The Positive Dystopian Part II - A look around the Fox House
Milton Klausen is learning how to survive in 1950's Los Angeles. He has even got himself a new social security number and even got himself registered with the Internal Revenue Service. Utilising his knowledge of setting up companies he has even managed to create some shell companies so he can register offices and lay down the foundations of an apparent history – similar to the techniques of creating legend for espionage.
Using the records he uploaded onto this hidden mobile phone he obtained much-needed cash by gambling and using some of the money to buy some stocks, small numbers but significant.
The typing of the new script was progressing. He found the restrictions placed on scripts by the Hays Code at first anachronistic and unwieldy – but then noticed how film makers at the time found ways trough the code to place jokes only understood by a few. He found where other screenwriters hung around after work (or even during) He started to be noticed, then slowly drawn into the group.
After three months he managed to get himself invited to go down to the lot at Twentieth Century Fox. He recognised the route. He knew it as “Century City” but noted it was still at that time the backlot of the studio. He enjoyed the visit, being taken to the various departments. He noticed the scale of each department was much more immense – it was a factory for film making on a scale not familiar or acted upon in the film industry he had observed.
He started to properly understand the elements which could be created with the camera, sound, film, lighting and rigging technology of the mid 1950's. He would spend hours going to various screenings, often not advertised, where he was able to observe films in their new state, unmarked prints, with sound at its freshest being played at venues by projectionists who knew the technology and the venue and seemed to pull so much out with so little. He even managed to get invited to see rough cuts of films he had only seen on television.
He started to get to get invited to parties up in the hills, earning his way by talking about devices he had used but gave the impression he was fabricating fantastic inventions for science fiction – verbally bringing to life the devices, their operation and feel to the delight of production designers stuck for ideas. For his learning he started to listen to others describing the problems producers had getting money for a film, the problems of budgets, how the studios obtained the funds, what was costing them, where money was being wasted, where extra funds were being dispensed to “solve problems”; which actors brought in extra money but also those who cost a lot due to to tantrums, being late and unforseen medical problems. He learned that producers often had to be the biggest sharks to protect the studios from the lampreys and ramoras.
Milton also noticed how his diet had changed, it was less macrobiotic and just became “food” but he also noticed he was also slightly leaner with his muscles developing subtle definition as he found himself not driving everywhere but walking.
He learned how a film studio became aware of a script – it amazed him how there appeared to be an almost psychic knowledge about what was being written, by whom, where and with what publisher - anywhere in the world. He learned that each studio kept a secret coterie of well-paid people all over the world who would quietly inform studio bosses what was coming up and what they should be interested in; which books coming up for publication had the potential for scandal and so built-in publicity, which stories might be easy to adapt; even the very latest in technology seemed to come through the studio grapevine even before reaching the technical publications. He had read about how the studios and the local police departments had a near symbiotic relationship which meant many infractions where disposed of and dealt with quietly and secretly – unless otherwise required. Similarly he gleaned how the gossip magazines were attended to, listened to, informed, brought in or pushed away as required.
It was the gossip element which almost got him into trouble at some of the parties. Knowing the truth about some of the actors and actresses, their predelictions, foibles, tastes and scandals – especially when the studios had thought these tidbits well secured. He had been listening to a conversation regarding an actor later renowned for his sexuality, he said something which made one of the guests look up. Milton recognised the guest as Eddie Mannix, who worked for a rival studio, MGM; the look Mr Mannix gave chilled Milton as Mannix challenged him “what made you say that?”
Milton responded, “Just something the camera picked up!”
“I know what you mean – we can only cover so far – but these c*nts can't always help themselves”. Mannix then walked over to Milton. “I heard about you. You sure look old for someone just a few months old!”.
Milton responded quickly, smiling “Well ain't that just so 'Hollywood'. I got papers all legal. I heard about you too – you sure smell fresh for someone who knows where the bodies are!” and then laughed.
Mannix laughed to cover himself “I am going to find out more about you – you intrigue me!”
Milton looked him in the eye “Well if you do those who are more 'Majestic' than either of us may get upset!”. At which point Mannix pulled back with “This is a swell and interesting party! Got any future tips for us – Nostradamus?”
“Yeah. Ampex Video tape machines – especially when you go over to color television and you need to sell it abroad.”
Mannix eyes him up then snorted “Already heard that one – Bing Crosby might have something to say about that!”.
Milton hired a lawyer specialising in incorporating companies and set up a production company to create a conduit by which the script could be handled. He knew the days of the all-powerful studios were already showing signs of an impending end. He also pre-planned several revisions to cover his tracks regarding upcoming technology he knew would impact the story of the film and how it would be made.
21st Century
The Detective quietly contacted the various archives which may have or could have held the original images which had provided the “false positives”. Something in the images niggled in the back of his neck. His enquiries were slow to receive any responses – the administrators unclear as to what he was truly asking, or even if it was possible until he got a call from AP Archives.
The call was from its Archive Director and it made the hairs on the back of his neck bristle. He listened as he was informed that images he had enquired about had been sequestered by the orders of the management under the request of the State Department. The Detective was about to question further when the chief archivist seemed to laugh and then continue. “Of Course I provided them with the 35mm archive copy – but these photographs were originally taken on either medium format or on 5” by 4” quarterplate reporters cameras. Ain't no way those are being handed to a bunch of interbred Jarheads in suits. We are testing out some new higher resolution scanners – would you like to attend the demonstration for early police evaluation purposes of course!”
The Detective smiled and answered coolly, hiding the smile in his voice “Of Course I would be delighted to foster meaningful relations.”
The Detective drove to the Archive Building. On reaching reception he was met by an aged but tall and swift moving man. After introductions he was taken into the basement to a large room where he saw boxes of images along with a large new scanner and the latest computer with an ultra high resolution monitor. The Chief Archivist then pulled out the first of the large negatives they had previously discussed and placed it into the scanner. The detective watched as with swift fluidity the scanner was brought into life and the image built itself on the screen. He noticed that instead of the image being scanned once, it was scanned in stages, first 8-bit monochrome, then rescanned in additional 2-bit increments until it reached 24-bit. The iterative staging and comparison system concluding that it had reached the maximum effective scan. The detective hadn't noticed that 5 minutes had passed as he watched the images build up in fascinating detail. The Archivist smiled and proudly announced this was only the first part of the work. He the opened an advanced deconvolution program and worked on each of the 9 images. The program seemed to work exponentially more slowly on each of the images as the resolution increased. He noticed the image seem to get more focussed and details emerge, subtle details like the napp of the clothes being worn, the nature of the jewellery, laughter lines coming through and wrinkles emerging. He was about to speak to the archivist when the archivist indicated he should not speak. The archivist summoned him other to another screen where already prepared were some of the images he had enquired about. He noticed the quality was so much higher and the details came though with frightening clarity. What his eyes saw made his top lip sweat, a cold chill ran down his back and his breath increased “Impossible!” he uttered quietly to himself.
Back in 1956
Milton Klausen sat in a bar just down the road from the Chinese Theatre. He was taking a break from all the planning and work. The script was taking shape and getting close to a good finish. He had managed to put into play the idea that his script was something to look out for – anonymously. It was amazing what a gambling debt and owing money to someone who knew Jack Whalen could bring about – and a script scout with a gambling habit could easily be happily co-erced into “placing” a script into the right hands. The production company he set up started to get small communications about the script.
As Milton was sipping his second beer he felt a strange buzzing in his pocket. Without thinking he pulled out his phone and looked – the screen showed his bluetooth had been activated. Milton stopped sipping and looked around the room. In a dark corner he noticed the small dim blue light he thought would never be seen in his locale. He realised he was not alone in his secret.
End of Part 2
The Positive Dystopian - Part 1