Chapter 121: Fundraising
[Chapter 121: Fundraising]
It hadn't been long since Ryan had last experienced the thrill of a new song dropping, and what amazed him even more was that this latest pop dance track titled I Need Your Love featured two familiar faces.
Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding appeared on the single's cover, kissing under the sun. They co-wrote the song too, and the music video looked just like a couple's vlog. While collaborations between male and female singers didn't always have to end up in kisses, this song had the flavor of a love anthem for the pair.
It felt tailor-made for him and Taylor, and he believed that this lovey-dovey track would spread rapidly thanks to their budding romance. But Ryan wasn't rushing. Taylor's single You Belong With Me was riding high, and his own new song Where Are U Now was about to release, so dropping another single anytime soon felt wasteful.
Meanwhile, Daddario, who had been close to him, suddenly sensed that Ryan had gone still and thought something might be wrong, prompting her to step back immediately. He then tapped her lightly to signal that he was fine, and she understood right away, turning around.
...
As night fell, the nightclub began to buzz with excitement. However, Ryan had no plans to perform tonight. With David Guetta headlining the show, he focused instead on preparing for his new song -- he had to tackle the choreography and the distinctive fashion style showcased in the music video.
"Knock, knock," he heard a knock at the door.
"Come in," Ryan set his phone down.
In walked several remarkably attractive young women, probably eight or nine of them. They weren't all model material, but a few definitely stood out, while the others fell just short. Still, their heavy makeup combined with sexy, short dresses ensured that they would turn heads on the street.
"Do you all have dance backgrounds?" Ryan scanned the group, noting the distinctive variety in their stature and style.
This wasn't Ryan's office; it was a more secluded room with simple furnishings: a sound system, a large mirror, and a spacious red sofa. This roomy red IKEA sofa was wide enough to lay back on and felt soft to sit on, since the synthetic leather material was easy to clean.
Clearly, this was a casting couch.
...
The history of a casting couch could even be traced back nearly a hundred years, back to when Hollywood's studio system dominated, and studios managed every aspect of film production and distribution. Actors often signed long-term contracts with these studios, essentially becoming the studio's exclusive employees, which gave studio managers considerable power over their careers.
Acting was a high-risk, high-reward profession, and it was impossible to fully assess an actor's capability during casting. Due to the heightened uncertainty and the power involved, actors would sometimes resort to different means to secure roles.
In 1924, a short film titled The Casting Couch hit theaters, depicting the behind-the-scenes arrangements between casting directors and actresses. It was scandalous at the time, and the term soon became common parlance.
From a legal perspective, although this is illegal, there are few precedents and actors will only choose to settle privately because they care about their reputation. However, things changed dramatically with the #MeToo movement.
...
As for the women before him, they were all regulars in the nightclub scene. Ryan had even limited the selection criteria; otherwise, the numbers could have easily soared.
He had them showcase their dance moves, one by one.
The room was filled with deep Miami bass music. Even if these songs had lyrics, they were suggestive and perfectly aligned with club vibes. At that moment, two women danced closer to Ryan, swaying their bodies to the beat while occasionally grabbing his hands.
"That's enough, enough," he interrupted as one was about to start taking off her clothes.
"Can you do any other dances? I mean something a bit more... traditional?" Ryan probed, as their so-called dance skills seemed to be limited to club-style moves.
"Are you talking about something like this?" They turned away from him and began shaking wildly.
Ryan thought only a choreographer with real experience working with stars could meet his needs. As for the women auditioning, he figured they might be good as backup dancers. He decided to ask Marvin to help him find a reliable choreographer.
The performance team included live musicians and backup dancers. They were crucial parts of the stage experience, accompanying the star during tours.
"You can perform as backup dancers with me, but spots are limited," Ryan said candidly.
The two dancers exchanged glances and then smiled as they approached him. Being picked by a superstar like Ryan was a dream come true for them.
Ryan shook his head, signaling them to stop.
He planned to upgrade his image alongside his new song. Over the next few days, he needed to get back into his workout routine. He'd let it slide recently, often spending time with women, and he'd noticed some extra weight that he needed to shed.
...
He called it a day early, spending several hours sweating at a high-end gym in Orlando, where he met a local female trainer. He was drawn to her impressive curves showcased in her yoga pants and figured she must know what she was doing.
She asked him about his fitness goals and customized a workout plan. When he left, he tossed a few thousand dollars her way, making the trainer beam widely as she linked her arm with his. Her excitement about Ryan's star status was evident.
...
Back home, Ryan posted some pictures from his gym sessions on MySpace and his exclusive fan forum.
Some photos wouldn't upload to MySpace, so he decided to share them directly on the fan forum just to treat his fans.
As expected, the comments erupted with excitement.
[22222: I'm using this pic as my phone wallpaper!]
[167: Wow.]
[5854: More fresh material for the next round!]
[15Debicki: It is indeed a paid forum.]
[4444Paris: @Ryan@Ryan, I want the short code ID! If you don't give it to me, I'll keep spamming you!]
[13Taylor: Did you hit the gym? Babe!]
[12Trey: Why did you think of posting these so late at night?]
[16Olsen: Just, let me sleep or not (lustful)]
[17Irina: It's just so-so, nothing special.]
[3: (Thumbs up) I just transferred another 50,000 US dollars to the PayPal account provided today.]
[Ryan: Thank you very much,] he replied quickly.
[3: It can be considered as providing some benefits for everyone.]
[22222: I also transferred five hundred dollars.]
[4444Paris: Ryan could have just robbed the fans, but he still wanted to do good for them. I'm so touched. (cry)]
This forum had recently updated its features due to Veronica's efforts, adding a "Fundraising" button at the top of the homepage, collecting funds for custom merchandise to give back to the fans.
Donations over $50 were publicly displayed, complete with rankings for weekly, monthly, and overall contributions -- similar to live stream tips.
Currently, "3" was firmly at the top. This businesswoman had deep pockets.
The second, "5555," had never commented but showed up with a $3,000 contribution, clearly another wealthy individual.
Smaller donations flooded in from all sides. After checking the backend, Ryan learned that this feature had only been live for a day yet had already amassed over $80,000, which explained Paris's astonishment.
The forum was still basic, and Veronica was hurriedly adding new features as per Ryan's requests.
...
Ryan switched to the collection page and personally messaged "5854," "22222," and "167." To his surprise, the progress on gathering chalk graffiti had nearly been completed in just a few days.
Feeling the fervor of his core fans, Ryan decided it was time to launch a new activity.
[Ryan: (Announcement) Due to everyone's enthusiasm, I've decided to initiate a Hot Girl Contest, which will be ongoing. It's going to follow Hot or Not guidelines, with public voting. Those who score over a 9 will receive cash rewards. Here's how to participate...]
Hot or Not was a ranking website where users could choose the hotter of two photos. Once enough votes were cast, each photo received a score. Facebook's precursor, Facemash, used this system to crown the campus beauty queen, which had catapulted them to initial fame.
Since his fans were so supportive, it felt right to give back to his beautiful supporters, in more ways than one.
Finally, Ryan sent a private message to 16.
[Ryan: I want to meet your twin sisters; we have important matters to discuss.]
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.