Hollywood Hunter

Late into the night, Kate Beckinsale and Rachel Vitz didn't get up until after nine o'clock, were led downstairs to the dining room for breakfast, and again found their way upstairs to an open-plan living room connected to the large terrace of the main villa, where Simon was sitting on the sofa reading a script.

Simon was not alone in the sitting-room.

Fernanda Lima alone occupied the long couch next to him, lying on it and reading a magazine, and across from Simon on the single couch was curled the girl Angela Lindewall, also holding a copy of Vogue.

Because of the open layout, standing in this living room you could look directly out onto the back patio.

On the west tennis court, there were obviously four other gargoyles, now playing four doubles, with occasional squeals of pettiness coming from them.

At first glance, a very laid-back picture of a weekend time.

Just ......

Well, there were just a few too many women.

At such a time when many people's day was just beginning, Simon had already sent off his breakfast guests and spent an hour dealing with today's work.

Regarding the Chinese side wanting Bezos to speak at the launch of the Shanghai data center, upon hearing a certain name revealed by Chen Qing, Simon decisively agreed to make a personal call to Bezos.

On the European side, Celia and the French side had basically reached a tacit understanding, and things were making trouble for a week, which would be over soon without any surprises.

There were various other trivial matters as well.

After dealing with these, no other arrangements were made today.

After all, it was Sunday, and in the past I was sure I would be at home with the women and children, but this weekend I was kicked out and not allowed to go home.

So I planned to spend it here.

In fact, only one morning.

After lunch will fly to New York, next week to discuss with the New York side of the several teams Westeros system of a number of core enterprise bond issuance plan, according to the adjusted planning, Verizon Telecom IPO listing is scheduled in August, but the bond issuance plan will be in the second half of July to start implementation.

In short, it's about hoarding as much cash as possible for the bottom line.

After all, next year is 1997.

Even if the new technology bubble has been overflowing in advance can still hold on, the brewing Asian financial turmoil triggered by the global economic turmoil will also bring a wave of bottoming suitable for the trough.

The meltdown mechanism was created in the wake of the U.S. 87 stock crash.

The first US stock meltdown in Simon's memory occurred in 1997.

The 1997 meltdown in raw time and space was only because it was affected by the Asian financial crisis and ended up being a surprise. This time, things could be very different, as the new tech bubble has risen to a very dangerous high compared to what it once was historically ahead of schedule, and is likely to burst as soon as it is pricked.

Noticing the two Kate's coming in, Simon opened his mouth to greet them, and gave himself a pat on the leg.

Kate would have been generous enough to come over and sit directly on the man's lap, leaning into his arms and asking, "What are you looking at, Simon?"

Simon showed Kate the script in his hand, the cover read Disco Doomsday, "You two are just in time, I think this is a perfect script for you two to be in together."

Rachel wasn't as bold as Kate, not to mention out of place. Fernanda, on the middle couch, saw her coming and offered to get up to make way for the corner of the couch, and Rachel went over and sat down, hearing Simon say that the script in hand suited them, curiously looking over and noting the name on the cover as well.

Kate put her arm around Simon's neck and scanned it, "Disco Doomsday, what's it about?"

Simon summed it up: "The ordinary story of a group of young men and women in Manhattan during the disco popularity of the seventies."

Kate said, "That just sounds boring."

Simon smiled and explained, "It's a bi-art film, the director and writer is Whit Stillman, an authorial director with a unique personal style, Disco Doomsday is the final film in Whit's Metropolis trilogy, his first two films have been very well received, and this finale is just a great script."

Kate held Simon's large hand pulling it over some to look at the contents of the script as she asked, "So what's the role you want me to play?"

Simon: "It's a two-woman movie, and Charlotte and Alice are both assistant writers at the most junior level at a Manhattan publishing house, poorly paid and living on a shoestring, frustrated that they can't afford to rent a better apartment on weekdays. But because the two become friends with an executive at a popular disco, they can often get into the ballroom without having to wait in line, meeting all kinds of people in the process. You'll be playing Charlotte, who is mean on the surface, aggressive, with feminist tendencies, but has a low self-esteem and vulnerability, is quietly jealous of her best friend Alice's brilliance, and can pass out and go into the hospital just because her boyfriend broke up with her."

Kate listens to Simon and shakes her head, "That doesn't sound very flattering, so why don't I just play the jealous Alice and let Rachel play Charlotte."

Simon said, "That would be too mismatched in temperament, Alice is a more restrained and quiet character, Rachel is more appropriate."

Kate was unconvinced, "I can be introverted and quiet, too."

"The point is, if you play Alice, Rachel might not be able to hold up to the role of Charlotte, which as you've just heard, is a character that's actually a bit complex."

Now it was Rachel's turn to listen quietly and somewhat unconvinced. However, she just opened her mouth slightly and didn't argue in the end.

Kate mulled it over for a few more seconds and finally nodded, "If you want us to act together, then we'll act."

Rachel finally spoke up, reminding, "Simon, I have to do Titanic."

"That's okay, the project starts shooting next year, probably late next year, you just have to save your schedule by then."

Rachel sniffed, and there was no objection.

Instead, Kate blinked again and asked, "Simon, it's supposed to be a low budget production, right?"

"We haven't started formal preparations yet, but the budget for a film like this won't exceed $10 million."

"But, when Charlie's Angels is released again at the end of the year, and Rachel's already released The Mummy, by then, the two of us ...... well, the film fee is very expensive."

Simon fondled the slender waist of the woman in his arms and said, "When making this kind of movie, no matter how big the actor is, the convention is to voluntarily take a pay cut, Stallone only got $60,000 for making Police Empire last year, you don't want the full film fee, do you?"

Kate glared, "We can't have only $60,000 too, can we?"

"Even if you add a little, it won't be much," Simon looked at the woman in his arms and said seriously, "Kate, that's actually the rule in Hollywood, if you want to get away from the label of a commercial flasher, you need to be properly involved in a variety of solo art films to add style, while still hitting the awards. Especially since you two have just burst onto the scene with commercial blockbusters in the past two years, you need to slow down."

"Actually, I understand, otherwise I wouldn't have taken on 'Mindcatcher'," Kate shifted gently, but then said, "But I think a film like this, with an investment of ten million, would probably lose money, after all, according to you, I don't even see what's so great about the story . Why would you cast a film like this?"

"Mainly because I like the story and it's not necessarily a loss if you two are in it."

Filming next year, Disco Doomsday's schedule would be the year after.

Not to mention Charlie's Angels at the end of this year, next year, after The Mummy, Rachelle still has a Titanic movie coming out, and by then, as long as things don't go too awry, both women should be the hottest new actresses in Hollywood.

By then, the two will have teamed up for an arthouse film that won't have much trouble turning a profit, at least across the channel.

On the other hand, the deeper reason for investing in making Disco Doomsday is, ultimately, to increase diversity in Hollywood.

If Simon were just a movie businessman, a Hollywood speculator, he would of course be making money however he could, without bothering too much about the long term at all. Now that Simon has adopted Hollywood as his own, which is pretty much the case, a longer-term approach is required.

One of those things is to curb the boring situation that was once the historical Hollywood heavyweight in charge.

The Hollywood of a decade or two later in memory still seems to be thriving, but there is a hidden concern that the big screen audience is shrinking due to the popularity of heavy hitters and even comic book movies.

Not all age groups like heavy hitters or comic book movies, and if the big screen is flooded with these types of movies, some children who are too young or middle-aged and elderly will gradually stop going to the theater.

Compared to the past when movies from the other side of the world were mainly focused on the youth market, the North American movie market has developed over the past 100 years, and up to now, the composition of audiences in different age groups is still very balanced, with everything from 6 to 60 years old, and obviously there is no significant difference in the proportion.

In addition, with the frequent emergence of great Hollywood movies in recent years, the annual number of moviegoers has been rising steadily, from around 1 billion in the 1980s to over 1.3 billion in the past year, with the peak being 1.5 billion in memory.

It then began to fall back.

A big part of the reason for this is that there is less diversity in theatrical films, with heavy comics and other genres taking up too many resources, causing many people to stop entering theaters. It's up to Simon to make sure that Hollywood is as diverse as possible, and to minimize the recurrence of what once was a constant loss of audiences.

Disco Doomsday is the small detail of this big plan yes.

Rachel saw that she couldn't interrupt the conversation, her eyes fell on the side table next to the couch, saw another script, picked it up and motioned towards Simon, and when the man nodded, it was turned over.

The script was called "Club 54".

A general perusal of the opening synopsis revealed that it was supposed to be similar in subject matter to the Disco Doomsday in Simon's hands, which was about a Manhattan discotheque.

Kate, who was nestled in Simon's arms, saw Rachel pick up another script and was curious, "What's this?"

Simon explains, "The 54 Club, two scripts on the same subject, Disco Doomsday is of a flat, petty style, and The 54 Club is more explicit and intense, exactly as scripted, and it's not out of the question that it will be rated NC-17 in the future. I intend to produce both films together next year, which happens to be synergistically promoted."

Kate heard Simon say that Club 54 might reach an NC-17 rating, and became even more enthused, reaching out and asking for the script from Rachel, who subconsciously handed it over and reacted with some aggravation when she saw it snatched away from her.

Simon smiled and handed over the script for Disco Doomsday, "You read this first, and also, Rachel, I've already talked to Cameron, Titanic starts shooting in July at the latest, and there won't be a change of heart this time, I mean, you'll be in Australia by then, probably for a few months, do you want me to pair you up with two assistants?"

Rachel was looking at the script in her hand and froze at the news.

With two assistants?

Immediately thinking of the two beside Kate, he subconsciously shook his head, "No, I ...... won't need it."

"Why don't you use it, of course you do," Kate of course understood Simon's subtext and immediately picked up, "I've heard that the environment over there in Australia is very bad, and there are a lot of snakes, it will be much more convenient to have someone to take care of you during the filming."

"That's settled then," Simon finalized straight away, seeing what else Rachel was going to say, and then stopped, "No refusing, just send them away when you feel you don't need them anymore in the future."

The two in front of her were singing along, and then, not really that determined inside, Rachel giddily agreed.

Sort of a tacit agreement to something.

The other people in the room, Fernanda Lima and Angela Lindewall, listened in silence, both actually a little envious, Fernanda had some sort of additional assistant role by her side after being spotted by Simon last year, but there was only one, but Rachel was two, the difference was obvious.

As for Angela, this was the first time she'd had contact with Simon.

Also, the girl was a little lost because last night, Fernanda and the six of them plus Kate two, eight women, and Simon was the only one who hadn't touched her the whole time.

It was obvious that he liked her verbally and gave her the nickname 'Little Fox'.

Now, what was this about?

Actually thought of one thing.

She was still only 17 years old, which was actually less than legal under California law.

It's just that Angela herself didn't see it as a problem, and she didn't have any thought of taking the man across the street for it. Who was crazy enough to take on someone as big as Simon Westeros like that.

And therefore also didn't think the other man should think it was a problem.

And because of what, then?

Was it because she wasn't pretty enough, or, too green? They say he's into mature women.

Anyway, just apprehensive.

Angela was so worried that there would be no more after this time, and how could she be happy when she thought about the glamour of the girls in the fashion world who could get involved with Westeros?

So until noon.

After lunch, Simon departed soon after, and the six goblins returned with him to New York, and also asked Kate, who decided to stay in Los Angeles for two more days since she wouldn't be in the play until next Wednesday, and Simon didn't press the issue.

On a Boeing 767 private jet.

Probably thinking it might be the last chance to wait for the plane to take off, a certain little fox got more and more aggressive.

In the cabin small screening room, intended to take advantage of the flight journey to watch a second half of the release of the film dailies Simon saw a certain Niko took the initiative to lean in, smiled and motioned the girl to come around to watch the film together, while saying: "This time is a bit tight, if you have time, next time take you to Canada, or Mexico."

The girl is also very smart and immediately understood the situation. She boldly poked her head in and kissed Simon on the cheek, suggesting, "Simon, you can actually do it anywhere. ...hmm."

The girl didn't specify, but Simon understood, smiling, "Of course I believe you, but a lot of times when something happens, some people are completely out of their depth, so I don't reveal obviously unnecessary holes to people."

Think of the Paula Jones case that is plaguing Clinton, and the Lewinsky 'zippergate' that could be implicated next.

Neither party actually wants much to be involved in this process.

Only, in order to combat Clinton, the Republican Party simply all sorts of all sorts of, through the root investigation of relatives, repeated tax checks and other almost rogue means to force the parties to Clinton, in order to avoid the people around them to be implicated as well as their own from jail, whether it is Paula Jones or Monica Lewinsky have to passively serve as a tool for political dumping.

Simon has been very careful not to reveal holes in unnecessary details, not because he's worried about his clients, the worst that can happen is that he'll lose some money, and the last thing he needs is money.

The key was the fear of being taken advantage of by someone with an axe to grind.

Whether it was business competition and or governance struggle, often times everything is used.

Like Jeffrey Epstein, who I just saw again this morning.

The reason Epstein eventually killed himself wasn't because of any of that male-female crap, it was because of the politics of dumping.

The Democrats wanted to use him as a tool to suppress a certain golden fleece, so they reopened a case that had been settled a decade ago. It was only intended to smear some mud on the president's face, but as a result, the lid was lifted, and both the Dems and the CPC, as well as various other royals, super-rich, university professors, movie stars, pulled out the carrot and brought out the mud, and a bunch of people were all involved.

Also each is untouchable.

So only quickly let Epstein suicide.

As for the bigwigs who were brought out, with Epstein shutting up for good and shaking the dust he accidentally splattered on his body, it was business as usual. There may have been some reputational distress, but it was only a matter of time before no one was actually punished for it, and everyone remained shiny and bright.

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