Chapter 18: Crossing the Rubicon

[Chapter 18: Crossing the Rubicon]

[Note: The phrase "Crossing the Rubicon" originates from a historical event in 49 B.C. when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River in Italy with his army, an act of defiance against the Roman Senate. This decision led to a civil war, and there was no turning back from the consequences.]

In the following days, Aniston didn't join Eric. After he dropped her off at home, he headed out to meet the owner of the bankrupt film company alone.

As she got out of the car, Aniston suddenly said, "Eric, can you leave a copy of the script for Home Alone with me? I can take a look and maybe... offer some feedback."

Eric nodded, "Of course, no problem. I just made a few copies."

Aniston took the script and got out, waving goodbye as Eric drove off. She seemed to resolve something within herself as she turned and walked into her apartment.

...

At a cafe in Burbank, Eric met with Jeffrey Hansen, the owner of a small film company called Firefly, whom Drew had introduced him to. Jeffrey was a white man in his fifties with a weary look about him; the bankruptcy of his company had clearly taken a toll, and he seemed rather dejected. Eric knew that in such circumstances, a person needed to vent, so he didn't rush into discussing the project. Instead, he patiently listened as this man shared some of his past.

"My wife, Selina, was a top student at USC's film school, did you know? She was classmates with Francis Ford Coppola, but you see, she was just a farm girl from Maryland, without the kind of background the Coppolas had. Otherwise, she surely would have achieved more than Francis. The short films she made back in school won a bunch of awards.

I majored in finance back then, and people called me a nerd. I don't know why a young, beautiful, talented woman like her would fall for me. She said she wanted to be a director, so I stayed in L.A. to support her, starting from the ground up. We did that for about nine years. I still remember the joy on Selina's face when she got her first investment for her screenplay; that smile was brighter than the day I slipped the ring on her finger when we got married.

Later, we started Firefly Films; she directed, and I produced. We worked on several movies, all of which made a profit for our investors and even snagged a Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.

But a year ago, Selina had an accident while driving back to Maryland to visit her parents..."

As Jeffrey spoke, his voice started to choke, and it was clear he had a deep bond with his wife. Eric, sitting across from him, handed him a tissue and quietly waited for Jeffrey to continue.

"After she passed, I felt I should carry on her dream. She always wanted to grow Firefly into something substantial, aiming to be an Oscar-recognized director. I figured after years of being a producer, I could surely manage directing. So, I mortgaged the company to raise funds for my first movie in her memory, but unfortunately, it didn't work out so well..."

"That's alright, Jeffrey. It's just a failure; what Hollywood director hasn't faced failure at some point?"

Jeffrey wiped his eyes, "Thank you, Eric. I feel much better after talking to you. After the bankruptcy, my son nearly cut ties with me. He didn't agree with my decision to direct, believing I ruined the legacy his mother worked so hard to build. I don't blame him; I just regret everything. Well, let's leave it at that. Drew mentioned you needed help producing a film?"

Eric nodded, "Yes, but it's just a small-budget movie, about a million dollars."

Jeffrey shook his head, "No, a million is quite a lot. My wife's first film only cost a little over seventy grand. By the way, can I ask your age?"

"Of course, I'm eighteen now. Jeffrey, you don't think I'm too young or too eager, do you?"

"No, I just needed to confirm that you're of legal age, fully capable of entering into contracts. After all, a million bucks isn't chump change."

"Oh?"

Jeffrey replied, "Don't feel that way, young man. I think you're the one who lacks confidence. I hold no prejudice against youth; many directors have made their finest films when they were younger. The longer they're in the game, the more mediocre their work tends to become. Youth is full of creativity; filmmaking is all about creating dreams. Plus, I believe my team could help you pull off this film wonderfully -- they're the very crew Selina nurtured, very professional and in sync. It's a shame they'll be out of work because of me, but if they could join yours, it could be a good opportunity. Can I see your script?"

"Sure," Eric pulled out the script and handed it to Jeffrey, waiting patiently for him to read through it.

About ten minutes later, Jeffrey closed the script and returned it to Eric, "This is a decent comedy script. It's not too complicated to shoot, making it perfect for practice. I must say, it was wise of you to pick this script."

Eric put the script back in his bag and asked, "So, Jeffrey, would you be willing to be the producer for this film?"

Jeffrey looked puzzled, "Are you sure, Eric? My company just went under because of me."

Eric replied, "Jeffrey, maybe directing isn't your calling, but from what you've shared, I believe you'd make an excellent producer. If this film does well, I'll start my own production company, and then you could help run it. Furthermore, I can take on the crew your wife left behind, so they won't have to be unemployed."

Jeffrey's interest was clearly piqued. Previously, he had been quite dejected, thinking of returning to the farm to live out his days. However, hearing Eric's plan, he began to reconsider. The crew had been friends through years of collaboration, and he felt guilty about their unemployment due to his own mistakes.

After only a moment's thought, Jeffrey nodded, "Alright, Eric, I accept your offer."

"Great, here's to a fruitful collaboration." Eric cheerfully raised his coffee cup, and the two clinked mugs, officially sealing their partnership.

They then dove into discussing the preparations for Home Alone.

...

During the conversation, Jeffrey learned all about Eric's recent endeavors and couldn't help but be impressed. Now that their collaboration was confirmed, Eric shared his vision for the project.

"I plan to finish this movie in about a month and then ride the wave of influence from Jurassic Park and 17 Again to have Home Alone released during Christmas. I believe to give the 17 Again writer and leads a director's sheen for greater box office benefits, Fox won't hesitate to distribute Home Alone. So, as long as we create a solid film, this family-friendly Christmas comedy should bring in some good profits."

Eric remembered the Home Alone box office figures that hit the Guinness World Records in his past life and felt a surge of hope; even half of those earnings would realize his dreams.

The two men discussed until evening set in, settling a variety of details before exchanging contact information and Eric drove home.

...

Upon arriving, he received another piece of good news: the Ronkels had agreed to let Stuart play Kevin. Eric discussed the details briefly with the couple, who accepted his offer of fifty grand in salary plus one percent of the box office.

Though that salary was less compared to Eric's from 17 Again, if the box office turned out to be as impressive as before, even that one percent could make the couple quite happy. Eric didn't mind; this movie needed Stuart Ronkel to lead the cast.

The next day, Eric had Jeffrey Hansen meet with the Ronkels to finalize the contract. The couple learned Eric would be directing, and seeing the fifty-thousand-dollar check he had prepared, they promptly signed the document.

...

Next up was securing funding. Eric originally had $240,000. After negotiating with Michael Krauss, Michael readily agreed to front about $500,000 in royalties within ten days. The owner of the piano store, after much deliberation, reluctantly agreed to a return but deducted $2,000 as depreciation.

With about $250,000 still needed, Eric gritted his teeth and quickly mortgaging his house for $250,000 to the bank. 

Looking at the check in his hand, Eric sighed; he truly felt like he had crossed a point of no return. If this failed, he wondered if Aniston would take him in.

He then thought of Drew. With the experience of a forty-year-old man living in Eric's body, it was impossible not to recognize how deeply Drew had feelings for him. If possible, after filming 17 Again, Eric preferred to avoid any further entanglements with Drew. His feelings for her leaned more toward parental than romantic.

Perhaps, over time, her feelings would fade, but for the sake of Home Alone, he had to seek Drew's help, tying them back together.

...

Once all the filming funds were ready, Eric and Jeffrey rushed to cast the roles. Eric's plan was to choose the bumbling thieves, Harry and Marv, from TV comedy actors, but unfortunately, those he approached were either unavailable or felt the fees were too low.

After a few days of running around, Eric suddenly received a call from Aniston.

"What? You said your dad wants to take me to dinner?"

Aniston's voice was filled with excitement over the phone. "Yeah! Didn't you say you were struggling to find the cast for Home Alone? I told my dad about your situation, and he agreed to help connect you with some comedians."

Aniston's tone sounded nonchalant, but Eric knew it wasn't that simple and felt a wave of gratitude. Aniston had a distant relationship with her father, John Aniston, whose career-driven choices had left her feeling abandoned by him. In his past life, it took much effort for John to gain his stubborn daughter's forgiveness. So, Aniston approaching her father for his help on Eric's behalf was no light undertaking.

Eric sincerely replied into the phone, "Thank you, Jenny. I'll be there on time."

*****

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