America gains both fame and fortune

Chapter 86 HBO Project (Subscription Request)

In the audition room, casting director Thomson looked at the list and said, "Let Martin Davis come in."

The Latino lady at the door went to call for help.

The assistant whispered, "Recommendation from WMA, Thomas Ryan's client."

"I know." Thompson said in a low voice: "It depends on the audition results."

If a person is too bad, there is no need to consider favors.

Martin followed the Latino lady into the audition room and saw that there were seven people sitting there, including the photographer.

Six of them were very serious, and one was just slacking off and playing PSP.

No need to guess, he must be a relative.

No crew can be missing.

Martin recognized Thomson and went over to shake his hand: "Director."

Thomson nodded slightly. "The role you are auditioning for is the director of an independent film. There is no script yet. Please perform a scene."

Martin came to the sun visor, gathered his emotions a little, recalled Benjamin's words and actions when he was crazy, and quickly put himself in his shoes.

This is the director he is most familiar with.

"One million dollars, this movie can start with another one million dollars!" Martin has seen many independent film directors who are worried about the filming funds, with excitement, helplessness and madness on their faces: "Hey, man, tell me, who can give me one million dollars! Who can invest one million dollars in my project!"

He was hysterical, his voice rising: "As long as he pays, I will sell my ass to him! I have no problem kneeling on the ground and blowing him ten times!"

Thomson thought that the company was relatively reliable and that the people they recommended had good acting skills.

When Martin finished his performance, Thomson said, "Good, go back and wait for news."

Martin said thank you and left the audition room.

Thomson asked the people around him, "What do you think?"

The assistant understood what he meant and cooperated very well: "It shows the difficulties and helplessness of an independent film director."

The woman next to him said, "Of the seven people who completed the audition, he was the best and his acting was very good."

Thomson made his decision, but he still had to show it: "Go ahead, let the next one in."

Martin came out of the audition room, asked the receptionist a question, checked his cell phone number, and left the small office building.

Walking to the parking area, he thought for a moment, took out his cell phone, and dialed Robert's number: "Hey, man, what are you doing?"

"Why did you think of calling me?" Robert's high spirits could be heard from his voice: "I'm teaching the rookie to perform."

Martin said directly: "Please do me a favor and get a bottle of Coke, whether it's a glass bottle or a can, and put it on the table facing Los Angeles."

Robert was surprised: "Why?"

Martin explained: "I just auditioned for a role that's really important and will get me into the Screen Actors Guild as soon as possible."

Robert understood: "Coke doesn't work, man."

"I know, ordinary Coke doesn't work." Martin emphasized, "I want the Coke that Robert has blessed!"

"Okay, I'll do it right away." Robert had been numb for a long time. He hung up the phone and went to the theater merchandise counter to buy a can of Coke. He went to his office on the second floor, moved his desk to the west, and put the can of Coke on it.

After thinking for a while, he found some olive oil, spread it on the can, made the sign of the cross, took a photo with his mobile phone, and sent a picture to Martin.

Martin felt relieved after receiving the MMS message, and he called Benjamin specially: "Director, nothing much, I just want to say thank you."

A woman’s laughter and Benjamin’s words came from the receiver: “Thank me for what?”

Martin said, "Congratulations on coming out. I won't disturb your happiness. I'm hanging up now."

The last call Martin made was to Thomas, but the agent seemed very busy, so the call had to be called twice before it got through.

Thomas said simply: "Just wait for notification."

Without waiting for Martin to reply, he hung up.

Martin was notified by the crew on Friday morning that he had won the role.

In the afternoon, he met Thomas at the entrance of Warner Studios and went to the small building where the crew was located.

Thomas was dressed in a suit and carrying a black briefcase. A man dressed like this would be a standard stockbroker in New York.

In Los Angeles, it’s naturally an entertainment agent.

"You are not a union member, so your pay will not be high, at most $3000." Thomas said quickly as he walked, "Don't worry too much about the pay at this stage. Getting the opportunity to get the role is more important than anything else. The crew will start filming soon, and when it starts filming you can submit an application to the union. Only then will we be eligible to seek more important roles."

“You’re a professional,” Martin said.

The two men came to the office building. Martin waited in the lounge while Thomas went to discuss the salary with a producer and would be back in less than ten minutes.

He said to Martin, "The pay for the role is $2800 per episode. You will appear in a maximum of two episodes. Transportation, meals, accommodation and insurance will be in accordance with the normal standards of the crew. If there is no problem, sign the contract. After signing, you can get a few pages of the role script."

Martin really doesn't care about the pay for the role: "No problem."

Thomas said to the assistant who followed him, "Notify your boss that the contract can be signed."

There is a ready-made template for the actor's contract. Martin followed Thomas to another conference room, took the contract handed to him by the assistant, reviewed it carefully, and signed his name.

Thomas asked, "Is there a problem with the contract?" Martin shrugged and said, "I signed the contract, of course I have to read it again."

"Good, remember this." Thomas emphasized: "Don't trust anyone easily."

What Thomas said was unpleasant, but it made sense. Martin had seen many celebrities being cheated by people around them.

For example, a certain root or something like that.

After the contract was officially signed, the assistant director handed over a few pages of the script and told Martin, "This is part of the character script that the screenwriter rushed out yesterday. You should familiarize yourself with the character settings first. The plot may change later, but the character settings will not change."

Martin took over: "I will think about it carefully."

The assistant director reminded: "Keep it confidential."

Martin quickly glanced at the first page. The title of the film was written as a code name - "star".

Considering the director role he played, the film is temporarily named "Star".

Also, HBO is printed on one corner of the contract.

This is Warner Studios, and HBO is affiliated with Warner Bros. Martin couldn't help but have some bad associations, with blood plasma and naked bodies flying together.

He had just jumped out of the mud pit of late-night dramas and zombie machine gun dances, and now he was about to fall into HBO's "pornography and violence" trap?
Martin asked Thomas, "Is this an HBO project?"

"It should be." Thomas said simply: "Film and television projects change a lot. HBO's projects are sometimes pushed to Warner TV. The details depend on the later operations."

He is an agent, good at understanding people's psychology: "Are you against large-scale dramas? That shouldn't be the case. I specifically watched the "Zombie Gigolo" and the late-night drama starring you. The scale of HBO's drama won't be bigger than Ma Zhen's."

Martin thought to himself that the news about Ma Zhendu had spread to Los Angeles.

Thomas added: "You have good acting skills and many other skills. Be smart in the crew."

Martin decided to make it clear: "I fought my way up from the gang-ridden slums and gigolo clubs of Atlanta, and I'm not afraid of competition or a challenge."

When the two of them went out, they met the casting director Thompson in front of the office building.

Thomas stepped forward and shook hands with Thomson, saying enthusiastically, "Thank you very much this time."

"You're welcome." Just as Thomson was about to look at Martin, Martin had already come to him, grabbed his right hand and shook it vigorously: "Director, when are you free? Let's have a quick meal together?"

Seeing that the person was sensible, Thomson smiled and said, "No need." He was very direct: "Give me your personal contact information."

Martin knew that treating someone to a meal could not offset a favor, so he took out his business card and handed it to Thomson: "Call me if you need anything."

Thomas put away the business card, nodded to Martin, and turned to ask Thomas: "Where did you find this new guy? He's pretty good."

“He’s got some savvy,” Thomas said.

Martin didn't say much and automatically acted as a mascot.

Thomson walked towards the office building: "You guys are busy, I should get to work."

Thomas had a vague feeling that the new person assigned by the company this time was not simple.

The status of a broker is directly proportional to the number of clients he has.

If Thomas could recruit Tom Cruise, he would immediately become a senior partner of WMA.

As they walked out, Thomas said deliberately: "Martin, you are quite clever and have connections behind you. As long as you cooperate with me, I guarantee that you will become famous."

No matter what Martin thought in his heart, what he said was very pleasant: "Boss, I believe in your ability. We can become the best partners."

When they arrived at the parking lot, Thomas drove away first.

Martin got in the car but didn't start it immediately. He took out a few pages of the role script from his bag and read it carefully.

The content of the first page of the script is very normal. An independent director gathers a bunch of ordinary actresses for a pool party and lets them have fun.

The exhaust pipe is not there, HBO can't reach that level.

But if the director is ruthless, it is possible that a lot of people will mess around together.

Those who understand HBO’s style will understand it.

The second and third pages of the script have similar content. The male protagonist goes to find the director, who comes out from a group of women, and the two sit among the women and chat.

The fourth page, which is also the last page, is a conversation between the male protagonist and the director about the movie.

In the play, an independent director is going to make a movie, and the male lead wants to be the protagonist.

The independent director admired him very much, but made a request that the leading actor blow it for him himself!

This is the dialogue between the two people. It is not written later whether the male protagonist agreed or not.

Martin guessed that the screenwriter probably hadn't thought it through yet.

"It's not even the time when LGBTQ people are becoming active yet, so HBO's script is so wasteful?" Martin tried to recall: "Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain is a landmark event, and it must not have been filmed yet."

After all, Hollywood is not the European film industry, so even if there are similar shots, they will not be actually filmed.

Martin was not worried. He took several pages of the script and went to the Burbank Film Archive Library to look for books such as autobiographies and interviews of independent film directors.

Even though it was just a small role with few lines, Martin still prepared with 100 percent attitude.

(End of this chapter)