Chapter 13: Producer's Conflict

"Remember, Fred, your buddy is just a newcomer, and the price is sufficient for him," Eric remarked.

"Oh, come on, Eric, you're compensating him like a beggar at this rate," Fred retorted.

"Don't be so greedy. Greed is the root of all evil," Eric countered.

"To hell with the root of all evil! All I know is that 'Everybody Loves Raymond' is currently the highest-rated TV series on CBS. Are you not willing to spend a few extra cents to hire a much-needed actor?" Fred argued.

**********

As Sean listened to the heated discussion unfolding inside the trailer, he shook his head in amusement and decided to walk away, leaving everything in the hands of his agent.

As Sean surveyed the bustling set where the sitcom was being filmed, he noticed that the majority of the crew members were engrossed in their tasks. It was evident that everyone was fully occupied in the studio. Eric Rees, the screenwriter, and producer of the TV series, had specifically requested Sean to get in touch with his agent.

Sean couldn't help but smile wryly as he noticed the curious glances from the extras around him. However, when it comes to speaking Italian, he seems to have an advantage over the others. Ignoring the opportunity to utilize that specific skill would be rather foolish on his part. The thought brought back memories of his high school days, but he quickly dismissed them with a sigh.

Soon, the door to the trailer swung open, and Reese and Frederick emerged one after another.

"Boy, you've got a good agent. I hope you're worth the payment," Eric patted Sean on the shoulder and confidently strode into the studio without waiting for a response.

"You're a small but important character, and you only have one episode, so the fee is $3,000," Frederick stated, pausing for a moment. "I must say, Sean, you got lucky."

"Just luck?" Sean raised an eyebrow, a hint of pride forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Well, you're doing a good job," Frederick replied with a helpless sigh. "But this is just the beginning. I've dealt with Eric Reese, and he's not easily satisfied."

"I know. Now that I finally have an important role, I'll give it my all," Sean said, putting away his smile, nodding seriously, and striding into the studio.

"Sean," Frederick suddenly called out, furrowing his brow and starting to say something, but in the end, he simply waved. "Go on!"

"Thank you," Sean replied, sensing a slight change in his attitude towards his agent.

**********

Inside the studio, the crew was already bustling, driven by Eric's urging. As Sean entered, someone immediately handed him the script.

"You have an hour to familiarize yourself with the script, boy. You better showcase your skills. Although Fred spoke highly of you, remember, it's not official until it's signed. If you don't impress me, you can be replaced at any time," Eric Rees said, smiling wickedly.

"I won't let that happen, sir," Sean replied in a neutral tone, found a place to sit, and began flipping through the script.

"Everybody Loves Raymond" was a sitcom suitable for all ages. In fact, most TV series airing on major public TV stations fell into this category.

This TV series, currently airing on CBS, had good ratings and was one of the most successful sitcoms, although it didn't reach the iconic status of NBC's "Friends," which Sean knew and enjoyed in his previous life.

It was a pity that his memories didn't return to him until after "Friends" had aired; otherwise, he might have made a fortune with his script. Well, that was just a joke. All in all, landing an important role in a TV series like this, even if it was only for one episode, was a great start for a newcomer.

Sean's role wasn't particularly challenging. The entire TV series revolved around a family living in Long Island, New York. The lead character, Raymond Barron, worked at a sports newspaper, and his wife was a stay-at-home mom. They had three children: a four-year-old daughter and two-year-old twins.

It was a typical middle-class family with a harmonious atmosphere. Although the husband and wife occasionally quarreled, it didn't disrupt their lives. The main source of humor came from the people around them, such as parents-in-law, neighbors, and friends. Sean had to portray an Italian-American young player who was very popular in the NCAA and was being interviewed by Raymond.

From Sean's perspective, it was easy to grasp. Reese likely chose him for this role due to language barriers, aiming to create comedic effects. As long as Sean could convey the feeling of miscommunication, there shouldn't be any problems. He could use his previous experiences as a catalyst and perform even better in this sitcom.

While Sean pondered and reflected, a loud noise emanated from the studio door. Looking up, he saw Eric Reese frowning and engaged in an impatient conversation with a middle-aged man.

Soon, Reese angrily approached Sean and waved at him. "Come here, Sean."

Without delving into details, Sean didn't ask for more. After exchanging greetings with a few more people, he followed Reese to the trailer outside, the one he had negotiated with Frederick.

Then, following the other man's suggestion, Sean and another middle-aged assistant, presumably, performed their lines.

Realizing something, Sean immersed himself in the role as much as possible and conveyed the imaginary scene through words, expressions, and body language. Considering the short time given to him, less than half an hour instead of the promised hour, it wasn't bad.

Due to the language barrier, it took until the end for Sean's emotions to fully register. However, he managed to express his feelings exaggeratedly through his facial expressions and subtle body gestures, which added a comedic effect.

Eric was all smiles but the other guy ruthlessly interjected.

"Did you see that? This is the issue with newcomers. They work hard but still lack something," the middle-aged man commented after the performance.

"Really? I don't see it the same way, Jeremy Stevenson," Reese addressed him without hesitation. "Yes, he's new, but I don't see anything wrong with his performance."

"Can you leave personal conflicts out of work, Eric?" Stevenson frowned.

"Who brought personal conflicts to work, you or me?" Reese sarcastically retorted.

"Well, I'm not arguing with you. How about we let David decide?" Stevenson shrugged.

"You want David to decide? Fine, let David decide," Reese agreed.

Then the group left the trailer once again.

"Wait here," Reese instructed Sean, then hopped onto the studio's special electric car and drove toward the office area.

Although it seemed inexplicable, Sean couldn't help but sense a different atmosphere, especially after gathering information from others. The middle-aged man was another screenwriter and producer for "Everybody Loves Raymond" named Jeremy Stevenson. This realization made him feel somewhat uneasy.

***********

After a considerable wait...

As people streamed out of the studio, particularly the extras who looked at him with either intentional or unintentional gloatingly, Sean's uneasiness grew stronger.

"Are you still here?" When the studio became less crowded, indicating the end of the workday, a voice reached his ears.

Turning his head, Sean noticed the assistant whom he had acted opposite earlier, standing outside the studio, looking at him with a half-smile. Feeling inexplicable, Sean didn't know what to say and simply shrugged in response.

"You better leave now. It's already off work, and they usually argue for days," the assistant promptly suggested.

Internally sighing, Sean felt disheartened. The opportunity was within his grasp, so why did he find himself in this situation again? Feeling somewhat dejected, he was about to stand up and leave when he suddenly stopped. Wait!

A spark of realization flashed through his mind. If he remembered correctly, the assistant in front of him must be from Stevenson's team!

"Do you want to stay here until tomorrow morning?" Sensing his hesitation, the assistant urged again, though a hint of impatience laced his tone.

Furthermore, there was a hidden air of arrogance in his demeanor, which Sean found quite unlikeable.

"Mr. Reese asked me to wait for him here," Sean replied.

"Then just wait." This answer displeased the assistant. After uttering a hum of annoyance, he turned around and left without looking back, his departure seemingly saying, "Stupid."

Sean furrowed his brow but remained seated, unmoving. After over half an hour, the studio emptied, and the closing time approached. Eric Reese hurriedly returned, his anger still evident. However, upon seeing Sean sitting there, he didn't show much emotion and simply waved him off, "You can go now, Sean, but remember to be on time tomorrow morning."

"Okay, sir." Sean didn't say much, but his furrowed brows were noticeable.

As if confirming his doubts, Sean's pager rang as soon as he drove onto the street. Glancing at it, he noticed his agent Frederick's phone number displayed.

***********

The Ryman Cafe was located at 45 Denttree Street. Although it sat on a well-connected street, there wasn't much traffic, and the prices were moderate. It was a popular spot in Hollywood.

Last time, Sean and Frederick met here, so it was only natural they chose the same place for their meeting this time. However, their previous conversation hadn't been pleasant, and Sean had no idea how this meeting would turn out.

"Bruce Willis was drinking water and almost spit it out. Although he managed to cover his mouth in time, a lot of it still overflowed, resulting in everyone bursting into laughter..." Sitting beneath the parasol and gazing at the setting sun, Frederick shared some amusing anecdotes. However, Sean, seated across from him, appeared disinterested throughout.

"Alright, Fred, let's get down to business. It's getting late," Sean finally spoke after the joke concluded.

The agent fell silent immediately, pondering for a moment before finally looking at Sean. "I hope you can give up this role."

**********

Author's Note:

[Alright, everyone, I understand that some of you are invested in this story and might be feeling impatient or even upset. But I kindly request you to hold on for a moment! Please be patient and give it a chance until the next five chapters. I am confident that the upcoming chapters will bring a satisfying outcome that you'll appreciate.]