misery business . keani

[noah]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=style,width: 300px; padding: 20 0 20 20;][atrb=style, btable][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=background-color: #ffffff; padding: 25px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; color: #222222; text-align: justify;]When Carina mentioned a movie by the name of Secret Safe, Noah was hooked. He didn't normally go for serious, action-packed movies like Secret Safe promised, but the overall summary hooked him and kept him hooked throughout the entire piece. He knew at once that he needed to produce the movie. He had no doubt that he'd see footage of it cast onto the jumbo screens at the Grammy awards next year. The writing had potential. With Carina as the female lead, the movie had everything a production needed to corral as many trophies as possible. He was meeting with Keani Beldivere, one of the two screenwriters for the movie, in order to set the production into motion. There were two ways their meeting could commence. Three, actually. A video call would have been the most convenient, but handling any and all paperwork that might come up during their conversation was an obstacle to consider. Keani could have flown out to meet Noah in Los Angeles. Noah chose to fly into New York instead. He was naturally a gentleman to all the ladies he came into contact with. Flying out instead of forcing her to showed a lot about his character. Recently, he and Carina had moved into a new home together. Boxes were exploding left and right. Slowly but surely, their empty shell of a house was becoming a home for them to build their lives in. Carina insisted she'd manage on her own for a couple days. Noah knew that she could take care of herself. She'd been living alone for the last few months of their relationship when he didn't accidentally fall asleep on her couch watching movies with her. She took care of herself after her previous divorces. Two days away from her boyfriend in their brand new, alarm-secured home wasn't in anywhere detrimental to her health. Noah worried anyways. If anything happened to her, he didn't know what he'd do. He was in love with Carina, and lately, he'd been contemplating taking the leap of asking her to be his wife. He had visited a jewelers earlier that morning to research just how much he needed to save. He was looking at spending at least four thousand dollars on a small band with a rock. Surprisingly, a lot had changed since he'd proposed to Jac almost a decade ago. Prices had risen. More complications needed to be discussed before the jeweler was satisfied enough to let him walk out the door without making a purchase. For that reason, Noah arrived at his meeting with Keani a few minutes later than he anticipated. A secretary informed him that Ms. Beldivere had already gone up, so he rushed up to their assigned conference room with renewed determination. She seemed very sweet and forgiving. As he strode into the room with a smile on his face, he made sure to offer his hand. "I'm so sorry I'm late," he said first and foremost. "Apparently, shopping for an engagement ring is more complicated... And expensive... than it looks." He shook his head. "Noah Davison. And you're Keani Beldivere, correct?"[/style]

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[Deleted]

HEART OF THE MATTER

[style=width: 150px; height: 100px; background-color: 922e35; text-align: justify; padding: 8 8 8 8px; line-height: 100%; color: 000000; font-family: times new roman; center; padding: 10 10 10 10px; overflow: auto; border: 5px solid #ffffff;] TAGGED: char as noah davison WORDS: 428 OUTFIT: here NOTES: He's so cute!

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Keani checked the time on her phone again as she sat at the small coffee shop down the street from the building where her conference with Noah Davison would be held in thirty minutes. She was excited to meet him personally. Of course, the two had been in a few pre-production meetings together, but neither of them had held a conversation for very long. She was excited to meet the man who was brave enough to date the notorious Carina Akerman. He had to have some guys to be in that position, especially after her failed marriages. Keani had a great deal of respect for the woman's work, but she didn't know how to feel about Carina as a person. She didn't know her well enough to judge, though the rumors told Keani that she should stay out of the lady's way. She would see on the set of Secret Safe. For now, she needed to focus on meeting with her producer on time.

The woman stood from her seat and made her way outside. She walked the rest of the way to the building. The structure was large and modern-looking. Once she spoke to the secretary, she made her way to the upper floor using the stairs instead of the elevator; her fears of elevators breaking down had been refreshed with its actual occurrence. The thought of the incident brought Blake to mind. She shook her head, taking each step carefully but with purpose, and made it to the conference room in time. Once she was inside, she looked around to see no one. She turned her head, puzzled. She thought that Noah was going to be there. He had offered to come all the way from LA to see her before filming. Her eyebrows were knitted together as she took off her blazer and put it on one of the seats. She sat in one of the chairs of the small conference room. Since there were only two of them, it had a minimalist feel to it with a small amount of furniture.

A few minutes passed before Keani heard the door open. Noah Davison stood in the doorway, looking a bit frazzled. She stood up and held out a hand that met his. "This is she," she smiled at him. "It's nice to see you, Mr. Davison. It's really no problem. I'm glad you didn't have me waiting an hour!" She laughed as she took her seat again. She had her papers laid out in front of her. "Where would you like to start, sir?"

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CREDIT TO OH HAI JENNERS ?! OF CAUTION 2.0

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[noah]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=style,width: 300px; padding: 20 0 20 20;][atrb=style, btable][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=background-color: #ffffff; padding: 25px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; color: #222222; text-align: justify;]Noah was forgetful and uncoordinated, so tardiness on his accord wasn't surprising. He felt terrible every time he walked in on a meeting after an assigned time. The man was easy to guilt, but Keani didn't seem like she was vengeful. She took his explanation in tow without complaint. He couldn't be anymore grateful for her forgiveness. There was a lot to cover, and he'd probably work poorly under pressure. If he worked poorly, little progress would be made. To say the least, a happy, confident Noah was his best state. Anything less and problems slowly surfaced. Their meeting was already going swell despite his five-minute delay. He couldn't imagine how embarrassed he'd be if he left Keani to wait for an entire hour. Just thinking about keeping her waiting so long made him shiver. "I would never!" he spluttered. A hand crossed over his heart, a mock gasp fell from his lips. For Noah, jokes broke any tension in the room. Whenever he was in hot water with Carina, he'd make some idiotic joke in order to distract her. Most of the time, she was able to be soothed into rhythmic laughter. Other times his childish tactic only proved to piss her off more. She'd thrown a shoe at him once. He had a swollen lip for about two days. When people asked what he'd done, he told them anything but "my girlfriend threw her shoe at me." His pride was fragile, and he knew his friends and colleagues would have a hoot if they knew that his girlfriend was unintentionally abusing him for not taking the situation seriously. She'd probably do it again, too. Sometimes he flinched when she raised anything, the cooking pot in particular. He'd watched too many cartoons when he grew up. After the shoe incident, everything was a weapon when Carina was upset. Noah had learned to leave her be whenever she fell into one of her funky moods he couldn't understand. He pulled out his own chair as Keani took her seat again. He was a man of small talk. His father was the same way. Now that he thought about it, so was his grandfather. And his great-grandfather. Oh, and his great, great grandmother, too. Keani's words snapped him out of his thoughts. Well, she was obviously eager to hook up this wagon train and set sail. He grinned, leaning forward onto the table casually. "Here I was going to fumble with pleasantries," he snorted, shaking his head. "And here you are just getting straight down to business." He raised his eyebrows, pursed his lips. "Alrighty," he said after missing a couple beats. "Obviously there is a lot to cover. We need to talk about casting, location, shooting schedules, directing, budgets..." He sighed, adding sarcastically, "And my favorite, financing." Movie making wasn't a walk in the park, nothing about it was. "Basically I'm here to match the image you have in your eye for this film as closely as I possibly can. Are their any specifics you'd like me to look into that takes priority over others?" He leaned back, toying with a pen. [/style]

[atrb=width,110px][atrb=style,padding: 20 20 20 0;][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=margin-left: -2px; background-color: #a23f2e; padding: 15px; font-weight: 100; color: #eeeeee; font-family: helvetica neue; letter-spacing: 0px; font-size: 25px; line-height: 20px; text-transform: uppercase;]THEN ONE DAY THUNDER STRUCK[/style] [style=margin-left: -2px; text-align: center; padding: 25px; background-color: #a23f2e;][/style]

[Deleted]

HEART OF THE MATTER

[style=width: 150px; height: 100px; background-color: 922e35; text-align: justify; padding: 8 8 8 8px; line-height: 100%; color: 000000; font-family: times new roman; center; padding: 10 10 10 10px; overflow: auto; border: 5px solid #ffffff;] TAGGED: char as noah davison WORDS: 561 OUTFIT: here NOTES: O:

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Keani found herself feeling surprised with his frivolous joke. She paused for a moment before letting a laugh fall from her lips. "You're a jokester," she confirmed, nodding to herself. He looked like one. She didn't know what it was about him. She could certainly see a clever glint in his eye. All she could wonder was how he was Carina's husband-to-be. The two seemed like they were really committing this time. How was cold Carina going to marry this goofball? He reminded Keani of Malo, her little brother. She couldn't gauge his maturity level yet, especially because they hadn't discussed work yet, but she was hoping that he didn't have ADHD or any issues with holding a conversation for longer than thirty minutes. She didn't feel like dealing with a childish grown-up. Whenever she encountered one, it was one too many for the day. She licked her lips before taking her seat and folding her hands and placing them onto the slick glass tabletop.

"I'm not one for small talk, Mr. Davison," she told him bluntly. She had a smile on her face to soften the blow. She always hoped that her charm could even out her blunt attitude, but she supposed it didn't always have that effect. She wasn't a curt person, just down-to-business. She didn't enjoy wasting time or wasting other people's time. It was in her nature to be as clear and concise as she could in a meeting. No beating around the bush. "I have most of the plan in mind, but I will definitely need your guidance," she told him honestly. "But that's why you're here. We'll be useful to each other, sir," she grinned at him. His smile seemed rather contagious, like she couldn't be upset in his presence. She thought people like Carina were contagious to charm, but this guy had some special quality to his. It felt light and nonjudgmental. She felt like she could trust this man with this entire project. Even if it wasn't her initial idea to create it, she was taking it under her wing and treating it like her own works. The script was something that she and Blake had toiled over too much to ruin it with poor planning.

She sighed. "This is the difficult part: location." She got up from her seat briefly to pull a few files from her portfolio. "My issue is that I want to be as close to DC as possible. If we can actually get into the city, I would... well, that would be flawless. If not, we have other options. I certainly want to do some filming in Chantilly, Virginia. Fairfax County is a great location." She waited a bit, looking at Noah and waiting for his reaction. It was going to be difficult to pull anything off in Washington, D.C., especially with all of the security policies that were being enforced with each passing day. It was also a political film, so she didn't know if they could film such a controversial topic without issues springing up from every direction. She wanted D.C. It was going to be hard, but it felt like it had to be there. It was the capital. It had everything they needed to film. She had a back-up plan, of course, but no one chose Plan B before giving Plan A a go.

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CREDIT TO OH HAI JENNERS ?! OF CAUTION 2.0

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[noah]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=style,width: 300px; padding: 20 0 20 20;][atrb=style, btable][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=background-color: #ffffff; padding: 25px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; color: #222222; text-align: justify;]For whatever reason, Noah had a vibe that Keani wasn't pleased with the way he'd prefer to run the meeting. "Short and to the point" wasn't the way he preferred to run his life. If that was so, he'd be vouching for an early death once he'd accomplished something big in his life. At least, that's what he believed. Nevertheless, Keani was the co-writer of the film. If she pulled her script, there would be no movie for Noah to produce. For now, he'd please her and Blake until he received more rights to the production. Yeah, that'd work. Just as he had suspected, Keani truly did want to shoot straight into the material they'd met for. Okay, they could work her way. He was in her kingdom now. He was pleased and discouraged to find Keani had already planned most of the details without him in the first place. He was used to writers going in and planning a few details. Most? That word in the present context frightened him. More plans meant more expectations. More expectations opened up room for disappointment. Oh, boy. Noah nodded. "Of course," Noah agreed weakly. They'd help each other no matter how ridiculous her plans may be. He trusted her judgment, but writers tended to think in terms of their plot rather than the whole picture. Budgets didn't seem to be in their itinerary, which made Noah's job all the more frustrating. He rested his head in his palm, listening. Keani began dishing out important documents, so his lazy posture was only acceptable for a brief moment. He slid the papers into his view and took a look. His face fell at the mention of the country's capital, but he quickly recovered if only to put up a hopeful facade. Filming in the capital was near impossible. Some a hundred odd movies had been shot before, but the films in question had brought in enough revenue to cover the cost of filming in the first place. Noah hadn't checked production costs for that particular region in a while, but the sum exceeded $500,000 per day. Security clearances were also a bother. On the bright side, Chantilly sounded manageable. "Well," he started off, licking his lips. "I have to admit, your plans look thorough." Right now, Noah couldn't decide if her efficiency was beneficial to their progress. Stubborn writers didn't settle for anything else than the image in their mind's eye. He cleared his throat. "How bent up would you be if I told you Washington might not be possible?" he asked seriously. "The only reason I ask is because, and I'm not sure if you know this, the production costs can be a little... pricy." Noah frowned. "I can probably land Chantilly without too many complications. I could certainly try to earn rights to the capital, but I can't make any promises." Quite frankly, he was nervous investing a big budget film under the hands of inexperienced writers. Keani had a couple films in post-production, but nothing had been released from her. He had no idea what the consumers of her products thought of her just yet. Blake's creditability wasn't much better.[/style]

[atrb=width,110px][atrb=style,padding: 20 20 20 0;][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=margin-left: -2px; background-color: #a23f2e; padding: 15px; font-weight: 100; color: #eeeeee; font-family: helvetica neue; letter-spacing: 0px; font-size: 25px; line-height: 20px; text-transform: uppercase;]THEN ONE DAY THUNDER STRUCK[/style] [style=margin-left: -2px; text-align: center; padding: 25px; background-color: #a23f2e;][/style]

[Deleted]

HEART OF THE MATTER

[style=width: 150px; height: 100px; background-color: 922e35; text-align: justify; padding: 8 8 8 8px; line-height: 100%; color: 000000; font-family: times new roman; center; padding: 10 10 10 10px; overflow: auto; border: 5px solid #ffffff;] TAGGED: char as noah davison WORDS: 586 OUTFIT: here NOTES: O:

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Keani could feel Noah's vibe, but she resolved to discussing the first piece of information before asking him about how he was feeling. As compassionate as Keani could be, business was business for her, and she didn't like letting anything fog up the whole point of the matter. "Thorough" was a good word for Keani's behavior in the workplace. She was a journalistic writer, so she had worldly knowledge. She was no mathematician, but she did understand financing. She hadn't expected Noah to be happy about Washington, D.C. being on her mission itinerary. She felt a bit guilty for putting him on the spot. "I'm adaptable," she relented, letting the words fall smoothly from her lips as she leaned over the table slightly. "It's expensive. This isn't my first movie... I know that production can be the hardest and least credited portion of the entire film." She had to refrain from rolling her eyes. It definitely frustrated her that the actors stole all of the credit from the crew and even the writers. They didn't mean to; it was simply how fame was set up. Keani was happy with her privacy, but she was sick of people not paying attention to writers' credits or the art of screenwriting.

Keani pointed at her back-up plans. "Washington, D.C. is borderline insanity, which I understand." She smiled up at him, trying to show him that she wasn't going to push him around in the office. She was ambitious, but she was a team player. She had to be in order to work for NYT. She was a leader of leaders and could be in a pack of leaders. It worked for her; she had a bit of an elitist attitude an enjoyed working with the best of the best in Hollywood. Secret Safe was going to have experienced actors, but the production and the writing were the two parts that Keani could see people worrying about. Having Carina and Edward put on the top of the casting list made her nervous and honored at the same time. She trusted Noah, which was why she was revealing the tough news to him first, but she honestly didn't know how good he was at working with others. She was betting that his humorous attitude reflected his easygoing behavior in the office. Wishful thinking.

"I'm also looking at Austin, Texas, and Boston." She knew that they were big cities, but there was no way that the film could be completed without having such a setting. Chantilly was only good for the robber's home and life. The rest was government-based with high-tech settings, and Keani was aware that the budget was going to look completely terrifying. Though Keani put artistic integrity and beauty on top of every film she had ever been involved with or had admired, she also saw the importance of profit. Noah was in it for a reason, and she had to work with him. She looked at his face. "The location is my largest concern. The rest is pretty easy to work with." She shifted a paper from the bottom and pointed. "I have estimates and calculations on the locations." She pointed at another sheet that she slid beside it. "Equipment, effects..." She ran a thin finger along the sheet. "All of these is subject to change. I'd be very glad to have all the help you can give me on this. I really can't do this on my own." She was clearly letting down a wall for him.

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CREDIT TO OH HAI JENNERS ?! OF CAUTION 2.0

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[noah]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=style,width: 300px; padding: 20 0 20 20;][atrb=style, btable][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=background-color: #ffffff; padding: 25px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; color: #222222; text-align: justify;]Noah was open-minded. He was all for manifest destiny, spreading amateur wings in the hope of flying. Keani was offering him an opportunity to test their wings, and according to his track record, Washington D.C. should have been something he took a quick lunge at. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Noah was mildly dumb, but he wasn't stupid. He may have been bartered into a few foolish deals once or twice before but not anymore. He had a reputation to upkeep, and if that meant denying Keani Beldivere and Blake Edison filming rights on location, by George, he'd reject the idea altogether. "I'm happy to hear that," Noah uttered. She confirmed her flexibility, and that put him at ease. At least for the moment. Keani wasn't one for small talk. Her following move was predictable. Plan B was in store for his attentive eyes. He redirected his attention to the papers laid out in front of him once again. He pursed his lips as she affirmed what he already knew, what he had already told her. He waited for her to give him something else to chew. More meat to devour. He'd let down his restraints once he'd heard her case in its entirety. Now wasn't the time for him to go easy on her. No, he needed to scale the wall she currently held. He needed to know what her limits were because, in all honesty, knowing which buttons not to press would make his job a lot easier down the road. Noah also enjoyed watching potential screenwriters fight for his attention. Their job was to sell the idea to him, making him beg on his knees for more. So far, Keani had yet to make him crave anything more. "Austin and Boston?" he inquired, eyebrows set upright. Here he had another set of populous cities. A high-budget film was definitely in the making. At least they were a step up from Washington D.C. "Both are beautiful locations," he stated. He'd love to visit his home state of Texas. It'd been too long since he came home. Dallas wasn't too far from Austin. There was a three hour drive between them. Half that counted for airtime. He'd love to take Carina home to meet his parents considering they'd all been too busy to get the chance. They'd love her, Noah was sure. They loved Jac, too. His parents trusted his judgment when it came to women, and he was glad that they interfered little with his romantics. He'd hate to be that guy with the obstructive parents. Keani mentioned that location was her biggest concern, and that's truly all he needed to hear in order to be whipped out of his boy-like fantasies. Right. Location. Meeting. No day-dreaming allowed. She knew more about what she was saying than Noah gave her credit for. Sure, she hadn't released any movies, but she obviously knew enough about how pre-production worked. Carina and Edward Barrett were both on their way to becoming a done deal. The contracts were being processed by various lawyers and whatnot, though Noah thought it was silly of anyone to think he'd screw over his girlfriend financially. They shared the bills, after all. His eyes fell over the careful calculations. He was honestly surprised with Keani's work. She'd gone far past the expectations set for a writer. Her math seemed to match his roughly. That was definitely a good sign. He was looking at a sixty-five million dollar budget, maybe more, maybe less. Carina and Edward weren't cheap actors to hire. "These decisions aren't entirely up to me," he told her dismissively. "I've been working with Dallas Murphy in order to piece everything together, but I have to say, I'm impressed by the work you've uncovered on your own." Right now, he could say this movie had hope.[/style]

[atrb=width,110px][atrb=style,padding: 20 20 20 0;][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=margin-left: -2px; background-color: #a23f2e; padding: 15px; font-weight: 100; color: #eeeeee; font-family: helvetica neue; letter-spacing: 0px; font-size: 25px; line-height: 20px; text-transform: uppercase;]THEN ONE DAY THUNDER STRUCK[/style] [style=margin-left: -2px; text-align: center; padding: 25px; background-color: #a23f2e;][/style]

[Deleted]

HEART OF THE MATTER

[style=width: 150px; height: 100px; background-color: 922e35; text-align: justify; padding: 8 8 8 8px; line-height: 100%; color: 000000; font-family: times new roman; center; padding: 10 10 10 10px; overflow: auto; border: 5px solid #ffffff;] TAGGED: char as noah davison WORDS: 777 OUTFIT: here NOTES: O:

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Keani didn't feel like anything was a competition within a team, so she didn't want to undermine Noah's professionalism or the way he did his job. She just wanted to get along well enough to find the perfect locations and the proper budgets for the film. Honestly, she just wanted what would best represent the script. She was trying to pull all of it together with Blake, of course, and that was hard to deal with, but she had to hold to her idea that teammates had to put aside their differences to work toward a common goal. She had to adapt if she wanted the whole project to work out with Noah. She was an idealist, of course, and she was going to try her best to get to Plan A. If she had to deal with the issues that came with it, she had no problem with it. Working on the outer parts or in low-scale parts seemed like the compromise she had to make with Noah. There were ways to get around the politics of the location, but the paperwork made all of it seem over-the-top.

Keani watched Noah's face. She could see his contemplative face, the look that told her that she had to pull him in somehow. She knew how this game was played. She wasn't afraid of him, and she also didn't feel like her ideas were going to be thrown back at her. She had to play her cards right, but she had to work with him. The meeting rooms always had a different language within them, one full of underlying signs of satisfaction or the lack thereof. Keani knew how to read this Noah guy; he didn't conceal his thoughts. She was glad to see his face flash from one emotion to the next as she spoke to him. She was aware that the ideas that she was throwing at him were important, but the execution and way she presented it were equally as important, and she took caution.

Keani had been aware of how high the budget had to be for the film to fly. It was a book-movie that had a lot to back it up; it was, without a doubt, going to be a humongous success. They already had a bag of fans to pull their confidence from, but they needed to execute it in a way that would have the box office exploding for this movie. Keani knew that she was a good writer, but that didn't mean that she believed it would get her exactly what she wanted. Being a "good" writer also meant understanding that not everyone enjoys the same things, and Keani had to be prepared for criticism. Blake had to be ready for that as well, but she felt secure that the two of them were a great team when it came down to writing words that could represent the intense plot.

Keani actually liked the fact that Noah seemed to be a tough hand in the business. She needed a challenge. "I'm aware that you don't work alone," she said, a smile lingering on her face. She finally sat back down, crossing her fingers as she held her hands together. "The budget for this film is clearly going to be... well, hard to swallow." She stared at her wrist for a moment before continuing. "I honestly don't think the pre-production of this film is going to flow smoothly, but I do think that there are ways to work around the issues and make compromises. If a Plan C is needed to cut down the cost, Blake and I will work with set directors to figure it out. I know that we can't have everything we want." Keani wasn't spoiled when it came down to her job. She knew that hard work was the key. At the same time, sometimes hard work wasn't good enough. She had to be prepared for disappointment.

"We have huge actors invested in this film as well as a phenomenal novel to base this plot of us. Our fan base is already promising and loyal. I don't worry that this novel will be almost obscenely successful. Call me an idealist, but what your job is... Well, it's more than just funding. You have to really believe in what we're trying to do." She motioned at the papers in front of her, looking back at him rather seriously. "If you don't, money has no value to any of us. I, personally, can't work with someone who doesn't believe that this movie is going to fly." She was full of hope that she did not plan to abandon.

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CREDIT TO OH HAI JENNERS ?! OF CAUTION 2.0

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[noah]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=style,width: 300px; padding: 20 0 20 20;][atrb=style, btable][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=background-color: #ffffff; padding: 25px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; color: #222222; text-align: justify;]Already minutes into their meeting, Noah knew that this was only the beginning. There were so many topics to cover, and Noah had neglected to take care of the gentle, hungry roll inside him. Stupid ring. He could have grabbed a bite to eat, took a quick glance at a ring, and then headed over. Unfortunately, his thought process was late by about an hour. Did the building have a lounge of some sort? He absolutely abhorred vending machines (they always ate his money and never gave him the right object), but he'd risk his money if that was all that the place offered. His business partner wouldn't be too thrilled if he took a break with the meeting so young, he suspected. The contents of his mind floated around as if caught in gelatin. Food, food, work... Focus, Noah. Right. His eyes glossed over Keani once more. What were they talking about again? The Secret Safe... Working alone.... Oh! "Uh..." he began, collecting his thoughts. "Yes, well, that is good that you know that I don't work alone because I don't..." His head bobbed, affirming his last statement, no matter how dissembled he came off as. Hunger definitely hindered a man's ability to think. Ladies who learned to cook for their husbands were definitely on the right track. Usually, Carina was busy, so they often settled for eating out. Noah could cook simple meals. Macaroni and cheese was one of his favorite dishes. All the directions were right on the box! Not even he could incorrectly prepare something so easy... He had to force himself to listen to Keani's long-winded words without wandering back to his stomach's needs. She said something along the lines of... of... pre-production and... a Plan C thingy. Did they skip Plan B? "Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here," Noah interjected. "Yeah, I just spieled about the whole budget and whatnot, but let's be honest here. I want this film to be just as successful--if not more--as you and Mr. Edison want it to be." How could he not? The film was full of action-y shooting scenes, political content, and juicy scandal. Everyone around the world loved a great, dynamic trio. Secret Safe had that classification in the bag. For some reason, Keani seemed to know that just as well as he did. Writing the script probably had something to do with that, didn't it? He couldn't blame her for being passionate about her work. Producers were often difficult people to work with. Money made the world spin on its axis, and if the film didn't provide a concrete foundation, no one gave the time of day. Noah didn't want to be like the other producers. He'd done many jobs in the past few years. Punk'd was by far his favorite creation considering he'd initiated the project in 2003. Almost ten years later, the show remained on air. Some of the stunts were pure genius, especially when Noah was allowed to host for a week or so. If he hadn't gone into film production, there was no doubt in his mind that he'd be a clown. Needless to say, his parents were very pleased with his final decision. Noah heard clowns were hit hard by the recession. When Keani finished defending her standpoint, Noah merely smiled. "As I said before, Ms. Beldivere, I am looking forward to see this film soar. Cost is always a huge concern with anything in life; however, I've read the novel myself and I can say a film adaption would be a very great, real possibility. I don't come across mature roles I enjoy often, so I want ensure our crew is all very much dedicated to our cause. I can see that you are fond of your work, and I'm willing to set the budget at approximately sixty-five million, seventy at most."[/style]

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HEART OF THE MATTER

[style=width: 150px; height: 100px; background-color: 922e35; text-align: justify; padding: 8 8 8 8px; line-height: 100%; color: 000000; font-family: times new roman; center; padding: 10 10 10 10px; overflow: auto; border: 5px solid #ffffff;] TAGGED: char as noah davison WORDS: 677 OUTFIT: here NOTES: O:

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Keani could catch Noah's loss of interest somewhere in their conversation. She gave him a bit of a puzzled look, but she wasn't in the mood to criticize him. She trusted that he was a professional with enough decency to catch himself and make sure that he wasn't daydreaming during a meeting. Keani was a dreamer, but in no way did she think it was appropriate to lose heart during a meeting. She hated getting distracted at the crux of the matter. When she wanted to get anything in particular done, she went right in and made sure that she could be as efficient as possible. She and Noah were sure to become tight partners in this project if things went according to plan. She knew that Blake was going to be her right-hand man throughout the process as well, and she didn't feel particularly fond of that idea. Noah was something else; he was driven and obviously pretty funny, even if the two hadn't interacted in a friendly environment just yet.

Producers, to Keani, were more than investors of money. What they had to offer her was far more than cold cash; she wanted their support, their undiluted faith in the project. What she wanted more than anything was for Noah to truly believe in their vision. She needed someone who could invest himself into the project as much as everyone else and see where the finances needed to be improved. She wanted someone who could improve efficiency and make some sound decisions regarding the production possibilities. She was leaning on Noah for all of these things and needed him to know that there was a dependable crew there to create one of the greatest book-movies to be created. What Keani wanted to do was satisfy loyal David Baldacci fans and keep the cinematic integrity of any film. She wanted to create something different, something revolutionary, something that changed how people saw films versus novels.

When Noah finalized how much he was willing to offer, Keani couldn't hide her reaction. She audibly squealed and clapped her hands together. "Oh, Mr. Davison!" she exclaimed. Her two hands then clapped over her chest. "I am... so incredibly thankful." She began to wish that Blake was there with her to celebrate. That was more than enough money to get to where they were going. If faith could be measured by money, Noah would be a disciple of this film. Keani shook his hand with both hands without waiting for him to respond. "I promise that you won't be disappointed, sir." The words rushed from her mouth. She didn't mean to be unprofessional, but her excitement was impossible to conceal. The project was becoming real to her. This was serious business. She and Blake were about to finish a script for a high-budget film that would certainly be a box-office hit. Keani couldn't want to get it in the air and do David Baldacci some serious justice.

Keani scooted a few of the papers together and arranged them into a pile. She separated her portfolio into two manila folders. "This is for you to keep," she nodded at him. He pushed one of the folders to his side of the table. "It has all of the financial estimates I have and some back-up ideas for locations. I also have the scenes that we are precisely concerned about in the film. All of the questionable details are there for you to reference if I am ever out of touch. Blake has this set as well." She took a glance at her watch. "I say we get out of this office and discuss a bit more over some lunch!" she added, clapping her hands together once again. She grabbed her blazer from her seat. She had noticed Noah's shaking hands from a mile away; his blood sugar must have been low or he had been dehydrated. Whatever it was, the two were about to grab something small and wrap up their get-together. "How does that sound?" she asked, throwing him a bone.

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CREDIT TO OH HAI JENNERS ?! OF CAUTION 2.0

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[noah]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=style,width: 300px; padding: 20 0 20 20;][atrb=style, btable][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=background-color: #ffffff; padding: 25px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; color: #222222; text-align: justify;] Noah was a people-pleaser, that much he knew. Disappointment never settled well with him, so he was constantly tripping over his own feet to satisfy everyone. Keani Beldivere was no exception. He'd admit that his estimated budget had not been sixty-five million prior to their meeting. If anything, sixty-five was the maximum cut. The big men at the studio probably wouldn't be too thrilled if he exhausted five million more than his guesstimated budget. All producers had the same amount of frugality concerning movie production. How could Noah say anything other, though? Keani had done most of the dirty work alone or with her partner, Blake Edison. He'd definitely be certain each of them were supplied with a decent amount of cash. Positive reinforcement worked wonders to promote self-involvement. Not that Keani needed bribery to always conduct herself in a one-hundred ten percent manner.  Her excitement took flight the moment his words were all said and done. A squeal transpired, followed by a clap. Noah grinned, for he had given the small child within Keani the "lollipop" she'd been yearning for. "I'll hold you to that promise," Noah said, smiling. He shook her as she offered it. The end was near for their session. He wasn't even sure he'd be able to eat anything now. Keani's enthusiasm was contagious, and Noah wanted to grant each of her wishes, no matter how strenuous doing so might be. They had a seventy million dollar budget. He was just doodling numbers here, but he had a hunch the nation's capital wouldn't say no to a little cash. As a producer, Noah was willing to cut corners and roll around in the mud. There was a reason why his reputation was nearly pristine: Noah rarely let anyone down. His schedule was constantly packed, which may be the only flaw in his line of work. He didn't want to constantly travel and dump so much money into the hands of squalid productions. That's why he was ecstatic to see so much enthusiasm resulting in Keani's eyes. She understood passion probably better than Noah Davison himself. Although he'd just met her and her portfolio looked rather bare, Noah had no doubt that Keani Beldivere had potential to be the next James Cameron. Titanic was talked about fifteen years later for a reason. Cameron had made a piece of solid gold. Even Noah, a proud antagonist of cheesy romances, had to admit that Titanic was legendary.  Next, Keani handed him another stack of papers. He had no idea how long she had labored on research and calculations, but he knew from experience that summing up an entire movie budget didn't happen over night. Noah typically took weeks to finally round up all he needed. Pre-production was the era of the producer. Actors were screened, locations were chosen, cameramen were hired, and a director was hired. The first two were nearly set. The last were next on his never ending to-do list. Keani was officially the screenwriter from the Gods. Her work would definitely save them time and money in the long run. Noah collected the papers and nodded. "Can I just keep your forever and ever?" Noah joked. After a shaky laugh, he added, "I'll look over these documents tonight and contact you with any questions and concerns." Noah had found that airplanes were a great place to work. He was confined to one space, so there weren't any distractions. Keani suggested food, and Noah jumped at the idea. "That all sounds wonderful," he said. Noah pushed back his chair and stood up. "Lunch is on me," he declared. "It's the least I can do." [/style]

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HEART OF THE MATTER

[style=width: 150px; height: 100px; background-color: 922e35; text-align: justify; padding: 8 8 8 8px; line-height: 100%; color: 000000; font-family: times new roman; center; padding: 10 10 10 10px; overflow: auto; border: 5px solid #ffffff;] TAGGED: char as noah davison WORDS: 518 OUTFIT: here NOTES: LEAD LE WAY

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Tech-savvy but nearly mathematically inept, Keani had used a ton of time and effort to create estimates for the production. Her passion for research also played a part in her ability to make pretty accurate calculations for the production. She didn't have every bit of information she or Noah needed, but what they had was enough until they could get the rest of the information in order. The crew was truly what Keani was worried about. Though none of her movies had been out yet, it was obvious at the production level that movies were nothing without loyal crew members to take care of the music, lights, make-up, and styles. It was pivotal to enlist talented people who truly knew what they were doing. Hopefully, that didn't come at too much of a price. Keani didn't see money as a simple gift; it had to come from someone's pockets, meaning Keani and Blake weren't going to suck the money out of the producers. They were going to do their best to find alternatives to the unnecessary components of filming.

With the knowledge that Noah was standing behind the project, she couldn't help but see in her mind how all of it would go. Of course, it wouldn't be seamless, but working with Edward and Carina was going to be a true honor. She began to wonder to herself if Carina had anything to do with Noah's decision. If it did, what could she say? His sincerity seemed far from transparent. She believed that this guy was in it for the same reasons that she was. When a smile spread across his face while she shook his hand, all she could do was thank the man over and over. He had no idea how much it meant to her, truly. Keani knew that she was only a fledgling in the movie industry. Even if she had three projects up in the air as of now, no one truly knew how these productions would turn out. With Blake on her side, she was beginning to think that Secret Safe would become her best piece. She would have to share the credit, but Blake deserved it.

"That sounds perfect, Mr. Davison," Keani grinned openly after his joke. She had been looking for the clown in Noah Davison that people spoke of. He had a reputation for being an easygoing guy. She could see that now. There was a child in Noah Davison, one that she could see when she looked closely. Just his reaction to food was more than a simple man's. He had an excitability about him that reminded her of Malo, her little brother. "I'm glad you agree," she replied as she pulled the blazer onto her body and opened the door of the conference room. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly were you busy with before you came here?" she asked with no trace of accusation in her voice. Keani could be vindictive, but Noah had put her in such a good mood that she wouldn't dare disrespect him or anyone else, for that matter.

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CREDIT TO OH HAI JENNERS ?! OF CAUTION 2.0

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[noah]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=style,width: 300px; padding: 20 0 20 20;][atrb=style, btable][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=background-color: #ffffff; padding: 25px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; color: #222222; text-align: justify;]Yes, their production would go off without a hitch. Noah had run into some hard cookies in the movie industry. Many of them were intolerant of his humor or just so happened to be lazy. Keani was not either, thankfully. He had been extremely skeptical in the beginning due to her unease and quick wit, but now Noah knew that her behavior had been stemmed from a nasty, green, nervous monster. Noah knew the symptoms quite well. His position intimidated people. Without the funds he routed into the bank account of films, there would be no film. That's why it was crucial to keep him happy. Not that doing so was a great feat. Noah had a child-like demeanor as anyone could see. As long as people were honest and dedicated to their jobs, he was content. Keani only earned more brownie points by asking him to lunch. She obviously knew food was the negotiating factor. "Awesome!" he exclaimed, equally peppy. Their meeting had been more successful than Noah dreamed it could have been. He had Keani to thank for that. Maybe he'd send a nice, edible bouquet to her partner in crime to emphasize how excited he was for filming to begin. He and Carina rarely had the chance to work together. In fact, this was the first film they'd done. Time alone would still be edgy, but with each other on the set, it certainly wouldn't be impossible. Noah scratched the stubble growing in on his face as they discussed the next step to their meeting. This was the part that Noah relished most. Hamburgers? Fish and chips? Pasta? The city of New York had so many great options to choose from. He'd heard that there were legendary hot dogs around these parts as well. Then, Keani brought up another point in their casual conversation. Her question sprinkled shafts of pink light into his cheeks. Carina was his weakness, day in and day out. Unmatched and unexpected, her ice balanced his fire. There were pet peeves that he could name off the top of his head, but he'd learned to accept them because he loved her. Noah was sure that he irritated Carina just as much on her off-days. She was the definition of order and preparation, whereas he'd much rather go with the flow and address issues as they presented themselves. Somehow, the couple managed to function happily. As he often said, she made him the happiest man alive. "I was actually looking at engagement rings," Noah admitted. He figured she would have been too frazzled to pick up his initial explanation earlier. That was fine. His brown eyes flit away quickly. Noah was an open book to many. He didn't see the point of masking his emotions for anyone. When he was angry, his voice raised and his hands shook. When he was sad, tears usually fell. Happiness was the most common emotion of all. It was marked by his charming smile, loquacious personality, and many more ridiculous tricks. Now, shy wasn't something Noah encountered often. Only great honors and Carina (perhaps the greatest honor of all) could summon the timid five year old from within him. Eager to change the subject, he asked, "What are you in the mood for?" [/style]

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HEART OF THE MATTER

[style=width: 150px; height: 100px; background-color: 922e35; text-align: justify; padding: 8 8 8 8px; line-height: 100%; color: 000000; font-family: times new roman; center; padding: 10 10 10 10px; overflow: auto; border: 5px solid #ffffff;] TAGGED: char as noah davison WORDS: 443 OUTFIT: here NOTES: Close whenever!

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Keani hadn't realized how personal it had become when the subject of Noah's relationship came up in their conversation. She hadn't remembered thinking of it much before the fact, but she noticed his flustered behavior. She smiled openly at him. "Congratulations, Noah!" she cried as the two walked together. "I must say, big commitments are... nerve-wracking. You two are quite a couple." She meant every word; Keani didn't know much about celebrity couples, but she had a good feeling about Noah. Opposites in many ways, Noah and Carina probably had issues, but who was Keani to judge? She liked seeing two divergent personalities meshing into a relationship. It was nice to see that Carina Ackerman, a legend in the acting world, was happy with a guy like Noah. Keani was aware that Carina was looking for love. Keani could only hope that all of it worked out for Noah; he deserved it. Not only was he supporting Secret Safe financially, but he made Keani feel at home at a meeting. Such a person was rare.

When he suddenly changed the mood, Keani nodded for a moment, unsure of what to tell him. "Hmm," she pondered momentarily. "There's a fun, ambient-looking Pakistani joint down the street." Keani was a huge fan of cultural foods; New York was the capital of diversity, which was one of the most important reasons as to why Keani had chosen to stay there instead of heading back to Hawaii. She missed home, but New York was her second one. She felt at home in the busy streets of New York. She was accustomed to this fast life. In many ways, it distracted her from the rough parts of her life. She understood why some thought New York was depressing. Those who didn't have good jobs didn't feel like they mattered. They were ants in a crowd of large people.

"Along the way there are a ton of restaurants, though. If we change our minds, we can always choose that. You lead the way, sir. Too much bustle to be indecisive." The two had finally exited the elevator and were going into the quick pace of the city walk. Keani was used to being slammed into in the streets. Bodies moved here and there. Luckily, city people had the luxury of quick vision: the people on the sidewalk were more than blurs of color. They all moved at the same pace, the one that city folk were forced to adjust to. Unable to hear Noah, Keani chose to point at the places where she knew good food waited for them. She hadn't realized how much her stomach was craving sustenance.

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CREDIT TO OH HAI JENNERS ?! OF CAUTION 2.0

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[noah]

[atrb=border,0,btable][atrb=style,width: 300px; padding: 20 0 20 20;][atrb=style, btable][atrb=cellpadding,0][atrb=cellspacing,0][style=background-color: #ffffff; padding: 25px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; color: #222222; text-align: justify;]Funny. Noah hardly knew Keani, yet he'd chosen to confess one of his greatest secrets. Admitting anything in their fast-paced industry was almost the equivalent of suicide. No secret was kept safe. No secret was kept hidden. As soon as the newest gossip was released, the gossip hounds managed to hunt down enough information to deliver juicy articles riddled with half-truths. Common people were narrow-minded, too. Many wouldn't even consider the truth value of a blog like Perez Hilton or The E. In the eyes of the consumers, celebrities weren't exactly people. Fans considered themselves fans because their love for one celebrity or another was blinded by their good lucks and money. When people watched movies, Noah could guarantee that no one immediately thought of how actors had to stay awake to film that action-packed night scene everyone seemed to talk about for weeks on end. No, consumers hardly looked deeper than the face, and Noah couldn't say he wasn't disappointed. Carina worked on several movies throughout her career. Some might consider her a Hollywood legend. Noah knew he did. Every day, he wondered why she chose to keep him close to her heart. He was a goofy, air-headed clown. Noah often joked that she kept him around for his body, but even that joke was a long-shot. He'd never molded his abdominal muscles into much more than a two-pack, if that. Body reformation had never been a concern for him because he'd never had a reason to work for a fitter body, and the only activity he'd participated in didn't support physical activity at all. The Super Bowl in High Definition was well worth the dead brain cells, however. What he lacked in athleticism, he regained in management. His portfolio was an impressive collection of his life's proud work. Being a producer gave him a sense of self-respect and enough confidence to create a comfortable home for Carina and himself as husband and wife. If she shared his faith in their relationship, she wouldn't leave him in the dust once he'd thrown himself all in. Her reputation for being the "Ice Queen" didn't reach out to him, thankfully. Keani's words were every bit true. He and Carina made an awesome couple, though he knew how biased he was. The very mention of their chemistry sent tingles down his spine. Everything about Carina Akerman made him wilder about her. Her laugh. Her smile. Her voice. Her... curves. Noah simply played her compliment off nonchalantly and listened to her list of the various restaurants while the elevator descended to the first floor. "Pakistani sounds great!" he enthused, opening the door for the writer. He rarely indulged on foreign food outside of Sushi, so the switch-up would be a nice addition to his boasting rights. Carina would be insanely jealous once she heard that he'd gone some place new and exciting without her. He'd simply chuckle and ruffle her hair like he knew she didn't appreciate. Afterwards, he'd plant a compassionate kiss onto her unsuspecting lips. Only a few more hours, Noah told himself. Only a few more hours and his beloved would be in his arms. notes. closed![/style]

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