Made In Hollywood Chapter 344

Picking up the coffee cup, Duke took a sip slowly, waiting for Donald Trump to convince him.

Trump was a typical businessman, and it was clear that re empty promises wouldn’t work. People who reached their positions wouldn’t soften unless they could foresee tangible benefits.

There might be so fools in the world, or those who make hasty decisions after hearing an impassioned speech, but such people rarely achieve much. Their fate is only one: being sold out and still counting soone else’s money.

Simply put, this was a ga of deception, not a child’s play.

Duke watched Donald Trump as he pondered for a mont before speaking again.

"I’m preparing a reality show with NBC. I will create targeted content before the film is released."

After saying that, he looked at Duke, who remained unmoved, then continued, "One month before the film’s release, you can freely choose any billboard space on Trump Towers, Trump Hotels, or Trump Resorts across the United States. I won’t charge any advertising rent for the month before and the month after the release."

Upon hearing that, Duke’s eyes brightened. Just like Manhattan’s Trump Tower, most of Donald Trump’s buildings and properties were located in the most prosperous areas of major cities in the U.S., and the advertising value of those locations was undeniable.

For decades now, films were no longer simply about finishing the shoot and ensuring quality. Hollywood had many talented directors, many of whom remained underappreciated. No director’s work could succeed without targeted promotion.

Forget about "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy; even Jas Caron’s films were classic examples of publicity and marketing.

An opportunity to participate in hosting in exchange for advertising support on pri real estate in the U.S. was not a clear win or loss for either side, but rather a mutually beneficial deal.

After considering it briefly, Duke said, "Donald, this is a joint venture. I don’t have the final say."

Donald Trump imdiately laughed, "I can wait. I’ve always been patient."

Even if a male host were to be added, Duke still needed to discuss it with Warner Brothers and Victoria’s Secret.

This wasn’t a world where Duke could do whatever he wanted. He didn’t have a special halo, nor was he the center of the world.

After reaching an initial agreent, the atmosphere at dinner beca more relaxed. Donald Trump even opened a bottle of aged red wine, but Duke couldn’t really tell the difference in wine quality...

After the al, Duke didn’t stay long at Trump Tower and soon left.

"Thank you."

Ivanka Trump, who was seeing him off, suddenly said. Duke shook his head. "No need to thank , it has nothing to do with you."

Coming from a business family, Ivanka understood this well. "Although we haven’t spent much ti together, I can see that when you put down the cara, you’re a typical businessman. You don’t mix personal factors into business negotiations."

"As long as you understand," Duke said.

Before getting into the car, he turned back to her and added, "If you choose to enter the business world, rember this."

"Mm, I’ll rember that," she replied.

Once Duke was in the car, she waved at him as the black Bentley slowly disappeared into the traffic of Manhattan.

Back at the Waldorf Hotel, Duke had Panny Kallis contact the high-level staff at Warner Brothers and Victoria’s Secret separately. Warner Brothers quickly agreed, and the decision was passed by Victoria’s Secret the next morning. Donald Trump was urgently brought into the final preparations for the Super Show.

As the show’s date drew nearer, Duke frequently appeared in public. Although he never said much to the dia, he beca a target for paparazzi.

As the director of a 350-million-dollar film project, it was impossible for him not to attract attention.

Since returning to New York, Duke had tried not to cause too much dia trouble for his mother. He had only stayed at ho for a few hours, and most of his ti was spent communicating with Victoria’s Secret since they were the focus of the show.

The costus specially sent from New Zealand had already arrived at Victoria’s Secret, and the top models were adapting to the new styles. Donald Trump was also coordinating with the models. Behind every successful show and host was a massive amount of preparation.

"This feeling is quite unique," Duke said while speaking with Donald Trump as they entered the photo area at Victoria’s Secret. Photographers from several dia outlets under Warner were already waiting, but they were nothing compared to what was opposite them.

Duke glanced over and felt a bit dizzy. "Donald, we’re going to be envied by every man."

"Don’t say that, Duke." Donald Trump, seemingly used to such scenarios, responded, "When you reach my age, you’ll realize that such experiences are a valuable asset."

Duke stopped and had a final discussion with Panny Kallis.

The Super Show would span more than just one day. From now on, they needed to appear frequently in the dia to build hype for the grand finale.

As Duke and Donald Trump walked past, the Victoria’s Secret Angels had curly hair and rosy faces, as if they had just gone through a perfect, seductive love-making experience.

The dozen or so angels wore matching Victoria’s Secret & Lord of the Rings short T-shirts, tight low-waist body-shaping jeans in blue or dark blue, and black knee-high boots that showcased their slender waists and shockingly long legs. They were natural attention magnets.

"Hey, Donald."

"Hey, Director Rosenberg."

As they passed by the dressing room, the angels all greeted the two n.

Makeup was essential for professional photographers, so after Duke changed into a white shirt and blue jeans, he and Donald Trump, dressed in black, entered the group of angels to take promotional photos for the Super Show five days later.

Organizing any show was no simple task, and Duke had no issue getting involved personally when it ca to making sure a film got the attention it needed for a big box office success.

Besides, standing among a group of Victoria’s Secret Angels for a photo wasn’t exactly difficult work.

For styling, Duke didn’t know much and simply followed the stylist’s instructions. Thankfully, as a director with acting experience, he was comfortable in front of the cara.

The professional attitude of the Victoria’s Secret Angels needed no ntion, and Donald Trump was a master showman.

After shooting for over half an hour, the stylist called Trump over for a solo shoot, then took photos of Duke with the angels.

Following the stylist’s request, Duke stood with his arms crossed, surrounded in a semi-circle by the angels, a key shot for the promotional design—Director Duke Rosenberg and his angelic models.

After the shoot, the angels didn’t leave right away.

"It’s been a while, Duke."

Heidi Klum, the leader of the angel team, ca over to greet him, "I didn’t expect we’d have another chance to work together."

"Hey, Heidi," Duke greeted her and lightly shook her hand, "You look even more beautiful."

In truth, Heidi Klum, like most Germanic won, had aged quickly. As a major shareholder and board mber, Duke knew that Victoria’s Secret was preparing to end their contract with her after next year’s show.

Models were always reliant on youth, and the turnover rate was far faster than in Hollywood.

For Victoria’s Secret Angels to maintain public appeal, they constantly needed new faces, and as the previous generation of angels aged, new ones were rising.

For example, Duke noticed one of the long-standing angels at Victoria’s Secret, soone who would continue to be a leading figure for the brand for many years to co.

"Hello, Director Rosenberg, I’m Alessandra Ambrosio from Brazil."

Just as Heidi Klum walked away, a young girl who looked no older than eighteen ca over to greet Duke. "I’m a huge fan of your films. From Speed to Rush Hour, I’ve seen all your movies at least five tis."

"Thank you," Duke nodded politely. "It’s an honor to have such a beautiful fan, Miss Ambrosio."

"Call Colleen..." Alessandra Ambrosio extended a slender, delicate hand to Duke. "Just call Colleen."

"You can call Duke," Duke said as he lightly shook her hand.

The touch wasn’t as pleasant as it looked. Aside from her smooth skin, Ambrosio’s hand felt almost entirely bony.

Victoria’s Secret Angels might seem to embody beauty, but only those within the industry or familiar with it knew the true hardships these models faced.

Duke wasn’t involved in other shows, so he didn’t know the specifics, but all the preparatory work for this one would be compiled and reported to him, including the angels’ pre-show preparations.

Two months before, Victoria’s Secret’s managent began implenting military-style training for the angels. In the final two weeks, drinking and indulgence were strictly prohibited, with violators being removed from the show.

For the past four weeks, the angels were limited to liquid protein diets, strictly avoiding any carbohydrates or fats.

So aspiring models even resorted to drinking only water, dehydrating themselves to lose weight.

And, twelve hours before the show started, the models would stop drinking water entirely, just to avoid any possible bloating...

Indeed, beauty ca at a great cost.