The camera started rolling, beginning with a large map. Slowly, it zoomed in, showcasing the interior of a hobbit house.
Then, the scene transitioned into a study, where a man sat smoking a pipe, contemplating how to write his travel memoirs.
This man was Bilbo Baggins, played by Gilbert's father.
Surprisingly, the old man turned out to be a decent actor. He delivered his lines smoothly, with a well-paced intonation and excellent emotional control.
This simple shot marked the first scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. After just two takes, it was completed successfully.
When the old man stepped out, Gilbert praised him, "Dad, your acting is pretty good! Honestly, I never noticed before."
His father dismissed the compliment. "Back in Hollywood, I was acting every day. Every Hollywood professional, after years of struggling, becomes a good actor."
"Well…" Gilbert had to admit that his father was right.
Including himself, everyone in Hollywood constantly performed, whether they liked it or not.
Of course, acting had different meanings. For instance, in his past life, many young idols put all their effort into playing the personas their agencies had assigned them.
Perhaps that was why they couldn't dedicate themselves to real acting.
So, it wasn't fair to say that those young stars had no acting skills. They just weren't using them in the right place.
On the other hand, his father had mastered the art of performance, seamlessly transitioning in and out of roles, regardless of time or setting.
Acting was a mysterious skill.
Some people were born with it, as if they were natural performers straight from the womb. Others had to spend years honing their craft before they saw any real progress.
After this scene wrapped up, the crew prepared to film another one in the afternoon—a scene between Gandalf and Frodo Baggins.
Just then, Gilbert's assistant, Anna, came over with a report.
"Boss, Jackie Chan is here."
Gilbert turned his head and immediately spotted the familiar face of the big-nosed actor. His face lit up with a warm smile as he stepped forward.
"Jackie! Long time no see. How have you been?" Gilbert greeted him enthusiastically.
Jackie Chan laughed, "I'm doing well. I just turned down Shanghai Noon and am preparing for Rush Hour 2!"
"Good call," Gilbert said. "I don't have much faith in that project. It's probably going to be a disaster, so I'd say you made the right choice."
Jackie Chan had actually thought the film seemed decent, but he respected Gilbert's opinion.
Gilbert quickly added, "I watched Operation Condor, your treasure-hunting adventure film. It was really fun.
Have you ever thought about taking that concept further and turning it into a series like Indiana Jones?"
Jackie's interest was piqued. "What kind of treasure-hunting story are you thinking of?"
Gilbert thought for a moment before explaining, "You'd play an archaeologist who's been searching for twelve mystical talismans.
These talismans are based on the Chinese zodiac and hold extraordinary powers.
Naturally, villains would be after them as well, leading to a series of thrilling adventures.
If we craft a solid story outline, we could turn this into a trilogy, or even a four- or five-film series.
Maybe we could even tie it into an animated show."
At first glance, the idea sounded a bit simple.
But since it came from Gilbert, Hollywood's renowned storytelling genius, it had to be special.
Jackie was intrigued. "This sounds interesting. I like it. When do we start?"
"Let's wait until you're done with Rush Hour 2, and then we'll discuss the project in detail," Gilbert replied.
Jackie left feeling satisfied. His conversation with Gilbert had given him some much-needed direction in his somewhat uncertain Hollywood career.
For Gilbert, this was just an experimental project.
They could start with a single film to test the waters and gauge the market's response before making any long-term commitments.
Gilbert was not someone who followed the rules, simply reproducing well-known films from his past life and calling it a day. He always wanted to try new things and see how the market would respond. Because of this, he had prepared a cyberpunk story that he really liked. Perhaps, in the near future, the stories of David and Rebecca, Johnny Silverhand, and V would make it to the big screen and meet audiences.
In the picturesque Hobbiton village, the crew was setting up cameras for filming.
Gilbert communicated with John Schwartzman, "John, I want a wide shot to showcase the beauty of the Shire's landscape. Start from this grassy hill and pan all the way to the farmlands over there."
John Schwartzman looked through the viewfinder to get a feel for it and nodded. "No problem, director. I'll find the best angle."
"Use drone equipment for an aerial shot," Gilbert instructed.
"Got it, I'll arrange for the drone right away."
Since the early 1990s, when Gilbert introduced drone aerial photography technology to Hollywood, it had developed rapidly. Now, drones had overcome issues of video transmission, image clarity, as well as size and weight, making them practical for use.
In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, a large number of scenes required drone filming. Compared to helicopters, drones were cheaper and could reach areas that Steadicams and other equipment couldn't, offering a unique perspective.
The Chinese staff on set were seeing a drone-mounted camera for the first time and found it fascinating.
Ning Hao got a close look at this high-tech equipment. It took off in a manner similar to a helicopter, soaring into the sky with a camera mounted on top.
This camera was the result of a collaboration between Gilbert and a camera equipment manufacturer, designed to be smaller, lighter, and more compact.
Since the film stock carried by the drone could only record three minutes of footage at a time, every shot had to be meticulously planned to ensure nothing was missed. Camera angles, routes, and adjustments had to be precise in every take.
It was said that Sony was developing a new generation of digital cameras, aiming to improve resolution to DVD quality—essentially standard definition.
However, such resolution was still insufficient for filmmaking. Only when digital cameras reached 4K resolution would they truly replace traditional film cameras.
For The Lord of the Rings, visual spectacle was a crucial part of the experience, so digital cameras couldn't be used yet. Instead, traditional film cameras were still the best choice.
Gilbert wasn't a traditionalist who believed film was inherently superior. Once digital cameras matured, he would have no hesitation in embracing the technology. After all, in his past life as a director, the film industry had almost completely transitioned to digital cameras, with film cameras nearly extinct.
The rise of new technology was inevitable—it would always replace older methods. This was the course of progress, and no individual could stop it.
Back on set, Ning Hao watched the drone being installed and launched. However, the foreign crew wouldn't let him touch it and even scolded him.
Ning Hao didn't understand their words exactly, but he guessed they meant something like: This isn't for Chinese people to play with—don't break it.
He refused to accept that. He believed that sooner or later, they would have this technology in China, and it would be even better.
Ning Hao's mindset was rare among his peers. Most of the Chinese crew members were seeing Hollywood's professional-grade advanced equipment for the first time, and the gap between them and Hollywood was overwhelming.
A deep sense of disparity arose—an almost crushing feeling of being too far behind to ever catch up.
Chinese film crews were still relying on manual labor for most filming tasks, while Hollywood crews employed advanced machinery that was fifty times more efficient.
Despite having more crew members, the Hollywood set was not chaotic. Everyone had a role, and everything was well-organized.
At that moment, someone sighed, "No wonder they're from Hollywood. The level of professionalism is beyond comparison."
This feeling was understandable.
When Gilbert was chatting with Xu Qing, she brought up this very point. "Your crew coming here has had a huge impact on Chinese filmmakers.
They used to think, Isn't making movies just about filming? We're just lacking money. If we had the budget, we could make Hollywood-level films too. But now, they see things differently."
"How so?" Gilbert asked curiously.
"Now they realize it's a technological and systemic gap that manpower alone can't bridge. Because of this, more people are considering going to Hollywood. I heard people from Hong Kong are already doing quite well there," Xu Qing said.
Gilbert nodded slightly and told her, "If this experience inspires Chinese filmmakers, that's a good thing. In the short term, the gap is real—that's just the reality. But recognizing the gap is the first step. Once you know what needs to be improved, you'll have a goal to strive for."
Xu Qing found this strange. "You sound like one of us. You don't seem to be holding anything back. Aren't you afraid of criticism when you go back?"
Gilbert shrugged, looking unconcerned. "Why would I be? I'm just facilitating cultural exchange between East and West. Even the politicians in Washington would have to send me thank-you letters."
Xu Qing gave him a doubtful look. Gilbert's openness with them was almost unbelievable—it could practically be considered giving away state secrets.
She could only sigh at the way foreigners thought. She didn't understand it.
But she had no idea that beneath Gilbert's blonde hair and blue eyes was a Chinese soul.
Gilbert wasn't someone who left his homeland and then turned against it, forgetting where he came from.
If given a choice, he would have loved to be reborn in China. But due to fate, he had ended up as one of Hollywood's top directors in this life.
So, whenever he had the opportunity, he tried to give back to the land of his past life.
Of course, this kind of help sometimes had unintended consequences—such as encouraging more people to leave.
The equipment brought to China for this shoot had already been arranged with Tian Congming. After The Lord of the Rings finished filming, China Film Group would officially purchase the equipment.
Although Chinese filmmakers saw these tools as cutting-edge, in Hollywood, they were already on the verge of becoming outdated.
With rapid technological advancements, new equipment was constantly being developed, and Hollywood's innovation had yet to hit a ceiling.
Selling these still-mainstream but soon-to-be-outdated devices to China wasn't a big deal.
In fact, American media might even praise Gilbert as a savvy businessman.
Perhaps decades later, people would look back and realize—Gilbert had been "collaborating with the enemy" all along.
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