Chapter 764 - Conversation Between Two Directors

Laila nodded with a smile, "That's about right. It's not that nobody watches art films, it's just that there are not many people who enjoy watching them. Moreover, those who like to watch such films prefer to savor the inner charm of the movie in the quiet of their homes. So, it's not surprising that the box office isn't high."

"But commercial films are different. People choose them because they find them exhilarating, stimulating adrenaline secretion, and experiencing the thrill of excitement. In theaters, top-notch equipment enhances these feelings, which can't be experienced at home. Why would audiences have any reason not to step into the cinema?" Laila continued.

Nolan nodded thoughtfully, "So, special effects are crucial?"

"They are important, but not the only crucial aspect," Laila stretched her body and adjusted to a more comfortable sitting position. "The most important thing is for the film to be of good quality. Director Nolan, I think you've done an excellent job in this regard. But forgive me for being blunt, I believe you lack some confidence. If you don't trust your own film, how can you expect others to?"

Nolan lowered his head, pondering her words, "You're right. Maybe I really have lost confidence."

And much of his confidence was shattered by her. His work, which he was satisfied with, was torn apart by her criticisms. Even for someone with a more confident personality, it would be hard not to start questioning life.

"Director Moran, do you think there's anything I need to improve in my movie?" he asked eagerly, echoing his earlier sentiment that if this movie were handed over to her, it would surely be better. So, if it were indeed handed to her, how would she approach it?

Laila rubbed her chin, feeling that he raised a good question. In her past life, when she studied those successful Hollywood blockbusters, she thoroughly analyzed the three Batman movies. She was interested in why there was such a big difference in box office revenue between the first and the latter two. What was it about the first one that the audience didn't like?

After her research, analysis, and online surveys, she did find some points.

"In terms of casting, I think Director Nolan did a great job. Christian is an outstanding actor; he portrayed Batman's psychological journey very insightfully, allowing me to feel his gradual transformation. But I have to say, while I enjoy such subtle transitions, it doesn't mean the audience does."

"Psychological aspects?" Nolan subconsciously sat up straight.

"Yes," Laila nodded, "You had Bruce Wayne publicly undergo a psychological journey from a traumatized child to a hero fighting against darkness, which was brilliant and excellently portrayed, allowing viewers to fully appreciate that segment of psychological development through these delicate descriptions."

"But unfortunately, the people watching your movie are not psychologists or people who easily resonate with such plots. They are a group of young people who prefer comics and commercial summer blockbusters. How many of them, do you think, would be willing to sit through the first half of the movie's psychological journey?" 

"So, you're saying I misjudged the pacing?" Nolan asked thoughtfully.

"You could say that. In Hollywood, movies are our products. Figuring out how to make the product more appealing to buyers is what we need to do most. Maybe you have something you want to shoot, but how to make the audience understand your intentions and accept them is something you need to think about carefully."

Laila was using herself as an example. She also had movies she wanted to shoot, but she was very rational and knew that overnight success was impossible. In her past life, she didn't have the money or the connections and could only struggle in the television circle. Even if she was given a mediocre subject matter, she would accept it.

In this life, she had gained many advantageous conditions, but because of this, she couldn't directly shoot the movies she wanted. Because she didn't want to lose, and she couldn't afford to lose. So, she chose to continuously refine her shooting skills, constantly acquiring more experiences that she couldn't learn from her past life. When she thought everything was ripe, that's when she would bring out the script she wanted to shoot.

Nolan closed his eyes, contemplating his true intentions.

He felt that he seemed to have understood something from her words.

"I didn't originally plan to take on Batman because I thought this genre would easily bring in high box office revenues. But I needed money to shoot what I wanted, so I took it on. Looking back now, I was too naive."

Laila couldn't help but want to tease him a bit when she saw him sighing seriously. He directed the Batman series, which would be known as the highest-grossing Batman, so how could that not be considered a success?

Well, even though the latter two parts hadn't been filmed yet, historical trends were like that. In layman's terms, he was lingering at a bottleneck. Once he comprehended the laws of heaven and earth and opened up the Ren and Du, he would charge forward like a man or a Buddha, unstoppable.

"Director Moran, if the movie you wanted to shoot wasn't the type the audience would like, how would you shoot it?" he posed another deeply profound question.

Just as there were many authors skilled in writing certain types of novels because they were relatively easier to sell and could sustain their livelihoods with royalties. However, they often harbored a desire to write something they truly wanted. Some would inevitably try to write what they wanted, and the results varied—some failed, some were average, and some successfully transitioned.

If one didn't even dare to try, how would they know what the result would be?

To Nolan's question, Laila could tell him very clearly, "There are no unpopular types of movies; it's just that if the audience doesn't like them, it's because they weren't shot well. Just like when I shot 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' how many people kept clamoring that pirate movies were dead and whoever made them would be doomed before I started shooting? But what happened later? The result was that I won, and the audience loved it!"

Nolan's eyes lit up, "Actually, there's a genre I really want to shoot, and that's magic! But this genre has never been very popular with the masses, and it's hard to find investment with a script in hand."

Laila knew which one he was referring to; it should be the film "The Prestige" he shot between "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight." She had heard that this movie was completely fulfilling his own wish, and she didn't expect it to be true.