Chapter 94: Television Interview

[Chapter 94: Television Interview]

"Link, welcome back to Billy's Movie Show! You know, you're the first director to appear on our show twice in a year since it began," Billy Crystal joked as the audience cheered in TNT's recording studio.

"So I accidentally broke another record?" Link replied with a grin.

"Ha! Yes! Since your debut, you've continuously shattered multiple records in film history, including the highest box office return on investment, the lowest budget turning into the highest gross revenue, becoming the youngest director with a 100-million-dollar blockbuster, the highest-grossing film over the last five years, and many others. It's incredible!"

The audience applauded wildly.

"Link, after the release of Paranormal Activity, you broke several box office records that were set by your previous film, Buried. Some media outlets dubbed you an expert in this regard, saying you truly understand the market and what audiences want. Others claimed you're just a lucky director, attributing the success of Buried and Paranormal Activity to sheer luck. Given these differing views, do you think skill played a larger role, or was it all luck?" Billy Crystal asked.

"I think it's luck." Link gestured thoughtfully.

"Oh?" Billy was visibly taken aback. "I expected you'd say it was half luck, half skill."

"You're asking which played a bigger role in the success of the films. I maintain that it's luck," Link asserted. "In Hollywood, one fact is undeniable. During the filmmaking process, technical skill is key; a director without skill can't make a good movie. However, once a film is released, luck takes on a greater role. Good fortune can turn a movie into a sleeper hit, like Paranormal Activity. Conversely, a movie that's unlucky may face serious setbacks post-release, like Dances with Wolves. That film was fantastic and came out during a prime time slot in November two years before, yet it was overshadowed by the surprise hits Home Alone and The Addams Family.

Those movies had low budgets and, in terms of artistry, simply couldn't compare to Dances with Wolves, yet viewers flocked to them, shattering expectations at the box office. Without those films around, Dances with Wolves would have had a great chance of becoming the box office champion that year. This illustrates just how crucial luck is once a movie is out in theaters.

Paranormal Activity hit theaters at the tail end of summer. Big blockbusters like Batman Returns were wrapping up their run, and no surprise hits like Home Alone and The Addams Family emerged during this time, allowing Paranormal Activity to accidentally become a sensation. It's hard not to see that as luck."

As he spoke confidently to the camera, the audience hung on his every word.

...

"That guy is sly," Sofia said while watching on the couch.

"Why do you say that?" Milla Jovovich asked.

"Billy Crystal asked him if his film's success stemmed from skill or luck. No matter how he answers, he'll get criticized by peers afterward. But he dodged the question, implying that all successful films have a bit of luck in them, including Paranormal Activity. That's essentially saying nothing," Sofia remarked.

"Isn't that how to handle media? My agent once said that in interviews, it's better to say the right type of nonsense than the wrong type of truth -- getting it wrong can cause big problems."

"I get that, but Link's only twenty years old. The way he navigates these interviews seems way beyond his years," Sofia rolled her eyes playfully.

Milla studied her friend's face, grinning, "Sofia, you've been mentioning Link a lot lately. Do you have a crush on him?"

"Don't be ridiculous! I admire his talent, not him as a person," Sofia replied, playfully pushing Milla to keep quiet.

...

On TV, Billy Crystal continued, "Link, we know Paranormal Activity is your second film, and you've had back-to-back blockbusters. If this is all about luck, doesn't that make you the luckiest guy around?"

"It appears so. After Buried did well, many said it was all luck -- that I was just a lucky director and my first movie landed a hit, but the second one would surely flop. So before starting Paranormal Activity, I braced myself for a loss. Yet, post-release, the box office just kept climbing, even surpassing Buried. That's when I realized the goddess of luck seemed to favor me still," Link joked.

...

"Damn, this guy is showing off. So he made one movie that grossed over a 100 million -- what's so special about that? There are seven or eight of those every year; it's just one film," Robert Downey Jr. grumbled drunkenly while nursing a whiskey.

"Link's so arrogant. I hope his next film tanks."

"Yeah, that would be ideal."

Kiefer Sutherland, red-faced from the drinking, clinked his bottle with Robert Downey Jr.'s.

Julia Roberts, watching the two, shook her head and stood up, leaving Kiefer Sutherland's apartment.

...

Back on TV, Billy Crystal asked, "Link, you say the success of Paranormal Activity is due to luck, but some disagree. They believe your success can be attributed to skill."

"Really? I've seen a ton of criticism aimed at me in the papers lately, but are there people out there actually acknowledging my filmmaking skills?" Link asked with feigned interest.

"Yes!" Billy said, glancing at his notes. "Aaron Kutz of The Hollywood Reporter wrote in the latest film edition that we've all underestimated you. He claimed that the success of Paranormal Activity is the perfect marriage of filming technique and marketing acumen.

Aaron Kutz described you as a bold, clever, and creative new director, who brought innovative thoughts and explorations to Paranormal Activity, including many new elements that contributed to its success. Other directors can't replicate this because they've been too entrenched in the Hollywood mold for so long that they've lost their creativity and the courage to innovate. He believes veteran directors should learn from you and embrace bold experimentation."

"That's quite a profound assessment," Link said with a light smile.

"But wait, there's more! Aaron Kutz also reviewed your marketing techniques, noting that Guess Pictures invested millions in the promotional campaign before and after Paranormal Activity's release -- quite a daring move. Equally audacious was your choice to accompany the film with several spooky news segments, creating the illusion that ghosts are real."

"Wait, Billy, that's not an illusion -- it's a fact. Just because you can't prove ghosts don't exist doesn't make them any less real," Link interjected.

"Fair point! Let's put the ghost debate aside and return to Aaron Kutz's remarks. He also mentioned that after the film's release, Guess Pictures kept aggressively marketing it, leveraging real-life incidents and tragic viewing-related accidents to keep Paranormal Activity constantly in the public eye.

He believes this strategy was crucial for its box office success, stating that without such marketing tactics, it would have been challenging for Paranormal Activity to break the 100 million mark. Do you agree with that sentiment?" Billy asked.

As the audience tuned in, keen to see how Link would respond, they sensed the trap laid in the question. Many had criticized Link for employing questionable marketing practices lately, which they likened to exploiting tragedy.

If Link acknowledged Aaron Kutz's statement, he would be effectively admitting to those controversial tactics. That would surely attract media backlash afterward. Conversely, if Link denied it, and the media pinned those incidents on him, it would be challenging to escape accountability. Link found himself in a difficult position.

*****

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