco, "This film, in some aspects, is similar to the dual protagonist showdown in 'Heat.' Your antagonist role is crucial to the film's success. Watch 'A Clockwork Orange' and study Alex, as well as some characteristics of rock star Sid Vicious."

James Franco, not one to stand on ceremony with Murphy, said, "I'll discuss it with you if I have any questions."

"Also, one more thing," Murphy emphasized to everyone, "Even if 20th Century Fox doesn't approve the additional investment for extensive IMAX shooting, all action scenes in this film will be shot with IMAX cameras. Be prepared for that."

The current plan was to use IMAX for four main action sequences and several static dramatic moments. Even without 3D effects, this would ensure a top-tier visual experience for the audience.

Concluding these instructions, Murphy added, "The film will have Fox's Kara Faith and Gal co-produce, with Gal handling daily crew operations."

Murphy looked at Bill Rossi from across the table, "Bill, you've seen the script and character settings. For roles without suitable actors, prepare a list of candidates and give it to Gal and Michelle."

He then told Gal Gadot and Michelle Williams, "You two will handle the casting."

As the meeting drew to a close, Murphy mentioned, "Weta Workshop will handle the film's special effects."

This had been decided long ago. Since collaborating with Weta Workshop, they had maintained contact.

The special effects for "Dark City" differed from "City of Chaos." Murphy had more ambitious plans, so he opted against green screen filming, preferring to shoot on location as much as possible. Some difficult chase and explosion scenes would be shot using scaled models.

Undoubtedly, Industrial Light & Magic and Weta Workshop were the best choices, but the former's costs were higher, so Murphy chose the latter.

As the preparatory meeting for the crew concluded, Murphy said, "The crew will start preparations immediately."

It was already mid-March, and the film had to be ready for a May release next year, leaving no time to waste.

"We have five months for preparation, three months for shooting, and four months for post-production." Murphy stressed, "By mid-April next year, this film must be completed!"

"Any questions?" Murphy asked. Seeing no objections, he concluded, "That's all for today. Reach out if you have any issues."

With "Dark City" officially launched, a series of preliminary preparations began.

Although 20th Century Fox had provided $40 million in startup funds to the third-party guarantor, this amount was both significant and limited. For such a large project, it would quickly be used up. Murphy kept in constant contact with Kara Faith, urging 20th Century Fox to secure the remaining funds and pushing for the IMAX shooting plan.

For a film with dark tones like this, Murphy refused to use 3D technology, believing IMAX was more beneficial.

Three days after the project kickoff meeting, 20th Century Fox brought a series of advertisers, including Mercedes-Benz, Hewlett-Packard, and Twitter, all potential sponsors for the film.

Negotiations with these sponsors would be handled by 20th Century Fox.

Additionally, international pre-sales for the film had begun. Distributors from Europe, Latin America, and other regions sent representatives to Los Angeles to negotiate with 20th Century Fox.

These were crucial sources of funding. Even a company like 20th Century Fox would struggle with an over $300 million investment, and a failed film could disrupt their entire financial chain.

Murphy cooperated with 20th Century Fox, meeting these representatives. While many came from small markets that 20th Century Fox couldn't reach directly, they weren't fools. They wouldn't easily part with their money without sufficient guarantees or recognition.

The insurance bonds and 20th Century Fox's reputation were one part of the equation. Murphy's hard-earned credibility was another reason they were willing to pay large sums upfront.

Through advertising and pre-sales, 20th Century Fox aimed to cover $40-50 million of the funding pressure. The rest would come from their own funds and financing from financial institutions. Hollywood had a mature system for this, so Murphy wasn't worried.

Additionally, he had agreed with 20th Century Fox to bring at least $50 million into the project, meaning Stanton Studio would cover a quarter of the production cost and receive a proportional share of the profits.

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