King of Hollywood

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"Dennis played the male lead," Adrian turned to Laverne at this point.

"Isn't Dennis a bit too young?" Laverne glanced at Dennis and then at his boss.

"If we're solely talking about age, Dennis is indeed a bit young, but that's something that can be remedied with a good makeup artist. What I value more is Dennis's acting skills. I believe, given his experience, he can absolutely handle this role." Adrian said this while looking at Dennis again, "Dennis, you've read part of the script, tell us how you feel."

"Hmm…" Dennis thought for a moment, "Leonard should have emotions like melancholy, anxiety, regret, anger, and… bewilderment. He killed his wife, he suffers from short-term amnesia, he's constantly being used by others, he has no goal to move forward, so at least two of these emotions should be present on his face at all times. As for how to specifically portray them, that would depend on the content during filming and the director's requirements."

"Very good." Adrian clapped his hands, "I suppose that's not an issue, right, Laver?"

"You're the boss." Laverne shrugged, using this phrase to convey his stance.

Adrian smiled nonchalantly, "I don't think there's a more suitable supporting actor than Joe Pantoliano."

"I'll get in touch with him as soon as possible," Laverne nodded and said.

"If possible, settle it today," Adrian rubbed his chin as if worried this guy might get snatched up.

"I think he wouldn't refuse an invitation from a new Hollywood director." Laverne laughed, raising his hand.

Adrian was taken aback for a few seconds and then burst into laughter. Essentially, "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" met his expectations completely, earning a high box office while also bringing Adrian into the public eye as a new director. This was evident from the few contacts who immediately called to build relations after its release and from the four film companies.

Yet in Adrian's eyes, this still wasn't enough, so after returning home, he declined all invitations, stayed in his bedroom without stepping out, and busied himself with writing novels, new movie scripts, and some script outlines.

"Not completely," Adrian waved his hand to bring the topic back, "I also have someone in mind for the supporting actress, and I'll personally call her when the time comes, so no worries there."

"Alright." Laverne nodded, not asking further questions.

"This time, all necessary departments must be in place. They don't necessarily have to be the best, but everything must be well-equipped. I don't want to experience the London situation again," Adrian sighed as he spoke, "Most people just wore whatever clothes, there weren't professional makeup artists, and even using a reflector panel required reconsideration."

Laverne couldn't help but lower his head in a light chuckle, and Dennis shrugged his shoulders in lament,

"Alright, let's not talk about that. I roughly estimated, the budget might be around 4 million. You'd better find others to estimate again, Laver," Adrian added.

"I will," Laverne acknowledged, then teased in lament, "Didn't expect what's just come in would go out again."

"If the company isn't willing to put it up, I'm ready to invest again myself." Adrian said leisurely.

"Of course not, if it really were like that, then the enthusiasm that was just kindled might extinguish again." Laverne laughed.

For various reasons, Bossworth Film Company hadn't made much progress in recent years, so most employees were rather lackadaisical. But since Adrian took over, good news came one after another. First, the low-budget film won the Best Debut at the Venice Film Festival, and then it garnered box office returns more than a hundredfold. Employees were undoubtedly excited while being amazed. Adding to this, Adrian promptly invested 5 million, not much, but it mobilized their enthusiasm significantly, and their cohesion had far improved compared to before, with Laverne seizing this opportunity to properly reorganize the company internally.

After chatting for quite a long time and instructing on some matters, Adrian left the company. He first went to the Screenwriters' Guild to store away two or three scripts that he had recently rushed out, before returning home. Just as he arrived at the villa and hadn't caught his breath, Mrs. Galen, who was managing the house, told him that Claude had called before.

"Hey, Crow, what did you call for? Don't tell me my funds have gone down the drain." Adrian joked with the cordless phone in hand, looking at the bright sunshine outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

"You rascal…" Claude's wry smile came from the other end, "On this matter, I regret to inform you, Ed, that the final result might be a tad off from what you anticipated."

"Really? Someone assured me there wouldn't be any issue," Adrian responded leisurely.

"First of all, I never assured you there wouldn't be an issue; secondly, don't forget you withdrew part of the funds midway; lastly, do you know how much effort I've put into your matter?!" Claude listed them one by one.

Adrian couldn't help but chuckle dryly twice, "Alright, alright, should I then say 'do your best' to express my gratitude?"

"It's not entirely finished yet, still a gamble left, I'll try my best to meet your request." Claude snorted.

"Thank you, Crow." Adrian chuckled, then spoke in a calm and grateful voice.

After the private accountant had explained it to him, he understood how difficult it was to enter and grab a share at this moment. But Claude not only agreed but performed very well, undoubtedly using quite a few connections and possibly even seeking help from The Godfather.

"Who asked me to promise you." Claude let out a long breath, and after a few seconds of silence, he opened his mouth again, "Congratulations."

Although it was just a short phrase, Adrian knew how much was contained in it. He could fully imagine what kind of mindset Claude had while observing his counterpart over the past two years.

"So, have you seen my work? How is it?" Adrian asked in a relaxed tone.

"Very interesting, I didn't expect you would actually make a film. I was always waiting to see you fail. You never showed any talent in this area before," Claude praised.

Adrian was slightly surprised, then calmly explained, "I was also trying my luck, hoping to give it a shot. Directing is quite simple; by studying theory, you understand it. The key is being able to guide and direct, letting those assistants understand what you're aiming for. Luckily, I did quite well."

"More than well, I heard that the cost of this film was less than 1 million US Dollars, yet almost amassed 30 million at the box office…"

"Conservatively estimated, by the time it goes offline, it should reach 40 million."

"Outstanding, frankly speaking, if the return ratio for investment could be maintained at this level each time, film making would essentially be a profit-overloaded industry."

"Don't dream about it; returns like these only make up a small proportion of filmmaking. Besides, don't forget that cinemas also have to take a cut, distribution fees have to be deducted, and taxes have to be paid, so the actual amount in hand isn't that substantial."

"Alright, alright, no matter what, your debut film was truly outstanding. I still can't believe it's your work."

"Thank you, if you, like me, awoke from chaos all of a sudden, you would also go all out, Crow."

Silence fell on both ends of the phone for a few minutes before Claude spoke again, "Alright, let's not talk about this. Ed, when are you planning to take some time to visit my father's house?"

Adrian smacked his forehead, "Oh, I should… Damn it, I haven't had time these past few months!"

"What's going on?"

"Damn, I'm about to start producing a new film." Adrian said, irritated yet helplessly, "Preparations have begun, and everything has been scheduled."

"A new film? Your first film hasn't even gone offline yet." Claude sounded a bit surprised.

"Yes, I know, but I have a whole set of plans, so… damn it, your call would have been better if it came sooner," Adrian said in frustration.

"Now you're blaming it on me. Can't you make a call once you're back in the country?"

"Alright, alright, Crow, let's not talk about it, okay? After careful consideration, I think I can only visit The Godfather around Christmas." Adrian shifted the topic.

"Christmas? That's at least two months away. Are you saying you can't spare even a day in these two months?" Claude's voice sounded a bit dissatisfied.

"Listen, Crow, since it's about visiting The Godfather, it naturally should be dignified, and I need to pick a good day. Over these two years, I've received a lot of care from him, and I'm very grateful. I hope to make it more formal." Adrian explained, "Here, because of the new film, everything has been arranged, and I plan to finish it within 2 to 3 months like the previous one, and then participate in the Berlin Film Festival in February of next year, so the schedule is tight."

"Alright, Ed, don't overwork yourself." Claude didn't continue the topic.

"I know, convey my apologies to The Godfather… or forget it. I'll call him myself." Adrian thought for a moment and then said.

"By the way, what is your new film about?" Claude suddenly asked.

"Well… an insurance salesman, after being struck on the head during a home invasion by two robbers, suffers a type of temporary amnesia, meaning his memory only lasts 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, everything he remembered is gone. Because of this, he inadvertently causes his wife's death. Tragically, he doesn't remember any of this and subconsciously thinks his wife was killed by the two intruders, so he goes around looking for these two to seek revenge. Some help him, others use him, and he himself, remains in a state of bewilderment, unable to break free from destiny even when he finally uncovers the truth." Adrian briefly described the plot, "The movie is titled 'Memento' — what do you ask for?"

"It sounds quite interesting," Claude commented noncommittally.

"The story itself is just alright, so I plan to work on storytelling, hoping when you watch it, you won't feel a headache." Adrian joked.

"In that case, I must watch it when the time comes—by the way, need any investment?" He finally revealed his intentions.

Adrian laughed heartily, "No, dear Crow, I'm currently following a low-budget path. Don't worry, if you really want to invest, there'll be plenty of opportunities in the future."

(Dear readers, rest assured, certain mistakes surely won't be made; I'm not that incompetent.)

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