American fame and fortune

"Hi, Martin, congratulations, the North American box office of The Dark Knight has exceeded 500 million US dollars!"

In the studio, Chad came over and bumped fists with Martin: "If John Wick's global box office can exceed 500 million US dollars, I will go naked on Sunset Boulevard and run from the east end to the west end."

Mene came from behind to join in the fun: "You underestimate Boss Martin's appeal."

Martin is very clear-headed: "After all, it's just a medium-sized R-rated film."

Chad said: "By cutting it to PG-13, the film loses its most charming and essence."

Mene nodded: "That's true."

The three of them went to the dubbing studio together, and some of the dialogue between Jonathan and Winston needed to be slightly adjusted.

Martin and Mene familiarized themselves with their lines again, put on their headsets and entered the studio.

A special table was set up in the recording studio, and Martin and Mene sat on each side.

When the sound engineer's announcement began, all the irregularity on Mene's face disappeared, and he said in a thick voice developed through years of hard training: "Jonathan, if you really want to retire, leave New York."

Martin had also adjusted and said with a bit of weakness: "I want to stay where I can see Helen."

Mene added: "You left a blood oath badge. They will come to you one day."

"I'm not afraid of them." Martin was like an affectionate husband at the moment: "That's the house where I married Helen, and I won't leave there."

Mene's voice became thicker and thicker, and he spoke the last line: "Jonathan..."

When the recording came to an end, Chad and the sound engineer listened to the recording carefully again, and asked Martin and Mene to record it again and choose the best.

In less than half an hour, the work was declared complete.

Martin came out of the recording studio and was going to go to the editing room with Chad.

Mene came close to him and whispered: "Boss, I have to leave first."

Martin asked casually: "Do you have a date?"

Mene said: "A new dessert shop opened on Nan Bo Wei Street, and Emma invited me to have dessert together at noon. I couldn't refuse."

Martin waved his hand: "Go ahead."

Just as Mene was about to leave, he remembered something again and said, "I may play a major supporting role in director Nolan's new project."

"This is a good thing." Martin felt that Mene had such ability, and that a black person in the main role could also attract black audiences. He said: "Have a good chat with Emma, ​​she has a strong voice in Nolan's crew. "

Mene chuckled and left.

Martin went to the editing room and basically said nothing, watching Chad direct the editing.

"I don't need short shots that switch quickly, and I don't need to artificially create a shaking feeling in the camera." Before starting the work, Chad once again told the editor: "Martin's action shots are highly completed, and cutting the shots is not conducive. The presentation of action scenes and stable action long shots are our style.”

The editing room edited it exactly how Chuck wanted it.

Martin watched it for a while and thought it would be better to wait until the first cut version was completed before taking a look at it. He happened to have an appointment with Nolan today, said hello to Chad, and left the editing room.

Arriving at the front hall of the studio, Taylor and her agent came in from the outside.

The former was also carrying an incubator in his hand.

As soon as Taylor saw Martin, he immediately held his arm and said, "You must try the cookies I made by myself."

Martin responded: "I haven't tasted your cooking yet."

Taylor placed the incubator on the table aside, opened it and winked at Martin: "I've tasted yours."

Martin ignored the seductive fox eyes and went to look at the incubator. There were many small boxes of cookies inside. The shapes were not so regular and they were obviously handmade works.

Taylor took a small box and gave it to Martin: "Try it."

Martin ate a piece. It was crispy and sweet, not to his taste. He still raised his thumb and said, "The taste is great, but the appearance needs improvement."

Taylor's red lips came to Martin's ear and said: "I made it irregularly on purpose. If it is too round, how can others tell whether it was handmade by me?"

Martin sincerely praised Taylor this time: "Dear, no wonder you are popular."

"I'm going to deliver cookies to the crew." Taylor's voice was still very low: "I'll treat you to dinner later?"

Martin said: "Let me treat you. There is a restaurant that will suit your taste." He glanced at his watch: "I'm going to meet a director. I'll call you when I come out."

Taylor nodded: "Okay."

Martin left the studio and went to a nearby small building.

At the studio, Taylor carried the insulated box, and starting from the front desk, each office would personally deliver a small box of handmade cookies.

The rural mold in the initial stage is very good at being a good person.

Because of the huge success of The Dark Knight, Nolan's new project was easily greenlit by Warner Bros., and the crew was officially established. The studio is still located at Warner Studios.

When Martin passed by, the office building was being tidied up and there was some chaos inside.

Nolan simply asked him to sit under a sun umbrella on the roadside and talk. This was the filming area of ​​Warner Studios and ordinary people could not enter.

"At the beginning, it was a bit chaotic." Nolan pointed to the back and said: "Every time I start a new project, I have to set up a separate studio, and it always takes a while."

Martin said: "Finances should be calculated separately."

Nolan went to get the briefcase at hand: "I have good news for you, the script is completed."

He took out the script and handed it to Martin.

On the cover of the script, there is only one English word "Inception".

Martin frowned slightly, what is the English title of Inception? He vaguely remembered it as a word, but couldn't remember the specifics.

Nolan made a gesture of invitation.

Martin opened the script and read it carefully.

“At dusk, the waves roll.

The waves pushed the bearded man onto the beach, where he lay still. A gun barrel turned the bearded man over, and the security guard with the gun called his companions!

Behind them is a cliff with a castle on it..."

When Martin read the beginning, he was reminded of the movie he had watched several times. The beginning was almost exactly the same as the script.

Yes, this is Inception.

What follows is the castle plot in the first act.

Martin read it very carefully. The script was more obscure than the movie. He would occasionally stop to confirm the plot in his mind, so he read it very slowly.

In Nolan's eyes, Martin read the script very carefully and did not become overwhelmed by the popularity of The Dark Knight or The Joker. He still maintained a dedicated attitude.

From the moment this new project was conceived during the filming of The Dark Knight, Martin was the only leading actor in Nolan's mind.

Compared to Bale, who was messy and had a lot of things going on on set, Martin is really a model of being capable and dedicated.

Martin read less than a fifth of the script, so he closed the script and said, "Shall I take the script back and read it slowly?"

Nolan took out the script and gave it to Martin: "Don't worry, it may be a bit complicated. Study it carefully."

Martin nodded and said, "I feel that the male protagonist's mental state is not very stable."

Nolan admitted: "In reality, people's mental states are unstable, and the same is true for my protagonists."

Martin recalled that the protagonist of Memento was an amnesiac, and the White Night Chaser was a police detective suffering from insomnia. Not to mention Batman and the Joker, both had mental problems.

"I will study the script and characters carefully when I get back." Martin asked, "When do you plan to start filming?"

Nolan said: "The specific time has not been determined yet, but it should be around the summer of next year. You should save your schedule."

Martin did the math: "My schedule should be fine."

Nolan held Martin's shoulders and said: "We must show the same state as the clown!" Now he is full of confidence: "Let us work together to shock the world again!"

"Definitely." Just as Martin finished his sentence, he caught a glimpse of a battery car passing by, with a very familiar fat man sitting in the car.

Harvey Weinstein also saw him and Nolan, asked the driver to stop the car, jumped out of the car and proactively said hello: "Hi, Martin."

He turned to Nolan again: "Is this Director Nolan?"

Nolan stepped forward and shook Harvey's hand politely and exchanged casual greetings.

As Martin shook his hand, he asked, "Harvey, why do you have time to come here?"

Who in Hollywood doesn’t know that the Weinstein brothers are at loggerheads with Warner Brothers.

Harvey laughed: "Warner Bros. and Peter Jackson want to start The Hobbit, the prequel to The Lord of the Rings. Part of the copyright is in my hands. They can only invite me to come over and discuss it with Peter."

Martin complimented casually: "Harvey, you have a good eye and you have mastered a treasury."

Harvey smiled even more freely and said calmly: "Are you interested in joining? I'll introduce you to Peter Jackson."

However, Martin knew that getting every benefit from this fat man would come at a high price. He said, "I will devote all my energy to director Nolan's new project."

Nolan was a little unhappy that Harvey was poaching people in front of him, and Martin's refusal without hesitation made him feel very dignified.

Harvey looked at Nolan, his usual style and style: "New project? Director Nolan, we can definitely cooperate. You have made a breakthrough in business now, in terms of awards..."

Nolan may not be obsessed with Oscars now. He seemed to be very polite and said: "Sorry, Harvey, the investment in my project is too high and independent studios cannot afford it."

Harvey was so thick-skinned and kept his expression straight: "If you have any thoughts about Oscar, just come to me."

Nolan just smiled and said no more.

Harvey looked back at Martin.

Martin blocked the way before he could speak: "Harvey, I have at least three or four projects in hand, not counting the agency. My schedule is full in the next few years."

Harvey didn't say much, waved his hand and got on the electric car, waited for it to go away, turned to look at Martin and Nolan, and said to himself: "You are famous and have strong appeal, but you don't like me as an independent producer. Wait. You are no longer popular..."

Martin put away the script, said goodbye to Nolan, called Taylor, and went to the Smoke House restaurant outside for dinner.

After dinner, of course, he wanted Taylor to show off her singing voice.