[Shout out to Marcelo V!]

  Hollywood What If Chapter 139

  Directors were different animals who could hareme pressure. This should be one of the on traits that directors should have. They suffer months of nervousness in case their movie doesn't work out.

  If a movie flopped, the director was usually bmed. The responsibility they had was a double-edged sword.

  "I know, that's why I decided to let him direct Taken 2 instead of The Bourne Identity. Uhe Bourne Identity, which didn't have a strong guaraaken 2 is a sequel to Taken, which has a successful box office. Even if Taken 2 't surpass the box office of Taken, it has a strong ability to make a profit."

  To be ho, Kazir khat Taken's success was due to the human traffig that happe year. His expectation for Taken was only around 250 million at best. If Taken 2 surpassed the 250 million mark, Kazir would be satisfied.

  -- What about the budget?

  "We sign a tract with an insuranpany. Besides, first-time directors are usually scious of spending money; I think Fremont Smith ha."

  -- But--

  "Salvatore, I know you're worried about the boy. But you have to let him spread his wings and give him a ce to fly... He is only five years youhan you, he is not a child."

  One of the reasons why Kazir hired Fremont was because he was looking for someone he could trust to take care of tial ematiiverse along side him. So far, Fremont was doing well.

  -- I uand. But what about Liam Neeson?

  Salvatore Barlowe had a lot to worry about because their pn to speed up the projects might cause a problem.

  "Yeah, I o talk to Liam to vince him."

  Liam Neeson trusted Kazir Grey, but it was ahing if another person took over the director's position. Liam Neeson might have a problem with that.

  He could drop the Taken franchise altogether and pay damages instead. That would be irreparable damage to Grey Pictures o happened.

  Kazir Grey could be trusted because he had already proven himself. But Fremont Smith was just a rookie. Not only Liam Neeson, but also the other aight have a ive opinion about these ges.

  Kazir hoped that Liam Neeson would not be disappointed.

  "Keep this information private for now. We 't let others hear it because it could cause us trouble."

  -- Okay, I will start looking for talented people. Who will lead this eam?

  "I will take half, and Fremont will take half."

  Fremont Smith would perform better if he reized the people he was w with.

  Kazir had Fremont build a small team for him to take over whearted his own projebsp;

  Kazir was fident he could handle new people.

  'To be ho, I thought about giving Renner Hector the ce to direct Taken 2, but the fire in his heart is still not enough. It o be ignited. As long as Renner is not ready to make his own movie, I will let him do what he wants.'

  It was funny that the veteran wao stay in his position while the rookie was hungry fnition and wao start his own movie.

  "I o talk to Liam Neeson befrey Pictures starts the project."

  -- I have an idea. How about you go to the Academy Awards?

  "Huh? I thought that was over. The Oscars are always in March."

  -- Something happened so they ged the date to April 12th. There was a small fire at the venue, so they ged the schedule.

  "I uand."

  Kazir felt that this ge was because of him, but he decided not to think about it.

  "I will attend."

  --That's good.

  "I will call you again." Kazir ehe call.

  Maybe because he was too busy, he didn't think about the Oscars. He hadn't noticed that the Oscars were te this year.

  'If I'm right, Taken has three nominations. Best Actor, Best inal Spy a Souing.'

  Even though they got three nominations, it would be hard for them to win even one of the categories. First of all, Grey Pictures never ied in PR(Public Retions). Well, except for Liam Neeson.

  In his career, Liam Neeson has only received one nomination in the Best Actor category. It was her than Oskar Sdler in Sdler's List. That was the only time he got it.

  Grey Pictures and Paramouhat Taken didn't have a ce at the Oscars after Titanic flooded theaters. So it ointless for them to i in PR.

  But for Liam Neeson it was different. He wahat golden statue.

  Well, everybody in Hollywood wahat golden statue. Even Kazir Grey was no exception. He was hungry to get one.

  However, there was no ce for Kazir to find the best script to make a movie that would attract the members of the Academy.

  'Although I know that the Academy will slowly bee servative and afraid of ge. They will stick to their old school ideals a others. They will try to accept ges and bee so called "woke", but they are just hiding their extreme prejudice... Still, I 't deny the truth that I want to get the Best Director statue.'

  Maybe Kazir Grey ocrite, too. The Academy was not perfed her was Kazir.

  'I heard that Liam's PR team is tag members of the Academy and giving them gifts. Even Liam Neeson attended so many parties to build es.'

  Kazir knew Liam Neeson's temperament. Like Kazir, Liam Neeson hated parties. But he ighat just to get the golden statue.

  'Hell, I'd do the same if I were in his position.'

  But Liam's oppos were not so easy.

  Matt Damood Will Hunting.

  Robert Duvall from The Apostles.

  Jaicholson from As Good As It Gets.

  And Dustin Hoffman in Wag The Dog.

  In Kazir's opinion, Jaicholson has the best ce of winning this year.

  'Still, I 't deny that Taken is the sed best movie of 1997. Liam Neeson is only behind Jaicholson for Best Actor.'

  +++++

  [Author's note: I have always avoided the Academy Awards because I have some prejudices against them. Maybe letting Will Smith wi Actor Award after he spped Chris Rock is one of the reasons. But I 't deny that they make a huge tribution to Hollywood. Kazir Grey will have to face them sooner or ter].