Chapter 16: Bold Ideas

Want something to eat? I have some... um, chocolate, and apples here? Eric asked, opening the somewhat empty refrigerator.

Stuart Runker sat on the sofa, shook his head and said, No, it's not a good habit to eat late at night. If you have milk, you can give me a glass. Drinking milk at night is good for sleep.

Eric raised his eyebrows, poured a glass of milk for Stuart and handed it over, and asked, Who told you all this?

It says in the book, Eric, don't treat me like a kid who doesn't know anything, okay? I'm seven years old.

Eric smiled and nodded: Okay, big boy, then, why are your parents quarreling today?

Dad quit his job and said he wanted to open his own company. Mom started arguing with him. Hey, women are really troublesome. When Dad didn't resign, Mom always complained that the company Dad worked for was too small and had no future. Now Dad I finally made up my mind to resign, and my mother immediately turned around and said that it was irresponsible for the family to give up a stable job like this.

Eric leaned on the sofa. He didn't care much about the family affairs of the Lankers. He nibbled an apple and smiled: I think, you little guy has heard and seen too many things that are not suitable for your age.

Stewart grinned, as if he heard a compliment, rolled his eyes, jumped off the sofa, ran to Eric and sat down, asking, Eric, are you filming right now?

Eric nodded: Yeah, it's almost over. You can ask your mother to take you to see it.

So, Eric, do you think I can go make a movie?

Huh? Stu, why do you suddenly have such an idea?

Stewart said with anticipation in his eyes: I heard that movie stars are paid very well. If I become a movie star, I can make a lot of money for my family. When I have money, my parents won't quarrel.

If the Runkels were here now, I wonder if they would be ashamed to hear these words.

Eric thought for a while and then said: But now you are too young. You may not know that children are one of the most difficult factors to control in a movie. Many movies try to minimize the role of children, even when the director is shooting, the director I would also be trembling, because once those children started crying, the entire crew would be paralyzed. And you have a great Child Protection Act, and the contract signed by the crew has no mandatory effect on children. So, I think it's better to wait. Let's talk about it when you're older, at least until you're eighteen, like me.

Hey, Eric, I'm not one of those naive little brats, I'll be very obedient. I heard that you're the screenwriter of the movie. Help me write a character, I'll be very grateful to you. Stewart's eyes were bright. Looking at Eric, although compared to children of this age, Stuart Runkel is a bit too smart, but after all, he is only seven years old. He naively thought that as long as Eric, the screenwriter, helped him write a character, he You can go to the movies. .

Eric's heart jumped slightly, he sat up straight, and carefully looked at the little boy in front of him. He had just suddenly thought of a person: Macaulay Culkin. The super child star who relied on Home Alone to become popular all over the world.

At this moment, an extremely bold thought came out of Eric's mind involuntarily. Although it was not clear enough, Eric knew that if the plan was successful, he could easily pass the most difficult primitive accumulation stage and directly break through. A series of factors such as age, funds, qualifications, etc. limit, to achieve their own ideals.

Although this plan is very difficult for me, who is poor at this stage, how will I know if I don't try it? It's rare to fight back in life!

Moreover, looking at Stewart, whose IQ is at least ten years old, the biggest uncertainty in the movie is gone.

Then, Stu, to be honest, I do have a role here that suits you, and it's the protagonist.

Stuart leaned on Eric's lap with a look of surprise, raised his head and asked, Eric, what is the protagonist?

Well, the protagonist is... the one who gets the most money in the movie.

I act, I act.

Eric said: However, we must obtain the consent of your parents. Then, I will take you home and talk to your parents by the way.

Just as he walked out of Eric's house holding Stuart's little hand, he heard the voices of the neighbors of the Langkels.

I tell you, Charlieson Runkel, if anything happens to Stu, I'm going to divorce you!

Charlison Runkel, who has always been a little weak in quarrels, roared suddenly: Shut up, you Bichi, if you hadn't provoked a quarrel, would Stu sneak away? Go to the basement first, Stu. Are you hiding in there?

Mary Runkel was frightened by her husband's sudden roar, and it was indeed her own fault, so she followed behind her husband for a while, and was about to look for it, when Eric's voice rang next door.

Hi, Mr. Runkel, don't worry, Stu is here. Eric hugged Stu, and the couple both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the son in Eric's arms.

After sending Stewart back to the Runkel house, after hearing Eric's rough remarks, the couple both regretted it and promised not to quarrel in front of the child.

Actually, Mr. Runkel, there is one more thing. Stu said just now that he wants to act in a movie. It just so happens that I have a script here that is very suitable for Stu, and, with Stu's intelligence, I think it is completely perfect to play that role. no problem.

The couple were a little surprised. If they didn't know about Eric's recent situation, the two would probably take Eric's words directly as a joke. However, even the news about Eric appeared in the newspapers, so although they were surprised, they also had some expectations.

The life of the couple is somewhat unsatisfactory, otherwise there will be no midlife crisis. If my son can act in a movie and become a star, what it means is self-evident.

Eric, can you tell me roughly what movie it is?

Eric said: Of course, it's a comedy about a little boy left at home by careless parents...

After spending five minutes, Eric told the story in general, and then said, I chatted with Stu for a while, and found that Stu's IQ is higher than that of the little boy in the movie, so , if you agree, let Stu try.

Several people looked at the boy sitting next to him who seemed to be well-behaved or pretended to be well-behaved.

Daddy, Mommy, I think I can do it. This story is great.

The child is still too young, I think... Charlieson was just about halfway through, when Mrs. Runkel secretly pinched her.

Eric, can we think about it?

No problem, Eric nodded and added a fire incidentally: But you must answer me as soon as possible, this movie is planned to be released during Christmas, and if the results are good, it is likely to make a series, If you agree, no accident, the protagonist will be Stu.

A series of films, even ordinary people, know that the main character's salary will definitely get higher and higher.

At the same time, Eric didn't tell the Runkels that he would direct the film himself. Now everything is unclear. Eric is not even sure whether the plan will be successful or not. He does not want to make Home Alone The script was handed over to 20th Century Fox or other film companies, but he planned to produce it entirely by himself. For him who only half-footed into the circle, the difficulty can be imagined.

When he got home, the excited Eric was not sleepy. He sat in front of the typewriter and quickly typed the script of Home Alone while thinking about the specific implementation process of the plan.

The first is funding. In terms of actors, in addition to Stewart, the two stupid thieves are also the top priority. Eric did not intend to invite Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern from his previous life. Both of them are now relatively famous. The film actor, Joe Pesci has also been nominated for an Oscar for supporting actor, and he can't even pay for the two of them with his own money.

Eric plans to find two TV actors who will act in comedy. The status of TV actors in this era is completely incomparable with that of movie actors. When greeting people, he is embarrassed to say that he is acting in TV dramas, so the salary is quite low.

The filming location must be Canada. Los Angeles has just entered the fall, and it has already snowed in many places in northern Canada.

And other messy things...

The lights in the bedroom were on all night, and when the sun shone into the bedroom, Eric stood up and stretched.

After calculating for one night, the cost of Home Alone in the previous life is said to be 18 million US dollars. From Eric's professional perspective, it is completely the cost of shooting plus the cost of publicity. The pure shooting cost is only a few million, most of which is the remuneration of actors and directors.

But now, because he already has a complete Home Alone film in his mind, all Eric has to do is transfer it to the film in its entirety, so he can save a lot of unnecessary waste.

In terms of publicity, Eric also has other plans. But no matter how careful you are, you can't make a movie without a million dollars.

One million, Return to Seventeen will be completed in the next few days. Eric can get half a million dollars in remuneration, plus the original script remuneration, there are still about 90,000 dollars left, which is not enough. Six hundred thousand dollars.

Well, Jurassic Park is selling so well now, and after discussing it with Michael Krause, maybe you can get $200,000, and there is still a shortfall of $200,000.

In line with the idea that the boat would naturally go straight to the bridge, Eric decided to try to prepare first.