Chapter 141: Creating Buzz

After a call from his agent, Martin exited the director's office and encountered Thomas in the hallway. They left the studio together, engaging in conversation as they strolled along the studio sidewalk. Thomas discussed the meeting's outcomes and summarized the proposals from the other two agents. "Elisha doesn't need it; the crew won't push for it. What about Paris?" he asked. Martin replied simply, "It's not necessary. Her reputation is too tarnished now, and it would harm me. She won't bring me any fame, but she'll definitely create problems."

Thomas shared a similar perspective: "I'll contact Steve later." Martin cautioned him, "Regarding Elisha, I parted ways with her amicably. If there's a promotional event, make sure to coordinate with her agent beforehand. I don't want any conflicts." Thomas noted this and reminded, "The second payment for the 'pants' crew is $100,000. I'll call you as soon as it hits the company's account."

These two films, "Sisterhood of Traving Pants" and "The Hills Have Eyes," would earn Martin a total salary of $850,000, with 10% going to the brokerage company. With the money, Martin felt more secure, saying, "You're getting a hefty commission, right? We should celebrate someday."

Thomas, appreciating the gesture, responded, "Ten percent isn't much for me, but considering the house of wax and my earnings from three films, it's over $50,000. I'll plan a big celebration once all your payments are in. It's not just for celebration; it's also to strengthen our connections with superiors." He asked Martin, "If you have specific preferences, let me know; you're welcome."

Martin teased, "In that case, I'm not holding back. We'll need a bevy of young and beautiful female models—swimsuits or pajamas, perhaps something new..." Thomas quickly interjected, "Hold on, for a party like that, I would have to spend at least half of commission."

Martin reconsidered, "Never mind, inviting a few more beauties will do." Thomas sighed with relief and thought Martin was easy to get along with. He added, "There are plenty of young actors in the company."

Martin playfully suggested, "We can sell admission tickets. The famous agent Thomas's party invites could go for $50 each. It's a rare opportunity." Thomas countered, "If I were a star, I could charge $100 each." They bantered back and forth, and in the end, Martin decided to call Louise instead of visiting her that night, planning to meet up with jaume Sierra.

Before parting ways, Thomas cautioned Martin, "You're not in a position to be too conspicuous. Don't casually disclose your salary, especially to corporate clients and potential contacts. Most won't congratulate you; they'll try to bring you down to their level."

Martin, drawing from his past experiences, understood, saying, "I get it. It's tough to see those around you suffer, but it's even harder to see them do better than you." Thomas replied, "That's the mindset."

...

Later, Martin returned to the wax museum studio and joined Jaume after work. They dined with directors Wes Craven and Alexandrere Aja at a Brazilian barbecue restaurant on Sunset Boulevard and headed to a newly opened luxury nightclub. Wes Craven mentioned, "Martin's treating you to dinner, and I'll cover the club."

Wes purchased four $300 tickets each, aiming for front-row seats. Martin, familiar with the industry, asked, "Are these tickets really that expensive?" Even in Los Angeles, $100 tickets were considered high-end.

The group entered the nightclub, which was relatively empty due to their early arrival, securing seats near the center of the stage. Alexander Aja inquired, "Any female celebrities performing tonight? Despite 'Striptease' being a poor movie, Demi Moore is quite something." Martin quipped, "She's past her prime, unless she's willing to pay."

Wes Craven interjected with a laugh, "Do you know how much Columbia Pictures paid Demi Moore for that movie? $12 million!" Jaume, seemingly innocent, dropped a surprising comment, "Actually, she didn't have to pay. I heard she's into threesomes since her divorce last year."

Martin teased, "Jaume, I strongly advise against trying that. It can get you into trouble." Craven and Aja burst into laughter.

Zomi remarked, "I often feel out of sync with you guys, and now I know it's because I'm not a pervert."

Martin, summoning the waiter, ordered drinks and returned to the topic, "Wes, you haven't told us why we're here."

Craven explained, "Tonight, Dita Von Teese is performing."

Martin recognized the name, asking, "The top stripper in the U.S.?"

"That's right," Craven confirmed.

Zomi seemed puzzled, "I haven't seen any posters or promotions."

Craven replied, "People who need to know already know she's coming; no need for posters." As the evening progressed, more people arrived, including several Hollywood celebrities. Martin spotted Marilyn Manson, Johnny Depp, and Brad Pitt, among others.

The show began, with Dita Von Teese combining classical dance, burlesque, and striptease in a unique performance.

After the show, the group went backstage, hoping to meet someone. However, when Jaume, the provocateur, approached someone for contact information, he nearly got into a confrontation with the ever-eccentric Marilyn Manson, who was guarding the dressing room.

Marilyn Manson had a romantic involvement with the stripper.

Frustrated by this, the four of them changed their plans and headed to the VIP room on the second floor for a lap dance.

---

In a Los Angeles shopping plaza, Evan, a reporter from a gossip tabloid, was conducting random interviews with young people under 25. He approached a girl, introduced himself, gave her a pen as a small gift, and asked, "Do you know Paris Hilton? What are your thoughts on her?" The girl nodded and replied, "Of course, she's a spoiled troublemaker."

Evan continued, "If she were to be killed in a movie, would you watch it?" The girl was surprised and inquired, "Really? What movie? Was it a horror film or something? I'd love to see her being tortured and killed!" Evan replied, "You'll find out once you watch it."

After a brief conversation, the girl left, and Evan approached the next person. Over the course of the morning, he interviewed more than 20 young individuals, all of whom knew Paris Hilton and expressed disdain for her. Sixty percent of them showed interest in a movie where Paris's character met a grim fate.

One person commented, "Given all the bad things she's done, getting sentenced to 45 days in jail for a three-year sentence, I'd love to see her brutally tortured and killed in a movie! It's something we can't do in reality." Another said, "She's living better in jail than us. A horror movie where she gets killed? Sounds intriguing; I'll check it out."

Similar impromptu surveys were conducted in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and Chicago. Additionally, several websites conducted sample polls on the internet.

The crew received the survey results promptly. Parker reported to Susan Levin, saying, "The random sampling shows that almost 50% of young people would like to see Paris Hilton's character killed in a movie, and they wouldn't mind a bit of torture." Susan remarked, "That's a substantial percentage." Parker agreed, "Especially for an R-rated horror film."

Susan made the decision: "Let's proceed as planned." Parker got in touch with the media and prepared to release advertising soft articles and posters for "House of Wax."

Susan wanted to discuss matters with Kim Kardashian personally and had Bruce arrange a meeting at Warner Studios. While Kim Kardashian's revelations slowed down somewhat, the crew ensured that the content continued to spread through various media outlets.

With a significant financial investment from the crew, even Warner's "Entertainment Weekly" established a column focused on gossip about Paris Hilton, aiming to further stigmatize her, following the typical practices of media outlets.

Warner Television began planning an interview with the Kardashians, scheduled to air close to the film's release. Kim Kardashian's task for the next month was to divulge information about Paris in a carefully orchestrated manner.

Compared to Bruce, who was relatively new to the entertainment industry, the professionals on the crew controlled the narrative more effectively. Simultaneously, the crew released the film's first trailer, primarily featuring Elisha, Martin, and Paris, with Paris being hunted down.

The crew also unveiled the main promotional poster along with three individual posters. There was one poster featuring Martin and Eliza, another with the wax figure and his brother, both titled "Twins Showdown!" The third poster was a solo one for Paris, depicting a wax figure on a workbench, with flowing wax resembling Paris Hilton. The poster was titled "The Perverted Demon's Brutal Torture and Death."

While the "Twins Showdown" concept generated some backlash, Paris's poster received immense attention from numerous media outlets, websites, and blogs. This was unsurprising, given Paris's ongoing notoriety, even overshadowing figures like Martin, who had recently gained some fame, and Elisha, who had a successful summer with "The Girl Next Door Actress."

The crew also circulated fabricated stories, including one about Paris teasing a kangaroo during filming, which nearly led to injuries for her and another black actor. Such tactics were common in movie promotion.

After the initial buzz around the poster subsided, Kim Kardashian publicly disclosed many secrets about Paris during the filming, including allegations of hiring men for personal vendettas. As Martin had discussed this with Mene and his agent beforehand, Kim Kardashian openly mentioned Mene's name, sparking a reaction from Uncle Mene.