[Chapter 59: The First Production Team Kickoff Meeting]
Returning to the estate, it was already 10 PM. After calling Bella, it was confirmed that the office space had been fully renovated, with all the office furniture in place, allowing the crew to start working normally.
Linton praised Bella over the phone generously, then scheduled a meeting for Robert, Zack, and Anne to come to Linton Studio the next day to discuss the movie project progress and crew formation.
...
The next morning, Linton arrived at the studio, where Bella and Mary were already present along with Robert, Anne, and Zack.
Maybe because the storyboards were finished, Zack finally got plenty of sleep and looked much better than the last time they met.
The studio had transformed dramatically -- it now had a reception desk at the entrance, four offices, and two conference rooms, one large and one small.
The office doors bore signs labeled General Manager's Office, Production Department, Finance Department, and Fan Club Office; each office was fully equipped.
Finally, it looked like a legitimate company. It seemed they still lacked a receptionist, so Linton planned to have Goodman help recruit one.
After a brief tour, Linton announced that this studio would officially serve as the headquarters for the Step Up movie production. Bella was instructed to issue office keys to Robert, Zack, and Anne.
They then moved into the small conference room to start discussing project progress, marking the first official production team meeting.
...
Mary and Bella sat in to listen and assist. Since the fan club had stabilized and Bella wasn't too busy recently, Linton invited her to join the film crew as his assistant during filming.
First, they reviewed Zack's storyboards. Zack's understanding of the script was spot on, and his style aligned perfectly with Linton's vision. The storyboard breakdown was methodical and comprehensive, free from any music video vibes, and everyone agreed with it.
...
Next, Robert gave a detailed presentation on location scouting: "After the final script draft, I hired a professional location scouting team. Following Linton's directions, they first visited Baltimore.
They found that Baltimore's street scenes and the Maryland Institute of Art matched the script's needs perfectly. We also found suitable docks at the Baltimore harbor."
Robert showed a pile of photos from Baltimore. Everyone compared the photos with the script and storyboard, agreeing Baltimore was an ideal setting for the film's outdoor scenes.
Robert then picked a few interior shots from the photos.
"Obviously, we can't shoot inside the entire art institute -- it'd disrupt classes. So, we plan to split the scenes. Hallways, staircases, and classrooms will be recreated on Universal's sound stages.
The school theater scenes can be replaced with a small theater rental in Los Angeles, and the dance studio scenes will also be built on set. Through editing, these scenes will appear seamless."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Is this the most cost-effective plan?" Linton asked.
"Yes, it offers the highest value," Robert replied.
"Since everyone agrees, let's finalize the outdoor locations. Robert, please prepare a detailed budget based on the locations and storyboards as soon as possible. Zack will assist you."
"Got it. Actually, I already have a rough estimate. The film's total budget won't exceed $9.5 million. With the storyboards and locations finalized, we can provide a detailed budget within two days."
...
After discussing locations, Anne shared the choreography breakdown for three dance scenes: the big group dance at the party, the duet between the lead couple at the seaside dock, and the showcase performance at the female lead's graduation.
To enhance understanding, Anne played recordings of her demonstrations and performed live with Linton. Although their practice was brief and not yet perfect, the choreography captivated everyone.
The dances blended modern dance elements, looking extremely cool and thoroughly enjoyable. Everyone felt like joining in.
Linton was very pleased with Anne's choreography and encouraged her to continue refining it along the same lines.
...
"Great work, everyone. Our preparations have been productive. Next, we'll start assembling the crew. I've asked Mira to select suitable crew members from William Morris Agency's talent pool. The preliminary list should be ready within a couple of days.
Once the list is out, Robert and Zack will perform initial screenings. First, to ensure they meet our professional standards; if any are unfamiliar, you can seek references. Second, no one with a bad record will be allowed. Third, no drug users -- we'll include clauses in their contracts forbidding drug use during production.
I'll be shooting an Armani commercial starting tomorrow for three days. After that, we'll finalize the WMA crew list together," Linton concluded.
"Robert, appoint Goodman as the production's legal counsel and finalize his employment contract. Also, check which casting agencies are reliable -- we need to hire a professional casting director," Linton reminded before adjournment.
They spent the whole day finalizing storyboards, locations, and choreography. Lunch was a casual takeaway ordered by Bella.
...
That evening, Linton invited everyone to the estate for a simple celebration. They opened a fine bottle of wine and enjoyed Mexican cuisine, leaving everyone utterly satisfied.
During the drinks, the topic turned to the buzz about Linton directing the movie himself. Zack said, "At first, media coverage was mostly negative, and I felt uneasy. Unexpectedly, many Hollywood professionals supported us, and a lot of viewers were excited, which boosted my confidence."
Everyone agreed they had similar feelings, but Robert offered a cautious reminder: "Don't be fooled by so-called Hollywood 'professionals.' Honestly, whenever new outsiders invest in Hollywood films, these professionals are enthusiastic. But most of those investments fail, with investors losing everything.
Hollywood prospers, yet these professionals often mock and belittle outsiders afterward. Think about what that means."
Robert's words stunned the group -- reality was harsher than they imagined.
Linton calmly said, "I've known that their encouragement is a way to get my money. But they didn't expect I wasn't planning to cooperate with them. We'll produce and shoot independently, with Universal handling distribution.
And the media buzz is an advantage -- Step Up hasn't even started filming yet, but a lot of people already know about it, saving us millions in advertising.
Friends, as long as we all contribute and maintain quality, this film will succeed.
Cheers!"
"Here's to our blockbuster!" they toasted together.
...
The next morning, accompanied by Carnes, Linton arrived at Universal Studios to film the Armani suit commercial. The shoot took three days to complete.
During filming, they received good news from Daniel -- Universal would settle album royalty shares on February 10.
*****
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