Chapter 319: Interest

[Chapter 319: Interest]

Stan Winston Studio had been established back in 1972, and had gradually taken on special effects work for numerous films, including the famous The Terminator, Aliens, and Predator. They even won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects in 1986 for Aliens. Stan Winston, the studio's owner, was a renowned special effects maestro in Hollywood.

Eric also recalled some details from his previous life. Digital Domain, which had been on par with Industrial Light & Magic and Peter Jackson's Weta Digital, was created by Stan Winston alongside the illustrious James Cameron. This studio was even more powerful than Industrial Light & Magic in certain areas of CG technology.

However, Digital Domain wasn't as technically fortified as Industrial Light & Magic, nor did it have the favorable political support that Weta enjoyed in New Zealand. With Cameron's departure, the founders leaving, and the passing of Stan Winston, the studio eventually fell into bankruptcy without any leadership.

"Allen, can you get in touch with Mr. Stan Winston for me?" Eric handed a document about Stan Winston Studio to Allen and said, "Try to do it quickly. You know, the timeline for Ghost is tight. The location scouting in New York has been completed, and I just need the female lead. The most important thing now is to sort out the special effects."

Allen looked at the document and nodded, but he still said, "Eric, I think if we handed the effects over to Industrial Light & Magic, we'd surely be able to finish the film on time. But if we do it ourselves, the effects and timing might become hard to pin down."

Eric hesitated for a moment before saying, "I know what I'm doing. Just contact Stan Winston as soon as you can."

"I understand," Allen replied, and just as he was about to leave, there was a knock at the office door. After receiving permission, the secretary poked her head in and said, "Mr. Williams, they're here."

"Let them in," Eric replied. Allen, having overheard Eric's conversation with the front desk, turned and walked out.

...

Jim Lister and Jennifer Connelly entered shortly thereafter.

"Mr. Williams, good to see you," Jim Lister reached out to shake hands with Eric as he emerged from behind his desk.

"Good to see you, Jim," Eric smiled and shook his hand before turning to Jennifer Connelly. The young woman shyly looked down for a moment before raising her gaze, determined to maintain eye contact with Eric. She attempted to smile warmly, but it came off as a bit awkward.

"Jenny, it's been a while," Eric said softly.

"Yes... it has," she nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Wanting to say something more, Eric suggested, "Why don't we talk over there on the couch?"

The three of them settled onto the couch as the secretary served coffee. Eric sat across from them, unabashedly assessing Jennifer.

Jennifer and Eric locked eyes for a moment, but she quickly looked away, intimidated by the same intensity in his gaze that had been there a year ago.

"So, what have you been busy with this past year, Jenny?" Eric asked, breaking the ice.

"I..." she hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Should she mention her auditions, the many failures, and how her agent had neglected her? Jim was right here. Even if he weren't, she wouldn't dare say such things.

Noting her unease, Jim quickly interjected, "Mr. Williams, Jenny has spent most of the year at Stanford. You know, she's still young; learning more is always a good thing."

Eric nodded noncommittally and turned to Jennifer, asking, "Is that true?"

Jennifer bit her lip but nodded, "Yes."

Eric continued, "By the way, last night I had a bit of a run-in with that fellow -- sorry, I forgot his name. Something like Brant..."

"Tony Blanton," Jim Lister helpfully chimed in.

"That's right, Tony Blanton," Eric confirmed, "I had a little conflict with him, and it messed up the deal for your lead role."

Jennifer showed no reaction, but Jim's eyes widened in surprise. He had no idea about this incident, but recalling his earlier conversation with Tony Blanton, he quickly pieced things together. A flicker of annoyance crossed Jim's face, but he soon realized that losing a lead role in a low-budget film wasn't the end of the world. As long as he was connected to someone as powerful as Eric, surely there would be other roles.

"No worries, Mr. Williams. Honestly, that film wasn't really right for Jenny anyway -- losing it isn't a big deal."

Eric glanced at Jennifer, who forced a smile but said nothing.

"You both should know that I'm planning to make a movie soon. By chance, I just confirmed the male lead last night, and the preparations in New York are complete. Once I find the female lead, we can start shooting."

At this, even the usually composed Jennifer's eyes brightened, and Jim's face lit up with excitement.

But then Eric added, "Unfortunately, that film's female lead isn't suitable for Jenny."

After saying this, Eric leisurely took a sip of his coffee, observing the changing expressions on their faces with a playful demeanor -- their reactions were quite entertaining.

Even when they realized they'd been played for laughs, Jim couldn't show any sign of displeasure, but his disappointment was evident, while Jennifer fidgeted with the hem of her dress. She was still in the gown from last night's party, and hearing Eric's words had visibly deflated her; her breaths quickened slightly, causing her strapless dress to subtly sway, a sight to behold.

Jim thought for a moment and, still unwilling to give up, suggested, "Mr. Williams, maybe you could let Jenny audition and see how she does. She was quite impressive in last year's Etoile."

Eric shook his head, "If it were just about acting talent, that wouldn't be an issue. The key here is the character's image. My film needs a wholesome, homey woman, but Jenny's aura is just too striking. She wouldn't fit."

"That's too bad," Jim lamented with a sigh.

Eric took another sip of coffee, saying casually, "But it's alright. Hollywood produces hundreds of films every year, and even with the big seven studios, they collectively crank out over a hundred films annually. Finding a project that fits Jenny will be easy."

Jennifer was still confused. The incident where Eric had been attacked in the press had become common knowledge. While no concrete evidence had emerged, it was clear to everyone that the big studios were involved, leading her to wonder what he was trying to achieve by speaking this way now.

But Jim understood the situation better than Jennifer. Eric had come through that storm successfully, meaning he had nearly regained acceptance among the big seven studios. At this juncture, with Eric's role in Hollywood, it would be a piece of cake for him to ask one of the major studios to give him a slot for a female lead. Any of them would likely be happy to accommodate Eric.

"Mr. Williams, is that for real?"

Eric nodded, "Of course. It'll just take some time. I'll need to have someone look into it, and Jenny will need to cooperate..."

"Don't worry. Jenny will fully cooperate with you this time," the agent interjected, not thinking twice.

The atmosphere instantly turned awkward. Not only did the young woman's face flush with embarrassment, but Eric felt embarrassed too. Did he really need to be so direct?

"Ahem, Jim, I meant that Jenny needs to make some time for potential auditions," Eric clarified, feeling a bit futile in his attempts to smooth things over.

"I understand, I understand," Jim replied, eager to please.

Just then, a knock came at the door, and Allen poked his head in, looking apologetic. "Mr. Williams, there's... an urgent matter."

"Just a moment," Eric quickly said before stepping out of the office.

...

"Here's the issue, Mr. Williams," Allen began, "I just spoke with Stan Winston, and once I explained the situation, he readily agreed. He's available today at eleven-thirty. Oh, and he asked if he could bring a friend along, so I thought it best to inform you right away."

Eric raised an eyebrow as a certain voice came to mind -- Stan Winston's best friend was undoubtedly Cameron.

"Sounds good. Is the call still active? I'd like to speak with him directly," Eric asked.

"Already hung up," Allen shrugged. "But if you agree, it's already ten-thirty. The meeting's at the Beverly Hills Clarion. You should, ahem, keep an eye on the time."

Eric glanced at the clock, then around his office before nodding, "Don't worry, I'll be on it."

"Alright then, I'll get back to it," Allen said and headed out.

...

"Sorry, you two, but I've run into a little snag," Eric returned to the office and said to Jim Lister and Jennifer Connelly. "I'm afraid we can't chat for long."

"No problem, Mr. Williams. Perhaps we can schedule a dinner sometime? How about tonight?"

"Sorry, I have plans tonight," Eric replied, thinking of a certain long leg lady. He had resolved to keep dating Famke Janssen while the iron was hot. While material comforts were necessary, building emotional connections was just as crucial.

After a moment, Eric turned to Jennifer Connelly, "By the way, Jenny, I have a date later. Would you like to join me?"

Hearing Eric's invitation made Jennifer hesitate.

Jim Lister almost jumped in to accept on Jenny's behalf, but he thought it best to let her decide on her own.

"It's just a casual lunch," Eric added, "The other person is a renowned special effects artist from Hollywood, possibly a director too. After lunch, I'll make sure you get back."

"Well... alright then," Jennifer replied, nodding after a moment.

Eric smiled and glanced at her gown, "Actually, your outfit is just perfect. You look great."

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Since we're all set, I think I'll take my leave," Jim said, feeling relieved now that the decision had been made. He quickly got up to excuse himself.

After seeing Jim out, Eric returned to the office, leaving just the two of them behind, and Jennifer became a bit fidgety again.

"Just a moment, let me change," he told her casually as he walked to the small room adjacent to the office.

...

"Stan, what do you think that young guy wants?" At the Beverly Hills Clarion, two larger gentlemen sat in a corner. A crew-cut man asked the middle-aged man with a bushy beard.

"I heard he intends to use special effects in his next movie. With his ambition, James, what do you think?"

James Cameron paused for a second before saying, "You mean he wants to buy your studio?"

"Clearly," Stan said with a smile.

"I see you're quite interested," James noted, a grin spreading across his face.

"After all, he's a multi-millionaire. A very wealthy one. I heard he put several million into that animation studio he bought last year without any immediate returns. But the way he's investing, he seems unfazed. Of course, I'm very interested. You know, special effects can be quite costly, and this is why I brought you along. Haven't you always wanted to produce Terminator 2? This could be a great opportunity."

James's excitement was evident, but he soon looked deflated. "That kid has never produced a high-budget film. I remember his biggest investment was in that film Running Out of Time, and it didn't even exceed thirty million. Although I've pared down the budget for Terminator 2 to seventy million, not a single one of the major studios wants to take it. I doubt he would take that risk; a production of that scale is too risky if it fails. The Firefly Films studio could suffer serious losses."

"Well, you can't find any investors right now," Stan said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "So, it won't hurt to give it a shot."

*****

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