Jerry's full name was Jerry Boyd.
The short story collection "Rope Burns" was his first work, written when he was 30 years old.
His writing style wasn't exceptional, and his stories were about ordinary people. For the 40 years after completing his work, due to its lack of market value, his collection of stories was consistently rejected by major publishing companies.
He didn't give up. In the end, he saved up a substantial amount of money and self-published the collection in 2000 when he was 70 years old.
Unsurprisingly, those publishing companies with keen market insight were right. This book simply didn't sell.
However, Jerry didn't mind. This was his literary dream, and he achieved it. Whether he succeeded or not was something God himself should consider.
At the very least, he had taken action.
In present times, it's hard for people to understand the term "sentiment". Only in times of change and legend would such idealists emerge.
Conversely, in a society of material stability and mental restlessness, mentioning sentiment and the like was most likely nonsense or deliberate posturing.
Someone like Jerry was truly sentimental.
Just as he narrated his own creative story, he had worked as a cutman for over a decade - the person who tends to a boxer's injuries during breaks in a boxing match, providing simple treatment to help the boxer perform better. He had experienced countless boxing matches and witnessed the little-known bitterness and sadness beneath the boxing ring.
People always pursued the victors, showering them with attention and applause. Everyone remembered boxing champions like Ali, Tyson, and Louis, but who cared about the losers? What about those who loved boxing but never experienced glory? Or the boxers whose bodies were worn out due to prolonged training and intense competition? Who knew about them?
So, he truly felt and wanted to share with others stories of perseverance that were lesser-known.
That's why he wrote this collection with such intention—not to depict the successful, but to reveal the true stories of failures.
Of course, he also knew that this kind of novel wouldn't bring financial success. He wasn't foolish, or rather, he knew that willingly investing a large portion of his savings into such a venture was foolish in itself.
It was for this reason that when a producer approached him for the adaptation rights, he decisively agreed.
He actually wanted his novel to appear on the big screen; it meant that more people would come to know about it.
And to increase the likelihood of this happening, he took a lump sum payment. He didn't ask for a share of the box office, or for peripheral copyrights, or any excessive demands like participating in the adaptation or filming.
So, in an alternate timeline, besides providing some source material, he had no involvement in the creation of this movie.
Warner Bros. was already one of the top film companies in the industry, and they certainly didn't want the original author interfering. They wouldn't actively seek out trouble, so they promptly excluded Jerry.
When the movie was released and received positive reviews, during media gossip, people began to remember the original author.
Cruelly enough, it was only then.
Throughout the journey, Lyman had been pondering how to communicate, but now, the conversation atmosphere was excellent.
Jerry was quite talkative, humorous even, exuding an air of optimism.
As he put it, "He's getting old and has a laid-back attitude about some things."
At the bar counter, Josh wanted to add to the fun.
However, Jerry didn't pay him any mind. He turned to Lyman and said, "I saw you in the news recently. I didn't expect you to be the one directing this project."
"Not satisfied?" Lyman picked up his glass and clinked it again.
"No, just wondering. It's somewhat peculiar. Your film "Miscreant" had a budget of over $100M. Can you still find the time and focus to direct projects like this?" Jerry asked curiously.
"Do you think directors only look at investment budgets? I'm not James Cameron. As long as it's a good story, I'm willing to film it." He finished and even laughed at himself.
Men like James Cameron, who escalate production budgets with each film and enjoy lavishly spending on new technology research, are indeed rare in the industry.
Jerry nodded. He was quite unfamiliar with the role of a director, after all, they didn't belong to the same circles. However, he felt a good vibe from Lyman now; they could have a conversation.
He glanced at Lyman and suddenly asked, "Hey, who do you have in mind for the lead roles?"
"For the female lead, I'm not sure who would be suitable. But for your character, I'm thinking of having Mr. Eastwood, the original prototype, play the role."
"Eastwood, huh? Your taste is truly exceptional. I loved his "Man with No Name" trilogy. His demeanor is similar to mine; we're both handsome." The old man unreservedly praised himself, and then, with a hint of concern, asked, "But he hasn't acted in a while. He's been directing. Would he be willing?"
"I'm not sure either, but where there's a will, there's a way. I'll ask first." Lyman wasn't entirely certain if Clint Eastwood would be willing to take on the role, but in the previous timeline, after reading the script, he had volunteered to participate. It seemed that he hadn't given up his desire to act.
Furthermore, when an excellent actor transitions to directing, they often engage in self-directed roles.
"Oh." Jerry continued clinking glasses and drinking. He clearly approved of Lyman's casting idea.
Today's meeting had started somewhat mysteriously, but things had progressed remarkably smoothly. Jerry didn't appear as old as he looked; he seemed more like a passionate, action-oriented young man. He cared deeply about his work, making any discussion about filming topics sensitive to him.
"However, I do need a bit of help," Lyman said proactively. "I'm not well-versed in boxing rules, and I don't know how training at a boxing gym would be like. Even some scenes in the script, I want to refine them further, make them more detailed. Would you be willing to help me?"
In the previous life, Warner Bros. didn't invite Jerry to the set because they didn't need someone like him to interfere with filming. While Lyman wasn't entirely sure what advice Jerry could provide in terms of filming, one undeniable fact was that, as the author of the original novel, Jerry had the deepest understanding of the story's narrative structure. After all, it had been something that happened before his eyes—a part of his life experience.
In today's film industry, a large number of novels are adapted into movies each year, but authors typically remain separate from the specific filming process. This often leads to situations where the market is satisfied with the adaptation, while book fans and the authors themselves are less so. Just like with the "Harry Potter" series; despite claims of extreme fidelity to the novel's story, the most vocal critics and opposers are often the die-hard book fans.
After this conversation, Lyman realized that Jerry wasn't conservative. He also didn't feel the need to adhere strictly to the story as written by him.
Jerry even provided suggestions, suggesting that "Maggie" shouldn't have an easy journey and should experience an initial failure. The effect of starting with restraint and then blossoming might be better, and it could elicit more sympathy from the audience.
Indeed, that's what he said. So, Lyman could be certain that he could benefit from Jerry's help.
"I don't just want to make this story emotionally resonant; I also want it to be an inspirational film. Who's to say that a failed life is a failure?" His words were a bit convoluted.
But Jerry understood; this was also his original intention in writing: Is worldly success, as commonly defined, the only form of success?
Does challenging oneself, putting in effort, and even if you don't reach the pinnacle, can your life be defined by more than just the label "failure"?
Jerry was pleased. Josh poured them both another large glass of beer.
Encountering someone with whom he clicked wasn't easy, making his spirits rise.
"So, Mr. Boyd, hiccup..." Lyman burped and continued, "Would you be willing to work with me to complete this project?"