September sunlight streamed in through the window, falling in front of Helen Herman, illuminating a simple poster hanging on the rack. The poster still lacked any text such as the film title or actors' names, and compared to the one she and Matthew saw last time, only the positions of the actors had been slightly adjusted.
"Bert..." she withdrew her gaze from the poster and turned to the Publicist. "Matthew Horner is the absolute lead of this film, and the title highlights the character Mathayus above all. I'm not mistaken, am I?"
Publicist Bert knows that Agents are notoriously difficult clients, and he had dealt with this woman before—she was even more uncooperative than the rest.
But on such a basic point he could not disagree, saying, "You're correct."
Helen Herman stood up, walked to the edge of the poster with the poise of a lead actor's Agent, and pointed at it, "Why doesn't the poster show this?"
Without waiting for Publicist Bert's reply, she continued, "Matthew's Mathayus is indeed centered on the poster, yet it isn't highlighted! First, his headshot is almost the same size as Kelly Hu's. If I recall correctly, Stephen Sommers said that Kelly Hu's role is merely a supporting female part—how can a supporting actress receive the same treatment as the lead?"
Publicist Bert felt a bit uneasy but showed no sign of it; the poster was designed this way, especially with Kelly Hu almost equal to lead Matthew Horner, which was certainly intentional rather than accidental.
Kelly Hu's Agent not only knows him but also has some rapport, and he also knows that Kelly secured the role of Cassandra thanks to Stephen Sommers' influence.
Helen Herman kept speaking, "The production contract with Matthew includes a clause granting us advisory rights over posters and stills!" She pointed at the poster again, "Besides Kelly Hu's role, the other characters on the poster are problematic—they're all too large, especially Duff Villa, Clark Bernard, and Steven Brand, whose figures obscure most of Matthew Horner's body."
Bert blinked, "Aren't they also actors under your agency?"
"I'm speaking strictly about the matter!" Helen Herman said in a businesslike tone, "I don't care who the actors on the poster are; I'm here today solely to secure the rights a lead actor like Matthew Horner deserves."
Publicist Bert thought for a moment and said, "I'll have someone adjust the poster."
Just as the female Agent suggested, this is indeed the treatment a lead should have on a poster. He originally wanted to help a friend, but now… never mind. Since she's noticed it, there's no need to cause himself more trouble.
"Thank you," Helen Herman said politely, then added, "I think a major overhaul is necessary: halve Kelly Hu's role size, reduce the other characters to one‑third of their current size, and make Matthew Horner's lead half‑body close‑up fully visible."
"That's impossible," Bert replied outright. "If we did that, only Matthew Horner and perhaps a tiny Kelly Hu would be visible; the other characters might as well be removed. Your request is excessive."
Helen Herman, prepared, suggested, "How about this: use the main promotional poster from the early campaign, strip away all other characters, and keep only Kelly Hu and Matthew as the male and female leads."
Publicist Bert thought it over seriously; the suggestion seemed good, and he could also curry favor with Kelly Hu's Agent.
"I have a suggestion," Helen Herman said, glancing at Bert, instantly tempering her edge, speaking earnestly like a subordinate, "Keep the image proportions of Matthew and Kelly Hu unchanged,
and redesign them stacked vertically—Matthew on top, Kelly Hu below."
That way the hierarchy is clear at a glance.
"I'll consider it," Bert said, of course not agreeing immediately.
Helen Herman stepped back from the poster and added, "I have one final suggestion."
Bert, having heard so much, didn't mind hearing another, "Go ahead, say it."
"Matthew Horner's name should be listed alone on the poster!" Helen Herman continued in a suggestive tone, "Don't group his name with other actors; place it separately and bold it."
That makes it easier for viewers to notice, just like the earlier poster tweaks, and benefits Matthew's personal promotion.
A single poster can convey a great deal; sometimes an actor's or director's importance and status within the film are instantly apparent on the poster.
For example, in movies starring Tom Cruise, especially those with non‑A‑list directors, the poster prominently features a "Tom Cruise's Work" style badge.
Matthew falls far short of that level, but Helen Herman still wants to highlight his standing within the crew.
This is also something we must fight for; many things disappear if we don't contest them.
"Miss Herman," Bert spread his hands and said, "I can consider the suggestions you mentioned at my discretion."
"Alright, then I won't bother you any further."
Helen Herman knew very well that some things should be taken only so far, after all Matthew's weight wasn't heavy enough yet.
After that, she left the Publicist's office. So far, Matthew Horner remains her top client, so company resources naturally favor him. The other minor actors are merely backups, or second‑tier clients, unless this film flops and Matthew Horner is ruined… In that case, she would have to abandon him.
Helen Herman certainly doesn't want to see that scenario; after investing so much in Matthew Horner, she expects a payoff. If the film fails, all the investment of the past year‑plus would go down the drain.
It's not that she doesn't want to sign star‑level clients, but Angel Talent Agency is too small, her experience is shallow, she's young and female. The star clients she hopes to sign look down on her; those willing to sign are either experiencing a severe career slump or mired in scandals, leaving little future profit, which she can't accept.
As long as Matthew Horner can become a commercial superstar, all this investment will yield a hefty return.
In Nevada, on the Black Rock Desert, countless vehicles are parked on a dry lakebed, and not far opposite lie sand dunes where numerous large crane trucks for filming are stationed.
In the desert, Matthew rode a dromedary under the blazing sun, moving slowly forward while cradling a mannequin that matched Kelly Hu's stature. The dummy wore costume jackets and a wig; from the front it hardly looks like a mannequin.
After walking about thirty meters forward, filming stopped. The trainer promptly came to lead the dromedary, and Matthew handed the dummy to the prop master, then dismounted, took the cup of water Mira Wang handed him, rinsed his mouth to spit out sand blown in, and took another sip.
Although it's mid‑September and the temperature isn't very high, the desert offers no shelter; the sky is clear and the sunlight is intense, requiring frequent water replenishment.
Fortunately, the crew's logistical support is excellent, so Matthew doesn't find it overly arduous.
The conditions here are far better than when we shot in the Moroccan desert before.
Moreover, the crew's base is close to the Black Rock Desert's intermittent geysers, so during breaks they can enjoy the scenery. Matthew, Kelly Hu, and a few other crew members once went out together, and the view was indeed wonderful.
The Black Rock Desert features dazzling intermittent geysers, a barren rock bed, and towering mountains that starkly contrast the desert.
Additionally, there's the nationally famous Burning Man Festival, an annual event renowned for its escapist nature. Unfortunately, they arrived at the wrong time, just after the festival had ended.
After wrapping up shooting here, Matthew and the other crew members walked back to the base, prepared to touch up makeup, and then headed to the nearby rock‑wall area for additional shots.
After finishing his makeup, he stepped out of the trailer. Mira Wang approached with his phone, saying, "Miss Herman's call."
Matthew took the phone, chatted briefly with Helen Herman, got a general sense of her progress, and quickly hung up.
Matters like this should definitely be handled by the Agent; if the actor does it themselves, it could strain relations with the crew.
Then Matthew went to the open area surrounded by trailers where Director Chuck Russell was gathering the shooting crew. An Assistant Producer ran over, announcing a temporary change to the shooting schedule.
A group of tourists arrived at the rock‑wall side; the crew tried to negotiate with them, but they refused to leave, leaving Director Chuck Russell with no options.
Matthew felt rather helpless; American liberalism runs rampant here, and the crew, being a commercial entity, has no authority to dictate what tourists do. Apart from waiting for them to leave, there's no better solution.
If they forced filming, anyone stepping into the frame would be a bigger problem—this is an ancient Egyptian‑set film, and a modern person suddenly appearing would ruin the shot.
Even in contemporary productions, you can't casually use someone's likeness; even unintentionally filming a passerby requires prior consent and a release‑style agreement. Otherwise, when the film releases, any passerby who objects could cause serious trouble for the crew.
There are countless tangled laws and regulations here; a single misstep can land you in trouble.
Therefore, having a personal lawyer is essential, and the crew also has a dedicated legal advisor.
The shooting schedule was temporarily halted. While Chuck Russell was reviewing the plan to make adjustments, an Assistant Director suddenly ran out of a trailer.
"God! God!" he shouted exaggeratedly while running, as if gone mad, "Something's happened! Something huge!"