At first, Laila genuinely thought that relying solely on remote online coordination for post-production special effects was too much of a hassle. It would be far better to bring everyone along in person, film when it was time to film, and communicate when it was time to speak—avoiding unnecessary delays.
But then she thought about it a little more. Her team had been with her for quite some time already; why not treat this trip as a vacation too? Those with work could handle their responsibilities, while those without could relax and have fun on the island. If it weren't for the pile of unfinished company matters, she would've taken the entire company with her.
Still, after making her decision, she promised a rotational vacation system for the company. Anyone with unused vacation days could join, and even those who had used theirs could borrow from next year's allowance. As long as the company could still function normally, everyone was welcome to enjoy a stint on the island.
Once the news got out, the entire company erupted in cheers. A private island vacation? Even the best benefits packages in Hollywood wouldn't dare to splurge that much for employees. Now that the boss was footing the bill, of course, people were willing to sacrifice next year's leave just to squeeze in a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
At this point, Laila still hadn't revealed the exact island they were going to—none other than the stunningly beautiful location used during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean, a place so picturesque it looked like only gods would live there. Had the team found out in advance, they'd likely have lost all motivation to work and focused solely on vacationing.
But there was also a more important reason—one that convinced Laila to make this a grand, high-profile expedition for the entire team. Sure, it would cost her at least tens of millions of dollars, but when she considered the attention it would bring to the company and the film, it became clear the money was more than worth it.
Spending that kind of money—what would garner more public attention? Taking hundreds of employees on a private jet to a private island, or sinking the same amount into traditional movie advertising? The former would have the greater impact.
Now, thanks to news reports about that "extravagant" boss, people all over the world knew that Laila was headed to some island to shoot a new film—and that she was bringing along the Avengers team. In an instant, the new movie and The Avengers were both trending topics. The kind of exposure this trip generated was far beyond what a similar budget in marketing could've bought.
So while it looked like Laila was just off having fun on a tropical island with her team, the value created far exceeded the money spent.
At the moment, that impact wasn't yet fully understood. It wasn't until certain insiders analyzed what she had done that they were shocked to realize—wait, you can do it like this?! She essentially took everyone on vacation, and yet the resulting publicity was better than any marketing budget could have bought!
In the post-Laila era, more and more people began studying her promotional strategies, treating every one of her moves as textbook case studies. Books analyzing her most iconic campaigns became must-reads for marketing professionals, with some strategies even making their way into academic textbooks.
Of course, that was all to come later.
In truth, Laila had picked up this idea from the East. In her previous life, there was once a company that organized a trip abroad for several thousand of its employees, causing a massive stir overseas. A team of thousands—no matter which country's streets they showed up in, it would be an intimidating sight.
When it became clear this was a company outing, media outlets from all over scrambled to report on the rare spectacle. The once-unknown company suddenly gained global recognition.
Though it wasn't an intentional self-promotion move, and the organizers likely hadn't foreseen the outcome, it still worked. Laila, upon reading the report back then, had thought the company lucked out. And now, she had ended up doing the same thing—perhaps a little gift from her memories of a past life.
In Silence, there were only two main characters: Roy and Leslie Cheung. The entire movie hinged on their performances, so the plot's effectiveness was heavily dependent on their acting skills.
This was why Laila had set a very high bar for casting the lead opposite Roy and had spent so long searching. Even the slightest lack in acting ability could destroy the mood of the entire film.
Some directors might believe that small flaws would go unnoticed by the audience. But Laila never thought that way. She firmly believed that audiences were among the most discerning viewers out there. You say they don't understand acting? But with faces magnified on the big screen, how could anyone miss whether an actor was "acting" or truly becoming the character?
She had once required Roy to study micro-expressions and apply them in his performance—exactly for this reason. Her greatest key to success as a filmmaker was never treating viewers as mere moviegoers but as the most critical of film critics. Just think of all the Hollywood flops—how many were slammed by audiences for bad acting and blatant cash grabs?
So yes, customer-first isn't just a rule for service industries—film is no exception. In service, you serve one person. In film, you're being judged by millions. With so many eyes scrutinizing every frame, who can guarantee that subpar acting won't be spotted? If you think audiences are that easy to fool, then you're the real fool.
The Moran family's jet couldn't carry hundreds of people at once, so Laila chartered two large aircraft and brought everyone to the pre-arranged Golden Isle.
"Wait, isn't this—?" Louise looked out the plane window and instantly recognized the island below.
Laila smiled. "Yep, this is the place."
Louise laughed. "If you'd told me sooner, I wouldn't have worried so much. I kept wondering whose private island could house hundreds of people comfortably." She had visited this place before during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean, so she knew exactly what kind of island it was.
"You know I've got a small agreement with the owners here. They let me rent the island for filming. It's well-maintained, has all the terrain I need, and has no dangerous wildlife. If I'd chosen a riskier location, Roy would never have agreed."
Louise nodded readily. "Don't just say him—I wouldn't have agreed either."
Before arriving, Laila had kept the filming location strictly under wraps. No matter how much people asked, she wouldn't reveal it. When scouting locations, she had seen many that looked quite dangerous. And while she needed that kind of danger for the film, she couldn't rest easy until she had verified things for herself.
Now that it was confirmed they'd be filming here, she could finally put her long-held anxiety to rest.