Upon hearing Eric-Park say that, Matthew was momentarily stunned, recalling the previous director of the Britney MV crew, Martin-Jackson, and grew wary—could this guy also have similar peculiar tastes?
But on second thought, that seemed unlikely, given that it wasn't just him; there were agents and stylists present as well.
Sure enough, Matthew was overthinking it; what Eric-Park mentioned had nothing to do with any peculiar tastes.
"The filming locations for the series are mainly in Europe, mostly concentrated in the UK and France."
Out of consideration for Helen Herman, Eric-Park revealed some information in advance, "Before filming starts, all actors playing major military roles will undergo military training in the UK for no less than one to one and a half months. The training is tough and grueling."
"No problem," Matthew said.
He was mentally prepared; he wasn't afraid of hard and exhausting work.
Eric-Park added, "The shooting might last more than half a year. You'll need to adjust your schedules accordingly."
Matthew nodded, then looked at Helen Herman, realizing that Eric-Park was mentioning all this largely because of her.
"And one more thing, the most important!" Eric-Park turned to Matthew and asked, "I remember from your information that you're not a member of the Actors' Guild?"
Matthew scratched his head, and Helen Herman interjected, "Not yet, but I've already prepared his membership paperwork."
"Get it done quickly," Eric-Park urged. "This is a union-listed project, and the main actors must be union members."
"Don't worry," Helen Herman pointed to her briefcase. "I have the documents with me; we'll head to the union as soon as we leave the studio."
Leaving the studio, Helen Herman called Matthew to her car and immediately took him to the Actors' Guild. Just as discussed in the makeup room, she had prepared all the necessary documents for joining the union. With Matthew's current resume, joining the union should not be an issue, and Helen Herman had acquaintances within the union too.
However, the fee of just over three thousand dollars had to be covered by Matthew.
After completing the membership formalities with Helen Herman by his side, Matthew sadly realized that together with his phone, second-hand TV set, and camera package expenses, his $4,000 salary from the "Sometimes" MV crew was nearly spent.
If it hadn't been for Lester granting him a month's full attendance, and receiving a whole month's salary from the Red Penguin Company, he would have been even more financially strained.
Exiting the Actors' Guild, Matthew rode with Helen Herman to the Angel Agency. Besides needing to pick up information about "Band of Brothers," Helen Herman wanted to discuss his role further.
"Amanda…"
While walking upstairs, Matthew asked the girl next to him, "Do you know of any jobs that are quick and pay well?"
"Yeah," Amanda instantly replied, "Rob a bank or run drugs from Mexico over here."
"Are you short on money?" Helen Herman, who was ahead, had heard too, "Did you pay the penalty fee?"
"What penalty fee?" Amanda asked curiously.
Matthew ignored Amanda's question, saying, "They haven't sent me a lawyer's letter for a long time; maybe they've given up."
"Given up?" Helen Herman shook her head. "They're probably going through legal procedures."
She turned to the second floor, and once Matthew caught up, she said, "Let me know if you receive a court summons."
After thinking about it, Matthew felt Helen Herman's analysis made sense; perhaps the other party was indeed pursuing legal action. He nodded, "I understand."
Having Helen Herman as an agent made dealing with such matters at least a bit less painful.
Still, he harbored a bit of hope, thinking, a small fry like him couldn't be that memorable, right?
Entering the office, Helen Herman handed Matthew a glass of water and said, "Don't take any other jobs recently. The upcoming audition is very important for you; you should focus all your energy on preparing for the role we are aiming for."
She gestured to Amanda, who opened a filing cabinet and pulled out a stack of documents about a foot thick, topped with a book, the original novel of "Band of Brothers."
"I've collected these specifically for you," Helen Herman said, sitting behind her desk with a cup of coffee. "Take them home and study them thoroughly."
She took a sip of her coffee and added, "The next audition is in about a month. Eric-Park has no say in the casting; the real decision-makers are HBO and Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg, and I don't have their ear."
Hearing Helen Herman say this, Matthew's heart sank.
He knew his resume wasn't impressive, and his acting experience was limited. Having been in the industry for only half a year, he didn't have any advantages compared to other actors.
Originally, he thought Helen Herman's relationship with the crew might be a key factor in swaying the audition. Now, it seemed pointless to harbor too much hope in that regard.
"So..." Helen Herman put down her coffee cup, "you need to perform exceptionally well at the audition, even if you don't get through. It's important to leave a strong impression on the crew, so I can leverage it to secure you a slightly lesser role if we need to resort to a backup plan."
Matthew took the documents Amanda handed him and placed them on a side table, asking, "How many plans have you prepared?"
"Two," Helen Herman replied, ready for a detailed discussion. "Although we can't get the script yet, I've seen a schedule from Eric-Park detailing the main and minor roles. I spotted a potentially standout supporting character with a substantial part; that's our primary target."
Matthew picked up the original novel, flipping through the table of contents while asking, "Which character? Can you be more specific? It'll help me focus when reading."
"Ronald Spiers!" Helen Herman seemed well-researched on this character. "He's the fourth platoon leader of Easy Company, brave and decisive, sometimes even ruthless—a typical hard-nosed soldier, very suitable for you."
Matthew touched his well-defined, chiseled face; the character's profile indeed matched his appearance.
Helen Herman continued, "Besides being a tough guy, Spiers is also a typical war plunderer. In the character profiles I've seen, this is an aspect that could really stand out."
"From what you're saying..." Matthew asked, "Spiers is a main supporting character, right?"
"Yes," Helen Herman nodded bluntly. "I think his part and character development are substantial."
Matthew felt doubtful, "Can I really land such a role?"
Helen Herman looked at him, "Why not try? Aren't you always resourceful?"
"I..." Matthew felt helpless and could only say, "Do you think I can pull strings with Steven Spielberg or Tom Hanks?"
Helen Herman shook her head, "No."
She coughed and then added, "If you get this role, you'd be incredibly lucky, and your career would likely go more smoothly. If not, it's not the end of the world..."
Matthew pointed at the pile of documents, "If I get eliminated, wouldn't all this preparation be for nothing?"
"I haven't finished speaking."
"Could you just say everything at once?" Matthew was critical of Helen Herman's manner of speaking, "Don't always beat around the bush."
Helen Herman ignored Matthew's latter remark and continued, "The crew's method for selecting actors this time is a bit unusual. Since all the roles are military, they'll give some minor supporting roles to those actors who stand out but are eliminated from the main roles, based on actual circumstances."
Matthew now understood, "So, you've prepared a contingency plan?"
"Exactly." Helen Herman nodded in confirmation. "Eric-Park has some influence here. As long as you leave a deep impression on the bigwigs during the audition, with me and Eric helping, getting a minor supporting role is still quite possible."
She leaned forward on her desk, "Of course, our primary target is still Ronald Spiers. The setting for this role is far more standout than those for minor roles, and it will definitely receive more attention once the series airs."
Matthew closed the book, though he remained silent. Frankly, competing for such a role, he truly lacked confidence.
This kind of thing isn't resolved by merely declaring confidence or insisting one can succeed; confidence should be backed by a combination of opportunities, abilities, and networks.
In every aspect, he was lacking.
Helen Herman probably thought the same, hence the backup plan.
"I'll do my best," was all Matthew could say.
"Don't stress too much," Helen Herman saw Matthew's young face frown and decided to relieve some pressure, "Our primary target is to try, and even if we don't succeed, it's not a disaster."
Matthew smiled, "Don't worry, Helen. Pressure only becomes my motivation."
Helen Herman waved him off, "Alright, go prepare. If you have any questions, communicate with me in time, and don't make any decisions on your own."
"I understand," Matthew picked up the stack of documents, heading towards the door, "It's all about trust."
He was well aware that this job opportunity was entirely due to Helen Herman's efforts. This was a production by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, and to secure a substantial role, even if not Ronald Spiers but a minor supporting character, he might still face intense competition.