"So, uh, now, I lost the investor, and I don't really know what to do next… I feel like I'm back to square one, and this is fucking depressing…"
Leo sighed and stomped his fist on the table, barely missing the glass containing beer. Wade and Aiden looked at each other, trying to take in Leo's whole story.
They couldn't believe that he had fallen out with Rodrigo and had lost the backing from Night Hawk studios.
An hour ago, he appeared in The Rabbit hole and immediately ordered many drinks. There was a depressed expression on his face as he told them what had happened between him and Rodrigo.
How they constantly had creative differences since they started working together. How Rodrigo wanted a more famous lead than Aiden for the movie and how Rodrigo had insulted Leo after he had rejected Harold Wood for the lead role.
In a fit of rage, Leo had decided not to work with him over the movie.
At that moment, his decision had seemed right, but after he had calmed down and had thought a bit more practically, he realised that now, he was out of any backing and would need to find a studio to invest in his movie again.
He was now back on square one.
"Leo, calm down. Everything will be fine."
Aiden said, putting a hand on Leo's shoulder, who was constantly frowning. There were a lot of thoughts in his mind, but one of them was the most prominent.
'In a way, he lost his investments because he wanted me as the lead.'
He couldn't help but feel like he had a responsibility in this matter as Leo had fought for him to get the lead role. Even going against an actor who was way more famous than him.
"Leo, can't you have another meeting with Rodrigo? I think you two would be able to have a more civil discussion after you have calmed down. Your career is just starting, and going against a producer from Night Hawk studios might not be the best decision."
Wade said after thinking through the whole situation.
As he had seen how fragile the egos are in Hollywood, he knew that fighting with a producer with connections could stop one's career for years.
If Rodrigo wanted, he could easily destroy Leo's career or stop his career trajectory from going anywhere for a few years.
"I don't mind making amends with him, but I don't think anything will come out of it. We can't work together, and I know that very well." Leo said, taking another sip from the glass.
He knew the consequences, but he wasn't one to go back on a decision. He had also been hustling around in the industry for a while and knew enough people to not face such an end.
"So, what next?"
Aiden asked, knowing full well that Leo was firm in his beliefs, and they can't go back now.
"I want to make a movie. So I'm going to contact some other big and small studios and check out distribution channels. There's a small chance something will come up but [30 days of Happiness] has already gone around most of the studios based in LA and New York."
"So, chances are very, very low."
Aiden muttered, and Leo nodded, feeling a bit of a headache. He didn't know how to move forward from now on.
"How about investing in the project yourself? It's a rom-com, so it would take way less."
Wade suddenly suggested. Many rom coms were made on a budget of 2-3 million dollars, and they would easily earn through their investments.
But Leo shook his head.
"That's the last option, but from my estimates, it would take at least 7 million dollars, especially because the modified script will need an excellent soundtrack. Moreover, I want to shoot most of the scenes in Europe to make them seem genuine. So even if I sell everything I have, it won't be enough."
Hearing that, Aiden couldn't help but open his mouth.
"I could do the soundtrack."
Both Wade and Leo looked up at him, a bit surprised. Making the whole soundtrack wasn't as easy as making a single song. There were too many things to do when making a movie's score.
Not just every musician was capable of making a good score.
"Can you really do it?"
"I never made a movie's score before, but I'm pretty sure I could try my hands on it. We don't have any other option currently. Moreover, the idea to incorporate music in the plot was mine, and I have a bit of an idea what type of music would suit [30 days of Happiness]."
Aiden's words also meant that he was trying to make him an essential part of the movie. As Leo had taken a big risk for him, he was obviously not going to back out. He felt like it was his responsibility to help Leo make a good movie.
In the first place, he was very invested in the script.
"Aiden, think about it again." Wade looked at him, staring into his eyes. "Making the soundtrack is going to be extremely tough. You are still very young as a musician, and it would be a huge leap."
Wade was trying to see if Aiden was really confident in his decision or if he was just trying to help Leo. Film composing was an entirely different field, and there were special musicians who would just focus on that.
In no way Aiden looked like someone who could score an entire movie. Sometimes, many artists would come together to work on a soundtrack.
"I know that, but I was always interested in making a soundtrack for a movie. I've been studying about it for a long time now, and I am sure I can do it. So let me give it a try."
He said, trying to sound as confident as possible.
'It's a great opportunity for me.'
That was the thought going around in his head.
He knew that if Leo was even going as far as to fight for him to be the lead, he was confirmed to play Arthur Reeves. But he wanted to do the soundtrack because it was a way for the movie's budget to decrease, and at the same time, Aiden could get more experience in his composing skill.
If it was still at Level 6, he might not be so confident, but Level 7 was a pretty high grade, and he knew that it would take a long time for him to go to Level 8 from this.
"If you are confident that you would be able to make it, then it's the best for the movie. I have listened to your music, and I think you have the quality."
Leo finally gave out his verdict after thinking for a minute. It was easy for him to understand that Aiden doing the movie score was the best way to go forward. Moreover, his style of music actually suited the story.
But they still have a lot of problems.
"Well, even with you doing the score of the movie, there's still just a lot of things that are unchecked. We will need a lot of investment to make the movie, and then distributing it would be hard without any famous people associated with it."
"I think I might be able to get you a good distribution deal." As soon as Leo said that, Wade suddenly chirped in. "I know some guys, and it won't be hard to get the movie screens, but in the end, those studios would want to see the complete project first and won't really invest in it."
All three of them frowned and thought hard about how to get more investments in the project. Leo and Wade did have connections but investing even a few million in a movie was a big risk, especially with a new director.
When some directors have stories like how they had to sell their house or car to make a movie, they weren't exaggerated.
The worst thing was that some who had sold all their property and belongings to make a movie would also sometimes fail, going into depression and sometimes even choosing to end their own lives.
This was one of the unfortunate parts of the movie-making business.
'Should I try to contact Ray or Zavier to see if they could help out?'
Aiden thought in his mind.
These were the people he felt would be willing to help them out, and he had a good enough relationship with them to ask them for help, especially with [Black Saints] being such a big hit.
But he also felt like he had forgotten someone. Someone who could actually help him out, for sure.
'Ah, yes. I'm forgetting Omar!'
Aiden still remembered what Omar had said the last time they met. He knew that Omar was a shrewd businessman, but he also knew that he was interested in his career and had even offered to help him out.
One more point was that with him being an investor in [Black Saints], he must not be low on money.
'If there's someone who could help us out, it's him.'
Aiden thought and looked up at both Wade and Leo.
"I think I know someone who could help us."
Thinking hard on a solution, both of them looked at Aiden with hopeful eyes.
...
