The First Meeting of the Day

The meeting with Marvel is a video call you take in the main office. This has been set up for such. There’s a large monitor on the wall, which allows you to see all the contributors. The room actually has a couple of cameras for when there are multiple people in the office, but you only switch on the one that catches you at the desk. On the desk are your laptop and a good microphone. It’s all been professionally set up.

Which contrasts with the Marvel guys. In their defence they’ve set up in a hotel, as the only guys joining the meeting are those in London for the premier. It’s still middle of the night in America, so those guys you’ve been talking to who didn’t come over don’t join in.

Apart from the Marvel guys, one other person joins the meeting, your literary agent, Bridget. She’s just there to keep an eye on things, but she’s a welcome sight. She understands the industry much better than you do, and she has a keen eye for spotting when people are pushing the boundaries of agreed contracts. That appears to be a common occurrence, especially in the film industry. She has a fearsome reputation, always focussed for the benefit of her talent, of which you are one.

They’re all here to talk about the job you’re starting tonight. The premier is date night for you and Niemira, but it’s also work for you. The MCU has been struggling and they’ve recruited you to give them ideas about where they’re going wrong, and how they can improve. You’ve already given them an analysis of the earlier movies in the most recent phase, now they want your assessment of the latest movie. You’d insisted they tell you absolutely nothing about the movie, but they wanted to go through what you’d already sent them, and to reiterate how this movie fits into this latest phase.

You take notes, and end with Marvel guys expressing their enthusiasm about meeting you in person.

After they’ve signed off you work for a while organising your thoughts, writing down some notes to help you when you see the movie later.

You’d just finished when Lucy knocks and steps in.

“Belka is waiting for you in the back office.”