Chapter 25
Hi everyone, sorry for the long wait. I honestly thought I would be done with this chapter 3 days ago, but my writer's block is really testing me. I had to do several rewrites after I thought I was done with this chapter, and I was still not fully happy with it. Needless to say, I will probably rewrite it later again or at least adjust it.
On to reviews.
To save time for everyone who commented on the question of Jean Gray, I have narrowed it down to three actresses. Angelina Jolie, mostly because she is on my list of women the MC dates later on down the line. Laura Prepon because she is both tall enough and fits the overall look, and Alicia Witt. I will go with the one you guys mentioned the most in the comments.
poposwitch1 - I love the idea of adding Jack Black; I just don't know which character hewould play. Samuel Jackson joining the group would be wonderful. I will see how I can add him. I agree about Helena Bonham Carter, but I am unsure where to put her. Will think on it. Love the last part of the comment anyway lol. There will always be beef between the MC and Diddy, but mostly one-sided. Which just pisses off Diddy more. As to the MC, he never rises to that level of importance. I don't plan to replace RDJ. I have some plans to address his problems and fit them into the story. On that note, however, I don't think I will ever have him truly get away from certain mindsets. As every character needs a flaw, and he is just so fucked up that parts get fixed, but others will always be a problem. His relationships with woman being among them.
Dao_8teh – I am going to do it. I am going to hate myself in the morning, but money is money, so he will work with people like Britney Spears, Madonna, Backstreet Boys, and N'Sync. Will even that up, however, with Linkin Park and other good artists. He will always be close to his kids. He will know their likes and dislikes, but there will be that wall as he tries to shield them from the world he came from. A very dark place that has fucked up his mindset.
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"One of my favorite actors to work with is Bruce Willis. He truly understands the business; it's all about money. Don't get me wrong, he's a fantastic actor, but like me, he only sees dollar signs. It is a way of thinking someone like me can truly appreciate." - Caesar Espinar
-1999-
Before starting work on a major motion picture, the first step you should take is to find trustworthy people to place in positions of power around you. If you fail to do this, studios will look for ways to undermine you. Fortunately for me, I had Arnold on board for the production of "The Sixth Sense," so I felt somewhat secure. However, I still needed a strong executive producer to step in when Arnold was unavailable. Luckily, Mel was available for the role.
After the incident at the 71st Academy Awards, he wasn't exactly popular; in fact, he was in serious trouble, with the media heavily covering his situation. There was even a possibility that he could be blacklisted following this latest outburst. Nonetheless, I am not the type to forget someone who does me a favor, whether intentional or not. Using my connection with Arnold, I offered Mel the position of executive producer, under the pretense that I needed his help. Which, by the way, wasn't entirely false.
The fact was, I had limited control over the set. While I could use my connections to fill the crew with people I had previously worked with—like Darius Khondji for cinematography, and William Eggleston and Robert Frank for photography, along with a host of lighting experts I knew—I was being watched closely. That's why I needed Mel. Say what you like, but Mel didn't take shit from anyone, and I was counting on that as my biggest support.
"What's on your mind, Caesar?" I heard the deep voice of Dr. Dre ask.
Looking over at him, I replied, "Filming starts tomorrow."
"Ah, you worried?" Dre asked me.
"About as worried as a white boy releasing a rap album," I said flatly as I watched Marshall Mathers, a.k.a. Eminem, prepare to record the last track for *The Slim Shady LP*, a project that had been in the works since the night I got stabbed. This made Dre laugh, and he leaned forward to start playing the track for "Rock Bottom." A song that resonated deeply with me, seeing as I had been there. At rock bottom, most of my life. In fact, everyone in this room had experienced their own struggles. Dre and I had found our way out in our own ways, and now it was Em's turn.
As for Dre had to admit that Ceaser was right about Em. When Ceaser first mentioned Em to him that night at the club, Dre mostly brushed him off. Don't get him wrong; Dre respected Ceaser as a talented writer in the film industry, but he had to question if Ceaser had a good ear for rap. After all, Dre had listened to 'On the 6' and wasn't impressed. Sure, it was a hit album, but it just wasn't Dre's style.
That changed, however, when Ceaser dropped his name. Even going so far as calling him the man who saved his life when he got stabbed that night at the club. That was when Dre decided to take the tape Ceaser had given him and give it a listen. It only took a few minutes for Dre to recognize the raw talent behind the voice on the tape. It was still unpolished, but it reminded him of his early days with N.W.A. There was something there—something ready to break loose and say, "Fuck you, bitch."
Without waiting for Ceaser to recover, Dre set out to find this white boy he had heard on the tape. It didn't take long to find Em performing in an underground rap battle that he just so happened to win. After the show, Dre decided to say hello and kick it with Em. Even doing some freestyling to test Em's skill, and found he was the real deal. After that night, Dre immediately offered to sign Em to a deal. Knowing deep down that Em was it. The next big thing that would change the rap game.
However, things weren't as straightforward as they seemed. Signing Em was easy, but getting the record executives to agree to record him was a whole other matter. Aftermath had performed well with its first album, which had reached number one on the charts and sold a total of a million copies. However, that success was more of a one-off, and there wouldn't be a second album. With Aftermath being a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, Dre couldn't simply push things through on his own. That was where Ceaser came in. While most of his work was with WB, Ceaser had built connections with various record executives and called in more than a few favors for little return. With Ceaser's support, Universal caved and decided to record Em, but the risk was high. They all knew it, but were going forward anyway. Because frankly, that is what men like them did.
"By the way, have you thought about that cameo I asked you about?" I asked Dre.
"Hmmm, you mean the one where I play a dead guy?" Dre replied.
"Yeah, Usher has already said yes, and Danny is in too. I need an answer before we start filming," I explained to him.
After considering it for a moment, Dre said, "Sure, why not? Sounds fun, just don't make me look like a btich."
I wave him off and say, "Of course, don't worry about it. I got the perfect death in mind for you."
I look Dre dead in the eyes. No smile or joking tone on my lips, and he just said, "Fuck you."
I then start to laugh.
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This was getting old. I thought to myself as I heard Haley Joel Osment say that famous "I see dead people" for the fifth time today.
"Cut!" I yell out, rubbing my head in frustration.
We are entering the third week of filming, and it has been a nightmare, but not because of the actors. They have been great. Bruce is a true professional, nailing his lines with ease, and Haley was proving to be a surprisingly easy child actor to work with. You know, if you ignore the child labor people breathing down my neck. No, the real problems are with the set team. I always knew Warner Bros. would try to fuck me over in someway or another. To say they were not happy with me directing this movie would be the understatement of the year, but really, I didn't see this coming. Something that brought into question 'was I being too naïve when I was dealing with them?'
I had thought I was ready for anything they would throw at me. I personally reviewed every person hired for this production, ensuring that only those I knew or had worked with before were brought on board—people I could trust and count on. I even found my second-in-command to serve as my assistant director: a talented young playwright by the name of Tyler Perry. The same Tyler Perry who would one day develop the character 'Madea' was, at this point, a nobody but a nobody with talent.
I chose him for several reasons, but the main ones were simple to understand. First, Tyler Perry was not yet a big name in Hollywood, and he was hungry enough to work under someone younger than him if it meant getting his foot in the door. This made it unlikely that he would try to undermine me. Second, I recognized his talent early on and wanted to collaborate with him before he became a superstar. The films he would eventually create had the potential to generate significant revenue for my studio if I could persuade him to make them for my company. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, he was Black. I know how that sounds, but here's the thing: the racist issues that Mel had sparked had escalated more than I anticipated, leading to small but visible protests in Hollywood.
I wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away. So I did what any smart, shameless man would do in my position. I hired a black man to be second in command and leak the information to the press. It wasn't huge news, but it was a strategic move to ensure that Warner Bros. wouldn't try anything too blatant, and wouldn't you know it worked. But only in that didn't do anything to obvious. What they did do, however, was replace most of my film crew with people I didn't know or know well. They kept the top people, but anyone who knows anything about anything, it's the people at the bottom who keep the film crew running. And all of this just to force me out.
It pissed me the fuck off, but I had to admit it was a smart move. At this early stage, they could easily replace me without losing anything. However, they didn't expect Mel, Bruce, and Tyler to notice what was happening. While Arnold was playing interference with the executives, they were stepping in to help me as best they could. In this instance, Mel was expressing his frustration with what was happening around us, while I had to remain silent, and Bruce was working to keep the cast happy. I definitely owed both of them a big favor for their support. As for Tyler, he was just doing his job, but regardless, it was a relief to have his assistance.
"Okay, everyone, let's take a ten-minute break. Lighting team, adjust the brightness; it shouldn't be so harsh. Remember, this is a dramatic moment. The boy is scared and confessing to seeing dead people, so let's set the right mood," I said calmly, though a hint of my frustration slipped through.
As everyone walked away, I remained in my chair, staring off into space. This was all part of the image I was creating—an image I had begun to shape during the filming of *Buffy*. I would sit in my chair long after everyone else had left, making it seem as if I were deep in thought or visualizing the film. In reality, I already knew how the movie would turn out, but maintaining the appearance of someone always focused on the project ahead could only benefit me.
It was at this moment that Tyler glanced over at his new boss. Honestly, if someone were to ask him, Tyler wouldn't be able to explain why he took this job. Well, that wasn't entirely true; he knew the reason. Like any young playwright and director, Tyler dreamed of directing his own movie one day. He just didn't think his opportunity to work in Hollywood would come so soon, and he hesitated despite knowing who Ceaser was.
Hell, everyone in this business knew who Ceaser was. The down-and-out ex-con who rose to fame in Hollywood at the age of 18 was now directing his own motion picture at just 22. His story was a classic rags-to-riches tale that many found hard to believe, but was true, no matter whether you believed in it or not. It was such an inspirational story that it even motivated Tyler to do something he later deemed foolish: he sent the man his scripts for *Diary of a Mad Black Woman* and *I Can Do Bad All by Myself*.
It was stupid, really, seeing as Tyler didn't even know where Ceaser lived and had simply sent the package to WB with Ceaser's name on it. What were the chances that Ceaser would even receive it? Not very good to say the least, and yet somehow Caesar had gotten it. Then, out of the blue, one night a few months ago, Ceaser showed up at a performance of *I Know I've Been Changed*. He was sitting in the front row, watching the play, and afterward, he came backstage to talk.
They mostly discussed Taylor's play, which Ceaser described as raw yet masterfully executed. That was notable, considering Ceaser's impressive writing credits, including "Seven," "Fight Club," "Scream," and perhaps Taylor's favorite film written by Ceaser thus far, "Selena." However, when they got down to the specifics, Taylor hesitated. While not a Hollywood insider, he had heard and read that Ceaser was attempting to direct a major motion picture, but like many others, he doubted it would come to fruition. After all, Ceaser was still young and lacking experience. Yet, he had managed to make it happen and had invited Taylor to come work for him.
It was an opportunity of a lifetime, but one that came with both benefits and downsides. The biggest benefit was, of course, that it would get Taylor's foot in the door. However, he was also no fool. Taylor knew all too well what was happening in Hollywood currently. After Caesar lost at the Academy Awards, some serious questions were being asked about the validity of the Awards themselves. Questions focused on racism and whether it played a part in Ceaser not winning. Taylor himself had yet to come up with his own opinion, but one thing was clear. Ceaser was more than willing to exploit the situation by hiring a black man as his assistant director.
Doing so blunted WB's ability to remove Ceaser from his position without backlash. Something Ceaser was very up front about telling Taylor about. WB, while his largest supporter, was unhappy with him in the director's role for The Sixth Sense. So they were trying to find a way to remove him from the project. But now their hands were tired for the most part, as doing so would be seen as racist to the wider world. There were also financial gains to be had. While Taylor may not be a household name, the fact that he was black would draw attention from the African American community. Guaranteeing that at least some of them would come to see the film.
It honestly kind of pissed off Taylor to be used this way, but again, Caesar never hid what he was planning. In fact, he had bluntly stated the fact that he was using him mostly for that one fact. Yet, as pissed off as that made Taylor, he got it. In this world, you had to do what you had to do to get ahead. By hook or by crook, you did anything you had to do to succeed, and he wasn't going to lie, the upside was huge.
So huge that Taylor would have to be an even bigger fool to pass up the chance Ceaser was giving him. If the Sixth Sense was successful, there was no stopping Ceaser from pushing Diary of a Mad Black Woman to the WB. In fact, he had already shown the script to his good friend Arnold Kopelson, who, while not exactly interested, trusted Ceaser enough to listen to him. With those two pushing forward, Taylor could see his first film being made within 2 years, if not sooner. That, however, all depended on how the filming of The Sixth Sense went. If Ceaser failed, it wouldn't just be him with egg on his face, but Arnold as well, who, unknown to many, was eyeing the role of overall production & development for WB. He couldn't afford to be embarrassed now.
That is why Taylor was so worried when filming started. He had honestly not thought things would be as bad as Ceaser had warned. Sure, Taylor expected some problems from WB, but not to fire a whole lighting team while no one was looking and bring on a bunch of amateurs. All just so they could try and fuck over Ceaser. Oh sure, they were all professionals, but Ceaser didn't know the replacements, and they didn't know him or respect him. And that was the name of the game. Respect. If you didn't have that, you had nothing. WB was also making it hard to obtain certain equipment or delaying its delivery.
Shit, everything happening was enough to drive even the most patient of men crazy. Yet somehow, Caesar was keeping his cool through it all. It was honestly impressive how calm he appeared while everyone else was on edge. It was like in Ceaser's mind, he could already see what he was trying to create, and no amount of interference would stop him.
Walking up to him, Taylor said, "Hey, boss. Everything good?"
Looking over at the taller man, I replied, "Hmm, yes, everything is going according to plan."
Taylor looked at Caesar and said, "Really? It doesn't seem that way to me. With how the bigwigs are interfering with everything, I thought you'd be more stressed out by now."
Amused, Caesar responded, "Oh, you mean this?" He waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I expected worse from those idiots back at headquarters. If this is the worst they can do, then nothing can stop me from making this film."
"You're that confident, huh?" Taylor asked, increasingly impressed by Caesar. Although he was shorter than Taylor, it was clear he was a giant in other ways.
"Very," Caesar replied, returning his gaze to the empty set, as if he were seeing something only he could perceive.
"Is this what people mean when they talk about men of vision?" Taylor wondered, recognizing that Caesar seemed to be looking into a different world than the rest of them.
"Well, if that isn't what you mean, boss, care to tell me what you mean? Taylor asks.
Lifting a todays paper, I handed it to the man and let him read it. It was the current music chart, and at the top was a rapper named Eminem with his album *The Slim Shady LP*.
"Everything is slowly coming together," I reply with a smirk.