Behind The Spotlight Chapter 79
After that short drama moment with Lawrence, Collin immediately resumed his duties as an agent without delay.
He contacted Ellie's agent, who was surprised to hear about the incident that had unfolded in the last day of the filming. The two agents met to discuss the potential fallout if this news ever became public and how it might affect their clients' reputations and future projects.
Thankfully, Ellie's agent, a woman in her 30s, was easy to talk to. Collin and the female agent agreed that this information must never reach the public or the media. Their clients would continue as if nothing had happened, maintaining their professional images.
Both sides were determined to resolve the issue quickly before it caused irreversible damage. The best solution was to sign a contract that would legally bind both parties to secrecy. A confidential agreement was drafted and notarized by their respective lawyers.
Ellie and Lawrence signed the contract to make it legally binding and to ensure that neither side would violate the terms.
In this situation, Ellie was technically in the wrong because she had concealed her relationship. However, Lawrence couldn't afford for this issue to go public either, not with his rising fame. So, he signed the agreement without further objections.
Ellie's agent later confronted her about the secret relationship with her childhood friend and the potential consequences for her career. However, Collin and Lawrence weren't privy to what happened next between Ellie and her team after that confrontation.
Lawrence's feelings for Ellie remained complicated, with mixed emotions surfacing now and then. But he was sure of one thing, he would never start a relationship with her again, no matter how often he reminisced about their time together.
Even during dubbing sessions at the Sonya-Collapse Studio, Lawrence made sure to avoid the actress at all costs. He didn't want any more trouble, that was for sure.
As for Jennifer Randon, Collin's other client, she informed him that Landers had been disturbing her peace. The man was calling and messaging her non-stop. She had to change her phone number just to regain her privacy and mental peace.
Collin was visibly disappointed when he heard the news. He hadn't expected Landers to stoop so low, all for a chance to be cast in a movie.
Collin asked Jennifer if she wanted to file a restraining order for her protection and peace of mind, but the actress found legal proceedings too much of a hassle. As long as Landers didn't know her new number, she was fine and wouldn't be bothered anymore. That bastard had been pestering her for months with desperate calls and messages.
At first, Jennifer had hesitated, thinking the guy was pitiful but her patience finally snapped when he wouldn't stop. Her temper lashed out, and that was the end of it.
In many ways, Collin was like a babysitter. Making sure his clients were doing well physically, mentally, and emotionally.
He had to keep everything under control and monitor their lives… because these four were his money makers and the backbone of his success. As long as they were healthy and mentally stable enough to work, he could rest easy.
While things were unfolding with Collin and the others, two romance movies were released in July and August respectively, both of which were on Collin's radar for different reasons.
These were the same movies Lawrence had auditioned for but failed to secure a role in, despite showing promise during the final rounds.
The first movie, titled Romea and Julieta, was released in July to moderate attention but mixed reviews. Its box office performance was mediocre at best, according to both critics and audience reception.
The only real selling point was the presence of Tommy Yatch as the male lead, which drew in his loyal fans during the opening weekend. The movie grossed over $105 million worldwide, but it barely turned a profit after accounting for marketing expenses.
The second movie, released in August, had received heavy marketing hype. Titled World War 2 Romance, it featured a cast of B-list celebrities but still flopped at the box office despite the strong promotional push.
With a budget of $30 million, it didn't even earn $25 million globally. It was a massive disappointment. The film was pulled from theaters within a month due to poor ticket sales and negative word-of-mouth. The biggest reason for its failure was the studio executives at ANT who inserted their clients into roles they clearly weren't suited for.
Especially the male lead. His acting was too awkward and unconvincing to carry any emotional weight.
Meanwhile, the Week On A Cruise Ship was currently being filmed on an actual cruise ship. The team rented the ship for a full week to shoot outdoor scenes, capturing the ocean and ship's atmosphere for authentic and breathtaking visuals. For indoor scenes, they used studio sets and inexpensive locations that resembled cruise ship interiors.
The production team spent around $4 million renting the ship, which was a significant expense. The good news was that the entire cast and crew were allowed to use all of the ship's facilities and dine freely at the restaurants throughout the week. This kept morale high and everyone motivated.
Collin and Lawrence were also on board to make the most of the situation... Unfortunately for Lawrence, Collin had to keep reminding him not to overeat.
That entire week felt like a mini-vacation, and everyone treated it that way. Perhaps it even mirrored the experiences of the characters in the movie. After all, the title was Week On A Cruise Ship.
The only difference was that the real cruise didn't head into the Pacific, it stayed near the California coast for safety and logistical reasons. Unlike in the script, no one was stranded in the middle of the ocean.
While Week On A Cruise Ship was still in production, Passionate Island had already entered post-production, with focus now shifting to editing.
Director Summerbelt was spending most of his time perfecting the film, attending dubbing sessions to ensure every detail was right. As for Producer Harper, he was still goofing off with Kayla Martin as if he had zero professional responsibilities. Sonya-Collapse Studio was the weakest among the Big Six, and the industry knew it. Perhaps Harper's behavior was one of the reasons why the studio's credibility was slowly eroding.
Collin had the opportunity to visit Sonya-Collapse Studio to check on Lawrence's project during one of the post-production sessions. He saw Lawrence and the cast dubbing their lines, while Ellie smiled as if nothing had ever happened between her and Lawrence.
But Collin could sense it. The relationship between the two was over. Whatever chemistry they once had was now just acting.
'Perhaps it's unfortunate that I didn't see the chemistry they're all talking about when the cameras were off. I'm curious to see how they act together once the final cut is released in theaters.'
Collin thought as he observed the teamwork behind the glass of the recording booth.
He was confident that Lawrence's talent was the driving force behind the chemistry. He couldn't see any remarkable talent in Ellie, but Lawrence's talent practically shone like gold. That alone made it obvious who had the real potential.
Collin believed that if Lawrence were paired with a more professional actress, their chemistry would be just as good, if not better.
Looking around, Collin noticed the director speaking to the actors.
"…What the fuck?"
He muttered under his breath. Just like Lawrence, Director Summerbelt had something floating above his head, golden words that only Collin could see.
-- Thomas Summerbelt
-- Top 3 Romance Directors of All Time
This wasn't the first time Collin had met Director Summerbelt. But today was the first time he saw him working on set, completely immersed. If he hadn't witnessed those golden words himself, he would've never guessed the second reason Passionate Island would become a box office hit.
Two golden talents worked on this project and the result was undoubtedly going to be spectacular.