Chapter 58: Nightmare

Park City in Utah was renowned across America for its skiing, but come mid-January, the focus shifted to film. For filmmakers like Murphy, hungry for opportunities, it was like sharks sensing blood; they converged from all over the world, hoping for a breakthrough from obscurity to fame and fortune.

In simple terms, countless filmmakers saw the Sundance Film Festival as a stepping stone for their careers.

This was because the festival was teeming with various film evaluators and buyers, ranging from distribution companies to video publishers.

They all shared one thing in common: the ability to bring a personal film to a wide audience.

Dressed warmly, Murphy roamed the streets of Park City, where film-related content abounded. Professional viewers in suits hurried past, not only focusing on films officially screened in theaters but also whispering to those selling their own works by the roadside, hoping to find profitable films.

Passing through a square, Murphy stopped Paul Wilson for a moment. Even though it was only mid-afternoon, many people had already gathered, carrying makeshift screening equipment, ready to showcase their works once night fell.

This was also a form of promotion. The films shot with handheld cameras might catch someone's eye and become the next "Blair Witch Project."

If not for the invitation, Murphy might have been one of them. But having received the invitation, it was just a slightly higher-tiered admission ticket.

And this ticket came with a price tag.

Passing through the square and turning a corner, Murphy arrived at the office of the film festival's organizing committee. After inquiring at the entrance, he quickly found the corresponding office, presenting his invitation and accompanying documents to complete the screening procedures.

"Mr. Stanton,"

Behind the desk sat a middle-aged woman wearing glasses, who mechanically recited, "According to the schedule, your film will be screened at the Morris Theater on the afternoon of the 20th. You need to pay an entrance fee of $3000, a printing materials fee of $200, a theater screening fee of $300, and a staff salary of $300..."

Listening to this series of expenses, Murphy felt a headache coming on, but he had no choice. To participate in any film festival, the production side had to pay an entrance fee, often a substantial sum, in addition to various other expenses such as printing promotional materials, transportation, staff salaries, screening expenses, and public relations costs...

Fortunately, the fees at the Sundance Film Festival were relatively low. In the end, Murphy paid $5000 and completed all the procedures.

Murphy could only sigh. Film was an art, but money was its basic requirement.

Most people who had been to film festivals knew that organizing one required a lot of venues and manpower, with considerable expenses. Although festivals also had sponsors, in addition to charging basic fees, including most festivals such as the Saint Denis Film Festival and the three major European festivals, they also took a certain percentage from the films sold during the festival.

Leaving the committee office, Murphy had no interest in wandering around. The most populous group in Park City now was people like him.

As the sky darkened, Murphy returned to his hotel room and ordered dinner. Sitting by the window, he ate while watching the bustling streets of Park City, where film had turned it into a city that never slept.

After dinner, he first called Bill Ross. With several clients under his belt, Ross couldn't only serve Murphy. He also contacted several professional viewers from distribution companies, who would be present at the theater on the day of the screening.

Perhaps it was because he was far from Los Angeles, or perhaps because he had been busy for the past few months and always had someone working with him. Or maybe it was the torturous wait before dawn. After hanging up the phone, Murphy strangely felt a sense of loneliness.

In Bill Ross's eyes, he was a studious and ambitious individual, a promising talent.

In Paul Wilson's eyes, he was incredibly lucky, directing a true feature film in his early twenties.

In James Franco's eyes, he was despicable and shameless, a guy who didn't even need to rehearse his lies.

In Carrie Mulligan's eyes, he was understanding and the best person in the world.

Murphy roughly understood their perceptions of him, but deep down, he knew he was none of those people.

For some reason, Murphy thought of Kara Fess, who had left for New York. They were true companions, but with Kara returning to her alma mater for further education sponsored by Fox Television, her career was bound to soar again. But what about him?

Although he had been handed a key, Murphy knew his future was still uncertain.

Subconsciously reaching for his phone and entering Kara Feis's number, Murphy was about to press the call button when his phone suddenly rang. The screen displayed a very unfamiliar number.

He pressed the answer button. "Hello, this is Murphy Stanton."

"Hi, Murphy."

A crisp voice came through the receiver. "It's Carey."

"I recognized your voice."

Hearing this familiar voice, Murphy's somewhat depressed mood lifted a bit. "Why are you calling at this hour?"

"I just sneaked out from home and used

a public phone to call you." Carey Mulligan answered, evading the question. "Murphy, is the screening schedule set?"

"It's on the 20th of this month."

"I can't wait." Carrie Mulligan's crisp voice gradually turned somber. "I... I miss you, Murphy."

Changing the phone to his other hand, Murphy frowned slightly. Before he could say anything, Carey Mulligan on the other end spoke again, "I dreamed about you. Okay, I won't say more. My mom is coming to find me, and it would be bad if she found out I was calling you."

The call was quickly disconnected, leaving Murphy with the image of that adorable doll-like face in his mind. He couldn't help but shake his head and smile.

Perhaps due to thinking by day and dreaming by night, for two consecutive nights, Murphy was awakened by dreams of Carey Mulligan. Thankfully, with the screening of "Hard Candy" approaching, his energy could finally be focused elsewhere.