Chapter 30
Behind The Spotlight Chapter 30
"...It's great."
"Wow, I didn't expect this to be fun at all. I thought it would be just another indie flick with awkward pacing and stiff acting, but it surprised me in a good way."
"I was waiting for the meat sausage to show up. No, don't get me wrong, I wasn't eager to see a man's meat sausage. That's gay. I just remembered when one of the extras pulled his meat sausage out and swung it around. He even rotated it using his waist. It was hilarious. I thought Wyatt would include that part. But I guess you have to follow Hollywood's rules. This movie should be rated R, at the very least, but not NC-17 because anything beyond that would shrink our audience pool significantly."
An R-rated film meant that people under 17 needed to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to watch the movie in any official theatrical screening or public showing.
NC-17 meant that no one under 17 was allowed to watch the film under any circumstances, not even with parental approval.
The cast of The Accidental Wedding Crashers was shocked and elated after watching the movie from start to finish. They didn't expect it to be this good. So funny that there wasn't a single boring moment, nor a scene that felt unnecessary. They laughed the entire time, genuine, belly-deep laughter that made their stomachs ache.
For the first time, they realized that the movie might actually have the potential to hit the box office with solid numbers and a positive reputation. The cast turned their eyes toward Wyatt, who still had dark eye bags under his eyes, even after a full night's rest.
Collin, who also watched the film, nodded in satisfaction so deeply it looked like he was trying to maintain his composure. But beneath his calm exterior, his fists were clenched in excitement, like a man who had just won the lottery but couldn't tell anyone about it. He wanted to sneak into the restroom and shadowbox just to release the joy bubbling inside.
He had confirmed it.
His golden vision wasn't a symptom of schizophrenia. He wasn't insane. He wasn't some delusional fool chasing fantasies. The results were right there in front of him. Thank God.
His lips curled into a slow, smug, satisfied smile.
This movie proved that Wyatt Bray possessed the talent of a Master Director of Comedy, and more importantly, he was a Genius Comedy Scriptwriter.
'Now that I've found the truth. Undeniable, hilarious, box-office-worthy truth, I have to do my job.'
The job wasn't over yet. Collin had to find a distributor for the film, otherwise, all this effort would be for nothing.
Since there was still a little money left in their dwindling budget, Collin and the cast threw a party. It wasn't a big one, but it was enough to celebrate.
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"This is Emanuel T. Naknak, what can I do for you? Yes, this is the Acquisition Department of Wash Dismay Studio. So, you have a movie you want us to distribute?" Emanuel yawned into the phone, his voice flat and devoid of energy. Honestly, he just wanted to go home, crack open a cold beer, and watch reruns on TV.
"You got a comedy film and you're inviting us to the screening of some independent project?"
His tone became mildly irritated, like a man who had heard the same pitch a hundred times. And he had. He could practically recite the conversation from memory.
Dozens of hopeful producers had tried to sell their movies or secure distribution deals, but 9 out of 10 of those films were so bad, they bordered on amateur/unprofessional films. Obviously, the studio had no intention of dealing with that kind of garbage.
Wash Dismay Studio was not some small-time distributor. It was part of the Big Six, Hollywood's elite circle.
Emanuel nearly ended the call right there, until he heard something that made his fingers freeze mid-motion.
"Wait, you said you're from ANT? Why didn't you say so? Your client directed a film and it's going to be screened at the ANT Auditorium?!"
His voice changed dramatically, suddenly alert and energized. Even his cloudy eyes sharpened, like a man spotting gold in a flowing river.
At first, Emanuel wasn't impressed. A comedy? Meh. Comedy was risky, it only worked if it was genuinely funny.
Then the caller mentioned that the screening would take place at ANT. That was unexpected. Emanuel hadn't realized the agent was actually part of a major agency with enough backing to catch his interest. Still, that alone wasn't enough to seal the deal. After all, ANT had multiple screening rooms with most of them small, only big enough for a dozen people.
But when the third piece of information hit him, Emanuel sat up a little straighter in his chair.
The screening would be held in the ANT Auditorium, the big one.
The ANT Auditorium could accommodate over 1,000 people. It was essentially a theater. That meant someone in a high position believed the movie had real potential. The auditorium couldn't be used without approval from the CEO herself, and that was no small thing.
It meant this comedy film had been greenlit for a full-scale showcase, complete with a professional setup.
"Just to be clear, how many studios have you contacted before Wash Dismay?" he asked. "We're the last of the Big Six?"
"…Alright. We'll be there. We'll be ready."
Emanuel ended the call, leaning back with a thoughtful look on his face.
Based on the details, it was clear the agent had already contacted the five other major studios. Whether or not they would all show up was uncertain, but this was shaping up to be a tough battle for distribution rights.
"This means they're confident in their movie. The fact that they invited all the major studios in Hollywood means they're either confident… or completely insane. Either way, I have to attend. At the very least, watching a movie is better than pretending to do paperwork I don't care about."
Emanuel muttered the last part under his breath, careful not to let his supervisor hear. The man hated slackers.
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On the other side of the call, Collin sighed in relief as he checked his checklist full of scribbled notes and highlighted names. He had already invited most of the studios with strong distribution channels.
Honestly, he preferred to deliver the movie in person. It felt more proper and respectful to hand-deliver a reel to a studio, allowing the acquisition team and executives to watch it privately.
After all, their side was the one asking for distribution, not the other way around. Respecting industry hierarchy mattered.
However, carrying a 4-foot-long film reel weighing 50 kilograms was no easy task. Not even for someone like Collin, who worked out regularly.
Especially when he intended to visit every major studio. He wasn't even sure if the reel would fit in his car. He also feared damaging it. A single 100-minute film reel could cost at least $2,500.
That was an entire month's salary for a small-time agent like him, living paycheck to paycheck. Yes, Collin East's annual income was around $30,000, not including commissions.
When Lila Seraphina, the new CEO of ANT, watched the movie and burst into unexpected fits of giggles, she decided to go big by inviting studios to a single, confident screening event.
It was a bold, perhaps arrogant move, especially for a rookie film. It could have rubbed people the wrong way, even made them feel mocked.
Collin worried that none of the studio representatives would show up, thinking the whole event was flase or a publicity stunt.
Hollywood wasn't a friendly playground, it was a chessboard of smiling tyrants. A place riddled with politics and cutthroat schemes where one wrong move could ruin your future.
'If our movie is worth that kind of gesture, that kind of gamble, then maybe there's real potential here,' Collin thought.
Screening in the ANT Auditorium was already a tremendous feat. Even Wyatt had been ecstatic when he heard the news.
'Also, I didn't expect Lila to have such an adorable laugh. Like music to my ears. Despite her usual cold demeanor… she actually smiled. Maybe she truly appreciates the movie for what it is, not just for what it could earn.'