Chapter 45: The Bronze Age

America entered the Bronze Age, although this was not about the economy or politics. If you look through American history, you will find out. The economy, politics, film, and comics all fell into a decline simultaneously, except for the booming semiconductor industry. Almost every American industry was in recession. Those who thought times were tough in America were bound to be disappointed, for after the Bronze Age came the Dark Iron Age, which would be their toughest time. William White was not a destructive person, but he eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Dark Iron Age because everything would become cheap and available for a song. Although currently times were tough and making do barely worked, in several years many people would realize that the tough times were far from over. The reckless behavior of the Hunter family challenged Paul Volcker's limits. As the urgently appointed chairman of the Federal Reserve, his only task was to reduce leverage. Only by doing so could investors, especially overseas investors, have faith in the US dollar. Yet here was someone trying to undermine him. You could imagine Paul Volcker's stance. "You think you're going back to the silver standard? As long as I'm here, you won't have a chance." ... While everyone else was having tough luck, there was a fortunate young man drawing more public interest: William White. After taking back the family business, this billionaire rightfully earned his title. Usually, those who easily grasp vast fortunes tend to self-destruct without limits. William, however, was different -- not only did he refrain from self-destructive actions, but he also worked hard to earn money. This summer was very productive as he mainly stayed in Toronto filming movies, and occasionally, he partied with a group of fellow classmates. His friends discovered that William White was truly serious about making movies. While their behavior otherwise didn't matter, on set, they needed to behave. After all, a set tyrant didn't just namecall; he could be ruthless when he scolded. "Boss, can we finish before school starts? Do we need to get a leave of absence?" Jason asked while thumbing through a script. "Almost done. If everything goes well, we'll wrap in three days -- maybe five if things go south." "Boss, you still have many scenes to shoot. The airport reunion is set in winter. How do I make it snow out of season? Why not change it to a thunderstorm? Set it in Miami. They have storms every year." "I plan to release this film during the Christmas season. How could a bikini beach set fit in? Audiences wouldn't find it relatable. This movie would crash and burn." Jason pondered and said, "Makes sense. No wonder you earn money by making movies." "Details, Jason, details are the name of the game." Making movies isn't too hard if someone is willing to teach you. However, becoming a director at Steven Spielberg's or James Cameron's level is out of the question. Directors of that caliber rely much on their innate talent. Spielberg received a proper education, while Cameron was a truck driver. As for Terminator, let's leave it out -- it started with a first-rate script. Titanic, on the other hand, truly showcased his skill. Had another director been at the helm, there's a ninety percent chance it would've flopped. ... William White's shooting speed was jaw-dropping to Hollywood. If it were someone else, they might have been called shoddy. Regarding the Police Academy incident, Hollywood producers indeed judged wrongly from the start. They instinctively rejected any film churned out in a little over a month. When the facts didn't match their judgment, thorough investigation became a must. Losing without knowing why would be too sad. After seeing the film, they really couldn't argue. Claiming it was excellently made would be stretching it, but calling it shoddy didn't fit. Care was taken, particularly concerning the details. A movie with a two to three million production budget crafted to such a degree was impressive. Switching directors likely wouldn't produce the same result, given that this crew had practically no one who knew filmmaking -- almost all were has-beens. So this time, they became wise and refrained from giving any opinions. Are you joking? Let's not mention that this was directed by the company's own boss. Randomly assessing a billionaire really wasn't appropriate. As for movie achievements, he's now a member of the 100-million-dollar club -- what grounds do they have to judge? Commercial films rely solely on box office numbers. Regardless of whether luck played a role, having a $100 million box office haul gives you the right to speak. Otherwise, just one remark could leave people livid. In Hollywood, you could discuss art or sentiment, but the most crucial element is the box office. These figures are more convincing than any award. Hollywood now was nearly at a loss. They were sick of seeing Police Academy but still couldn't fathom why the movie succeeded. Raunchy jokes? Other outrageous films flopped. Marketing campaigns? Maybe, but genuine acclaim couldn't be faked. If a film's quality didn't hold, after the initial hype, the box office would drop. There was no way it could remain a hit. Regardless, they decided to try this type of comedy film. Even the big players couldn't resist. After all, they didn't have a beef with the dollar. Joining the bandwagon was no big deal as long as they could rake in dollars; dignity didn't matter. ... Movies and comics were in the Bronze Age, but cars and construction had already entered the Dark Iron Age ahead of time. The automotive, steel, and construction industries were in dire straits, with unemployment rates exceeding 10%, climbing even higher. If the economy didn't significantly improve the following year, it'd reach 15%. Americans generally viewed a 5% unemployment rate as acceptable. Anything over that demanded concern. Now, unbelievably, the rate doubled without any signs of easing. Jimmy Carter knew well that next year's election would be a lost cause. With a 10% unemployment rate, reelection was a pipe dream. He just hoped not to lose too miserably. ***** https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.