booktalesy Chapter 327 The Shock of Director Nolan
Chapter 327 The Shock of Director Nolan
Chapter 327 The Shock of Director Nolan
A sprawling, giant open-air film set in the suburbs of Los Angeles.
The filming of "Inception" has officially progressed to the most visually spectacular and climactic scene in the entire film—a series of explosions and dream-like folding in the streets of Paris.
To achieve the most perfect realism, Kitahara Shin rejected the special effects department's suggestion to use green screens and computer-generated Parisian street scenes. The Kitahara Foundation directly used its checkbook to meticulously replicate half of a Haussmannian street in the 7th arrondissement of Paris on this open space. From the corner café to the intricately carved European-style balconies, and the realistically paved cobblestone streets, every detail withstood the close-up scrutiny of an IMAX high-definition camera.
Today, Kitahara Shin is going to use the most hardcore physical methods to blow up this half of the street, which cost millions of dollars to build.
At the edge of the film set, several black SUVs painted with the logos of top insurance companies were parked quietly. Several insurance assessors in suits stood fifty meters away from the security line behind the monitors, holding thick assessment reports in their hands, cold sweat constantly seeping from their foreheads.
"Director Kitahara, according to the safety protocol, this area has been equipped with over two hundred high-pressure nitrogen cannons and miniature directional blasting points." The on-site blasting supervisor, holding a walkie-talkie, gave Kitahara Shin a final confirmation in an extremely serious tone. "To simulate the effect of fragments slowly suspending when a dream collapses, we will use balsa wood, high-density foam, and condensed glass as explosive fragments. However, no matter how light the materials are, they still pose a certain degree of danger under the instantaneous thrust of the air cannons. The actors must strictly follow the blocking lines, with an error margin not exceeding ten centimeters."
The insurance agents were on edge. In this scene, Leonardo DiCaprio and another actress had to sit at a coffee table at the epicenter of the explosion. If the timing of the explosion or the actors' movements were off, Hollywood's highest-paid actor could face disfigurement, resulting in a multi-million dollar claim!
However, standing in the center of multiple monitors, Kitahara Shin displayed an absolutely chilling calmness.
"Camera crew, six high-speed cameras, frame rate confirmed. I need 1200 frames per second in extreme slow motion capture." Kitahara Shin's voice carried smoothly through the loudspeaker to every corner of the set. "Special effects crew, air cannon delayed detonation time checked. Actors in position."
Under this meticulously planned and coordinated system, which resembled a military exercise, the entire production crew seemed to transform into a precise machine.
Kitahara Shin's control over the set has surpassed the scope of traditional directors. He not only takes into account the artistic beauty of the visuals, but also has a thorough understanding of the mechanics of explosions and the trajectory of the camera. This dominance, built on solid professional expertise, gave all the staff, including the anxious insurance agents, an indescribable sense of security.
Action.
""
Kitahara Shin transmitted brief instructions through the walkie-talkie in his hand.
The next second, a visual frenzy, created purely by the laws of physics, shattered the tranquility of the film set!
The massive high-pressure nitrogen cannon was precisely fired at the designated time. Fruit stands, coffee shop windows, and street newsstands shattered in an instant! In the lens of the high-speed camera, the flying fragments, papers, and glass shards seemed to defy gravity, suspending and spreading in the air with a slow, yet poetic beauty.
Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Cobb, sits quietly in the center of the explosion, watching the world around him crumble, his eyes revealing a deep sense of powerlessness and sorrow.
"Cut! Perfect."
When the expensive long take of the explosion was completed in one take, the entire audience erupted in thunderous applause.
But this is just the beginning.
In the following scenes, Kitahara Shin removed the director's walkie-talkie from his body, took off the black trench coat used for dust protection, and put on a well-tailored, expensive dark blue haute couture suit.
He will personally take the stage, playing the role of Saito, the Japanese energy tycoon who employs the Dream Team in the film.
When Kitahara Nobu walked up to the camera and sat opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, a subtle shift occurred in the atmosphere on set.
In this day and age, it's not uncommon for directors to make cameo appearances in films, but most are just brief cameos for fun. Kitahara Shin, however, is different. His character, Saito, is a top capitalist who possesses astonishing wealth and maintains absolute rationality even in dangerous dream scenarios.
To prepare for the role, Leonardo DiCaprio spent two hours in the dressing room, using special shading makeup to give his originally youthful and handsome face a more weathered and mature look, in order to fit the character of Cobb, who is battle-hardened and exhausted.
Leonardo had seen Kitahara Shin's early award-winning films in Japan and knew that the director was not only a good director but also a truly formidable actor. However, he still retained the pride of a top Hollywood star. He felt that Kitahara Shin had been working tirelessly on miscellaneous tasks for the past six months, his energy completely drained. In this all-English scene, he, as a pure actor, was absolutely confident in controlling the rhythm of the scene.
However, the moment the assistant director yelled "Action!"...
Leonardo immediately realized how terribly wrong he had been.
Kitahara Shin didn't need to "act" at all. He just sat there quietly, his deep eyes slightly raised, and a suffocating sense of pressure, belonging to a true helmsman of a trillion-dollar conglomerate, came over him as if it were a real thing.
"You want to go back to America to see your child." Saito, played by Shin Kitahara, holds a glass of red wine in his hand, his tone calm, yet exuding a sense of complete control.
At that moment, Leonardo actually felt a real sense of dread.
He stared at Kitahara Shin, his mind racing with images of the man buying up theaters in Hollywood and waving hundreds of millions of dollars in checks to build real-life film sets. This wasn't acting; this was a real multi-billionaire using his innate power to look down on a desperate fugitive!
This aura is something no acting technique can replicate. It's the genuine pressure accumulated over years of holding a high position and wielding the power of life and death over countless lives!
Leonardo DiCaprio's superb acting skills were completely overshadowed by the raw realism of Shin Kitahara. However, his competitive spirit as a top actor was also fully ignited. He gritted his teeth and withstood the pressure, perfectly portraying Cobb's obsession with returning home at all costs.
The scenes between the two actors, though lacking intense physical conflict, were brimming with undercurrents of tension, making the assistant director behind the monitor hold his breath.
But what truly sent chills down Leonardo DiCaprio's spine when the scene ended was the appearance of another character.
Eva Green plays Mel.
In this grand script, Mel is the most dangerous demon in Cobb's subconscious, the biggest obstacle to the mission's success. If this character isn't well-developed, the psychological thrill of the entire film will be greatly diminished. Shin Kitahara was well aware of this, and to prevent Eva Green from holding back against Hollywood's top-tier co-stars, he didn't hesitate to give her the effect of the "Dark Rose" purple outfit before filming began.
When Eva Green changed into a burgundy vintage dress and walked onto the set in high heels.
The temperature on the entire set seemed to drop to freezing point in an instant.
The purple [Rose of the Night] outfit was operating silently in the dark. Its unfathomable attribute enhancement elevated Eva Green's obsessive, insane, chilling yet captivating dark aura to a terrifying dimension beyond ordinary comprehension!
She stood silently amidst the ruins of a Parisian street scene, a gentle breeze ruffling her disheveled black hair. Her emerald eyes were fixed on Leonardo, a gaze filled with a morbid love and an abyssal desire to drag him down with her.
"You promised me we would grow old together." Eva parted her red lips slightly, her voice as soft as a whisper in a lover's ear, but the coldness emanating from it pierced to the bone.
During the scene, Leonardo DiCaprio felt an urge to escape from those eyes!
He was completely overwhelmed! The fatal attraction of the Gothic Rose, combined with the terrifying atmosphere created by the purple outfit, made Eva Green in this scene like a real nightmare queen, forcing Leonardo DiCaprio's broken feeling of being tormented by guilt into a corner with no way out.
"That's amazing!" The director of photography stood behind the camera, looking at the scene in the viewfinder, and couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice.
At this moment, Kitahara Shin had completely unleashed the invisible magnetic field of the "director's domain." Within this field, the entire crew was cut off from all extraneous thoughts, and everyone was unconsciously drawn into a repressed yet extremely pure creative flow.
However, Kitahara Shin didn't remain a dictator. After each complex scene was filmed, he would open up discussions, welcoming suggestions from the cinematographer, lighting technician, and even the actors for better visual ideas. His current goal wasn't just to recreate the great work from his predecessor; he had more funding and more advanced physical shooting conditions. He wanted to push the limits, to polish this film to be even more perfect and flawless than the original!
Just as the film set was in a frenzy of shooting, a special visitor arrived on the outskirts of the crew.
He was a young British man wearing a casual suit, with blond hair and exceptionally sharp eyes.
Christopher Nolan.
At that point in 1999, Nolan was just a rising director making his mark in a small circle with his independent thriller, *Following*. But he was a true structuralist genius. In fact, the concepts of "dream infiltration" and "multi-layered subconsciousness" had been swirling in his mind for a long time, but he lacked the funding and technology to realize them.
When Nolan heard from Hollywood industry rumors that Shin Kitahara had actually come up with such a script and was using a budget of up to $160 million and his most favored physical filming method to construct the dream world, he felt a deep sense of amazement and shock.
Through his extensive network of contacts, he managed to get a chance to visit the set of "Inception".
When Nolan saw with his own eyes the half of a Paris street shattered by air cannons, and the "Paris folding" special effects shots on the monitors that relied entirely on optical refraction and a huge array of mirrors, the future master of cinema was completely stunned.
There was no overuse of CGI; it was all hard-hitting filming based on physical laws and optical principles! This almost obsessive pursuit of film engineering perfectly struck Nolan's artistic soul.
After the day's filming concluded, Kitahara Shin met with the young British director in his private dressing room.
The two sat on the sofa with a simple cup of coffee in front of them.
Looking at this legendary director who would later make films like "The Dark Knight" and "Interstellar," and even sweep the Oscars with a historical biographical film like "Oppenheimer" which had a strong documentary feel, Kitahara Shin felt a deep respect for true genius.
He knew that Nolan was a treasure trove that could never be fully explored.
The two discussed everything from the non-linear narrative structure of film to the technological improvements of IMAX film cameras, and then to how to maintain philosophical depth in commercial blockbusters. Kitahara Shin didn't put on airs as a chaebol boss, but humbly sought Nolan's advice on many issues regarding editing rhythm and the layered structure of the script.
Nolan was also deeply impressed by Kitahara Shin's advanced cinematic perspective that was ahead of its time.
He discovered that the film theories and industrial concepts in the mind of this Asian man were at least twenty years ahead of those old-school Hollywood producers!
"Mr. Kitahara, it is the most honorable experience of my life to witness you bring this dream concept to life in such a stunning way." Nolan put down his coffee cup, his tone filled with deep admiration. "Your vision and execution are enough to change the trajectory of the entire history of film."
"Christopher, the future of film needs more geniuses like you who insist on practical effects and know how to use structure to tell a story." Kitahara Shin looked at him, offering a deal that could change his life: "I know you're working on a script about short-term memory loss (which later became *Memento*). If you're willing, the Kitahara Foundation's North American branch can provide you with full funding and distribution channels at any time. Not just this one, but all your future film ideas—if you need them, Kitahara Productions' funding and special effects team will always be open to you."
Hearing this blank check offered without hesitation, Nolan felt a surge of joy. For an independent director on the rise, what incredible luck it is to find a mentor who understands art, has unlimited funding, and is willing to delegate authority!
"Deal, Mr. Kitahara. I look forward to a long-term partnership with you." The two shook hands in the lounge, officially forging this powerful alliance that transcends eras.
After seeing Nolan off, Kitahara Shin refocused his energy on the massive project of the film crew.
The location shooting of "Inception" was not just a waste of money, but also an accumulation of extremely valuable heavy industrial assets for the Kitahara Group.
The 30-meter revolving walkway in Burbank, Los Angeles, the massive fortress framework on the snow-capped mountain, and even the ruins of the Parisian streets where we are currently located—these real-life sets, built at a cost of tens of millions of dollars, would have been ruthlessly demolished once filming was completed in the past for Hollywood productions.
But Kitahara Shin would never tolerate such waste.
He walked to a high point on the film set, looking down at the vast dream city below, and had already sketched out a long-term and grand business blueprint in his mind.
Just like when he filmed "Resident Evil: Origins" in Japan, he preserved that Western-style mansion. These real-world movie locations are all top-tier intellectual property assets with long-term monetization potential!
"Call the project evaluation team over," Kitahara Shin ordered Sasaki beside him.
Soon, several asset valuation experts and architectural engineers from Wall Street arrived at the film set.
"I want you to conduct a second evaluation and reinforcement design for all the current set constructions for the film crew." Kitahara Shin pointed to the huge revolving corridor and the streets of Paris. "After the film is completed, all of these things will be preserved. I want to build a movie theme park belonging to Kitahara Productions on this land, or on a suitable plot of land around Hollywood."
The experts looked at each other, then their eyes lit up with surprise.
"Is it modeled after Universal Studios?" one assessment expert quickly realized. "This is a massive cultural tourism real estate project!"
“That’s right.” Kitahara Shin nodded. “We not only want to make money from movie box office revenue, but also to fully exploit the value of these movie IPs. The haunted house experience from Resident Evil, the immersive psychological escape room from Shutter Island, the zero-gravity corridor and folding city sightseeing from Inception. These will not only provide a steady stream of ticket revenue, but also be an excellent platform for us to promote IP-related products in North America.”
Kitahara Shin knew that in the future, Disney's ability to become an invincible entertainment empire would not only rely on box office revenue, but also on the terrifyingly long-tail revenue generated by its offline theme parks and merchandise.
Although he is not yet 100% proficient in the specific operational details of theme parks, he knows how to integrate resources.
"Recruit the top amusement park designers, landscape planners, and cultural tourism operation teams across the United States. Lavishly recruit them," Kitahara Shin's instructions were swift and decisive. "Provide preliminary design proposals and budget reports; I will personally conduct the final selection. From the very first day the film project is launched, the subsequent theme park blueprints must be completed simultaneously."
The roar of machinery echoed across the Los Angeles wilderness.
Standing atop the highest point of the ruins, Kitahara Shin surveyed the dream city he had personally built. From the light and shadow on film reels to the tangible amusement park, and the unfathomable depths of capital operations, a commercial behemoth capable of devouring the global entertainment industry for the next twenty years was slowly opening its eyes on this land, following his gaze.