Monday, October 17th, 2022
At 5:40 a.m., Owen's phone alarm went off, and he opened his eyes almost instantly. He was used to waking up early, though maybe not this early, but he had slept enough.
He wasn't in his usual bedroom. He was in a hotel that A24 had booked for the actors and crew during the four weeks of filming The Spectacular Now. Everything would be shot in Georgia, with locations close to each other. There would be no need to travel to other states like when he filmed The Hunger Games.
He got up, brushed his teeth, took a quick shower, and put on comfortable clothes to go downstairs and have breakfast in the hotel dining room. However, there were still about five minutes left before six, which was when breakfast service started.
Using those minutes, he opened his laptop. The first thing he checked was the box office page. The night before, he had gone to bed early so he could wake up at dawn today, so he hadn't seen the preliminary Sunday numbers for Paranormal Activity.
'Two point eight million,' Owen thought, with a small smile.
A drop of less than thirty percent compared to the previous Sunday. On Friday, his last day of rehearsals in Los Angeles before flying to Georgia, the film made 3.2M, and on Saturday 4.1M. The weekend closed with a total of 10.1 million, combining domestic and international markets.
Total to date: 75.8M.
Owen's expectations had been surpassed. He had estimated the film would end its theatrical run at around fifty million.
In his first life, the movie had been a phenomenon, and although in this new version both the script and performances had been improved, it was now 2022, different trends, a more fragmented market, more advanced technology, and cultural shifts that could affect its performance.
He knew it would be profitable, but he wasn't sure if it would reach numbers close to 2007.
It probably wouldn't reach the 197 million the original had achieved. But at the current pace, it was certain to pass the hundred-million mark, there was no doubt anymore.
There were three full weeks left until Sunday, November 6. During the last seven days, it had added 14.9 million.
If he took that number as an average and multiplied it by three, that would be:
44.7M + 75.8M = 120.5M
Although that calculation ignored something important: weekly drops were inevitable. However, in these next three weeks there were two factors that could alter that trend:
-Halloween approaching, which always boosted horror films.
-The rollout to new international markets, especially several Asian countries and additional LATAM territories where it hadn't opened yet.
Therefore, reaching that 120.5 million before leaving theaters was completely feasible. From that amount, roughly 12 million dollars would go to him from his box-office percentage, before taxes.
And if the film crossed the hundred-million mark, the streaming license sale would be far more expensive.
In the end, between box office, streaming, and other related revenue, Owen would probably end up with 13 or 14 million dollars in net worth, already after taxes.
"Phew… what a crazy thing," Owen murmured, staring at the ceiling.
That amount was three times everything he had managed to save in his first life.
And he still wasn't sure what was more absurd: having accumulated so much money in such a short time, or already considering spending 85% of it, or even more, on producing Good Will Hunting, which could cost between 10 and 14 million.
Thinking about numbers, net worth, and future expenses, he opened his banking app.
The balance that appeared on screen was: $228,257.
That was his fully liquid money at the moment. The payment from Paranormal Activity would likely arrive sometime in mid- or late November, with luck.
The payment for The Spectacular Now would come in four parts: $51,750 per week. Once the four weeks of filming were over, Owen would have another $207,000. Adding to the above = $435,000.
On top of that, this month he would practically have no expenses at all: A24 was covering the hotel room, meals, transportation, and basic needs throughout the entire shoot. Unless he wanted to do some sightseeing or go out on weekends in Georgia, he could spend the whole month without using a single dollar. It would be extremely stingy, but he could do it. Why would he even leave the hotel?
But that left one obvious question:
Where had almost $230,000 come from if The Hunger Games had only paid him $130,000, and he had spent $74,000 on a car and new film equipment?
After those purchases, his money had dropped significantly. Even so, without earning a single acting paycheck between that shoot and the current one, he had accumulated a surprising amount.
The explanation was:
-YouTube: In September, thanks to the viral explosion of One Minute Time Machine and Lights Out, he received $115,000. A completely abnormal month.
In August he had earned only $16,000, driven by Paperman, which was nearing five million views, plus the residual traffic from the Paranormal Activity and The Black Hole trailers.
-Sponsorships: One from Sony for $12,000 for featuring one of their cameras on his YouTube channel's social media. And another from Vans, a digital campaign taking advantage of the sudden growth of his personal social media, for which they paid him $15,000.
As for his expenses, they had been: the new car, the mid-to-low-tier film equipment he had bought at the beginning, the short films, and daily life expenses, including rent and personal costs.
For rent and everyday living (food, gym, transportation, going out sometimes), he was spending around $5,500 per month, much more than before.
When he had first arrived in this new body, he lived on $3,000 to $3,500 a month, because he was in extreme saving mode.
Now that his situation was stable, he increased his standard of living, though not nearly as much as he could spend given what he was earning and the money that would soon hit his account.
The previous Owen used to spend $8,000 or even $10,000 a month without thinking much about it, money that came from his parents.
His next major expense was already decided: completing the film equipment he needed for his next movie. It wasn't exactly a small investment.
To film a project in the $10-14 million range, he needed to reach a visual and audio standard closer to mid-high-end professional cinema. That meant expanding his gear in several areas: cameras, lenses, lighting, and more.
He was already preparing a detailed list with estimated prices and, according to his calculations, he would probably need to spend over $200,000. But he would only do that once he finished shooting in Georgia and returned home.
Owen was about to leave his room when his phone began vibrating in his pocket.
He stopped, took it out, and looked at the screen. A small smile formed on his face when he read the contact name:
Annoying Little Sister
He answered immediately and spoke before Sarah had a chance to say anything.
"Whoa, you're up early. Want to wish your amazing brother good luck?" he joked.
[I'd be up early anyway, I have school,] Owen heard, with Sarah's unmistakable and slightly irritated voice.
Unlike him, Sarah was much more temperamental and expressive.
"Mm, I don't know… it's six in the morning. You start at eight. Even for you, that's way too early," Owen said logically.
Sarah let out a very characteristic huff, and Owen smiled. "I'm just kidding. How are you?"
[Fine… Mom is making breakfast. And you? Are you nervous about the first day of shooting?]
"I'm good. Not nervous. But definitely aware that today's going to be a long workday," Owen replied as he picked up his room key card.
[How many hours do you have?] Sarah asked.
"Nine hours, though one of those is the lunch break."
[That's so much…] Sarah murmured. [And for a whole month.]
Owen had expected that reaction.
Sarah had always known that shoots were demanding, but not in detail. She didn't have anyone close in the entertainment industry until now. The celebrities she followed rarely talked about their real work hours or routines.
And during The Hunger Games, Owen had shorter days, and not every day, since he was a supporting character. It wasn't nearly as demanding as being the lead, obviously, that's why you get paid more.
Sarah's only real experience so far was One-Minute Time Machine, where she worked for two days, ten hours total.
A short film that had been fun and intense to shoot, but nothing compared to waking up early every day and filming nine hours for four weeks straight.
"It's normal," Owen said as he opened the door and stepped into the hotel hallway. "In some productions they even do overtime."
If a movie had a tight schedule or a big budget, it was common for the crew to work twelve-hour days with no alternative. They were paid extra, of course, but the exhaustion was much greater.
[Yeah… Mom wants to say hi,] Sarah said. Before Owen could respond, he heard his mother's warm voice.
Elizabeth wished him good luck, told him he would do great, and reminded him several times that he needed to eat a good breakfast because it was important to stay steady through the first half of the day.
"Yes, Mom, I'll have a full breakfast, I promise…" Owen replied with a smile he couldn't suppress. His mother's sincere concern always gave him a warm feeling he didn't find anywhere else. A feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time in his life.
They said goodbye, and Sarah came back on the line.
"You have the meeting with A3 today, right?" Owen asked.
[Yes! A3 themselves want to represent me!] she said, the enthusiasm bursting in her voice.
A3 Artists Agency was one of the most important mid-sized agencies in Los Angeles and New York. Not as gigantic as CAA, WME, or UTA, but extremely respected in independent film, youth television, and emerging actors.
For young talents like Sarah, A3 was a real gateway into Hollywood: many actors started there and, once their careers took off, moved to CAA or WME.
The agency had contacted Elizabeth and Edward after watching the short film Owen uploaded to his channel, which ended up being featured on Short of the Week.
Not even Owen had imagined that an agency of that level would call after a single short film, but apparently, yes.
And thinking about it, it wasn't that strange: Sarah had greatly improved her acting, she had a youthful, appealing look, SOTW had highlighted her, and the short had surpassed ten million views on YouTube.
That afternoon she would have a video call with A3's representatives. Her parents would be present and, if everything went well, she could have a preliminary representation contract before the end of the week.
"Congratulations, your hard work paid off," Owen said, genuinely proud of having been her acting coach.
[Thanks…] Sarah replied after a couple of seconds, with a shyness that was unusual for her. Her brother didn't normally give such direct compliments.
"You're welcome."
[Okay, I won't bother you anymore. Good luck today.]
"Thanks… and thanks for calling," Owen said sincerely.
There were a few seconds of silence before Sarah answered, [It's not a big deal] she muttered, almost embarrassed, and ended the call without adding anything else.
Owen smiled as he slipped his phone back into his pocket, shaking his head.
Sarah was what he and Sophie called the perfect model of a tsundere: sharp, impulsive, a bit prideful, yet suddenly capable of showing intense affection that completely contradicted the façade.
A strange, adorable, and above all, authentic contrast.
Owen couldn't help but walk with a smile on his face, in a good mood. It wasn't common for him that, right before starting a shoot, his family would call to wish him good luck. Even his father and older brother had sent him text messages, short, but sincere, wishing him a good first day.
For Owen, that kind of support carried a special weight. It felt strange to receive it.
In his first life, at eighteen he had been completely alone: no parents since he was very young and later no grandparents, who had raised him.
When he arrived in Los Angeles to seriously start his acting career, he no longer had anyone cheering him on. No messages, no encouragement during shoots, no familiar voice on the other end of the phone.
That's why this warm new family threw him off, but it also moved him deeply.
At first, when he woke up in this life in February, this bond didn't exist. The previous Owen had fought with everyone, and the relationship was fractured. Fixing things with them had been, without a doubt, one of the best decisions of his new life.
Having a family like this was a gift. The ones he felt closest to were his mother and his sister. With Sarah he shared a love for film, he had helped her improve her acting, and they had even worked together on One-Minute Time Machine.
Elizabeth, for her part, was a film enthusiast, loved watching him act, and supported him in every project with a warmth he thought he had lost, the same warmth he used to feel from his grandmother when he performed in school plays back in Nebraska.
His older brother, James, was different: more serious, less interested in cinema, but deeply involved when it came to helping. He was happy to see Owen succeed, Owen could feel it in every gesture.
He was the one who accompanied him in the negotiations with Blumhouse and A24. He represented him as a lawyer without charging him a single dollar, something Owen valued greatly.
With James, Owen now shared something important: discipline. Something the old Owen hadn't possessed.
Even though James and Owen had grown up in the same comfortable family, James had always pushed himself to the limit. Elizabeth often told stories: nights when James slept less than three hours to prepare for an exam, or days when he studied until he broke down emotionally.
All to maintain top grades.
The relationship that was progressing the slowest was with his father, Edward. He was proud of him, that was clear, but he had a more reserved personality, few words.
Owen suspected that part of that distance came from guilt: Edward had been the one who kicked him out of the house and punched him.
Although the relationship was still a work in progress, Edward supported him. He had helped him set up his studio in a fully serious and legal way, gave him key financial advice, and was already preparing everything necessary to organize his taxes properly.
He might not be very expressive, but he was there.
'Toretto is right… family really is the best,' Owen thought with a mix of humor and sincerity.
The hotel dining room was empty when he walked in.
Aside from a couple of breakfast staff members, there was no one else. It was only 6:03 a.m., and the rest of the team would probably come down around 6:30, once they were more awake and ready to think about food.
Owen was, as often happened, the first one up.
The atmosphere was quiet, lit by soft lights that contrasted with the gray dawn outside the large windows. The tables were perfectly arranged.
A hotel staff member recognized him from the crew list and approached with a friendly smile.
"Good morning. Would you like to sit at any table? We're ready to serve."
"Yes, thanks," Owen said politely, choosing a table near a window.
He set down his phone and room key and settled into the chair. A few minutes later, the same employee returned to take his order.
"Would you like anything specific to start your day?"
Owen thought of his mother's words, insisting he eat well to keep his energy up, "Yes, please. Scrambled eggs, some oatmeal, toast, and coffee."
"Fruit as well?"
"Oh, right. Some fruit is fine," Owen said, almost forgetting something essential for a nutritious breakfast.
The employee quickly wrote everything down and stepped away. As soon as he reached the service area, he placed the notepad on the counter, and a coworker looked at him with gossip mode activated.
"Isn't that the guy from Paranormal Activity?" he whispered, leaning slightly.
"Yeah, that's him," replied the one who had taken the order, lowering his voice. "Owen Ashford. The twenty-year-old millionaire."
It was already a confirmed fact that Owen had received a percentage of the box office. He himself had confirmed it in his Variety interview, though without giving an exact figure.
One of the waitresses, preparing trays of fruit, whistled softly in surprise, "He's really that young? And the movie… it already passed seventy million, right?"
Another worker, more curious than the rest, stepped closer, "What's he like in person? Arrogant? Distant? One of those who won't look at anyone?"
The employee who served him shrugged neutrally, "I talked to him for less than five minutes, but he seems pretty nice. He thanked me and everything. Not all the celebrities I've met do that."
The hotel was a four-star place in Georgia, running into famous people wasn't unusual.
The waitress laughed softly. "That already puts him in a better category."
"Well, today's just the first day of his shoot. Who knows if we'll still see him this friendly," another commented.
Unaware of the conversation happening just a few meters away, Owen waited for his breakfast while unlocking his phone and reopening the file to review the first scene they would shoot, mentally going over Sutter's details and how he wanted to shape his initial energy.
As he reviewed, two minutes later he heard a voice near his table.
"Mind if I sit here?"
He lifted his head, and standing in front of him, hair down, a light hoodie, and that same blend of calmness and focus she always carried during rehearsals, was Jenna Ortega.
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