tippi

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?

A weak glow reveals a huge pile of prop, covered with dust. Once filmed, they were all left here untouched.

*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!

The three of them walk up to a background. It's been two years, but its paint still looks fresh.

Let's flip it over.

'Final Movie'

Director: Ben Roy

Starring: Sofia Macci, Ryan Harris

Photography: Matthew Thomas

Background Artist: Tippi Booker

Script Supervisor: Eileen Hunter

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.

The big man forces his sobs down as Eileen's eyes swell up with tears.

Tippi takes her friends' hands and slowly walks toward the background.

Just like the story of <i>Bad Boy</i>, 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!

Their voices linger in the warehouse for a long time. Only after the echoes completely fade do the three of them burst into uncontrollable laughter.

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.

Tippi grabs tightly to Matthew and Eileen's hands and slowly raises their arms.

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

(Raises arm)

(Raises arm)

If only we had a spotlight...

Before Tippi can finish speaking, a sharp beam of light hits the three of them, so bright they cannot even keep their eyes open.

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?

Tippi takes a deep breath. She can sense the beam of light growing in intensity as it nears them.

I like the way you think.

That night, a giant background, with a huge podium painted on it, rolled through the streets of Wrankwood.

Even in Wrankwood, where strange happenings are aplenty, a scene like this was surreal. People gathered around, taking photos of it.

People took shot of the podium passing Wrankwood's Walk of Fame, the Hall of Fame, and the Film Plaza...

But, for some unknown reason, no one got a clear shot of the people carrying it. There were just three vague, shadowy outlines in those photos.

Fortunately, the public didn't look too closely into the identities of these three, and the entire matter became fodder for dinner table conversations.

After all, so many people come to Wrankwood to 'make it big', but few ever do.