Finally Settled

"I heard your film hit a wall at the review committee meeting. In my opinion, your action scenes just aren't exciting enough. Lin Yuan can help you with that," Director Cohen said bluntly.

"I saw the promotional film Lin Yuan made for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. His swordsmanship was excellent. But I don't think it would fit in my film, would it?" Director Johnston voiced his doubts.

"You may not know this, but Lin Yuan is also capable of performing difficult action scenes like Jackie Chan. A thrilling escape through jungles and ruins while being chased by dinosaurs would definitely be spectacular," Director Cohen recommended enthusiastically.

"You make a good point. That really could be a huge help to my film. Can I hire Lin Yuan as my action director?"

Hearing Director Johnston's response, Lin Yuan keenly sensed that his worries had been confirmed.

He did not want to give himself an opportunity either.

"Are you kidding? Does Lin Yuan need the pay from a little action-directing job? I want you to give him an important role, not some behind-the-scenes position," Director Cohen said with a dark expression.

"I admire Lin Yuan too, but I really can't use him."

"Are you a racist too? Do you also think Chinese people don't deserve to be leading actors in Hollywood?" Director Cohen was furious.

"Damn it! I don't care about that at all, but audiences won't buy it if a Chinese actor is the lead. My film is already in enough trouble. Wouldn't doing that just be asking for death?" Director Johnston looked troubled, but still refused.

"You..."

Director Cohen wanted to argue his case, but he could not get the rest of his words out.

Director Johnston's concerns were not without reason. Jurassic Park 3 was already widely expected to fail. If they switched to a Chinese lead now, it would probably be completely doomed.

As a director, he had responsibilities upward to the company and investors, and downward to the entire crew. He could not let his film take such a huge risk.

"Ah..." Director Cohen let out a long sigh and prepared to give up trying to persuade him.

"Lin, it seems we're out of luck tonight."

Director Cohen turned to look at Lin Yuan, only to discover in surprise that Lin Yuan had suddenly begun laughing loudly.

"HAHAHAHA..."

"Lin Yuan, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Director Cohen asked worriedly.

"What's so funny?" Director Johnston was somewhat annoyed.

"I'm laughing at how naïve some people are. Their defeat is already certain, and they're about to ruin their own careers, yet they're still hesitating over every little thing. Don't you think that's funny?"

"Lin Yuan, don't talk nonsense," Director Cohen urged.

"Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, Director Johnston, you should know perfectly well!" Lin Yuan said with absolute certainty.

Director Johnston's face turned pale, then green, as he struggled fiercely inside.

"He has no way out. If he doesn't work with us, he can just wait to be kicked out of Hollywood."

At that critical moment, Lin Yuan dropped another heavy stone onto his heart.

After hesitating again and again, Director Johnston finally said, "You're right, young man. I have no way out. What do you think I should do?"

Hearing that, Lin Yuan knew he finally had a chance to persuade him further.

As someone who had been reborn, he knew a little about Director Johnston as well.

This director had started out as a special-effects artist. In his early years, he had worked as a concept artist and special-effects technician on Star Wars, directed by George Lucas.

Later, he won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects with Spielberg's Indiana Jones.

As a director who had switched careers midway, he knew how rare opportunities were. He needed achievements even more to prove himself.

And once he failed, capital would not readily give him a second chance.

In the future timeline, Lin Yuan knew that after Jurassic Park 3 failed, he would not recover until more than a decade later, when he finally got another chance to direct a major commercial film—Captain America.

Therefore, Director Johnston's greatest concern was this: he could not afford to lose!

To persuade him, the best approach was absolutely not persuasion by appeal, but provocation!

Director Cohen's approach had been to tell him what benefits there would be in using Lin Yuan.

But Director Johnston was extremely cautious. He would rather give up those benefits than face the risk of audiences rejecting it.

Lin Yuan, however, did the opposite. He directly exposed the fear in the other man's heart. Intimidation was far more effective than temptation.

Because human nature feared loss more than it rejoiced in gain.

"How can I turn this around?" Seeing that Lin Yuan had not answered, Director Johnston asked again.

"If we accomplish the following two things, our film can still be saved!"

Lin Yuan had quietly begun referring to Jurassic Park 3 as "our film."

"Please, go on!"

"First, we need to give the film a core value and strengthen the character development."

"What kind of core would be appropriate?" Director Johnston asked.

"The path to harmonious coexistence between species. Since the dinosaurs have already been created and we do not intend to destroy them, exploring how to coexist with them is inevitable."

"We should discuss in the film how different species and races can coexist harmoniously through mutual benefit. So the lead cast should not consist solely of white people. There should also be Black people and Asians."

Although Lin Yuan had chosen this theme partly to justify casting himself as the lead, he had to admit that it was indeed politically correct and clearly aligned with Western values.

"What about the second point? Go on."

"Second, I will personally design the escape scenes during the dinosaur chases. To make an escape exciting, the characters cannot just run blindly. They must carefully consider how to use the environment."

"All right. I need your detailed proposal. If your proposal can convince me, then the lead role is yours." Director Johnston finally made up his mind.

"I won't disappoint you. Wait for my good news." Lin Yuan appeared exceptionally confident.

He finally let out a sigh of relief in his heart. He had overcome the two obstacles tonight.

He had finally gained a foothold in Hollywood.

After achieving fame and success in their own country, filmmakers back home all wanted to break into Hollywood to prove themselves.

There was no helping it. Even in the year 2000, there was still widespread worship of the West back home.

Even by 2024, Europe and America still held cultural hegemony over the world.

No matter how high your achievements were in the domestic film industry, you could only call yourself an Asian superstar.

But if you climbed high enough in Hollywood, you would be given the title of world superstar.

Any Chinese person who could make a name in Hollywood would immediately be treated like royalty upon returning home, as though honoring everyone with his presence.

It was practically a dimensionality-reduction strike.

But if the benefits were so great, why didn't everyone come to Hollywood and take a shot at it?

Because it was simply too difficult!

Tonight, through his contest with two white directors, Lin Yuan had thoroughly experienced just how hard it was for a Chinese actor to rise in Hollywood.

Now, he only needed to present a practical plan to successfully cross this most difficult threshold.