Capítulo 45: Deadline
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Could you drop some reviews? It helps to get this fic a rating.
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"What? Premier on Memorial Day?"
Christian thought Westwood, the producer, must be out of his mind when he heard him say this.
"It's already mid-April, and Memorial Day is at the end of May. That leaves us just one month for post-production, not even counting the time needed for theatre bookings and promotion."
"It does seem like a tight schedule"
Westwood attempted to convince Christian, but he was cut off by an experienced colleague.
"No, this isn't just tight; it's like a surgeon operating on a car crash victim kind of tight. There's no room for special effects here. You're asking for post-production and editing to be done in just a month. Are you insane, Tony?"
"Maybe"
Westwood didn't deny the accusation from his colleague. In truth, he felt uneasy about the situation, but...
"Right now, the news about Alan is incredibly advantageous for us, and I want to capitalize on it. However, the hype won't last long, so..."
"So you want to release the movie while the news is still hot, is that it?"
Christian summarized the producer's intentions, and he nodded in agreement.
"The timeline is incredibly challenging. To be honest, I think it might be even harder before Independence Day."
"But if we wait too long, we might miss the opportunity."
Westwood didn't believe that this media attention would last more than three months. After all, this was Hollywood, where the industry loved what was fresh and loathed the old. Alan's case wasn't a serial killer saga with ongoing developments. Fortunately, Christian proposed a solution.
"Let's do it. We'll try to expedite post-production, and if you let me handle the editing, it will cut down on communication time and should speed things up."
"Agreed."
Westwood accepted Christian's proposal. He understood that he was leveraging the situation to secure final editing rights, but he didn't mind. At this moment, all that mattered was releasing the movie while the Alan case was still making headlines. In this case, many people would flock to the theatres, regardless of the film's quality.
Moreover, he had already reviewed the samples submitted by Christian and his team. In his opinion, it wasn't "Alien," and different editors wouldn't make much difference.
"Nevertheless, even with these adjustments, we can at best finish the film by early June. And then there's the matter of scheduling with the theatres"
Assistant Director Richard still appeared apprehensive, but Mr. Producer wasn't overly concerned.
"Don't fret about the theatre chain. I've already contacted Fox for the film's release. As soon as the news about Alan broke, they saw the profit potential and will handle the rest."
He emphasized this point.
"In short, the sooner we complete the movie, the better our chances to leverage Alan's case. While Memorial Day might be a stretch, it's best to aim for a release before Independence Day."
"Okay, you can count on us."
Christian seemed unperturbed.
"Also, Eliza Kunis' body might be discovered in the next few days. If that happens, the case's heat could last for months"
"Do you think serial killers are that common?"
Westwood was about to counter this claim, but then he realized something and asked in a shaky voice.
"Are you... for real?"
"What do you mean?"
Christian gave him a sardonic smile, revealing his sharp teeth.
"Of course not—it's a joke. I'm not a murderer. How would I know something like that?"
"Right, of course."
Mr. Producer wiped his brow, now drenched in cold sweat.
"Speaking of which, Sally called me two days ago and said an FBI agent was looking into Alan's affairs and that you refused to communicate with the agent on my behalf. Tony, you don't seriously think this has something to do with me, do you?"
"Why on earth would I think that?"
Anthony Westwood had even more sweat forming on his forehead.
*****
However, Christian's involvement in this matter is undeniable, even though he didn't commit any murders. He had struck a deal with the actual killer, Wei Changhui, who had transformed into a Mandrill Ghost Tiger. Wei Changhui provided Christian with the corpses of his past victims, which Christian used to generate hype.
As a result, Christian had no concerns about the case's media coverage enduring until the release of "Wrong Turn".
So, for the next month, Christian felt at ease overseeing the film's post-production and editing, while the entire Los Angeles media was in a frenzy.
First, it was Alan McElroy, then Eliza Kunis, and subsequently, the discovery of two other bodies in Vinales Valley. Almost every other week, a person previously reported missing turned up as a lifeless body.
"This is a classic serial killer MO, and it's incredibly audacious. We hope the Los Angeles police and the FBI fulfill their responsibilities and don't let us down..."
The Los Angeles Post's in-depth report not only framed the case for the authorities but also implicitly criticized their performance.
"We know that the submerged part of the iceberg is even larger. So, behind this series of cases, how many more remain unknown? I have concerns about the Los Angeles police and the FBI's ability to safeguard the public..." The Christian Scientology Monitor borrowed the template of "Why is this country like this?" – an approach not exclusive to China. The media often talk without action, and these two sentences were the epitome of that approach.
Other newspapers were even more direct, presenting firsthand news reports with no moral embellishments. Media professionals worked together to create a new "Black Dahlia" style sensational incident.
For social sector reporters, this kind of carnival hadn't happened in a long time, and for entertainment reporters, the revelation that Alan's main co-star was found with him was enough to keep them going.
Alan became a posthumous celebrity akin to Van Gogh. His unusual hobby of engaging in deadly games with the heroine became widely known thanks to Westwood's discreet promotion.
"What a revolting character who enjoys" It was rumored that Harvey Weinstein, Miramax's boss, said this about Alan.
As for whether this revelation might inspire others to try something similar or devise new methods and gameplays, outsiders couldn't possibly know.
In short, thanks to the media, not only Los Angeles and the West Coast but the entire United States knew that a new super serial killer had emerged. This was a severe blow to the FBI, and while the Los Angeles Police Department wisely deflected blame, citing its lack of technical expertise, the American public, with a penchant for the morbid, found this incredibly captivating. It became a bizarre form of tourism promotion.
Throughout May, the number of visitors to Vinales Valley not only didn't diminish but increased by 40%, much to Wei Changhui's dismay as he intermittently fed on the vitality of the living.
"People aren't afraid of death, but how can they fear death," the defiant man couldn't help but ponder this old saying.
The producer, Mr. Westwood, was both stunned and delighted. Thanks to the ongoing news coverage and relentless publicity, "Wrong Turn", which was intricately linked to this case, gained significant recognition. This made his subsequent work much easier.
While "Wrong Turn" would inevitably receive an R rating as a horror film, he managed to secure nearly two thousand screens by capitalizing on the theatre directors' desire to profit from the hype.
As for what would happen later? Who cared? Worst case scenario, they could reduce the number of screens, just like what happened every day, right?
Amid all these disruptions, time continued to pass. Memorial Day came and went, and the second Friday of June had arrived.
"Wrong Turn" was about to hit the screens.
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