"Las Vegas has been settled. They've allowed us to film on the streets, but on one condition: we can't disturb the public," Salvatore said to the person beside him as they walked.
At this moment, the two of them were hurrying to their next destination.
"That's pretty good. When we film the street scenes, we'll have to be quick and not block the road, otherwise, it'll be a big problem," Kazir nodded in response. "As long as we don't portray Las Vegas too badly or too shabbily in the film, everything will be fine, no problem."
A short while later, the two walked into a room.
Inside the room, there was a small television and a VCR.
"Director Gray."
A young Black man stood up to greet him. He had a very striking Afro, making it hard not to notice him.
"Fremont Smith? Salvatore told me you were the one, right?"
Kazir looked at him and immediately got an impression; mainly, the hairstyle was too distinctive.
He couldn't help but sigh to himself, "This Afro is really something. It's a shame I don't have the ability to grow such a unique hairstyle. My beard, however, grows incredibly fast, and when I'm busy, I don't even have time to shave."
"That's right, it's me. I sent my experimental film to Mr. Salvatore, and I didn't expect him to sign a contract with me after watching it," Fremont said, sounding very excited, his voice trembling slightly.
"Hmm."
Kazir didn't raise any objections to this.
He had heard before that this young man's grades at UCLA were quite outstanding; he was an excellent graduate.
Although many people graduate from UCLA Film School every year, only a few truly make a name for themselves in this industry.
He only remembered Francis Ford Coppola graduating from there, the renowned director of The Godfather!
When filming napoleon dynamite, Kazir had seen Fremont at work.
He was very efficient, often adjusting lights and positioning cameras with Reiner. It was clear he knew his stuff and was very familiar with the filming process.
"How long is your experimental film?" Kazir asked.
"45 minutes, Director Gray," Fremont quickly replied.
"There's a TV and a VCR here, so it seems you came prepared, very thoroughly indeed!" Kazir said with a smile, looking at the TV and VCR.
"Yes!"
Fremont nodded vigorously. He knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
To join a major production crew right after graduation, and as an assistant director no less, this resume alone would be enough for him to boast about for several years.
He had always thought that to become a true director, he first needed to gain experience on a big-budget film like the hangover to go further.
"Then let's watch it!" Kazir said.
"Thank you, Director!" Salvatore breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Kazir's rather positive attitude.
So, the three of them sat down and began to watch the experimental film.
As soon as the film started, Kazir noticed that the color tone was dark and bloody. As he expected, it was a murder-themed film.
The plot was very simple, the shots seemed quite rough, and the dialogue was dry and uninspired. However, one thing was very prominent: there was a lot of blood, red everywhere, making one feel a chill.
Nevertheless, Kazir still quite appreciated Fremont's ability to complete this film.
After all, in this industry, how many projects fall apart halfway through? It's already very difficult to see a film through to completion without it becoming a mess.
"It's alright," Kazir commented after watching it.
"This was our graduation project, and the actors in it are all my classmates," Fremont quickly explained.
"No wonder the acting seemed a bit unpolished," Kazir objectively remarked.
"So, what do you think?" Salvatore pressed for Kazir's opinion from the side.
"As an assistant director, there's no problem. But I want to ask Fremont one last question," Kazir said, then looked at Fremont.
"Please ask, Director Gray, I will answer well," Fremont immediately sat up straight, his expression becoming very focused.
"Fremont, what are your thoughts on action films?" Kazir asked.
"Action films? They're a man's romance!" Fremont's eyes lit up as he said excitedly.
"You're hired,"
Kazir said decisively.
"Tha… Thank you, Director!" Fremont was so excited that he could barely speak, and his body trembled slightly. He quickly extended his hand and shook Kazir's hand tightly.
"Salvatore, contact Enrico later and have him sign a contract with Fremont. He'll be my assistant director," Kazir turned and said to Salvatore.
"Understood… but I'm a little curious, why did you ask him about action films?" Salvatore asked with a puzzled expression.
Kazir smiled and said, "I just wanted to hear his thoughts on action films, no other meaning."
"Do you think he answered well?" Salvatore continued to press.
"Hmm."
Kazir actually already had his own plans.
The reason he asked that question was to find out if Fremont was interested in action films.
If the hangover could be successfully filmed and achieve good results, he planned to launch an action film project.
He always had a grand idea in mind: if he were to create a "film universe," he would need a capable partner to help him.
Perhaps, this Fremont right in front of him was the right person!
"I can't possibly make two or three films a year, can I? I'd be exhausted. I need someone to help me share the burden," Kazir explained. "Just like Marvel, after they became popular, they found a bunch of directors to make movies and TV series. That's how you make a business bigger and stronger."
... The next day, Fremont officially became Kazir's assistant director.
"Today is the script reading, and all the actors are here," Fremont reported to Kazir before entering the room.
"Alright," Kazir responded simply.
The script reading is a major part of the early preparation work, and its role is significant. It ensures that the actors thoroughly understand their roles and know what they need to do and how to do it in the story.
Kazir knew very well that whether an actor had seriously read the script would be evident during the reading.
He hated actors who didn't even read the script and just improvised, as that was a disrespect to the work.
"Even actors who advocate method acting and enjoy improvising should first thoroughly understand the script, right? This is basic professional conduct!" Kazir thought to himself.
He wasn't against actors improvising, as sometimes improvisation could bring unexpected effects, but the prerequisite was that the actor had to be knowledgeable and have a deep understanding of the character and plot.
Especially those actors who couldn't even remember their lines, like those show-offs from his previous life who just shouted '1234' or '12345'—they could drive a person crazy. Kazir just thinking about it gave him a headache.
"Good morning, Director Gray."
Ed Helms was the first to stand up and greet him, a warm smile on his face.
Seeing this, the other actors also followed suit and said hello.
Thus, the script reading officially began.
The main cast for this film was star-studded:
The role of Phil was played by Bradley Cooper;
Stu was played by Ed Helms;
Alan was played by Jack Black;
Doug was played by Pedro Pascal;
The role of Mr. Chow was portrayed by Enzo (Han Eunyoon's stage name);
And Jade was played by Reese Witherspoon.
Of course, Kazir didn't forget to save a suitable role for Reese.
As long as the role was appropriate, he would always think of giving Reese an opportunity. In Hollywood, this was considered a relatively common practice.
After all, in the entertainment industry, personal connections are also very important!