"What exactly?"
"The zombie series Darabont is directing. If we want it to be eligible for an Emmy, we don't have much time left."
"Yeah, I remember. We'll have to find time to check how things are going. At least get the pilot episode filmed."
"What network are you planning to choose?"
"I haven't decided yet. I need to think about it."
In the U.S., producing TV series is different from making movies. The pilot episode is a unique feature of American series.
While movies are typically produced by film studios, TV series are mostly financed by networks. This trend is particularly noticeable now, but in 20 years, everything will change.
By then, film studios will also start actively producing TV series. After all, compared to a two-hour movie, a series that runs for dozens of hours attracts more viewers and gets more screen time, meaning more profit.
Currently, the process of creating American TV series looks like this:
First, networks purchase hundreds of scripts. In the first round of selection, more than 80% get eliminated.
In the second round, another 80% get filtered out, leaving around twenty scripts.
Then, teams are assembled to shoot pilot episodes, which we sometimes see labeled as "episode zero."
After producing the pilot, an internal evaluation and test screening are conducted. Based on viewer feedback, about five projects are selected, while the rest are cut.
The whole process takes about a year and a half to two years, and over 97% of scripts are rejected. The competition is fierce, and the rules of the game are tough.
But this applies to standard series. The Walking Dead is a different case because the show is produced by a film studio and doesn't depend on networks.
If there's confidence, you can shoot the entire season at once and sell it. This approach is similar to the Chinese model and aligns with what will happen in the U.S. 20 years from now with the rise of streaming platforms.
The main rule here is: money rules everything. If you have the funds, you can do whatever you want. If a network is financing you, you'll have to play by their rules.
On the set of The Walking Dead, Eric got out of his car and entered the soundstage.
After wrapping up business with Transformers, Bordeaux focused on producing this series.
Seeing Eric, he immediately approached him.
"I'll go get Frank."
"Hold on, let him finish the scene. How are things going?"
"Overall, pretty well. We're on schedule, but we've had to pay for overtime."
"Do you often have to rush?"
Bordeaux smirked.
"Yeah, time is tight. And you know Frank—he's not one to sacrifice quality for speed. So, the only solution is to work overtime."
Eric nodded.
"Right. The show's quality should come first. By the way, how much have we spent so far?"
Bordeaux had prepared for Eric's visit and pulled out an expense summary from a box.
"Here's a simplified report. So far, 68% of the budget has been spent, totaling $28.96 million."
Eric quickly skimmed the report. Even in the film industry, it's easy to get lost in all the expense categories.
He knew there were probably some shady dealings. Such things are inevitable. If you don't let people earn a bit on the side, they won't give their all. So as long as the results are good, let them profit a little.
After reviewing the report, Eric said:
"Pay for overtime if needed, but don't exceed the $45 million budget."
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on it. We'll try to stay within $40 million," Bordeaux assured him.
Eric turned his attention back to the set. He hadn't been involved in casting decisions.
Scanning the scene, he was surprised to see many familiar faces. Even though filming started six years earlier, Andrew Lincoln was still playing the lead role of Rick. Eric had thought they might replace the actor due to age since Rick is a sheriff, and a too-young face would look unconvincing.
But after checking the resume, Eric realized Andrew Lincoln was already 31. His face looked much the same as in the original timeline—not too young, not too old.
Norman Reedus was still playing Daryl Dixon. He was already 34 years old, which was fitting. This charismatic character was in reliable hands.
Melissa McBride was still portraying Carol. She was already 38. Having worked with Darabont for a long time, she was immediately brought onto the project. She also starred in The Mist.
But the biggest surprise for Eric was that the role of Glenn, instead of being played by Korean actor Steven Yeun, was given to a young Hong Kong actor—Daniel Wu.
Although calling him "young" was a stretch. He was already 29, but Asians tend to look younger than their age.
After the scene was wrapped, Frank Darabont walked over to Eric.
"Eric, this is your first time on set. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about this series."
Eric laughed.
"How could I! This is an important MGM project that I've put a lot of effort into. I trust you completely, Frank."
Darabont looked relieved.
"I understand you want to know how the filming is going. Don't worry, we won't miss the deadline for Emmy submissions."
"I'll have the first six episodes ready in about a month and a half. We can shoot and release the remaining six in parallel."
"By the way, I forgot to ask—when are you planning to release the series?"
"That's exactly why I came, Frank. I need you to finish editing the first episode as soon as possible so I can start selling the show."
Frank Darabont touched his ear, thinking he misheard.
"Eric, MGM hasn't secured a deal with the networks yet?"
"No, but I'm confident in The Walking Dead. This show will spark a wave of interest in the zombie genre. Any network that picks it up won't regret it."
Darabont was surprised, but recalling the filming process, he realized MGM really knew what they were doing.
Once those zombies start running on screen, viewers are going to go crazy with excitement.
"All right, you're in luck. The first episode is almost done. Give me two days, and the first cut will be ready."
"Perfect. I've always trusted your skills."
Eric glanced over at Daniel Wu.
"I like this actor. He has great screen presence; he'll be suitable for bigger roles."
Darabont nodded.
"Daniel Wu can fight; he's agile and versatile. Many action scenes he nails on the first take. He could become the next Jackie Chan or Jet Li."
"Make sure his nationality is listed as Chinese. In Asia, that's taken very seriously, and it's best not to cause confusion."
"Really? I always thought Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese all looked the same."
"Can you tell the difference between Germans, Norwegians, and Swedes?"
Darabont shook his head.
"I can only distinguish Canadians, Americans, and Mexicans."
"There you go, now you get what I mean."
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