Two days later, Paul Walker returned to the set of Fast & Furious 6 to continue filming. He himself wasn't injured, but the car crash did have a certain negative impact. Several driving scenes revealed his discomfort, as it was clear the accident had caused him significant mental stress.
This film is scheduled to release next summer, and the filming schedule was tight. At Paul Walker's suggestion, Justin Lin made adjustments to the shooting plan, reducing the number of close-up shots of Paul Walker's character, Brian, and opting for more wide shots and long shots.
The accident Paul Walker encountered didn't have a major impact on the crew, however.
Other major actors in the crew also started to talk about speeding, agreeing that driving at high speeds was something to be done in moderation.
Even Gal Gadot, who used to enjoy riding her motorcycle recklessly, had toned down her enthusiasm.
Speeding might have been a joke for the characters in Fast & Furious, but real life is much harsher.
Hollywood stars love thrill-seeking, and Matthew was no exception. However, once people have money, they tend to indulge in pleasure, and to enjoy that, they first need to stay alive.
What's the point of having wealth and fame after death?
Bill, the uncle who played a game to his own demise, allegedly had photos released after his death—naked and bound to an autopsy table, his body having been dissected. It was a tragic and bizarre death.
His death was shocking, and so was the aftermath.
The glory of Hollywood stars is only fleeting. In their prime, they are adored by thousands, but once they fall out of favor, not even their memorial photos are remembered. The feeling of this decline can't be summed up by the word "shocking."
Of course, Hollywood stars have long been known for their self-destructive tendencies.
River Phoenix died from a drug overdose. While tragic, his death did have some value, as it sparked a media frenzy and indirectly helped his friends Johnny Depp and Keanu Reeves understand the dangers of cocaine, leading them to wake up.
Whitney Houston, who died in her bathtub earlier this year, had been entangled in drug addiction, substance abuse, and massive debt scandals since the mid-1990s.
Matthew McConaughey had also been a master of self-destruction in his youth. He once got so high on drugs that he called the police on himself, reporting drug use in his apartment. When the police arrived and knocked on the door, they found McConaughey naked, playing bongos and dancing with his friends. He was sentenced to a year in jail, but later bailed out, though he had to pay a large fine.
Shia LaBeouf, another infamous self-destructive "little prince," was known for his eccentricity. At the Berlin Film Festival, he wore a paper bag over his head that said "I am not famous anymore" as he walked the red carpet. Later, in Los Angeles, he performed a bizarre art piece where he sat in silence with the bag over his head, asking visitors to do whatever they wanted to him. Some sat with him silently, others whipped him with a whip, and one crazy female fan even came to have sex with him.
As a well-known "madman," maybe Shia really was having fun in his own world.
Matthew didn't want this kind of "happy" actor on his set. If they wanted to have fun, they could do that away from the crew, but on set, they had to focus and do their jobs, as they were paid handsomely for it.
Of course, to others, Matthew might be seen as a kind of "madman" himself, given his history with so many actresses and supermodels.
Maybe people had already silently given him a label of "sex addict."
However, Matthew had been living a fairly stable life these past two months. Whenever he had the urge, he would seek out Margot Robbie, just like any normal couple.
How long this life would last, he didn't know, nor had he thought too much about it. When it came to relationships, it was best to focus on the present, as thinking too far ahead was pointless.
During a break in filming, Matthew took Margot Robbie to visit the small hangar that had once served as a warehouse. After the British Royal Air Force abandoned the airport, many film crews had used it as a base, though the hangar hadn't changed much, still being used as a warehouse.
It was one of the few buildings at the airport that hadn't seen much change.
After the filming at the airport, the crew returned to Pinewood Studios, where the tank scenes were ready for shooting.
Due to the inability to film in London and the tight schedule, some of the tank and car chase scenes had to be shot using green screens and then digitally enhanced in post-production.
Given the current technology in Hollywood, this wasn't a major challenge.
That being said, Fast & Furious 6 was just as clichéd as Matthew's past films—packed with action, beautiful women, and suspense, all while pushing the overly sentimental message of family being the most important thing, because that was what the mainstream audience wanted. After an onslaught of visual effects, they could enjoy a moment of emotional tenderness, like a soft kiss following a whirlwind of chaos.
That's what service to the audience was all about.
Matthew had long ago figured out the most common formula for commercial films: you need to give the majority of the audience what they want and love, and deliver it with the most intense and rapid-fire approach.
As for the small group of "cold" viewers, their opinions didn't matter much. In commercial films, no matter what you chose, they would never be satisfied and would always find a thousand reasons to call it trash.
Explosions and roaring engines—that was always the theme during shooting.
At the same time, the crew's expenses had been running high, with money flowing out rapidly.
"Is the $180 million budget enough?" On a platform in the outdoor area of Pinewood Studios, David Ellison looked at a fireball rising into the air and asked Matthew, "Do we need additional investment?"
Over the past few years, he and Matthew had made a significant profit from the Fast & Furious series and didn't mind investing more into this film.
Matthew adjusted his sunglasses and said, "Don't forget, we have many advertisers backing us. The budget is sufficient."
With the massive success of the previous two films, more companies were eager to partner with the crew, providing various vehicles for the shooting free of charge, and the total amount from advertising sponsorships was nearly $50 million.
This solved a significant portion of the crew's financial issues and lowered the investment risk.
For big-budget films, once the brand effect was established, the return would be just as massive.
"Are we increasing the budget for the seventh film?" David Ellison asked.
Matthew thought for a moment before replying, "If this one continues to do well, we'll attract more advertisers and raise our ad rates. I estimate that $200 million should be enough."
David nodded lightly and said, "I'll set aside the funds in advance." He then asked, "Are we really going to pause this series?"
"Yes, it's for long-term profit," Matthew explained further. "After four consecutive films, audience fatigue is inevitable. It's better to take a break for a few years, not only to avoid burnout but also to generate some nostalgic effect."
"That makes sense." David fully agreed with him.
Matthew continued, "Another thing is that the cast of this film is too large, and their salaries have accumulated to very high levels with each new installment."
David Ellison knew this, "Just Paul Walker alone is getting $15 million for the seventh film. With the salaries of the director and actors, the total expenditure will exceed $80 million!"
"That's why we need to wait a few years. It will help reduce the cast's salary demands," Matthew said slowly. "Most of the cast members from this racing team, apart from the Fast & Furious series, have done nothing special in other films. If their careers don't go well later, their salaries will inevitably decrease."
David Ellison admired him sincerely. "You really think of everything."
Matthew smiled, "Isn't the goal of investment to maximize profit?"
In business matters, it was all about business. The first priority was profit, and everything else came second.
"You're absolutely right." David Ellison trusted Matthew as always. "In the future, we'll make even more money from this series."
After that, both of them laughed.
Looking at the distant set, Matthew and David Ellison felt like the masterminds behind the scenes.
Business was always about intrigue and deception. As an actor, Matthew worked alongside the crew, but as one of the two major investors, there was a natural conflict of interest, an employer-employee relationship.
Knowing how to balance that was something Matthew had a lot of experience with.
He couldn't just give Paul Walker $20 million for his salary because they were friends, then give him a share of the profits after the film made a killing, could he?
That wasn't friendship—it was just foolishness.
There were too many people on the set, too many mouths to feed, and people's hearts would never be satisfied. How could he fill those mouths?
Matthew looked around, saw no one nearby, and whispered, "How's the plan going?"
"It's going smoothly," David Ellison replied, "I've contacted several media outlets. They're very interested in the big news I told them about."
Matthew reminded him, "Don't leak any details prematurely, just in case."
David nodded, "Don't worry, I know how to handle it."
Matthew didn't say more. Seeing that the shooting had temporarily stopped, he glanced at his watch and
said, "Let's go. It's time for lunch."
In the vast and slightly dimmed studio, the filming crew worked tirelessly to finish the scene. The moment of breakthrough was near.
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