Chapter 31: Gifts

Turning and closing the office door behind her, Amanda Seafried approached Ronan's desk, carrying a large paper bag.

Curious, Ronan looked at the blonde girl. Judging by appearances, Amanda was sweet and cute, perhaps due to not yet having undergone puberty; her voice was soft and gentle.

Ronan hadn't seen any of the movies Amanda starred in during her child star days, but he remembered looking up Amanda Seafried's name after watching Lindsay Lohan in "Mean Girls" for the first time.

Hmm... a dumb girl who can predict the weather through her breasts.

Now, what about Amanda? Well, she somewhat resembled Dakota Fanning from her childhood.

"Amanda," Ronan smiled, "what brings you to me?"

"Hello, Mr. Anderson," the blonde girl placed the paper bag on his desk, her big eyes sparkling as she said, "I've brought you a gift."

"A gift?" Ronan raised an eyebrow.

Amanda Seafried nodded eagerly. "Yes." She pointed at the paper bag. "Mr. Anderson, do you like what's inside?"

Ronan took the bag and said, "Call me Ronan."

"Sure." Amanda Seafried replied softly.

Opening the bag, Ronan found it contained golden cupcakes. Inhaling deeply, he caught a whiff of their sweet fragrance, igniting his appetite.

Taking one, he gestured to Amanda. "May I?"

Amanda Seafried's face lit up innocently. "Of course."

Ronan took a small bite. The taste was good, albeit a bit too sweet, but that was normal; American sweets tended to be cloying.

"How is it?" Amanda looked at Ronan expectantly.

Ronan raised a thumb. "Excellent cupcakes." He glanced at the bag. "Where did you get them?"

Amanda Seafried's smile grew sweeter and purer. "I made them."

"You made them?" Ronan looked at the cake and then at Amanda Seafried. Was this for real?

Amanda Seafried continued, "Well, my mom did most of the work, but I helped by adding sugar and milk."

"Your skills are impressive." Ronan praised her at the right moment. "Thank you for you and your mom's cakes."

Amanda Seafried pointed to the bag. "They're all for you. I hope you like them."

Ronan collected the bag. "Today's lunch is sorted."

He smiled warmly, but inwardly sighed. It seemed that every successful American teenage girl had a knack for this.

He remembered reading an article about Taylor Swift when she first started singing. To please DJs at radio stations, Taylor Swift personally made snacks and went around delivering them.

While luck played a part in success, personal effort beyond luck was also crucial.

"I'm off now." Amanda said to Ronan. "Come to me if you want more."

Ronan nodded. "Goodbye."

As the office door opened and closed, he glanced at the mirror nearby. He was still too young, and his good looks didn't exude the authority of a powerful producer. But at this stage, gathering people's support was the most important.

Looking at the paper bag, Ronan stroked his chin. It was probably Mrs. Seafried's idea, right?

Was this meant to please him?

Soon, Ronan realized he was overthinking it.

Leaving the office and entering the studio, he found many people in the crew enjoying the same cupcakes. Even Director James Huang had a paper bag.

"Amanda brought them," he told Ronan. "Too sweet."

Ronan nodded and said, "You have a low tolerance for sugar."

James Huang handed the bag to his assistant to distribute among the rest of the crew, adding, "East Asians generally don't like overly sweet food."

Ronan agreed and changed the subject, asking, "Did you check out the houses for the outdoor scenes? I made some adjustments."

"I did," James replied, flipping through a folder. "Those folks in San Fernando Valley did a great job renovating the house inside and out; it's perfect for filming. Ronan, one thing to note is that we might capture shots of two nearby houses during filming. It's best to give them a heads-up in advance."

Ronan took note. "I'll have Robert coordinate with them in advance."

When shooting outdoor scenes, it was best to have waivers signed by the individuals and property owners appearing in the shots to avoid legal troubles later.

The studio was bustling with activity. Set decorators were setting up backgrounds, the camera crew was adjusting equipment, the cast was rehearsing in a corner, and some actors involved in action scenes were receiving firearm training.

In a small studio like this, conditions were a bit rudimentary.

Ronan asked, "Are we okay to start filming in early May?"

Compared to James Huang, he lacked a lot of experience. Even though James Huang was a genius in this field, he wasn't born knowing everything.

"We're good to go," James Huang said confidently. "No one's interrupting us, and preparations for the shoot are going smoothly. We'll definitely start on time."

Ronan nodded, leaving the shooting-related matters to the director. The basic principle for Hollywood movies to dominate globally was to let professionals handle their respective tasks.

However, he reminded, "Regarding the roles of the Arab and black characters, let's shoot more scenes with them. In post-production, I'll need to edit a version with enough footage of the Arab character."

Having been a producer before, James Huang was not the kind of director who lived in his own world. "I understand. We need to satisfy the financiers."

Ronan couldn't help but smile, and so did James Huang.

James Huang knew very well that "The Reaper Comes" also needed Arab investors.

For now, keeping the Arabs happy was crucial. Since he was from Asia, he had no beef with Arabs, and whether someone who funded his work was Jewish or Arab didn't matter; what mattered was their willingness to finance his project.

Ronan didn't bother James Huang further and took a stroll around the studio. Approaching the actors' training area, he saw the male lead and the Arab actor receiving firearm training.

Using firearms during filming was entirely different from real life. Most of it was about looking cool and badass; whether those poses could hit the target in real life was often secondary.

After observing for a while, the training ground took a short break, and the Arab actor approached him.