C 4

Words and images are two completely different mediums. Luke understood this well and wasn't discouraged by his mother's criticism. After taking a few days to clear his mind, he, like many newcomers eager to make a name for themselves in Hollywood, dove headfirst into the unpredictable world of the entertainment industry.

He had some advantages. As a native of Los Angeles, with a family connected to Hollywood, Luke was already familiar with the studios and how things worked. Unlike other newcomers who often ran around aimlessly, Luke had a clearer sense of direction.

Before making his move, Luke prepared himself and set clear goals. In Hollywood, when a screenwriter has a script they believe in, there are typically two paths they can take.

One option is to approach influential producers or agencies, such as CAA, and pitch their ideas. If the pitch resonates, those producers or agencies can introduce the project to production companies, where it will undergo a rigorous review before potentially securing funding.

The second option is to directly submit the script to the relevant department of a production company, where it will be screened and assessed. This is the most straightforward approach but also the most uncertain.

Luke knew several producers, but aside from George Lucas, who was a friend of his mother's, none of them knew him. So, he decided to pursue the second option first—after all, he had nothing to lose by trying.

Armed with several copies of his script, Luke drove to Century City on the west side of Beverly Hills, a famous commercial district in Los Angeles that houses numerous film, television, and music companies. His destination was the largest of them all: 20th Century Fox, located in the iconic Fox Building.

Carrying a briefcase, Luke entered the building's main lobby, quickly scanning the spacious hall before calmly approaching the front desk.

"May I help you, sir?" the receptionist asked, smiling warmly with the professionalism expected at a major studio.

"I'd like to speak with Mr. Tim Fisher from the script review department."

Luke didn't waste time with small talk and directly stated his purpose. "Is he available?"

"Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist's smile remained polite.

"No..." Luke shook his head, "I wanted to make one, but I don't know his secretary's phone number."

"May I ask what this is regarding?"

Luke gestured to his briefcase. "I'm a screenwriter and director. I'd like Mr. Fisher to review a script I've written."

The receptionist raised her eyebrows slightly, clearly surprised. "You're a bit young to be a director and screenwriter," she commented, though her tone remained friendly.

Luke sighed inwardly. He knew that his age and lack of credentials were working against him. "Can you call for me?" he asked again, his tone earnest.

The receptionist hesitated but then, perhaps swayed by Luke's sincerity and youthful determination, dialled a number, spoke briefly, and then hung up.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Fisher doesn't have time right now. You can leave your script with the editing department on the seventh floor, and someone will review it."

"Thank you," Luke replied, genuinely grateful. She didn't have to help him at all.

Luke took the elevator to the seventh floor and eventually found the department responsible for handling script submissions. A man, about 30 years old, greeted him.

"You're submitting a script?" the man asked as he accepted the copy from Luke and handed him a form. "Fill this out—name, phone number, address, and email. We'll contact you if there's any news."

"Thank you," Luke said as he quickly filled out the form and returned it.

He watched as the man added his script to a large stack of other submissions—piles so high that some scripts were visibly gathering dust. Luke knew then that the chances of his script being noticed were slim.

He didn't mention his desire to direct the project—there was no point in raising that at this level. And given the amount of competition he saw in that room, Luke knew he couldn't rely on 20th Century Fox's script review process alone. His expectations were low.

Within ten minutes, his meeting was over. This sort of interaction probably happened multiple times a month at the studio, and Luke knew he wouldn't stand out easily. Still, he wasn't ready to give up just yet. Instead of leaving immediately, he found a seat in the lobby where he could keep an eye on the elevators, waiting patiently for another opportunity.

He knew success wasn't going to come easily, especially for someone as unknown as him. But he had patience. He was prepared to wait for the right moment.

As lunchtime approached, Luke's sharp eyes caught sight of three men exiting the elevator. One of them, nearly hidden behind the others, closely resembled Tim Fisher, whose photograph Luke had seen before.

Without hesitation, Luke grabbed another copy of his script from his briefcase and followed them outside the building.

"Luke?" a familiar voice called out as he reached the sidewalk. "What are you doing here?"

Turning slightly, Luke saw that one of the three men was Lovett, his former agent. Their contract had expired in May, and CAA hadn't renewed it.

Luke nodded at Lovett but remained focused on his target. Approaching Tim Fisher, he politely interrupted.

"Excuse me, Mr. Fisher," Luke began. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I have a script here that I'd like you to review."

Tim Fisher, seemingly accustomed to being approached by hopefuls, wasn't fazed. He motioned for the security guard to stand down and took the script from Luke.

"Is this someone from CAA?" Fisher asked, turning to Lovett.

"Not anymore," Lovett replied, with a hint of dismissal. "He was under contract, but we didn't renew it. CAA decided not to represent him."

Fisher frowned slightly and looked at Luke with less interest. "Luke, right? I'll take a look at your script. If there's anything worth discussing, someone will contact you."

It was a polite brush-off, and Luke knew it. He thanked Fisher nonetheless and walked away.

"This is the Rosenberg kid?" Luke overheard a voice behind him as he left. It was Martin Bob, one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood. "I thought he had potential, but CAA rated him poorly. He's been dropped."

Luke didn't need to turn around to imagine Tim Fisher's expression. A rejection from CAA was a death sentence for a Hollywood career in many people's eyes.

He kept walking, forcing himself not to look back. Once he reached his car, he saw from the corner of his eye that Fisher handed the script to a staff member and walked back into the Fox building. Luke knew that was the end of it.

Starting his car, Luke drove away slowly. The encounter hadn't gone well, but he wasn't discouraged. He couldn't afford to be. Failure was part of the journey, and he had the resilience to keep going.

Next on his list was Burbank. After a quick lunch, Luke headed toward Warner Bros. There, fate seemed to smile at him. While submitting his script, he unexpectedly ran into Jeff Robinoff, the head of Warner Bros.' film division. After a brief introduction, Robinoff, also Jewish, granted Luke five minutes to pitch his script.

"...A bus, rigged with a bomb by a criminal, races through the city. If the speed drops below 50 miles per hour, the bomb will explode. The bus is filled with innocent passengers, driven by a temporary female driver, and a cop is forced to join the game..."

Five minutes was enough for Luke to summarize the premise and his ambition to direct the film himself.

Robinoff listened thoughtfully, leaning back in his chair.

 "If I understand correctly, young Mr. Rosenberg, you're asking to direct this film as well?"

"Yes," Luke replied earnestly.