Chapter 6
Itz-bautista, you got it. Just a warning if you're looking for something really romantic. Don't expect a whole lot lol. I do love your pick, however.
alphin_cj that is what I am thinking. I may have him win the BAFTA Award or at least the MTV award, but I do feel like he is too young to win a major award at this point in time. Also, I understand where you're coming from. The MC will branch out into TV, music, and other film genres, but will primarily focus on crime and horror. I had never considered supporting independent films, but that's a great idea. Just remind me because I won't add anything like that till after he moves up more. Of course, he will work openly with big-name studios, but he won't flood Hollywood with his script. Too much success could be just as bad as too little. Lastly, I understand where you're coming from regarding writing scripts for girlfriends, but I looked it up, and Gwyneth Paltrow is the goddaughter of Steven Spielberg. Now I don't know what the relationship is, but an in is an in when it comes to that guy. For anyone else, being friends with future stars by writing scripts for them is just playing it smart.
Fyi, to everyone else who reads my story. I almost always answer all reviews. Suppose you have an idea, an option, or a thought. Share it. Even if it's to tell me my story sucks.
There are two questions at the end of this chapter that I need help with. Feel free to leave thoughts on them at the bottom of the page.
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"Anger, lots of anger. That is what I saw when I first met Ceaser. The same anger and hate I had carried in myself for so many years. He hid it well, but he was angry and ready to do whatever it took to succeed. That is why I helped him and became friends with him. I saw myself when I was a young man, when I looked at him and was afraid of what he would become if I didn't at least try and be a friend to him," Danny Trejo
-Late 1995-
So here I was on the set of From Dusk till Dawn, and I have to say it wasn't too bad to be honest. I mean, none of the sets I had worked on were that bad to begin with, but there was just something about Quentin Tarantino's style of filmmaking that I liked. Pulp Fiction, of course, is one of the greatest movies ever made in my opinion, and the man himself wasn't so bad. A bit of a self-absorbed narcissist, but hey, this is Hollywood. Who wasn't a self-absorbed narcissist? For real, however, he was an okay guy overall. Had a bit of an obsession with feet, but everyone has their thing.
Anyways, it was while I was on the set of From Dusk till Dawn that I noticed for the first time that things were changing for me. First, there was Quentin himself. The man loved movies, most people in Hollywood do. Even most of the executives in Hollywood loved movies. Otherwise, they couldn't and wouldn't do what they did for a living. That said, Quentin truly and passionately loved movies. He loves writing, directing, and acting in them, especially horror films and crime thrillers. So, when Se7en came out, he went to see it and loved it, calling it one of, if not the best, film of the year. He even went as far as to say that he thought David should win the Academy Award for best director.
Then he found out that the person who wrote the script for Se7en was working on the set. He wasted little time coming over to speak with me about it, which was a bit of a surprise because I was just a writer. You see, in Hollywood, most people viewed screenwriters as the lowest-level employees, but with Quentin himself being a writer, he didn't see it that way. In his own words, movies started with a good script. He had seen hundreds of them during his time as both an actor and director. And according to his own words, most are not even worth cleaning your ass with. So, he had a lot of respect for writers who could actually write a good script. He just didn't like the WGA after they fucked him over on credit for Natural Born Killers.
Other than that, he was happy to speak with me about Se7en. He found it equally fascinating and unbelievable that a 19-year-old had written such a remarkable piece. He got a good laugh when I told him that I was actually sixteen when I started writing it and eighteen when I sold it. Hell, the man admitted he couldn't remember what he was doing at sixteen, let alone eighteen, but it sure as hell wasn't writing a hit movie. And wondered if I had any more ideas in my head.
Seeing that I was already on his good side, I shared with him an idea about writing an adaptation of a book I had read called Rum Punch. A book he had not even heard about till I had told him about it. Setting the seeds for the movie Jackie Brown, which he both wrote and directed, anyway, even if I hadn't mentioned it. In my mind, even if he didn't call me to write the script or anything, the fact that I gave him the idea would stick in his mind. Something that could only help me down the road later on.
However, as good as it was for my career to meet Quentin, he was not the most important connection I would make on set. Even if I didn't realize how important they would be in my life until years later, first among those connections was a man named Danny Trejo, who from the moment I first met him had earned my respect for several reasons. The main reason was that, like Alexandra's father, he was from that generation. When a man was only as good as his word, and if you couldn't keep your word, you were not a man. The second reason was because like me he had seen shit.
You only had to meet the man and look into his eyes to see that. Forget about how he looks physically. Anyone can appear tough, act mean, and seem violent. There is no shortage of those types in the world. It was the eyes that told a man's story, and his eyes were haunted by the things he had seen. It was like looking in a mirror, except in his eyes, I saw none of the same hate or anger I saw in my own. It took me a while to realize that he, unlike me, had let go of the anger that filled him and moved on to a better life.
Anyways, it was cool because we had a lot in common. Nothing good, mind you, but we were both men trying to do something with our lives. We hung out, talked, drank beers, and joked around. Looking back, he was the first friend I could honestly say I ever had. If David was like a friend, then Danny was a friend. Because he didn't look at or treat me like a kid. Something that David did occasionally.
Yet in every story, there is the woman. In my case, there would be several, but perhaps the most important of them all was Salma Hayek. Fuck I don't even know what to say about her other than she was beautiful both in appearance and soul. As well as being what some would call a firecracker. Full of passion and a desire to shine as brightly as she could. She wanted the entire world to know who she was without being overly boastful about it. You could say we got along well from the start. Just not in the way I would have preferred.
We were on set after all, so I wasn't going to make a move on her anyway. That said, I didn't hide how it felt about her. Not that I could because she gave me that knowing look. You know the kind I am talking about. The look women give to men when they know you're interested but are not interested themselves. Which, sadly, was understandable. After all, I was 10 years younger than her. Something that didn't matter a whole lot in Hollywood, but she was also very goal-oriented. She wanted to break through in Hollywood, and while Desperado gave her career the push it needed. That movie was more Antonio Banderas' time to shine than hers. Frankly, she didn't have time to think about having a relationship or even a fling with a writer who had one hit movie under his belt.
"Cut, take 15, everyone." I heard the voice of Robert Anthony Rodriguez yell in frustration.
"God damn it Robert again." I hear Quentin say in anger.
Not that I could blame him for being angry, as this was the 12th retake we had done of Salma's dance scene. At this point everyone was getting a little pissed off.
"I am sorry, Quentin, but there is still a glare on the camera 4 and 5," Robert says in annoyance. He had already had the lighting crew adjust the lights half a dozen times and fix the camera angles four times, only to get the same glare.
"Well, someone please come get this snake off me," Salma says, and the animal trainer comes over to remove it. Then she puts on some slippers and grabs a newspaper before she spots me and makes her way over.
No looking up from where I was sitting and eating an apple, I say, "I thought I told you before, Miss Hayek, if you are going to walk up to me dressed like that, it had better be for something more than to bum a smoke."
"Oh, shut up and give me a cigarette." She says in a playful voice.
Putting down my apple, I stand up and reach into my back pocket. Taking out a pack of cigarettes, I gave her one. Then take out a lighter and light it for her.
After she takes a few drags of her cigarette, she says, "You know, for someone who has made his desires for me clear. I have noticed you haven't been watching me lately."
"Ya, well, what can I say? The first time you came out in that get-up, it was a treat. The 2nd time was nice, it was the 3rd through 15th time that it lost its appeal." I say to her in a flat voice.
"Aw, I know, I think I am getting blisters in my feet, and I know I have picked up more than one splinter from those tables." She moans in annoyance.
"Such is the price of fame, Miss Hayek. Just stick with it, and this one movie will make you a star." I tell her, which makes her smile.
"You know you have been saying that from the first day Danny introduced us. At first, I thought it was just you trying to hit on me. But you honestly believe that, don't you?" She asks me.
"Of course I do. Just wait and see. Soon you will be the jack off material of a whole generation." I say right when she is taking another drag of her cigarette, which makes her cough upon hearing this, and she hits me in the chest with her hand playfully.
"Cough, cough, Ceaser really, cough that isn't something you should say to a lady." She says in a scolding tone.
"Why not? I think it sounds quite flattering." I say with a smile on my face.
Rolling her eyes at me, Salma said, "Of course you do, but no matter what you think, it's still not something to say to a woman."
That said, Salma couldn't help but smile upon hearing this. Yes, it was rude, and usually, she would get upset or even angry at someone for daring to say something like that to her. But in Ceaser's case, she didn't mind it so much. In a place as fake as Hollywood, meeting someone so honest was refreshing. There was no subtlety with him. He didn't flirt or make a move on her like most guys. He said what he was thinking, made his attentions and desires clear, but kept a respectful distance from her person. She had experienced a lot worse from those so-called respectful people of Hollywood. Who had laid a hand on her more than once without her permission. Something she was unable to do much about if she wanted to keep acting. If she had to choose between that and someone being bluntly honest, well, she would take the blunt honesty.
"Speaking of being famous, did you see the latest box office numbers?" Salma asks me.
"No, why?" I ask her.
She hands me the paper with the box office totals and says, "Se7en just cleared 100 million and is still climbing."
"So, it has," I say to her in a calm voice.
And Salma rolls her eyes again. She hadn't known Ceaser for that long, but she was starting to get a feel for his overall personality. Behind his blunt honesty, he was also a very cool and calm individual. Who was not easy to impress. As he demonstrated by how he reacted to the news that the movie he had written had just cleared a considerable milestone. Over four thousand movies are released each year, and out of all those movies, perhaps six or seven would clear one hundred million dollars at the box office. It was a big deal, and yet he didn't seem to care at all. She honestly couldn't tell if it was due to supreme confidence and a belief that it was only natural that it did. Or he honestly didn't care.
Whatever the reason, she can't help but say, "Can you at least try and sound a bit more excited?"
I look over at her. Right in her eyes. Not at her chest, which I usually did, and say, "Oh, but I am Miss Hayek. The first obstacle has been cleared. All I need is another hit, and no one can deny my abilities."
"Speaking of hits, have you ever called those people back from Miramax? They wanted to buy one of your scripts, right?" Salma asks. Recalling Miramax calling for him while they were on set one day.
"Not yet, Quentin advised me to hold off till I get an agent this time. So, I have been waiting to hear back from your agent at CCA to see if they would sign me." I say to her.
"Oh, that is right. Now did that go by the way?" She asks me.
"Not too well, we couldn't come to an agreement. Your agent is currently more focused on your career and that of the other talent he has signed. As for another agent, they have expressed no real desire to sign me either." I say to her.
Her eyes widen a bit at hearing this, and she says, "I don't believe it. They don't want to sign you?"
"They do, but the deal they are offering isn't very good," I tell her.
Really, she shouldn't have been that surprised. I was just a writer after all. Not an actor. There was little upside to signing a writer who, in not-so-many words, they said, had just gotten lucky. They didn't believe a 19-year-old had anything else to offer Hollywood and wouldn't give me the deal I was looking for. At least that was until they got word that Miramax was interested in another one of my scripts. As was New Line, which wanted to see if I could do it again. When they heard that they had been trying to get in touch with me again, but I ignored their calls. After all, someone else had shown up wanting to talk, and their offer was significantly better than the one CCA had given me. United Talent Agency was a new agency that had just opened its doors in 1991, but they were growing fast and looking for talent.
"Well, I am sure you will find someone willing to sign you soon," Salma says.
"I am counting on it," I tell her.
"Alright, everyone, let's get back to work," the director says.
"Time to get back to work," I say to her.
"Yes, I guess so, talk later, Caesar." Salma says to me, but before she walks off, she turns back around and adds, "Oh, and let my agent know if you think I could play a role in your new script."
"I will keep you in mind," I say to her with a smile.
And I would. Making friends with a future sex symbol was not a bad idea. In fact, in Scream, the reporter Gale Weathers, whom I have currently dubbed an annoying reporter in the script, didn't need to be played by the original actress. While Courteney Cox was good, any woman over the age of twenty-five who was a half-decent actress could play the part. So why not see if Salma could do the role? Plus, I wasn't a fan of Friends anyway, so why not help someone I already knew over an actress I had never met and was part of a show I didn't like?
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Walking into the office building of the UTA with my lawyer, Alexandra, I am immediately greeted by a man named Theodore Petersen. The very man who would become and stay my agent for the rest of his life. A somewhat short and pudgy man. He was significantly younger than the standard agent, which wasn't a surprise, as he had just graduated from college two years prior and started working for UTA six months ago. Considered young and inexperienced by his colleagues, he had called me up the moment Se7en took off in theaters.
At the time, however, I was unwilling to talk with him due to being in talks with the CCA. But the moment that fell through, I called him back. Now, much more open to discussion. And after a bit of back and forth, we had agreed on your standard contract of 3 years at a 10 percent commission, with the option to terminate the agreement if I don't sell a script within two years. Something we both knew wouldn't be a problem, as I had already informed him that I had gotten calls about Scream.
Today, we were meeting so Alexandra could review the paperwork before I signed up. Which came as a surprise to Theodore, who didn't think I would already have a lawyer. Not that he was worried about me having one. As he had no desire to screw me over right now. He, after all, was starting off himself and had only a few no-name clients under him. He couldn't afford to play such dirty games at this point in his career.
"Everything looks good, Ceaser. You can sign now." I hear Alexandra say to me.
Picking up a pen, I sign the contract. Then, Theodore claps his hands in joy and says, "Wonderful, shall we get down to business?"
"Yes, let's," I say to him coldly.
"Your script, Scream, you said you have gotten calls from several interested parties, current?" Theodore asks.
"That is right, Miramax and New Line," I answer him.
"Have you already agreed to anything with either of their companies?" He asks because it could prove a problem going forward if I did.
"No, but if possible, I want you to cut a deal with New Line and Arnold Kopelson," I tell him.
"I see, is there a reason why?" Theodore asks.
"I have worked with them before." That is all I say.
Honestly, I had debated on what to do with the script of Scream. The moment Miramax called me and told me they were interested in my script, I thought about selling it outright. It didn't matter what they offered me, so long as the movie got made and was a hit; it would have served its purpose. Now I was happy I held off. Since Arnold had called me only a few days later, He wanted to buy the same script.
Having worked with Arnold before, I knew he now had at least some respect for me. It just made sense to work with him again as long as the key players were in place, like director Wes Craven and actress Neve Campbell. So long as they were still part of the movie, I didn't foresee any problems with selling the script to New Line over Miramax. Hell, even Neve could probably be replaced. So long as Wes directed it, I saw no real problems with the teen slasher movie being successful.
"Then I will start there, but I hope you understand, Caesar, as your agent, it's my job to get the best deal for you," Theodore says.
"Of course, just make sure that, like with Se7en, the project involves me as much as possible," I tell him. Ending our short little talk.
Now, all that was left was to see who would get the script: Miramax or New Line.
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Okay, my first question is an obvious one. Do I replace Courteney Cox with Salma Hayek or someone else? I personally don't think it matters either way. So, I am on the fence, so to speak.
The second question is whether I should go with Miramax or New Line again. Again, I don't think it matters all that much. However, with Miramax being part of The Walt Disney Company at this point in time, and New Line becoming a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Pictures in 1996. It could set things up for future films.