Hollywood Director 1992

"Apologize? Absolutely impossible."

In a Beverly Hills mansion, Robert Downey Jr. shouted into the phone.

"Why not apologize? You're a public figure, and you made a serious mistake by drunkenly criticizing a fellow actor's movie. Mainstream opinion now believes you were wrong and should apologize. The longer you delay, the greater the negative impact."

"I absolutely will not apologize. Was I wrong to say 'Buried' is a shoddy production? What good can come out of a $20,000 budget?"

Robert Downey Jr. sneered.

"'Buried' has a high chance of breaking $40 million at the global box office next week. That's a 2000x return on investment. What makes you think it's a terrible movie?"

"Ridiculous! Does high box office automatically mean a good movie? I remember when you made a film when I was a kid, and it only made a few thousand dollars after its release. You told me that a movie's quality isn't about box office results, but about its artistic merit. Why are you using box office results as the standard now?"

"Shut up!"

Robert Downey Sr. scolded over the phone, "Robert, you're not the main character of the world. Not every movie you dislike is a bad movie.

‘Buried’ is a film of extremely high artistic value. Whether it is the narrative structure, the film style, or the filming technique, it is a movie above standard, a mature work.

You don't like this movie because you're jealous of Link, jealous of someone younger than you but more successful."

"Nonsense! Jealous of him? He just got lucky, succeeding with one movie. I'm one of Hollywood's most popular actors, having succeeded with dozens of movies. Why would I need to be jealous of him?"

"At least you can't make a movie that grosses over $40 million with a $20,000 budget."

"Can you do it? Of all the movies you've made, which one has grossed over $10 million?"

"Damn it! Just be willful, be decadent, and let me see how far you can fall."

Click! The sound of the phone being slammed down heavily echoed from the receiver.

Robert Downey Jr. also hung up the phone and looked back at his agent, Jimmy Rich, who was walking into the living room. "CAA also wants me to apologize to Link?"

"The company's opinion is to do what you think is best. If you want to apologize, apologize. If you don't want to apologize, it doesn't matter. Link is just a new director; there's no need to pay too much attention."

"What's your opinion?"

Robert Downey Jr. poured two glasses of whiskey, handing one to Jimmy Rich.

"I think you should apologize."

Bang!

Robert Downey Jr. released his fingers, and the glass that should have been handed to Jimmy Rich fell heavily to the ground, the dark brown liquor seeping into the white carpet.

"I think it doesn't matter whether you apologize or not. First of all, Link is just a small character and won't have much impact on you. Secondly, developing in the entertainment industry shouldn't only be about having friends; you should also have a few opponents. The existence and competition of opponents will also fill you with fighting spirit and make you stronger."

"What you said is good and makes sense, but a nobody like Link isn't worthy of being my opponent."

Robert Downey Jr. handed the other glass of wine to Jimmy Rich.

"Yes, Link is putting pressure on you through television shows, forcing you to apologize, but he underestimates you too much. As long as you don't want to, no one can force you to apologize."

"That's right, but he dared to force me to apologize, maliciously teasing me on the TV show. I really don't like this. I want to send him back to the slums. Do you have any ideas?"

"He is now a client of WMA agency, worth millions, even tens of millions. It's hard to do with conventional methods."

"What are the unconventional methods?"

"You can arrange for an assassin, a car accident, or let him encounter financial fraud."

"Damn it! I just want to see him unlucky, not commit a crime. What's with arranging an assassin? Does CAA also represent assassin agents?"

"I don't know. But apart from unconventional methods, there is currently no other good way to deal with him. But it's not like there's no chance, as long as we wait another year or two.

When his next movie comes out, if the box office is not ideal, we won't even need to take action. The media will mock him for getting lucky, running into a hit movie. Without luck, his movies are just a pile of dog shit.

From that time on, Link's career will suffer a huge setback, which will also be a good opportunity for us to take action."

"That's a good idea. Then I'll endure him for another movie. I want to see how high a bastard from the slums can jump."

Clink!

Robert Downey Jr. raised his glass and clinked it with his agent.

—

The 'Conversation with 'Buried' Director Link' program reached a peak of 10.5 million viewers after it aired on TNT, While it didn't break any records, it still entered the top ten of the program's viewership rankings.

There were many topics in this program that attracted the attention of the media and the public, including Link's path to becoming a director, Link's idol being Stallone, Link not caring about money, the creative process of 'Buried', and the failure to pitch scripts.

Among them, the topic involving the 'conflict between Link and Robert Downey Jr.' caused a great response in the American entertainment industry.

Because Robert Downey Jr. is a big star and teen idol, and Link is a popular director and inspirational figure, both of them are currently very popular, and anything involving them has selling points.

Therefore, major media outlets have come forward to comment, analyze, deeply investigate, report, stir up trouble, and provoke wars everywhere. This small dispute has gradually evolved into a major conflict.

In this conflict, Robert Downey Jr.'s fans firmly support their idol, believing that Robert Downey Jr. was not wrong. It's common to say drunk words after drinking. Everyone makes mistakes.

They believe that Link shouldn't be calculating or bringing up old events. Link is riding on Robert Downey Jr.'s popularity to promote 'Buried'.

Movie star Kiefer Sutherland publicly accused Link of becoming arrogant and disrespectful after gaining fame, showing no respect for Robert Downey Jr., and hoped that Link would publicly apologize to Robert Downey Jr.

Those who support Link believe that Link did not dwell on Robert's nonsense and gave Robert a chance to apologize, showing great magnanimity.

However, Robert still did not apologize, either because he did not realize his own mistake, or because of arrogance, he did not think it necessary to apologize to Link, a newcomer director.

Regardless of which one it is, Robert did very poorly and is disappointing.

The neutrals believe that:

Robert Downey Jr., as a public figure, publicly criticized a colleague's movie, which had some negative impact on the movie's box office. This was Robert Downey Jr.'s fault and he should apologize.

Link, in the process of promoting "Buried," did have the suspicion of蹭 (cèng - to sponge off of) the popularity of "Chaplin" and should reflect on himself.

Each of them is equally at fault.

This controversy, triggered by a television interview, gradually faded away in the American media after several days.

Originally, after the overseas box office results of "Buried" were reported last week, the North American box office results showed a surprising reverse trend. Coupled with the heating up of this wave of promotion, the North American box office results of "Buried" were even higher this week.

One mistake, one song, one hair, one inside, one capacity, one existence, one look!

On Saturday and Sunday, the attendance rate of hundreds of theaters showing "Buried" was as high as 80% or more. Many theaters had to increase the number of screenings of "Buried" to meet the needs of the audience.

By Monday, the sixth-week box office results of "Buried" were released, selling $3.85 million in 201 theaters in North America, with an attendance rate close to the level of the third week. On the weekly box office chart, it strongly rushed back to third place from ninth, only behind the newly released "Beethoven" and "Basic Instinct."

This wave of box office gains also helped "Buried" successfully break through $15 million in North America, reaching an astonishing $16.56 million.

Overseas, "Buried" grossed $14.74 million in 28 countries and regions this week.

Although there was a large drop compared to last week's $18.37 million.

However, "Buried" has grossed more than $10 million in overseas regions for two consecutive weeks, with a current cumulative box office of $33.11 million.

For a movie with a production cost of only $2 million, this result is still very amazing.

Originally, the media predicted that the global box office of "Buried" would be about $50 million.

With this week's box office release, $50 million can no longer stop the rise of "Buried."

There is a great chance of reaching $60 million or even $70 million.

This has also led to the increasingly exaggerated box office revenue ratio of "Buried," from 1000 times to 3000 times, and the halo of 'genius director' on Link's head has become more and more dazzling.

The Los Angeles Times called Link the 'Golden Boy' of the directing world, saying that no one understands better than him how to turn $2 million into $50 million in box office revenue.

USA Today praised Link for pointing out a path for all independent filmmakers, that even with the smallest investment, they can create huge box office results. His success also gives independent filmmakers courage and confidence. At the same time, the success of "Buried" has also made Hollywood film companies put down their 'arrogant' attitude and pay more attention to independent films.

The Washington Post commented that a movie directed by an Asian director and starring an Asian actor can also sell more than $16 million in North America, proving that Hollywood is more inclusive than in the past.

The Global Times claimed that "Buried" is the first movie starring a Chinese actor in film history to break through $50 million at the box office, and it is also the first movie directed by a Chinese director to break through $50 million at the box office.

"Boss, look at how many people are praising you in the newspapers. You are considered a big star now, right?"

In the office, Liu Xiaoli handed him a cup of tea with a smile on her face, her slender and fair fingers contrasting with the emerald green porcelain cup.

"Why are you always concerned about this kind of thing?"

"I've been in the 'A Native of Beijing in New York' crew. Chinese people are easily discriminated against in Hollywood and it's difficult to gain a foothold. Now that you've become a big star in Hollywood, I'm proud of you."

Liu Xiaoli blinked her spring-like peach blossom eyes, and her pretty cheeks were also full of smiles, like peach blossoms in April, beautifully charming and dazzling, and also like a sweet spring in the mountains, with a hint of coolness and sweetness in her smile.

Being praised by this woman seems to be better than the thousands of words on the pile of newspapers on the table, making him feel comfortable all over.

Link smiled lightly, listening to Liu Xiaoli's gentle words. He couldn't help but think of how, for this movie, he got up early and worked late alone, lying in a small wooden box every day, repeatedly filming dozens of takes for one shot until he was completely satisfied.

Sometimes, even in the middle of the night, he would continue filming alone.

After the filming was completed, in order to save money, he stayed in the editing room for three consecutive days to edit the videotapes, eating bread when he was hungry and drinking mineral water when he was thirsty.

He fought day and night for three days to complete the editing of the movie.

At the Sundance Film Festival, in order to promote the movie, he looked everywhere for distributors to watch "Buried," but they were all rejected.

The day he left Park City, he was almost out of money and resources.

After returning to Los Angeles, in order to get the movie released in theaters, he continued to bite the bullet and look for film distribution companies, but he was still rejected after looking for more than thirty companies.

In the end, he was forced to sell the script and embark on the path of self-funded distribution.

Fortunately, hard work pays off.

Everything he had paid in the past had been rewarded.