Chapter 65: Stepping On Stage

The investment from the public for this film was substantial, prompting Kelly Gray to make a special call to Louise Meyer.

Louise, who was about to embark on a trip to Morocco, opted for a layover in Atlanta, allowing her to spend a night there.

At the airport hotel, as Martin and Kelly arrived, Louise paid no attention to Kelly and threw herself at Martin, exclaiming, "Penicillin!"

Kelly, feeling a pang of jealousy, muttered, "Pervert, do you only have eyes for men? You two troublemakers, can't you control yourselves?"

Louise reached for a magazine she had brought along and handed it to Martin, saying, "Look at this, Louise's penicillin has made waves across the United States and the international bartending community. Many are hailing me as a master!"

The magazine in question was "Esquire" from the Hearst Group, and Martin noticed that Louise graced its cover. She was elegantly dressed in professional attire, her right hand resting on her ample chest, and in her hand, she held a glass of her signature penicillin cocktail.

The cover featured the slogan: "Louise's Penicillin: Curing All Unhappiness!"

Upon flipping open the magazine, there was a featured interview with Louise, primarily detailing the journey of inventing penicillin.

Knowing that Martin had already given away the penicillin recipe, Louise showed no hesitation in taking credit for it all.

The magazine also included accolades from several renowned taste testers.

One of them went so far as to proclaim it as the greatest cocktail discovery of the new century, asserting that Louise was the finest female bartender in the past two decades.

Louise was on cloud nine, likening herself to Michael Jordan in baseball, Gareth Bale in golf, or Leonardo with the models under 25; it was a love that resonated deep within her soul.

Kelly, however, gave the magazine a disdainful glance and asked bluntly, "How much did this cost you?"

Louise, feeling her pride wounded, descended from the heights of euphoria to the ground and shot Kelly a fierce look, retorting, "Why are you making baseless accusations?"

The two women glared daggers at each other, their hands curling into claws, poised for a confrontation.

Martin intervened, patting the sofa and saying, "Let's discuss business first."

Louise retrieved the magazine, tucked it away with solemnity, smoothed her wrinkled beige shirt, and suggested, "For this project, don't use the model of a pure love drama; go the Hollywood way."

Kelly grasped the implication immediately, inquiring, "You mean, find a few expendable individuals to set up a separate company for the project?"

Such a maneuver was commonplace in Hollywood films. Louise concisely affirmed, "As long as you pay taxes legally, usually, there shouldn't be any issues. However, you must be prepared for contingencies. Create a shell for the project and manage the finances separately. If anyone ever comes after it in the future, you can easily shed the shell."

Martin grasped the concept, asking, "So, let others shoulder the blame if necessary?"

Louise teased, "If you ever want to go to prison and to pick up soap, count me in."

Kelly playfully responded, "I'm all set for that."

Martin interjected, "Enough with the jokes; let's get down to business."

Louise added, "The disclosed production cost should still align with the film's quality. I attended a screening of a film by a German director recently, something like 'Death House.' They claimed it cost $12 million, but it looked like it was made for just $100,000. The effects weren't even as good as your late-night drama scenes..."

Having known each other for a decade, their relationship was tight, allowing Louise to give Kelly a specific piece of advice: "That German director can afford to lose his reputation, but Kelly, you can't afford to do the same. You still have a long way to go in film industry."

Kelly gestured, saying, "I've been away from Hollywood for a while; please share your suggestions."

Louise didn't beat around the bush, stating, "Allocate a budget for fake publicity. I know you don't have distribution capabilities, but to sell the film and attract distributors, we must invest in promotion."

She emphasized, "Especially for overseas distributors, it doesn't matter how much the film costs overseas; we must allocate expenses for international publicity."

Martin chimed in, "How about signing up for several overseas film festivals? Southeast Asia, India, or Russia, for instance. We can send a few representatives, and the expenses will add up."

Louise smiled, appreciating his idea. "Yes, my protege's experience has grown quit a bit."

Kelly, focused on the project, said, "Benjamin has planned a three-month shooting and production schedule for the film and is preparing to showcase it at the Savannah Film Festival. Please help me reach out to several distributors."

The three discussed their plans, and the conversation gradually shifted away from business.

"Enough of business talk; let's enjoy ourselves," Martin said, moving to the couch and sitting between Kelly and Louise, putting his arms around them. He playfully teased Louise, "Drunkard, you didn't release the screwdriver ?"

Louise, well-versed in promotions, replied, "In due time. I'm continuously creating new cocktails to keep the bartending community buzzing. It won't be long before I become an international bartender, just like Ada Coleman, the Queen of the bartending!"

She held Martin's hand affectionately. "You'll continue to support and inspire me, right?"

Martin assured her, "Of course, everything I have is yours."

Kelly, feeling the camaraderie, added, "You two make quite a pair."

Martin playfully invited her, "Kelly, you're welcome to join the our lover's club."

Unfortunately, the hotel's red sofas didn't quite match their playful banter, leading to another round of auditions.

The next morning, the crew held their first meeting after establishing the project. Gray Company registered and created the "Zombie Stripper" studio, with Andrew and others involved. Dave, the company's vice president, took on the role of producer. Except for Andrew, who replaced Lynn as the casting director, the rest of the filming team remained the same as those Benjamin had always employed.

In addition to being the lead actor, Martin also assumed the role of production manager, granting him a significant say in the project. The crew decided to hire Atlanta's most popular male striptease team, offering them high salaries. The technical talent pool consisted of 18 members, with a total salary of a staggering $900,000. Interestingly, their inflated salaries inadvertently raised Martin's compensation as the lead actor. His combined salary, as both lead actor and production manager, amounted to a substantial $150,000.

The primary filming location was the Hulk Mansion Strip Club, and a separate photo studio was also set up. The crew disclosed a production cost of $6 million and a $3 million investment in publicity, with plans for global distribution. The studio's establishment prompted overseas promotion and overseas copyright sales personnel to embark on a journey around the world. Additionally, the crew submitted materials to relevant state government offices to apply for subsidies and discounts. Under Georgia's policy from the previous year, investments exceeding $500,000 in projects like "Zombie Stripper" could enjoy a 30% total tax discount.

With the details of accounting left to others, Jerome accompanied Martin to the temporary office building rented by the studio. There, Martin signed the contract provided by Dave.

He had secured the lead role he had always aspired to.

Exiting the office, Jerome remarked, "With $150,000, you've set a new record for the Marietta Troupe."

Martin, not revealing the full story, mumbled, "It's a special situation."

Jerome assumed it was due to Martin's relationship with Kelly and continued, "After receiving such a high salary, you'll need to work hard, no slacking off. Be prepared."

Martin agreed, saying, "I'll start preparing tomorrow."

After a long and winding road, he had finally stepped onto the stage of the Strip Club.