The only thing worth mentioning is that Mr. T1000, Robert Patrick, once joined a theater troupe in his youth.

Martin glanced around and noticed that the ten people were all new faces he didn’t recognize.

The chubby Robert came over and asked with concern, “I heard you hurt your leg?”

Martin nodded. “I’ve been recovering for a week.” He signaled with his eyes, “A lot of newcomers?”

Robert replied helplessly, “There’s a lot going on at the theater, and we’re always being called in to work. We temp actors don’t get paid, and with the membership fee deadline coming up, some people have quit. You have to fill your stomach before you can keep chasing your dream of stardom.”

A choice between reality and dreams.

At this moment, Jerome walked to the center of the stage, clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention, and said, “I have a few pieces of good news for you.”

He didn’t keep them in suspense and went straight to the point: “Channel Two is partnering with Grey Film Productions to shoot a drama about a plantation. Next week, they’ll be holding auditions for actors at the Midtown Arts Theater. I’ve been in touch with the casting director, and everyone here will have a chance to appear on screen.”

The newcomers were quite excited.

Robert, however, remained very calm; the auditions were only for temp actors.

Jerome added a touch of self-importance to his tone: “You all know I have some connections in Hollywood. I just got a major scoop: a big-budget film starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, with an investment of over ten million dollars, will soon be shooting in Atlanta. To cut costs, they’ll be casting actors locally. I believe the Marietta Troupe can produce another Robert Patrick.”

Martin thought hard—what movie did Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey work on together?

With the tempting bait thrown out, Jerome started reeling them in: “The troupe belongs to all of us. We share the facilities, and putting on plays costs money. The daily maintenance of the theater depends on all of us, so the troupe will collect a $300 monthly membership fee. I’m sure you all understand.”

It wasn’t free to perform—you had to pay to perform.

Martin was well-traveled and not surprised.

Back when he was drifting between roles, a small-time actor from his hometown supposedly had her family sell several houses just to land a supporting role in a play.

Paying to get on stage wasn’t unusual; many people wanted to pay but didn’t have the connections.

Chapter 8: Another Debt

“The troupe will temporarily stop rehearsing new plays. For the sake of your future, our focus will shift to landing roles in film and TV projects.” Jerome looked passionate on the surface, but he had other plans in mind.

Once rehearsals start, money flows out like water.

The Marietta Community Theater is non-profit, with most of its income coming from charitable donations and local government cultural grants.

For example, the theater itself is owned by City Hall.

Producing plays and shooting films both make it easy to keep the books, and any money saved naturally ends up in the pockets of a few people in charge, led by him.

Jerome put on a “for your own good” act and emphasized, “In the coming days, I’ll personally coach your acting. Trust me, in Marietta, no one is more professional than I am!”

As Martin listened, he was thinking: compared to individuals, a troupe has an advantage when dealing with film crews, but $300 a month...

The money he had was earned at the cost of a broken arm.

Was it Harris who broke his arm? He respected Harris’s sacrifice.

Martin didn’t see any benefit, so he wouldn’t spend lightly.

The newcomers weren’t fools either. Someone asked, “Director, why is that movie being shot in Atlanta?”

Currently, Atlanta is insignificant in Hollywood’s film industry.

Jerome smiled confidently: “The state government just passed a new law at the start of the year: any film or TV production shot in Atlanta with an investment over $500,000 gets a 20% tax break. If the film carries the Georgia state logo, there’s an extra 10% off.”

He saw things clearly: “Hollywood production companies would never miss a chance to make more profit. More and more crews will come to Atlanta. The opportunity is here—are you ready?”

Another person asked, “I saw on a forum that actors have to find work through agents. I don’t have an agent.”

“Forget about those damn agents, forget about the damn rules of the actors’ union. California’s talent laws don’t apply in Atlanta!” Jerome shot back, “Do you want an agent to take 10%, or do you want to pay $3,000 to join the actors’ union and then pay a huge annual fee?”

That person, swayed by Jerome, shook his head repeatedly. “Three thousand dollars? I’d rather buy a new car.”

Martin remained quiet the whole time. Even if he disagreed, he wouldn’t speak up rashly.

After the pep talk, the troupe’s accountant set up a table to collect money. Of the ten new recruits, only one left; the other nine all paid the membership fee.

Even veterans like Robert still chose to stay with the troupe. Martin had been through this phase and understood their mindset—it was no different from countless other struggling actors.

After hearing about those two film crews, Martin kept thinking about how to make sure Jerome would think of him first.