Chapter 80 Don't Want Newcomers

In the small meeting room on the second floor of Warner Bros. Studios' office building, Ronan convened a meeting with the production team, including the newly hired casting director. Over a dozen people attended the meeting.

"Brian," Ronan looked at a thirty-something location manager with brown hair, and asked, "What are your plans regarding location scouting?"

Brian immediately responded, "I plan to start searching in downtown Los Angeles first, then head to the Bay Area in San Francisco."

Frowning, Ronan asked, "Why?"

Brian explained, "These places have familiar streets and buildings to the audience, which creates a sense of familiarity when watching the movie, making it easier for viewers to immerse themselves in the film."

"You're not wrong," Ronan acknowledged. Brian, the location manager he hired, had previously worked on several major productions, but his experience in big-budget projects seemed to have influenced his thinking. Ronan reminded him, "Brian, what you're saying suits large investment and big-budget projects. However, the production cost of 'Death is Coming' is only 15 million dollars!"

Brian scratched his head, struggling to adjust his mindset.

Ronan clarified, "This is an independent film with a limited budget. We need to avoid big cities or economically developed areas for location shoots."

Finally understanding, Brian said, "I see, this way we can save on location fees."

"Exactly," Ronan emphasized. "Go check out small towns around Los Angeles. Find suitable shooting locations and persuade the owners to allow filming for minimal or no fees."

Brian didn't say anything, but he understood his boss's work style now.

This was his first time serving as a location manager, and he inevitably carried over some of his previous thoughts from working on large productions.

Dealing with such a penny-pinching boss, he needed to be prepared to persuade people.

But how to convince them to waive fees? After all, the dollar was everyone's sweetheart.

Ronan continued, "Make the location owners believe that participating in this film will benefit them, that they're essential to the film's success."

"Uh..." Brian hesitated for a moment, then said, "I understand."

Seemingly, this boss's work style was a bit different this time.

Ronan hadn't finished yet, "For each outdoor shooting location, have three to four backup options to avoid unexpected situations!" He knew that the more detailed the preparation, the fewer troubles they would encounter during filming. "You and your team need to record the position of the sun at different times, parking conditions nearby, the cooperation attitude of the location owners, and any other information related to filming."

Brian affirmed, realizing that this young boss wasn't simple. "No problem."

Ronan then turned to Jason, the casting director, and asked, "Have the casting calls been sent out?"

Bald-headed Jason replied, "We've posted casting ads in newspapers, left information with the two major actors' unions, and sent audition invitations to most of the industry's talent agencies."

"Any responses?" Ronan inquired.

Glancing at his notebook, Jason replied, "We've received hundreds of actor resumes so far, and seven talent agencies have responded."

Nodding, Ronan said, "By February, move on to the audition stage."

In Los Angeles, there were plenty of aspiring actors. If the process took longer, the production team could easily receive thousands of actor resumes.

But most of them were dreamers, and only a few possessed actual acting skills. And even fewer could deliver convincing performances on the big screen.

Faced with so many audition candidates, the production team would undoubtedly need to organize multiple rounds of auditions.

This was also the main reason why Ronan specifically hired a casting director.

He had two projects to manage, plus overseeing the company's operations and personal development. Hiring a casting director would save him a lot of time and reduce unnecessary burdens.

All Ronan needed to do was to oversee the final round of auditions.

"The main actors should be under 22 years old, although we can be flexible for exceptional talents," Ronan instructed. "But one thing is crucial: the actors must have distinctive appearances, and the lead actors must conform to public aesthetics."

Jason glanced at his notebook again and said, "The agents of Toby Marquell and Kirsten Dunst have expressed interest in the lead roles."

Ronan smiled. "It seems our project is attractive."

Everyone chuckled. Toby Marquell and Kirsten Dunst were indeed among the cream of the crop of the younger generation of actors.

Ronan was a bit curious. Were Peter Parker and Mary Jane really coming to his project?

"Jason, talk to their agents," Ronan said after a moment of thought. "If Toby Marquell and Kirsten Dunst are willing to accept a salary of under $500,000, they can directly participate in the final round of auditions."

He furrowed his brow. "You'll have to handle the specifics of the negotiations yourself."

With renowned actors onboard, at least the film would garner more media attention, which could effectively translate into promotional power.

Next, they discussed topics such as equipment rentals and prop making. Ronan requested the prop and art departments to design several intriguing props or costumes.

These were purely commercial considerations.

After the meeting, Ronan kept the deputy producer, Andrew, behind.

Andrew was not yet forty and was specifically hired by Ronan to handle the daily affairs of the crew. He was not a stranger; he had worked with Ronan several times before when old Anderson was still alive, doing the same job.

"How's the contact with the advertisers going?" Ronan inquired.

Andrew shook his head. "Not very smoothly. We've sent invitations to several manufacturers, but none have responded."

Ronan wasn't disappointed. "It seems they lack confidence in us." After a moment of thought, he said, "Alright, if any advertisers approach the crew, negotiate with them if possible."

Without a star-studded cast or sufficient investment, it was challenging to attract advertisers.

"Oh, one more thing, Andrew," Ronan recalled a file he had seen yesterday. "Don't hire inexperienced newcomers for the main departments of the crew, no matter how cheap they are, unless they're willing to work as assistants."

Newbies might be cheaper, but taking a broader view, it wasn't hard to see that hiring inexperienced crew members actually cost more than hiring professionals.

Newcomers were still in the learning stage, with extremely low work efficiency, and could even lead to trouble. For example, if a cable wasn't properly laid during location setup, it could create safety hazards, or if a large soft light wasn't properly secured, it might cause injuries on set.

Such incidents would consume a considerable amount of time and cost.

Afterward, Ronan went to another office to see Mary. The crew's finances needed to be handled properly.

"We need to speed up the progress of 'Ace Agent,'" Mary reminded Ronan. "Otherwise, it'll be challenging for me to manage the accounts."

"I know," Ronan nodded.

In fact, he had already sent invitations to several brokerage companies in Hollywood that offered packaging services, but unfortunately, none had responded.

The difference between Arab actors as supporting roles and Arab actors as absolute leads was like night and day.

Suddenly, there was some commotion outside, as if someone was reprimanding someone else.

This floor was only half-leased by Sand Sea Entertainment; the other half belonged to the 'Roseville' crew.

After scolding an assistant, Katherine Hagel entered the office, and her stern expression immediately softened into a smile upon seeing the agent. "Dean, what brings you here?"

Handing a document to Katherine Hagel, Dean, the agent, said, "This crew has sent two invitations to the company, producing two projects simultaneously. It seems quite remarkable." He reminded her, "Don't you know Ronan Anderson?"