[Chapter 149: Extremely Exciting Experience]
That evening, in the Hilton Hotel's business suite, a fierce showdown unfolded between Linton the wizard, wielding his staff, and the enchanting but dangerous elf queen Nicole. The sounds of fighting and screams filled the room -- truly a clash of titans, meeting worthy opponents.
---
On April 5th, in the company screening room, Linton gathered the relevant personnel to review the final cut of Speed. Levitt and his team of screening experts were also invited.
The theater lights gradually dimmed, and the big screen slowly brightened.
First appeared the Universal logo, followed by a scene of a whale breaching the ocean, with the words Linton Films and a Linton-Anderson Production displayed below.
"Boom..." The film opened with a breathtaking explosion. A runaway elevator plummeted rapidly downward, the terrified faces of the passengers immediately grabbing the audience's attention.
As the plot progressed, Levitt's heart raced with tension, almost catching in his throat, especially when Jack was caught in the blast's shockwave and thrown through the air. He felt as if his heart might leap from his chest.
As Universal's head of distribution, he had seen countless films -- at least a hundred every year -- but never had he witnessed such a fast-paced and intense movie.
From the moment the building's security guard fell, Levitt felt completely gripped. The rapid-fire editing, nonstop explosions, created a fresh and exhilarating experience rare in Hollywood films.
The camera swiftly switched between police, criminals, and passengers, showing their varied expressions and emotions continuously on screen. Even though he knew the passengers would ultimately be saved, he still couldn't help but worry for their fate.
The film held his emotions and attention tightly from start to finish, with a gripping percussive score, spectacular fights, insane car chases, and earth-shaking explosions -- effects only a top-tier blockbuster could deliver.
As the film neared its end, an unmanned bus crashed into a large cargo plane. The explosion's fiery light dominated the enormous screen, pushing Levitt's emotions to a peak.
Finally, against a beautiful sunset seaside backdrop, Jack and Annie shared a passionate kiss. After the harrowing life-and-death ordeal, the deeply satisfying kiss gave the audience a profound sense of relief and joy.
It was an incredibly thrilling viewing experience -- this was unquestionably an A+ top-tier commercial film. After watching, this was Levitt's only thought.
...
Clap! Clap! Clap!
After the 110-minute film ended, warm applause broke out, along with whistles, cheers, and screams.
An assistant drew back the curtains, letting bright sunlight pour in.
"The 110-minute film is finished. Please share your thoughts," Levitt, chairing the meeting, said.
Expert A said, "The movie is so cool! The thrilling scenes come one after another. Watching it makes your heart pound hard but you can't stop. It's nonstop excitement throughout -- I give it a perfect A+."
Expert B said, "This isn't a traditional action film; it perfectly combines intense fights, thrilling car chases, and crazy explosions. Audiences will love it. I also give it an A+."
Expert C added, "The film creates an eye-catching visual spectacle, especially with the fast editing and flaming explosions. It all fits the film's story amazingly, making viewers feel immersed and fully engaged. My score is also A+."
The eldest, Expert D, said, "The film is thrilling -- with a rapid pace, exciting action, chases, and explosive scenes. It left me breathless. This is an innovation Hollywood hasn't achieved before. But to me, it feels like an extended music video. Audiences might love it, but critics probably won't say anything good."
"Don't worry about the critics for now. From a market and audience perspective, what score would you give?" Levitt interrupted.
"From market and audience view, I give it an A."
Others like Robert, Tim, and Universal's distribution colleagues were also completely captivated by the film. They chimed in, praising its thrilling and captivating nature, and unanimously gave it an A+.
Levitt left satisfied, hearing everyone's praises. He grew more certain this was an ultra A-grade top commercial production destined to be a massive box office hit.
The $35 million investment was extremely worthwhile. Knowing that Hollywood's top-tier productions usually require at least $60 million, finding a film with such box office potential was rare.
The only drawback was Universal's investment share was just 40%.
He prepared to report back to the board to ensure the highest level of distribution.
Before leaving, he reassured Linton not to worry about critics. The film was a major production, and Universal would handle the public relations professionally before release. Even if critics didn't say nice things, there'd be no harmful rumors.
He also instructed Linton to quickly edit two versions of the promotional trailer -- one 90 seconds, and the other 3 minutes -- and hand them over for Universal's marketing.
Just like with Step Up, Linton planned to produce the 3-minute trailer on DVD to distribute to fan clubs worldwide for promotional sharing.
---
After the screening, post-production on Speed was basically complete. Michael Bay and Ryan's assistant directing work was successfully wrapped up.
Both felt they learned a lot during filming and deeply appreciated Linton's trust and selfless guidance.
Not only did Linton involve them extensively during pre-production, but he also frequently gave them opportunities to operate cameras independently during filming, and involved them thoroughly in editing.
Without exaggeration, after this opportunity as assistant directors, they felt they had gained enough ability and confidence to direct a film themselves.
It was something they had never imagined before -- they regarded Linton as their teacher.
Linton was also very satisfied with their performance. Both had solid directing fundamentals, determination, strong learning abilities, and excellent aesthetic senses. They already had basic commercial directing skills and could consider assigning them solo director roles.
Coincidentally, two scripts Linton worked on improving, The Rock and Happy Death Day, were nearing completion, both style-suited for them. Besides, The Rock was originally Michael Bay's project; Linton didn't want to find new directors.
...
"What are your plans next?" asked Linton.
"First take some rest, digest what we've gained, then look for opportunities to direct independently," Ryan replied honestly.
"Same for me. I'm confident I can be a good commercial film director now," Michael said with confidence.
"Alright, take a month off, have a good vacation, summarize and recharge. Then come to me next month. I'm preparing two new films and will put you to the test. If you qualify, giving you directing the films isn't impossible."
"Really?" They felt like a godsend. "We don't need rest -- we can start working right now."
"No, you need rest and time to summarize and recharge. Besides, our scripts are still being revised."
"Alright, thank you so much! We'll come next month."
*****
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