Versatile Superstar: Rise In Hollywood

With [Action Hero] doing so well, Aiden’s mind was at his peace. He enjoyed the feeling of growing his popularity slowly. With each movie and song, new people were discovering him and enjoying his art. 

But it also meant that he was working a lot. 

That did put pressure on him but he was now used to it. Moreover, acting in movies meant that he got to be a part of so many amazing stories. 

Just the experience of being in immersion was something he looked forward to. 

Though, even with a small amount of lack of concentration, his immersion could easily break. It means he needed to be at a certain level in his mind to do a good scene. 

So, it was hard work. 

Still, Aiden was extremely happy as the shooting for [Agnas] began. 

It was a new project, a new beginning. The first big project by a Big 6 studio that he was going to ahead. A project that has a lot of expectations and Zero International was even hoping it would cross at least 400 million dollars at the box office. 

Originally, the project was supposed to start in April but it got delayed due to casting and the pre-production taking longer than expected. As Baz got ‘Joker’ now, he could also use the ending that he had originally planned. 

Aiden was kind of reserved about working with Baz, knowing that he was someone who wanted complete obedience on the set. There was an old rumour about how he had asked an actor to give a take 70 times for a small shot that he hadn’t even used in the final edit. 

The actor had cried watching the movie in the theatre and refused to work with him again. 

Still, he was a top director which meant that the movie would be top notch. 

What Aiden wanted was just to get into his brain a little and learn how he directs his movie. Especially because he was someone who writes his own script too. 

As a writer and actor, Aiden was very excited. 

That’s why, on the first day of shooting, just before the first shot, Aiden asked a question. 

“How did you developed Agnas’s story in a movie?”

They were standing in the back as the set was getting ready. It was a scene that would come in the first 20 minutes, the scene where Agnas Parker, who was still a teen at that point, would talk to a local musician. 

“He has an interesting life.” Baz shrugged. 

“Yeah, but it’s still a life. Not a movie. A movie needs to truly hold your attention at every moment. I have seen so many biopics that do get boring or they just make fictional scenes that didn’t happen. I heard from Joseph that [Agnas] isn’t like that.”

Aiden said and Baz nodded his head. 

“Yeah, his life was good enough for me. I just took certain things. Incorporated them together with a theme. When I make a script, I use two things.”

Aiden listened keenly as Baz explained. His stature in the industry made every word of his mouth valuable, so any advice from him was going to help him understand a good movie from a bad movie. 

“First the theme. What you want to say with your story. If that’s not present, there’s no story. Then, you bind the theme with scenes that connect to each other. I believe that movies are remembered in scenes. Some scenes are better than the others and people like them more and every scene needs to have at least one of three things if you are making a drama.”

“What three things?”

“Comedy, emotion and drama. You need one of the three to hold the audience’s attention. Give them that and you give them a reason to stay in the theatre to watch the movie. Otherwise, it’s just lacking.”

Baz explained. He also talked about how one needed to give interesting perspectives to the audience through the characters and Agnas’ story while being a biopic, had a lot of moments like this. 

He talked a bit more before telling Aiden to get ready for the shot. He also explained the scene a bit and how he wanted the scene to go. 

Standing alone, Aiden thought of the theme that they were going for in [Agnas]. 

‘The story of a superstar becoming an employee to his own myth. A heartbreaking story of a man who made people smile.’

***

[Agnas|15 June-2018|Act 1|Scene 1|Take 1]

“Do you like my performance?”

A man with a moustache and long hair asked as he looked at Agnas. They were currently standing backstage as the man gulped down a bottle of water. 

He had just returned from a performance that he and his band had put on. They were a local band that were trying hard to go mainstream in the past year. 

“It was great. How did you come up with this song this time?”

Agnas asked, excited to know the story behind the song the man had just performed. His band would perform every year in their town and Agnas has formed a friendship with this man, getting him access to the backstage. 

“I got it from a man I met in a bar. Man was a fucking racist in real life but loved MK5 songs. I felt like it was an interesting contrast, so I wrote a song on it.”

MK5 was an all black band that was very famous throughout America. Agnas liked them too. They have a lot of style in their performances. 

But he didn’t quite get what the local singer had said. 

“Why would a racist like MK5? He’s liking something he hates.”

“That’s the thing. Isn’t it interesting?” The local singer smiled. 

“It is but I don’t quite get it.”

“Let me show you then.”

The local singer then walked up to the curtains that connected to the stage and opened it up. A cheer was heard and Agnas saw that Marcus, the drummer, was doing a solo performance. 

He was a black guy who loved beer. That’s the only thing Agnas knew about him. 

He looked towards the local singer and noticed that he was looking towards the crowd. A crowd that was cheering the performance that was going on with enthusiasm. 

“Did you see that?” 

“See what?” Agnas raised an eyebrow. 

“How they are enjoying it. Tell me now, do you think no one in the crowd hates black people, homosexuals, other religions, countries?”

“They do.”

Agnas said. He noticed a few people in the crowd who had used racist slurs and he had witnessed it himself. They were currently enjoying the performance without any hatred. 

“That’s the thing about music, my friend.” Agnas looked at the man. “No one cares what you are and where you come from. If your music reaches people, they will like you. Art doesn’t have boundaries. Only people do.”

Agnas took a moment to understand his words. At that moment, the voice of Baz came out. 

“Cut!”

The scene was successful and there was no need for any retake. At the same time, Aiden thought that it fit being the dramatic part of the three things that Baz had told him. 

***

As Aiden was working on [Agnas] in Los Angeles, a lot of activities were happening all over Hollywood. With [Action Hero] success, too many eyes were on Aiden, so people were talking more and more about him. 

They were wondering about the future of his career and if he was someone worth befriending. 

In the office of SGA, one of the biggest talent agencies in Hollywood, a man was looking through the profile of Aiden. 

He has a weird atmosphere around him and his snake-like eyes made him look a bit dangerous. He was Franco Li, the agent that Aiden had previously crossed paths with. 

He was known as the star maker in the industry. 

Due to Aiden, Seth Douglas’s career has ended. Franco Li didn’t know about it obviously but that was the only memory of Aiden that he held. 

‘He was talked a lot about in [Disconnected]. The movie flopped but became a cult classic. Black Line Cinema didn’t go for an Oscar nomination despite a lot of people saying that Aiden’s role deserved a nomination. His atmosphere was out of norm. Calm, reserved, special.’

Franco Li thought in his mind. The resounding success of [Action Hero] had made him notice Aiden and now, he’s wondering if he had the quality that he was looking for. 

‘The X factor to be a star.’

Although Seth Douglas was cast aside immediately after the failure, it did make a dent in Franco Li’s reputation. 

That’s why, he was searching for an actor that would get him his reputation back. And Aiden fit the bill. 

“He’s not associated with any agency right?”

“He has his own team and agent. He’s very independent.”

Franco Li’s assistant said as soon as he asked. 

“Good. Compile every small detail about him in the last five years and give it to me. I would go meet him.”