Chapter 161: Flower Films

[Chapter 161: Flower Films]

"Eric, were you about to say something to me?" Nicole asked as she returned to the living room after washing the dishes. She noticed that Eric wasn't heading to the office like usual but was instead sitting in the living room reading the newspaper. The smart woman realized he was waiting for her.

Eric gestured for her to take a seat across from him before saying, "We're expecting to start filming in early September, and I happen to have a little downtime right now, so I thought we should discuss the movie."

Nicole simply nodded, looking at Eric while waiting for him to continue.

"It's been two months, and I'm sure you've memorized the script inside and out by now. Let's hear your thoughts on the lead female character," Eric said, putting the newspaper down on the coffee table, propping his legs up comfortably, and asking a question often posed during auditions.

In the past two months, Nicole had indeed memorized her lines thoroughly. After a brief moment of thought, she replied smoothly, "I believe Annie's biggest trait is that she is an extremely emotional woman. That's also the main reason why this story unfolds. She hears about the male lead's story on the radio and is willing to fly to Seattle alone just to meet Sam. She even breaks up with her fiance, all because of a beautiful fantasy sparked by a movie."

"Sounds like you're not exactly fond of this character, huh?" Eric asked with a smile.

Nicole pursed her lips. As a savvy and rational woman, she would scoff at someone like Annie Reed in real life, but she cleverly avoided answering Eric's question directly. Instead, she replied more delicately, "That doesn't mean I won't be able to portray the character well."

Eric shrugged and pushed the newspaper he had seen earlier toward her. "Take a look at this. I found another actress who seems more suited for the role. Her name is Meg Ryan."

Nicole's hands, which had been resting on her apron, trembled slightly. She raised her eyes to gauge Eric's expression but couldn't find anything useful. Feeling anxious, she picked up the newspaper and quickly skimmed through the promotional material.

Eric explained, "This movie's been doing well, so Meg Ryan's box office appeal is bound to increase significantly. If we could get her for the lead role, it would set us up nicely for a New Year release, which would be a huge boost for the box office."

"I... I already signed a contract," Nicole weakly protested.

"Of course, I didn't say I wanted to replace you. I'm just pointing out a possibility," Eric said. "If your performance doesn't meet my expectations, the contract clearly states that I have the right to replace the lead actress at any point. But I believe in your potential -- that's why I'm giving you this chance."

From his memory, Nicole had indeed played a sweet, naive character in Bewitched back in 2005, coincidentally also written and directed by Nora Ephron. The sweet witch Isabel she portrayed was a success, completely overturning her previous sultry and chilly screen image. Unfortunately, that movie had too many plot holes and lacked any highlights, ultimately leading to its failure. The male lead Will Ferrell had also been overshadowed by her performance, often upstaged by his agent character, who bore a striking resemblance to Tom Cruise. Many thought that character had been intentionally included by the producers to stir up conversations -- after all, Cruise did play an agent in that film, albeit a sports agent.

"...Thank you," Nicole said, feeling a bit relieved after Eric's final comment.

"Alright, one more thing. You've been living in my house for over two months now; it's time for you to move out."

"Ah, but... isn't it still a month until we start filming?" Nicole raised her head. Although her expression had no signs of reluctance, she felt a bit anxious. She knew that what she had to do to land this role was serve as Eric's little maid for a while. With over a month still to go, his request for her to leave created a sense of unease, akin to buying something at a convenience store without paying enough -- the owner had the right to demand it back.

Eric didn't really understand why she felt anxious and patiently explained, "Once next month starts, we'll begin official preparations. Some details will gradually be released to the public, like the male and female leads. The media will be curious to know who you are, so for promotional purposes, you'll need to make appearances now and then. It wouldn't be appropriate to keep living here."

Nicole nodded. "I understand. So should I... move out today?"

"No need to rush. I'll have someone find you an apartment first. Another important thing: once you move out, make sure to watch that film a few more times. I want you to study Meg Ryan's acting style. The Annie I envision would be quite similar to her character in that movie."

"Should I mimic her?" Nicole asked, leaning slightly forward to clarify.

Eric gestured as he spoke. "No, not mimic. You wouldn't be able to; your styles are fundamentally different. Meg Ryan is that quintessential sweet girl star, and her roles will limit her for quite a while. If you end up mimicking her too closely, you'll likely be labeled as just another sweet girl star, which won't help your future career. What I want you to study is that kind of charming clumsiness and little details in her mannerisms."

If she could successfully break into Hollywood, Nicole wouldn't mind what label she wore; after all, being a sweetheart was far better than being just eye candy in the industry. Still, she could tell Eric was considering her future, so she nodded obediently.

After discussing a little more, Eric stood up and put on his jacket. "Alright, take some time to pack your things. Once you find a good place, move right in. I'm heading to the office now."

Nicole quickly stood up, smiling at Eric as she wanted to see him off.

Seeing her rarely displayed smile, Eric couldn't help but pause. "Nicole, smile for me again."

Nicole looked a bit confused but complied, showing a smile that was slightly more exaggerated than before, revealing her two little front teeth.

Eric shook his head in disappointment. "Forget it. Don't smile like that. You look like you're plotting something bad. A smile like earlier was just fine -- practice that more."

"I will," Nicole said as she accompanied Eric to the door.

After he left, she returned to the villa and habitually cleaned up a bit. Two hours later, finishing everything, she sat on the living room sofa, staring blankly at her surroundings.

...

"Eric, here's the information for New Line Cinema and Miramax," Allen, Eric's assistant, said as he set two envelopes in front of Eric at the Firefly office.

"Just put them here for now. Contact Robert Shaye from New Line and the Weinstein brothers from Miramax. Find out when they're available. I want to have dinner with each of them, and there's no need to hide the purpose -- just give them a hint," Eric instructed while writing something down.

Allen jotted down Eric's instructions in his memo before looking up. "Eric, is there anything else?"

"Yeah, wait a second," Eric continued writing, then handed a note to Allen. "There are also two more things. First, find a rental apartment in Beverly Hills. It shouldn't be too expensive -- under $5,000 a month. Second, register a shell film company under my name according to the name on this note. I have my reasons."

Allen read the note aloud, "Flower Films?"

"Uh-huh," Eric nodded without further explanation. "Go take care of it. I'd like the apartment sorted out quickly -- ideally, it should be rented out in the next couple of days."

"I will keep an eye out, but will the apartment cost come from the company's account?"

"No, it should be personal. Just get a good rental in order, and have the realtor prepare the contract," Eric replied.

Allen attached the note to his memo book and confirmed a couple of details with Eric before leaving his office.

...

As soon as the office door closed, Eric opened the materials on the two companies. Although his primary goal was to create a distribution channel for Firefly, he had no intention of starting from scratch. Time was of the essence, and acquiring a company with a distribution network was the most efficient route.

In his mind, the two promising companies he could think of for this purpose were New Line and Miramax. As for Lionsgate, which would soon emerge as a film giant, it hadn't even hit the scene yet. Companies like Orion, Columbia, and TriStar had already tightly aligned with the major six studios, leaving no room for acquisition. Even if he offered hefty sums, the major studios wouldn't easily let go once they realized he was aiming to establish an independent footing.

While there were other second-tier companies that were comparable to New Line and Miramax, Eric hadn't heard of them in his previous life. Those companies had either been absorbed and lost their independence with no brand left, or they had gone bankrupt due to poor management or unsuccessful investments.

*****

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