Chapter 408: Chapter 409: Results
[Chapter 409: Results]
No matter how grand the party was, there always came a time when the guests started to disperse. At midnight, attendees began to leave, and the event staff worked efficiently, transforming the chaotic venue back to its original state in just one hour.
As the mansion's servants and party company employees gradually exited the villa, the once vibrant lights of Liberty City dimmed. The paparazzi who had drifted on the distant sea all night, capturing shots of the mansion's terrace, left in their speedboats, satisfied with their bounty from the evening.
After changing out of her party dress, Drew hopped into the bathroom for a quick shower, sprucing herself up. She slipped on just Eric's sky-blue T-shirt, baring her pale legs as she walked into the bedroom.
"Eric, where's my birthday present?" she asked, bounding over like a playful kitten, leaning her head into his side.
Eric swatted away her little hand that was reaching for the magazine in his lap and replied, "Didn't I tell you there's a whole bunch down in the storage room? You won't be able to unwrap them all in one day."
"I don't care about those. I meant the birthday gift you prepared for me!"
"Oh, that." As he scratched his head, Eric said, "I took a stroll down Rodeo Drive, but everything was way too expensive, so I didn't buy anything..." Noticing the playful pout on Drew's face, he continued, "So, I made you something myself."
With that, Eric reached behind his pillow and pulled out a beautifully wrapped box, handing it to Drew.
Drew eagerly tore open the box, revealing a small wooden frame containing a sketch. In it was a young girl in a cropped T-shirt and little shorts, standing on a wide street, a smile on her lips as she watched the people passing by. The girl also bore a delicate pair of wings painted a light gray on her back.
The lines of the sketch were incredibly fine. Despite being only the size of a typical photograph, the details, including the girl's fingers and the feathers of her wings, appeared lifelike, demonstrating Eric's effort and thoughtfulness.
Drew beamed at the frame, clearly thrilled, yet she pointed to the girl's gray wings and asked, "Eric, why did you paint them gray?"
"Because gray symbolizes being lost," Eric replied, gazing at the girl's silky golden hair, reminiscing about his memories of Drew from before and all their moments since they met in this life. With a gentle smile, he continued, "The gray-winged lost angels. They aren't burdened with a mission like the pure angels, nor do they embody the evil of the fallen ones. They live solely for their own happiness, uncalled by others, indifferent to the world, brimming with a carefree spirit. Jealous of their freedom, the world deemed them selfish, exiling them to Earth. I happened to stumble upon one, and I couldn't free myself, so I painted her to remind myself not to make the same mistake."
Drew leaned quietly into Eric's embrace, and at some point, her eyes sparkled with tiny glimmers. After Eric finished speaking, she tossed the frame aside and cuddled softly into his chest.
The following day was Saturday, and their late-night conversation kept them awake until four or five in the morning. Eric didn't rise until ten, while Drew lingered in bed until the afternoon.
...
For the rest of February, Eric spent most of his time in stressful preparation for Twister. After numerous auditions, the main cast of the film was finalized. By early March, they completed the pre-production script breakdown, scheduling, budgeting, and hiring of actors and crew.
In a studio at the Venice Beach headquarters of Digital Domain, Eric and several technicians gathered around a small computer, patiently awaiting the next steps.
As a visual effects artist skillfully worked the machine, a playback window appeared on the screen. The artist clicked the play button.
On the silent screen, there stood a solitary wooden house in a field, the surrounding backdrop all gray, giving the house a somewhat eerie quality.
However, everyone present knew that the house was completely CGI. After intricate material rendering, it appeared nearly indistinguishable from reality, sparking excitement among the crew who had previously doubted whether CGI could achieve such realism.
Just a second into the still image, a gray tornado suddenly appeared from the left side of the screen, ripping towards the house. As the tornado touched the building, it began to shake and crumble. Although the image was silent, those watching felt like they could hear the tornado's howling and the sound of the house being torn apart by the fury of the wind. Moments later, the house was reduced to nothing but a foundation amidst the wreckage.
As the brief eight-second clip ended, the entire studio broke out in spontaneous applause.
Cameron, who was initially at Digital Domain for the post-production of Terminator 2, heard something impressive was happening. Curious, he approached. To his surprise, he witnessed an astonishing scene. As a tech-savvy director, he understood the technological marvel of those eight seconds more than anyone else.
Once the visual concluded, Cameron clapped Eric on the shoulder, stating, "Unbelievable! I can't believe all of this was created using purely computer effects. If I hadn't known better, I'd assume the house was real, and watching it be destroyed by the tornado was even more shocking."
Meanwhile, Stan Winston remarked, "But it's just too expensive. Eight seconds of footage cost $3 million -- enough to fund a decent low-budget film! It's a shame we can't use this in the movie."
Eric watched as the effects artist played the clip again, feeling relieved that they had achieved the desired effect. As for the money spent, given the current context, it was entirely justified.
When producing this material, Eric had instructed the artist to create the clip at the highest standards. Although the scene wasn't fully fleshed out and lacked other elements, those short eight seconds alone had already put the $10 million-rendering farm into overdrive for 16 hours. Just the power consumption for the processing farm had already cost over $100,000.
Yet, as he appreciated the realistic effects that the CGI sequence displayed, Eric didn't feel a hint of regret at the $3 million spent on those eight seconds. Like the visual effects staff beside him, he was brimming with excitement. The result confirmed that all the funds and energy invested over the past year were indeed worthwhile.
"All right, Stan, those expenses were necessary. If we couldn't accurately test the feasibility of the tornado CGI, there would be no point in making the film. Let's head to your office and talk."
*****
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