Inside the suite at the Peace Hotel where Gilbert was staying, several dozen selected exam papers had already been delivered, having gone through preliminary screening by Disney and Warner's local branches.
Gilbert was reviewing them one by one. Some he glanced at briefly before setting aside, others he read carefully, and on a few, he even made notes and comments directly on the pages.
Scarlett was helping him review the papers, while Johnny Depp, having finally grown bored of entertaining himself, appeared in Gilbert's room, happily enjoying some delicious pastries—completely uninterested in the papers.
"Gilbert, take a look at this one—it's pretty interesting!" Scarlett held out a test paper and handed it to him.
"Let me see," Gilbert read the title on the exam: On the Development of the Chinese Film Market in Twenty Years...
"In twenty years, Hollywood's traditional model will gradually become outdated, and the future of Chinese-language films, driven by the Chinese market, will experience major development and move onto the global stage."
Scarlett commented, "Isn't he a bit too arrogant? He actually dares to make such a prediction."
Johnny Depp, munching on a pastry nearby, scoffed, "Sheer delusion. Surpassing Hollywood? That's easier said than done."
"You can't say that," Gilbert motioned to his assistant Anna to keep the paper safe, then continued, "Anyone working in the film industry must have ambition.
Without ambition, you can't make good films."
In fact, regardless of the profession—even being a beggar—you have to aspire to become the King of Beggars, or you're simply not qualified.
Gilbert also picked out another exam—Guo Fan's. While the rest of his responses were also interesting, his perspective on Chinese sci-fi cinema aligned closely with Gilbert's own views.
Guo Fan believed that with technological progress and development in filmmaking, Chinese-language cinema would inevitably be pushed to evolve. Even if not proactively, this progress would occur passively.
By then, supported by local science fiction writers, Chinese sci-fi cinema would have a future—one that tells Chinese sci-fi stories from a Chinese perspective.
That answer made Gilbert very satisfied. So, he kept Guo Fan's paper. Although Guo Fan's responses were solid, he still needed to grow and gain experience. Gilbert decided to give him a chance.
Besides, the training fee was paid by China Film Group—who better to invest it in than a director he was at least familiar with? The rest of the candidates were just nobodies.
After finishing the test, Guo Fan reunited with Liu Ji. Unlike Guo Fan, who looked relaxed after the exam, Liu Ji appeared extremely anxious.
"We're doomed, doomed," Liu Ji exclaimed in a panic after coming out.
"What's wrong?" Guo Fan quickly asked.
Liu Ji replied in distress, "There were several questions I didn't even understand. I had no clue what to write, so I just made stuff up."
"Why didn't you answer more thoughtfully?" Guo Fan smacked his forehead. "These questions don't have standard answers—you're supposed to respond with your own thoughts."
"Ah?" Liu Ji slapped his own forehead. "Then I'm really screwed. I have no idea what nonsense I wrote. It's over."
"Sigh!" Guo Fan sighed. "It's okay, it's okay. Let's just see how lucky you are."
Though they said that, both knew Liu Ji didn't stand much of a chance.
Liu Ji patted Guo Fan's shoulder. "I've got no hope left, but you still have a great shot. Go for it. Remember to take me along in the future."
The two brothers sat there feeling discouraged. The next day, the list from Gilbert's side came out. In the end, they didn't select the full fifty candidates—only twenty-nine were chosen.
President Han from China Film Group even asked Gilbert, "Can't we add a few more people?"
Gilbert declined. "The quality of the candidates is too low. Even these twenty-nine were picked only after I greatly lowered my standards.
This is it. I don't want any more."
President Han had no choice. These days, it's a seller's market. People were going to learn from others, not to act like royalty—so he could only agree.
Once the list was announced, those who made it were naturally ecstatic. They had earned a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Getting a taste of Hollywood and returning would multiply their value by five times—at least.
But those who hadn't qualified—especially the ones who had tried using connections and gifts—were bitterly disappointed.
For example, one film director thought he had secured a place through backdoor connections and expected to join the Hollywood crew smoothly. But to his surprise, there was actually an exam.
Completely unprepared, he stumbled through the test, and sure enough, his name didn't appear on the final list.
He became upset with the person he'd bribed and tried to get his gift back.
But of course, the other party wasn't going to return it. In the end, he got neither the spot nor the gift back, and even offended someone. Total loss.
This was a true reflection of most people who relied on backdoor connections—thinking it would be easy, only to find out there was an exam. That's when they broke down.
Some even sighed, "No wonder Hollywood dominates the global film industry. This level of professionalism is beyond what Chinese filmmakers can match."
Of course, none of them realized that even in Hollywood, there were backdoor dealings. Gilbert's crew had them too.
In fact, Gilbert's own first chance to direct had come through such connections—otherwise, who knew how long it would've taken for him to get his first shot?
Maybe the difference was that Hollywood's "back doors" still required a certain level of personal ability to walk through.
In any case, the final list of trainees was set at twenty-nine. According to the schedule, they would report to Los Angeles before August.
As for the rest who didn't qualify, they could only scatter and look on in envy at those who did.
Guo Fan was one of the envied ones. Liu Ji was very envious: "Old Guo, I knew you had it in you. I heard they were originally going to select fifty people.
But Director Gilbert wasn't satisfied with the quality, so he barely managed to pick twenty-nine—and you were one of them."
Even as composed as he was, Guo Fan was still just a young man of twenty-two or twenty-three. He couldn't hide his excitement at this moment.
"This is all thanks to you. Without you, I wouldn't have gotten this opportunity," Guo Fan said gratefully to Liu Ji.
Liu Ji shook his head. "Don't thank me. I only helped you get a spot in the test. If you hadn't done well yourself, I couldn't have helped."
"No," Guo Fan said firmly. "I still have to thank you. You have no idea how rare this opportunity is.
Just at our school alone, there were so many people who were dying to get in—even if it meant taking the exam.
I…"
Before Guo Fan could finish his heartfelt thanks, Liu Ji interrupted, "Enough with the cheesy stuff. If you really want to thank me, just go make something great."
The emotion in those words moved Guo Fan. He reached out and shook Liu Ji's hand. If anyone had been watching, they'd probably sense a strong bond between the two—pure, heartfelt camaraderie.
After a long moment, Guo Fan smiled and said, "Dinner's on me tonight—drinks on me, too."
"Drinks?" Liu Ji was a sturdy guy but full of bravado: "I don't fear anyone when I drink! Let's chug and celebrate."
"Bring it on—I'm not scared of you."
"Let's go…"
Laughing, they headed out to eat and drink, to celebrate what might just be the most pivotal moment in Guo Fan's life.
Meanwhile, Gilbert's agenda in China was winding down soon after the list was finalized.
He went on to give a lecture at Fudan University, engaging with its students in lively conversation. Invitations had also come from esteemed universities in Beijing, but Gilbert declined—he didn't want to travel back just yet. Fudan's students proved more inquisitive, sharper in their questions. They discussed everything from cinematic art to culture, Eastern history to Western philosophy, and the discourse was vibrant.
In the end, Gilbert found himself outside Fudan's auditorium posing for a photo with university leaders and outstanding student representatives.
With that, his time in China wrapped up. Johnny Depp flew back to North America, while Gilbert and Scarlett headed off to relax on Japan.
Back in North America, the premiere of The Fast and the Furious 2 went spectacularly well. Although rumors of tension between Vin Diesel and Paul Walker swirled, both appeared at the premiere like brothers-in-arms—putting the rumors to rest.
The red-carpet event was pure entertainment. Liv Tyler and Jessica Alba turned heads in their short skirts and hot pants—many male fans admitted feeling their hearts race at the sight. The premiere doubled as a car show: all the leading actors' vehicles appeared, including Lamborghini, BMW, and Mercedes showcasing their newest concept supercars.
The premiere was a seamless blend of film and automotive marketing—essentially an ad for those luxury cars. Each lead actor received a supercar from the sponsors that night. Lamborghini went a step further—honoring Gilbert with one of their limited-edition models. Though not a car collector and seeing cars merely as a means of transport, Gilbert still publicly thanked Lamborghini on social media... and then promptly gave the car to Anne Hathaway, knowing she loved driving.
Scarlett had her sights on cars too—until she experienced Gilbert's private jet. Now she's eyeing learning how to fly one instead. Expensive hobbies, yes—but perfectly normal in her eyes. Gilbert could only smile in support.
In short—no drama, just big gestures. Everything went beautifully.
...
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