Made in Hollywood

"CAA will soon sign a formal contract with me to help me develop a complete future plan."

Turning the coffee cup in his hand, Rick Solomon showed off unabashedly, "Lovett also won a supporting actor for me in CAA's package project "Alien 3". Success is very simple for me."

He looked Fanduk up and down, "And you, Duke Rosenberg, heard Lovett say you were in and out of sets at five, and you played small roles in movies at sixteen, now? You're in it. Seventeen movie characters, but no lines, no front shots, and no names in the media, you are a complete loser!"

With his hands folded on the table, Duke looked at Rick Solomon lightly, with occasional eyes like a clown watching a circus.

Probably stimulated by Duke's attitude, Rick Solomon raised his voice slightly, "What do you have to be proud of? Want to be a director? Wake up, stop dreaming! Tell you, when Lovetken signed you, Just because your family is on good terms with George Lucas and has some connections in Hollywood, just because of this shameful nepotism!"

"Robert Solomon should be your father, right?" Duke said suddenly, his voice not loud but harsh, "If I remember correctly, he is the executive vice president of Warner Bros. According to you, CAA signed you. …”

"That's because I have talent and potential, and you don't!"

Waved to interrupt Duke's words, Rick Solomon is not a fool, and quickly changed the subject, "You used despicable means to squeeze me out to become the main quarterback, so what? Can you enter the Major League Rugby? Can I go to the Super Bowl? Also, Anne Bennett has promised to be my girlfriend..."

Before he felt the joy of prying the wall, Duke asked in a very strange tone, "Sorry, who is Anne Bennett?"

In Rick Solomon's wide eyes, he patted his forehead, "Oh, I remember, it turned out to be the blond cheerleader, I only got with her for two nights, and I threw her away, I didn't expect it to be picked up by you now."

Hearing this, Rick Solomonho stood up, "Boy, I..."

Pointing to his chest, he said, "I will become a big star in the future, I will participate in the Oscars, and my name will be resounding all over the world."

He nodded at Duke in the air, "And you, you'll be anonymous and a shameful loser for the rest of your life!"

"I believe the first half of your sentence."

Without waiting for the other party to say anything, Duke got up and walked towards the door. There was no need for him to entangle with this kind of person. Rick Solomon from another world is indeed famous, although not as famous as the heroine in the video, but still Known all over the world.

"Don't think you can be a director by making two inexplicable experimental films!"

Because of the extremely quiet relationship in the cafe, Duke vaguely caught Rick Solomon's voice before going out. Perhaps this is the most reliable sentence the other party said today. If he makes a few experimental films, he can enter Hollywood as a director. Then he won't be wasted until now.

It wasn't a pleasant meeting!

When he drove back to the apartment in the second-hand Chevrolet, Duke was still thinking about the content of the conversation. CAA, the thigh, abandoned him as a nobody without hesitation. What should he do next?

Looking for the crew to accumulate qualifications, waiting for opportunities, or...

Back at the apartment, Duke continued his packing. Hundreds of nearly ripped books, hundreds of videotapes, dozens of rolls of film tape, and a 16mm camera and a small film setter were taken by him. They are carefully placed in several boxes, and they are stored one by one, waiting for shipment tomorrow.

These are the wealth he has accumulated and the witnesses he has learned and practiced over the years.

Early the next morning, Duke settled the lease transfer of the apartment with the landlord. After the moving company arrived and loaded all his luggage into the van, he drove his Chevrolet, followed the van, and drove out of Valencia together. , head straight to Santa Monica, a small seaside town on the west side of Los Angeles.

This small town is not only a tourist destination, but also a place where the wealthy like to buy residences. The Rosenberg family's villa is in a good location, not far from the marina area of ​​Santa Monica. Although the area is not too large, it even has a vestibule and a small garden. It is less than an acre, but with the sophistication and elegance of French architecture.

When he arrived, it was almost noon. Duke skillfully parked the Chevrolet in the garage and asked the servants to instruct the moving company workers to temporarily put the luggage into the storage room beside the main house, settle the fee with them, and wait for the truck to drive out. Behind the main entrance, I looked at this very familiar off-white building, stepped on the stone steps of the same color, and walked in.

Although he hasn't been back for a long time, this is where he grew up, and Duke doesn't feel any strangeness.

Walking over the smooth marble floor, Duke skillfully turned into the large living room of the main house. As expected, his mother, who had always been busy with work, was waiting for him.

This is a middle-aged woman with almost exactly the same color as Duke's hair and eyes. She is tall and has a distinct Jewish face. Despite the common problem of Western women's large skeleton, she can be regarded as beautiful. In particular, it is well maintained, and it looks like it is in her early thirties.

"Mom, I'm back."

Looking up at Duke, Leah Rosenberg nodded slightly, "Well, let's eat."

She put down the fashion magazine in her hand, stood up and walked towards the dining room. Duke quickly followed and walked beside Mrs. Leah.

Duke has long been accustomed to his mother's attitude. His mother is shrewd and capable, but doesn't speak much, and is especially strict with him. Even if he really misses himself, he rarely reveals it in his words and demeanor.

But Duke knows that she really loves him, otherwise he would not give up his busy work, specially prepare lunch and wait for him to go home, and he respects his mother enough, for twenty-one years of long life, even strangers Will cultivate deep feelings, not to mention those who are related by blood.

I went to the bathroom next to the restaurant and washed briefly. Duke walked into the restaurant and habitually sat on the left side of his mother. The lunch was not rich, simple vegetable salad, barley bread, roast beef and oatmeal. He just tasted it and knew that it must have come from his mother's hands.

"You officially graduated."

They don't have that many dining etiquette at home. Mrs. Lia asked with concern after eating a few bites, "Have your thoughts on the future changed?"

"No, Mom." Duke looked at his mother and said very seriously, "I want to be a film director! And the kind of success!"

In fact, he knew that according to his mother's idea, he should go into business.

"Do you know how difficult this road is, Duke?" Mrs. Leah said a few words more rarely, "Are you mentally prepared?"

"I'm ready, Mom." Duke's determination never wavered, "Only you know how much time and energy I've put into this, how much effort I've put into this, and I've been working on it for the past ten years. toward that goal.”

"Tell me about your plan." Mrs. Leah knew very well that although Duke was an actionist, he was not an impulsive one.

"In the next few weeks, I will be here..."

Pointing to his head, Duke continued, "An idea that came up long ago, turned into a suitable script, and then looked for opportunities to invest and direct."

Looking up at his mother, 20 years of getting along was enough for him to read his disapproval from that beautiful face, "Mom, I know that I have only made two experimental films, and qualifications and age are both issues."

"But don't forget, Hollywood is not without young directors. Last year, when Columbia Pictures bought the script of "The Boys in the Block" from John Singleton and made him the director, how old was he? He was only twenty-two years old. He's still a black man!"

"Hollywood never lacks scripts!"

Because her advertising company has multiple business dealings with Hollywood, Mrs. Leah knows this very well. "John Singleton will only be the exception, not the general phenomenon."

Duke knew that his mother was reminding him to move forward steadily, and after thinking about it, he said, "According to the normal Hollywood law, after graduation, I should enter the TV or commercial crew, starting from the position of assistant director or even lower, which can not only accumulate experience but also Waiting for the opportunity. But, Mom, time is really tight for me, I have so many ideas to realize, and I can't wait endlessly."

"Duke."

As a businessman, Mrs. Leah will always keep her head calm, "Now your chances of success are infinitely close to zero!"

"I understand that 99.99 percent of people in Hollywood are on the road to success."

Although he has never really entered Hollywood, he has experience of struggle in the same circle in another country, and difficulties will never make Duke back down, "Mom, if I try, the chance of success is infinitely close to zero; if I don't try , the probability of success must be zero!"

More than ten years of practical experience in the previous life and more than ten years of study and practice in this life have given Duke a certain confidence in himself, and it is worth working hard for it. If there is a chance, it is his luck, if there is no chance , he won't suffer a particularly big loss. At most, he will become a joke for many Hollywood companies and investors, and he doesn't even have the qualifications to be discussed by them.

This is a road full of hardships, even more difficult than taking over from his mother's class to run an advertising company in the future, but Duke has long decided to take this road, even if he encounters a bloodbath, he will not back down.

First of all, he has to come up with a script. Even if he agrees with his mother's words, he will not regret it if he works hard.

This is definitely a precedent for success, and it's the kind of film Duke has sunk down to study, and of course it's the genre he's best at shooting.