"Hey, Chrissie, you finally made an appearance!" Brian looked up and caught sight of the little girl. With laughter in his eyes, he swiftly stood up and walked over to scoop her up in his arms. "It's been too long, and you've grown even more beautiful."
"It seems, according to the surprise protocol, I should have sprinted over and leaped into your arms, my dear godfather," Angela remarked, wearing a smile.
"Well, since I stole your role, what compensation do you demand from me?" Brian set her back down and, as always, playfully pinched her cheeks.
"For now, I can't think of anything. Can we save it for next time?" the little girl blinked her eyes innocently.
"Of course... not." Brian chuckled, settling back onto the sofa.
Meanwhile, Jared, seated on a nearby armchair, calmly interjected, "That's alright, Chris dear. I'll make a note of it for you."
"Hmm, indeed, the bond between a father and daughter is strong," Brian commented with a shrug. "Luckily, Mary isn't here, or else..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Elena's voice echoed through the room. "What's going on? Do you need me for something?"
"No, no, no, it's nothing. Everything is just fine now," Brian quickly waved his hand, recalling the combined onslaught he had once endured from the Mason family's three musketeers. He didn't dare to risk it again.
At that moment, Jennifer approached. "Jared, Mr. Sparrow is here, waiting outside."
"Sparrow?" Jared seemed slightly taken aback as he glanced at Angela. The little girl simply shrugged. "I invited him. Warner Bros. is sending someone to discuss the script."
"You wrote another script?" Brian inquired, his interest piqued.
Angela rolled her eyes, feeling exasperated as she listened to her father and godfather argue like children. It wasn't the first time they had clashed in such a manner, and she had learned to ignore their bickering. She couldn't quite fathom why her father and grandfather couldn't seem to get along.
From what she had gathered from overheard conversations and observations, it appeared that when her father was younger, he had been quite rebellious.
After a falling out with her grandfather, he left home to forge his own path. Their reconciliation had seemingly been reluctant and tied to some undisclosed event.
Yet, every time they crossed paths, sarcastic remarks were exchanged. Angela harbored a curiosity about this family gossip, but everyone remained tight-lipped, and the only snippets of information she had were from her infancy.
Just then, Jennifer approached Elena and Angela, breaking the train of thought. "The Warner Bros. representatives have arrived. They're currently speaking with Mr. Sparrow at the entrance."
Angela finally pieced together the reason for Sparrow's delayed entrance. It seemed to be a fortuitous coincidence. Elena nodded, signaling that it was time to let them in.
Rising from her seat, she declared, "Alright, the guests have arrived. Let's address any questions tonight. Even if you want to engage in a duel, I won't object."
Jared and Brian exchanged amused glances, temporarily setting aside their conversation. Shortly after, Sparrow and the two other individuals entered the room one after the other. One was tall and slender, sporting round glasses perched on his nose, while the other had a slight paunch and thinning hair on his forehead. Both appeared to be in their forties.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mason," the tall and thin man greeted Jared with a firm handshake. "I'm Paul Tucker, the Deputy Manager of Warner Bros. Production Department. And this is Bill Carter, the head of our script review team." Bill, who stood beside Paul, extended his hand to Jared, displaying a demeanor of utmost respect.
It was clear that they had done their homework and were well aware of the little girl's background.
"Welcome. However, since this is between you and my daughter, we won't disturb you for the time being." Jared smiled and then said to Elena, "Dear, let's go to the garden."
Elena naturally followed her husband, but Brian sat down next to the little girl, seemingly eager to watch the show. Jared shrugged and didn't bother with him. He walked out with his wife.
Although Paul and Bill were unaware of Brian's identity, Angela made no effort to introduce him, and thus he was left unnoticed by the guests. They focused their attention on the matter at hand.
As both the hosts and guests settled into their seats, Jennifer gracefully served coffee and tea, inquiring about their preferences and catering to their needs. With the beverages prepared, the conversation commenced, marking the official start of their discussion.
She tapped her fingers lightly on the armrest of the sofa, deep in thought. After a moment, she raised her gaze and addressed Paul, asking, "Mr. Tucker, have you read the entire script?"
Paul nodded in response. "Yes, I have. I must say, it carries the essence of Master Hitchcock's《Rear Window》and there are certain resemblances to Mr. Stephen King's《The Shining》as well. However, it blends these influences seamlessly. Strictly speaking, it falls into the genre of psychological thriller with elements of mind-bending horror, rather than relying solely on blood and gore."
Angela nodded in agreement with Paul's assessment. She then continued, "However, there are a few concerns I have with the script. The resolution of the final segment feels too abrupt, and while there are several misdirections leading up to it, the ultimate explanation is not fully satisfying. Without proper clarification, it has the potential to undermine the impact of the entire film. Mr. Carter, as the head of the script review team, I would appreciate your insights and suggestions on this matter."
"On that note, we can assure you that our professional team will pay close attention to the finer details," Bill responded promptly.
Angela's curiosity was piqued as she asked, "And what about the novel-style portion towards the end?"
Bill hesitated for a moment before answering, "Yes, we plan to bring in more experienced professionals to handle the adaptation, including someone like Mr. Robert Reese." Paul attempted to intervene, but it was too late, and he let out an awkward cough to cover up the slip.
Angela shrugged and kept her thoughts to herself. It was clear from Paul's initial statement that they doubted her authorship of the script. After all,《Hide and Seek》possessed an exceptional psychological atmosphere and storytelling, especially in the first half. The script's innovative structure for its time in 1991 was another aspect that raised suspicions.
Angela herself couldn't fully believe that a young girl with limited life experience could have written such a complex piece. That's why she felt frustrated when the script accidentally leaked.
She could now guess what Paul was thinking. Even though she was indeed the screenwriter for《The Parent Trap》they probably believed that Nancy's name was listed below hers only because of her family background.
As for《Hide and Seek》who knows if someone else wrote it and had her transcribe it and send it to Warner Bros.? Otherwise, why would it lack an address and name?
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