[H:F.S.T.T.S] [053]

[Chapter 53. From Shadows To The Spotlight.]

Last Time on Chapter 052 of [From Shadows To The Spotlight] —

Actors—legends in their own right—were scattered throughout, some chatting, others simply taking in the luxury of the experience. Linda spotted Robert Downey Jr. laughing with Jim Carrey, while Tom Hanks and River Phoenix spoke in hushed tones near the bar.

The air buzzed with an unspoken energy.

No one here had any idea what they were about to see.

And that was the most exciting part.

Now Continuing —

After landing in New Zealand, a fleet of black SUVs whisked them away from the airport, driving through rolling green landscapes that seemed untouched by time.

Linda had visited film sets before—massive soundstages, elaborate backlots—but nothing prepared her for what awaited in Matamata.

Hobbiton was not just a set. Sets were hollow illusions that only came to life for the brief moment the director shouts action.

Whereas the village Hobbiton was fully functional living space with plumbing, heating, gardens for produce, animals being reared for milk, meat and honey.

To put it simply, it was alive.

The thatched-roof houses, the carefully tended gardens, the winding stone paths—it looked as though the Hobbits had simply stepped away for a moment and would return at any second.

Smoke curled from chimneys. Clotheslines hung with small garments fluttered in the breeze. The scent of fresh bread and earth filled the air.

Linda wasn't the only one in awe.

Even Spielberg, a man who had seen and built the impossible in his career, murmured, "Unbelievable."

It was a testament to Alex's vision and dedication. He hadn't just recreated the beautiful illusion of Tolkien's world.

He had literally built it from the ground up.

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~The Screening Hall – A Gathering of Giants~

A grand hall had been set up just right outside Hobbiton itself—a massive tent constructed over a beautifully designed clearing, lined with torches and filled with comfortable theater seating.

Inside, waitstaff dressed in Hobbit-inspired attire moved gracefully between guests, serving wines, ales, and trays of New Zealand's finest cuisine.

Linda found herself a seat near the center, one of the prime viewing spot.

As she settled in, she couldn't help but notice that there was no host, no studio executive standing at the front to give an introduction.

Alex Masters wasn't here to preface his work.

There was no need.

The film would speak for itself. 

The Lights Dim–and The Fellowship soon began.

The room fell into expectant silence as the screen flickered to life.

And then—

Howard Shore's hauntingly beautiful score filled the air, sending chills down Linda's spine.

A deep, ethereal voice—Nicole Kidman's—whispered, "The world is changed."

Linda exhaled softly.

From the very first frame, The Fellowship of the Ring did something very few Hollywood blockbuster had done in years—it transported them.

It wasn't just a movie.

It was an experience.

The Shire was warm and golden, every blade of grass and every distant mountain captured with a painter's precision. Ian McKellen's Gandalf wasn't simply a character—he was Gandalf, as if Tolkien himself had summoned him from the pages.

Then came Rivendell, the sweeping halls glowing like a dream. The Mines of Moria, dark and foreboding, the tension so thick she could feel her pulse in her throat.

The performances were flawless. But what truly broke the audiences was the emotional moment shared between Elijah Wood's Frodo and Robin Williams' Vól.

The old dwarf warrior's admittance of not even remembering what his wife's face looked like but still holding onto how she made him feel and vowing to defend the village she loved till the day he died made her tear up.

She heard women around her sniffling and holding back tears, while the men looked at Vól with pride and admiration. A few men sitting beside her muttered about how Vol was true man, someone to look up to. And the feeling was definitely mutual amongst the viewers regardless of age or gender.

This was the magic of cinema.

Elijah Wood's Frodo carried the weight of the Ring in his every movement, his blue eyes filled with quiet dread. Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn commanded their attention with sheer charisma and effortless—a king in exile, radiating both strength and sorrow.

And then there was the action.

Linda had seen battle sequences before—epic, brutal, dazzling. But this—this was something else entirely. The sword fighting looked intense and authentic, Hollywood's display of action had gone through an evolution after Alex had created the iconic clash between Arnold and the Predator.

And action had been taken up a notch once again with fellowship of the ring. Every clash of swords, every roar of the Uruk-hai, every desperate scramble across crumbling stone felt visceral, real.

Alex had crafted combat that was not only visually stunning but emotionally gripping, as there were many close calls and tense moments.

By the time the film reached its climactic moments—the fall of Boromir, the breaking of the Fellowship—Linda wasn't just watching.

She was feeling it. She was immersed into the world of Middle Earth.

She understood now.

Why Alex had guarded this project so fiercely.

Why he had refused to compromise.

This wasn't just a movie.

It was cinema history in the making.

She would wager that the movie would win at least a few oscars like best–costume, special effects, adapted screenplay–and that was without any shameless PR or pandering to the academy judges.

Without even realising how the quickly the last 3 hours of her life went by, the credits began to roll.

But no one moved. For several long seconds, there was only silence. The screening hall remained silent as if the audiences were just to stunned to speak out or react–still engrossed in the world of Middle Earth.

And then the silence was engulfed in a defeaning applause.

It was nothing like the polite, rehearsed kind that followed most premieres.

But a thunderous, genuine applause that came from the bottom of the heart. The kind that people only did when something truly touched their soul.

Spielberg stood, clapping. So did Cameron, Lucas, Kidman, and Downey. One by one, the biggest names in Hollywood rose to their feet, their expressions ones of disbelief, admiration, even reverence.

Linda swallowed hard, feeling something foreign and unexpected twist in her gut.

She had come here thinking this was a test.

That Alex Masters had invited her to see if she would stumble, to see if she would find some angle to undermine him.

But as she stood, clapping along with the rest of the room, she realized something else.

This wasn't a test for her.

This was a message for Hollywood.

With this trilogy—Alex Masters was already well on his way to reshape Hollywood.

And no one—not even her—could deny it.

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It took some time before the applause had faded, but the weight of the experience lingered.

Linda Carver found herself standing in the dim glow of the screening hall, surrounded by Hollywood's most powerful figures. Conversations buzzed around her, voices filled with awe, excitement, and—most notably—humility.

She had expected praise.

Probably even admiration.

What she hadn't expected was this.

The unshakable truth settling over the industry's greatest minds: Alex Masters had just changed cinema.

And they knew it.

Near the back of the hall, three men stood together in quiet discussion—Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and James Cameron. Three of Hollywood's most celebrated visionaries. Men who had shaped generations with their films.

Linda edged closer, her instincts as a journalist taking over.

Cameron exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought Titanic was the pinnacle of cinematic spectacle. The scale, the emotion, the sheer technical challenge…"

He shook his head, glancing at Spielberg and Lucas. "But this? This makes me feel like I've only been scratching the surface."

Spielberg gave a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "You and me both."

Lucas, arms crossed, was still staring at the darkened screen, as if trying to process everything he had just seen. "I spent years building Star Wars, crafting a universe that felt real, that could immerse people completely."

He let out a breath. "But Alex… he didn't just build a world. He transported us into it. I think I understand now why he was adamant about nailing the realism of Phantom Menace."

"It was just him practicing his craft so he could perfect it for.. this.. Middle-earth feels alive in a way that few films ever achieve."

Spielberg nodded. "I feel like that's because he didn't treat it like a fantasy film. He treated it like history—like it was something real that just happened to be captured on film."

Linda swallowed.

The weight of their words struck her deeply.

For these men, these titans of the industry, to stand here and even insinuate that they were humbled… It was the kind of moment that defined eras.

A shift in Hollywood's very foundation. 

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~A New Venture~

Spielberg turned slightly toward Lucas, lowering his voice. "Speaking of fantasy… I was going to tell you this later, but since we're here I might as well share it now—MONARCH has a medieval fantasy epic in production. A high concept TV series."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Spielberg hesitated for only a second before saying, "After watching Fellowship, I think I want to direct an episode or two."

Linda's eyes widened.

Lucas' and Cameron's reaction mirrored hers. But the latter of the two held his tongue as he wasn't as close to Spielberg as the former and just like her Cameron decided to play along as a fly on the wall.

"You?" Lucas asked, his voice laced with surprise. "You're Steven Spielberg. Why the hell would you want to direct an episode of a TV show—one that isn't even produced by DreamWorks? What will your partners say about this?"

Spielberg smirked, but there was an edge of something deeper in his expression. "Because I want to. Seeing what Alex just did… it made me realize there's an entire realm of storytelling I've never touched."

"I've done historical dramas, war movies, sci-fi, adventure, horror—but never this. Never a fully realized fantasy world."

Lucas studied him for a moment, then shook his head and re-iterated his questions. "You really think your partners at DreamWorks are going to be okay with that?"

Spielberg's smile faded slightly.

He exhaled, glancing at the floor, his mind clearly traveling back to something distant. Then, after a moment, he looked up at Lucas, his eyes sharp.

"When I wanted to make Schindler's List, I approached every major studio—the big six. I had connections. I had just come off of making a billion dollars at the box office from jurassic park. The first person to do so."

"But even then, they all rejected me all the same." 

Lucas frowned, he already knew about this, but didn't interrupt. 

"Even my own friends—Jeff and David—they tried to dissuade me. Said it was too controversial. Too risky. They thought it would bring bad press, damage my and the studio's image."

Spielberg's voice held no bitterness, only quiet remembrance. "But do you know who didn't try to stop me?"

Lucas' expression shifted. He already knew the answer.

Spielberg didn't wait for a response. "Alex."

Linda felt a jolt run through her, as no media house knew who was the man who financed Spielberg's dream project.

Spielberg continued, his voice dropping slightly. "He didn't just give me his blessing—he put his own money on the line. Twenty-five million dollars in just production. Out of his personal funds. No studio, no investors. Just him."

Lucas' eyes darkened, the weight of that revelation sinking in.

"And he did it without hesitation, or doubt, or even a second thought." Spielberg added. "Because he believed in me, and in the story I wanted to tell the word. Because he knew it needed to be told."

For a moment, Lucas was silent.

Then he let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "I should've known. The investor never revealed himself."

Spielberg smirked. "He didn't want to take away the spotlight from me, just like he did when helped produce Jurassic Park."

Lucas smiled, "I am glad that he is finally leaving the shadows and stepping into the spotlight.

"Me too, it was long overdue. He deserves all the recognition he'll get from this and more."

Then, turning back to his original point, Steven added, "So if I want to direct an episode of MONARCH's new fantasy show, I will. If my name can help bring in more people, give the series a stronger start, then it's the least I can do."

Lucas let out a breath and finally gave a small nod. "I suppose I can't argue with that."

Cameron, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "What's the show called?"

Spielberg's expression turned thoughtful.

"Game of Thrones." 

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~ A fly on the wall~

Linda stood frozen, her mind reeling.

Spielberg was thinking about directing a fantasy TV show?

It was unthinkable.

Not because he wasn't capable, but because Spielberg never followed trends—he was the one to set them. He had built his career on defining genres, on creating cultural touchstones that filmmakers tried to emulate for decades.

And yet, here he was, inspired by Alex Masters.

It was no longer just admiration.

It was a movement.

A seismic shift in Hollywood's creative landscape.

Linda was now certain why she had been sent here.

Why Alex had allowed her to attend this screening.

This wasn't just a test.

It was a front-row seat to the future.

And for the first time in years, she felt something stir within her—a desire not just to report on the industry, but to truly understand it.

To witness its evolution.

And to be a part of it.

– To be continued...

{2,241 words}

{A/N: A little shorter side but I feel like this was perfect place to end the chapter, I hope you guys liked the press screening of-Fellowship of the Ring.

I tried to put in an easter for a fun arc that will be happening in the future. Steven Spielberg directing a few episodes of the Game of Thrones.

Also would you like to read ahead? You can do so for free up to 3 chapters ahead of the public release on my Patreon page as Free Member.

Yes, free. If you're interested you'll find the link in the Author's thoughts section or just google TheRamenLord and Patreon.

If you like my work and would like to support me then by becoming a paid member you read from 10 to 15 chapters ahead of the public release depending on tier you purchase.}