Chapter 267: Acquaintances

Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Acquaintances

The moment Robert saw Irene, he froze for a beat, then stepped forward and extended his hand. "Irene? Long time no see."

"Robert?" Irene stood, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice. "It’s really you? I had no idea. How have you been?"

They sat across from each other. An assistant quietly set down two glasses of warm water and closed the door, leaving them alone.

Robert collected himself and spoke first, his tone tinged with emotion.

"The headhunter only told me I was interviewing with a cutting-edge company that straddles film, television, and the internet — core businesses in film investment and social media.

They didn’t mention the founder was you. If I’d known, I would’ve come prepared with a re-release plan for Legally Blonde just to say hello."

Irene laughed, and the awkwardness of the reunion dissolved. "Same here. The headhunter Shelly found only gave me a summary of your resume, no name. Looking back, they were probably worried our history would bias the interview."

"True. Professional headhunters never make ’favor recommendations,’" Robert said with a smile, his demeanor settling into steady composure.

"But honestly, in the two years since I left MGM, I’ve been tracking industry trends, and I’ve heard plenty about you. From stepping into investing with Million Dollar Baby to becoming Facebook’s largest shareholder, your range and vision have been even more surprising than when you shot Legally Blonde."

Irene raised an eyebrow. "So when the headhunter contacted you, you agreed without hesitation?"

"Without hesitation," Robert said, nodding, his tone sincere.

"First, I didn’t want to go back to a major studio and do things by the book. Second, the intersection of film and internet is the future, and your company has Facebook as a traffic engine plus your Hollywood resources. The potential is enormous.

Third, the job description called for ’coordinating film investment, major studio relations, and distribution’ — that’s exactly my wheelhouse. I was curious who the founder was to have such a clear strategy. I didn’t expect it to be an old friend."

His expression turned serious.

"Irene, back then I bet on Legally Blonde because I believed in your business instincts and creative ability. Now I want to join your company because I believe in your vision and the platform. What you need most right now is someone who understands Hollywood’s rules, can handle the day-to-day, and manage investment risk."

"I can take full responsibility for anything film-related — project evaluation, risk control, working with the Big Six, distribution and marketing coordination, even cross-promotion between Facebook and Hollywood. I’ll lead all of it. You make the final calls. I’ll handle the rest."

Irene looked at him, and the last of her hesitation faded.

She didn’t need to test Robert’s abilities. The success of Legally Blonde was proof enough.

The film’s story was excellent, but crossing $200 million worldwide took a marketing and distribution team that knew what it was doing.

Nor did she need to question his character. Even when she was a newcomer, Robert’s reputation at MGM was "reliable." After he was pushed out of MGM’s core division because of his association with her, she never heard him badmouth the company once.

More importantly, he understood her creative philosophy and business logic. A candidate with that kind of mutual understanding and matching skill set was exactly what she needed.

"Robert," Irene leaned forward slightly, "talk is cheap compared to action. From now until the end of the year, I’m putting all my film investments, Hollywood coordination, major studio partnerships, and distribution under your purview."

"If you need to hire and build a team, say the word. If you need resources, Shelly, Chen Shiyu, and I will back you."

"Salary is negotiable. If you perform well, I’m open to offering equity."

"But I’ll be blunt. If your performance doesn’t meet my needs over the next few months, I will replace you."

A flash of resolve crossed Robert’s eyes. He nodded firmly. "Rest assured, Irene. I worked my way up from nothing once. Now I can help you expand your film investment footprint. I know Hollywood’s rules and I know the pitfalls. I won’t let you take unnecessary detours."

He extended his hand. "Looking forward to working with you."

Irene shook it, her grip warm and firm. "Looking forward to it, Robert. Welcome aboard."

On Robert’s second day, the first thing he did was clear Irene’s backlog.

"Vera, please compile every script awaiting evaluation, every film proposal, and the prep materials for Million Dollar Baby, and send them to my email," he said. He still wore a sharp suit, but the easygoing manner from the interview was gone, replaced by crisp decisiveness.

"Also, contact the headhunting firm. I need a three-person core team: a senior project evaluator, a major studio liaison, and a distribution coordinator. I want candidate lists within 48 hours and hires onboard within a week."

Vera nodded. "Got it, Mr. Robert. I’ll get on it right away."

Over the next three days, Robert reviewed 36 film proposals one by one. These were the investable projects Shelly had filtered to Irene based on her criteria.

He marked core risks and highlights in red, attaching concise, precise notes to each.

After that, he took full charge of the Million Dollar Baby writing team. Once he and Irene aligned on the project’s direction, he revised several details in the script.

Reading the changes, Irene had to admit she could handle commercial scripts, but she still had a ways to go when it came to capturing the emotional core of a realist drama like this.

That Mean Girls won Best Original Screenplay? She could only credit the Coppola family’s push behind it.

On his seventh day, Robert walked into Irene’s office with a thick folder.

"The crew for Million Dollar Baby is basically set," he reported efficiently. "For executive producer, I brought in Mark Johnson. He worked on Rain Man and knows how to manage the emotional tension of realist stories. For DP, we’ve locked Roger Deakins.

His lighting style is perfect for the film’s documentary feel. Casting has started. Aside from the leads you’ve already chosen, I’ve vetted the rest of the actors. Their files are on the right side of your desk. Take a look when you have time."

Irene glanced at the neatly organized documents, relief washing over her.

Work she thought would take at least a month to sort had been handled by Robert in seven days — and more thoroughly than she’d expected.