Q&A

…..

"...I didn't follow them. I followed myself."

The words hang in the air as the audience is left in stunned silence, the weight of Cobb, played by Andrew, confessing reverberating long after the credits roll.

Some sit motionless, absorbing the emotional and psychological toll the film has taken on them.

Regal stole glances at the people around him every now and then during the whole session - even with his confident demeanor, he couldn't deny the mix of excitement and apprehension coiling in his chest.

And as the film concluded, Regal also released just how different - this [Following] version of his had been to the original in his past world.

Regal had made a lot of changes - so many that calling them 'a lot' almost felt like an understatement.

In the script he observed, many characters didn't even have a name.

Like Keanu and Grace - their characters are simply referred to as 'The Young Man' and 'The Blonde' respectively.

But that was just the beginning of the reworks he did - while some of them were subtle, refining details - few were drastic, altering entire scenes from the ground up.

In the end, the film was less about remaking [Following] and more about reshaping it - taking its theme concept and threading his own vision into it.

No doubt, it has been difficult.

But Regal had given it everything he had.

Still, what weighed on him the most was the climax - because that was where the biggest shift lay.

The big reveal that Cobb wasn't real and that it had all been in Bill's head.

The entire character, played by Keanu, was an illusion - created by his own fractured mind, a manifestation of the kind of person he had always wanted to be in his life.

However, Regal was surely interested in seeing people's reactions to it.

And now watching it, as the scene went by, the shock on their faces… was harder to read for him.

All he could do was wait - wait and see if that shock was a good thing or not.

….and as the credits rolled on for a minute, slowly the atmosphere shifted and the claps began.

Critics stood, exchanging genuine looks of enthusiasm that said - this was good. Really good.

Soon it turned into a huge applause rippling through the theater until it filled the space completely.

Puew, guess it worked. Regal let out a sigh of relief while sitting in the fourth row with the audience.

Immediately, a staff member in the front row signaled toward him - time to move onto the next events.

He stood, brushing his palms against his jeans before making his way down the aisle.

At first, no one really paid him much mind - just a random guy heading toward the stage. But as he reached the front, some of the whispers changed tone.

A few heads turned. Then more.

People started really looking at him - taking in his face, their eyes flickering with recognition as they saw the 'director' badge on his chest.

By the time he stepped onto the platform, the murmurs had become a low hum of conversation.

….

Soon it was time for Q&A.

The setup was simple - a long table, three chairs, and microphones lined up neatly.

The moderator, a seasoned film journalist, offered him a polite nod as he took his seat.

Stephen Sr. was already there, being the centre of attention with a humble demeanor. He turned slightly, smiling at Regal in a way that suggested he had anticipated this moment long before anyone else.

Regal returned it with a subtle nod before settling into his chair.

Stephen Sr. took the microphone, seizing the moment. "Thank you all once again for being here today."

He continued after a slight pause. "Now, let's not delay this any longer. It seems many of you have already noticed. But let me have the pleasure to introduce him. HE, is the director of this film. Regal Seraphsail."

People nodded as their eyes now fully focused on Regal - it was no small feat to be introduced into Hollywood by such legend.

The host let the reaction settle before continuing. There was another round of cheers and claps for the young director.

Regal leaned into the mic. "I appreciate the introduction, Sir Stephen. But please do note that the pleasure is entirely mine."

His words once again earned a couple of nods, while a few dismissed it as mere flattery. However, there was no denying that most of them were looking forward to the event.

Moments later, it was time, and then the questions began.

The first came from a reporter in the second row who raised a hand, then spoke. "Regal Seraphsail, right? Should I refer to you as the director of Following or the author of the recent sensation [Harry Potter]? Which title do you prefer?"

Regal didn't miss a beat. "Just 'Regal' is fine. And as for the title. I don't mind either. They are both things I love doing."

Another question followed without pause.

"Right. I really enjoyed the film. But, if you don't mind me asking - you look incredibly young. What were your qualifications before stepping into filmmaking? And what made you transition from writing to directing?"

"I am a fourth-year university dropout." Not minding the intention behind it, Regal followed in with a response. He was slowly getting used to it. "As for the transition… I wouldn't really call it that. Filmmaking was always the goal. Writing just happened along the way."

A small murmur swept through the room, surprised by the reveal - and his way of bluntness and matter-of-fact response.

The reporter nodded. "So, what will happen to the [Harry Potter] series? Are you continuing to write? If so, how long are you planning to take that path?"

Regal shook his head. "Of course I would continue. Writing gave me a way to tell stories when I didn't have the means to make films. It's something I will always do, but as I said - Direction - that was always the end goal."

"So…" - another voice spoke up. "Did you have any prior experience working on other projects before this?"

Regal gave a small shrug. "I shot a couple of short films back in college, but I never put them online. Other than that? No. This is my first real project."

There was a pause as the reporters processed the information. However, another journalist was quick to jump onto the next question.

Her notepad resting on her lap, she leaned forward. "Your film plays a lot with perception and reality. What drew you to explore themes of psychological fragmentation and unreliable narration? And if I may add, I noticed a similar narrative approach in your book [Harry Potter]. What is your take on it?"

Regal's lips quivered slightly, recalling a similar observation from Gwen before the book's launch. "If I were to analyze it in depth, I would say it was simply a coincidence. I agree both stories minutely follow similar themes like building up tense senses in entirely different mediums."

He paused briefly before continuing. "But honestly, I would go as far as to claim it as my style. It was all my circumstances at the time that dictated my choices. I had one goal - to make a film with whatever budget I had at my disposal."

A follow-up came almost immediately. "Oh, can we know the exact number?"

"Around fifty thousand dollars." He said it without hesitation.

There were a couple of raised eyebrows among the crowd - surprised, perhaps impressed for an indie film with that budget to have achieved such rich quality.

Many doubted if it were just a publicity stunt, queking a reporter in the middle row raised a hand, her curiosity evident. "I noticed your name listed under photography during the credits. Was that true?"

"It's exactly as it is credited." Regal didn't beat around the bush for claiming his credit. "I didn't have the budget to hire a professional photographer, so I had to step in myself. Thankfully, I had a good crew supporting me. Together, we made it work."

Regal's response immediately shut down any lingering doubts - he indirectly pointed out that the crew he had worked with could vouch for him if proof was needed.

"The final reveal completely recontextualizes everything that came before it." - a reporter noted. "How early in the writing process did you lock in that reveal? And did it change at any point?"

Regal considered for a moment before answering. "Hmm… actually, when I first came up with the script, I had a completely different ending. Originally, the betrayal itself was meant to be the climax. But after a lot of thought, I wanted something that would leave a stronger impact. So I reworked the final revelation to make it even more shocking."

A journalist in the front row raised her hand. "Mr. Stephen Hawking - first, congratulations on your comeback."

Stephen gave a light chuckle. "I wouldn't exactly call it that. But please, go on."

"Of course." She nodded before continuing. "Your name alone brought a level of prestige to this film. When did you come on board to support this project? And did you see something special in this debut team?"

Stephen Sr. tapped his microphone slightly before responding. "I regret to admit. I only joined this project toward the very end. By that point, the final cut - the same one you all just watched - was already locked in. And seeing it, I knew right away that I wanted to present it myself."

Then, another journalist, flipping through their notes, spoke up. "Mr. Regal, this is for you. Given your background as a writer, would you say you are more drawn to storytelling or the technical side of filmmaking?"

Regal's lips curved slightly, as if the question amused him. "Storytelling. Always storytelling. The technical side is just a means to an end. If I have to learn every tool, every camera trick, and every editing technique to get the story across, I will - but those things are never the focus. The story is."

Stephen Sr. let out a light chuckle beside him, his tone playful. "Watch out for this young man's words. He is putting it nicely, but bluntly, he is saying he will break every rule in the book if it means making the film work."

Another hand shot up, breaking the brief silence.

"With the protagonist, Bill, following people around, are you indirectly supporting voyeurism?"

The question hung in the air. But Regal didn't flinch. "Umm, how about a no?"

He said it with a casual air, as if dismissing the question as quickly as it had come. Before the room could fully absorb his response, another hand shot up.

This time, an older journalist in the third row. "[Following] is a highly unconventional film in terms of its screenplay. What made you take such a risk with a non-linear narrative, especially for your first project?"

"I didn't see it as a risk." Regal admitted. "I planned the screenplay to unfold that way. I thought, if you unravel it in a linear structure, it loses its impact. You are meant to experience the protagonist's reality the same way he does: out of order, confused, piecing it together as it goes."

Stephen Sr., seated beside him, chimed in. "And here I thought you just liked making people think too hard."

That earned a ripple of laughter from the audience, easing some of the lingering formality in the room.

The compliment between Regal and Stephen Sr. was clear, and the reporter took note. The back-and-forth between the two felt more like a private conversation than a public Q&A.

A reporter, seemingly emboldened by the exchange, raised her hand. "We have been hearing rumors about you collaborating with Regal on his next project. Is that true?"

It wasn't a fact - obviously, there had also been no such rumor.

But that question, asked now, was the moment the rumor would begin to spread.

It was simply too rare for Stephen Sr. to back someone this openly - even in his prime. Especially so after many years of taking the break.

Stephen Sr.'s face remained still. "Let's stick to questions about this film, shall we?"

The crowd chuckled lightly, sensing the subtle boundary he had set.

The questions continued - some technical, others about his creative influences. Regal answered them all in the same manner but tried his best to never come off as arrogant.

It wasn't just about defending his choices. It was about explaining why they mattered.

By the time the session wrapped up, it was clear - whatever doubts had lingered before, they were gone now.

The film had spoken for itself.

And so had its director.

.

….

[To be continued…]

★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★

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