Martin's new book, upon its release, immediately swept across the entire West Coast.
From "Vromans" in Pasadena to "Skylight" in the Los Angeles Arts District, to "CityLightsellers" in San Francisco... every major bookstore along the West Coast had lines stretching out the door.
"Harry Potter" and "Twilight," it seemed like people came just for these two books, ignoring everything else.
At the same time, new volumes of these two series were about to roll out on the East Coast as well.
In a high-end coffee shop near New York's Central Park, Martin was savoring a cup of authentic Blue Mountain coffee with two girls.
"Martin, what do you think of this script?" Scarlett Johansson asked.
The other girl, nervously watching Martin, was equally eager. This was her first real film, and when she sought Scarlett's help to convince her to take part, she never expected Scarlett would bring Martin into the picture.
Her name was Sofia Coppola, from the famous Coppola family in Hollywood. Her father was none other than the legendary director of The Godfather—Francis Ford Coppola.
Sofia Coppola practically grew up on film sets. As an infant, she appeared in The Godfather, playing the baby being baptized in the final scene. Later, she appeared in the drama The Virgin Suicides as a little girl.
When Sofia graduated high school at 18, her father arranged for her to get a role in The Godfather Part III to help launch her acting career. However, her performance earned her a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst New Star and Worst Supporting Actress.
Afterward, she moved to Paris, took a job answering calls for Chanel's artistic director, Karl Lagerfeld, and began studying photography.
In 1999, she directed her first film, The Virgin Suicides, an experimental film that won her the Hollywood Young Director Award and was listed in Film Handbook's Top Ten Films of 2000.
It was at this point that she decided to abandon acting entirely and pursue directing.
After directing two short films, Sofia felt ready for the big screen, and so she wrote the script for Lost in Translation.
"Have you been to Tokyo?" Martin asked, closing the script.
"Yes, the script is inspired by several trips to Tokyo. The place is both fascinating and strange. People there are always in a hurry, indifferent to others. Even if someone were to collapse and die on the street, no one would stop to take a second glance. At night, it's full of drunk men and women involved in transactions…"
"The place makes me feel disoriented, lost. Everything is so frantic, it tortures you," she continued.
"People there seem to carry a strange sense of crisis, an overwhelming pressure. I had this idea to juxtapose the mid-life crisis with the confusion of being in your twenties and portray that in a scene."
"Many of the scenes and dialogue in the script are based on conversations I've had, my own experiences, and the people I know."
Sofia spoke passionately, but there was a strange feeling in her heart. This boy was only fourteen, could he really understand what I'm saying?
However, Martin's next words shattered her preconceived notions.
"I see a lot of your personal expressions in the character of Charlotte. You're a master of weaving emotions, as you've immersed your true feelings into the character. If I'm not mistaken, Sofia, your marriage isn't exactly going well, is there any chance you're thinking of divorce soon?"
Sofia's eyes widened. "How did you... figure that out?"
"I told you, emotions. Charlotte's emotions! You projected yourself into that character. I think the sadness of being neglected by your husband is a true reflection of your own feelings. Your husband is probably a workaholic like the character in the film, right?"
A wave of emotion surged through Sofia. The fourteen-year-old boy sitting across from her seemed to truly understand her!
Sofia, a thirty-year-old woman, was not traditionally considered a beauty, but she exuded a unique charm.
She gazed at Martin with a mix of confusion, surprise, and curiosity in her eyes, her mouth slightly open, as though she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
After a long pause, she finally said in awe:
"I never expected you could deduce so much from the script! Yes, my marriage isn't happy. Ever since we got married, Jones has taken on one job after another, and in the process, I've realized the gap between us. He's a practical person, which isn't wrong, but we're just not right for each other. I truly don't want to continue anymore."
Martin nodded and said:
"Marriage doesn't come down to right or wrong, but to whether the souls of the two people are in harmony."
"However, I think you're not suited for marriage before you're forty?"
Sofia suddenly felt an almost mystical vibe from Martin.
"Why?" she asked.
"Your mind is too sensitive, too artistic. Talent is a double-edged sword. Talented people often have a bit of perfectionism and a picky nature. Being with someone like that can be torturous for their partner," Martin explained.
"People like you tend to imagine an idealized version of marriage, and when real life doesn't live up to that, they become unhappy, resentful, and unwilling to compromise."
"Like you said, your husband isn't wrong, but you just don't like him."
Sofia stared at him, feeling that what he said made a disturbing amount of sense.
Then she suddenly thought—this kid is also highly talented, isn't he?
So, she asked, "What about you, Martin? You're a talented artist too. Will you ever get married?"
"I won't, but I'll have a lot of women!" Martin replied without hesitation.
"Yes, he does have a lot of women!" Scarlett chimed in.
Sofia's eyes widened even more. "A lot of women? How old is this kid?!"
Then, she suddenly realized, looking at Scarlett, "Scarlett, are you—"
Scarlett smiled and said casually, "Yes, I'm one of them."
Sofia felt like her worldview was being shattered. She was incredibly curious: "Aren't you jealous? Don't you want to be the only one?"
"I do, but I can't," Scarlett replied.
"Will he accept you having other men?" Sofia asked again.
"I won't," Scarlett said firmly.
"Nope!" Martin added.
Their nonchalance almost made Sofia's head explode. How could people like this exist? It felt like mental control, but it was clearly not the case.
Martin then picked up the script again, flicking it with his finger, and said, "So, I have one more thing to say. The script is good, Scarlett can play the role, but the revealing scenes need to be cut, or you should use a body double."
"If you agree, I'll invest in it."
After a brief moment of consideration, Sofia agreed.
The film's budget was around five million, and her father had invested a hundred thousand. The rest of the funds were up to her to find.
[•———•——•———•]
𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧