Chapter 161: Take a Good Look at Me

[Chapter 161: Take a Good Look at Me]

Los Angeles, Warner Bros. Studios, Stage 25. Alexandra Daddario and Amber Heard were riding a beautiful brown horse, and this wasn't just any prop.

"So, with your delicious cakes and my business background, we're bound to succeed! What do you think?" Amber sat in front, holding a frappuccino in her hand, dressed in a white tank top with over-the-top gold accessories adorning her neck and wrist, embodying the "rich girl" vibe.

Sitting behind her, Daddario gulped her drink and replied absentmindedly, "You also have a horse!"

"It's our horse!" Amber laughed sweetly.

...

"Cut! Look at the horse's face. Where's the trainer? Get this damn thing to turn around; yes, great!" Trey snapped her fingers.

The two actresses broke out of their performance, their faces calming as several crew members rushed over to assist them off the horse.

"I can do it myself," Amber insisted, stepping down gracefully onto the ground.

Her dismount was impressive.

Daddario appeared a bit more cautious, needing help from a female crew member as she carefully navigated the ladder to the ground.

The two stars approached Ryan, who was seated in a folding chair, casually playing the role of "producer" without doing much else on set.

Daddario and Amber visually distinguished themselves, almost opposing one another in style.

Amber sported sleek, straight blonde hair that gleamed under the indoor lighting while Daddario had thick, voluminous brown hair enhanced with extensions.

In terms of clothing, Amber wore a tank top paired with shorts and high-heeled sandals, her look a clear nod to Paris Hilton. Daddario opted for long pants, a long-sleeved top, tall boots, and a layered jacket, creating a visually complex appearance.

This styling was a deliberate choice by the costume designer to create a visual contrast while still forming a duo that hinted at partnership -- friendship being the key theme.

Yet, off camera, they didn't seem as friendly as their characters suggested. As they walked over, neither gave the other a single glance.

...

Ryan leaned back, crossing one leg over the other in his low folding chair. He held the title of producer for this series, and he also shared the credit as a writer, while Julie stood by him as the executive producer.

"Not bad," Ryan attempted to compliment the performance, though he couldn't really tell. After all, they had just wrapped the pilot, so he felt obligated to check in.

For a television series, getting through the pilot was the biggest hurdle -- getting picked up was crucial.

The network would decide based on viewership whether to sign a full broadcast contract, commonly known as a "purchase."

Though the network wouldn't cover all costs, they would assume some of the financial burden. The ability to secure a network's commitment was the first major threshold for a show. If a series couldn't even pass this stage, how would it attract an audience?

In other words, if the network didn't pick it up, there would be no reason to continue production. The entire crew -- including actors, directors, producers, and writers -- would be out of work, and all initial investments would be lost.

It sounded harsh, but it meant both parties had a chance for trial and error, a business model that slowly evolved in the industry.

Another aspect of the television sphere was the practice of shooting and producing concurrently, mainly to keep costs down as networks held the right to abruptly cancel shows based on viewership.

"The edit will be done within a week. I'll have Trey oversee it. Once completed, the pilot will be sent to several networks for internal evaluation..." the chubby Julie explained. She had mentioned a television market earlier, but Ryan was too pressed for time and opted for a simpler plan.

"What's the evaluation process like?" Ryan asked.

"Every network has its way of doing things, but they usually organize executive screenings and audience panels to gauge ratings potential, advertising revenue, and audience compatibility."

For a television show, there would be analyses on who the audience was, their age groups, and specific regional interests, all to give advertisers a sense of where to invest their money.

"Okay," Ryan nodded, knowing Julie had two productions this year and was more than capable, and as for Trey... There was no need to ask too many questions.

These two women were the reason Ryan could take a backseat.

...

As for the other two women...

Daddario exchanged a glance with Ryan before tossing her hair and turning away.

"Ryan, how many days are you staying in Los Angeles?" Amber excitedly approached him.

"Only two days at most," Ryan replied.

"Then tonight..." Amber flirtatiously winked at Ryan.

"Tonight, I have to have dinner with Julie and Trey," Ryan nonchalantly replied, although he had other plans.

"I'll be waiting for you once dinner's over," Amber smiled sweetly, practically eager for attention.

"Let's meet tomorrow instead; you don't have anything planned, right?" Ryan thought aloud, fully aware of Amber's intentions.

"I'll book a room and text you the number tomorrow at noon," Amber winked.

...

"Why does Amber get to change my lines? I have more screen time than her in the pilot; I am the lead!" Daddario fumed.

"Ryan, she's bullying me! Trey isn't doing anything about it; you have to stand up for me!" Daddario continued to murmur.

"Ryan?" Leaning against a table, Daddario shifted her gaze and noticed him lounging on the bed, engrossed in his phone, completely missing her complaints.

In an impulsive gesture, she grabbed a pen from the table and tossed it at him.

Ryan rolled just in time to dodge the attack.

"Who are you chatting with?" Daddario's tone shifted as she sulked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, waiting for him to cheer her up.

"Alright, I know you're feeling off balance. Go grab that stuff from my jacket pocket," Ryan instructed without looking up.

Daddario stood up and exited the room. About ten seconds later, she burst back in, making a sound akin to a whoop, her face filled with excitement, clutching a small box adorned with the "Harry Winston" logo.

"Open it for me!" Daddario urged, pushing Ryan.

Ryan set aside his phone and carefully opened the box, revealing a diamond ring -- not as grand as Taylor's, measuring just a fifth of the size, but still left Daddario nearly breathless as she covered her mouth with her hands.

Ryan took her hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger.

"It's beautiful," Daddario said softly, gazing at it in awe.

Ryan, for once, kept his promise, realizing that despite her complaints, her discontent stemmed from feeling overshadowed. Had it not been for Taylor, she would have likely asked for more.

"Honey, honey, honey..." Daddario sweetly called out.

Ryan nodded, acknowledging her affection, but deep down, he understood it was more about her feeling valued. If it weren't for Taylor, she would have had additional demands.

"Don't compete for my attention with Taylor; you two will just have to be sisters from now on," Ryan comforted, playfully stroking her arm.

"Do you like her more, or do you like me more?"

"Of course, I like you more," Ryan quickly replied without a second thought.

"Liar," Daddario teased, but the compliment put her at ease.

"When are you going to let me take your last name?"

"Well... there's no rush," Ryan smiled, albeit a bit awkwardly.

"True, I'm still just a little rat in the sewer," Daddario sighed.

"Eh, what else can you do? If anyone asks, I'll just say I'm already engaged," she declared defiantly.

"I won't cause you any trouble, but you have to treat me well. For every time you glance at her, make sure you double the attention on me!" Daddario insisted, wrapping her arms around Ryan's neck.

*****

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