Superstar From Age 0

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: AgRoseCrystal

Chapter 589

Cocoa Entertainment conference room.

Ahn Da Ho, who was looking at articles that were attracting attention with titles like [Actor Lee Seo-jun, almost swept up in a nine-car collision!], got up from his seat when he heard the door open.

Two people entered the conference room with the guidance of an employee. They were the staff from Whale Studio that he had arranged to meet today.

One of them, who looked like the boss, reached out his hand to Ahn Da Ho. Ahn Da Ho smiled and shook his hand.

“Ha ha. Nice to meet you. Ahn.”

“Long time no see. Nelson.”

One of the two people who came from Whale Studio was Nelson, the person in charge who had worked with him on [Over the Rainbow]. He was now working as a planning team leader.

Nelson and his employee sat down.

“It’s been a year since you contacted us saying that you wanted to use the name of Gray Vainy. I heard the explanation, but I didn’t expect it to be such a hot topic.”

Ahn Da Ho also laughed and said.

“I didn’t expect it to be such a hot topic either.”

“Ha ha. Jun still plays well.”

They exchanged light conversation.

A Cocoa Entertainment employee brought them something to drink and closed the door. Nelson smiled and said.

“Since last summer’s incident, the movie side also became a hot topic again, and we had an idea. Well, it had been coming up a little bit before, but last summer, Jun’s participation in the orchestra made it official and we even made a proposal.”

Ahn Da Ho looked at Nelson and opened his mouth.

Whale Studio’s contact made Ahn Da Ho and the entire team 1 guess the same thing.

“A sequel to Over the Rainbow.”

Nelson nodded his head seriously.

“Yes. That’s right. We at Whale Studio want to produce the next story of Gray Vainy.”

There was nothing wrong with that.

Seo-jun also loved [Over the Rainbow] and ‘Gray Vainy’, and he had experience with series through [Shadowman Series].

‘…As long as the scenario is good.’

Ahn Da Ho was lost in thought for a moment and then spoke.

“Of course, the writers must have a good idea… but we are worried that a proper scenario will come out.”

Didn’t Gray Vainy appear in the last scene of [Over the Rainbow] as a successful world tour?

It was a sequel that followed that scene, but it seemed a bit difficult to put in the story, the climax and resolution of the movie, that is, the crisis and hardship.

“And it would be hard to make a scenario that would surpass… or at least be similar to the emotion of the commemorative ticket.”

Nelson nodded his head coolly at Ahn Da Ho’s words.

“You’re talking about the sequel jinx.”

Sequel jinx.

The phenomenon that the sequels of successful movies are worse than the first ones.

“There are some movies that are not like that, but it’s true that most of them are worse than the first ones. We are also worried about that.”

Nelson received a document from his subordinate and handed it to Ahn Da Ho. Ahn Da Ho looked at the paper.

“First, let me explain about the sequel. The director of the sequel will be the same as the first one, Sarah Roth. The actors who played Rebecca, Catherine Miller, and George, Paul Oden, are also the same.”

Hmm.

Ahn Da Ho, who was reading the document while listening to Nelson’s explanation, brightened his eyes.

“This is… interesting.”

“Yes. That’s why we think it will be better.”

Nelson said with a smile.

“The sequel to Over the Rainbow will be made as a fake documentary.”

Fake documentary.

A genre that expresses a story made by a writer as if it were a real reality.

To create a sense of realism, they exclude lighting and use only natural light, so some scenes are dark, and the handheld technique, where the characters hold the camera and shoot themselves (so the screen shakes sometimes), is also used.

“Isn’t that a genre usually used in horror movies?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

There was even a name called ‘found footage’ for how effective the fake documentary was in the horror genre.

People who disappear one by one and film strange phenomena, without using lighting, the background is dark, and holding the camera directly in their hands, the screen shakes.

What would normally be a disadvantage in such scenes, in horror movies, becomes a way of expressing the emotions (especially fear, dread) of the characters.

That way, the fear that the characters feel is maximized and conveyed to the audience.

“The advantage of a fake documentary is that it can give the most realistic feeling of ‘a story that exists somewhere’ even if you know it’s a made-up story.”

Nelson continued with a smile.

“Just like the last scene of Over the Rainbow, where you pulled the audience into the concert. And the busking videos that you uploaded for promotion.”

Ahn Da Ho, who had been thinking for a moment, smiled and said.

“Jun using the name of Gray Vainy last summer was the catalyst.”

After Jason Moore’s concert, the name of ‘Gray Vainy’ was mentioned along with Seo-jun Lee.

People who didn’t know [Over the Rainbow] thought there was a violinist named ‘G.V.’.

“Yes. We got the idea from there. It was no different from Gray Vainy appearing in reality. And the people’s reaction was good too.”

Nelson told him to look at the back page. Ahn Da Ho turned the paper.

“Of course, it’s not a horror movie, so the actors won’t hold the camera themselves. It’s like a documentary of the violinist Gray Vainy. Like a normal documentary of celebrities on TV, we’ll put scenes of preparing for the performance and the performance itself. We also plan to do some interviews from time to time.”

He seemed to understand what kind of method it was.

‘But…’

Ahn Da Ho tilted his head.

“Isn’t it too small to put in a movie theater?”

It would be nice to have some dramatic scenes, but it seemed too monotonous.

It’s not like a rock band or an idol group with many members, but just one violinist. And he didn’t seem like the type to get into accidents while wandering around.

It seemed too small in both volume and scale to make a movie.

‘Of course, there are people who like quiet movies, but…’

Well.

It seemed a bit lacking for a sequel to [Over the Rainbow].

Ahn Da Ho’s question was answered by Nelson.

“We’re not planning to put the sequel in theaters.”

For a very short moment.

Ahn Da Ho frowned and then nodded. And then he said.

“Marina Studio is planning to launch an OTT platform.”

At Ahn Da Ho’s words, the employee sitting next to Nelson opened his eyes wide and opened his mouth in surprise. Nelson was also surprised, but not as much.

“…Yes. That’s right. The launch date hasn’t been decided yet… but we’re preparing for it.”

OTT platform.

A platform that provides media content such as entertainment, drama, movies, etc. through the internet, like Plus+.

The most important thing in the service was the media content they owned, and Whale Studio’s capabilities were not enough. It was natural that Ahn Da Ho thought of ‘Marina Studio’, the parent company of Whale Studio.

Marina Studio

A giant American media and comprehensive entertainment company that produces superhero movies such as [Redbone], [Assemble], [Shadowman], and owns subsidiaries such as ‘Season Studio’ and ‘Whale Studio’, the prestigious animation studios that everyone, adults and children alike, love.

Ahn Da Ho, who briefly recalled the movies produced by Marina Studio and its subsidiaries, opened his mouth.

“Marina Studio wouldn’t have a shortage of content… but they need new content to attract people. And rather than making new content that they don’t know if it will succeed or not, they would think of gathering the fans of the existing hits first.”

“Exactly.”

Nelson nodded his head. He felt a bit sweaty.

“We are also preparing other original works, but we think that the sequel to Over the Rainbow would be more effective than any other work.”

“It certainly fits well with OTT. Jun would also like to try a fake documentary, which he hasn’t done before.”

At Ahn Da Ho’s words, Nelson and his subordinate’s faces brightened.

“Yes. And next year happens to be the 10th anniversary of Over the Rainbow, and the contract with Plus+ also ends around that time, so we want to proceed with the shooting according to the launch date of our platform.”

Plus+ would be in trouble with the appearance of a huge competitor.

‘Seo-jun will move all his American works except for the Survivors as soon as the contracts end…’

For now, it seemed better to think about the OTT contract of [Fire] later.

Ahn Da Ho, who had been lost in thought for a moment, opened his mouth.

“When are you planning to shoot?”

“We want to start as soon as possible.”

That was why Nelson came to Korea in a hurry.

“I heard that two Korean actors who are close to Jun are shooting in America right now.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Ahn Da Ho nodded his head.

“There is a busking scene in the sequel. We thought it would be nice to have the two Korean actors appear briefly there.”

With three Korean actors appearing, the promotion would take care of itself, and the Korean fans who liked the three actors would also sign up, that was Marina Studio's idea.

“Since the shooting of their work ends in August, we want to shoot the busking scene at least within that time. It would be more interesting to say that they were shooting nearby, rather than just hiring actors.”

At Ahn Da Ho’s bitter smile, Nelson asked in a trembling voice.

“…When, when will he have time?”

“From next August.”

…!

At the longer time than expected, Nelson and his subordinate just opened their mouths.

***

“Why are my ears so itchy?”

Lee Ji-seok, who was scratching his ears and talking, made Kim Jong-ho, who was reading the script, chuckle.

“Is it because you didn’t wash them?”

“Do you think I’m your brother?”

“…What?”

The two actors who were bickering, their managers, Lee Sang-woo and Yoon Seong-oh, exchanged stories with a smile.

“They’re in good condition. Both of them.”

“That’s right. I thought they would be nervous, but I’m glad they’re not.”

Although there was a Korean-American actor as the main character, Kim Jong-ho and Lee Ji-seok, who appeared as supporting actors, also had a lot of parts.

“Kim Jong-ho also has more than ONE, right?”

“Well, ONE had a lot of people and action scenes, so.”

Compared to that, this movie [Dandelion] was a movie that depicted the daily lives of Korean immigrants, so it focused more on the characters, with more dialogue and scenes.

“Then I’ll leave our hyung-nim to you.”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

Kim Sang-woo, who had moved his seat, was there to take care of the agency’s actor who had bravely applied for the audition of [Dandelion] and passed.

That’s why Lee Ji-seok’s manager, Yoon Seong-oh, had to take care of Kim Jong-ho as well.

‘Well, there’s nothing to take care of.’

It was only for a moment.

They were holding the script and approaching the director to talk about the scenes they would shoot soon. Yoon Seong-oh smiled brightly at the sight of Lee Ji-seok and Kim Jong-ho, who had stopped bickering.