Chapter 196 (1/2)

After work, I still chose the restaurant at noon for my meeting with Los Angeles Times reporter Peter Butler.

Although he met occasionally for more than a year and was invited to attend the grand birthday party at the beginning of the year, Peter Butler still felt as if he had been separated from others when he saw Simon again.

Earlier last year, his Los Angeles Times article about Simon also caused controversy over his praise of an 18-year-old. But now, even the most conceited people can only be described as miracles in the face of Simon's achievements over the past year.

After a casual dinner, and the waiter left, Peter Butler turned to the subject and asked, ”Simon, how do you feel about the Forbes rankings?”

Simon said with a smile: ”these days are too busy to feel much.”

”I don't know how many people will envy you for your busyness,” Peter Butler joked, and continued: ”recently, there has been a lot of controversy about your personal wealth on the Forbes list. Do you think the figure of $3.1 billion is accurate?”

Simon didn't want to cause a series of chain problems, so he nodded and said, ”Forbes is still very professional.”

There is still a lot of time for dinner, and Peter Butler is not in a hurry to discuss this issue in depth. Instead, he said: ”speaking, I recently got a set of data, which is obviously influenced by your series of success in Hollywood. The number of students applying for film and television colleges in North America this year has more than tripled compared with the past. Do you want to give some suggestions to these young people?”

”I'm actually a young man,” Simon said with a smile. ”Besides, I don't like to give advice because I always think it doesn't make much sense.”

Peter Butler said: ”it seems that you haven't changed much from a year ago. You are still a pessimist who is very alienated from the world.”

Simon was noncommittal: ”maybe.”

Peter Butler said tentatively, ”do you mind if I write this judgment in the article?”

Simon said, ”it's your freedom.”

”It seems you don't care too much about what the media thinks,” Peter Butler said, adding, ”well, let's talk about movies, Simon. From the original ”Lola Run” to the recent ”instinct”, in two years, you have dominated six films, and all of them have achieved amazing box office results, which has never happened in the whole history of Hollywood. So, can you tell me what is the key to the success of these films? ”

Simon thought about it and said, ”maybe these films just cater to the needs of the audience.”

”As we all know, the taste of the movie audience is always the most difficult thing to guess, otherwise the risk of the industry would not be so great,” Peter Butler asked. So, how do you judge that the films you create and choose just meet the needs of the audience? ”

”It's classified as personal talent,” Simon said, shaking his head with a smile. ”And, Peter, if there's a certain measure of judgment, do you think I'll tell you?”

Peter Butler also realized that the problem he just had was a little silly.

In two years, all six films sold well at the box office. If Simon really had a knack, and no Hollywood film company would mind paying any price to get it, how could he tell himself casually.

However.

After carefully considering the conversation, Peter Butler suddenly realized one thing. He looked at Simon and said, ”Simon, do you really have some talent to ensure the success of a film?”

”Peter, there are too many variables in a movie from script to film. Even after the film is finished, the publicity process of the film will have an unpredictable impact on its market performance, so I just try to make sure that a film is the best from beginning to end. ”