…..
May 7th, 2010.
.
"Shot's okay… and it's a wrap for [Following]!
Regal's voice echoed through the small, enclosed prison set, signaling the end of the day's shoot and also the film's.
The crew and cast burst into a collective cheer, their excitement palpable as the tension of the final take gave way to exhilaration.
"Whooohooo!"
"YahhooOOoo!" - some cheered, and the energy was contagious.
Laughter and shouts filled the room as crew members reverted to their college-student selves, tossing aside props and costumes.
"Listen up, everyone!" Regal clapped his hands to get their attention. "Let's get the gear packed, and here's the deal, I am treating you all to something special to eat. It's on me!"
Another loud cheer erupted from the crew.
"You said it, sir!" - one of them called, as the group began packing up equipment with renewed energy.
Despite the short time, two days over thirty days, they had worked together, and the bond within the team had grown into something meaningful.
From the actors to the crew, there was a sense of mutual respect and camaraderie that filled the space.
As the group worked, Tom, a man dressed in a police uniform, approached Regal, extending his hand. "Congratulations, Regal. I have got to head out, but it's been excellent working with you."
Regal shook his hand firmly, his appreciation evident. "Thanks, Tom. You were fantastic. I am glad we got to work together."
A couple of other men in similar police outfits followed suit, offering their congratulations before making their exit.
Like Tom, they had only been part of the project for a few days, and knowing the wrap party wouldn't be a grand affair, they chose to bow out early.
Regal gave them a nod, his voice warm. "If you are heading out, don't worry about packing. We have got it covered. Thanks for everything."
The men waved as they exited, leaving the remaining crew to finish tidying up. Regal rolled up his sleeves and joined in, helping to pack up the set alongside his team.
Among those staying to help were Keanu and Andrew.
Andrew had a shoot today which is only obvious since he is the main lead of the story.
Keanu, on the other hand, was now like a familiar presence on set to Regal, always pitching in even when he didn't have scenes to film.
It had become something of a norm for him, if there was work to be done, Keanu would be there, ready to lend a hand without hesitation.
Then there was Simon Lombardozzi.
Though Simon wasn't scheduled to film today either, he had shown up anyway.
He played the blackmailer in the film, a tough, imposing figure with a shiny bald head and a menacing presence.
But off-screen, Simon was anything but intimidating.
Gentle, approachable and he had developed a deep respect and love for Regal's work ethic.
Despite having only a handful of scenes, Simon had taken to assisting behind the scenes whenever his schedule allowed.
As the last prop was packed away and the space cleared out, only about fifteen people remained, including Keanu, Andrew, and Simon.
Grace was absent, her scenes already completed.
Regal had heard she was attending an acting class, as required by the agency she had joined. However, she had promised to meet them directly at the restaurant for the celebratory dinner.
After everything was wrapped up, Keanu approached Regal. His shirt was damp with sweat, but his expression was earnest.
Without a word, he stepped forward and hugged Regal, the gesture laced with emotion. "Congrats, Regal. I mean it." He added, his voice thick with sincerity.
"...." Regal blinked in surprise before a smile spread across his face. He patted Keanu on the back, returning the hug. "Thanks, man. This wouldn't have happened without you."
Keanu chuckled as he stepped back. "Right, sir director."
"Congrats, Regal," Andrew chimed in, stepping forward to give Regal a friendly clap on the shoulder.
"Yeh kid, you were amazing." Simon, towering slightly over the others with his imposing build but gentle demeanor, nodded in agreement.
"...chuckle, thanks." Regal replied, offering a fist bump.
One by one, the crew members approached Regal to offer their congratulations. Handshakes, high-fives, pats on the back - each gesture carried their admiration and gratitude.
Among them, two familiar faces approached simultaneously: Darren, Regal's friend, senior from university, and Ben, the same guy who had flunked out during the auditions but whom Regal had decided to give a small role and surprisingly not, Ben had readily accepted.
Both extended their hands toward Regal at the same time.
"..." - "..."
Realizing that, their eyes locked briefly, and the atmosphere between them shifted - their expressions tightening with a flicker of annoyance.
Regal immediately picked up on the tension between them.
?It had caught him off guard for a moment.
Ben was the type who tried to genuinely get along with everyone, while Darren, though not unfriendly, had a more reserved approach.
Still their personalities didn't often clash, but this minor interaction seemed to underscore their differences.
Deciding it wasn't worth addressing, Regal simply smiled and extended both hands, shaking theirs simultaneously.
"You guys did great too." He said, his voice light, diffusing any lingering awkwardness.
Ben's stiff posture relaxed almost instantly, a grin spreading across his face as he scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, thanks for the appreciation… and the role too."
"Hah, what are you doing thanking him? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Darren remarked looking at Ben.
"Yo–!"
"Good work, Regal. I am looking forward to the next one."
Ben started, clearly ready to retort, but Darren had already turned his attention back to Regal.
Regal nodded mentally, eying them warily as he released their hands with a parting remark. "Let's make the next one even better, alright?"
"Of course."
"...sure."
Both men nodded.
After the last of the crew had offered their goodbyes, Regal led the group toward the restaurant he had reserved for the celebratory dinner.
.
….
The next day in his office and house, marked the beginning of the post-production phase for the film.
So far, the project has cost Regal around$368,000.
That covered everything - cast and crew salaries, accommodations during the shoot, equipment rentals, and location fees.
This left him with about $28,000 from the $396,000 he had received as a royalty payment from Everleaf Press.
Even though his latest royalty payment was significantly larger, Regal was resolute in his decision to complete the film within the budget he had initially set.
It wasn't about having more funds, it was about proving to himself that he could stick to the plan he had promised.
But, at the same time, he was confident that the money he had planned for would be enough to see it through.
Now, the remainder of his budget had to stretch far enough to cover the costs of post-production, which meant - editing, sound design, scoring, and color grading.
Each of these steps was critical to the final product, and there was no room for compromise.
Then there was the bigger challenge, the elephant in the room - distribution.
Regal leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling of his modest 'office' as he weighed his options.
Film festivals seemed like the natural route.
The Big Five, Venice, Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, and Sundance, were known for attracting distributors and buyers. A premiere at one of these could make or break the film's success.
But there was one tiny hiccup - timing.
It was mid-May.
Cannes was already in full swing, and the submission deadline had long passed.
Venice and TIFF wouldn't kick off until late August.
That left a frustrating gap of nearly three months, a dead zone of sorts.
It was too late for Cannes and far too early to prepare for the next wave of major festivals.
While smaller festivals were an option, they didn't carry the same clout or connections needed to secure a strong distribution deal.
Attending those would likely drain resources without much return.
Yet, Regal couldn't afford to sit idle.
Waiting until Venice or TIFF felt like a waste of valuable time and momentum.
He tapped his pen against the desk, the sound echoing in the quiet room as his mind churned.
There had to be another way, a faster solution.
If festivals weren't an immediate option, then has no option but to seek out a backer, someone who could help him secure a deal with a distributor chain.
But to attract such a backer, he needed more than promises or rough footage.
He needed a professional and final version of his film that could hold its own against industry standards.
That should be his immediate goal.
However, the road ahead was anything but simple.
The first major hurdle was editing.
At the moment, all he had was raw footage, a daunting 250 minutes of it.
No distributor would waste a second glancing at that, let alone sitting through it.
He considered renting an editing suite and getting it done by himself, but with his current editing skills, it would only lead to wasted time and money.
True, he had somehow managed to awaken the [Editing] skill, but he knew it wasn't nearly enough.
The intricacies of color correction, sound synchronization, and pacing were far beyond what he could reasonably achieve alone.
As he stared at the hard disk copy, which contains the raw footage that has the hard work of many.
He can't let this become a medicore product.
Currently, his [Editing] skill is at [Novice], and the best he will be able to afford to upgrade is to [Intermediate] level, if he collects the rewards.
Anything beyond that would be a waste of EP he could better allocate for future purchases rather than wasting it upon only for basic.
And, yes, Regal did call the [Intermediate] level basic.
.
….
[To be continued…]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
Author Note:
Visit Patreon to instantly access +1 chapter for free, available to Free Members as well.
For additional content, please do support me and gain access to +10 more chapters.
–> p@treon.com/OrgoWriters