C 8

As the night deepened, a thick fog enveloped the residential area by the sea, and salty moisture seeped through the gap in the window, slipping into the nose of the busy figure beneath it.

"Sneeze~"

After sneezing, Luke turned off the air conditioner. His eyes returned to the drawing board in front of him. Stretching, he placed his hands on the desk and picked up a pencil to outline simple lines—one large ellipse, one small, and four straight lines forming a pattern to represent the hero.

In just a few minutes, the image in his mind was translated into a storyboard. This was the preferred method for many young directors in his previous life: concise, direct, and capable of effectively representing the scene. In this era, it could be considered a futuristic approach to painting.

The results weren't bad. Luke often used the artwork to communicate with various departments of the crew. Most people found it simple and clear.

After completing another drawing, Luke placed them in a file folder, concluding his storyboard work for the moment. If any new ideas came to him later, he could always make changes.

After clearing his desk, Luke left his bedroom and headed to his mother's study. He knocked softly, and, as expected, she invited him in.

"Mom..." Luke said as he pushed the door open.

"Yes?" Leah, seated at her desk, removed her glasses and looked up.

"It's getting late," he pointed to the clock on the wall, "you should rest soon."

"Right, I will," she nodded.

"Good night."

"Good night."

Back in his room, Luke lay down but wasn't sleepy. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Speed, which was currently in pre-production. Although the preparations had gone smoothly so far and no major issues had arisen, the pressure of directing his first film still weighed heavily on him, even with the confidence he'd gained over the years.

When opportunities are elusive, people long for them. But when they arrive, the fear of failure looms. This is a common experience for most people, and Luke was no exception. Even after having lived through it once, he was still only human.

This was a rare opportunity—one he couldn't afford to mess up. Luke knew that if he failed, it would be a long time before another chance came his way.

Turning stress into motivation is easier said than done. Despite the famous sayings of those in motivational circles, Luke finally fell into a deep sleep.

Perhaps a good night's sleep was the best way to relieve his stress. By morning, Luke was back on his feet, his posture upright, his tough face showing determination and confidence, as if nothing could stand in his way.

After taking a lap along the coastal promenade, he returned home, had the breakfast his mother had prepared, and changed into formal attire. He then drove his Chevrolet to West Hollywood.

Today, the crew was holding a second audition for the heroine, and Luke had a say in the matter.

Neither Luke nor Robin Grande had participated in the first auditions for the male and female leads. Whether or not Keanu Reeves, who had accepted the audition invitation, would be selected didn't concern him too much. There's no actor in Hollywood who can't be replaced—not even Meryl Streep.

In the case of Speed, did it really matter who played the lead role of Jack? For such a part, they just needed a good-looking white male with a bit of a tough edge who could handle the basics of acting. Luke had suggested Keanu Reeves simply because he was somewhat popular at the time and his fee was affordable. This wasn't the Keanu Reeves of years later; his pay could easily be capped at half a million dollars.

Most of the budget would be spent on special effects and filming. The total budget for actors' salaries was only $2 million, and Luke and Robin Grande had agreed to reduce this further to $1.5 million.

Even then, one-third of the actors' salaries would be paid only after the film's release in North America. But no one, including Luke, was worried about whether the film would be released there. Lucasfilm was one of the top production companies in the industry, and securing a distributor was routine for them. They were already in contact with 20th Century Fox, which had been encouraging George Lucas to reboot the Star Wars series. Signing the distribution deal would likely be a formality.

The exact terms of the release would only be finalized once 20th Century Fox saw the finished product.

When Luke arrived at the Speed studio, many of the actors auditioning had already shown up. This wasn't surprising—actors face fierce competition in Hollywood. Even well-known directors only have one foot in the door, but actors are the face of Hollywood's glamour.

Most people who come to Hollywood with dreams want to become actors—or more accurately, star actors!

The crew had not shown any particular preference for a lead actress, and word had spread, as it always does in Hollywood. These actresses, who had played minor roles but had yet to achieve real fame, were determined not to let this opportunity slip by.

The producer of the film was Lucasfilm, and the name George Lucas was attached to the project. This alone was enough to ignite fierce competition.

The actresses sat far apart, avoiding conversation and displaying a strong sense of self-preservation. They didn't even touch the water provided by the crew.

Hollywood is a veritable melting pot. In the race for fame, people resort to shocking tactics. Rivalries between actresses, in particular, can be intense and underhanded.

Luke hadn't witnessed this firsthand in his current life, but he had heard many stories, 90% of which had proven to be true. For example, the assistant director of Captain Hook once mentioned that if fierce competition arose between actresses in a crew, everyone would be on guard, especially regarding food. They would only trust their personal assistants. A bottle of mineral water, once opened and sipped from, would never be touched again.

It wasn't that someone would definitely do something, but the basic sense of self-protection was always there.

After grabbing a cup of coffee from his office, Luke headed to the audition room, greeted Robin Grande, and nodded at the assistant director, Kane. He walked to the chair behind the monitor and took his seat.

The auditions proceeded quickly, following the assembly-line style typical of Hollywood. Each actress introduced herself, read a line, performed a scene from the script, and discussed her understanding of the role. Those who made it to this second audition were competent in both acting and appearance.

Six actresses auditioned in the morning, some of whom Luke recognized. For instance, the second actress, with her distinctive Germanic features, was Uma Thurman. The fourth, an Australian with a sweet face, was Naomi Watts. The last was Halle Berry.

Halle Berry, however, would be eliminated. Luke wasn't sure who had overseen the first audition, but choosing her for the second round didn't meet the film's requirements. While supporting characters on the bus could be any race, the heroine behind the wheel needed to be white for the film to succeed—this was Hollywood's political correctness at its simplest.

After a quick lunch, those with influence over the casting decision gathered in the audition room to review the morning's footage and settle on the lead actress.

"Luke, you're the director," Robin Grande said, seated behind the oval desk. "What's your opinion?"

Luke inserted a tape into the player, pointing to the tall woman on screen. "Uma Thurman. She's the best fit for the role of Annie."

"I don't think so," said Kane, the assistant director. "She's only twenty-one, too young. Her acting is inexperienced, and she's not pretty enough." He switched the tape. "Naomi Watts is more appealing."

Luke frowned slightly but stood firm. "I disagree." He stepped forward. "What I need is a typical American girl, a slightly wild older sister—not a sweetheart."

"I stand by my choice," Kane replied.

Luke turned to Robin. "What about you?"

Robin tapped the desk lightly. "Let's move Naomi Watts to a supporting role on the bus and cast Uma Thurman as the lead."

"I agree," Luke said, sitting down. Robin's diplomatic handling of the situation reinforced why George Lucas had chosen him to lead the crew.

With Luke taking the lead in compromising, Kane didn't push further. Contracts would soon be signed, and the scripts would be sent to the actors.

The next day, auditions for the male lead took place. Luke and Kane disagreed again, but Robin once more sided with Luke. As a result, Keanu Reeves was cast as Jack.

The negotiations with the actors, eager for fame and lacking leverage, weren't difficult. Keanu Reeves secured a salary of $400,000, while Dennis Hopper was paid $200,000.

Uma Thurman, the lead actress, earned just $80,000, reflecting the significant pay gap between male and female actors in Hollywood.

In the end, the crew successfully kept the total actor salaries under $1.5 million.