From Hollywood to Media Empire

After Evelyn went to Cannes, Charles couldn't find a film crew for a while, so he picked up a barista job at a cafe on Hollywood Boulevard.

The cafe owner, a chubby guy, hired Charles on the spot after the interview, saying directly, "I know you young, good-looking folks who come to Los Angeles to chase your dreams. So if you get an audition, just find someone to cover for you!"

Alright, so Charles and a girl around his age, about 20, started working together.

The girl's name was Riley, a young person who came to Los Angeles with dreams of becoming a star. Los Angeles has never been short on beautiful young people like them.

What they needed most was an opportunity, just like Naomi Watts, who had waited for over ten years for her chance at age 33.

The cafe paid $10 an hour, which was higher than the federally mandated minimum wage. Most of the income came from tips, though.

During lunch, Riley asked Charles if he had participated in any productions.

"I have, as a living background prop; I don't think the camera even caught me. Even if it did, no one would notice. I've also worked as an assistant handling miscellaneous chores, moving stuff, running errands," Charles shared, thinking Riley assumed he had the same starry dreams as her.

'Nah, not me, I'm gonna make my own movies one day!' he thought to himself.

"Is that so? Then I'm a bit better off; I've had some screen time," Riley smiled wryly. "Just for a few seconds as a passerby, no one would notice anyway."

"Oh, look at this place. Every day, it attracts countless dream chasers, drawn to the glitz and glamour, making many persevere through hardship, tsk, tsk!" Charles said with a nonchalant tone.

Anyway, Charles didn't mind being a barista. He was sweet-talking enough; making money wasn't tough for him.

In half a month, Mullholland Drive won the Cannes Film Festival award for Best Director. David Lynch and the Coen Brothers, who were also famous in the independent film industry, won this award together.

In those two weeks, Charles saved another $2,000, reaching a total of $5,000. It was really something!

On the weekend, Charles went to Sony Pictures Studio in Culver City, not far from Beverly Hills. His mom, Evelyn, had pulled some strings and got him a position as a production assistant on the crime thriller Enough.

Nothing special, it was what Charles wanted. He was tired of the grunt work and bit parts. Although being a production assistant still meant doing errands, he could learn a lot. Enough starred the sultry Jennifer Lopez, a revenge action film.

Charles could have worked next door at the Spider-Man set. They were hiring a lot, given it was a live-action adaptation of Marvel's superhero Spider-Man, with a budget exceeding $100 million - a huge production.

It was only 2001; Hollywood only produced about three or four movies a year with budgets over 100 million. Those exceeding $75 million were considered major productions.

Enough had a production budget of around $30-40 million. Jennifer Lopez had achieved a lot in music, but her film career wasn't quite as noteworthy.

Compared to other singers, though, she could be considered an actress, with numerous works to her name.

Charles, as a low-level production assistant, served as an assistant to one of the producers' deputies. He didn't mind. At least he could learn the process by paying attention. If he focused, he could become familiar with all aspects of the crew.

He worked for two months until the crew wrapped up their Los Angeles scenes. Charles not only earned $8,000 but also truly learned the process.

It wasn't difficult. Each department had professional managers and staff. Unions could provide all kinds of talent, but filmmaking was indeed a money-consuming endeavor.

Back at his rented house in West Hollywood, he found it hard to live with his nominal mother. It felt awkward, perhaps some time would make it better.

Charles looked at the calendar, realizing 9/11 was fast approaching!

However, he was broke. Otherwise, he'd consider shorting some airline stocks if he had enough capital. Would he be considered an accomplice of terrorists?

New York wasn't safe!

West Hollywood, next to Beverly Hills, was where the most bars in Los Angeles were. Many entertainment folks lived there. It wasn't as upscale as the Platinum Triangle of Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, and Holmby Hills.

Once he had money, Charles wanted to buy several mansions north of Sunset Boulevard.

...

At an ice cream shop, Charles was about to buy one when he saw the banana mascot at the entrance trip and fall.

The person inside was trying to be funny. Charles kindly helped them up.

"Thanks!"

"No problem," Charles said. It was a girl, he saw through the holes in the costume. She seemed young but quite attractive. 

After she walked away, Charles waited for his ice cream. Just as he was about to leave,

"Nice to meet you. You've been coming for ice cream every night recently!" The girl had shed the funny banana suit already.

"I'm Megan Fox."

"Huh? Megan Fox!" Charles recognized the name. No wonder she looked familiar.

Wasn't she the future sexy mechanic girl from the Transformers series? He looked again; it indeed was her; she was just very young now.

"Wanna rest on that bench over there?" Charles pointed to a nearby bench.

*****

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