In the past few weeks, Li Kai had not wasted his time. He had not only completed the full script for The Godfather, but also sat at his desk and drew a thick stack of storyboards. Every camera angle, every bit of light and shadow, and even the subtle expressions and movements of the actors were repeatedly rehearsed and perfected in his writing and in his mind. He had almost filmed the entire movie countless times on the screen in his mind.
Unfortunately, The Godfather novel failed to open the doors of any publishing house... By the end of the month, the "Starlight Cinema" that Li Kai's father had painstakingly managed for many years ultimately failed to survive this cold winter and was officially declared bankrupt. On the day the bank people came to put on the seals, white seals were pasted crosswise on the main door like a cold "X," completely ending the light, shadow, and bustle that once existed here.
Whispers came from the onlookers among the neighbors and passersby. Some shook their heads and sighed, but more were mocking sneers and undisguised gossip.
"Old Li made such a big fuss, I thought he could really pull through."
"Haha, a Chinese-American running a cinema? Once television came out, wasn't it doomed?"
"Look at his son, still standing there with a calm face. He's probably faking it; he must be panicking inside."
Li Kai seemed not to hear those harsh voices. He stood not far away, his expression unusually calm, just quietly looking at the seal, as if he wanted to brand this moment deep into his heart. Then he turned around, his gaze calm yet firm, and whispered to himself: "One day, I will buy it back."
...Late at night, just as Li Kai was thinking about how to proceed next, a phone call suddenly came from his university mentor, Reese Harrison.
"Kai, I've heard a bit about your family situation," Professor Harrison's tone carried concern. "Listen, child, now is not the time for you to sink. Your talent should not be buried in the shadows. I have an opportunity here to recommend you to work in a film crew. I wonder if you are willing to go?"
"Thank you, Professor Harrison, I am willing to go!" Li Kai replied after thinking for a moment.
The most important thing right now was to earn an income to maintain the household and relieve his father's pressure. Moreover, joining a real film crew to participate in practice was an excellent way to accumulate experience and hone his directing skills—which was exactly what he needed most at the moment.
"Very good! I knew you wouldn't give up on your directing dream so easily." Professor Harrison's voice revealed relief.
"Of course, that is my most beloved career!" Li Kai replied with a serious face, then followed up with, "Professor, which film crew is it?"
"cleopatra," Professor Harrison said. "You should have heard of it. The director is an old friend of mine, and I can recommend you to serve as a director's assistant. You can observe up close how he dispatches scenes, grasps the narrative, and controls such a super production... This will be a very valuable learning experience for your growth."
Upon hearing this, Li Kai's heart was instantly shaken God, it was actually cleopatra!
He knew this movie all too well—a famous "disaster" blockbuster in film history, known as one of the most money-burning and loss-making movies. Relevant information quickly flashed through his mind: production began as early as 1959, starring Elizabeth Taylor, who was at the height of her fame then, with production costs reaching a staggering forty to fifty million dollars—equivalent to over four hundred million dollars in 2025—nearly dragging down the producer, 20th Century Fox. Later, it was only the explosive success of The Sound of Music that saved the company.
However, Li Kai also knew that despite the film's commercial failure, its production scale was grand and its scenes were extremely luxurious, and there were still many things worth learning from in terms of film aesthetics and technical execution. Managing such an epic production was definitely not something an average director could achieve.
Although the original host had amazing talent, he lacked practical experience. Being able to enter such a film crew, even if only as an assistant observing and learning, was undoubtedly an extremely rare opportunity.
"Thank you, Professor!" Li Kai's voice could not hide his excitement. "A sensational production like cleopatra, of course I've heard of it. It is my honor to be able to join such a film crew!"
"Very good." Professor Harrison's tone on the other end of the phone was gratified. "Then I will contact the director of cleopatra right now. You should also make some preparations in advance and learn more about the project."
"Don't worry, Professor! I'll go to the library right away to look up information and study Egyptian history and the life of cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt!"
After the call ended, Li Kai immediately went into action. He grabbed his coat and walked out the door, started that slightly old but still reliable old Ford, and drove straight to the city library.
He knew in his heart that despite his mentor's strong recommendation, ultimately standing firm in the film crew would depend on his own strength and preparation. Understanding this period of history deeply in advance would not only allow him to get started faster at work but also leave a positive and professional first impression on the director and producer.
Meanwhile, after Professor Reese Harrison hung up the phone, he did not delay. He opened his address book and unhesitatingly dialed the number of the director of cleopatra... Director Rouben Mamoulian was a very accomplished and influential director, a master-level figure in Hollywood, which was why 20th Century Fox chose him to serve as the director of cleopatra.
"Hi, Mamoulian, I'm Reese Harrison!" After the call was connected, Reese Harrison greeted him.
Mamoulian's hearty voice then came from the other end: "Hey! Professor Harrison! It's been a long time. Why did you think of looking for me today? Is there something going on?"
"I do have something I'd like your help with," Reese Harrison got straight to the point. "I heard you're filming cleopatra?"
"That's right, things are a bit chaotic right now, and I'm in need of capable hands." Mamoulian nodded and replied upon hearing this, his tone carrying a hint of expectation amidst the busyness.
"Then I must solemnly recommend someone to you—a student of mine. His talent in directing is arguably the most outstanding I've seen in many years, with extremely high talent and strong perception. If he can get this opportunity, I believe he will definitely not let you down."
Rouben Mamoulian was surprised to hear this and couldn't help but become serious. He knew Professor Harrison's character and eye for talent well. This old friend never praised others lightly; for him to recommend someone so strongly, the other party must truly have extraordinary qualities. And since cleopatra was grand in scale and complex in affairs, he indeed urgently needed a capable assistant to share the work of the directing team.
"To be so highly praised by you, I really must meet him!" Mamoulian asked with great interest, "What is his name?"
"Li Kai."
"Chinese-American?" Mamoulian was slightly surprised. In today's Hollywood, Chinese-American directors were far and few between, and it was even harder to stand out in this industry.
But he then changed his mind; what did that matter? Right now, what he needed was not a prominent origin or background, but true talent. As long as this young man was indeed as capable as Harrison said, he was the talent he needed. Race was never a measure of talent.A week later, carrying his mentor's recommendation letter and a heart full of trepidation and anticipation for the future, Li Kai embarked on his journey to Italy.
When he finally stood outside the unimaginably massive set of Cinecittà Studios, even with the memories of the future in his mind, the sight before him still left him deeply shaken. This didn't look like a film studio; it looked more like an ancient city rising from the ground. Craftsmen, carpenters, actors, and staff were as busy as worker ants, and the air was thick with the scent of wood, plaster dust, paint, and a quality called 'ambition.' This was cleopatra, a behemoth built of US dollars and dreams.
"Hello, I have an appointment with Director Mamoulian. I'm here to apply for the position of assistant director. Could you please let him know?"
Li Kai found a crew member and spoke in a modest tone.
The person sized him up and nodded: "Please wait a moment, I'll go inform the director."
"Thank you very much." Li Kai bowed slightly in appreciation.
As the staff member turned to leave, he remained where he was, his gaze discreetly scanning the surroundings. The filming base was enormous and crowded with people, and the air seemed to be pulled tight like a taut string. He calmly took a deep breath, mentally reviewing the points he planned to discuss with Director Mamoulian once more.
Before long, the staff member returned and beckoned to him: "Please follow me, the director wants to interview you in his office."
"Alright, thank you for leading the way." Li Kai followed at a steady pace.
The two of them passed through a somewhat cluttered corridor and finally stopped in front of an office door. The staff member pushed the door open and signaled for him to enter.
As soon as Li Kai entered, he saw Rouben Mamoulian bent over his desk working. He looked even more exhausted than in his photos, with deep furrows between his brows. His desk was piled high with storyboards, script drafts, and budget documents; the man looked as if he were being suffocated by an invisible mountain of work.
"You're Li Kai?" Mamoulian looked up from the documents, his gaze scrutinizing.
Li Kai met his gaze and bowed slightly with dignity: "Yes, Director Mamoulian. It's an honor to meet you. This is the letter Professor Reese Harrison wrote for you."
He took the prepared envelope from his pocket and handed it over with both hands.
Mamoulian took the letter and quickly tore it open to skim the contents. As his eyes scanned the familiar handwriting, the tension on his face seemed to relax slightly.
"Harrison recommended you highly, saying you're the most talented of all his students." Mamoulian sized up the young man quickly with a sharp gaze, "Tell me, young man, what are your thoughts on this film? Don't give me the clichés from the newspapers."
Li Kai took a deep breath, knowing this was his first, and perhaps last, test. He didn't show any stage fright. Instead, combining his knowledge of this film from his past life with the original body's explosive directorial talent, he began to speak composedly. He didn't offer hollow praise; instead, he precisely pointed out several potential difficulties in blocking and character motivation, and even tactfully proposed an alternative vision for the visual presentation. The uniqueness of his angle and the professionalism of his insights completely exceeded the level of a fresh graduate.
As Mamoulian listened, the exhaustion in his eyes was gradually replaced by surprise and appreciation. Many of Li Kai's ideas actually coincided with certain concepts he had been struggling to realize, and some even provided new solutions. In this predicament surrounded by studio pressure and star temperaments, this young man's appearance was like a breath of fresh air.
Mamoulian couldn't help but slap the table, a long-absent smile appearing on his face. "Harrison didn't lie to me; you really are a genius! Your thinking isn't like a novice's at all; it's more like a veteran who's spent over a decade on sets. Alright, young man, you're hired. Stay with me as my third assistant director. I need your eyes and your brain."
"Thank you, it's my honor!"
...In the Hollywood film crews of the early 1960s, it was almost entirely a white man's world. A Chinese face, especially such a young one serving as an assistant director, was exceptionally conspicuous.
"Where did Mamoulian find this Chinaman? Can he even handle the job of an assistant director?"
"No idea, but looks like he got in through the back door."
"The investment in cleopatra is so high, and with a star like Elizabeth Taylor playing the lead, the production company is taking this project very seriously. Whether this new Chinese assistant director can do a good job is still unknown. In my opinion, it's highly likely he'll be packing his bags before long, haha..."
"True. I've been in Hollywood for over ten years and I've never heard of a Chinese director. There are a few Chinese actors, though..."
"..."
As soon as he joined the crew, Li Kai could clearly feel the skeptical, curious, and even blatantly contemptuous looks coming from all around.
Li Kai ignored these looks and didn't bother to argue. Prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain, but there was plenty of time ahead. He believed that as long as he had the opportunity, he could definitely conquer everyone with his true ability.
What Li Kai didn't expect was that the opportunity would arrive so soon.
At around 2:00 PM that afternoon, preparations were being made to film a massive crowd scene of Caesar's triumphal entry into Rome.
Hundreds of extras dressed in ancient Roman attire crowded into the magnificent set, as noisy and chaotic as a boiling pot of water.
The assistant director in charge of blocking was a bearded man shouting hoarsely into a megaphone. Sweat rolled down his forehead, but the crowd continued to crash into each other like headless flies, blocking the main path. The camera positions simply couldn't capture the intended grand shots.
"Stop! Dammit! Everyone stop!" The assistant director was nearly having a breakdown, and filming came to a complete standstill. The surrounding staff members looked at each other, but no one could come up with a solution.
In the midst of this frantic mess, Li Kai, who had been standing quietly to the side, suddenly had his eyes light up.
"Here's the chance!!!" Li Kai thought excitedly to himself.
Immediately, he silently picked up a pencil and the back of a discarded script. His eyes scanned the entire site like a scanner, and his fingers flew across the paper. In less than ten minutes, a crystal-clear blocking diagram had taken shape.
He didn't go to the assistant director. Instead, he walked straight to the leaders of the bewildered extras and spoke calmly: "Everyone, please look here. We shouldn't be huddling together; we should flow like a tide." He pointed at the drawing, "You few, lead the people behind you. Using this arch as the center, split into four streams of people and move alternately along this arc I've drawn. Remember, it's not a straight charge, but like participating in a great parade. Leave enough space so the camera can see everyone's face and the flags behind you."
His words had a strange persuasiveness, and the diagram was strikingly intuitive. The leaders understood instantly, nodded, and immediately went to organize their people. The crowd seemed as if it were being combed by an invisible hand, quickly and efficiently branching out, weaving, and moving. The previous congestion instantly transformed into a spectacular and orderly river of people, perfectly matching the momentum and composition the director wanted.
The entire set fell silent. The assistant director stood with his mouth open, watching the magical change before him, his face flushing with various emotions. Finally, he scratched his head, walked over to Li Kai, and said in a complex but sincere tone: "...Hey, pal, thanks. This diagram of yours... is fucking fantastic!"
The people around couldn't help but nod in secret admiration, whispering: "This new assistant director seems to have some real skill!"