Chapter 199: The Rolling Stone Interview

Chapter 199: Chapter 199: The Rolling Stone Interview

Three days later at the Rolling Stone interview site, the studio was decorated simply yet elegantly.

Irene and Britney sat on the sofa, facing senior reporter Mark Cohen.

After some pleasantries, Mark got straight to the point: "The response to ’Roar’ has far exceeded everyone’s expectations. How did you think of creating such a powerful song during this special time?"

Britney instinctively looked at Irene, her eyes full of gratitude.

"Actually, I was quite lost before. The company wanted me to continue with a teen pop style, but I wanted to transition. It was Irene who encouraged me to stay true to my heart.

She said that what this era needs isn’t sugary comfort, but the courage to face adversity." She paused, her voice softening.

"While creating it, we talked about everything after 9/11—the fear, the sadness, and the resilience inherent in people. We wanted to write a song to tell everyone that no matter how big the storm, you can’t stop shouting. You can’t give up hope."

Irene added: "We polished the melody and lyrics of this song together. There’s a certain unyielding spirit in Britney’s voice that perfectly fits the core of ’roaring like a lion.’ We didn’t deliberately cater to the market. We just wanted to sing out what we were feeling. We didn’t expect it to resonate with so many people."

Mark nodded, shifting the conversation to Irene’s statement about free movie screenings.

"Irene, you announced that all 9/11 victims’ and survivors’ families, as well as rescue workers and their families, can watch movies for free. This decision is very admirable. But I’m curious, aren’t you worried about people making false claims? After all, without an absolutely rigorous vetting mechanism, some people might try to take advantage of it."

Irene smiled upon hearing this, her gaze sincere and firm. "I’m not worried." She looked into Mark’s eyes, her tone earnest.

"I believe the American people are a kind and lovely group. In the face of such a national tragedy, everyone has grief and a desire for unity bottled up inside. No one would use other people’s suffering to gain a small benefit at a time like this.

Even if there are a few exceptions, it doesn’t matter. Compared to the pain those families have endured, a few movie tickets are not worth mentioning. We are doing this to spread goodwill, not to guard against anyone."

A flash of approval appeared in Mark’s eyes. He put down his pen and said seriously, "Your trust is moving. In this moment filled with suspicion and fear, this kind of unconditional trust might be more powerful than the free screenings themselves. I fully support your decision, and Rolling Stone will fully cooperate."

"Thank you." Irene smiled. "I also have a small request. I hope that when the magazine is published, Echo Pictures’ address and registration phone number can be attached to the statement to make it easier for the families to get in touch."

"No problem," Mark agreed immediately. "We will present this statement in an eye-catching layout to ensure all readers see it. I believe this decision will make more people remember Echo Pictures and your kindness."

The interview went smoothly. When it ended, Mark shook Irene’s hand and said, "This isn’t just an interview about a song. It’s a transmission of courage and kindness. Thank you and Britney for bringing so much strength to everyone during this difficult time."

Walking out of the studio, Britney leaned on Irene’s arm with a bright smile. "I’m looking forward to the follow-up of ’Roar’ more and more now, and I hope those families can walk into the theater, temporarily forget their pain, and feel a bit of warmth."

Irene looked at the sky. The sunlight was just right. She knew that the success of ’Roar’ was just the beginning, and the promise of free screenings was not the end.

A week later, Rolling Stone magazine was officially released. The cover featured a photo of Irene and Britney standing side-by-side, both with determined gazes, against a background of handwritten lyrics from ’Roar.’

In the interview inside, the statement about free screenings was placed in the most prominent position, with Echo Pictures’ address and registration phone number clearly printed below.

The magazine sold out as soon as it hit the shelves. Many people left comments on forums: "Echo Pictures’ act of kindness is as tear-jerking as ’Roar,’" and "Kudos to Irene and Britney. This is the responsibility public figures should have."

Meanwhile, in the Echo Pictures office, the registration phone had been ringing non-stop since that morning, and families arrived in person from time to time to register.

Every face bore an indelible sorrow, but there was a hint of warmth from being cared for in their eyes.

The day after Rolling Stone was released, the boardrooms of major Hollywood film companies were almost all discussing Irene and Echo Pictures’ ’free screening’ statement.

At a high-level meeting at Warner Bros., Marketing Director Alan slammed the magazine on the table, his tone full of disdain.

"To put it bluntly, it’s just grandstanding. How long has Echo Pictures been around? They don’t even have a movie in theaters right now. How much could a year of free screenings possibly lose? They’re just using the 9/11 buzz to gain visibility, exploiting a national tragedy to gain sympathy."

The head of the distribution department next to him agreed. "Alan is right. Irene’s move looks clever, but she’s actually taking advantage of being small-scale. If she had the size of Warner, releasing fifteen or sixteen movies a year and covering thousands of theaters across the U.S., would she still dare to make such a promise? She’d probably lose everything."

CEO Mark Barrett silently flipped through the magazine and finally shook his head.

"There’s no need to join in. Our focus remains on the post-production of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. We can just treat this small company’s gimmick as a curiosity."

In the Disney boardroom, the atmosphere was completely different.

CEO Michael Eisner pointed to the statement in the magazine, his tone approving. "This is a smart move. It conveys social responsibility, builds word-of-mouth for new films, and uses the buzz from ’Roar’ to expand brand influence—killing three birds with one stone."

The head of the PR department immediately chimed in.

"Should we learn from this? For example, offering half-price tickets for victims’ families or donating a portion of the box office revenue. Right now, public opinion is all praising Echo Pictures. As industry leaders, it doesn’t seem right for us not to do something."

As soon as he finished speaking, the CFO frowned.

"No. Echo Pictures has at most two or three works a year. The cost of giving away free tickets is negligible. But we at Disney have eight live-action films this year alone, plus animated films and distributed independent films—12 in total.

Our audience coverage is much wider than Echo Pictures’. If we also did free screenings, even if only 100,000 family members registered, at an average cost of $8 per ticket, one film would lose at least $800,000, not counting theater splits and operating costs. Not to mention the potential for fraud and controversy later on. The risk is too high."