The Essential Tasks

"Hey buddy! Well done!"

"Congratulations, I knew you could do it!"

"Come on, bro, let's go, let's grab that Emmy and blow everyone's minds!"

"Oh my God, this is just unbelievable, who made those bitches bow down? Who?"

"Now it's the Emmy, so what's next, the Grammy?"

...

Entering the Pioneer Village, everyone came forward to greet him. Everyone was eager to share the joy with Renly. Being nominated for an Emmy was definitely something worth celebrating, and the whole bar was immersed in a festive atmosphere.

"You can tell they're a close-knit group." Andy looked at Renly sitting opposite him. It was the same when they first met, and it's the same today. Earlier, he had suggested finding a private space to talk, but Renly chose to come here instead of going back to the apartment. Andy was a bit puzzled, but now he understood a bit.

Renly placed two cups of coffee on the table. "Maybe that's one of the reasons why Woody Allen loves New York so much." Woody only attended the Oscars once in his career because the timing of the ceremony would interfere with his weekly saxophone performance at the bar. The only time he did attend was after the 9/11 attacks, standing on the Oscar stage, calling for peace for his beloved New York.

Andy found the explanation interesting. "So, Woody is your favorite director?"

Renly thought for a moment. "No, I only like 'Manhattan' and 'Match Point' from Woody's works. His works have a kind of exclusivity, and it's hard for others outside a specific group to understand his feelings. Unfortunately, I'm not part of New York's intellectual bourgeoisie."

"Haha." Andy was amused by Renly's sarcastic tone. "Then I can breathe a sigh of relief, or else trying to persuade you to attend award ceremonies every year would make me age twice as fast."

"Shouldn't it be gaining weight instead?" Renly's banter made Andy laugh even more.

Andy earnestly surveyed the Pioneer Village. His meaningful gaze carried a hint of inquiry, making Renly curious. Andy just smiled without explaining. "Now, we need to discuss where you should move next. That's our top priority..."

Renly's eyes showed a hint of surprise. "So, you were serious just now?" He thought it was just a joke.

"I don't joke about work." Andy's eyes narrowed slightly, showing a hint of shrewdness, but then he laughed again. "Today is a good example. You met a fan on the plane for the first time, took a photo together, and then they posted it on Facebook. Soon, your updates were all over the internet."

Renly nodded. "I know all that." He not only reincarnated but also had a background in journalism in his past life. He was very familiar with the exposure and circulation of personal information in the internet age. Personal news sources became a common phenomenon in 2017, almost leaving no one exempt.

Andy crossed his hands over his stomach, showing a satisfied smile. "So, it's simple to explain. From now on, the attention around you will increase. Even if it's not paparazzi, ordinary people will instinctively take out their phones to record once they recognize you. So, your residence, your appearance, your Facebook... oh, I forgot, you don't have Facebook, so it's your YouTube..."

"YouTube isn't mine," Renly clarified. It was Neil's thing.

"Well then, let's get started. Every artist now needs to build an online presence. Your grievances, opinions, stances, thoughts, news... all of these need to be published online. It's your world, where you can freely express yourself, respond to media, work, and news events..."

Andy's words were interrupted because Renly raised his hand to stop him. Although they had only met three times, Andy knew Renly was a smart person. If he said he understood, then he truly understood. He wasn't a fool pretending to understand.

"Going back to the residence, what I meant is that all your images need to be planned now. Including the Pioneer Village, which is part of it..." Andy explained again. He had noticed Renly's mischievous smile earlier, so he paused. "What? Do you have something to say?" This was their first cooperation, and understanding each other's personalities, habits, and ways of doing things was crucial. Andy chose to communicate openly, the quickest way to get things on track.

Renly lightly shook his head with a smile. "No, I was just thinking about my roommate. You know, his agent instructs him on everything from hairstyles to clothing, from outing times to workout habits. I used to think it was like a novel, but now it's my turn."

Andy smiled reassuringly. "Don't feel strange. This is showbiz, every move is scripted. What people see as street photos online, over ninety percent are staged, or intentionally done for the press. Do you know how much time it takes for a female celebrity to take out the trash? Over two hours, because they have to select the right clothes, the right look, even without makeup, it's a careful consideration. Of course, men have it simpler in this regard."

Renly knew that Hollywood's high commercialization had formed an industry chain, and every artist was a product, a well-packaged one. Even someone like Woody Allen couldn't avoid it because he was a part of the Hollywood industry. Either you're out or you adapt.

However, when things truly happened to oneself, Renly still felt a sense of absurdity and surrealism. He laughed lightly, "Don't worry, I'm familiar with this."

Isn't aristocratic life the same? Wearing a mask, hiding the true self, and elegantly facing all the challenges in life. Because it's too oppressive, so the young people of Renly's generation began to rebel in their own ways, trying to break free from the shackles on their bodies. But most of them, when they grew up, matured, and experienced enough madness, they eventually returned to the "normal" track of life, following the arrangements of their families. The price of freedom is not something everyone can afford.

Andy formally looked at Renly. White T-shirt paired with black ripped jeans, ginger-colored work boots, and a large red and black plaid shirt. His messy golden brown curls and the untrimmed beard looked a bit sloppy, but his simple and generous dress had a kind of rough and casual charm, which collided with his restrained and steady temperament, easily catching people's eyes.

It should be noted that this was Renly's long-haul flight attire. He had just crossed the Atlantic to reach this city, without any deliberate grooming. Andy couldn't pick out any faults from this effect. "Although I'm not a stylist—you'll need to hire one next, but the weekly salary won't be cheap—you probably still need to wait a while with your current level. As far as I can see, you're fine with your style."

"I guess that's good news; Barbie doesn't need to change clothes," Renly joked lightly, then thought seriously, "I don't remember if Ken can change clothes."

Andy couldn't help but smile. "Let's get back to the main point. Who's your roommate? Another actor?"

"Why? Does my roommate need to be selected too?" Renly pursed his lips, asking in surprise.

"Of course." Andy thought Renly asked a foolish question. "Whether you're living alone or sharing, whether your roommate is male or female, Asian or African, a minority group or not, an actor or a regular person, or from another field of the entertainment industry, all of these are important."

Renly felt he was still too young. His understanding of Hollywood was obviously just the tip of the iceberg, and now Andy was opening Pandora's box. He felt a bit nervous, a bit excited, and a bit resistant, feeling a bit mixed up.

"By the way, you don't have a girlfriend now, right? Or do you lean more towards men?" Andy's questions were rapid-fire, causing Renly to burst into laughter. Andy spread his hands in a helpless gesture, "I'm just asking, keeping all possibilities open. What I mean is, you can have relationships, but I need to know. So, if any special situations arise, I can handle them promptly."

"I've heard that even the number of times you jack off at night needs to be reported. Do we need to report that too?" Renly quipped in all seriousness, his sarcasm unmistakable.

Andy's smile twitched slightly. "If you're willing to report, I don't mind. Of course, personal advice, if the count for one night is less than three, you don't need to report."

Renly made an "OK" gesture, indicating he got it. "Make sure your phone is charged at night, it might be quite busy."

Andy blinked, acknowledging he received the message. "So, about your roommate?"

"Oh, right. Chris Hemsworth. You should've heard of him." Renly said.

Andy had a moment of realization. "The ultimate winner of 'Thor', this name has been making quite a splash recently. By the way, he's also Fisher Morgan's actor, did you guys not talk about it today?"

Interesting, this was truly an interesting coincidence. Renly couldn't help but smile. "No, I wonder if they know about this fact." If all the puzzle pieces were put together, it would be really interesting.

Andy nodded in understanding, not continuing on this topic. "Alright, leave the house matters to me. Now let's talk about the independent film you just finished shooting in detail."