Chapter 36

4rth October 2010,

Beeline Hall, San Francisco.

The huge glass building was decorated with nothing but dim light. The lawn leading to its entrance was decorated with red ribbons giving it an exclusive look.

Expensive cars and limousines would come around and drop by famous celebrities on the red-carpet path that led to the entrance.

Nick Fernandez was a senior writer from one of America's most popular newspapers, the Hollywood Times. He was famous for his accurate and descriptive reports of the Hollywood industry.

He had long since been offered a higher position and was proposed to work directly from the studio, but he rejected it, saying he preferred his current way of work.

Paying keen attention to everything in Hollywood, from the rise of a newbie actor or director to the fall of some famous celebrity, it was his hobby to jot down juicy articles related to Hollywood.

Today, he came here to attend the film festival with famous directors such as Edward Friedman and Nicholas Smith.

Film festivals are events staged by universities, private organisations, local governments, arts associations and film societies.

They provide an opportunity for unknown filmmakers to get their movies in front of a real live audience and to have their films reviewed by professional critics.

Filmmakers whose movies get accepted into a festival also get valuable press attention and exposure to prospective agents and buyers, not to mention a sometimes sizeable cash award if they win.

Fledgling filmmakers practice their craft far from the glitter of Hollywood. In backyards, in small studios or on local sets, they transform their vision into a film that they hope will one day be seen by thousands or even millions of people worldwide.

They may lack in budget and star power, but they more than make up for it with raw ambition.

Independent filmmakers might remain forever in obscurity were it not have been for the film festivals. These annual events are held worldwide, where films are screened and professionally judged. At film festivals, cinema fans can see the new – and sometimes daring – films they would never be able to find in their local movie theatres.

Film festivals give new talent an opportunity to shine while also showcasing the work of already well-known and respected filmmakers.

Festivals can range from huge, star-studded events, such as the Sannes festival in France or the Moondance Film Festival in the United States, to small, independent, local awards that garner just a few hundred attendees. But all festivals have something in common: They celebrate the art of film, and they champion the artists who produce it.

A movie that gained 'The Best Feature Film' award at the film festival last year became a blockbuster. That's how much of an impact a film festival had on movies that did well in it.

Nick was an admirer of movies and one of the most famous critics in the United States. He was well respected even by well-known directors and actors, and everyone would try to maintain a friendly relationship with him at least.

He was already in his mid-40s, but he looked to be in his thirties due to his health-conscious self.

He looked more like a star than a reporter with grey hair, sharp eyes covered by circular glasses and a 5'11" height as he walked in proudly on the carpet.

As usual, the venue for the festival was big, and he looked around the walls decorated with movie posters.

As he walked in, he saw a few staff members distributing some posters, and the people who took a look at the poster couldn't help but exclaim a little, causing a small commotion.

A girl staff handed out a poster to him too, and as he took a look, even he felt weirded out.

[Missing]

[Joshua Leonard]

He saw words like 'missing', 'documentary', and 'Unknown' highlighted in the poster and couldn't help but take a look.

Apparently, it was a missing poster of an actor who starred in a horror movie that would be showcased at the film festival. As a news writer, his interest was piqued, and he checked other posters too.

He saw that all of the movie's three leads had a missing poster of their names being handed out here.

Nick just smiled at this as he immediately guessed that it was someone's clever marketing strategy, and he couldn't help but inwardly praise it because it had succeeded in making him want to know more about the movie itself.

It must be the same for all the people who slowly started gathering around the screening room designated for the movie of the missing lead actors; as someone entered, others who were hesitating earlier started entering inside to watch the movie too.

Nick just laughed inwardly at this and couldn't help but be expectant. He was a fan of horror movies, but recently, the movies that could make him genuinely feel fear didn't come around in Hollywood.

He entered the screening for the movie [The Blair Witch Project] too, with a thought in his mind.

'You did well in marketing the movie, but if your movie isn't up to the level of stunt you've pulled, it'll be all for nothing…. I really wish not to be disappointed for the first time in my life.'

***

It didn't take much for the news to spread that something unusual was happening inside the film festival venue. People who learnt about the news of missing posters didn't have to think much before knowing it was a marketing strategy.

Still, it was something unheard of, so it left people with a certain amount of curiosity. In the end, the screening room for [The Blair Witch Project] was filled to the brim with the audience.

Some people didn't even know what the movie was about and just entered the screening because of the crowd.

Soon, the huge screen blinked, and the movie started.

As minutes passed by, some people got so absorbed into the screen to even remember that what they were watching was done in the first person, which wasn't usual.

Nick, who was an attentive critic, couldn't help but praise the execution of the first person. It was so smooth that people would not really find it annoying rather, they'd find it more engaging.

***

(Scene currently being played on the screen.)

As Mike and Heather hear Josh's voice, Mike starts running towards the voice, leaving behind Heather who's camera image keeps shaking due to fear, and she tries to run after Mike.

"Mike, don't leave me!"

She shouts at Mike and follows him, only to find him standing stiff; she couldn't help but ask.

"Is he in here?"

"No."

Mike whispered as soon he let out a low curse,

"Oh shit!"

From somewhere in the messy building, they heard Josh's muffled voice.

"No! God!"

Again, from his camera, Mike could be heard whispering nervously.

"Oh, Jesus."

Mike arrives at a set of dishevelled stairs and stops,

"I hear him."

He starts running up the stairs as he keeps hearing Josh's voice.

"I hear him. I hear you! Where? I'm going upstairs!"

He begins to climb upstairs to the second flight. Child-sized bloody palms and strange occult symbols were decorating the run down walls.

[The scene cuts to Heather's 16mm footage on the same set of stairs.]

"Overhmmm!"

Mike heard Josh's muffled voice again as he got anxious.

"Did you hear that? Did you hear that?"

Mike asked in an uncertain tone.

[The scene cuts to Mike's camera looking back at Heather just as she confronts the handprints.]

"Where is he?"

Mikes asks in an agitated voice as Josh's unintelligible cries and moans resound all over.

[The scene cuts back to Heather's footage, hyperventilating at this point.]

Mike starts running towards the voice, panicking and still holding the camera.

"Where are you!? Come on! Josh? I'm getting downstairs! Come on! I HEAR HIM DOWNSTAIRS! Come on!"

He begins to run downstairs. Heather was so scared that she could hardly scream.

"Mmmm! Mike!"

"Come on! Josh!"

Mike keeps shouting as he descends downstairs.

"MIKE!"

Mike arrives at the cellar steps; more occult writings could be seen along the wall.

"Josh? Josh!? Josh, is that you down there!?"

Mike asks as he sees a silhouette of a man.

Heather, who was at a distance from him, shouts at the top of her lungs.

"MIKE! MIKE!"

Ahead, Mike descends into the basement as Heather continues to scream.

"Oh god. . Josh?"

He says as he grunts suddenly, his camera getting knocked to the ground, which autofocuses on the cellar gravel.

[The scene cuts to Heather 16mm footage.]

Heather, who had just arrived at the cellar entrance, starts screaming.

"MIKE! MIKE! MIKE! MIKE!"

"MIKE! IEEE! Mike."

She reaches the bottom of the cellar stairs. She turns around a protruding wall and sees Mike standing there, facing the far corner.

"MIKE! MIKE! IEEE! IEE! HHUH!"

Her camera drops, and the image starts jittering. Suddenly a shadow of a ghastly figure comes around and runs straight towards the camera at a breakneck speed, and the 16mm footage glitches as it cuts off.

***

"...fuck."

Almost everyone from the audience had a jump scare as the movie ended, and Nick was no exception as he even let out a low curse.

*Thump* *Thump*

His heart was beating loudly, and he could feel every beat as cold sweat trickled down his face. He took out his handkerchief and wiped his face as the lights of the screening room turned on.

Exclamations and clamour could be heard everywhere as everyone finally caught their breaths which they had been holding on to since the movie's climax.

'This is it!'

As Nick's fear calmed down, he couldn't help but get excited. The movie was just perfect. Hollywood's horror had been degrading lately, and then, this unexpected movie showed up.

'This is it. This is what Hollywood needs right now. This movie didn't just reach a level; it has created its own standard!'

'There is now a new difficulty level in the horror genre.'

He thought to himself as a sudden rush took over him, and he couldn't help but feel a bit light-headed.

'Which genius director had come out with such a perfect idea?'

He thought to himself; the movie was something well above what he had expected it to be. It was so engaging and thrilling that he couldn't help but keep praising it in his heart.

And at the end, that part where the shadow suddenly runs at the camera was a surefire jump scare for everyone.

*Clap*

As everyone regained their sense of reality and clarity, someone from the crowd finally started clapping. It should have been done just after the movie's end but was delayed because of the dizzy audience.

*Clap* *Clap* *Clap* *Clap*

Everyone followed after that clap as the screening room echoed with continuous rounds of applause.

...

//DreamNote//

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