As the sun rose, a red Chevrolet car turned onto Burbank's Third Street and stopped in front of a small building. A tall girl, dressed like the girl next door, stepped out from the passenger seat. Waving at the driver's side window, she called out, "Bye, Mom."
"Goodbye, Taylor," replied the middle-aged blonde woman behind the wheel before starting the car and driving away.
Taylor Swift watched the car until it disappeared from sight before heading toward the small building. Passing a newsstand, she picked up a copy of the Los Angeles Times and walked inside.
This was the Burbank branch of Big Machine Records. The company's headquarters were in Nashville, the heart of American music. Taylor Swift's first album, with its country style, had been prepared, rehearsed, and recorded in Nashville. After completing the album, Big Machine Records had sent her to Los Angeles.
In the City of Angels, the entertainment capital of the U.S., it was easier to attract media attention.
Entering the company, Taylor Swift went directly to a lounge. She was scheduled to rehearse some scenes for her music video later, but she had arrived a bit early.
Settling into a comfortable armchair, Taylor stretched and opened the Los Angeles Times. After a quick scan of the political news and finding nothing of interest, she flipped to the entertainment section. On the front page of the entertainment section, she saw a scene from the previous night.
"Pirates of the Caribbean Sets Sail Again..."
Next to the headline was a large picture of Matthew Horner standing in the middle, arms around Keira Knightley and Johnny Depp. The pirate trio beamed at the camera, as if sharing their deep friendship with the world.
Taylor Swift had attended the premiere last night and knew these three were genuine friends, not just putting on a show for the cameras as was often the case in the entertainment world.
Looking at the photo and the accompanying article, Taylor recalled last night's event. It struck her that the media seemed particularly fond of showcasing the trio together. The glowing reports in today's paper suggested that their collective presence had a much stronger impact than any one of them alone.
"Scott Borchetta always says that media, especially entertainment media, caters to what the audience wants," Taylor mused aloud. "Do people really love seeing sincere friendships between celebrities?"
She tilted her head, pondering for a while. "If my debut album does well and I gain some fame, maybe I should find someone like me to be friends with. We could hang out together in front of the press and increase our exposure."
At fifteen, Taylor Swift had met Scott Borchetta, who had just left DreamWorks to start his own company. With his extensive experience in Hollywood, he saw tremendous potential in Taylor, considering her exceptional among her peers. Over the past year, besides arranging for professional training in music, Borchetta had also taught her a lot about the basics of the entertainment industry.
Taylor was exceptionally bright. Her intelligence extended beyond music; she could independently analyze what she saw and heard and draw her own conclusions.
Thinking further, Taylor envisioned herself in the future.
Her eyes were fixed on the newspaper, but her thoughts were elsewhere. She was confident she would become a star. Once she was a top singer, she could build a squad of beautiful friends. They could gather and stroll around often. A group of star-level beauties walking together would surely drive the entertainment press wild and be well-received by the public.
Of course, she would be the most famous one among them. If anyone else became more popular, she would have to go.
Shaking off her daydreams, Taylor returned to the newspaper, focusing on the hot topic of "Pirates of the Caribbean." The entertainment section also had the latest reviews.
"The plot logic falls short compared to the original. Perhaps the focus on creating a sequel for box office success led to some inevitable script patchwork. Despite many inconsistencies and an overemphasis on comedic effects, the overall narrative is smooth enough to overlook minor flaws. The abundant CGI-driven visual spectacle compensates for the weak plot to some extent. The film's ending, which brings back Barbossa, clearly sets up the third installment."
This review was from Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times. Having watched the movie last night, Taylor found the review fair. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" did have some plot issues, but the film's highlights were enough to overshadow them.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Taylor looked up at the lounge door and called out, "Come in."
The door opened, and Scott Borchetta walked in. Seeing Taylor with the newspaper, he asked, "What are you reading?"
"The Los Angeles Times," she said, lifting the paper for him to see. "The news about last night's 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.'"
Scott Borchetta, intrigued, sat down next to her. "What's the early box office take for the movie?"
"I'm not sure," Taylor replied, shaking her head.
Scott pointed to the paper in her hand. "It should be in there."
Taylor flipped through the entertainment section and soon found the information. "Here it is. It says $18.5 million."
"How much?" Scott was surprised.
"$18.5 million," Taylor repeated.
Scott paused in amazement. "That much?"
Taylor looked at him curiously.
Scott, with his extensive knowledge from his time as an executive at DreamWorks, explained, "That $18.5 million sets a new record for midnight showings in North America. The previous record was $16.9 million for 'Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.'"
Understanding the significance, Taylor asked, "Does that mean 'Dead Man's Chest' could outgross 'Revenge of the Sith' in North America?"
"There's a good chance," Scott nodded, gently tapping the armrest. "Everyone knew this 'Pirates' would be huge, but it looks like it's going to be a massive hit."
Taylor, knowing Scott's background in the film industry, was curious. "What do you think the opening weekend box office will be?"
"$150 million is very likely," Scott said confidently.
"Wow..." Taylor murmured, scratching her cheek, "That's a lot."
Scott sighed, "If only DreamWorks had managed to partner with Jerry Bruckheimer..."
He shook his head, remembering how Bruckheimer had been working with Disney since the mid-'90s. DreamWorks had little chance of luring him away, but they had let someone else slip through their fingers.
Back when Matthew Horner starred in "Band of Brothers," a DreamWorks and HBO co-production, he had caught the attention of directors and producers. But DreamWorks had failed to see his commercial potential.
If Matthew Horner's movies had been produced and distributed by DreamWorks, the company wouldn't be in its current state.
"Matthew and Johnny Depp are incredibly popular," Taylor observed, still looking at the newspaper. "The articles are full of praise for them."
Scott returned to the present, "Jerry Bruckheimer's casting choices were spot on. Johnny Depp and Matthew Horner have their own unique strengths and weaknesses that complement each other perfectly. Captain Jack Sparrow is destined to become a Hollywood icon."
Taylor, intrigued, asked, "Isn't Will Turner just as iconic?"
Scott shook his head. "Will Turner is impressive, but he doesn't quite reach the level of Captain Jack Sparrow. Johnny Depp stands out the most in this series."
Switching his tone, he continued, "However, Matthew Horner's versatility is remarkable. Besides 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' he's proven his appeal in various films. The general consensus in the film industry is that he has a brighter future than Johnny Depp."
Taylor blinked rapidly, seemingly deep in thought. After a while, she asked, "Do you think Matthew will become a superstar like Tom Cruise?"
"No one can say for sure," Scott replied thoughtfully. "But given his current momentum, as long as his next few movies don't fail, he has a good shot."
He glanced at his watch and reminded her, "It's almost time. You should head to the makeup room."
"Okay." Taylor put down the newspaper and stood up. Before leaving the lounge, she turned to Scott and said, "Could you help me gather some information on Matthew Horner? I find him quite fascinating."
Scott looked at Taylor, a smart girl with great potential, and nodded slightly, "Sure, I'll email it to you tomorrow."
Taylor's innocent face lit up with a bright smile. "Thank you, Scott."
"You're welcome," Scott replied, recognizing her keen intellect.
As the lounge door closed, Taylor didn't head straight to the makeup room. Instead, she stood still in the hallway, her mind racing. If she could get a star like Matthew Horner to endorse her debut album, the promotional impact would be phenomenal.
The question was, how could she convince Matthew Horner?
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