Chapter 8

                                    

                                          
The Hollywood movie scene of the late 50s was very different from how it is today. Big studios held all the power and small independent films were far far less common then they are nowadays.
                          
However by 1959, the world was on the verge of big changes in both the filmmaking world and beyond. A new breed of directors were about to spring up and create a new breed of filmmaking that would challenge audience like nothing that had come before.
                          
One studio that was feeling these changes was Paramount Pictures. A couple of decades earlier, they'd been one of America's biggest film studios. They'd adapted perfectly to the advent of sound and carried on through the WW2 years.
                          
Of course all that had changed in the Joe Gillis death scandal and for the last decade, the studio had really been struggling with their films.
                          
Nobody knew this better than studio head Sheldrake who was currently working in his office over the studio finances. As he continued to work, Sheldrake heard a knock at the door.
                          
"Come in" he said without looking up from his work. A second later, the door opened and in stepped a man by the name of Carl Denham.
                          
Much like Paramount, Denham had been a major player in the film industry a few decades back, but by the 50s his career had largely declined. Now however, he was working for Paramount on a new picture although this was largely due to his low asking price
                          
"Mr Sheldrake?" Carl asked nervously "I need to speak to you" 
                          
 Looking up from his desk, Sheldrake asked with a slight annoyance "What is it Denham?"
                          
"It's about the picture-" Denham started to say, but Sheldrake cut him off
                          
"I've told you before Denham" Sheldrake sighed "It's not your duty to think about the picture. All you do is direct the actors, the way mr Hagen wants."  
                          
"That's just it sir" Denham nervously looked around "I don't know if I can continue"  
                          
Sheldrake widened his eyes slightly "Oh? And why not?" 
                          
"Because..." Denham hesitated "I'm afraid I've got literally no confidence in this film or anyone involved in it"  
                          
"Mr Denham" Sheldrake stood up and walked over to Denham "You knew when you sighed on that you'd be working with a limited budget. The studio can't afford to finance a big budget extravaganza at the moment"  
                          
"I'm well aware of that sir" Denham stepped backwards slightly "But I feel that these constant cuts are going too far. The sets are cheaper than anything I've ever worked with before, the actors can't do anything and as for the script-"
                          
"Is there a problem?"  
                          
Sheldrake and Denham both looked up to see a brown haired man in a very smart suit step into the room.
                          
"Oh nothing much mr Hagen" Sheldrake replied "I'm just setting our director straight"
                          
"Oh really?" Hagen walked up to Denham and looked him over for a second.  
                          
"You know I really don't like people who make life difficult for me and my associates"
                          
"Oh I-I'm not trying to make things d-difficult" Denham stammered "I just think things could be a little more..."  
                          
Hagen looked Denham dead in the eye "More what!?"  
                          
"Well you know... Just things that could make the production the best it can while making things easier-"  
                          
"Are you telling me how to run my own production?" Hagen was incredulous, though his voice remained calm. "If there's one thing I hate it's being told how to do things!"