Hollywood Road

In the afternoon, Murphy rushed to Burbank, which boasts numerous studios. Among them, the top-notch giant studio, converted from a Hughes Aircraft factory, is unrivaled in size, height, and volume, making it ideal for constructing large and expansive sets.

Murphy entered the studio without much effort, as the film crew was shooting. He didn't go looking for Robert Downey Jr., who was rigged with motion capture equipment, but instead stood quietly on the periphery watching.

It was clear they were filming an action scene. A red-haired woman in a tight black uniform was flaunting her seductive figure in front of the camera, then a shorter male stunt double took over to perform a series of complex combat moves.

"Black Widow?" Murphy guessed the protagonist's identity with just one glance. After all, Scarlett Johansson's face was unmistakable. "Black Widow in 'Iron Man'?"

He was somewhat puzzled.

Footsteps approached from the side, and Murphy turned to see Robert Downey Jr., likely having noticed him, walking over.

When he reached Murphy, he pointed at Scarlett Johansson in front of the camera lens, "She's playing Black Widow?"

"Yes, Black Widow." Downey's personality meant that even if Murphy hadn't asked, he would have eagerly shared plenty of details. "Agent Natasha Romanoff was only decided to be added by Marvel Studios at the end of May."

He raised his hand, intending to pat Murphy on the shoulder but seeing the deep blue motion capture suit, he refrained and continued, "Black Widow's inclusion in this film is all because of you."

Murphy glanced at Downey but didn't ask for specifics. Even if he hadn't, Downey would have voluntarily explained.

Sure enough, Downey couldn't stop talking, "After your 'Man of Steel' was a huge success, and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman received critical acclaim, becoming a major highlight of the film, Marvel Studios thought this formula could be emulated, so they found..."

He gestured with his chin towards Scarlett Johansson, "that New York gal to play Agent Natasha Romanoff."

Murphy looked away, turning back to Downey, "How does it feel to play Tony Stark?"

"Tiring, very tiring!" Downey sighed deeply. "For this role, I have to work out two hours every day, it's sheer torture."

"I'm not even the worst off." He pointed at Scarlett Johansson, who was once again in front of the camera, "Her character was added at the last minute. For this role, she has to carve out four hours each day for fitness and to practice combat routines. I heard she even injured her arm."

On camera, Scarlett Johansson performed a roll on the spot and then struck a seductive pose...

No matter what the critics say, during the time Murphy watched, she proved to be hardworking and professional.

In the conventional view, unlike actresses in art films who are renowned for their acting, it seems the 'vases' in commercial films easily nail their roles and become famous without much effort, but often that's far from the truth.

How long did Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore train for their 'vase' roles in 'Charlie's Angels'?

Orlando Bloom trained for months with the bow and arrow for Legolas, even pulling a tendon at one point.

And what about former 'vases' like Megan Fox? How much did she invest in 'Transformers'? Only those involved know the agony of sprinting in high heels over long distances.

In this industry, those who become famous are extremely lucky, but behind that luck is an unseen effort.

The same goes for Scarlett Johansson. Even with two stunt doubles, portraying Agent Natasha Romanoff demands more effort than any dramatic role she might take on, perhaps even more.

After chatting with the loquacious Downey for a bit longer, he was called away by the crew to prepare for the next shoot. Murphy followed the moving crew to another part of the studio. As he walked past Scarlett Johansson, who was heading to remove her makeup, they nodded at each other in greeting.

Although they hadn't met before, Hollywood circles are small, and it's well known that work interactions could happen with anyone at any time.

However, Murphy's biggest takeaway was his own influence on the trajectory of Marvel superhero films through an unconventional approach.

As filming resumed, standing on the outskirts, Murphy observed and reflected on his conversation with Downey. He realized that as a director, Jon Favreau's power was quite limited.

Directors like Murphy are rare. His initial projects were completely self-funded, giving him full control. By the time he directed for major companies, he had already established significant credentials and wasn't as restricted as a newcomer might be.

Favreau's restrictions on set weren't obvious to everyone, only fellow directors like Murphy could truly empathize. For instance, standing here, one could see the legal consultant approaching Favreau during breaks to raise

 queries.

In Murphy's own crew, Robert would never behave this way.

Of course, the importance of a skilled legal consultant to Hollywood crews cannot be denied.

Murphy had mentioned before how cautious major Hollywood studios are. To eliminate any barriers to the commercial success and recovery of film investments, their caution extends to consistently upholding legal standards.

Lawsuits over issues such as personal rights or defamation are something no company wants to encounter. No matter how costly or cumbersome, a rigorous legal review of the film's content is essential to minimize litigation risks.

Consider the script: each element, whether a character, event, scene, or dialogue, must clarify: what does this element portray or describe? Is it a real person or fact? If it is real, does it pose potential legal risks?

Not to dwell on this, but those familiar with Hollywood will notice one particularly troublesome aspect for movie studios: telephone numbers.

The issue of film phone numbers coinciding with real ones has historically required production companies to experiment and verify, or simply open a new line to avoid annoying actual subscribers and incurring associated liabilities.

This is why most phone numbers in contemporary Hollywood films start with 555. Numbers from 555-0100 to 555-0199 are reserved exclusively for cinematic use.

Also, films based on true stories must adapt, modify, add, or delete parts or all of the information provided by real-life models to avoid complications, necessitating substantial legal protections.

Savvy lawyers will advise production companies to have film subjects sign a 'waiver,' relinquishing potential future legal claims in exchange for compensation or licensing fees, with popular figures sometimes sharing in the film's net profits.

Additionally, real-life newspapers and magazines also warrant caution. Robert has reminded Murphy to ensure that all newspapers appearing in his films are peculiar: no dates or specific events, and the content is always the same, featuring a smiling lady and a man wearing a hat, a prop free from copyright or other issues.

Seeing Downey appear on set brought Murphy back to focus. He attentively watched the filming of 'Iron Man.' Although Favreau was a newcomer, every director has valuable lessons to offer.

The large hangar of Hughes Aircraft, transformed into a studio set as a cave, positioned three cameras cleverly to avoid interfering with each other, all focusing on the worn man at the battered workbench.

Murphy watched Downey's performance. This Hollywood talent of the early '90s, portraying Tony Stark, resonated deeply with his own life struggles and eventual self-rescue.

In the set, Downey picked up a hammer, striking the metal plate before him with determination and a steely gaze, undeterred by the mock terrorists and as if not even Satan himself could halt his self-redemption.

With each hammer strike, Downey seemed to fully embody Tony Stark, the power in his swings reverberating through the studio...

Murphy stayed until Downey finished filming, leaving the Hughes Aircraft studio together.

Downey handed his sports car over to an assistant and climbed into Murphy's SUV. As they drove out of Burbank, he suddenly said, "The ones who framed me are almost clear now."

Murphy didn't turn his head, asking, "Do you have evidence yet?"

"No." Downey shook his head. "You once said, these things don't need evidence."

"Uh-huh..." Murphy nodded, then asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"Retaliate, of course!" Downey said ominously. "I want them to pay as soon as possible! Those two bastards! I'll make them taste the suffering I endured!"

He then looked at Murphy, "You don't agree?"

___________________

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