Ch 03.  Finalizing the First Movie Script

Hollywood: King of the Commercial Films

Ch 03. Finalizing the First Movie Script

The day after he returned home, Duke spent some time organizing his luggage before heading to his mother's advertising agency. Once there, he borrowed a typewriter from the office. Later, he cleaned up the empty room on the second floor balcony, which offered a breathtaking view of the sea, turning it into a temporary studio.

With everything done, he brewed a cup of black tea, its deep and invigorating scent mingling with the refreshing sea breeze that greeted him on the balcony, where he pondered over the type of movie he should watch.

In his memory, the other world seemed distant, like a fading echo from a long time ago. Unlike someone with an eidetic memory, he can't unconsciously spam movies with perfect recall.

Over time, the details of his memories have faded, including the Hollywood movies he once studied diligently. While he still recalls the main plots, the smaller details have slipped from his mind.

He couldn't recall much about those movies he had only seen once or twice, as they didn't make a strong impression on him. If no one reminds him, he won't even remember.

It narrows down his options.

Furthermore, despite his extensive knowledge and experience in two worlds over the past 20 years, and having made two experimental films in the past few years, it is undeniable that he lacks the firsthand experience of independently directing a formal film project.

He's a total beginner. According to him and his mom, the chances of getting opportunities are pretty slim.

However, in order to progress in his career, he must shoot the type of film that he is most well-versed in and has extensive hands-on experience with.

So basically, we can rule out literary and artistic movies.

Having studied movies in this area, he realizes that his current self is ill-suited for this genre. If given the opportunity to direct these types of movies, he would be overwhelmed and unlikely to see any profits.

Furthermore, there is also the option of directing horror movies.

In North America, there's this typical example of a small-scale production and direction that you see a lot. He's not really into horror movies and hasn't seen a lot of them.

Gradually, Duke's thoughts shifted to the present as he lightly buckled the armrest of the chair.

The film should leave a profound impact on those who watch it, lingering in their thoughts long after it ends. Given that it was the early 1990s, he needed to shoot the old successful films in a better way than they were originally done.

The film he chooses needs to be both relevant to the current era and appealing to a wide range of viewers.

Which film is currently dominating the box office and capturing the attention of Hollywood? Rom-coms and Action flicks!

The former can also be set aside, while the latter immediately triggered Duke's mind to recall the names and general plots of several movies.

Taking into account factors like plot direction, the cast and crew, storyboards, camera work, editing techniques, the actors' acting abilities, lighting arrangements, post-production tasks, dubbing requirements, and more, the action films he extensively analyzed previously are now the most appropriate options.

With the taste of black tea still lingering in his mouth, Duke left the temporary studio, dialed a few appointments, and walked towards the garage where his second-hand Chevrolet was waiting.

Upon paying a fee, he eagerly delved into the vast database of scripts currently registered with the Screenwriters Association.

Thankfully, they are now safely stored on a computer, accessible at any time. At first glance, the script's name and a brief overview are easily discernible.

After spending an entire afternoon, Duke meticulously confirmed that the scripts of several films he had in mind were not filed with the Screenwriters Association, reducing the chances of conflicts with other scriptwriters and directors.

There is also a possibility that the script is in the process of being written or has not yet been submitted to the Screenwriters Association. Nevertheless, any future conflicts would simply be regarded as coincidences.

The task left for today is to make a decision and choose the most appropriate film from the ones he had in mind.

It's not a big deal. When driving back home, Duke's mind was already made up, as he believed that the least investment option was undoubtedly the most suitable.

Since his mother was working that night, Duke had to eat dinner by himself. Once he finished, he made his way up to the studio on the second floor. Sitting in front of the typewriter, he concentrated on transforming the film he had studied into his own written masterpiece.

'Speed' is a film that embraces simplicity in both its structure and content. The title itself, a single word, reflects this straightforward approach.

This is one of Hollywood's most iconic action movies from the 1990s, filled with thrilling chases and explosive stunts.

Duke's distress stems from the fact that the investment required for his film is far from being low, despite it being the minimum amount needed for the action movies he envisions.

Luckily, the Soviet Union has not yet collapsed and Bill Clinton has not yet taken office. While the dollar has been losing value, it has not been as motionless as it was a few years later.

Despite this, the production of this movie will require an investment of over ten million dollars.

Unless he stumbles upon a miraculous shower of US Dollar bills, it seems impossible for him to amass that much money.

With a shake of his head and a deep sigh, Duke sat down at the typewriter and started typing the first scenario.

As he mentioned earlier, hope is slim, but if you put in the effort, there's a chance you might succeed.

'Creating extraordinary achievements requires a person of great resilience and fortitude.'

Duke finds this sentence to be quite logical.

Putting aside his financial worries and concerns about the future, Duke devoted himself entirely to the task at hand. With unwavering determination, he meticulously compiled a detailed character setting and script outline over the next week or so.

Duke has a pre-made template that he uses, filling in the blanks according to the three-stage structure of the script, resulting in a polished Hollywood-style commercial script.

Although he may have forgotten numerous details, this type of pipelined script writing offers ample opportunities to introduce fresh ideas and fill paragraphs.

For the script to be successful, it needs to conform to Hollywood's operating model and fulfill their aesthetic requirements.

At this time, being a newcomer with no reputation and no big works, creating new films would be counterproductive.

The scorching sun dominated the skies of Santa Monica in May of 1991, leaving no escape from its intense heat. Only when night falls, the cool sea breeze brings slight relief from the scorching heat and dryness, offering a bit of comfort.

White lights illuminated every corner of the balcony on the second floor of the villa. In the center, there sat a small round plastic table, its surface gleaming in the light. Duke sat in a wicker chair by the table, his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. Despite the annoying presence of mosquitoes, he paid no attention as they buzzed around him and occasionally bit him.

As the cool sea breeze blew in from the west, he felt a renewed sense of inspiration and his fingers danced across the typewriter keys, bringing the movie scenarios to life.

The sound of the typewriter filled the room with a steady "click, click, click" as the machine produced page after page of paper covered in text.

Movie: Speed - Scene 1

[The security door of the elevator on the ground floor of the building was forcefully pushed open, causing a loud creaking sound. As the security guard with a walkie-talkie entered the room, he stumbled upon an elderly maintenance worker engrossed in repairing something.]

[ "Hey, this area's restricted" He walked over and informed the maintenance worker.]

["Oh, hi. Yeah, I know." The elderly maintenance worker showed only half of his body on the screen. "Someone asked me to come over and repair the line. Some of this wiring got screwed up."]

[ "Nobody called it to me!" The security guard was a puzzled and asked vigilantly, "I'm gonna have to see a work order."]

[ "Yeah. Just a second." The maintenance worker leaned forward, his hand rummaging through the bag to find the receipt. ]

[The absence of a thumb on his left hand was an unmistakable sign of his disability. "There you are."]

[He slowly stood up, hiding his right hand behind the receipt. When the security guard focused on the receipt, the knife in his right hand is shoved through the security's ear and pulled it back with a calm efficiency.]

[The security guard slumps over and dies]

["Nothing Personal"]

With his template models, Duke's writing speed has increased a lot. The plot of this movie is simple and uncomplicated.

The bridge segments, like in most Hollywood films, are reimagined to capture the essence of time, speed, and the delicate balance between life and death.

Duke has a collection of video tapes that he watches for reference whenever he encounters unfamiliar things in the movie.

He can effortlessly craft action scenes that keep readers hooked, but when it comes to evoking emotions, it's not his strong suit.

Despite his extensive knowledge and experience, there are still areas where he struggles, like navigating emotional drama and romance.

Luckily, this film doesn't rely heavily on emotional drama; instead, it highlights the journey of the hero and heroine overcoming challenges together.

You can just write all the emotional stuff in this script at once.

Duke spent several weeks confined to the four walls of his home. He didn't have any time to make friends.

He completely turned into an otaku from the 1990s. Mrs. Leah, his mother, was the only person he had conversations with occasionally, but only when she wasn't busy. Otherwise, he was occupied.

"You have no idea how to write emotional drama, do you?""

Mrs. Leah gave Duke a suspicious look at the dinner table. "I remember you've had quite a few girlfriends since you turned fifteen, haven't you?"

"Mom, I have better things to do with my time and energy than talk about love."

Perhaps because of the absence of communication with others, Duke has been finding solace in talking extensively with his mother, revealing the situation by saying, "I was merely having a good time with them, nothing more."

Duke, seeing his mother's frown, quickly rose from his seat and declared, "I'm stuffed and I've got to get back to work. Goodbye."

Back upstairs, Duke immersed himself in the final draft of the script, devouring every word of the meticulously crafted story and well-defined characters. After devoting a full six weeks to the project, he has finally completed the script of "Speed."

While the main plot of the script has stayed consistent, he meticulously incorporated countless minor details into the story.

Additionally, he attached a rough estimate of his own budget to the back of the script, providing a detailed breakdown of expenses. While not a professional, he had gained extensive experience in numerous studios and had become familiar with the complexities of present-day Hollywood. Although the estimated numbers may lack precision, they will still closely align with his figures.

According to his idea, he rented most of the props, reducing the need for excessive set design and removing some unnecessary scenes.

Costly shots can be made possible through the use of reduced-scale models, saving production costs. In addition, he could take fewer shots, which should be between 500 and 1500 dollars.

All the production shots can be acquired for less than ten thousand dollars by minimizing retake scenes. However, it was a risky move. Even so, the total amount will exceed 10-15 million dollars.

But this is still a terrifying budget for a newcomer.

"No way any film company will drop that much cash on a newbie director."

Once the script was done, Mrs. Leah, his mom, naturally became the first one to read it. After reading the script, she first put forward her views on the budget figures behind,

"Hollywood studios have many ways to get money, but a lot of it comes from investors."

She hesitated, seemed to ponder, but then shook her head and sighed, "Nobody in their right mind would make such a big bet."

"Then..." Sitting across from his mother, Duke asked seriously, "Mom, do you think any movie studio will accept this script for a movie?" he wondered aloud, his eyes shining with anticipation."

"Except for containing the danger to enclosed spaces such as the elevators and buses, and the danger to life, The Race against time and speed in this script is a little creative."

Shaking her head with certainty, she addressed Duke, "Honestly, Duke, I've had my fair share of exposure to movies and advertising scripts. This script can only be labeled as mediocre at best."

***---***

[~2300 Words]