Compared to the first Westeros Villa Party where many people wanted to sneak in by climbing up the mountain, no one dared to do so now.
Because once discovered, the consequences will be very serious.
And the chance of not being discovered is almost zero.
However, compared with the first time, this year’s party at the Westeros Villa on the southeast hilltop of Park City was also more lively. Not only the newcomers who made their debut at the Sundance Film Festival were invited, but also many large and small people were invited. There were five to six hundred people in total, including Hollywood stars and various celebrities from other circles.
The large number of people actually brings about a problem.
Although Simon Westeros was at the party, it was difficult to say more than a few words to the Hollywood mogul, let alone leave a deep impression. Fortunately, in such social occasions, if you can grab some other connections, it will also bring great benefits to your career.
Inside the mountaintop villa.
The four young people who rushed to the party early felt like four mice falling into a rice vat. There were four people, three men and one woman. If you look closely, you should be able to tell that they are a pair of brothers and a couple. The brothers are Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck, and the couple are Matt Damon and Minnie Driver.
Two of them are Da Ben and Ma Da, who Simon remembers as being in Hollywood for more than 20 years.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, both about 25 years old this year, have been in Hollywood for many years. For example, Matt Damon starred in "Modern Cinderella" in 1988 with Julia Roberts, who was also not yet famous. After working tirelessly for so many years, the most significant film that these good friends have starred in is only Kevin Smith's second film after "Clerk" last year, "The Cool One". It's still a low-budget film, and it's still just a very inconspicuous supporting role.
At almost the same age, River Phoenix, who belongs to the same agency, is already shining brightly in Hollywood, but they are still unknown.
Typically, many young people who have failed to pursue their dreams in Hollywood begin to face reality.
When the two of them almost couldn't hold on any longer, they finally got a turning point.
High Gate Pictures, a subsidiary of Daenerys Entertainment, took a fancy to a script written by the two, called "Good Will Hunting", which was inspired by Matt Damon's short career at Harvard University, and then collaborated with Ben. Affleck continues to improve together. The story tells the story of a professor who left a math problem on the campus blackboard, which was accidentally solved by Will, a young man who worked as a cleaner. Later, he learned that Will was going to jail because of a fight. The professor took the initiative to help out of pity for his talent. Finally help Will realize his self-worth.
This script was favored by Gomen Pictures, which actually benefited from the two's experience in Kevin Smith's "The Cool Guy".
Recommending scripts to film companies should originally be the job of agents. However, the lack of improvement in their acting careers over the years can be seen from the connections and abilities of their agents. After completing the script in 1992, their script was never picked up by the film company until they met Kevin Smith last year.
This isn't because Good Will Hunting is of poor quality.
Many insiders who have read this script have given quite positive comments.
The main thing is that Hollywood has never been a circle where you can easily get around if you have a good face and ability. Most of the time, if you want to succeed, luck is far more important than anything else. Of course, with the exception of Simon Westeros, that kind of sudden emergence is completely out of the category of genius.
Although Da Ben and Ma Da had the ability to get into Harvard, in Hollywood, they couldn't afford it.
We got to know each other last year when they participated in "The Good Will Hunting". At the beginning of this year, at a party with Kevin Smith, the independent film director asked the two if they had a script for "Good Will Hunting". After learning that there was no success, he suggested They could send the script to Park City to try their luck.
The Sundance Film Festival is now a comprehensive film trading platform. In addition to finished films, it also provides trading and display channels for many newcomers' scripts.
Ben and Mada used Kevin Smith's connections to send the script to Park City. Unexpectedly, the good news would come so quickly.
In just a few days, the two received news that Gaomen Pictures had taken a liking to their script and could sign the contract immediately. Faced with the agent's suggestion, they didn't listen. They simply ditched the agent and personally negotiated a contract with a person in charge of Gaomen Pictures.
The only requirement is that Matt Damon must play the leading role.
At first, I was worried that it would take a lot of back and forth, but unexpectedly, Gaomen Pictures quickly agreed.
After signing the contract, they received an invitation to the Westeros Villa party at the Sundance Film Festival. They didn't give much explanation. However, since it was a Westeros Villa party, they obviously wanted to meet Simon. Opportunity for Westeros. Both of them are smart people, and they even thought that if their script was picked up by Gaomen Pictures so quickly, it was probably Simon Westeros who made the decision himself.
If the speculation is true, then after so many years, he is finally coming forward.
Few of the projects that Simon Westeros has set his sights on have failed.
Two invitations, each person can bring a companion. Matt Damon brought his girlfriend. Ben Affleck, who was single recently, unceremoniously rejected the agent who wanted to join the party and instead brought his girlfriend. The four of them drove all the way from Los Angeles to Park City a few days before the opening of the film festival.
I was originally dreaming about how I might be noticed by Simon Westeros, but I regretted meeting each other so late. From then on, they became inseparable, became a hardcore, and rose all the way up.
However.
Obviously overthinking.
Now, more than half an hour after arriving at the party, apart from the strict confirmation and security check when entering, no one specially entertained them after that.
On the other hand, the various big names coming and going at the party seemed to be free of charge.
Robert Redford, Nicole Kidman, Gus Van Sant, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, John Travolta, Rosanne Anna Arquette, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore…
It’s dizzying.
There are even some Victoria's Secret supermodels who stand out from the crowd, such as Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, and Daniela Pusteva. Ma Da's girlfriend is also 178cm tall, which is different from these girls. In comparison, they have two completely different temperaments.
At first, I mustered up the courage to talk to some big names and recommend myself. After seeing many people, not only did I not get used to it, but I felt a little ashamed of myself.
Fortunately, there are many people around who are in a similar situation to them.
People in the same circle can naturally get together, and soon we started chatting with the creator of a film that was shortlisted for the Sundance main competition. This is a director named Paul Thomas Anderson, and Ma Da is the same age and is only 25 years old this year, but he has already completed his feature film debut "Casino".
Moreover, Anderson also happens to be a contracted customer of ICM.
As one of the top three agents in Hollywood, ICM is very large in scale and has many distinct circles, but I have never met them before.
Anderson's "Casino" was invested by Gomen Pictures, with a production cost of US$3 million, but it invited several good actors such as Samuel L. Jackson and Philip Hoffman to participate. The four of them arrived in Park City. These days, I have a lot of private time, so I have carefully studied a series of projects shortlisted this year. "Casino" has not been released yet, but I know a little bit about it. I still remember that in the movie introduction, it is said that she is the goddaughter of Steven Spielberg. Gwyneth Paltrow stars.
It's still the same agency.
I have seen Paltrow at some parties before, but she is a very proud girl, and little shrimps like them can't get enough of her.
Although Samuel L. Jackson, Philip Hoffman and others participated in "Casino", they did not come to Park City this time and will probably only show their faces on the premiere day.
The two parties were similar in age and had a good conversation. Anderson was very interested in the scripts written by Ma and Da, and also introduced another new film he was preparing, called "Boogie Nights", which had also been finalized by Gaomen Pictures. As the conversation became more and more speculative, Anderson also extended an invitation to Ben. He felt that the other person's image was quite suitable.
If you like, take the time to schedule an audition.
Protagonist.
Daben was also refreshed, but when he thought about the theme of "Boogie Nights" introduced by the other party, and when he heard the other party imply that Gaomen Pictures had given him considerable autonomy, he became a little suspicious.
This audition
Although the other party looked sincere, he didn't seem to have any special hints.
but.
Um.
Anyway, always give it a try.
Anyway, if we can really get the leading role, the big deal... so what
While they were chatting, a Wei family maid came here through the crowd, looked at Ma Da and the others, and confirmed: "Are they Mr. Damon and Mr. Affleck?"
There are probably not many people in Hollywood who don't know the name of Wei's maid. Or, few people in the entire United States don’t know it.
When the waitress asked, Daben and Ma Da quickly agreed.
The waitress confirmed the identities of the two people and made a gesture of invitation: "Come with me, Mr. Deutschman is waiting for you."
The two subconsciously raised their feet and left with the waitress, and then realized that it was not Simon Westeros, but Ella Deutschman.
Ira Deutschman, CEO of Highgate Pictures
The last time the contract was signed, Gaomen Pictures only contacted the head of the script department, but of course the two of them also knew Ella Deutschman.
Ben's brother Casey Affleck and Mada's girlfriend Minnie Driver saw that the waitress didn't mention them, so they stopped where they were. Da Ben and Ma Da followed the waitress through the crowd in the villa lobby and along the corridor to an indoor bar on the east side of the villa.
The interior of the bar is very large, at least hundreds of square meters, and has all kinds of entertainment facilities. However, compared to other areas of the villa, the lights here are dim and blurry. The soft music and the slow dancing people on the dance floor are completely different from the excitement of other areas of the villa. Two worlds.
Although there were no guards at the door, it seemed that anyone could come in and out freely. However, just this difference in the atmosphere meant that there were far fewer people coming here. When the two of them followed the maid in, they couldn't help but walk lightly.
Soon we came to a booth.
Seeing the two Ma Da arrive, the two people who were talking in the booth stood up to say hello at the same time. They happened to know each other, at least in newspapers and magazines, Ella Deutschman, the president of Gaomen Pictures, and the famous independent film director in Hollywood. Gus Van Sant, director and one of the Sundance Film Festival judges.
The two were a little disappointed that Simon Westeros wasn't here.
While shaking hands and exchanging greetings, he quietly looked around. Ben quickly noticed that there were many women in a more spacious booth at the back of the bar. He could vaguely make out that the one sitting on the edge of the booth facing him was Spielberg's rumored goddaughter Gwyneth Paltrow.
Because of his good eyesight, Ben could still tell from the dim light that Gwyneth Paltrow had an obvious smile on her face, and she was looking at the opposite side of the booth.
In the Hollywood circle, there are probably not many people who can make Spielberg's goddaughter put on such an expression. What's more, the position where the other person is sitting can only be said to be on the edge of the booth, and even because it is too crowded, the body is not completely seated, so he can probably imagine some things. Next to Gwyneth Paltrow, after thinking about it for a moment, I remembered that her name was Jennifer Connelly.
This is also a great beauty.
The figures further inside are somewhat distinguishable.
And on the side of the booth facing away from them, at the very edge, although it was completely invisible, the long leg sticking out was actually a bit thrilling.
A guy surrounded by a bunch of women.
Apparently.
Who else could it be
These thoughts flashed through his mind quickly, and Ben didn't show much strangeness on his face. He just asked his friend to sit in the current booth, and he sat on the outside. At the same time, he withdrew his attention and started talking to Deutschman and Fan. Sant talked.
The topic first started with the script of "Good Will Hunting".
Ella Deutschman first revealed a little inside story that two producers from High Gate Pictures were fired because of their scripts.
This immediately made the two of them a little uneasy.
What's happening
Fortunately, Deutschman quickly revealed the answer.
It turns out that in order to test whether the people who got "Good Will Hunting" read the script carefully, Ma Da and the two set up a plot in the middle of the script where the two male protagonists suddenly kiss. The two male protagonists in the story are both absolutely straight men and do not have any homosexual tendencies, so you can imagine how abrupt this plot is.
In fact, that's what the two of them were thinking.
Unexpectedly, this little idea was used by Simon Westeros and the script was handed over to several contracted producers under Gaomen. As a result, two of the five producers did not discover this plot. Obviously, they didn't study the script carefully, and then the big boss personally spoke up and they were fired.
After hearing Deutschman's explanation, the two looked at each other a little bit.
And the inevitable worry.
Too big
After Ella Deutschman finished talking about this episode, her face did not show any grudge, and there was still some emotion that was probably pride. In fact, he passed the test even though he was not among the five producers.
It was a false alarm afterwards, but I also secretly reflected on myself.
As Daenerys' entertainment flourishes, many people within the group inevitably develop a sense of arrogance and laziness.
This is obviously a slap in the face of the boss's excuse.
Now, when Deutschman asked, after hearing the outcome of the matter, both of them did not want to admit their initial thoughts. However, they hesitated and finally confessed to Deutschman.
You can't say it's a flaw in the script, right
Treating others as fools may lead to worse consequences.
Fortunately, Deutschman obviously didn't mind.
After talking about this small episode, let’s get to the point. As expected, Gomen Pictures has officially approved the project of "Good Will Hunting" and selected Gus Van Sant, who is very interested in this script, as the director. This time it is Ella. Deutschman personally introduced several people. Everyone chatted about this project for half an hour, and finally agreed to stay in Park City for the next few days. While Gus Van Sant fulfilled his duties as a Sundance judge, everyone could continue to discuss this project in more depth. .