Chapter 018: Burning One’s Boats
Chapter 018: Burning One’s Boats
Aniston did not participate in the next meeting. After Eric drove her home, he went alone to meet the owner of the bankrupt film company.
As she got out of the car, Aniston suddenly said, “Eric, can you leave a copy of the Home Alone screenplay with me? I’ll take a look at it. Maybe I can… offer some suggestions.”
Eric nodded. “Of course. I happened to make several copies.”
Holding the screenplay, Aniston got out of the car and waved as she watched Eric drive away. It was as though she had made up her mind about something before turning around and walking back into her apartment.
Inside a café in Burbank, Eric met the owner of the small film company called Firefly that Drew had introduced to him: Jeffrey Hansen.
He was a white man around fifty years old, his face haggard and worn. It was obvious the collapse of the film company had dealt him a heavy blow. The entire man radiated exhaustion and defeat.
Eric knew that in such circumstances, a person needed to vent. So instead of rushing into discussions about the crew, he patiently listened as the man, clearly desperate to talk, recounted his past.
“My wife, Solina, was one of the top students at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Did you know that? She was classmates with Francis Coppola. It’s just a pity she was only a farm girl from Maryland and didn’t have a family foundation like the Coppolas. Otherwise, her achievements in film definitely would’ve surpassed Francis’s. Even back in school, the short films she shot won all kinds of awards.”
“At the time, I was studying finance. Everyone called me a bookworm. I still don’t know why a young, beautiful, talented woman like my wife fell for me. She said she wanted to become a director, so I stayed in Los Angeles with her. We started from the bottom together, working the most basic jobs for about nine years. I still remember how happy Solina looked when she secured funding for her first screenplay. Her smile was even brighter than when I put the wedding ring on her finger.”
“Later, we founded Firefly Pictures. She directed, and I worked as producer, taking care of everything for her. Together, we made several movies that earned money for investors. We even won a Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. Unfortunately, a year ago, Solina got into an accident while driving back to Maryland to visit her parents…”
At this point, the scruffy Jeffrey Hansen’s voice began to choke with emotion.
It was obvious how deeply he had loved his wife.
Sitting across from him, Eric handed Jeffrey a tissue and quietly waited for him to continue.
“After my wife passed away, I thought I should inherit her dream. She always wanted to expand Firefly and become a great director recognized by the Oscars. I figured that after so many years as a producer, directing should be well within my capabilities.”
“So I mortgaged the company, raised some money, and shot my first movie in memory of her. Unfortunately… the results weren’t very good.”
“It’s alright, Jeffrey. It was only one failure. What Hollywood director hasn’t experienced failure?”
Jeffrey wiped at the corners of his damp eyes. “Thank you. Thank you, Eric. Thank you for listening to me ramble on for so long. I feel much better now. After the company went bankrupt, my son almost cut ties with me completely. He never agreed with me becoming a director. He felt I had destroyed the foundation his mother spent years building. I don’t blame him. I just regret it deeply.”
“Well, enough about that. Drew told me you need some people to help produce a movie?”
Eric nodded. “Yes, but it’s only a low-budget film with a one million dollar budget.”
Jeffrey shook his head. “No. One million is already a lot. My wife’s first film only used a little over seven hundred thousand. By the way, may I ask your age?”
“Of course. I’m eighteen now. Jeffrey, don’t tell me you also think I’m too young and impulsive?”
“No. I just wanted to confirm that you’re legally an adult and fully capable of signing contracts. After all, one million dollars isn’t a small amount.”
“Oh?”
Jeffrey said, “Don’t be like that, young man. I think the one lacking confidence here is actually you. I have no prejudice against young people. Many directors shoot their best films while they’re young. The older they get, the more mediocre their films become.”
“Young people are full of creativity. Filmmaking is a profession that creates dreams. Besides, I believe my team can help you complete your movie very well. They were all personally trained by my wife. They’re highly professional and work together with excellent chemistry.”
“Unfortunately, because of me, they’re about to lose their jobs. Being able to work on your film might actually be a good thing for them. Ah, right. May I take a look at your screenplay?”
“No problem.”
Eric took out the screenplay and handed it over, then quietly waited while Jeffrey flipped through it.
More than ten minutes later, Jeffrey closed the screenplay and handed it back.
“A pretty good comedy screenplay. It also doesn’t seem too complicated to shoot. It’s very suitable as a practice project. I have to say, choosing a screenplay like this was a very wise decision.”
Eric placed the screenplay back into his bag and asked, “Then, Jeffrey, would you be willing to serve as producer for this film?”
Jeffrey Hansen looked puzzled. “Eric, are you sure? My company just went bankrupt because of me.”
Eric replied, “Jeffrey, maybe you’re not suited to being a director, but from what you’ve told me, I think you’re an excellent producer. If this movie succeeds, I plan to establish my own film company. At that point, you could help manage it for me.”
“And I could also take over the team your wife left behind. That way, they won’t lose their jobs.”
Jeffrey was obviously tempted.
Originally, he had already lost heart and planned to return to his hometown farm to spend the rest of his life there. But after hearing Eric’s plans, new thoughts began to stir inside him.
The crew his wife had left behind had worked with the couple for many years. They were no longer merely employees and employers, but close friends. Because of his own mistakes, those old friends now faced unemployment, and Jeffrey felt deeply guilty about it.
He did not deliberate long before nodding. “Alright, Eric. I accept.”
“Then, happy cooperation.”
Eric excitedly raised his coffee cup and clinked it against Jeffrey’s. Their partnership was officially established.
After that, the two immediately began discussing the preparations for Home Alone in earnest.
During the discussion, Jeffrey also learned about everything Eric had been doing recently and could not help marveling in amazement.
Now that their partnership was confirmed, Eric laid out his entire plan openly before Jeffrey.
“I plan to finish this movie in about a month. Then, taking advantage of the influence created by Jurassic Park and Back to 17, I’ll release Home Alone during Christmas.”
“I think that in order to add the halo of ‘director’ onto the screenwriter and lead actor of Back to 17 and create even bigger box office profits, 20th Century Fox probably won’t be stingy about distributing Home Alone for us.”
“So as long as we work hard to make the movie well, this kind of family-friendly Christmas comedy will definitely earn us a fortune.”
Thinking about the Home Alone box office record from his previous life that had been written into the Guinness World Records, Eric’s heart filled with anticipation.
Even if this version of Home Alone only achieved half the box office of its previous life, it would still be more than enough for him to realize his dreams.
The two continued discussing matters in the café until the city lights began to glow at dusk. After confirming many details and exchanging contact information, Eric finally drove home.
As soon as he arrived home, Eric received another piece of good news.
The Runkel couple had agreed to let Stuart play Kevin.
Eric discussed the details briefly with them, and the couple also agreed to the fifty-thousand-dollar salary and one percent box office share Eric proposed.
Although the salary was only one tenth of what Eric had earned from Back to 17, if the box office results were as astonishing as in his previous life, then the one percent share alone would make the couple grin from ear to ear.
Eric felt no reluctance about it at all. After all, Stuart Runkel would have to carry the entire movie on his shoulders.
The next day, Eric had Jeffrey Hansen formally sign the contract with the Runkel couple.
Only then did the couple learn that Eric himself would serve as the film’s director.
Though they were initially hesitant, once they saw the fifty-thousand-dollar check Eric had specially prepared, they signed the contract without further hesitation.
Next came the issue of funding.
Eric originally had five hundred ninety thousand dollars in hand. After negotiating with Michael Klaus, Michael readily agreed to advance him approximately two hundred thousand dollars in royalties within ten days.
After inspecting it, the piano shop owner also reluctantly agreed to accept a return, though he still deducted two thousand dollars for depreciation.
In the end, there was still a gap of around two hundred thousand dollars remaining.
Grinding his teeth, Eric contacted a pawnshop and quickly mortgaged his house at the low price of two hundred thousand dollars.
The interest rate was ten percent per month. If he failed to repay the money within six months, the pawnshop would seize the house.
To put it bluntly, it was basically loan sharking.
Looking at the check in his hand, Eric sighed.
This time, he truly was burning his boats.
If he failed, he wondered whether Aniston would take him in.
Thinking of that naturally made him think of Drew again.
With the life experience of a forty-year-old man inside him, how could Eric fail to realize that Drew had already fallen for him to the core?
If possible, after finishing Back to 17, Eric really did not want to continue having too much contact with Drew.
His feelings toward her were perhaps more paternal than romantic.
Maybe as time passed, the girl’s feelings for him would gradually fade as well.
But for the sake of Home Alone, he had no choice but to seek Drew’s help again, tangling the two of them together once more.
After all the filming funds had finally been prepared, Eric and Jeffrey immediately began rushing around casting actors for the crew.
Eric’s plan was to cast the two dumb burglars, Harry and Marv, from among television comedy actors.
Unfortunately, although they approached several people they liked, either the schedules could not be arranged, or the actors felt the pay was too low.
After running around for two days, Eric suddenly received a call from Aniston.
“What? You’re saying your father wants to treat me to dinner?”
Aniston’s voice over the phone sounded excited. “Yeah. Haven’t you been worried about casting for Home Alone these past few days? I told my dad about it, and he agreed to help you contact some comedy actors.”
Aniston sounded very relaxed on the phone, but Eric knew things were not that simple at all.
At the same time, he felt deeply moved.
Aniston’s relationship with her biological father, John Aniston, had always been very cold. To this day, Aniston still resented the fact that John Aniston abandoned his wife and daughter for the sake of his own career.
In Eric’s previous life, John Aniston had needed to work very hard before his stubborn daughter finally forgave him.
Which meant that for Aniston to seek her father’s help for Eric’s sake was nowhere near as easy as she made it sound.
Eric spoke gratefully into the receiver. “Thank you, Annie. I’ll be there on time.”