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The script initially served as Adrian's stepping stone into Hollywood. As his fame began to spread with the production of two films, its original value diminished, so the role of the script inevitably had to change.
Thanks to those previous scripts and the fact that the scripts for the two films he succeeded in were also written by him, Adrian had earned the title of a brilliant screenwriter among the upper echelons of various film companies. He was well aware of this, so the script became his best tool for winning over these film companies.
For others, this would be an impossible task. Although the status of screenwriters in Hollywood was much better than decades ago, they still didn't have much say. When making films, top-ranking stars, directors, and producers could all freely modify the script. If a screenwriter didn't agree to adjustments according to their opinions, they would be asked to leave, as there were plenty of screenwriters available.
But Adrian was different. Not to mention his identities as a director, producer, and film company owner, having eight different types of scripts birthed from his hands alone was enough to make the senior executives of major film companies see him in a new light. What's more, he was still young. It was entirely possible to influence these major companies by using scripts because of this.
Of course, he couldn't do it alone. Laverne couldn't help with this; he needed an outstanding agent. To make a career in Hollywood, an agent was essential. A good agent could negotiate shares with film companies, liaise with media for promotion, and handle unfriendly reporters, among other duties, such as canvassing votes if their client was nominated for awards. Generally speaking, if an actor becomes a top star, their agent is attributed with 30% or even more of the credit.
However, this didn't mean agents were omnipotent. Take CAA, for example. Their proudest strategy was bundling sales; if a film company wanted a script from one of their client's writers, they had to also use their client's director and actors. But this strategy was useless against major film companies. They had connections to bypass agents and directly contact actors, directors, and writers. Although the final step of negotiating contracts had to go through agents, bundling was impossible.
In fact, the purpose of CAA's bundling strategy was primarily to draw in more second- and third-tier actors and directors. With so many of these in Hollywood, a few talented ones were bound to emerge. It turned out they did have good luck, which allowed them to outshine other agencies entering the 21st century, but now there was Adrian.
In short, an agent was important. Though agents weren't involved in high-level negotiations or transactions, they were indispensable in day-to-day matters. Adrian was still some distance away from high-level transactions, so he needed a talented agent to manage these scripts. With the major film companies looking ahead to future developments, treating them all the same was naturally impossible. So, how to turn down certain companies while maintaining certain relationships depended on the agent's ability.
"Tell me about Roger as you see him, Dan," Adrian said to Dennis. Although he had received Roger Seder's information through Claude, getting Dennis's perspective could provide another angle of understanding.
"Let me think... First, he's a very shrewd person," Dennis recalled as he began to speak, and Roger obviously made a good impression on him, as Dennis often spoke on his behalf.
Adrian didn't interrupt, just quietly listened, then sketched an approximate outline in his mind. Let's see how Roger performs, and decide after the agency makes some adjustments.
"By the way, Ed, there's something... maybe you can give me some advice?" Dennis suddenly spoke somewhat hesitantly while Adrian was planning to get something to drink.
"Oh? What is it?" Adrian sat back down with interest, never having seen Dennis in such a state.
"Well... it's just... just..." Dennis scratched his head for a long time. Finally, he made a determined expression, "If I want to pursue a girl, how should I go about it?"
"Pursue a girl?" Adrian raised his eyebrows in surprise; he hadn't expected Dennis to ask him about such a matter, "Don't tell me you've never asked a girl out before."
"Of course not," Dennis rolled his eyes, "I'm talking about pursuing, you understand? Pursuing!"
"Is there a difference?" Adrian shrugged, "Alright, I get it. You mean you not only want to sleep with her but also want to develop further—who's the girl that caught your eye?"
"Can I not say her name?" Dennis showed a hesitant expression, "We're... just friends, met at a party, and she already has a boyfriend, and they're in a tight relationship. So I thought maybe you could offer some advice, given..."
Though he didn't continue, Adrian could guess what he wanted to say, feeling both amused and exasperated.
"Already has a boyfriend?" Adrian looked at Dennis with an amused expression.
"What are you implying?" Dennis evidently didn't think there was anything wrong with his approach, "No law says you can't pursue a girl with a boyfriend."
"Alright, alright," Adrian laughed and shook his head, "I assume you won't share her friend's name, so can you at least describe her and her boyfriend's personality?"
"Well... she's very pretty, gives off a pure vibe, and draws attention at parties. She's not very tall, about 5 feet 3 inches, petite, and cute. As for her personality, she's gentle, docile, and simple, with a soft voice and an enticing smile," Dennis recalled, a faint smile on his lips.
Listening, Adrian couldn't help but roll his eyes, sighing at his naivety, then cleared his throat to shift the topic, "And her boyfriend?"
"A rogue, a drinker, drug user, fighter, a free spirit with no sense of responsibility," Dennis waved his hand in disdain, "I don't understand why they ended up together."
"Because bad boys are more likely to attract those pure girls," Adrian chuckled, "Of course, these feelings don't last. The woman's desire for commitment contrasts with the man's reluctance, so a breakup is inevitable."
"Then what should I do? Wait for them to break up?" Dennis frowned; this wasn't the outcome he wanted.
"Very simple, set yourself apart," Adrian said, twirling the now-empty wine glass in his hand.
"Set myself apart?" Dennis was perplexed.
"Exactly. Bad boys attract those pure girls because, in their eyes, bad boys differ from other men," Adrian paused, "In the animal kingdom, male animals always think about how to spread their seeds widely, while female animals consider finding the best male to pass on their genes. Humans, as advanced animals, are no exception."
"Certainly, for female animals, the strongest in the group who can guarantee the group's reproduction is the best. However, for women, 'best' is indefinable. Humans are advanced animals, but they fundamentally differ from animals. Making women feel that you are different from other men involves many aspects."
"But... could you explain it simply?" Dennis seemed a bit dizzy from listening.
Adrian stared at him for a moment, then shrugged, "Okay, let's talk about something else."
No worries, there would be ample time later.
"First, you have to know how to charm a woman, chat on shared topics, then gradually deepen the connection, invite her to meals and outings, etc. Secondly, while charming her, maintain your individuality, which is what I mean by distinguishing yourself. Don't turn yourself into something like putty that she can mold at will. Lastly, and most importantly, give her a sense of security," Adrian continued, "Most of the time, women are very emotional and tend to overthink. So when you can provide her security, make her feel safe and reliable, feel that there's nothing to fear when she's with you, then your chance to win her over would be significant."
Dennis still appeared a bit muddled, taking a while before asking again, "Could you... be a bit more specific?"
"I won't tell you when to do what, Dan; you'll have to figure that out yourself. Once you understand what I just said, you'll naturally know what to do," Adrian said with a smile. At this point, he suddenly thought of something, and his smile turned somewhat sly, "Alright, I'll add one more thing. If you can have the girl's first time and make her ecstatic, then no matter if she hates you or loves you afterward, she'll always remember you. But since she already has a boyfriend, you'll have to aim for the latter."
Dennis grinned but didn't speak, downing the liquid in his glass before rising to leave.
Let me see how far you can go, Dan. Adrian watched his back with interest. Pity he didn't know whom Dennis was targeting; otherwise, he might have given even more mischievous advice.
After returning from Ohio and resting for about three days, Adrian gathered the crew at Studio 23 to start filming the internal scenes. The film company had rented the studio, and the prison cells, library, office, and the sewer where Andy escaped were all ready.
Judging by the time, completing the shoot in two and a half weeks seemed unlikely. Though there were fewer interior scenes than exterior ones, only over a dozen fewer. Given this, three and a half weeks would suffice, as long as the total took less than eight weeks.
(New book ranked third; thanks for your support. I planned a burst of updates, but as I'm a slow typist, I regretfully couldn't do it. A bow, please continue to support and help maintain this position.)
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