Chapter 161: Fan Event

After work, Martin and Bruce returned to their apartment in North Hollywood.

Outside, Antonio had set up a table with five burgers and two steaks neatly arranged. He savored the sunset, enjoying the life of a millionaire tenant.

Martin approached, grabbed a cold drink, and teased Antonio, "You're living too leisurely. If you keep eating like this, obesity will catch up with you."

Antonio's relaxed demeanor turned cautious. "Martin, what's your angle?"

"Making money. Have you made a lot? There's a great investment opportunity now." Martin tried to pitch his idea, "I'm working on a movie..." Antonio raised his hand to stop him. "Hold on, Martin."

Martin halted, gazing at the plump landlord. "Such a money-making opportunity!"

Antonio bit into his burger, "I've got food, drinks, real estate, and savings. As long as I don't invest, start a business, or get married, I'll live comfortably till I die." His words struck a chord, "I'm a millionaire, a wealthy man. Why should I toil like you?"

In that moment, Martin understood what Bruce had felt and turned toward the door, leaving Antonio with a parting shot, "Don't talk to me for a week."

"I've got your mail, Jessica collected it for you," Antonio added nonchalantly, taking another big bite of his burger.

Bruce, giving Antonio an approving look, remarked, "You're something."

Antonio, feeling uneasy under Bruce's gaze, urged, "Go upstairs quickly, and don't disturb me while I'm eating."

Once Bruce left, Antonio felt strangely relieved and continued enjoying his meal.

Martin headed upstairs, crossed the street diagonally, and knocked softly on the door.

Jessica answered and greeted him with a box in her hand. She said, "You're back? I have your package." Behind her, Emily held the cardboard box and squeezed through to hand it to Martin.

"Thank you," Martin said. He pointed to the rooftop. "Let's have a drink up there later."

Jessica replied eagerly, "Sure! We also have something to tell you."

Martin glanced at his watch. "Meet you on the roof in half an hour."

"Okay," they replied and hurried back inside to freshen up.

Returning to his apartment, Martin was followed by Bruce. As Martin unpacked his package, he placed an order with a nearby restaurant for wine and dinner.

Inside the box were various horn carvings, all depicting clowns with big mouths and red noses, some comical and others eerie, but all resembling him.

Bruce picked one up and commented, "The craftsmanship is getting better."

Martin pulled an envelope from the bottom and opened it. Inside was a letter from Lily.

The letter was concise, primarily addressing an incident where people at Marietta Public High School had slandered "House of Wax." Lily had dealt with them, making sure each of them had a smelly sock placed in their mouths.

Bruce asked, "Do you need to give her a gift in return?"

Martin thought about his collection. "Where's my crocodile tooth pendant?"

"You've already given it to her once," Bruce reminded him. "You can't gift the same thing twice. Come on, be more original."

Martin put away his things. "We'll discuss it later."

Last time, Louise and Kelly, two pranksters, had sent a set of engraving tools in his name to Atlanta.

Lily had mentioned movies in her letter, and Martin said, "Collect some movie materials and send them to her later."

The restaurant sent someone to deliver Bruce's dinner. Martin called Jessica and Emily, then Antonio downstairs, and they all gathered on the rooftop for dinner.

Antonio, drawn by the promise of a delicious meal, made the effort to join them.

The five of them sat at the long dining table, chatting while enjoying their meal.

Jessica brought up the blog. "Martin, have you been following the blog lately?"

Martin admitted, "I check it occasionally. I'm quite busy these days, preparing for a new movie."

Emily immediately inquired, "A new movie? How big is the production? When does filming start? Do you need..."

Jessica, being more composed than her companion, remained silent.

Noticing the pause, Emily stopped herself from asking more questions.

"We've just started planning, and it's too early to begin preparations officially," Martin explained vaguely. He then turned to Jessica. "What's going on with the blog?"

Given his limited time, Martin relied on Thomas to manage the blog for the most part.

Jessica replied, "Rachel is organizing a gathering of fan section activists. It's going to be a Dutch treat, and your new film will be the main topic."

Martin asked directly, "What do you think?"

Jessica pondered the idea and then suggested, "Here's what I think: bring some pictorials or signed photos of yourself to Rachel and ask her to share them with the fan section activists. These could serve as a rallying point for the fan network..." She had studied at a professional art college and had a higher cultural level than Martin. "I believe fans need management. A loyal fan can influence five or six people or even more, especially when it comes to buying tickets for the movie."

Antonio interjected humorously, "That's not entirely accurate. Even ten of my biggest fans can't sway me."

Bruce, sizing up Antonio's ample frame, quipped, "I'd wager twenty wouldn't cut it."

"Movies thrive on reaching the masses," Martin retorted, playfully. "You're a wealthy man and a penny-pincher."

Jessica grinned at Antonio, "You don't fall into the category I'm talking about at all."

Ignoring Martin's jest, she continued, "So, I assume you're interested?"

"Leave him be," Martin said after a moment's reflection. "I have a new film coming out in February."

Jessica confirmed, "The Hills Has Eyes. Aside from the main poster, there hasn't been much material released yet."

Martin leaned in with enthusiasm, "In this film, I'm completely different from House of Wax. I'm the absolute lead. I'm planning to request promotional materials from the crew. You can take them to Rachel." Jessica was delighted, "That's fantastic. They really want it."

Martin inquired, "Are you free tomorrow?" Observing Jessica shake her head, he said, "Join me at Warner Studio tomorrow morning. The crew should have some promotional materials. I'll apply for a batch and bring them to Rachel when the time comes."

Emily chimed in, "Okay, Jess and I will be ready early in the morning."

The following morning, Jessica and Emily accompanied Martin to Warner Studios.

Martin instructed them to wait in the lobby while he directly approached Craven and explained the situation briefly.

Craven, with decades of experience in Hollywood and a history of making commercial films, was quick to grasp the concept. "It's been a couple of weeks since the first poster was released. Following the usual timeline, the crew should be launching a second wave of promotions soon. This idea works well, particularly since you're the film's leading actor."

Martin continued, "I agree. This could be a formal publicity event. Informal promotions can begin after the New Year, and Warner Bros. has a substantial publicity budget. Can we run both concurrently?"

The advantages of using Martin as the focal point of promotion were self-evident, and Martin was eager to go ahead with it. "Wes, here's what I'm thinking. What if we make it an official event? I recall you mentioning earlier that the first version of the trailer was ready. We could use this opportunity to host a fan-oriented premiere."

Craven considered the proposal and stated, "Absolutely. The crew can release the first trailer at the event, and we can simultaneously launch it on various media platforms. Additionally, we can distribute promotional materials to fans and media attending the event to generate buzz for the film."

With only a little over two months until "The Hills Have Eyes" premiered, time was of the essence.

Craven promptly convened a meeting with the crew and Warner Bros. distribution representatives to discuss the logistics.

Bruce went to inform Jessica and Emily, suggesting they be patient or take a stroll around the studio if they grew restless.

Emily expressed curiosity about seeing the studio, but Jessica advised, "Let's wait here for a while."

After a wait of more than 40 minutes, a crew member came to fetch them.

The two women found themselves in the presence of the renowned Wes Craven.

A crew publicity manager approached them and proceeded to provide a detailed rundown of the upcoming activities.

Emily hadn't anticipated that what began as a fan-organized event would be taken so seriously by the crew and transformed into an official promotion.

To show his support, Martin personally logged into his blog and posted a response under Rachel's appeal in the fan section.

"I've just seen your incredible support. To express my gratitude, I plan to contribute some materials to the event. I've contacted the 'The Hills Have Eyes' crew and arranged for a batch of the latest materials to be provided for distribution at the event." Before he could finish the post, numerous replies began pouring in.

Martin patiently waited for a while before posting another message: "I've just been in touch with the crew of 'The Hills Have Eyes.' They've heard about your incredible support and have decided to sponsor this event. The crew will cover the event expenses, and I'll be giving away special gifts on-site. We'll also use information from the film and reach out to the media to report on your tremendous support." He also announced the premiere of the movie's first trailer at the event.

This message ignited a surge of activity on the blog. The number of sign-ups skyrocketed, and it appeared someone may have informed Rachel, who personally asked Martin to make a post calling on everyone to attend and support the event.

The House of Wax had been a major success, helping Martin cultivate a large fan base, many of whom used the blog as their home base for activities.

Under Rachel's new post, sign-ups quickly exceeded a hundred.

The crew acted promptly, mobilizing their budget, planning event logistics, coordinating with the media, and booking the venue.

Jessica and Emily became the intermediaries between the crew and the fan base.

"Have them temporarily join the crew," Martin suggested, recognizing the need for assistance. "They'll be invaluable for upcoming publicity."

Craven readily approved. "That sounds good."

Jessica readily agreed, but Emily hesitated, as she still had auditions for roles.

Jessica nudged her foot subtly, thinking Emily's mind was elsewhere.

Emily soon understood and said, "I'll join."

After others left, Wes Craven still had something on his mind.

After a while, he said to Martin, "Ordinary movie fans might not have sufficient reach."

Martin had a solution in mind. "I'll find a way to bring Annie along."