Chapter 218 - Talents Soaring to the Sky

No matter how you put it, Laila's reputation in the fashion industry has resounded loudly. Wherever she goes, she's like a golden halo-wearing doll, making countless businesses, advertisers, and models wish they could snatch her up and take her home.

This situation quickly became known to the general public. They discovered that besides being a Hollywood director, Laila had another amazing talent.

The question arose: Is it too much of a genius for her to have firmly established herself in two careers within the film industry before even turning twenty?

However, soon enough, someone stepped forward and said, "Do you think those are just two careers? That's being too naive and underestimating Laila Moran too much!"

"Exactly, while she has indeed shown outstanding talent in directing and photography, there's at least one more aspect that she has never hidden, yet few have noticed."

What is it?

Apart from those two already astounding professions, what else is there that the public hasn't noticed?

This statement was made in a post on a major forum, but the person disappeared after uttering those words. No matter how others pursued, there were no more responses. This fueled the curiosity of countless people, and eventually, even the media joined in, eager to dig up everything about Laila before resting.

Then, the next day, the headline of the front page of "Entertainer" unveiled the answer. The title was straightforward: Laila Moran's Fourth Sky-reaching Professional Talent: Screenwriting!

"It's widely known that at the age of eighteen, Director Moran wrote and directed her first film, which, at a cost of less than $100,000, grossed three hundred million dollars at the box office, becoming the most profitable film in history!"

"Following that, 'SAW' and 'Final Destination,' both low-budget R-rated horror films, each earned seven hundred million dollars worldwide, breaking records for horror films."

"Many people only see her directing ability but overlook a crucial fact: all these movies were scripted by her!"

"Starting with 'The Blair Witch,' one could already see Laila's exceptional talent in scriptwriting. For a screenplay, creativity is paramount, and how to fill in the gaps after setting the framework is equally important. Without creativity, a film loses its soul, and its allure. And if there's only creativity without plot, it'll bore the audience."

"Looking at the movies she's made, Director Moran's films are flawless in both cinematography and plot. It's also clear that with every film, she's rapidly advancing. Unparalleled creativity, endless suspense, and an intricately woven plot make it all breathtaking."

"Perhaps her directing ability is so outstanding that people forget about her screenwriting talent?"

As this report emerged, the world was in an uproar.

Indeed! Isn't it? All the movies she's directed are written by her too!

Just as the newspaper had stated, people only noticed her as a film director, forgetting that she was also the one who wrote the scripts. To be able to write such impressive scripts and direct such fantastic movies, she's truly remarkable!

However, people still got it wrong. Everyone thought this was a revelation, but it turned out to be a continuation of the story. The next day's "Entertainer" again used its front page to publish a new revelation: Laila Moran's Fifth Sky-reaching Professional Talent: Editing!

The report was concise and clear, directly pointing out that Laila personally edited several of her works. It even leaked that for the upcoming "Rush Hour" movie set to be released in September, though the script was provided by the studio, most of the revisions were made according to her suggestions. Furthermore, the person who edited the film after shooting was also Laila.

In a movie, what the audience cares about most is undoubtedly the various actors on the big screen. Then comes the director, followed by the scriptwriter. What comes afterward probably won't garner much attention, no matter how well done it is.

Firstly, these people are behind the scenes, like lighting, editing, props, cinematography, etc. Even if they excel at what they do, it's likely only those in the same field who would care. The audience rarely says things like "The props in this scene are well done" or "The lighting in this shot is fantastic."

As the saying goes, an expert sees the art, a layman sees the spectacle. Those behind the scenes hardly get noticed; it's not the fault of the audience for overlooking their contributions.

Most people can name quite a few movie stars, maybe even some well-known directors, but when it comes to scriptwriters... It's a bit more challenging. Only those with exceptionally remarkable works might have a chance to be remembered.

As for editors, lighting technicians, and other behind-the-scenes workers... who can name a single one?

For instance, what about the Asian cinematographer who was nominated for the Oscars ten times, won twice, shot over 130 films in his lifetime, and was ranked among the ten most influential cinematographers in film history? Can anyone recall his name?

Right, these behind-the-scenes workers don't get much recognition. While their names might appear in the credits and they might make appearances at award ceremonies like the Oscars, it's tough to capture the audience's attention.

So when "Entertainer" exposed Laila's role as an editor, everyone was shocked. People might not pay much attention to who the editor is, but they do understand the vital role a good editor plays in a film.

So, what's going on now? She's not only writing, directing, and editing, is she? And she's not even twenty years old yet! With this age and this level of skill, is she defying the natural order?

However, some in the forum weren't surprised by this outcome: Remember Laila's nickname? Witch! She has magic, so isn't it natural for her to write, direct, and edit her films? Who knows, maybe she'll cross into another field one day and achieve even greater accomplishments than many others. It's not something to be amazed about.

Interestingly, this sentiment wasn't expressed by just one person. It seems that this is the result of becoming accustomed to seeing extraordinary things from her. When someone consistently performs amazing feats, the next time they do it, people will simply think, "Ah, she did it again."

Laila, however, brushed it off with a smile. Regarding the whirlwind stirred up by her newspaper, she took a glance and then set it aside. The truth is, she's not the only one doing these things—many struggling directors have done the same. It's just that they haven't achieved results impressive enough to capture public attention and make their work visible.

Her age also plays a role. Who would have thought that in this life, she's just nineteen? Outsiders don't know that she had thirty years of life experience in her past life, along with a decade of filmmaking. Based on her achievements in this life alone, she truly deserves the title of genius.

*** By the way, if you're curious about the Asian cinematographer I mentioned earlier, you can look up the name "Christopher Doyle." Yes, he's that amazing, yet very few know of him. That's what being a behind-the-scenes worker is like.