[Chapter 167: Test Screening]
On Friday, the post-production for Ace Ventura: Pet Detective wrapped up, and a small internal test screening was held at Guess Pictures' theater. The attendees primarily included the heads of the marketing departments from Guess Pictures and Columbia Pictures, along with the main cast and crew.
Overall, the movie turned out well and was quite funny. However, the antics were a bit over the top, and Jim Carrey's performance might have been too exaggerated for Link's taste.
Nevertheless, the feedback from the other attendees was largely positive. Sixteen people rated the film above 80, while eight gave it a score between 60 and 80, with only four rating it below 60. Based on those scores, the film was considered above average, with box office potential exceeding $60 million, indicating it would likely be a hit.
The Columbia Pictures distribution staff watched the movie and expressed satisfaction, planning to utilize a B-level promotional resource package to market the film, with a total cost expected to be no less than $8 million.
Regarding the promotion of Ace Ventura, Link decided not to interfere, delegating responsibility to the company's head of distribution, Mark Amin. Thus, the promotion and distribution of Ace Ventura would be handled by him in negotiations with Columbia Pictures.
...
After the screening, the system reported an 82.43% quality score with Link's involvement at 8%, covering areas like script revisions, investments, and casting. The box office subsidy was calculated at just 1.03 times the original, translating to only a few million more than expected.
With 0 points for directing experience and a directing stamina boost of 1%, the movie's quality increase was only 0.5%. This indicated that films directed by others had a minimal effect on his improvement. To strengthen his skills, Link recognized the need to direct his own films.
...
Once Ace Ventura was completed, the film was scheduled for release in September. In the meantime, Guess Pictures had two other films slated for release.
The first was The Wedding Banquet, directed by Ang Lee, produced by Good Machine, and now being distributed by Guess Pictures. It was set to hit theaters in the U.S. on August 4 and had already entered the promotional phase.
The second movie was directed by Richard Linklater, titled Dazed and Confused, which Guess Pictures was also handling for release in October.
---
While The Wedding Banquet began its promotional campaign, the post-production for Final Destination was wrapping up. Link organized another internal screening at Guess Pictures' theater, inviting company executives, the main creative team, and a few friends from the media industry.
After the screening of Final Destination, the audience erupted into applause that lasted over five minutes. Joaquin Phoenix, Ryan Phillip, and Ben Affleck clapped non-stop after watching the film, praising its brilliance.
After viewing the film, Link shared their enthusiasm. Before filming began, he had discussed the script in detail with several producers and screenwriters from the company to address potential plot holes, refining the entire script to enhance its presentation.
Everything -- from the action sequences to the performances of the main and supporting cast, to the special effects and logical flow of the plot -- was improved upon from the original version. Many of the plot holes and illogical elements had been corrected.
For instance, the scene where the main character, Alex, rescues the female lead, Clear, had originally been poorly executed. In the original script, thunder and lightning interrupted the high-voltage power lines in front of Clear's house, causing chaotic and dangerous electrical sparks on the ground. Clear risked her safety to save her dog and ended up in peril as her car malfunctioned and a gas tank exploded.
In the original, while Alex came to rescue her, he uttered a long string of unnecessary dialogue before managing to pull her out of the car. That part of the scene felt faulty.
Link rewrote that section, refining Alex's method of rescuing Clear and reducing the dialogue to make the "damsel-in-distress" moment more impactful. The result was a significant improvement over the original.
...
The system then provided an update:
[The film production is complete, and box office subsidies are being calculated...]
[Participant engagement at 67.3%, film completion at 92.3%, and market adaptation at 89%.]
[Rewards: 2.8 times box office subsidy; directing experience +20%; directing stamina +15%; film quality increase +15%.]
Seeing these numbers, Link smirked. Compared to The Blair Witch Project, Final Destination had improved its engagement by over ten percentage points, completion by five points, and market compatibility by six points. The box office rewards also boosted significantly, arriving at a 2.8 times box office subsidy -- more than double that of The Blair Witch Project.
...
"Link, Final Destination is the best disaster movie I've ever seen. After watching it, I'm a bit scared to fly again," said Graydon Carter, the editor of Vanity Fair.
"Let's hope that won't affect your upcoming travel plans," Link replied.
"Ha, it won't," Aaron Kutch, the deputy editor of The Hollywood Reporter, chimed in. "Link, Final Destination is impressive. It's not just thrilling; it has depth. After watching, it really makes people reflect on the unpredictability of life and cherish every day. Once the film releases, I'd love to do an in-depth interview with you about the creative process."
"Absolutely!"
"Director Link, this film is fantastic and very cool. I can sense it's going to be a huge hit."
"Director Link, I apologize to you; you were absolutely right to be strict with us during filming."
"Yes, I realized my acting was quite decent -- better than many seasoned actors. I owe it to your guidance," Joaquin Phoenix, Matt Damon, and Edward Norton gathered around to congratulate him.
...
Link smiled, engaging politely before excusing himself to address some minor issues needing adjustments. He collected the film's master copy and headed into the editing studio, reviewing it several more times.
After achieving a 15% quality boost, Final Destination reached a completion level of 98.9%. The film became more refined, and the actors' performances appeared more fluid and harmonious, with the special effects turning extraordinary.
The plot also escalated in intensity. Initially, during screenings, the film's thrill factor was average -- stronger than The Blair Witch Project but not quite at the level of Paranormal Activity. However, once the film received the quality boost, its suspense increased significantly. The scenes with the grim reaper and the plane explosion brought an unexpected shock, evoking a profound sense of fear.
Watching alone in the editing room, Link found himself startled by sudden music cues or unexpected developments within the story, making his heart race. The cool draft from the air conditioner sent chills down his spine, and he could feel goosebumps erupting.
Overall, the film offered an even more intense experience than Paranormal Activity.
Link chuckled softly; this movie was poised to give audiences a tremendous surprise.
*****
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