Behind The Spotlight Chapter 14
Jennifer and Collin bought tickets and found their seats after waiting in a short line. They began watching the movie, surrounded by the low chatter of other moviegoers finding their seats.
The film was a romance movie.
Its glossy poster featured two leads holding hands in the rain. The title: Love at First Sight.
Collin was guilty of falling in love at first sight once, but that was another story.
The film had a mid-budget, with a production cost of $10 million. A solid investment for a genre that often leaned more on the chemistry and acting of its leads than flashy effects.
Collin had a friend in the production crew who, after some relentless convincing and a few drinks, agreed to insert Jennifer into the film as a favor.
Her role? A homeless woman offering a sexual favor for $20. Not exactly a glamorous role, but it was a speaking role, and that mattered in her career.
Her scene appeared early in the film, right after the opening credits.
"My scene's coming up. I know it."
Collin watched the screen with mild anticipation, silently hoping nothing had gone wrong in post-production.
The male lead walked down the street. A woman holding a bottle of alcohol whistled at him...
And that was it.
A fleeting moment. No lines. Not even a second longer. The male lead kept walking, unfazed.
"What? What the fuck!? Where's my line!? Do you know how many days I practiced those three lines!? Fuck!"
Jennifer's voice echoed with frustration. She couldn't believe it.
And she wasn't exaggerating, she did have three lines. They were:
"Hey, I'll suck your cock for twenty dollars."
"Don't be shy, big boy."
"Look, I also offer other services."
In the original take, after that last line, she drunkenly whistled at the male lead. He gave her a brief glance before walking away.
Yet in the official release, she didn't utter a single word, not even a "hey" or "big boy."
She merely whistled and vanished from the screen like a background extra... which, to clarify, she technically was.
It was understandable why she felt crushed. No lines. No credit. None of her effort survived the final cut.
"Damn it!" she hissed, loud enough to turn a few heads. She muttered curses under her breath.
"Hey, hey, Jennifer, keep your voice down. Don't curse, there might be kids around. You're making a scene, and people are starting to look at us like we're the entertainment."
Collin knew his client well, her quirks and her temper. Jennifer had a sailor's mouth and a loud voice.
Despite being a gorgeous woman with flowing golden-blonde hair, deep brown eyes, and a distinctive mole beneath her left eye, Jennifer was anything but mindful or demure. In truth, she was the complete opposite. Her mouth might've been the dirtiest part of her entire body.
"Let's leave."
"No," Jennifer bit her lip and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I'm watching this to the end. I wasted ten dollars on two tickets, I will sit through this, even if it kills me."
'That's why I said I'd pay for my own ticket,' Collin thought, sighing deeply.
'But you got so excited and insisted on treating me because this was the best day of your life... And now here we are.'
Still, he stayed. He had his own reason for meeting Jennifer today, and he wouldn't let a bad edit change that plan.
It was a coincidence that the movie premiered today. He hadn't even intended to watch it. But Jennifer's excitement made it impossible to say no.
She'd told him she wanted someone to talk to about her performance, and he agreed, assuming at least one of her lines had made the cut.
As the movie dragged on, with its romance unfolding slowly and painfully, both of them quietly agreed it was mediocre at best.
"The romance between the leads feels forced and unbelievable," Jennifer muttered.
"Even their lines are so cheesy, I physically cringed."
Collin responded with a quiet nod, barely watching the screen anymore.
In a project like this, they were small players, basically nobodies. They didn't have the clout to get a full copy of the script or even understand the general plot.
They were discovering the story along with the audience, with no clue about what would happen next.
"I heard there was a dispute between the director and the production studio during post-production," Collin said softly.
"The director wanted it to be R-rated, but the studio pushed for PG-13 to reach a wider audience and boost box office numbers. Judging by what we're watching, the studio probably won. That explains why your lines were cut, they were too much for PG-13."
He tried to explain as gently as possible, but Jennifer wasn't in the mood to be consoled. Her eyes burned with quiet disappointment.
She felt like her hard work had been dismissed and discarded like garbage.
When the movie finally ended, they left the cinema full of disappointment. Outside, it was already 2 p.m., and the sunlight felt harsh. As if the sun itself was mocking them for wasting their afternoon.
Jennifer stayed quiet, still sulking as they walked down the street.
"So, what's the reason you wanted to talk to me?" she asked bitterly.
"Did I land another role as a background character? One where I don't even get a whistle this time?"
"No, this one's different. I swear."
Collin spotted a run-down restaurant nearby and suggested they eat, hoping food would cheer her up after the bad experience.
Despite the weathered exterior, peeling paint, and faded signage, the place was lively, bustling with customers.
"You bought the movie tickets earlier. Pick whatever you want to eat, it's my treat this time."
"…This is a miracle. You actually have money?"
Collin shrugged and casually waved his hand.
He had recently earned a 10% commission for successfully securing an investment for Wyatt's film. The deal totaled $300,000.
Of course, ANT took 30% of that commission because he'd used company resources to seal the deal.
After everything was settled, Collin walked away with $21,000. Half of it went toward paying off portion of his debts. The other half sat safely in his account for emergencies.
So no, he wasn't exactly rich, but he also wasn't desperate anymore.
While they browsed the menu, Collin kept the conversation going.
"This time it's different. Your role is a named side character, not 'Drunk Woman #1'. You've got dozens of lines. And yes, they'll definitely survive the final cut. Your character is important."
"…Collin, whose cock do I have to suck?" Jennifer asked flatly.
"What, what the hell, Jennifer!?"