Buzzzz~ Buzzzz~ Buzzzz~
The next day, on the Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California, Richard was driving a red Ferrari sports car. Under the guidance of the coach, he switched into full throttle mode. On the highway, besides him, there were Paul Walker and several other main cast members, including Sung Kang, Jesse Chad Lindberg, Vince Matt Schulze, and Ted Levine.
They were all practicing driving together, and they decided to have a little race.
In the end, Paul Walker came in first. This guy had experience with racing and had even worked as a stunt driver before. He drove like a madman, pushing the car to its limits.
At first, Richard could keep up with him, but towards the end, Paul started pulling some dangerous moves like cutting in and brushing past other cars. Richard, realizing he couldn't keep up, wisely settled for second place.
Even though he liked a thrill, Richard knew when things were getting out of hand. He would always choose the safer option, especially after reading up on Paul Walker's background. He became extra cautious when driving.
Buzzzz~ Buzzzz~ Buzzzz~
After covering fifty kilometers, Richard pulled his car to a stop at the finish line. A moment later, the other four sports cars crossed the line one after another and stopped next to him. Lined up on the road were six cars, each a different color—red, blue, yellow, white, black, and green—looking especially cool.
"Haha, Richard, I won! I'm number one!" Paul Walker laughed as he got out of his car.
"Paul, your driving skills are amazing. Better than mine," Richard said, shaking his hand and bumping shoulders.
"Haha, you're great too. You almost caught up to me," Paul replied with a smile.
"Paul, I thought Richard would come in first, but you actually passed him," Matt Schulze, who played one of Dominic's henchmen in the movie, laughed. He was a muscular guy with tattoos, playing a tough character, but in reality, he was a music teacher.
"When it comes to boxing, I can't beat him, but I'm a bit better at racing," Paul Walker said with a grin.
Richard smiled, thinking of reminding Paul to be more careful when driving, offering a friendly tip. But considering they weren't close yet, he decided to wait for a better opportunity.
After three hours of driving practice that morning, the group, along with their coaches, had a drink together. In the afternoon, Richard drove to South Burbank Street in Burbank City, where the New Century Pictures company was located.
Burbank is a satellite city of Los Angeles, just under 20 kilometers to the north.
Known as the "Media Capital of the World," Burbank is home to many large media and entertainment companies, including Disney, Warner Bros., NBC, Viacom, and PBS.
Burbank also hosts dozens of film studios, making it a hub for the film and television industry.
New Century Pictures was located in an eight-story standalone building, which used to be the headquarters of RKO Pictures.
After RKO went bankrupt in the 1960s, the building housed various companies, including an advertising agency, two visual effects studios, and two small production companies.
New Century rented the sixth floor, which had over ten offices, workspaces, and conference rooms, covering a total area of more than 2,600 square meters—a size just right for a small company.
At the new company, Richard met Mr. Frank Marshall, whom Gwyneth had mentioned. He was a balding middle-aged man, not very tall, wearing a gray suit with brownish glasses, and was articulate.
He had previously worked at DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures, serving as a producer, operations director, and distribution supervisor, with a wealth of experience. He would temporarily serve as vice president.
There was also Ms. Jane Wilson, a 42-year-old woman with mid-length black hair and a stern face. She had worked at Universal Lionsgate and would temporarily serve as the company's administrative director.
The next day, producer Arnold Kopelson also joined the company and would temporarily oversee the production department.
With these three on board, along with Richard and Gwyneth, the company's upper management structure was basically complete.
In the following days, New Century Pictures recruited over twenty employees for human resources, finance, legal, logistics, etc., gradually shaping the company structure.
"Richard, the company is now established. For it to grow, we need a clear direction. Have you thought about the future development direction for the company?" Kopelson asked in the office.
Richard thought for a moment, "Pretty much the same as other independent production companies—producing low-budget films. What do you think?"
"Overall, that's fine, but Richard, Gwyneth, you both are actors. Isn't the purpose of starting a film company to make it easier for you to shoot films?" Frank Marshall asked.
"Yes, the company's development should have a focus, a unique style and character, to stand out among the many production companies. For instance, your action films, and Gwyneth's artistic films," Ms. Jane Wilson said, arms crossed.
Richard nodded, "You all make good points. However, the purpose of starting the company isn't just to serve us. At least, I'm not planning to star in any films the company invests in for now. One reason is that I'm an action star, which requires a big budget, and the company doesn't have the resources to invest in that kind of project yet.
Gwyneth, if you have any good projects, you can take the lead, while we also produce some low-budget films."
"Alright, once the company expands its departments, we'll start working on the first film. The next task is to continue recruiting employees and scouting for suitable film projects," Gwyneth said, flipping through some documents.
"Sounds good!"
The company's account currently held $11 million—$8 million from Richard and $3 million from Gwyneth. The company wasn't short on money, just good projects.
After a few busy days at the company and on set, Richard received a call and headed to Santa Monica Beach.
——
By late February, the sun was shining brightly, the sky and sea were a deep blue, and the white waves rolled in.
The beach was getting crowded with tourists, with many skimpily dressed girls and cool guys in sight along the way.
Richard stopped his car in front of a villa near the beach, one of Norman Holiday's residences in Los Angeles.
Both had been very busy lately and hadn't seen each other for a while, so Norman called Richard over for something important.
As Richard walked into the villa, he saw seven or eight young men and women playing volleyball on the beach, including Norman Holiday, his new girlfriend Sharla Style, and Paris Hilton.
"Hey, Richard, you're here too!" Anthony called out, leaning on a deck chair under a palm tree with a beer in hand.
"What are you doing here?" Richard asked, surprised. Anthony had been busy as well, and it had been a while since they last met in such a relaxed setting.
"Norman said he had something important to talk about, so I came over. What about you?"
"Same here."
Richard grabbed a cold beer and sat down on a nearby beach chair.
"Hey, Richard, come play some volleyball!" Norman shouted, waving.
"What did you call us here for?" Richard asked.
"To play volleyball!"Here's the translation of the Chinese text into English:
"Just playing ball? Didn't you say there was something serious?" Richard frowned.
"Haha, isn't playing ball serious? Stop nagging and come over quickly."
"Richard, are you coming?" Paris Hilton shouted, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand.
"Alright!" Richard took off his jacket and stood up.
"You guys play, I'm heading back to the office," Anthony also stood up and said.
"Come on, the work will never end. You should exercise too. Haven't you noticed you've gained weight?"
"Really?" Anthony looked down at his stomach, noticing a bit of a belly. He sucked it in, and the fat seemed to reduce a bit.
"What's the point of sucking it in? The fat is still there. Volleyball is better exercise than lifting weights."
"Fine, I'll play for a while." Anthony took off his suit and walked onto the beach in just a vest.
"Richard, long time no see." Paris smiled and gave him a hug. She was wearing a bikini with hot pants, looking quite alluring.
"Yes, long time no see!"
Paris was now working as a model, signed with Donald Trump's modeling agency. She endorsed many high-end products and was even named the "Trendsetter for New York Girls" by Maxim magazine.
"Richard, I called you over, but as soon as Paris spoke, you came. Are you two... hehehe~" Norman raised his eyebrows and grinned mischievously.
"Yes, we slept together. So what?" Paris laughed.
"Really?!" Norman exclaimed in surprise.
Richard shook his head, "Norman, I put down my work to come here for your 'serious' matter, and you just want me to play ball."
"You two are always working, training, and making money. Is that really fun? It's a waste of time. Don't forget, we're just in our early twenties, the age to have fun," Norman laughed.
"I'm 26, and you're 24. We're not that young anymore," Anthony laughed.
"Don't mention age. You two are getting more boring by the day. Everyone, let me introduce you. This is the world champion boxer, Richard Brad." Norman shouted, pulling him forward.
"Hi~ Richard, I'm a fan of your boxing!"
"Richard, I'm a fan of your movies too. I love watching you fight. You're amazing!" Several girls came over enthusiastically, like a bunch of groupies.
But Paris held onto his arm the whole time, so the other girls didn't push too far. In this circle, Paris was the real socialite, and the others were just followers.
"Richard, let me introduce you." Paris smiled softly, holding his arm as she began introducing him. Most of the people on the beach came from prominent backgrounds.
There was Nicole Richie, the goddaughter of Michael Jackson, Kim Kardashian, the eldest daughter of Robert Kardashian, O.J. Simpson's defense attorney, and Kate Hudson, the daughter of musician and director Bill Hudson. They were all around 17 or 18, at the peak of their youth.
Richard greeted them and chatted a bit before everyone resumed playing volleyball.
"Richard, we're on the same team!" Paris said.
"Okay!"
Ten people split into two teams and began playing lively on the sunny beach.
After over an hour of playing, everyone was drenched in sweat. They returned to the villa by the pool to drink and chat while watching the girls play in the water.
"Richard, Anthony, want a puff?" Norman took out a few specially rolled cigarettes and asked.
Anthony waved his hand, holding a glass of wine as he rested on a lounge chair.
Richard also declined. He never touched the stuff because it carried the weight of blood—family blood and the blood of his fellow agents.
"You two really don't know how to enjoy life. Look at me here, fine wine, beautiful women, and this—this is what high-quality living is all about, okay?" Norman lounged on a chair, blowing smoke.
"Norman, you've lost more weight than before. You should take care of your health. That's a friendly reminder."
"Yeah, Norman, with all your fooling around, can you still function?" Anthony blinked and smiled mischievously.
"Don't worry, it's in perfect working order. Want me to prove it right now?" Norman laughed, holding his new girlfriend.
"No need, I don't have that kind of fetish."
"That's too bad," Norman laughed heartily, slapping his girlfriend's butt as she jumped back into the pool.
"Richard, how's your movie company doing?" Norman asked, putting out his cigarette.
"It's being set up. I was just at the office earlier." Richard said, swirling his wine glass.
"Does your company need investment? I want to invest in your new company too." Norman smiled.
"I asked you before, but you refused."
"A while ago, I didn't have the money, so I had to refuse. But then I heard making movies is really profitable. Last year, that film 'The Blair Witch Project' only cost $60,000 to make but earned $220 million globally. That's incredible, more than my family's company makes in years."
"You're oversimplifying it. That movie had a low production cost, but they spent a lot on marketing—reportedly over $60 million. Last year, rumors about witches were spread all over the internet and TV, causing some big news stories. All that takes money."
Richard shook his head. "The Blair Witch Project" was released in July last year, shot in a mockumentary style.
Before its release, the producers created an official website, posting various news reports about the missing persons, along with handwritten notes, photos, and family information.
Offline, the promotional team placed missing person ads in major magazines and video stores, leading many to believe the movie was based on a true story.
The marketing was so successful that this low-budget film became a massive hit, with a global box office of $220 million.
When Richard first heard the numbers, he was envious and regretted not discovering the goldmine earlier.
But after reading some analyses, he didn't feel as bad. Such films require massive marketing. Without money and a professional team, even owning the rights wouldn't guarantee a profit.
"Even if they spent $60 million on marketing, they still made a lot of money. Also, the Weinstein brothers' 'Scream' and 'Scary Movie' series—small investments of one or two million dollars, easily grossing over $100 million at the box office in North America alone. That's why I asked my family for money to join you."
"Welcome. The more capital a startup has, the better. But keep in mind that investing comes with risks. Just because you make a movie doesn't mean it'll make money. Are you prepared to lose everything?"
Richard laughed.
Norman thought seriously for a moment, "I'm going to take a gamble. If I lose, I lose."
"Haha, how much are you betting?"
"Three hundred thousand!"
Norman slapped his thigh.
"Three hundred thousand? Just three hundred thousand? I thought you were going to be a major shareholder again."
Richard shook his head with a smile.
"Is three hundred thousand too little?" Norman frowned. "How much have you invested?"
"Not much. I'm planning to invest $1.5 million, and Gwen is investing $500,000—a total of $2 million."
"$2 million? That much?" Norman was surprised.
"A film company isn't like a talent agency. You can't do anything without millions or even billions. Two million is just mid-scale in Hollywood."
"Alright, I was planning to sell my shares and gather more money to invest, but Donny wouldn't agree, so I couldn't."
Norman shrugged. He almost got beaten to death by his father, Donny Holliday, over this.
Richard smirked. "Three hundred thousand is still good. We'll have a meeting at the company when we have time."
"Alright!"
"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Paris, wearing a bikini, walked over, drying her hair.
"We're talking about the company," Richard said.
"BAA Talent Agency? How about I join BAA too?" Paris smiled.
"You?" The three men looked at her. At 5'8", with blonde hair and blue eyes, and as a fashionable socialite, she had great physical attributes.
"I've studied acting, and my acting skills are pretty good. What do you think?" Paris asked.
Richard and Norman stayed silent, as Anthony was in charge of this matter.
"Paris, we'd be happy to have you at BAA. But let me be clear, BAA is only two years old, and our resources are limited. If you join, you might not get suitable roles right away."
Anthony explained.
"No problem. My main job is still modeling, and acting would just be a side gig. If there's a good role, I'll take it. If not, I can wait. I just want to hang out with you guys," Paris laughed.
"Haha, then you're more than welcome," Anthony laughed.
"Yes, Paris, welcome!" Norman laughed.
Richard handed her a glass of red wine. This girl had some acting experience in her background, so joining BAA was fine.
"Haha, then we're all in this together. Call me if anything comes up