Hollywood:Starting out as an MV director

The directors for Memoirs of a Geisha were finalized as Ethan and Rob co-directing the film.

At the same time, Rob Marshall took on the role of art director, while Ethan served as the cinematographer.

Ethan's compensation was set at $4 million. This was due to his directorial experience with Saw and various awards he had won, which justified such a high fee.

Ethan gladly accepted, as he was currently in need of money.

Typically, Hollywood directors earn between $750,000 and $2 million for their first film, with $1 million being the average. However, by the time they direct their second film, the pay often increases significantly, as in Ethan's case.

Thanks to Saw and its box office success, which exceeded $100 million, Ethan proved himself. This allowed him to secure such a high fee for Memoirs of a Geisha.

If Ethan could continue to prove himself with this film, it would show that his talent extended beyond horror. This would lead to even higher compensation for his third project.

Of course, earning a share of box office profits requires even greater achievements.

For example, Christopher Nolan later received $20 million and 20% of total earnings for Dunkirk.

This represents the pinnacle for Hollywood directors, and Ethan still had a long way to go to reach that level.

However, Ethan believed that he could achieve this goal in a few years, given his forward-thinking vision.

With the director confirmed, Memoirs of a Geisha officially entered the pre-production phase. The first task was to hold a script discussion meeting.

The film was produced by Columbia Pictures. When Ethan and Carl entered the office, the first people they saw were Steven Spielberg and Rob Marshall.

"Long time no see, Ethan!" Rob stood up and warmly embraced Ethan. Steven then briefly introduced the production team.

Steven served as the producer. Robin Swicord was the screenwriter. Arthur Golden was the original author. John Myhre and Rob were both artistic directors, while Lisa Emond was the technical consultant for the film.

After familiarizing himself with the team members, Ethan took a seat, and everyone began reading the script together.

The script for Memoirs of a Geisha had gone through numerous revisions and was still being refined. Steven had a particular fondness for the script and wanted to direct it himself. However, he wasn't confident about handling the musical aspects, which led him to pass it on to Ethan and Rob after seeing Chicago.

Steven felt the musical format, colors, and cinematography of Chicago were perfect for this film.

The team spent the entire day, from morning until 6 p.m., reviewing the script. During this process, various details were discussed to ensure everyone was on the same page.

Ethan, however, remained silent, quietly studying the script.

The story of Memoirs of a Geisha begins with a young girl, Sayuri, who is sold to a geisha house to serve as a maid to the famous geisha, Hatsumomo. During this time, she encounters a kind businessman, the Chairman, whose kindness captures her heart.

From then on, Sayuri secretly admires him.

However, Hatsumomo, fearing that Sayuri's growing beauty would surpass her own, frames her for damaging the kimono of Mameha, a legendary geisha.

Sayuri endures much hardship until Mameha discovers her potential and trains her, freeing her from Hatsumomo's control.

As Sayuri matures into a talented geisha, her performance of the "Snow Dance" brings her fame.

Just as she believes she is closer to the Chairman, World War II breaks out.

The Chairman arranges for Sayuri and Mameha to leave Kyoto, promising to find her later. However, this promise goes unfulfilled.

Years pass, and Sayuri comes to terms with his presumed death. Just as she accepts this reality, the Chairman unexpectedly reappears, bringing her immense joy.

"What do you think of the story, Ethan?" Steven asked after Ethan finished processing the entire script. He wanted useful feedback from Ethan but was wary of excessive suggestions, as Steven had been overseeing the script.

After a moment of thought, Ethan replied, "I think the ending of this script is somewhat terrible… Forgive my bluntness, but it left a bad impression on me."

"Why? How could it be terrible?" Arthur Golden was the first to object. He regarded the work as his beloved creation.

Even Steven frowned, seemingly puzzled by Ethan's opinion.

Ethan turned to the last few pages of the script and said, "Here, after years of separation, Sayuri believes the Chairman is dead or that they'll never meet again. She throws his handkerchief into the forest. I think the story should end here. There's no need for the Chairman to appear before her."

"Why? Isn't a reunion a beautiful ending?" Arthur countered. "After overcoming so many obstacles, their reunion is deeply moving."

Steven remained silent, listening to the debate.

Ethan smirked. "But this is a film… Arthur, what do you think the film represents? Is it a love story?"

"Isn't it?" Arthur spread his hands.

"Of course not!" Ethan replied. "It's about fate—geishas' fate, the fate of an era, and the unattainable dreams everyone longs for."

"Hatsumomo wanted to become a legendary geisha and control her freedom, but her jealousy prevented her from achieving it.

"Sayuri longed to become the Chairman's beloved, but her status and the war made it impossible.

"This is the essence of the film—a tragedy. Geishas are powerless, swept along by the tides of history. If Sayuri gets everything she wants in the end, it destroys this sense of destiny."

As Ethan explained his perspective, Arthur Golden and Robin Swicord fell into deep thought. Ethan continued, "Also, the Chairman as a character feels strange. He supposedly loves Sayuri, yet he plans to give her to someone else. Only when she makes it clear she won't accept this does he reveal his feelings. It's as if he sees her as an object to be given away.

"You say the Chairman loves her, but the film doesn't convey that. He's more of a symbol, like the handkerchief he gives her. This is why I think his appearance can be removed."

In fact, these issues were among the most criticized aspects of the film in later years.

One issue was the overly dull storyline after Sayuri grows up, and the other was the abrupt appearance of the Chairman at the end.

Ethan planned to address these issues to aim for success at major film festivals.

Although Memoirs of a Geisha earned six Oscar nominations and won three, it missed out on the most prestigious categories of Best Director and Best Picture.

Ethan attributed this to the script's pursuit of perfection and the lack of mastery in directing techniques.

While Rob Marshall excelled in Chicago, that film's script had been polished through countless stage performances.

In simple terms, as a director, Rob lacked control over scripts and was accustomed to straightforward shooting.

This was a significant shortcoming. A director unable to discern a script's quality would likely face an erratic career, gradually losing their creative edge.

Ethan expressed this concern, comparing Rob to certain directors who stubbornly blamed poor audience reception or the market's immaturity when their films flopped due to bad scripts.

In Ethan's view, such directors lacked an appreciation for the art of storytelling.

After Ethan presented his ideas, Steven, the most experienced filmmaker in the room, fell silent. He had sensed some issues but had grown desensitized to them after prolonged exposure to the script. Ethan's critique made him realize the flaws.

"Ethan makes a good point," Steven said fairly. "This was my oversight. He's right; this isn't a love story but the tale of a geisha drifting with the tides of history. It shouldn't be perfect—it should have imperfections."

"How should we revise it, Ethan?" Steven asked, his hands clasped on the table.

All eyes turned to Ethan.

Ethan stroked his chin and said, "She shouldn't get everything she wants. Instead, she should lose things gradually."

"As a child, she had everything—despite her harsh life, her wishes came true.

"But as she grows up, she gradually loses those beautiful things, becoming conditioned by the geisha lifestyle and objectified by men. Ultimately, she loses both love and career to the war."

"That's her true fate. The final scene should show her tossing the handkerchief into the forest. As it flutters in the wind, the screen fades to black."

Ethan's vivid description captivated everyone.

"Alright, we'll go with Ethan's idea," Steven said, clapping his hands. "Robin Swicord, I want the revised script in a week."

"No problem."

"Now, there's one more thing," Steven continued after confirming the script. "How should we cast the actors?"

...

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