America 1987

Chapter 81 Appropriate Handling Methods

However, she only stayed there for four months before returning, which, in her own words, was "completely fruitless."

This is normal, after all, every place is xenophobic, and her own appearance is not particularly outstanding, so it is entirely expected that she could not compete with the locals.

In this era, the height requirement for runway fashion models is usually between 174 and 178 centimeters, and for Asian female runway models, it is generally between 175 and 180 centimeters.

Even for print models like Yang Tianbao in her early days, who had relatively lenient height requirements, most brands still preferred models over 165cm, and this was often just an entry-level requirement rather than a competitive advantage.

Naomi is exactly 1.65 meters tall, which puts her right on the edge of the minimum height requirement. In a highly competitive environment, she is easily overshadowed by taller candidates.

After returning from Japan, she worked as an extra on film sets while also taking on other part-time jobs—she worked as a sales clerk in a department store and later as a stylist and fashion editor's assistant for a magazine.

That's why she said she didn't react for a moment after hearing the news.

"Now you've realized it, right? If you have, hurry over there, I'll be waiting for you in Los Angeles."

The film "Dances with Wolves" was not only filmed in harsh conditions, but also took a long time to shoot, possibly similar to "Project Eagle".

So once David decided he wanted to make this movie, he immediately began preparations for the film's pre-production.

While he was preparing for the film, his movie "The Violent Robbery of Pear Blossom" was quietly released in October.

In the original timeline, the film was originally scheduled for release in April, but was forced to be postponed to October due to the writers' union strike.

As for why the screenwriters' strike would affect film production, there's a lot to say about that.

First of all, while Hollywood doesn't operate like Hong Kong with its "flying paper" approach—where filming begins with just a brief outline or even a vague idea—it also doesn't simply write the script once and for all and start filming. In many cases, it involves revising the script as it's being filmed.

During the strike, union members are prohibited from engaging in any creative or script revision work with companies represented by the Film Producers Alliance. The union also sets up picket lines at major film and television companies to discourage non-union members from providing screenwriting services to these companies.

During the strike in 2007, Daniel Craig, the star of "Quantum of Solace," had to rewrite his own lines on set.

Although David did not join the Writers Guild, considering that Hollywood is an industry that highly relies on the guild system and industry reputation, he did not intend to provoke them. He arranged for the original version to be released whenever it was due.

By avoiding the summer blockbuster season and choosing to release it in the relatively "light" but adult-friendly autumn season, it can gain better screenings and attract more attention from its target audience.

"How did the mainstream media rate our film, Arthur?"

David glanced at today's news, then looked up and asked Krim, who was sitting across from him.

"Yes, the current public reaction is very positive, with a lot of discussion among audiences and critics. The New York Times has even praised Jodie Foster's performance..."

As he expected, the three-minute rape scene with 262 shots did indeed win high praise from the mainstream American media. Jodie Foster's Oscar win for this film, which was not of top-notch quality overall, was also closely related to this huge sacrifice.

However, this level of screenplay is already nearing its limit. Any further and it would likely exceed the tolerance of film critics and general audiences. The film "Irreversible" by John Woo is a prime example of this.

The former's rape scene, which lasted 3 minutes and consisted of 262 shots, was already described as "shocking" and "shocking to European and American audiences".

The latter went a step further, stretching the runtime to an unprecedented 9 minutes. The director also used a one-shot technique, creating a visually impactful experience that caused physical discomfort for the audience. As a result, many people left the Cannes premiere because they could not bear it.

David watched this film in his previous life solely because of its "Top Ten Banned Films in the World" title. After watching it with great difficulty, he genuinely felt that it was entirely deserving of this title.

"How about it, are you envious?"

David asked as he took out some clothes he might need from the closet.

"Envious? Envious of what?" Catherine, who was playing Super Mario Bros. 3 on the Famicom, stopped what she was doing and looked up at the other person.

At this time, the American game market was in its golden age, and the Famicom (NES) was the absolute mainstream at that time. In 1988 alone, sales reached 700 million units, and the ownership rate in American households reached 30%.

However, Catherine wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it; she just used it occasionally to pass the time at home.

"You envy the accolades Jodie Foster received. Didn't you read the newspapers? Your Molly didn't get that kind of treatment back then."

I'm not envious.

Why?

"Her sacrifice was too great. If receiving praise from mainstream media requires doing something like that, then I'd rather just stick to playing pretty faces."

Well, considering the movies Catherine starred in in the original timeline, it's true that she would say something like that.

When "Irreversible" was released, it was met with mixed reviews and great controversy because of its 9-minute rape scene. Opponents criticized the presentation for exploiting the actress's body and using real pain as material for artistic experimentation.

David largely agrees with this assessment, arguing that a film is not a documentary and the audience's viewing experience is an important factor that the director needs to consider during filming.

The ability to artistically process things that aren't so beautiful in real life to provide viewers with a comfortable viewing experience is an essential skill for a commercial film director.

The violent aesthetics of John Woo and Quentin Tarantino's films are the best example—they design gunfights and fights like dancing or games, with exaggerated and rhythmic movements that do not emphasize real harm, so that the audience does not feel that it is cruel, but rather cool and exciting, and can release stress.

A director of art films must possess the skill to restrain himself from depicting the cruelties of real life so that the audience is not too distressed while watching the film.

The film submitted for the Oscars, "Nanjing Photo Studio," is a prime example. When filming scenes of Japanese soldiers raping women, the number of shots was very limited, and there were virtually no nude scenes. This restrained and minimalist approach was perfectly suited for filming such a serious subject.

As for why David considers "Nanjing Photo Studio," which grossed over 30 billion yuan, to be an art film, it is related to his criteria for judging art films and commercial films.

The distinction between art films and commercial films has never been box office numbers—at least that's what David thinks—but rather the subject matter and content of the film itself.

Films based on true stories and imbued with a strong sense of humanism can be called art films.

It's not only dull films that no one watches that can be called art films. The sixth generation of directors in the East China Sea always like to attribute the reason for the box office failure to the three words "art film". In fact, this only shows that they don't know how to tell a story, and they don't know how to tell a story with ups and downs and full of dramatic tension based on reality.

They are extremely envious of realistic films like "Dying to Survive" and "Nanjing Photo Studio," which are both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.