The My Hollywood System
Chapter 111

Hollywood, as we know it today, began its life in the second decade of the 20th century with the advent of production facilities in Southern California. They were made there by many filmmakers who moved their business from New York in search of a more consistent climate for filmmaking throughout the year. With the advancement of technology, production companies are focusing on cities that provide them with perfect weather and easy access to new and better technologies. Los Angeles thus became the heart of modern Hollywood.

The influx of immigrants to the United States quickly forced this new workforce to find new ways of running a business, and the popularity of movies quickly gave birth to a new type of film entity – film studios. Most modern films are usually produced by film studios that were established and developed at that time. Currently, they were called the Big Six.

One of these major studios includes MCA, which was founded by a Jewish immigrant, Martin Collins, in 1923. The agency continued to produce many timeless classics, during the so-called 'Golden Age of Hollywood', which lasted from the early 1920s to the late 1960s. With the success of the MCA as an agent, comes the voracious nature of money-grabbers from market investors, who see the golden goose, in the form of film studios. These investors, through devious use of the stock market, sought to wrest control of the studio from William Collins, who retaliated by using a ruthless Nepotistic business strategy to distribute the company's shares within his own family.

Anyone who does not have a Collins surname attached to his own name is not considered for a position of power within the company. That's how Matthew Collins took over as CEO and Chairman of the MCA.

Matthew Collins led the MCA, as its CEO, from the late 1970s and 80s and after struggling initially in an ever-expanding market, finding himself a very comfortable niche in the indie and romantic comedy genre. But when the modern computer era arrived, in the early 2000s, companies faced severe resource and labor losses due to the nepotistic nature of the upper echelons of the company. The company lost its position as a leading agency in Hollywood's top six. And it is slowly losing most of the major movie stars that are being hunted, if not completely hostile to the MCA, by other Agencies in the market.

Will Evans knows the agency's dark secret. It was also not too rare in the previous world. He understands that Matthew Collins must have felt threatened by Will, because he compared Robert's disappearance to the star-hunting of his agency, after Robert became an A-list superstar, because [Sherlock Holmes]. Will knows, his arrogance and ego will not let him see the past from the picture of the situation he has painted and see the opportunity Will has provided for him. But he hopes he does.

That's why when he heard his cinematographer, and his personal Doraemon, Jeffery recounted the events of the deal, he wasn't surprised. He was disappointed, yes, not surprised.

“What are we going to do Will? It was a blatant insult if there really was, plus we still needed a good actor for [500 Summer days]” Jeffery grumbled, and Will could hear the anger that was still trying to subdue him.

“Nothing, Jeff, we didn't do anything. We'll tell them, they don't get a cut from the box office, and wait for them to fold. We don't need them, they need us, remember.” Will replied in a calming tone, trying to assuage Jeffery's anger.

“We can't do anything! Will be!"

“Don't worry Jeff, if in the next two weeks, they don't reach out to us on more favorable terms, in negotiations, we will move Tom's place in the movie to someone else, in a different agency. ” Will show.

After a moment of silence, Jeffery's voice rang out over the phone, "You realize that if we do that, we'll break all bridges with the MCA, and that means they'll try to put pressure on your uncle."

Will is saddened by the idea that he will bring trouble to his uncle, but he comforts himself, that he will invite his uncle to the DTA as soon as the time is right.

"Yes I know. And if there were no actors available to Tom in the movie, I would probably do it myself.”

“If you are sure about this, then fine. We will wait two weeks for new developments, I will keep you updated. See you tomorrow at the office, I think Director Lucas would like to discuss some things about [1917] with you, so how about we meet after that? Jeffery said after sighing.

"Sure, Jeff, I'll see you tomorrow."

Will is also worried that for June, he is still part of the list of talent that MCA and its agents depend on. He was worried that management would isolate and target him, to retaliate against him, or they would try to damage their relationship. He decided that he would offer a job at the DTA, because he knew that the resources to be allocated in his company would be much more beneficial to him than what he could potentially utilize at the MCA.

***

During the week when Dream Vision decided to wait for a possible change in the terms of the MCA, Will attended various meetings with Director Lucas, who was working on [1917]. Originally, the film incorporated various historically accurate elements that defined the life of a soldier on the battlefield of World War 1.

The war was treated as a War to end all wars, and almost every able-bodied person was conscripted into unreasonable conflicts. This included men from parts of the world who had nothing to do with European politics, and it was portrayed by Sikhs, Indian men who wore turban, who were conscripted into the British military, the report said, india is under British rule.

It's a nod to the era of colonialization depicted in the film, and Will wants to stay as accurate as possible with world history, and use Lucas's eyes for cinematic details, they had made various delicate scenes to properly represent all the main scenes.

There are various scenes that are completed in just one shot, the longest taking lasting more than eight minutes. They also decided to use motorcycles equipped with cameras attached for scenes shot in the open, such as the scene where Schofield crosses the city ruins at midnight, under the light of a flare between enemy lines, surrounded and hunted by the enemy's military.

Will was also constantly working on the script of the [Liberty Scene], having completed almost half of the script. He had to change and rewrite some parts of the story, to better encapsulate the mindset of the opportunistic, self-serving nature of Mario Di Mauro.

He must create a variety of dialogues to suit his character while remaining true to the essence of the character while referencing films and other media.

In one of the scenes, he writes about Mario's actions being exposed by Vercetti. She has just been betrayed by her boyfriend, Tracy De Santa, in exchange for a promise of wealth and power in the city. The Vercetti family then proceeded to kill Tracy and because of that, Mario had burned their drug warehouse, while calling the Vercetti family head, saying "Yippie Kay Yay, you bastard!"

There were many action-packed scenes that she decided to put into the film, which tied the story of [Liberty City], into a neat package, complementing the audience's need for drama, action, violence, and adrenaline. Will believes the film will be phenomenal in theaters.

***

It has been two weeks, since Jeffery attended a meeting with Jacob Woodsworth, about hiring Reagan Norris, to act as Tom on the [500 days of Summer]. After that disastrous encounter, the MCA nevertheless insisted on taking 10 percent of the last box office share, from the film. And Will has reached the end of his patience. He has decided to take the next step, which will essentially sever all ties with the MCA, and further propel Dream Vision into its own brand.

He is currently calling Jeffery's number after recently editing part of the original film's script [Liberty City], from his home.

"Hello, Jeff, have you already sent casting offers to other agencies?"

"Yes I have. I sent them two days ago. ” replied jefri.

“What's the response?”

The answer he got, making the wheels on Will's head spin violently, was trying to determine where such an action would bring the future of Will and his studio.