After watching Britney's car drive away, Matthew turned and entered the small building of Angel Agency, where he found Helen Herman waiting near the reception area, seemingly just for him.
"Let's go," Helen said as soon as she saw Matthew, motioning for him to follow. "We'll grab some lunch first, then head over to Warner Studios."
Matthew followed her out of the building, asking, "Is there a rush?"
Helen nodded, "We need to be there by one at the latest."
"Is the crew that eager?" Matthew was in a good mood. "Do they value us that much?"
"You're thinking too much," Helen led him towards a nearby restaurant. "The contract team is meeting with several actors today."
As Matthew caught up, Helen added, "And before the ink dries on the contracts, anything can happen."
Once inside the restaurant, Helen casually ordered a few dishes. Matthew, curious, asked, "Could the crew really change their minds last minute?"
"It's not uncommon in Hollywood," Helen handed the menu back to the waiter. "That's why we need to finalize negotiations with the crew as quickly as possible and ideally sign the contract this afternoon."
Matthew had no objections regarding this part, asking about, "The terms..."
Negotiating actor contracts was a fundamental part of an agent's job. Helen assured him, "I'll secure the best possible terms within the budget the crew can afford."
While waiting for their food, their conversation continued, focusing strictly on business matters.
Once the simple dishes arrived, Helen and Matthew continued their discussion while eating.
"In the crew, try to manage relationships well," Helen began advising on another important matter. "The actors are one thing, but don't offend the directorial team, the production team, and the executive producers. Their decisions on blocking, camera angles, and editing directly impact an actor's portrayal in the final product."
Matthew was no longer the novice he had been months ago. Having studied at the Los Angeles School of Performing Arts, he understood that an actor's performance was not only about personal skill but also heavily influenced by external factors like camera angles.
The director's influence was substantial; even those merely overseeing shooting could significantly affect an actor's on-screen performance.
For example, if an actor was in a good flow and the director repeatedly called cuts, it could disrupt their rhythm, possibly ruining a good take.
Executive producers were crucial too, as those involved in post-production had the final say in the edit, making critical decisions about which takes made the final cut.
Of course, most people in Hollywood adhered to professional ethics, as their livelihoods depended on it.
However, Matthew considered that human nature and professional ethics could sometimes be unreliable.
He agreed with Helen; maintaining good relationships with these key crew members could only be beneficial, as they would be more committed to their work concerning him.
Matthew shared his thoughts with Helen, who nodded, "Having this mindset will benefit your future career."
She added, "And remember, anyone from these teams could become a lead director or a key producer on a project. It's common for an unnoticed assistant director to end up directing on their own in Hollywood."
"So, building good relationships now..." Matthew surmised, "means we can easily converse when we meet again?"
"Relationships are indeed valuable in Hollywood. They are woven together bit by bit, especially for actors like you with your background," Helen emphasized.
Matthew understood the underlying message; he didn't have an influential family or connections to leverage. Relying solely on Helen as his agent wouldn't be enough; he needed to be proactive.
"There's actually a simpler way..." Helen suddenly gave Matthew a meaningful look, assessing him. "And it's quite practical."
Matthew felt a chill, understanding her implication. He said firmly, "I may have low standards, but I still have some."
He emphasized, "I'd rather stay poor!"
With the example of Michael Sheen in mind, Helen wasn't surprised. "That's why I said you need to manage relationships carefully."
Matthew set down his utensils and wiped his mouth with a napkin, asking, "Do many people choose that path?"
"For actors without any background, male or female, it's the simplest route," Helen admitted candidly. "It's not universal, but it's definitely prevalent, including some well-known stars who started that way."
She looked at Matthew, continuing, "Many actors come from poor backgrounds, some without even a high school diploma. They don't have wealthy parents to pave their way with money. The only thing they have to offer in exchange is their body, as they lack other job skills and knowledge. If they don't make it, they might end up as waiters in a restaurant. Many think it's a valuable trade to offer themselves for a chance to perform."
Helen shrugged, "Not everyone does this, of course. Some land unexpectedly popular roles in less competitive casting calls, some are lucky enough not
to meet people with 'special requirements,' and some are genuinely talented, standing out among hundreds of competitors. All these scenarios are possible."
Matthew, once an avid follower of entertainment gossip, was somewhat aware of this. He recalled reading a quote attributed to Marilyn Monroe in an entertainment blog: "Yes, I slept with producers. Everybody does. If you don't, there's another girl waiting outside ready to unzip them..."
Of course, the authenticity of such gossip blogs was questionable.
Helen finished her meal and paid the bill, checking her watch. "Let's go."
They left the restaurant and headed to the parking lot where Helen's car was parked. They drove to Warner Studios, arriving on time for the scheduled meeting with the Band of Brothers production team.
Inside, Matthew left all negotiations to Helen, a true professional. In addition to negotiation, the crew had several matters to discuss with him.
Before negotiations, the contract team made a few declarations to Matthew—nothing major, just reiterating what Eric Pope had mentioned earlier: all main cast members were to fly to the UK in November for a month and a half of military training, with filming scheduled from January to July or August, all in Europe.
Matthew had worked hard for this role and had no objections.
Then it was time for Helen to negotiate with the contract team, where Matthew was merely an observer. As usual, Helen fought for every possible benefit for an actor, such as makeup, assistants, and safety provisions. Since filming was set in the UK, requiring accommodations, she even secured Matthew his own hotel room.
Regarding the crucial issue of salary, because it was unclear how many episodes Ronald Speirs would appear in, Helen bundled the entire series' pay into one package, demanding $100,000 for ten episodes.
She had conducted a thorough assessment. This epic series would have most of its budget allocated to filming and production, which is one reason lesser-known actors were hired—to keep the payroll within a modest fraction of the overall budget. $100,000 was essentially the upper limit for the production team.
Negotiations aimed to reduce actors' salaries as much as possible. Relative to unknown actors like Matthew, the production team had overwhelming leverage.
Frankly, replacing Matthew with another suitable actor wouldn't be difficult for them, but for Matthew to find another job of this caliber would be challenging.
Compromises were inevitable in negotiation, and the parties finally agreed on $60,000, with the standard Hollywood practice of paying it in three installments: upon joining the cast, before official shooting started, and after all production work was completed.
After agreeing on the terms and drafting the contract, both parties signed the document in the presence of a union representative.
Now a union member, Matthew kept a copy of the contract, as did the production team, with another copy filed with the union.
Next, he collected the script and shooting schedule from the production office.
Having settled all, Matthew finally breathed a sigh of relief as he walked out of the studio. With the contract signed, barring any major issues, the role of Ronald Speirs was his.
"By the way, I forgot to tell you something."
As they headed towards the studio exit, Helen remembered something. "I've been in touch with Iliana Poyar and convinced her to collaborate with us. You can continue to interact with her, but whatever you do, you must inform me first."
"No problem," Matthew nodded, then remembered something himself. "You once said if I got into a relationship, I should tell you."
Helen stopped, turning to face him. Matthew casually said, "Britney is now my girlfriend."