[Chapter 391: Harvey's Temptation, What if He Lose?]
"Link, take a look at Edward Norton -- so depressed, he's probably about to lose his mind because of you," Renee Zellweger said, watching Edward walk away with a smirk.
"That's good. Every time an actor gets into character, it's a test of their skills. The more times they get into character, the more they improve," the director explained. Using language to immerse actors into their roles was a common technique. Link liked to use this method in his films, working with actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Edward Norton. Although they might feel uncomfortable afterwards, they gained a lot.
"Yes, my acting improved gradually through working with you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. That proves your method is effective," Renee Zellweger said affectionately, leaning against him, her hand caressing his strong back.
...
"Link, Harvey Weinstein is calling. Do you want to take the call now?" Lewinsky brought over the phone.
Link took the call and asked Harvey what was up.
Not long ago, in a scoop for Star Weekly magazine, Harvey had also participated in the Seven Major Studios CEO meeting, discussing how to deal with him and Guess Pictures. So, Harvey was also a suspect.
But Link knew Harvey was a bad seed and never considered him an ally. Even if he was involved, he wouldn't be surprised.
"Ha ha, Link, how's the new movie coming along?" Harvey asked with a smile.
"Pretty good. Things are going smoothly," Link said, taking a sip from the water bottle Renee handed him.
"Link, you're really impressive. Last week, something big happened, and most people would've panicked, but you kept filming calmly. That's truly admirable," Harvey flattered over the phone.
"It's nothing. I'm a horror film director, so I have a bigger heart," Link replied.
Hearing that, Renee Zellweger and Lewinsky couldn't help but laugh.
Harvey also laughed heartily and complimented his humor.
Since the crew was busy, Link wanted to end the call, but Harvey was in high spirits and kept talking, shifting the conversation from the shooting incident to the summer release schedule, then to potential collaboration between the two companies on a new project.
By May, Fight Club had wrapped filming. Harvey mentioned a new collaboration and asked when Link was available to discuss the script; both companies planned to co-invest in a new film project.
Link agreed.
...
After hanging up, Link resumed filming.
Under his guidance, Edward Norton performed better but still didn't meet his standards. Link instructed the crew to ignore him until further notice.
On one hand, this created an isolated environment for Norton, making it easier for him to immerse himself in the role; on the other, it put psychological pressure on him.
Although this method was a bit harsh, finishing the film sooner could save over a hundred thousand dollars a day, so the cost was worth it.
After a day of shooting, Link arranged the crew's work and took Renee Zellweger, Emmanuelle Beart, and Jodie Foster back to the Manhattan mansion to rest.
---
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Harvey held a phone and looked moodily at the screen.
He called Link to test his attitude after the 'shooting' incident -- whether he suspected Harvey was the perpetrator.
Link had remained calm on the call, not showing any suspicion and not rejecting a partnership with Miramax.
Harvey found this hard to read.
He wasn't sure if Link was genuinely unfazed or just pretending to be indifferent while secretly planning something.
If it was the former, they could still cooperate as before.
If it was the latter, Harvey feared Link would sabotage the movie project by deliberately making a loss for Miramax.
Given Miramax's current financial state, losing more projects could threaten their operations and even lead to an early firing by Disney, their parent company.
Harvey cursed under his breath, furious at Link. If Link weren't so talented and since Guess Pictures had taken too many box office hits, he wouldn't be forced to play the villain. This was all Link's fault -- people like him deserved to be shot.
...
Ring~ring~ring!
Before hanging up, his phone rang again.
Vice President Scott Greenstein called to inform him that Guess Pictures' distribution department had completed the post-production of Fight Club and was planning a private screening soon. He asked if Harvey wanted to attend.
Harvey said he would go in person.
---
By Friday, Fight Club was screened in a Guess Pictures theater.
Since Link and the lead actor, Edward Norton, were busy filming, they couldn't attend. The main attendees were the crew's key personnel and producers from both companies, including Daniel DeVito, Mark Amin, the Weinstein brothers, director David Fincher, star Brad Pitt, and supporting actress Angelina Jolie.
...
Fight Club was adapted from Chuck Palahniuk's novel of the same name.
The film followed Jack, a sleep-deprived corporate worker lost in consumerist monotony. During a business trip, he met charismatic soap salesman Tyler. They founded an underground 'fight club' as a way to vent suppressed anger.
Soon, the club expanded nationwide into an anti-social movement, and Tyler started losing control.
The climax revealed that Tyler was actually Jack's split personality, and all their destructive acts were subconscious protests against society. Jack ultimately 'killed' Tyler to redeem himself.
It was a deeply provocative cult movie.
...
Bang! The audience erupted into applause and cheers after the screening.
Harvey was very pleased with the film and discussed its distribution with Mark Amin and Jon Gordon, proposing that both companies jointly promote it.
Mark Amin didn't object, believing that joint promotion could pool more resources and maybe boost box office results.
...
After the Weinsteins left Guess Pictures, Bob asked Harvey confusedly, "Why are we involved in Fight Club promotion? It costs a lot of money, and we could use that to invest in more films and make a bigger profit."
Harvey, smoking, looked out onto the bustling streets outside, "Did you see that article in Star Weekly? Some accused us of colluding with the Seven Major Studios and conspiring against Link."
"Isn't that just a rumor? The puppet master behind the shooting is just some blowhard. What's that got to do with distributing Fight Club?" Bob asked.
"It's a lot. Compared to the police claiming that Diddy is the killer, Link might actually believe what's in Star Weekly. That means he might suspect me too. If he views me as an enemy, we'll have to be extra cautious and prepared when working with Guess Pictures, to prevent being betrayed.
On the other hand, Fight Club would apparently be doing well at the box office. If we promote it with Guess Pictures, we can prevent them from falsifying box office numbers," Harvey added slowly.
Bob nodded quietly, not arguing. He was worried, "Guess Pictures always spends a lot on promotions. If we get involved, it'll probably cost a lot too. If Fight Club performs well, that's great; but if it flops, we'll risk losing even more."
"It won't happen!" Harvey interrupted sharply, "Fight Club was chosen by Link. He has good instincts, and his projects rarely fail. Plus, we just watched it, and it's very good. The chance of losses is minimal, so you don't need to worry about losing money."
Bob considered the plot of Fight Club and nodded, trusting Harvey's judgment. He agreed that the film wouldn't lose money and that co-promoting with Guess Pictures could earn more.
*****
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