Director in Hollywood

"Hey! Sofia, Matt…"

At a mid-sized theater in Los Angeles, Good Will Hunting held its premiere. Gilbert arrived early, acting as the host to greet various media and critics.

Sofia seemed a bit nervous; this was her first time directing a movie. The criticism from critics had been fresh in her mind. What if the film flopped and they didn't like it?

Gilbert noticed his friend's concern and reassured her, "Don't worry, Sofia, you've done great. We've seen the film, and it looks good."

Sofia was still uneasy. "Thanks. I just worry about the critics. What if they don't say anything good?"

"Relax, just look at Matt. He doesn't seem nervous at all," Gilbert said, pointing to Matt Damon, who was standing nearby.

"Uh," Matt Damon said, coming back to his senses. "Actually, I'm nervous too. I don't even know what to say."

Gilbert sighed and said after a long pause, "Come on, cheer up. You guys are the hosts today."

Despite his words, it wasn't easy to shake off the nervousness.

Sofia asked Gilbert for advice. "How do you manage to get rid of your nerves?"

"It's simple," Gilbert raised an eyebrow. "Just imagine the reporters and critics as cabbages and their words as... well, you know."

"That method's not for me. I can't do it," Sofia said despairingly.

In that case, Gilbert couldn't help her any further. It all came down to how she handled it.

Good Will Hunting was fully funded by Melon Studios, with Touchstone Pictures handling distribution, which is why Touchstone's representatives were present at the premiere.

The event was organized by Touchstone's marketing department, so the scale was larger than usual.

Although Sofia was the daughter of a famous director and had worked as Gilbert's assistant for years, she clearly didn't have the same draw. Most of the critics and reporters, along with the theater representatives, were there for Gilbert.

To show proper respect, Touchstone's CEO, Robert Iger, personally attended the premiere, giving Gilbert a lot of face.

Before the event began, Robert Iger had a brief conversation with Gilbert. "I hear you're planning to send Cain to New Zealand?"

"Yes," Gilbert didn't hide the fact, as he needed to inform his partners about the project.

Gilbert leaned closer to Robert Iger and whispered, "I'm planning to bring The Lord of the Rings to the big screen."

"The Lord of the Rings?" Robert Iger raised an eyebrow. "That novel is considered one of the hardest to adapt. Isn't this a bit risky?"

"Making films is always a risk, Bob," Gilbert said confidently. "The reason no one dares to adapt it is that they aren't me. I'm sure The Lord of the Rings will be a success with me at the helm."

Gilbert had obtained the rights to adapt The Lord of the Rings years ago when he wasn't well-known and had little media attention. Only a few outlets mentioned it briefly, and the news faded quickly. If you weren't paying close attention, you wouldn't have even noticed Gilbert held the rights.

Robert Iger was skeptical about adapting The Lord of the Rings, but seeing Gilbert's track record, he was convinced the project could succeed.

So Robert Iger gave his full support. "Gilbert, I'll make sure Disney gets behind this. Don't worry. I've always supported you."

Gilbert smiled. "Great, Bob. We've always worked well together. I'm sure you can convince Disney. Together, we'll create a legendary film series."

They reached a verbal agreement, but the project was too huge and complex for just the two of them to handle; they would need to convince Disney's higher-ups.

On the Warner Bros. side, Gilbert had already spoken to Doug Walter about the project. Doug immediately reached out to Warner's top executives. However, despite Doug's efforts, doubts remained among the Warner team, including CEO Jeff Robinov.

Warner's marketing representative, Tim Solomon, even said, "If this was any other project, Warner would have supported it without hesitation, but The Lord of the Rings? With all due respect, I don't think it will succeed."

Doug Walter argued, "This is Gilbert, folks. Just look at his past work! Do you think he would take on a project without confidence? He won't start planning this monumental film without being sure of success."

Both sides had valid points, but Warner's executives were caught in a dilemma.

Gilbert had heard about Warner's hesitation, but it didn't matter much to him. Melon Studios had the funds to handle much of the preliminary work on their own. The reason for involving major companies was simple: Melon Studios lacked the necessary marketing channels and needed the help of the industry giants.

Some might argue that Gilbert could just turn Melon Studios into a full-fledged film company, controlling distribution himself, but it wasn't that simple. In Hollywood, having money didn't guarantee success.

After DreamWorks was founded, it immediately faced opposition from the established giants. Every step was tough, and Gilbert had witnessed it firsthand. Based on tradition, DreamWorks had no hope of replacing the major players.

To defeat the giants, Gilbert knew he had to wait for the right moment—until the internet, smartphones, and mobile internet transformed the industry. But that was too far off. Gilbert chose a simpler path: becoming part of one of those giants.

This was also why both Disney and Warner wanted to acquire Melon Studios, and Gilbert didn't oppose it.

To take control of Melon Studios, they would have to pay a price—enough to get Gilbert onto their board of directors. Once on the board, Gilbert would have much more power to influence decisions, and he could ultimately turn the tables in his favor.

This strategy was far simpler than trying to establish a competing film company and battling the giants every day.

Good Will Hunting's premiere went smoothly. Contrary to what many critics had expected, this film, produced by Gilbert and directed by Sofia for the first time, showed great quality.

After the screening, many critics gave it positive reviews, which greatly relieved Sofia.

Then, the theater representatives attended the screening. Unlike critics, they were more focused on the film's commercial potential.

Taking everything into account, Good Will Hunting received an A- rating from the theaters, which was a solid result. Given that the film wasn't releasing during the summer, competition would be less intense, so the theaters promised that, if the limited screenings went well, they would expand the release according to the contract.

After the premiere, Touchstone's marketing chief asked Gilbert, "Does this film have any Oscar aspirations?"

Gilbert remembered that Good Will Hunting had indeed received a few Oscar nominations and even won a couple of awards, so he nodded. "Of course…"

Following Miramax's strategy, Good Will Hunting would likely be released in December and continue until just before the Oscars for its wide release.

Though The English Patient didn't win Best Picture, the film's recognition helped boost its box office earnings. It grossed $32.25 million in North America, a solid number for a small-budget film.

By the time the Oscars took place, The English Patient was projected to gross over $40 million in North America, with a global total of about $80 million.

While it didn't hit $100 million, Miramax had more than recovered its investment, including the PR expenses for the Oscars campaign, and made a nice profit.

Gilbert saw that Good Will Hunting's potential was good, so he decided to release it in April rather than waiting for December. There was no need to take unnecessary risks.

Following the premiere, Good Will Hunting quickly entered limited release.

The marketing emphasized that Gilbert was the producer, attracting fans into theaters.

The screenings went very well, and the audience feedback was positive.

Sofia and Matt Damon, along with other cast members, visited several theaters where the film was being shown to interact with fans and promote the film.

As the limited release continued, media reviews were gradually unlocked.

"Good Will Hunting is a breath of fresh air in Hollywood, a film full of wisdom, sincerity, and the right goals." — Roger Ebert.

Gilbert's biggest fan, Roger Ebert, was one of the first to praise the film. Although he hadn't attended the premiere, he went to see the limited screening and offered his review right away.

A critic who hadn't been fond of Gilbert's work, Kenneth Turan, said, "Good Will Hunting is led by realistic performances and an inspiring script, a high-quality Hollywood film. The direction is fluid, emotional without being overbearing, capturing the hearts of most audiences, though it lacks a critique of the societal norms."

While he praised the film, he still took the opportunity to criticize some aspects, showing that, even with Gilbert producing, Kenneth couldn't fully let go of his skepticism.

Surprisingly, Kenneth also praised Sofia, someone he had once criticized harshly.

Sofia privately complained to Gilbert, "I finally get it. Critics really are... well, they'll just wag their tails if you throw them a bone."

Gilbert laughed. "That's why you shouldn't take their opinions too seriously. If you make a film based on what they want, you'll fall for their tricks."

Sofia nodded in agreement. "Exactly. If they really understood films, they'd be making them, not writing reviews. Making movies makes a lot more money."

The limited release was a success. With the growing positive feedback and the critics' praise, Touchstone's marketing was powerful. The film's large-scale release was looking very promising.

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