American fame and fortune

In the audition room, casting director Thomson glanced at the list and said, "Let Martin Davis in."

The Latina aunt at the door went to call for someone.

The assistant reminded in a low voice: "Recommendation from WMA, Thomas Lane's client."

"I know." Thomson's voice was also very low: "Look at the audition results."

If people are too stretched, there is no need to consider favors.

Martin followed the Latina aunt into the audition room, and saw a total of seven people including the photographer.

Six are very serious, and one is fishing for PSP.

No need to guess, it must be a related household.

No crew can do without it.

Martin recognized Thomson and went over to shake hands: "Director."

Thomson nodded slightly: "The role you auditioned for is a director of an independent film. There is no script yet, so you act."

Martin came to the visor, brewed his emotions a little, recalled the words and deeds of Benjamin when he was crazy, and quickly substituted it.

This is the director he is most familiar with.

"With $1 million, this film can be started with another $1 million!" Martin has seen many independent film directors who are worried about shooting funds, with excitement, helplessness and madness on their faces: "Guys, tell me, who can A million dollars! Who the hell can give me a million dollars for my project!"

He was hysterical, and his voice was raised: "As long as he pays, I'll sell him my ass! Kneeling on the ground and blowing for him ten times is no problem!"

Thomson said in his heart that the company is relatively reliable, and the acting skills of the recommended people are fine.

After Martin's performance ended, Thomson said, "That's right, you should go back and wait for the news."

Martin said thank you and left the audition room.

Thomson asked the people around him: "What do you think?"

The assistant understood what he meant and cooperated very well: "The difficulty and helplessness of an independent film director was performed."

The woman next to him said: "Among the seven people who completed the audition, he is the best, and his acting skills are very good."

Thomson made a decision, but still had to put on a show: "Go ahead and let the next one in."

Martin came out of the audition room, asked the reception staff, checked his cell phone number, and left the small office building.

Walking to the parking area, he thought for a while, took out his mobile phone, and dialed Robert's number: "Hey, buddy, what are you doing?"

"Why did you think of calling me?" Robert's high spirits could be heard in his voice: "I'm teaching rookies to perform."

Martin said directly: "Do me a favor, you go and get a bottle of Coke, whether it's a glass bottle or a can, and put it on the table that is biased toward Los Angeles."

Robert was surprised: "Why?"

Martin explained: "I just participated in the audition and I am competing for a role. It is very important. It is related to whether I can join the actors union as soon as possible."

Robert understood: "Man, Coke doesn't work."

"I know, ordinary Coke is useless." Martin emphasized: "I want the Coke that Robert blessed!"

"Okay, I'll do it now." Robert had long been numb, hung up the phone and went to buy a can of Coke from the theater sales office, and went to his office on the second floor, moved his desk to the west, and put it there. Can of Coke.

After thinking for a while, he found olive oil again, painted it on the can, crossed it, took a picture with his mobile phone, and sent Martin a MMS.

When Martin received the MMS, he felt a little relieved for no reason, and made a special call to Benjamin: "Director, I'm fine, I just want to say thank you."

A woman's laughter and Benjamin's words came from the receiver: "Thank me for what?"

Martin said: "Congratulations on coming out, don't disturb your happiness, hang up."

For the last call, Martin called Thomas. The agent looked very busy, and he called twice before getting through.

Thomas was straightforward: "Just wait for the notification."

Before Martin could reply, he hung up the phone.

On Friday morning, Martin was notified by the crew that he had been offered the role.

In the afternoon, he met Thomas at the gate of Warner Studios, and went to the small building where the crew was located.

Thomas was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, carrying a black briefcase. A person dressed like this would be a standard stockbroker in New York.

In Los Angeles, of course, entertainment agents.

"You are not a member of the union, so the salary will not be high, at most 3,000 US dollars." Thomas said quickly while walking: "Don't care too much about the salary at this stage, getting the opportunity to get the role is more important than anything else, the crew will start up soon, and you can ask Only when the union submits an application can we qualify for a more substantial role."

"You're a professional," Martin said.

The two came to the office building, Martin was waiting in the lounge, Thomas went to talk to a producer about the salary, but came back in ten minutes.

He said to Martin: "The character salary is 2,800 US dollars per episode. You can appear in two episodes at most, transportation, meals, accommodation and insurance, follow the normal standards of the crew, sign the contract if there is no problem, and you can get a few pages of character scripts after signing. .”

Martin really doesn't care about the paycheck for the role: "No problem."

Thomas said to the assistant who followed: "Inform your boss, you can sign the contract."

There was a ready-made template for the actor's contract. Martin followed Thomas to another meeting room, took the contract from the assistant, reviewed it carefully, and signed it.

"Is there a problem with the contract?" Thomas asked.

Martin shrugged: "Of course I have to read the contract I signed."

"Very well, remember this." Thomas emphasized: "Don't trust anyone."

What Thomas said was not pleasant, but what he said made sense. Martin had seen many celebrities being deceived by people around him.

Like a root or something.

After the contract was formally signed, the assistant director sent a few pages of the script and confessed to Martin: "This is part of the character script that the screenwriter rushed out yesterday. You need to familiarize yourself with the character setting first. The plot may change later, but the character setting will not change. .”

Martin took it over: "I will figure it out carefully."

The assistant director warned: "Be careful to keep it secret."

Martin glanced quickly at the first page, where the title of the title on the heading read the code name - "star".

Combined with the director role he played, the tentative name is "Star".

Also, the contract has HBO printed in the corner.

This is Warner Studios, and HBO is affiliated to Warner Bros. Martin can't help but have a bad association, plasma and naked bodies fly together.

He just jumped out of the muddy pit of late-night dramas and zombie machine-gun dances, and is about to fall into the trap of HBO's "Oxy and Violent"?

Martin asked Thomas: "Is this an HBO project?"

"It should be." Thomas said simply: "The film and television projects have changed a lot. Sometimes HBO projects will be pushed to Warner TV. The specifics depend on the post-production operations."

He is an agent, and he is good at understanding people's psychology: "Averse to large-scale dramas? It shouldn't be. I watched "Zombie Gigolo" and late-night dramas starring you. The scale of HBO will not be bigger than Ma Zhen."

Martin thought, Ma Zhendu has spread to Los Angeles.

Thomas said one more thing: "You have good acting skills, and you also know a lot of other skills. You should be smarter in the crew."

Martin decided to set the record straight: "I came from the gangster-infested slums and gigolo clubs of Atlanta, and I was never afraid of competition and challenge."

When the two went out, they met casting director Thomson in front of the office building.

Thomas stepped forward to shake hands with Thomson, quite enthusiastically: "Thank you this time."

"You're welcome." Just as Thomson was about to see Martin, Martin had already arrived in front of him, grabbed his right hand and shook it firmly: "Director, when do you have time? Let's have a light meal together?"

Seeing a sensible person, Thomson smiled slightly: "No need." He was straightforward: "Give me your personal contact information."

Martin understood that a treat cannot offset favors, so he took out his business card and handed it to Thomson: "If you need anything, call me."

Thomas put away his business card, nodded to Martin, and then asked Thomas, "Where did you find the newcomer? It's very good."

"He's kind of savvy," Thomas said.

Martin didn't say much and automatically acted as a mascot.

Thomson walked towards the office building: "You are busy, it's time for me to work."

Thomas had a vague feeling that the newcomers assigned by the company this time were not easy.

The status of a broker is directly proportional to the size of its clients.

If Thomas poachs Tom Cruise, he will immediately become a senior partner of the WMA.

When walking out, Thomas said deliberately: "Martin, you are a little clever, and you have connections behind you. As long as you cooperate with me, I guarantee that you will definitely become popular."

Regardless of what Martin thought in his heart, what he said was very pleasant: "Boss, I believe in your strength, and we can be the best partners."

When they arrived at the parking lot, Thomas drove away first.

Martin got into the car, didn't start it immediately, took out a few pages of character scripts from his bag, and read them carefully.

The content of the script on the first page is very normal. The independent director summoned a bunch of ordinary actresses to have a pool party, making waves as they please.

According to Martin's deduction based on HBO's style, there will inevitably be more than ten or twenty pairs of car lights shaking in the film, and even a large number of car buttocks will be exposed.

The exhaust pipe is not enough, HBO can't reach this level.

However, the director is ruthless, and there may be a large number of people messing around together.

HBO's style, you can understand it naturally.

The content of the script on the second page and the third page is similar, the male protagonist goes to the director, the director emerges from a group of women, and the two of them sit and chat among the group of women.

The fourth and last page is the dialogue between the actor and the director about the movie.

In the movie that the independent director wants to make, the hero wants to be the protagonist.

The independent director admired him very much, but made a request, and the male lead played it for him himself!

This is a line dialogue between two people. Whether the male protagonist agrees or not is not written later.

Martin guessed that the screenwriter probably didn't think about it.

"It's not yet the age when LGBTQ people are active, and HBO's script is so sloppy?" Martin tried to recall: "Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" is a landmark event, and it must have not been filmed yet."

After all, Hollywood is not a European film industry. Even if there are similar shots, they will not be shot in real life.

Not to worry, Martin collected a few pages of scripts and went to Burbank's film library to find books such as autobiographies and interviews of independent film directors.

Even if it's just a small role with not many roles, Martin still prepares with a 100% attitude.