I had been walking around with a large grin on my face all week. I was going to be a brother soon, I had a beautiful girlfriend, and "The Blair Witch Project" was receiving great reactions from both audiences and critics. Everything seemed to be going great in my life, so yeah, I was in a great mood.
The Blair Witch Project had become a massive success, more than what was originally anticipated. Maybe it was because it was a different time or because of my involvement, but the buzz around the movie had been huge before its release. All three leads were praised by critics, and Scarlett had even started getting other offers.
Of course, there were some controversies as well, as some people didn't like the way the movie was marketed. One person had even sued the studio for some reason, thankfully it was dropped. Another incident was three people having heart attacks during watching the movie; all three had survived, but this actually had a positive impact on the movie as more eyes were drawn to it.
The box office numbers kept rising, and I could also see my bank account increasing in size as well.
I, of course, was getting the large share of the profits. Yet, something was bothering me. I hadn't really heard anything from the two shareholders; I was sure they would try something since they had been trying to amend the contract I had with the studio, especially the one on Blair Witch ever since they saw the projections for the movie.
Had they given up? I had a whole contingency plan planned if they tried anything. In a way, I wanted them to do something, as pushing them out of the company was better for me in the long term.
I tried not to ruin my mood thinking about it. I took out my phone to ask if Haley was free but was interrupted seeing Lucy entering the living room.
"Hey Lucy, it's been a while," I greeted. I hadn't seen her for a month due to my commitments with the movie.
Lucy sat on the couch opposite me, looking tired.
"I've been busy. Just signed two authors. If everything goes well, we could be looking at two bestsellers," she said with a smile.
Infinite Worlds Publishing was doing great. Sea of Monsters was the first book it published, and after that, Lucy signed many promising authors, all of which had been profitable ventures.
"It seems we've both had our hands full," I remarked, raising my drink in a toast.
"Indeed," Lucy agreed, before shifting the conversation. "I'm here about Joanna," she added.
That got my attention. Joanna's fame had increased online; her songs had blown up in the last few months, especially the song 'Let It Go,' and there were a lot of requests for her to do a live performance.
Joanna was against it as she was too shy. I had asked Lucia and John to talk to her about it, and she was still hesitant. I had asked Lucy to look into organizing a small concert, but I couldn't move forward if the star was absent.
Lucy explained that organizing Joanna's concert was indeed feasible, and she had already looked into the logistics and costs associated with it.
"The cost isn't exorbitant," she noted, "but there's always a risk with live events, especially with someone who hasn't performed live before."
"And based on what you told me, the girl could back out at the last minute and well…"
"If it can help Joanna move forward with her music career, I'm all in. And Joanna needs this; she cannot keep hiding away forever. What kind of numbers are we talking about?" I asked.
Lucy laid out the estimated costs, covering venue rental, technical setup, personnel, marketing, and contingencies. The total was significant but manageable. I mean, I was about to get a huge payday soon, so I was not worried about it much.
"Also, you can't just decide this for her," Lucy said.
"Look, Lucy, I'm not the only one; even her family agrees with me. She has so much potential," I argued.
"Still, I can't do anything until the girl says yes," Lucy replied.
"Yeah, we are working on that," I said.
"And about record labels, the same thing applies. The girl needs to commit to it. Given Joanna's online popularity, she's in a good position to negotiate a favorable deal. Labels are always looking for talent with an established fan base," she said.
"It's important to choose a label that aligns with her musical direction and values. Many labels will want to have a say in the creative process, so finding the right fit is crucial."
"But, it's also worth considering independent routes. With the right team, Joanna could continue to release music independently, maintaining full creative control and a larger share of her profits," she added.
"Can we do anything else during the concert?" I asked.
"I can invite some industry insiders to the concert as well if she impresses them then things will be easier."
I nodded.
"But all this is just talk until you can get Joanna to fully commit to it," she said.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," I replied.
We talked about business at Infinite Worlds until I got a phone call from Chris.
"Hey, Chris, what's up?" I said, answering my phone.
"Daniel, I need you to meet me at the park near your old apartment."
"What? Why?" I asked.
"I'll explain everything there," he said before ending the call.
I put the phone down with a confused expression.
"What is it?" she asked, noticing my reaction.
"I have no idea. Chris asked me to meet him at the park near my old apartment," I answered.
"Well, then let's go," she said, standing up.
"Wait, you're coming with?" I asked.
"Yes, and we are taking your car. I've been wanting to drive that for a while," she said as she walked towards the garage.
Shrugging, I picked up my keys and followed after her.
.
.
.
"No sign of him anywhere," Lucy remarked, her eyes sweeping through the park in search of Chris.
"He just told me to meet him here," I replied, irritation creeping into my voice.
"There he is!" Lucy exclaimed, pointing towards Chris, who was seated on a bench under a tree.
As we got closer, I could see Chris had a grave expression on his face. The usual easygoing demeanor Chris carried was absent, replaced by a seriousness that immediately put me on edge.
Damn, I think I might have jinxed myself today with all the 'my life is going great' stuff.
"What's going on, Chris? You look like you've seen a ghost," I said as we drew closer.
"Lucy, you're here too," Chris observed, his gaze flicking between us.
"Yeah, she was with me when you called. It sounded serious. What's going on?" I probed.
Chris let out a heavy sigh, his eyes lingering on us before he broke the news.
"It's Jeremy and Jacob. They're preparing a lawsuit against you," he revealed.
"What the fuck? Sue me for what?" I exclaimed in disbelief.
"'The Blair Witch Project.' They're claiming they deserve a bigger slice of the profits," Chris explained.
"They didn't want anything to do with it in the first place, and the contract is ironclad; they agreed to it," I argued, my frustration mounting.
"The studio invested fifty thousand; I poured millions into it, Chris. Millions. I covered the movie's production, marketing, even compensated the actors during the marketing..." I continued, my anger evident.
Lucy chimed in, her tone firm. "Exactly, Daniel's right. That contract was reviewed and agreed upon by all parties. It's solid. Are these idiots out of their minds?"
"They claim the script belongs to the studio and claim to have found something in the contract that…" Chris trailed off.
"They're bluffing. There has to be some demand they've made, right?" I pressed.
Chris nodded in confirmation.
"Let's hear it, then," I said, taking a seat and folding my arms in anticipation.
"You Daniel, they're demanding less involvement from you in the studio. They want to renegotiate your contract for reduced participation in projects and, of course, a larger share of the profits from 'The Blair Witch Project,'" Chris explained.
I remained silent, digesting the information, while Lucy took the lead in the conversation with Chris. The discussion quickly escalated into an argument, with Lucy accusing Chris of inaction.
"Enough," I interjected, breaking my silence.
"You know, Chris, I think I'll give Jeremy and Jacob what they're asking for," I announced, catching Lucy and Chris off guard.
"Chris, you were present when I signed the contract with Stardust. If I recall correctly, there were clauses in that contract designed for situations exactly like this," I reminded him, noticing his alarmed expression.
"Daniel, let's not make any rash decisions," Chris began, but I cut him off.
"Fine, I'll leave, but I will be taking my property with me. And if I remember correctly, all the projects that you are currently working on are mine," I stated firmly.
"Daniel, please," Chris tried to interject again.
"No, Chris. I'm only going to say this once. I will go for the nuclear option if those idiots move ahead with their plans. And don't forget, who will the media sympathize with: a faceless corporation or a rising teen star being exploited by greedy Hollywood executives?" I added sharply.
"Wow, he's got you there, Chris," Lucy chimed in with a smirk.
"Dammit, Daniel," Chris sighed, leaning back on the bench.
"Now, Chris, it's either me or those two. Which side are you on?" I asked, locking eyes with him.
"You, of course. But buying them out is going to be difficult," Chris conceded.
"Good. You're with me then?" I pressed.
"Why would I consider anything else?" Chris replied, a hint of hurt in his voice.
"Just making sure. Can't be too careful," I said.
Lucy folded her arms, thinking. "We need to get ahead of this. If this goes public, it's crucial that Daniel's story is the one that's heard."
"Okay, I've been mulling this over for a while, and believe it or not, I've got a plan," I said with a confident grin.
"Really?" they both asked in unison.
"Yes, and now, listen closely," I said, drawing them in for the details.