Arthur Smith's Hollywood Odyssey

"Cut!" Director Tim Burton stood up from behind the camera. "Take a ten-minute break."

Arthur, who had been "dead" on the grass, immediately got up with a quick kip-up. In the movie, Arthur played Jim, who was stabbed to death by Johnny Depp's Edward Scissorhands.

Arthur's scenes were all done, and he was preparing to leave the set.

Tim Burton saw Arthur spring up from the ground. "Hey, this guy has some good moves!"

"Young and full of energy. I heard from Caroline that he even wrote a screenplay during filming," the assistant director explained with a smile.

Caroline Thompson was the screenwriter for Edward Scissorhands. Tim Burton just nodded, not paying much attention. "Get everyone ready for the next scene!"

In the evening, by Lake Lutz, Winona Ryder and Arthur sat on the grass together. "Are you leaving for Los Angeles tomorrow morning?" she asked.

"Yeah, heading straight home!" Lake Lutz had become their daily meeting spot.

Winona leaned on Arthur. "I'll take you to the airport in the morning. I'll be back in half a month too."

"Do you have any audition invitations?" Arthur asked, shaking his head. "Once I get back to LA, I'll look for projects myself," he said.

"Don't worry, it's all about gaining experience now," Winona reassured him.

Arthur just smiled. "There's nothing to worry about. You see, with my skills and physique, even if I don't become an actor, I can succeed doing something else. Although not as good as a lawyer or doctor, acting does pay quickly."

Arthur's role as Jim in Edward Scissorhands earned him ten thousand dollars, which wasn't bad considering the amount of screen time and the unlikable character. If it weren't for that, he would've expected a few thousand more, as a newcomer could easily be hired for two to three thousand.

"I have a few scripts in discussion. Do you want me to keep an eye out for you?" Winona, though a newcomer herself, had already starred in a few leading roles.

Arthur shook his head. "You're in your rising phase as an actor. Don't let me distract you. I'm not picky about roles or scripts. When I get back to LA, I'll look for work as a screenwriter or assistant, no problem!"

U.S. law requires film crews to offer a certain percentage of assistant positions to newcomers from schools, like Arthur, to maintain Hollywood's talent pipeline.

That night, Winona Ryder came to Arthur's room. Perhaps because it was their last night together, Winona was particularly enthusiastic, and they stayed up until midnight.

The next day, Arthur left the crew and headed straight to Tampa International Airport. As a new supporting actor, no one paid much attention to his departure. He came and went alone, in a hurry.

"I'll come find you," Winona said, holding Arthur in the car and kissing him goodbye.

"Got it. I'm heading back now," Arthur said, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and dragging his suitcase into the airport.

When he came to Florida, Arthur had said goodbye to Jennifer Aniston. He wondered if she had gone to New York already.

Now it was Winona Ryder. He really was a scoundrel.

Arthur didn't think much more about it. He shook his head and boarded the plane.

From late June to early August, Arthur had spent about a month and a half in Tampa. When he returned to Los Angeles, he was greeted by retirement posters for Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar everywhere.

This year, the LA Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals, giving the Pistons their first-ever championship.

Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement after the Lakers lost the Finals in June.

After returning to his place in Northridge, Arthur collected some mail from the mailbox. There was a letter from Jennifer Aniston, sent from New York.

She had gone back to New York last month.

The next day, Arthur drove to the ITA company to collect his pay. He received a check for ten thousand dollars.

"Don't worry, the rest will come when the movie is released," Tracy Jacobs said, glancing at Arthur. "Do you think 20th Century Fox would shortchange you?"

"No, no," Arthur said, sniffing the check. "Just savoring the moment. If I were a waiter, I couldn't make this much in a year, even without spending a dime!"

Tracy Jacobs nodded. "Don't get too carried away with the money. Don't spend all your time in bars or with women."

"Tracy, are you talking about me?" Arthur rolled his eyes. "I'm a clean-living guy."

Tracy Jacobs was referring to Johnny Depp. After he and his fiancée, Sherilyn Fenn, returned to LA, they broke up for some unknown reason.

"By the way, about the American Pie script..." Arthur had been keeping an eye on this.

Tracy Jacobs shook her head. "It's just been sent to a few producers. We don't know if they've seen it or are interested. You know how many scripts come out of Hollywood every day. Everything depends on opportunity!"

"I understand," Arthur said. "Are there any other auditions?"

"Yes, there's one for Days of Thunder, starring Tom Cruise. Try out for it and see if you can get a role. Days of Thunder is about to start shooting. With Tom Cruise, you know how much attention it will get."

Arthur nodded and took a look at the role. It was a minor part.

After leaving ITA, Arthur felt powerless. Seeing so many great movies about to be filmed, yet being unable to be part of them was frustrating.

For example, Disney's low-budget romance Pretty Woman, 20th Century Fox's family comedy Home Alone, and Paramount's low-budget romance Ghost were all set to release next year. They weren't highly anticipated now, but if he could get involved, oh well!

In the evening, back at his place, Arthur sat at the desk with pen and paper, recalling some low-budget, high-grossing films of the future.

A mockumentary like The Blair Witch Project was out of the question now, as neither cell phones nor internet marketing were common.

For low-budget films, the best choices were horror and romance. The currently showing When Harry Met Sally... was doing well both in reviews and box office. Meg Ryan, in her first leading role, became an overnight sensation and a representative of a new generation of blond actresses.

Next year, when Pretty Woman comes out, Julia Roberts will become an overnight sensation, dominating the 90s romance market in Hollywood alongside Meg Ryan.

After American Pie, Arthur had been working on a horror script, Scream. Now, he had a new idea for a romance film, Sleepless in Seattle.

*****

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