บท 120: Chapter 120: No Hope for You
"Christenson!"
In the recording studio, Matthew, holding a script filled with lines and cues, looked at the monitor and said again, "Christenson!"
Voiceovers often involve recording one's lines separately. Matthew was lucky; Michael Fassbender had also come to the studio for recording, as both needed to voice a dialogue scene between Ronald Speirs and his character, Christenson. The sound engineer decided to record them together.
"Lieutenant Speirs," said Michael Fassbender, standing next to Matthew.
On the screen, Ronald Speirs crouched in front of Christenson and a few soldiers in a foxhole.
Matthew focused intently, matching the character on the screen, "I didn't get your name wrong, did I, Christenson?"
"Yes, sir!" Fassbender responded quickly.
Their back-and-forth was in sync, completing the recording in less than five minutes.
Then, under the sound engineer's direction, Matthew recorded lines for two other scenes on his own, though they were brief, totaling no more than five lines.
These scenes needed to be dubbed because the on-site recordings didn't meet the sound engineers' standards.
Matthew removed his headphones and left the booth, seeing Michael Fassbender still outside. "I've finished all my recording."
"I still have a monologue to do," said Fassbender, picking up his script before entering the booth. "Wait for me a bit."
"Don't worry," Matthew walked over to a chair. "I'm not going anywhere."
After about ten minutes, Fassbender finished his recording. They didn't leave immediately, waiting for the sound engineer to confirm there were no issues with the sound designer before departing together.
There were no electric cars available outside the small building in the studio, so Matthew and Fassbender walked towards the Warner Bros. studio exit.
Passing many sound stages on their way out, Matthew noticed the studio seemed busier than his last visit, with many stages active with filming.
"Do you have plans this afternoon?" Fassbender asked.
"Nothing," Matthew replied, hands in his pockets. "I thought there'd be more dubbing work, prepared to spend the whole day here."
"Let's have lunch together," Fassbender took out his phone. "James is in Los Angeles for an audition; he's probably free today. I'll call him."
Hearing James McAvoy was in town, Matthew quickly agreed, "Yeah, invite him. If James dares not to come, we'll kick his ass!"
Matthew, James McAvoy, and Michael Fassbender had bonded during "Band of Brothers," enduring the grueling training together.
A car horn beeped behind them. They stepped aside as a four-wheeled electric vehicle approached, driven by a female assistant, with a blonde woman wearing large sunglasses in the passenger seat.
As the car passed, the woman glanced at them and suddenly shouted, "Stop the car!"
The abrupt command made the driver brake hard, and Matthew and Fassbender looked puzzled.
The woman with sunglasses jumped off the vehicle, not minding her nearly ten-centimeter high heels, and quickly approached them.
Matthew recognized her as Christina Aguilera and greeted her, "What a coincidence, what are you doing here?"
"I'm here shooting a music video!" Aguilera took off her sunglasses, scrutinized Matthew, and asked, "Aren't you a bodyguard? What are you doing here?"
She seemed reluctant to mention Britney Spears.
"Bodyguarding was just a side job. I don't do that anymore," Matthew joked. "I'm now a full-time... 'bitch detector.'"
Aguilera was about to explode at the mention of 'bitch detector,' but before she could respond, Matthew commented on her appearance, "Hmm... no nose ring, switched to stud earrings, no smell of smoke, less pungent perfume, and you've washed off that tattoo from last time..."
Fassbender looked between them, confused.
Matthew playfully asked Aguilera, "Did you come here for an assessment?"
Aguilera screamed in frustration, turned, and stormed off to the electric car, shouting, "Go! Just go! I never want to see that man again!"
The car sped off, kicking up dust.
"What was that about?" Fassbender asked. "What's a 'bitch detector'?"
Matthew explained briefly, and Fassbender laughed.
"That woman seemed familiar?" he remarked.
"A pop singer," Matthew said as they continued walking. "Christina Aguilera."
Unfamiliar with the American pop scene, Fassbender shrugged, "Don't know her."
They left Warner Bros. Studios and headed to a Brazilian barbecue restaurant in Burbank. Soon, James McAvoy joined them.
Beer and barbecue were the perfect meal for men, but knowing the importance of maintaining their physique, they moderated their intake.
"When will 'Band of Brothers' finish post-production? When can it air?" McAvoy asked, putting down his beer mug. "I'm waiting for it to launch me into stardom!"
Matthew swallowed his food, "I forgot to ask when HBO will air 'Band of Brothers'?"
They all eagerly awaited the series' broadcast, hoping it would bring them fame, or at least, more opportunities.
"Let me answer that," said Fassbender, who had inquired specifically. "Initially, 'Band of Brothers' was scheduled for HBO's fall lineup in September next year. But the production moved faster than planned, from preparation to filming to post-production. If all goes well, it might premiere in HBO's spring lineup."
"The sooner, the better!" McAvoy muttered.
Matthew asked, "Do you know the exact month it'll air?"
Fassbender shook his head, "Not yet, but it should be decided by next month, allowing enough time for promotion."
"Hmm," nodded McAvoy. "We need ample time for advertising."
"Imagine if 'Band of Brothers' makes us overnight stars," sighed Matthew.
"You're dreaming!" McAvoy shook his head.
Fassbender bluntly added, "With the little screen time Ronald Speirs has, you have no hope."
Matthew spread his hands, "Can't you guys play along?"
Laughing, they continued discussing "Band of Brothers," speculating that DreamWorks and HBO moved the premiere to spring partly due to financial pressures.
The production cost alone was announced to be $120 million, not including marketing. Such a massive investment meant significant pressure to recoup and profit.
Matthew guessed that if "Band of Brothers" was well-received, it could leverage the summer, typically a TV dead zone, for negotiations on reruns, DVD sales, and rentals as additional revenue streams beyond HBO subscriptions.
A year into Hollywood, Matthew's understanding of the TV industry was limited compared to films. But he reasoned it might take years for "Band of Brothers" to turn a profit, with a potential for loss if mismanaged.
Yet, they all hoped for the series to be a critical and ratings success, bringing them fame.
"Being part of 'Band of Brothers' has its hidden benefits," Matthew said, toasting McAvoy and Fassbender. "For example, it indirectly helped me land the role of the Scorpion King in 'The Mummy Returns.'"
"You're right," agreed McAvoy. "This experience might help me land a supporting role in a big-budget war movie."
"Oh?" Fassbender inquired. "What project are you auditioning for in Los Angeles?"
McAvoy boasted, "Ridley Scott's 'Black Hawk Down'! It might have a $100 million budget!"
"That's a coincidence," Matthew looked at McAvoy. "I'm also planning to audition for that project."
"Great!" McAvoy stood up, clapping. "Then I'm not worried! I heard a jerk we all dislike has joined the cast!"
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