บท 91: Chapter 91: Buffing Up - Part 1
Since Steven Spielberg expressed that he could facilitate the connection between Ethan Jones and Ralph H. Baer, Ethan didn't hesitate. He immediately stated that he would stay at the Universal Studios hotel and await the good news.
As they were all interested in games, Steve Jobs, not wanting to miss out, decided to accompany Ethan Jones in completing all the tasks and then return to manage his personal computer business.
The conversation between the two pleased Steven Spielberg, and the wait for them was the best form of trust. He directly summoned Universal staff to arrange accommodation for Ethan Jones and Steve Jobs. Since it was still early, he transformed into a tour guide and took Ethan Jones around the Universal Studios.
Ethan Jones was a person with a strong curiosity. Watching "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," he wondered how the bamboo forest fight between Yu Jiaolong and Li Mu Bai looked so beautiful. When watching "Who Am I," the leap made him wonder why Jackie Chan, filming such scenes, wasn't blacklisted by insurance companies.
So when Steven Spielberg mentioned that there were no secrets in the Universal Studios, Ethan Jones decisively stood up. He wanted to see what the shark props in "Jaws" looked like and why they could startle people during the movie.
However, upon seeing the three shark models created for the film, their stiff appearance, lifeless eyes, and unintelligent demeanor disappointed him. He directly questioned, "Steven, are you sure these are the sharks from the movie? How can something so fake manage to scare people?"
As the conversation shifted to Steven Spielberg's expertise, he confidently explained, "Of course, these are the sharks from the movie."
"If you think the models don't scare people without the movie, that's normal because the narrative techniques on the big screen add to the effect."
"We initially wanted to make 'Jaws' a gory film, but these models were too heavy, making it too troublesome to make them float and sink normally in water. So, to save costs, I removed the bloody content from the script. From an initially gory film, it turned into a suspense film. Because it leaves room for the audience's imagination, you find the shark in the movie scarier than the real props. When watching a movie, you imagine based on the plot, and the images imagined by the human brain are the scariest in the world. This technique in art is called 'leaving blank,' right?" Steve Jobs understood and smiled.
"Yes, it's called leaving blank," Steven Spielberg agreed with a nod.
With their explanation, Ethan Jones understood that "Jaws" played with an atmospheric feeling. Abandoning the common blood and dismemberment seen in American B-movies, it created a horror atmosphere in an artistic way.
"If that's the case, isn't it a bit of a pity?" Ethan Jones touched the model of the great white shark. "You spent so much money on creating it, but you didn't let it really swim. Isn't that a bit regrettable?"
"Of course!" Steven Spielberg admitted. "It is a bit regrettable."
But the next moment, he changed the subject and said, "However, this failure made me understand one thing. In the future, when creating prop models, we must consider their autonomy. Also, my friend has been researching electric models lately. If everything goes well, his technology might be used in my next film. By then, I might be able to make up for the regret."
This statement made Ethan Jones, who was touching the great white shark, blink.
Because he knew that Steven Spielberg's friend was George Lucas.
And since it was George Lucas, the film represented by electric models was undoubtedly the American national-level IP, "Star Wars."
"Has this film started shooting?" Ethan Jones was curious and asked directly, "Electric models? What kind of film is your friend shooting? Why use these things?"
"Oh, it's a sci-fi film, a story about outer space," Steven Spielberg said.
"Wow~ Outer space? Is that so cool?" Ethan Jones continued to verify.
"Yeah~ I think it's very cool!" When talking about this matter, Steven Spielberg's eyes were shining. "Ethan, are you interested? If you are, whenever you have time, I can take you to have a look."
"Not far, his studio is in Van Nuys."
"But the film hasn't started shooting yet, just in the modeling stage. It's not until at least March next year that it can start shooting."
"Got it! It's definitely 'Star Wars.'"
Confirming this fact, Ethan Jones smiled and agreed, "Okay, I'll come over after I finish my work."
"Don't worry, before we go, you will definitely get the new game."
Hearing this assurance, Steven Spielberg smiled happily. With renewed enthusiasm, he continued to take the two on a tour of Universal Studios until the assistant came over, indicating that the hotel arrangements were ready, they could check in at any time, and an entire floor had been booked, so there was no need to worry about privacy issues. Only then did Steven Spielberg accompany them to the hotel to rest, then drove home and contacted his father.
Honestly, the most useful background in the world is one's own parents.
When Steven Spielberg called his father, telling him about the trouble he encountered, Old Spielberg didn't say a word. The next morning, he drove to Universal, and his swift and decisive actions left Ethan Jones, who had just woken up, bewildered.
"This is too fast!"
Without hesitation, after showering and brushing his teeth, he went to Universal Studios to meet Old Spielberg. After recounting his experiences and needs, Old Spielberg, with a rich face and wearing glasses, shook his head, sighed, and said, "It seems there is trouble again."
"When Magnavox sued Atari for copyright infringement of 'Pong,' I felt something was off. Magnavox claimed two million for a single-game infringement. How could a single-game infringement lead to such a huge compensation?"
"Now..."
"Alas!"
"Rudolf's patent is truly a cause for celebration for capitalists and tears for practitioners!"
"Rudolf?" This name puzzled Ethan Jones.
Why did he feel that the person he was talking about and the person Old Spielberg mentioned were different?
His confusion made Steven Spielberg laugh, and he said, "Oh, Ethan, don't be surprised. Let me explain."
"Professor Ralph H. Baer's original name is Rudolf Heinrich Baer. To avoid pursuit during his escape, he changed his name. So now people call him Ralph, while those who know his original name still call him Rudolf."
"Oh! This is more stable!"
Ethan Jones nodded, indicating that he understood.
Just as he realized it, Old Spielberg changed the topic, looking at him with a curious gaze. "Ethan Jones?"
"Yeah?" This call brought Ethan Jones back from his thoughts.
And when he refocused on Old Spielberg, the retired guy smiled and said, "Ethan, you might not know, but I heard your name a long time ago, in the Los Angeles Times."
"Snake Game' is a very excellent creation, and I've played it. I think it's more fun than all the games on the market."
"Oh, thank you. Thank you for your praise." Ethan Jones couldn't stop smiling at such words.
However, his response made Old Spielberg wave his hand repeatedly and say, "Hey, Ethan, don't be
so formal!"
"Although we're meeting for the first time today, you are my son's friend after all. There's no distance between us."
"Now that we're all sitting together, it's just a casual chat."
"Oh, okay." Ethan Jones smiled and answered, indicating his understanding.
But at the same time, he said, "Uh, Arnold... Can I call you that?"
"Of course!" Old Spielberg nodded affirmatively.
"Okay, Arnold." Ethan Jones pursed his lips and explained, "Arnold, it's not that I'm being formal. I just want to show some respect to you. Since you read about it in the Los Angeles Times, you should know that 'Snake Game' is not my work alone. I just provided the idea, and my sister completed it."
"My sister is a student at Stanford, in the engineering school, majoring in computer science. Because she often browses relevant books at home, talking about the industry's development, I have some understanding of the electronics industry. It's precisely because I understand it that I realize how amazing engineers like you who research GE computers are."
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