Exit Hollywood
By Chris James
Chapter Fifteen
The Christmas party at Tim's club 'Outrageous' was memorable for several reasons; foremost being several of the people Dennis and Ted met. The private space Tim maintained for personal use had seemed huge when Dennis and Ted had first been introduced to the club. Now it was filled with people who stood behind the mirrored glass wall and looked down at the club in full Christmas party mode.
Many of Tim's acquaintances at the party were from his security business. Dennis had never seen so many well dressed, handsome, and yet quietly dangerous looking men. Tommy was there with his partner. A quiet young man, Jerome looked dwarfed by Tommy's bulk, but he was not in the least bit intimidated by the big man at his side.
Ted found himself talking to a tall exquisitely dressed woman of indeterminate age. That wasn't unusual in the Hollywood scene where surgery undermined the normal factors of aging. She was introduced as Mrs. Parker, and it took some time before she admitted to being Tim's mother, Parker was her maiden name.
Dennis and Steve wandered up just as she was telling Ted about life in the Hawaiian Islands. Steve placed an arm on her waist and she leaned over to kiss his cheek, spilling some of the martini she held in her other hand. Okay, Ted thought, she knows about Tim and Steve.
"Isn't he the most lovely and talented young man?" She said.
Steve rolled his eyes and then smiled at her. "Nora, you have to stop embarrassing me in front of all my friends. I thought we talked about that."
"But, Stevie...darling. Your fans all agree with me," Nora said.
Steve turned to Ted with a grin. "I have to explain that Nora is the head of the Steve Biddle fan club in Hawaii...I am not kidding."
"Being a fan is not a matter of age, dear," Nora said. "It's only a matter of recognizing talent when you see it. Now I seem to have spilled most of my cocktail."
"Can I get you another?" Ted asked.
"How sweet, but no thank you, dear. I have to show every damn bartender just how I like it or they get it wrong. I will be back," She said, and wandered away towards the bar.
"I'd say she's lit," Dennis said.
"Invariably so," Steve said.
"So a big fan...hmm?" Ted said.
"That wouldn't be so bad except that she owns a huge piece of Triton Studios and badgers them to put me in every film they produce. I'm embarrassed to walk in that place now."
"Job security?" Dennis asked.
"Not really. Ted, did you see your friend Taffy is here?" Steve asked, deftly changing the subject.
"No, where did she go?"
"She went out in the club to see Gina, they're friends you know."
"I haven't seen Taffy since the birthday party. I didn't expect to see her here, does she know Tim?" Ted asked.
"We're acquainted, but she came to see you and Dennis," Steve said.
"Oh?" Dennis said.
"It's supposed to be a secret, but she brought someone for you to meet."
"Remind me not to tell you my secrets," Dennis laughed.
"I didn't really say anything, did I?" Steve asked.
Mark and Brian joined them and everyone hugged. "Tim throws quite a party," Mark said. "I wish I could go down on the floor of the club."
"Legally you can," Brian said. "But why risk the publicity?"
"You got me there," Mark replied.
Taffy walked through the door a few minutes later with another woman beside her and Gina Roland following along behind. Once again there was a round of hugs, except for the woman who stood quietly by and observed.
"Dennis...Ted, this is Margaret Black...Dean Black, my boss from the University," Taffy said.
They shook her hand and the Margaret gave both boys a warm smile. "I've been hearing a lot about you from Taffy," She said. "I suppose we'd better leave that discussion for another time."
"I was just about to call your office," Dennis said. "Ted and I both need to talk with you and I think the production schedule will give us some time in a few weeks."
Margaret nodded. "I'm sure you're both very busy. Yes, call my office and we'll get together."
"Great, I've been dying to get you guys in the program," Taffy said.
"I won't be acting, Taffy," Dennis said.
Taffy smiled. "You know one of the real advantages of teaching is being able to handle the talent of my students without worrying about them stealing my job. The classroom is only a place where talent evolves, it isn't born there. My sense of accomplishment comes from knowing that those I teach will be the leaders of their generation. You gentlemen will be quite a challenge for the department...I look forward to it."
But Taffy wasn't done, and she turned her gaze on Steve and Mark. "What about you two? The more the merrier."
Mark smiled. "It's something we have to consider when time allows."
Margaret nodded. "All four of you should pursue a degree program, if only to bolster your growing resume. Your situation is unique, but it's the role of higher education to accommodate your needs. I think we can find a way to do just that."
Dennis cornered Taffy later on and gave her a hug. "So you've been after all four of us? That would really bolster your reputation."
Taffy held him back at arm's length. "It would present a challenge to the school, but we need to think about how to deal with these situations." She sighed. "Betty made it quite clear that she wanted her two boys to succeed in life, and your education was very important to her. She never graduated high school, did you know that?
"It wasn't something she was proud of and she felt it kept her from evolving beyond being an actress. But her life was balanced by that effortless talent, and her way with people. No one ever questioned her abilities, except maybe a husband here and there." Taffy smiled. "We are the fortunate ones, she cared about us."
Dennis had tears in his eyes. "I will succeed because of her, Ted and I both will."
Taffy nodded. "I'm sure she'll be very proud of your accomplishments. I hear you're learning to direct, how is that going?"
"So many details to remember, so many levels of thought," Dennis said. "Mickey Talon treats it like a video game in three dimensions, Barry Neil says it's like a game of billiards, you always have to stay three shots ahead. Right now I'm learning how to plan it all out on paper."
"That's how it starts," Taffy said. "It's what I told Margaret when we first sat down to talk about admitting you to the program. You'll already know so much that we'll have to get you to demonstrate what you've learned so we can fill in the details."
"Ted and Mark are already writing the script for Jim's next film."
"I heard something about that," Taffy said. "Look, I have a student who has already made three feature length films and he's only nineteen. I have another who has been writing film scripts since he was in elementary school. Minds like that have to be focused to get the most out of their education. What you guys will bring to the department will fit right in with these others.
"All of you are the future of the industry, and some of you are already writing that piece of history. Don't think it will be easy, I think you know me better than that. I want what Betty wanted, and that's to blow the lid off this silly little business of ours and take back the glory that Hollywood represents. This town needs a revolution, and from what I see I'm sure you boys will lead it."
Dennis nodded. "Then I think we're in just the right place. Jim has given us the freedom to learn as we go. The film I'm working on is going to change the way my generation views films, and Ted...you really need to ask what he and Mark have been doing."
"Believe me, I will," Taffy said. "I'm sorry we aren't going to have the Tahoe gathering this year, but you seem too busy anyway."
"It's too soon," Dennis said. "Perhaps by next year we'll have some distance from her death and Betty won't be the sole topic of conversation. Jim couldn't make it this year anyway, he's back with Susan and they're spending Christmas with the girls."
"Good for him. I think Betty wanted that too. She still touches our lives from beyond the grave."
"You have no idea," Dennis said.
The party would roll on into Christmas evening, but Ted and Dennis were home in time for a quiet dinner by then. At eight o'clock the phone rang and Ted spoke for a while with his father. Dennis had spoken to his family that morning.
Their after dinner coffee was made by the time Ted hung up. He had phoned his mother that afternoon before the party even though he didn't want to face the chance of talking to his sister. Ted had the definite impression that Kathy was jealous of his accomplishments and that didn't bother him one bit.
His family and Dennis' couldn't be more different, but they had built their own lives from that beginning. Each of the gay men Ted had met over the years had adapted to the changes of their chosen way of life. The partnerships formed were all different, but fulfilled the needs of the individuals. Even Vince, the perpetual loner, had found John and established a family.
The urge to write a gay themed story had been something he spoke to Mark about at some length. The hours of focusing on Redemption had often exhausted their minds and made it necessary to talk about something else.
"You know, this could have been a gay love story," Mark said one afternoon.
"Michael and Danny?" Ted asked. "Wouldn't that have given the lie to Danny's feelings about his fans?"
Mark laughed. "I have lots of female fans and I'm gay. No, I respect my fans and I don't feel like I'm lying to them. I've been waiting for the moment of revelation...it has to happen at some point. I see this film as a validation of my career, and once it's over the media will be sniffing at my heels once again."
"You think they'll try to out you?"
"Probably. My profile has been just beneath the horizon since the television show, but Redemption will change all that. And you know what? I don't care anymore. I'm not the romantic leading man type. No one will ever see me kissing some starlet on screen. I play characters and if I can't get cast because I'm gay then I'll just write."
Ted had smiled. "You're my hero."
Mark had laughed at that. "You must be thinking of Michael..."
But Ted had meant what he said. The life Mark shared with Brian was a fine example of a gay family, something to emulate. Mark wore that gold ring with pride and one day they would marry if the laws allowed. A gay couple needed others of like mind around them. A gay family was an extended and mutually supporting group of people.
Although in the story Danny would come to admire Michael for the positive effect he had on other people's lives it was not the gay kind of love. Brothers, Ted thought, and he didn't know anything about that...but Dennis might.
"You have that gleam in your eye...what do you want, sweetie?" Dennis asked over his coffee cup. "Is it time to open our presents?"
"We can...but I was thinking. How do you feel about your brother?"
"Mike? He's an adorable brat, but perhaps it's the age factor."
"No...I mean, what does he bring to your life?" Ted asked.
"Lord, that's deep," Dennis said. "Where did that come from?"
"I'm writing about Michael and Danny in the story. They aren't related but they share something I'm trying to define. Perhaps it's a brotherhood."
"It's a matter of perspective. I'm Mike's older brother so he looks up to me, whereas I feel protective towards him. I don't know how he'll feel when he learns I'm gay."
"Is he intolerant?" Ted asked.
"No more than his peers. He has that young jock image to maintain, but he's never been crude about gay people. I mean we had a talk when he was twelve, just about the time I met you. He just wanted to know if what he had begun thinking was normal. They get all this educational stuff at school but sometimes that only serves to confuse.
"I remember when we went to your house for the birthday party. You went way up on the cool-o-meter that day...the pool, the go carts and your father's collections. Mike is just a normal kid and I think that's great."
"Because you're anything but normal? Do you worry about disappointing your parents because of us?" Ted asked.
Dennis smiled. "I used to be concerned, but not any more. Mike and my sisters will each marry and have the required grandchildren so that's covered. They'll have to settle for my success, and I know my mother will tell everyone what I'm doing. But I'm not answering your question, am I?"
"No, but I get it. Brothers exist in the context of family. You could always be Mike's friend even if he wasn't your brother. Your bond to him doesn't require anything more than your devoted attention and love. That's the key I'm looking for...thanks."
Dennis laughed. "Glad I could help, but I have no idea what I said."
Over the weeks Ted had shared the growing volume of words that defined Redemption, and Dennis had listened patiently. He had not asked to read any of it because just listening to Ted talk about the story had been enough. There was no thought to which of the writers had developed one theme or another, it came across as one seamless piece of work.
Whether Ted realized it or not, he had become Danny to Mark's character Michael. This brotherhood they built between the characters was developing between two very real people as they wrote the story. Dennis could understand this and he wondered if Ted saw it as well, but he wouldn't ask.
Perhaps Jim was counting on that bond developing to get the best film he could from his two young writers. Mark had been doing this a lot longer than Ted and perhaps he needed a fresh young mind to push the boundaries and make him focus. Dennis had no concern about Ted's ability to hold his own with Mark. Their minds tracked on parallel courses and Ted could be just as aggressive.
They spent the rest of Christmas enjoying the presents they had received and then went to bed to enjoy the best gift they could share. Tomorrow would be a Thursday and a work day, it seemed so unfair. Ted had suggested that Christmas ought to float on the calendar like Easter Sunday did. He thought they should pick the last Sunday in December for Christmas. That way you might end up with Christmas Day ending in New Year's Eve. Now that would be worth a really big party and a good excuse to have Monday off.
There was still a good deal of Christmas cheer on the set the following day, with several of the stagehands wearing Santa hats or reindeer horns. Mickey had on a T-shirt with a drawing of Santa pulling his own sleigh filled with reindeer and the words: 'This is what happens when you don't plan ahead.'
Ted was allowed to sleep in that morning and was going to meet with Mark for lunch and another writing session. Dennis had arrived early enough to get the first cup of coffee from the caterer's pot and his choice of the Danish pastry. The normal loud buzz of activity became muted when Jim arrived and everyone tried to sense his mood for the day.
But Jim was in a great mood as he came skipping across the studio floor to where Mickey was holding court with Barry, Dennis and several production assistants.
"Top of the morning, boys and girls," Jim laughed. "I hope everyone enjoyed that little bit of Christmas...I know it wasn't much of a holiday. But I smell success sitting around this table, what have we got for today?"
Dennis smiled at the question. Jim knew exactly where they were in the shooting schedule. But they examined the sheets and discussed the layouts with Jim before he went off to get prepared. One by one the cast trickled in and by eight o'clock Barry had everyone checked off on his list.
Doyle and the kids, the kids and Mr. Jackson, the principal. The kids and the detectives, the detectives and Doyle...the shooting schedule covered three weeks worth of work, and then it ended. If things went smoothly the film would be 'in the can' and done by the second week of January. This would be followed by a month of editing, the addition of the special effects, music, titles and whatever else Mickey and Jim decided.
Dennis had learned there was no point at which they could accurately say the film was finished. They would just reach a moment when nothing else was needed, except perhaps an audience. Jim wasn't really big on focus groups or test panels to tell him what he needed to know. But this time they had millions of fans online waiting for the final product.
Like any major film, they would have to make a trailer to advertise the movie. Previews of coming attractions were tacked on four or five deep in every large movie theater. Sometimes it got to be a little too much for people waiting for the actual film they had paid to see. But the trailers were also posted online these days, and the Come Next Tuesday website would get it first.
Barry continued to sit at the table after their little meeting broke up. Everyone had gone off to their assigned tasks when he motioned Dennis to have a seat.
"Name me ten key elements of this film," Barry asked.
"Oh wow, that's a tough question," Dennis replied.
"We better figure that out, and soon. You and I are going to edit the first trailer together."
"What? I thought for sure Mickey would want to do that," Dennis said.
"I think his mind is already drifting off to that documentary on wombats...or whatever it is," Barry said.
"Nocturnal species of the Amazon rain forest, that's what Jillian told me."
"Who cares, wombats, vampire bats, snakes and malaria, I think he's crazy. We have a film to present. So ten things?" Barry asked.
They needed exactly two minutes of visual imagery to give the audience an idea of the excitement in the film, something that would sell tickets. Somehow Dennis didn't think that this chore was normally left up to the production staff. Sales and marketing would usually produce something like this.
"Right, but then they don't have any idea how to make those million kids on our website stand up and take notice," Barry said. "The loyal fans know all about the Chips, but little about our villain."
"Okay, so we tell a bit of the story without giving it all away," Dennis said.
"Exactly. So I thought we present Doyle first. A bit of him driving to school, pontificating at the chalkboard and introduce the first confrontation with the Chips. Let's say that takes all of thirty seconds and then we slip into time machine mode and drop in scenes that ramp up the excitement and the tension."
Dennis laughed. "You have it all figured out, so why do you need me?"
Barry smiled. "You don't think I'm going to take the blame for this alone, do you?"
They agreed to think about the trailer scenes for a week, and then dig into the editing room for the visuals they wanted. Barry wanted the trailer spliced together before they ended filming. With some titles thrown in they could have it up on the website a few days later. The actual film would not be released until spring, but the hoopla would begin much sooner.
The New Year arrived, and despite that single day off, they all forged ahead. One by one the scenes fell into place and Mickey seemed contented with what they had. Dennis attended some of the daily screenings just to see the magic Jim could wring out of a scene. It was nothing short of brilliant.
Barry, Dennis and an editing crew of three cut a trailer out of the stored images. At first it was too long, but then by paring seconds here and there they managed to get a fair representation of what the film would look like. Then they had to present it to Jim, Mickey and the production staff in the viewing room. The lights went down and Dennis almost held his breath.
The trailer opened with Doyle driving to school, and then babbling in front of a classroom filled with kids, many of them texting on their phones. That quickly evolved to the basement room in the library and the discovery of the book. A glimpse of Doyle falling off the ladder dissolved into the image of Arty D staring at himself in the mirror, it was a shocker.
The time machine segment flashed through images of the kids at their computer stations, the insertion of the worm shown with the burning fuse graphics and Nicky jumping to his feet as the screen went dark. There were fast images of the TechFirst data rooms, the waterfall effect on the monitor and then the confrontation of the Chips and Doyle in the cafeteria.
Nicky opening the door to the detectives and the kids gathered around the computer were spliced between shots of Arty D as he fought them in cyberspace. The images raced to the conclusion with Arty D screaming in rage as he loses the battle, and that ended the trailer.
It was a fast two minutes that left hearts pounding and displayed most of the tense moments in the film, except for the conclusion. Presenting Doyle raving in his prison cell would have to wait for the film's release. They had to hold something back.
The lights came up in the small theater and Jim started the applause which everyone soon joined. Barry blushed and Dennis laughed, it was a wonderful feeling.
"Damn...that was outstanding," Jim said.
Mickey sat there nodding, and then he smiled. "I'm glad I got to direct the film, but you guys sure made me look good."
It took two more weeks and no one was happier than Mickey when they filmed the final scene and he got up to yell: "That's a wrap."
Ted and Mark had been there for the final moments of filming, as had just about everyone who staffed Curry Productions. They popped the corks on a few bottles of champagne so everyone had a sip or two, and then realized it was still only eleven o'clock in the morning.
The feeling of success pervaded the studio and not just because the film was finished. The trailer had been posted on the website and within twelve hours their server network crashed from the overload.
Nelson Gupta had them back up and running within hours, but access was still slow and the demand of the viewers didn't taper off for days. Of course all this was noted by the trade magazines, and the news spread quickly. Jim Curry had accomplished another film and this one seemed to be a winner.
Even as the special effects people added their pieces of the work, the cast was being feted on television by the major entertainment programs. Jim did a few late night appearances, but much of the publicity was focused on the kids which is exactly what he wanted.
Ted had started on this film only to be pulled away by his writing project with Mark, but Jim had not forgotten those early moments of commitment. Imagine Ted's surprise when he opened his paycheck and discovered the amount had been doubled. It happened to Dennis as well. The much maligned line about raising his pay had come true.
Dennis was still expected to service the unfinished film with his attention, while Ted and Mark polished up what they had written so they could present it to Jim.
"He's going to love this," Mark said. Ted wished his level of confidence was that high. "And I think your ending works so much better, thanks for selling me on it."
"I never felt comfortable with the drama of a tragic ending. An audience has to be left with a means to recover their emotions. It gives the rest of the story better credibility if we take the characters to the edge of the cliff but don't push them off."
Mark smiled. "Well said. Now I think we deserve a swim and a good lunch before we plunge back into this."
"Agreed," Ted said, and then as they stood up to go change Ted gave Mark a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Mr. Harrison. I could never have done anything like this without you, and we will both reap the reward of this story."
Mark hugged back and then held Ted's head in his hands until they stared eye to eye. "Brian is the very first person I would ever consider to be my partner for life, but we have forged something special here. I would be honored to work with you again on anything. We have a partnership of the mind. My thanks to you for writing me into something that will certainly enhance both our lives."
"This is going to win awards, isn't it?" Ted asked.
Mark nodded. "You can count on it."
Jim and Hank both received a special FedEx package four days later. Jim would remember the day because he opened the box and slid out the red notebook with the name Redemption printed on the cover and immediately marked it on his calendar.
The next thing anyone knew Jim was running down the corridor, slamming through the back exit doors and disappearing into the sunshine. Ted heard all about it twenty minutes later and he could only smile. He knew they wouldn't see Jim again until he had finished reading the story.
Ted sat at his desk and looked at the piles of debris which had been accumulating since early summer. Dennis would be off in the editing rooms looking over the shoulders of the special effects people. He would stay busy with that until the final edit was done. Ted wondered what he should do between now and the time pre-production began on Redemption.
Mentally...he was exhausted, but the exhilaration of building that story still lingered. Nothing he had ever done before coming to Curry had prepared him for what had just happened. It was easier now to imagine the steps it would take to get the story turned into a script and begin filming. Summer would be over before that finished up....and then what?
He pushed aside some of the paper on the desk and pulled his keyboard front and center. Opening a new blank document page Ted typed in the first words that came to mind:
'Whirlwind, or what Dorothy didn't see on her way to Oz.'
By the time Dennis dropped by the office to take Ted out to lunch he found the boy sitting at the desk and laughing hysterically, his fingers dancing across the keyboard. Rather than disturb the muse that seemed to possess Ted at the moment, Dennis took a seat and waited quietly. A few moments later Ted snapped back and looked up.
"Someone is having fun," Dennis said with a smile.
"I...I was possessed," Ted replied, and then he laughed. "I just had this thought...and here I am ten pages later."
"Something good I hope," Dennis said. "Hungry?"
"Starving."
Ted saved his document and got up from the desk. But there he paused and shook his head.
"I don't know what made me think of it, but I just wrote the beginnings of a story about us."
"Oh? The real us, or is it just something imagined?"
"I don't know that either. I was just reflecting back to what we've been through...what we're going through, and I thought this was all like the Land of Oz and Jim is the wizard."
Dennis laughed and nodded his head. "I can see why you think that. Maybe that's the way I see it too. So who am I in the story...the scarecrow perhaps?"
"No, they aren't in it. This is about Hollywood where anything is possible," Ted said.
"So no little people either?" Dennis asked.
"Oh there will be little people, just not small ones. I mean little between the ears. This is going to be a gay story...that's all I know at the moment."
Dennis nodded. "Then let's go feed your mind and your body."
They drove towards the beach and settled for lunch at the Kitchen Kettle, a mom and pop restaurant that wasn't trendy just yet. Dennis had heard about the place from one of the stagehands and decided they ought to try the food. It turned out to be a good choice.
"So Jim has the story now?" Dennis asked.
"Yes, Mark sent them out FedEx just for the fun of it," Ted replied. "We'll know what he thinks by this evening. And now I don't know what to do with myself."
"Oh? Don't you think once Jim approves the story then you'll have to take a crack at writing the script?"
"Yeah, now there's something I know nothing about," Ted said, but he wasn't smiling.
"Leave that to Jim, he'll figure something out. Remember, he's the wizard in our little corner of Oz."
It took Jim four hours to read the Redemption story, and the first anyone knew that he had returned was when the pubic address system clicked on in every corner of the building.
"Hallelujah, we have a new film to produce," Jim announced. "Ted Cavanaugh to the fishbowl, please."
There were smiles around the building, the boss was happy and that meant job security. Jim jumped up from his desk when he saw Ted enter the production office.
"Wow...and I mean wowiee," Jim said. "That's the best thing I've read this year. No, wait, the year is only two weeks old. That's the best thing I've read in a long, long time...you made me cry."
Ted smiled, worried about where this was going next. Jim nodded at the look, knowing what was left unsaid. "Thank you," Ted said. "I learned a lot from Mark."
"And he learned a lot from you. I already spoke with him, and he gives you all the credit for keeping the story moving along."
"That's not true," Ted said. "Mark was all over his character as we wrote. I guess...well, I guess he's a lot more like you than I thought."
Jim nodded. "Figured that out, did you? When Hank first introduced me to Mark after they did that cowboy movie that's what he said. 'This boy is Jim Curry all over again.' I believed him and you guys just proved it."
"We just wrote the story, it isn't a script yet," Ted said.
Jim waved his hand in the air. "I think that will be the easy part. Look, Hank and I didn't have the courage to write this story the way it needed to be done. You both had to get inside the heads of these characters to come up with something this rich...this powerful. Now as for the script, I'll get you some help...I already have someone in mind."
Ted sighed. "Thank you for that too."
"His name is Mitchell Cohen, I've used him before," Jim said. He dug into his Rolodex and pulled out a business card. "Here, why don't you call him and arrange a time when you two can sit down and talk. Of course, he'll need to see a copy of the story."
"I have it all on disk, that will make it easier on him," Ted said.
Jim shook his head. "He doesn't use computers, I doubt if he even knows how to turn one on. Mitch is pretty old fashioned, but a real genius at getting these things done. He was my English teacher in high school."
"Oh...wow," Ted said. "I can type it up."
"Look, he's an elderly man and he lives alone. You'll have to go to him because I don't think he drives anymore. Just don't be in a hurry, take the time to do it right."
"I'll check with Mark and see what his schedule is like," Ted said.
Jim leaned back in his chair and made a steeple out of his fingers. "I think Mark's part of this is done, you should write the script."
"Me? I don't know...I mean Mark has been in on this since the beginning. Does that seem fair to you?" Ted asked.
"Mark agrees with me," Jim said. "We both need you to write the script, and then follow through on it as we film. He's going to be too busy with the character to spend time thinking about making script changes as we shoot. That wouldn't be fair to him at all.
"I know you can do this, Ted. Mitch will go a long way to building your confidence about adapting the story. It needs to be done like this, and don't worry, Mark won't feel left out. He's known this would happen since you guys got started, but I asked him not to tell you so you wouldn't worry."
"Well I'm worried now," Ted said.
"Don't be, you can fly solo now and Mitch is a good teacher. I have every confidence in you, and we're going to make this into a damn fine film." Jim grinned. "We both have something riding on this...don't you want an award for best screenplay?"
Ted laughed. "That won't happen. I mean it's too soon for something like that."
"Don't be too sure. If Mark, Steve, Hank and I do this right then some of the glory will be yours to share. Betty would be so proud..."
Ted held up a hand. "Okay...okay, I get it. How many Oscars can one film win?"
"About ten I believe, depends on the categories. You win me an Oscar with this film and I'll produce anything you write...I promise," Jim said.
Ted stood up to leave and waved Mitch's business card. "I'll go call him...and as for that film you've promised to produce, I'm already writing a story."
"One step at a time...go write the script," Jim said.
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