"…Don't you think that figure looks a lot like Anson?"
A voice emerged from the noisy crowd, sparking a wave of chuckles, playful banter, and lighthearted teasing.
"Yeah, yeah, as if Anson would be skating around the lower city."
"Why would Anson need to ask for directions? Doesn't he have like three or four assistants?"
"I've seen Leonardo DiCaprio ride a bike to a film set, but that was in Burbank at the Warner Bros. studio. Maybe he's not into golf carts."
"If I remember correctly, Anson should be a bit shorter. This guy looks taller."
"It's probably a delivery guy bringing documents to Wall Street."
Before them was a bustling crowd, like the gathering before a parade. As John had said, half of Hollywood's actors seemed to be there, everyone eager to be a part of Spider-Man 2.
Without a doubt, the start of production on Spider-Man 2 was the most highly anticipated industry event of the first half of the year. Not only were the media reporters gathered to capture exclusive footage to build hype for the sequel, but insiders in the film industry—actors, agents, producers—were also paying close attention. No one wanted to be left out.
Titanic made history, but it didn't have a sequel.
Spider-Man also made history, nearly surpassing Titanic, and it did have a sequel.
In some ways, the industry had already placed this superhero film in the same category as Star Wars, hoping that the Spider-Man series could once again reshape the landscape of Hollywood cinema.
All eyes were on it.
Just witnessing the scene in front of them, one could feel the impact Spider-Man had.
Though it was just an ordinary street scene in New York, Sam Raimi's commitment to shooting on location had ignited the enthusiasm of the city's residents. They truly saw Peter Parker as their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, a good citizen of New York. Even in the bustling city, people were willing to stop and watch.
In busy New York, this was a rare exception.
John, who wasn't very tall, was swallowed by the crowd. But he still tried to catch sight of the skateboard kid they'd just noticed.
The skateboarder smoothly made his way to the check-in point. After a brief conversation, the crowd stirred with excitement. Even from a distance, they could sense the frenzied atmosphere as people hurried about in a mix of joy and nervousness.
Then, the skateboard kid successfully entered the crew area. He even turned around, waved in gratitude, and flashed a bright smile under the sunlight.
John whistled in response, and the crowd around him buzzed with excitement.
But then, they watched in stunned silence as the skateboard kid headed toward a sleek black luxury trailer—like something out of Transformers. The crowd started to grow anxious.
"That kid…"
"No way, did he mess up?"
"Is he just curious?"
People around the skateboarder came and went, but no one stopped him. He walked straight to the trailer, opened the door, and went inside.
Gasp.
The crowd exchanged shocked glances, full of concern.
John blinked, and an absurd thought suddenly popped into his head. "Anson…"
The words escaped his throat, turning his vague suspicion into reality. He stood frozen, as if struck by lightning.
Total shutdown!
In an instant, the bustling, noisy crowd fell silent. It was as if the world had stopped turning. People looked at each other in disbelief, completely unable to react. A strange calm spread through the sea of onlookers.
…
Inside the trailer, it was spacious and bright.
As the door opened and he stepped up into the trailer, the first thing that greeted him was a living room. The rectangular space had light-colored wooden flooring, leaving a small open area—big enough for a waltz but perhaps a bit tight for a tango.
On one long side of the rectangle was the kitchen, located near the door, with a sink, refrigerator, cabinets, microwave, and even an oven—all fully equipped. On the opposite side, a long sofa ran against the wall, in shades of beige, gray, and deep blue—low-key but bright.
On the short sides of the rectangle, the left side led to a bedroom with a large double bed, nearly filling the entire space. On the right side was a bathroom and a wardrobe, pristine as if everything were brand new—like stepping onto the Titanic for the first time.
Not only was it spacious, but it was modern and stylish.
Honestly, this trailer was more comfortable and cleaner than most apartments in downtown New York. Just being there brightened one's mood.
And this entire space belonged solely to Anson.
This was one of the conditions negotiated by Anson's agent, Edgar, when renewing his contract with Sony-Columbia. When agents discuss contracts, pay and bonuses are only part of it. There are many other details.
For instance, are there any nude scenes? Will male actors need to show abs, or female actors reveal their curves?
Or work hours—if the schedule goes beyond what's stipulated, can the actor protest or have a say?
Then there's the treatment on set. For a production like Spider-Man that insists on shooting on location, trailers are a must. However, most actors don't get their own trailers. The entire crew might share two trailers. And there are things like meals, afternoon tea, and even personal dietary habits—all these details are discussed.
Mariah Carey is the classic example, known industry-wide.
She demands red carpets and white candles upon hotel arrival, twenty humidifiers in her room, a separate car for her dog, a temporary gym set up in the neighboring hotel room, an antique table flown in for signing autographs, and eleven bodyguards surrounding her dining table to ensure no one sees her eat.
These are the kinds of things included in contracts.
Edgar had secured only the most basic requests for Anson, and Sony-Columbia agreed without hesitation. Compared to box office revenue shares, these were trivial matters.
Anson was worth it.
Knock knock.
There was a knock at the door. After receiving permission from Anson, the door opened again, and Noah stepped inside.
As Anson's assistant, Noah had been on an extended break—so long, in fact, that with Spider-Man 2 about to begin shooting, he was thrilled to finally be back in action.
To his surprise, Anson insisted on going to the set alone, trying to immerse himself in the role just like Peter Parker at the beginning of the film. As a result, Noah once again found himself with little to do, arriving early to prepare for Anson's work.
Having just learned that Anson had arrived, Noah sprinted over, full of excitement.
"So, how does it feel?"