THE crowd gathered behind the barriers was much larger than the IndieFlix staff had expected. People pressed against the rails, holding up phones and small signs with Astrid's name on them. Some had arrived hours early to secure a spot near the front. The noise of their conversations created a steady hum that grew louder whenever a vehicle approached. Staff members exchanged quick, worried glances as they looked at the number of people watching. The security team they had hired suddenly seemed too small for this event.
A small press area had been set up near one end of the red carpet. A handful of media representatives stood there, their tiny floating cameras hovering beside them. A couple of entertainment news bloggers held small recording devices, speaking quietly into them as they faced the theater. The media presence was modest, nothing like what a big studio production would draw, but it was more than the IndieFlix staff had initially expected.
