America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Beggars Can't Be Choosers in Art

The crisp sound of gunfire continued, and shell casings fell beside Martin as the Glock's magazine emptied and the electronic target reported the score.

Bruce glanced over, signaled for Martin to remove his earplugs, and said, "Not bad at all!"

Martin changed the magazine: "Last time, my shooting improved a lot after I shot that old black guy's ass off."

Bruce analyzed, "A successful real-life experience enhances confidence."

He picked up an AR and led Martin to a different shooting station: "Try this, the most common rifle in America, very different from handguns and shotguns."

Martin checked the gun, which was obviously semi-automatic, and asked, "I heard it's easy to convert into fully automatic?"

Bruce nodded, "Just add a bump fire stock, but you don't need to worry about that; semi-automatic is enough for your use."

Martin followed Bruce's instructions and fired a whole magazine, feeling that for home defense, a shotgun would be more suitable.

Still, he took the lesson seriously. Should this be considered a basic skill for a Hollywood male star?

The two of them each fired two more magazines, then headed back to the rest area.

No need to play until their shoulders ached.

Martin ordered two coffees. Bruce asked, "Are you really planning to go to Los Angeles?"

"As soon as I'm done with 'Zombie Stripper', I'll set off, probably after the Savannah Film Festival." Martin asked, "Haven't you and Monica made up?"

Bruce said, "It's over for good, she thinks I'm a freak."

Martin said, "You didn't tell her you just licked the photo, without actually drinking the water—that's not too freaky."

Bruce shrugged, "She came to me wanting to get back together, just when she caught me soaking the photo in water."

Martin genuinely admired: "For a freak like me to think you're a freak!" He revisited an old conversation, "Old Cloth, when I make it in Hollywood, I'll definitely hire you as my cleaner—only a freak matched with another freak makes a perfect pair."

Bruce's response cut through pretense, right to the core: "You piece of crap, always loving to use low tactics for shitty deeds, expecting me to wipe your ass?"

Martin gestured dismissively: "In all my lives added together, I'm just a lowlife, what do I know about high-end tactics!"

His phone rang at that moment; it was Kelly calling, and upon answering she said, "I'm at the company, come with me to Savannah, and let's talk about something privately."

Martin finished his coffee, "Got something to do, I'm heading out."

Bruce suddenly remarked, "Just a reminder, your shitty accent is really hard to listen to."

Martin didn't care; he got into his BMW, picked up Kelly from Gray Company, then took Interstate 85 straight to the port city of Savannah on the east coast.

Kelly said, "Have you seen the latest 'Fashion Gentleman'? The famous mixologist Louise Mel had a burst of inspiration at Casablanca and created a brand-new cocktail called the Expanding Screw."

Martin, recalling, asked, "It's been over a month since the last visit, right?"

Kelly didn't answer; instead, she said, "Louise is very greedy, she'll drain you dry eventually."

Martin nodded, "A new formula every month, I can keep it up for at least five years." He then asked, "What are we going to Savannah for?"

Kelly simply stated, "To enter the film at the Savannah College of Art and Design for the film festival and to stay overnight in Savannah."

Upon reaching Savannah, the two first had lunch, then went together to the Savannah College of Art and Design.

This is the largest arts institution in Georgia, with several departments related to film and television.

The film festival is held in October, and 'Zombie Stripper' was entered for exhibition screening—to be exact, it's an opportunity to attract distributors during the festival and sell the film.

Since the film wasn't completed yet, it didn't meet the normal registration requirements.

Kelly, however, pulled some strings, visited a vice-chancellor, and obtained special permission to enter.

This was the very reason she came personally.

Martin then went to handle various procedures, and the sum of the registration fee, booth fee, and pre-paid screening fee amounted to several thousand US dollars.

Back in the car, he rejoined Kelly, who asked, "How does it feel?"

Martin took the driver's seat, "I've learned a deep lesson, the poor shouldn't dabble in art."

Kelly chuckled, "Learning from the three major European film festivals."

Martin was the leading actor of the film, and its cinema release was closely related to his future. He inquired, "Did you contact any distributors?"

Kelly gestured for him to start driving, "I used to work at Lionsgate, got in touch with a buyer from Lionsgate, Louise helped to reach out to Focus Features under Universal, as well as Warner Bros. with whom she collaborates the most, and there will be film distributors from overseas coming too. We expect more than a dozen film buyers."

Martin said, "I'm longing to see it released in North America soon."

"Do you have the resources to go to Los Angeles?" Kelly asked with a particular smile, "To find that slut Louise?"

Martin emphasized, "I'm in Georgia, keeping company with you, a female pervert."

Upon arriving at the hotel, Kelly went straight to the bathroom to run a bath.

Both of them entered the bathroom together.

Kelly, soaking in the water and lying on top of Martin, suddenly said, "When you go to Los Angeles, do something for me."

"Spy on Louise?" Martin asked curiously.

"Why would I spy on her? Haven't I seen enough of her in person?" Kelly was uncharacteristically serious, "Find out which Hollywood film crew might come to Georgia for shooting and inform me right away."

Martin understood, "I'll keep an eye out. In Atlanta, aside from Gray Film Industry, it seems like no one else is doing that sort of business."

Kelly nodded slightly, "Soon someone will take notice, and I want to seize the opportunity first."

When Martin was alone with Kelly, he definitely sided with her, "Don't let Louise slip away."

Kelly stated, "If she can pull a Hollywood crew to collaborate with me, I'll give her a commission."

"What about me?" Martin asked, "Don't I get a commission?"

Kelly understood the thoughts of this poor guy, "You'll get one too. Martin, don't miss out on making money. If you can bring in a big crew with an investment of hundreds of millions, I'll reward you handsomely."

Martin took the opportunity to ask, "Reward me with what?"

But Kelly just raised her eyebrows, "What do you want?"

Martin did not specify what he wanted but instead shifted the topic, "What about a crew from Sacred Valley?"

Kelly said, "As long as it's a legitimate crew, the genre doesn't matter. What's important is making money; you need money to move up."

Martin reached out with one hand and took hold of Kelly's, "I've found that we have a lot in common."

"No, the one you have a connection with is Louise," Kelly pulled her hand away, too embarrassed to say it aloud.

Martin persisted, "What?"

"I'm influenced by the environment!" Kelly burst out angrily, "Under the atmosphere you and Louise deliberately created, I acted out of character, which cannot prove anything!"

She raised her voice, "I'm not the person you all think I am!"

Martin turned over, "I believe you."

Kelly sank into the water, and soon enough, she didn't believe in herself anymore.

They stayed in Savannah for three days, waiting until all the procedures at the film festival's organizing committee were taken care of, before going back to Atlanta.