Dreams of Stardom (Hollywood SI)

March 2005, Kloves Residence, London

"I swear, I'm not producing another movie for years to come," I said with utmost seriousness. "At least not with so much of my direct involvement in the process. I don't know what I would have done had you not helped me with this, Dad."

"Now you're just being dramatic," Dad replied. "I'm sure you would've been fine. At most it would have been postponed a little because of Tobias' absence."

That was sort of true. Because of his sister's wedding, Tobias had been busy in New York and wouldn't be back to London for another two days to resume his duties. Given my packed promotion schedule for [Perks], I'd asked Dad to co-produce the film with me, a suggestion he had readily accepted.

"It was a nice thing you did for Tobias, by the way," Dad said, shifting the topic.

"It was nothing," I waved it off. "I just had this great idea for the video of the song I performed there. So my motives weren't entirely selfless."

Dad hummed thoughtfully before asking, "Was booking a luxury trip to Switzerland also selfish in some way?" At my surprised look, he chuckled. "You're still a minor. Any major expenses you make are approved by me. So, of course, I know."

I shrugged, not keen to discuss the gift I'd given to Tobias's sister. It wasn't like Tobias couldn't afford it, especially after the bonus for the two films I'd given him. But for me, that expense didn't even make a dent in my fortune, while it would be quite noticeable for my dearest assistant.

"Anyway," Dad continued, "back to the important topic. We've finalized the cast with Stephen Daldry—not that there are too many characters in the script to begin with. We've also locked down most of the crew and scouted all the locations. The one major thing left is costume fitting for your character, which couldn't happen without you for obvious reasons. So it's best to get that out of the way tomorrow, so we can start the table read the day after."

I nodded silently. The more Dad spoke, the more I realized how much I preferred handing over production duties to Dad rather than doing everything myself. After producing two films back-to-back, I've realized just how demanding film production is. Most importantly, I'm a performer. I like doing hands-on work like acting, singing, or dancing. Managing a film production is overwhelming while making sure to deliver your best performance as well. I'm happy to invest my own money in the film, but when it comes to the actual production, I'd rather delegate it to Dad. It helps that my father is such a capable producer who single-handedly managed the most successful film series of the 21st century without sharing producer credit with anyone, despite Warner Bros' insistence.

I'd be foolish not to make use of an asset like him.

"If we are done with this discussion, can I go now?" I asked. "I have to learn a ton of lines for the movie."

"There's one other thing we need to discuss before you go," Dad said after a moment. "Your American visa is expiring soon, so I thought we could apply for dual citizenship. With both your biological father and me being American, it should be relatively easy to get approved while you're still a minor. Once you turn 18, the process will become more tedious."

I hadn't considered that. Initially, I didn't want to be tagged as American because of how British everything was in the [Harry Potter] series. Ideally, I would prefer to wait until after the series ended, but I knew that would be impractical if I put it off that long. Plus, dual citizenship would save me a lot of time over the years in security checks at airports and visa renewals.

"Alright," I nodded in agreement. "Get the ball rolling."

"Great," Dad smiled. "I'll contact the American embassy today."

"That's enough of your serious talk," Mum interjected. I had almost forgotten she was there in the room given how quiet she was all this time. She turned to me excitedly. "I know you have a few movies lined up at the moment, but I have the perfect project for you when you're done with your films. It's a real gritty drama we're developing at BBC where you can show some serious acting chops."

"Drama?" I asked, curious. "You want me to do a British TV drama after starring in films?"

My silent question was quiet obvious to anyone with even basic knowledge of the industry—TV acting in the UK is often viewed as inferior to film acting. When a film star appears in a TV show, unless it's a guest role lasting only one or two episodes, it's seen as a career step down. It's different in the US, where some lead actors make as much as a million dollars per episode. In the UK, however, even a salary of $100k per episode is considered excessive. With fewer viewers, UK ad revenue is understandably lower than in the US. On top of that, the BBC dominates the market, and as a government body, it can't pay beyond a certain amount due to internal regulations.

This is why many British actors try their luck in the US as soon as they gain some popularity—landing even one regular role on a US show can be life-changing if it lasts just a few seasons.

"It's a mini-series," Mum explained. "A very talented writer is working on it with me. Right now, it's just an idea, and it'll likely take up to a year to finalize the script. If we cast you in the lead role, we could pitch it to HBO and make it an HBO/BBC joint production, which would justify a higher salary for you. Just like they did with [Band of Brothers]."

"Then why are you asking me now?" I asked, curious. "Why not wait until the script is finished?"

"Because your yes or no can help get the idea funded," Mum stated bluntly. "BBC would then release enough funds for us to work on the script."

"Alright, then," I agreed immediately. "I'll do it."

Mum looked at me as if I were crazy. "You don't even want to know what it's about? I could give you a quick summary."

"No," I dismissed her suggestion. "I want to focus on this film right now. If you tell me the story, that'll be all I think about in the coming days. Besides, I trust you to develop a good script."

The biggest reason I agreed was because I'd been wanting to work with Mum for a long time. We hadn't worked together since she co-wrote [Sex Education] with Dad years ago. While she hadn't ever said it outright, I sensed she was a bit envious of the bond Dad and I shared because of the projects we worked on together. Also, what's the point of being a world-famous actor if I can't help my own family with their projects? Just like I'm helping Evan with this musical.

That reminded me…

"Where's Evan?" I asked my parents.

"Ah," Mum said, with a look of interest. "He's out on a date—with Nadia. I guess they're officially a thing now."

I chuckled, picturing Evan asking a girl out. I still remembered him as the little crybaby from just a few years ago.

"Good for him," I said conversationally. "I hope he'll make time to come over for the table read and the first day of filming."

"Of course he will," Dad said vehemently. "Don't worry about that."

(Break)

(Timeskip)

Evan may not say it out loud, but he was a little miffed that he couldn't direct his own film. It stung a bit that Troy gave chances to novice directors like Rian Johnson and Stephen Chbosky, yet wouldn't take a chance on his best friend. But that was only part of him. The bigger part understood that sometimes sacrifices had to be made to get the best results.

"Alright, so everyone gets the scene?" Stephen Daldry asked for what felt like the umpteenth time.

Emily and Troy nodded dutifully to the meticulous director. The main reason Evan had agreed to go with Stephen Daldry for this film was Daldry's experience directing musicals both on Broadway and the West End. He also had an innovative camera sense, something rare among Broadway directors who transition to the big screen. Having seen Daldry's work with Troy on [Billy Elliot], both on stage and in film, Evan knew how dedicated he was to the craft.

Stephen turned to the crew and gave quick final instructions, "I want you to remove this wall while they're speaking so we can get a closer look at their interaction, alright?"

As the cast and crew took their positions, Evan watched everything intently, thinking ahead to the day he would step into the director's role for a feature film. And he was definitely learning from Daldry's methods.

Evan looked beyond the cameras where Troy and Emily were focused on the scene preparations. He gave them a thumbs-up to show his support, receiving a nod back from Troy before they each took their places.

"Action!"

Troy tried to open the bathroom door, only to find it was stuck. He pulled harder, using all his strength, making the scene a touch comical. Thinking it was jammed, he let go of the handle—only for the door to swing open on its own.

Emily's green eyes stared back into Troy's similar ones, and for a moment, they both froze. Emily's blonde hair fell in perfect curls over her shoulders, and her white sundress, ending at her knees, accentuated her elegance. But Troy didn't look down at all; his breath seemed taken by her radiant gaze. He didn't look too shabby himself, dressed in a loose black tank top and black jeans.

"Ah, shit!" Emily cursed. "You're that singer guy, right? Sorry, I forgot your name."

"Troy," he said automatically. Evan and Troy had decided to keep his real name in the film, since it would essentially launch his music career; they wanted fans to know his real name when they heard his music.

"Right," Emily nodded. "You can go in now, Troy." She smiled like an angel, tilting her head toward the bathroom behind her. "I can't believe they make such sweet bathrooms here for concertgoers. It even has these nice seats outside. Don't mind me if I use this facility a little longer."

Troy smirked at her slip but didn't correct her. He walked into the bathroom and shut the door. A moment later, he emerged without his tank top, only to find Emily lounging on the couch. She shot up in a panic the second she saw his half naked self.

"Hey! What are you doing?" she asked indignantly.

Troy grinned broadly, fully showing his teeth. "I should be asking that question, seeing as you're in my trailer."

Her eyes widened in realization. "Your trailer? Isn't this the public restroom?"

"Of course not! I don't mind using the public bathroom, but it's a bit tricky when 99.9% of the people here are here to see me," Troy replied, stepping closer. "So it's refreshing when the remaining 0.1%—especially cute girls—don't know who I am."

"You think I'm cute?" she asked.

"That's all you got from that whole conversation?" Troy shot back.

"Your music isn't my scene," she explained. "I've heard a couple of your songs, and they're… not my type. They sound too artificial and electronic."

"Are you for real?" Troy asked incredulously. "EDM is the future! In a few years, everyone will be listening to EDM."

"In your dreams, maybe," she smirked. "Honestly, if it weren't for my sister, who's a huge fan of yours, I wouldn't even be here today. And if this really is your trailer, then you have terrible security. And for the love of God, could you put on a shirt?"

"No can do," Troy grinned widely. "This is my concert attire."

She gave him a skeptical look.

"Really," Troy insisted. "I'll just wear a loose robe over it, which the wardrobe team still needs to bring me. I'll drop the robe midway through the first song. Girls go crazy whenever I do that."

"That's ridiculous," she said, "and pretty demeaning to you."

Troy gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his bare chest. "Don't tell me you've developed feelings for the 'artificial musician.'"

"In your dreams, pal," she retorted, turning around to leave the trailer.

"Wait," she paused near the door at the sound of Troy's voice. "I didn't get your name."

"That's because I didn't give you one," she replied playfully.

"Playing hard to get, huh?" he asked. "Is that how you are with every guy, or am I a special case?"

Emily shrugged. "Impress me with your music, and maybe I'll give you my name."

Without waiting for a reply, she exited the trailer.

"Cut!" Stephen Daldry's voice rang out on the set as the scene ended. Emily opened the door again, looking at Stephen hopefully.

"Amazing, you two!" he praised, clearly impressed. "Your chemistry is off the charts—just oozing out of the scene."

"Thank you," Troy nodded at Stephen. "Now, can you tell us where we need to improve so we can redo this?"

Stephen laughed openly. "You caught that, huh?"

"Of course," Troy smiled back. "This isn't my first time working with you."

Evan hadn't picked up on it. To him, that had been a flawless performance by the two actors. If he were in the director's chair, he would have approved the shot for sure.

"What you need to improve on is your body movements," Stephen explained after a few moments. "Especially you, Emily. Because of the cramped space, it felt a bit like you were just reading the script. While your chemistry together is strong, add in little cues, like twirling your hair around your finger or something similar to make Bailey feel like a real girl, not just a character. Also, try avoiding eye contact with Troy every now and then to keep the audience guessing about your true intentions."

"Got it," Emily nodded, understanding.

Stephen then turned to Troy. "As for you, Troy, everything else was good—just try to dial back the arrogance a bit. We don't want your character to come across as unlikable."

"Gotcha," Troy nodded as well, and soon they started the scene over from the beginning.

They ended up doing the entire meet-cute scene between the lead characters a total of five times before Daldry finally approved it. The final take was nothing short of a work of art. If Evan had thought the first take was great, the final one was absolute perfection—perfection that only an experienced director like Daldry could recognize.

At the end of the day, Evan realized one important thing: he still had a lot to learn when it came to filmmaking. Maybe it was the right decision to hire Daldry after all.

___________________________________________

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