Behind The Spotlight

[Pujimaki]

Behind The Spotlight Chapter 155


Axel stepped out of his limousine wearing his expensive suit from Diore, a suit tailored so precisely to his body because the designer crafted it with him in mind. After the success of The Frightening Movie, the fashion brand realized Axel's potential and expanded his sponsorship to include their luxury tuxedos designed by a well-known designer.

The flashing of cameras didn't bother him anymore. This wasn't his first time attending a red carpet, although the intensity of the event still reminded him of his early days. He smiled at the fans who attended the premiere and waved his hands, making sure even the fans in the back felt acknowledged, something he always tried to do.

The standard red carpet procedure was monotonous, and Axel had already memorized every detail, from the number of steps before pausing for photos to the expected angle of his jawline and mewing. Nothing significant really happened. Even the reporter hired by Metro Gold Mayer didn't bother him much, they simply asked standard promotional questions.

Metro Gold Mayer might have lost its status as one of the Big Six, but this roaring lion was still alive and dangerous, its claws sharp enough to reclaim prestige. They spent quite a lot on the premiere. When the executives watched the early screening, they couldn't help but feel excited and pumped with testosterone. The movie was pure adrenaline, packed with action sequences that thrilled any man, and even a few female executives admitted the choreography left them breathless.

They had been promoting the movie for a month and successfully caught the audience's attention. The old fans who had read the novels were eager to see the film adaptation, while new fans were drawn in by the action-packed trailer Metro Gold Mayer aired across TV networks.

Being a bestselling book in the 80s, The Born Identity had a high chance of performing well at the box office, especially since nostalgia was a powerful selling point. Metro Gold Mayer found it worth purchasing and promoting. However, they had no idea how influential the movie would eventually become, or how much Axel's fame would rise from this moment.

Axel entered the theater and searched for his son. He smiled when he found John and Collin sitting together.

"Dad!"

"Did you have fun?"

"I'm excited to watch your movie! Collin said it's an action movie!"

"It is. Let's wait for the screening. Collin, thank you for taking care of my son."

"It's alright. He's an active kid. There was never a boring moment, he asked me so many questions." Collin shrugged. Then he stood up to greet and introduce himself to the Metro Gold Mayer executives.

'Even though Metro Gold Mayer has gotten weaker, we can't disregard this roaring lion. They are still a studio worth working with.'

He smiled at the executives and important figures of the company. At this point in his career, Collin was a well-known agent who handled big stars. Someone even asked him about Lawrence and whether the actor was open to a new sponsorship… Collin sensed an underlying meaning in the question, so he simply replied that Lawrence was busy.

With that, The Born Identity began its premiere. The logo of Metro Gold Mayer appeared first, the iconic lion roaring at the audience.

Jayson Born woke up inside a fishing vessel with no memory, the bluish lighting and shaky camera intensifying the tension. He had forgotten that he was a killer trained by the CIA to assassinate a communist leader.

From that moment on, he searched for his memory and his identity. With a single clue, his tattoo, he discovered a safety deposit box filled with multiple passports of his and different identities. Among all those identities, the name that caught his attention was Jayson Born.

While he sought the truth, the CIA began hunting him down, unwilling to let an agent go AWOL and potentially leak their secrets.

Jayson was caught up in a storm he had no awareness of. But thanks to his training, he survived everything the CIA threw at him, showcasing Axel's impressive stunt choreography.

At the climax of the movie, Jayson realized he was a CIA agent who failed to kill his target because the target's innocent daughter was with him at the time.

The movie concluded with Jayson jumping off a building to reach the helicopter pursuing him, a risky sequence that made the entire audience gasp. He killed the pilot, but the helicopter crashed into the sea, exploding.

The CIA believed Jayson Born died in the crash, but he survived. The movie ended with Jayson relaxing on a tropical beach with a woman he recently met, implying temporary peace.

The audience clapped and marveled at the intensity of the action stunts, some even standing to applaud. Axel Gunner's performance as an amnesiac secret agent was convincing. He definitely knew how to act, his performance in Face: Swap was clearly not a fluke.

"Cool! Super cool! Dad, I can't believe you jumped off the building to reach the helicopter!"

John was so proud that Axel chuckled. In the first place, he didn't really jump off the building. He wasn't even the one who performed that stunt, his stunt double handled the dangerous scenes, although Axel wanted to do them but was forbidden by the production crew.

Still, he couldn't help feeling happy that his son was proud of him.

.........
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...

Being a PG-13 action movie with a huge fan base, The Born Identity grossed $17 million on June 30, 1999, immediately surpassing the studio's expectations.

The next day, July 1st, Saturday, the film sold $29 million worth of tickets.

On Sunday, July 2nd, the action movie earned another $31 million, making headlines across entertainment magazines.

Each day, Metro Gold Mayer realized that ticket sales were increasing so quickly they struggled to believe it. One executive even popped a champagne bottle to celebrate.

With 4,152 theaters screening The Born Identity during its first three days, the movie grossed a total of $77 million!

This was the highest first-weekend performance of 1999. So far, no movie had grossed $77 million in its first weekend, only The Born Identity, making it the king of the summer box office.

The movie was well-received because of its genre, adrenaline-fueled action sequences, and Axel Gunner's convincing performance. It also benefited from a June release, as summer was always the most profitable season for movies. Plus, most films released that year had average storylines, making The Born Identity stand out even more.

With all these factors, The Born Identity earned the love of moviegoers and received their full support. It even received an A rating from Cinema-rating, boosting its word-of-mouth appeal.

Metro Gold Mayer saw these results and believed The Born Identity would be the key to improving their situation. They decided to give their full support to promoting the movie, preparing a second wave of advertisements to capitalize on its momentum.

---

[You can read more on my Patreon.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Behind The Spotlight Chapter 156


"The Born Identity? Isn't this the movie that was screened in our auditorium?" Greg had seen documents related to the film, but he never got the chance to watch it, despite hearing whispers from staff about its potential.

"Yes, sir. If I'm not wrong, 123 Production was the studio that produced the movie."

Greg Marinero asked his female secretary, and she confirmed his question.

"The movie was first screened here. 123 Production hoped we would buy it," the secretary added. She recalled that someone from Acquisition Department handled the business deal.

"What did we offer?"

"The acquisition department offered $31 million."

"What's the production cost of the movie?"

"Based on what I remember, it was $30 million, sir." She fixed her glasses nervously, sensing Greg's rising fury.

"So let me get this straight: this movie cost $30 million, but our acquisition department only offered $31 million?" His voice trembled slightly from disappointment.

"That's right, sir."

"..."

Greg Marinero was livid. If he were in 123 Production's position, he wouldn't have agreed to sell The Born Identity for $31 million either. The profit margin was insulting. 123 Production could earn that much simply through videotape sales, even if it would take years.

'Who in their retarded mind thought of buying an action movie for a small amount?' He gritted his teeth, unable to comprehend the incompetence.

They didn't even get the chance to compete, which made him even more disappointed.

"Tell me the acquisition department contacted the CEO."

"They didn't contact the CEO."

"No wonder they couldn't offer a higher price."

Greg slammed his fists against the table, causing pens and folders to jump and clatter.

"Who was responsible for buying the movie!? I want him here! The Born Identity has grossed $225 million in just ten fucking days! Ten days! I want that stupid man to explain why he didn't try to contact me or the CEO to buy this movie!" His voice echoed across the office.

Greg Marinero was furious because they let a massively profitable movie slip from their hands, something he considered a sin in business.

For the record, only a few films in North America had ever grossed over $200 million in ten days. This performance was extraordinary. No wonder Greg was mad.

"Are you telling me the acquisition department failed to see the profitability of this movie!? Are you telling me Metro Gold Mayer beat us to it? That dying studio!?" His pride could barely tolerate the thought.

Wash Dismay Studio was the studio that kicked Metro Gold Mayer out of its throne and took over its position. MGM had once been part of the Big Six Studios dominating Hollywood, but Wash Dismay Studio surpassed them over the years.

Greg was the one who led this venture. He secretly sabotaged Metro Gold Mayer, which gradually weakened them. He wasn't alone, the other Big Five also sabotaged MGM to eliminate them.

And now, Greg found it hard to accept that the studio he defeated had learned how to walk again.

'Metro Gold Mayer has huge film libraries, and its main sources of income are the Jamie Bond: 008 franchise and horror movie series like Karrie, Holloween, Foltergeist, Hannival, and Speciez.'

These franchises were the backbone keeping MGM alive.

The Jamie Bond: 008 franchise was hugely popular, while the horror movies were cheap to produce yet extremely profitable through videotape sales and rentals. A horror film could cost around $1 million to produce, making the return on investment incredibly attractive.

And now, Metro Gold Mayer had found another gold mine. Based on what Chairman Greg Marinero believed, MGM would likely turn The Born Identity into a franchise with many sequels, potentially restoring their long-lost prestige.

"S-Sir, you've called me."

A woman in her 30s entered the office, trembling. She was the person responsible for evaluating The Born Identity.

"Miss Telino, I want to hear your explanation for why you didn't offer 123 Production a better price. As you can see, The Born Identity is the fastest-grossing movie of the year so far. Why did you think it only deserved $31 million? You do know how much the production cost is, right?" His glare was sharp enough to make her knees weaken.

"I-It's $30 million. The production cost is $30 million," she stuttered, sweating.

"Then explain to me why!?"

"S-Sir, the movie is boring. It only has explosions, endless action fights, and intense scenes. It doesn't have depth. I admit the actor who played Jayson Born gave a compelling performance, but overall the movie is boring. It only has action," she tried to justify herself.

"Because it's a fucking action movie! What did you expect? A fucking romance? A drama? Did you expect the main character to find a sexy woman and fuck her, is that it?"

"... Yes, sir."

"Is that the reason you didn't contact me or the CEO? You didn't consider this movie worthy of our time?" His tone turned dangerously calm.

For the acquisition department to increase its budget beyond $30 million for an action movie, they were required to contact upper management, a rule strictly enforced to prevent reckless spending.

"Offering 123 Production $31 million was the best thing I could do, sir."

"You're fired. I don't think this company needs someone like you. Someone else should have handled the acquisition."

"Y-You can't do this to me! I was the one who acquired Gorgeous Lady, the movie directed by Director Nelson! Jeremiah may have been Director Nelson's partner, but I was the first to recognize his talent!" She desperately defended herself.

Director Nelson had directed Bride Runaway starring Lawrence and Jolyne.

"You have two choices: write a resignation letter, or I'll fire you. In the first place, you shouldn't handle acquisitions if you can't appreciate action movies."

"If I leave, then I can't work with any studio for the next five years."

"That's right."

There was a clause in her contract preventing Miss Telino from working for any rival studio for five years. Unless she paid a hefty fee to break the clause, she had to find a different career unrelated to movie production. She was essentially blacklisted, trapped by her own contract.

Guards escorted her out of Greg Marinero's office. Wash Dismay Studio reached its status because its employees excelled in their roles, leaving no room for incompetence.

'... I was happy because we exchanged shares with Fixar just to get its 3D animation studio, but now my mood is ruined.'

Fixar was a studio focused on 3D cartoon movies. Their first film was Toyz Story. They had a distribution deal with Wash Dismay Studio, and their partnership grew strong over the years. Now, Fixar and Wash Dismay Studio had become so close that their companies were tied together.

---

[You can read more on my Patreon.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Behind The Spotlight Chapter 157


Just like Wash Dismay Studio, other studios such as Fair Amount Pictures, Uni-versus Pictures, 20th Centaur, Sonya-Collapse Studio, and Whiner Bruh Studio had deep regrets in not buying the movie because they later realized how profitable it had become.

They knew the movie was promising, but none of them offered $60 million, even though some executives argued internally that it was worth a try. At most, Sonya-Collapse Studio offered $53 million, which they considered their final and safest budget.

123 Production decided to contact second-tier studios such as Metro Gold Mayer after weighing every option very carefully. The two made an agreement, and 123 Production sold The Born Identity for $60 million.

Now that The Born Identity had grossed $221 million in just ten days, 123 Production felt they could have sold it for a better price. But this idea didn't linger long because they realized the immediate profit was still significant.

Instead, they decided to take another step. 123 Production still held the production rights for the movie, which gave them leverage in future negotiations. If Metro Gold Mayer wanted to make a sequel, they would have to hire 123 Production, ensuring a continuous revenue stream.

Because of that, it was not technically a loss, especially considering the long-term benefits. As long as they earned money, it didn't matter.

For a small production studio without a distribution channel like 123 Production, selling the movie for a higher price was always the best-case scenario, allowing them to focus on production rather than complicated marketing.

"Axel, I have good news for you. Metro Gold Mayer is interested in filming a sequel, and they are eager to retain the same creative team. They will invest in the movie while 123 Production handles the filming, ensuring quality control and proper budgeting."

Collin called his client, Axel Gunner, immediately after receiving the information, making sure to provide all relevant details and context so Axel could respond appropriately.

"That's great. I'm happy to hear that." Axel's tone showed his genuine excitement over the phone. He had experienced being blacklisted and understood the harsh consequences of being ignored in the industry. Now that he starred in a highly profitable movie with possible sequels, he wanted to latch onto a franchise to ensure long-term career security so he wouldn't be disregarded again.

As long as he was the lead actor of a movie franchise, he wouldn't face the tragedy of being blacklisted.

"They said they will start the project in a year or two, depending on script development and scheduling. They have to create a script and quote a budget before beginning pre-production. However, it's already confirmed that the movie will get a sequel," Collin added.

Axel was pleased to hear that. It seemed he would have to prepare for The Born Identity 2, or perhaps it would be better to call it The Born Supremacy, but that would be for the future.

"How's your new project? You're doing fine, right?"

"Everyone is nice and professional, which makes rehearsals more comfortable."

"I'll visit you next week so we can discuss strategy and your upcoming promotions in detail," Collin promised.

Last month, Axel auditioned for a drama directed by a yellow talent director. Collin carefully chose scripts that had a high chance of box office success while balancing artistic value. Whiflash was one of the scripts that seemed promising. After reviewing it, Axel decided to audition.

His role in Whiflash was that of a mentor who taught a talented drummer, the lead role in the movie. This gave Axel an opportunity to explore a different type of character. In one compelling scene, Axel had to slap the actor repeatedly while he was playing the drums.

The movie was invested in by Sonya-Collapse Studio, and they were looking for an actor in his 30s or at least someone rough-looking with strong authority to make the mentor character believable. Axel passed the criteria because of his appearance. Having once been a soldier, he understood what strong authority looked like.

He was only in a supporting role, so Sonya-Collapse Studio offered him $700,000, a respectable amount for a supporting role, which both Collin and Axel were satisfied with.

Being a supporting actor was not bad, especially for career diversification, and it was impossible for Axel to always be the lead in every movie. That was not how the industry worked. Axel was not like Lawrence, whose strong charisma often drew all the attention.

When Axel practiced for his role, his son sometimes felt intimidated because of Axel's demeanor and authoritative presence.

Axel attended rehearsals diligently and focused on his new project.

"You are the most disciplined client I have ever had. But I have to remind you, Axel, stay away from scandal. Your career just recovered, and we can't afford another mishap that could ruin everything."

"I understand. Thank you for caring and giving me advice. I'll do my best to stay out of trouble." He took Collin's reminder seriously and appreciated the genuine concern.

"Also, are you not interested in hiring a bodyguard? Lawrence asked me to find him one, and Chantal also wanted one. How about you? I can look for four trusted bodyguards, one for each of you, so everyone remains safe."

"It's alright," Axel laughed. "I might not be good at handling scandals, but fighting is one of my specialties, and I trust my own instincts."

"I'll call you if I get other information from Metro Gold Mayer and 123 Production so you can plan ahead. You have a radio interview tomorrow to promote The Born Identity. Don't forget, and be prepared."

"I'll keep that in mind and rehearse possible questions and answers."

The call ended as they bid farewell.

.........
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...

Just like that, August 1 arrived, and The Born Identity had grossed $344 million at the North American box office, solidifying Axel's status as a top actor. After 33 days of screening, the action movie starring Axel Gunner was undoubtedly a box office hit. Furthermore, the movie had its international release a week earlier, and the marketing team had worked tirelessly. Axel and the cast traveled across multiple countries to promote the movie. The first seven days of international screening grossed $72 million.

Combining the two, the total amounted to $416 million, an impressive sum. The Big Six, who passed up the opportunity to buy The Born Identity, were livid and disappointed in themselves. They couldn't believe they had let go of such a profitable movie.

So far, the highest-grossing movie of 1999 was The 6th Sense, with $672 million worldwide, setting a high benchmark. If The Born Identity kept its momentum, it could surpass that amount.

.........
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...

While the industry watched the performance of The Born Identity, 20th Centaur Fox was busy promoting its upcoming romantic comedy titled The Boss Proposal, starring Lawrence Terrence and Zandra Bolluck.

Lawrence was happy that his friend Axel Gunner had achieved major success starring in The Born Identity, which boosted Axel's career. Unlike Axel's previous movies, The Born Identity was his major breakthrough, and he had finally proven his talent. In this movie, he was the sole protagonist, carrying the entire story.

'Just as I guessed, Collin is undoubtedly the hidden ace of ANT. Despite the scandal, he saved Axel's career. I wonder if he can also help me find my stalker.'

Lawrence sighed, stressed from accumulated tension. Lately, he had been suffering from a lack of sleep, and the constant pressure was taking its toll.

---

[Author's Note: I apologize for not writing and posting last month, let's tackle that. Writing a single chapter can take up to an hour, and there are times when I can't find that time. However, you can expect me to post at least six chapters of each novel every week from now on. Anyway, I want to say thank you for all of your support. Your support is my biggest motivation. Our financial situation has not been good lately, so your support really helped me a lot. Thank you so much. Also, I'm not good with math, so don't expect anything from me when it comes to numbers.]

 

[Pujimaki]

Behind The Spotlight Chapter 158


Three weeks ago, Lawrence received a letter which arrived unexpectedly early in the morning, catching him slightly off guard. He had just bought a nice house in Beverly Hills worth $5 million. This was one of his biggest purchases since becoming a successful actor, his other major purchase was fully paying his parents' mortgage and buying them a bigger house in their neighborhood, something he had always dreamed of doing since earning his first paycheck.

He said that being a landlord would be great and told them to rent the properties, he didn't want his parents to work again.

Anyway, back to the stalking issue. When Lawrence received the letter, he thought it was just a simple letter, a water bill, or something routine. Only a few people knew the address of his new house.

But he grew confused when he opened it. The letter only had one sentence: "I Love You To Death." Aside from the letter, there was a long strand of black hair. Lawrence thought nothing of it. It was an anonymous letter with no information about the sender, so he assumed it was nonsense.

But when another letter arrived, Lawrence started to grow skeptical. That letter also had a single sentence: "Let's Get Married." He treated it as a harmless prank, although a tiny part of him knew it wasn't normal.

Then the third day arrived. This time, a box came with a letter attached to it. He curiously opened the box and found used underwear… He frowned and decided not to read the letter anymore.

Since then, the letters kept arriving, and Lawrence contacted the postal service that supposedly delivered them.

"I want to know the person who sent me these letters." He went to the postal service personally with his assistant and showed them the letters.

"Um, I'm sorry, sir, but these letters didn't come from us."

"But the postal tracking number said they came from you. Your company's name is even written on it."

"That's the problem, sir. We never had any letter delivered to your address. And this tracking number… it's not in our system."

"What the hell does that mean?" Lawrence asked, feeling a chill crawl up his spine.

"It means they didn't use our service."

"Then how did these letters arrive in front of my house?"

"Perhaps they delivered them personally?"

"..."

Lawrence was speechless because that possibility was far worse than anything he initially imagined.

'You mean the sender visited my house every fucking day?'

That idea made him tremble. He immediately contacted Collin to look for security personnel to guard his house. In the meantime, he rented an apartment in a secure hotel.

He thought the problem would end because the letters stopped arriving and he finally slept peacefully for the first time in days.

But while he was working on his new project in the studio, a comedy film, someone from the production crew told him that a bouquet of flowers had arrived with his full name written in elegant cursive. Lawrence was confused but went along as the cast watched him with jealousy, none of them had ever received a bouquet before.

The bouquet had a letter attached. Lawrence's hand slightly trembled as he opened it, and sure enough…

"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU STOP LIVING IN YOUR HOUSE!?"

There were pictures inside the envelope, all taken that same day. Photos of Lawrence leaving his hotel. Lawrence swallowed hard and tried to rehearse his script, keeping his composure while hiding the panic tightening in his chest. He remained pale the whole time, worrying the people around him.

And now, as of August 2, 1999, Lawrence couldn't help but watch his surroundings.

"Mr. Terrence, you have nothing to worry about. I'm here to protect you."

A huge, buff guy with a thick Russian accent assured him. His name was Smirnoff.

Collin had introduced Smirnoff to Lawrence, and the actor hired him. So far, Smirnoff had the aura of a professional bodyguard. Collin had chosen him because he had Yellow Talent in his profession.

"Thank you."

Lawrence was confident in his bodyguard considering the man's demeanor, but he couldn't help worrying. Today was the premiere of The Boss Proposal, and he had to show himself to the public with hundreds of cameras pointed at him, leaving him completely exposed. He didn't want to mess up.

When Lawrence stepped onto the red carpet, the worry on his face disappeared as he smiled and waved at the fans who were screaming his name with excitement, their energy giving him temporary courage.

He posed for the cameras and answered a few lighthearted questions from reporters. 20th Centaur wanted this movie to succeed. They had hired the second director who created a film that grossed over $1 billion, Director Summerbelt, and they cast the actor who earned the title Romance Box Office King, hoping the combination would guarantee massive profit.

When Lawrence entered the theater with his bodyguard behind him, he genuinely smiled upon seeing his parents waiting for him. Collin was also there.

"Lawrence, I'm so proud of you!" His mother hugged him while his father patted his back.

'They didn't know about the stalking, right?' Lawrence communicated with Collin through a meaningful look, and the talent agent nodded.

'Don't worry, I didn't tell them a single thing. They asked why you hired a professional bodyguard and I said it's a standard procedure now that you're famous.' Collin replied with his eyes.

'Thank you, Collin.'

'No problem.'

It was unclear if they truly understood each other through eye contact, but their silent exchange was enough for now.

Lawrence didn't want his parents to worry about his situation and kept quiet about it. The last thing he wanted was to make them sad and anxious.

That night, the premiere of The Boss Proposal went smoothly.

The movie was about a female boss (Zandra Bolluck) whose work visa had expired, and she might get deported. To prevent that, she convinced her employee (Lawrence Terrence) to marry her so she could obtain a green card, become a citizen, and keep her position in the company.

The female boss had to go to her new fiancé's hometown to meet his family. She and her employee did their best to convince the family that they were genuinely in love, even though both struggled to maintain the act at first. While there, she slowly fell in love with her employee until their fake relationship became real.

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[You can read more on my Patreon.]