ã€ŠHollywood Director 1992ã€‹


 #310 - We can call the police, call the police now, and we will not let Link go this time.

    After chatting with Sophie Marceau, he received calls from Aaron Kouch, the deputy editor of "The Hollywood Reporter," Ross Stanton, the deputy editor of the "Los Angeles Times," Graydon Carter, the editor of "Vanity Fair," and other media personalities.

    After the double charts were released, Link once again became a hot topic and the focus of the American media. Numerous media outlets were vying to interview and report on him, but Link was busy filming in the crew and didn''t have time for interviews.

    Now, several media people are calling him, wanting to ask him a few questions over the phone that the public is most concerned about.

    Taiwan Novel Network ¡ú ? ? ? ? ? . ? ? ?

    Including how he feels about Guess Pictures strongly suppressing the seven major film companies in terms of box office revenue, and whether he will continue to compete for the top spot in the annual box office charts?

    What plans does Guess Pictures have to maintain its current market share?

    Also, as the youngest and highest-ranked billionaire on the Forbes list, how does Link view wealth and ideals, and what is the secret to becoming a billionaire?

    Does he have any successful experiences to share with his fans, and so on.

    Link answered the questions of several people on the phone.

    By the time the interviews were over, the food in the lunchbox was cold, and his personal assistant, Lewinsky, immediately replaced it with a hot lunchbox.

    "Hey, billionaire, you''re done being busy."

    Before he could start eating, Jim Carrey came over with a lunchbox and a copy of "Forbes" magazine, craning his neck to peek at the food in his lunchbox, which consisted of a few simple items: broccoli, bread, and fried pork chops.

    "Why are you eating the same thing as us?"

    "Isn''t it all just lunchboxes?"

    Link took a sip of warm water.

    "Tsk tsk, you''re so rich, it''s too casual of you to eat this kind of fast food."

    Jim Carrey said, smacking his lips.

    Link shook his head. Originally, when he came to the crew to film, Liu Xiaoli had suggested hiring several chefs, nutritionists, and nannies to take care of his life, so that he could eat well, drink well, and work with peace of mind, but he refused.

    He doesn''t have high demands for food; he just needs it to be clean, nutritious, and healthy.

    Eating too complicated is also troublesome.

    "Jim, you also did well last year, congratulations."

    Link glanced at the magazine and said while eating the pork chop.

    "Haha, thank you! But compared to you, my little income is nothing."

    Jim Carrey grinned, feeling very happy.

    He was also on the new issue of Forbes. With the success of "Dumb and Dumber" and "The Mask" last year, his per-film salary increased to $20 million, making him the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.

    Last year, he ranked 8th on the "Forbes Celebrity 100" with an income of $32 million, second only to Link, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Spielberg, and others.

    And in 1992, when he filmed "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," his salary was only $200,000, making him the male actor with the fastest salary growth in the industry.

    "Link, I also have to thank you. You gave me a hand when my career was at its lowest point, allowing me to soar. I will always remember this."

    Jim Carrey''s face was serious and earnest, no longer with a hippie smile.

    "We''re all friends, don''t be polite."

    Link tapped his water bottle against his.

    Hearing him say this, Jim Carrey changed back to a playful expression to liven up the atmosphere.

    "Hi, two billionaires, can I sit here?"

    Nicole Kidman also came over with a lunchbox, smiling as she asked, seeing the Forbes magazine on the table.

    "Haha, of course, Nicole, do you have something important to talk to Link about? Then I won''t disturb you. Enjoy your meal."

    Jim Carrey winked at Link and left, showing great tact.

    Nicole Kidman smiled slightly, put down her lunchbox, sat opposite Link, and quietly looked at his handsome face.

    "What are you looking at me for?"

    "Because you''re good-looking."

    Nicole Kidman brushed her hair, saying charmingly, "Link, how are you so amazing? Before, I told Ben Affleck that you are Batman, and to play Batman according to your personality, hobbies, and habits, it would be 100% accurate.

    But now I''m not so sure anymore, because I''ve discovered that you''re even better than Batman. Batman''s success mainly relies on his parents'' inheritance, while you started from scratch entirely based on your talent, and your personality and mentality are better and more charming than Batman''s."

    Hearing her say this, Link also felt that he was a bit more awesome than Batman. He might not be able to compare to Batman in terms of net worth, but in terms of physical fitness and combat power, he far exceeded Batman.

    "In the past, I didn''t understand why you were so promiscuous, and why Michelle and the others still loved you so much and were so devoted to you. Now I understand, because you''re too great, one of the few good men in the world. To meet a man like you, even sharing you with others is more worthwhile than marrying an ordinary person."

    Nicole Kidman said, propping up her cheek and smiling.

    "So Ben Affleck often stared at me on set, was that your idea?"

    Link picked up a slice of sweet orange and put it in his mouth, chewing gently.

    "Haha, Ben Affleck didn''t know how to play Batman well during that time and was very anxious. I told him that you are Batman, and imitating you would allow him to play the role well. Ben Affleck did as I said, and the effect was great, which also shows that my suggestion was correct."

    Nicole Kidman blinked her blue eyes, with an expression that said, ''Hurry up and praise me.''

    "Well done, I should thank you. But the next scene is relatively difficult, you need to prepare well before filming, let''s strive for one take."

    "Don''t worry, no problem. Wait, I seem to be getting sidetracked by you, we''re talking about you, not work."

    Nicole Kidman gave him a charming glare, leaning forward on the table, her cleavage generously displayed before his eyes. In the air, besides the aroma of food, there was also the peach-like fragrance from her body.

    "This is the crew, work is the most important thing. We''ll talk about other things after filming. Okay, I''m done eating, you should also finish eating quickly and film."

    Link threw the empty lunchbox into the trash can, got up, and walked into the set, loudly directing the people in the crew to move and prepare for the next scene.

    Nicole Kidman glared at him, smiled slightly, and looked back at the Forbes magazine on the table, her eyes gradually becoming complicated.

    In this issue of the magazine, she was not on the list, while several of the women around Link entered the Hollywood Actresses Income List.

    Among them, Michelle Pfeiffer ranked 5th with an annual income of $21 million, Sandra Bullock ranked 8th with $15 million, and Monica Bellucci ranked 12th with an income of $10 million, including salaries and advertising revenue.

    Jennifer Connelly ranked 18th with $8.5 million, and Julianne Moore, Ren¨¦e Zellweger, Winona Ryder, and Milla Jovovich also had annual incomes of over $3 million.

    And she, as the wife of superstar Tom Cruise, took on two films and three endorsements last year, with an income of only $2.6 million.

    Now almost everyone in Hollywood is jealous of this group of women.

    After climbing into Link''s bed, they not only have access to a large number of film and television resources, but also receive the protection of tycoon Link, and can also earn millions or tens of millions a year.

    There is nothing better in the world than this.

    Nicole Kidman used to think that marrying Tom Cruise was incredibly lucky, but compared to this group of women, it was nothing.

    She stretched out her slender fingers and gently caressed Link''s photo on the magazine, the flames burning in her eyes becoming even more intense. Such a man should be hers.

    "Nicole, Mr. Cruise is on the phone, is it convenient for you to answer?"

    Assistant Millie said, holding a portable phone.

    Nicole came back to her senses, took the phone from the assistant, and Tom Cruise''s voice came from the receiver.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Why do you ask?"

    "I''m your husband, can''t I ask?"

    "Yes, I''m having dinner or sleeping with Link, which one do you want to hear?"

    Nicole Kidman sneered.

    "Nicole, be mindful of your status, you are my wife."

    "So I can''t have dinner with the director on set?"

    "Is it really just dinner? You''ve been on set for more than a month, seeing each other every day. Link is a playboy, can you guarantee that your relationship is just dinner?"

    "What are you trying to say?"

    Nicole Kidman asked impatiently.

    "There are scandals about you in the newspapers, many scandals, saying that you and Link often come and go together and have a very improper relationship. Is this true?"

    Tom Cruise asked, suppressing his voice.

    Since Link is a playboy and Nicole Kidman is one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood, after the filming of "Batman" started, many scandals about the two appeared in the entertainment newspapers, claiming that she and Link were close, lived in the same hotel, and often came and went together.

    Although the media did not explicitly say that she cheated on Link, every word implied that the two had an improper relationship, and when reporting on the scandals between the two, they also deliberately brought up Tom Cruise, writing him like a cuckold.

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    Tom Cruise was very angry after seeing this. He knew that Nicole Kidman had a mission and inevitably had to have a relationship with Link, but he didn''t want this matter to be exposed too early, at least not before entering the court, as it would make him lose face.

    Nicole Kidman sneered, "Improper relationship? Yes, what the newspapers said is right. I''m so beautiful and my figure is so sexy, how could Link, that bastard, let me go? Not long after I entered the crew, he took the opportunity to lecture me and forcibly took my body in the office. Afterwards, he forcibly demanded that I live with him, filming during the day and bullying me severely when I came back at night, using me like a female slave. I''m just a small actress, what can I do in the face of a rich man and director like him?"

    "Damn Link! I''m going to kill you!"

    Tom Cruise cursed angrily, "Nicole, did you get any evidence? Photos, videos, or other physical evidence, we can call the police, call the police now, send him to prison, and ruin the reputation of this rich man. Tell me, where is the evidence?"

    "There is no evidence. The first few times I was forced, and later I... I was willing."

    "What?! How could you do this? Don''t forget your identity, you are my wife, mine!"

    Tom Cruise shouted angrily on the phone.

    "I don''t want to either, but Link is too charming. Not only is he young and handsome, but he is also gentle and considerate. During this time with him, I was conquered by him little by little from body to heart, and then I fell in love with him hopelessly. I don''t know why this is happening?"

    "Bitch! Bitch! How could you do this? Don''t forget the task Michael gave you."

    Tom Cruise shouted angrily.

    Nicole Kidman''s face was cold, "Michael Ovitz''s task? So you knew about Michael Ovitz''s plan, using your wife to use a beauty trap?"

    Although Michael Ovitz didn''t tell her that Tom Cruise knew about this, she guessed that Tom Cruise might know after many trials.

    Now hearing Tom Cruise say it himself, Nicole Kidman couldn''t help but tremble, her whole body turning cold.

    Tom Cruise is full of possessiveness and control over her. Every time in public, Tom Cruise always likes to hold her, strictly monitor her, and even forbids her from saying a word to other men.

    She thought this was a sign of love, and she felt disgusted but could tolerate it.

    Only now did she realize that it was not like that at all. It was not love at all, only possessiveness and vanity.

    "I... Okay, I know, but this was Michael Ovitz''s idea. I opposed it, but it was useless. He said you were the most suitable candidate, there was no one else besides you, I had to agree."

    Tom Cruise''s voice revealed a bit of helplessness, and then turned into grief and indignation, "Nicole, don''t blame me, it''s all Link''s fault. After he entered Hollywood, Hollywood became a mess, lost its original order, and the status of CAA and the seven major film companies in the entertainment industry was greatly affected, and their dominance seriously declined.

    The film industry has also been greatly affected. Bad movies sell well, and good movies cannot be released normally. Many film companies have gone bankrupt and closed down, and many excellent actors have lost their jobs. It''s all because of Link.

    If he continues to stay in Hollywood, the entire film industry will be affected in the future, and the art of film will also decline. We are doing this for the sake of film, for the sake of Hollywood. Can you understand my feelings?"

    Nicole Kidman sneered, wiped away her tears, "For the sake of film? For the sake of Hollywood? Hehe, stop making excuses for yourself. Everything you do is for yourself. You want to use me to obtain more resources and consolidate your position in Hollywood, right, my dear husband?"

    "I''m not! I didn''t, don''t think wildly."

    "Tom, let''s get a divorce! Things have been made clear, and there is no point in continuing our marriage."

    "Don''t even think about it! I will never divorce you and let you mess around with that damn Link and make me lose face."

    Tom Cruise cursed angrily.

    "I can leave with nothing."

    "I said, I will never divorce."

    "Why?"

    "Hmph! Everything you have was given to you by me. Without me, you are just a small actress from Australia. Now that you are famous, you want to divorce me. There is no such cheap thing in the world."

    "Okay, then don''t care who I sleep with or what I do at night."

    "Bitch¡ª"

    Tom Cruise''s hysterical scolding came from the microphone. Nicole Kidman decisively hung up the phone, wiped her eyes, and went to the dressing room to prepare.

    When she finished her makeup and came out, the rest of the crew was ready.

    The crew began filming.

    "Scene 617, Take 1, Action!"

    This scene is about Dr. Chase treating Bruce Wayne''s mental problems.

    "I have something to give you, it''s on the table, I hope you like it."

    Dr. Chase shouted from next door.

    Bruce Wayne walked to the desk and picked up the item in the box. It was a scary doll mask, one side black and the other white.

    "This thing can treat your nightmares, your dreams also need to be changed."

    Dr. Chase walked in from outside the door, wearing a deep purple sleeveless dress, tall and sexy, with golden hair scattered over her shoulders, exuding a charming aura from head to toe.

    "My parents were murdered in front of me when I was a child."

    Bruce Wayne looked at Dr. Chase, put his hands in his pockets and walked to the window, "I don''t remember much of what happened at the time, but I still often dream of some glowing things, like lightning, and now the same thing has appeared, something I''ve never seen before, a red book, and other things, sometimes they appear even when I''m awake."

    Dr. Chase listened quietly to his description, with sympathy and understanding on her face, "Bruce, what you are talking about is a suppressed memory, painful images that have been forgotten are trying to reappear."

    "Cut!"

    Link looked at the camera and called Ben and Nicole over.

    "Ben, you need to relax a little. When you look at Dr. Chase, your eyes need to have some emotional color, indicating that you appreciate the woman in front of you.

    Nicole, judging from your performance, your emotional output is very unstable, sometimes reacting too quickly, sometimes reacting too slowly, looking very stiff. What''s wrong? You used to be very good at acting in this kind of scene."

    Nicole Kidman shrugged, "I''ve encountered some bad things. Link, can we talk after filming?"

    "Okay! You guys go adjust first."

    Filming continued ten minutes later.

    In previous filming, Nicole Kidman performed steadily and could also drive Ben Affleck''s performance, making filming relatively smooth.

    Today, Nicole''s condition was not good, which led to insufficient cooperation between the two, and a scene was repeatedly filmed five times before it passed.

 #309 - Annual total box office rankings, new Forbes rich list (5K)

    After leaving Jennifer''s apartment, Link received calls from Navigator Capital and Morgan Investments.

    Gregg Davis and Paul Hankson mentioned the news in the newspaper, saying that he spared no expense, spending over ten million on public relations for the Oscars. The two were very dissatisfied with this approach, saying that he was wasting the shareholders'' money and that this behavior must be stopped.

    Link said that public relations for the Oscars was to promote the movie, not for personal matters, and they had no right to interfere.

    Besides, the largest shareholder of Guess Pictures was himself, and even if he spent money, it was his own money. Shareholders had no right to point fingers at this matter.

    The two were so angry that they slammed the table, saying that some of that money was theirs.

    Link told them that if they were optimistic about the development of Guess Pictures, they should not interfere in the company''s affairs. If they were not optimistic, they could also withdraw their shares.

    Guess Pictures was willing to redeem the original shares from the two companies at a market value of 600 million.

    The two companies invested in Guess Pictures for less than a year and earned more than ten million, which was also a profitable investment.

    The two did not agree to withdraw their shares.

    Gregg Davis said that if they were to withdraw their shares, they should be redeemed at the market value of 1.5 billion he set, not 600 million.

    Link agreed.

    As long as they withdrew their shares, they could be redeemed at 1.5 billion. 10% of the shares was 150 million. Guess Pictures could afford this money, and he was willing to spend this money to kick out two uncooperative partners and find more suitable investors.

    Gregg Davis was silent for a while and said that Navigator Capital would not withdraw its shares.

    Paul Hankson also said that he would not withdraw his shares.

    The first call ended unhappily.

    A few days later, driven by the Oscars, the box office of ''Seven Deadly Sins'' increased again, slowly increasing from the original 350 million to 360 million. The box office of ''Speed'' and ''Good Will Hunting'' also increased by tens of millions.

    The media began to promote that Guess Pictures'' investment in the Oscars was very cost-effective and a bold investment.

    Gregg Davis and Paul Hankson called again to congratulate Link on the increase in the box office of several movies, and at the same time reminded him that the deadline for the second round of financing for Guess Pictures was approaching, and asked him what his plans were.

    Link said he had no plans.

    The two said that if there was no plan, the second round of financing would fail.

    Link said that it would not fail. Even if it failed, it would not affect the company. The company had sufficient ammunition and did not need financing.

    On the other end of the phone, Gregg Davis took a few heavy breaths and said through gritted teeth,

    "Link, it''s very unreasonable for you to think like this. If the company wants to develop, obtaining funds through financing and then expanding the company''s scale is the most direct way.

    Now that Guess Pictures has developed to a critical stage, completing the second round of financing will make Guess Pictures stronger. Navigator Capital is also willing to help you grow Guess Pictures."

    "Oh, what suggestions do you have?"

    "A market value of 1 billion is Navigator Capital''s latest valuation of Guess Pictures. If you agree, Navigator Capital will help you complete the second round of financing."

    "Gregg, I''ve said many times that 1.5 billion is the bottom line and I won''t back down anymore."

    Link insisted.

    Bang bang bang ~ The sound of slamming the table came from the microphone again.

    "Link, you should be more flexible and recognize the current situation. The seven major film companies and seven major media groups are joining forces to suppress Guess Pictures and squeeze Guess''s market. The situation of Guess Pictures will be even worse in the future.

    Secondly, the box office performance of the two films released by Guess Pictures at the beginning of the year was not outstanding, even worse than last year. I think 1 billion is a very suitable price."

    Gregg Davis said, suppressing his anger.

    Link smiled and said, "The seven major media groups joined forces to suppress me at the beginning of the year, hyping up my negative news, and wanted to use this method to defeat me, but they failed, and they will not succeed in the future.

    The box office revenue of ''The Man from Earth'' is more than 100 times, and the box office revenue ratio of ''Rumble in the Bronx'' in North America alone has reached 4 times.

    Such movies are projects that are worth opening champagne to celebrate in the seven major film companies, but you are telling me that these two movies are not outstanding?

    I know that Navigator Capital is also a shareholder of the seven major film companies. Among the films released by the seven major film companies at the beginning of the year, are there any films with box office revenue ratios that can compare with these two?"

    Gregg Davis had nothing to say. The investment cost of these two films was very low. Even if a lot of money was spent on publicity, Guess Pictures could still earn several times the cost overall.

    The seven major film companies are large factory-style film production models with extremely high film production costs. In terms of revenue ratio, none of them can compare with ''Rumble in the Bronx'' this year, let alone ''The Man from Earth''.

    "Okay, Link, you''re right, but I hope you''ll reconsider."

    "No need to reconsider, 1.5 billion is a very suitable price. If you don''t take the opportunity to enter the market when the stock price is low, I dare to guarantee that they won''t have a chance to enter the market after the company develops."

    Link hung up the phone.

    Two days later, Gregg Davis called him again and told him in an excited tone that after his repeated lobbying, the investment department of Navigator Capital agreed to participate in the second round of financing of Guess Pictures at a market value of 1.2 billion. He asked if he would accept it?

    Link said no, Guess Pictures had increased its price, and now 1.6 billion was the bottom line.

    "Why?! Why did it increase by another 100 million?"

    Gregg Davis shouted irritably.

    He tried his best to use psychological tactics and investment strategies to gradually test Link''s bottom line. He thought he was about to test it, but when he took a step forward, Link took a big step back.

    This made his previous efforts a joke.

    "You can read today''s newspaper. You should be able to find the answer on it. There is also one reason. Last year I said that I would give priority to investment companies that are more helpful to the company''s development in the second round of financing. Unfortunately, Navigator Capital is not one of them."

    "We also contributed to the seven major film companies joining forces to suppress Guess Pictures last year."

    "Yes, it''s a pity that you didn''t persist."

    Link said.

    Gregg Davis gritted his teeth and hung up the phone unhappily.

    He asked his assistant to send all the newspapers and magazines related to Link and Guess Pictures today.

    The top newspaper was ''The Hollywood Reporter''.

    It contained the 1994 Hollywood film box office chart, the list and information of the top 20 films, as well as the box office revenue of all Hollywood film companies last year and the company''s profit comparison.

    Last year''s North American film box office champion was ''Seven Deadly Sins'', with a North American box office of 363 million US dollars and a global box office of 836 million US dollars.

    The second place was ''Forrest Gump'', with a North American box office of 320 million and a global box office of 657 million.

    The third place was ''The Lion King'', with a North American box office of 306 million and a global box office of 852 million US dollars.

    The fourth place was ''True Lies'', with a North American box office of 146 million and a global box office of 368 million.

    The fifth place was ''Good Will Hunting'', with 138 million in North America and 225 million worldwide.

    The sixth place was ''The Flintstones'', with 130 million US dollars and 340 million worldwide.

    The seventh place was ''Speed'', with 125 million US dollars and 360 million worldwide.

    The eighth place was ''Dumb and Dumber'', with 122 million and 247 million worldwide.

    The ninth place was ''Clear and Present Danger'', with 122 million in North America and 215 million worldwide.

    The tenth place was ''The Mask'', with 119 million in North America and 357 million worldwide.

    The eleventh place was ''Pulp Fiction'', with 109 million in North America and 213 million worldwide.

    The twelfth place was ''Interview with the Vampire'', with 102 million in North America and 216 million worldwide.

    According to the data released by ''The Hollywood Reporter''.

    Among the top twelve, five and a half films belonged to Guess Pictures.

    Including the films ranked first, fifth, seventh, eighth, and tenth.

    The remaining half was ''Pulp Fiction'', which ranked 11th.

    Among the top twelve, Guess Pictures'' films almost occupied half of the country.

    The seven major film companies combined could not compare to Guess Pictures alone.

    ''The Hollywood Reporter'' used direct mathematical formulas to express the shock in its report, namely Warner Bros. + Universal + Disney .+ Paramount \u003c Guess Pictures.

    The newspaper published the profit situation of all mainstream film companies in Hollywood in 1994 on another page.

    Guess Pictures released 9 films last year, and received a total of 924 million US dollars in North America.

    The cumulative global box office is currently 2.07 billion US dollars.

    Many films are still being screened overseas, and the total box office is expected to be higher.

    Paramount Pictures ranked second, releasing a total of 18 films last year, with a total North American box office of 787 million US dollars and a global box office of 1.76 billion US dollars.

    Disney ranked third, releasing a total of 21 films last year, with a North American box office of 682 million and a global box office of 1.83 billion US dollars.

    Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., Columbia Pictures, Universal Pictures, and MGM Pictures ranked fourth to eighth.

    A total of 261 films were released in North American theaters last year, with a total box office of 5.16 billion US dollars, an increase of 6.7% compared to 93 years.

    Guess Pictures ranked first in the industry with 18.3% of the North American box office market share, and the total box office performance was equal to the sum of Columbia, Universal, and MGM.

    ''The Hollywood Reporter'' called Guess Pictures the new overlord of the Hollywood film industry. The seven major film companies are the seven giants. The current Hollywood film industry pattern presents a pattern of 1 overlord + 7 giants, raising Guess Pictures to an extremely high position.

    Seeing this, Gregg Davidson couldn''t help but smack his lips a few times.

    Even if he hated Link''s money-grabbing style, he had to admit that under Link''s leadership, Guess Pictures had created a very remarkable achievement and had also become a golden mountain, with infinite money-making ability.

    This was probably also the reason why Link dared to raise the company''s price to 1.6 billion even when facing an attack from the seven major film companies.

    Gregg Davis stroked his chin and continued flipping through the next magazine.

    The new issue of the Forbes Rich List was out.

    Link''s net worth had undergone a huge change this year.

    In the latest issue of Forbes'' \u003cGlobal Billionaires List\u003e, Link was ranked 102nd, with total assets of $3 billion, an increase of $1.55 billion from last year, moving up more than 300 places on the list.

    According to Forbes, his assets mainly include three parts:

    Shining Gold Capital Management Company and Guess Pictures, and personal income.

    Shining Gold Capital is a large investment company that has suddenly risen in Wall Street in the past two years.

    The shares managed by it include 4.38% of Microsoft shares, 2.42% of Cisco shares, 3.2% of Disney, 0.32% of Apple, and 1.21% of Berkshire Hathaway shares.

    There are also more than a dozen unlisted companies, including 15% of Netscape, 95% of Marvel Entertainment shares, 20% of Guess Pictures, 15% of UTA brokerage company, and 18% of LTD Clothing Company (Victoria''s Secret''s parent company), etc.

    Forbes estimates Shining Gold Capital to be worth $2.8 billion, with Link owning 96.3% of the shares.

    Among them, Microsoft''s shares are worth approximately $1.7 billion. At the end of last year, The Wall Street Journal released news that Microsoft would release a new generation of operating system Windows 95 this year. In the following two months, Microsoft''s market value rapidly increased from $33 billion to $36 billion.

    The 4.38% stake is worth $1.57 billion.

    However, when Forbes calculates the assets of wealthy people, it uses Microsoft''s market value at the end of last year.

    In March, after Microsoft released the Windows 95 operating system, Microsoft''s market value soared to $45 billion in half a month. According to the current trend, Microsoft''s market value will continue to grow, reaching $50 billion or even more.

    The value of Microsoft''s shares under Shining Gold Capital will be higher, and Link''s net worth will also be higher.

    The second-ranked is Cisco shares. Affected by the rapid development of the Internet industry, Cisco, which produces Internet equipment, also saw a sharp increase in its market value this year, increasing to $18 billion at the end of last year.

    The 2.42% stake is worth approximately $430 million.

    The third-ranked is 3.24% of Disney shares.

    Last year, affected by internal changes in the company, Disney''s market value fell from a high of more than $18 billion to $12 billion, and it is still falling. Despite this, Shining Gold Capital''s 3.2% Disney stake is as high as $380 million.

    The shares of other companies are mostly around $100 million.

    The second part of the assets is Guess Pictures.

    Forbes estimates Guess Pictures to be worth $800 million, with 53% of the shares worth approximately $420 million.

    In the third part, Link''s income last year in terms of film salaries, box office revenue sharing, and book copyright revenue sharing was approximately $180 million.

    The three parts of assets add up to approximately $3 billion.

    However, Forbes magazine made a note at the end of the ''Link'' article.

    In the past few years, Link has bought many properties around the world, including Beverly Hills mansions, Hawaiian island resort estates, Hong Kong Island mid-levels mansions, French castles, New York Manhattan mansions, etc., as well as yachts, private jets, jewelry, large deposits, etc.

    Link''s true net worth is far higher than $3 billion.

    On the list of the \u003cAmerica''s 400 Richest People\u003e, Link is ranked 43rd.

    On the \u003cChinese Rich List\u003e, Link''s net worth is second only to Li Ka-shing''s $8.5 billion, Li Zhaoji''s $6.5 billion, and Cheng Yu-tung''s $4.2 billion, ranking fourth.

    On the \u003cForbes Celebrity Income List\u003e, Link is ranked first with an income of $180 million, surpassing all sports athletes, actors, singers, etc.

    "$3 billion!"

    Gregg Davis gnashed his back teeth a few times, feeling envious and shocked.

    Link''s net worth is more than $3 billion, ranking among the top 50 richest people in the United States, a giant in the industry.

    It''s just that Link doesn''t put on much airs when he speaks, which often makes him forget this point and only regard Link as the boss of Guess Pictures. He even dares to lose his temper with him when making phone calls.

    Now he feels it is necessary to change his attitude towards Link.

    Regarding Guess Pictures, it has the number one total box office of the year, the number one total revenue, and its money-making ability is more than the seven major film companies with a market value of hundreds of billions.

    In this case, investors are more enthusiastic about investing in Guess Pictures.

    Wall Street investment companies will also have a better evaluation of Guess Pictures, and the market value assessment will probably exceed $1 billion.

    But Link is asking for $1.6 billion.

    Gregg Davis thought about it and decided to find the company''s board of directors to specifically discuss whether to acquire Guess Pictures'' shares at a premium.

    After the release of the new annual box office chart and the Forbes Rich List, Link received congratulations from many people, including colleagues, friends, entertainment stars, political figures, Wall Street investment consultants, etc.

    Especially in the political world, after he first appeared on the Forbes Rich List, many party members contacted him, hoping to get his funding.

    Initially, Link didn''t want to get involved in politics and only funded a few Justice Department officials. Now that he is famous and has strong capital, even the White House has sent people to contact him.

    On the advice of the Shining Gold Capital consultant team, he moderately invested in several congressmen and politicians, including Schwarzenegger, who was preparing to enter politics, and Texas Governor Bush.

    In America, when assets reach a certain level, personal careers will inevitably involve politics.

    Striving for political support can, on the one hand, enhance one''s own commercial interests and use political policy inclinations to obtain a policy environment conducive to the company''s development;

    On the other hand, it can also improve and consolidate one''s position within the industry, expand social circles, obtain more resources, and gain political protection.

    Compared with other industries, the entertainment industry is more closely connected with politics.

    The number one person on Hollywood''s power list in previous years has always stood up for the president.

    Including the earliest Hollywood King Louis Mayer, the former Universal Pictures boss Lew Wasserman, who was the number one on the Hollywood power list in the 1970s and 1980s, Michael Ovitz, the number one person in Hollywood in the early 1990s, and Harvey Weinstein, the future Hollywood King, etc.

    Link has been rated by many media as the most powerful person in Hollywood since last year.

    After having this title, he can''t isolate himself from politics, and getting involved in politics has become an inevitable choice.

    But politics is a poison.

    The first generation of Hollywood King Louis Mayer was not only the founder of MGM Pictures, but also the initiator of the Academy Awards. He rose in the 1920s and 1930s because he supported Herbert Hoover, and later lost power because Roosevelt came to power. He died of illness in his home in the mid-1950s, and no one cared about him.

    The rise and fall of Michael Ovitz and Harvey and others are also greatly related to political factors.

    In view of the fate of these people, although Link will get involved in politics, he will not participate too deeply. His main purpose in Hollywood is still to make movies, to make more movies.

    "Hey, millionaire, congratulations on making it to Forbes. When are you going to have a party to celebrate? Let us help you spend some money."

    Quentin called and said.

    "I don''t have time for the time being. I''ll treat everyone to drinks when I finish filming and come back."

    "That''s more like it. Tsk tsk, I really don''t understand how you guys can make so much money. $3 billion, can you spend it all?"

    "It''s all stocks. There''s not much to convert to cash. I remember you said last year that you also wanted to speculate in stocks. The market is pretty good now. How much have you made?"

    "I didn''t speculate. I was going to speculate, but I didn''t have much money. If I used it to speculate in stocks, I wouldn''t have any money to spend."

    Link chatted with Quentin for a few words about the movie.

    Just as he hung up the phone, he received a call from Jackie Chan, who called him the God of Wealth, congratulated Guess Pictures on reaching the top of the industry, and also talked about the box office situation of Rumble in the Bronx.

    The current North American box office is 35.53 million US dollars, overseas regions are about 16.03 million US dollars, and the total box office has exceeded 50 million US dollars, with a box office revenue ratio of seven to one.

    The box office results are very good.

    Jackie Chan is preparing to hold a celebration party in the villa, asking if he has time to attend, and also said it depends on his time.

    Link said that Batman will probably be finished in three weeks.

    Jackie Chan said he could wait for him, and also mentioned the second round of financing for Guess Pictures.

    Investors in Hong Kong asked him to pass on a message, wanting to participate in the financing of Guess Pictures, asking if he had a chance.

    Link thought about it and said he could talk about it.

    In fact, in addition to obtaining more funds, the main purpose of the company''s absorption of financing is to obtain the support of the investment company''s related forces.

    Funds from Hong Kong do not have much foundation in Hollywood, and introducing them to the company''s board of directors will not have much effect.

    However, if the capital from Hong Kong can afford a high price, he doesn''t mind introducing a Chinese shareholder to the board of directors of Guess Pictures.

    Just as he hung up the phone, Link received a call from Sophie Marceau in Paris.

    Sophie said she missed him and asked if he would like to come to France in May to attend the Cannes Film Festival?

    Link said he was filming and wasn''t sure if he would go. If he didn''t have time to go, Sophie Marceau could come over. The Braveheart starring her and Mel Gibson will be released in May, and she will come to Los Angeles to promote it then.

    Sophie Marceau gently agreed.

 #308 - Rumble in the Bronx box office, Academy Awards ceremony (5K, please subscribe)

    After a few days of struggling, Ben Affleck found Link again, saying he was ready and wanted to try a scene.

    Standing in front of the camera again, Ben Affleck had changed a lot, with a cold expression and a calm and restrained temperament. Although his performance still had some problems, it was much better than his initial state.

    After filming a scene, Link looked at Ben''s footage and decided to keep it for now.

    Ben Affleck was stunned for a few seconds when he heard Link shout ''Cut!'', then lowered his head, clenched his fists tightly, and his body trembled slightly.

    "Ben, are you okay?" Ryan asked.

    Ben Affleck shook his head and turned away, saying with a cold expression, "I''m fine! I''m Batman, and I will never bow to evil forces."

    Ryan was a little worried about his condition. Ben Affleck had changed too much in these few days. Before joining the crew, he was laughing and joking, sunny and cheerful, but in just a few days, he became cold, gloomy, and withdrawn, as if he had a mental illness.

    However, he did not advise Ben to see a psychologist for adjustment, because his current state was perfect for playing Batman.

    After Ben Affleck found his footing, the filming of the crew also became smoother, and the filming progress also accelerated. In more than a month, most of the plot was filmed.

    During the filming process, everyone was very serious and focused. Link only left the crew twice in more than a month.

    The first time was when ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡· was released at the end of February. He went to the Manhattan Film Forum Cinema to attend the premiere ceremony to show his support for the film.

    ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡· performed well at the box office, taking in $9.85 million in 1,736 theaters in its opening week. Because February is the off-season, this result allowed the film to reach the top of the North American weekly box office chart.

    Because the film quality was good, Jackie Chan''s performance in the film was wonderful, and Guess Pictures'' publicity was very effective.

    In its second week, ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡·''s box office continued to rise, taking in $13.19 million, with a cumulative box office of $23.04 million.

    ¡¶Total Film¡· magazine predicted that the film''s North American box office would be around $50 million, making it the highest-grossing Chinese film in the United States after ¡¶Enter the Dragon¡·.

    The production cost of ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡· was only $7.5 million, and the expected box office revenue ratio will exceed 7 times.

    Initially, Michael Ovitz and the Big Seven film companies saw that ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡· was a Chinese film and did not think that such a film could sell many tickets in North America, so they did not pay much attention to it.

    By the second week, when the North American box office of ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡· exceeded $20 million, Michael Ovitz and the Big Seven film companies truly began to pay attention to this film.

    In order to prevent Guess Pictures from earning more box office revenue, the media under the Big Seven media groups began to publish negative reviews of ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡·, describing the film as a Chinese Kung Fu film with obvious logical loopholes, chaotic plot, and incomprehensible content.

    This was to dampen the enthusiasm of North American audiences for watching the film.

    Affected by negative reviews, the box office of ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡· clearly declined in its third week, with a revenue of $6.82 million, a drop of as much as 50%.

    After the box office of ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡· fell sharply, the Big Seven media groups arranged for the media to continue to publish negative news about Guess Pictures.

    They claimed that the two films released by Guess Pictures this year had failed to achieve outstanding results, which showed that Guess Pictures was on the decline, and that Link was still stubbornly defending the $1.5 billion valuation bottom line and was unwilling to lower the price. This approach would inevitably lead to the failure of Guess Pictures'' second round of financing.

    "Haha, Link, I heard that Guess Pictures'' two consecutive films have not performed well at the box office, and the second round of financing is about to fail. This is really depressing news, hahaha ~"

    Michael Ovitz laughed non-stop on the phone.

    "Is there anything else? If you have something to say, say it quickly. I''m very busy."

    Link sat on a folding chair in the director''s area, talking on the phone while staring at the actors'' rehearsal.

    "Haha, Link, Guess Pictures'' two consecutive films have box office revenues lower than expected, your plan has failed, and the second round of financing will inevitably fail. Are you still insisting on $1.5 billion now?"

    "¡¶The Man from Earth¡· has a box office revenue ratio of more than 120 times, and ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡· has a box office revenue ratio of 4 times at present, and it will be more than 10 times after the release ends. The box office results of these two films are good, and the company is continuously profitable. Under these favorable circumstances, the company''s market value will only rise, not fall."

    "Hmph! Link, stop pretending. Who doesn''t know what you''re thinking? In order to increase the box office revenue of the films, you don''t hesitate to spend millions or tens of millions on publicity. These two films are profitable on the surface, but the actual losses are huge. If you continue to do this, Guess Pictures will lose even more, which is very detrimental to you and Guess Pictures.

    So I advise you to be smart and accept the $600 million offer from the investment companies to finance 50% of the shares. If you don''t do this, I dare to bet that Guess Pictures will go bankrupt and close down before next year, turning into a wave on the sea, and so will you."

    "Bet? How much do you want to bet? Are you willing to play for $100 million?"

    Link asked indifferently.

    "You! Who wants to bet with you, Link? I''m kindly reminding you that this is your last chance to save Guess Pictures. Don''t be obsessed."

    "You''re not even willing to bet $100 million. Are you worthy of being my opponent?"

    "You¡ª"

    Before Michael Ovitz could burst into abuse, Link hung up the phone in advance and continued to instruct the actors to rehearse.

    After being despised by him, Michael Ovitz frantically suppressed ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡· through the media. In its fourth week of release, the film''s North American box office was only $2.37 million, with a cumulative box office of $32.23 million. The estimated North American box office was around $40 million, lower than the expected $50 million, causing Guess Pictures to lose millions of dollars.

    However, when the Big Seven media groups suppressed the box office of ¡¶Rumble in the Bronx¡·, they also wasted a lot of media resources. If they continue to suppress it, the Big Seven media groups will lose even more, causing obvious losses to the shareholders and arousing the dissatisfaction of the shareholders.

    The suppression by the Big Seven film companies will not last too long.

    This is also why Link is not afraid of Michael Ovitz''s threats.

    In mid-March, Link took a second leave of absence from the crew and returned to Los Angeles to attend the 67th Academy Awards.

    After a three-hour awards ceremony, the films released by Guess Pictures won six awards.

    ¡¶Se7en¡· won Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing.

    ¡¶Good Will Hunting¡· won Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor.

    ¡¶Speed¡· won Best Sound Effects and Best Sound Editing.

    Guess Pictures had 6 films nominated this year, receiving 22 nominations and ultimately winning 6 awards.

    Although this result is not as good as Paramount Pictures, the distributor of ¡¶Forrest Gump¡·, it is more than the number of awards won by other major film companies.

    Link also won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for ¡¶Se7en¡·.

    As he stepped down from the stage, Quentin stared at him with envy. This bastard was only 23 years old and had already won an Oscar, one step ahead of him again.

    "Don''t look at me like that. I didn''t win the Best Screenplay award either."

    Originally, the two had bet on who could win the screenplay award, but the Best Original Screenplay went to ¡¶Good Will Hunting¡·, and the Best Adapted Screenplay went to ¡¶Forrest Gump¡·.

    Neither of them won.

    Quentin snorted softly and turned to ask Harvey, "Why didn''t ¡¶Pulp Fiction¡· win an award?"

    ¡¶Pulp Fiction¡· received 8 nominations, but now that the awards ceremony is about to end, it has not won a single award.

    Quentin was very dissatisfied with this.

    Harvey Weinstein also frowned. Originally, according to his operation, this film should have won at least one award, but it got 0 out of 8 nominations.

    "Quentin, originally ¡¶Pulp Fiction¡· could have won the Best Original Screenplay award, but it encountered ¡¶Good Will Hunting¡·. This script is more inspirational and conforms to mainstream values. That''s probably why the judges voted for this film."

    "Then what about the other awards? None at all?"

    "Don''t worry, maybe there will be."

    But in the end, ¡¶Pulp Fiction¡· failed to win an award.

    However, ¡¶Bullets Over Broadway¡·, released by Miramax Films, won the Best Supporting Actress award, and ¡¶The Madness of King George¡· won the Best Art Direction award.

    2 out of 18 nominations is not bad.

    But Harvey, like Quentin, was very dissatisfied with this result.

    During the awards campaign, he spent more than $2 million on the four nominated films, more than the Big Seven film companies, but in the end, he only won two trophies, and the revenue was far less than the expenditure.

    Harvey called acquaintances on the Academy Awards committee to inquire about the situation.

    After inquiring around, he realized that the reason why Miramax''s films did not win more awards was because of Guess Pictures.

    In order to win awards, Guess Pictures spared no expense in doing public relations and publicity, investing seven or eight million dollars one after another.

    Under the strong public relations of Guess Pictures, many judges voted for Guess Pictures'' films in several evenly matched awards.

    This is also the reason why Guess Pictures was able to win 6 awards this year.

    "8 million!"

    Harvey Weinstein shook his head. Spending 8 million to buy a few unimportant technical awards is not a worthwhile deal.

    Only a rich and powerful person like Link in Hollywood would do this.

    But no matter what, Guess Pictures'' award-winning also affected Miramax''s interests. Harvey did not intend to let this matter go easily. He called Michael Ovitz and told him this inside story.

    After the 67th Academy Awards ended, the media reported on the award-winning situation of this year''s Oscars.

    The film ¡¶Forrest Gump¡· won 6 awards out of 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, becoming the biggest winner at this year''s Oscars.

    Paramount Pictures, the film''s distributor, was also the film company that gained the most.

    Ranking second was Guess Pictures, with 6 out of 22 nominations.

    However, after the awards ceremony, ¡¶Entertainment Weekly¡· revealed that it had received inside information that Guess Pictures had spared no effort in doing public relations during the second round of voting for the Oscars, through sending emails, holding film screenings, star parties, and other means, and ultimately won 6 awards.

    According to insiders, Guess Pictures spent over $10 million on these six awards, essentially buying them.

    The exposure of this news caused considerable attention and discussion in the entertainment industry.

    Some media outlets calculated Guess Pictures'' expenses, questioning whether spending $10 million to acquire five technical awards and one Best Supporting Actor award was worthwhile.

    The conclusion was that it wasn''t cost-effective, as these six minor awards wouldn''t significantly boost the film''s box office, perhaps only by a few million.

    It would be difficult for Guess Pictures to recoup this investment in the box office market.

    Some media also analyzed that Guess Pictures was doing this to boost performance, enhance the company''s image and recognition, attract investors'' attention, and complete the second round of financing.

    The media believed Guess Pictures'' approach was correct, but the effect wouldn''t be great because Link''s asking price was too high.

    In addition to these, many media outlets accused Link and Guess Pictures of spending heavily to bribe judges during the Oscar voting period.

    This severely interfered with the fairness and impartiality of the Oscar selection process.

    The Academy Awards should revoke all awards received by Guess Pictures and impose penalties.

    For example, Guess Pictures'' films should be banned from participating in award selections for five years.

    However, with Guess Pictures'' strong public relations efforts, these negative reports didn''t cause much of a stir.

    The reason was that all three films had the strength to win awards. "Seven" was the highest-grossing film of the year in North America, achieving both critical and commercial success. Its 8 nominations resulting in only 2 awards, and those being technical awards, wasn''t excessive.

    "Good Will Hunting" also received extremely positive reviews. Before the Academy Awards, some media claimed that if "Forrest Gump" hadn''t existed, "Good Will Hunting" would have had a chance to win Best Picture. Now, only winning Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor was reasonable.

    When "Speed" was released, many media outlets praised the film''s sound effects, calling it very exciting and intense. Winning Best Sound and Best Sound Effects was well-deserved.

    Some media even spoke up for Link, saying that "Seven" was no worse than "Forrest Gump." This film didn''t win Best Picture due to its subject matter, but based on the film''s quality and artistic level, it was fully qualified to win Best Director.

    The Academy Awards committee didn''t award Link Best Director because he was too young and lacked experience, not because he lacked ability.

    The newest novels are first published on 69shu.com!

    Some film critics also believed that "Good Will Hunting" was a classic and should have received more awards.

    Under the clash of these two opinions, Michael Ovitz and others'' plan to use this opportunity to attack Guess Pictures and Link''s public image failed.

    At the same time, due to media publicity and the boost from the Academy Awards, the box office of "Seven," "Good Will Hunting," and "Speed" all experienced varying degrees of increase.

    Among them, "Seven" had the largest increase. In the two days after the Academy Awards ceremony, it accumulated $3.35 million in the North American region, and it is estimated that this wave of box office increases will not be less than $6 million. Including overseas regions, the increase will not be less than $12 million.

    Including the box office increases of "Good Will Hunting" and "Speed," Guess Pictures has a great chance of recouping this investment.

    "Damn it, why is that bastard always so lucky!"

    Michael Ovitz couldn''t help but curse when he saw "Seven" re-entering the top 15 of the week''s box office charts in the newspaper.

    "Michael, besides reporting negative news about Link and creating public pressure on him, do you have any other means to deal with him?"

    Harvey Weinstein asked.

    In his opinion, the reason why Michael Ovitz and the Big Seven film companies have repeatedly joined forces to deal with Guess Pictures but have been unable to destroy it is that their methods are too gentle.

    He hoped that Michael Ovitz would have more incisive methods.

    And the reason why he wanted to deal with Link was not only because he was suppressed by Link at the Academy Awards, but also because Miramax''s profits last year were far below expectations. The main reason was that Guess Pictures performed too well, taking too much box office share, causing Miramax Pictures to not get enough.

    If Miramax wants to develop and grow and earn more money, it must grab box office from the Big Seven film companies and Guess Pictures.

    Since the Big Seven film companies are too powerful, Guess Pictures has become the best target.

    "Harvey, don''t worry, the summer season is coming soon. This time, I have made careful arrangements with the Big Seven film companies. We will comprehensively snipe Guess Pictures'' films. No film from Guess Pictures will be allowed to be a big hit."

    "Are you confident?"

    "Don''t worry, I''m 100% confident."

    Michael squinted his eyes and smiled confidently.

    "Link, the newspaper said you spent over $10 million on Oscar public relations, is that true?"

    Courteney Cox, wearing pajamas, asked while flipping through the newspaper at the dining table in Jennifer''s New York apartment.

    "No, about six million."

    Link said while eating breakfast.

    "That''s a lot of money. Can''t you win an Oscar without spending money on public relations?"

    Jennifer Aniston, wearing a suspender top, leaned on his shoulder.

    "You can, it''s just that doing so increases the probability of winning an award."

    "Spending money on Oscar public relations is also a form of film promotion."

    Lisa Kudrow, ''Phoebe,'' said, "After winning an Oscar, the film''s box office and video sales will increase. The newspaper said that after ''Seven'' won the award, the box office increased by more than five million, and it is expected to increase by ten million globally. The box office of the other two films will also increase. This shows that the money spent on Oscar public relations is worth it."

    "Using a 6 million public relations budget to exchange for 10 to 20 million in box office is like gambling," Courteney Cox said.

    "It''s a bit risky, but these three films have made money, and we have enough funds for publicity. Also, compared to films released by the Big Seven film companies, independent film companies have fewer film promotion resources. The Academy Awards have high ratings and are a top publicity platform. This is also why independent film companies are more enthusiastic about Oscar public relations than the Big Seven film companies."

    Link said.

    The three women nodded.

    In fact, there is another reason why Link spends money on publicity at all costs. In the system''s box office subsidy, the box office subsidy will be higher after the film wins an award.

    The box office subsidy given at the end of the "Seven" screening was 2.6 times.

    After a lot of publicity and the push from the Simpson murder case, as well as the film winning the Golden Palm Award and the Academy Award, the box office subsidy has now increased to 2.8 times.

    The probability of recouping this investment is extremely high, which is why he is not afraid to spend money.

    Secondly, Oscar public relations have existed since the creation of the Academy Awards, but the Academy Awards have never prohibited it. The reason is that film companies spend money on public relations to show that they value the Academy Awards. The more they spend, the more they value it, which raises the status of the Academy Awards in the film industry.

    The Academy Awards are also happy to see this happen.

    Therefore, Link will continue to do Oscar public relations within the scope of the rules in the future and win more awards.

    Ding-ling-ling!

    The doorbell rang.

    Jennifer Aniston put on her coat and went to open the door, and saw Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer walking in with their arms around each other''s shoulders.

    "Why are you here?"

    "Hey, Jennifer, don''t be like that. We contacted you on the phone. We''re here to talk about the script today. Have you forgotten?"

    Matthew Perry waved the script in his hand.

    "I haven''t forgotten, I just didn''t expect you to come so early."

    "Are you eating breakfast? That''s good, we haven''t eaten either, let''s eat together."

    Matthew Perry and the other two followed her to the restaurant and suddenly saw Link sitting at the head of the table, with Jennifer, Courteney, and Lisa on either side, like a family of four.

    The three looked at each other, winking and giggling.

    "Hi~ Link, good morning!"

    Matthew Perry greeted with a hippie smile, and the other two followed suit.

    Link smiled and greeted them as well.

    After the first season of "Friends" aired, all six of them became stars. Jennifer Aniston was a top-tier star, and the other five were also second-tier stars, but compared to Link, they were far behind in terms of fame and status.

    Link asked about the filming of the second season of "Friends."

    After eating breakfast, Link said goodbye to them and returned to the "Batman" crew to film.

    After he left, Matthew Perry looked at the three women with a look of disappointment, "It''s been a year, why are you still messing around with Link?"

    "What do you mean by messing around? Don''t talk nonsense, we''re in a normal relationship."

    Jennifer Aniston said dissatisfied.

    Courteney and Lisa nodded in agreement.

    "My God! The three of you are in a relationship with Link alone, can that even be considered a normal relationship?"

    Matthew Perry asked with wide eyes.

    "I also think this is not good."

    David Schwimmer secretly glanced at Jennifer. He didn''t understand one thing very well.

    Jennifer is so beautiful, 25 years old this year. After the first season of "Friends" aired, she has become America''s sweetheart, a top-tier star in the entertainment industry. She doesn''t lack fame or money. There''s no need for her to continue messing around with Link, this playboy.

    "This is our private matter, don''t worry about it."

    Jennifer Aniston said impatiently.

    "Yes, I know you''re saying this out of kindness, but we have a very good relationship with Link. We are happy to do this, so don''t worry, okay?"

    Courteney Cox smiled.

    "I have never regretted being with Link, especially with our three good friends together. There is nothing better than this."

    Lisa Kudrow smiled, holding Jennifer and Courteney''s hands.

    The three looked at each other, smiling knowingly, everything was understood without words.

    Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc also looked at each other, their eyes full of disbelief and incredulity, as well as a strong sense of envy and jealousy.

 #307 - PUA on the set, Ben Affleck, have you learned nothing?

    Chapter 307: On-Set PUA, Ben Affleck, Have You Learned It?

    Remember the original website domain name ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? . ?? ?? ??

    "Ben, why are you back? Shouldn''t you be filming on set right now?"

    In the hotel, Ryan Phillippe saw Ben Affleck return dejectedly and asked curiously.

    "It''s nothing!"

    Ben Affleck collapsed on the sofa, staring at the ceiling with unblinking eyes, his whole being listless, like a puddle of mud.

    Seeing his condition, Ryan became even more curious. This guy had excitedly run to the set in the morning to act, shouting that he wanted to become Batman.

    It had only been two or three hours, but he was like a different person¡ªno, to be precise, like he had been castrated, completely dispirited.

    What happened in between?

    "Ben, what''s wrong?"

    Ryan Phillippe ran next to Ben Affleck, wanting to get the scoop.

    "Nothing."

    "Tell me, you don''t look like you''re okay. Are you sick? Should we go to the hospital? No? Could it be that you met some black guys at the set, and they got you from behind..."

    "Shut up! I said nothing''s wrong, so nothing''s wrong! Are you annoying me?"

    Ben Affleck pushed Ryan away, almost knocking him to the ground.

    "Fine, don''t tell me then."

    Ryan Phillippe patted his butt and sat on the opposite sofa, picking up a newspaper to hide his face. After a while, he seemed to hear Ben Affleck talking.

    "What?"

    "I don''t want to play Batman anymore."

    "Why?"

    Ryan''s curiosity was reignited.

    Ben Affleck''s expression became extremely ugly, his fists clenched tightly, the muscles in his arms trembling. "Link is an asshole. I treated him like a friend, but he treated me like that."

    "Link? What did he do to you? Don''t tell me..."

    Ryan Phillippe stared at Ben Affleck, his eyes dirty.

    "Fuck! It''s not what you think! Can''t you think of something normal?"

    Ben Affleck took a few deep breaths, indignantly saying, "He''s deliberately targeting me. I clearly acted very well this morning, but he said I acted terribly and wanted to fire me."

    "Just that?"

    Ryan curled his lips in boredom. "You''ve worked with Link so many times, don''t you know him? He''s a tyrant on set. He''ll scold anyone he doesn''t like, even his girlfriends are no exception. Remember when we were filming ''Final Destination,'' you were often scolded. Haven''t you gotten used to it yet?"

    "It''s different! After filming a scene today, I went to Link to ask about the situation, and Link criticized my acting harshly, saying I acted terribly and giving me a week to adjust. If I couldn''t act better, he''d kick me out and replace me with someone else."

    Ben Affleck said indignantly.

    "You''re overthinking it. If Link wanted to replace you, he would have done it already. He wouldn''t give you a week to prepare. If he said you acted badly, it means your performance really has problems. You should reflect on it and try to adjust within a week, putting on a better performance so Link has nothing to say."

    Ryan Phillippe said.

    Ben Affleck frowned. "If it''s as you say, why didn''t he say it privately? Why did he have to criticize me in front of so many people on set, with such a cold and heartless attitude? It''s not very friendly."

    "Remember at the script meeting, everyone gave their opinions, but you were the only one who didn''t say anything. Link asked you how your preparations were going, and you patted your chest and said there were no problems. Now that filming has started, you''re a mess. What else can Link do to prompt you? You''re an adult, a professional actor, not a child. Do you need someone to teach you how to act by hand?"

    Ryan said impolitely.

    Ben Affleck''s face gradually turned red. At the script meeting, he indeed didn''t offer any opinions, only saying that he was prepared and telling Link not to worry. He said awkwardly, "I was originally acting well, but Link is too picky."

    Ryan curled his lips and said, "Link is a great director who has worked with many veteran actors. Would he not know if you''re acting well or not? You''re not accepting criticism for acting badly. If I were Link, I would have told you to get lost immediately instead of giving you another week to prepare."

    "You!"

    Ben Affleck glared at him, but upon reflection, he felt that what he said made some sense.

    This time, it was probably because he wasn''t acting well.

    Nicole Kidman, after reading the script, could also explain the Batman persona in great detail, but he couldn''t.

    He had indeed failed to live up to Link''s expectations.

    Link giving him a week to prepare wasn''t too harsh.

    Ben Affleck temporarily put aside the idea of quitting and picked up the script again to read, trying to find the feeling, but after reading it three times, he still didn''t have a clue.

    He called Matt Damon for help.

    Matt gave him two suggestions. The first was to ask Link for help. Link is the director and screenwriter, and he understands the character the most. Asking Link for guidance is the most direct and effective way.

    The second was to think for himself, think hard, and not be lazy anymore. As long as he does his best, he will definitely be able to do it well.

    Ben Affleck rejected the first method.

    This morning, Link had pointed at his nose and scolded him on set, and even said he was going to fire him.

    Too cold and heartless.

    He wasn''t ready to face Link.

    Since he couldn''t ask Link for help, he could only think for himself.

    Ben repeatedly studied the script and repeatedly thought about how to act, thinking for several days until his head was about to explode, but he still couldn''t figure it out.

    While Ben Affleck hadn''t found his rhythm, Link first filmed the scenes of other characters in the movie. The character with the most scenes in this movie is Batman, and second is the Riddler, played by Jim Carrey.

    The Riddler''s real name is Edward Nygma. He has been obsessed with all kinds of puzzle games since he was a child. He claims to be the most intelligent person on Earth and can easily manipulate everyone.

    In order to prove that his wisdom far surpasses Batman''s.

    Before each crime, the Riddler leaves clues for Batman to solve, hoping to defeat Batman in this way.

    But Batman is smarter than him, and every time he can solve his riddles, disrupt his criminal activities, and lock him up in Arkham Asylum.

    The Riddler is characterized by wearing green clothes, a top hat, and liking to talk eloquently and make some exaggerated performances.

    This kind of character is not difficult for Jim Carrey.

    Sometimes he performed too excessively.

    Link had to remind him to tone it down.

    One morning, the crew was filming the Riddler doing brainwave research when Ben Affleck came to the set, saying he was ready and wanted to try the scene.

    After not seeing him for a few days, Ben Affleck seemed to have changed. He frowned tightly, his temperament was gloomy, and he seemed to be carrying a lot of pressure.

    Link agreed and let him go on stage to perform the scene where the two characters meet with Jim Carrey.

    The Riddler was originally an employee of Wayne Enterprises. After researching the brainwave collection device, he took the initiative to run in front of Bruce Wayne when Bruce Wayne came to the factory to inspect, hoping that Bruce Wayne would take out more funds to help him complete this research.

    However, Bruce Wayne refused his proposal after hearing that living people were needed for experiments.

    The Riddler went to the dark side from then on.

    "Cut!"

    Before the two of them finished performing, Link called a pause.

    He told Ben Affleck that it wouldn''t work. Bruce Wayne is a cold and domineering CEO, not a frustrated little employee. His performance didn''t reflect the character of Bruce Wayne, and this wasn''t the Batman he wanted.

    Link asked him to go down and think about it again.

    Ben Affleck retreated, his face gloomy and fists clenched, his back view appearing lonely and angry.

    "Link, is this okay? Will Ben give up on the role and walk out?"

    Nicole Kidman asked.

    "Whatever, if he doesn''t play it, there''s always someone else."

    Link said indifferently.

    Nicole Kidman smiled slightly and sat on the folding chair next to him, "Don''t pretend you don''t care. Actually, you care about him a lot. You''re using this method to hone him and suppress him, to get him into character sooner, right?

    After these few days of training, Ben is no longer as flighty as before, and his acting is no longer so superficial. He''s made great progress. It''s all thanks to you. As long as he can persevere, he might be able to play Batman well."

    Nicole Kidman propped up her cheek, quietly watching him, and smiled, "Link, you''re really amazing at training actors. Gary and Kim also say so. You''re so amazing, can you train me more? I want to improve too."

    Nicole Kidman used the word ''train,'' the kind of training a master gives to a slave, not guidance.

    "No problem."

    Link waved his hand, telling the crew to prepare and continue filming the Riddler''s scenes.

    "Why? Why? Why?"

    New and latest novels are at 6_9_shu_ba. First release!

    Outside the set, Ben Affleck clenched his fist and punched the wall hard, his voice filled with resentment, his expression becoming ferocious.

    Ryan Philippe scratched the back of his head, secretly worried. This guy wouldn''t turn evil, would he?

    "Ben, don''t be angry. Your performance today was much better than before. Keep working hard, and you''ll definitely act even better."

    "Hmph!"

    Ben Affleck suddenly turned his head, staring at Ryan with red eyes, "Did you snitch to Link?"

    "What snitch?"

    "Don''t pretend. During the script meeting, I saw Link and Nicole flirting, joking that Link was a scumbag who wouldn''t even let married women go. Now Link is suddenly targeting me. Did you guys tell him about this, and he got angry and is taking the opportunity to suppress me through filming?"

    "Don''t make wild guesses. The premise of Link criticizing you is that you didn''t act well, right? If you acted very well, why would Link criticize you? Or do you think your performance just now was perfect, even better than Jim Carrey''s?"

    Ryan retorted.

    Ben Affleck''s lips moved, wanting to retort but finding himself speechless.

    Whether acting opposite Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, or Nicole Kidman, he felt a sense of being suppressed, which made him very uncomfortable.

    He was the protagonist, but he became the weakest actor in the crew in terms of acting skills and strength.

    "Ryan, do you think I can still play Batman well?"

    Ben Affleck asked dejectedly.

    "Yes, you were personally selected by Link. To question you is to question Link. So far, no one has dared to question Link on film."

    Ryan said affirmatively.

    Hearing his words, Ben Affleck felt much better. He was chosen by Link from hundreds of male actors to play Batman, which meant he was indeed suitable for the role.

    But what should he do now to play the role well?

    Ben Affleck grabbed his hair, his expression depressed and anxious. The enormous pressure almost made him unable to breathe.

    "Want to know how to play Batman well?"

    Just as he was struggling, a woman''s soft voice came from behind.

    Ben Affleck and Ryan turned around, and the beautiful Nicole Kidman walked in gracefully.

    "What do you mean? You know how to play Batman well?"

    Ben Affleck wiped his eyes and asked.

    "Of course!"

    Nicole Kidman smiled confidently, "Want to know? Promise me one condition."

    "What condition?"

    Ben Affleck thought of how insightful she was when analyzing Batman''s character background. Maybe she had some brilliant ideas.

    Nicole Kidman pointed at him and then at Ryan, saying coldly, "In the future, don''t discuss my relationship with Link on set. Whether Link and I are lovers or partners, it''s none of your business. You only need to offer your blessings, not make wild guesses."

    Ben Affleck and Ryan revealed embarrassed expressions.

    "Ms. Kidman, I apologize to you. I will never discuss your relationship with Link again."

    Ben said.

    Ryan nodded quickly.

    Nicole Kidman snorted lightly, "To play Batman well is very simple. You have a ready-made reference template, Link!"

    "Link?"

    "That''s right. Batman is young, handsome, rich, talented, and has strong self-control. Isn''t that Batman?

    He was adopted at a very young age, his parents divorced, and his foster mother died early. He filmed ''Paranormal Activity,'' which was adapted from his childhood experiences. This shows that he also lacks a sense of security. After he became famous, he often travels with bodyguards, which also illustrates this point.

    There''s also the multifaceted nature of his personality. He becomes cold and ruthless on set, but outside of the set, he''s a gentle, humorous, and affectionate playboy. This is exactly the same as Batman. There are other aspects as well. As long as you observe carefully and study slowly, you''ll find that Batman is not much different from him."

    Hearing Nicole Kidman''s description, Ben Affleck''s eyes gradually lit up. Link was indeed like Batman, whether in terms of external conditions or internal personality, there were many similarities.

    "Ms. Kidman, thank you. I know what to do."

    Ben Affleck said excitedly.

    After receiving Nicole Kidman''s guidance, Ben Affleck no longer buried himself in thinking about how to play Batman. He sat in the crew with a small stool, observing Link from morning till night, at all times.

    Even if Link frowned and looked at him displeased, he wouldn''t back down. Instead, he learned to frown like Link, and even took out a small mirror to see if he looked like him.

    "What''s wrong with Ben?"

    In the director''s area, Link frowned and asked.

    Nicole Kidman didn''t answer, covering her lips and laughing softly.

    "Hi, Link, are you busy?"

    At this moment, a sweet voice came from the side. Nicole Kidman turned her head and saw the newly promoted American sweetheart Jennifer Aniston following Link''s assistant in, then throwing herself into Link''s arms, offering a sweet red lip.

    Nicole Kidman rolled her eyes, feeling very unhappy. Every time she was alone with Link, some messy women would come to ruin the atmosphere. It was so annoying.

    "Ben, what are you doing?"

    Suddenly, a roar came from the side.

    Nicole Kidman looked over, almost bursting out laughing. Ben Affleck was hugging Ryan Philippe next to him, imitating Link''s action of kissing Aniston, and kissing Ryan next to him.

    Ryan was so frightened that he screamed, pushing Ben away with all his might, staggering and running far away.

    "What''s wrong with him?"

    Jennifer Aniston looked at Ben Affleck in surprise from Link''s arms.

    Link watched for a while, roughly guessing Ben''s thoughts, "He''s practicing his acting. Why don''t you go back to the hotel first? I have two more scenes to film this afternoon."

    "You continue filming, don''t worry about me. I''ll wait here for you to get off work."

    Jennifer Aniston tiptoed and kissed him, then picked up her skirt and sat on the sofa next to him, propping up her cheek and watching Link work seriously.

    "Scene 102, take 2, begin!"

 #306 - The film set was angry, the two women confronted each other, and Michelle's warning

    Being entangled by women like Jennifer, Xiaoli Liu, and Sophia, even Link, with a body of iron and a waist of steel, found it a bit overwhelming.

    After a hasty breakfast, Link went to the company for a script meeting to discuss the script and roles, take character stills, and check on the progress of other departments.

    By the beginning of February, everything was ready, and Link took the crew to New York to shoot "Batman Forever".

    "Scene 1, Take 1, Action!"

    The first scene of "Batman" is Two-Face robbing Blake Island Bank, kidnapping a security guard, and forcing Batman to come out to rescue him. Batman fights Two-Face and his men, and finally rescues the security guard.

    Inside the bank building, Two-Face, Harvey Dent, flipped a coin, one side scratched, one side not. He turned his face to the security guard lying on the floor and said, "You''re praying for that winged avenger to come save you, aren''t you, my friend?"

    "Are you going to kill me?"

    The security guard asked nervously.

    "Maybe, maybe not. My two sides have different views on this matter."

    Two-Face, wearing a suit, with the unscarred side of his face facing the camera, chuckled, "Do you like to gamble? How about we flip a coin to decide?"

    The security guard lay on the ground, watching him nervously.

    Two-Face played with a shiny coin in his hand, muttering to himself, "Some people are born heroes, but their own brothers are bums. Babies are starving, but politicians are fat and happy. Saints become martyrs, but drunks and junkies roam every corner of our city. Why, why, why? Because of luck! Blind, stupid, simple, inexplicable luck!"

    Two-Face roared hysterically, slowly turning his left face, a face almost charred by hydrochloric acid, covered in cracks, looking extremely terrifying.

    "A randomly flipped coin is the only fairness in the world. Let''s see how justice treats you."

    Two-Face flipped the coin, and it landed on the back of his hand. He covered it with his hand and grinned strangely at the security guard on the ground, "This moment feels like God''s arrangement. The answer will be revealed soon."

    Link sat behind the monitor, watching Gary Oldman''s performance. Gary Oldman was acting very well. Whether it was the lines, actions, or expressions, he was very infectious, looking like a madman.

    But there were also problems with his performance.

    The movie had just started shooting, and Gary Oldman didn''t have a good grasp of the intensity. Some places were overdone, and some places weren''t flavorful enough.

    When encountering this kind of problem, he, as the director, needed to correct and guide on the spot, gradually shaping Gary Oldman into the ''Two-Face'' he wanted.

    This is also the role of the director, using artistic means to shape the actors, turning the actors under his command into the appearance needed in the movie.

    This kind of work is similar to that of a sculptor.

    Excellent directors can create classic screen images, while mediocre directors only make bad movies.

    This is also the reason why top actors are willing to work with good directors. On the one hand, they can gain fame and fortune by making good movies, and on the other hand, they can improve their acting skills and create classic roles under the guidance of excellent directors.

    Link''s level was already good. He had filmed seven movies in the past and gained many directorial experiences. His level of filmmaking was getting higher and higher, and his ability to guide actors was also getting stronger and stronger.

    Many veteran actors in the industry knew that he was good at guiding actors and were willing to work with him.

    After Link discovered Gary Oldman''s problem, he didn''t immediately call for a stop, letting the other party improvise.

    After shooting repeatedly five times, when Gary could no longer self-correct in his performance, he called Gary Oldman to talk about the character, pointing out his problems and adjustment directions.

    Under his guidance, Gary Oldman suddenly became enlightened and returned to the camera to perform again, his state significantly improved compared to before.

    After shooting ten takes, Gary Oldman almost merged into the character, performing heartily in front of the camera.

    "Director Link, I heard before that you have excellent vision, observe meticulously, and are very good at guiding actors. I thought you were only in your twenties and didn''t have much experience, so I didn''t believe the rumors were true. Now I completely believe it. You are indeed a very good director."

    After finishing a scene, Gary Oldman gave Link a thumbs up excitedly.

    Link smiled, not being modest, and calmly accepted his praise.

    After filming a week of ''Two-Face'' scenes, Batman took the stage next. After receiving the news of Two-Face robbing the bank, Batman quickly changed into his equipment, drove the Batmobile to the bank building, and even ran into Dr. Chase at the scene.

    "Wow, a stunning appearance!"

    Dr. Chase couldn''t help but exclaim as she watched Batman descend from the sky on a wire.

    Batman landed on the ground, looked at Dr. Chase, and then at Commissioner Gordon next to him, "Is it Two-Face?"

    "Yes, two guards were killed, and he took the third as a hostage, caught off guard,"

    Commissioner Gordon said, looking at the building.

    "Today is the two-year anniversary of me catching him,"

    Batman said.

    Two-Face liked all numbers related to ''2'', including the date of the robbery, the Second Bank, robbing $22.22 million, etc., all related to 2, a real idiot.

    "No wonder he couldn''t help but commit the crime again."

    Dr. Chase reached out and said, "I''m Chase Meridian."

    Commissioner Gordon said, "I invited Dr. Meridian to assist us in the investigation. Her specialty is..."

    "Abnormal psychology, multiple human nature research. I''ve read your work, simple, but insightful,"

    Batman said faintly.

    "Cut!"

    After filming the scene where the two met, Link called a pause and played the filmed footage, watching it again.

    "Hey, Link, how did we perform? Isn''t it great?"

    Ben Affleck walked over with a smile, wearing the Batman suit, a Batman mask on his face, combined with his 191 cm height, looking indeed tall, upright, and strong.

    In terms of body shape, Ben Affleck best fits the body shape requirements of the Batman character.

    But the inner qualities are too far off.

    Link glanced at Ben Affleck, "Ben, to be honest, I''m very disappointed with your performance. Maybe it was a mistake to find you to play Batman."

    Swish!

    Ben Affleck''s expression suddenly collapsed, his smile like a rotten egg smeared on his face, not only dazzling but also pungent.

    To play the role of Batman well, he had prepared for more than four months, not only exercising his body, but also honing his acting skills.

    Today, he worked hard to finish a scene, believing that he performed well, and thought he would receive praise from Link, but instead he was hit head-on. Link said that it was a mistake to use him to play Batman.

    He would never accept this evaluation.

    "Why? Why do you say that?"

    Ben Affleck stiffened his neck, his expression looking very unconvinced.

    Nicole Kidman blinked her eyes, about to speak to mediate, but Link waved his hand, "Ben, last year after the role was decided, I repeatedly told you to spend more time studying the script and Batman, but in your performance just now, I didn''t see you have any research on this character."

    "I researched it. I''ve read the Batman comics five times, and I''ve watched the related movies and TV series more than ten times. I can even recite many of the lines."

    Ben Affleck argued reasonably.

    "The focus of researching the character is not how many times you''ve read the script and materials, but what you understand and learn after reading them. Now you tell me, in your eyes, what kind of character is Batman?"

    Link asked with a³Á×Å face.

    Ben Affleck thought for a while, "Batman is a young, handsome, wealthy person full of justice."

    "Continue."

    "...He has good skills, likes to help the weak and suppress the strong, fight criminals, and maintain peace in Gotham City. Yes, he loves peace."

    "What else?"

    Link asked.

    Ben Affleck frowned and tried hard to think, "Isn''t that enough?"

    Link shook his head in disappointment and looked at Nicole Kidman, "Nicole, tell me what you think of Batman."

    Nicole sat in a chair, holding a cup of hot coffee in her hand, smiling slightly, "Batman is of course a good man, handsome, powerful, wealthy, intelligent, highly disciplined, strong-willed, and a playboy. Hmm, Director Link, Batman is very similar to you."

    "Only that?"

    Seeing Link frown, Nicole''s heartbeat quickened a few beats, and she dared not joke anymore, her expression becoming serious, "There are a few more points. First, Batman lacks a sense of security in his heart. At the age of eight, he personally witnessed his parents being shot and killed. This incident left him with severe psychological trauma.

    As an adult, he loves training, high-tech weapons and equipment, sports cars, lurking at night, distrusting partners, and preferring to work alone.

    Psychologically speaking, these are all manifestations of a lack of security.

    Secondly, he possesses dark attributes and is extremely vengeful. After his parents were shot, he became hostile to all the bad guys in Gotham City, using the image of a bat to strike at them and create fear. This dark undertone is very different from other superheroes.

    Third, he has a strong sense of responsibility. He has an extraordinary obsession and persistence in maintaining the security of Gotham City. As long as there is a crime in Gotham City, he will immediately act no matter what he is doing, and arrest criminals. This approach is also like a kind of mental cleanliness.

    He also has a complex moral view, not wanting to kill or overuse violence on one hand, while using violent means to combat evil on the other. He also has a multifaceted personality, being the embodiment of justice as Batman on one hand, and the playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne on the other.

    Nicole Kidman shrugged her fragrant shoulders, "From this point of view, Batman is also like a Two-Face who hasn''t turned completely dark."

    Link nodded slightly. Although Nicole''s statement was not comprehensive enough, she did point out several important points. He looked at Ben Affleck, "Have you thought about these things?"

    "Of course!"

    Ben Affleck puffed out his chest and said.

    "Then tell me, what''s the difference between the Batman you play and the real Batman?"

    "This¡­"

    Ben Affleck scratched his head, "I only performed one scene, and many things haven''t been shown yet. How about I perform a few more scenes for you to see?"

    Link shook his head, "You don''t understand Batman. No matter how many scenes you perform, it''s the same. Nicole, what do you think his problem is?"

    Nicole Kidman thought for a moment, "Ben''s Batman is too frivolous and impetuous. He lacks Batman''s maturity and stability, as well as his dark and melancholic temperament. He''s more like a young and sunny urban big boy."

    "That''s right."

    Link looked at Ben Affleck, "You''ve trained for a few months, read a lot of materials, and only become like Batman in appearance. But internally, you''re far from it.

    Why is this? Because you''re too lazy and like to be perfunctory. Even Nicole can say many things about Batman''s character, but you only see the most superficial layer of Batman. How can you play Batman well with this attitude?"

    Ben Affleck blushed with shame.

    "I''ll give you another week. If you can''t integrate into the role and make yourself like Batman, I''ll consider replacing you."

    Link put on his headphones and continued to do other things.

    Ben Affleck opened his mouth, drooped his shoulders, and left dejectedly.

    Nicole Kidman looked at Ben, then at Link. Seeing Link''s solemn face, she bit her lip and said cautiously, "Are you really going to replace Ben?"

    "He''s too jumpy and always grinning. He''s not psychologically or attitudinally prepared to play Batman, let alone immerse himself in the role.

    This also leads to his performance lacking texture, like a simple and crude imitation of Michael Keaton''s version of Batman, which is very boring.

    I''ll give him a week to prepare. If he can''t change his mind, I can only replace him."

    Link said.

    Nicole Kidman nodded and smiled, "How is my performance as Dr. Chase? Will you fire me if I don''t perform well?"

    "You''re doing well."

    "Thank you! But can you smile? You look really like Batman like this, cold and aloof, with a sense of alienation on your face. You know, I really like Batman. If you continue like this, I might not be able to help but fall in love with you."

    Nicole Kidman blinked her eyes and looked at him affectionately.

    Link shook his head.

    "Hi, Link, Nicole, are you busy?"

    Michelle Pfeiffer walked over, a champagne-colored sleeveless silk dress fitting her slender and tall figure, swaying gently with her steps. The hem of the dress stopped just above the knee, revealing a pair of straight and slender calves. Her frame was slender, not as plump as a girl, but she had a unique elegance of a mature woman.

    "Michelle, why are you here early?"

    Michelle Pfeiffer plays Catwoman in the film, but she has very few scenes and will not appear until the second half.

    "I have nothing to do on the weekend, so I came to see you."

    Michelle Pfeiffer smiled slightly, threw herself into Link''s arms and kissed him intimately, very intoxicated.

    Nicole Kidman''s face slowly sank, and a kind of unspeakable taste arose in her heart. This taste was not as strong as when she knew that Tom Cruise had cheated, which made her very unhappy.

    But when Michelle Pfeiffer turned her head, she raised the corners of her lips again, revealing a ladylike smile.

    "Nicole, your dress is so beautiful."

    Michelle Pfeiffer looked at Nicole and praised.

    "Thank you! I''m also looking forward to seeing you put on the Catwoman leather suit again. Your Catwoman is very cool."

    Nicole Kidman showed a sincere smile.

    Michelle Pfeiffer also smiled and looked back at Link, "Honey, do you want to see me wear it?"

    Link thought of Michelle Pfeiffer wearing a close-fitting black Catwoman leather suit lying on the roof, with her figure convex and concave, and a tail behind her. He couldn''t help but feel a little impulsive.

    But this is a crew, and filming is the first priority.

    "Don''t seduce me. You sit here first, and I''ll be with you after filming."

    Link patted Michelle''s buttocks and returned to the director''s area to arrange work. Now that Batman is in trouble, in order not to delay things, the crew continued to film the story of Two-Face and the Riddler.

    "A man who works seriously is indeed the most charming."

    Michelle crossed her legs and leaned lazily on the folding chair on the sidelines, her eyes closely following Link in the center of the set.

    He was discussing the filming of the next scene with the assistant director, cinematographer, and art director, rolling up his sleeves, revealing his solid forearms, and waving his hands in the air from time to time to gesture a few times, outlining the outline of a certain scene.

    The afternoon sunlight shone on his angular cheeks. He frowned slightly, looking at the person opposite him with a focused expression, sometimes stating his views in a calm and powerful manner, and sometimes listening to other people''s opinions. His gestures and gestures had both the majesty of a superior and the unique persistence of an artist.

    "Yes, very charming."

    Nicole Kidman also looked at Link and echoed.

    Michelle Pfeiffer turned to look at her, with exploration and curiosity.

    "You also like Link?"

    "Yes."

    Nicole Kidman looked back and faced her without any dodging.

    Michelle Pfeiffer snorted softly, "Your liking Link shows that you have good taste, but you are still not divorced and you come to pester Link. This is not liking him, it is hurting him. I represent Monica, Jennifer, Lily Liu and all of Link''s women to warn you, stay away from Link before you are divorced, don''t bring your troubles to Link, otherwise don''t blame us for being rude."

    Nicole Kidman blinked her blue eyes, a trace of surprise and thought flashed in her eyes.

    "Michelle, you misunderstood. I didn''t want to cause trouble for Link. I used to seduce him, but he refused. I am now just getting along with him as a friend and colleague."

    "You better do what you say."

    Michelle Pfeiffer leaned back on the seat, shaking her sexy legs and continued to look at Link in the field.

    Nicole Kidman hesitated for a moment, "Michelle, I''m curious about one thing, can I ask you?"

    "Tell me!"

    "Even though Link is worth billions and is the boss of Guess Pictures, the resources at hand are also very limited. You and Monica and Jennifer should be competitors. Why do you seem not to care about each other''s existence?"

    This question is not only Nicole Kidman''s doubt, but also many people in the circle are puzzled.

    Other men have two or three girlfriends and they will turn against each other. Link has so many girlfriends, but he has not overturned until now, and there has not been a single scandal of fighting for favor.

    This is both the place where everyone is puzzled and the reason why they envy Link.

    Michelle Pfeiffer gently brushed the golden hair beside her ear and smiled, "Because he is an incredible man, being his woman is the luckiest thing, the rest is completely unimportant."

    Nicole Kidman looked at Michelle, then at Link in the field, and the curiosity that surged in her heart was like a bottomless abyss, almost swallowing her.

 #305 - Morning rope training, Monica's transformation

    "Last night, you tied Monica up like that, was it some kind of Japanese rope technique? How do you know that kind of thing?"

    Early morning, Beverly Hills, sunlight filtering through the mist onto the running track. Sophia, while jogging, turned her head and looked at Link with curiosity.

    She was wearing a tight-fitting sports vest, revealing her fair and sexy neck and collarbone. Her lower body was in black sports shorts, her legs long and straight, making her look full of energy.

    With each stride, her golden ponytail swayed behind her, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed a faint red from the exercise.

    "What Japanese? This technique originated in China.

    In ancient times, in order to restrain prisoners from escaping, they would tie them up with ropes, some binding their hands and feet, some binding their whole body.

    Later, this technique spread to Japan, where the Japanese used it in bed, and even made it into movies. There was a Japanese prop master in my original crew who knew this skill, and I learned a few tricks from him."

    Link said as he ran.

    "Monica looked very happy last night. I want to try it too, okay?"

    Sophia blinked her eyes, her voice with a hint of coquetry, her eyes full of anticipation.

    "Okay, as long as you like it."

    Link ruffled her hair. Sophia glared at him, suddenly jumped on his back, and hugged his neck tightly.

    Link smiled and continued running forward with her on his back.

    "Ah, slow down, my chest hurts!"

    Milla Jovovich saw the two joking around, smiled, and followed with her long legs.

    After the morning exercise, Link returned to the living room of the villa.

    Except for Monica, everyone else was up. Some were doing aerobics, some were applying face masks, some were putting on makeup and changing clothes. Only Qian Qian was still yawning on the sofa, as if she hadn''t had enough sleep and was forced to wake up early.

    When Link returned, Liu Xiaoli instructed the maids to serve breakfast, and the family began to eat.

    In the dining room, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the oval dining table. There were twenty seats on both sides of the table, and more than a dozen kinds of breakfast were arranged on the table, with various flavors. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee and toast.

    "Link, take a look at these."

    Liu Xiaoli was used to reading the newspaper while eating. After flipping through several newspapers, she handed them to Link with a solemn expression, "After the box office results of ''The Man from Earth'' came out, many media outlets took the opportunity to sing us down, and also mentioned the upcoming failure of the second round of financing. These news are very detrimental to us."

    Link took it and casually flipped through a few pages.

    The three newspapers were the "Los Angeles Times," the "International Herald Tribune," and the "Wall Street Journal," all of which reported the news of the box office failure of "The Man from Earth" on the front page.

    The "Los Angeles Times" published a commentary article saying, "A star-studded cast cannot hide the box office failure. Guess Guess Pictures'' box office myth is shattered?"

    The commentary specifically mentioned the production team of the film. "The Man from Earth" was produced and artistically directed by the legendary director Francis Coppola, and the screenplay and editing were personally handled by the current hottest film director Link. Sophia served as both director and producer. The cast was also full of veteran actors, including Richard Kaster and Talia Shire.

    In terms of the lineup, the film''s box office should not be too bad.

    In addition, the film is adapted from Link''s best-selling novel "Interstellar Crossing."

    Since it was put on the shelves in 1992, this novel has sold more than 120 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling works in the history of science fiction literature.

    "The Man from Earth," as a classic chapter of it, has been regarded as a treasure of science fiction literature by countless book fans with its profound philosophical thinking and imaginative imagination.

    For this reason, when this novel was announced to be adapted into a movie last year, the expectations of book fans were pushed to the peak.

    With a luxurious lineup, a popular IP, and Guess Guess Pictures'' cost-no-object publicity.

    Before the film was released, many media predicted that "The Man from Earth" was very likely to become the first film in North America in 1995 to break 100 million at the box office, and Guess Guess Pictures would also rely on this film to create new glories.

    However, the film has only grossed $1.21 million in three weeks since its release.

    Far below expectations, it can be called the first box office disaster of the year.

    The content reported by the "International Herald Tribune" was similar, saying in a teasing tone, "Lucky Link seems to have lost the box office password!"

    Link''s "Buried," filmed in 1991 with $20,000, grossed $75 million worldwide; in 1992, he once again filmed "Paranormal Activity" at a cost of $20,000, with a global box office exceeding $600 million;

    At the end of the same year, he created "The Blair Witch Project" with the same low cost, which won 300 million US dollars in the global box office.

    These brilliant achievements have made people full of confidence in Link''s low-cost movies.

    When Guess Guess Pictures initially claimed to have filmed "The Man from Earth" with $20,000, many people believed that the film would continue this myth.

    The result was not.

    The box office failure of "The Man from Earth" not only exposed the lie that Link mastered the ''box office password,'' but also cast a shadow on the development of Guess Guess Pictures.

    The focus of the "Wall Street Journal" is concentrated on the second round of financing for Guess Guess Pictures.

    The financing cycle of most companies usually does not exceed four months. Companies that can successfully complete financing within this time often mean that their development prospects have been recognized by both the market and investors.

    Once the financing time exceeds this time limit, it means that the company may be in some kind of predicament, and the uncertainty in the financing process will also increase.

    Last December, Guess Guess Pictures announced the launch of its second round of financing in a high-profile manner, with a valuation of up to 1.5 billion US dollars. However, more than two months have passed, but the investment market has been unusually deserted, and no investment company has been willing to take over.

    The reason is that the market value quoted by Guess Guess Pictures exceeds investors'' psychological expectations, and the recent fluctuations in the film market have further amplified the investment risks, and investors have chosen to wait and see.

    The commentator of the "Wall Street Journal" believes that if Guess Guess Pictures can launch several films with outstanding box office performance during the financing period, it may be able to rekindle the enthusiasm of investors and let them see the company''s potential and the value of the stock.

    However, the reality is not optimistic.

    The first film launched by Guess Guess Pictures this year, "The Man from Earth," suffered a box office failure, which not only made the company''s financial situation worse, but also seriously dampened investors'' confidence.

    The newspaper''s commentator concluded sarcastically at the end of the article: "Guess Guess Pictures is in an awkward situation of ''having a price but no market'' - no matter how high the valuation is, it cannot withstand the market''s cold shoulder."

    Link looked at the newspaper and twitched the corner of his mouth.

    As soon as the news of the poor box office of "The Man from Earth" came out, so many people gloated. It seems that the 1.5 billion valuation did offend many people.

    "Link, how should we deal with these negative reports?"

    The latest novel is first published on 69shu.com!

    Liu Xiaoli asked with a solemn expression.

    "Don''t worry about it. We are a film company. Everything depends on the box office. If the box office performance of the film is good, what we say will be more powerful. If the box office performance is not good, no matter how good the public relations are, it will be useless. Ignore these negative news for now. When the box office performance of the next film improves, the media will take the initiative to help us promote it."

    "The next movie is ''Rumble in the Bronx,'' and the box office situation is probably not going to be very good."

    Liu Xiaoli said worriedly.

    "It won''t be too bad either. Kung fu movies also have a market in North America. Even if it''s a little worse, it doesn''t matter. In addition to these two movies, we also have several movies with great box office potential this year. You don''t have to frown, be careful of getting wrinkles."

    "Ah? Are there wrinkles? Where?"

    Liu Xiaoli quickly touched the corner of her eyes, and was relieved when she didn''t find any wrinkles.

    "No, you look like an eighteen-year-old girl."

    Link hugged her and kissed her.

    "Kiss again."

    Milla and Sophia cheered from the side, and Qian Qian also clapped and cheered.

    Liu Xiaoli blushed and pushed him away, returning to her seat to eat.

    "Hi, good morning everyone!"

    Monica walked into the dining room with a smile, wearing a silver suspender short skirt, revealing her fair skin, curvy figure, and fair and rounded long legs.

    In the exposed areas, there were a few faint linear red marks on her arms, calves, and fragrant shoulders.

    These were the marks left from playing around last night, with an unusual sexiness and charm.

    Although she played a little crazy last night, Monica was in great spirits today, her eyes as bright as stars, her cheeks flushed with peach-like blush, and her skin crystal clear and moist.

    The few brown spots on her face had also magically disappeared, and the whole person was radiant, as if she was several years younger.

    "Monica, what''s wrong? You look great."

    Several women couldn''t help but leave their seats and surround her to examine her carefully when they saw Monica''s condition.

    "It''s nothing, I just had a better rest last night."

    Monica smiled happily.

    "Last night? We all know what happened last night. Can doing that kind of thing also be beauty treatment?"

    Liu Xiaoli touched Monica''s skin, her eyes filled with curiosity.

    "Monica, is it true?"

    Sophia and Ren¨¦e Zellweger asked with great interest.

    "Maybe, I feel great today. If you are interested, you can try it too,"

    Monica smiled slightly and leaned down to kiss Link.

    Liu Xiaoli and the others also stared at Link closely, their eyes becoming hot and fiery.

    Link couldn''t help but chuckle when he felt their gazes, "Not now, there''s still work to do later."

 #304 - Sending a girl is a big poison point, Monica is going to be in trouble tonight (5K, please su

    After the party, Nicole Kidman greeted and bid farewell to Link with a smile, showing no intention of seducing him, as if she had become a different person.

    Back in the car, Nicole Kidman''s face turned cold, and she kicked the front seat, her face full of resentment and shame.

    Before attending the script meeting, she had originally planned to take advantage of the opportunity to discuss the script to continue seducing Link, completely capturing him, and then finding a way to make him submit to her charms.

    However, before the meeting, when she prepared to seduce Link, she was glared at by him.

    At that time, Link''s eyes and aura were very frightening, like a cold, ruthless, and indifferent monarch.

    It made her feel cold, even afraid and panicked.

    She had heard people say that Link was a workaholic who would be very serious when filming movies, but she didn''t expect him to be so terrifying as a workaholic.

    After being glared at by Link, all her romantic fantasies instantly shattered, and she even developed a psychological shadow of Link. When she saw him again, it was difficult for her to seduce him with frivolous language and alluring movements like in the past.

    This change made her very frustrated.

    On the one hand, she seriously doubted her own charm;

    On the other hand, through that glance, she had a deeper understanding of Link. He was not as sunny, gentle, humorous, and funny as he appeared on the surface. His heart might be darker and colder than the meteorites in the depths of the starry sky.

    What made her even more frustrated was that after seeing Link''s inner self, she not only didn''t think about staying away from him, but became even more curious about him and couldn''t help but want to understand him and get closer to him.

    Nicole Kidman helplessly discovered that when she was seducing Link, she seemed to be deeply attracted by his unique temperament and unable to extricate herself.

    Ding Ling Ling!

    The phone rang, and Nicole Kidman came back to her senses and answered the phone. The caller was Michael Ovitz, asking her how things were going, whether she had seduced Link, and whether she had taken any photos.

    Nicole Kidman said no, Link said she was a married woman and didn''t want to touch her.

    Michael Ovitz was so angry that he cursed, scolding Link for being a playboy with no bottom line, which was ridiculous.

    Nicole Kidman told him not to worry, she was going to change her approach to seduce Link.

    "Change your approach? What approach?"

    "In the past, in order to seduce Link, I acted like a bitch, but it was useless. From what I know, compared to women who are too proactive, he seems to prefer proper women, like those few Lily Lius, Monica Bellucci, Jennifer Connelly, and Brooke Shields.

    No matter what they were like in the past, after becoming Link''s women, they all became very proper, whether it was their dressing or their words and deeds, they were very restrained, as if they were married to Link. Whether they took the initiative to become like this, or it was Link''s request, it shows that Link prefers proper women."

    "You mean?"

    "I also want to become a proper woman, interacting with Link as a normal woman, instead of a bitch who only knows how to be horny. Also, last time I suggested that Tom and Link cooperate, it would be best if they could become friends. I still think so now, and I hope you can persuade Tom again to cooperate with our actions."

    Nicole Kidman leaned back in her seat with her long legs crossed, watching the neon lights outside the car window quickly flowing backward, her tone calm and decisive. She didn''t seem to be working for Michael Ovitz, but rather instructing him to do things.

    Michael Ovitz also heard it, but he didn''t care. As long as Nicole Kidman could get Link into bed and take compromising photos, nothing else mattered.

    "Nicole, are you sure this will work? Before, you said that Link didn''t want to touch you because you were a married woman. If Link and Tom become friends, you will become a friend''s wife. Will he still touch you?"

    Michael Ovitz expressed his concerns.

    Nicole Kidman sneered, "Don''t think of Link as so good. No matter how reserved he appears, he is a lustful playboy at heart. He may not touch a strange married woman, but he may not be able to resist a friend''s beautiful and charming wife. Don''t forget Winona Ryder. I bet she had interactions with Link, even slept with him, before breaking up with Depp."

    "Okay, Nicole, I trust your judgment. I will persuade Tom to cooperate with Link. There happens to be an opportunity now. Columbia Pictures'' movie project ''Jerry Maguire'' has been given to Guess What Pictures. That role is very suitable for Link. I will persuade Tom to take on that role and cooperate with Link.

    In addition, you also have to work hard. Now the seven major studios are preparing to besiege Guess What Pictures and Link, and they are lacking a breakthrough. I hope you will have good news."

    "Michael, don''t worry, I will definitely succeed in seducing that bastard Link, and then conquer him and ravage him, making him kneel in front of me and willingly become my servant, to see if that bastard dares to ignore my charm in the future."

    Nicole Kidman shouted in a shrill voice.

    Michael Ovitz seemed to be frightened by her and quickly expressed his belief in her.

    After hanging up the phone, Michael Ovitz shook his head, wondering how Link had offended Nicole so badly, making her hate him so much, but this was a good thing for him. If Nicole was willing to go all out to deal with Link, Link would probably be unlucky.

    Michael Ovitz was looking forward to seeing Link unlucky, but Nicole Kidman was preparing to change her tactics, using playing hard to get to deal with Link, which was a good move but would take longer to be effective.

    Michael Ovitz thought for a while and called Cameron Diaz, asking her if she had seduced Link.

    Cameron Diaz was also an artist under CAA. After Nicole Kidman''s previous failures, he had picked out several beauties from the company to deal with Link, and Cameron Diaz was one of them.

    For the past few weeks, Cameron Diaz and Link had been on the ''Hachi: A Dog''s Tale'' set and often met, so there might be a chance to seduce Link.

    Cameron Diaz told him on the phone that she had slept with Link.

    "Really?"

    Michael Ovitz stood up excitedly, "How many times did you sleep with him? Did you take any photos of Link, or get evidence of him raping you?"

    Cameron Diaz said she had slept with him more than a dozen times, and she had taken the initiative to seduce Link, willingly sleeping with him, and had not taken any evidence.

    "More than a dozen times? Damn it, I said the process doesn''t matter, you just need to take a picture of him in bed after he falls asleep, and get some hair and body fluids, and give them to me together with your testimony, and I can definitely turn him into a rapist."

    Michael shouted excitedly.

    Cameron Diaz said no, Link was a very, very good man, young, handsome, and wealthy, so talented, so gentle and considerate, everything about him was great, she didn''t want to hurt Link, and she wouldn''t listen to Michael Ovitz''s orders to deal with Link in the future.

    "Damn it! Cameron, have you forgotten that your agency contract is with CAA? If you dare not listen to my orders, I will ban you! I mean what I say!"

    Michael Ovitz roared angrily.

    "Ban me then. I am Link''s girlfriend now. My boyfriend is a billionaire, a world-class director, a movie company boss, the number one person on the Hollywood power list, more powerful than you. With him around, I won''t lack resources."

    "You! You!!"

    Michael Ovitz''s face turned green when he heard her words, the veins on his forehead popped out, and his teeth gnashed.

    "Link not only gives me resources, but also money. I now have a bank card he gave me, with a monthly spending limit of $100,000, $1.2 million a year. My current salary is only $100,000. Even if I don''t act, I still have a lot of money to spend every year. Link is so great.

    Michael, thank you for helping me get the role in the ''Hachi: A Dog''s Tale'' crew, and thank you for letting me seduce Link. After becoming Link''s woman, I realized that everything is so great, so dreamy. Michael, thank you so much."

    Cameron Diaz''s sincere and simple tone was very touching. Last time it touched Link, and this time it also touched Michael Ovitz. Michael''s body swayed, and he sat down on the public chair with a thud. His vision was dark and hazy, as if the sky had suddenly darkened, and it took more than ten seconds to recover.

    Cameron Diaz was still praising Link in the microphone, saying that Link was the most perfect man in the world, able to exceed all her fantasies about men. Now what she wanted to do was to maintain her beautiful and sexy figure and make Link love her even more.

    Michael Ovitz gritted his back teeth and said in a hoarse voice, "Bitch, you are happy too soon. If I tell Link that you are a spy I arranged to be by his side to deal with him, do you think he will still like you?"

    "It''s okay. After I slept with Link for the first time, I felt bad about hiding it from him, so I told him. I even asked if he would blame me. Link chuckled and said it was okay, and even wanted me to thank you for sending me, this beautiful woman, to his side."

    Bang!

    Before Cameron Diaz could finish speaking, Michael Ovitz picked up the phone and slammed it hard on the floor, his vision blurring again into darkness.

    "Link, I will never let you go!!!"

    Outside the office door, the assistants couldn''t help but shrink their necks when they heard their boss''s sharp, owl-like scream.

    "Link, are you home yet?"

    "Almost."

    "I''m already home, taking a bath. The bathtub is full of bubbles, except for my calves. Do you want to see? Oh, I almost forgot, I said I would chat with you as a friend. Okay, let''s talk seriously. Today''s script meeting was really interesting. We''ve had many before, but none as interesting as this one. I think it''s probably because you were there. It''s still night, but I''m already looking forward to tomorrow''s script meeting. I have a new idea about Dr. Chase. Can we talk about it tomorrow?"

    Ding ding~

    As Link received Nicole Kidman''s message, the car was about to return to the Beverly Hills mansion. He replied briefly, then put away his phone and walked into the villa''s hall.

    All the women were home.

    Monica Bellucci, Liu Xiaoli, Jennifer Connelly, Sofia, Milla Jovovich, and Winona Ryder were chatting.

    Little Qianqian was squatting in front of the TV watching the seventh season of the cartoon "Garfield," hugging three kittens, surrounded by several kittens and puppies. The little one watched the cartoon while eating snacks, giggling non-stop.

    "Link, you''re back."

    Sofia saw him come in, opened her arms, and threw herself into his embrace.

    "What''s wrong? It hasn''t been months since we last met."

    Link hugged Sofia, kissed her, and sat back on the sofa. The others gathered around, the large living room brightly lit.

    "The third week''s box office results for ''The Man from Earth'' are out. The box office is very poor, and the attendance rate is also very poor. This movie is going to fail."

    Sofia said, sniffing.

    "How much was the box office this week?"

    "Only $420,000."

    Sofia handed him the newspaper.

    "The Man from Earth" was released in mid-January, earning $158,000 in 12 theaters in its first week, with an average daily box office of less than $2,000 per theater. Both the attendance rate and the box office results were very poor.

    The reason was the same as what he had told Sofia at the preview, the movie''s content was too profound, the threshold for viewing was high, and the box office situation would not be too good.

    Everything was as he expected.

    The newest novels are first published on 69shu.com!

    Under this circumstance, most movies would give up theatrical distribution and switch to offline distribution, but Link asked the publicity department to continue promoting and expand the screening scale at their own expense.

    Originally, the publicity and distribution department staff thought there would be a miracle, but there wasn''t.

    In the second week, it was released in 102 theaters, with a box office of $640,000.

    In the third week, 107 theaters, with a box office of $427,000.

    The cumulative box office was $1.21 million.

    This box office data looks good, but it''s actually very poor.

    This movie is adapted from Link''s best-selling book, with its own popularity. In addition, Guess Pictures spent more than $1.5 million on the movie''s publicity and distribution.

    Under these circumstances, it only sold a little over one million in tickets, indicating that the audience really didn''t like this movie.

    This is also the reason why Sofia was crying in his arms.

    This is her directorial debut, and the box office results are so poor that she''s almost depressed.

    "Sofia, don''t be sad. The production cost of this movie was $15,000, and the North American box office is $1.21 million, almost 100 times the return. It''s pretty good,"

    Jennifer Connelly comforted her.

    "Don''tºå me. The movie''s publicity cost more than $1.5 million, and the box office is only over $1.2 million. This is equivalent to buying the box office with money. It''s not a real box office at all,"

    Sofia was very sad. Before the movie was released, she knew that this movie was not suitable for theatrical release and was prepared for poor box office results, but she didn''t expect the box office to be so low, so low that her chest hurt.

    "Then you don''t need to be sad. This movie was decided by Link, and he is also the screenwriter and editor of this movie. If the box office results are not good, he will bear most of the responsibility, and you only have a small part,"

    Monica Bellucci patted Link on the shoulder and joked.

    "Yes, Monica is right, it''s all Link''s responsibility."

    "Sofia, don''t be sad, it''s not your fault, Link should be sad."

    Liu Xiaoli, Ren¨¦e Zellweger, and others also started teasing Link.

    Link shook his head and smiled, "Don''t be so quick to determine whose fault it is. We anticipated that the box office results of this movie would not be too good when it was first released, and we didn''t have too many expectations. However, according to the market department''s investigation, this type of movie sells well in the video tape market, so maybe we can make a fortune in the video tape market."

    "Really?"

    Sofia wiped her eyes and looked at him expectantly.

    "Don''t worry, this movie has good word-of-mouth. The newspapers are full of praise for you, saying that the artistic attainments you showed in this movie are amazing, and praising you as one of the most promising new directors of the younger generation."

    Link hugged Sofia and patted her.

    Hearing him mention the movie reviews, Sofia immediately cheered up.

    The movie''s box office results were average, but the word-of-mouth was very positive. Many well-known film critics praised her in the newspapers, saying that the movie was very deep and a classic soft science fiction movie, praising that the old Coppola director had a successor.

    However, Sofia knew that she was more influenced by Link in terms of film technology and theory.

    "Link, why did you come back so early? Is the script meeting over?"

    Monica changed the subject.

    "Yeah, didn''t you say there was a party after the script meeting? Why did you come back so early?"

    "Nicole Kidman was also there. Didn''t you chat with her for a while?"

    "Haha, we were just betting whether you would bring her back tonight."

    Jennifer and Ren¨¦e Zellweger and the others chimed in.

    Link shook his head, "What are you talking about? After the crew finished the meeting, we gathered at the hotel for a while. I came back after eating. What does it have to do with Nicole Kidman?"

    "Don''t lie. At the last Golden Globe Awards, Nicole Kidman''s eyes when she looked at you could draw silk, wishing she could stick to you. You also stare at Nicole Kidman every time you look at her. If she takes the initiative to stick to you, would you refuse?"

    Monica sat on the°« table, crossed one leg, and teased with a smile.

    The others also teased Link when they heard Monica''s words, saying that Nicole Kidman wanted to stick to him, and he was an insatiable pervert who would definitely not let go of this piece of meat.

    Link was helpless, "Nicole Kidman is married. I''m not so tasteless that I won''t even let go of married women."

    "What''s wrong with married women? It''s Nicole Kidman who took the initiative to stick to you. It''s not like you want to bully her. Why do you care so much?"

    Monica covered her lips and smiled.

    The others also giggled.

    Link saw that Monica was a ringleader, so he didn''t condone her. He reached out and hugged her over, slapping her twice on the fleshy area, making Monica''s cheeks flushed.

    "If you were willing to play Dr. Chase, would I need to waste time dealing with Nicole Kidman?"

    "It''s not like I wanted you to choose her as the heroine. You definitely chose her because you coveted her."

    Monica refused to admit defeat even after being beaten, covering her butt and rolling her eyes at him. The other women also teased him happily.

    Link decided to give Monica a taste of her own medicine, hugging Monica and putting her on his shoulder, carrying her upstairs.

    "Haha, there''s a good show to watch. Let''s go see."

    "Monica is going to suffer today."

    Jennifer Connelly, Sofia, Ren¨¦e Zellweger, and the others quickly followed upstairs to watch the show.

    Little Qianqian saw the excitement upstairs, put down the remote control and wanted to go upstairs to watch too. Before she could stand up, Liu Xiaoli twisted her ear and sent her back to the villa next door, telling her to hurry up and do her homework and continue practicing the piano after she was done.

    Little Qianqian rolled her eyes and did her homework with a huff.

    Liu Xiaoli successfully suppressed the little girl and handed her over to the nanny to take care of before returning to the main villa.

    By the time she arrived, the bedroom was already in chaos.

 #303 - Link is so abominable, he even stole my girlfriend

    The purpose of the production team''s seminar was to understand the actors'' research on their respective roles through face-to-face communication, identify any difficulties, and solicit suggestions that could be raised on the spot.

    He and the two screenwriters would provide answers on-site, and if anyone offered constructive opinions, they could also modify the script according to the actors'' requests.

    Generally, new actors would not actively express their opinions on such occasions.

    However, veteran actors and big-name stars would offer many suggestions, such as revising lines to better suit their speaking habits, or requesting the addition or deletion of lines to enhance emotions or improve character development, and so on.

    Although the characters in the script''s story were created by the screenwriters, the characters in the movie were created by the actors, who needed to better integrate into the roles by adjusting lines or plot, and then present the characters better through their performances.

    Regardless of whether it''s method acting or experiential acting, the ultimate goal is to perform the role well.

    During this process, actors can easily have disputes over script changes, especially big-name actors and veteran actors, who often argue fiercely over a few lines, and some even threaten to quit.

    These things are normal occurrences in a production team.

    When such things happen, it particularly tests a director''s leadership and control abilities within the team.

    A good director must be an excellent leader, requiring strong team coordination and decision-making skills, and be adept at resolving conflicts among team members.

    At the same time, they must know how to ''draw big pictures'' and mobilize the enthusiasm of the production team members.

    Only directors who possess both artistic talent and leadership skills can lead the core members of the production team to create good film works.

    It is precisely because of these points that the threshold for the director profession becomes very high.

    Lin Ke had filmed many movies and was very experienced in this regard. In addition, he was the owner of a film company and had produced many critically and commercially successful films.

    This strength and reputation also gave him a high degree of authority in the production team, and the cast and crew were willing to listen to his instructions.

    However, when holding script discussion meetings, Lin Ke liked to promote democracy, encouraging everyone to say what they thought without worrying about saying the wrong thing, because everyone''s goal was the same: to make a film that was both critically and commercially successful.

    And the several leading actors of the ''Batman'' production team were not shy and timid newcomers.

    After the script reading session began, Gary Oldman took the lead and expressed his dissatisfaction with the ''Two-Face'' character setting in the script.

    ''Two-Face'' is a classic villain character in the ''Batman'' comics, created in 1941. Because the character design was too dark, fans did not like it until the rise of horror movies in the 1970s, when audiences re-accepted the character, and Two-Face successively appeared on television and the big screen.

    ''Two-Face,'' Harvey Dent, was abused by his father in his youth. His father often used coin flips to decide whether or not he would be beaten, and his father used a coin with ''heads'' on both sides.

    Harvey Dent hated his father and was determined not to become like his father. When he grew up, he became a district attorney. Because of his excellent character and outstanding professional skills, he was assigned to Gotham City as a prosecutor.

    With the joint efforts of him, Gotham City Police Commissioner Gordon, and Batman, the public security situation in Gotham City was significantly improved, and many villainous characters and gang leaders were punished.

    However, on the day before his wedding, at the court where he was prosecuting the gang leader Maroni, he was splashed with hydrochloric acid on his face by Maroni, resulting in disfigurement, which also led to his wife leaving him.

    Harvey Dent was stimulated, and the demon suppressed deep in his heart quickly grew, causing him to have a mental breakdown and eventually become the evil ''Two-Face.''

    He blamed Batman for not protecting him in court and began to take revenge on Batman and everyone else.

    Compared with the ''Two-Face'' in the comics, the ''Two-Face'' in the film version is more evil in his behavior, and the settings in language and action are more radical. This is done to increase the drama of the film.

    Gary Oldman said he did not like this pretentious and intimidating setting and preferred to use a restrained performance style to present a thrilling effect.

    He hoped to revise the script and turn Two-Face into a ruthless but restrained and cold-blooded pervert. The revised Two-Face would form a contrast with the Riddler, who liked to make a lot of noise.

    Lin Ke rejected this proposal.

    Batman has a cool and humorous persona, and Two-Face is a supporting character used to support Batman. He must be a performing-type personality who likes to make fun, otherwise, if two cool male gods play against each other, it will become Ximen Chuuxue vs. Fu Hongxue, and there will be a lot of highlights missing.

    He told Gary Oldman that after being disfigured, Two-Face suffered from schizophrenia and was obsessed with the ''fatalism'' and ''duality'' of things. His temperament was sometimes cold, sometimes crazy, sometimes irritable, and sometimes depressed.

    When performing, he should not only show the noisy side of Two-Face but also show the restrained and cold side.

    How to perform specifically and how to present this morbid effect will test his acting skills.

    When Gary Oldman heard his explanation, he immediately cheered up and became very interested.

    As a veteran actor, he is not afraid of complex character settings, only afraid of simple characters.

    After Gary Oldman finished speaking, Jim Carrey and Nicole Kidman spoke at the same time. Under the principle of ladies first, Nicole Kidman first stated her request.

    Her character is Dr. Chase, an original character. This character has two roles in the movie: one is a vase to increase Batman''s emotional scenes, and the other is to highlight that Batman''s true love is Catwoman.

    Nicole Kidman''s suggestion was that Dr. Chase is a psychiatrist with high professional ethics, and she falls in love with Batman because she is curious about his dual personality, so she cannot remain indifferent when encountering the two lunatics Two-Face and the Riddler.

    She can analyze their psychological state when Batman fights against them, help Batman defeat them, instead of simply being a vase.

    After Lin Ke listened, he felt it made sense and discussed it with the two screenwriters. This plot could be considered when revising the script later.

    After Nicole Kidman finished speaking, Jim Carrey began to talk endlessly again.

    The first script reading session lasted more than three hours.

    Half of the actors expressed their personal opinions and views, and Lin Ke and the two screenwriters gave replies on the spot.

    Due to time constraints, the remaining half of the actors'' issues will be discussed at the next script reading session.

    After the script reading session, Link, on behalf of the company, hosted a banquet for the main creative team of the film crew at the hotel. At the same time, this activity was also used to strengthen communication and connection between the actors, allowing them to become familiar with each other more quickly, which would lead to greater tacit understanding during filming.

    "Link, thank you for accepting my suggestion at the seminar."

    At the party, Nicole Kidman, holding a wine glass, stood in front of Link.

    In just one hour, she had changed into another outfit: a red strapless long dress, revealing her fair shoulders and slender arms, as well as a rather high bust.

    A sapphire necklace adorned her swan-like neck, similar to Monica''s Patek Philippe, and a platinum wristwatch on her wrist. The whole person exuded radiance and dazzling brilliance.

    "You''re welcome. The suggestion you made was very reasonable. Actually, when revising the script, I also had this intention, but considering that adding these contents would make the plot more complicated, I eventually deleted them. After discussing with the two screenwriters just now, we decided to add these contents appropriately to make the character of Dr. Chase more three-dimensional, which is also a beneficial change for the entire film."

    "I''m so happy. It turns out we were thinking the same thing."

    Nicole Kidman covered her red lips and smiled, "Link, may I ask you a question?"

    "What is it?"

    "What kind of woman am I in your heart?"

    "A charming and beautiful woman, which is also the character setting of Dr. Chase."

    Link said.

    "Then would you be fascinated by me?"

    Nicole Kidman took half a step forward, her abdomen almost touching his body.

    "Nicole, you''re married."

    Link reminded her.

    "Hmph! Last time in the bathroom, when you did those things to me, why didn''t you think that I was a married woman?"

    Nicole Kidman looked at him with shy annoyance, her face flushed with a charming blush, and even her breathing became rapid.

    "You know the situation last time better than I do."

    Link said calmly.

    "But you said I''m very charming, so why can''t you go on a date with me?"

    Nicole Kidman asked with a face full of resentment.

    Link shook his head, "Nicole, I like to pursue women openly, not secretly. If you weren''t married, you would be lying on my bed right now, instead of standing here talking to me."

    Nicole Kidman was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, covering her lips and laughing so hard that she trembled.

    Suddenly she stopped, looked at Link quietly, and said with a serious expression, "Link, I seem to have fallen in love with you. I really love you. I can''t help but think of you every day, think of our conversations, the things that happened between us, every little detail.

    I know that the things I said and did before will make you think of me as a slutty, shameless madwoman, but it doesn''t matter. From today onwards, I will no longer do things the way I used to. I will become the person you like and love you more sincerely."

    Link was surprised in his heart. Why did this woman suddenly change her style?

    When chatting on the phone before, Nicole Kidman would seduce him with extremely seductive language. Last time at the Golden Globe Awards ceremony in the bar bathroom, she would also make a lot of teasing actions to stir up his anger.

    Now that it was such a private occasion, it was a good opportunity for her to strike, but she suddenly became reserved and even took the initiative to reflect on her own behavior.

    This kind of performance was very abnormal.

    Could it be a ploy to catch him off guard?

    Considering that she was Michael Ovitz''s special envoy and also a very shrewd woman,

    Link wouldn''t underestimate her.

    "Link, how about we get along like friends in the future?"

    Nicole Kidman said with a sincere expression.

    Link looked at her beautiful face and lake-blue eyes, and couldn''t find any flaws on her face. He raised his glass and touched hers.

    "Okay!"

    Nicole Kidman winked and smiled, took a few sips of red wine, her cheeks flushed with a hint of red, and revealed a charming demeanor between her gestures, showing her beauty to the fullest.

    "They''re chatting really happily."

    Not far away, Ben Affleck saw Link and Nicole Kidman standing together, and a trace of envy flashed in his eyes.

    Link was wearing a neat suit, with a slender and tall figure. Nicole Kidman opposite him was wearing a red dress, sexy and charming. The two of them stood face to face, and they looked more like a couple than Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise.

    This bastard Link can not only seduce young girls, but now he doesn''t even let married women go.

    What a beast!

    "Who?"

    Ryan Phillippe asked.

    Ben Affleck raised his chin and pointed to the location of Link and Nicole Kidman.

    "Don''t guess randomly about this kind of thing. Ms. Kidman is married."

    Ryan Phillippe reminded him.

    "I''m not guessing randomly. I''m just saying they''re chatting happily. You''re the one guessing randomly."

    Ben Affleck grinned and smiled.

    "I hope Link can restrain himself and not make mistakes in this kind of thing."

    Jim Carrey said, holding a wine glass.

    "That''s Nicole Kidman. If it were you, could you restrain yourself?"

    Ben Affleck asked.

    "Of course I can. I''m a married man."

    Jim Carrey flashed the gold ring on his ring finger.

    Ben Affleck curled his lips in disbelief. After Jim Carrey became famous, there were also many scandals in the media, and there were even rumors of a divorce, which shows that he was not a good man either.

    "What are you guys talking about?"

    Baby-faced Drew Barrymore and Salma Hayek came over.

    Ben Affleck quickly shut up and looked back at the two of them. Seeing Drew''s pink cheeks, sexy and cute appearance, and fleshy and sexy figure, she was also a very beautiful girl.

    He immediately had thoughts, grinned, and showed a smile that he thought was sunny and handsome.

    Just as he was about to say hello, Drew Barrymore saw Nicole Kidman leaving over there. She immediately walked towards Link''s location with Salma Hayek.

    Ben Affleck put down his hand, clenched his fists tightly, and his face became depressed.

    "Damn it, Link is even stealing my girlfriend. He''s too hateful."

 #302 - Nicole, this is a serious occasion, don't do those messy things

    During his time working on the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡·project, besides guiding Jodie Foster in her acting and giving pointers to Cameron Diaz, Link also took time to check on the progress of the ¡¶Batman¡·sequel''s preparations, urging the various teams to speed up their work and complete the set construction within the stipulated time.

    Meanwhile, in January and February, he successively attended several award ceremonies, including the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the British Academy Film Awards, and the Critics'' Choice Awards; these four awards, along with the already-held Golden Globe Awards, are known as the four major indicators of the Academy Awards.

    Movies that win awards at these four events have a higher probability of winning at the Academy Awards in the future.

    Movies that do not win at these four events but still win an Oscar are often called ''upset'' winners.

    This year marks the first Screen Actors Guild Awards, with only four awards in the film category: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

    Because it''s the first year, the judging panel was very cautious in its selections, and the awards went to four veteran actors.

    The Best Actor was Tom Hanks for ¡¶Forrest Gump¡·, and the Best Actress was Jodie Foster for ¡¶Nell¡·.

    The Best Supporting Actor was Landau, who had been nominated twice before for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and this time received another nomination for ¡¶Ed Wood¡·.

    The Best Supporting Actress was Dianne Wiest, 49 years old this year, who previously won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1987 for the movie ¡¶Hannah and Her Sisters¡·, and this year received the nomination again for the movie ¡¶Bullets Over Broadway¡·.

    Guessing Pictures'' movies didn''t win anything at this award ceremony.

    At the 48th British Academy Film Awards, ¡¶Seven¡· received 9 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor, eventually winning two technical awards for Best Cinematography and Best Editing, with Link winning the Best Editing award.

    ¡¶Speed¡· won Best Sound Effects, and ¡¶Good Will Hunting¡· won Best Original Screenplay.

    The biggest winner at this year''s British Academy Film Awards was the British film ¡¶Four Weddings and a Funeral¡·, which won five major awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Film Audience Award.

    The popular movie ¡¶Forrest Gump¡· only won one award for Best Special Visual Effects.

    At the Critics'' Choice Awards, ¡¶Seven¡· received 8 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Screenplay.

    It ultimately won three awards: Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Supporting Actor.

    ¡¶L¨¦on: The Professional¡· won Best Foreign Language Film.

    ¡¶Forrest Gump¡· and Woody Allen''s ¡¶Bullets Over Broadway¡· were the biggest winners.

    Judging from the results of these four major indicators, Guessing Pictures'' movies are unlikely to perform very well at this year''s Academy Awards.

    After the film award season, Link''s work on the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡· project was also basically completed.

    The plot of this movie involves the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, with a filming cycle lasting up to a year. The crew''s filming work also stopped and started frequently, so Link didn''t need to stay on set to oversee things.

    If any problems were encountered during filming, Jodie Foster could call him for consultation.

    After returning to Los Angeles, Link led the crew in beginning pre-production work on the ¡¶Batman¡· sequel, including gathering actors, rehearsing with them, shooting outdoor scenes, and pre-producing parts involving CGI visual effects technology.

    "Haha, Link, I''m so happy to be working with you."

    At the script reading session, Jim Carrey enthusiastically rushed up to Link and gave him a big hug.

    "Don''t be happy too soon."

    Link patted him on the shoulder. "I have very strict requirements for actors. If you don''t perform well, I''ll scold you on the spot. Don''t blame me for not giving you, a big star, any face."

    "Haha, don''t worry, the role of the Riddler is perfect for me, and I guarantee I can play it well."

    Jim Carrey gestured, his expression very exaggerated as he spoke.

    "I also guarantee there won''t be any problems. I''ve been preparing for this role for half a year, training every day, reading the script, and studying the character. I now have 100% confidence in playing Batman well."

    Ben Affleck crossed his arms, raised his chin, and wore a cool look.

    This guy only wore a tank top when he came, revealing his thick arms and well-defined scapular muscles. His pectoral muscles were also quite strong. He could play Superman in blue tights and red underwear.

    "You''ve been working out well, but I hope you can bring out Bruce Wayne''s aristocratic demeanor when acting, and not just be a well-developed but simple-minded jock."

    Link said.

    "Uh, I''m also fine with the aristocratic demeanor. I''ve also received half a month of aristocratic etiquette training."

    Ben Affleck lowered his arms and suddenly felt a little cold.

    "Hahaha! You call that aristocratic demeanor? Which aristocrat wears a tank top to a meeting?"

    Jim Carrey clutched his stomach and laughed.

    "This is the aristocratic look in athletic mode."

    Ben Affleck glared at him and took the jacket from his assistant to put it on.

    "Hi, Link!"

    Nicole Kidman arrived at the conference room door, radiating golden light. She was dressed extremely beautifully.

    She wore a golden Dior sleeveless gown, the cut of the dress was elegant, and the neckline and both sides of the hem were embroidered with exquisite floral patterns, revealing luxury and taste in the details.

    The high-slit design of the skirt cleverly showed off her slender and well-proportioned leg lines, and the pair of silver high heels added a touch of nobility and sexiness.

    She was already tall and slender, with skin as white as jade. Under the contrast of golden hair and a golden dress, her whole person seemed to be shrouded in a charming halo, making it impossible to take your eyes off her.

    After she appeared, Jim Carrey and Ben Affleck unconsciously stopped talking and shifted their attention to her.

    "Director Link, I''m very happy to see you here. It''s really hard to see you."

    Nicole Kidman walked over gracefully, bringing a burst of fragrance. When she spoke, the corners of her red lips turned up, and a charming smile appeared on her beautiful cheeks, adding a bit of aggressiveness to her beauty.

    Link heard Jim Carrey and Ben Affleck swallowing behind him.

    "Nicole, welcome to the script reading session. I hope everything goes smoothly in the upcoming collaboration."

    Link reached out and shook her hand.

    "Director Link, from now on, I''m your person. I hope you take good care of me."

    Nicole Kidman held his hand, blinked her blue eyes, and once again showed a charming smile on her beautiful cheeks.

    "No problem, I will treat all the actors in the crew equally."

    Link said.

    Jim Carrey and Ben Affleck exchanged glances, one wiggling his eyebrows and the other making eyes, was there something going on?

    The two stretched their ears and stared intently at Link and Nicole Kidman, hoping to see something more.

    However, after Nicole Kidman arrived, the other members of the crew also arrived one after another.

    Including the two co-writers, the Batchler couple, Gary Oldman, who plays Two-Face, Michael Caine, who plays the butler, Ryan Phillippe, who plays Robin, and Drew Barrymore and Salma Hayek, who play Two-Face''s sexy assistants.

    "Everyone''s here, please take your seats."

    After everyone arrived, the crew''s script discussion officially began.

    Link found a seat at the right end of the large round table in the conference room and sat down. Ben Affleck, who originally played Batman, was going to sit next to him, but Nicole Kidman came over, carrying her skirt, and looked at Ben with a smile.

    Ben Affleck also wanted to save face, so he immediately gave up his seat very gentlemanly.

    "Thank you!"

    Nicole Kidman smiled charmingly, then picked up her skirt and sat down.

    Ben Affleck shrugged and was about to sit down next door, but Drew Barrymore blinked her beautiful eyes, pouted her chubby red lips and acted coquettishly towards him, saying that she wanted to be closer to Link so that she could listen carefully to him talk about the script.

    Ben Affleck had no choice but to retreat again and again, sitting between Jim Carrey and Ryan Phillippe.

    And besides the two co-writers, there were beauties next to Link.

    Link saw that everyone was seated and was about to speak when he felt a foot under the table. He frowned and glanced at Nicole Kidman, using his eyes to warn her that this was work, and it was best to be serious and not do these messy things.

    Nicole Kidman was startled by his eyes and quickly retracted her offending foot, straightened her chest, and listened carefully to Link''s speech.

 #301 - Even the confession is so touching, it would be too cruel to reject it

    In the afternoon, Cameron Diaz only had two scenes. After filming, she sat on the sidelines watching Link busily work on set. He not only acted as an executive screenwriter, guiding the actors, but also as a producer, directing the director and camera crew, and even as an editor.

    During filming, his busy figure could be seen everywhere. No matter how hot the weather, he was always full of energy and vitality, as if he didn''t know fatigue.

    By the time the crew finished filming for the day after 5 p.m., Link''s work was still not done. He still had to work as an editor, cutting out the extra shots from the day''s filming, and also discuss tomorrow''s filming with the main creative team.

    Taiwan Novel Network ¡ú ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? . ?? ?? ??

    Seeing how busy he was, Cameron Diaz took the initiative to offer him purified water, and she would also receive his thanks. However, Link''s expression was very serious when he was working, so besides offering water, she didn''t feel comfortable saying anything else.

    After he finished work and left, Cameron Diaz also returned to the hotel where the crew was staying. She washed the dust off her body in the bathroom, changed into a rose-colored long dress, combed her beautiful blonde hair, and sprayed on a pleasant-smelling perfume. Because she was already very beautiful, she only applied light makeup to her face.

    After getting ready, she brought her character script and knocked on Link''s room door.

    After the door opened, Link was also wearing casual clothes, a square-necked T-shirt paired with casual pants. He was tall and slender, and the T-shirt revealed the outline of his muscles. He was well-proportioned and sexy, showing that he often worked out in addition to his busy work schedule, unlike many company executives who begin to expand in size and lose a significant amount of hair as their wealth increases.

    Cameron Diaz stared at his back for a long time until Link invited her to sit down again.

    Only then did she sit on the sofa opposite him with flushed cheeks.

    Link began to explain the script and the character she was playing. She played Andy, the daughter of Professor Parker in the film. The main role of this character was to build a bridge between her parents, allowing her mother to accept the dog Hachiko as a member of the family, while also creating a warm family atmosphere through interactions with her parents and the dog Hachiko.

    Because the script was well-written and the character design was very three-dimensional, as long as she could immerse herself in the character during the performance and reveal her true emotions, it would not be difficult to act.

    After listening to Link''s explanation for a while, Cameron Diaz gained a deeper understanding of the character and was more confident in playing the role well. However, halfway through, she suddenly remembered her real purpose for being here.

    Cameron Diaz took the opportunity to get up and help Link pour tea, sitting next to him and continuing to listen to him explain the script, but her calf often inadvertently touched him, and her eyes often met his. Her eyes were full of admiration and love.

    After a while, Link stopped and looked at her.

    Cameron Diaz lowered her head and brushed away the blonde hair that had fallen beside her ear. "Director Link, do you not like me doing this?"

    "I don''t mind, but you should know that I have many rumored girlfriends and a very complicated emotional situation. Getting too close to a playboy like me is not a good thing for you. You are still young, and you have a lot of time and opportunities in the future. Your talent is also good, so you don''t need to do this."

    Link said. Cameron Diaz was 22 years old this year, young, beautiful, and sexy. This was also the reason why she became the heroine of "The Mask." Her future development was also good. She was one of the few actresses whose single film salary exceeded 20 million US dollars.

    He didn''t mind being seduced by the other party, but some things had to be explained in advance to prevent problems in the future.

    It was also convenient for recording.

    "Director Link, you also grew up from the bottom of the entertainment industry, so you know the bottom circles very well. It is very difficult for an actor without a background to become a star in Hollywood, especially for actresses like me with good external conditions. It is easy to be subjected to unspoken rules, or even more chaotic things.

    According to what I''ve heard, you are very good to the women around you. Whether they are famous stars or new actors, you give them a lot of support and protection, even though some media slander you, claiming that you are engaging in unspoken rules and playing with women''s bodies and feelings.

    But in the eyes of us small actors, you are God, the supreme being who can help us grow wings and fly, and also the most secure harbor. I think that besides me, every girl who is qualified to approach you will not hesitate to seize the opportunity to approach you.

    It''s just that I''m luckier than many people. I met you not long after my debut, and I still have the opportunity to sit next to you and listen to you explain the script. I know this is an opportunity given to me by God. If I just listen to you explain the script foolishly at this time and don''t seize the opportunity, I will definitely regret it for the rest of my life when I recall this matter in the future.

    I don''t want to regret it, so at this time, I will actively approach you, trying to attract you. I don''t know if my clumsy seduction will succeed, but at this moment, I have worked hard for this matter, and I will not regret it when I recall this matter in the future."

    When saying these words, Cameron Diaz''s expression was very serious and earnest. When she reached the most emotional part, her beautiful eyes became moist, and tears overflowed from her eyes, dripping onto her skirt.

    Link sighed softly and took out a tissue, handing it to her.

    Cameron Diaz took the tissue, threw herself into his arms, and sobbed on his shoulder.

    Link hugged her, gently patting her back, giving her comfort and care.

    Cameron Diaz sobbed for a moment, then looked up at him with a face full of tears, "Link, are you willing to accept me?"

    Link helped her wipe away her tears. The smooth and delicate touch made her seem very young. "I''m a playboy, how could I reject the confession of a sexy beauty?"

    Cameron Diaz chuckled, hooked her arms around the back of his neck, and offered a kiss with her red lips.

    Link dropped the script, embraced the tall but not heavy Cameron Diaz, and began to feast.

    Soon, many traces of love were left on the sofa and in the bathroom.

    However, not long after returning to the bedroom, a doorbell rang outside. At first, Link ignored it, but soon his phone rang again.

    Link had no choice but to put down Cameron Diaz, put on his pajamas, and get up to answer the phone. It was Jodie Foster''s call, asking him where he was, it was getting dark, and why was no one in the room, was he fooling around outside?

    Link said he was sleeping and asked her what was the matter?

    Before he could finish speaking, the doorbell rang again.

    Link looked at the messy living room and picked up the large and small pieces of clothing that were thrown on the carpet and threw them into the bedroom.

    He went to the door and opened it.

    "Why did it take so long?"

    Jodie Foster was a little impatient waiting at the door.

    "What are you doing here at this time? You''re a woman, you need to pay attention to your image."

    "I''m only a woman biologically. Actually, I''m a man."

    "Whatever. What''s the matter?"

    Link sat on the sofa, crossing his legs.

    "Are you really sleeping? You can fall asleep at 8 o''clock?"

    "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy."

    "Strange theory."

    Jodie Foster sat down, in the same position as Cameron Diaz was before. She sniffed her pretty nose and smelled a fragrance. There were two glasses on the table, one of which had obvious lip marks. She snorted softly, revealing a smile that was not a smile.

    "There''s a woman here?"

    "Cameron, she just asked me to discuss the script."

    "Just discussing the script?"

    Jodie Foster glanced at the bedroom door and smiled, "I bet there''s someone in the bedroom?"

    "Do you want to go in and take a look?"

    Link said with a chuckle.

    Jodie Foster stared at him with her blue eyes for a few seconds, "Forget it, whether there''s someone there or not has nothing to do with me. I''m here to talk to you about movies."

    Then Jodie Foster began to get to the point, first talking about how to film "Hachiko," how to compose the shots, and acting issues. After that, they talked about several recently released movies, including "The Man from Earth" distributed by Guessing Game Films.

    After chatting for more than an hour, Jodie Foster reluctantly ended the topic.

    "Link, I hope I didn''t disturb your date."

    Jodie Foster''s smile had a bit of mischievousness.

    "It''s okay. I said doi is a recreational activity, and chatting with you about movies is also a form of recreation. The two are about the same, so it''s not a disturbance."

    Link said.

    When Jodie Foster heard his words, her expression immediately collapsed. This bastard was actually saying that chatting with her was the same as doi, which was clearly taking advantage of her.

    Jodie Foster glared at him and walked out unhappily.

    She stopped at the door and asked him if he wanted to attend the British Academy Film Awards ceremony next week.

    Link said he would attend and they would go together then.

    Jodie Foster didn''t respond to him, just wished him soft legs when he woke up tomorrow.

    After seeing Jodie Foster off, Link returned to the bedroom. Cameron Diaz was curled up in the quilt and fell asleep, her face full of bright spring colors mixed with a trace of pain from the blooming peach blossom. Link didn''t bother her anymore and slept with her in his arms all night.

 #300 - Please don't get too close to me. I don't want Link to misunderstand me.

    After finishing up at the company, Link took time to go to the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡· film crew as a supervisor and executive screenwriter, while also teaching Judy Foster how to make movies firsthand.

    Although Judy Foster had directed one TV series and one movie, due to a lack of systematic professional training, she still seemed immature in terms of narrative rhythm, camera language, and overall control, and inevitably revealed a lack of experience when dealing with complex scenes.

    Now, under the careful guidance of Link, a master filmmaker, her directing skills have improved by leaps and bounds. Whether it''s camera movement, narrative control, or the training of actors, she has shown significant improvement.

    "How can you be so amazing?"

    After shooting a scene according to his instructions, Judy Foster looked back at him, her deep blue eyes filled with surprise and admiration.

    Previously, in order to shoot this scene well, she had prepared for three days, filmed it more than thirty times, but was still not satisfied, and almost caused the male lead, Robin Williams, to go on strike.

    After Link arrived at the crew, she asked Link for advice. After Link watched the filmed footage once, he pointed out the problem and the method of correction in a few words.

    She shot according to the method Link said, and achieved the desired effect in just one take.

    This feeling was great. If Link wasn''t a boy, she would have jumped into his arms and kissed him.

    Link smiled and said, "You are also very good. This scene is equivalent to a university math problem. You are now at a high school level. You can do it after I explain it once, which is even better than I imagined."

    "Who is at a high school level? I''m a college student, okay?"

    Judy Foster rolled her eyes at him. She is an outstanding graduate of Yale University, while Link is a high school student. However, every time she talks with Link, it feels like chatting with professors at school.

    Whether in terms of experience or knowledge reserves, she couldn''t compare to him, which made her feel very powerless, and at the same time, she developed a deep curiosity about Link. How could this guy be so amazing?

    "Okay, college student, hurry up and shoot. I''m going to join the ¡¶Batman¡· crew next week. I don''t have much time here. You better ask any questions you have while I''m here."

    Link sat on the sofa with his legs crossed.

    "What are you so busy with every day? No, that''s not right. Actually, you''re not busy. You just spend a lot of time on women. If you weren''t so promiscuous, you could make at least three movies a year."

    Judy Foster joked.

    "If you didn''t eat snacks, go to bars, go shopping, or do beauty treatments, you could read 100 more books every year. After 30 years, your knowledge would be no worse than the world''s top scholars. Can you do that?"

    Link smiled.

    "That''s not the same. Eating snacks, shopping, and beauty treatments are essential leisure activities in life. Without these activities, life would become very boring. Picking up girls is not an essential thing."

    "It''s the same for me. I don''t like eating snacks, going to bars, shopping, or doing beauty treatments. I don''t touch eating, drinking, whoring, or gambling. I only like picking up girls. This kind of thing is also a leisure activity for me to maintain my physical and mental health. You can''t criticize me just because this kind of leisure activity is relatively niche."

    "Sounds like it makes sense. Forget it, I don''t care about you anymore. You pick up your girls, it''s none of my business."

    Judy Foster waved her hand and continued to work in front of the camera, preparing for the next shot.

    During breaks in filming, the main actors of the crew came over to greet Link. The three main actors were Robin Williams, Joan Allen, and Cameron Diaz.

    Link also served as the executive screenwriter. During filming, he would explain the roles and lines to the actors, tell them to pay attention to the context of the story and the emotions of the characters in that context, and emphasize the changes in the characters'' emotions and the changes in the relationship between the characters, etc. He had to explain everything in detail.

    Doing this is not being verbose, but a necessary step.

    There are many illiterate people in the United States, and there are also many illiterate people in the entertainment industry. Many people become stars with their beautiful faces and sexy bodies without graduating from middle school. After becoming star actors, they do not take the initiative to read books and recharge themselves, which leads to their extremely low cultural literacy.

    It is difficult for these people to even read newspapers and news, let alone understand some profound lines.

    Reading scripts is like middle school students doing reading comprehension questions. Some of the answers given are wrong, and some are very inaccurate, far from the standard answer.

    As a result, the shots taken do not meet the requirements.

    In this case, the executive screenwriter will break down the script and lines and feed them to the actors with lower cultural levels, guiding them to perform little by little.

    If they encounter desperate illiterate actors, the executive screenwriter will reduce their lines as much as possible, or design the lines as ''ABCDEFG'' and have someone dub them later.

    Fortunately, the cultural level of the main actors of the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡· crew is good. Robin Williams graduated from a professional acting school and has been acting for more than 20 years. Even as an actor, he has also been a director, screenwriter, and producer, and is one of the representatives of acting in the industry.

    Joan Allen is a stage actor and has a high level of culture and artistic accomplishment.

    Compared with them, Cameron Diaz is younger, less experienced, and has slightly worse comprehension, but she has good acting talent, a gentle and introverted personality, and a clear mind. After explaining it to her a few more times, she can also produce performances above the standard.

    "It''s so good to have you here."

    After shooting a set of shots, Judy Foster couldn''t help but sigh.

    Only after the words were spoken did she realize that Link was next to her, and she couldn''t help but blush. "I mean, you are very good at guiding actors, and your descriptions of the plot and emotions are very accurate. There is no other meaning."

    "If you want to thank me, you can treat me to dinner."

    Link smiled with a raised corner of his mouth.

    "Why should I treat you to dinner? This play is yours, and you are the executive screenwriter of the crew."

    Judy Foster thought of how Link could have refused these jobs, but joined the crew at her invitation. She wrinkled her nose, "Okay, I''ll treat you to dinner, a box lunch from the crew."

    After speaking, she couldn''t help but laugh, and her exquisite and intellectual face became crystal clear.

    "You look quite beautiful when you smile. You shouldn''t always have a cold face."

    "Do I need you to tell me? Also, don''t use the tricks you use on other women here. It''s useless. I don''t fall for that."

    Judy Foster rolled her eyes at him, swept her short hair beside her ear, and her cheeks quietly turned red.

    Link smiled, sat in front of the monitor, and continued to instruct her on what way to shoot would have a better effect, and how to improve the quality and artistic level of the shots, explaining it very carefully and comprehensively.

    Judy Foster listened very carefully, and sometimes she didn''t even notice that her shoulder was leaning on him.

    Under the sunshade not far away, Cameron Diaz occasionally looked up at the director''s area while reading the script, and couldn''t help but be surprised to see the two of them talking and laughing in a very intimate state.

    She heard that Judy Foster didn''t like men, and would speak coldly to men who approached her. She didn''t expect that after meeting Link, she would become so feminine. Link is really amazing.

    "Hi, Cameron!"

    When Cameron looked at Link, someone next to her was also looking at her. It was Matt Dillon, who played Mike, the male lead in the crew. He played Cameron Diaz''s fianc¨¦ in the film.

    Cameron Diaz looked back at him, blinking her beautiful big eyes, "Matt, is there anything I can do for you?"

    "Are you free this afternoon? Would you like to watch a movie together? I have two tickets for ¡¶Miami Rhapsody¡·. The word-of-mouth for this movie is very good."

    Matt Dillon asked.

    Cameron Diaz smiled slightly. She is very beautiful and has a good figure. She will not lack suitors no matter where she is.

    "Sorry Matt, I have an appointment with Director Link this afternoon."

    "Director Link?"

    Matt Dillon glanced at the director''s area and suddenly thought of the scandal between the two. He immediately took half a step back, "Miss Diaz, I didn''t mean to disturb you. I wish you a pleasant date."

    "Thank you!"

    Cameron Diaz smiled as she watched his back.

    The reason why she cleanly rejected Matt Dillon was because she didn''t want Link to see it and misunderstand, and also because she did have an appointment with Link to discuss the script in the afternoon, hoping he would give her more guidance. She wasn''t lying.

 #299 - Why did I receive a pie?!

    In reality, Michael Ovitz had sent him this script.

    Starting last year, Michael Ovitz had been devising many ways to retaliate against Link and suppress Guess Who Productions.

    These included smearing Link with scandals, poaching talent from Guess Who Productions, suppressing their publicity and distribution, and this ''poison pill'' plan.

    The poison pill plan was a clever trick Michael Ovitz discovered while reading the autobiography of Louis Mayer, the founder of MGM Studios and the ''King of Hollywood''. It involved creating a seemingly good script with significant underlying problems, secretly sending it to a rival company, investing in its production, and ultimately causing the rival company to lose money.

    For example, the ''Cleopatra'' project was a lavish commercial film produced by Twentieth Century Fox after MGM Studios successfully released the blockbuster ''Ben-Hur''. Its production cost was $44 million, but its global box office revenue was only $26 million, nearly bankrupting Twentieth Century Fox.

    This plan seemed simple, but it was extremely difficult to execute. First, it required a script suitable for deceiving people, a script that looked good and had a high production cost. Second, it required successfully delivering the script to the rival company and ensuring that the film project was approved and filmed smoothly.

    To this end, Michael Ovitz found more than a dozen top screenwriters and gold-medal producers, asking them to help review the commercial blockbuster scripts that had been eliminated by the Big Seven studios, and to find a script project that looked good, required a large investment, and would definitely lose money after being made into a movie.

    After two or three months of hard work, the dozen or so top screenwriters and producers finally selected ''The Rock'' from hundreds of scripts.

    At first glance, this script seemed decent, but after review by many top producers, the script had many serious flaws, including a clich¨¦ plot, weak character development, and excessively high production costs, making it 90% likely to lose money if filmed.

    After consulting with many people, Michael Ovitz decided to use this script to dig a pit for Guess Who Productions.

    To convince Link that this project had investment value, Michael Ovitz invited Donald Simpson, a gold-medal producer, to lobby Link.

    Donald Simpson had a good personal relationship with Michael and didn''t refuse.

    However, they repeatedly studied many strategies on how to persuade Link to fall into the trap, and ultimately chose to use ''sincerity'' to move Link.

    Before coming, he had prepared many lines, intending to use them to persuade Link after he finished reading the script, but after Link finished reading the script, he said it was good and had investment value.

    This also led to many lines not being spoken until after the contract was signed.

    The whole thing was completed exceptionally smoothly.

    Thinking of Link''s performance in this matter, Donald Simpson shook his head, very disappointed. Before meeting Link, he had heard how powerful and amazing Link was, that even the Big Seven studios working together couldn''t beat him.

    After meeting him, he found that Link was nothing more than that.

    Ding-ling-ling!

    The mobile phone rang.

    Donald Simpson picked it up and looked at it, laughing, "Mike, what''s up with the call?"

    "Donald, stop pretending, tell me quickly, what''s the result? Did you sign the contract?" Michael Ovitz asked excitedly.

    "Everything went smoothly!"

    "Success? You signed the contract, that''s great, Donald, tell me everything, not a single word can be missed."

    "Haha, don''t worry, I''ll tell you slowly."

    Donald Simpson took a sip of soda and slowly began to tell the story of lobbying Link.

    To show that he had made a great contribution to this matter, he deliberately exaggerated his performance, saying that when he met Link, he used many exquisite remarks to deeply move Link, making Link very admire him. Link listened very carefully when he spoke, not missing a word, and was very honored that he could come to Guess Who Productions to seek cooperation, hoping that the two sides would have more opportunities for cooperation.

    "Haha, finally Link offered $2 million to hire me as the producer of this film. Including the $500,000 adaptation fee, Guess Who Productions has already spent $2.5 million before the project has even started."

    "So this project has been taken over by Guess Who Productions and is planned to be made into a movie within three years?"

    "That''s right, according to Link, it should be put into production within this year."

    "Great, great, Donald, thank you, you did a great job. The production cost of this project is $100 million, and it''s impossible to make a profit no matter how it''s filmed. He''s doomed to lose money on this project, hahaha ~"

    Michael Ovitz burst into wild laughter on the phone.

    Donald Simpson also chuckled, "Mike, I think you guys overestimated Link too much. He''s not as shrewd and capable as rumored. In my opinion, Guess Who Productions hasn''t gone bankrupt because of Daniel DeVito and Michael Rison, not Link."

    "Donald, don''t underestimate Link, he''s very difficult to deal with, especially in movies, he rarely makes mistakes."

    Michael Ovitz said cautiously.

    "Haha, Mike, do you know what I discovered the first time I met Link?

    I saw half a lip print on Link''s neck, the air was filled with the scent of women''s perfume, and there was half a stocking in the folder.

    This shows that before I went in to find him, he was having an affair with a woman in the office. What kind of shrewd and capable manager would a person who fools around during working hours be?

    If he was really shrewd and wouldn''t make mistakes, how could he have taken a fancy to this hopeless script?"

    Donald Simpson said contemptuously.

    "This guy plays with women in the office? Hehe, this guy is indeed a lecher, but Donald, don''t be too careless. Before the movie is invested and approved, you should go to Guess Who Productions more often to let them invest as soon as possible.

    Only when this project enters the filming stage can Link be considered to have jumped into the pit we dug. Now it''s just signing the contract, we can''t be considered victorious yet."

    Michael Ovitz instructed.

    "Don''t worry, I guarantee that Link will make the movie according to what I say."

    Donald Simpson said, patting his chest.

    Michael Ovitz hung up the phone and smiled coldly, ''Link, even if you are a genius, this time you will fall into the trap I dug for you.''

    In the past year or so, he had underestimated Link too much, and he had not gone all out every time, which led to Link gradually growing up in Hollywood, surpassing him in one fell swoop, and becoming the number one person on the 1994 Vanity Fair Power List.

    Link stole the reputation that should have belonged to him.

    His heart was full of regret.

    He regretted not going all out to destroy Link when he was weak when he first dealt with Link.

    As a result, Link was given too much time and resources to give him a chance to grow up.

    Now that he knows Link''s power, he will no longer underestimate Link.

    This time he will take multiple measures to suppress Link severely and regain the honor of being the number one person on the Hollywood Power List.

 #298 - What? A trap from the sky?

    Daniel DeVito didn''t come alone; he was accompanied by a middle-aged man with brown curly hair and a hooked nose.

    Link recognized this man as well. It was Donald Simpson, a Hollywood gold-medal producer and the boss of Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films, the company that produced movies like ''Days of Thunder,'' ''Flashdance,'' and ''Beverly Hills Cop 1/2/3,'' and who had launched stars like Tom Cruise.

    Link was very curious about the other party''s intentions.

    After meeting, the two sides exchanged pleasantries, and Donald Simpson revealed his purpose. He had a major film project and wanted to find Guess Entertainment for cooperation.

    Link was quite surprised. Donald Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer were gold-medal producers who often collaborated with the Big Seven film studios under the company''s name, shooting big projects with costs as high as tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars.

    Although the two hadn''t produced any well-received films in the past five years, they were still gold-medal producers. Their reputation preceded them, and the film projects they favored were targets of competition among the Big Seven.

    Now, when Guess Entertainment was facing an encirclement by the Big Seven, and many independent filmmakers and film companies didn''t dare to cooperate with Guess Entertainment, Donald Simpson took the initiative to bring a film project to Guess Entertainment for cooperation.

    This thoughtfulness was touching, and Link was also looking forward to cooperating with the other party.

    He proactively asked for the other party''s script to take a look. As long as the script wasn''t too bad, he could consider cooperation.

    The script Donald Simpson brought was called ''The Rock,'' which could be translated as ''Rock'' or ''Unbreakable,'' etc. The specific translation would depend on the content of the story.

    This script told the story of a civilian hero.

    The story begins with retired Brigadier General Francis Hummel, a Vietnam War veteran, dissatisfied with the US government''s compensation and welfare policies for veterans, fallen soldiers, and their families. He leads his men in an uprising, smuggling the US military''s latest biochemical weapons to Alcatraz Island and taking 81 tourists hostage.

    The rebels use the hostages as bargaining chips, demanding that the US government pay a $100 million ransom within 48 hours, or they will execute the hostages and attack San Francisco with poison gas.

    Alcatraz Island was once the most heavily defended prison in the United States, with a dangerous terrain that was easy to defend and difficult to attack.

    After the hijacking occurred, the San Francisco police sent a task force to try to raid the island, but it ended in complete annihilation.

    Just as the police were preparing to abandon the operation, a construction engineer named Stanley Goodspeed volunteered, proposing to lead the team to attack Alcatraz Island again.

    Stanley had participated in the construction and maintenance of the prison and knew that there was a secret passage inside the prison that could lead directly to the core building on the island.

    However, when the police asked him to draw a detailed route, Stanley said that the entrance was extremely hidden and could only be found if he was personally present.

    After intense discussion, the police finally agreed to his plan and sent a second task force to accompany him to Alcatraz Island to launch a rescue operation.

    In fact, the reason why Stanley volunteered was because his wife and daughter were also among the 81 hostages being held.

    If the police abandoned the hostage rescue operation, his family would be doomed.

    In order to save his wife and daughter, Stanley relied on his in-depth understanding of the prison structure to successfully guide the task force to sneak into the interior of Alcatraz Island.

    At the critical moment of the operation, he also personally dismantled the device used by the robbers to launch biochemical weapons, completely smashing Hummel''s plan.

    In the end, Stanley not only rescued his wife and daughter, but also successfully rescued all the hostages, becoming a civilian hero and being cheered by everyone.

    After reading the script, Link felt a little familiar. After thinking about it carefully, the first third of the plot was similar to ''The Rock,'' starring Nicolas Cage.

    However, the main plot of ''The Rock'' is that Brigadier General Francis Hummel leads dozens of retired Marines to occupy Alcatraz Island, using 81 tourists as hostages to demand the US government.

    In order to save the hostages, the US government arranges for former British agent John Mason to go to the island to rescue people.

    John Mason had previously served time in the island''s prison and later successfully escaped from the island. He knew the route to enter the island better. As long as he rescued the tourists, he could be exempt from his crimes.

    And the male protagonist of the film is biochemical weapons scientist Stanley Goodspeed. Originally, his task was to monitor John Mason to prevent him from escaping. Later, in the operation, he helped John Mason enter the island, save the hostages, and defeat the rebels led by Francis Hummel.

    The previous version was relatively rigid, and there were not many interesting lines, while the characters'' lines in the movie version were more humorous and witty, and the content was rich, including many popular memes at the time.

    Link read it again and thought to himself that the previous version should be the original version, and the latter version was the revised version many times.

    In fact, the difference between many original scripts and the released movies is huge. The reason is that the script has to be revised many times before it is made into a movie, and it will be repeatedly revised during the filming process. When it comes to movie editing, in order to consider the box office and the movie market, the script story will change again.

    It may even not be the same story.

    This also leads many directors to write and direct themselves, the purpose is to ensure the integrity of the script story.

    "Director Link, how is this script? Does it have the potential to be a box office hit?"

    Donald Simpson saw that he had finished reading, put down his coffee cup and asked.

    Link nodded, "Very good, gun battles, explosions, rapids, hand-to-hand combat, explosion scenes, etc., the plot is compact, thrilling, and worth investing in."

    Donald Simpson''s eyes lit up and said enthusiastically, "Director Link, I''m very glad you like this script. I''m currently looking for investors for this project. I wonder if you have any investment ideas?"

    "What is the budget for this movie, and how much investment is still needed?" Link asked.

    Donald Simpson sighed and said, "I have been preparing for this project for more than two years, but the budget is too high. The initial budget is 100 million US dollars. The Big Seven film studios are worried that they will not be able to recover the cost and have not agreed to invest.

    I heard that Guess Entertainment''s production capacity is good and is a good partner, so I brought the script to try it out. If Guess Entertainment has the idea of investing, this project will be completely transferred to you for investment and production.

    My requirement is that this movie must be completed within two years, and I will be the producer of the project, with a salary of 5 million US dollars and 5% of the global box office split."

    "Boss, a budget of 100 million is too high. Our company has more than a dozen projects this year and cannot handle such a big project."

    Daniel DeVito raised objections.

    Link asked Donald Simpson to wait a while, and he and Daniel DeVito would have a meeting.

    "Daniel, what do you think?"

    In the next office, Link took a sip of water and asked.

    "Boss, the investment in this project is too large and the risk is also high. Moreover, the story of the script is also relatively old-fashioned. Compared with action movies such as ''Terminator,'' ''Die Hard,'' and ''Shooter,'' there is a big difference. Spending 100 million to shoot such a movie is very likely to not recover the cost."

    Daniel DeVito advised.

    "I understand your thoughts and don''t like the design of the script very much, but the basic foundation of the script story is good. The old-fashioned parts can be modified, and the budget is too high and can be reduced to reduce the risk. Overall, it is a film project worth investing in."

    "Boss, are you confident that you can modify the script well?"

    Daniel DeVito''s eyes lit up. Link is not only a top Hollywood commercial film director, but also a top screenwriter. Almost no bad films or loss-making films have been written from his hands.

    If Link is confident that he can modify it well, this project is worth investing in.

    "Yes! I guarantee it''s a good story."

    "Okay! Then let''s take on this project and try it."

    Daniel DeVito left the office with full of confidence and found Donald Simpson to discuss the cooperation. In order to prevent the agreed-upon script from being snatched away by the Big Seven film studios again, the two parties first signed a copyright transaction agreement.

    Guess Entertainment bought the script adaptation rights from Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films for a price of 500,000 US dollars, valid for three years.

    If the movie is not made within three years, the copyright will automatically return to Donald Simpson''s company.

    In the future, after the film project is approved, Guess Entertainment will hire Donald Simpson as the co-producer of the film, with a salary of 2 million US dollars, without any share.

    After three days of negotiations, the two parties reached a deal, and the ''The Rock'' project was officially in the hands of Guess Entertainment.

    Link smiled as he held the contract.

    Most of the 12 film projects set this year are low-cost films, mainly art films. There are fewer heavyweight commercial films, only ''Jerry Maguire'' and ''The Fifth Element,'' which are still films co-produced with Columbia Pictures.

    Without big-budget commercial films in hand, the competitiveness of Guess Entertainment''s films in the box office market next year will not be strong, and it will not be comparable to the many blockbusters of the Big Seven film studios, and it will not be able to stabilize the rapid development momentum of Guess Entertainment.

    Now that he has ''The Rock,'' he will seize the time to make a few more films, and Guess Entertainment''s films will still be highly competitive in the next two years.

    It''s just that he doesn''t quite understand how this film project would automatically run to Guess Entertainment?

    But this is a good thing, and he didn''t think too much about it and started to modify the script.

    "Hahaha, Link, you''re nothing more than that."

    After signing the cooperation contract with Guess Entertainment, Donald Simpson came to the business car, looked at the terms on the contract, and the 500,000 US dollar check in hand, he couldn''t help but laugh.

 #300 - Please dont get too close to me. I dont want Link to misunderstand me.

    After finishing up at the company, Link took time to go to the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡· film crew as a supervisor and executive screenwriter, while also teaching Judy Foster how to make movies firsthand.

    Although Judy Foster had directed one TV series and one movie, due to a lack of systematic professional training, she still seemed immature in terms of narrative rhythm, camera language, and overall control, and inevitably revealed a lack of experience when dealing with complex scenes.

    Now, under the careful guidance of Link, a master filmmaker, her directing skills have improved by leaps and bounds. Whether it''s camera movement, narrative control, or the training of actors, she has shown significant improvement.

    "How can you be so amazing?"

    After shooting a scene according to his instructions, Judy Foster looked back at him, her deep blue eyes filled with surprise and admiration.

    Previously, in order to shoot this scene well, she had prepared for three days, filmed it more than thirty times, but was still not satisfied, and almost caused the male lead, Robin Williams, to go on strike.

    After Link arrived at the crew, she asked Link for advice. After Link watched the filmed footage once, he pointed out the problem and the method of correction in a few words.

    She shot according to the method Link said, and achieved the desired effect in just one take.

    This feeling was great. If Link wasn''t a boy, she would have jumped into his arms and kissed him.

    Link smiled and said, "You are also very good. This scene is equivalent to a university math problem. You are now at a high school level. You can do it after I explain it once, which is even better than I imagined."

    "Who is at a high school level? I''m a college student, okay?"

    Judy Foster rolled her eyes at him. She is an outstanding graduate of Yale University, while Link is a high school student. However, every time she talks with Link, it feels like chatting with professors at school.

    Whether in terms of experience or knowledge reserves, she couldn''t compare to him, which made her feel very powerless, and at the same time, she developed a deep curiosity about Link. How could this guy be so amazing?

    "Okay, college student, hurry up and shoot. I''m going to join the ¡¶Batman¡· crew next week. I don''t have much time here. You better ask any questions you have while I''m here."

    Link sat on the sofa with his legs crossed.

    "What are you so busy with every day? No, that''s not right. Actually, you''re not busy. You just spend a lot of time on women. If you weren''t so promiscuous, you could make at least three movies a year."

    Judy Foster joked.

    "If you didn''t eat snacks, go to bars, go shopping, or do beauty treatments, you could read 100 more books every year. After 30 years, your knowledge would be no worse than the world''s top scholars. Can you do that?"

    Link smiled.

    "That''s not the same. Eating snacks, shopping, and beauty treatments are essential leisure activities in life. Without these activities, life would become very boring. Picking up girls is not an essential thing."

    "It''s the same for me. I don''t like eating snacks, going to bars, shopping, or doing beauty treatments. I don''t touch eating, drinking, whoring, or gambling. I only like picking up girls. This kind of thing is also a leisure activity for me to maintain my physical and mental health. You can''t criticize me just because this kind of leisure activity is relatively niche."

    "Sounds like it makes sense. Forget it, I don''t care about you anymore. You pick up your girls, it''s none of my business."

    Judy Foster waved her hand and continued to work in front of the camera, preparing for the next shot.

    During breaks in filming, the main actors of the crew came over to greet Link. The three main actors were Robin Williams, Joan Allen, and Cameron Diaz.

    Link also served as the executive screenwriter. During filming, he would explain the roles and lines to the actors, tell them to pay attention to the context of the story and the emotions of the characters in that context, and emphasize the changes in the characters'' emotions and the changes in the relationship between the characters, etc. He had to explain everything in detail.

    Doing this is not being verbose, but a necessary step.

    There are many illiterate people in the United States, and there are also many illiterate people in the entertainment industry. Many people become stars with their beautiful faces and sexy bodies without graduating from middle school. After becoming star actors, they do not take the initiative to read books and recharge themselves, which leads to their extremely low cultural literacy.

    It is difficult for these people to even read newspapers and news, let alone understand some profound lines.

    Reading scripts is like middle school students doing reading comprehension questions. Some of the answers given are wrong, and some are very inaccurate, far from the standard answer.

    As a result, the shots taken do not meet the requirements.

    In this case, the executive screenwriter will break down the script and lines and feed them to the actors with lower cultural levels, guiding them to perform little by little.

    If they encounter desperate illiterate actors, the executive screenwriter will reduce their lines as much as possible, or design the lines as ''ABCDEFG'' and have someone dub them later.

    Fortunately, the cultural level of the main actors of the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡· crew is good. Robin Williams graduated from a professional acting school and has been acting for more than 20 years. Even as an actor, he has also been a director, screenwriter, and producer, and is one of the representatives of acting in the industry.

    Joan Allen is a stage actor and has a high level of culture and artistic accomplishment.

    Compared with them, Cameron Diaz is younger, less experienced, and has slightly worse comprehension, but she has good acting talent, a gentle and introverted personality, and a clear mind. After explaining it to her a few more times, she can also produce performances above the standard.

    "It''s so good to have you here."

    After shooting a set of shots, Judy Foster couldn''t help but sigh.

    Only after the words were spoken did she realize that Link was next to her, and she couldn''t help but blush. "I mean, you are very good at guiding actors, and your descriptions of the plot and emotions are very accurate. There is no other meaning."

    "If you want to thank me, you can treat me to dinner."

    Link smiled with a raised corner of his mouth.

    "Why should I treat you to dinner? This play is yours, and you are the executive screenwriter of the crew."

    Judy Foster thought of how Link could have refused these jobs, but joined the crew at her invitation. She wrinkled her nose, "Okay, I''ll treat you to dinner, a box lunch from the crew."

    After speaking, she couldn''t help but laugh, and her exquisite and intellectual face became crystal clear.

    "You look quite beautiful when you smile. You shouldn''t always have a cold face."

    "Do I need you to tell me? Also, don''t use the tricks you use on other women here. It''s useless. I don''t fall for that."

    Judy Foster rolled her eyes at him, swept her short hair beside her ear, and her cheeks quietly turned red.

    Link smiled, sat in front of the monitor, and continued to instruct her on what way to shoot would have a better effect, and how to improve the quality and artistic level of the shots, explaining it very carefully and comprehensively.

    Judy Foster listened very carefully, and sometimes she didn''t even notice that her shoulder was leaning on him.

    Under the sunshade not far away, Cameron Diaz occasionally looked up at the director''s area while reading the script, and couldn''t help but be surprised to see the two of them talking and laughing in a very intimate state.

    She heard that Judy Foster didn''t like men, and would speak coldly to men who approached her. She didn''t expect that after meeting Link, she would become so feminine. Link is really amazing.

    "Hi, Cameron!"

    When Cameron looked at Link, someone next to her was also looking at her. It was Matt Dillon, who played Mike, the male lead in the crew. He played Cameron Diaz''s fianc¨¦ in the film.

    Cameron Diaz looked back at him, blinking her beautiful big eyes, "Matt, is there anything I can do for you?"

    "Are you free this afternoon? Would you like to watch a movie together? I have two tickets for ¡¶Miami Rhapsody¡·. The word-of-mouth for this movie is very good."

    Matt Dillon asked.

    Cameron Diaz smiled slightly. She is very beautiful and has a good figure. She will not lack suitors no matter where she is.

    "Sorry Matt, I have an appointment with Director Link this afternoon."

    "Director Link?"

    Matt Dillon glanced at the director''s area and suddenly thought of the scandal between the two. He immediately took half a step back, "Miss Diaz, I didn''t mean to disturb you. I wish you a pleasant date."

    "Thank you!"

    Cameron Diaz smiled as she watched his back.

    The reason why she cleanly rejected Matt Dillon was because she didn''t want Link to see it and misunderstand, and also because she did have an appointment with Link to discuss the script in the afternoon, hoping he would give her more guidance. She wasn''t lying.

 #300 - Please dont get too close to me. I dont want Link to misunderstand me.

    After finishing up at the company, Link took time to go to the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡· film crew as a supervisor and executive screenwriter, while also teaching Judy Foster how to make movies firsthand.

    Although Judy Foster had directed one TV series and one movie, due to a lack of systematic professional training, she still seemed immature in terms of narrative rhythm, camera language, and overall control, and inevitably revealed a lack of experience when dealing with complex scenes.

    Now, under the careful guidance of Link, a master filmmaker, her directing skills have improved by leaps and bounds. Whether it''s camera movement, narrative control, or the training of actors, she has shown significant improvement.

    "How can you be so amazing?"

    After shooting a scene according to his instructions, Judy Foster looked back at him, her deep blue eyes filled with surprise and admiration.

    Previously, in order to shoot this scene well, she had prepared for three days, filmed it more than thirty times, but was still not satisfied, and almost caused the male lead, Robin Williams, to go on strike.

    After Link arrived at the crew, she asked Link for advice. After Link watched the filmed footage once, he pointed out the problem and the method of correction in a few words.

    She shot according to the method Link said, and achieved the desired effect in just one take.

    This feeling was great. If Link wasn''t a boy, she would have jumped into his arms and kissed him.

    Link smiled and said, "You are also very good. This scene is equivalent to a university math problem. You are now at a high school level. You can do it after I explain it once, which is even better than I imagined."

    "Who is at a high school level? I''m a college student, okay?"

    Judy Foster rolled her eyes at him. She is an outstanding graduate of Yale University, while Link is a high school student. However, every time she talks with Link, it feels like chatting with professors at school.

    Whether in terms of experience or knowledge reserves, she couldn''t compare to him, which made her feel very powerless, and at the same time, she developed a deep curiosity about Link. How could this guy be so amazing?

    "Okay, college student, hurry up and shoot. I''m going to join the ¡¶Batman¡· crew next week. I don''t have much time here. You better ask any questions you have while I''m here."

    Link sat on the sofa with his legs crossed.

    "What are you so busy with every day? No, that''s not right. Actually, you''re not busy. You just spend a lot of time on women. If you weren''t so promiscuous, you could make at least three movies a year."

    Judy Foster joked.

    "If you didn''t eat snacks, go to bars, go shopping, or do beauty treatments, you could read 100 more books every year. After 30 years, your knowledge would be no worse than the world''s top scholars. Can you do that?"

    Link smiled.

    "That''s not the same. Eating snacks, shopping, and beauty treatments are essential leisure activities in life. Without these activities, life would become very boring. Picking up girls is not an essential thing."

    "It''s the same for me. I don''t like eating snacks, going to bars, shopping, or doing beauty treatments. I don''t touch eating, drinking, whoring, or gambling. I only like picking up girls. This kind of thing is also a leisure activity for me to maintain my physical and mental health. You can''t criticize me just because this kind of leisure activity is relatively niche."

    "Sounds like it makes sense. Forget it, I don''t care about you anymore. You pick up your girls, it''s none of my business."

    Judy Foster waved her hand and continued to work in front of the camera, preparing for the next shot.

    During breaks in filming, the main actors of the crew came over to greet Link. The three main actors were Robin Williams, Joan Allen, and Cameron Diaz.

    Link also served as the executive screenwriter. During filming, he would explain the roles and lines to the actors, tell them to pay attention to the context of the story and the emotions of the characters in that context, and emphasize the changes in the characters'' emotions and the changes in the relationship between the characters, etc. He had to explain everything in detail.

    Doing this is not being verbose, but a necessary step.

    There are many illiterate people in the United States, and there are also many illiterate people in the entertainment industry. Many people become stars with their beautiful faces and sexy bodies without graduating from middle school. After becoming star actors, they do not take the initiative to read books and recharge themselves, which leads to their extremely low cultural literacy.

    It is difficult for these people to even read newspapers and news, let alone understand some profound lines.

    Reading scripts is like middle school students doing reading comprehension questions. Some of the answers given are wrong, and some are very inaccurate, far from the standard answer.

    As a result, the shots taken do not meet the requirements.

    In this case, the executive screenwriter will break down the script and lines and feed them to the actors with lower cultural levels, guiding them to perform little by little.

    If they encounter desperate illiterate actors, the executive screenwriter will reduce their lines as much as possible, or design the lines as ''ABCDEFG'' and have someone dub them later.

    Fortunately, the cultural level of the main actors of the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡· crew is good. Robin Williams graduated from a professional acting school and has been acting for more than 20 years. Even as an actor, he has also been a director, screenwriter, and producer, and is one of the representatives of acting in the industry.

    Joan Allen is a stage actor and has a high level of culture and artistic accomplishment.

    Compared with them, Cameron Diaz is younger, less experienced, and has slightly worse comprehension, but she has good acting talent, a gentle and introverted personality, and a clear mind. After explaining it to her a few more times, she can also produce performances above the standard.

    "It''s so good to have you here."

    After shooting a set of shots, Judy Foster couldn''t help but sigh.

    Only after the words were spoken did she realize that Link was next to her, and she couldn''t help but blush. "I mean, you are very good at guiding actors, and your descriptions of the plot and emotions are very accurate. There is no other meaning."

    "If you want to thank me, you can treat me to dinner."

    Link smiled with a raised corner of his mouth.

    "Why should I treat you to dinner? This play is yours, and you are the executive screenwriter of the crew."

    Judy Foster thought of how Link could have refused these jobs, but joined the crew at her invitation. She wrinkled her nose, "Okay, I''ll treat you to dinner, a box lunch from the crew."

    After speaking, she couldn''t help but laugh, and her exquisite and intellectual face became crystal clear.

    "You look quite beautiful when you smile. You shouldn''t always have a cold face."

    "Do I need you to tell me? Also, don''t use the tricks you use on other women here. It''s useless. I don''t fall for that."

    Judy Foster rolled her eyes at him, swept her short hair beside her ear, and her cheeks quietly turned red.

    Link smiled, sat in front of the monitor, and continued to instruct her on what way to shoot would have a better effect, and how to improve the quality and artistic level of the shots, explaining it very carefully and comprehensively.

    Judy Foster listened very carefully, and sometimes she didn''t even notice that her shoulder was leaning on him.

    Under the sunshade not far away, Cameron Diaz occasionally looked up at the director''s area while reading the script, and couldn''t help but be surprised to see the two of them talking and laughing in a very intimate state.

    She heard that Judy Foster didn''t like men, and would speak coldly to men who approached her. She didn''t expect that after meeting Link, she would become so feminine. Link is really amazing.

    "Hi, Cameron!"

    When Cameron looked at Link, someone next to her was also looking at her. It was Matt Dillon, who played Mike, the male lead in the crew. He played Cameron Diaz''s fianc¨¦ in the film.

    Cameron Diaz looked back at him, blinking her beautiful big eyes, "Matt, is there anything I can do for you?"

    "Are you free this afternoon? Would you like to watch a movie together? I have two tickets for ¡¶Miami Rhapsody¡·. The word-of-mouth for this movie is very good."

    Matt Dillon asked.

    Cameron Diaz smiled slightly. She is very beautiful and has a good figure. She will not lack suitors no matter where she is.

    "Sorry Matt, I have an appointment with Director Link this afternoon."

    "Director Link?"

    Matt Dillon glanced at the director''s area and suddenly thought of the scandal between the two. He immediately took half a step back, "Miss Diaz, I didn''t mean to disturb you. I wish you a pleasant date."

    "Thank you!"

    Cameron Diaz smiled as she watched his back.

    The reason why she cleanly rejected Matt Dillon was because she didn''t want Link to see it and misunderstand, and also because she did have an appointment with Link to discuss the script in the afternoon, hoping he would give her more guidance. She wasn''t lying.

 #305 - Morning rope training, Monicas transformation

    "Last night, you tied Monica up like that, was it some kind of Japanese rope technique? How do you know that kind of thing?"

    Early morning, Beverly Hills, sunlight filtering through the mist onto the running track. Sophia, while jogging, turned her head and looked at Link with curiosity.

    She was wearing a tight-fitting sports vest, revealing her fair and sexy neck and collarbone. Her lower body was in black sports shorts, her legs long and straight, making her look full of energy.

    With each stride, her golden ponytail swayed behind her, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed a faint red from the exercise.

    "What Japanese? This technique originated in China.

    In ancient times, in order to restrain prisoners from escaping, they would tie them up with ropes, some binding their hands and feet, some binding their whole body.

    Later, this technique spread to Japan, where the Japanese used it in bed, and even made it into movies. There was a Japanese prop master in my original crew who knew this skill, and I learned a few tricks from him."

    Link said as he ran.

    "Monica looked very happy last night. I want to try it too, okay?"

    Sophia blinked her eyes, her voice with a hint of coquetry, her eyes full of anticipation.

    "Okay, as long as you like it."

    Link ruffled her hair. Sophia glared at him, suddenly jumped on his back, and hugged his neck tightly.

    Link smiled and continued running forward with her on his back.

    "Ah, slow down, my chest hurts!"

    Milla Jovovich saw the two joking around, smiled, and followed with her long legs.

    After the morning exercise, Link returned to the living room of the villa.

    Except for Monica, everyone else was up. Some were doing aerobics, some were applying face masks, some were putting on makeup and changing clothes. Only Qian Qian was still yawning on the sofa, as if she hadn''t had enough sleep and was forced to wake up early.

    When Link returned, Liu Xiaoli instructed the maids to serve breakfast, and the family began to eat.

    In the dining room, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the oval dining table. There were twenty seats on both sides of the table, and more than a dozen kinds of breakfast were arranged on the table, with various flavors. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee and toast.

    "Link, take a look at these."

    Liu Xiaoli was used to reading the newspaper while eating. After flipping through several newspapers, she handed them to Link with a solemn expression, "After the box office results of ''The Man from Earth'' came out, many media outlets took the opportunity to sing us down, and also mentioned the upcoming failure of the second round of financing. These news are very detrimental to us."

    Link took it and casually flipped through a few pages.

    The three newspapers were the "Los Angeles Times," the "International Herald Tribune," and the "Wall Street Journal," all of which reported the news of the box office failure of "The Man from Earth" on the front page.

    The "Los Angeles Times" published a commentary article saying, "A star-studded cast cannot hide the box office failure. Guess Guess Pictures'' box office myth is shattered?"

    The commentary specifically mentioned the production team of the film. "The Man from Earth" was produced and artistically directed by the legendary director Francis Coppola, and the screenplay and editing were personally handled by the current hottest film director Link. Sophia served as both director and producer. The cast was also full of veteran actors, including Richard Kaster and Talia Shire.

    In terms of the lineup, the film''s box office should not be too bad.

    In addition, the film is adapted from Link''s best-selling novel "Interstellar Crossing."

    Since it was put on the shelves in 1992, this novel has sold more than 120 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling works in the history of science fiction literature.

    "The Man from Earth," as a classic chapter of it, has been regarded as a treasure of science fiction literature by countless book fans with its profound philosophical thinking and imaginative imagination.

    For this reason, when this novel was announced to be adapted into a movie last year, the expectations of book fans were pushed to the peak.

    With a luxurious lineup, a popular IP, and Guess Guess Pictures'' cost-no-object publicity.

    Before the film was released, many media predicted that "The Man from Earth" was very likely to become the first film in North America in 1995 to break 100 million at the box office, and Guess Guess Pictures would also rely on this film to create new glories.

    However, the film has only grossed $1.21 million in three weeks since its release.

    Far below expectations, it can be called the first box office disaster of the year.

    The content reported by the "International Herald Tribune" was similar, saying in a teasing tone, "Lucky Link seems to have lost the box office password!"

    Link''s "Buried," filmed in 1991 with $20,000, grossed $75 million worldwide; in 1992, he once again filmed "Paranormal Activity" at a cost of $20,000, with a global box office exceeding $600 million;

    At the end of the same year, he created "The Blair Witch Project" with the same low cost, which won 300 million US dollars in the global box office.

    These brilliant achievements have made people full of confidence in Link''s low-cost movies.

    When Guess Guess Pictures initially claimed to have filmed "The Man from Earth" with $20,000, many people believed that the film would continue this myth.

    The result was not.

    The box office failure of "The Man from Earth" not only exposed the lie that Link mastered the ''box office password,'' but also cast a shadow on the development of Guess Guess Pictures.

    The focus of the "Wall Street Journal" is concentrated on the second round of financing for Guess Guess Pictures.

    The financing cycle of most companies usually does not exceed four months. Companies that can successfully complete financing within this time often mean that their development prospects have been recognized by both the market and investors.

    Once the financing time exceeds this time limit, it means that the company may be in some kind of predicament, and the uncertainty in the financing process will also increase.

    Last December, Guess Guess Pictures announced the launch of its second round of financing in a high-profile manner, with a valuation of up to 1.5 billion US dollars. However, more than two months have passed, but the investment market has been unusually deserted, and no investment company has been willing to take over.

    The reason is that the market value quoted by Guess Guess Pictures exceeds investors'' psychological expectations, and the recent fluctuations in the film market have further amplified the investment risks, and investors have chosen to wait and see.

    The commentator of the "Wall Street Journal" believes that if Guess Guess Pictures can launch several films with outstanding box office performance during the financing period, it may be able to rekindle the enthusiasm of investors and let them see the company''s potential and the value of the stock.

    However, the reality is not optimistic.

    The first film launched by Guess Guess Pictures this year, "The Man from Earth," suffered a box office failure, which not only made the company''s financial situation worse, but also seriously dampened investors'' confidence.

    The newspaper''s commentator concluded sarcastically at the end of the article: "Guess Guess Pictures is in an awkward situation of ''having a price but no market'' - no matter how high the valuation is, it cannot withstand the market''s cold shoulder."

    Link looked at the newspaper and twitched the corner of his mouth.

    As soon as the news of the poor box office of "The Man from Earth" came out, so many people gloated. It seems that the 1.5 billion valuation did offend many people.

    "Link, how should we deal with these negative reports?"

    The latest novel is first published on 69shu.com!

    Liu Xiaoli asked with a solemn expression.

    "Don''t worry about it. We are a film company. Everything depends on the box office. If the box office performance of the film is good, what we say will be more powerful. If the box office performance is not good, no matter how good the public relations are, it will be useless. Ignore these negative news for now. When the box office performance of the next film improves, the media will take the initiative to help us promote it."

    "The next movie is ''Rumble in the Bronx,'' and the box office situation is probably not going to be very good."

    Liu Xiaoli said worriedly.

    "It won''t be too bad either. Kung fu movies also have a market in North America. Even if it''s a little worse, it doesn''t matter. In addition to these two movies, we also have several movies with great box office potential this year. You don''t have to frown, be careful of getting wrinkles."

    "Ah? Are there wrinkles? Where?"

    Liu Xiaoli quickly touched the corner of her eyes, and was relieved when she didn''t find any wrinkles.

    "No, you look like an eighteen-year-old girl."

    Link hugged her and kissed her.

    "Kiss again."

    Milla and Sophia cheered from the side, and Qian Qian also clapped and cheered.

    Liu Xiaoli blushed and pushed him away, returning to her seat to eat.

    "Hi, good morning everyone!"

    Monica walked into the dining room with a smile, wearing a silver suspender short skirt, revealing her fair skin, curvy figure, and fair and rounded long legs.

    In the exposed areas, there were a few faint linear red marks on her arms, calves, and fragrant shoulders.

    These were the marks left from playing around last night, with an unusual sexiness and charm.

    Although she played a little crazy last night, Monica was in great spirits today, her eyes as bright as stars, her cheeks flushed with peach-like blush, and her skin crystal clear and moist.

    The few brown spots on her face had also magically disappeared, and the whole person was radiant, as if she was several years younger.

    "Monica, what''s wrong? You look great."

    Several women couldn''t help but leave their seats and surround her to examine her carefully when they saw Monica''s condition.

    "It''s nothing, I just had a better rest last night."

    Monica smiled happily.

    "Last night? We all know what happened last night. Can doing that kind of thing also be beauty treatment?"

    Liu Xiaoli touched Monica''s skin, her eyes filled with curiosity.

    "Monica, is it true?"

    Sophia and Ren¨¦e Zellweger asked with great interest.

    "Maybe, I feel great today. If you are interested, you can try it too,"

    Monica smiled slightly and leaned down to kiss Link.

    Liu Xiaoli and the others also stared at Link closely, their eyes becoming hot and fiery.

    Link couldn''t help but chuckle when he felt their gazes, "Not now, there''s still work to do later."

 #302 - Nicole, this is a serious occasion, dont do those messy things

    During his time working on the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡·project, besides guiding Jodie Foster in her acting and giving pointers to Cameron Diaz, Link also took time to check on the progress of the ¡¶Batman¡·sequel''s preparations, urging the various teams to speed up their work and complete the set construction within the stipulated time.

    Meanwhile, in January and February, he successively attended several award ceremonies, including the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the British Academy Film Awards, and the Critics'' Choice Awards; these four awards, along with the already-held Golden Globe Awards, are known as the four major indicators of the Academy Awards.

    Movies that win awards at these four events have a higher probability of winning at the Academy Awards in the future.

    Movies that do not win at these four events but still win an Oscar are often called ''upset'' winners.

    This year marks the first Screen Actors Guild Awards, with only four awards in the film category: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

    Because it''s the first year, the judging panel was very cautious in its selections, and the awards went to four veteran actors.

    The Best Actor was Tom Hanks for ¡¶Forrest Gump¡·, and the Best Actress was Jodie Foster for ¡¶Nell¡·.

    The Best Supporting Actor was Landau, who had been nominated twice before for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and this time received another nomination for ¡¶Ed Wood¡·.

    The Best Supporting Actress was Dianne Wiest, 49 years old this year, who previously won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1987 for the movie ¡¶Hannah and Her Sisters¡·, and this year received the nomination again for the movie ¡¶Bullets Over Broadway¡·.

    Guessing Pictures'' movies didn''t win anything at this award ceremony.

    At the 48th British Academy Film Awards, ¡¶Seven¡· received 9 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor, eventually winning two technical awards for Best Cinematography and Best Editing, with Link winning the Best Editing award.

    ¡¶Speed¡· won Best Sound Effects, and ¡¶Good Will Hunting¡· won Best Original Screenplay.

    The biggest winner at this year''s British Academy Film Awards was the British film ¡¶Four Weddings and a Funeral¡·, which won five major awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Film Audience Award.

    The popular movie ¡¶Forrest Gump¡· only won one award for Best Special Visual Effects.

    At the Critics'' Choice Awards, ¡¶Seven¡· received 8 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Screenplay.

    It ultimately won three awards: Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Supporting Actor.

    ¡¶L¨¦on: The Professional¡· won Best Foreign Language Film.

    ¡¶Forrest Gump¡· and Woody Allen''s ¡¶Bullets Over Broadway¡· were the biggest winners.

    Judging from the results of these four major indicators, Guessing Pictures'' movies are unlikely to perform very well at this year''s Academy Awards.

    After the film award season, Link''s work on the ¡¶Hachi: A Dog''s Tale¡· project was also basically completed.

    The plot of this movie involves the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, with a filming cycle lasting up to a year. The crew''s filming work also stopped and started frequently, so Link didn''t need to stay on set to oversee things.

    If any problems were encountered during filming, Jodie Foster could call him for consultation.

    After returning to Los Angeles, Link led the crew in beginning pre-production work on the ¡¶Batman¡· sequel, including gathering actors, rehearsing with them, shooting outdoor scenes, and pre-producing parts involving CGI visual effects technology.

    "Haha, Link, I''m so happy to be working with you."

    At the script reading session, Jim Carrey enthusiastically rushed up to Link and gave him a big hug.

    "Don''t be happy too soon."

    Link patted him on the shoulder. "I have very strict requirements for actors. If you don''t perform well, I''ll scold you on the spot. Don''t blame me for not giving you, a big star, any face."

    "Haha, don''t worry, the role of the Riddler is perfect for me, and I guarantee I can play it well."

    Jim Carrey gestured, his expression very exaggerated as he spoke.

    "I also guarantee there won''t be any problems. I''ve been preparing for this role for half a year, training every day, reading the script, and studying the character. I now have 100% confidence in playing Batman well."

    Ben Affleck crossed his arms, raised his chin, and wore a cool look.

    This guy only wore a tank top when he came, revealing his thick arms and well-defined scapular muscles. His pectoral muscles were also quite strong. He could play Superman in blue tights and red underwear.

    "You''ve been working out well, but I hope you can bring out Bruce Wayne''s aristocratic demeanor when acting, and not just be a well-developed but simple-minded jock."

    Link said.

    "Uh, I''m also fine with the aristocratic demeanor. I''ve also received half a month of aristocratic etiquette training."

    Ben Affleck lowered his arms and suddenly felt a little cold.

    "Hahaha! You call that aristocratic demeanor? Which aristocrat wears a tank top to a meeting?"

    Jim Carrey clutched his stomach and laughed.

    "This is the aristocratic look in athletic mode."

    Ben Affleck glared at him and took the jacket from his assistant to put it on.

    "Hi, Link!"

    Nicole Kidman arrived at the conference room door, radiating golden light. She was dressed extremely beautifully.

    She wore a golden Dior sleeveless gown, the cut of the dress was elegant, and the neckline and both sides of the hem were embroidered with exquisite floral patterns, revealing luxury and taste in the details.

    The high-slit design of the skirt cleverly showed off her slender and well-proportioned leg lines, and the pair of silver high heels added a touch of nobility and sexiness.

    She was already tall and slender, with skin as white as jade. Under the contrast of golden hair and a golden dress, her whole person seemed to be shrouded in a charming halo, making it impossible to take your eyes off her.

    After she appeared, Jim Carrey and Ben Affleck unconsciously stopped talking and shifted their attention to her.

    "Director Link, I''m very happy to see you here. It''s really hard to see you."

    Nicole Kidman walked over gracefully, bringing a burst of fragrance. When she spoke, the corners of her red lips turned up, and a charming smile appeared on her beautiful cheeks, adding a bit of aggressiveness to her beauty.

    Link heard Jim Carrey and Ben Affleck swallowing behind him.

    "Nicole, welcome to the script reading session. I hope everything goes smoothly in the upcoming collaboration."

    Link reached out and shook her hand.

    "Director Link, from now on, I''m your person. I hope you take good care of me."

    Nicole Kidman held his hand, blinked her blue eyes, and once again showed a charming smile on her beautiful cheeks.

    "No problem, I will treat all the actors in the crew equally."

    Link said.

    Jim Carrey and Ben Affleck exchanged glances, one wiggling his eyebrows and the other making eyes, was there something going on?

    The two stretched their ears and stared intently at Link and Nicole Kidman, hoping to see something more.

    However, after Nicole Kidman arrived, the other members of the crew also arrived one after another.

    Including the two co-writers, the Batchler couple, Gary Oldman, who plays Two-Face, Michael Caine, who plays the butler, Ryan Phillippe, who plays Robin, and Drew Barrymore and Salma Hayek, who play Two-Face''s sexy assistants.

    "Everyone''s here, please take your seats."

    After everyone arrived, the crew''s script discussion officially began.

    Link found a seat at the right end of the large round table in the conference room and sat down. Ben Affleck, who originally played Batman, was going to sit next to him, but Nicole Kidman came over, carrying her skirt, and looked at Ben with a smile.

    Ben Affleck also wanted to save face, so he immediately gave up his seat very gentlemanly.

    "Thank you!"

    Nicole Kidman smiled charmingly, then picked up her skirt and sat down.

    Ben Affleck shrugged and was about to sit down next door, but Drew Barrymore blinked her beautiful eyes, pouted her chubby red lips and acted coquettishly towards him, saying that she wanted to be closer to Link so that she could listen carefully to him talk about the script.

    Ben Affleck had no choice but to retreat again and again, sitting between Jim Carrey and Ryan Phillippe.

    And besides the two co-writers, there were beauties next to Link.

    Link saw that everyone was seated and was about to speak when he felt a foot under the table. He frowned and glanced at Nicole Kidman, using his eyes to warn her that this was work, and it was best to be serious and not do these messy things.

    Nicole Kidman was startled by his eyes and quickly retracted her offending foot, straightened her chest, and listened carefully to Link''s speech.

 #305 - Morning rope training, Monicas transformation

    "Last night, you tied Monica up like that, was it some kind of Japanese rope technique? How do you know that kind of thing?"

    Early morning, Beverly Hills, sunlight filtering through the mist onto the running track. Sophia, while jogging, turned her head and looked at Link with curiosity.

    She was wearing a tight-fitting sports vest, revealing her fair and sexy neck and collarbone. Her lower body was in black sports shorts, her legs long and straight, making her look full of energy.

    With each stride, her golden ponytail swayed behind her, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed a faint red from the exercise.

    "What Japanese? This technique originated in China.

    In ancient times, in order to restrain prisoners from escaping, they would tie them up with ropes, some binding their hands and feet, some binding their whole body.

    Later, this technique spread to Japan, where the Japanese used it in bed, and even made it into movies. There was a Japanese prop master in my original crew who knew this skill, and I learned a few tricks from him."

    Link said as he ran.

    "Monica looked very happy last night. I want to try it too, okay?"

    Sophia blinked her eyes, her voice with a hint of coquetry, her eyes full of anticipation.

    "Okay, as long as you like it."

    Link ruffled her hair. Sophia glared at him, suddenly jumped on his back, and hugged his neck tightly.

    Link smiled and continued running forward with her on his back.

    "Ah, slow down, my chest hurts!"

    Milla Jovovich saw the two joking around, smiled, and followed with her long legs.

    After the morning exercise, Link returned to the living room of the villa.

    Except for Monica, everyone else was up. Some were doing aerobics, some were applying face masks, some were putting on makeup and changing clothes. Only Qian Qian was still yawning on the sofa, as if she hadn''t had enough sleep and was forced to wake up early.

    When Link returned, Liu Xiaoli instructed the maids to serve breakfast, and the family began to eat.

    In the dining room, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the oval dining table. There were twenty seats on both sides of the table, and more than a dozen kinds of breakfast were arranged on the table, with various flavors. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee and toast.

    "Link, take a look at these."

    Liu Xiaoli was used to reading the newspaper while eating. After flipping through several newspapers, she handed them to Link with a solemn expression, "After the box office results of ''The Man from Earth'' came out, many media outlets took the opportunity to sing us down, and also mentioned the upcoming failure of the second round of financing. These news are very detrimental to us."

    Link took it and casually flipped through a few pages.

    The three newspapers were the "Los Angeles Times," the "International Herald Tribune," and the "Wall Street Journal," all of which reported the news of the box office failure of "The Man from Earth" on the front page.

    The "Los Angeles Times" published a commentary article saying, "A star-studded cast cannot hide the box office failure. Guess Guess Pictures'' box office myth is shattered?"

    The commentary specifically mentioned the production team of the film. "The Man from Earth" was produced and artistically directed by the legendary director Francis Coppola, and the screenplay and editing were personally handled by the current hottest film director Link. Sophia served as both director and producer. The cast was also full of veteran actors, including Richard Kaster and Talia Shire.

    In terms of the lineup, the film''s box office should not be too bad.

    In addition, the film is adapted from Link''s best-selling novel "Interstellar Crossing."

    Since it was put on the shelves in 1992, this novel has sold more than 120 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling works in the history of science fiction literature.

    "The Man from Earth," as a classic chapter of it, has been regarded as a treasure of science fiction literature by countless book fans with its profound philosophical thinking and imaginative imagination.

    For this reason, when this novel was announced to be adapted into a movie last year, the expectations of book fans were pushed to the peak.

    With a luxurious lineup, a popular IP, and Guess Guess Pictures'' cost-no-object publicity.

    Before the film was released, many media predicted that "The Man from Earth" was very likely to become the first film in North America in 1995 to break 100 million at the box office, and Guess Guess Pictures would also rely on this film to create new glories.

    However, the film has only grossed $1.21 million in three weeks since its release.

    Far below expectations, it can be called the first box office disaster of the year.

    The content reported by the "International Herald Tribune" was similar, saying in a teasing tone, "Lucky Link seems to have lost the box office password!"

    Link''s "Buried," filmed in 1991 with $20,000, grossed $75 million worldwide; in 1992, he once again filmed "Paranormal Activity" at a cost of $20,000, with a global box office exceeding $600 million;

    At the end of the same year, he created "The Blair Witch Project" with the same low cost, which won 300 million US dollars in the global box office.

    These brilliant achievements have made people full of confidence in Link''s low-cost movies.

    When Guess Guess Pictures initially claimed to have filmed "The Man from Earth" with $20,000, many people believed that the film would continue this myth.

    The result was not.

    The box office failure of "The Man from Earth" not only exposed the lie that Link mastered the ''box office password,'' but also cast a shadow on the development of Guess Guess Pictures.

    The focus of the "Wall Street Journal" is concentrated on the second round of financing for Guess Guess Pictures.

    The financing cycle of most companies usually does not exceed four months. Companies that can successfully complete financing within this time often mean that their development prospects have been recognized by both the market and investors.

    Once the financing time exceeds this time limit, it means that the company may be in some kind of predicament, and the uncertainty in the financing process will also increase.

    Last December, Guess Guess Pictures announced the launch of its second round of financing in a high-profile manner, with a valuation of up to 1.5 billion US dollars. However, more than two months have passed, but the investment market has been unusually deserted, and no investment company has been willing to take over.

    The reason is that the market value quoted by Guess Guess Pictures exceeds investors'' psychological expectations, and the recent fluctuations in the film market have further amplified the investment risks, and investors have chosen to wait and see.

    The commentator of the "Wall Street Journal" believes that if Guess Guess Pictures can launch several films with outstanding box office performance during the financing period, it may be able to rekindle the enthusiasm of investors and let them see the company''s potential and the value of the stock.

    However, the reality is not optimistic.

    The first film launched by Guess Guess Pictures this year, "The Man from Earth," suffered a box office failure, which not only made the company''s financial situation worse, but also seriously dampened investors'' confidence.

    The newspaper''s commentator concluded sarcastically at the end of the article: "Guess Guess Pictures is in an awkward situation of ''having a price but no market'' - no matter how high the valuation is, it cannot withstand the market''s cold shoulder."

    Link looked at the newspaper and twitched the corner of his mouth.

    As soon as the news of the poor box office of "The Man from Earth" came out, so many people gloated. It seems that the 1.5 billion valuation did offend many people.

    "Link, how should we deal with these negative reports?"

    The latest novel is first published on 69shu.com!

    Liu Xiaoli asked with a solemn expression.

    "Don''t worry about it. We are a film company. Everything depends on the box office. If the box office performance of the film is good, what we say will be more powerful. If the box office performance is not good, no matter how good the public relations are, it will be useless. Ignore these negative news for now. When the box office performance of the next film improves, the media will take the initiative to help us promote it."

    "The next movie is ''Rumble in the Bronx,'' and the box office situation is probably not going to be very good."

    Liu Xiaoli said worriedly.

    "It won''t be too bad either. Kung fu movies also have a market in North America. Even if it''s a little worse, it doesn''t matter. In addition to these two movies, we also have several movies with great box office potential this year. You don''t have to frown, be careful of getting wrinkles."

    "Ah? Are there wrinkles? Where?"

    Liu Xiaoli quickly touched the corner of her eyes, and was relieved when she didn''t find any wrinkles.

    "No, you look like an eighteen-year-old girl."

    Link hugged her and kissed her.

    "Kiss again."

    Milla and Sophia cheered from the side, and Qian Qian also clapped and cheered.

    Liu Xiaoli blushed and pushed him away, returning to her seat to eat.

    "Hi, good morning everyone!"

    Monica walked into the dining room with a smile, wearing a silver suspender short skirt, revealing her fair skin, curvy figure, and fair and rounded long legs.

    In the exposed areas, there were a few faint linear red marks on her arms, calves, and fragrant shoulders.

    These were the marks left from playing around last night, with an unusual sexiness and charm.

    Although she played a little crazy last night, Monica was in great spirits today, her eyes as bright as stars, her cheeks flushed with peach-like blush, and her skin crystal clear and moist.

    The few brown spots on her face had also magically disappeared, and the whole person was radiant, as if she was several years younger.

    "Monica, what''s wrong? You look great."

    Several women couldn''t help but leave their seats and surround her to examine her carefully when they saw Monica''s condition.

    "It''s nothing, I just had a better rest last night."

    Monica smiled happily.

    "Last night? We all know what happened last night. Can doing that kind of thing also be beauty treatment?"

    Liu Xiaoli touched Monica''s skin, her eyes filled with curiosity.

    "Monica, is it true?"

    Sophia and Ren¨¦e Zellweger asked with great interest.

    "Maybe, I feel great today. If you are interested, you can try it too,"

    Monica smiled slightly and leaned down to kiss Link.

    Liu Xiaoli and the others also stared at Link closely, their eyes becoming hot and fiery.

    Link couldn''t help but chuckle when he felt their gazes, "Not now, there''s still work to do later."

 #306 - The film set was angry, the two women confronted each other, and Michelles warning

    Being entangled by women like Jennifer, Xiaoli Liu, and Sophia, even Link, with a body of iron and a waist of steel, found it a bit overwhelming.

    After a hasty breakfast, Link went to the company for a script meeting to discuss the script and roles, take character stills, and check on the progress of other departments.

    By the beginning of February, everything was ready, and Link took the crew to New York to shoot "Batman Forever".

    "Scene 1, Take 1, Action!"

    The first scene of "Batman" is Two-Face robbing Blake Island Bank, kidnapping a security guard, and forcing Batman to come out to rescue him. Batman fights Two-Face and his men, and finally rescues the security guard.

    Inside the bank building, Two-Face, Harvey Dent, flipped a coin, one side scratched, one side not. He turned his face to the security guard lying on the floor and said, "You''re praying for that winged avenger to come save you, aren''t you, my friend?"

    "Are you going to kill me?"

    The security guard asked nervously.

    "Maybe, maybe not. My two sides have different views on this matter."

    Two-Face, wearing a suit, with the unscarred side of his face facing the camera, chuckled, "Do you like to gamble? How about we flip a coin to decide?"

    The security guard lay on the ground, watching him nervously.

    Two-Face played with a shiny coin in his hand, muttering to himself, "Some people are born heroes, but their own brothers are bums. Babies are starving, but politicians are fat and happy. Saints become martyrs, but drunks and junkies roam every corner of our city. Why, why, why? Because of luck! Blind, stupid, simple, inexplicable luck!"

    Two-Face roared hysterically, slowly turning his left face, a face almost charred by hydrochloric acid, covered in cracks, looking extremely terrifying.

    "A randomly flipped coin is the only fairness in the world. Let''s see how justice treats you."

    Two-Face flipped the coin, and it landed on the back of his hand. He covered it with his hand and grinned strangely at the security guard on the ground, "This moment feels like God''s arrangement. The answer will be revealed soon."

    Link sat behind the monitor, watching Gary Oldman''s performance. Gary Oldman was acting very well. Whether it was the lines, actions, or expressions, he was very infectious, looking like a madman.

    But there were also problems with his performance.

    The movie had just started shooting, and Gary Oldman didn''t have a good grasp of the intensity. Some places were overdone, and some places weren''t flavorful enough.

    When encountering this kind of problem, he, as the director, needed to correct and guide on the spot, gradually shaping Gary Oldman into the ''Two-Face'' he wanted.

    This is also the role of the director, using artistic means to shape the actors, turning the actors under his command into the appearance needed in the movie.

    This kind of work is similar to that of a sculptor.

    Excellent directors can create classic screen images, while mediocre directors only make bad movies.

    This is also the reason why top actors are willing to work with good directors. On the one hand, they can gain fame and fortune by making good movies, and on the other hand, they can improve their acting skills and create classic roles under the guidance of excellent directors.

    Link''s level was already good. He had filmed seven movies in the past and gained many directorial experiences. His level of filmmaking was getting higher and higher, and his ability to guide actors was also getting stronger and stronger.

    Many veteran actors in the industry knew that he was good at guiding actors and were willing to work with him.

    After Link discovered Gary Oldman''s problem, he didn''t immediately call for a stop, letting the other party improvise.

    After shooting repeatedly five times, when Gary could no longer self-correct in his performance, he called Gary Oldman to talk about the character, pointing out his problems and adjustment directions.

    Under his guidance, Gary Oldman suddenly became enlightened and returned to the camera to perform again, his state significantly improved compared to before.

    After shooting ten takes, Gary Oldman almost merged into the character, performing heartily in front of the camera.

    "Director Link, I heard before that you have excellent vision, observe meticulously, and are very good at guiding actors. I thought you were only in your twenties and didn''t have much experience, so I didn''t believe the rumors were true. Now I completely believe it. You are indeed a very good director."

    After finishing a scene, Gary Oldman gave Link a thumbs up excitedly.

    Link smiled, not being modest, and calmly accepted his praise.

    After filming a week of ''Two-Face'' scenes, Batman took the stage next. After receiving the news of Two-Face robbing the bank, Batman quickly changed into his equipment, drove the Batmobile to the bank building, and even ran into Dr. Chase at the scene.

    "Wow, a stunning appearance!"

    Dr. Chase couldn''t help but exclaim as she watched Batman descend from the sky on a wire.

    Batman landed on the ground, looked at Dr. Chase, and then at Commissioner Gordon next to him, "Is it Two-Face?"

    "Yes, two guards were killed, and he took the third as a hostage, caught off guard,"

    Commissioner Gordon said, looking at the building.

    "Today is the two-year anniversary of me catching him,"

    Batman said.

    Two-Face liked all numbers related to ''2'', including the date of the robbery, the Second Bank, robbing $22.22 million, etc., all related to 2, a real idiot.

    "No wonder he couldn''t help but commit the crime again."

    Dr. Chase reached out and said, "I''m Chase Meridian."

    Commissioner Gordon said, "I invited Dr. Meridian to assist us in the investigation. Her specialty is..."

    "Abnormal psychology, multiple human nature research. I''ve read your work, simple, but insightful,"

    Batman said faintly.

    "Cut!"

    After filming the scene where the two met, Link called a pause and played the filmed footage, watching it again.

    "Hey, Link, how did we perform? Isn''t it great?"

    Ben Affleck walked over with a smile, wearing the Batman suit, a Batman mask on his face, combined with his 191 cm height, looking indeed tall, upright, and strong.

    In terms of body shape, Ben Affleck best fits the body shape requirements of the Batman character.

    But the inner qualities are too far off.

    Link glanced at Ben Affleck, "Ben, to be honest, I''m very disappointed with your performance. Maybe it was a mistake to find you to play Batman."

    Swish!

    Ben Affleck''s expression suddenly collapsed, his smile like a rotten egg smeared on his face, not only dazzling but also pungent.

    To play the role of Batman well, he had prepared for more than four months, not only exercising his body, but also honing his acting skills.

    Today, he worked hard to finish a scene, believing that he performed well, and thought he would receive praise from Link, but instead he was hit head-on. Link said that it was a mistake to use him to play Batman.

    He would never accept this evaluation.

    "Why? Why do you say that?"

    Ben Affleck stiffened his neck, his expression looking very unconvinced.

    Nicole Kidman blinked her eyes, about to speak to mediate, but Link waved his hand, "Ben, last year after the role was decided, I repeatedly told you to spend more time studying the script and Batman, but in your performance just now, I didn''t see you have any research on this character."

    "I researched it. I''ve read the Batman comics five times, and I''ve watched the related movies and TV series more than ten times. I can even recite many of the lines."

    Ben Affleck argued reasonably.

    "The focus of researching the character is not how many times you''ve read the script and materials, but what you understand and learn after reading them. Now you tell me, in your eyes, what kind of character is Batman?"

    Link asked with a³Á×Å face.

    Ben Affleck thought for a while, "Batman is a young, handsome, wealthy person full of justice."

    "Continue."

    "...He has good skills, likes to help the weak and suppress the strong, fight criminals, and maintain peace in Gotham City. Yes, he loves peace."

    "What else?"

    Link asked.

    Ben Affleck frowned and tried hard to think, "Isn''t that enough?"

    Link shook his head in disappointment and looked at Nicole Kidman, "Nicole, tell me what you think of Batman."

    Nicole sat in a chair, holding a cup of hot coffee in her hand, smiling slightly, "Batman is of course a good man, handsome, powerful, wealthy, intelligent, highly disciplined, strong-willed, and a playboy. Hmm, Director Link, Batman is very similar to you."

    "Only that?"

    Seeing Link frown, Nicole''s heartbeat quickened a few beats, and she dared not joke anymore, her expression becoming serious, "There are a few more points. First, Batman lacks a sense of security in his heart. At the age of eight, he personally witnessed his parents being shot and killed. This incident left him with severe psychological trauma.

    As an adult, he loves training, high-tech weapons and equipment, sports cars, lurking at night, distrusting partners, and preferring to work alone.

    Psychologically speaking, these are all manifestations of a lack of security.

    Secondly, he possesses dark attributes and is extremely vengeful. After his parents were shot, he became hostile to all the bad guys in Gotham City, using the image of a bat to strike at them and create fear. This dark undertone is very different from other superheroes.

    Third, he has a strong sense of responsibility. He has an extraordinary obsession and persistence in maintaining the security of Gotham City. As long as there is a crime in Gotham City, he will immediately act no matter what he is doing, and arrest criminals. This approach is also like a kind of mental cleanliness.

    He also has a complex moral view, not wanting to kill or overuse violence on one hand, while using violent means to combat evil on the other. He also has a multifaceted personality, being the embodiment of justice as Batman on one hand, and the playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne on the other.

    Nicole Kidman shrugged her fragrant shoulders, "From this point of view, Batman is also like a Two-Face who hasn''t turned completely dark."

    Link nodded slightly. Although Nicole''s statement was not comprehensive enough, she did point out several important points. He looked at Ben Affleck, "Have you thought about these things?"

    "Of course!"

    Ben Affleck puffed out his chest and said.

    "Then tell me, what''s the difference between the Batman you play and the real Batman?"

    "This¡­"

    Ben Affleck scratched his head, "I only performed one scene, and many things haven''t been shown yet. How about I perform a few more scenes for you to see?"

    Link shook his head, "You don''t understand Batman. No matter how many scenes you perform, it''s the same. Nicole, what do you think his problem is?"

    Nicole Kidman thought for a moment, "Ben''s Batman is too frivolous and impetuous. He lacks Batman''s maturity and stability, as well as his dark and melancholic temperament. He''s more like a young and sunny urban big boy."

    "That''s right."

    Link looked at Ben Affleck, "You''ve trained for a few months, read a lot of materials, and only become like Batman in appearance. But internally, you''re far from it.

    Why is this? Because you''re too lazy and like to be perfunctory. Even Nicole can say many things about Batman''s character, but you only see the most superficial layer of Batman. How can you play Batman well with this attitude?"

    Ben Affleck blushed with shame.

    "I''ll give you another week. If you can''t integrate into the role and make yourself like Batman, I''ll consider replacing you."

    Link put on his headphones and continued to do other things.

    Ben Affleck opened his mouth, drooped his shoulders, and left dejectedly.

    Nicole Kidman looked at Ben, then at Link. Seeing Link''s solemn face, she bit her lip and said cautiously, "Are you really going to replace Ben?"

    "He''s too jumpy and always grinning. He''s not psychologically or attitudinally prepared to play Batman, let alone immerse himself in the role.

    This also leads to his performance lacking texture, like a simple and crude imitation of Michael Keaton''s version of Batman, which is very boring.

    I''ll give him a week to prepare. If he can''t change his mind, I can only replace him."

    Link said.

    Nicole Kidman nodded and smiled, "How is my performance as Dr. Chase? Will you fire me if I don''t perform well?"

    "You''re doing well."

    "Thank you! But can you smile? You look really like Batman like this, cold and aloof, with a sense of alienation on your face. You know, I really like Batman. If you continue like this, I might not be able to help but fall in love with you."

    Nicole Kidman blinked her eyes and looked at him affectionately.

    Link shook his head.

    "Hi, Link, Nicole, are you busy?"

    Michelle Pfeiffer walked over, a champagne-colored sleeveless silk dress fitting her slender and tall figure, swaying gently with her steps. The hem of the dress stopped just above the knee, revealing a pair of straight and slender calves. Her frame was slender, not as plump as a girl, but she had a unique elegance of a mature woman.

    "Michelle, why are you here early?"

    Michelle Pfeiffer plays Catwoman in the film, but she has very few scenes and will not appear until the second half.

    "I have nothing to do on the weekend, so I came to see you."

    Michelle Pfeiffer smiled slightly, threw herself into Link''s arms and kissed him intimately, very intoxicated.

    Nicole Kidman''s face slowly sank, and a kind of unspeakable taste arose in her heart. This taste was not as strong as when she knew that Tom Cruise had cheated, which made her very unhappy.

    But when Michelle Pfeiffer turned her head, she raised the corners of her lips again, revealing a ladylike smile.

    "Nicole, your dress is so beautiful."

    Michelle Pfeiffer looked at Nicole and praised.

    "Thank you! I''m also looking forward to seeing you put on the Catwoman leather suit again. Your Catwoman is very cool."

    Nicole Kidman showed a sincere smile.

    Michelle Pfeiffer also smiled and looked back at Link, "Honey, do you want to see me wear it?"

    Link thought of Michelle Pfeiffer wearing a close-fitting black Catwoman leather suit lying on the roof, with her figure convex and concave, and a tail behind her. He couldn''t help but feel a little impulsive.

    But this is a crew, and filming is the first priority.

    "Don''t seduce me. You sit here first, and I''ll be with you after filming."

    Link patted Michelle''s buttocks and returned to the director''s area to arrange work. Now that Batman is in trouble, in order not to delay things, the crew continued to film the story of Two-Face and the Riddler.

    "A man who works seriously is indeed the most charming."

    Michelle crossed her legs and leaned lazily on the folding chair on the sidelines, her eyes closely following Link in the center of the set.

    He was discussing the filming of the next scene with the assistant director, cinematographer, and art director, rolling up his sleeves, revealing his solid forearms, and waving his hands in the air from time to time to gesture a few times, outlining the outline of a certain scene.

    The afternoon sunlight shone on his angular cheeks. He frowned slightly, looking at the person opposite him with a focused expression, sometimes stating his views in a calm and powerful manner, and sometimes listening to other people''s opinions. His gestures and gestures had both the majesty of a superior and the unique persistence of an artist.

    "Yes, very charming."

    Nicole Kidman also looked at Link and echoed.

    Michelle Pfeiffer turned to look at her, with exploration and curiosity.

    "You also like Link?"

    "Yes."

    Nicole Kidman looked back and faced her without any dodging.

    Michelle Pfeiffer snorted softly, "Your liking Link shows that you have good taste, but you are still not divorced and you come to pester Link. This is not liking him, it is hurting him. I represent Monica, Jennifer, Lily Liu and all of Link''s women to warn you, stay away from Link before you are divorced, don''t bring your troubles to Link, otherwise don''t blame us for being rude."

    Nicole Kidman blinked her blue eyes, a trace of surprise and thought flashed in her eyes.

    "Michelle, you misunderstood. I didn''t want to cause trouble for Link. I used to seduce him, but he refused. I am now just getting along with him as a friend and colleague."

    "You better do what you say."

    Michelle Pfeiffer leaned back on the seat, shaking her sexy legs and continued to look at Link in the field.

    Nicole Kidman hesitated for a moment, "Michelle, I''m curious about one thing, can I ask you?"

    "Tell me!"

    "Even though Link is worth billions and is the boss of Guess Pictures, the resources at hand are also very limited. You and Monica and Jennifer should be competitors. Why do you seem not to care about each other''s existence?"

    This question is not only Nicole Kidman''s doubt, but also many people in the circle are puzzled.

    Other men have two or three girlfriends and they will turn against each other. Link has so many girlfriends, but he has not overturned until now, and there has not been a single scandal of fighting for favor.

    This is both the place where everyone is puzzled and the reason why they envy Link.

    Michelle Pfeiffer gently brushed the golden hair beside her ear and smiled, "Because he is an incredible man, being his woman is the luckiest thing, the rest is completely unimportant."

    Nicole Kidman looked at Michelle, then at Link in the field, and the curiosity that surged in her heart was like a bottomless abyss, almost swallowing her.

 #305 - Morning rope training, Monicas transformation

    "Last night, you tied Monica up like that, was it some kind of Japanese rope technique? How do you know that kind of thing?"

    Early morning, Beverly Hills, sunlight filtering through the mist onto the running track. Sophia, while jogging, turned her head and looked at Link with curiosity.

    She was wearing a tight-fitting sports vest, revealing her fair and sexy neck and collarbone. Her lower body was in black sports shorts, her legs long and straight, making her look full of energy.

    With each stride, her golden ponytail swayed behind her, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed a faint red from the exercise.

    "What Japanese? This technique originated in China.

    In ancient times, in order to restrain prisoners from escaping, they would tie them up with ropes, some binding their hands and feet, some binding their whole body.

    Later, this technique spread to Japan, where the Japanese used it in bed, and even made it into movies. There was a Japanese prop master in my original crew who knew this skill, and I learned a few tricks from him."

    Link said as he ran.

    "Monica looked very happy last night. I want to try it too, okay?"

    Sophia blinked her eyes, her voice with a hint of coquetry, her eyes full of anticipation.

    "Okay, as long as you like it."

    Link ruffled her hair. Sophia glared at him, suddenly jumped on his back, and hugged his neck tightly.

    Link smiled and continued running forward with her on his back.

    "Ah, slow down, my chest hurts!"

    Milla Jovovich saw the two joking around, smiled, and followed with her long legs.

    After the morning exercise, Link returned to the living room of the villa.

    Except for Monica, everyone else was up. Some were doing aerobics, some were applying face masks, some were putting on makeup and changing clothes. Only Qian Qian was still yawning on the sofa, as if she hadn''t had enough sleep and was forced to wake up early.

    When Link returned, Liu Xiaoli instructed the maids to serve breakfast, and the family began to eat.

    In the dining room, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the oval dining table. There were twenty seats on both sides of the table, and more than a dozen kinds of breakfast were arranged on the table, with various flavors. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee and toast.

    "Link, take a look at these."

    Liu Xiaoli was used to reading the newspaper while eating. After flipping through several newspapers, she handed them to Link with a solemn expression, "After the box office results of ''The Man from Earth'' came out, many media outlets took the opportunity to sing us down, and also mentioned the upcoming failure of the second round of financing. These news are very detrimental to us."

    Link took it and casually flipped through a few pages.

    The three newspapers were the "Los Angeles Times," the "International Herald Tribune," and the "Wall Street Journal," all of which reported the news of the box office failure of "The Man from Earth" on the front page.

    The "Los Angeles Times" published a commentary article saying, "A star-studded cast cannot hide the box office failure. Guess Guess Pictures'' box office myth is shattered?"

    The commentary specifically mentioned the production team of the film. "The Man from Earth" was produced and artistically directed by the legendary director Francis Coppola, and the screenplay and editing were personally handled by the current hottest film director Link. Sophia served as both director and producer. The cast was also full of veteran actors, including Richard Kaster and Talia Shire.

    In terms of the lineup, the film''s box office should not be too bad.

    In addition, the film is adapted from Link''s best-selling novel "Interstellar Crossing."

    Since it was put on the shelves in 1992, this novel has sold more than 120 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling works in the history of science fiction literature.

    "The Man from Earth," as a classic chapter of it, has been regarded as a treasure of science fiction literature by countless book fans with its profound philosophical thinking and imaginative imagination.

    For this reason, when this novel was announced to be adapted into a movie last year, the expectations of book fans were pushed to the peak.

    With a luxurious lineup, a popular IP, and Guess Guess Pictures'' cost-no-object publicity.

    Before the film was released, many media predicted that "The Man from Earth" was very likely to become the first film in North America in 1995 to break 100 million at the box office, and Guess Guess Pictures would also rely on this film to create new glories.

    However, the film has only grossed $1.21 million in three weeks since its release.

    Far below expectations, it can be called the first box office disaster of the year.

    The content reported by the "International Herald Tribune" was similar, saying in a teasing tone, "Lucky Link seems to have lost the box office password!"

    Link''s "Buried," filmed in 1991 with $20,000, grossed $75 million worldwide; in 1992, he once again filmed "Paranormal Activity" at a cost of $20,000, with a global box office exceeding $600 million;

    At the end of the same year, he created "The Blair Witch Project" with the same low cost, which won 300 million US dollars in the global box office.

    These brilliant achievements have made people full of confidence in Link''s low-cost movies.

    When Guess Guess Pictures initially claimed to have filmed "The Man from Earth" with $20,000, many people believed that the film would continue this myth.

    The result was not.

    The box office failure of "The Man from Earth" not only exposed the lie that Link mastered the ''box office password,'' but also cast a shadow on the development of Guess Guess Pictures.

    The focus of the "Wall Street Journal" is concentrated on the second round of financing for Guess Guess Pictures.

    The financing cycle of most companies usually does not exceed four months. Companies that can successfully complete financing within this time often mean that their development prospects have been recognized by both the market and investors.

    Once the financing time exceeds this time limit, it means that the company may be in some kind of predicament, and the uncertainty in the financing process will also increase.

    Last December, Guess Guess Pictures announced the launch of its second round of financing in a high-profile manner, with a valuation of up to 1.5 billion US dollars. However, more than two months have passed, but the investment market has been unusually deserted, and no investment company has been willing to take over.

    The reason is that the market value quoted by Guess Guess Pictures exceeds investors'' psychological expectations, and the recent fluctuations in the film market have further amplified the investment risks, and investors have chosen to wait and see.

    The commentator of the "Wall Street Journal" believes that if Guess Guess Pictures can launch several films with outstanding box office performance during the financing period, it may be able to rekindle the enthusiasm of investors and let them see the company''s potential and the value of the stock.

    However, the reality is not optimistic.

    The first film launched by Guess Guess Pictures this year, "The Man from Earth," suffered a box office failure, which not only made the company''s financial situation worse, but also seriously dampened investors'' confidence.

    The newspaper''s commentator concluded sarcastically at the end of the article: "Guess Guess Pictures is in an awkward situation of ''having a price but no market'' - no matter how high the valuation is, it cannot withstand the market''s cold shoulder."

    Link looked at the newspaper and twitched the corner of his mouth.

    As soon as the news of the poor box office of "The Man from Earth" came out, so many people gloated. It seems that the 1.5 billion valuation did offend many people.

    "Link, how should we deal with these negative reports?"

    The latest novel is first published on 69shu.com!

    Liu Xiaoli asked with a solemn expression.

    "Don''t worry about it. We are a film company. Everything depends on the box office. If the box office performance of the film is good, what we say will be more powerful. If the box office performance is not good, no matter how good the public relations are, it will be useless. Ignore these negative news for now. When the box office performance of the next film improves, the media will take the initiative to help us promote it."

    "The next movie is ''Rumble in the Bronx,'' and the box office situation is probably not going to be very good."

    Liu Xiaoli said worriedly.

    "It won''t be too bad either. Kung fu movies also have a market in North America. Even if it''s a little worse, it doesn''t matter. In addition to these two movies, we also have several movies with great box office potential this year. You don''t have to frown, be careful of getting wrinkles."

    "Ah? Are there wrinkles? Where?"

    Liu Xiaoli quickly touched the corner of her eyes, and was relieved when she didn''t find any wrinkles.

    "No, you look like an eighteen-year-old girl."

    Link hugged her and kissed her.

    "Kiss again."

    Milla and Sophia cheered from the side, and Qian Qian also clapped and cheered.

    Liu Xiaoli blushed and pushed him away, returning to her seat to eat.

    "Hi, good morning everyone!"

    Monica walked into the dining room with a smile, wearing a silver suspender short skirt, revealing her fair skin, curvy figure, and fair and rounded long legs.

    In the exposed areas, there were a few faint linear red marks on her arms, calves, and fragrant shoulders.

    These were the marks left from playing around last night, with an unusual sexiness and charm.

    Although she played a little crazy last night, Monica was in great spirits today, her eyes as bright as stars, her cheeks flushed with peach-like blush, and her skin crystal clear and moist.

    The few brown spots on her face had also magically disappeared, and the whole person was radiant, as if she was several years younger.

    "Monica, what''s wrong? You look great."

    Several women couldn''t help but leave their seats and surround her to examine her carefully when they saw Monica''s condition.

    "It''s nothing, I just had a better rest last night."

    Monica smiled happily.

    "Last night? We all know what happened last night. Can doing that kind of thing also be beauty treatment?"

    Liu Xiaoli touched Monica''s skin, her eyes filled with curiosity.

    "Monica, is it true?"

    Sophia and Ren¨¦e Zellweger asked with great interest.

    "Maybe, I feel great today. If you are interested, you can try it too,"

    Monica smiled slightly and leaned down to kiss Link.

    Liu Xiaoli and the others also stared at Link closely, their eyes becoming hot and fiery.

    Link couldn''t help but chuckle when he felt their gazes, "Not now, there''s still work to do later."

 #306 - The film set was angry, the two women confronted each other, and Michelles warning

    Being entangled by women like Jennifer, Xiaoli Liu, and Sophia, even Link, with a body of iron and a waist of steel, found it a bit overwhelming.

    After a hasty breakfast, Link went to the company for a script meeting to discuss the script and roles, take character stills, and check on the progress of other departments.

    By the beginning of February, everything was ready, and Link took the crew to New York to shoot "Batman Forever".

    "Scene 1, Take 1, Action!"

    The first scene of "Batman" is Two-Face robbing Blake Island Bank, kidnapping a security guard, and forcing Batman to come out to rescue him. Batman fights Two-Face and his men, and finally rescues the security guard.

    Inside the bank building, Two-Face, Harvey Dent, flipped a coin, one side scratched, one side not. He turned his face to the security guard lying on the floor and said, "You''re praying for that winged avenger to come save you, aren''t you, my friend?"

    "Are you going to kill me?"

    The security guard asked nervously.

    "Maybe, maybe not. My two sides have different views on this matter."

    Two-Face, wearing a suit, with the unscarred side of his face facing the camera, chuckled, "Do you like to gamble? How about we flip a coin to decide?"

    The security guard lay on the ground, watching him nervously.

    Two-Face played with a shiny coin in his hand, muttering to himself, "Some people are born heroes, but their own brothers are bums. Babies are starving, but politicians are fat and happy. Saints become martyrs, but drunks and junkies roam every corner of our city. Why, why, why? Because of luck! Blind, stupid, simple, inexplicable luck!"

    Two-Face roared hysterically, slowly turning his left face, a face almost charred by hydrochloric acid, covered in cracks, looking extremely terrifying.

    "A randomly flipped coin is the only fairness in the world. Let''s see how justice treats you."

    Two-Face flipped the coin, and it landed on the back of his hand. He covered it with his hand and grinned strangely at the security guard on the ground, "This moment feels like God''s arrangement. The answer will be revealed soon."

    Link sat behind the monitor, watching Gary Oldman''s performance. Gary Oldman was acting very well. Whether it was the lines, actions, or expressions, he was very infectious, looking like a madman.

    But there were also problems with his performance.

    The movie had just started shooting, and Gary Oldman didn''t have a good grasp of the intensity. Some places were overdone, and some places weren''t flavorful enough.

    When encountering this kind of problem, he, as the director, needed to correct and guide on the spot, gradually shaping Gary Oldman into the ''Two-Face'' he wanted.

    This is also the role of the director, using artistic means to shape the actors, turning the actors under his command into the appearance needed in the movie.

    This kind of work is similar to that of a sculptor.

    Excellent directors can create classic screen images, while mediocre directors only make bad movies.

    This is also the reason why top actors are willing to work with good directors. On the one hand, they can gain fame and fortune by making good movies, and on the other hand, they can improve their acting skills and create classic roles under the guidance of excellent directors.

    Link''s level was already good. He had filmed seven movies in the past and gained many directorial experiences. His level of filmmaking was getting higher and higher, and his ability to guide actors was also getting stronger and stronger.

    Many veteran actors in the industry knew that he was good at guiding actors and were willing to work with him.

    After Link discovered Gary Oldman''s problem, he didn''t immediately call for a stop, letting the other party improvise.

    After shooting repeatedly five times, when Gary could no longer self-correct in his performance, he called Gary Oldman to talk about the character, pointing out his problems and adjustment directions.

    Under his guidance, Gary Oldman suddenly became enlightened and returned to the camera to perform again, his state significantly improved compared to before.

    After shooting ten takes, Gary Oldman almost merged into the character, performing heartily in front of the camera.

    "Director Link, I heard before that you have excellent vision, observe meticulously, and are very good at guiding actors. I thought you were only in your twenties and didn''t have much experience, so I didn''t believe the rumors were true. Now I completely believe it. You are indeed a very good director."

    After finishing a scene, Gary Oldman gave Link a thumbs up excitedly.

    Link smiled, not being modest, and calmly accepted his praise.

    After filming a week of ''Two-Face'' scenes, Batman took the stage next. After receiving the news of Two-Face robbing the bank, Batman quickly changed into his equipment, drove the Batmobile to the bank building, and even ran into Dr. Chase at the scene.

    "Wow, a stunning appearance!"

    Dr. Chase couldn''t help but exclaim as she watched Batman descend from the sky on a wire.

    Batman landed on the ground, looked at Dr. Chase, and then at Commissioner Gordon next to him, "Is it Two-Face?"

    "Yes, two guards were killed, and he took the third as a hostage, caught off guard,"

    Commissioner Gordon said, looking at the building.

    "Today is the two-year anniversary of me catching him,"

    Batman said.

    Two-Face liked all numbers related to ''2'', including the date of the robbery, the Second Bank, robbing $22.22 million, etc., all related to 2, a real idiot.

    "No wonder he couldn''t help but commit the crime again."

    Dr. Chase reached out and said, "I''m Chase Meridian."

    Commissioner Gordon said, "I invited Dr. Meridian to assist us in the investigation. Her specialty is..."

    "Abnormal psychology, multiple human nature research. I''ve read your work, simple, but insightful,"

    Batman said faintly.

    "Cut!"

    After filming the scene where the two met, Link called a pause and played the filmed footage, watching it again.

    "Hey, Link, how did we perform? Isn''t it great?"

    Ben Affleck walked over with a smile, wearing the Batman suit, a Batman mask on his face, combined with his 191 cm height, looking indeed tall, upright, and strong.

    In terms of body shape, Ben Affleck best fits the body shape requirements of the Batman character.

    But the inner qualities are too far off.

    Link glanced at Ben Affleck, "Ben, to be honest, I''m very disappointed with your performance. Maybe it was a mistake to find you to play Batman."

    Swish!

    Ben Affleck''s expression suddenly collapsed, his smile like a rotten egg smeared on his face, not only dazzling but also pungent.

    To play the role of Batman well, he had prepared for more than four months, not only exercising his body, but also honing his acting skills.

    Today, he worked hard to finish a scene, believing that he performed well, and thought he would receive praise from Link, but instead he was hit head-on. Link said that it was a mistake to use him to play Batman.

    He would never accept this evaluation.

    "Why? Why do you say that?"

    Ben Affleck stiffened his neck, his expression looking very unconvinced.

    Nicole Kidman blinked her eyes, about to speak to mediate, but Link waved his hand, "Ben, last year after the role was decided, I repeatedly told you to spend more time studying the script and Batman, but in your performance just now, I didn''t see you have any research on this character."

    "I researched it. I''ve read the Batman comics five times, and I''ve watched the related movies and TV series more than ten times. I can even recite many of the lines."

    Ben Affleck argued reasonably.

    "The focus of researching the character is not how many times you''ve read the script and materials, but what you understand and learn after reading them. Now you tell me, in your eyes, what kind of character is Batman?"

    Link asked with a³Á×Å face.

    Ben Affleck thought for a while, "Batman is a young, handsome, wealthy person full of justice."

    "Continue."

    "...He has good skills, likes to help the weak and suppress the strong, fight criminals, and maintain peace in Gotham City. Yes, he loves peace."

    "What else?"

    Link asked.

    Ben Affleck frowned and tried hard to think, "Isn''t that enough?"

    Link shook his head in disappointment and looked at Nicole Kidman, "Nicole, tell me what you think of Batman."

    Nicole sat in a chair, holding a cup of hot coffee in her hand, smiling slightly, "Batman is of course a good man, handsome, powerful, wealthy, intelligent, highly disciplined, strong-willed, and a playboy. Hmm, Director Link, Batman is very similar to you."

    "Only that?"

    Seeing Link frown, Nicole''s heartbeat quickened a few beats, and she dared not joke anymore, her expression becoming serious, "There are a few more points. First, Batman lacks a sense of security in his heart. At the age of eight, he personally witnessed his parents being shot and killed. This incident left him with severe psychological trauma.

    As an adult, he loves training, high-tech weapons and equipment, sports cars, lurking at night, distrusting partners, and preferring to work alone.

    Psychologically speaking, these are all manifestations of a lack of security.

    Secondly, he possesses dark attributes and is extremely vengeful. After his parents were shot, he became hostile to all the bad guys in Gotham City, using the image of a bat to strike at them and create fear. This dark undertone is very different from other superheroes.

    Third, he has a strong sense of responsibility. He has an extraordinary obsession and persistence in maintaining the security of Gotham City. As long as there is a crime in Gotham City, he will immediately act no matter what he is doing, and arrest criminals. This approach is also like a kind of mental cleanliness.

    He also has a complex moral view, not wanting to kill or overuse violence on one hand, while using violent means to combat evil on the other. He also has a multifaceted personality, being the embodiment of justice as Batman on one hand, and the playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne on the other.

    Nicole Kidman shrugged her fragrant shoulders, "From this point of view, Batman is also like a Two-Face who hasn''t turned completely dark."

    Link nodded slightly. Although Nicole''s statement was not comprehensive enough, she did point out several important points. He looked at Ben Affleck, "Have you thought about these things?"

    "Of course!"

    Ben Affleck puffed out his chest and said.

    "Then tell me, what''s the difference between the Batman you play and the real Batman?"

    "This¡­"

    Ben Affleck scratched his head, "I only performed one scene, and many things haven''t been shown yet. How about I perform a few more scenes for you to see?"

    Link shook his head, "You don''t understand Batman. No matter how many scenes you perform, it''s the same. Nicole, what do you think his problem is?"

    Nicole Kidman thought for a moment, "Ben''s Batman is too frivolous and impetuous. He lacks Batman''s maturity and stability, as well as his dark and melancholic temperament. He''s more like a young and sunny urban big boy."

    "That''s right."

    Link looked at Ben Affleck, "You''ve trained for a few months, read a lot of materials, and only become like Batman in appearance. But internally, you''re far from it.

    Why is this? Because you''re too lazy and like to be perfunctory. Even Nicole can say many things about Batman''s character, but you only see the most superficial layer of Batman. How can you play Batman well with this attitude?"

    Ben Affleck blushed with shame.

    "I''ll give you another week. If you can''t integrate into the role and make yourself like Batman, I''ll consider replacing you."

    Link put on his headphones and continued to do other things.

    Ben Affleck opened his mouth, drooped his shoulders, and left dejectedly.

    Nicole Kidman looked at Ben, then at Link. Seeing Link''s solemn face, she bit her lip and said cautiously, "Are you really going to replace Ben?"

    "He''s too jumpy and always grinning. He''s not psychologically or attitudinally prepared to play Batman, let alone immerse himself in the role.

    This also leads to his performance lacking texture, like a simple and crude imitation of Michael Keaton''s version of Batman, which is very boring.

    I''ll give him a week to prepare. If he can''t change his mind, I can only replace him."

    Link said.

    Nicole Kidman nodded and smiled, "How is my performance as Dr. Chase? Will you fire me if I don''t perform well?"

    "You''re doing well."

    "Thank you! But can you smile? You look really like Batman like this, cold and aloof, with a sense of alienation on your face. You know, I really like Batman. If you continue like this, I might not be able to help but fall in love with you."

    Nicole Kidman blinked her eyes and looked at him affectionately.

    Link shook his head.

    "Hi, Link, Nicole, are you busy?"

    Michelle Pfeiffer walked over, a champagne-colored sleeveless silk dress fitting her slender and tall figure, swaying gently with her steps. The hem of the dress stopped just above the knee, revealing a pair of straight and slender calves. Her frame was slender, not as plump as a girl, but she had a unique elegance of a mature woman.

    "Michelle, why are you here early?"

    Michelle Pfeiffer plays Catwoman in the film, but she has very few scenes and will not appear until the second half.

    "I have nothing to do on the weekend, so I came to see you."

    Michelle Pfeiffer smiled slightly, threw herself into Link''s arms and kissed him intimately, very intoxicated.

    Nicole Kidman''s face slowly sank, and a kind of unspeakable taste arose in her heart. This taste was not as strong as when she knew that Tom Cruise had cheated, which made her very unhappy.

    But when Michelle Pfeiffer turned her head, she raised the corners of her lips again, revealing a ladylike smile.

    "Nicole, your dress is so beautiful."

    Michelle Pfeiffer looked at Nicole and praised.

    "Thank you! I''m also looking forward to seeing you put on the Catwoman leather suit again. Your Catwoman is very cool."

    Nicole Kidman showed a sincere smile.

    Michelle Pfeiffer also smiled and looked back at Link, "Honey, do you want to see me wear it?"

    Link thought of Michelle Pfeiffer wearing a close-fitting black Catwoman leather suit lying on the roof, with her figure convex and concave, and a tail behind her. He couldn''t help but feel a little impulsive.

    But this is a crew, and filming is the first priority.

    "Don''t seduce me. You sit here first, and I''ll be with you after filming."

    Link patted Michelle''s buttocks and returned to the director''s area to arrange work. Now that Batman is in trouble, in order not to delay things, the crew continued to film the story of Two-Face and the Riddler.

    "A man who works seriously is indeed the most charming."

    Michelle crossed her legs and leaned lazily on the folding chair on the sidelines, her eyes closely following Link in the center of the set.

    He was discussing the filming of the next scene with the assistant director, cinematographer, and art director, rolling up his sleeves, revealing his solid forearms, and waving his hands in the air from time to time to gesture a few times, outlining the outline of a certain scene.

    The afternoon sunlight shone on his angular cheeks. He frowned slightly, looking at the person opposite him with a focused expression, sometimes stating his views in a calm and powerful manner, and sometimes listening to other people''s opinions. His gestures and gestures had both the majesty of a superior and the unique persistence of an artist.

    "Yes, very charming."

    Nicole Kidman also looked at Link and echoed.

    Michelle Pfeiffer turned to look at her, with exploration and curiosity.

    "You also like Link?"

    "Yes."

    Nicole Kidman looked back and faced her without any dodging.

    Michelle Pfeiffer snorted softly, "Your liking Link shows that you have good taste, but you are still not divorced and you come to pester Link. This is not liking him, it is hurting him. I represent Monica, Jennifer, Lily Liu and all of Link''s women to warn you, stay away from Link before you are divorced, don''t bring your troubles to Link, otherwise don''t blame us for being rude."

    Nicole Kidman blinked her blue eyes, a trace of surprise and thought flashed in her eyes.

    "Michelle, you misunderstood. I didn''t want to cause trouble for Link. I used to seduce him, but he refused. I am now just getting along with him as a friend and colleague."

    "You better do what you say."

    Michelle Pfeiffer leaned back on the seat, shaking her sexy legs and continued to look at Link in the field.

    Nicole Kidman hesitated for a moment, "Michelle, I''m curious about one thing, can I ask you?"

    "Tell me!"

    "Even though Link is worth billions and is the boss of Guess Pictures, the resources at hand are also very limited. You and Monica and Jennifer should be competitors. Why do you seem not to care about each other''s existence?"

    This question is not only Nicole Kidman''s doubt, but also many people in the circle are puzzled.

    Other men have two or three girlfriends and they will turn against each other. Link has so many girlfriends, but he has not overturned until now, and there has not been a single scandal of fighting for favor.

    This is both the place where everyone is puzzled and the reason why they envy Link.

    Michelle Pfeiffer gently brushed the golden hair beside her ear and smiled, "Because he is an incredible man, being his woman is the luckiest thing, the rest is completely unimportant."

    Nicole Kidman looked at Michelle, then at Link in the field, and the curiosity that surged in her heart was like a bottomless abyss, almost swallowing her.