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There are about five weeks left before shooting is scheduled to begin. While Erica Beeney works on her second revision of the script, Kyle Rankin and Efram Potelle interview candidates for key crew positions. At one point, they ask Jeff Balis if they really need to hire a production designer, causing Chris Moore to further question whether or not the pair really know what they're doing. Casting director Joseph Middleton continues to push hard for Emile Hirsch in the lead role. Potelle voices his reservations about Hirsch more strongly. The directors and Beeney meet with Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue) about another key role, but, frustrated because some actors won't read for their prospective roles, Rankin and Potelle barely say a word at the meeting. Middleton later chastises them for not sucking up to the actress. Rankin and Potelle take off one afternoon to read Beeney's new draft of the script. Forty-five minutes later, Moore shows up at the office, wondering where they are. Word comes down that Miramax has signed off on Emile Hirsch for the lead. After speaking to Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, Moore calls Potelle, at Middleton's insistence, to make sure he's okay with making an offer to Hirsch. Potelle caves. Moore holds another script meeting and has some strong criticism of the new draft, which Beeney does not take well. Rankin and Potelle, meanwhile, don't seem willing to make their opinions known. The production encounters more trouble as many actors pass on the project. Furthermore, their first choice DP candidate, Larry Sher, drops out of the running after Potelle chastises him for interrupting him during an interview. This episode was originally aired back-to-back with episode 15.