Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 183: Finding a Distributor

Renly pushed the door open and walked in. Seated in the hall were Andy and Rodrigo, who immediately caught his eye. He waved and greeted them, "Good evening." Without any intention of staying, he pointed towards the room. "I'm a bit tired, so I'm going to take a bath and then rest."

Andy's forehead wrinkled in exasperation. He called out loudly, "Renly, wait! Aren't you curious about why Rodrigo is here? We're in your room, not mine."

"Oh." Renly finally realized, nodding slightly. "Are you discussing work?" His tone lifted at the end. "Then continue with your discussion and let me know the outcome."

Renly's lack of interest in anything beyond his acting left Andy both amused and frustrated. "Renly, you could give us some input. This concerns you."

According to Andy's assessment, it was going to be very challenging for "Buried" to make a splash during the awards season. The film's scope was too small, and its theme was too harsh. The biggest hope lay with Renly. This wasn't just because Andy was Renly's agent.

Renly hesitated for a moment but then walked over, patted Rodrigo on the shoulder, and sat down on a nearby armchair.

The continuous news bombardment over the past three days was even more exhausting than filming "Buried." Additionally, now that he was recognizable, moving around the film festival became troublesome with fans frequently screaming and startling him. This was why he preferred to take walks at night. At this moment, Renly was very tired, thinking only: When will the Toronto Film Festival end?

Sitting on the couch, Renly maintained proper etiquette, a legacy of his strict noble upbringing. Every cell in his body was ingrained with the manners of standing, sitting, walking, dining, and greeting. The only time he could truly relax was when he was sleeping, which was why he loved sleeping so much.

"Several companies have offered Rodrigo deals to handle the North American distribution of 'Buried'," Andy summarized simply. Renly nodded to indicate he understood, and Andy continued, "I personally think Lionsgate is a good option. So far, they haven't had much action this awards season, except for their own production, 'The Next Three Days', by Paul Haggis and Russell Crowe."

Both Haggis and Crowe are Oscar winners, making them formidable.

"This film is scheduled for a November release. Its quality remains to be seen. If it's well-received, Lionsgate's resources will undoubtedly shift towards 'The Next Three Days'," Andy continued, his mind working quickly. Within minutes of Rodrigo informing him, he had already outlined a plan in his mind. "But objectively, Lionsgate is experienced in marketing thriller/horror films, so they're trustworthy for box office results."

Andy paused, noting the thoughtful Rodrigo and the calm Renly, before continuing, "However, their disadvantage is clear too. They're still relatively new in Hollywood, with only 'Precious' making a significant awards impact so far."

"Precious" won the People's Choice Award at last year's Toronto Film Festival and went on to win Oscars for Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Rodrigo's face showed eager anticipation. Lionsgate clearly matched his expectations. However, Andy raised a hand to stop him from speaking and continued, "On the other hand, Focus Features has indisputable awards campaign strength. Every year, they shortlist a batch of potential films, discard them one by one, and finally choose a contender for intense promotion."

"Their advantage is the abundant resources, but the competition is fierce," Andy noted Rodrigo's puzzled look but calmly continued, "However, Focus Features faces a bit of a problem this year. Their highly anticipated 'The American' has bombed critically, and 'Somewhere' also fell short of expectations at Venice. They've lost two major contenders even before the awards season has fully started, which is why they approached us."

'The American' starred George Clooney, who had two Oscar nominations for Best Actor in the past three years, and 'Somewhere' was Sofia Coppola's highly anticipated follow-up to her previous work.

Focus Features had high hopes for these films, but both fell short, disrupting their initial plans. As Andy said, otherwise, 'Buried' wouldn't have caught their attention.

"Of course, Toronto isn't over yet, and Focus Features still has time. But as of now, they only have 'The Kids Are All Right'," Andy confidently added. "Certainly, the next two to three months will bring many changes, and Focus Features won't sit idly by. In this regard, their potential is much greater than Lionsgate's. But I think..."

Andy noticed Renly's probing gaze, which had been fixed on him for some time. He paused and turned to ask with a smile, "What, is something wrong?"

Renly pursed his lips, chuckling and shaking his head. "I thought you were on vacation these past two days. Apparently, I was completely unaware."

Andy spoke effortlessly, but Renly could tell that gathering this information required extensive investigation and possibly mobilizing contacts. The rapidly changing situation was far from as simple as Andy made it sound.

Renly realized his previous understanding of an agent's role had been superficial. Before the Emmys, he hadn't sought an agent, clearly underestimating the complexity of the job.

"I think Focus Features recognizing us means we're acknowledged," Andy concluded. "In this sense, Focus Features is more reliable and valuable than Lionsgate."

An industry giant like Focus Features makes every decision strategically, considering the overall picture, deciding which films to push for Best Picture, which for individual awards, and what types to focus on or avoid. Smaller companies might see a promising film and immediately launch an attack, but Focus Features would operate more strategically.

"Renly, what do you think?" Andy finally directed the question to Renly.

Not expecting professional advice, Andy just wanted Renly involved because 'Buried's team was small, and Rodrigo valued Renly's opinion. Additionally, 'Buried's quality was still not at the highest level, so their best hope was for Renly to get a Best Actor nomination. Thus, Andy wanted Renly's input in the discussion.

Renly shrugged, not overthinking it. He answered straightforwardly, "I'd choose Focus Features."

Andy glanced at Renly, his smile deepening, "You're not just picking one randomly to avoid giving an opinion, are you?"

Renly's smile broadened, lifting his hands. "What answer do you expect? Expert professional advice? I thought this was your job or Rodrigo's."

Objectively, Renly admitted his lack of knowledge in distribution, promotion, and publicity. Even in his previous life, he had no understanding of these professional tasks, and giving uninformed opinions would be counterproductive.

Such situations are common in the film industry. Warner Bros.' handling of DC Comics movies is a famous example. Executives interfered with post-production of 'Batman v Superman' and 'Suicide Squad,' undermining the creators' intentions and resulting in disappointing final products.

Nonetheless, Renly joined the discussion, "Personally, Focus Features' internal competition is intense, but their promotional and publicity systems are more refined. I think you're placing too high expectations on 'Buried.' If the film secures a place in the awards season, that's great. If not, it's not the end of the world. The acclaim the film has received so far is already a significant recognition."

Renly's perspective remained focused and pure. He was entirely dedicated to his acting, with everything else secondary.

"Moreover, if in the competition, Focus Features chooses to abandon 'Buried,' doesn't that indicate our chances of lasting through the awards season are slim? The same would apply with Lionsgate," Renly posed two questions, causing Andy and Rodrigo to ponder. He then stood up, "Okay, continue your discussion. I can't offer much professional insight. I'm going to rest."

With that, Renly left gracefully.

Andy and Rodrigo remained seated. After a short silence, Rodrigo tentatively asked, "Should I ask Focus Features for a quote?"

"Alright," Andy replied decisively.

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