Chapter 334 - The Feeling of Electric Shock

"It's nothing..." Roy began, but Laila cut him off, saying, "I don't want to hear those evasive words. Listen, I have high expectations for this movie, and I have high expectations for you too. But if you continue like this, I won't rule out the possibility of replacing you!"

Of course, this was just a scare tactic. Even if they had already filmed several scenes and used up rolls of film, she couldn't replace him.

Roy, however, was stunned. In his heart, he knew that Laila was someone who followed through on her words. Even though they had been filming for so many days, it wouldn't be surprising if she actually replaced him.

"Actually... I've had a question that I couldn't find an answer to," he hesitated but then confessed.

"What's the question?" Laila became curious. What kind of question could have troubled him for days and affected his performance? Considering his talent for acting, it was unusual for him to be in a state of decline.

Roy coughed awkwardly, his face slightly flushed. "Um, if two people feel an electric shock when they touch each other, does it mean there's a mysterious chemical reaction between them, like love or something?"

Laila's eye twitched. If she hadn't seen the sincerity in his eyes, she would have thought he was joking. "Is this the question that has been bothering you during these days of filming?"

"Yes..." Roy replied.

Laila was flabbergasted. "Is it springtime, so you're in heat now?" She glared at him, annoyed. "Feeling an electric shock when two people touch each other is not a sign of a chemical reaction called love. It's called static electricity!"

Roy stared blankly, never expecting to receive such an answer. However, her explanation seemed to make some sense, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. "Half a day! I'll give you half a day to get back in shape. If you're still like this tomorrow, don't blame me." Leaving these words behind, Laila turned and walked away.

Left behind with a conflicted expression, Roy stared at his hand. This wasn't the first time he had felt a tingling sensation when touching Laila. It felt like a soft, tingling sensation that entered his body from his fingertips. He had been with many women before, but he had never experienced anything like this. He had wondered if it was, as movies and TV shows often depicted, a chemical reaction caused by love—the so-called "feeling of electric shock." So, for the past few days, this thought had been swirling in his mind.

He didn't know when it had started, or why, but it seemed to happen suddenly, and yet it also felt like it had always been there. His mind was in a mess, and he couldn't concentrate on his acting. However, Laila's explanation about static electricity suddenly dispelled all the romantic thoughts that had been swirling in his mind, leaving him feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Static electricity...

It was truly ridiculous!

Perhaps the conversation had an effect because Roy finally managed to regain his focus the next day. Laila breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she wouldn't have to replace him after all.

As April arrived, the progress of the shoot continued smoothly. The visual effects production by the special effects company was proceeding according to plan.

With April's arrival, the promotion for "Kill Bill" was once again brought up. While there had been some promotion before, it had been relatively low-key, with cast members attending a few talk shows or fan meetings. But now, with the movie set to be released next month, the official promotional campaign needed to kick into high gear to ensure that more audiences were aware of the film and would go to the theaters.

Regarding the promotional methods, Louise approached Laila. With the top American publicity strategist in the house, there was no need to look elsewhere for promotional planning.

After listening to Louise's words, Laila thought carefully. "It's true that the recent attention has shifted to the new movie. Originally, I had planned to reveal the pirate ship after 'Kill Bill' had its run so that there wouldn't be a clash of attention. But with the ship's photos leaked, there's no helping it now."

"Laila, what kind of promotional methods do you think we should use? If we follow the usual methods, it will likely cost us between one and two million dollars."

The usual methods referred to the strategies commonly used by film studios, such as increasing the number of trailer advertisements on television and posting posters in prominent locations. These methods were used by every film company, but compared to others, they seemed somewhat insignificant. This was because, just before the release, Laila would use her unique approach to arouse the curiosity of the audience and lead them to the theaters on their own.

Laila had made some plans before, but due to the premature exposure of the pirate ship's photos, her plans had to change. She had also started filming "Pirates of the Caribbean," and she had completely forgotten about it until Louise reminded her.

"Let's start by posting some ads. And have the lead actors participate in more talk shows."

"Alright," Louise noted her words and then asked, "Is that enough?"

Laila shook her head. "Of course not. We need to come up with something sensational."

"Sensational?" Louise frowned. "What kind of sensation do you need? Something like a haunted location for the shoot?"

Laila chuckled. "That's close, but not this time. Since this is an action film, we need a different approach."

But what approach should they take?

She tapped her fingers rhythmically on the desk and finally remembered a tactic that had been overused in the future. "Let's go with a scandal this time!"

Scandals were often used in the entertainment industry to generate buzz. They would create rumors about romantic relationships between the lead actors during their collaborations, only to break up amicably after the movie was released. Ideally, this would stir up debates among fans, with discussions like "who is more deserving" and "who has the looks and the money," ultimately drawing more attention to the film.

"Do you mean we should create a scandal between Roy and Charlize?" Louise understood her intention and thought it was a good idea. Roy had gained significant popularity in the United States through his previous films, the Super Bowl halftime show, and the publicity for "Kill Bill." With his popularity, he should have no problem carrying out a scandal with Charlize Theron.

"Yes, when you have time, bring them in, and let's discuss how to create a scandal to promote the film."

"Alright, I got it." Louise left the office, satisfied with the plan. She was ready to make some calls to the paparazzi she knew, so they could capture the fabricated scandal.

The existence of paparazzi was something that many people in the entertainment industry despised, but often, they had no choice but to deal with them. Without proper management, even a few unflattering candid photos could become a public relations disaster.