I became a son-in-law in the United States

Chapter 34 FBO

The next morning, Luther quickly packed his things, drove through the busy streets of Boston, and finally found the office building where the box office movie was located, following the address given by old Joseph.

Calling it an office building is a stretch; it's rather shabby and a bit of a stretch. Calling it a warehouse would be more appropriate.

It turns out that Boston underwent a major renovation and construction project in the early years, which resulted in the construction of many warehouses that were no longer needed. These warehouses were later converted into small office buildings and rented out cheaply.

The current box office film company is located in this converted warehouse.

The warehouse was located at the end of a narrow alley. The exterior bricks had long since faded, and in some places the plaster had peeled off, revealing the gray cement underneath.

The room had large windows, but the glass was covered with a layer of dust, so even when the sunlight shone through, it didn't let in much light.

The sign outside reads in standard English in red letters on a white background: "ilm Booking Offices of America".

This is Hollywood for the poor, the well-known box office film company.

Luther glanced around, then stepped through the door. The moment he entered, a mixture of wood, film, medicine, and cheap coffee wafted towards him.

The front hall wasn't large, and the carpet on the floor was old, with the edges worn white.

To the left is an old-fashioned office filled with desks, and on the desks are files, scripts, and several empty coffee cups that haven't been cleared away yet.

Behind the table, a woman was on the phone, seemingly discussing film scheduling with a cinema.

Upon seeing Luther, she quickly hung up the phone and rushed over:

"Are you Mr. Luther? Mr. Joseph has already informed us. Please wait a moment while I go get the manager."

"it is good."

After a moment, a man in his forties came out. He was bald, wearing an old suit, and had a pen clipped to his chest.

Upon seeing Luther, he first gave a gentlemanly smile, then introduced himself as Harry Reynolds, the general manager of FBO.

"Mr. Luther, it's a wonderful welcome!"

He had heard of Luther before, and Joseph Sr. had also mentioned that he would hand over the film business to Luther, so Reynolds remembered it.

With old Joseph soon to be handing over the reins, and Luther going to be the boss, Reynolds naturally has to be more enthusiastic.

As he spoke, Reynolds extended his hand and shook hands with Luther. "This way, please. Let me show you around."

He then walked through a narrow corridor and continued toward the office area.

The first room was the screenwriter's office, where two middle-aged men wearing glasses were hunched over a table writing something, and the office was filled with the sound of typewriters.

On a table not far away, there were piles of used paper, neatly stacked.

According to Joseph Sr.'s requirements, a single sheet of paper must be used repeatedly, back and forth, up and down, until it is certain that it is completely unusable before it can be discarded.

Therefore, the paper from the scriptwriting office can be left for the general office and then for other departments; in short, this money must be saved.

Across from the screenwriter's office is the director's office, which is currently half-closed, and people are talking inside.

At this point, Reynolds introduced:

"Currently, we have two directors for our box office films. One of them is away making films, and the other is here."

As he walked, he introduced, "Besides the director, we also have two screenwriters and a script doctor, and about ten technical staff, including cinematographers, lighting technicians, editors, and so on. Their offices are all in that big room upstairs. I'll introduce you to them in a bit."

"What about the actors?" Luther asked with concern.

After all, for a production company, besides core personnel like directors and screenwriters, actors are the most valuable asset.

In the United States at that time, the silent film era was at its peak, and figures like Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, and Mary Pickford were all the rage.

However, this is the last hurrah; the first sound movie will be released this year.

When that time comes, actors who can't speak lines will face unprecedented difficulties; they will either have to adapt or be eliminated, and the entire landscape of Hollywood will be rewritten.

It can be said that Luther's takeover of the box office film company at this time was perfectly timed.

Reynolds smiled and continued his introduction:

"Mr. Luther, don't underestimate our company. We've nurtured our own geniuses and changed the landscape of American cinema."

"We have Tom Mix, Evelyn Blunt, Tom Taylor, and on the director side, we've even produced figures like Frank Capra and Fred Thomson. We've even collaborated with foreigners. So we're not as bad as the rumors suggest; we're very strong, and we can produce films that truly impress."

Reynolds kept talking, trying his best to change Luther's impression, but it didn't seem to be very effective so far.

Luther then inquired about the specific cast, at which point Reynolds admitted:

"Currently, we have about a dozen people with fixed contracts, some of whom are still working on other projects. It's harder to say about extras; we find them on the spot when there's work. Usually, we can get people from the central casting board, but sometimes we have to recruit them from the streets."

"So, you're saying we don't have any notable star actors right now?"

"I'm afraid so..."

Although Reynolds also felt a little embarrassed, he nodded and reluctantly admitted it.

Luther then did a rough calculation.

Including Reynolds himself, his secretary, accountant, two directors, three creative staff, seven or eight technicians, and a dozen or so contracted actors...

All told, this company has only about forty people, maybe even less.

He then inquired about Reynolds' film production, and Reynolds, seemingly sensing Luther's thoughts, smiled wryly and said:

"We have everything we need. We can produce about ten films a year, and as long as we can control the costs, we can still make money. However..."

He lowered his voice: "Now that Warner Bros. has released sound films, everyone's jumping on the bandwagon. With our limited resources, we're afraid we're powerless to catch up. And Mr. Joseph isn't willing to invest any money; he's just thinking of making a quick buck and running away, so..."

Reynolds trailed off at this point, and Luther didn't respond, only nodding.

This is consistent with Joseph Sr.'s usual style.

However, since it was Luther's first visit, it wasn't convenient for him to say too much. He simply told Reynolds:

"Don't worry, since old Joseph has entrusted the company to me, I will definitely manage it diligently and try my best to overcome the current difficulties. Box office films will definitely continue, and we will also produce more and better films."

"Mr. Luther, I'm relieved to hear that!"

"Alright, now take me to meet everyone."