Chapter 12: A Golden Opportunity
[Chapter 12: A Golden Opportunity]
The sun was setting as Link walked down the evening streets, gazing at the vibrant neon lights of bars and dance halls lining the sidewalks. The palm trees swayed gracefully in the twilight breeze, making him feel that tonight's scenery was somehow different and more enchanting than before.
Earlier, after Jerome Preston had left him at the cinema, the two had grabbed dinner at a restaurant in the shopping mall and chatted about film distribution.
Jerome had mentioned that within his capacity, he could secure two theaters for Buried, with over five screenings each day.
He also offered to reach out to other theater managers to try and book additional screens and showtimes for Buried, asking Link to wait for further updates.
If everything went smoothly, Buried stood a good chance of being released soon.
But this wasn't a dream. Many tasks were proving more challenging than anticipated, and until the box office numbers came in, no step could be taken lightly.
---
"Hey, Link, where have you been?"
When Link returned to his apartment on Bird Streets in Hollywood Hills West, a group of young people were throwing a party on the lawn in front of Apartment 10.
Loud music played as several crates of beer and beverages were scattered on the ground. A few casually dressed men and women danced in the crowd, and whenever someone made a playful move, it sparked cheers and laughter.
Chris Barnes, sporting his muscular upper body, was dancing among the crowd. Seeing Link pass by, he stopped to greet him.
"I just saw a movie. I just came back from the cinema."
"Alone, or did you bring that blonde girl with you?" Eric, with his tattooed arms on display, laughed as he hugged a stylishly dressed girl.
"What blonde girl?"
"When did Link get a girlfriend? How come I didn't know?"
Chris Barnes and the others asked, puzzled.
"Haha, didn't you see? A few days ago, Link brought a blonde woman back for the night. She was dressed in a business suit, very well put together, looked like a professional working in a reputable company. She's in her thirties. Gotta say, Link, you've got a unique taste," Eric chuckled.
"Wow, Link, you got yourself a girlfriend in her thirties?"
"Link, you prefer older women. No wonder you turned down Lily and Jennifer?"
"Link, that's cool!"
The group teased loudly.
"Hey guys, your dancing is great. Why don't you keep it up? Hope I haven't disturbed you," Link said, raising a bottle of beer.
"Link, come join us. You're not a lone wolf in LA; you can't always stay out of our circle."
Chris Barnes pushed Link's shoulder into the group.
Link had no choice but to follow the music's rhythm and danced disco for a while.
...
The lively atmosphere combined with the Los Angeles weather made him break into a sweat within five minutes.
"Link, a hot new girl just moved into Building 13. She's got a great figure and looks older than us. If you like older women, maybe you should try to hit on her."
Chris Barnes, shirtless, winked at him.
"Hehe, not just older, she's also got a great body," Eric, with his tattoos, scratched his back and chest, giving a lecherous grin.
"Link, don't even think about it. That woman is beautiful but very proud. She holds her chin high when looking at people and ignores others when greeted. People like us stand no chance of hitting on her," someone nearby leaned in to say.
"Forget it, I'm too busy every day. No time to pick up girls. You guys keep dancing; I'll go take a shower."
...
Link finished a bottle of Bud Light, humming to Michael Jackson's latest hit Dangerous, and returned to Building 13.
On the third floor, he caught a whiff of an enticing perfume -- a mix of roses and orange blossoms -- strong yet fresh. It was definitely a woman's scent.
Turning the corner to the stairs, he saw a woman's backside walking ahead. She wore a sleeveless dress, with a tall, voluptuous figure, slender waist, and wide, rounded hips.
She was carrying a shopping bag from Costco, her arms working hard as she climbed the stairs, her hips swaying more noticeably. In the dim stairwell light, her silhouette was quite alluring.
After reaching the third floor, she turned toward the apartment on the right, her mid-heel shoes clicking against the floor clearly. It had a suspenseful, cinematic atmosphere.
Link smiled, returning to his small fourth-floor apartment.
He took a hot shower, changed into loose pajamas, did three minutes of planks on the floor, and lay on his bed, contemplating the day's events, slowly drifting into sleep.
----
"Welcome!"
"Can I have a lemon soda and a chicken breast veggie burger?"
"Sure, Mrs. Moore. Please wait a moment!"
In the morning, Link fetched a chicken burger from the kitchen and poured a lemon soda, handing it to the customer.
After the customer left, Chris Barnes came over, bumped Link's arm, and pointed excitedly at the departing woman's silhouette.
"Link, that was Julianne Moore, right? Didn't expect her to come here to buy a burger herself."
"Stars are people too. It's pretty normal for them to come and eat."
Link shrugged, taking a cloth to wipe the counter.
The person who had walked in was indeed the famous actress Julianne Moore, known for her role as the best friend of the female lead in the recent hit thriller The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.
With her solid acting skills and looks, Julianne Moore had gained some fame in the American entertainment industry, becoming a well-known actress.
However, working in Hollywood meant encountering celebrities frequently, especially those who hadn't yet hit it big.
Over the past few months, Link had seen too many to be surprised.
"Heard that Julianne Moore used to work as a waitress and struggled in the entertainment industry for seven or eight years before gaining fame this year. I wish I could do what she did," Chris Barnes said.
"That's impossible. Julianne Moore is beautiful and a great actress. How can you compare yourself to her?" Another waiter named Michael responded.
"How is that impossible? I've got muscles. Do you have any?" Chris Barnes flexed his biceps.
"I'm taller than you!"
"Damn it, don't compare heights with me."
As the two teased each other, Link was sending off a customer when he heard his pager beep a few times. He took it out to check the number -- Jerome Preston had called.
...
After informing Chris Barnes, Link went to a public phone booth on the street to make the call.
Jerome Preston told Link he had contacted an art house cinema in Burbank, which had ten screens dedicated to small-budget independent films.
The cinema had recently finished internal renovations a few days ago and had no films scheduled, with about a week's worth of open slots.
The manager agreed to screen Buried, but to avoid losses, Link needed to submit a $30,000 deposit.
"Link, $30,000 should be manageable, right? As long as the box office performs well, they'll refund your deposit after the run. What do you think? Is that good news?" Jerome Preston smiled.
"Jerome, I don't have any money -- not even a hundred buck,." Link gritted his teeth.
"You're not kidding. You can make a ninety-minute film, but you don't have $30,000?"
"For this film, I've spent all my savings."
"Tsk, you're something else! Alright, without the deposit, we'll have to give up. The mall cinema can allocate two screens for your film, with about sixteen showings over three days. The AMC theaters in Pershing Square and the USC campus can also provide three screens, totaling twenty showings.
But the showtimes are staggered, and tracking box office data isn't easy. We agreed on this beforehand to avoid conflicts later," Jerome Preston explained.
Link realized this. He wasn't with a distribution company and had no statisticians. Even if the film was shown in three theaters, he couldn't accurately and promptly collect the box office data.
Without accurate statistics, it was hard to attract attention from distributors and theater chains.
"Jerome, the cinema you mentioned has a free slot for a week. When is it exactly?"
"From the 15th to the 22nd."
Today is the 10th, only five days left until the 15th. How could he make $30,000 in five days?
But the opportunity was too good to pass up.
"Jerome, give me five days. If I can't make $30,000 by then, we'll follow the original plan and have staggered showings for three days."
"OK, I'll wait for your good news."
Link hung up the phone, massaging his temples. He had thought the release of Buried was settled, but now it was uncertain again.
Trying to make something happen without money was really hard.
*****
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