章 25: Chp 25 : Tech Freak?
Spielberg saw his Godson was able to take control of negotiations with elders and feel proud of him.
He knew his Godson good at movies and see his Godson also good at this made Spielberg not afraid that he will be cheated by those big guys in Hollywood just like he did when he was young.
"Okay, you two! This is a party, from now on, stop this business talk and enjoy the buffet."
Spielberg and Lucas go to another one of their old friends, Zemickis now has a chance to talk to Al alone.
"Al, I'm really grateful for your help. I'm really sorry that I look too forceful when I ask you to become this movie's director."
"You are welcome Robert, but I choose you to be the director of <The Sixth Sense> because I believed in your abilities and you have proven it."
"No Al, without you I may be still struggling to convince some medium production company, you know that this is my last chance to live my life in Hollywood, without you, I won't be able to shoot my new film <Romancing The Stone>"
"Okay Robert, enough talking about depressing things, how about my talk with George Lucas, are you also interested in CGI technology for movies? Although with current technology, there will be always limitations."
"Yeah, I really want to try various new methods in my films but that's in the future, Al do you remember the film I ask you to play when we have a chance?"
"Yes, I'm quite curious. You said to wait for me 'till I'm in my teen first."
"Actually, the setting of the character's age is at least 17, but I convinced the screenwriter Bob Gale to revised the script a bit, make the characters in their 14 or 15 with their early teenage problems."
"Okay then, what's the film about, let me see the script first. Although we have nice cooperation, I need to review how good the script first." Al will help his friends, but if this is related to his movie career, he won't afraid to reject them if he has no confidence in those movies.
"Of course, I won't give you a bad script Al. First of all, Bob and I write this sci-fi about the time machine. We called it <Back to the Future> the story is told about a teenager with his puberty problem who gone back to past with a car time machine made by his friend, a crazy scientist." So Robert continues telling him the rest of the stories.
"Okay Robert, you convinced me. It's a good story, I like science fiction film and it has a softer theme so will be easier to understand by the audience. I will tell Ari and James to do some discussion about my pay."
They have another talk and meet up with Spielberg and Lucas. But he meets with an unexpected guess, Steve Jobs.
Then Lucas introduced Jobs to Al but Jobs only greet him with one word and continue talking business with Lucas.
Lucas was also quite uncomfortable with how Jobs treat Al. While Jobs thinks that Al only a Hollywood brat in rising who understands nothing.
So Al just stood aside and listen to their conversation.
'Damn you, Jobs, do you realize I'm also the shareholders of Apple and one of the biggest?'
So his worship of Uncle Jobs extinguished, he still as hard as coral before he was kicked out by Apple and yet convert himself to Buddhist religion that taught him to chill out.
So he turned to Steven and told his intention, "Steven, I forget to mention you this. In a year I will make that short film, I need help for technical and instrumental problems Steven."
"You mean you need the equipment and crew right? You always use the weird term to test me." He laughed.
"You really understand me most Godfather." He hummed and said, "Can I rent some of your people and equipment? This will be my first experimental film and I hope I can shoot after I finish my next movie appointment."
"Let me guess, is it <Back To The Future>?" He guessed
"How do you...Oh, you are the producer right?"
"Good guess, Robert and Bob came to me with another script and hope that I was able to become the producer. Of course, many studios lining up to invest in Spielberg-Zemickis-Brandt combination again."
"How 'bout you Steven? Did you have another film appointment?"
"Yes, two exactly, first I'm going to shoot <Indiana Jones> sequel and other, I'm planning to direct it but I am afraid I can't do it."
"What, no way Steven! you are a great director!" Al said with disbelief.
"No, it's just that my movie's style is too commercialize and this film is an art film, so I'm not sure I can do this, I already ask Stanley Kubrick for help, but until now he has yet to answer. He said he also has some doubt if he can do it."
'What, no way!? Even Stanley Kubrick? Don't tell me that film!' He thought, so he asked, "What is this film about Steven?"
"Ah, its a biography of Oskar Schindler." He said.
He's right, "Is he the ex-Nazi soldier who save almost 600 Jews in Poland from the holocaust?"
Spielberg nod, "You know everything kid." He shrugged and said, "I read, old man, I also like to read Anne Frank's Diary and other books, you forget that I'm also an author."
Spielberg smiled, Al then continued, "Yes Steven, it's probably hard, not only funding but also some skepticism and negative response from Jews communities in and out Hollywood."
In last life, this film has been planned for 10 years, many revision of the script, many directors reject to direct it, distributor and theatre almost reject to screen it, investment problem and many skepticisms from Jews communities that were to afraid to remember the World War II Holocaust.
So this film was shelved, wait for Spielberg gain experience in art film and shoot it himself 10 years from now.
"Well I think maybe wait for 2 or 3 years to shoot it, I don't know either." He said sadly
"Take your time Steven, take your time." He comforted Steven.
The party almost over, Lucas has finished talking to Jobs. Due to the failure of Lisa's project, their share price is falling to the bottom and with the stubborn character of Jobs, many shareholders were offended and threatening to kick Jobs out of Apple. His position in Apple now on a cliff.
So he is here to promote his new computer project to modernize the operation of Hollywood filming and operation.
Also, Lucas asked Al to meet him next week in his house to further discuss the purchase of one of his computer graphic department.
---------
Skywalker Ranch, Nicasio, California.
This is George Lucas's house, office, and also studios named after his character Luke Skywalker. It took about one and a half hours from LA to reach San Francisco.
Al came with John Mick, James Norman, Jessica, and also Nancy because it related to big scale purchase, he needs to come with his business advisor.
Over there he meets with Steven Spielberg who had a coffee with George Lucas and 3 other men who he did not recognize.
"Al! Nice to meet you, how was your flight?"
"I'm okay Mr. Lucas, we arrived yesterday and we just went from the hotel." Al smiled and shake his hand.
"Oh, I need to introduce you, this is Edwin Catmull, the leader of Graphic Group, the name of the division that I'm going to sell you, Alvy Ray Smith the Vice Leader, and John Lasseter, one of the important member of Graphic Groups."
This time Edwin Catmull come forward and said, "Good morning Mr. Brandt, I heard you want to invest in our independent company Graphic Group." He said with a cold tone.
Al frowned, he doesn't like where will this conversation go, He replied with a more cold tone "Invest? Mr. Lucas doesn't say anything about investing. He only said that sold Graphic Groups to me and hire you to become one of my employees!"
Now he felt offended, "Look kid, you don't understand about computer graphic technologies, this is not an Atari or Apple II games, this is a million-dollar project, not something that a rich kid can play with. I agree with your investment but if you try to interfere with any of our operations, I will quit with other 40 people from Graphic Groups!!"
"Well just quit then, I don't need a stubborn and hard headed person to work with. I thought it would be good teamwork but I find out the leader is another Steve Jobs." He replied calmly.
Jobs' stubbornness and arrogance have been known to every computer tech. industries and some magazines even call him a machine in man form.
George Lucas is not anticipating that they would do this, this kid is too fierce! He turned to Edwin and said, "Edwin! I know that this is your department but I am the owner of it! Why can both of you just work together and solve your differences?"
"No George, I better quit than to work with a stubborn brat like this. From now on, I quit. How about you two!"
Smith answered, " Come on Ed! It's not that bad, you know that our division on a tight rope, we need to work this together, we already talked about this with other employees, we also need to feed our families." He pleaded.
He replied in a cold tone, "Traitor, all of you traitor, you, Lucas, John, and you kid!! We have a dream to make this company together! I hope this company fails and bankrupt!" He walked out of Lucas's house.
Dreams are beautiful, without dreams human can't be called human anymore, but if your dreams can't let your kids and wife have full bellies every night, you are even worse than human.
To Be Continued.....
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