Owen was on the flight to North Carolina. He had said goodbye to his parents and Sophie about half an hour ago.
He sat in a business-class seat, one Larry had negotiated, knowing that Owen was being paid less than Josh Rivera. So, he made sure to squeeze as many perks like this as possible.
A one-way business-class ticket to North Carolina costs over a thousand dollars, and Owen had a round trip. So, besides his $130,000 payment, another $2,000 went toward airfare, plus a twenty-day stay in a four-star hotel, and an additional $70 per day for food.
Larry was seated in front of Owen.
Although Owen had told him it wasn't necessary to come, Larry insisted, saying he wanted to make sure Owen's first big role went smoothly, no toxic environment, no one taking advantage of him for being new.
So Owen eventually agreed, even though he didn't really need the help, but he appreciated the gesture. It felt like he was the client Larry had the most faith in.
Right now, Owen was reading an article on his recently purchased iPad. It was from Variety, a weekly entertainment magazine founded in 1905 in New York. Originally focused on vaudeville and theater, it later expanded to cover film, television, music, and technology. It's considered an influential publication in the entertainment industry.
The article read:
📰 VARIETY
📍 [www.variety.com]
🗓️ July 18, 2022
✍️ By Rebecca Klein
🎬 Lionsgate Begins Filming "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" in the Coming Days
ATLANTA, GA — The highly anticipated prequel to The Hunger Games is officially in production. Lionsgate has confirmed that The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, based on Suzanne Collins' novel of the same name, began filming this week in locations across North Carolina and Georgia.
The film will be directed by veteran filmmaker Francis Lawrence, returning once again to explore the world of Panem, decades before the events that made Katniss Everdeen an icon. The cast is led by Tom Blyth as young Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, the District 12 tribute who captivates the nation.
"Tom Blyth is a dynamic rising talent whose magnetic and charismatic presence makes him an exciting and perfect choice for this leading role," said Erin Westerman, President of Production at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.
Joining them are heavyweight names such as Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Hunter Schafer (Euphoria), and Jason Schwartzman (The Grand Budapest Hotel). Among the new faces, one to watch is Owen Ashford, who will portray Sejanus Plinth, a pivotal character in the story's moral arc.
The screenplay, written by Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt, adapts the 2020 novel. The plot follows a young Snow during the Tenth Hunger Games and his relationship with Lucy Gray, exploring the origins of the man who would later become the President of Panem.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is slated for release on November 17, 2023, with an estimated budget of $100 million.
Will it find success without Jennifer Lawrence's iconic portrayal of Katniss Everdeen?
...
They didn't go into much detail about him, but just being mentioned was already a good start. Other articles focused on Tom as the lead or on Peter Dinklage, who was undoubtedly the most recognizable, and highest-paid, face in the cast.
'November 2023… that's a long way off,' Owen thought. More than a year until the movie hit theaters.
His portion of filming would wrap around August 9, while the rest of production would continue without him.
He knew the full shoot was scheduled for 91 days, so his 20 days represented roughly 22% of the total schedule.
If everything went smoothly and no reshoots came up, filming would wrap by mid or late October. After that would come a long post-production phase, essential for a movie of this scale.
And then, the marketing machine, a beast that, in cases like this, could easily consume an amount close to the film's own production budget. That's why releases like this always took so long, logistics and marketing couldn't be improvised.
After thinking about that, Owen's mind drifted to Paranormal Activity.
Today, July 20, it had been about two weeks since Owen closed the distribution deal with A24.
Of course, he'd stayed in close contact with A24's marketing team.
By now, the official poster and the final visual identity had been decided. A new 90-second trailer, optimized for both theaters and social media, was also ready.
Initial agreements had already been secured with independent theater chains and select circuits in key cities.
A24 had also outlined a release strategy that included features in film magazines, social-media campaigns, and advance screenings for critics and horror influencers.
The best news came less than 48 hours ago: A24 had given him the tentative release date.
If everything stayed on track, Paranormal Activity would hit theaters on Friday, September 2, perfectly timed for the pre-Halloween season, maximizing word of mouth and keeping audience interest high throughout September and October.
The new trailer, posted on A24's official account, was already making waves: thousands of interactions and overwhelmingly positive reactions. In just three days since its release, it had surpassed 500,000 views on YouTube.
When Owen and Sophie returned from their respective shoots, an intense promo tour would begin: interviews with film and horror outlets, guest spots on podcasts, YouTube and TikTok coverage, all part of a carefully planned word-of-mouth strategy.
A24 was also organizing the official premiere for August 30 in Los Angeles, at a historic theater, with a red carpet, industry guests, and press presence.
It wouldn't be a blockbuster-style event, but rather a curated one, designed to reinforce the movie's image as a fresh, unsettling entry in the genre.
Although the $500,000 marketing budget wasn't astronomical, it was far from negligible, especially for a film that had cost only $20,000 to make.
The strong festival reception and online buzz justified A24's investment. In fact, the studio often held premieres for small productions not so much to sell tickets that night, but to generate media content.
Thanks to A24's marketing campaign and the success of the new trailer, Variety and other outlets had already published articles about the film's upcoming theatrical release.
Owen had read the following article when it came out just a day earlier:
📰 VARIETY
📍 [www.variety.com]
🗓️ July 19, 2022
✍️ By Josh Collins
Found-footage horror returns to the big screen. A24 yesterday released the first official trailer for Paranormal Activity, a film that promises to bring freshness and tension back to a genre that had seemed dormant for years.
What's interesting is that although the campaign is being led by A24, the film itself isn't an in-house production, the studio acts solely as distributor.
The project's true origin lies with Owen Ashford, its creator, writer, and lead actor. At just 20 years old, and with only $20,000 of his own money, Ashford crafted a feature that has already earned praise across the festival circuit.
A24 hasn't wasted that narrative.
"It's a story we want audiences to know, a sharp, intense horror feature made with creativity and minimal resources. Owen conceived it, wrote it, and starred in it; we just saw the potential to amplify it," said a studio spokesperson.
The plot follows a young couple documenting strange occurrences in their new home. What starts as a playful experiment to test a new camera soon spirals into terror and paranoia. Alongside Ashford, the female lead is played by Sophie Thatcher, who has already built a career mixing drama and horror across film and television.
Thatcher and Ashford as the lead couple bring a fresh chemistry to the project, two young actors building tension without falling into unnecessary clichés.
The 90-second trailer has already surpassed 500,000 views in under 72 hours, with comments praising its raw, realistic atmosphere, and unsettling pacing without cheap jumpscares. The theatrical release is set for September 2.
Unlike his co-star, Owen Ashford has no prior experience in feature films or television. He cast himself, not out of ego, but because it's his own script, project, and production.
Although he didn't direct the film, he took on the triple role of producer, writer, and lead actor, an unusual combination for a debut. What's surprising is that his performance in the trailer feels solid and believable, far beyond what one would expect from a first-timer.
Those who want to see more of his work can find two short films written and starred in by Owen on the Second Take Films YouTube channel: The Black Hole and Paperman.
Together, they barely add up to ten minutes of footage, but in them Ashford shows a convincing acting range, as well as a clear knack for storytelling. Both shorts were well received by audiences and selected by Short of the Week, a reference platform in the short-film circuit.
The leap to Paranormal Activity came after a warm reception at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, where the film earned praise for its atmosphere and suspense. A24, known for backing bold and unsettling genre films, seems fully confident that this one could become a breakout success.
…
Articles like this, and others that followed, gave Owen a strong publicity boost on both his youtube channel and personal social media accounts.
Before all this, his channel had already reached 120,000 subscribers, impressive considering it only had four videos uploaded.
That's understandable, since those consisted of two short films and two trailers, releasing that kind of cinematic content in such a short span is rare in the entertainment world, where production takes time.
After A24's trailer launch and the Variety coverage, Owen's channel climbed to 150,000 subscribers. Views, comments, and likes on all his videos increased significantly.
The channel's Instagram page had 55,000 followers, and its Twitter account around 21,000.
On his personal social media, Owen's Instagram had just hit 96,000 followers, only a few thousand shy of 100k, while his Twitter had passed 30,000 just a few hours earlier.
Owen isn't addicted to social media, but he knows how powerful it is today. That's why he stays active, posting behind-the-scenes clips from Paperman and The Black Hole, photos, and updates both on the Second Take Films and personal accounts.
His fame had grown dramatically compared to the old Owen, who barely had 1,500 followers combined between Twitter and Instagram.
With a few hours left before landing, Owen began organizing his schedule for the coming days. At any moment, he'd receive his first paycheck: $58,500, corresponding to the start of filming.
That money already had a clear purpose, investing in essential gear for his future production company. He didn't want to keep relying on Matt's cameras or renting equipment.
Still, he'd need to buy things gradually, since he aimed for high-end professional gear. A standard cinema camera with wide dynamic range and accurate color science alone can cost around $60,000.
There are cheaper options, between $5,000 and $25,000, but those are lower-quality models like Matt's, which he bought second-hand.
Then there's the cost of cinema lenses, camera rigs, sound recording, lighting, and more.
Owen had already drafted a rough budget: going fully high-end would total around $300,000, with over 70% of that spent on the camera and lenses.
He didn't have that much money yet, so he'd start small, tripods, lighting, and audio equipment first.
Still, it wasn't an urgent priority. To finance his next feature film, he'd first need the box-office revenue from Paranormal Activity, assuming it turned out to be a hit.
Finally, the plane landed in North Carolina at 3:02 p.m. After collecting his luggage, Owen joined the rest of the cast on a bus rented by the production company that would take them straight to the hotel.
During the ride, he had a relaxed chat with Tom, and a shorter one with Hunter, who seemed in good spirits despite the fatigue from traveling.
As he walked down the hallway with his suitcase, he noticed Hunter stopping right in front of the door next to his. She smiled and said in a friendly tone, "Looks like we're neighbors."
"Yeah, at least I won't run out of someone to borrow sugar from," Owen replied with a half-smile, earning a small laugh from her.
Inside his room, he found a bright, spacious area typical of a four-star hotel: a perfectly made king-size bed, a light-wood desk, a large TV, and a bathroom with pale marble and a wide shower.
On the nightstand sat a complimentary bottle of water and a small welcome pack with fruit and chocolate.
He had a couple of hours to rest, unpack, and review some notes from the script. Later in the afternoon, he attended a short meeting with director Francis and the wardrobe team, where they made final adjustments to his outfit and checked the accessories for his scenes.
The actual shoot, with cameras rolling, would begin the next day. The production schedule was planned with near-military precision: call time at 6:30 a.m., makeup and wardrobe at 7:00, and first take at 8:00 sharp.
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