Having received a small compliment, Director James' smile grew even wider.
"We were just talking about Rosarito Beach. It's truly a wonderful place, only about four or five hours' drive from Hollywood. I was captivated by it at first sight."
Rosarito Beach is where they filmed the Titanic, located in Mexico. Because of the fame of the Titanic, this beach also gained popularity and became a new tourist destination. Unfortunately, you can't see the Titanic ship there; it wasn't filmed in the sea but in a massive pool where the ship was placed for filming.
Listening to James talk about the beauty of that place, Mel Gibson, who was nearby, smiled and said, "It's not just the beach that's beautiful, right?"
Cameron shrugged, "Of course, and it's affordable."
"Yes, affordable," Gibson looked at him, and then the two burst into laughter.
Despite being just a few hours' drive away, the cost of labor in Mexico and the United States is vastly different. Coupled with the favorable conditions provided by the local government, many directors prefer to find shooting locations abroad.
Laila silently noted this in her heart. Even though she's not short on money, it doesn't mean she likes wasting it. If there's a chance to save money, why waste it?
The only difference is that she owns a theme park. If she were to film elsewhere and then rebuild the sets in the park, wouldn't she end up spending the money she saved on labor?
George observed her, "Child, are you also interested in making such movies?"
"Yes." Laila didn't hide it, smiling and nodding. "The sea holds many charming legends, and each one is very appealing to me."
That sentence hit a sensitive spot for Cameron. How do you think Titanic came to be? His love for the ocean is well-known, especially deep-sea exploration, which has consumed a significant portion of his savings.
"You're right. I remember..." He started talking about some things that happened before Titanic.
The heat around the movie hadn't dissipated, and there were still many interested in it. Perhaps the big shots didn't care, but their wives and children loved the topic. So, in a short time, more people gathered around. Cameron seemed to be stimulated by the growing audience and became more animated as he spoke.
As the crowd grew, those who were initially standing were pushed out.
George Lucas was now in his fifties. He didn't want to jostle with the young people and also couldn't compete with them, so he had to reluctantly leave the crowd. To his surprise, Laila, also a young person, walked up to him.
"Child, weren't you quite interested in what James was saying?"
Laila elegantly smiled, "Originally, I wanted to ask him some questions, but he seems busy now, and I think I've found a more suitable teacher."
George laughed heartily, "James would be missing out. He's lost his best audience." He hooked his arm, "I'd be honored if the lovely miss would like to discuss films in a quiet place with me."
"My pleasure." Laila smiled and linked her arm with his, walking with him to a corner.
What she wanted to understand was about movie special effects. The special effects of Titanic were fantastic, making the audience feel the grandeur of the ship. In terms of effects, George Lucas, who created the Star Wars series, definitely wouldn't be inferior to Cameron; his creativity might even surpass his. Otherwise, how could he have created a generation of Star Wars culture for the United States and the world?
So, as Cameron basked in the admiration of the crowd, Laila finally asked the question that had been on her mind.
"I thought your next movie was an action film." Lucas expressed his surprise. Even he, amidst the overwhelming news recently, had heard of this young and talented Hollywood director.
"That's right. I plan to make an action film centered around a female protagonist." This was the first time Laila had explained her idea to someone outside her company. The script was already written and registered, and everything was ready. Even if the news leaked, it wouldn't matter.
And no one would want to steal this genre because it wasn't something mainstream audiences would like, almost a guaranteed failure. The most important thing was that the director before her was George Lucas. Would he go around blabbering about it?
Of course not, but he was curious about her choice, "It's not a very promising genre."
"Why let others judge your work?" Laila's confidence came from within. With her foresight, she had already seen the future results.
"Exactly!" Lucas laughed heartily, "You need that kind of spirit! When I was making Star Wars, people treated me as a joke, but what was the result?"
The result was that countless faces were amazed. Star Wars succeeded and became a symbol of an era. Even in the future, every Star Wars release would cause a worldwide frenzy, something no other film could compare to!
"Never let others decide if you're capable or not!" Lucas looked at her with a smile, "Use your strength, your ability, and your vision to show others whether you can do it or not."
"I understand." Laila also smiled, her eyes and eyebrows curved. "In your opinion, how can you make a movie that the audience will like?"
This was probably the answer all directors in the film industry wanted to know. Lucas thought for a moment before saying, "Make your movie. First, you have to love it yourself. If you can't even like it, how can you expect others to like it?"
Laila agreed and nodded.
Lucas continued, "Don't let anything confine your thinking. For instance, if you're making an alien, what should it look like? It might have a face without any features or a worm-like body. When you're setting up some plots, don't get stuck in fixed patterns. Step away from them and create an image that's uniquely yours."
"Do I not need to consider anything else?"
"Not exactly," Lucas chuckled, "If your alien is born on a cold planet, it might need to grow thick fur or other means to withstand the cold. When making certain decisions, you also need to plan systematically based on the environment. The rest, you can let your imagination take flight."