Chapter 67: The Criminal Case
[Chapter 67: The Criminal Case]
"Link, I can't believe Sophia would say those things to you. She's too young, a bit headstrong, and tends to speak without thinking. Just try not to take it too personally," Monica Bellucci said, sitting beside him in a sunlit cafe after Sophia Coppola had left.
"It's fine. Honestly, I found the conversation quite entertaining," Link replied.
"Right? Sophia's got an impressive way with words, and she loves to argue. People often end up losing to her in debates. When you were speaking, I thought she might jump up in frustration a few times, but in the end, she had to swallow her pride. It was the first time I saw her stunned like that. You were incredible!"
Monica chuckled, her arm playfully wrapped around his.
"Rather than praise my debating skills, I'd prefer if you applauded my performance in the bedroom," he joked.
"Oh come on -- you're already amazing, and you're getting better and better. We're getting more and more compatible in sex, aren't we?"
"Yeah."
Link tilted her chin up and placed a gentle kiss on her red lips. Monica wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed him back, and the other men in the cafe watched, green with envy, wishing they could step into his shoes.
...
The phone suddenly rang, breaking their moment. Link released Monica and checked the caller ID -- it was Jon Gordon, the manager of the film distribution department.
Jon informed him of a case that had emerged from Murrieta, California, two weeks prior. A woman had shot her husband three times during the night after suffering abuse. The police arrested her for murder.
However, her defense attorney claimed that she had a history of sleepwalking, suggesting that she was not in control of her actions when she fired the gun. A psychological evaluation revealed that the woman had suffered from anxiety and depression due to two recent miscarriages, which could potentially cause sleepwalking episodes.
The court was currently deliberating whether the woman had acted with intent and if she should be held criminally responsible. This case had drawn considerable attention in California and was quite intriguing.
"Sleepwalking murder? Are you suggesting we use this as a promotional angle for our film?" Link asked, stroking his chin.
"Link, I've been brainstorming ways to promote the film effectively without breaking the bank. I saw the news about this case and had an idea. I contacted the woman's defense attorney right away to discuss the situation.
It seems like there's potential here. We could have the woman claim that she's been haunted by a ghost since childhood, and this caused her to sleepwalk. In order to solve the matter, the suspect installed a camera in the bedroom at the suggestion of a psychologist to record the situation at night. The entire situation of the crime that night was captured by the camera.
We then used the excuse of getting the videotape authorization from the police, edited it and screened it as a documentary-style film. Given the quality of our film, it will surely cause a sensation after it is released."
Jon pitched excitedly.
"That sounds like a stretch, and not a good one at that. While it might drum up some attention, this approach leans toward false advertising and could backfire significantly, ruining my reputation as a director. It simply isn't worth it. But I do appreciate you taking the time to come up with promotional ideas, Jon," Link acknowledged.
He suggested that they link the case to the film, but without their fingerprints on it. Instead, they could leverage tabloid gossip to spread the word in a more organic manner.
In the event questions arose later, they could simply shrug and act oblivious, insisting it was all a coincidence -- after all, the film and the case shared some common threads.
"Link, you're right. Your suggested strategy has fewer drawbacks, and we'd save a lot of money."
"Draft a detailed promotional plan based on this case, and we'll discuss it in our meeting on Monday."
"Got it! Have a great weekend."
Once he hung up, Link pulled out his notebook and pen to consider the implications of Jon's proposal. He aimed to find a way to maximize the case's potential while mitigating the associated risks.
---
On Monday, Link met with Jon Gordon and the team to assess the plan's feasibility -- mapping out the execution details and risk management strategies. After three days of discussions and design work, Jon presented a detailed promotion plan, aiming for implementation prior to the film's release.
"Jon, you and attorney Sean should head to Murrieta to speak directly with the suspect and her lawyer. Get them to sign an agreement for cooperation on our marketing, promising that if done right, the suspect might even receive a reduced sentence."
"Understood!" Jon nodded.
...
While the publicity team worked diligently on promoting the film, Danny DeVito attended both the Montreal International Film Festival and the New York Critics Film Festival with Paranormal Activity, a horror film with a fresh premise. Unfortunately, it failed to win any awards at either festival due to its genre's lack of artistic merit.
Moreover, the newly established Scream Awards were yet to be inaugurated. Paranormal Activity couldn't leverage festival accolades to elevate its status.
...
On the other hand, Link's new film, Paranormal Activity, continued circulating in the festival circuit without securing awards, a fact reported widely by the media.
Mainstream commentary noted that his film had not received recognition from Hollywood distributors during preview screenings. He hoped to gain validation through film festivals and attract international interest, but his movie simply didn't align with the judges' tastes and ultimately walked away empty-handed.
However, interest in Paranormal Activity surged during festival screenings, drawing attention from multiple overseas distributors...
Unfortunately, negotiations fell apart due to Link's high asking price and the distributors' low expectations about potential box office returns. It's not that the film couldn't be sold; they just couldn't reach an agreement on pricing.
They were also airing concern over the recent spike in supernatural-themed news stories. They highlighted that Link seemed to be leveraging this trend to create buzz around his new film, attempting to pivot public interest toward his genre.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Link had personally invested millions into the promotion of his film, fully funding it out of his own pocket. If box office returns fell short, Link faced a substantial financial crisis that would also affect his production company.
Entertainment Weekly pointed out that many close to Link described him as a stubborn person who stubbornly pursued his belief, regardless of advice to the contrary.
This determination helped him successfully distribute his low-budget film, Buried, making him a young millionaire and a celebrated director. Yet, continued obsession with that erroneous path could lead to failure or even bankruptcy.
Vanity Fair remarked that Link was the brightest star in Hollywood directing this year, but he also risked becoming the fastest to plummet. The fate of his new film would be crucial to his standing in the industry.
...
Amidst this negative media landscape, Link's Paranormal Activity had officially set its release date. It was scheduled to screen in several AMC theaters across North America early next month.
The film's success heavily depended on box office returns during that screening period.
With the release date confirmed, pessimistic reports emerged about the film's prospects due to the already crowded summer season. Major blockbusters still dominated the market.
Titles such as Tim Burton's Batman Returns, Harrison Ford's Patriot Games, Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman's Unforgiven, Bruce Willis and Meryl Streep's Death Becomes Her, and Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore's A Few Good Men all drew high levels of interest.
Upcoming commercial films like Two Faced Woman, Hero, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer were also gaining significant attention.
Despite the odds stacked against him, Link remained committed to the film's release. Variety noted that he was not just stubborn, but also somewhat reckless; such individuals either ascended to greatness or fueled their own downfall in Hollywood.
...
"Ha! A trash film made for a few thousand dollars thinks it can compete in the summer lineup? Link's not stubborn; he's just plain foolish," Robert Downey Jr. sneered, shaking a newspaper in his hand at his Beverly Hills villa.
"Link got lucky once and thinks he can replicate that success every time. He'll crash and burn, and we don't even need to pay attention," Kiefer Sutherland lay back on a woman's soft lap, puffing on a specially rolled cigarette.
"Should we arrange for the media to continue attacking Link and his new movie? Tens of thousands of dollars a week is a lot of money," Robert Downey Jr. inquired.
"We can call it off. Link choosing to release his film during summer is his own undoing. No further attacks are necessary; once the opening weekend box office figures are out, the media will flock to report his dismal numbers. He'll go from a hotshot genius director to being forgotten altogether, ha ha ha!" Kiefer Sutherland chuckled, playfully using his cigarette against the woman's knee.
"Ah!" she exclaimed, jumping up as a burn mark appeared on her knee.
"Ha ha ha!" Kiefer erupted in laughter.
Robert Downey Jr. shook his head, smiling at the spectacle.
*****
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