Shelly Ovitz watched Irene Coppola exit the café, then leaned back into the sofa. The young woman was exceptional.
After ten minutes of consideration, he retrieved his phone and scrolled through his contact list until he found a name and dialed.
"Hi. Where are you? I’m at the café near the Fox Building. Do you have time to meet?" He gestured to the server to clear Irene’s cup.
"Of course not. I don’t represent any singers. What could I ask of you? It’s just a conversation. You’ve been married for two months and have not been seen. I wanted to hear how you are." The smile at the corner of Shelly’s mouth became strained.
"Fine, I’ll wait here. What would you like to drink? I’ll order for you."
He relayed the order to the server and ended the call with pleasantries. He massaged the corners of his mouth, stiff from smiling, and hoped Irene had substance; otherwise, the effort would be wasted.
After leaving the café, Irene walked for a while, purchased two best-selling novels at a bookstore, and took a taxi back to the estate.
She had just entered when Shelly’s call arrived.
"Sir, do you have instructions?"
"Listen. Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., meet me at the entrance of Jive Records. The rest is up to you." Irene glanced at the wall clock. Less than two hours had passed since she left the café. The matter was already arranged?
"Your efficiency exceeds my expectations."
"It is only a meeting opportunity. Dress professionally. In principle, the music video director position is available to you, but if your performance is inadequate, I cannot assist further."
"Thank you for your support." After ending the call, Irene exclaimed with excitement and entered the living room, embracing Eleanor. "Mom, I obtained my first job. I have my first job."
She then ran upstairs to Francis’s study, but her father was not present, so she could not share the news with him.
Others might not understand her excitement. It was only a music video director position. Given her family background, why would she value such a role?
Only she understood that at seventeen in her previous life, she had experienced a severe setback, whereas at seventeen in this life, her career was beginning.
It was another clear afternoon.
Irene wore the suit her mother had prepared and carried a briefcase. Francis drove her to the entrance of Jive Records.
Shelly Ovitz was waiting. Compared to his appearance the previous day, he was again in a black suit, but his hair was neat.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Ovitz," Irene said, walking toward her prospective agent.
"Good afternoon, Miss Coppola, and Director Coppola." Shelly offered a practiced smile and greeted Francis.
Francis’s presence indicated Irene’s standing within her family. Shelly had not observed Sophia Coppola accompanied by her father in professional settings.
"I am curious how you arranged this in less than two hours."
"As you noted, a skill a capable agent must possess is creating opportunities from nothing. Although I am not convinced of your prospects, representing clients is my responsibility." Shelly looked at Irene with determination.
"You are not convinced of my prospects?"
"Is there a reason I should be?"
"You will understand soon."
In Jive Records’ main conference room, staff served coffee to each seat.
The initial meeting location had been a standard room without windows and without coffee service. Fortunately, the receptionist recognized Francis and relocated the meeting to this conference room.
As they entered, the individuals already present stood. Shelly took the lead in introductions. "Jerry, this is Director Coppola."
The other man extended his hand, appearing pleased. "Jerry Nelson. Please call me Jerry. Director Coppola, I did not expect you to attend today. I have viewed The Godfather at least ten times."
Francis shook hands across the table. His tone was measured. "Do not direct your attention to me. Today I am a father accompanying his daughter. I am not familiar with your work, so please focus on the young person."
"Of course. We will treat this meeting with appropriate seriousness." Jerry Nelson laughed, which surprised those familiar with him, as he was known within the company for being exacting and reserved.
Shelly interrupted the exchange. "The person beside me is the promising female director I mentioned, Irene Coppola."
Producer Karl spoke first, directly and without preamble. He was not in the film industry and felt no need for deference.
"Shelly, we appreciate your recommendation. However, we must state that assigning an important project to an inexperienced newcomer involves significant risk. We require a compelling justification." Several executives nodded.
At that moment, the conference room door opened slightly. Britney looked in, her expression tentative. "Hello, everyone. Mr. Nelson said I could attend."
Nelson nodded, and Britney entered and sat down. She understood the importance of this music video for her career and remained quiet.
When she saw Irene, her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth to suppress a reaction, conveying excitement and disbelief through her expression. Irene responded with a confident smile.
The executives were momentarily surprised by Britney’s arrival, but their attention returned to the meeting’s purpose. Karl addressed Irene. "Well, Miss Coppola, time is limited. Let us hear why Shelly has recommended you."
They might have expected presentations or résumés.
Instead, Irene chose a direct method. She opened the folder of materials she had prepared overnight and arranged the sketches, storyboards, and costume designs on the conference table.
"Gentlemen," her voice was initially quiet but soon became steady and clear, "I understand your concerns. This is Britney Spears’s debut, and it must be executed correctly. For that reason, my approach does not rely on elaborate special effects. It focuses on emotion and visual symbolism."
She presented the costume design: a white short shirt tied at the waist, a gray pleated school skirt, a loose tie, and boots that would become widely imitated.
Irene explained, "This is not merely a school uniform. ’Youth,’ ’rebellion,’ ’desire,’ and ’confidence’—the core emotions of the song—will be conveyed through this attire. It must be distinctive, impactful, and reproducible, so that viewers identify with it."
Next were the storyboard sketches:
In a classroom, Britney taps the desk, her gaze directed out the window, expressing longing. Light falls on one side of her face.
The school hallway becomes a stage where she leads dancers in precise choreography. The camera uses a low angle to convey strength and authority.
Irene used the storyboards to describe camera movement and emotional emphasis. "Here," she said, indicating a sketch, "this is not sadness but a release of emotion, the climax of the song. The camera should move around her to immerse the audience."
The final image: Britney looks directly into the camera, her expression combining innocence and confidence, engaging the viewer.