[Chapter 1: Ambition]
A suburb of Los Angeles. Early morning sunlight spilled over the tightly packed single-family homes in the Westwood neighborhood.
In a messy two-story wooden house, Charlie Corleone lay sprawled out on the bed, fast asleep under the covers.
A loud knocking rattled the door repeatedly. "Time to get up!"
After quite a while, a few grumbles came from inside.
Mrs. Judy Mario, standing outside the door with a hint of irritation, said, "You woke me up late last night and made me promise to wake you up this morning! It's not like I'm meddling."
"Oh, yes, Mom. Thanks. I was just cursing at those guys who've been driving me crazy these past few days!"
Charlie jumped up, pulled on a pair of jeans, glanced at the clock on the nightstand, and opened the door as he headed to the bathroom.
Judy looked at her son with a mix of helplessness and affection. "You're already nineteen. You really should think seriously about your future. Stop hanging around the streets. You don't seem like a Tennessee boy at all."
Charlie washed up while looking at himself in the mirror.
Nearly six feet tall, his deep black eyes, short black buzz cut, sharply defined facial features, and strong, muscular build gave off an intense, almost fierce vibe.
He'd been here nearly six months and was already familiar with his body, which was similar to his previous life.
But all of this hadn't helped him much.
Living in the heart of America's film and entertainment industry, Charlie never thought about becoming an actor, even though plenty of people suggested it.
Drying his face in a few strokes, he came out smiling. "Mom, besides Grandpa's obsession with The Beatles leading him to name you Judy, you really don't feel Tennessee to me. You work as a book editor and you married a man of mixed heritage."
Judy rolled her eyes and playfully punched her mischievous son. "Don't bring up your deadbeat dad. He went to meet the devil long ago. I don't want you ending up like him. Also, not everyone in Memphis is a musician, Charlie. You're being arrogant and judgmental."
They chatted as they went downstairs, one after the other.
Charlie was an orphan in his past life; having a family now was something he wasn't used to at first. But the friendly way they got along made it easy, and he quickly accepted his mom.
...
At the breakfast table, Charlie grabbed a steaming cup of coffee and took a big sip, smiling. "Apparently you're the same way, Mom. I'm not the same as before. Now I have plans and goals. I'm going to start in film production and make it big in Hollywood."
Judy set eggs and other breakfast dishes in front of him and shrugged. "You really are different. At least you don't get impatient when talking to your mom anymore. It would be even better if you stopped talking back all the time."
Charlie laughed. "Haha, you can't envy me for that. What can I say? I've got an open-minded mom."
Judy couldn't help but laugh and planted a kiss on Charlie's forehead.
Though Charlie looked embarrassed and wasn't used to such affectionate gestures.
After a moment, Judy spoke seriously, "Your plan is too grand, almost like a fantasy. If you want to be a film producer, given your situation, you should start from the bottom as a crew member. You shouldn't have quit the job I helped you get."
Charlie understood this well.
It was already 1996, and even though he remembered a lot of future entertainment industry info in his mind, he had to seize his chances.
Playing by the rules wasn't his style. In this ruthless industry, he was eager to stir things up.
...
In nearly six months since arriving, Charlie had woven his social network and even developed a film project.
He'd gone to countless production companies. The big six -- Warner Bros and others -- only had let him in the door. New Line and Summit, among others, at least sent out ordinary management to brush him off.
A nineteen-year-old outsider showing up with an amateurish film project pitch? No boss with a shred of sense would make promises.
In his past life, Charlie worked in this field, although he wasn't a famous producer and was worlds away from the big investors making massive Hollywood blockbusters.
But he was certain: he had future knowledge and skills, and producing a low-budget indie project for a few hundred thousand dollars would succeed!
Along the way, he needed to quickly understand how filmmaking worked in this time.
Once he built enough experience, he could aim to produce a guaranteed hit blockbuster to shoot straight to the top.
Charlie wasn't chasing wild dreams.
Different eras, business environments, cultures, and workflows all had to be learned.
Future knowledge alone wouldn't win everything.
Except for him, only his mother Judy had some faith in him.
...
Mrs. Mario was happy to see her son's change. Their recent talks showed him to be more than just talk.
Sadly, their family's situation and her own unfamiliarity with the film industry limited the help she could offer.
She worked hard to connect with Wes Craven, getting Charlie a position as a production assistant on the Scream set.
For a complete newcomer, this was a great start -- like having a mentor in the industry.
Several famous producers, like the hotshot Jerry Bruckheimer now, started out under Don Simpson.
Charlie was moved and gladly accepted his mother's advice.
But after two weeks, just as Charlie began to understand filmmaking on set, he got the boot.
They told others he resigned.
The damn Craven had started out making shameless exploitation films before moving on to horror. It was basically more convoluted San Fernando Valley trash.
At first, they got along fine; after all, Charlie himself was not a good person.
Soon, Craven, looking out for certain favors, introduced Charlie to some male friends for for some benefits.
Though it was supposed to be about others, Charlie couldn't accept it.
He wasn't prejudiced against that crowd but hoped they wouldn't force him.
He was drunk, and gave Craven a brutal beating.
...
Charlie didn't tell Judy the details but reassured her, "Don't worry, Mom. I'm going to change tactics and build more leverage. I'll make opportunities come to me."
Judy cleared the dishes, massaged her temples, and widened her eyes. "By that book you wrote?"
"Uh..." Charlie looked awkward. The book was called Fifty Shades of Gray. "Locke told you about it?"
Thinking of an old classmate and rival who had dismissed her son's work as worthless, Judy felt upset.
Then she recalled the book's content and felt a bit embarrassed herself, shaking her head. "I haven't read it carefully. At a recent industry party, Locke said he thought your ideas were okay but your grammar and writing style were poor."
Charlie was helpless. His former self was only semi-educated, so managing to rewrite and compose a whole book was already impressive.
The key was the series of marketing and promotional strategies that followed.
Using her connections, he had spent all his $2,000 trying to win over Locke but still couldn't convince him.
Luckily, they got closer, and Locke agreed with Charlie's marketing ideas.
Locke wasn't willing to take risks but promised that if Charlie made some progress, he'd publish the book.
Charlie had been busy with all this recently.
Finally, today was the day of outcome.
Once the project gained hype, some production companies would notice. With luck, they might offer support to start filming.
Confident, Charlie told his mom, "Don't worry. I've got it all covered. I'm busy today, gotta head out now. See you later, Mom."
Judy walked him to the door and said seriously, "If you run into trouble, come to me. You have to know, in my eyes, you'll always be the best!"
Charlie smiled and gave Judy a big hug. "Thanks, Mom, I will!"
*****
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