[Chapter 620: The Showdown of Car Companies]
Generally speaking, being a producer isn't an easy job. First, you need connections, and secondly, you have to know plenty of wealthy investors. Otherwise, good luck covering the costs of production.
Of course, that's not a problem for William White's films. There are always wealthy folks lining up to invest. As long as you need it, the funding will never be lacking.
Just look at the current buzz around Jurassic Park. It's a madhouse! Nearly every investor is turning a profit. With such great word of mouth, who's worried about investors?
Those who've read the Jurassic Park novel know this first installment is just a warm-up; the main storyline hasn't even unfolded yet. Once this IP is fully realized, oh boy, we're talking about a billion-dollar franchise. So, who says movies don't make money?
...
Seeing a bunch of car companies eager to throw money at the Hollywood scene, even the paparazzi are left in disbelief.
Thinking of that stunningly beautiful female producer, the group began dreaming up possibilities. Arranging juicy headlines for the wealthiest gentlemen is their daily grind. As long as they don't touch on that guy's kids, they can say whatever they want.
But dare to cross the line? Heh, you'll definitely find yourself in hot water!
Running into a quirky guy like William White? Who knows if that's lucky or unlucky for them.
In short, he's quite a force to be reckoned with. However, he doesn't operate haphazardly. Your job is to dig up the gossip; I can play along. But things you can't report on? That's non-negotiable.
Not happy about that?
Isn't that great news conglomerate the one not buying it?
And what happened? They still had to back down. Keep pushing your luck, and you might as well go herd sheep in Australia; there's no room for you in the US.
...
"Darling, who do we pick?"
"Honestly, it doesn't matter; they all come from the same pool. You can let them know it's a series, and we'll shoot one every two years.
If this time doesn't work out, we can always wait. Audiences crave freshness. Otherwise, I could keep riding around in an Aston Martin forever."
"Pfft, it's easy for you to say -- they're going all out this time."
"Darling, this time, Tesla's just a backdrop. What more do you want from me? There are just two main characters; that's all we can manage."
"How about adding a Japanese girl? That one named Akina Nakamori is currently on fire."
William White smacked his lips. "Ah, it's a shame. Why do so many women want to get married? Is it really that fun?"
"You're so obsessed! Should I invite Tamlyn Tomita for a cameo?"
William White shook his head, chuckling. Although Japanese women are a bit wild before marriage similar to the western counter parts, after marriage, they tend to tone it down. Unless there are unusual circumstances, a traditional family structure is typically favored.
"Fine, then let's go with Akina. Even if it's a supporting role, I'm sure those Japanese would spare no expense."
"Humph, it's because you're worried about her. Are you sure she won't be scared to tears by you?"
William White shot back good-naturedly.
Now that he's decided, the next step is straightforward: main lead casting.
"Darling, are you sure about these two guys auditioning?"
"Why not? This Vin Diesel is clearly a bad boy."
"What about this one? Paul Walker? Now, that's fresh. If I didn't know you, I'd actually think you were into guys."
"Ahem, how about I let you see?"
After getting angry and embarrassed, she naturally needs to be punished. The little assistant at the door rolled her eyes. That girl was just so clueless.
Alright, as the punisher, it was hard work. The one being punished indeed radiant and went off to rob the car companies.
William White has faith in Vin Diesel. As for Paul Walker, honestly, he wasn't entirely sure about this former child star. If he came off too green, they might have to recast.
What? You're thinking about Leonardo and Tom Cruise?
Ahem, If he kept casting those two, William White wouldn't make a dime. Just look at Mission: Impossible -- if you don't have 100 million, don't even bother shooting.
Of course, that Aussie shepherd will be in Fast & Furious. Thinking about the turmoil between these two, William White hesitated. Man, if all my prime assets got married, what would I do?
...
"Sir, your new movie doesn't feature many Teslas, huh?"
"Filson, when did you start caring about movies? That's surprising."
"I can't afford not to care; I've realized that if this industry is done right, it could potentially be more profitable than semiconductors."
"No way. You might think it tops the auto industry, and that could be true. But semiconductors? If computers become as ubiquitous as TVs, selling anything becomes a great business."
"Fine, I'll admit that, but profit margins differ. Just look at Jurassic Park -- when it's all wrapped up, it might generate over 500 million in profits. Sir, that book has already sold ten million copies."
"So many?" William White was intrigued. The film's release was boosting book sales. He hadn't expected it would sell this well.
"Yep, they're even reprinting. No one is selling the copyrights for the best-selling books nowadays."
"Tsk, that's true. Good thing I collected some early. Otherwise, this would have been quite the sight."
...
Not just Filson, those high-and-mighty Wall Street moguls had also shifted their gaze toward Hollywood.
Art? They didn't care. What mattered was making money and sustaining it. That deserves attention.
Once the movie wraps, there's also the video rental business. Hand it off to the TV stations, and that's another hefty income. The best part? You can sell it again after a while.
Especially with series, the release of new films can even boost interest in previous installments. Just look at the revenue at White Pictures -- it's enough to make anyone drool.
Just throwing in a few fake dinosaurs can create such a buzz. If he ever unleashed a real one -- wait, cloning -- can it genuinely be that impressive?
The scientific community sure admired this visionary, even if some ideas seemed far-fetched, like using frog DNA to patch up dinosaurs. If that ever worked, there wouldn't be any cancer left in the world.
The most absurd idea? Extracting DNA from fossils. Seriously? Even if you got a live specimen, extracting DNA isn't that simple.
Despite saying that, you can't fully dismiss it. Biotechnology and genetic engineering are indeed captivating research domains. While bringing dinosaurs back might be a stretch, correcting some genetic defects to potentially heal certain diseases does have promise.
*****
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