Chapter 021: Coming One After Another
Chapter 021: Coming One After Another
The test screening for Back to 17 was very successful. Whether it was the senior executives of 20th Century Fox or the representatives of the theater chains, all of them were optimistic about this youth campus comedy.
During the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas season, if Eric had not appeared, 20th Century Fox originally only planned to release one comedy during Christmas on December 23: Working Girl, starring the two major stars Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver.
Now that they had Back to 17, the originally empty November Thanksgiving slot happened to be filled by this film. After discussion, Back to 17 was confirmed for release on November 18.
Eric was very satisfied with this release date. From the film schedule information he saw at 20th Century Fox, Eric discovered that throughout the entire month of November, there was not a single high-grossing film from his memory. It was practically tailor-made for Back to 17 to quietly enter the village.
As for the films releasing in December, three of them alone had entered the top ten of the North American box office in Eric’s previous life: Rain Man, Twins, and The Naked Gun.
Near noon, James Brooks finally brought Eric over to a bespectacled middle-aged man in his forties. This was Carter Hunt, the head of 20th Century Fox’s distribution department.
After they introduced each other, James Brooks left the two of them space to talk. Although he now had a good impression of Eric, the two were not relatives or close friends. He would not waste favors speaking up for Eric’s low-budget film.
“Hello, Mr. Carter.”
Eric shook hands with Carter, and the other party politely praised Eric’s acting in Back to 17.
However, after Eric explained his purpose, Carter refused without even thinking. “Sorry, Eric. The company’s release schedule for this year is already full. It’s impossible to temporarily squeeze in another low-budget film, so I can only apologize.”
This excuse was very weak. If Spielberg were recommending his own film, Carter Hunt would probably have thrown himself forward, crying and shouting, to cling to his thigh.
Although Carter refused very decisively, Eric still fought for it. “Mr. Carter, can we watch my film first before deciding? I happen to have brought a copy. You only need to spend a little over an hour watching it. I swear this is a great film.”
Carter shook his head again.
Many small companies trying to sell him their films used almost the exact same lines. Especially recently, with a popular release season approaching, many film companies without their own distribution channels had tried every possible way to pitch their films to him. Out of consideration for certain favors, he had watched a few of them, but basically none had much commercial value. So now, he was even less likely to waste time on a low-budget comedy made by an eighteen-year-old.
“Eric, you know, my work is very busy right now. I have to arrange the distribution work for Back to 17 immediately, and I also need to attend a meeting at headquarters this afternoon. So I can only apologize.”
Eric was not someone who gave up easily. He shamelessly requested a few more times, but Carter finally became impatient, found an excuse, and turned to leave.
“Eric, how did it go?” When he returned to the group of people he knew, Penny Marshall asked.
Eric gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
Penny Marshall patted Eric’s shoulder comfortingly. “Don’t be discouraged, Eric. Film distribution also requires costs. Many films’ publicity and distribution costs are even higher than their production costs. Once the box office results are poor, the person in charge has to bear responsibility. So you should understand Carter.”
“You spent quite a bit of money making your own film, didn’t you? After this busy period passes, I can introduce you to a videotape distribution company. After Back to 17 releases, with your fame, directly releasing it on videotape should allow you to recover at least some funds.”
“And I think you should focus more energy on screenwriting and acting. Your talent is good. If you keep your feet on the ground and continue steadily, you’ll eventually accomplish something.”
“Thank you, Penny,” Eric said.
Inwardly, however, he felt slightly bitter.
Everyone seemed to be treating Home Alone as an experimental film made by a rookie like him.
He really wanted to tie everyone present to their seats and force them to watch Home Alone once.
Unfortunately, making that idea work would require help from God himself.
Somewhat dejected, Eric returned home.
Since things were already hopeless with 20th Century Fox, he could only try other film companies.
Aniston was curled up like a cat on the living room sofa, boredly watching a BBC soap opera. Seeing Eric open the door and come in, she poked out her small head and asked, “Eric, how did it go?”
Eric walked over and pulled Aniston into his arms, stroking her back. “20th Century Fox refused, but it’s fine. I’ll try some other film companies.”
Aniston sensed the faint dejection in Eric’s tone. She hugged her boyfriend’s waist, lifted her pretty face, and comforted him. “It’s okay, Eric. Home Alone is so outstanding. If they rejected it, that’s definitely their loss. I believe that after Home Alone is released, they’ll definitely regret what they did today.”
“Oh, baby, your words are so warm.”
Eric pinched Aniston’s cheek.
The two could not help kissing each other. After a while, the phone rang. It rang several times before Eric reluctantly released the girl under Aniston’s pushing.
“Hello, this is the Williams residence.”
“…”
“Jeffrey, hello. Is something the matter?”
“…”
As Eric listened to the voice on the phone, his eyebrows suddenly lifted. Aniston knew this was something her boyfriend only did when he was happy, so she curiously leaned closer. However, she could not hear clearly what Jeffrey Hansen was saying over the phone.
Eric nodded and responded a few times, then hung up. He grabbed Aniston into his arms and spun her around several times.
“Hehe, Eric, I’m a little dizzy. Put me down. What good news is it?”
Eric put Aniston back on the sofa and said, “Jeffrey happened to run into a friend from Columbia Pictures this morning and mentioned Home Alone. That friend was very interested in the film. Jeffrey said that if I hadn’t signed an agreement with 20th Century Fox, I could take it there and try.”
“Columbia Pictures? You mean the one...” Aniston made a Statue of Liberty pose.
“That’s right. That one.” Eric nodded.
…
“Amy was one of my wife’s good friends. She’s extremely capable. She’s only in her early thirties, but she’s already a senior executive at Columbia. Two of my wife’s films got investment and distribution thanks to her. Yesterday, I ran into her and happened to mention you. She seemed to know about you, so I told her about Home Alone.”
Inside a café, Jeffrey Hansen explained the course of events.
Eric, sitting across from him, asked curiously, “Amy? You mean the other party is a woman?”
“Of course.”
Eric thought, It can’t be that much of a coincidence, right?
Connecting that with Columbia Pictures, Eric could not help asking, “Then, what is Amy’s full name?”
“Amy Pascal.”
It really was her.
Perhaps in the nineties of his previous life, Sherry Lansing, the first female head of a Hollywood studio who brought Paramount back from its low point to its peak, had more public exposure. But Amy Pascal’s achievements were not much inferior to Sherry Lansing’s. This strong woman ruled Columbia Pictures even longer than Sherry Lansing ruled Paramount.
Eric chatted with Jeffrey for a while longer. Two minutes before their scheduled meeting time, Amy Pascal hurried over.
She was a little over 160 centimeters tall, wearing a black suit. She had long brown hair, delicate features, and an excellent presence.
After they greeted each other, the three sat down together.