In an office at the studio, Matthew and Amanda sat on a long sofa, not saying a word, just watching Helen Herman negotiate with the record company. The negotiation covered various aspects, not only the role's compensation but also many terms Matthew didn't understand at all.
For example, it was impossible for the production team and record company to provide transportation for a minor actor like Matthew, so Helen Herman secured a daily car rental subsidy of fifty dollars for him.
Also, the studio used for filming had four dressing rooms. Helen Herman, citing the lead actor's need for good rest to facilitate filming, requested the production team to allocate one room exclusively for Matthew.
Other terms, such as workers' compensation insurance and actor rights, were also not overlooked.
Without touching the record company's bottom line, Helen Herman almost fully strived for the best treatment for Matthew.
Matthew remained silent, but he saw and heard everything. Perhaps Helen Herman was a bit arrogant, but she was an extremely serious and responsible Agent.
The negotiations between the two sides were still in a stalemate when suddenly, the faint sound of an argument drifted over.
"That sound..."
Not just Matthew, Amanda also heard it and whispered, "It sounds a bit familiar."
Matthew listened intently, a smile flashing across his lips, and also lowered his voice, "It sounds like Michael Sheen's voice."
"Him?" Amanda asked, surprised, "Didn't he leave?"
"Who knows." Matthew shrugged slightly, "He probably came back again."
Just then, Helen Herman's phone rang. She apologized to the record company staff, answered, listened for only a moment, and then stood up abruptly.
"What?"
Her face, hidden behind black glasses, was full of shock. "I'll be right there."
After speaking, Helen Herman didn't even have time to greet Matthew and Amanda, and hurried out. Fortunately, she was wearing flat leather shoes, otherwise she would have fallen.
"What's wrong?"
Amanda was very surprised; she rarely saw Helen Herman so astonished.
The record company staff also ran out one after another. Matthew stood up and called to Amanda, "Come on, let's go see."
Not watching such a spectacle would be a waste, especially since he might have instigated it.
Matthew and Amanda left the office, followed the sound, and turned into a nearby corridor. They saw many people already gathered about ten meters away, and the argument had turned into curses.
"Martin Jackson, you bastard! You faggot!"
Hearing the voice, Matthew confirmed it was undoubtedly Michael Sheen. Then, near the onlookers, he saw Michael Sheen's face flushed red, holding a steel pipe, shouting at the door of an office.
Inside the office, Martin Jackson's trembling voice came, "He's crazy! This man is crazy! Call the police quickly!"
"Michael Sheen!" Helen Herman, in front of Matthew, shouted loudly, "Stop it!"
Michael Sheen was in a state of frenzy, at his most furious, so how could he listen to such words?
Helen Herman wasn't stupid; she just stood on the periphery and shouted, with no intention of rushing forward to stop him.
In this situation, whoever rushed up would be unlucky.
Anyway, the office door was closed, and Michael Sheen wouldn't be able to kick it open anytime soon.
"Bang! Bang!" The sound of Michael Sheen kicking the door came through.
"is he crazy?" Amanda unconsciously hid behind Matthew, "He's making trouble in the production team."
"Trouble?"
The assistant watching on the left was York. Seeing that the person standing next to him was Matthew, he turned and said, "Director Jackson had just come out of the audition room,
when he was hit on the shoulder with a steel pipe. If Director Jackson hadn't run fast and locked himself in this office, I guess..."
He shook his head.
Michael Sheen kicked the door a few times, then used the steel pipe in his hand to smash it. He seemed extremely frantic, and with a weapon in his hand, no one was willing to risk going up to stop him; they just called the police.
"Damn it!" Helen Herman was no longer calm and began to get anxious. No matter what, this was her client. "Damn it! Quickly stop him!"
For people striving in Hollywood, seeking advantages and avoiding harm was their nature; no one listened to her.
"Bang—"
Michael Sheen kicked the door again, and wood chips flew.
The more he couldn't get to Martin Jackson to settle scores, the more anxious he became; the more anxious, the more his butt hurt; the more it hurt, the more he thought about what Martin Jackson had done to him; the more he wanted to smash open the door; the more he couldn't smash it open, the more furious he became; the more furious, the more he wanted to vent!
People in a rage are irrational.
So, including Helen Herman, no one dared to take the risk for the time being, fearing that the hard steel pipe would land on their head.
Matthew guessed that this was also related to Martin Jackson being just a small MV Director. If a big Director were trapped in the office, someone would have probably rushed in long ago.
"Bang—bang—bang—"
Loud crashing sounds continued, followed by Michael Sheen's furious shouts after losing his mind, "Martin Jackson! You bastard! You exploded my mouth! Fucked my ass! And you still won't give me the promised role! I'm going to kill you! Kill you, you faggot!"
As soon as these words came out, the surroundings instantly fell silent, and Matthew and Amanda looked at each other in dismay.
Similar incidents were not secrets in the industry, but no one would openly speak about them. Now, with the public exposure, everyone was shocked.
Helen Herman immediately realized something was wrong; it might even implicate the Angel Talent Agency, which was her life's work. In a fit of anxiety, she wanted to rush over.
She was right in front of Matthew, and as she was about to move, Matthew noticed.
Having finally found an Agent with good professional ethics and a decent network of contacts, Matthew didn't want her to be ruined. He reached out and pressed Helen Herman's shoulder, reminding her, "He's crazy, are you crazy too? Do you want to die?"
Michael Sheen was spouting shocking words, constantly kicking the door, and swinging the steel pipe wildly. Getting close might lead to accidental injury.
Helen Herman felt her shoulder firmly gripped by a rough hand like an iron clamp. Even if she wanted to rush over, she couldn't break free.
After Matthew's reminder and this moment of buffering, Helen Herman also calmed down; after all, she wasn't an impulsive person.
"You have a good relationship with him." Helen Herman immediately turned her head and asked, "Do you know what's going on?"
Matthew let go of her hand, scratched his head, "It's just what he said."
Police sirens sounded from outside the studio, followed by dense footsteps. Several police officers rushed over, and the incident was quickly brought under control. Several strong patrol officers jointly subdued Michael Sheen, handcuffed him, and dragged him out of the studio.
Then, the office door was opened from the inside, and Director Martin Jackson, grimacing in pain and supporting his shoulder with one hand, walked out. His face was pale, covered in a fine layer of sweat, appearing to be seriously injured.
The record company representative then stepped forward, "Send him to the hospital quickly!"
Immediately, several production staff members accompanied the police and sent Martin Jackson away.
"Ah—"
Perhaps he walked a bit too fast, Martin Jackson let out a scream.
"Everyone disperse..." The record company person waved his hand to the surroundings, "Everyone disperse."
The production crew quickly dispersed. Matthew saw that Helen Herman hadn't moved, and he and Amanda stood there, not leaving.
"Call the company and contact a new director." The record company person instructed his assistant, "You keep an eye on Martin Jackson, and that actor..."
At this point, he looked up at Helen Herman, "Helen, what's going on?"
"I'm not too sure." Helen Herman reacted quickly, "Perhaps Director Martin Jackson and Michael Sheen reached some kind of private agreement."
This matter was a bit troublesome, but she wouldn't give in too much. From Matthew's words, it wasn't just Michael Sheen's problem.
The record company representative looked at Matthew and Amanda, frowning, "He's caused too bad an impression."
Helen Herman turned to Matthew and Amanda and said, "You two go wait for me in the office."
It was clear that these two wanted to talk privately.
Matthew and Amanda didn't say a word, turned and left. They returned to the office where they had been negotiating and patiently waited for Helen Herman to come back.
"Will it be very troublesome?" Matthew asked in a low voice.
Amanda shook her head, "It's fine, Helen can handle things more troublesome than this."
Matthew hadn't expected Michael Sheen to be so impulsive in his rage, actually treating Martin Jackson so harshly.
This greatly exceeded his expectations, but considering the price Michael Sheen paid, it seemed quite normal.
Michael Sheen probably wants to settle accounts with me too, Matthew guessed. It's just that he's not as easy to find as Martin Jackson.
Some of what happened today was part of his plan, and some was unexpected, but overall, the goal was basically achieved.
Matthew and Amanda waited for nearly twenty minutes before Helen Herman returned from outside and continued negotiating with the record company staff.
The two sides agreed on the terms and drafted the contract. Under the witness of relevant lawyers, Matthew signed two copies of the contract.
Helen Herman secured many favorable terms, but what Matthew was most concerned about was the compensation: four thousand dollars for a four-day filming schedule, with an automatic increase of one thousand dollars for each additional day of filming.
Matthew received the MV script but didn't know when filming would begin. The director's sudden situation meant the exact filming time would have to wait for notification from the production team.
The costumed audition, which had consumed countless hours of Matthew's energy, was finally completed. He hitched a ride with Helen Herman to the Angel Talent Agency first, then transferred to a bus to his company on Hollywood Boulevard to start work.
As the bus just left Burbank, Matthew received a call from Helen Herman, asking him to visit the Angel Talent Agency again tomorrow.
"What's meant to come will come."
Helen Herman wasn't foolish, and she needed help. With no suitable candidates, she brought Amanda...