C 12

"You seem to be under pressure?" Naomi Watts asked tentatively after clinking glasses with Luke.

After finishing his drink, Luke shrugged, avoiding the question, and instead asked, "What about you? Why didn't you develop in Australia first? Why come to the more competitive Hollywood?"

"At the end of last year, I came here for a friend's pre-wedding bachelor party," she said, grabbing two whiskey glasses from the bartender, placing one in front of Luke. "Then I decided to stay in L.A. for a bit, to see if any opportunities came up. My friend helped me out a little. This is my third film role, but it's the first one where I actually have lines."

"Maybe you've heard of her," Naomi raised her glass again, this time with a smile. "My acting school classmate—Nicole Kidman."

"Ah, Mrs. Cruise."

Luke took a sip of the whiskey, nodding slightly. He wasn't surprised. Using connections to boost one's credibility was a common tactic in Hollywood.

After finishing her drink, Naomi Watts returned to the crowd. Luke's gaze followed her thoughtfully.

"Interested?" A familiar, monotone voice came from his side. Sophia Coppola had pulled up a chair and sat down beside him.

"Then go for it."

"Love is a distraction for children," Luke retorted, turning to face her. "You think I'll lose focus over something like that?"

It had taken two lifetimes for Luke to reach this point. Until "Speed" was completed, nothing would distract him.

If there was one word to describe Luke at this moment, it was "workaholic."

After a brief break, filming resumed at full intensity. Fortunately, most of the locations were in Santa Monica and around Greater Los Angeles, so the crew avoided extensive travel.

The "Speed" production team rented an unfinished section of highway from Santa Monica to Long Beach as the primary filming location. They also secured a deal with three car rental agencies for hundreds of used cars, and even got some rare advertising sponsorship. A car manufacturer provided the crew with four buses at no cost.

While the buses weren't top-tier, it was still a cost-saving measure.

Lucasfilm also flexed its industry muscle. They had been in contact with the L.A. County Police Department early on, and the police were eager to participate in what was essentially a promotional video for the LAPD. Not only would they send a SWAT team as background, but they would also provide helicopters and other equipment for the shoot. Aside from fuel costs, there were virtually no other fees.

This saved the production significant expenses.

For the next ten days, the set was alive with crashes, noise, and excitement. The lead actors took a backseat while the stunt drivers and their vehicles became the true stars of the show.

Injuries were inevitable. Several stuntmen suffered minor injuries, and Luke himself wasn't spared. During one particularly intense shoot, a flying piece of debris grazed his brow, leaving a small cut.

Thankfully, it was just a surface wound, easily covered with a bandage. It didn't slow him down at all.

Bright sunlight bathed the highway, which was now lined with dozens of parked cars of various types. The props team worked on swapping out road signs, while the stunt team carefully adjusted the catapult angles on three cars according to Luke's specifications.

Standing by the roadside, Luke discussed the next shot with Cruz when the assistant director, Kane, rushed over.

"Duke, are you planning to put the wireless cameras on the cars again?" Kane asked directly. "Last week alone, we lost three expensive cameras in crashes and explosions!"

Without missing a beat, Luke replied, "My decision stands."

He turned his back on Kane, walking straight to the director's camera.

"Arrogant, paranoid," Kane muttered to Cruz. "This movie is going to be a disaster in his hands."

"Whether the movie succeeds or not isn't our concern," Cruz replied diplomatically. "We just need to do our jobs."

A film set is a collision of individuals with differing interests. Disagreements are inevitable. Contracts serve as the glue that holds everything together. Trying to win people over with charm alone in Hollywood is naive at best. Power and contracts are far more reliable than any attempt at persuasion.

Luke understood this all too well. Hollywood was a world filled with lies and self-interest. He was on the path to success, and he wasn't going to let trivial obstacles derail him.

"Props?" Luke called out, standing on the sliding dolly behind the director's camera. "Cameras?"

"Ready!"

"Stunts?"

"Ready!"

"All departments ready," Luke said, placing his Los Angeles Raiders cap back on his head. "Scene 133, Take 25, and... action!"

As the cameras rolled, the roar of car engines filled the air. A bus barreled down the road, swerving to avoid a collision but smashing into several moving cars in the process. One after another, cars slammed into each other before the catapult sent them flying into the air...

Car parts—doors, bumpers, shattered glass—rained down onto the road like a violent storm.

"Cut!" Luke stood up from behind the camera, pumping his fist. "That was perfect!"

As emergency personnel rushed onto the set to help extract the stunt drivers, who were thankfully unharmed due to proper safety measures, Luke allowed the crew a well-deserved break.

"Luke..." Sophia Coppola approached quickly. "You've got visitors."

Luke looked confused. "Me?"

Then, he saw two familiar faces walking toward him with tired but genuine smiles. He quickly walked over, opening his arms to greet them. "Mom, I'm so glad you're here!"

"I heard you were doing a great job," Leah said with a smile. "So I had to come see for myself."

Luke turned to the other figure. "Uncle George—well, George—I didn't expect to see you here too."

"I've seen all your footage," George Lucas said seriously. "You've exceeded my expectations."

There wasn't time for a long conversation on set. Luke led them back to his trailer, but just as they started chatting, Sophia returned with news that the stunt team needed Luke's input. He had to rush off again.

"Sophia," George Lucas called out, stopping her before she left. "Get Robin."

A few minutes later, Robin Grande entered the trailer. Clearly aware of Lucas's visit, he didn't look surprised to see him.

"Luke still doesn't know you invested $10 million in the film, does he?" Lucas asked.

"No, and I don't want him to know," Leah said, explaining, "Luke's been under a lot of pressure lately. He hides it well, but I've noticed he hasn't been sleeping much. I don't want him carrying even more weight on his shoulders, even though I know he's strong."

Turning to Robin, Lucas asked, "So, how's Luke doing?"

Robin didn't mince words. "At first, he was inexperienced, and the entire crew was a bit chaotic. If it weren't for the veteran team from Lucasfilm, the production could have gone off the rails in the first week. But Luke adapted quickly. In just over ten days, he got the crew through the toughest phase. He's clearly studied Hollywood production deeply, and he's fully stepped into the role of director. His work ethic is contagious."

He paused for a moment, then continued. "By the end of the first month, the crew was running like a well-oiled machine. Luke knows exactly what he wants, and while some people on set were skeptical at first, he's managed to win them over with his work. For someone his age, that's a rare quality."

"As for his professional skills," Robin added, "it's still early, but based on the shots we've already filmed, Luke has a real talent for capturing action scenes—crashes, explosions, that kind of thing. The most exciting moments are all there on film."

Smiling slightly, Robin concluded, "Even if Luke can't tell the perfect story, there's no doubt this film will be a visual thrill. I can already imagine how impressive it'll be on the big screen."