I am Hollywood

[Chapter 1126: Seeking Solitude]

The Studio Ghibli headquarters was located in Koganei, a suburb of Tokyo, only a little over ten kilometers from the Park Hyatt, where Eric was staying.

From the outside, it appeared to be just a modest five or six-story building.

By mid-afternoon, the entrance bore long green vines that had climbed up its white walls, giving the structure a touch of life amidst the onset of summer.

Around two o'clock, in the open workspace on the third floor, Caroline politely thanked an employee who brought her another cup of coffee. Although she sensed the surrounding artists were stealing glances at her, she felt less shy this time. Her gaze was focused on a figure in the nearby cubicle, chatting with the well-known director named Hayao Miyazaki.

She felt a twinge of sympathy.

He possessed a personality charisma and social skills that could make anyone feel at ease within a minute, yet she knew he was not fond of socializing. It was only because of his position that he had developed this seemingly split personality.

If possible, she knew he preferred to be alone, quietly spending his days in a spacious house, sitting at a cluttered desk filled with documents, sketches, and books. Perhaps he would enjoy the company of a quiet woman, reminiscent of a cat - tall, barefoot, dressed in a white shirt with a delicate face. This had nothing to do with desire; it was purely decorative.

She'd once witnessed such a moment when she had gone to the Liberty City mansion to deliver documents one weekend. At that time, he appeared far more relaxed than usual.

Now, she wanted to hold him.

Or perhaps, she wanted him to hold her.

There was a faint regret; if only she were fluent in Japanese, she could be sitting next to him like the translator the company had invited, a little closer to him.

During this period, Caroline could noticeably feel the growing insecurity radiating from Eric. Since their acquaintance, she had gradually understood that he was fundamentally an insecure person. He seemed to have a firm grasp on the world's trajectory but remained oblivious to his own future.

The issues Steve Mitnick mentioned on the plane would surely add to his worry.

Those people were simply dreadful.

...

Initially, upon hearing that Eric Williams intended to visit the studio, Miyazaki had been quite resistant. He did not want his work to be disrupted but knew he couldn't refuse such a visit. So, he hoped to receive Eric politely, like so many times before, and then promptly send this important figure on his way.

However, after a brief encounter, Miyazaki discovered that Eric Williams was entirely different from the usual visitors who came out of curiosity, admiration, or other motives. This particularly young man seemed to come for solitude.

Although Eric had sent away the animator next door to occupy the neighboring desk, which was somewhat annoying, as long as it didn't disrupt the studio's work, these minor inconveniences were tolerable.

Then, they chatted politely through the beautiful translator seated between them.

Miyazaki soon found that conversing with this young man felt surprisingly pleasant.

"I just want to tell a story about seeking reasons and strength in life. Society is becoming increasingly restless, and people are growing numb, completely unaware of what they should pursue or how to live. In the end, I can't be sure what will come of it; I can only continue to move forward as per my goals," he explained gently, focusing on the work in front of him.

At the desk, Miyazaki, who was nearing sixty, concentrated on sketching, discussing his project in a warm tone.

Eric, also focused, bent over his notes from the animator's rough drafts, carefully drawing a scene involving Chihiro in the boiler room, casually chatting as one might with an old friend: "I think most people will see a bizarre adventure story. You shouldn't expect them to understand too much."

"That's already enough; audiences don't like being lectured. It's what filmmakers like us need to do -- embed meanings into our works. If the audience wishes to interpret them, that's great. If not, they can still enjoy a good story."

"I'm more inclined to simply give them a straightforward story."

"Eric, you're too pessimistic."

"Maybe so. In movies, I could easily be the villain who believes humanity is undeserving of saving and chooses to destroy the world."

Miyazaki laughed. "Thankfully, you live in reality; that's quite a blessing for everyone."

Eric chuckled and handed over a page of his sketch. "Hey, Miyazaki, take a look at what I drew."

Miyazaki took the sketch, initially without expectations, but after seeing it, his face revealed surprise. "Excellent, Eric! Although it's a bit too realistic. If you could intern here for three months, you'd definitely become a top-tier animator."

"Why don't we discuss my salary issue right now?"

"Forget it; that sounds more like selling off everyone in this building."

The three in the cubicle burst into laughter, catching the attention of others in the studio.

Realizing they had drawn the gaze of the entire studio, Miyazaki quickly composed himself, returned to his sketch, and tentatively asked, "What made you think of coming to see me?"

"I'm your fan."

"You aren't, Eric. You've lost your childlike spirit."

"Yeah, when Coyle told me the company invested in your new film, my first thought was how much money could be made from it?"

"I regret to inform you, Eric, my films rarely turn a profit."

"But they'll undoubtedly be worthwhile for many years to come; that's enough. I still consider myself a capitalist with some artistic pursuits," Eric replied with a smile, glancing sideways. "I heard you plan to retire?"

"Originally intended to retire, but I've thought maybe I could make one more film. After finishing Spirited Away, I really will retire."

"Ha, what do you plan to do after retirement?"

Miyazaki fell silent for a moment and then replied, "Of course, just live like an ordinary old man."

"Then why not keep working?"

"I'm old now, Eric, not as energetic as I was in my thirties or forties. I even worry that if I continue, I might die halfway through."

"From your words, it seems you're quite pessimistic. However, I still recommend that you continue -- you age faster if you stop working, and it's entirely meaningless. Hollywood's got two old guys, both older than you, probably in their sixties or seventies, but they're still working fiercely. Every time I see them, I think they could go on for another twenty years."

Miyazaki seemed curious about the two older gentlemen Eric mentioned, and the translator seated between them offered an explanation. She clearly knew about Redstone and Murdoch.

After hearing her explanation, Miyazaki still shook his head. "This is different; I truly lack the energy. I've spent my life striving to do my best, and if I can't finish what I started, that would be terrible -- my entire lifetime's reputation."

"You really shouldn't feel that way. To put it harshly, even if you did die halfway, as an artist's posthumous work, it would still have huge appeal. They'd surely help you finish it."

"I know that, but I'm just worried they won't devote enough effort."

"Then I'll keep an eye on it for you."

"Hmm?"

"I mean, if such an unfortunate event does occur, I'll oversee them to ensure they're committed to finishing it," Eric suggested, casting a glance at the translator seated between them. "Miss Sotoda can vouch for that."

Miyazaki finally put down his pencil, turned to him, then glanced at the bright-eyed translator nearby. "Eric, are you serious?"

"Of course," Eric nodded. "I don't make promises lightly."

"That's not reasonable," Miyazaki shook his head, looking touched yet hesitant, his hands habitually rubbing against his pants. "We just met."

Eric chuckled. "I'm a big shot; naturally, I have to occasionally do some unreasonable things to show my uniqueness."

Miyazaki chuckled lightly again, sitting back down, but he picked up the sketch Eric had just passed him. After a careful examination, he hesitated, saying, "Eric, when you come to Japan next time, you can stop by again."

"Absolutely."

...

After spending the afternoon at Studio Ghibli, Eric was invited by Miyazaki to enjoy dinner at a nearby restaurant. Then he boarded the vehicle headed back to the city center.

As night fell, the streets illuminated in neon lights.

Tokyo's buildings were densely packed but not overly tall; as the black SUV maneuvered through the streets, it felt more like navigating through a small town. Only upon reaching Shinjuku District did the occasional brightly lit skyscraper emerge between the closely-knit structures.

Caroline sat beside Eric; after getting into the vehicle, she snuggled up to him like a kitten, wrapping her arms around one of his, resting her head on his shoulder.

Eric gazed dreamily at the neon lights outside for a while, then tilted his head to rub his cheek against Caroline's soft golden hair, smiling, "What a pity, typically in this position, a man can feel something soft."

"Eric, you're so naughty," Caroline playfully scolded, shifting slightly and whispering, "How about now?"

"Hmm, I'd give you a passing grade."

Eric feigned reluctance, but Caroline smiled, resting her head once more on Eric's shoulder.

After a brief escape, they inevitably faced the return of reality.

...

The next morning, upon waking, everyone began preparing for the Tokyo premiere of Iron Man, remaining busy until ten o'clock that night when the premiere concluded.

The Tokyo premiere was merely part of Iron Man's promotional strategy in Japan, as the film was set to release simultaneously with North America. Following the premiere, the next steps would be handled by the local branch of Buena Vista. Eric and the crew swiftly boarded a plane bound for London.

...

In the boardroom of the Boeing 747.

"Eric, the CACI team has already arrived in London. This is an established security company from California, focusing on information security. Ms. Barrymore and Ms. Murdoch's plane inspection work has begun. They can conduct a thorough check as soon as we arrive, but the detailed results will likely take about a week."

Compared to the straightforward trip to Japan, Eric had several other tasks in the UK beyond the London premiere on the 26th, nearly requiring a week's stay.

He nodded and continued to flip through the candidate list for The Bourne Identity.

Merissa paused for a moment, seeing Eric's silence as agreement, and continued, "Also, regarding the secure phone; Nokia's lab has been considering a similar secure business phone plan, though it hasn't made it to the product line. Kelly found a Canadian company's product that focuses on secure phones. I shared the information with the engineers at Nokia, and they approved of this company's technology. One engineer even suggested that, if possible, Nokia should consider acquiring this company."

Eric looked up. "A Canadian phone company?"

Merissa Mayer handed over some documents. "Yes, here's the info."

Eric took it and glanced at it.

Blackberry.

With a smile, Eric quickly reviewed the file, saying, "Have Nokia prepare a detailed evaluation report; if possible, let's acquire this company. Also, if we can guarantee security, it won't only be for the executives -- we can promote this phone throughout the entire company."

"Got it."

Merissa nodded, beginning to jot things down in her memo.

Eric raised the candidate list for The Bourne Identity, turning to Caroline. "The others are fine, but I don't like Katie Holmes for the role of the contact Nikky; she's too mediocre, lacking any qualities that would stick in viewers' minds. Have them find someone else. Also, for the female lead, several candidates are good, but let's have them add Naomi Watts and see how her audition goes."

Caroline looked puzzled. "Naomi Watts?"

"Nicole's best friend," Eric smiled. "Nicole called me, so let's give her a shot. I think she's quite suitable."

Just then, a video call ringtone sounded. Eric answered casually, and the wall screen illuminated, revealing the girl's delicate face on video.

As soon as the connection was made, she waved a black ashtray in her hand. "Eric, guess what this is?"

"A listening device?"

"Wow, that was too easy!"

"Why don't you just tell me how things are going over there?"

"Alright," she said, shaking another box in front of Eric, producing a rattling sound, "Look, these are all the things we've gathered recently."

*****

https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.