[Chapter 120: Choosing the Assistant Director, Catherine Zeta-Jones]
After wrapping up work with the crews of The Shallows and Step Up 2, Linton returned his focus to Speed.
Speed was a massive undertaking, shot across many locations. Linton insisted on filming on location whenever possible, only using sets at Universal Studios when absolutely necessary. According to the production schedule, shooting wouldn't begin until early December.
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Speed was a high-octane action thriller in which a city bus was rigged to explode if its speed dropped below 50 miles per hour. The bomber behind the threat was a former police officer turned criminal, seeking revenge and a ransom.
As the bus sped through crowded city streets, the officer raced against time to communicate with authorities, uncover the bomber's identity, and find a way to defuse the situation without setting off the explosives.
A brave passenger, a sharp-witted woman unexpectedly thrust into the driver's seat, stepped up to help steer the bus through chaos. Her quick reflexes and steady nerves proved vital, as she and the officer worked together to keep everyone alive under the bomber's watchful eye.
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When Linton came to the Speed studio, Robert handed him a stack of assistant director applications -- 17 in total. Most applicants were commercial or music video directors; only a handful had any film AD experience.
Linton had already shocked Hollywood by appointing Zack and Anne as directors on two separate commercial films. It was a move that inspired hope among countless aspiring filmmakers looking for their big break.
For the assistant director role on Speed, anyone who believed they had what it took had thrown their hat in the ring. The list of 17 names Linton now held had already been screened by Robert.
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To Linton's surprise, one of those names was Michael Bay -- the future explosion-happy commercial director. It was unexpected to see him still working in ads and music videos.
Michael had graduated from Wesleyan University's directing program eight years ago. Since then, he had stayed active in commercials and music videos. Despite having a well-connected relative who was a high-ranking executive at Warner, he had yet to receive an offer to direct a feature film.
But that was typical of Hollywood -- success opened doors. No one gave out directing jobs to unproven talent. The first shot was always the hardest to get.
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After reviewing all 17 demo reels, Linton quickly narrowed the list to two finalists: Michael Bay and Ryan Coaster.
Michael's reel didn't yet reflect the spectacular visuals he'd become known for in the future, but his sharp instincts were visible.
Ryan, on the other hand, had a unique, suspense-driven camerawork style, though his storytelling still needed work. Linton believed that with the right training, Ryan could become a solid horror director.
The rest of the applicants were dismissed. Their reels lacked creativity or, worse, showed signs of being produced by third parties.
But demo reels could only tell part of the story. Linton needed to meet the candidates in person to get a true sense of their ability. He instructed Kerby to schedule auditions for Michael and Ryan at their earliest convenience. None of the other applicants stood out.
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Michael and Ryan arrived at the Speed studio on the seventh afternoon. Each spent half an hour in a one-on-one with Linton. After the meetings, Linton made his decision immediately -- both were hired. Kerby and Goodman were notified, and contracts were finalized that day: $100,000 each as assistant directors.
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With his AD team in place, Linton turned to the rest of the crew.
Together with Mira's WMA list, Linton, Kerby, Tim, Kenneth, Carter, Michael, and Ryan finalized the rest of the key crew: cinematographer, art director, props master, makeup artist, and stylist.
The pyrotechnician slot demanded extra care: small explosions would be frequent, so Linton gave candidates math tests and chose the one with the strongest calculation skills.
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To handle larger special effects, Linton secured Industrial Light & Magic early in preproduction. ILM would provide modeling and digital effects, backed by a five-million-dollar VFX budget to guarantee both speed and quality.
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Meanwhile, Universal Music curated a soundtrack of 13 to 15 songs centered on themes of speed, cars, and adrenaline. Linton oversaw the final selections himself. He even wrote the theme song and chose to work again with Universal's rock bands. The soundtrack would also serve as merchandise -- his production company owned 20% of the rights and took 20% of all sales.
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With the crew and music lined up, the next major step was casting.
The script called for five principal roles.
The male lead, Jack, was already cast -- Linton would play him himself. His photo was posted on the casting board, and everyone on the team nodded in agreement.
For the female lead, Annie, Linton set his sights on Catherine Zeta-Jones. Linton had Kerby invite Catherine for an audition.
Casting notices for the roles of the villain Howard, bomb specialist Harry, and officer Mac had been posted around actors' unions and sent to agencies, with the first public auditions scheduled for a week later.
Other actors with plenty of screen time and extras were all handled by WMA in bulk. The production still needed to verify each person individually.
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In London's West End, Catherine had just stepped onstage when her agent Helen burst in waving a fax. "Catherine, great news! Young director Linton wants you to audition for Speed's female lead."
Hearing whispers nearby, Catherine Zeta-Jones glanced around. Those caught by her gaze quickly lowered their heads and fell silent. A few faces revealed various emotions: envy, resentment, and jealousy.
"Your dream has always been to make it big in Hollywood. That's why you've been working so hard. You have the Speed audition -- you must succeed! You are going to make it in Hollywood and become a star!"
"By the way, after receiving the invitation, I looked up info on director Linton," said the agent. "Want to hear?"
"Are you saying those rumors are true? Even if I got into young director Linton's bed, I might still not pass the audition!"
"You know exactly what to do."
Compared to getting a role, winning over a small Hollywood director and film company owner could make future prospects great. "That means as long as I win Linton's favor and stay on good terms, I'll get chances many times."
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One actress muttered, "You are acting in a bad musical, but you are always thinking about making it big in Hollywood; it's just wishful thinking."
Rachel Weisz -- Catherine's co-star in 77th Street -- locked eyes with her, resentment crackling between them.
Catherine shot back, "Too bad, you won't even get the chance to get into his bed, Rachel."
"It's just an audition. What's with the arrogance? Hollywood competition is fierce; you might not even get the part."
As tension peaked, Catherine gathered her things and strode out.
...
In the parking lot, Helen was already in the car. She started the engine and asked, "Are you serious about this?"
Catherine slid into the passenger seat. "Yes. Call the theater and handle my resignation. Tomorrow, I leave for Los Angeles."
*****
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