[Chapter 13: Building the Team]
A calm man in crisis, decisive and reliable.
For Rachel, a woman constantly on the move away from home, he was irresistibly attractive.
She was an artsy young woman, very sensitive.
Late at night, on the streets, she leaned against a Mercedes, gazing affectionately at Charlie, who was busy on his phone.
She was lost in the romance of their chance meeting, completely ignoring the occasional curses and rough tone in Charlie's calls.
Love is blind, after all.
Charlie spoke rapidly into the phone, occasionally glancing over to give Rachel a warm, reassuring look.
...
In several calls, he reached out to Etto, lawyer Gert, officer Ophir, Fox's VP Benjamin, and even Will Smith.
He asked them to get their teams ready and come over immediately.
The guys agreed right away without hesitation.
...
Benjamin at Fox was a bit impatient at first when he received the call.
But after hearing Charlie's explanation and the new plan, he jumped out of bed, saying, "You're a shameless bastard, a genius! I'm gonna love you to death!"
...
Will Smith was the most conflicted.
He was bored at his new house, complaining to some old band friends.
He reluctantly answered the call, "It's you? I hate you. I hoped after Independence Day wrapped we wouldn't talk anymore."
"Good news, Will, my good friend. Your girlfriend attacked me with backup; I shot her leg. I'm actually planning to send her to jail now!"
"What the Fuck?" Will jumped up.
That was good news?
"Don't get too excited, man," Charlie smiled. "Your chance has come. Listen, you're going straight to the LAPD, play the good guy, and work hard to bail her out. You'll be known across America as the good guy. Then, without any blame, with your poor fans cheering you on, you can finally be with Alicia."
Will's face froze, then he started wildly gesturing.
Charlie spoke fast and his plan was simple, which Will caught on quickly.
Understanding it, he was shocked beyond control.
This bastard was surely not crazy?
Who thinks of PR spin immediately after being attacked?
Oh God!
What kind of mind hides under that 19-year-old body?
...
Rachel also spent the whole night marveling at Charlie, though she only sensed his strong presence.
After Fox's team, Ophir, and others arrived, Charlie left immediately.
Fox's team would handle the legal issues regarding Jada's incarceration.
As a party involved, Charlie only needed to coordinate with Gert on the legal handover.
...
Luckily Gert's small law office had a few assistants; otherwise Charlie would have been overwhelmed.
He couldn't wait to enjoy the beautiful warm scenery.
He and Rachel had worked hard all night; the next morning, they leisurely had breakfast in their hotel room.
...
Before 10 a.m., they arrived at the Burbank Haas building, Corleone Studios' office.
If not for Spike calling and pushing hard, Charlie might have taken a day off to enjoy the warmth.
When Charlie walked in arm-in-arm with the stunning Rachel, those heatedly discussing inside quieted and looked up.
Many new faces were there, mostly job applicants.
Everyone had just been fired up discussing the early morning news about Will Smith.
It left them stunned. Meeting this young, decisive, and ruthless boss in the headlines made them nervous.
Even Spike was a bit stunned, "Uh, hello."
Charlie laughed awkwardly, "Why are you all staring at me like that?"
Etto, still tired, stepped forward, "Godfather, everyone cares about you. Do you need to stay out of this attack case? If there's trouble, you can delay the interviews."
"No, of course not!" Charlie smiled. "Fox will handle everything. I've answered the questions already, there are no problems. Now, let's get to work."
Charlie scanned the crowded reception room full of young applicants and smiled warmly, "Welcome everyone. I should clarify. What you're interviewing for is a film project studio, not a street gang. So, don't be nervous. Spike, please help out; I'm short-handed."
He waved to Etto and took Rachel to a bigger conference room.
...
Etto briefly updated on Fox's promotional handover and marveled again, "Charlie, you're a born Hollywood media tycoon."
They joked a bit, and Charlie introduced Rachel.
Etto greeted her and winked at Charlie, silently saying, "You're impressive, even with the busy startup, you've got time to charm a beauty."
Soon Melche knocked and entered; they exchanged greetings.
She also praised last night's events and added, "Charlie, earlier today I released the news. Several North American agencies have expressed initial interest. Any thoughts? I suggest raising funds abroad."
Charlie said, "That was my initial thought, but time is tight and we don't know anyone overseas."
Foreign capital operates more smoothly.
Hollywood is notorious for deceiving external investors, but foreign capital isn't stupid.
Even with 20th Century Fox's name, bringing in some domestic small funds is feasible.
They can't be greedy unless Fox directly produces and releases it.
But then Charlie could easily lose control.
Melche suggested, "In that case, Yorkton Securities in Canada might be a good choice."
Charlie thought about it, "Keep in touch with them. Once the team is built and the project plan is complete, we'll discuss it."
Soon Spike entered, nodded, and Etto called the candidates one by one.
...
First were screenwriters.
Charlie was developing the project while preparing the groundwork.
As a newcomer with no team, this was the only way.
Some famous producers get an idea, then start prepping.
They present market prospects, target audience, and producer team lists to easily get investment.
Sometimes without even a solid script.
Charlie cleverly hyped the project and secured Fox's investment.
But in follow-up work, he followed procedures carefully.
He avoided getting lost in petty schemes.
Promotion and packaging is the ceiling.
A project's quality is the floor -- otherwise, feeding the audience crap only gets you so far.
Charlie was ambitious; he wanted lasting fame.
The Fifty Shades of Gray script was a well-thought choice.
He carefully studied the Oxford Dictionary and even experienced some scenarios first-hand before writing.
His efforts also led him to Alicia, a perfect opportunity.
The interviewees were independent producers, mostly young.
Charlie purposely declined Spike's old-timer recommendations; he wanted a young team to support him.
Several junior writers interviewed next, but Charlie was not impressed.
Soon Matt Damon and his good friend Ben Affleck showed up.
*****
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