Steven lowered his voice further, almost conspiratorial now.
"And distribution… that's our biggest lever. Most people don't know this, but studios often deliberately stagger releases worldwide to build hype. You leak it in one country, let pirated copies spread, then suddenly the global audience feels like they're 'late to the party' and rush to theaters when it finally drops in their region. Piracy, in some cases… is part of the marketing machine."
The girls gasped softly, scandalized. One of them whispered, "Wait, you mean they want piracy?"
Steven only smirked. "Not always. But sometimes… yes. A carefully timed leak can do more for awareness than a thirty-million-dollar ad campaign. Piracy makes people feel rebellious, like they've stolen something forbidden. Then they brag about it, talk about it, argue online. By the time the studio gives them the official release, half the work's already done."
