Hollywood What If Chapter 582
Kazir stepped onto the stage at the hall, and the soft murmur of students died down as he approached the podium.
The vast auditorium, with its arched ceilings and warm lighting, turned silent as Kazir introduced himself. Most of the students practically knew him.
Despite being a director, Kazir was famous. Furthermore, UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) had a film school, which further enhanced Kazir's status at the university. Most of the students who wanted to pursue filmmaking aspired to become like him, a director recognized by the whole world.
Kazir adjusted the microphone. He was a bit nervous since this was his first time giving a speech to new graduates... He also had no experience regarding college graduation since he never finished college.
He took a brief moment to scan the crowd. Some had eager faces, some had notebooks ready, although most students didn't seem to give a fuck. After all, Kazir was a human just like them. There was nothing to be excited about. They were not some crazy fanatics who would go batshit worshipping celebrities. They wouldn't step that low, right?
"Good afternoon, everyone," Kazir began, his voice steady. He had faced much tougher things than this, so he easily recovered from his nervousness.
"First of all, thank you for welcoming me here today. It's an honor to stand before such an active and curious group of students at UCLA."
A ripple of polite applause followed, then silence.
"I was asked to speak about success," he continued.
"About what it means, how to find it, and maybe, how to hold onto it. But if I'm being honest, I think we too often ask the wrong questions about success. We believe it's an endpoint. Graduate school. Get a job. Buy a house. Then bam, success. But the real question is... What are you willing to struggle for to acquire success?"
He paused, letting that sink in... He had actually hired a writer to help him write his speech because he had no idea what to say. This was different from writing a script... First of all, the scripts he wrote were not originally his. So he understood that he actually had no talent in writing. But of course, he participated in writing the speech since it was his speech in the first place.
Kazir leaned in slightly, reading the speech he had prepared, and then his gaze swept the room again. Some students were staring at him, waiting for his continuation, while some were just waiting for the time to pass.
Kazir might be a famous director. But it didn't mean that he was a great speaker. Students were also not sure if he could make some jokes to entertain them.
"Because the truth is, everything worthwhile demands something from you. Your time, your energy, your sanity sometimes," he said with a wry smile.
"Filmmaking, for me, isn't about chasing fame or fortune. It's about telling stories that matter, or not, but they are stories that kept me up at night. That gave me the perseverance to create films that I can show to the world. But it was not that easy. Sometimes I experienced tough obstacles that I barely passed through. Every struggle shaped me more than any success did. So I ask you today... What's worth the fight for you?"
The students listened... while others yawned. What Kazir said were some basic encouraging sentences that P.E. teachers tell their sports teams.
Thankfully, Kazir was so absorbed in his speech that he didn't feel that the crowd was getting bored. Today, it was proven that despite his talent in filmmaking, Kazir was not good at giving speeches or encouraging people...
If it were a one-on-one conversation, perhaps Kazir could make some sense, but a whole crowd of young people was tougher to convince.
"Boring..."
"Man, I wonder if Tyrone will be free tonight, he said he wants to play Smash."
"Skibidi toilet."
"Who would win between 100 men versus 1 Silverback Gorilla?"
But then, the students started having their own conversations, and murmurs were everywhere.
Kazir caught their not-so-enthusiastic expressions.
He exhaled softly and looked down at his notes. For a moment, he hesitated. Then, with a small bitter smile, he set the paper aside. The microphone caught the soft thud as Kazir set aside the paper.
"Alright," he said, his voice more relaxed now, "I'm going to be real with you all."
His tone and way of speaking changed. Perhaps it was better to say what he wanted to say instead of following the speech he wrote.
His change of demeanor caught the attention of some students.
"I have been up here reading a speech someone helped me write. Because, honestly, I had no idea how to inspire a room full of students like yourselves. But here's the thing, I'm not here to sugarcoat you guys. Being a director, being successful in this industry... it's brutal. It's torturous, you probably have to bleed some blood or something."
More students listened.
"You'll pour everything you have into a project, only for it to fall apart at the last minute. You'll get into scandals if you make enemies. You will face rejection so many times you will lose count. And the truth? Out of all of you sitting here today who dream of becoming directors, maybe only a handful will make it. Perhaps none of you will even become one."
Kazir remembered that he was a billionaire. He was also a successful director. He had no reason to impress these students; he had already proved himself. He might as well say what he wanted to say.
The room was quiet now, really listening.
Kazir gave a mocking smile.
"But let's talk about the pros. If you successfully make a huge hit movie, the rewards can be incredible. The money? You can make millions if you film a box office hit. I've made millions from a single movie. And yeah, it changes your life, like literally... But more than that, for me, it's about seeing your vision come alive on screen. Knowing millions of people around the world are watching something that started in my head. That feeling... It's priceless. Like I'm in everyone's mind."
He grinned.
"So, if you're in this for the fame, or the money alone, you might burn out fast. But if you truly love filmmaking, then you can survive this dangerous industry. Be ready to fail, and fail hard. But don't let that stop you. Because every now and then, someone lucky breaks through. And it might just be you."
The students stood up and started clapping their hands.
This further proved that Kazir was not a motivational speaker.