Director in Hollywood

In front of a private jet, Nicholas Cage's character, Goodspeed, meets with Jim Womack, played by John Spencer.

At the start of this scene, Nicholas Cage was performing well. However, due to a lighting issue, they had to reshoot the take.

With that adjustment, Cage's excellent state mysteriously vanished.

After three or four consecutive takes, Gilbert couldn't help but frown.

Cage seemed aware of the issue and quickly raised his hand, saying, "Sorry, director. That was my fault."

Gilbert didn't lose his temper but said, "No, it's on me. I should have had the lighting crew set everything up sooner, so we could have finished in one take. I didn't expect that this adjustment would throw you off."

Gilbert's words made Cage feel slightly embarrassed, and he quickly replied, "Give me a little time..."

Gilbert thought for a moment and said, "John, could you run lines with Nicholas to help him get back into character?"

John Spencer immediately agreed, picked up the script, and rehearsed with Cage a few times. When they started filming again, Cage's performance was back on track, and they successfully completed the take.

Thinking Cage had found his footing, Gilbert hoped the rest would go smoothly. However, in the next take, Cage's state once again vanished.

In terms of acting ability, Cage, Ed Harris, and John Spencer were all far superior to Roger Moore.

Nicholas Cage was particularly remarkable. He had the physique and rugged looks of an action star, but he also possessed acting skills that most action stars lacked.

It's no wonder he eventually became a representative of action film actors in the 1990s, even more so than Tom Cruise.

Although Tom became known as an action star after Mission Impossible, audiences still focused primarily on his looks.

It wasn't until Mission Impossible 4 in 2011, when Tom Cruise stunned audiences by scaling Dubai's Burj Khalifa, that he became recognized as an action star.

Even Jackie Chan was amazed, and with the older generation of Hollywood action stars fading, Tom became a symbol of action films, affectionately called the "American Jackie Chan" by Chinese fans.

Of course, Tom might not appreciate this label; he is, after all, his own unique self.

If Gilbert were to tell him now that he'd someday be known as the "American Jackie Chan," the proud Tom would likely be both annoyed and wonder, "Who's Jackie Chan?"

At this point, Jackie Chan was still relatively unknown in Hollywood. Although he had a cameo in Real Steel, it didn't gain much attention.

It wasn't until Rumble in the Bronx earned over $50 million in North America that Jackie started to gain Hollywood's attention.

Interestingly, Jackie's few minutes in Real Steel thrilled fans in Hong Kong, and mainland fans who knew him were equally excited.

Reportedly, Gilbert Landry personally extended the invitation to Jackie, which solidified Jackie's reputation in the industry.

This was similar to a trend over a decade later when many Chinese actresses would make brief Hollywood appearances to become "international stars" back home.

Though it was a bit contrived, it was effective.

The difference, however, was that Jackie had the potential to make a real mark in Hollywood.

Gilbert wondered if one day his films would become targets for Chinese stars seeking a cameo, and the thought amused him.

The idea of collaborating with Fan Bingbing, Liu Yifei, or Yang Mi as a Hollywood director was thrilling.

Back on set, Cage's inconsistent state continued to frustrate Gilbert.

In response, they prioritized filming Cage's scenes while he was in a good state to avoid lengthy adjustments later.

After a tough morning of shooting, Gilbert discussed the afternoon's schedule with the directing team over lunch.

When the others left, Sofia Coppola stayed behind to thank Gilbert. "Nicholas asked me to thank you for not yelling at him when he was off his game."

Gilbert was puzzled. "Do I yell? I'm pretty easygoing, aren't I?"

"Um… are you?"

"Of course, I'm always polite."

Sofia rolled her eyes. "If you said that to the crew, no one would believe you."

Gilbert felt a bit helpless. Compared to the infamous temper of James Cameron, he was much more mild-mannered. Why did the crew see him as so intimidating?

During a break in shooting, producer Charles Roven approached Gilbert to discuss the script and filming direction. "Gilbert, I think the film might be too focused on entertainment."

"What do you mean?" Gilbert was curious about Roven's thoughts.

Roven explained, "I read the script, and the overall tone is serious, but you keep adding humorous elements during filming. It disrupts the film's atmosphere."

"You're right, Charles. But that's intentional," Gilbert replied.

"Please explain," Roven said, eager to hear Gilbert's perspective.

Gilbert thought carefully, then asked, "Charles, do you think a serious film automatically makes it a good one?"

"Not necessarily. It depends on the film's quality and whether the audience enjoys it," Roven replied.

"What about a lighthearted film, like The Mask?"

"That depends on the film itself and the audience's reception."

The Shawshank Redemption was an excellent film, widely praised, yet it only made about $20 million, showing it wasn't popular with mainstream audiences.

"So would you agree that a film's success isn't tied to its tone?" Gilbert asked.

Roven thought he agreed but felt unsure, realizing he'd been led in circles. "Gilbert, you successfully changed the topic."

Gilbert laughed, "Charles, the film's tone is serious, but this is a summer release. Our priority is to make sure the audience enjoys it. So, we need to add some elements to ensure it appeals to as many people as possible."

"But how can you guarantee the audience will like it?" Roven realized his question was naive as soon as he said it.

Even with all the planning done during a film's development, the industry is unpredictable, and success isn't certain.

Charles was only expressing a concern and had no intention of asking Gilbert to change the script or the actors' performances.

It wasn't just Roven who had concerns about the script; the Pentagon also had objections. They felt the portrayal of the Pentagon and FBI was unflattering.

They suggested revising the script to make General Hummel a hero and to replace the villains with a group of foreign terrorists.

However, when Major Hall, the Pentagon liaison, brought this up with Gilbert, he was firm in his refusal.

Gilbert explained to Major Hall, "In this film, there isn't a traditional 'bad guy.' Each character—Hummel, Mason, Goodspeed—is driven by their own beliefs and missions. The motivations and logic of each character are clear, and the minor traitors aren't central to the story."

Since the script had already been approved by the Pentagon, they reluctantly accepted Gilbert's decision.

As F-18s had active duty and couldn't always be available, the Pentagon coordinated with the Navy to send six jets from a base near San Francisco to assist in filming.

With approval secured, the crew set up a high-speed wireless camera inside an F-18 cockpit to capture a first-person view of the jet flying over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Flying under the bridge was a risky maneuver, with little margin for error.

Gilbert raised concerns with Lieutenant Colonel Fairman at the airbase, worried about safety.

Though the request was Gilbert's, any mishap would be a huge responsibility.

However, Fairman assured him, "The pilots are the Navy's elite. Their training is far tougher than flying under the Golden Gate Bridge."

"Good," Gilbert replied. "I'll need a few runs. Is that possible?"

"Why?" Fairman seemed puzzled by the request.

Gilbert explained, "I need multiple angles. Some shots overlap, so we'll need several takes."

"No problem. I'll talk to the pilots," Fairman assured him.

The elite Navy pilots could handle the crew's request with ease.

John Schwartzman stayed behind to install the high-speed camera, while Gilbert drove back to the Golden Gate Bridge to set up the shoot.

As the sun began to set, casting a beautiful glow over the bridge, they closed it off with permission from the city and the bridge's management, mainly to prevent accidents.

The jets flying under the bridge were a major moment, putting Gilbert's directing skills to the test.

Since the jets would pass quickly, everything had to be perfectly coordinated.

"Sofia, is everything ready?"

From a distance, Sofia Coppola gave an "OK" sign.

Gilbert checked in with each department, "Cinematography, set, lighting?"

"Director, everything's good."

"Relax, Gilbert, everything's set."

"Okay." Despite his experience, Gilbert felt a bit nervous shooting a scene like this. He turned to Annie Burton and said, "Tell the base that the jets can take off now."

After a few minutes, six jets appeared on the horizon.

They executed a maneuver to form pairs and began a low-altitude approach.

The deafening roar of the jets echoed as they passed safely under the bridge at a secure speed.

Watching the footage on the monitor, Gilbert couldn't help but shout, "Woohoo, that's incredible! What do you think, Sofia?"

A stunned Sofia said, "Gilbert, you're insane."

Hollywood productions had used real jets before, as in Top Gun, where a pilot even died during filming.

But witnessing it firsthand was different, and watching the jets soar under the bridge left a lasting impression.

Since the fuel was sufficient and the lighting was right, the jets made two more passes, hitting their marks flawlessly, making Gilbert ecstatic.

Afterward, the fighter jets flew back to the air base, concluding their filming mission.

John Schwartzman, stationed at the air base, promptly checked the high-speed wireless camera installed on one of the jets to ensure all the footage was successfully recorded.

He then took the camera, drove back to the set, and handed the film to Gilbert as soon as possible.

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