Chapter 48: Fighting for an Opportunity - Marvel's Kryptonian Slacker

The entertainment industry propping up Hollywood is built on a solid structure of power and money. So no matter how glamorous it looks on the surface, the real truth of this flashy world is the backroom game of dog-eat-dog.

The entertainment industry in Hollywood is propped up by a solid structure of power and money. So don't let the glamorous surface fool you—the backstage cannibalism is the real truth of this flashy world.

Even the head of the stunt team, who got chewed out like a dog, held a black belt in karate and had fought in amateur boxing matches. Yet he still had to cower and take the scolding for over half an hour.

Even the head of the Action Team, who held a Karate Black Belt and had fought in amateur boxing matches, could only cower and take the scolding for over half an hour.

The director only let him go because he realized the man had to be freed up to contact other actors available for stunt work—otherwise, today's shooting schedule really might fall through.

If the director hadn't realized he needed to let the man go to contact other actors available for Stunt Performances, today's shooting schedule might have truly fallen through.

Even though deep down, he wanted to vent all the pressure the producers had piled on him since filming began, dumping it squarely on this guy.

Even though he wanted nothing more than to vent all the pressure from the producers since filming began onto that guy.

It wasn't personal—he just happened to be the punching bag.

Would the guy being targeted dare say anything? Not unless he wanted to kiss his Hollywood career goodbye. The producers and director were people he couldn't afford to offend.

Would the targeted man dare say anything? Unless he didn't want to keep working in Hollywood, the producers and director were people he couldn't afford to offend.

So even now, with time already wasted, he had to find a phone booth and scramble to drag some living soul to the set to replace the runaway stunt double for the lead.

So now, even though a lot of time had already been wasted, he had to find a phone booth and scrounge up a living person to come to the set and replace the Protagonist Double who had run off.

If he really couldn't find anyone, his last resort was to throw his own old bones into the fray. Whether he got blown up or broke his neck, it'd still be better than paying breach-of-contract damages.

If he really couldn't find anyone, his last resort was to do it himself with his old bones. Whether he got blown up or fell to his death, it was better than paying the breach-of-contract penalty.

Sure, stunt actors had the right to refuse a performance if safety measures weren't adequate. But did the producers really leave such a glaring loophole open for some lowly actor to exploit?

Don't think Stunt Actors have the right to refuse a performance when Safety Measures aren't properly prepared. How could the producers leave such a big loophole open for some minor actor to exploit?

The studios or production companies handled it by signing contracts with professional stunt teams.

The Film Studio or Production Company's approach was to sign contracts with professional stunt teams.

An actor could refuse to perform because it was unsafe.

Then the stunt team had to figure out how to fix the unsafe conditions, or just offer more money to get the actor to do it. Failing that, they'd find another actor willing to perform the stunt to keep the shoot on track. Otherwise, the team would have to swallow the consequences of breaching the contract.

Then the stunt team had to find a way to fix the unsafe situation, or just offer more money to get the actor to agree. Otherwise, they'd find another actor willing to do the stunt and ensure the shoot went smoothly. If not, the team would have to swallow the bitter consequences of breaching the contract.

One breach was like marrying the wrong woman—You'd lose nearly half your net worth. In Hollywood, it was even worse: it could trash the reputation you'd built and hurt future business.

One breach of contract was like marrying the wrong woman—You'd lose nearly half your assets. In Hollywood, it was even worse; it could ruin the reputation you'd built and hurt future business.

Just as he was frantically dialing numbers from the phone book, with no one answering and his mood already at rock bottom, a knock came at the phone booth door.

Just as he was frantically dialing numbers from the phone book with no one answering, his mood already at rock bottom, a knock came from outside the phone booth.

"What! If you're in a hurry to call someone, find another booth—I'm using this one."

"What do you want! If you're in a hurry to call someone, go somewhere else—I'm using this."

"Hey, hey, calm down." The person knocking was Henry. He said, "Johnny, boss, I was just thinking—if you really can't find anyone, give me a shot, see if I can do it, okay?"

"Heh, calm down." The one knocking on the phone booth was Henry. He said, "Qian Ning, boss, I was thinking—if you really can't find anyone, give me a chance to try, alright?"

Johnny hung up the phone with a puzzled look, slowly stepped out, and sized up the young man who'd volunteered. He was scruffy, with lousy taste, probably just a kid barely old enough for college.

Qian Ning hung up the phone in confusion, slowly stepped out, and looked at the big boy who had volunteered himself. He was scruffy, with questionable taste, probably just a kid around college age.

He recognized the guy—a background actor. He'd seen him a few times over the past few days, just a filler role.

He recognized the guy—a Background Actor. He'd seen him a few times over the past few days, just a background filler.

"Don't call me boss. You're not on my team yet. Just call me Johnny." The stunt team leader looked him up and down and asked, "You want to try stunt work?"

"Don't call me boss—You're not part of my team yet. Call me Qian Ning." The head of the Action Team looked him up and down and asked, "You want to try a Stunt Performance?"

"Yes."

"Any experience?"

"No, just been a background actor."

"No, I've only been a Background Actor."

"A member of the Screen Actors Guild?"

"Member of the Actors Guild?"

"Yes."

Johnny looked at the guy's build. He was about the same as the lead actor, just a bit taller.

Qian Ning looked at the guy's build—it was pretty close to the Male Protagonist's, just a bit taller.

You see, the stunt actor for this gig couldn't just be anyone. He was the lead's double—the kind that would be on camera. So the build and skin tone couldn't be too different, and only then could other factors be considered.

He knew the Stunt Actor for this job couldn't be picked casually. He was mainly the Protagonist Double, the kind that would appear on camera. So the build and skin tone couldn't be too different, and only then could other factors be considered.

This guy had passed the first hurdle, so Johnny asked, "Kid, what's your name?"

The guy in front of him had passed the first hurdle, so Qian Ning asked, "Kid, what's your name?"

"Henry. Sir. Henry Brown."

Henry rarely gave his last name—it was just something he'd picked up anyway. But since there might be a formal contract involved, he figured he'd better say it.

Henry rarely introduced his last name—he just used it casually anyway. But considering there might be a formal contract, he went ahead and said it.

"How are you going to convince me you can pull off the moves the director wants?"

Henry said, "I remember this scene: two cars driving parallel, one explodes and rolls, and the lead jumps from that car to the other one driven by the female lead, who's picking him up. Right."

Henry said, "I remember this scene—two cars driving parallel, one explodes and rolls, and the Male Protagonist jumps from that car to the other one driven by the Female Lead, who's picking him up. Right."

Johnny nodded, saying nothing.

Qian Ning nodded, saying nothing.

Henry continued, "I can do a test jump between two stationary cars first, so the director can see if the shot works. Then we can do another test jump with the cars moving.

Henry continued, "I can do a test jump between two stationary cars first, so the director can confirm the shot's feasible. Then we get the cars moving and do another test jump.

"Once you and the director are both sure it's fine, we'll go for the real take. That way, we won't waste film or trigger the explosives rigged for the car.

"Once you and the director are both sure it's fine, we'll do the real take. That way we won't waste film or trigger the setup for blowing up the car.

"Or are you going to say, Johnny, that we don't even have time for that kind of rehearsal? Then I can't prove whether I can do it or not—it's up to you if you want to take a gamble."

"Or, Qian Ning, are you going to say we don't even have time for that little rehearsal? Then I can't prove whether I can do it or not—it'll just depend on whether you're willing to take a gamble."

Did the old man have the luxury not to gamble?

Did the old man have the capital not to gamble?

Of course not!

The truth was, those unanswered calls weren't just to his own team members—he'd also dialed a few well-known stunt actors in the industry, hoping to get them to bail him out.

Actually, those unanswered calls weren't just to his team members—he'd also called a few well-known Stunt Actors in the industry, hoping to get them to bail him out.

That was the network Johnny had built up over his years in Hollywood, but none of them picked up, let alone agreed. He didn't even get a chance to see if his connections would pay off.

This was the network Qian Ning had built up over his years in Hollywood, but unfortunately, no one refused—they just didn't pick up. He didn't even get a chance to test whether his connections would come through.

After all, last-minute fill-ins like this were the worst—You didn't even know where to start looking for someone.

After all, last-minute bailouts like this were the worst—You really didn't even know where to look for someone.

Henry's proposed test jumps were enough to gauge whether he dared to perform the stunt. As long as he could make the leap between moving cars, the explosion was just a matter of coordination with the off-set support crew.

Henry's suggestion of a test jump was enough to gauge whether he dared to perform the Stunt Performance. As long as he could jump between moving cars, the explosion was just a matter of coordination with the off-set support crew.

So Johnny dragged Henry straight over to the producer and director, who were locked in a standoff, and said, "Let this kid give it a try."

So Qian Ning dragged Henry straight to the producer and director, who were locked in a standoff, and said, "Let this kid give it a try."

"Can he do it?" "Who is he?"

Neither the producer nor the director gave a background actor a second thought. They didn't even recognize that Henry was part of their crew.

Neither the producer nor the director gave a Background Actor a second thought. They didn't even recognize that Henry was actually part of their crew.

The assistant director in charge of coordinating background actors knew, but this kind of sudden promotion wasn't uncommon on set.

The Assistant Director, who coordinated the Background Actors' movements, did know, but situations like this—someone suddenly moving up on set—weren't uncommon.

Usually, it involved some shady backroom deal, and someone would suddenly land an opportunity.

Usually, it involved some shady backroom deal, and someone would suddenly get a chance.

But an opportunity like this one? Not just anyone could take it. At least none of the supporting actors who ranked higher were jealous of this chance.

But a chance like this one? Not just anyone could take it. At least none of the Supporting Actors who had any standing were jealous of this opportunity.

It was just a faceless double anyway, doing dangerous stunts. If anyone was jealous, they could step up! Do you know why stunt actors are listed under the behind-the-scenes crew?

It was just a faceless double anyway, and a dangerous Stunt Performance at that—anyone jealous could step up! Did they know why Stunt Actors were listed under the behind-the-scenes crew?

Johnny ignored everyone else's opinions. He just relayed Henry's earlier suggestion to the producer and director.

Qian Ning ignored everyone else's thoughts. He just relayed the suggestion Henry had made earlier to the producer and director.

The director didn't voice an opinion first. He just wanted to shoot the scene he had in mind: a guy jumping out of a car, then blowing the original one sky-high.

The director didn't voice an opinion first. He just needed to get the shot he wanted—a guy jumping out of a car, then blowing the original one sky-high.

The producer, though, was thinking more. He asked directly, "Has the performance contract been signed? Who's his agent?"

The producer, however, thought more about it. He asked directly, "Has the performance contract been signed? Who's his agent?"

Hollywood rules said an actor's contract had to go through an agent or manager—no one could act as their own agent.

Hollywood rules required that an actor's contract must be finalized through an agent or manager—there was no such thing as being your own agent.

Johnny hadn't thought to ask about that. So he could only look at Henry. The latter answered smartly, "I don't have an agent. I'm registered with the Screen Actors Guild, and the guild's public agent handles my contracts."

Qian Ning hadn't asked about that, so he could only look at Henry. The latter answered smartly, "I don't have an agent. I'm only registered with the Actors Guild, and the guild's public broker signs contracts for me."

New book signed—please follow, bookmark, and recommend. Thanks~

The new book is signed—requesting follow-up reads, collections, recommendations, thank you~~

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Fighting for an Opportunity