The Holdovers

Author's note: I now have a p-word as you all know, so if you feel like reading 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. And also it's the one place where I ask you all for suggestions. The link is in this book's bio.

Also, donate some power stones while you're at it. And maybe... write up a review?

16th December 1996 (Monday)

Joaquin Druthers (POV)

$261 million.

Oh, that is the total box office gross of Paranormal Activity, domestic and international.

On an alleged budget of a mere $96 thousand.

All the while Crimson Veil barely broke even with $167.1 million, against initial projections of $220 at the very minimum.

Having never seen such a ludicrous ROI (Return On Investment), I'm half tempted to just dismiss these numbers as a fabrication of Stirling.

But no, hell no. That time has passed long ago.

They've been verified too many fucking times to sow any doubt regarding their legitimacy.

And the fact that it was not Stirling Studios, but rather Cinemax that supplied these numbers… suffice it to say, all talks of foul play were smothered right there and then. And believe me, there were talks of foul play, oh so many of them at the beginning.

But they were quickly put to the ground, not by a single defining factor or anything… but rather a slew of them working together, almost as if it was a coordinated attempt.

The shockingly high critical praise showered upon the film's makers… or well, maker… singular. Richmond Stirling, one of the most prolific as well as mysterious authors out there, had now ventured into the art of film-making and not only managed to replicate his shockingly high success rate in the literary world, but rather go above and beyond in every way possible.

I mean the ROI itself… Before Paranormal Activity, the highest ROI ever recorded by a movie till now was 88,525%, a figure that applied to 'The Shriek Shack', a blockbuster slasher released all the way back in 1953, quite literally over 4 decades ago.

And even that was achieved due to subsequent re-releases, and a significant cult following, that gave way to a series of sequels that flopped hard. I suppose they just failed to recreate the magic of the original. But nevertheless, grossing $354 million on an initial budget of $400k was the most impressive profit margin Hollywood had ever seen. But there were a series of factors which always made this claim contested… principal of which being the fact that on top of the $400k, an additional million were spent on extensive reshoots after the movie's release, and the ROI was calculated on the original budget, not accounting the cost of the reshoots and the significant marketing budget that came along with it.

Factoring in the budget re-shoots, the ROI would still come to a staggering 25,285%, a ridiculously massive figure, but still over 10 times less than that of Paranormal Activity… which just speaks to how enormous of an achievement this, Richmond Stirling propagated.

Then again, not that big of a surprise if we take his parentage into consideration.

Well, I suppose I should get to writing the damn article if I want it to be done before 10 tonight. Otherwise another night will go where I burn the midnight oil.

Ah, what a bomb I've got on my hands… I'm sure 3/4th of the bigwigs over at the big 5 don't have an inkling as to what kind of crazy ass record was broken by young Richmond… but I suppose that's why people like me exist.

To enlighten them on what all they've missed.

And just as I was about to start typing…

"Hey! Jock! You started by now or what?"

Sigh. Packard, you son of a bitch…

"Yes! I started! And for god's sake, stop calling me Jock! It's Joaquin! You're pronouncing it wrong goddamnit!"

"I don't care whether it's Hackin', or Fackin'! Just finish it fast! We have a deadline to keep and I'm not letting my ass get chewed out by Ashton for your delay!"

"Packard… for the last time, the deadline is 6 HOURS AWAY! I'LL BE DONE IN 4. 5 IF YOUR SORRY ASS WILL KEEP SCREAMING DOWN MY EARS SO SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I finally yell out in sheer frustration.

God, I need a smoke.

"FINE! JUST GET IT DONE WITH!" He hollered back, before he fell silent.

Oh, thank god for all that is sweet and true! One more second of his incessant chattering and I would have played his head like an overgrown bongo.

Well… not really. But one can always dream right?

…

…

Ricky Stirling (POV)

"So what you're saying is that you want to dye your hair?"

"Yes. I've always pictured my character Will to have sandy brown hair, and a light stubble, mainly to highlight his working-class aesthetic. That makes sense I hope?" I ask pensively.

"To be perfectly candid," Ginger the key hairstylist began, "it makes sense. Believe me when I say this Ricky. In my career I have often dealt with idiots who make the most nonsensical requests of me, and it is my job to fulfill them. What you're asking for is completely normal… Now we'll just have to discuss the specifics."

"Ok, thanks. I guess I needed that. Anyways, I don't want to spend an hour everyday in your makeshift salon on set. So, dye my hair, and make sure it'll last for a few months. I expect filming to last 60 days at the very least, and I want to make sure the color holds throughout."

She nodded, agreeing with my sentiments, "Yes, don't worry. I assure you, you'll have nothing to worry about. I don't know if anyone's told you, but I'm one of the best at what I do." She finished proudly.

No… she was not. Not by a long shot. I don't even need comparative analysis to figure it out, her level 78 skill is more than enough of an indicator as far as I am concerned.

I'm sure somewhere out on this planet, thousands of people have reached the high level 80s… making her statement not only boastful in nature, but inaccurate to boot.

Nevertheless, she's adequate enough at her job, and in the end, that's all I care about.

"I believe you." I said, nodding my head. "Now, thank you for your time, if you don't mind, I've got an appointment in 10 minutes so…"

"Oh! Of Course, I'll take my leave. Have a good day Ricky."

"Oh, I will no doubt." I smiled cheerfully, as our eyes met, right before the door closed on her way out.

A pin-drop silence ensued for the next seconds, before I broke it.

"Well, don't stop on my account people! Continue please." I urged them, as they got back to rehearsing.

Oh yeah, this was something I started doing a few days ago. Now I noticed early on, that I didn't exactly have an all-star cast on my hands here.

I mean, just look at the original cast of Good Will Hunting.

"Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Robin Williams, Minnie Driver, Stellan Skarsgard, etc. Granted most of them were inexperienced rookies back then, but their acting was nevertheless praised as phenomenal. Hell, Minnie Driver was nominated for Best Supporting Actress by the Academy.

Her acting drew so much praise, that James Cameron even considered her for the role of Rose in Titanic, before dismissing her due to age, and not lack of skill.

And who I got on the other hand…

Observe!

Name – Christine Cornish

Age – 26

Relationship Status – Employee, Colleague

Occupation: Actress

Affiliations: United Talent Agency (UTA), Woodland Trust

Citizenship: American

Base of Operations: City of Los Angeles

Education: Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts

Attributes:-

Strength: 17

Dexterity: 15

Constitution: 26

Intelligence: 31

Wisdom: 29

Charisma: 41

Current Emotional State: Focused, Concentrated

Bio: Christine Cornish is the sole daughter of an Australian couple who immigrated to Los Angeles when she was barely 5 years old. She has grown up in a loving environment, and has developed an interest in acting after a chance meeting with the famous 'sex symbol', Zoey Bennet. She went against her parents' wishes of being a doctor, to pursue training from the famed Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts and has excelled in her classes. She has been a consummate actress for 4 years now, and is desperately on the lookout for her breakthrough performance.

Well I mean… out of 80 prospects, I picked her. Not due to her background or ambitions or anything as remotely mundane but rather because…

Assess Acting Skill:

Acting Lvl 74

Yep, she's better than me. By a lot.

My level stagnated at 61 when Paranormal Activity's shoot ended, and if I don't increase it to level 70 at the very least…

Well Matt Damon gave a striking performance at the age of 23 and was nominated for an Oscar, a golden globe, critic's choice, etc.

Me on the other hand?

Sigh.

And so, I initiated a weird routine of sorts for my cast.

I get the supporting cast together every single day, and make them practice their lines in my office incessantly with the right expressions, and I continue about my work, occasionally stopping to correct them sometimes.

Just cause my practical skill is not up to scratch, doesn't mean my theory is lacking in any way after all.

But honestly, this was a wake-up call for me.

With Pacino's insights, I had developed a theoretical form of method acting, one suited to me alone.

Something so complex and deranged in nature, that only I, the Gamer, could hope to use it to its full potential. It's about time I started really practicing it.

As opposed to the 'Art of Representation' as developed by Konstantin Stanislavski, after meticulous experimentation with my mindscape... I have come up with the 'Art of Recreation'...

Ok, it doesn't sound as good as it really is... but as long as a character's personality and behavioral patterns are well fleshed out and consistent, and I can recreate the 'set' in my mind to the last tee... I can initiate a phenomenon where the character takes control of my body in a sense, while I take the backseat. Now, of course this sounds risky as hell but... when every single one of my performance is at the very least nominated for an Oscar, it'll all be worth it. 

If I need to stand out here among some of the most versatile and dedicated actors in history, then I need to ensure that unlike them, every single one of my roles would be unique and contribute to my prestige.

No duds, no misses, not a single performance which can initiate a setback to my budding career.

And to that effect, I need to ensure all cast performances are remarkable in their own right.

After all, an essential part of being a good director is to bring out the best in your crew throughout.

And in the end, acting level is not the only factor that determines a stellar performance.

There are multiple factors intertwined within each other, each one of them responsible for an aspect of acting.

Let's use Christine as an example.

Her level might be 74, but only when combined with an intricate understanding of her character, coupled with outstanding cinematography can she truly shatter the expectations I have already saddled her with.

And that is one aspect where I have a significant leg up compared to the rest. Due to INT and WIS, my understanding of any and all components of a narrative is practically unrivaled, and will remain so for all eternity.

No-one will ever be able to surpass me in that aspect, and to match some of the greatest performances ever, all I need to do is level the fuck up.

And so I will.

It shall never be said that I have ever shied away from the art of 'grinding', it is after all, the key to salvation as far as I am concerned.