As the host of the celebration party, Dunn arrived at the venue half an hour earlier than the guests.
When he reached the third floor, West Cotton approached with a middle-aged woman in tow. She looked to be in her forties or fifties, sharp and polished. "Dunn, this is Rebecca Maine, the head of the planning department at the Hilton Hotel. She's the one fully in charge of this party's arrangements."
Dunn's hands slid off the waists of the two beauties beside him as he grinned and extended a hand. "Hi, Ms. Maine. The red carpet outside? It's fantastic."
Rebecca Maine was used to dealing with big shots from all sorts of industries and wasn't fazed by the playboy surrounded by women. She smiled modestly. "Mr. Walker, your approval is the highest compliment to my work."
Dunn nodded, glancing toward the entrance of the third-floor auditorium. He pointed casually. "The reception… seems a bit understaffed, doesn't it?"
Rebecca Maine chuckled. "Mr. Walker, no need to worry about that. The party doesn't start for a while, so our staff are still getting ready in the lounge over there."
"Oh? Can you tell me more?"
"We've got eight greeters who'll check every guest's identity… though, of course, if they're famous enough, we'll let them in by face alone—no awkward holdups. Plus, we'll have guides, introductions, referrals, and food and drink services to make every guest feel right at home."
Dunn paused for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Do you have a gate singer?"
"Huh?" Rebecca Maine blinked, caught off guard. "What's that?"
"You know…" Dunn searched for the right words, "someone who stands at the door and loudly announces the guests' names and gifts."
Not just Rebecca Maine—even West Cotton and Reese Witherspoon, standing nearby, were stunned.
What kind of job was that?
They'd never heard of it!
And honestly, wouldn't that be kind of rude?
When guests arrive, the host is supposed to show respect with proper etiquette, treating them with the utmost courtesy.
Shouting their names at the door? That sounded… a bit too flashy, didn't it?
"Mr. Walker, uh… we've never done anything like that before," Rebecca Maine explained. She'd been in this business for over twenty years, and this was the wildest request she'd ever heard. "Plus, the gifts guests bring are usually personal and nicely wrapped. It wouldn't really work to read them out loud."
Dunn nodded. "Fair enough, skip the gift list then. Just announce their main title and name. Like with West—when you see him, you'd shout, 'Vice President of Dunn Films, Mr. West Cotton, has arrived!' It's got a grand vibe without getting too personal. Perfect, right?"
Rebecca Maine frowned slightly. "But… there's no precedent for this."
"Then let's start one with me!" Dunn said calmly, his tone leaving no room for debate. "Think about it—Dunn Films will be throwing more victory parties in the future, and the Hilton Hotel could be our go-to partner. I'd love to see you guys step up for this."
Rebecca Maine's eyes widened. "You mean… you want this at all Dunn Films parties going forward?"
"Exactly!" Dunn said firmly.
West Cotton, Dunn's assistant, knew his boss's ambition and could follow his train of thought. Suddenly, it clicked.
Dunn Films was still a small, new player in Hollywood!
But this Saw celebration party? If all went well, it'd be a star-studded affair, packed with big names—not just because of Dunn, but because of Legendary Pictures' clout too.
No doubt about it, this was Dunn Films' big chance to flex its muscles in front of all of Hollywood!
If a B-movie released by a Dunn Films subsidiary could catch the eye of Hollywood's heavyweights—with top dogs even showing up to support it—wouldn't that quietly prove their strength?
Dunn Films wasn't big enough yet to act like fame and fortune didn't matter. Earning recognition and praise from peers was a crucial step toward glory and dominance.
This "gate singer" idea? It was like a megaphone, making sure everyone in Hollywood could see the situation loud and clear.
Dunn Films had earned the respect of the industry's big players!
Dunn Films could hold its own against the six major studios!
"Rebecca, we'll let you know ahead of time if we need this role in the future. But for today, you'd better get it set up quick," West Cotton said, jumping in to smooth things over after catching Dunn's drift.
Rebecca Maine shot him a puzzled look. "Seriously? This…?"
"Come on, Rebecca, let's not waste time!" West Cotton added. "Find a couple of sharp, good-looking guys with great voices to handle it. Oh, and if the guest isn't a big name, skip the announcement—just let them in quietly."
…
Zack Snyder showed up looking extra sharp today, rocking a red tie. He'd even brought his fiancée along to share his big moment, beaming like a groom on his wedding day.
The party hadn't even started, and he was already mingling with the crew, a glass of white wine in hand, clinking glasses left and right.
When he spotted Dunn approaching—arm-in-arm with two stunning women—Zack hurried over, pulling his fiancée along, his face flushed with excitement. "Mr. Walker, you're here!"
Dunn clapped him on the shoulder with a grin. "Zack, I told you ages ago—you've got talent. You were bound to make it big!"
"Thanks, Mr. Walker. Without you spotting me, I'd probably still be stuck directing little ads," Zack said, his voice thick with gratitude. It was a mark on his life he'd never forget.
His old buddy Michael Bay had brushed him off, but this random young guy had given him a shot at directing a movie—a golden opportunity.
"Zack, no need for that. We're friends," Dunn said with a warm smile, his eyes drifting to the blonde woman beside Zack. She looked to be in her thirties. "And this is…?"
Zack jumped in. "Oh, right, forgot to introduce her! Haha, this is Deborah—Deborah Johnson. She used to be my work partner, and now… well, she's my life partner."
"Your fiancée?" Dunn raised an eyebrow.
He knew Zack Snyder had been through a divorce. In his past life, Zack's career never really took off early on—he was stuck shooting commercial shorts, unable to show off his real talent.
It wasn't until 2004, after years of grinding, that he got a small film company to back him. He remade the classic horror flick Dawn of the Dead and knocked it out of the park.
His standout use of color and that oil-painting vibe set him apart from Hollywood's usual blockbuster directors, catching the eye of the big studios and landing him in Warner's orbit.
That career boost also sparked new life in his love story, leading to a wedding with his longtime collaborator, Deborah Johnson.
In this life, thanks to Dunn's intervention, Zack's career took off sooner—and his romance sped up too. He was already engaged to Deborah.
Deborah Johnson smiled happily. "Zack and I met four years ago. I hired him to shoot an ad for Reebok back then."
"So Zack got divorced pretty quick after that?" Dunn teased.
Deborah laughed, throwing a playful glance at Zack. "Oh, we didn't see this coming back then. He was working on his marriage, and I was dating another director."
Dunn chuckled. "Guess that's fate for you. So… when do I get to call you Mrs. Snyder?"
Deborah grinned. "Next September, after Resident Evil wraps up. That's when we're tying the knot."
"Congrats!"
"Thanks!"
"Oh, by the way—are you a producer?" Dunn asked.
Zack's heart skipped a beat. That tone—it felt so familiar!
It was the same way Dunn had recruited him back then!
Now…
Could it be…?
Zack sucked in a breath, hardly daring to hope.
This happiness was hitting way too fast!
Deborah, meeting Dunn for the first time and unsure of his angle, answered honestly. "Yeah, I've been in the game since 1990, working in the ad department at BB New York. I've produced over thirty commercials."
"That's a ton of work!" Dunn said, impressed. He glanced at Zack with a grin. "So, Deborah… ever thought about switching lanes?"
"Switching lanes?" She blinked.
Dunn smiled. "Like Zack did!"
Zack felt like he'd just been baptized—every pore in his body buzzing with excitement. He grabbed his fiancée's hand. "Debbie, Mr. Walker's asking you to join Dunn Films!"
"What?!"
Deborah's face went pale for a second before flushing with excitement. She was speechless.
Dunn made a calming gesture. "Easy, Deborah. Zack's right. With your ten years as a producer, I'm sure you could handle a gig in Dunn Films' production department. What do you say?"
"Yes! Yes, I'd love to!" Deborah blurted out, practically tripping over her words. A shred of reason held her back. "But I've never worked on a movie—or even a TV show. Can I really do it?"
Dunn laughed, pointing to his eyes. "I trust my gut! Zack was just an ad director too, right? And look at him now—Saw is the hottest topic in America. Deborah, I believe in you!"
"I… I…" She was too choked up to speak.
Jumping from the ad world to Hollywood? That was a massive leap—bigger than Zack's, even, since his skills at least lined up with directing.
A producer, though? That took not just talent but connections and people skills.
To Hollywood, Deborah Johnson was a total newbie.
In her eyes, this favor from Dunn was even bigger than the one he'd done for Zack!
(Note: Deborah Johnson is her maiden name.fact-checkers can try Wikipedia or search for Deborah Snyder instead.)
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