picked up. There was an abrupt click, the strains of Satie or Chopin, then a voice said, ‘Michael McCann’s office.’
‘Is he there?’ Sandy asked.
‘Who’s speaking, please?’
‘Sandy Paull.’
‘Sandy Ball?’
‘
Paull
. With a ‘p’ Peter,’ she said, irritated that whoever this idiot was she appeared never to have heard of her.
‘Can I tell him what it’s about?’ the girl said.
‘Just tell him I’m on the line,’ Sandy responded shortly.
‘I’m afraid he’s not here at the moment. Can I have him return?’
‘Is he at home?’ Sandy asked.
‘Actually, he’s at a meeting over on …’
‘Is Ellen there?’ Sandy snapped.
‘Can I tell her what it’s about?’ the girl enquired, like a robot.
‘Is she there?’ Sandy repeated.
‘I’ll check. Can I tell her what your call is in connection with?’
‘What’s your name?’ Sandy demanded.
‘Olivia.’
‘Then listen to me, Olivia. My name might mean nothing to you right now, but if you’re at all interested in hanging on to your job, I’d put me through to Ellen and then go and do some homework on exactly who your bosses are.’
‘Uh, excuse me?’ the girl said.
It was hard not to scream as, too late, Sandy remembered it was never wise to speak in long sentences when dealing with American secretaries. She had no idea whether it was her accent they had a problem with, or if they were all just plain stupid. What she did know, however, was that when finally Ellen’s voice came on the other end of the line, for once in her life she was almost glad to hear it.
‘Sandy? What can I do for you?’ Ellen said coolly.
‘I’m fine, thank you. How are you?’ Sandy replied.
‘Michael should be back in an hour if you want to speak to him,’ Ellen told her.
‘I’m glad you’re well too,’ Sandy responded. ‘I’m calling about the “Untitled Feature” that’s just appeared on the spreadsheets. All it says is that it’s a Tom Chambers’ script. Do you have a copy? I’d like to read it.’
‘You and me both,’ Ellen retorted.
Sandy hesitated, noting the edge in Ellen’s voice. ‘You mean all this money’s been set aside without anyone seeing the script?’ she said.
‘In Hollywood that’s not so unusual,’ Ellen informed her.
‘Well, if such a large proportion of World Wide’s current resources is being directed into one project,’ Sandy said, ‘then I think the rest of us should have been consulted.’
‘I’m sure you’re right,’ Ellen said.
Sandy was intrigued by this answer, as it seemed to be confirming what she’d suspected a moment ago, that Ellen was pissed off about something and it sounded very much like it could be this movie. ‘As the Head of Development, perhaps you could tell me when a script’s likely to be available,’ she said, enjoying the dig.
‘As far as I’m aware no funds are being reassigned from any of your UK projects,’ Ellen responded, neatly avoiding the question, ‘so I don’t understand your concern.’
‘Not concern, interest,’ Sandy corrected. ‘If it’s going to be World Wide’s first major feature, I’d like to know more about it. I’m sure that goes for Chris Ruskin in New York and Mark Bergin in Sydney too.’
‘I haven’t heard from either of them on the matter,’ Ellen told her, ‘but you can be sure that as soon as there are any positive moves towards raising more finance for the project, or if a script should be approved, everyone will be notified.’
‘More finance?’ Sandy said. ‘Exactly how big is this budget likely to get?’
‘It’s impossible to say right now,’ Ellen answered, clearly annoyed by Sandy’s persistence.
‘What about stars? He must have someone in mind.’
‘Richard Conway is looking pretty certain for the Tom Chambers role,’ Ellen answered.
Sandy was extremely impressed. ‘Well, when it comes time for the rest of the casting I hope you’re not going to forget McCann Paull’s clients here in
‘Is he there?’ Sandy asked.
‘Who’s speaking, please?’
‘Sandy Paull.’
‘Sandy Ball?’
‘
Paull
. With a ‘p’ Peter,’ she said, irritated that whoever this idiot was she appeared never to have heard of her.
‘Can I tell him what it’s about?’ the girl said.
‘Just tell him I’m on the line,’ Sandy responded shortly.
‘I’m afraid he’s not here at the moment. Can I have him return?’
‘Is he at home?’ Sandy asked.
‘Actually, he’s at a meeting over on …’
‘Is Ellen there?’ Sandy snapped.
‘Can I tell her what it’s about?’ the girl enquired, like a robot.
‘Is she there?’ Sandy repeated.
‘I’ll check. Can I tell her what your call is in connection with?’
‘What’s your name?’ Sandy demanded.
‘Olivia.’
‘Then listen to me, Olivia. My name might mean nothing to you right now, but if you’re at all interested in hanging on to your job, I’d put me through to Ellen and then go and do some homework on exactly who your bosses are.’
‘Uh, excuse me?’ the girl said.
It was hard not to scream as, too late, Sandy remembered it was never wise to speak in long sentences when dealing with American secretaries. She had no idea whether it was her accent they had a problem with, or if they were all just plain stupid. What she did know, however, was that when finally Ellen’s voice came on the other end of the line, for once in her life she was almost glad to hear it.
‘Sandy? What can I do for you?’ Ellen said coolly.
‘I’m fine, thank you. How are you?’ Sandy replied.
‘Michael should be back in an hour if you want to speak to him,’ Ellen told her.
‘I’m glad you’re well too,’ Sandy responded. ‘I’m calling about the “Untitled Feature” that’s just appeared on the spreadsheets. All it says is that it’s a Tom Chambers’ script. Do you have a copy? I’d like to read it.’
‘You and me both,’ Ellen retorted.
Sandy hesitated, noting the edge in Ellen’s voice. ‘You mean all this money’s been set aside without anyone seeing the script?’ she said.
‘In Hollywood that’s not so unusual,’ Ellen informed her.
‘Well, if such a large proportion of World Wide’s current resources is being directed into one project,’ Sandy said, ‘then I think the rest of us should have been consulted.’
‘I’m sure you’re right,’ Ellen said.
Sandy was intrigued by this answer, as it seemed to be confirming what she’d suspected a moment ago, that Ellen was pissed off about something and it sounded very much like it could be this movie. ‘As the Head of Development, perhaps you could tell me when a script’s likely to be available,’ she said, enjoying the dig.
‘As far as I’m aware no funds are being reassigned from any of your UK projects,’ Ellen responded, neatly avoiding the question, ‘so I don’t understand your concern.’
‘Not concern, interest,’ Sandy corrected. ‘If it’s going to be World Wide’s first major feature, I’d like to know more about it. I’m sure that goes for Chris Ruskin in New York and Mark Bergin in Sydney too.’
‘I haven’t heard from either of them on the matter,’ Ellen told her, ‘but you can be sure that as soon as there are any positive moves towards raising more finance for the project, or if a script should be approved, everyone will be notified.’
‘More finance?’ Sandy said. ‘Exactly how big is this budget likely to get?’
‘It’s impossible to say right now,’ Ellen answered, clearly annoyed by Sandy’s persistence.
‘What about stars? He must have someone in mind.’
‘Richard Conway is looking pretty certain for the Tom Chambers role,’ Ellen answered.
Sandy was extremely impressed. ‘Well, when it comes time for the rest of the casting I hope you’re not going to forget McCann Paull’s clients here in
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