After a year and two months, The Blair Witch Project was finally ready for release. It took Jason, Dave, and Sam nine months to finish the editing process. The marketing took more time as well, as I wanted to ensure that there wouldn't be any huge backlash to the movie, especially towards the actors, as I remember reading that it had happened to the original movie and its actors.
In the end, it all worked out. In the first few months, we got people intrigued with missing posters, a dedicated website, and fake articles. Some called it out as fake to score internet points, but most people wanted to see what this was all about.
Later, we released some snippets from the movie that got more people talking, and many had already figured out it was advertising for something, but the marketing team's ingenuity had captured people's interest. They were invested in the story, especially horror movie enthusiasts who were waiting for something new like this.
When the movie was revealed and the trailer was released, the reaction to it was greater than we expected. Many were genuinely excited for the movie. This genre of found footage horror had not been done in Hollywood for decades, and many were excited to experience it.
Haley told me her mom, a big scary movie enthusiast, had fallen down the Blair Witch rabbit hole as well after seeing it on Facebook and was excited to see the movie.
My greatest problem now was Stardust Studios, especially two shareholders that were trying to assert more control over the creative process.
Tensions had been brewing for a long time, as those two shareholders were never truly fans of the lucrative contract I had with Stardust Studios.
Their discontent had been a low hum in the background, manageable and mostly ignorable, but the looming success of The Blair Witch Project brought everything to a head.
My involvement in the project was significant, not just creatively but financially as well—I had shouldered the majority of the costs, so I would get the lion's share of the profits.
As the buzz around the film grew, and with it the realization of the substantial profits it was going to generate, their displeasure became more overt.
They saw the success as a missed opportunity for themselves, a chance to have claimed a larger share of the profits, had they not been "constrained" by the terms of our agreement.
Their perspective, of course, conveniently ignored that they didn't care about the project in the first place. Their grumblings turned into outright challenges, questioning my role in the studio and the terms of our contract. The situation was becoming untenable.It was turning into a battleground of egos and greed.
It was clear that something had to give. Either we found a way to realign our interests and work together for the studio's future success, or we had to part ways.
Despite the fact that all projects under Stardust were my intellectual creations, I found their audacity amusing when Chris relayed their grievances to me.
Chris had confided his frustration with their meddling, which breached their initial agreement that he would oversee studio operations.
They might have been influenced by the success of *Toy Story*, so they sought greater control. This scenario was all too familiar in Hollywood, where executive interference often compromised film quality.
I tentatively suggested we sever ties with them, to which Chris responded with unexpected enthusiasm. Chris had a plan to buy them out, but according to the contracts, he needed a reason and a lot of money, so for now, they would stay.
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Nathan and I were driving to the Dunphy residence to pick up Haley. We were headed to a private screening of The Blair Witch Project at the studio. Haley had wanted to see the studio for a while, and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to show her around.
"So, how are things going with Haley?" Nathan asked, breaking the silence.
"Things are going really well," I responded.
"That's great to hear," Nathan said, offering a supportive smile.
"You should invite her to the house sometime," Nathan added.
"Oh I will but I'll wait until mom gives birth," I answered.
"Oh, right. That is a good idea," Nathan realized.
We arrived at Haley's and I got out of the car and walked up to the door and knocked.
When the door opened, it was Phil who greeted me. "Hey, D-dog, how are ya?" he said, offering a fist bump.
I awkwardly returned the gesture, managing a smile. "I'm good, Mr. Dunphy."
"Come on, don't just stand there. Come in," Phil ushered me inside.
"So, Haley told us you were going to a movie studio," Phil mentioned as they made their way further inside.
"Yeah, I kinda work with them," I explained, trying to sound modest.
"That's cool, my man. So, you must know many big celebrities?"
"Well, not really. Well I know Tom Hanks," I mentioned.
"No way, that's so cool"
An awkward silence followed, which was thankfully interrupted by Claire.
"Hi, Mrs. Dunphy," I greeted, offering a polite smile.
"Hi, Daniel," she greeted.
[Claire Commentary]
"I love all things horror. Stories, movies, you name it."
"I found this post on Facebook a few months ago about a documentary crew that had gone missing in a haunted forest. The story felt so real, and I was hooked immediately."
"It turned out to be advertising for a movie called The Blair Witch Project. I saw some clips, and it looks very promising."
"Phil and I are planning to go the first chance we get."
"Then I find out Haley's boyfriend, Daniel, is the producer of the movie."
"If he writes more stories like this, Daniel and I are going to get along just fine."
[End Commentary]
"Haley told me you love horror movies," I said.
"She is right, and we," she said, motioning to Phil, "are going to see yours the first chance we get."
"So, have you seen the movie?" Claire added.
"Well that's where we are going this is an early studio only screening but I have seen bits of it before I assure you it is really good," I said.
"Great, I'm sure we will love it."
"We are," Phil said with a forced smile. He looked a bit scared.
[Phil Commentary]
"I'm terrified. I also found the Blair Witch stuff on Facebook and even saw some clips, and I couldn't sleep for days."
"Now Claire wants me to see the movie, which is going to be even scarier."
"No, not going to happen."
[End commentary]
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Nathan headed inside to where the screening room was, while I showed Haley around the studio.
"And this is where I am mostly," I said, showing her the place where we do the storyboarding.
"Wow, what's up with all the fish?" she asked, looking at the artwork for Finding Nemo.
"I thought you guys were making Toy Story 2," she added.
"This is a secret project, so you can't tell anyone," I said, giving her a wink.
We made our way to the screening room as it was almost time. On our way there, we bumped into Scarlett.
'Remember, no flirting this time, Daniel. You have a girlfriend now,' I reminded myself internally.
"Daniel! It's been ages. How have you been?" Scarlett greeted me warmly.
"I'm doing just fine, Scarlett," I replied, managing a smile.
"Haley, this is Scarlett, our lead actress," I said, introducing her. "And Scarlett, this is..." I couldn't finish as Haley interrupted me.
"Hi, I'm Haley, his girlfriend," she said, emphasizing the girlfriend part.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Scarlett," Scarlett responded coolly.
They shook hands and kept it brief. They both exchanged polite smiles, but I could feel the tension in the room increasing.
"That's a nice outfit," Haley complimented with a faux smile.
"Oh, thank you. Yours is nice too I guess," Scarlett replied.
Observing their interaction, I decided to change the topic.
"I hope you didn't have much trouble with the whole marketing process," I mentioned.
"Oh, it was fine. I actually had fun," Scarlett replied with a smile.
"So, how was the photoshoot?" Scarlett had asked me months ago about helping her get the spot as a model in a photoshoot for a sports magazine. I had helped her out by pulling some strings.
"It has been an amazing experience, all thanks to you," Scarlett replied, acknowledging my efforts in making it happen.
"I'll send them over to you," she said.
"Send what?" I inquired.
"The photos from the shoot," she clarified.
"Oh, I think we'll wait for the magazine," Haley interjected.
"I was talking about the special ones I took just for you," Scarlett said, pointing her finger at my chest.
'Really, Scarlett, in front of Haley?' I thought as our eyes locked.
Haley gasped and was going to say something, but Scarlett walked off, giving me a wink.
Haley's grip on my arm tightened. I turned to her.
"That bitch," she said, looking at Scarlett's retreating form.
"Did you hear what she just said?" Haley fumed.
"Yeah, Scarlett can be like that," I replied.
"So, you and her…" she began to say.
"No, no, nothing like that. What I'm saying is that Scarlett was trying to mess with you," I said, trying to calm her.
Haley was visibly upset.
"What?" she said, noticing my gaze.
"You look adorable when you're upset," I told her.
Haley's expression softened slightly.
"And if I remember correctly, I am dating you, not her."
A small smile formed on her lips.
"Well, she better not be sending you any pictures," she said as she walked ahead.
I shook my head and walked after her.
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"Wow, they have an entire theater here," Haley observed, looking around.
"Yes, Haley, it's a movie studio," I mentioned.
"Ah, Daniel, there you are," Sam exclaimed as we entered the screening room.
"I'm not late, am I?" I inquired.
"No, no, you're just on time," Sam reassured.
"Oh, who is this?" he asked, noticing Haley.
"Sam, this is my girlfriend, Haley," I introduced her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Haley," Sam said.
"Is everyone here?" I asked.
"No, Chris called me and mentioned he's bringing someone along, so we have to wait," Sam informed us.
"I think I can guess who he's bringing," I commented.
"Yeah, me too," Sam agreed.
I was fairly certain Chris was bringing one of the shareholders. This would be our first time meeting any of them.
"Is something wrong?" Haley inquired, noticing the change in our tone.
"No," Sam and I responded simultaneously.
We found a spot away from the others. During the movie, Haley clung to me as the movie was scarier than the original. Even I got a bit scared at some parts. Other than Haley being annoyed at seeing Scarlett in the movie, in her opinion, it was a great movie. The opinion of the others in the room was the same.
As we stood up to leave, I saw Chris motioning for me to come over.
"I'm going to see what that is about. Why don't you wait outside with Nathan?" I said to Haley.
I approached Chris, who was standing with a man who looked to be in his early thirties.
"Daniel, there's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Jeremy Wesker, one of the shareholders," Chris said, introducing me.
"Pleasure to meet you, Jeremy," I said, extending my hand.
Jeremy's handshake was firm, his gaze calculating. "Likewise, Daniel. I've heard quite a bit about your... contributions to the studio."
"Contributions that have proven quite valuable, I might add," Chris chimed in.
"Indeed," Jeremy said, his smile polite yet cold. "It's just remarkable how much influence you've managed to wield in such a short time."
"Not everyone can appreciate such... rapid ascents," he added with a smile.
"Anything for the success of the studio," I replied, choosing my words carefully.
Jeremy's eyes narrowed slightly. "Of course, but one has to wonder if we are all getting our deserved portions of that success. I feel some are getting more than they deserve."
"Oh, I feel the same way as well," I said without hesitation.
"How did you like the movie?" I asked.
"It was alright. You must be happy, Daniel, considering you are the primary beneficiary of the film's success."
"Well, Jeremy, we have some important things to talk about. How about we go to my office?" Chris said, trying to break up our conversation.
"Yes, let's do that. It was nice to finally meet you, Daniel," Jeremy said as he walked off.
Chris gave me a small smile and followed him.
That is a headache in the making. I really need to do something about it.
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I walked Haley to the front door. There was still a bit of tension between them after the whole Scarlett thing. I said goodbye and walked to the car where Nathan was waiting.
As I reached the end of the driveway, I heard Haley call me. I turned to see her running towards me.
"What is it? Did you forget something?" I asked her as she got closer.
"Yes," she replied before pulling me into a searing kiss.
"Wow," I said, momentarily breathless as we parted.
"I'll see you at school tomorrow," she said before leaving.
Turning, I made my way back to the car with a huge smile on my face.
"We have to make a stop at that ice cream place," Nathan said.
"What? Why?" I asked.
"Your mom called," he replied.
"Oh, right. Strawberry again?," I asked with a bit of disgust. I really hated strawberries. It was something I shared with mom until she got pregnant, that is.
"No, she wants orange flavored this time."
I shuddered "Who knows what cravings she will have next?" I said as Nathan drove to the ice cream place.
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