America 1987

Chapter 6 Audition

and so……

"That's right," David replied readily, giving her a very clear and specific answer after noticing her probing gaze.

"Your movements are very natural. It's hard to believe this is your first time acting in a movie. Did you do any special research on this beforehand?"

"Hmm...yes, but I've only learned the basics of pottery throwing from a potter in London; I haven't covered much more than that yet..."

Catherine was very modest, but David could still detect a hint of pride and confidence in her tone.

When preparations are thorough, people do exhibit this confident state, which is a good thing and should be encouraged...

After all, the 2010 Japanese remake of "Ghost" was somewhat unsatisfactory.

The male lead, Song Seung-heon, did not practice pottery properly before filming, which caused a lot of trouble and affected the filming efficiency during the actual shooting. In the end, it also affected the female lead, Nanako Matsushima, making the heartwarming pottery-making scene "somewhat clumsy" and affecting the film's box office and reputation.

After giving his positive feedback, David Ovitz turned to look at the two assistant directors beside him, asking for their opinions with his eyes.

"I think that's fine too. Miss Catherine's personal image fits the character's image very well."

"Miss Catherine was willing to learn pottery specifically for this role, and I believe she can portray Mary well based on that alone."

……

The other two assistant directors, who were simply brought in to make up the numbers, naturally echoed the director's words, each offering a very sufficient and convincing reason.

After all, he is both the director and producer, so he has a lot of say. Not to mention that he also has multiple roles as an investor, screenwriter, and lead actor. The set and crew are practically David's personal domain.

and so……

"Congratulations, Miss Catherine Zeta-Jones."

David warmly extended his hand to her, saying, "You're the one we've been looking for."

Catherine smiled and shook her opponent's hand. "I'm honored to be a part of this project, Mr. Director."

Although the tone was very restrained and polite, David could still feel a slight tremor in it. It was clear that the other person was still very excited, but was trying hard to suppress it in order to show their professionalism.

"I will discuss the contract with your agent," David said smoothly, changing his tone from businesslike to professional. "Also, my name is David, David Ovitz. You can call me David, Miss Catherine."

"David? Isn't it a bit inappropriate to address the director like that?" Although Catherine was happy to get closer to the director, she still asked cautiously.

"Of course," David replied, much to her surprise, "It is indeed a bit inappropriate to address the director that way on set, but it's fine if it's an actor."

"I am both the director of this film and the actor who plays the male lead, Sam — David Ovitz."

Although Catherine knew that some directors liked to direct and star in their own films, she was still somewhat surprised that it happened to her own screen debut.

"Because our film is a romance, we might need you to come to the Hollywood area of ​​Los Angeles and participate in some rehearsals with me before filming officially begins. Do you understand?"

This was not beyond her expectations. Although she was only given some fragments of the script before the audition, the main plot was briefly mentioned.

Based on those specific scenes, one can roughly guess that this movie tells a story of a human-ghost love affair.

Since it's a romance film, she definitely needs to rehearse and practice her lines with the male lead before filming starts, and she must have been mentally prepared for that.

but……

Catherine looked up at the director, who was unusually young. Why did it feel like he only made this movie to act out romantic scenes with the actresses?

She couldn't help but have some doubts about the professionalism of this director named David Ovitz.

However, her agent, Anne, was quite professional; she had already verified the project's reliability before flying from London to Los Angeles.

Before participating in auditions, actors usually conduct thorough background checks, at the very least to understand the other party's ability to fulfill their obligations and credit status, as well as whether there have been any past breaches of contract such as delayed payment.

Especially when filming overseas, actors will verify the qualifications of the production team, the identity of the director, and the backgrounds of their fellow actors, otherwise they might be sold out.

For formal projects, the audition notice or project proposal will usually include basic information such as the production company, director, producer, and story outline, so that actors can decide whether it is worth their time to prepare.

In the original timeline, Catherine would definitely have found out the most basic information about how she grew from an ordinary girl born in a small town in Wales into an Oscar-winning actress.

Unlike her colleagues at the Trury Street Theater, who didn't even know the basic common sense that legitimate auditions don't charge actors fees, she was even scammed out of her training fees when applying for extra roles.

"Ghost" is a Paramount production, and with such a big company backing it, its qualifications are beyond doubt.

Paramount in 1987 was at the tail end of its golden age.

Previously, it produced blockbuster films such as "The Godfather" series, "Indiana Jones" and "Beverly Hills Cop". In 1986, it also released "Top Gun", which grossed $3.57 million worldwide. It was not only the highest-grossing film in the world, but also made Tom Cruise, a 24-year-old actor, a star.

Therefore, for newcomers to the industry, Paramount itself represents a top-tier resource threshold, meaning access to big directors, big stars, and big production budgets.

However, Catherine hasn't thought that far ahead yet; as long as the production team is professional and doesn't delay payment, that's fine.

Moreover, while this film doesn't have a large production budget, it's not exactly a low-budget film either.

A budget of $2200 million is already considered upper-middle class, which is a very high starting point for a new actor.

and so……

"I understand, but..." Catherine even added a touch of humor, "If I come here to rehearse, I wonder if they'll reimburse my airfare?"

"certainly."

David added, "As a token of appreciation for your performance, I will personally reimburse you for your travel expenses once the contract is signed."

"Um...then I won't stand on ceremony, David."

Although somewhat surprised, Catherine did not refuse and readily accepted the other party's kindness, even taking the initiative to change the way the other party had suggested addressing her.

Actors are usually not reimbursed for airfare during the audition stage; reimbursement is only provided when reshoots are called back.

Catherine has left.

David savored the feeling of shaking hands, and a smile crept onto his face.

As expected of a woman known as the "English Rose," although she still has some baby fat and looks a bit immature, her charm in "The Mask of Zorro," which combines Western aristocratic temperament with Eastern classical style, is already subtly revealed.

Although his appearance declined significantly after 2010, he was already over forty years old at that time.

and……

David stroked his chin as he recalled that during that time, she seemed to have developed bipolar disorder due to her scumbag husband's outrageous behavior, and even went to the hospital for systematic psychological treatment.

Your appearance reflects your inner state. If you have mental health problems, how can your appearance not deteriorate?

However, David's decision to go to Hollywood to make movies was certainly not just about picking up female celebrities.

Although his uncle is currently enjoying great success, and was even called "the most powerful man in Hollywood" by the media in the early 90s.

But David, who knew the future well, knew that Michael Ovitz would have a moment of madness in 1995, abandoning his position as head of CAA, which he had run for over a decade, and being persuaded to resign and become a co-CEO at Disney.

As a result, he was tricked by Disney's then-CEO Eisner, and his authority was restricted in many ways. He was ousted in less than a year.

Finally, he slunk out of the Hollywood power center with a $1.2 million compensation, forced into retirement, and became a washed-up big shot who lived in other people's mouths and was used as a negative example.

Although David Ovitz didn't have any real feelings for his uncle, he had to admit that everything he had now came from him.

If he were to step down from his position and retire, he would probably lose a major backer.

Having finally transmigrated, I'm really unwilling to just be a spoiled brat. I have to do something, leave some trace of myself.