I am Hollywood

Chapter 19: Director Williams



[Chapter 19: Director Williams]

"I don't like you, Mr. Williams." John Aniston, sitting across from Eric, said with a tense expression while his daughter stepped out to the bathroom.

Eric found himself at a loss for words and could only shrug, "May I ask why, John?"

John Aniston replied, "For all these years, Jenny has secretly resented me, and I've felt guilty about what happened back then. I've always hoped she could forgive me. You know, she called me last night. It was the first time she initiated a call, and I was thrilled -- almost jumped out of my seat! But the reason for her call was to ask for help for her boyfriend, the guy who might take my daughter away from me."

Well, that was a powerful reason. The saying that a daughter was a father's lover in a past life wasn't just a saying. Usually, the relationship between a father-in-law and a son-in-law wasn't the smoothest.

Eric shrugged again, and the two men fell into an awkward silence.

Jenny quickly returned from the bathroom, smiling as she sat next to Eric, her affectionate demeanor only making John Aniston more displeased. However, considering how difficult it had been for his daughter to show kindness, he wouldn't be foolish enough to explode over it. Thanks to Aniston's mediation, the meal went relatively smoothly on the surface. Just as John Aniston had taken on the position of a senior by chiding Eric about aiming too high, Jenny shot him a disapproving look, compelling John Aniston to agree to help connect Eric with actors.

...

With John Aniston's extensive connections around television, Eric soon found actors for most of the roles. Since John negotiated on behalf of Eric, the salaries weren't too high, which was quite a relief for Eric.

However, Eric hesitated regarding the casting of the bumbling thieves, especially Marvin. It wasn't until Aniston brought her classmate and friend to meet Eric that he made his decision. Upon seeing the naturally grumpy face of the guy, Eric barely had to audition him before he decided to cast Matthew Perry, who would famously become one of the six friends in Friends in his past life.

Following that, Eric and Jeffrey Hansen took several trips to Canada, eventually locating the filming site for Kevin's home in a small town. The hectic schedule caused Eric to lose several pounds in just a week, much to the worry and envy of Aniston.

....

On October 17, Eric's directorial debut officially began filming in Los Angeles. The crew sent several members to the chosen Canadian town to set up Kevin's home, while the majority stayed in Los Angeles to shoot scenes that didn't require snow, like at the airport and police station. After all, it was the world's largest film hub, where filming was a lot more convenient.

The entire crew, from the lighting technicians to the actors, basically agreed to participate in the film due to the money involved and the influence of Jeffrey Hansen and John Aniston. While they had many reservations about Eric, deep down, they held some hope. After all, using Eric's former words: "What if it accidentally becomes a hit?"

They had all read the script of Home Alone and felt relieved that this young, somewhat overzealous director wasn't making deep, artsy films like other young directors. They believed the chances of Home Alone being successful were decent. With a one-million-dollar budget and the buzz around Eric from 17 Again and Jurassic Park, it might even turn a profit. Eric also promised everyone that if the film did make money, there would be bonuses.

...

Jeffrey Hansen wanted to support the crew he had left behind for his wife, so after the filming began, he showed up on set every day. Originally, he intended to offer some assistance to Eric, the 'rookie,' based on his many years of experience. But after just one day, Jeffrey began questioning life itself. It seemed so unfair!

From the moment filming commenced, Eric exhibited none of the typical nervousness expected of a first-time director. He operated like a seasoned director, methodically discussing set piece placements with the set designer and using professional terminology while talking through the next shots with the cinematographer. He directed the lighting technicians to achieve the desired effects and patiently guided the actress playing Kevin's mother, who was over a decade older than him...

Of course, when a few shots repeatedly flopped, he displayed the unique talent that directed scripture came with: the director's roar!

"Ms. Leslie, I want a look of confusion! Confusion, not curiosity! From what I've observed, you definitely have a bit of OCD, so this expression should be easy for you. Imagine lying in bed at night, thinking you forgot to lock the door or that the kitchen faucet might be dripping, but you can't pinpoint what's wrong. Get into that conflicting emotional mindset. Picture that. Oh hell, we've only rented this plane for three hours! Three hours! Okay, everyone ready, let's go again. Nicole, do you want to see the clouds through the titanium alloy ceiling of the plane? Give me something serious, for crying out loud!"

Thanks to Eric's prior excellent performances, everyone on set quickly recognized his directorial standing. So when Leslie, the actress playing Kevin's mother, forgot about those earlier scenes on the plane where Kevin was left home alone, Eric's anxiety about the filming schedule disrupted by repeated mistakes made him yell out. Everyone momentarily forgot Eric's age and froze in silence.

Nicole Frank, a cinematographer in her thirties, completely forgot that the young man before her was just an eighteen-year-old kid. Out of reflex, she apologized, "Sorry, Director Williams, I'll pay more attention."

Many years later, after winning an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Nicole stood at the Kodak Theatre's podium and recalled this moment. "At that moment, my subconscious completely regarded Eric as a seasoned director, not an eighteen-year-old. It was as though he had been born to lead the entire crew."

After another take that failed, the shot finally passed, and Eric breathed a sigh of relief. He soon regretted his earlier outburst and apologized to Leslie, saying, "I'm sorry, Leslie. I might have been a bit harsh just now."

"It's okay, Director Williams. It was indeed my fault. I should be the one apologizing. You know, the way you got mad was actually quite charming," she replied.

"Uh..." Eric wanted to remind her that this was the beginning of Stockholm Syndrome, and she might want to seek treatment.

...

Over the next few days, Eric noticed that the crew members who had initially called him Eric were now unconsciously referring to him as 'Director Williams.' Even Jeffrey Hansen joined in. He understood this meant that the crew had fully recognized him as their director. He became more assertive in guiding the crew; in just four days, they finished filming all the scenes in Los Angeles and moved to the Canadian town.

The crew had already sent a few workers to set up Kevin's home, and although he had guided them only over the phone, Eric was very pleased with the apartment's layout. At the same time, he resolved to win over Jeffrey's wife's crew.

This little town in northern Canada had never seen a film shoot before, so the residents were extremely friendly and curious. Even before Eric arrived, many had asked the crew if they could audition for small roles. With the filming involving Christmas scenes that required cheer, all the townspeople decorated their homes, making it feel like a festive holiday was

happening early.

In response, Eric generously invited several local kids to appear in the movie as extras. The film focused mainly on young Kevin's life and the antics involving the two bumbling thieves. As a pure Christmas comedy, it didn't require any underlying themes -- just lots of laughs. Plus, Stuart's performance outshone even Macaulay Culkin from his past life, resulting in a filming pace that could only be described as rapid. Eric confidently believed they could wrap all the shots within a 2 weeks.

...

Meanwhile, another incident unfolded. While Penny Marshall was intensely focused on post- production for 17 Again in Los Angeles, she needed Eric to record some voiceovers for various shots. Suddenly, they couldn't locate Eric. He wasn't answering his phone, and even showing up at Eric's house resulted in locked doors. Just as Penny began to think the worst and almost called the cops, she finally learned of Eric's whereabouts through Aniston.

On the phone, Penny vented her frustrations, insisting that Eric return to Los Angeles within a week. In addition to the voiceover, Eric's involvement in promoting 17 Again was essential. Naturally, news about Eric filming Home Alone came to light during this call. Penny, adopting a more parental tone, admonished him for trying to reach too high, but she didn't take Eric's film too seriously. Unlike the crew who was invested in Eric's project, she somewhat believed it was just a young man's nonsensical venture.

Caught up in work, Eric was essentially two different people in reality. Although he got along well with everyone on set, that was all there was to it. Matthew Perry, the friend introduced by Aniston, would sometimes strike up chats with Eric. Eric found Matthew intriguing, but his priority was completing Home Alone, so he had little chance to connect deeply with Matthew.

A week later, they finished filming in the small town. Thanks to Jeffrey Hansen and Eric's careful planning, they had only spent about $600,000, leaving more than $300,000 for post-

production.

Thus, Eric generously threw a party in the town, inviting the entire crew and locals to

celebrate all night long. The next morning, while many were still nursing their hangovers,

Eric boarded a flight back to Los Angeles with the completed film reels.

...

After spending half a day completing the voiceovers for 17 Again, Eric dove into the post- production studio Jeffrey suggested and began a whirlwind of work.

In the days that followed, Eric worked over sixteen hours a day and completed the film's post- production in an astonishingly quick five days. Since everything in his mind was practically ready, he was able to wrap things up so swiftly. The editing went so smoothly that the editor had nothing but admiration in their eyes for Eric.

On the fifth morning, a small screening room with only five or six seats was packed with over

ten people, most of whom were from the Home Alone crew. Aniston even made a special trip to watch Eric's directorial debut.

As the faint buzzing of the projector filled the room, the film began, starting from a blue

silhouette of a house under the hazy moonlight...

*****

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