Chapter 300: Always Gets Hurt

Inside the studio, a preview of Brad Pitt's upcoming film, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" was in progress. Present were Warner Pictures executives including Daniel, Alan Horn, Charles Rowan, and others, all wearing poker faces.

On the screen, Brad Pitt was dressed as a cowboy, exuding a commanding presence with a touch of urban style. However, the Warner team couldn't help but think of Coca-Cola's recent commercial almost simultaneously.

The cowboy, who initially seemed like a refined gentleman, now appeared strangely out of place. They couldn't shake the feeling that this character should be humiliated, trampled, made to cry, and repent.

It would have been fine if Pitt had adopted a different look for the film, but his role as the sharpshooter James required him to embody the quintessential cowboy.

This notion wasn't confined to Warner Bros.; even those on Pitt's side shared this sentiment, including Maggie Darkhill. She had reservations about the film's potential.

After the screening, even before Brad Pitt, the producer and leading actor, could comment, Warner executives and film experts exchanged knowing glances and reached an unspoken consensus.

Alan Horn addressed Pitt, saying, "Brad, we need to have a brief internal meeting. Please wait for a moment."

Pitt responded with a smile, "Certainly, go ahead."

Warner executives and film experts retreated to the adjacent office.

Alan Horn didn't waste time and asked, "Is this film a bit unusual?"

Film experts among them had already reached a consensus. One of them explained, "It's not the film itself; it's Brad's appearance that's unusual. His cowboy look is oddly reminiscent of the latest Coca-Cola advertisement."

Daniel chimed in, "That's true."

Charles Rowan admitted, "I couldn't help but associate Pete in a cowboy outfit with the Coca-Cola commercial."

Seeing nods of agreement, Alan Horn posed another question, "Will the audience make this connection?"

One film expert responded, "Some may not, but others will undoubtedly link it to the advertisement."

Daniel suggested, "I recall we signed a distribution contract with the film crew?"

Alan Horn clarified, "When we initially established this project, we signed a distribution contract. However, Brad Pitt was quite confident at the time and declined our offer to participate in production investment. Apart from today's screening, we haven't invested in this project upfront. Our financial commitment is virtually zero."

Charles Rowan added, "Now that the distribution contract is in place, we should wait. Once the influence of Coca-Cola's advertising wanes, we can proceed."

Alan Horn couldn't let go of the film entirely. In terms of distribution alone, the risk of losing money was minimal.

He made a decision, saying, "It's settled."

The internal discussion concluded swiftly within minutes, and Alan Horn called Brad Pitt over to inform him of the decision.

Brad Pitt questioned, "Delay the release? I've never experienced such a second-tier treatment since marrying Aniston. Time is money, and this film has already been completed."

Allen Horn, as a major shareholder of Plan B, spoke more diplomatically, "Warner Brothers has a jam-packed schedule, and we can't find a suitable time slot at the moment. We don't want a film like this to face the direct competition of major commercial blockbusters, do we? Give Warner some time, and I'll inform you when a suitable schedule becomes available."

At the highest echelons of the industry chain, the six major studios frequently dealt with tight schedules, and Allen Horn was keenly aware of the challenges. After a few words of encouragement from Pete, he left Alan Horn's office.

As he descended in the elevator and entered the Warner Building's spacious lobby, Pete noticed a new promotional poster affixed to the Coca-Cola vending machine. The poster featured Martin dressed as a cowboy, using a Coke to inspire another cowboy who resembled him.

Feeling slightly dejected, Brad Pitt found a seat in the lounge area. He needed some time to himself.

As he pondered the situation, Brad Pitt realized that Warner's decision was reasonable. Releasing "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" while this version of the advertisement was at its peak impact might have caused substantial problems. Waiting was a sensible choice.

However, as his anger subsided, Pete's frustration resurfaced. Why was he the one suffering the consequences?

...

In Warner Studios' soda fountain, Martin approached the counter and ordered a cup of tea.

Part-time actor Mia enthusiastically handed him his change. "The usual, black coffee without milk or sugar?"

Martin nodded in recognition. He had encountered Mia before and was delighted to see her again. He inquired, "Is this for a significant role?"

Mia nodded eagerly, "Yes, I have nearly ten lines!"

Martin gave her a thumbs up, saying, "This is a significant step forward."

Mia, with her freckled face, wore a contented smile. She said, "Out of the five of us renting together, I'm the first one to get lines."

Accepting the black tea Mia handed him, Martin advised, "Let your agent work harder. If he puts in the effort, you'll have more job opportunities."

Mia replied, "He doesn't pay much attention to me."

"Step by step, keep going," Martin said. He walked over to an empty table with his tea, awaiting Thomas's arrival with someone.

Meanwhile, Marcus had completed the funeral arrangements for his two dogs, Daisy and John, and several individuals involved had been officially arrested. He would soon be able to return to work on his memoir.

Thomas had identified a suitable candidate from among the contracted writers and screenwriters at WMA to serve as a ghostwriter to assist Marcus in completing the memoir.

Today, Martin was meeting this playwright.

Since the cold drink shop had no other customers at the moment, Mia took out a pen and began jotting down her experiences and insights at the studio. Despite working there for over a year, Mia was still a small actor. In addition to acting, she was exploring writing. This pursuit wasn't entirely voluntary; it was a response to the difficulties faced by actors trying to make a name for themselves.

When Thomas entered the shop with a man in a gray shirt, Martin gestured for him to sit down. Mia brought two cups of coffee, and Martin directly inquired, "Have you worked on many film projects?"

The playwright, Robinson, was not new to Hollywood and understood the importance of one's résumé. He explained, "I used to be part of Mark Ball's screenwriting team."

Martin was unfamiliar with this name and looked puzzled. Robinson elaborated, "Mark Ball is the screenwriter of 'Black Hawk Down.' I was part of the team and contributed to the script for that project."

Martin was aware that in Hollywood, many scripts were produced using an assembly line model, with multiple screenwriters behind the scenes. Often, well-known screenwriters led teams, but only a maximum of three screenwriters could have their names on a film due to Screenwriters Guild regulations.

Robinson had specialized in war-related projects, stating, "My last assignment was working on 'In the Valley of Elah,' directed by Paul Haggis. Like my other projects, I participated as part of a team and didn't have the right to be credited."

Martin inquired, "Do you have any scripts or works of your own?"

Robinson handed over a printed copy, explaining, "This is the section I wrote for 'Black Hawk Down.' My most recent project, 'the Valley of Elah,' has been filmed but hasn't been released, so I can't share that script with the public."

After a careful read, Martin asked, "Why did you leave Mark Ball's team?"

Robinson hesitated but decided to be honest, saying, "I spent five years in his team and still couldn't secure a credit. I felt that if I continued for another five years, I'd still be in the same situation. Despite various promises from my boss, I felt the odds of those promises being fulfilled were low. I want to write something and have my name on it. Although I won't have any copyright for Marcus's memoir, I can at least have my name on it."

Martin nodded in understanding. "Besides the compensation, I do have the right to be credited, but the ghostwriter's name will come after Marcus's."

Robinson agreed without hesitation. "No problem."

"Good. I'll have Marcus join us for a meeting," Martin proposed, planning to use a more practical approach to evaluate Robinson. "We'll have Marcus tell a story, and you'll write it down."

Robinson readily agreed.

Martin contacted Marcus and arranged for them to meet at Davis Film and Television Studios.

Within half an hour, the two parties gathered in Martin's office.

Marcus faced a situation similar to Martin's; while he could speak without issue, transferring those thoughts into written form was a different challenge. Oral and written expression required distinct skills.

Marcus was elated to see Martin had quickly found a suitable playwright. He animatedly described an experience from his early days with the SEALs, gesticulating to convey the story.

Robinson took notes on the draft as Marcus spoke. Once Marcus had finished, Robinson withdrew to a nearby conference room to organize and write.

As the workday neared its end, Robinson returned with a written passage and handed it to Martin for review.

Martin swiftly looked it over and then handed it to Marcus.

Marcus read it and confirmed, "Yes, that's it!"

Satisfied, Martin asked Thomas to review the passage once more, ensuring there were no issues, and proceeded to hire Robinson.