Chapter 60: Temperament is the Soul of Image

Facing fierce competition, not to mention winning, but even hoping to have a chance of victory required 100% preparation. Since the "Band of Brothers" crew was still in the initial planning stage, all information was strictly controlled, and the materials Matthew had were hard-won by Helen Herman through considerable effort.

While these materials couldn't guarantee his success in the auditions, not studying them thoroughly would certainly decrease his chances even further.

Over the next few days, apart from attending acting classes, Matthew spent most of his time studying the materials provided by Helen Herman.

Although the materials were not particularly detailed, they ranged from the background of "Band of Brothers'" project initiation to the settings of some supporting characters, covering relevant descriptions.

Having such materials before the auditions made Matthew feel that Helen Herman was quite supportive.

Firstly, Helen Herman noted in the materials the three most powerful people in the crew: Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg. These three nearly held all personnel, shooting, and production rights for the crew.

The relationship among these three was good. Tom Hanks had previously collaborated with Gary Goetzman on "Philadelphia" and "Unstoppable Miracle"; Tom Hanks had also worked with Spielberg on "Saving Private Ryan," and according to the materials, aside from "Band of Brothers," they planned to continue collaborating.

Moreover, Helen Herman added a note that Tom Hanks was not only the producer of "Band of Brothers" but was also very likely to direct some of the episodes.

She analyzed that Tom Hanks was indeed the driving force behind the entire series.

This meant that if Matthew could impress Tom Hanks and perform above standard during the auditions, his chances of landing the role of Ronald Spiers were significant.

The question was, how could he impress Tom Hanks? Helen Herman had already made it clear that she couldn't connect with such high-caliber individuals as Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

As for Matthew himself, not to belittle himself, but his status in the industry was probably as distant from these two as the Pacific plus the Atlantic, and maybe even the Indian Ocean.

Could he secure the role by relying on his foresight and strategic moves, like he did for the Britney MV lead role? Matthew revisited his memories of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. Despite their renown, he had no recollection of any relevant gossip or scandals.

Furthermore, both were no longer young, seasoned with vast social experience and worldly wisdom. Using low-level tactics like those applied with Britney might only invite trouble.

Matthew pondered over the materials for a long time but couldn't think of any approach.

No wonder Helen Herman insisted on him giving his all during the auditions; this might be his only chance.

Unable to use any underhanded strategies, Matthew set that thought aside and continued to delve into the other aspects of the materials, especially regarding character settings.

Helen Herman had learned from Eric-Park that the overall style of "Band of Brothers" would follow that of Spielberg and Hanks's "Saving Private Ryan." Unlike "Saving Private Ryan," which was a fictional story, "Band of Brothers" was adapted from real events, and each character had a real-life counterpart. Even some scenes were planned to be overseen by the actual veterans to ensure authenticity.

Because of the crew's secrecy, Helen Herman only managed to get a very basic plot outline, which focused on the 434-day story of soldiers from Company E of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, from their training camp in Georgia to the battlefields of Europe.

The most useful information was that each episode of the mini-series would focus on different characters, enhancing their portrayals while also capturing the progress of the war through their psychological and emotional states.

This meant that each episode would have a relative protagonist.

Would Ronald Spiers be the protagonist of one of the episodes? Naturally, Matthew thought of the role he was preparing to compete for, but like the specific plot details, this was highly confidential information that Helen Herman couldn't access.

Another point Helen Herman learned was that in addition to the book "Band of Brothers," the memoirs of David Kenyon Webster, a soldier from Easy Company, were also a significant source for the screenplay.

Unfortunately, the memoir was already with the crew, and she was still trying to find a copy.

Reviewing the material, Matthew could only marvel at Helen Herman's diligence; her proud personality and frustrating communication style aside, her meticulousness was practically beyond reproach.

The documentation was extensive, and Helen Herman had prepared thoroughly. As Matthew continued to read, he found information that boosted his confidence.

Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg had reached a consensus that to preserve the authenticity of "Band of Brothers," the crew would select mostly unknown actors, enhancing the realism and credibility.

"No wonder Helen is pushing me to aim for such a significant role," Matthew nodded to himself, "There's still a chance."

Next, he focused on the character details. Helen Herman had confirmed that Richard Winters would be the absolute protagonist of the series.

Matthew skimmed over the introductions of other characters and then focused on the role he was aiming for, Ronald Spiers.

Helen Herman also pointed out another disadvantage for Matthew: his youth.

However, this wasn't a significant problem as Helen Herman believed he was mature enough mentally, and appearance was no issue with Hollywood makeup.

Moreover, to Westerners, the difference between someone around twenty and someone in their late twenties wasn't substantial.

The materials provided a rough setting that, aside from what Helen Herman had mentioned, highlighted that Spiers was a tough, combat-strong soldier, originally serving in D Company. During the brutal Battle of Bastogne in Belgium, when the commander of Easy Company panicked, Spiers stepped up and was temporarily assigned as the commander of Easy Company.

Additionally, Helen Herman specifically noted, there were rumors that Spiers had executed German prisoners of war.

"Executed prisoners of war?"

The information provided was actually very limited. To understand this character better, Matthew felt he should seriously study the original "Band of Brothers" book.

A few months ago, reading such a novel would have been a headache for Matthew, but fortunately, after months of persistent reading practice, while not drastically improved, reading the "Band of Brothers" original novel wasn't too difficult.

Not just studying on his own, Matthew, recognizing his limited capabilities, specifically sought advice from his acting coach, David Aster, outside of class.

Matthew selectively shared the details of the audition and the character with David Aster.

"So, you're saying you've secured an audition for Spielberg and Tom Hanks's 'Band of Brothers'?" David Aster said in his office, rubbing his bald head. "This is a rare opportunity. If you can secure it, it will be very beneficial for your future career."

Matthew looked troubled, "I'd like to secure it, but there might be dozens of people competing for this role." After thinking for a moment, he said directly, "Mr. Aster, I came to ask how I can better grasp a tough military character?"

"A tough military role, huh..." David Aster looked at Matthew and said, "Your physical appearance naturally gives you an advantage, but this won't be very useful in the audition since all the actors competing at this level will definitely match the character in appearance."

Matthew nodded, "You know, my experience is relatively shallow compared to most people. I need to figure something out in terms of audition performance."

"Audition performance is indeed crucial for securing a role," David Aster added, "especially if the final decision is in the hands of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the weight of your audition performance becomes even more significant!"

Matthew trusted the veteran actor, who had decades of Hollywood experience, and asked, "Why?"

David Aster chuckled, "At the level of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, there are very few people and things that can impress them. This is just a minor character. If someone significant wanted to use their connections to secure this role, they would have to owe a huge favor. What would they use to repay Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg later? For such a minor role, is it worth owing such a big favor?"

Matthew considered that if he had enough clout to influence Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, he certainly wouldn't want to owe them a favor over something so trivial.

According to customs on the other side of the Pacific, favors are often the hardest debts to repay, and likely, the same applied here.

"Let's get back to the character. A tough, realist WWII soldier doesn't tolerate any semblance of jest, sarcasm, or affectation."

David Aster used his decades of experience to help Matthew analyze, "For this type of role, temperament is the soul of the image! Without that robust military aura, the performance won't hit the mark, it won't have the right flavor!"

He recalled a moment, saying, "Matthew, I've been involved in a few WWII films, and from my experience, only actors who truly immerse themselves, who are willing to give it their all, can match the image of a tough soldier."

Matthew nodded; although David Aster's advice wasn't anything profound, it was indeed helpful.

"I've said a lot, which might distract you," David Aster said with a smile, shaking his head. "Matthew, that's all I can say. The rest is up to you."

"Thank you," Matthew stood up, sincerely saying, "Thank you, Mr. Aster, your advice is very helpful to me."

Afterwards, he left David Aster's office, ready to call Helen Herman to discuss further.