Made In Hollywood

As time moved into March, Duke handed off some of the smaller matters to Nancy Josephson and, together with editor Mike Dawson, regrouped at Warner Bros. Studios to begin the post-production of *Saving Private Ryan*. In addition to the essential post-production team, Duke also called back Zack Snyder and Sofia Coppola, both of whom had just finished short breaks.

Both Zack and Sofia were happy to be involved in the film's post-production, as it gave them valuable experience for their future careers.

Duke knew he couldn't keep Zack Snyder and Sofia Coppola around forever. Anyone who enters the industry with aspirations of becoming a director rarely wants to remain someone else's assistant long-term. Once the right opportunity comes along, they'll inevitably strike out on their own.

Even filmmakers like James Cameron and Steven Spielberg couldn't avoid this reality, so Duke had Nancy start looking for suitable replacements. At the same time, Sofia also put out recruitment notices, knowing that although Zack Snyder and Sofia Coppola wouldn't have immediate opportunities, it was important to give newcomers time to train and adjust.

Earlier this month, Duke also took care of another matter: after paying the necessary fees, he officially became a member of the Directors Guild. The reason it took so long wasn't anything significant — he had just forgotten.

While it's true that some directors, like George Lucas, had left the Guild in protest and never rejoined, Duke had no intention of following Lucas's path. The benefits of joining the Directors Guild far outweighed the restrictions, and just like he would never delve into cult films, Duke had no desire to distance himself from mainstream cinema.

In the editing room, Duke gathered Mike Dawson, Sofia Coppola, Zack Snyder, and a few other assistants for a brief meeting. Duke reiterated the editing philosophy, which was different from anything they had done before.

"We're completely abandoning the fast, aggressive editing style! Use traditional techniques to cut the shots! The film will feature many long takes, and we used handheld cameras extensively during filming. I want that shaky, almost real feel of the camera movements. We need to treat this as if it were a documentary-style war film!"

If they had used the same editing style as in the previous three films, *Saving Private Ryan* would surely have been a disaster.

With the involvement of Zack Snyder and Sofia Coppola, Duke found things a bit easier. Over the next ten days, under Duke's direction, the team worked together to complete a 5.5-hour rough cut. They then moved on to the more tedious fine-tuning process.

Meanwhile, the special effects work outsourced to Industrial Light & Magic had also begun. Since over 99% of the scenes were filmed on location, very few computer-generated effects were needed, which is why the ILM team joined in only at this point to handle the limited CGI work.

For the score, Duke brought in John Williams. Initially, Williams wasn't interested in working with Duke, as his films didn't match the composer's taste. However, after reading the script and seeing the salary offered by the studio combined with the fact that his usual collaborators were busy with DreamWorks John Williams agreed to sign a contract.

With the editing approach decided, a highly cooperative team, and top-tier professionals handling the effects and score, the post-production of *Saving Private Ryan* was much smoother compared to *Independence Day*, which had dragged on for over four months.

The relatively smooth progress also lightened the mood at the studio. During breaks, they could even sit together and chat about industry gossip.

"Have you heard, Duke?" Zack Snyder asked, winking at him over afternoon tea. "Sophie Marceau has come to Los Angeles. Rumor has it she wants to focus her career on Hollywood."

"I've met her once," Duke replied, putting down his teacup. "It was about two weeks ago."

The others, including the new assistant Tina Fey, all turned their eyes to him, as if they were privy to some insider knowledge about Duke.

"Don't look at me like that," Duke said, pouring himself another cup of tea, ignoring their gazes. "We just bumped into each other at PricewaterhouseCoopers and chatted briefly."

"Really?" Sofia was skeptical.

"I think it's possible," Zack Snyder said, unexpectedly defending Duke. "I've heard Sophie Marceau is about to sign with CAA, and her main agent will be Martin Bob."

That explained it! Duke muttered quietly to himself. He had always wondered when Sophie Marceau, known for her boldness, had turned into a paragon of marital fidelity. Now he understood — it had everything to do with her agency.

Duke's public tension with CAA was no secret in Hollywood, so it was only natural that Sophie Marceau, seeking CAA's help to advance her Hollywood career, wouldn't want to be seen getting too close to him.

"I think that's her loss!" Mike Dawson said jokingly. "Right, Duke?"

"Everyone has the right to make their own choices, don't they?" Duke pointed at the others and didn't bother engaging with their teasing. He wasn't one to think in extremes — the idea that anyone who wasn't with him was automatically against him. Nor was he naive. It made perfect sense for Sophie Marceau to choose CAA for her future prospects in Hollywood.

These actresses, especially those who had been in the industry for years and were already established, were anything but naive. While they might get involved with someone out of personal affection, when it came to protecting their careers, they would always make the most advantageous choice for themselves.

Steering the conversation away from actresses, Duke guided the group to discuss the upcoming Oscars ceremony.

"Unfortunately," Mike Dawson said in a mock-serious tone, "I'm the only one here who's ever been nominated for an Oscar."

"Whatever!" Zack Snyder waved dismissively.

"Don't forget, Zack," Mike held up two fingers and waved them in Zack's face. "I've been nominated twice for Best Editing."

Everyone laughed. Mike was indeed the only one in the group who had ever been nominated for an Oscar. He'd received two Best Editing nominations for *Speed* and *The Rock*, though he didn't win either.

As for the others, they hadn't even come close to an Oscar nomination.

"If we do an excellent job on this film," Sofia said, her eyes lighting up, "couldn't we get a few Oscar nominations? Maybe even take home a few statuettes? This year marks the 50th anniversary of World War II's end, after all."

"If we want to appeal to the Academy, we'll need to make the film more in line with their tastes," Mike Dawson said, as if he had some insight. "That means fewer explosions and war scenes, and more emphasis on personal emotions and narrative. We should slow the pacing down as well."

"No, we're not doing that!" Duke immediately shook his head. "This is a war movie made for the summer box office. I don't care about awards season. First and foremost, it has to appeal to the summer audience. My pacing is already slow enough. If we go any slower, it'll kill the viewing experience."

"I agree with Duke!" Zack Snyder shared Duke's viewpoint. "If our film doesn't make a strong impact at the box office, Hollywood will cast us aside quickly!"

"But the Oscars are the most prestigious awards in the industry!" Sofia raised her voice slightly.

Duke shook his head and changed the subject. "Let's talk about which films you think will win this year."

Mike Dawson quickly picked up on the shift. "I think *Forrest Gump* will be the big winner."

"I'm rooting for *Forrest Gump* too," Sofia agreed.

"*Forrest Gump* looks set to sweep," Zack Snyder added. "But I also think Quentin Tarantino's *Pulp Fiction* has a chance."

"What about you, Duke?"

"*Forrest Gump*," Duke replied.

This sentiment was shared by many both inside and outside the industry. *Forrest Gump* was the clear favorite. Even the most conservative prediction agencies expected the film to win two or three major awards.

"Why isn't anyone backing *The Shawshank Redemption*?" Tina Fey, who had been mostly silent, finally spoke up. "It received nine nominations, second only to *Forrest Gump*."

Instead of answering, Duke looked at Sofia, who, coming from a film dynasty, explained the situation succinctly.

"There could be an upset this year, but it won't come from *The Shawshank Redemption*. Even the gangster film *Pulp Fiction* has a better shot! Sure, *Shawshank* deals with the Academy's favorite themes of freedom and hope, but it tackles them in the least appealing way possible!"

Sofia took a sip of tea before continuing. "*The Shawshank Redemption* has no advantages over *Forrest Gump* in the Academy's eyes. Just like Duke's *Independence Day* wouldn't have had a chance at an Oscar nod, *Shawshank* has no realistic shot either."

Tina nodded in understanding, while Mike Dawson and Zack Snyder both chimed in, clearly agreeing with Sofia's assessment.

Duke glanced at Tina from the corner of his eye. She was proving to be a clever woman, adept at gaining favor with the more seasoned professionals and actively integrating herself into the team.

That was a good thing. Duke wouldn't be able to tolerate a clueless assistant.

Glancing at his watch, Duke noted that their break was about over. Just before heading back into the editing room, he remembered something. "This Sunday afternoon, I'm having a party after I move into my new place."

"We won't miss it."

.....

Hi For access to additional chapters of

Director in Hollywood (30 chpater)

MV Director (30 chapter)....

Douluo Dalu:Breaking Clan(30 chapter)

Made In Hollywood (60 Chapters)

Join pateron.com/Translaterappu