Aniston didn't attend the next date, and Eric sent Aniston home to meet the boss of the bankrupt film company alone.

When she got out of the car, Aniston suddenly said, "Eric, can you leave me a copy of the script?" I'll show you it, maybe you can...... Some comments could be made. ”

Eric nodded and said, "Of course, no problem, I just happened to make several copies." ”

Aniston got out of the car with the script, waved her little hand and watched Eric drive away, as if she had made up her mind, and turned and walked into her apartment.

In a café in Burbank, Eric meets the owner of the small film company named Firefly introduced by Drew, Jeffrey Hansen, a white man in his fifties with a somewhat haggard face, and it seems that the bankruptcy of the film company has hit him hard, and the whole person looks very decadent. Eric knew that it was best for a person to vent in this situation, so he didn't rush to discuss the crew's affairs, but patiently listened to the man who needed to talk about the past.

"My wife, Solina, was a top student at USC Film School, you know? She was a classmate of Francis Coppola, but she was just a farm girl from Maryland, and she didn't have the same depth as the Coppola family, otherwise she would have been even more accomplished in film than Francis, and she won many awards for her short films when she was in school. ”

"I was studying finance at the time, and everyone called me a nerd, and for some reason, my young, beautiful and talented wife took a fancy to me. She said that she wanted to be a director, so I stayed in Los Angeles with her to develop, starting from the most basic positions together, and worked there for about nine years. I still remember the joy of Solina when she got her first investment in her script, and that smile was even brighter than when we got married, when I put the ring on her hand, and later, we opened Firefly Films, and she was the director, and I helped her as a producer, and we made several films together, all of which made money for investors, and won a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival. Unfortunately, a year ago, when Solina was driving back to Maryland to visit her parents, there was an unexpected ......"

The unshaven Jeffrey Hansen's voice began to choke up a little as he said this, and it was obvious that he had a deep relationship with his wife, and Eric sat across from him, handed Jeffrey a tissue, and waited quietly for him to continue.

"After my wife left, I felt that I should inherit her ideals, she always wanted to develop Firefly and become a big director recognized by the Oscars, I thought that after so many years of making people, it must be more than enough to be a director. So I mortgaged the company and raised money to shoot my first film in honor of her, but unfortunately it didn't work out well......"

"It's okay, Jeffrey, it's just a failure, and what Hollywood director hasn't experienced it. ”

Jeffrey wiped the corners of his moist eyes and said, "Thank you, thank you Eric, I feel much better now for listening to my nagging for so long, after the company went bankrupt, my son almost broke off the father-son relationship with me, he didn't agree with me as a director, and felt that I ruined the foundation that her mother had worked hard for many years, I don't blame him, I just regret it." Well, let's not talk about that. Listen to Drew, you need someone to help you make a movie?"

Eric nodded, "Yes, but it's just a million-dollar low-budget movie." ”

Jeffrey shook his head and said, "No, one million is already a lot, and my wife only used more than 700,000 for her first movie." By the way, can I know your age?"

"Of course, I'm eighteen now. Jeffrey, you don't think I'm too young and impatient, do you?"

"No, I'm just making sure you're an adult and fully capable of acting, after all, a million dollars is not a small amount. ”

"Oh?"

Jeffrey said, "Don't be like that, young man, I think it's you who is not confident. I don't have any prejudice against young people, many directors make their best films when they are younger, and the older they get, the more mediocre the films they make. Young people are always full of creative power, and movies are a dream job. Moreover, I believe that my team will be able to help you finish your film very well, they are all my wife's own training team, very professional and tacit, but unfortunately because of me, they are going to lose their jobs, and it is a good thing to be able to receive your film. Well, by the way, can I read your script?"

"No problem," Eric pulled out the script and handed it to Jeffrey, then waited quietly for Jeffrey to flip through his script.

After more than ten minutes, Jeffrey closed the script and handed it back to Eric and said, "A good comedy script, it's not complicated to shoot, and it's very suitable for practice." I have to say that you are still very wise to choose such a script. ”

Eric put the script back in his backpack and said to Jeffrey, "So, Jeffrey, can you help me be the producer of this movie?"

Jeffrey Hansen wondered, "Are you sure, Eric? My company just went bankrupt because of me. ”

Eric said: "Jeffrey, you may not be suitable to be a director, but through your narrative, I think you are a very good producer, if this film is successful, I will set up my own film company, and you can help me take care of it then, and I can take over all the team left by your wife, so they don't have to lose their jobs." ”

Jeffrey was visibly moved, he had already been disheartened and planned to return to his hometown farm for the rest of his life. But when I heard Eric's plan, I had a different idea, the crew team left by his wife has been working with the couple for many years, and the relationship between them is not only an employment relationship, but also a very good friend, because of his mistakes that made his old friend who has worked together for many years unemployed, Jeffrey is still quite guilty.

Without thinking about it for long, Jeffrey nodded, "Okay, Eric, I promise you." ”

"Well, it's a pleasure to work with. Eric excitedly picked up a cup of coffee and touched Jeffrey, and the cooperation between the two was officially reached.

Next, the two of them began to go straight to the topic and discuss the preparatory work.

During the discussion, Jeffrey also learned about what Eric had done during this time, and he couldn't help but be a little surprised. Now that the cooperation has been confirmed, Eric also reveals his plans to Jeffrey and Pan.

"I'm going to finish the film in a month or so, and then take advantage of the impact it creates and let it be released over Christmas. I think that in order to put on the halo of a director for the screenwriter and the lead actor, in order to create greater box office benefits, presumably Twentieth Century Fox will not be stingy with the release for us, so as long as we work hard to make the film a good thing, this kind of family-friendly Christmas comedy will definitely make us a fortune. ”

Eric remembered the box office that was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records in his previous life, and his heart was full of longing, even if he only got half of the box office results in his previous life in this life, it would be more than enough for him to realize his ideals.

The two of them discussed at the café until the lights were on, determined a lot of things, and left their contact information before Eric drove home.

As soon as he arrived at home, Eric received another piece of good news, the Runkels agreed to let Stuart play Kevin, Eric roughly discussed the details with the two of them, and the Runkels also agreed to Eric's proposal of $50,000 and a 1% box office share.

Although the salary is only one-tenth of Eric's, if the box office results are as amazing as in the previous life, only one percent of the box office share can make the two of them close together, and Eric has nothing to worry about this, after all, this movie needs Stuart Runkel to take the lead.

The next day, Eric asked Jeffrey Hansen to sign a contract with the Runkels, and the couple knew that Eric would be the director of the film.

The next step was to prepare funds, Eric originally had $590,000 in his hand, and after negotiating with Michael Krauss, Michael happily promised to advance his royalties of about $200,000 within ten days. After inspecting it, the owner of the piano shop reluctantly agreed to return the goods, but calculated a depreciation fee of $2,000.

In the end, there was a gap of about $200,000, Eric gritted his teeth, contacted a pawn shop, and quickly mortgaged the house at a low price of $200,000, with 10% interest per month, and if the money was not paid within half a year, the pawnshop would take back the house. To put it bluntly, it's a special loan shark.

Looking at the check in his hand, Eric sighed, now that he is in ruins, if he fails, I don't know if Aniston will take him in.

Thinking of this, I can't help but think of Drew again, with the experience of a forty-year-old uncle in Eric's body, how can I not see that Drew already likes him to the core, if possible, after filming, Eric doesn't want to have too much intersection with Drew, his feelings for Drew, maybe his daughter is even more than a woman.

Maybe after a long time, the girl's feelings for herself will slowly fade, but for the sake of it, he had to seek Drew's help and entangle the two of them again.

After all the filming funds were ready, Eric and Jeffrey began to cast the crew non-stop, Eric planned to be two stupid thieves, Harry and Marvin, from the TV comedians, but unfortunately they took a fancy to a few and sent out invitations, and the other party either couldn't get the schedule right or thought the salary was too low.

After two days of traveling, Eric suddenly receives a call from Aniston.

"What, you said your dad was going to invite me to dinner?"

Aniston's voice on the phone was excited: "yes, haven't you been worrying about the actors these two days? I told my dad about it, and he promised to help you connect with some comedians." ”

Aniston's tone on the phone was lighthearted, but Eric knew that it wasn't that simple, and at the same time he was a little moved. Aniston has a cold relationship with her biological father, John Aniston, who abandons his wife and daughter for his own career, and Aniston still haunts him. In his previous life, John Aniston still worked hard to make his stubborn daughter forgive him, which shows that now Aniston is not as easy as he says when he seeks help from his father for his own sake

Eric gratefully said into the microphone, "Thank you, Annie, I'll be there on time." ”