Chapter 66. Beginning of Training

On the plane, Eric was resting with his eyes closed.

Last night, after leaving Chloe Sevigny lying on the floor with her eyes rolled back, he headed to the cafe for a meeting. Now, in his briefcase, there was a signed contract that officially transferred "Whale Rider" under MGM's control, severing all ties with Niki Caro.

After signing the contract, they decided to test the depths and boundaries of their relationship by doing it in the cafe restroom. Emerging under the strange looks of the waiters, they continued their day.

In this circle, such occurrences were not rare. The work of actors and filmmakers often involves long stays in closed places, far from home. There even emerged a special term - "shooting couple."

On set, especially in remote locations with poor transport accessibility, the group can spend several months together. They are all adults living in a world of material temptations. After a few days, they start looking for an outlet for their desires.

Finding a significant other or returning home is often impossible, and hiring someone from outside is unsafe. So, the natural solution becomes a romance with a colleague on set.

Experienced people part ways after the shoot ends, not discussing what happened. Sometimes, if mutual desire remains, the relationship can resume at future meetings.

Less experienced or emotionally vulnerable actors start affairs at every shoot, often justifying themselves by saying they can't get out of character.

However, truly "immersed" actors are rare. In most cases, it's just hormones and desire.

The same thing happened with Eric and Niki Caro. Eric was handsome and charming, and Niki was a mature woman with a certain allure. Mutual attraction led them to a quick and passionate affair that might not have any continuation.

As for Chloe Sevigny, who had been devotedly serving him the past few days, Eric decided to give her a role in "Transformers" – albeit a small but significant one. And when a new project comes up, he'll find an appropriate role for her.

Sevigny was currently busy promoting the film at the Sundance Film Festival, so she could arrive on set only in a few days.

Incidentally, Hasbro's shares rose again, which was a pleasant result. The video of Bumblebee's transformation caused a big stir, significantly raising fans' expectations for the film and strengthening faith in MGM's ability to make a great movie.

On MGM's website, fans left numerous requests for videos of other Transformers. Eric decided to release one video every half month until the film's premiere – such an approach to building hype was not yet widely practiced.

Box office data for "Saw" in its third week showed a 47% drop, with earnings of $21.2 million. North American grosses reached $96.7 million, and analysts predicted final grosses around $120 million.

Meanwhile, it was also released in other regions, except for several Asian countries, grossing $54.5 million in international markets. Total worldwide grosses reached $150 million. Analysts predicted that total earnings would be around $220 million, which is an excellent result for an R-rated film.

Meanwhile, on the "Transformers" set, more precisely, on the training ground, preparation had begun.

A pickup truck roared down the road. Suddenly, a turn appeared, and the driver tried to take it using a drifting technique.

Bang!

The maneuver failed – the pickup crashed into a barrier padded with protective cushions and flipped onto its side.

Seeing this, a group of people immediately ran to the car. Assistant director Patty Jenkins quickly organized the rescue efforts. Soon, the car was righted, and Gal Gadot, covered in dirt and dust, emerged from the driver's seat.

"Gadot, are you okay?" Patty asked worriedly.

Coughing, Gadot managed a smile:

"I'm fine, sorry for the mishap. Let's try again."

Patty Jenkins noticed her hand:

"No, we need to check your injury first!"

After examination by a doctor, it turned out the injuries were not serious, just scratches, and the seatbelt had done its job.

At that moment, the crowd parted, and Eric appeared:

"Gadot, take care of your wounds and rest for a bit."

"Eric, when did you arrive?" Gadot beamed happily.

"Just now. I didn't expect to see such a spectacle right away. I see you're all training hard."

Patty Jenkins suggested:

"Gadot, this scene is too dangerous. It's hard to perform such stunts in a short time. Maybe we should use a stunt double?"

Eric didn't have time to answer before Gadot objected:

"No, I'll manage it myself. It's just driving. Trust me!"

Everyone looked at her, and Gadot didn't want to stand out. If she used a stunt double while others worked on their stunts, it would affect her reputation. Besides, although she seemed carefree, she was stubborn inside and didn't want to give people a reason to gossip about Eric.

Eric understood her feelings. He didn't intend to make exceptions for her. On the contrary, he was stricter with those closer to him.

"Patty, this scene is very important for the final battle and should show the main character's personality and abilities. We can't use a stunt double. The scene has to be real!"

The director gave the order, and everyone had to comply, increasing the intensity of training.

Upon learning of Eric's arrival, other crew members also came to greet him.

Assistant director Neill Blomkamp brought a tall man in military uniform, looking to be in his forties. He was muscular and exuded strength, standing out sharply among the others.

Eric didn't understand military ranks, but from the number of insignia on his shoulders, he realized this was not an ordinary officer.

"Director, this is Lieutenant Colonel Freeman, appointed as our military consultant."

Eric extended his hand, feeling the rough, tree bark-like skin of the lieutenant colonel.

"Nice to meet you, Lieutenant Colonel Freeman. Welcome to the 'Transformers' team."

Freeman smiled:

"Hello, Mr. Eric. I've been ordered to assist you with the film."

"All issues requiring cooperation with the military, let me know in advance, and I'll organize everything."

"Thank you. By the way, several of our actors need basic military training to at least look like soldiers."

Eric didn't finish before Freeman interrupted him:

"Don't worry, I've already sent those young people to the nearest camp. According to the shooting schedule, they'll have a month of training."

"In a month, I'll make real soldiers out of them, even if only on screen."

"Then I'm relieved. I hope we have a pleasant collaboration!"

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