Chapter 68: A Cruel Choice

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: A Cruel Choice

Wait, this unique atmosphere, the vivid characters, and the warm core hidden beneath the daily bickering. Isn’t this that classic dark horse hit, the small-budget success story My Big Fat Greek Wedding?

A surge of immense excitement seized her. Irene instinctively reached for her phone, wanting to call her agent, Shelly, immediately.

A project like this was a rare find. Regardless of whether she could participate in the investment, even just having a producer credit would be a significant highlight on her resume, not to mention the terrifying potential for box office returns behind it.

Perhaps because the repetitive motion of clicking through documents all night had formed muscle memory, she had just closed that exhilarating file when she opened the last one without thinking.

The next second, several bold black words caught her eye unexpectedly — Almost Famous.

Irene’s hand reaching for the phone froze in mid-air. She was stunned at first, then an unbelievable mix of absurdity and ecstasy welled up in her heart, making her laugh softly in spite of herself.

"Should I say I have good luck or bad luck?" she murmured to the empty room, her voice full of the irony of fate.

This was crazy. In one night, two scripts capable of changing many directors’ careers had appeared before her without warning.

One was a famous box office dark horse that, with a cost of a mere 5 million dollars, raked in 370 million dollars globally. It was considered one of the most successful investment cases in film history, once breaking the box office record for romantic comedies and creating a miracle for independent films.

The other was an Oscar darling, a semi-autobiographical film filled with nostalgia and rock spirit. Delicately moving, it garnered four nominations at that year’s Oscars, including Best Original Screenplay, and ultimately brought home that heavy little golden man. It was a near-perfect model of combining artistry and commercial appeal.

This was simply a happy problem, but also a cruel choice.

She knew very well that she couldn’t direct both films at the same time. Setting aside whether her energy would allow it, her own project, The Italian Job, which she had to go all out for in the second half of the year, would take up all her time. These projects couldn’t possibly postpone their start dates until next year just for a rookie director like her.

The massive amount of information overloaded her brain. She put down her phone, got off the sofa, and poured herself a cup of coffee, trying to clear her head.

As the warm bitterness slid down her throat, her churning thoughts gradually settled, and a doubt masked by surprise quickly occurred to her.

Wait, the movie Almost Famous was written and directed by Cameron Crowe based on his own experiences when he was young. This was a personal work into which he poured his heart and soul. How could it be lacking a director?

Moreover, in the Hollywood of 2000, letting a female director under twenty, known for teen comedies, take charge of such a personal, nostalgic blockbuster filled with rock bands and a male perspective sounded like a fantasy. No matter how you looked at it, it felt unreliable.

Thinking of this, Irene’s excitement gradually cooled.

She picked up her phone and decisively dialed Shelly Ovitz’s number.

The call was answered quickly. "Good evening, Irene. Let me guess, are you calling me at this hour because of the last project in the inbox?" Shelly’s tone held a hint of certainty, as if he had been waiting for this call for a long time.

Irene let out a soft breath and leaned against the back of the sofa. "Congratulations, you guessed half right. So, you intentionally put this project at the end so that after I went through a bunch of garbage and almost thought there was no hope, I’d suddenly see it, and thus take it more seriously and cherish it more, right?"

Shelly’s thinking wasn’t hard to guess. He definitely hoped she would take on Almost Famous because no one knew yet what kind of success My Big Fat Greek Wedding would achieve.

And even if Almost Famous clearly had pitfalls, she would likely jump in anyway when she had no other choice. After all, who wouldn’t want to direct a movie with clear Oscar hopes, especially for a young director like Irene.

"But why did this sugar-coated bullet of Almost Famous hit me?" Irene asked calmly.

Shelly on the other end of the phone was silent for two seconds. This brief silence made Irene even more certain of her judgment.

When he spoke again, his tone was less relaxed than before, becoming more serious and honest.

"Irene, you are indeed as sharp as I imagined," he admitted. "Yes, the situation is different from how it appears on the surface. Cameron Crowe, due to some sudden and unavoidable health reasons, truly cannot direct this movie himself."

Irene listened quietly to this key piece of information.

Shelly continued to explain, his speaking pace not fast, ensuring every word was clearly transmitted. "However, this movie is his baby. He isn’t comfortable with it and will never allow it to deviate from the track he set."

"So, he needs a collaborator."

"So why me?" Irene asked the core question directly, her voice calm and steady.

"Because you are currently a unique candidate in Hollywood," Shelly’s answer was equally direct. "First and most importantly, you have huge appeal among teenagers and young audiences, which is a valuable asset Mean Girls brought you."

"The investors and Crowe himself both hope this movie will not only compete for awards but also achieve considerable box office. You happen to bring the young audience they want."

He paused, his tone becoming a bit subtle. "Secondly, and on the realistic side, what other established director with enough seniority would be willing to become someone else’s puppet? They have their own pride and creative concepts."

"But you’re different, Irene. You’re successful enough to have proven your commercial value. At the same time, you’re new enough that you haven’t yet established a firm enough voice on Hollywood’s power ladder to refuse this kind of collaboration. In their eyes, you have the influence they need, yet you can be guided and controlled by them."

"So, a director who has appeal and can completely follow orders is the most suitable puppet in their eyes," Irene finished the last sentence for him and gave a cold laugh.

The truth was that simple. Behind this seemingly heaven-sent opportunity was a carefully designed chess game, and the reason she was chosen was actually her current weakness and usability.

From the receiver, Shelly’s voice came again, carrying a hint of inquiry. "Now that you know the full background, what are your thoughts?"

"Do you suggest I accept this special collaboration model?" Irene’s tone didn’t have much emotional fluctuation.

"Yes, risks and opportunities coexist. As long as you complete this work, the nomination might not go to you, but in the eyes of others, you will no longer be just a purely commercial director. This will be beneficial for your future development."

Shelly’s thinking couldn’t be said to be entirely wrong.

From the perspective of a top agent, although the reputation of a puppet director wasn’t very pleasant, this was indeed a shortcut to get in touch with top projects and join the Oscar circle. For many directors eager to rise, this was even a long-sought opportunity.

Between reputation and substantial benefits, sometimes one needs to make a choice.