Behind The Spotlight Chapter 142
"You need sleep."
"Yes, doctor."
"You said you're done with your movie, right?"
"I finished editing the movie and I don't have to stay up all night anymore," Wyatt answered the doctor. His voice was hoarse, the kind that came from too much caffeine and too little rest.
"Wyatt, you have to listen to me. You need to take care of yourself and sleep at least eight hours at night."
"..."
Wyatt didn't answer. He shifted uneasily in his chair that couldn't contain his body, his tired eyes avoiding the doctor's gaze.
"Be honest with me," the doctor said as he put on his eyeglasses. He flipped through Wyatt's medical file, his brows furrowing as he studied the notes. "How long do you sleep every night?"
"Five..."
"I said be honest."
"Three hours."
"When do you sleep?" The doctor wrote in his notes.
"Four."
"A.M. or P.M.?"
"P.M."
"So you don't sleep at night?" The doctor frowned. He leaned back, pressing his pen against his temple, clearly frustrated.
"Yes..."
Wyatt gave a bitter smile and answered truthfully.
"Why?"
"I have to finish the post-production within the schedule. If I fail to do that, I will lose my remaining balance."
"And did you finish it in time?"
"Fortunately, yes."
Wyatt received his remaining balance, which was $7.5 million.
Collin secured a $15 million salary and a 10% North American box office share for Wyatt, and the director was happy about that. It was the biggest deal of his career, so naturally, he had to work hard.
"Wyatt, I have to be honest with you. If you keep living this way, you're not going to live long. It will be a miracle if you surpass the age of 50."
"..."
Wyatt had no idea what to say. His chest tightened with silent panic.
"First, you're fat. Last year, you were not in the obese bracket. You were just chubby. But now, your weight is 190 pounds. Last year, you were 140 pounds. You gained a lot of weight."
Wyatt felt guilty about that. To cope with the pressure of directing The Frightening Movie, he ate a lot.
"Second, you also smoke. You clearly want to destroy your lungs."
"..."
Wyatt looked down. Whenever he was stressed out, he smoked cigarettes. Lately, he realized that he was smoking a lot.
"Third, you lack sleep. Just like what I said earlier, sleep is important. You need at least eight hours."
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing? I can't force you to do what you don't like. However, I can tell you this, you will slowly kill yourself if you don't change your lifestyle. So far, there are no bad symptoms, but that won't last long."
"Doctor, what do I have to do?"
"It's fortunate that you're done with your job and can take a rest. Listen to me, you have to stop eating too much, especially unhealthy food. You also need to exercise and lose weight. And stop smoking. Cigarettes are never good for your body."
"...Is there an alternative?" Wyatt asked, feeling helpless. Sleeping eight hours a day was fine, but eating and smoking were things he enjoyed. Yes, he was now addicted to nicotine. As for exercising, he found it exhausting. Just the thought of jogging made his legs feel heavy.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" The doctor almost lost his patience.
"Wyatt, if you're looking for pills or shortcuts, you'll be disappointed. You don't want your family to lose you, right?"
"I understand now, doctor," Wyatt sighed in acceptance. "I'll try my best. In the next six months, I'll be a better man."
"That's the spirit." The doctor nodded, though his expression softened.
...
...
...
December 7, 1998. The day of The Frightening Movie premiere. The street in front of the theater was alive with flashes of light and bustling energy. Banners lined the street, the movie's posters plastered on billboards.
Uni-versus Pictures promoted the movie aggressively, with posters, billboards, and trailers. The studio wanted the movie to be successful, especially since it cost $40 million to produce.
When Wyatt finished post-production in the first week of November, Uni-versus Pictures held a small screening and tested the movie with an audience. The results were mostly positive, the movie was funny. The test audience roared with laughter, some wiping tears from their eyes, a good omen for the release.
Since then, the studio had promoted the movie relentlessly. Every major city in the country displayed its posters.
Meanwhile, Face: Swap had ended its worldwide screening. The action movie grossed over $427 million, and Touchpebbles Pictures was satisfied with the result.
As for Bride Runaway, it also ended its worldwide screening in November, grossing $387 million at the box office.
Romance and action movies had clear differences, and their longevity in theaters also varied. Action movies usually had longer runs because they appealed to a broader audience, unlike romance films that primarily attracted female viewers.
So even though Bride Runaway was released in August compared to Face: Swap in May, Bride Runaway ended its run much faster.
Face: Swap stayed in theaters for eight months, while Bride Runaway lasted only five.
Still, it didn't matter. Why? Because both movies were under the same studio, Wash Dismay Studio. The two films earned huge amounts of money, marking a profitable year for the studio. The executives toasted champagne in celebration, laughing in relief after such success.
Axel and the other cast members of The Frightening Movie attended the red carpet event. Camera flashes surrounded them as they smiled and posed, while reporters shouted names across the barricades. Even Lawrence showed up as a guest since he had a cameo in the movie. He attended to support his girlfriend, Zara Lauren, standing proudly beside her and adjusting his tie as the cameras focused on them.
Unlike last time, when Axel was asked malicious questions, the interviewer from Uni-versus Pictures didn't ask anything disrespectful this time, which made him happy. The tension he'd carried into the event finally melted away.
After the red carpet, the cast watched the movie they had worked so hard on.
The Frightening Movie was a parody of horror films such as The Screams, I Know What You Fucking Did Last Summer, Halloween, Friday the 14th, and many more. Wyatt got the inspiration after watching several horror movies during his vacation.
On its first day of screening, December 7, 1998, Friday, The Frightening Movie grossed $13 million.
On the second day, Saturday, the comedy film made another $15 million.
On Sunday, it earned another $10 million.
The first weekend performance of The Frightening Movie grossed $38 million. Uni-versus Pictures was confident that working with Wyatt Bray for the second time was the right decision.
They were satisfied with the amount, especially since The Frightening Movie was R-rated and not suitable for all audiences. Yet despite that limitation, it grossed $38 million in its first three days. Critics also praised it, saying it was crude yet genuinely funny.
As for Wyatt, who directed the movie, he was currently gasping for air while walking on the treadmill... his sweat dripping onto the machine.
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