Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Next Project

Geonwoo didn't answer Professor Moon Taeseok's proposal immediately.

The production proposal for The Night the King Died was still open on his laptop.

"Thank you for the offer."

Moon Taeseok waited.

"But I don't think I can accept."

Geonwoo had heard a similar offer in his previous life.

After losing his eyesight and giving up his dream of directing, Moon Taeseok had suggested that he become a full-time screenwriter.

Back then, Geonwoo had believed it was an offer meant to save him while he was falling apart.

"May I ask why?"

"I'm preparing my next movie too."

"Something you wrote?"

"Yes. I intend to direct it myself."

"You're thinking of moving straight into a commercial film?"

"That's right."

Moon Taeseok exhaled softly.

"Moving immediately into a large commercial film just because your first movie succeeded won't be easy."

"I know."

"That's why I'm making this offer."

He continued.

"If you participate in my film, you'll be able to observe a large production process up close."

"We already have a production company attached, and discussions with investors are underway."

Geonwoo silently listened.

The part about having a production company was probably true.

It was also possible that they'd already spoken with investors.

But Moon Taeseok didn't mention why he had suddenly decided to hand the screenplay to Geonwoo.

"I'll give you an official screenplay credit too."

"It would be a good addition to your career."

"Thank you."

Geonwoo remained calm.

"But now that I have a good opportunity, I want to try making my own film."

Moon Taeseok didn't answer immediately.

"A good opportunity?"

"Yes."

"Thankfully, many people are already showing interest in my next project."

"I see."

Moon Taeseok continued in a gentler tone.

"If you ever need help, contact me at any time."

"As you know, I have many connections in this industry."

"Yes."

"Good. Don't forget that you're my student."

The call ended.

Geonwoo stared at the ended-call screen for a moment.

"Still the same."

Moon Taeseok had never once said that he needed Geonwoo's help.

Geonwoo scrolled through his call history and tapped Kim Seongho's name.

After several rings, Kim answered.

"Yes, Director Baek."

"Team Leader, I'm calling regarding the next-project investment review you mentioned."

"Have you finished organizing the screenplay?"

"Yes."

"What kind of project is it?"

"It's called The Night the King Died."

"That title alone makes me curious."

"I'd like to meet with TS ENM's Investment and Production Division."

"Understood. I'll pass it along and contact you again."

"Thank you."

In his previous life, The Night the King Died had attracted more than sixteen million viewers under Moon Taeseok's name.

This time, Geonwoo intended to surpass that number under his own name.

The next morning.

A message arrived from Yoon Jihye.

[Monday Daily Audience: 37,846]

[Cumulative Audience: 555,132]

It was now the fourth week of release.

Another message followed.

[Weekday reservations haven't fallen significantly.]

[However, two new films open Thursday, so our screening schedule will probably need to be adjusted again.]

Geonwoo was about to answer when an unknown number called him.

"Hello, this is Baek Geonwoo."

"Director Baek, this is Team Leader Park Dojin from TS ENM's Investment and Production Division."

The voice was calm and low.

"Team Leader Kim Seongho told me that you'd like an investment meeting for your next project."

"Yes."

"Are you available Friday morning this week?"

"I am."

"I'd like us to discuss it while looking at the completed screenplay."

"I'll bring everything."

Park Dojin gave him the meeting time and ended the call.

Geonwoo entered it into his calendar.

Friday, 11:00 a.m.

TS ENM Investment and Production Division.

He pressed save.

The schedule appeared.

That same afternoon.

The door to Kwon Taeoh's studio opened.

Cha Sookyung entered holding a tablet and a document folder.

As a lead producer in TS ENM's Investment and Production Division, she had been assigned to develop Kwon Taeoh's first commercial film following the success of Low Ceiling.

Taeoh sat at his desk looking at his laptop.

His next screenplay was open on the screen.

Cha Sookyung remained standing beside the desk instead of taking the opposite chair.

"The marketing team wants to know whether we'll respond."

Taeoh didn't look away from the screen.

"Respond to what?"

She placed the tablet on the desk.

An article was displayed.

[An "Independent Film" Made by Taesung Group]

[Can Low Ceiling Really Be Called an Independent Film?]

Taeoh read the headline and looked back at the laptop.

"Tell them we're not responding."

"We could explain the production structure."

"Explain what?"

"That the project began with an independent production company."

"And leave out that Taesung provided locations and studio facilities?"

Cha Sookyung didn't answer.

Taeoh deleted a sentence and typed it again.

"We did receive support."

"Then you're going to leave the controversy alone?"

"It's also true that I filmed under better conditions than most new directors."

He saved the file and pushed the tablet back toward her.

"The article isn't entirely wrong."

"What exactly are we supposed to deny?"

Cha Sookyung picked up the tablet.

"Are you even accepting the claim that it wasn't an independent film?"

"The production company was independent."

"I wrote the screenplay, and I directed it."

"The article's point is that the support from Taesung was too large."

Taeoh leaned back and looked up at her.

"Does having good conditions automatically mean it's not an independent film?"

"That's not what I meant."

"If I can secure a real location, should I intentionally use a bad set?"

Cha Sookyung said nothing.

"If I can cast Seo Jiwan, should I reject him simply because he's famous?"

She remained silent.

Taeoh turned back toward his laptop.

"I'll admit I had better conditions."

"Yes."

"But that doesn't change the fact that I made the movie."

He continued.

"So leave it alone."

"People who want to criticize me will do it even if we respond."

Cha Sookyung watched him briefly, then took out another document.

"Should we keep the first-draft review for your next project on schedule?"

"Delay it."

"It's currently scheduled for next Tuesday."

"Move it to the end of next week."

"You said last week that you were almost done."

Taeoh scrolled upward.

Many pages in the second half still contained revision marks.

"I found more things that need fixing than I expected."

"If the screenplay is delayed, the production schedule will move too."

"How can we have a production schedule when the screenplay isn't even finished?"

Cha Sookyung glanced at the screen.

"Are there many problems?"

"The middle is weak."

"Why not let the internal reviewers look at it first?"

"I don't intend to make other people read something I already know isn't entertaining."

Taeoh selected an entire paragraph.

The highlighted text disappeared.

While adjusting her schedule, Cha Sookyung spoke.

"I thought you'd want to know."

"Director Baek Geonwoo has also requested an investment meeting for his next project."

Taeoh's hands stopped over the keyboard.

"The screenplay?"

"He says it's finished."

Taeoh didn't answer.

Only the cursor blinked on the empty line.

Cha Sookyung asked,

"Should I move your review to next Friday?"

"Yes."

She gathered the tablet and documents and left the studio.

Once the door closed, Taeoh reread the sentence he'd just written from the beginning.

He deleted one word.

Then typed another.

Wednesday afternoon.

Yoon Jihye sent Geonwoo the screening schedule through the weekend.

Nearly half the screenings that had existed the previous day were gone.

Most good time slots had been given to the two blockbusters opening Thursday.

While Geonwoo reviewed the schedule, Jihye called.

"I saw the schedule."

"More were cut than expected, right?"

"Yes. We lost a lot of evening showings too."

Jihye sighed softly.

"Both new films have high advance ticket sales."

"The theaters want to concentrate on the new releases through the first weekend."

"Are Friday and weekend schedules staying like this too?"

"Yes. Reservations are already open, so it'll be difficult to make major changes this week."

After a short pause, Jihye continued.

"But one of those movies may not last long."

Geonwoo looked at the titles on the schedule again.

It was a movie that had also opened at number one in his previous life.

However, audience reviews had collapsed almost immediately after the first screenings.

"Were reactions to the preview bad?"

"Not exactly bad. More divided."

She explained.

"People praised the production scale and actors, but many said the second half of the story didn't make sense."

"So it'll survive the first day through advance reservations."

"That's what I think."

"It may receive the new-release boost through this weekend too."

"But next week's programming could change."

"Keep tracking our seat sell-through rate."

Geonwoo added,

"Especially how quickly the remaining screenings fill after the reduction."

"I'm already doing that."

"I'll submit it with the next programming negotiations."

"We'll also need the new release's ratings and reservation cancellation rate."

"Yes. I'll collect everything through the weekend."

Geonwoo looked at the schedule again.

The middle seats in the reduced evening screenings were already mostly filled.

"Have everything ready so we can move immediately on Monday."

"Understood."

Thursday.

Both new films entered near the top of the box office.

Before the Light Reaches dropped to fifth.

By Wednesday, according to Yoon Jihye's morning message, cumulative attendance had reached 636,915.

Because its screening count had been heavily reduced, Thursday's reservations were lower than the previous day.

But the remaining seats disappeared quickly.

After six in the evening, the evening screenings at major locations began selling out one after another.

After nine, Yoon Jihye called.

"Yes, Team Leader."

"Remember the movie whose preview reactions were divided?"

"Yes."

"Reservation cancellations have been increasing since this evening."

"Audience ratings are also continuing to fall."

"So the preview response carried over."

"Yes."

Jihye continued.

"I already organized our seat sell-through rate and every theater that sold out today."

"I'll combine it with the weekend numbers and renegotiate programming."

"Understood. Thank you for working so hard."

"It's my job."

"I'll start discussions with the theaters first thing Monday."

"All right. Please do."

Friday morning.

Thursday's final numbers were released.

[Daily Audience: 33,842]

[Cumulative Audience: 670,757]

The ranking had fallen.

But considering how many screenings they had lost, the decrease in audience numbers was relatively small.

A message arrived from Yoon Jihye.

[After checking the weekend numbers, I'll renegotiate next week's programming.]

Geonwoo replied.

[Understood. Thank you.]

At eleven that morning, he had a scheduled meeting with TS ENM.

Geonwoo reviewed the screenplay and production proposal for The Night the King Died one more time.

A detailed budget proposal was attached at the back.

"This should be enough."

He placed the documents into his bag.

Then he closed the zipper and stood.

TS ENM Investment and Production Division meeting room.

Across from Geonwoo sat Team Leader Park Dojin, whom he'd spoken with several days earlier, and Lead Producer Cha Sookyung.

Park Dojin spoke first.

"Even after losing many screenings to those two new films, your seat sell-through rate remains extremely high."

"I'm just grateful that the audience keeps coming."

Park nodded briefly.

"Last time, you rejected our distribution proposal."

"Yes."

"Then why do you want to discuss investment for your next project with TS ENM?"

Geonwoo opened his bag and placed the documents on the table.

"Before the Light Reaches needed a distributor that suited that particular movie."

"Is this project different?"

"The scale is different."

Geonwoo pushed the screenplay and production proposal toward Park Dojin.

"I need an investor capable of handling the scale of this project."

Park Dojin opened the production proposal first.

Cha Sookyung turned directly to the attached budget.

"The estimated net production budget is quite large."

"It's based on the current screenplay and shooting plan."

"So this isn't the final budget?"

"No."

Geonwoo explained.

"Once a production company is chosen, we'll need to recalculate locations and the shooting schedule."

Park Dojin turned several more pages.

"You've broken down the budget in considerable detail."

"We can't waste production money."

Park looked at Geonwoo for a moment.

Then he pulled the screenplay toward himself.

"We'll conduct the screenplay evaluation and preliminary production-cost review together."

"How long will it take?"

"About a week."

"We'll contact you as soon as the review is complete."

"Understood."

Geonwoo closed his bag and stood.

Park Dojin and Cha Sookyung also stood.

After Geonwoo finished his greetings and left, the door closed.

Cha Sookyung spoke.

"Director Kwon's next project is also targeting filming next year."

"When does his script arrive?"

"We postponed his review until next Friday."

Park Dojin looked down at the cover of The Night the King Died.

"We'll review his when it comes in."

He opened Geonwoo's screenplay.

"Send this one to the evaluation team today."

Cha Sookyung picked up the script.