Chapter 701: Too Embarrassed for My Own Good

[Chapter 701: Too Embarrassed for My Own Good]

Eric flipped through the script sent over from the production company, noticing Gwyneth Paltrow moving closer. To avoid her pestering him further, he casually pulled out a few pages with the female lead's lines from Se7en and handed them to her. "Here, take a look. Interested?"

Gwyneth Paltrow excitedly accepted the pages, her eyes lighting up. "Eric, is this for me?"

Eric shrugged. "If you're interested, the role is yours."

Gwyneth fell silent, quickly scanning the script pages in her hands. However, disappointment washed over her soon after. After Eric had handed over the pages, he didn't provide more material, indicating the female lead had just these few brief scenes. Having starred in several films, she knew enough about scripts to deduce that these scenes totaled less than ten minutes, and the role offered little room for development -- just mundane interactions with the male lead. Essentially, her character was the type that audiences would forget moments after leaving the theater.

Moreover, this script appeared to be for a low-budget crime thriller.

In a low-budget thriller, having a female lead with less than ten minutes of screen time would have seemed less of an issue if it had come from someone else. Gwyneth knew well enough that her family's influence in Hollywood could nab her a lead in an independent film but would barely reach the major studios. Even with her godfather Spielberg, she had only managed a minor cameo in Hook, and since then, she hadn't landed any roles in his films.

Yet, the script she received from Eric was far below her expectations.

With Eric's standing in Hollywood, she was certain he could leverage his connections to land her a lead role in an A-list production. Even companies competing with Firefly couldn't escape the influence she believed Eric wielded. In her hands, the script felt like a billionaire pulling out a penny.

As Eric read through the script, comparing it to what he remembered, he caught a glimpse of Gwyneth's unimpressed expression. He could guess what she was thinking and smiled to himself. This film was a result of her helping him remember; if she wanted the role, he wouldn't mind handing it over to her as a form of return favor. But if she found it unworthy, he wouldn't push it further.

He recalled many films featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, but none stood out. Even in Iron Man as Pepper Potts, Eric knew the main reason Marvel had cast her was purely for budgetary constraints. In a film with over a $100 million production cost, securing an Oscar-winning actress for just $3 million was a rarity. Even lesser-known actresses would not command such low rates after an Oscar win. This could indirectly reveal the shadow of Gwyneth's success as an actress.

Gwyneth remained unaware of Eric's internal thoughts as she saw him deeply engrossed in the script. Deciding not to interrupt, she leafed through the few pages in hand, contemplating how to deepen her connections with Eric.

After a while, her impatience grew, and the doorbell rang.

Surprised, Eric glanced at his watch, realizing it hadn't even been half an hour since he called New Line. He figured David Fincher would at least take until noon to arrive, so he was caught off guard at how early it was.

Listening to the doorbell ring multiple times, Eric looked at Gwyneth.

Gwyneth, confused for a moment, quickly stood, a bright smile on her face. "Eric, you stay put. I'll get the door."

Watching her walk away, Eric smirked, rising to tidy up the scattered paperwork on the table.

...

Three years ago, David Fincher had been fortunate enough to be picked by Fox to take over directing Alien 3 from the legendary Ridley Scott and James Cameron. He had ambitious plans to make an impact, but quickly faced a rude awakening.

The budget for Alien 3 exceeded that of its predecessors by over double, and upon its North American release, it set records for the lowest box office and critical reception in the series. Throughout production, ongoing conflicts with the studio made David realize Hollywood wasn't all glamour.

After the disappointing box office performance of Alien 3, David had to step back from Hollywood and refocus on directing music videos.

Now, three years had passed. Although he received various offers during this time, most fizzled out in negotiations, primarily due to disagreements over control of the film.

David didn't believe the failure of Alien 3 fell solely on his shoulders. At that time, he had neither final cut rights nor script revision authority, which remained with Fox. The final product bore little resemblance to his initial vision, leading him to resolve that if future projects didn't afford him creative control, he would rather not participate.

Today, while discussing a music video project with a pop star residing in Beverly Hills, he received an unexpected call from someone claiming Eric Williams wanted to meet him. Initially, he thought it had to be a joke. After all, everyone in Hollywood knew Eric Williams; still, he figured Eric likely wouldn't know who he was.

After some back-and-forth, David finally accepted it was likely genuine. He hastily excused himself from the pop star and drove to the address mentioned during the call.

Even as he rang the doorbell, doubts lingered. He recalled some recent Hollywood gossip that Eric had assigned next year's significant projects at Firefly to two rookie directors. While media reactions were cautiously neutral, many within the industry were eager to see Firefly falter in doing so.

So, if Eric Williams sought him out, it undoubtedly related to a film.

The grand entrance opened, revealing a lady in a black knee-length dress standing before him. David perked up and extended his hand, momentarily lost for words regarding how to address her.

"Hello, I'm Gwyneth Paltrow," she replied, not knowing David's identity. Judging from David's casual white long-sleeve T-shirt and sweatpants, she didn't show any immediate disdain and greeted him with a polite handshake.

"I'm David Fincher; Mr. Williams asked for me," he replied, though his tone conveyed uncertainty, leading him to re-evaluate that earlier call. If it were a prank, he was about to make a fool of himself.

Fortunately, reality didn't disappoint him. Gwyneth nodded, inviting David in while closing the door behind them. "Follow me."

...

As David walked in, Eric stood to greet him, shook his hand, and motioned for him to sit at the long table on the patio. When Gwyneth intended to join them, Eric reluctantly pointed to the coffee pot on the table. "Gwyneth, could you pour us two cups of coffee?"

"Sure thing," she replied, momentarily caught off guard but reluctantly picked up the coffee pot. Once she turned her back to the two men, she gritted her teeth in annoyance.

Eric's attention returned to David, who hadn't yet grown into the fuller figure he would have in later years. In his early thirties, he was tall and slim, embodying a hint of a hippie vibe.

Noticing the confusion and hesitance on David's face, Eric passed him the script for Se7en. "I imagine you're curious about how I found you, but let's skip that boring stuff. I saw Alien 3, and I happen to have a script that I thought you might want to try out. We may not know each other well yet, but I have a feeling we'll get to know one another better. Oh, and you can call me Eric."

David felt a little more at ease hearing Eric's words. He took the script and smiled back, quickly flipping through it.

Gwyneth took her time before finally bringing the coffee over.

Eric accepted the tray, saying, "Gwyneth, if you're not in a hurry, you could watch some TV for a bit."

Gwyneth looked taken aback and couldn't help but roll her eyes at Eric, although she obediently walked into the living room. Once inside, she kicked the couch in frustration, muttering, "Really? What am I supposed to do, steal your script?"

...

After about half an hour of quietly managing emails with coffee in hand, David finally set down the script and said, "Eric, I've read it."

"Oh," Eric replied, finishing up an email he had just drafted and shutting his inbox before turning to David. "What do you think?"

"The theme is dark and pessimistic, but the plot structure is quite clever. If done right, it could turn into something very special." Before Eric could respond, David steeled his expression and added, "Eric, while I genuinely want to work with Firefly and you, there's something I need to clarify upfront."

"Go ahead," Eric gestured.

David explained, "My past experience with Fox wasn't pleasant. The entire process was mired in disputes. I don't view Alien 3 as my work. I want to avoid that situation occurring again. If you're simply looking for a director to execute your vision without giving input, we might not be compatible."

Eric nodded. "I understand. Jim -- oh, I mean James Cameron -- he doesn't regard Piranha II as his work either. You two do share similarities. So, why don't you tell me your requirements?"

David hadn't expected Eric to be so accommodating yet hesitated to ask for anything excessive. Deep down, he wanted to collaborate with Eric. After deliberating, David stated, "I wish to have rights for reasonable modifications to the script. During filming, I also prefer not to have anyone hovering over my shoulder. Additionally, the budget you've written down is only $8 million; that's far too low. For a narrative film, we need a sufficient budget to attract quality actors to support the film. Regarding the final cut..." He hesitated, scratching his head for a moment before admitting, "If possible, I want to be involved in the final edit."

"Let me share my expectations," Eric smiled as he listened. "All the directors I've worked with know my habits. If you continue working with me, those guidelines will remain consistent.

First, we will discuss and reach a consensus on the script. You can propose modifications during this stage, and if I find them reasonable, I'll accept. Since I want you to direct the film, I trust your shooting style. Thus, once we finalize the script, I won't heavily interfere with your directing. However, my condition is that once the script is established, I prefer the director to avoid making drastic changes during filming. This way, we can keep disagreements limited to the preparatory phase without wasting anyone's time.

About the budget, that won't be an issue. As for final cut rights, I can't grant too much flexibility. I retain the final cut authority, but I typically delegate as much as I can to the director. You can ask those who have collaborated with me about how much I am willing to let go."

Eric generally entrusted final cut rights to directors like Cameron and Roland Emmerich, as both were straightforward in their commercial approach without overwhelming personal agendas. But with David Fincher, his reservations stemmed from the fact that David's films carried a strong personal style. In Eric's past life, Se7en had been the result of a tug-of-war with New Line, and should he relinquish full control, it may lead to the ill-fated project that followed -- Fincher's self-indulgent The Game.

*****

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