Chapter 25

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"… I am currently performing at a community theater,"

Jessica Chastain had said a lot before, observing the situation on the other side. Seeing that Murphy was unmoved, she continued, "I also serve as the manager of this community theater, handling ticketing, venue arrangements, and many other tasks."

Murphy nodded. From her self-introduction, it was clear that this Juilliard School graduate had encountered many difficulties in entering society. The path to Hollywood she wanted to take, like that of most people, was very bumpy.

He glanced down at his notebook and looked at her, asking, "Why should I hire you?"

Hearing this question, Jessica Chastain thought for a moment and said, "I have some professional knowledge. I have worked in stage management at the Lincoln Center and Off-Broadway in New York. After coming to Hollywood, I also served as a temporary assistant on a film set. I believe I can handle this job…"

She hesitated for a moment and then added, "I need this job, a job closely related to Hollywood and the film industry."

Murphy twirled the pen in his hand and asked, "You haven't graduated yet?"

"No," Jessica Chastain admitted straightforwardly, "I am currently interning."

"Is that so…" Murphy pondered for a while before saying, "I can hire you."

Jessica Chastain on the other side clearly relaxed.

But Murphy immediately added, "However, since you haven't graduated, I can only hire you as an intern."

This meant no salary, and Jessica Chastain understood. She immediately shook her head, "Sorry, I can't do it. I need money now."

Murphy's previous words were more of a test. If the other party had agreed, he would have had a free laborer; if not, it would lower her salary expectations.

"I will give you an opportunity to explore your career options and understand my company," Murphy offered her hope. "Later, I will evaluate your performance and give you the chance for a full-time position."

He emphasized, "My company and I are about to start filming a movie, which is expected to begin shooting in one and a half to two months."

This seemed to be a good opportunity. Jessica Chastain, hearing that a movie was about to be filmed, was somewhat tempted. She bit her lip but swallowed the words she wanted to say.

Murphy observed these reactions. This girl clearly lacked sufficient social experience, but she wasn't stupid.

The previous words had some effect. Jessica Chastain hesitated for a moment and said softly, "I need a salary. I just moved out of my home and need money."

She looked at Murphy, appearing very eager to get the job.

Murphy was well aware that his mention of an upcoming movie had already sparked the girl's interest in the job.

"Alright, considering your actual situation…" Murphy made a difficult expression, "I can give you $300 a week."

This salary was not much compared to her education, but it was an opportunity. Jessica Chastain thought for a while and finally nodded, "Alright, when can I start?"

Murphy thought for a moment, "Today is Friday. Let's start from next Monday. I will contact you."

Jessica Chastain stood up and extended her right hand to Murphy, "Thank you, thank you for giving me this opportunity."

Shaking her hand, Murphy said confidently, "You won't regret your choice."

She replied with a polite smile, said goodbye, and left the coffee shop.

Over the next two days, Murphy basically completed the script. It was a rough, large-scale template that would need continuous revisions, but it wasn't urgent. Instead, he had many interviews to conduct. After all, this was the most developed place in the world for the film industry, attracting countless people seeking their movie dreams. Many people called to apply after seeing the advertisement.

Fortunately, Murphy was no longer alone. Stanton Studio had its first temporary employee—Jessica Chastain.

On Monday morning, Murphy received a call from Jessica Chastain, ran to the intersection, and brought her to the Latin community.

Two young men with a rough appearance and visible tattoos walked towards them, and the dilapidated buildings around them made Jessica Chastain suddenly regret her previous choice. Looking at Murphy's back, she was very suspicious that she had encountered a malicious scammer.

What kind of film studio would be located in a slum?

She put one hand in her pocket, pretending to check the time, and quietly dialed "911" on her phone. She kept her left thumb on the call button, ready to call the police if anything went wrong.

The documents she had seen yesterday played a crucial role in her decision to follow Murphy here. If not for those real company documents, she would never have followed a man to such a place.

After several turns in the Latin community, they finally arrived at a dilapidated gray building. Jessica Chastain saw Murphy turn into the stairwell and instinctively became more alert. She grabbed her handbag with her other hand, which contained a strong anti-wolf spray.

"The company is just starting, and all the funds have been invested in the film project."

As they climbed the stairs, Murphy explained the basic situation to the red-haired girl behind him. As a shrewd person, he naturally noticed her caution, which was normal. If Jessica Chastain were a silly fool, he wouldn't dare to hire her. "We can only work here temporarily, but I am looking for a suitable place."

A suitable place, of course, referred to the film shooting location, but Murphy didn't specify.

Jessica Chastain nodded but didn't relax her guard. When they reached the third floor and Murphy opened the door, she didn't immediately enter but observed for a while.

This was a normal level of caution, and Murphy didn't mind. He opened the door wide to dispel her doubts.

After observing for a while, Jessica Chastain didn't find anything wrong. The room wasn't large, and through the door, she could see everything inside. The living room, which also served as a bedroom, was simply furnished with a bed, a sofa, a TV, and other items, all of which looked old but were neatly arranged, indicating that the owner liked a clean environment.

Next to the living room was another open door. From her perspective, the space inside was small, just enough to fit a desk and a shelf. The desk, near the window, had a laptop and a printer. The shelf held only a camera and a telephoto lens.

After observing for a while, Jessica Chastain finally took the step and entered Stanton Studio.

After his first employee entered the studio, Murphy pointed to the water kettle, "The water is over there. There's a burger place fifty feet to the left downstairs, cheap and good."

He sat at the desk near the window and pointed to the chair opposite, "You will work here temporarily."

Jessica Chastain didn't say anything but inwardly sighed at how rudimentary it was, even worse than her worst imagination.

Murphy took a stack of documents from the file on the left, "Let me tell you about your work today."

He pushed a list towards her, "These are people interested in joining our film project. Their contact information is listed. Contact them to arrange interview times and locations, preferably at Mitten Coffee."

After that, he pushed another document towards her, "This is the photography equipment I need. You've been on a few sets, so you should be familiar. Find rental providers, check several places, and get the lowest price."

Then, Murphy handed Jessica Chastain a stack of folded printed posters, "These are job postings. This afternoon, go to the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the California Institute of the Arts and post them around the campuses."

Among those who contacted Murphy, there were a few professional students entering their internship period. Seeing the effectiveness of his posters, Murphy had made more.

Finally, Murphy handed Jessica Chastain the script he had just registered for copyright last week, "This is the script for the project we will be filming. It's the first draft. Familiarize yourself with it, and I need your help in creating a shooting schedule and plan."

Seeing the script, Jessica Chastain's heart finally settled. The person in front of her was not a scammer but someone who seemed to be planning a serious venture.

"Can I read the script first?" she asked tentatively.

Murphy had already taken out a drawing board to sketch storyboards and waved his hand, letting her read at her leisure.

Jessica Chastain opened the script and read it carefully. As a high-achieving student in the drama department at Juilliard, she had some expertise in scripts. She quickly skimmed through it and determined that it was a very well-structured script.

The first page of the script was the opening scene, which was bloody and brutal but an effective way to attract the audience. Although the text and the visuals were different, Jessica Chastain could still imagine a scene where a deranged adult man abuses and kills a minor girl.

She glanced at Murphy, who was drawing something very seriously, seemingly storyboards.

"This kind of script…"

Jessica Chastain shook her head and continued reading. By the fifth page, the theme of the script was clearly and clearly stated.

Including the following pages, the first ten pages were a standard setup.

A standardized Hollywood script should express its tone, mood, genre, and subject matter from the beginning. The opening is also a good opportunity to show the starting point of the protagonist. If the scriptwriter shows a "before" impression, there will be an "after" summary to show how things develop...

The script in her hands clearly had these elements.

Additionally, the script's opening must have a corresponding beat: the finale.

A good script must have development and change, and these two scenes are the means to clarify how the film develops and changes.

Ps. Fellow readers, do you still have free appreciation tickets and Qidian coins? The 515 red envelope ranking is counting down. I'm here to ask for votes and appreciation tickets, one last push!

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