18 Money Heist

Author's note: I now have a p-word as you all know, so if you feel like reading 3, and soon enough 5 advanced chapters at the measly price of $3, then do join. The link is in this book's bio, or you can just search 'Archonstine' followed by p-word on your browser.

Also, join my discord will ya? For movie and tv-show recommendations and character images. The link is in this book's bio.

Also, donate some power stones. I've still got shitty harem fics ahead of me.

14th June 1996 (Friday)

Ricky Stirling (POV)

"...Yes, yes, just do as I say. Leak the information that I'm releasing 'Dune Messiah' in 2 weeks. Of course, I'm not gonna. No-no, we'll then leak the first chapter online. It'll create buzz, anticipation for it. It'll set expectations. Then we'll release it next month, surpassing all possible predictions, and hold a series of interviews and a press conference, announcing a sequel in the works. And just as it's about to be wrapped up, I drop it, the atom bomb. The news about PA, about how it's my brainchild. My first step into Hollywood. Then the media will do the rest. Hey, you following me? You get what I'm trying to say?" I asked him, him being the marketing executive in charge of PA's publicity.

"Yes-yes I understand what you're saying. But Ricky, we're not equipped to promote a sci-fi novel, in fact, we're not equipped to do much of anything. They didn't give us a budget, just access to conduct test screenings all over the country, they said to talk to you… What's going on man? I understand your strategy, you're leveraging your reputation as a renowned author to drum up word of mouth, utilizing your extensive fanbase that practically worships you. But we can't organize any of this, not without… resources Ricky. You get me?" Walter Unwin asked back, hoping for more concrete answers.

"Yeah… don't worry man. I'm getting a check for my residuals tomorrow, and after selling off all my stock options, along with the royalties, I'll be able to pitch in $2.9 million. You take care of resources on your end, just make sure the team knows what's the vision you get me? Also, expect a call from my publicist, he'll lead the book promotion, which btw will be paid in full by the publishing house. The bulk of our budget will go to a limited amount of posters and promotional tie-ins, but that's the thing. It won't be the deciding factor. We need positive word of mouth, and build up apprehension Walt. So… you know what? We're meeting tomorrow anyways, let me elaborate then. For now, just talk with Gary, my publicist, our real work will start in September. We got permission to release on Halloween, so we start the promotion now, the hype will undoubtedly die down with time. Understand?"

"... I-I suppose yeah. I kind of understand your viewpoint, and I've gotta say, it's never been done before. What about the test screening? We got permission for those, but we already know the film is solid, you're gonna do any re-shoots, so why the need?"

Oh, Walter… you and your beautiful little brain. Thank God, I've got someone smart enough to figure it out and actually talk back. Cause I swear to God, if they had stuck me with an ass-licking yes man, I would've taken a flamethrower to the place. Would definitely have made Pacino proud.

"The test screenings will be pivotal for good word of mouth, along with websites and online chat room discussions. In the month of October, we're gonna play a game with America. With horror aficionados. We're gonna dangle a thick juicy piece of grass fed Kobe steak in front of their eyes, we'll have them following our every step, and just as they're about to take a bite… we pull it back, ensuring they are seduced by its smell, and then they'll keeping chasing again and again and… again. They'll hear how delicious it is from everyone but themselves, so when we finally invite them to a meal, you best believe they'll pay top dollar for it. Our pre-sales will be through the fucking roof, and the suspense alone will ensure they go with high expectations. The fact that it's made by one of the leading sci-fi authors in the world will be the fucking cherry on top. I'll explain the details in person. Ok? Bye." And just like that, I cut the call.

Ah, dear old Walter, I'm gonna enjoy working with him, I really will. But the thing is, it's not gonna happen for a few months. I mean, I'll still discuss the outline of the plan, and start building up goodwill. I wanna make sure that when people talk about this movie with their family and friends, they don't start raving about how good it is, they say they've heard it's really good but don't know cause they haven't seen it themselves.

They'll hear all about it from random accounts on online chat rooms and early social media, with links attached to a series of websites, talking about this incident as if it actually happened. Photos of police reports, victim profiles, about the murder of Ricky, and also the 'suicide' committed by Janice's sister.

Essentially I'll be employing viral marketing tactics, as dubbed in the future, the tactics that were employed to promote Blair Witch Project, and to some extent PA in my OTL.

And just when the suspense is unbearable, I start holding test screenings around the country in key locations to ensure that the good word of mouth spreads over to every goddamn location in America in an optimally efficient manner. Then, I invite a number of prestigious film critics to a pre-screening, and make sure to promote the positive reviews extensively.

These tactics will have almost no effect whatsoever, if they're done in a disjoint manner with no correlation. But that's where I come in, Ricky Stirling, the common link, the man at the center of the goddamn web that I spun with my own fucking hands.

And soon enough, these factors will work together collectively like a well-oiled machine and will gradually make the movie's theatrical debut on Halloween, a prestige event, an occasion that no-one wants to be left out of, so they won't miss it.

I'll be looking at 1st weekend box office projections of at least 30-40 million dollars.

Yup that's right. Just imagine me flexing how my debut film not only broke-even, but also turned over a hefty net profit on its 1st weekend box office. And I'm only accounting for the Domestic Box Office. If I factor in International numbers… I'll be sleeping on a shit ton of money, and all of it would be liquid. Not a single cent tied up in any investments, or assets, all of it, visible in my bank account.

But all that won't happen till November, a month where I'll be one busy bee. For now, I need to focus on other things, like for example, this year's Comic-Con, the San Diego Comic-Con to be precise.

The largest annual comic and pop culture festival in the world. It'll be attended by at the very minimum 80,000 fans, over the period of 4 days.

It is quite literally the perfect event to release my new book. Well no, I'll release the book a day or 2 before the event, and since my publicist secured a stall this year, I'll sell signed copies for an hour or two. Some casual chit-chatting with nerds, and spamming my charismatic smile… It'll be fun.

Plus, since I'm an Eisner award nominee… eh, who am I kidding.

Since I'm the most likely winner of at least 5 Eisner awards, I have some pull with the organizing committee, and just yesterday, they agreed to screen PA at the convention.

The reason I did that is cause it's cheaper and far more efficient. Because holding a red carpet premiere will take resources that I just don't have, not when I'll likely go broke after investing in marketing. I can always ask daddy dearest for a favor, but I have a feeling he's granted enough already.

Anyways, the San Diego Comic-Con is most likely the perfect place to hold my movie's premier, not only because it is the single biggest gathering of… nerds and geeks in America, but also because I'll be guaranteed to have a cinema hall filled to the brim with loyal fans of mine, people who would go in with a ton of bias towards me, and therefore will no doubt be blown away by what they see.

And since the event is 4 days with the same people attending, the reputation of PA will be cemented by extremely positive word of mouth that will be heard by 80 fucking thousand ears. Who, after the convention will return back to their cities and states, log on to their chat rooms, and spread the hype for obvious reasons.

This will also have the added benefit of boosting my book sales exponentially, thereby freeing up more money to market PA.

With the Comic-Con next month, I'll essentially be killing 3 stones with one bird. PA's premiere, Dune Messiah's release, and an announcement featuring the new monthly maxiseries Watchmen, written and drawn up by yours truly.

This will not only allow me to sweep the Eisner Awards next year as well, but also cement my reputation as one of the most creative comic artists in modern history.

I mean I already finished Sandman, and CBR and Entertainment Weekly are still raving about it like anything. One of the articles in Wizard Magazine said, 'A groundbreaking pioneer of graphic novels, Ricky Stirling has single-handedly revived mainstream interest in a medium of entertainment that was largely reserved for an esoteric audience.'

Naturally, I basked in the praise... which was edging dangerously close to flattery

You know an interesting thing all critics seemed to stress on when they raved about me was my age and its correlation with the material I've put out. They claimed I was 'mature and wise beyond my years', and even while attending one of the most competitive courses in USC, I still managed to stay on top… of everything. My fellow classmates, my literary contemporaries, every fucking one.

And they just loved me more for it. Plus, whenever I was on camera being interviewed by reporters, I always, without fail adopted what I call my public facade. It was one of my most intricately crafted facades. I practiced and practiced it in front of the mirror, countless times, ensuring my Acting skill hit Lvl 40s.

Whenever I was on camera, I adopted an extremely bashful persona, someone so innocent and polite, someone who would fidget minutely in order to try and mask his nervousness, but succeed in doing the complete opposite, someone whose big wide-eyed stare, would make anyone and everyone go 'aww'.

To sum it up, I acted 'cute'.

And this facade transcended beyond my physical acting. I went so deep in character, that every single word I uttered, projected just what I wanted, my subtle gestures with the eyes, my cheeks, which would blush wildly when I'm asked personal questions a kid would find embarrassing, down to my most minute mannerisms.

Over a series of interviews, and fan interactions, which ranged from book signings to events where I would be widely exposed to the public eye, such as the famous ribbon cutting of a soup kitchen in LA, to which I donated 50% of my proceed from my 3rd ever full length novel, 'Jurassic Park'.

Hey now, I know almost half the food that passes the kitchen will probably be hogged by the so called 'volunteers', it almost always is. But I just couldn't pass up the opportunity I was being offered here. I mean, can you imagine the headlines?

'A 16 year-old literary prodigy's 1st foray into philanthropy.'

The crazy thing is, that it wasn't even a puff piece article arranged by Gary, my publicist. Apparently, the writer of that article was present at the scene, and my CHA coupled with the PRE (Stage Presence), not to mention my brilliantly crafted speech given in my cracked voice (an unfortunate result of puberty), just wowed her to a point of no return. Not to mention my bashful facade, it certainly worked wonders.

Since then, she's written 2 more articles, one about how I changed the sci-fi genre forever, and the second about me winning the state chess championship over 3 years prior.

Before I entered college.

Sigh… the Gamer truly is overpowered.