Chapter 1 You're Not for Hollywood

Squatting between several large boxes in the small living room, Duke glanced at his CalArts diploma, then threw it into the glove box, took the tape to seal the box, and prepared to ship it back to Santa Monica tomorrow. 's home.

What about graduating from film and video with all A's? Tens of thousands of people go to Hollywood every year to seek opportunities, how many are really early?

While talking to himself, Duke casually threw the tape on the old sofa and returned to the bedroom, ready to change his clothes and go out, It's been 21 years since you came to this world, and you haven't accomplished anything yet, poor Duke.

Having said that, Duke sat in the chair, and that memory came to mind again, and some things can never be completely forgotten.

Although he has lived in the Greater Los Angeles area for 21 years since he was born in 1970, Duke cannot forget the real experience that happened across the Pacific Ocean just yesterday.

The other one in the past, after graduating from the directing department of a famous film school on the other side, has been in the circle for a while, but he has not made much success. There is no company or big person in this circle. It is too difficult for newcomers to get ahead.

In order to climb up to the dream film director position step by step, Duke has accumulated qualifications in various jobs in multiple crews, and even worked as an assistant in the props group and fireworks group, and with hard work and research spirit, after several years of hard work , became a well-known pyrotechnician in the circle, and also practiced the ability to create explosions and shoot explosions. Finally, in his thirties, he got the position of an assistant director of low-cost war films, specializing in shooting the explosions. play.

However, before he could enjoy the joy of his initial success, he was affected by an explosion on the set and turned into Duke Rosenberg, who was just born in Los Angeles.

God is fair, taking away the possible success of the previous life, but also giving Duke a good life in this life.

He grew up with his mother in a single-parent family. Like most shrewd Jews, his mother, Leah Rosenberg, has her own property. Although she is not very rich, she also has a net worth of tens of millions of dollars. The most important thing is , her advertising agency has close business dealings with Hollywood, and the two were close friends as early as the 1970s when George Lucas had not made his fortune.

In this life, Duke is no longer ignorant. He clearly knows what he wants and has been working hard for it. The family environment also provides enough convenient conditions. During his childhood and adolescence, he frequently entered and exited Lucca. It was a rare experience to be on the set of the film that Sri Lanka made, and even played a small role in Star Wars, although it was completely cut out later.

On the set, he observed the Hollywood-style production model, and was silently familiar with everything in the world's film factories. This is the future path he chose.

Directing is a profession that requires high concentration and deep accumulation. In addition to participating in several sports that interest him, most of his time is devoted to his beloved film knowledge, such as screenwriting, photography, editing, coordinating, etc. is an essential element of success.

Duke is like a sponge absorbing water. He has absorbed knowledge that is useful to him for more than ten years. He did not choose the business school suggested by his mother after graduating from high school, but joined the California Institute of the Arts, which is closely related to Hollywood and the film industry. After the age of 16, I found an agent who was also a 'novice' for myself. With the help of a wider family relationship, as an extra and a temporary worker in the crew, I went back and forth between many crews to increase my practice. experience.

Up to now, Duke has played more than a dozen roles without lines and front-facing shots, and has also worked on vacation in multiple crews, including Spielberg's Captain Hook, even if the two worlds add up to more than two After ten years of accumulation, he has always been like a thirsty desert traveler, never feeling satisfied.

These are for practical needs, but also for life.

As a member of the Rosenberg family with a glorious tradition in his mother's mouth, Duke has been responsible for his living expenses excluding tuition and other expenses since he was sixteen years old. No one can deny that learning to become an excellent student The process of directing is actually a very expensive process.

Buying all kinds of related books and expensive film stock, renting camera equipment, and shooting experimental films are all financial burdens that bother Duke, even now that he has finally reached the age of twenty-one and officially graduated from California Art. After graduating from college, his financial situation has not improved, and his credit card has been in a negative state.

What should I do next?

Back at his home in Santa Monica, he can eat his mother's food temporarily, but he is in urgent need of a suitable job, I used to struggle for more than ten years to achieve the position of assistant director. Still need such a long process?

It is now 1991, and every year that passes, the opportunity he can get will be reduced by one point. Duke has waited for 21 years, and has accumulated more than ten years of study. Moments, a desperate need for an opportunity, an opportunity to make a real film.

But who doesn't need a chance? Who wants to go to Hollywood who doesn't need a chance?

Thinking of this, Duke stood up and opened the closet, took out his formal clothes, and walked to the full-length mirror, Maybe Lovett can help me?

Lovett is Duke's agent. Unlike Duke's temporary career, who has been with Duke for a few years without any improvement, Lovett is good at drilling camps. After several years of hard work, he is now an agent of the younger generation that CAA attaches more importance to.

Duke is very clear about what CAA means to Hollywood now. In fact, his brokerage contract is about to expire. This time when Yolovet met, he also wanted to initially discuss the renewal of the contract. After all, if he could use the power of CAA, he said He is not allowed to take a lot of detours.

Taking off his slouchy loungewear and putting on a neat formal suit, Duke looked at himself in the mirror again, as a well-bred man, he didn't want to make a mistake in such an important meeting.

The dark brown medium and short hair inherited from his mother is neatly divided on both sides of the top of the head. Above the tall nose are deep eye sockets. One of the pair of black eyes shows the depth and restraint different from the age. The tough lines on the face seem to be rice. Carved by Angelo...

Perhaps it's easier to succeed as a vase man in a commercial film?

Looking at his apparently half-breed appearance, combined with his six-foot-one height, Duke couldn't help thinking of another aspect, and shook his head.

He wants to be the man in charge of the set, not a vase.

After tidying up a little, Duke walked out of the rented apartment, locked the door, went downstairs, got into his second-hand Chevrolet on the side of the road, and drove towards the location of the California Institute of the Arts.

As a satellite city of Los Angeles, Valencia is not too big, and Duke's residence is not too far from the school. After passing through Center Street and turning two intersections, the car successfully arrived at the side entrance of the California Institute of the Arts.

The location Lovett specified was in a cafe next to the side door. Duke found a parking space on the side of the road and parked his Chevrolet, bypassed a green belt, and pushed open the glass door of the cafe.

Entering the door and turning left, Duke saw Lovett in the quiet corner at the end of the passage, but it was different from what he thought, and there was another person beside Lovett.

Why is he here?

With a slight frown, Duke strode over. Lovett obviously saw him and nodded, Duke.

Hi, Lovett.

Duke greeted him familiarly, pulled out the chair and sat directly opposite Lovett, then stretched out his hand to the other side, Hello, Rick Solomon, I didn't expect to see you here.

The other party did not intend to shake hands at all, but simply waved his hand.

Withdrawing his right hand, Duke did not go to see Rick Solomon, who was his classmate at CalArts. The relationship between the two was very general, the quarterback of the college football team and the pursuit of cheerleader captain, etc. In terms of things, there has been direct competition.

Of course, Rick Solomon was the loser.

He didn't come here to be angry with the other party. Duke looked directly at the opposite side. Like all Hollywood agents, Lovett wore a neat suit with a professional shrewdness and indifference on his face.

Lovett,

Seeing that the other party didn't mean to speak, Duke had to take the lead in saying, New contract...

Sorry, Duke!

Putting down the coffee cup, Lovett directly interrupted him, Some things were not made clear on the phone. I came to Valencia this time to discuss the brokerage contract with Mr. Solomon...

He paused for a moment and said rudely, CAA will evaluate every artist under its umbrella, but Duke, your acting skills are very bad, and you haven't made any progress. As for what you said about becoming a director, sorry, I There is no chance of success in sight, so neither CAA nor I will be renewing your contract with you.

Hearing these somewhat unexpected words, Duke raised his head slightly, and looked at his manager with a little surprise—the hope of hugging his thighs was about to fail...

terribly sorry.

Having said that, Lovett didn't have any regrets, The management of the company has officially invited me to become one of the partners, and I will cross-manage some well-known artists. The work and resources in my hands will increase, and there is no extra energy. Planning for the future for those who see no hope...

Although Lovett's face was still shrewd and dull, Duke was not a person with shallow experience. He could read the uncontrollable complacency from the curved eyes and upturned corners of his mouth.

Indeed, to be a partner of CAA, there is indeed a sense of self-confidence, and it is understandable to give up such a newcomer who seems to have no future.

Almost in the blink of an eye, Duke's surprise disappeared and returned to his original expression. He didn't say anything more.

You know what, Duke.

Lovett stood up, patted him on the shoulder as he passed by, and said slightly arrogantly in a condescending tone of a superior, You have disappointed me very much, you have played seventeen roles in five years, but your career has failed. There is no progress, just follow my advice, you are not suitable for this industry, and you will only waste your time and energy if you continue.

After he finished speaking, he walked towards the door of the cafe without looking back, never looking at his partner of five years, as if he wanted to use this method to show his attitude of giving up Duke completely.

You hear that, you're not for Hollywood.

These words came from Rick Solomon, who did not leave, his tone was bitter and mean, and he continued to stab Duke, who he thought was bleeding in his heart, Lovett is known as the best-sighted one among the newly emerging agents. , but on you, he obviously lost his sight.