[April 2, 2012] [Preston HQ, Richard's Office]
Richard sat behind his desk with the Zombieland script open in front of him. Several pages had been marked with small notes, while Jack's budget estimates and casting plans rested in a separate folder beside it.
Jack and Emma sat across from him, waiting while he finished reading the final page.
Richard closed the script and leaned back in his chair. His expression made it clear that he liked parts of what he had read, though he had not fully accepted the idea yet.
"The script is entertaining," Richard said as he placed one hand over the cover. "The characters are strong, and the comedy works better than I expected. My concern is the genre."
Jack already knew where the conversation was going. "Zombie movies haven't been doing well."
"They've been doing terribly," Richard replied. "Most of the recent ones lost money, disappointed audiences, or damaged the careers of the people involved. Both of you are entering important stages of your careers, so I need to ask whether this is the right risk."
Emma adjusted slightly in her chair. "That's exactly why we're interested in it. This doesn't feel like the other zombie films being released."
Richard looked toward her and waited for her to continue.
"The story isn't built around people screaming for two hours while zombies chase them," Emma said. "The four main characters carry the film. They're funny together, they clash constantly, and they slowly start trusting each other."
Jack leaned forward and rested his arms against his knees. "Trust me, this is going to work. It's different from the regular hack-and-slash zombie movies filled with pointless sexual content."
Richard glanced down at the script again. "The humor certainly makes it different."
"It also makes it easier to sell," Jack said. "The audience gets action, comedy, and characters they can care about. People who usually avoid horror movies could still enjoy this."
Emma nodded beside him. "That's why I said yes. I read the script expecting another predictable zombie film, but it actually has a completely unique take. Jack and I talked through the whole thing before deciding to produce it together."
Richard looked between them. "You've already made that decision?"
"We have," Jack answered. "Emma and I will produce it jointly. We'll handle the creative decisions, the budget, and the overall direction of the project."
Emma gave Richard a small smile. "We agreed that neither of us wanted to simply act in it and hope somebody else understood what made the story good."
Richard picked up the production folder and opened it. "How much are you expecting this to cost?"
Jack moved closer to the edge of his chair. "According to my calculations, we can make it for somewhere between twenty-five and thirty million dollars."
Richard turned through several pages containing estimates for locations, makeup, equipment, effects, crew salaries, and post-production.
"You're confident that amount will cover everything?" Richard asked.
"The story keeps the costs under control," Jack replied. "We don't need huge sets or a massive cast. Most of the film follows four people traveling through abandoned locations, so we can use real roads, stores, houses, and outdoor spaces."
Emma pointed toward one of the pages in the folder. "The makeup and action scenes at the finale will take a decent part of the budget, but we're keeping everything else focused. We don't want to spend money on things the film doesn't need."
Richard studied the figures more carefully. Jack had included extra room for delays, location problems, reshoots, and increased effects costs.
"You added a contingency fund," Richard said.
"I knew you'd check," Jack replied.
"I would have sent you back to redo the entire budget without one."
"That's why I added it before coming here."
Richard continued reading until he reached the revenue projections near the back. "You expect this to cross one hundred million dollars at the box office."
Jack nodded confidently. "That's my projection."
"You sound so sure about that number," Richard said.
"The budget is reasonable, and the concept is easy to understand," Jack explained. "A strong trailer will show people exactly what they're getting. Comedy, zombies, action, and four characters trying to survive each other as much as everything around them. And our combined star power will also play a big role."
Emma rested her hands together in her lap. "The story also has enough heart to keep it from feeling empty. Audiences will come for the comedy, but they'll remember the characters."
Richard looked at the numbers again. "What happens if the film stops below one hundred million?"
"We'll still have a chance to earn money because the production cost is controlled," Jack answered. "We're not building the plan around an impossible result. Crossing one hundred million is the realistic goal, while anything higher gives us a very strong return."
Richard closed the budget folder and reached for the casting file. "You said that the limited cast was another advantage."
"There are only four main characters," Jack said. "That removes the need to spend months casting dozens of important roles. It also lets us focus more time and money on finding the right four people."
Emma glanced toward Jack. "Two of those roles are already handled."
Richard looked at her. "You're playing Wichita."
"That's the plan," Emma replied. "Jack will play Columbus, while we still need the right people for Tallahassee and Little Rock."
Jack opened the casting file to the first page. "I made a shortlist for both roles, along with backup choices in case scheduling becomes a problem. I also included salary estimates and availability."
Richard scanned the names without commenting immediately. Each choice had notes explaining why the actor suited the character, what kind of audience they might attract, and how they would fit with Jack and Emma.
"You did your homework," Richard said.
"I didn't want to walk in here with nothing but confidence," Jack replied. "I know confidence doesn't arrange locations or keep a production on schedule."
Emma glanced at Richard with a faint smile. "He has been working on those folders for months."
Jack looked toward her. "You helped with them."
"I corrected them after you worked on them for months."
Richard placed the casting file beside the script. "You two have the story, financing plan, budget, and casting shortlist. What exactly do you need from me?"
Jack exchanged a brief look with Emma before answering. "We want you to handle the business side that requires experience and industry contacts. You know, we give you the money, and you do your usual magic. We're the producers just in name; you handle everything as usual, Dad."
Richard chuckled a little as he looked toward Emma.
"We almost got scammed last month after we tried to find a director. So, please, help us out," Emma said as she gave an awkward smile.
"Yeah, they tried to steal the script. So, we don't want to take any unnecessary risk," Jack chimed in.
"Alright. I'll become the proxy producer. But if the movie flops, it'll be on you two. Remember that," Richard said with a serious expression.
..
Jack and Emma stepped out of Richard's office after discussing the contract and headed toward the parking area. The tension from the meeting had eased, and Jack looked noticeably more relaxed now that his father had agreed to handle the business side of the production.
Emma glanced at him as they walked. "So, you're done with the promotions for your new movie?"
"Yep," Jack said. "Everything in my contract is finished, and I'm not going to any extra events or promotions outside it."
"They've been bugging you about television appearances, huh?"
"Oh yeah. It's getting really annoying." Jack adjusted the folder under his arm. "Still, what can they do? I fulfilled my contract. If I get another text, email, or call, I'm forwarding it straight to my legal team."
He looked toward her. "How did you know?"
"I dealt with the same thing at Twentieth Century Fox," Emma said. "It was a nightmare."
They reached the parking lot, and Emma pulled out her car keys. "Anyway, do you have lunch plans?"
"Haley took some cooking lessons, and she's making lunch today." Jack tried to sound confident. "So, I'm looking forward to it."
Emma noticed the slight flinch in his expression, even though he was doing his best to stay positive.
"She can't cook, can she?"
Jack sighed. "She's a disaster in the kitchen. We tried cooking together a couple of times, and things didn't go as planned. She took two weeks of classes, though, so I'm looking forward to seeing the improvement. Don't tell her I said that."
Emma laughed as she opened her car door. "You're not looking forward to it."
Jack gave her a resigned smile. "I've learned to stay positive."
--
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