Chapter 88

On January 30th, a Friday, at 8:00 AM, the sun was shining brightly. In Beverly Hills, at a stop on North Santa Monica Boulevard, Ye Wei stood there, observing the vehicles passing by on the boulevard, his eyes sharp and alert. He was dressed as he had been when he met Hanks, exuding a youthful vibe, carrying little more than a black shoulder bag containing paper, pens, a script, and DVDs.

No one knew why he had taken the day off, except for those involved. Benjamin, Spielberg's assistant, had told him that their car would pass by here around eight, heading to Paramount Pictures headquarters, where the production of "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" was taking place in the Paramount studios. This film was primarily produced by Paramount, with DreamWorks as one of the producers. Spielberg was not a member of the production team but was visiting as a boss and mentor.

Having already studied Spielberg extensively and prepared for over a day, Ye Wei was eager to start his day as an assistant. Since "Jaws" in 1975 made Spielberg a major figure, he had mentored and discovered countless people. Notably, Robert Zemeckis, the director of classics like the "Back to the Future" series and "Forrest Gump," was initially recognized by Spielberg for his script "1941," which Spielberg personally brought to the big screen. They collaborated multiple times, leading Zemeckis to call himself Spielberg's student.

This old man was a touchstone. What kind of evaluation would he give Ye Wei? Ye Wei was very much looking forward to it.

As Ye Wei checked his watch, a black extended Lincoln came from the south side of the boulevard, not speeding past like the others but slowing down and stopping beside him.

It's starting! He thought, the decisive overtime has begun!

The rear window of the Lincoln lowered, revealing an old but spirited face, with hair that was neither white nor black, a bit of a beard, a high and broad forehead, and a pair of small black-rimmed glasses. He had a high nose and small eyes, exuding a gentle and refined demeanor, and was smiling. It was Steven Spielberg!

The director of classics like "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Jurassic Park," "Schindler's List," and "Saving Private Ryan," a god-like great director!

He looked at the young man outside the car and asked, "Are you Ye Wei?"

"Yes, sir, hello," Ye Wei suppressed his excitement and smiled, "I'm very happy to be your assistant for the day."

"Alright, get in," Spielberg said.

The car door opened, and Ye Wei nimbly got in. The interior was spacious, with Spielberg and another middle-aged white man with a short haircut sitting in the back. On the side bench seats were two assistants, a man and a woman, both in their thirties. The man was clearly Benjamin.

The three of them looked at him, their faces filled with surprise. They knew about this arrangement but were unaware of the specifics, and they certainly didn't expect the "young man" to be a teenager!

Hollywood is full of strange things, and one develops immunity after being in the industry for a long time, but this was not something they were immune to.

"Hi, everyone, I'm Ye Wei, you can just call me Wei," Ye Wei greeted them naturally. The man introduced himself, "I'm John Stephenson," and the others were Benjamin and Sonya. Ye Wei sat next to Benjamin and began his assistant duties.

The car started moving, and the two big shots in the back continued their brainstorming.

Stephenson, gesturing with his hands, said excitedly, "The duck character is very interesting. Po is already a fat panda, and his father is a small duck, which will create a great visual contrast. I can already picture it: Po carrying his father on his back, walking on a stone path at sunset, very Chinese in feel."

"Nice image," Spielberg nodded, "the visual contrast with the duck is indeed good."

"It's more than that. This idea has opened up the story. Jonathan and the others were inspired. Po isn't his father's biological son; he was adopted. He has a secret backstory, and his biological parents were killed by the main villain. Po will seek revenge, just like in many Chinese kung fu films."

Stephenson laughed, "It was just idle chat during a break. Someone said, 'Does Po's father have to be a panda? Maybe a duck would work!' It was a brilliant idea."

Spielberg also grew more appreciative, "The duck character fits well. Po's father is a border guard who initially hopes Po will take over his noodle shop and doesn't support Po's kung fu dreams. He's a very traditional and conservative father, and a duck (country bumpkin) fits well, with a good metaphorical meaning."

"Absolutely, this setting is a gift from God," Stephenson smiled.

Ye Wei listened with confusion. They seemed to be discussing the character design of an animated film, with a panda and a duck. It must be an animated film, with Chinese themes and Chinese kung fu films. What was it? Whatever it was, he felt something was off. A duck as a panda's father? Even if just an adoptive father?

"Show your talent..." Hanks' voice echoed faintly in his ears.

Ye Wei composed himself. He couldn't just sit there waiting for the big shots to give him a chance; otherwise, he might not say another word all day.

Clearly, Spielberg wasn't testing him but observing him, so he needed to create his own opportunities today!

Just as the two big shots were about to move on to the next topic, Ye Wei suddenly said, "Excuse me, gentlemen, you're discussing the character design of an animated film with a Chinese kung fu theme, right? The main character is Po, a panda, and his adoptive father is a duck, correct?"

The two in the back looked at him, while Benjamin and Sonya looked somewhat helpless and anxious. Kid, the big shots didn't ask for your opinion, why are you interrupting?

But Spielberg wasn't upset. He nodded and asked, "That's right, what do you think?"

Stephenson was also interested. This teenager had summarized their discussion, clearly understanding it. "Are you Chinese? Do you know Chinese culture?"

"I am Chinese, and I know Chinese culture very well," Ye Wei answered, then asked, "Will China be one of the main markets for this project?"

Spielberg said, "Yes, the Chinese market has huge potential. This project is expected to be released in three or four years, by which time the Chinese market will be much larger."

"Then..." Ye Wei raised his eyebrows and silently told himself, "I'm not here to flatter, I'm here to show my talent!" He said seriously and confidently, "This is a bad setting."

Upon hearing this, the four were all somewhat surprised. Benjamin and Sonya almost wanted to cover the kid's mouth. What do you know about settings!

Spielberg, however, remained calm and asked with a smile, "Why?"

"Sir, this is a gift from God!" Stephenson was a bit agitated. He loved this setting, especially since it came about by chance, as if with divine help.

"I see it as Satan's poison," Ye Wei stood firm, though he was not entirely without nervousness. But Spielberg was clearly the kind of person who welcomed good ideas and had an open mind—unless you said something bad about Jews. Brainstorming required the collision and inspiration of different opinions, and someone like Spielberg wouldn't get angry just because someone had a different opinion.

Sure enough, Spielberg showed clear interest and said, "Say what you think." He then smiled at Stephenson, "John, wasn't the duck setting just idle chat? This young man is not simple."

"True, go ahead," Stephenson nodded, his tone still urgent, as if he would kick Ye Wei out of the car if he talked nonsense.

Ye Wei had prepared his thoughts and said, "Since the Chinese market is crucial for this project, every detail must consider the feelings of Chinese audiences."

"From what I understand, pandas are China's national treasure, with a revered status. Ducks, on the other hand, are not good things in Chinese culture or Western culture. They are seen as fools, idiots, or country bumpkins. In China, male prostitutes are even called ducks. Think about it: the father of a national treasure is a duck. How would Chinese audiences feel? I'm sure most people wouldn't like it, and many would be very angry, seeing it as an insult."

Ducks also mean male prostitutes? Stephenson frowned, and Spielberg looked thoughtful.

The two assistants exchanged surprised glances. This kid seemed...

"I just learned that ducks are so negative in China," Stephenson muttered. In terms of details, he and his team were not careless. Their goal was always to be as authentic as possible, making the audience feel a strong sense of identification.

For this, he had studied Chinese and Asian culture for years and visited China several times. Recently, they discovered that while the classical architecture styles of China, Japan, and Korea were similar, the angles of the eaves were completely different, and the design team had spent weeks researching this.

Maybe the audience wouldn't notice these details, but that's how film creation works. To make a good work, every detail must be done well.

But he really didn't know about the duck issue.

Ye Wei shrugged and continued, "It's even worse. We know a film needs to pass censorship to enter China. This setting might prevent the film from being released in China, or it could face significant criticism. Isn't that Satan's poison?"

North American audiences wouldn't care about ducks, but Chinese audiences would. If this is a film that heavily features Chinese culture and the Chinese market, shouldn't it show more respect?

"But we can't make Po's father a panda. That would lack visual contrast and wouldn't highlight the mystery of his background," Stephenson said helplessly. The story was already being designed.

"I didn't say it had to be a panda or a dragon or a tiger. We just need to choose an animal that Chinese audiences would like and that would pass censorship, even if it doesn't have the metaphorical meaning of a traditional father being a country bumpkin or a duck being a bird that can't fly. In other aspects, it would be a better choice."

Ye Wei thought for a moment and said, "What about a goose? It looks similar to a duck but has a high status in Chinese hearts. How about a swallow? It's seen as a lucky bird worldwide and is even considered a divine being in Chinese culture."

Spielberg didn't speak, his expression more thoughtful.

"If this film has the potential to be a global hit, like 'Shrek,' but can't be released in China or faces significant criticism, I think that's a high probability. Even as a third-generation Chinese-American raised in the U.S., I don't like this setting. What about Chinese audiences?"

Ye Wei emphasized, "Their reaction would be ten or a hundred times stronger! This is my opinion. If we're doing a Chinese style, let's make it more Chinese."

Spielberg nodded and made a quick decision, "That makes sense, John. This time, the duck doesn't work. Let's use a goose, a swallow, or something else."

"Sure, a goose is great," Stephenson laughed, looking at Ye Wei with new interest, "Kid, you've got some talent, don't you?"

"I can't be modest about that," Ye Wei accepted the praise gracefully, thinking, "Well done!" This should leave the old man with a score of at least 6! But looking at that smiling old face, he was still a bit inscrutable.

Stephenson was thoroughly intrigued and asked, "What do you think about Po's master being a raccoon?"

"Raccoon? I don't think there's any taboo, as far as I know. Is he a strict teacher?"

"No, more of an Eastern-style master, a bit comedic..."

The extended Lincoln continued down Melrose Avenue, and the brainstorming session gained a new participant. Ye Wei freely shared his insights, naturally showcasing his talent and adding new elements to the animated project called "Kung Fu Panda."

The discussion continued until Stephenson got out of the car in Hollywood. Under Ye Wei's influence, Po's father was changed from a duck to a goose, and some other details were rethought.

Benjamin and the others now understood that this "one-day assistant" was not a regular assistant and had some mysterious background. It was best to be polite to him.

"Kid, you're pretty smart, no wonder you don't like ducks," Spielberg joked as they arrived at the target soundstage at Paramount headquarters.

"I don't dislike them; I just like eating roast duck," Ye Wei shrugged.

The four walked into the soundstage, where the busy set of "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" was. Ye Wei was quite excited because two of his favorite actors, Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep, were the leads in this film. He wondered if they were on the set.

Suddenly, Spielberg asked Ye Wei, "What do you think a director should be on set?"