America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz-Chapter 897 - 851 The Best Era_2
Chapter 897: Chapter 851: The Best Era_2
Chapter 897: Chapter 851: The Best Era_2
Without a doubt, Martin was a fine actor, not just with strong market appeal, but also high professional quality.
Cohler thought it was normal and said, “To direct after acting well, Hollywood has many such examples.”
Steven Downton wasn’t too surprised either and asked, “My position? My salary?”
Cohler said, “First assistant director, mainly to assist Martin in managing the set, with a salary of 350,000 US dollars.”
This figure perked Steven Downton right up because he had never received such a high salary before.
Steven Downton could roughly guess that he, an experienced assistant director, might have to shoulder significant responsibilities in the crew.
But with the right pay, what was there to nitpick about the job?
Steven Downton said directly, “I’ll take the job. You negotiate the contract with Davis Studio.”
The agent said, “Wise choice.”
In the same office lobby, many agents with lower status and rank, just like Thomas had been, could only work in individual cubicles.
Compared to ordinary agents, Natasha, Thomas’s former assistant, had an independent cubicle, which was relatively a better treatment.
A director just about thirty years old, sporting a full beard that seemed to add ten years to his look, sat on a bench near the cubicle, waiting for Natasha’s summons.
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After Natasha finished chatting with Clara and instructed someone to get ready for a new role, she motioned to the bench, “Robert, come over.”
Robert Eggers followed her into the separate cubicle, pulled out a four-legged stool to sit on, and asked, “You wanted to see me about something?”
Natasha handed him a form, “Take a look at this job, if you’re willing to do it, I’ll take care of negotiating with Davis Studio.”
Robert Eggers looked carefully. It was a job posting; Davis Studio’s crew for a project called “Shark Beach” was looking for assistant directors.
That didn’t fit Eggers’ self-image. He declined right away, “I intend to be a director, not an assistant director.”
Natasha turned to look at Eggers and said, “So far, you’ve only directed two experimental short films that you wrote, worked as a costume designer on a thriller, and as an art designer and assistant director on an animated film.”
She emphasized, “Robert, please tell me, what credentials do you have to direct a full-length feature film? So that I can convince the investors and the production company.”
Eggers opened his briefcase, “I’ve written a script for a horror thriller. If I can direct it, I’m confident that I can turn it into a classic horror film.”
Natasha said, “Your script, I’ve submitted it to the company’s internal script library and sent it to all the production companies I could, and so far there hasn’t been a response.”
Her words were helpless and realistic, “Hollywood is never short of scripts. Of the many film projects initiated every year, most of those with investments over a million dollars are adaptations. Of the rest, ninety percent start with a project and then write a script based on the project’s needs. Original scripts…”
Eggers looked crestfallen. His script was original, but then he thought again and said, “No, that’s not right. My script is adapted, based on true events that happened before the Salem witch trials.”
Natasha realized, this man had completely missed the point and said, “Robert, could you just listen to me, please?”
Eggers stroked his beard, calming himself down, “Go ahead.”
Natasha grabbed the job posting and slapped it in front of Eggers, “What I mean is, you enter this crew as an ordinary assistant director. Since you’re highly capable, prove yourself within the crew.”
She specifically pointed to a name, “”Shark Beach” is Martin’s project. I used to be the assistant to Martin’s agent, Thomas. I know Martin very well. He especially appreciates talented people. If you work in front of Martin and gain his appreciation, the problems you’re facing could be easily solved.”
Eggers considered carefully.
The client has more say than the agent, so Natasha did not rush him. Ignoring the pensive Eggers, she busied herself with other matters at hand.
After a while, Eggers said, “Okay, I’ll join the crew.”
Natasha said, “I asked already. The interview is next week. I’ll arrange it for you. You just go directly to Disney Studio then.”
Eggers scratched his beard, “Do I still need to have an interview?”
“What do you think?” Natasha took out Eggers’s resume from a drawer on the side, handed it to him, and said, “First, you have to prove your abilities during the interview.”
Eggers organized his resume and said, “I will.”
Natasha hustled him out, “Let’s leave it at that for today.”
Eggers left alone and came to the lobby on the first floor of the company. He turned his head and saw the portrait on the poster in the lobby.
That was the trademark of WMA—Martin Davis!
Eggers glanced at his resume in his hand and knew that the focus of the next phase of work was to demonstrate his capabilities within Martin’s film crew.
Upstairs, in the senior partner’s office area.
In a spacious office with a separate reception room, Thomas was on the phone.
He was contacting the agent of a director of photography.
The director of photography’s name was Dan Rothenstein, the director of photography for the “John Wick” series.
Currently, “John Wick: Chapter 3” was in post-production; the photography team was on break, and Martin had already discussed things with Dan Rothenstein.
For other roles such as the score composer, art director, and prop team, the proper department heads had also been selected.
With the gold medal producer Louise, her capable and experienced assistant, along with the long-term cooperating director of photography, and so on, the basic framework of the film crew had already been built.
After Martin and Louise met repeatedly to discuss, they began to conduct interviews with the agreed-upon candidates. By mid-February, contracts for key departments such as the director’s team, camera crew, art department, and prop team had all been signed.
The location scouting team had also been sent out by Martin to find suitable exterior shooting locations.
Back in the office, Louise came over to see Martin, who was engrossed in drawing storyboards at his desk.
He had done plenty of such work in the film crews of David Fincher and Christopher Nolan.
But compared to their movies, the setting of “Shark Beach” was much simpler; it likely didn’t even have one-tenth of the settings of “Interstellar.”
Martin was acutely aware that an overly complex movie would not only be unshootable for him but even the preparation alone would drive him mad.
After more than half an hour had passed, Martin put down his drafting pencil and raised his head to stretch his neck.
Louise picked up the storyboards to look at them. Martin’s drawing skills were mediocre, but the simple lines of the characters and the scenes were enough for her to distinguish a long-haired woman in a bikini standing alone on a buoy signal tower in the sea, with a section of a shark fin visible on the water’s surface.
Martin said, “I’ve been busy with the storyboards recently, and I’ve finished more than half.”
Louise continued to look and spoke while doing so, “Do you already have a complete image in your mind for the movie?”
“More or less,” Martin got up and went to the window, looking out into the distance. “Director Nolan, Chad, and David Fincher have all told me that before a director prepares for a film, he should have a clear image of the final product in his mind. He should know what shots he wants to capture. Then, unite the whole film crew’s work objectives and mobilize manpower to achieve the desired effect.”
Louise, who knew that Martin was attempting directing for the first time, said directly, “You focus your energy on shooting the film, and leave all other miscellaneous tasks of the crew to me.”
Martin didn’t stand on ceremony with her and said, “Stuff like insurance, salaries, vehicles, accommodations, and locations should definitely be handed over to the production team. With you on board, I feel like the success rate of the film has increased by twenty percent.”
Louise asked curiously, “What do you think the current success rate is?”
Martin replied, “Fifty-fifty.”
Louise nodded, “The project investment is limited, and with overseas investments involved, it’s fine if it fails; we can afford it.”
If this film failed, according to her understanding of Martin, he would likely abandon his aspirations to direct altogether.
