Box Office Jitters

I work for a company that has been working on a movie with a major Hollywood studio ever since I've joined the company about a year and a half ago. Tomorrow, the movie actually opens in theaters.

I haven't physically worked on the film itself, but working in the Design department, I helped coordinate and schedule the design of literally hundreds of projects to promote the movie (like posters, ads, displays, etc.). I've spent enough time on it to earn a movie credit. Strangely enough, after being so involved in the promotion of a project for so long, it's odd how emotionally attached you become to the success of that project, even if your part in it is minimal in comparison to the involvement of the other people who actually physically worked on the movie.

Last night, we had a company premiere for family, co-workers and vendors. As I watched the names go by in the credits, it was so different than any other credits I'd ever watched. As each name went by, I thought, "I live in his development" or "I bought popcorn from his son for Cub Scouts" or "He and I talked about The Beatles for about 15 minutes the other day" or "He ate lunch with us yesterday". My friend sat next to me snapping her camera--frame after frame of the credits--getting pictures so that we all have a chance to capture that moment of the first time we see our names up on the big screen.

So many people are so intimately involved in this project. There is a lot at stake for everyone. Not just for the money, but the overall company morale and emotional state of the people I work with.

I now think about the hundreds of people go through this kind of emotional roller coaster every weekend--every time a movie comes out. This is the first time I have ever experienced it.

Tomorrow, our offices are closing early as people start making plans with family and friends to go and support the movie on opening weekend.

As I sit here, sipping my Michelob Ultra Amber (seriously, this stuff is good) it's a strange feeling to know that tomorrow the numbers will start coming in and there's not much more we can do. No more speculation. By late tomorrow, we will have hard facts. There are "results parties" planned as the box office totals start coming in and people have collected home email addresses to keep people up to date all weekend.

The work is done. Fingers are crossed. I can't remember the last time I have been so physically exhausted. Now, all any of us can do is wait.

I feel like we have climbed to the top of a mountain and we are teetering at the top waiting to find out if we fall off the edge or have a nice smooth ride to the bottom. Either way, things are about move.