I am Hollywood

[Chapter 1012: Off-tracked]

Frank Marshall had repeatedly urged a few times, but the cautious Spielberg and his team were unwilling to budge on the release date for The Matrix 3, which was scheduled for early November. He had to give up on the matter, all the while letting out a sigh of frustration.

Recalling the previous discussions with Microsoft about a second round of investment in Amblin Entertainment, which was rejected due to their cash flow issues, Frank felt the urge to leave again.

With a market value exceeding $200 billion, how could Microsoft possibly be short on cash? Clearly, they had realized that Amblin's growth was far below their expectations and no longer held hopes for the company.

In the original timeline, DreamWorks had once created quite a stir and was considered a threat by traditional Hollywood studios. However, just a few years later, the three partners -- David Geffen, Steven Spielberg, and Jeffrey Katzenberg -- although still publicly associated with DreamWorks, had effectively parted ways. Continuous losses had made the initial capital investors shy away.

Currently, Amblin Entertainment might have changed in many ways, but it was evident they were treading the same old path.

...

Meanwhile, as Amblin debated the release date for The Matrix 3, discussions were heating up at Playa Vista Studio, where Eric and Cameron were also engaged in a dispute.

Today was supposed to be the audition day for the female lead in Spider-Man, a project that Firefly had been closely following. Once Cameron indicated his intent to start filming, many steps had advanced swiftly.

The audition was scheduled to start at nine, but by now, thirty anxious and excited girls were waiting in the hallway outside the audition room as the two bigwigs inside suddenly found themselves sidetracked, leaving everyone else in limbo.

It turned out that Cameron, out of nowhere, had decided to shoot Spider-Man with a 3D camera. He had always been keen on Firefly's RealD initiative and had been offering several suggestions as the plan progressed. Naturally, Spider-Man was expected to be released in 3D and IMAX formats.

While constantly refining 3D conversion technologies, Digital Domain was also developing corresponding dual-camera 3D systems, albeit lagging far behind the rapid progression of the RealD projection system.

So, Eric was understandably frustrated hearing Cameron's thoughts. Spider-Man was already a year behind schedule, and if they had to wait for the 3D camera development, they would be waiting a long time. Despite their amicable personal relationship, their discussions about film were always contentious, and they couldn't help but get into an argument.

"Jim, while the current 3D conversion technology in Digital Domain is far from perfect, there's no such thing as perfect in this world. Plus, the entire technical specifications from production to projection will certainly not become obsolete even ten years from now. This is undoubtedly the most appropriate industry model for 3D films," Eric argued.

"Eric, I don't deny that digital dual-camera polarized 3D is infinitely superior to traditional red-blue 3D. Nevertheless, it's still not true 3D; only images shot with a 3D camera can be truly perfect. Don't you want to achieve something more perfect?" Cameron replied.

If this had been before Eric's understanding of 3D films had deepened, he might have agreed with Cameron. But now, he was just as informed. "Jim, in my opinion, there's really no such thing as true 3D versus fake 3D. You've seen the prototype for the 3D camera; you should know that even images shot with a 3D camera still require conversion. What's more, those purely special effects CG shots cannot possibly be filmed with a 3D camera. The essence of a 3D film is 3D visual reconstruction. Whether done through a 2D conversion or directly using 3D camera material, as long as it presents a stunning three-dimensional visual effect, it's good 3D. Using a 3D camera just shortens the production process; it's like making bread from grain, while using a 3D camera is akin to starting with flour."

Cameron gestured emphatically and raised his voice in rebuttal, "That's not how it works; there's a significant difference between the two methods. The segment you converted for Jurassic Park had some characters whose sizes were totally out of proportion. If shot with a 3D camera, that issue wouldn't arise."

Due to the need to split the original footage into two and recreate the stereoscopic depth, 2D conversion indeed had the flaws Cameron mentioned, leading to some disjointed proportions in the converted footage.

"That issue wasn't even obvious; it can still be eliminated through technical improvements. The conversion studio has already established a technical team specifically for this. Moreover, since you haven't filmed a movie using a 3D camera, how can you be sure it won't have the same problems? Besides, with the current technological standards of the 3D camera, there's a higher likelihood of issues arising if you forcibly use this method in the short term. If we consider 2D conversion a score of 80, then 3D shooting technology can barely be considered a 60 at best for the short term. To achieve completely mature 3D shooting technology, we would need at least two or three years. Are you planning to wait another three years?"

Cameron realized that much of what Eric said was indeed factual, and it was impossible to pull a fast one on someone who understood the industry as well as he did. Thus, his enthusiasm waned a bit; he also knew Spider-Man couldn't delay for three more years.

Eric had once indulged him in spending over $200 million on Titanic. While the film ultimately created a box office miracle, he had always remembered that favor. Although Cameron pursued perfection, he was also a sensible person, known for his loyalty.

Yet, Cameron wasn't about to back down just yet. Stubbornly, he shot back, "I'm willing to wait."

Seeing Cameron's demeanor, Eric couldn't help but smirk internally. "Alright, we can discuss this later. There are so many people waiting. Let's start the auditions first."

With that, without waiting for Cameron to respond, Eric turned to the casting director and said, "Let's get started."

Everyone in the room relaxed. While it was quite educational to witness the two bigwigs debating, even Jon Landau, who sat nearby, felt a little concerned that they might genuinely fall out over this.

...

Upon hearing Eric, the casting director wasted no time, promptly heading out, and moments later, the first audition girl walked in -- it was Kirsten Dunst.

Having emerged as a child star in Hollywood, Kirsten Dunst met all the audition standards in terms of age, appearance, and acting experience. In fact, most of the girls making it to this round were in the same boat; such opportunities were rarely open to newcomers.

Although she had inexplicably waited for over half an hour, Kirsten's expression showed no signs of unease. She elegantly introduced herself, "Mr. Williams, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Landau, and everyone else, good morning. I'm Kirsten Dunst..."

Everyone in Hollywood was somewhat familiar with each other. After a brief introduction, the audition officially began.

Compared to her role as Claudia in Interview with the Vampire, Kirsten Dunst had blossomed into a lovely young woman, though her looks didn't quite align with Eric's preferences. Kirsten's impression as Mary Jane still lingered in Eric's mind.

However, that wouldn't heavily impact today's audition. Whether Kirsten Dunst was equally suited for the character Gwen Stacy would depend on her audition performance and her on-screen chemistry with the male lead, Stuart Ronkel.

While the superhero film didn't necessarily emphasize romantic storylines, having an excellent chemistry between the lead characters could surely boost their popularity.

After patiently watching Kirsten's performance and asking her a few questions, the audition wrapped up quickly. They needed to see over thirty girls today, so they couldn't afford to spend too much time with each.

As Kirsten left the room, Cameron seemed to completely forget about the earlier argument with Eric and professionally commented, "She looks good, her acting is sufficient. However, I think her demeanor doesn't quite fit Gwen Stacy; she seems more suitable for Peter Parker's other girlfriend."

Eric chuckled, "Mary Jane?"

Cameron nodded, "If she's willing, that role can be handed directly to her."

In the newly written script, although Gwen Stacy was undoubtedly the primary lead, Mary Jane, as Peter Parker's neighbor, also had a portion of screen time. Based on long-term plot development, Mary Jane's role could increase after Gwen Stacy's death. However, this was not set in stone, as future storylines would need to adapt to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Nevertheless, Cameron's comment that Kirsten Dunst was suitable for Mary Jane didn't stem from the same reasoning as Eric's; rather, in comic book terms, Mary Jane was depicted as an ordinary-looking girl, while Gwen Stacy was portrayed as a classic beauty. From this perspective, Dunst didn't quite meet the standard of beauty.

After discussing for a bit, Eric naturally didn't oppose Cameron's suggestion; Mary Jane wasn't a character that required extensive discussion. This matter was settled.

As to whether Kirsten Dunst would agree to play this supporting role, no one was particularly worried. Though Kirsten had a decent level of fame, she was still hovering around the second-tier status in Hollywood. If cast as the female lead in Spider-Man, she could only command a basic fee of $300,000.

Moreover, after Titanic, there were hardly any stars in Hollywood willing to turn down a chance to work with Cameron, not even in supporting roles.

...

With that settled, the auditions continued, and as lunchtime drew closer, Eric's eyes lit up when the last audition girl before lunch walked in.

The girl wasn't particularly tall but had a great figure, wearing a pink jacket and blue jeans, paired with beautiful blonde hair. Most importantly, that sweet face had a touch of a doll-like quality.

Alright, Eric had no immunity against doll-like faces.

Standing in front of the camera, the girl confidently introduced herself, "Hello everyone, I'm Keri Russell. I had a few years of performance experience on the Mickey Mouse Club, and I recently starred in films like The Curve. I have loved reading comics since childhood and would love to try out for the role of Gwen Stacy."

In the provided brief, Keri Russell was a pure-bred Disney child star, with Honey, I Blew Up the Kid being a Disney comedy from a few years back. However, she was several years older than Britney and the other girls.

When Eric had previously invited a few kids from the Mickey Mouse Club to visit his manor, Keri Russell hadn't been among them. Upon reflection, that day was for a children's play, and Keri Russell had probably been too old to participate.

Looking at the girl in front of him, Eric also remembered that she seemed to have appeared in Mission: Impossible 3; unfortunately, that character met a tragic fate being blown up by a micro-bomb implanted in her brain.

After Keri finished her introduction, the room went quiet for two seconds. Jon Landau glanced over, noticing Cameron hurriedly scribbling something in a notebook while Eric appeared lost in thought, staring at his folder. Jon decided to speak up first, "So, Miss Russell, why don't you share your understanding of Gwen Stacy's character."

Keri was a bit taken aback. Initially confident, the obvious distraction from the two most significant figures in the room caused her to feel anxious and flustered.

She didn't know much about Cameron but had some connections with others from the Mickey Mouse Club, even being aware of the closeness between Christina and Eric Williams.

Candidly mentioning her experiences at the Mickey Mouse Club was meant to strengthen her connection with Eric Williams, but it seemed to have backfired.

"I'm not clear on the movie script situation, but in the comics, Gwen Stacy is a very intelligent and confident girl. Like many comic characters, she has her own flaws as well..."

Having prepared in advance, Keri Russell answered Jon Landau's questions smoothly, albeit her mood was no longer relaxed, and her tone inevitably felt a bit dry.

Cameron, influenced by the previously auditioned girl, suddenly came up with some script revision ideas. Worried he would forget, he hurriedly jotted them down in his notebook.

Putting down his pen, he focused on the girl in front of him, feeling disappointed as he noted her clear struggle to maintain composure.

Eric quickly regained his focus as he and Cameron looked at Keri Russell, aware of her issues. However, Eric didn't intend to shoulder the blame along with Cameron.

Remaining calm and composed should be a basic quality for any interviewee; failure to do so means they cannot blame anyone else for what occurs.

For Keri Russell, Eric briefly expressed interest but wouldn't make any major concessions just because of her doll-like appearance.

Once Keri Russell finished discussing her understanding of Gwen Stacy's character, Eric signaled to his assistant to randomly select a scene and handed it to her, saying, "Keri, let's try a scene now."

*****

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