Hollywood: Behind The SpotLight Chapter 25

Behind The Spotlight Chapter 25

Collin East yawned and sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes and letting the light seep into his vision. He had enjoyed a great sleep now that he had bought a foam mattress to lie on, instead of the narrow and unforgiving couch he had endured for months.

Just a few months ago, he had been sleeping on that couch, waking up each morning with a crooked neck. The small space made it hard for him to stretch his body while sleeping, which left him aching most days. Now, there was so improvent, he had a foam mattress, but he was still sleeping in the living room.

"Good morning, Collin. Breakfast is ready. You can eat first."

Evelyn found her son waking up and greeted him with a smile as she carried a plate to the table.

"Thanks, Mom. Where's Aida? Already at school?"

"Hm, she woke up early to commute so she could avoid the morning rush."

Collin stood up and stretched his body, both arms extended above his head. A soft moan escaped his mouth as the pleasure of stretching washed over him like a satisfying wave of relief.

He sat down and started eating breakfast. The breakfast was eggs, toast, and milk. He had to leave early, and he needed sothing in his stomach to stay active throughout the busy day ahead.

Their family still lived in this small apartnt with only one room, barely enough for three people to move around comfortably. Evelyn and Aida used the bedroom while Collin slept in the living room on his newly acquired mattress beside the old TV stand.

Thankfully, he now had a foam mattress, allowing him to fall asleep quickly without tossing and turning all night.

Collin had earned $21,000 in commission a few months ago thanks to a successful investnt. Half of that amount went straight to his debt, which had haunted him for two years...

Now, he still had $200,000 in debt to the bank. An amount that triggered anxiety every ti he thought about it. He had to pay it off this year or risk facing rising interest rates and mounting late fees.

The remaining money in his bank account was reserved for ergencies, only to be touched if absolutely necessary.

So, even though Collin technically had money, he chose not to move into a better apartnt, no matter how tempting it was. He'd only do that once he earned more and had a more stable financial standing. For now, he was "comfortable" living like this. A compromise between practicality and survival. He had a roof over his head and food on the table, which was a blessing compared to before.

Overall, things were better than a year ago when they were financially insecure, constantly fearing eviction and harassed by the bank's calls.

After taking a shower and putting on his corporate attire, a button-up shirt, slacks, and a pair of worn shoes, Collin hugged his mother goodbye and left the apartnt.

Today, Collin had to go to the ANT headquarters before heading to the filming site to take care of so paperwork and logistical matters. He needed to check his docunts and find out if anyone had contacted him while he was working outside, especially potential job offers.

An agent needed a cell phone to stay connected at all tis, especially during peak casting seasons. Collin had been considering buying one since not having a phone was beginning to hurt his work.

He hesitated, though, because he had just bought a used car for $3,000, which took a huge chunk from his savings. Maybe he would buy a phone once Wyatt's movie hit theaters. By then, Collin might have already closed a business deal with a studio and earned a large enough commission to afford a decent phone.

Collin's car puffed black smoke as it cruised down the road, making nearby pedestrians cough and frown in disapproval. He admitted his car was old, but it was the only one within budget when he visited several secondhand dealerships.

A few minutes later, he arrived at the building and stepped into the elevator, joining other people heading to work. He greeted his colleagues as he found his way to his cubicle.

"Yow, Collin. I have a baked potato here, want so?"

"Baked potato? Of course I'm going to eat."

A Black colleague called out to him from a few desks away, and Collin stood up with a hungry look on his face. There was a portion ant for sharing among the coworkers, and Collin gratefully grabbed a spoon and joined in. Most of the coworkers had already gotten their share and were casually chatting while eating.

"Thanks for casting my client. It ans a lot to both of us."

"You don't have to thank . Cross deserved the role. He perford well at the audition and stood out from the rest."

"That's why I have to thank you. You reserved a copy of the script for ."

The agent's na was Earnest. A reliable and easygoing guy, one of Collin's better colleagues at the agency.

One of Earnest's clients, Cross Pinger, landed a role in Wyatt's movie after nailing the audition with skill and confidence. Earnest was genuinely thankful. In fact, Cross's role in the movie was the groom, an important character in the storyline. Obviously, the role ca with more screen ti and better exposure.

For small-ti agents like them, who scraped by and juggled multiple side jobs just to stay afloat, getting their clients cast in a movie was a big win. It was sothing to be proud of and even brag about.

While the two chatted, so other agents wore bitter expressions hidden behind forced smiles and nods. Their clients had also auditioned for the movie. Collin had given them 2/3 of the script as a gesture of fairness and opportunity.

Unfortunately, their clients didn't et the criteria set by Wyatt and the production team. Naturally, they were disappointed and frustrated. But they couldn't openly bla Collin. After all, he had helped them by sharing the script when he didn't have to, that alone was an advantage during auditions.

...

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...

After checking his docunts, schedule, and call history, Collin left the building. Now he had to visit the filming site to make sure everything was going as planned. To be fair, he had been doing this almost every day since he was, technically, the producer.

If everything worked out and Wyatt's movie succeeded both critically and financially, Collin had no intention of being a producer again. This job had turned out to be far more exhausting than he ever expected.

As for the colleagues who were upset because he was rarely at his desk, it didn't matter much. The CEO herself, Lila Seraphina, had personally approved Collin's hands-on involvent with The Accidental Wedding Crashers because she had a serious interest in its success.

After all, Lila had been the one to introduce the investor to them. She wasn't going to let this project fail under any circumstances. If their agency had a rising director under its wing, it ant more projects for their clients and a stronger foothold in the industry.