Daily life

"Train to New York" was still in production, neither too fast nor too slow.

As for "Saw II", the release date hadn't arrived yet. They had to wait patiently.

After joining the "Train to New York" crew, James felt rather cheerful. Perhaps this genre had sparked his creative desire. He worked daily with Zack to refine the expression of the novel zombie concept. It was not one-dimensional, but rather precise, even transcending the typical conventions of other zombie movies.

That's what they aimed for.

As for Gordo, he had completed the filming of "Hellboy" himself and had now entered the post-production editing phase.

To be honest, Gordo was quite satisfied with Lyman, a filmmaker who didn't like to meddle in the creative process and gave directors ample space for shooting. That way, he could edit his various imaginative scenes into his films, and he was quite happy about it.

The monster images he created always differed from those of other directors. Perhaps it was because he always liked to infuse monsters with some humanity and profound philosophical thinking, making them less one-dimensional.

Everyone had their own tasks. After a few days of idleness, Lyman received his assignment.

In the screening room of Warner Bros.' headquarters, Barry Meyer and a group of executives were watching the edited final version of "Million-Dollar Baby".

After watching it, they all felt that the quality was excellent, with great potential.

So, the next step was distribution.

Warner Bros. intended to follow the same plan as before and premiere the film at Cannes to build up word-of-mouth.

For a plot-driven movie like "Million-Dollar Baby", aiming for awards, nominations, and then a public release, leveraging positive buzz, was the most reliable and profitable strategy.

Moreover, Warner Bros. was very familiar with this year's Cannes jury.

The chairman of the jury was Quentin Tarantino, personally invited by Warner Bros.

Speaking of which, every year, Cannes would change its jury, but regardless of the changes, the majority of its members always came from the United States and France.

It was unclear whether this was a unique power distribution and compromise. After all, of the three major international film festivals, Cannes had the most significant influence from Hollywood.

It had gradually established its own reputation, even subtly overshadowing Berlin and Venice, whether in terms of market transactions, platform capacity, or whose name carried more weight. Nowadays, all things considered, Cannes was held in the highest regard.

However, it seemed like Hollywood was gradually turning Cannes into another glamorous red carpet event.

As for who influenced whom, there was no need to dwell on it.

For Lyman, he was certainly more concerned about his own matters than others', and thinking too much about it wouldn't help.

After some small talk, Barry Meyer smiled and said, "After participating in Cannes, we'll aim for the Oscars at the end of the year. All this PR work, contacting film critics, we at Warner Bros. will handle it all."

Kid, I've been supporting you so vigorously, aren't you grateful?

Barry Meyer had considered many aspects. After all, this film's success relied on winning awards and generating positive word-of-mouth. Warner Bros. had always had a good network in this area. If they could successfully manage it, they would not only gain solid market results but also showcase Warner Bros.' influence. It would be an excellent way to win over Lyman, a win-win situation. That's why he chose this project and decided to collaborate with Lyman, testing the waters.

For one, the investment wasn't too high, so even if he had misjudged it, the losses wouldn't be substantial. Secondly, by telling a story like this, he could gauge the director's abilities and what kind of person he truly was during the collaboration process.

So, in the world of filmmaking, between directors and distribution companies, it was all about strategy, calculation, and a clear understanding of gains and losses.

Of course, Lyman was quite perceptive. Although he didn't know what Barry Meyer had in mind, Warner Bros.' intentions to win him over were clear as day.

"Mr. Meyer..."

"No need to be so formal. You're a capable director, and Warner Bros. likes to collaborate with talented individuals. After this film is over, do you think there might be another opportunity for us to work together?"

"There should be a chance." Lyman replied with a smile.

Soon, the pleasantries ended, and the screening session was adjourned.

Lyman bid farewell to everyone and headed towards the elevator.

He pressed the button for the floor, and the elevator doors were about to close when two men entered.

One was dressed in a suit and carried a briefcase, while the other had a very casual attire but wore sunglasses.

The elevator began its descent.

The man wearing sunglasses suddenly removed them and exclaimed, "Director Lattes?"

"You are? Oh, Jim Carrey?"

Although they weren't very familiar with each other, they exchanged greetings, and for a moment, they didn't know how to continue the conversation. The atmosphere became a bit awkward.

Finally, Lyman broke the silence, asking, "What brings you here?"

"I'm here for an audition."

"Ha-ha, how did it go?"

"I didn't make the cut."

Well, how do you respond to that?

Lyman noticed that Jim in person was completely different from the image he portrayed on screen. He was not talkative, not very cheerful, and even somewhat quiet.

For an unfamiliar actor, the only way to know them was through their work.

However, the truth was, while films were said to present real art, they weren't necessarily real.

The elevator continued its descent, and in the narrow space, the three of them looked at each other. It seemed like they were all contemplating what to say to break the ice.

The man beside Jim, who might have been his agent or assistant, kept looking at him, as if urging him to speak.

"Ding."

The elevator arrived at the first floor, and the doors opened.

Lyman was about to step out when the other man, whose identity was unclear, finally spoke, "Mr. Lattes, do you have some free time right now?"

Lyman had heard this kind of invitation many times.

Ever since he gained recognition for his box office success and hadn't experienced a single failure, many people in the industry liked to gather around him.

Some wanted to discuss collaboration directly, while others aimed to build connections, hoping for future cooperation.

Lyman had a faint idea of what these two were seeking.

But he turned and looked at Jim.

After a moment of consideration, he nodded and said, "Just call me Lyman, I have some time."

As they walked, Lyman learned that the person accompanying Jim was his agent from UTA, named Sanger.

As for why the two of them had come to Warner Bros. headquarters today, it was indeed to discuss a project.

However, it fell through in the end.

As for what the project was and why it didn't work out, he didn't go into details, and Lyman didn't want to ask.

Instead, he was more interested in Jim himself.

How did such a seemingly reserved actor create those exaggerated comedic effects on the screen?

It was quite intriguing.

Could it be that every comedian concealed a different personality, one with the ability to make audiences laugh uncontrollably?