[Chapter 345: Two Series Plans]
Due to the clutter, the study appeared even messier, with several tables piled high with books, drafts, folders, and other items. The entire west wall was covered with sketches.
As Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow walked down the spiral staircase, they became captivated by the storyboards and various drafts lining the walls.
"Eric, did you do all of this?" Cameron asked incredulously after taking a rough glance from south to north over the piles of papers. The contents were astonishing; although most were storyboard sketches, they also included aspects of film production. Cameron even noticed a large portion focused on special effects.
Sensing the couple's amazement, Eric felt quite satisfied. While they had already confirmed their collaboration, he could tell that despite his films being major successes, Cameron still regarded him with some disdain. It was obvious in how he treated him during discussions about Terminator 2, almost as if he thought Eric was just some rich fool.
Normally, Eric didn't care much about others' opinions, but he understood that in order to maintain a long-term collaboration with a headstrong person like Cameron, he needed to demonstrate enough capability.
"This is my film plan for the next several years. Actually, I started working on it occasionally while I was in New York. What you see here is the result of my efforts during this time," Eric explained.
Listening closely, Cameron and Kathryn once again turned their gaze to the paper-covered wall. Just moments ago they had only skimmed the surface, but now Cameron noticed the details in the sketches.
A terrifying tornado was lifting an entire house. A gigantic Tyrannosaurus was chasing a jeep. A tsunami hundreds of meters high was crashing toward New York City. Washington D.C. was overshadowed by a massive entity...
The more they looked, the more astonished Cameron and Kathryn became. In that era, such images typically only appeared in comics or novels, but here it seemed Eric intended to bring them to life as live-action films.
Kathryn remained relatively calm, but Cameron's eyes betrayed his unreserved excitement. He sensed that a new era was on the brink of unfolding.
After reviewing the sketches again, Cameron finally asked, "Eric, how do you plan to shoot these? I mean, do you have a detailed feasibility plan?"
"Of course," Eric replied. "I intend to spend about the next ten years developing two main series. Along with the Jurassic Park series based on the novel I published two years ago, there will also be a disaster film series."
"A disaster film series?" Cameron shifted his gaze back to the sketches.
Eric stepped closer to Cameron, pointing at some of the sketches while explaining in detail. "Yes, a disaster film series that will include at least four movies.
This segment is a script for a film called Twister, which mainly describes a group of passionate scientists chasing and researching tornadoes.
Here, there's a concept for an alien invasion of Earth. It's tentatively titled Independence Day, but it seems that name is already tied to another copyright, so I'm uncertain if I can secure it.
And over here, there's a concept about a comet colliding with Earth leading humanity toward annihilation, titled Deep Impact.
Finally, this here depicts a story about a drastic climate drop, freezing much of America. I've called it The Day After Tomorrow, suggesting that we never truly know what happens after tomorrow."
Cameron and Kathryn listened intently to Eric's explanation. When he finished, Cameron ran his hand slowly over the sketches on the wall, deep in thought. He finally asked, "Eric, how do you plan to actualize all this? Can current technology achieve it?"
"Absolutely, as long as we have the funds," Eric stated confidently. "These two series are, in my view, two paths for the future of special effects films. I've discussed this multiple times with Stan and Ed, and just recently returned from New York. I specifically went to San Francisco for these talks."
Despite Cameron's wild imagination, picturing Eric's Jurassic Park series and disaster films still felt a bit fantastical to him. As a director focused on technology, he understood perfectly what current special effects were capable of. Hence, he knew that while Eric's ideas could forcibly be developed, each film would undoubtedly come at an exorbitant cost.
Even Kathryn Bigelow couldn't help but think that this little guy seemed even crazier than her husband.
Cameron didn't seem too interested in the Jurassic Park series; instead, he eagerly discussed the feasibility of producing the disaster film series with Eric.
"Eric, looking at the tornado film you mentioned, which appears to have relatively simple effects, how do you plan to realistically portray a tornado on screen? As far as I know, even Industrial Light & Magic's most advanced effects struggle to present tornadoes convincingly."
Eric pulled a file from the desk and casually handed it to James Cameron. Cameron glanced at the document's cover, slightly surprised; this must be significant for Eric. However, since Eric gave it to him, Cameron didn't hesitate and flipped it open. Kathryn leaned curiously next to her husband, peering at its contents.
The document outlined a plan to commission a renowned physicist from Stanford University to lead a research team tasked with developing fluid simulation software. The objective of the software was to simulate effects like smoke, flowing water, and strong winds on a computer.
As the couple read the document, Eric interjected, "Professor Ron Fiedler at Stanford has already confirmed the feasibility of this plan, and development is underway. It'll take about six months for the software to be ready. Then, the tornadoes, tsunamis, explosion smoke, and other scenes from the disaster films I mentioned can be realized with this software. Also, Ed Catmull is currently assembling a research team in Los Angeles, with plans to develop 3D modeling software to depict building collapses and city destructions. Additionally, Ed is optimizing Pixar's existing rendering software, RenderMan, to adapt it for live-action film rendering."
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