The movie Wrong Turn wasn't a very complicated story. It was a classic, scary slasher movie: a group of teenagers go into the wrong part of the woods and meet a very scary end. But in Hollywood, if an idea works, you use it! And the studio was already planning a sequel.
On the set, all eyes were on Adriana Lima. She was standing by a small, misty river for her big scene. When she took off her jacket and pants, she was wearing a simple bikini. A quiet, amazed hush fell over the whole movie crew.
Zane Blackwood watched from his monitor. He leaned over to his assistant director, Mike.
"Hey, Mike," he whispered, his voice low and firm. "Let's make sure we keep this professional. Remind everyone we're on the clock."
"Got it, Zane," Mike nodded, and right away, he went to talk to the crew.
"And Mike," Zane added, his voice kind but serious, "make sure no one bothers Ms. Lima. I want her to feel safe and respected here."
"Consider it done."
Zane gave a small nod. He was a man who liked to get work done, but he also couldn't help but notice how amazing Adriana looked.
When the cameras stopped rolling for the day, Zane found a moment to go talk to Adriana himself. He was friendly and easy to talk to. They had a nice, light chat, and by the end, they had swapped phone numbers.
In the days that followed, Zane was a perfect gentleman. He wasn't playing any games. He would send her nice, simple messages.
"You were amazing in that scene today, Lima!,
Have you ever thought about acting full-time? I'm serious. You have a special spark."
The crew started to whisper and wonder if they were dating, but Zane never let it change how he acted on set. He was a total professional. He was also very aware that Adriana was only seventeen. He was determined to make sure she always felt comfortable and safe.
Zane was many things—he was ambitious and rich—but he was not a man who played games with people's hearts.
He took her on nice, quiet dates. They went to dinners at private restaurants and saw movies at special screenings. And most of all... he listened to her.
His kindness and his real, honest respect for her slowly won her over. One evening, as they were watching the sunset, she turned to him.
"Okay, Zane. I'm yours," she said. She was half-joking, but also serious. "But... if you ever lie to me..."
He didn't let her finish. He just took her hand, his voice soft and honest. "Adriana, I'm not a guy who plays games. Ask anyone at my studio. They'll all tell you I'm all about my work. I don't do drama." He gave her a small, sincere smile. "To be honest, you're the first person who's ever made me want to be something more than just 'all about the work.'"
A real smile finally broke through. "You better be telling the truth," she whispered. She leaned in and kissed him.
She had already checked up on him. She knew he was a good guy. His name was never in the gossip papers. He was good friends with the actress Charlize Theron, but everyone knew they were just friends. Zane was a good man, and he was very focused.
Zane felt a strong connection to her, but he was a gentleman. He respected her, and he knew he had to be patient and not rush anything.
On June 15th, the final numbers for Static (Zane's other movie) came in. It was a giant, surprise hit! It made $16.82 million in America. After all the costs were paid, Wald Pictures had made a profit of $7.2 million just from the movie theaters.
Because it was their own movie, they got to keep all the rewards. The money from DVD sales and TV rights made the profit go even higher. The final total was amazing! Static had made over $12 million for Zane's company.
He leaned back in his big leather chair, a huge, happy smile on his face as he looked at the report. "Not bad for our first try!"
Just then, his office phone rang.
"Zane Blackwood," he answered.
"Zane! It's Jordan, from Paramount!" The voice on the other end was yelling with excitement. "I have the international numbers for Static! You are not going to believe this!"
"How much?" Zane asked, trying to stay calm.
"Nineteen million! And that's just the start! Zane, this movie is a monster! The whole world loves it!"
Jordan was so happy. But Zane felt a small, sharp pang of regret. He had sold the international rights to Paramount for only $2 million. They had gotten the deal of a lifetime.
He knew it was a "rookie move." He'd had to do it because his company was too small to release movies all over the world by himself. The "Big Six" studios had all the power.
Zane just laughed, a friendly, joking sound in his voice. "Jordan, you guys stole this one from me! You totally owe me one!"
Jordan laughed, too. "Zane, you just bring me another hit like this, and we'll be happy to work with you. You have my word!"
They talked for a few more minutes, becoming better business friends. The Static deal was done. It was a lesson learned. But in this town, making good friends was just as important as making money.
As he hung up, he thought about that word. Sold. He'd had to sell. It was a mistake he'd had to make as a rookie. But he was a fast learner. And he would never make that mistake again.
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