Chapter 2: start from scratch

In southern Los Angeles, Simon Parker is doing push-ups in the corridor after getting up in the morning, he is very dissatisfied with his current body.

Now I only have a normal routine and exercise to compensate. Then I went to the bathroom to take another shower and started thinking about the script.

On the computer screen, I was browsing all types of news, recruitment information, entertainment news, financial news and so on.

Later, on a small page, I found news about RB girls online being betrayed by middle-aged men, boring!

Wait, Simon Parker seems to have thought of something, dating online, is just June 2004.

In my impression, Ellen Page starred in a low -budget movie, "Hard Candy", which is a movie about a girl's revenge on online sex with a miserable uncle!

There are few scenes, little investment, only two or three actors, there is nothing to prepare, it seems that the shoot was done in less than 20 days.

Most importantly, it will be released in January next year, with a cost of about $1 million and a box office of over $6 million, and the film will have some influence on the awards season.

A girl with loud QI took revenge on mid-aged photographer and tied her uncle pedophile who had done illegal things for chemical castration!

As for "hard candy", the script is not very difficult, the important thing is that some producers will surely find this idea.

After eating at noon, Simon Parker went to the writers' union, checked for a long time and found that there was no record of screenwriter.

The following time, Simon Parker was writing the "Hard Candy" script while recovering his body, and paying attention to recruitment information from several teams that were filming in Los Angeles.

Half a month later, the "Hard Candy" script was registered with the writers' union and went to the team of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" to make two appearances.

Now I found another production team, while I do occupation, I am waiting for a producer or film producer to come to me to buy a script.

"Wedding Crashers" is an invested romantic comedy movie released by the New Line Films, which tells the story of two friends who likes to go to weddings to get their ladies of honor.

An investment of US $40 million is certainly not as large as a large investment of more than $100 million American dollars like Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

However, this movie, which is also scheduled to be released next year, is a movie that raised $200 million in North America.

Big Bang, Simon doesn't care now, because recently the "Wedding Crashers" team filmed the great scene of the wedding reception. A total of almost 500 extras were recruited for a period of 10 days.

Simon Parker is one of the extras, with a daily salary of $150, 30 more than the $120 for occupation.

The "Wedding Crashers" team, during lunchtime, Simon and some extra artists ate snacks in an open space.

"By the way, Simon, do you have an agent now?" A girl beside her who was also preaching pieces asked.

"No, I came here after seeing the information about the recruitment of extras, and I'm just a third -class screenwriter and I don't have an agent to waste time on me," Simon Parker met this girl named Jennifer Smith for a week with only 20 Years, like most young people who pursue their dreams, they want to pursue their dreams in Hollywood.

Usually I work as a cashier in a convenience store and often go to the filming team to preach pieces, but since I'm not bad, sometimes I have a chance to let the country blink.

Simon Parker himself never appeared.

"Unfortunately, I originally signed with a small agency, but was terminated last night. The agent doesn't want to waste time on me," said Jennifer with great sadness.

Although there are more than 100 agencies in Hollywood, there are many young people looking for stars in Los Angeles.

Many agents sign some promising newcomers and terminate the contract when they find out there is no development for a while.

There is even more, that they don't even have the opportunity to hire a broker, such as Simon, who have to make others think it's worth investing.

Simon turned his head to look at the defenseless Jennifer and said with a smile: "Don't worry, there will always be a change in the future, at least you have appeared in TV dramas before, and you're still young!" With just

20 years, still very early, Jennifer did not do some theater classes, seems that I have learned dance before, it is very difficult.

"Well, Simon, you graduated from the USC School of Film Arts. Your chances are better than ours. I didn't finish high school. I worked as a waitress, a commercial toys model, and now I'm just a convenience store box "Said Jennifer. Put the lunchbox in your hand.

"The manager also tried to do some tests for small supporting papers before, but everyone failed!" "

Well, this team can only work until Friday and I have to look for a job again, "said Simon., Ten days of work, only two weeks.

For $1,500, Simon only expected his script "Wedding Crashers" to be quickly discovered by the producer or director he wanted to shoot.

"Yeah, today is Tuesday, and it will end in three days," said Jennifer, turning his head to look at Rachel McAdams, the "Wedding Crashers" heroine with an envy face.

Simon is more interested in the supporting actress of "Wedding Crashers," Isla Fisher, the Australian actress, and the future heroine of "Now You See Me."

"Don't look, Rachel McAdams became famous in" Mean Girls "released this year. The actors are much more famous than the actresses," he said. Simon said casually.

"The heroine of both movies, I really envy her! I don't know if I can interpret the heroine at 26," Jennifer could only sigh in her heart.

"Main actress Rachel McAdams and supporting actress Isla Fisher are 26 years old. When this movie is released next year, her popularity will shoot. The box office of" Wedding Crashers "will explode!" Simon certainly knows the impact of a big box office He hit an actor, so there are more opportunities.

"Big Bang? How did you know?" Jennifer thought Simon was guessing.

"Oh, it seems that the current romantic comedy is going downhill, and there are fewer and fewer great hits. Julia Roberts began to rest after winning the Oscar, and then there was a refurbished Drew Barrymore that starred in some romantic comedies with good box office reputation, But the others do not seem to be great, Simon said with a clear expression," I did some research, and this is the romantic comedy that I am most optimistic in the last two years.

"Wedding Crashers"! "

"You, really ..." Jennifer Smith smiled powerlessly, as a movie could be so easy to explode.

"Assembly!" Suddenly came the team's call to summon the group's presentation.

"Start working, let's go!" Simon said, and got up, ready to continue to be a guest at the wedding reception.

Immersed on the team, Simon does not necessarily do just a parallel job, but can do small tasks or other jobs, be paid and better understand the Hollywood studio management model.

At the end of the month, the work of "Wedding Crashers" also ended.

Jennifer Smith, anyway, is also the first friend, and Simon Pike also remembers this low-ranked Hollywood figure, and can help her if she has the opportunity in the future.

Since occupying this body, Simon has not had much contact with his former friends.

All, from scratch!

In July, Simon received no news that anyone wanted to buy his script, so he kept looking for a half period job on the set.

As for the adaptation of scripts, Simon does not like this kind of work. In the current Hollywood model, filmmakers will find screenwriters to write scripts after they have an idea, sketch the script and then improve the script after the first draft.

Three steps, collecting money in lots, a writer or several, or even a lot.

Simon Pike has its own creativity and can improve the script alone. As long as there are producers who like your script, all the income he can will be his.

"Goodbye, Simon!"

"Goodbye, Jennifer!"

After separating from Jennifer, Simon took the car home.

Soon, Simon found another location team in Los Angeles, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants."

Los Angeles is great. Like the capital of US entertainment, there is no shortage of teams. As long as you are willing to face difficulties, there are many jobs in this type of studio.

"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" did not recruit many extras, and Simon was recruited as a different assistant.

In addition, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" was filmed in Los Angeles for just one week, and Simon also accepted overtime on weekends, with overtime payment.

"Mr. Will, the production team is in a hurry to film recently? I hear that the production team will go to Mexico to shoot next Monday," Simon asked his boss during the break for lunch.

"That's right, this is a teenage love movie, a story of four teenagers and a pair of jeans. There are more beach scenes in Mexico, and we have to go to Canada," Will said with a smile. It's not serious lazy, the senses are great.

"I understand. I will do overtime on weekends tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Previous production teams are always off on holidays!" Simon may have brought the thoughts of Wang Yiling. It is normal to do overtime to make money.

"Don't you rest seven days in a row? It's great. If possible, I would like to take you to the place in Canada, but I don't have enough authority!" feeling, and he used it. It was also very easy.

"Oh, thank you! There are a lot of studios here in Los Angeles." Simon didn't follow him to make occupation out there. Filming abroad are to save production costs. After all, although Los Angeles has many staff members, labor and machines are also expensive.

However, Los Angeles is also the largest base of the film industry in the world, has the most complete film system, so it offers more opportunities.

Will smiled and went to take a look at the rest of the set.

Simon also got up and suddenly the phone vibrated.

"Hello!"

"This is Simon, the writer of the script of 'Hard Candy'?"