In a quiet corner of a restaurant, Carmen Kass tucked her sleek, straight hair behind her ear and put down her knife and fork. Curiously, she asked Michael Davenport, "Have you been busy lately?"
This guy had asked for her number that night but hadn't called since. She had been to Europe for a week of shows and had just finished shooting an ad in Los Angeles.
Michael wiped his mouth with a napkin and said, "I've been swamped with work lately, so busy that I wish I could split myself in two."
If Carmen Kass hadn't called, he would have almost forgotten about her amidst his hectic schedule.
"Preparing for a new movie?" Carmen Kass remembered Michael mentioning it that night.
Michael smiled, "Not just the new movie, but also the company. It's the startup phase, so there's a lot to worry about." He added, "The company needs to hire staff and plan the next steps. For the new movie, we need to finalize the director, choose locations, and find suitable actors..."
Carmen Kass rubbed her forehead. "That sounds complicated. Just listening to it gives me a headache."
Michael replied calmly, "Starting a business is like this. It must have been tough when you started as a model, right?"
"Yes," Carmen Kass nodded, as if recalling some painful memories. Her green eyes, already tinged with melancholy, grew deeper. After a while, she said, "The competition in this industry is as fierce as in Hollywood."
Michael spoke softly, "You've already made it through, unlike me, still in the startup phase."
Carmen Kass asked curiously, "Are all men so ambitious?"
"I can't speak for others," Michael said slowly. "I believe that both men and women should find their careers important. I'm only twenty years old, so it's time for me to work hard."
Carmen Kass nodded, "Makes sense." She raised her glass of water to Michael. "I should work harder too."
Michael clinked glasses with her and said, "May you soon join the ranks of the six blue-chip brands."
"That's too hard," Carmen Kass said with a smile.
Michael encouraged her, "Aim for the four major magazines, six blue-chip brands, and eight red-chip brands. If you work towards that, you might achieve it someday."
"Even the top supermodels haven't done that," Carmen Kass shook her head.
Despite her words, she felt happy inside. Michael Davenport was indeed an interesting person.
Any aspiring supermodel would want to achieve such an unprecedented feat.
After lunch, Carmen Kass asked, "Do you have to work this afternoon?"
Michael thought for a moment before nodding. He then invited her, "Carmen, would you like to visit my company?"
"Is that okay?" Carmen Kass was curious. "I won't be interrupting your work?"
"Not at all," Michael assured her.
They left the restaurant, and Carmen Kass rode in Michael's car to Sahara Entertainment. Only one person was there to answer calls and greet visiting agents; the others were out on external tasks.
Michael invited Carmen Kass into his office. "Feel free to sit."
Carmen Kass looked around the office. It was small, like the company, and simply furnished, appearing very practical.
"It's different from what I imagined," Carmen Kass said.
Michael poured her a glass of water. "It's a small company, with few people and a small space."
Carmen Kass responded, "But it has a good owner."
"I'm not a good owner yet," Michael said honestly. "My last movie was too aggressive and almost bankrupted the company. That's why Leonardo calls me a spendthrift."
"Everyone faces setbacks," Carmen Kass thought of her experiences. "Success always comes with setbacks."
Michael nodded, agreeing, "I hope this time won't be a setback." He moved to his desk. "I'll handle some emails first. Feel free to look around."
Carmen Kass asked playfully, "You don't have any confidential information here, do you?"
"No," Michael logged into his email. "Go ahead and look."
Mary and George had emailed him. Mary was working on renting props and weapons, and George was coordinating vehicles, updating him on their latest progress.
James Wong's friend Glen Morgan had also emailed. Glen, hired specifically to refine "The Purge" script, had made some changes to two scenes and three minor plot points. Michael felt Glen's modifications were appropriate and replied, asking him to come to the studio the next day for a discussion with him and James Wong.
Sometimes, brainstorming together could be beneficial.
Comparing Wong and Morgan's script to his own "The Purge," Michael realized that, aside from his foresight, his script lacked the depth and experience that these seasoned writers had.
No matter how talented he was, he was still a newcomer in Hollywood.
After handling the emails, Michael made a call. An employee brought a large stack of files to his desk.
Carmen Kass looked curiously at the pile, over two feet high, seemingly including photos.
"Are these actor profiles?" she asked.
Michael picked up a stack, flipping through them, and answered, "These are profiles sent by agents."
Carmen Kass, familiar with the ties between the modeling world and Hollywood, asked, "Can I take a look?"
Michael pointed to the chair opposite his desk. "Come over and join me."
These were ordinary clients from small agencies, nothing confidential.
Carmen Kass pulled up a chair and started reading through the profiles. Although her spoken English was good, her reading was slower, so her pace was much slower than Michael's.
Michael flipped through them quickly, tossing the ones he had reviewed to his right.
Watching Michael's serious demeanor, Carmen Kass was reminded of her early days in modeling school when she worked with the same intensity.
Being diligent and serious might not change one's fate, but without such effort, one wouldn't even have a chance to alter it.
Without really thinking, Carmen Kass asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"
Michael looked up at her and, seeing no need for pretense, treated her like part of the team. "Carmen, can you help sort through these profiles? Look for girls aged ten to fourteen with golden-brown hair, actresses aged sixteen to twenty with the same hair color, actors around sixty years old with golden-brown hair, and men born before 1960 with the same hair color."
"Sure," Carmen Kass agreed.
Michael added, "Make sure they have acting experience, even if it's in community theater."
Following Michael's instructions, Carmen Kass began sorting through the profiles, each of which included a photo, making it clear and straightforward.
The work was tedious, and they chatted while sorting, mostly about Hollywood, with Michael answering her questions.
"With your looks, why not try acting in Hollywood?" Michael joked.
Carmen Kass didn't respond to that, instead asking, "Why specifically golden-brown hair?"
Michael explained, "They are supposed to be a family, and hair color consistency is important, especially for the three actresses who will play a mother and her two daughters."
"Actors can dye their hair," Carmen Kass suggested.
Michael nodded first. "Yes, they can." Then he shook his head. "But in Hollywood, non-blonde actresses generally don't like dyeing their hair blonde."
He glanced at Carmen Kass's blonde hair but didn't elaborate.
Carmen Kass understood immediately and said self-deprecatingly, "I've lived in both the UK and the US. This isn't just a Hollywood issue; it's a widespread social problem. Many people stereotype blondes as lacking intelligence."
Michael countered, "Those who think that are the ones without brains."
Carmen Kass laughed.
With her help, they quickly sorted through the profiles. Michael ended up with a dozen useful actor resumes, marking a few familiar names with a pen.
"Thanks for your help," Michael said. "How about I treat you to dinner tonight?"
Carmen Kass declined again. "No need. I have a photo shoot tonight and I'm flying back to Europe tomorrow."
Michael sighed, "That's a shame."
Carmen Kass added, "I'll be back in the US soon."
Michael smiled, "I might visit Europe when I have time."
As the sun began to set, he saw Carmen Kass off, reflecting on their interactions. She was quite interesting, maintaining a distance while leaving a lingering impression.
Was she hoping he would pursue her more aggressively? Michael wondered.