Chapter 13: Rising Expectations

It was a roller-coaster ride for the week before the premiere of Starborn Legacy. Ethan Carter had never felt this pressed or burdened by any challenge in his lifetime. The pressure weighed on his shoulders that it became unbearable. Every risk he had taken and every step of the way over the past months led him to this point. There was much more at risk now than ever before. Winning would have meant forever moving into the pantheon of visionary bosses of this world's entertainment industries; losing would mean not only that his dream but also all those people's dreams who had believed him would crash.

His team had worked furiously, actually playing with the outer limits of what this world's technology could do. With his knowledge from Earth, Ethan had thrown in innovations that were unprecedented in this parallel world. Yet, there was a crack in the foundation-both in the project and within himself-as the premiere approached.

Here at the headquarters of his production company, excitement and nervous anticipation met amidst beeping machines. Technicians hurried between each workstation to get that final touch on the film. Editors, animators and sound engineers crunched over their screens in browned quietude as they chased perfection for the final cut.

Ethan stood at the heart of it all, gazing about at the utter chaos controlled and steeled at his back. For what he hoped was an attempt at seeming thoughtful and authoritative, Ethan ball's up fists containing inside false calmness which chafed at the edges as Miranda Park, his right hand throughout this entire process, stood beside him giving instructions to the technical team.

"We still have issues with the special effects effect in scene 47," she said, looking at him. Her voice was flat, even but with a little edge to it: a reflection of the tension they all felt. "The particles aren't rendering properly and that's causing visual glitch at the climax."

Ethan's stomach churned. Scene 47 was going to be the clincher of the whole film-the one that was supposed to blow everybody away. He'd pictured it as some visual breakthrough-how it was going to put everybody else's entertainment out of this world. But if they were the first ones pushing the envelopes, sometimes those boundary lines pushed back.

"Have we run it through the backup systems?" Ethan asked, trying to suppress the rising tide of frustration.

"Twice," Miranda replied. "It's not holding. We might have to downgrade the complexity of the effect."

No. We can't compromise on this, Ethan says. "If we scale it back now, the impact will be lost. It is to be the climatic scene of the film-the one everybody speaks about. Find a way to make it."

Miranda sighed but did not protest. She knew Ethan well enough to know what to expect: that was all. He wasn't the kind of man to accept anything less. That was one of the reasons she liked him and why it was often a chore working with him.

"I'll muster the team and see if we can find a workaround," she said, turning away to carry his orders to the rest of the technical staff.

As she walked out, Ethan allowed himself to take a breath of fresh air. Honestly, he was scared. He had put everything he had into this project, and the thought of it all unraveling at this point was almost more than he could bear. He knew that the eyes of industry were on him, watching, waiting, ready to pounce at the first sign of weakness.

It was Julian Price, particularly. Always present in the head of Ethan, Julian was indeed a ghost who haunted him. The veteran producer hadn't even bothered to crack a smile on hearing Starborn Legacy, terming it a "flashy gimmick" with no substance to support it. For the past few weeks, Julian had never failed to subvert Ethan's efforts at promoting this film by leaking in appropriate doses rumors that the movie was overhyped and well under its real potential. This was a subtle campaign of sabotage but had already caused ripples of doubt in the industry.

Ethan gritted his teeth. No way some slacker like Julian was going to get the best of him. This movie was the proof he needed to see: proof of a vision of changing the whole entertainment landscape within this other world, bringing into existence something unknown and revolutionary. He could not fail. 

The rest of the day simply disappeared in a blur of frantic activity: Ethan and Miranda standing side by side with the team, troubleshooting technical issues, tweaking final edits, making last-minute adjustments. And the more hours that slipped away, the thicker the tension grew in the air. Every second counted.

Finally, late that night, Miranda appeared before him with a modest smile. "We got it. The effects in 47 are holding. We had to rework part of the code and redistribute some of the resources, but it should be fine now."

Ethan let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank God." He touched her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "You are my savior, Miranda."

She waved away the praise, but her eyes were sleepy, and the lines around them told of all the long hours they'd been putting in. "Just doing my job."

"Well, you've done way more than that. We all have."

Miranda nodded, but her expression said something else entirely. "What's wrong?" he asked her, his eyes locked on hers.

She hesitated and spoke softly to him so no one else would hear her. "I just… just wanted to make sure you're all right. This is killing you, and you don't have to push yourself this hard. I know how much this means to you, but. you can't do it all alone."

Ethan looked away, his chest tightening up with the effort. Miranda was not being unfair. He had been carrying this project pretty much on his own, and it was killing him. Sleepless nights, constant pressure, fear of failure-all that seemed to be mounting up. He didn't know any other way than this. This was his dream, his vision. He could not allow others to guide him.

"I'm fine," he said, though even to his own ears, the words sounded hollow.

Miranda frowned but didn't press the issue. "Just… don't forget we're in this together, okay? It's not just your dream. We all believe in this project."

Ethan met her gaze, and for a moment, the tension between them softened. "I know. And I couldn't have gotten this far without you."

She smiled faintly. "Good. Just remember that."

With this, she left and walked away, leaving Ethan alone. He stood there a long moment staring at the gigantic screen where the final cut of Starborn Legacy was streaming in a continuous motion. Despite all that they'd managed to achieve, something still gnawed in his subconscious.

Was it enough? Would this film be any good? Or had he played over his head, tried to do the impossible?

The date of the premiere was approaching fast. Ethan knew that now was not a time to look back. All they could do was just wait and see if this gamble would pay off.

Scene: Confronting the Critics

Next morning, the headlines were already awash with speculation about the film. Industry insiders made their predictions as critics sharpened their knives. Julian Price had given a particularly scathing interview, knocking holes in the legend that would Starborn Legacy be a match for its promises.

"Easy to say much, Julian said, smiling in front of the camera. "But doing is another matter of contest. I'm not saying Ethan Carter's project won't be successful, but let's just say that I am. cautious."

Ethan was gritting his teeth while watching the clip. Julian was a snake in every sense of the word, but this was low even for him. He was sowing doubt in people's minds, trying to sabotage the project before it ever got seen.

But Ethan was not going to let it bother him. He knew what Starborn Legacy could do. Once she saw it, there would be no doubt that it was something big. Julian could spew his poison all he wanted, but at the end of the day, the work would speak for itself.

As final preparations for the premiere began to get under way, Ethan brought his team together one last time. Everyone was spent, but a certain excitement hung in the air.

"This is it," he said, looking at the faces of his crew. "We've done our best. Now it's showtime."

Miranda stood by his side, nodding. "We've put everything into this," she said quietly. "Whatever happens tonight, we've already made history."

Ethan flashed a forced smile. History, perhaps. But was it the kind they wanted to make?

Stakes were higher than ever, and so with the premiere arriving, the next 24 hours would define not just the future of Starborn Legacy but perhaps even the whole future of Ethan's career.

The city was painted oranges and purples as the sun set below the horizon. Finally, the night of the premiere had arrived, and Ethan felt the weight of that moment pressing on him. A sea of reporters and photographers and fans had gathered outside the theater, eager to catch a glimpse of the stars and be one of the first to witness what was being billed as a revolution in entertainment.

Inside, Ethan paced in the back of the theater. He tried to quell that rising tide of anxiety within his gut. Miranda stood off to one side of him, quietly reviewing her notes for the post-screening press conference. Tension seethed beneath her normal calm.

"You ready for this?" she asked, breaking the silence.

He stopped his pacing and looked at her. "I don't know," he said. "I thought I was. Now that we're here, everything seems just to be hanging by a thread."

Miranda smiled in sympathy. "Well, it is only natural. You've been giving your all and soul into this. Just remember, the work is over now. There's nothing left to do. It is out of our hands."

Ethan nodded, but the words did little to calm his nerves. He knew she was right. Time for adjustments and second-guessing had long passed. Now, just stand by and watch the movie with the rest of the world as Starborn Legacy hopes to justify promises.

Just when the theater began to fill with the industry experts, critics, and a few VIPs, Ethan's heart pounded in his chest. Ethan then scanned the crowd and spotted Julian Price sitting near the front with his arms crossed over his chest and a smug look plastered all over his face. Ethan could be certain that Julian Price was here to relish any faults.

But Ethan was not going to let Julian's coming scare him. It was his time now. The summation of everything he had worked for since arriving in this world. He took a deep breath and reminded himself of that. No matter what happened that night, he had already achieved something remarkable.

The lights fade down, and the whispers of the crowd grow silent in anticipation. The very opening credits of Starborn Legacy scroll along on the viewing screen as the action starts coming to life before the eyes of the audience. Ethan sits in the back row, fingers locked in a vise-like grip as he stares intently at the screen. He knows every frame of the movie by heart, but somehow, it feels entirely new again tonight, watching it for an audience.

From the start, he could feel energy flowing through the room. He was ushered in to a world in the futuristic Starborn Legacy that no one would have ever predicted on their screen. Using everything he'd learned on Earth, Ethan had mixed science fiction, fantasy, and drama into something that would take them to the limit of what could be done in this world's entertainment industry.

As the movie continued, Ethan could see the audience's reactions: the little gasps; the whispered comments; leaning forward in seats when the action came; it was working; they were hooked.

He knew it was in that climactic scene that there would be the true testing. It was scene 47, which gave him sleepless nights and technical headaches. This would either make the film, or it'd break it. If it didn't hit the mark he envisioned, everything else would crumble.

The minutes counted out, and then it was time. The screen went dark for a moment, as Ethan held his breath waiting for Scene 47, before the camera zoomed inside the protagonist, who was facing off arch-nemesis for a battle of wits and power in an awe-inspiring sequence with visual effects, choreographed moves, and music resulting in the collective holding of breath by the audience.

With the scene reaching a climax, Ethan knew well that tension in the room was building up at its pinnacle. Special effects—those same special effects nearly accountable for killing the project—couldn't have gone better. The audience sat on the edge of their seats in rapt attention to the spectacle unfolding before them. And then, before they all knew it, just like that, the scene was finished, and the audience sat in stunned silence.

There was just this silence, and then the thump of applause.

It started with just a few unwilling claps, but it rolled through the whole theatre like lightning: thunderous applause. Ethan's heart surged with relief and with pride. They'd done it. They'd come in and done just what he'd hoped-Starborn Legacy.

Miranda leaned over and whispered into his ear, "You did it, Ethan."

He smiled, his nervousness finally yielding to a burst of pride. "We did it," he corrected her. "This was a team effort."

As the applause continued, Ethan scanned the front of the theater, where Julian Price sat. For the first time that night, Julian's smug expression had vanished. He applauded along with the rest of the audience. Yet, a tension was in his jaw, and a look of begrudging respect in his eyes. It was not that of the man who'd just witnessed a failure. It was the look of a man who has underestimated his opponent.

It went off without a hitch from then on. By the end, applause rose to a whole new level. They stood, applauding for Starborn Legacy in a standing ovation. For Ethan it was pride beyond anything that ever happened. This is his moment. This is his victory.

Now that the lights come back on, the theater buzzed with excited chatter. People were turning to each other, talking about the film, praising the visuals, and the story, of course, the performances. Industry people surrounded Ethan and Miranda immediately, eager to offer them congratulations.

"You've outdone yourself, Ethan," one producer said, shaking his hand. "This is going to change the game."

"You've set a new standard for the industry," another added.

Ethan smiled graciously and accepted the praise, though his inner self continued with the process of what had just transpired. He was in his very first completed product, something that surpassed his very own expectations and met all projections placed upon him. Yet, he knew there was much more beyond this one. Starborn Legacy was only a beginning towards something much greater than itself, where the entertainment industry itself will be changed.

Backstage After the Premiere: What's Next?

It was on screening that Ethan and Miranda found themselves at the center of a crammed press conference. Reporters bombarded them from every angle: the production of the film, how it had inspired them, and what's in store for the team going forward.

"Ethan," one of them asked, "you really raised the bar with Starborn Legacy. What are you going to do next? How are you going to top this one?"

Ethan paused for a moment, then said, "This is just the beginning." What's really being aimed at here is pushing the envelope of what can actually be accomplished within this industry. Now, this company has many exciting projects in development, and I believe audiences can really look forward to much bigger things in the future, he was saying.

Another reporter asked for a hint about what comes next.

Ethan smiled but shook his head. "You'll just have to wait and see," he said.

The questions went on and on, from technical questions about the production of the film to more personal questions about Ethan's journey in this industry. Through it all, Miranda sat by his side, bracing him where she needed to, chiming in occasionally where she could. Together, they stood as one against the onslaught of questions; they were the faces of a new era in entertainment.

Toward the end of the press conference, Ethan couldn't help thinking about how far they had traveled. Just a few months ago, Starborn Legacy was still only an idea-one that risked appearing so purely ambitious, but now it was something of reality and started shaking the industry.

However, Ethan didn't sit on those laurels either. He knew the real test lay in those days and weeks ahead when the film went out for people to assess and criticize at the box office. A strong opening did no means come with a promise of success. That said, for now, he let himself bask in that moment.

Miranda nudged him as they filed out of the press conference. "You're already thinking about the next project, aren't you?"

Ethan laughed. "You know me too well."

She smiled. "You've earned this, Ethan. Don't forget to take a moment and appreciate what we have accomplished."

He nodded, but he knew he wouldn't be able to relax until he truly, fully, felt the impact of Starborn Legacy. But as they stepped out into the cool of the night air, the buzz of the city ringing in his ears, and the distant cheers of fans driving across the city lines, Ethan allowed himself a rare moment of satisfaction.

They'd done it. And this was only the start.