Acceptance Speech

Founded over a decade ago, Excelsior Studios has spent more than ten years building its business and has produced many popular late-night movies.

At our peak, we were shooting day-in, day-out. Every midnight screening at every theater was one of ours.

However, ticket sales have been dropping these past two years. We've had more than a few box-office busts.

Even soap opera directors are refusing to work with us now. They say we're an 'unserious studio' that 'only produces boring gore.'

And it's hard to deny that our management is as lacking as our funds. Truth is, there's no way we'll ever be making another movie.

Even I'm forced to admit that no one wants gory, violent films these days. We've lost our audience.

I've put my heart and soul into our work, and I know you all have too. However, today I regret to inform you that...

Excelsior Studios will be shutting down next week.

Ugh—all that melodrama, and in the end they aren't giving us a penny in severance! If they don't wanna pay us, then just say so!

How are they supposed to pay us if they're bankrupt?

You bought that nonsense? He's shuffling money from one hand to the other as we speak, getting ready to set up another production company.

If you don't believe me, just read last week's newspapers. This is all common knowledge!

If he's going to set up a new studio, why wouldn't he just rehire us to work for that one?

He's betting on mainstream blockbusters. We make our money from slasher films. There's no room for us in his plans.

*sigh* Then where will we be able to find any work?

...

What are you hanging your head for, Tippi?

Haven't you worked for several major studio films over the past two years? You've made a name for yourself, so you at least shouldn't have any trouble finding work.

...Tippi?

No, I have to go talk to the boss.

Boss, I want to talk to you about something—

Tippi, I already explained this very clearly in our last meeting. I don't have a dime to my name.

Obviously, I'd love to pay you if I could, but... the studio's broke. There's no money to give you.

That's not what I'm here about.

...Oh? Then, what, did you just want to say goodbye?

I appreciate it, but you might want to hold off on that.

I'm just shutting this studio down, not leaving the film business for good. I'm sure we'll meet again on another set soon enough.

No, it's not that either.

Then why do you want to speak to me?

I just wanted to know what plans you have for the backgrounds in storage.

...The backgrounds?

The ones we made for the films. They should be stored in the prop room behind the office.

Oh, right, those. Finance just came to me two days ago and told me that it had cost us 1,530,000 bucks to store all that wood during the past two years.

1,530,000 gold certificates. I don't even think it's worth the 30,000 certs it would cost to ship them to the lumber yard.

So I called somebody to come take care of them. No idea if they'll take them to the lumber yard or chop them up for firewood. Doesn't matter to me.

But we all invested so much time creating these together... And they hold so many memories for our audience, too.

Who cares about backgrounds made by a feckless film studio?

...!

Tippi, you're a skilled background painter. Your work in Bloodthirsty Midnight was nothing short of astounding.

To be honest, when we looked at those, they looked so real we couldn't believe they were actually just some painted wood.

That's what makes you stand out from the rest. You're the best artist in the crew. People actually like the stuff you make.

But Bloodthirsty Midnight lost me 30 million bucks. It's the biggest flop I've ever had.

The screenwriter, the director, the cinematographer, the actors—not one of them was up to the task. What use were your beautifully painted backgrounds then?

If the public doesn't like what they see, then we won't make any money, and no more movies will get made. That's just how it works.

Tastes can evolve. After more than ten years making horror films, it's time for me to broaden my audience.

Don't you want more people to recognize your work? If so, then you need to keep aiming higher.

Other people may not know your background, Tippi, but I do. Go ask your grandfather about all this. He'd agree with me.

If folks had just looked out for the studio and kept up with the times, we wouldn't end up like this.

Well... can I at least keep one of the backgrounds?

No.

The studio paid you to paint those, filmed them, and distributed tens of thousands of copies of them into the market.

Everything involved in the production is the property of Excelsior Studios, including, of course, the backgrounds.

You can look through the Columbian IP laws yourself. It's written in black and white.

...

Everyone, a final toast before we go our separate ways. Tippi, you can have grape juice instead.

Here here.

C'mon Tippi, don't be so down in the dumps.

You may not have realized, but plenty of people knew that the boss was actually planning on investing in those 'box office blockbusters'. It was just a matter of when.

As for that background you wanted... trust me, the ones you're going to paint in the future will all be so much better.

The heads of the big studios know you're skilled. And they've got plenty of resources, so you'll have plenty of chances to fulfill your dream.

Well, what studios are you guys going to go work for after this?

I know a few good producers, maybe they could—

Me? I'll pass. Guess I'll just find some ad agency to work for. Some of them love hiring ex-cinematographers.

Haha. That is, of course, assuming they haven't seen any of my previous works.

And what about you, Eileen? You've been looking at job ads for six months now. Have you found a new gig yet?

Ugh. Was I that obvious?!

I've used the same job website before, so the second I accidently glanced at your screen, I knew.

I-I see.

To be honest, I don't know what I'm going to do next...

These past four years, all I've done was operate the clapperboard and log shot numbers.

Now, if you tell me I have to go do some other kind of work, I can't even really picture that. Maybe I'll go back home and study a new trade. Maybe a quiet, stable life would better suit me.

...So you're both leaving Wrankwood?

Tippi, I just happened to get into this dirty business a bit sooner than you, but I'm nowhere near as talented or lucky as you.

Being able to make a living as a professional cameraman is more than enough for me. It doesn't much matter if that happens in Wrankwood or not.

To most of us, working at Excelsior Studios was just a job.

Sometimes you put your all into a job, telling yourself not to quit, only to realize it just wasn't the right fit. And that's perfectly normal.

So many people come to Wrankwood to 'make it big', but few ever do.

But I really treasured my time working with all of you!

I don't think you're any less talented than the folks who do big mainstream flicks—if anything, you've got more heart than those studio types.

Which is why I wanted to stay here and work with you. I really wanted us to shoot a few more films together...

I don't see why the boss has to get rid of you like this!

It's so sweet of you to say so, Tippi, and that's exactly what I'll be missing in the future, not anything else.

At first, I only came to Wrankwood because people loved my acting on the school play. But once I got here, I discovered I was average at best.

But you, Tippi, with your talent, you'll definitely write... err... paint your name in Wrankwood history.

You were born for this job. You need to stay here.

And if you ever end up on that podium to accept an award, I can already see myself bragging to the folks back home that I once worked with you!

But... but...

Hey, does anyone remember we were here to have fun and cuss out the boss together?

The bar is empty right now. Why don't we put on a movie, have a few drinks, and chat for a bit, like old times.

Maybe we could let Tippi pick the movie this time?

Let me think... How about we go with the first film we worked on together? Bad Boy?

No. I like to think I have some taste. Why would I want to watch my own terrible film?

This is our last time together, Matthew. Let her watch what she wants.

....Fine. Bad Boy it is then.

...Pfft.

Haha... hahahahaha!

That was so Friedkin cringe! That guy kept on slashing people until he stood at the awards podium!

Why didn't anyone say anything to the screenwriter during filming?! What were they thinking?

I... I don't know. Maybe the director just wanted another gory flick. Man. My stomach hurts from laughing so much!

And... what kind of camera lens were you using, dude? I could see inside that guy's nostrils and count his nose hairs!

I... I have no idea! We did so many takes! How did that one make it out of the editing room?!

Ugh! That was absolute trash! Hahaha!

Hahahaha... right! And look at that background! All smeared! I pulled three all-nighters in a row rushing to finish it.

Every time I watch this, I want to reach inside the screen and scrub my name from the credits.

Wait, you've actually watched this multiple times? I don't think I've seen it even once!

I-I...

Tippi, do you actually enjoy watching your own movies at home?

N-no! I just really like the last scene of this one.

That ridiculous final scene? Hahahaa.....

I like the background in it. That rough-looking podium.

Maybe you don't remember, but that background... the entire cast and crew signed it on the back.

Wait... really?

Yeah. This was the first movie I worked on here. Back then they were already saying the studio was about to go under.

The original cast we had was afraid the studio wouldn't make payroll, and quit right before we started shooting. Then the investors all pulled out.

Yeah, I remember now. We all thought that would be our last movie. It felt like just finishing it was a victory in itself.

If I remember correctly, I snagged the best-looking extra and turned him into our impromptu leading man.

And when the filming was finally finished, we signed that background together.

We still made it, right? And the movie actually did pretty well at the box office—some theaters even put us in daytime slots for the first time!

We were forced to add those extra gory scenes to cater to our audience, but we never thought they'd love it so much.

We kept the studio running for two years before it shut down... Still, we did save it once. We're not failures!

So... you still want us to stick around?

I know you're trying to cheer us up, Tippi, but there's no saving the studio this time around.

No, it's not that. I respect your decision.

It's just, I just... before we all part ways, I want to see the signatures on that background one last time.

...Are you coming with me?

*cough cough cough cough* It's so dusty in here! I can barely breathe!

(whispers) Keep it down, Matthew! There are guards at the gate. We can't let them know we're here!

(covers mouth) Hrrgh....ugh.

(whispers) All of these backgrounds piled up are taller than me several times over... I never realized we'd made so many films!

(whispers) Hah! You know what's more unbelievable? If you just stacked your shot logs and my reels together they'd be taller than either of us.

(whispers) Hey! I found it!

Let's flip it over.

Wow. Our glorious achievement.

This 'Final Movie' wasn't our final one. We saved this place.

These mountains of backgrounds are proof of all the work we did together. They could easily pave the entire Walk of Fame.

(sobs)

Matthew... are you alright?

I'm... I'm fine. I'm just... a little drunk.

Just like the story of Bad Boy, we've now busted out of prison, wiped out all the villains in the hall, and stepped onto the podium—

And now we have Wrankwood's Best Cinematographer, Mr. Matthew Thomas! And Wrankwood's Best Script Supervisor, Miss Eileen Hunter! Would you two like to say a few words?

I...

Err...

(shouting) Screw you, Excelsior Studios!

...

(shouting even louder) Eat shit, Wrankwood!

Uh... Screw you, Excelsior Studios!

Eat shit, Wrankwood!

Hahaha. I'm drunk. We're all drunk!

Just now, all our years of filming movies together flashed through my mind. Time really flies!

Yeah. It's like a dream.

My friends, now it is time for us to close the final curtain.

(Raises arm)

(Raises arm)

If only we had a spotlight...

Who's there? Don't move!

Hands up!

Damn. We were a bit too loud. Should we run?

...We have to!

Wait!

Wh-What's wrong?

They're coming!

Well, now that we've been spotted, might as well take this podium with us, right?

I like the way you think.