….

  11 Days Later.

  March 27th, 2010.

  .

  "Well, now that everyone is here, I would like to introduce myself again."

  Regal began, his voice steady yet carrying a subtle authority that naturally atention.

  "I am Regal Seraphsail. Thank you for making the time to join this reading session, especially sidering that we haven't formally sighe tracts yet. Rest assured, I will have those ready by the session."

  The auditions had ed the day after Grace's session.

  Sihen, ten days had passed, and Regal had fully immersed himself in the pre-produ phase of the project.

  In that short time, Regal had meticulously scheduled three reading sessions. Today marked the first, with the wo set two days apart.

  The gaps weren't for leisure, however.

  They were a calcuted buffer, time set aside to secure the final permits for the locations he had scouted, a process notoriously deyed by red tape.

  Additionally, there were tracts to finalize with the crew, tasks that could no longer be postponed if he inteo begin shooting soon.

  Seated around the table were three individuals of simir age, their expressiing from curious to posed: two men and one woman.

  "Guess I will follow up." Keanu was the o break the ice, his signature charm evident. "I am Keanu Reeves. Looking forward t with you all. And just a heads up, I am probably the oh the least experience here, so please don't mind me if it takes a little loo catch up."

  He paused, then added. "Also, I would like to add. Don't let Regal's polite demeanor fool you. When it es to work, he goes hard. Be prepared."

  Keanu wasn't just making up stories to tease Regal, he experiehis firsthand i couple of weeks.

  He had been the first to be cast by Regal.

  The script had nded in his hands first, and Regal had put him through the paces like anyone else, with no exceptions.

  At Keanu's ent, light chug spread across the table, apanied by a thin curve from Grace.

  Grace followed with a sutrodu, her toeady and formal. "I am Grace Violet. Pleased to meet you all."

  Finally, Andrew chimed in with a friendly smile. "Andrew Gleeson. o meet you, too. I take it you both already know each other?"

  Keanu nodded. "Yeah. You could say we are …reted."

  Regal, not missing a beat, interjected with a smirk. "Now, now. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves with this retionship. sidering the obvious success of the film, I wouldn't be so sure how long it will be before you get dumped."

  If the film's a hit, Seren will 'probably' cut ties because he will be too 'in-demand' to deal with. And if it flops, well... then he would be the one who 'ruined her brother's project'.

  It seemed there was no winning.

  Regal's words painted a picture where, regardless of success or failure, Keanu's future wasn't particurly bright.

  Either way, he wouldn't be enjoying any carefree days anytime soon.

  Andrew raised an eyebrow, slightly bewildered but intrigued. "Oh, I still don't quite get how you two know each other. But if you are both this fident about the film's success, I guess I will take your word for it."

  ….

  Immediately following their introdu, the group delved into the process of reading through their lines, and crifying any doubts about the script.

  Regal had already provided each actor with their respective scripts, ensuring they were familiar with the material before this session.

  As the session unfolded, Regal found himself quietly marveling at Keanu's performance.

  ===

  [Name:] Keanu Reeves

  [Traits:] Kind, Generous, Empathetic

  [Ag Grade:] A -

  [Unique Skill:] Charisma

  ===

  Just what Regal would expect from his grade, and his satisfa only grew with each passing se.

  I owe my sister big time for this, he thought, silently aowledging her role in eg him with such a talent.

  The film, [Following], tered around the story of Bill Habit, portrayed by Andrew.

  Yes, Keanu isn't pying the main lead.

  Regal would say his character, Cobb - is the seain lead.

  He would have called himself stupid if he were to see anyone knowing full well of Keanu's ag powers cast him for the seain lead when the main lead is nowhere near his potential.

  However, being in the shoes of a director, he couldn't simply follow his emotions.

  Cobb, pyed by Keanu, required an actor who could embody effortless charm and fidence.

  His role demahe ability to pull in the audieh a magic presence, making him both captivating and believable when delivering philosophical dialogues with a persuasive, self-assured tone.

  Regal knew Keanu could bring this nuao life in a way few others could.

  Oher hand, Bill Habit's character was desigo trast sharply with Cobb.

  Bill was a socially awkward, aimless man whose y and innoce defined his early iions. His jourhroughout the film involved a slow dest into paranoia and desperation.

  Andrew's portrayal o start with subtle nervous tid fidgeting - physical cues to his ck of fidence.

  As the story progressed, he would o shift into more erratixious behavior, with moments of raw vulnerability as Bill's paranoia ed him.

  The role demanded an actor who could deliver aionally resonant performance, eg with the audiehrough authentients of doubt and inner flict.

  Regal carved this trast.

  Cobb's anding presence versus Bill's fragility.

  It's what would drive the film.

  It wasn't about having a showy lead but about creating a dynamiterpy betweewo characters that would elevate the story.

  Regal knew he was demanding more effort from Andrew pared to Keanu, and he didn't shy away from it.

  He had seen enough to uand that effort was only part of the equation in ag - it wasn't always about who worked harder, but about the nature of the role itself and what it demanded.

  Yes, Andrew's role as Bill Habit was undoubtedly plex.

  It required a deep uanding of vulnerability, subtlety, and a natural ability to portray inner flict.

  But plexity wasn't the only measure of a role's difficulty.

  Cobb's charm and fidence - Keanu's domain - were not something one could simply act.

  Charm wasn't built in rehearsal rooms or cultivated through tless retakes.

  It had to be intrinsic, woven into the actor's very being.

  fidence had to radiate naturally, almost effortlessly, to make the character believable.

  And that's where Keanu es in.

  Once polished, his presence could carry the weight of a man who could own any room he walked into, with a subtle magism that didn't o be forced.

  It was the kind of quality that couldn't be taught or faked - it had to be lived.

  For Ahe plexity y in yers.

  For Keanu, it lies in intangibles.

  Both roles were difficult in their ht, but Regal uood that pulling off Cobb was only possible with someone who embodied charm and fidence by nature.

  In that sense, Keanu wasn't just the right choice - he was the only choi between them.

  Regal sighed to himself, gng betweewo actors as they tiheir readings.

  This is going to work, he thought. I just know it.

  ….

  By evening, the reading session had cluded without a hitch.

  As the actors began to disperse, Grace approached Regal with a posed yet somewhat hesitant expression.

  "Regal, I have a word with you?" She asked.

  "Sure." Regal responded, curious but aodating.

  Grace wasn't one for idle chatter. If she had decided to approach him, it must have been something signifit.

  "I will be off." Andrew called out, and already gathering his belongings and sensing the atmosphere, he decided to excuse himself from what seemed like a private discussion.

  "I will step out for a moment." Keanu added. He had been chatting with Regal earlier but now stood up, giving the two some space before quietly leaving the room.

  …but Keanu did give a thumbs-up on his way out, much tal's dismay.

  For all the wrong reasons, he sighed in silence, knowing Keanu's usual fir for dramatics was oddly missing.

  Still, Regal couldn't shake a lingering thought. Keanu wasn't aware of his retionship, or, for that matter, even his sister Seren's.

  For a fleeting moment, he wondered just hoeople actually knew about his retionship status.

  Only one name came to mind.

  As the door clicked shut, Regal turned his attention fully to Grace. "So, what's on your mind?"

  "It's about the tract." She began.

  "The tract?" Regal tilted his head slightly, unsure of what ahis versation was taking.

  They had already discussed the terms, and by industry standards - especially for an indie project - he was being exceptionally generous with his pay for new faces.

  "Yes." Grace hesitated briefly before tinuing, " we postpone signing it? You see, I have been tacted by a talent agency retly."

  Regal's eyes widened slightly. "...you have? gratutions."

  He offered her a polite smile, though a flicker of crossed his mind.

  This could plicate matters for him.

  Grace, sensing the underlying tension, quickly crified. "But you don't o worry. As agreed, I am fully itted to doing the film uhe agreed terms. I just want to postpone signing the tract because the agency advised me not to sign anything without sulting them first."

  "Hm." Regal was now even more lost. "Then why do you still want to postpo? If you are already itted, what's the ?"

  She sighed. "I haven't been able to get in touch with them for the past few days. I just don't want to sign without at least inf them."

  Regal studied her for a moment before speaking carefully. "So, you are saying you want to dey the tract purely out of respect for inf the tacted agency, but you still io honor reement regardless of their input?"

  "Yes." Graodded firmly.

  "I assume you will be doing the film, no matter what they say?" He asked again, seeking absolute crity.

  "Yes." She firmed again without hesitation.

  Regal exhaled lightly, nodding. "Well… okay then."

  "Yreeing?" Grace blinked, momentarily caught off guard by how quickly he relented.

  "I am. That's what you wao ask fht?"

  "Yes, but… still, I wasn't sure if you would be okay with it." She admitted.

  "Well, I am already all in. Besides, I trust you won't go ba your word." Regal spoke his fiden her arent.

  "Thank you… for believing me." Grace's voice softened, genuine gratitude shining through.

  "Of course. Just focus on giving your best for the film."

  "I won't disappoint you." She promised, her resolve evident.

  "Anyways, what's the agename that scouted you?"

  "Oh, they are called Iique Talent Agency."

  ….

  .

  [To be tinued…]

  ★─────??★??─────★

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