The Paramount lot sat on Melrose Avenue behind a famous arched gate that had welcomed stars since the silent film days.
Duke's driver waved to the guard, who touched his cap in return. Duke nodded back, somewhat adsenminded.
The screening room was in the main building, a cozy theater with about sixty seats.
Executives drifted through the lobby in suits, holding drinks and talking, while assistants carried clipboards. Someone laughed too loudly near the popcorn machine.
A large poster of the film leaned against the lobby wall, a man in a fedora with a whip curled at his hip, the title painted in bold letters.
Steven Spielberg stood near the front row, hands in the pockets of a bomber jacket.
Beside him, George Lucas wore a flannel shirt.
"Duke!" Spielberg shouted, waving him over. "You made it."
"Wouldn't miss it," Duke said, clasping his hand. "Hello, George."
Lucas smiled shyly. "Steven won't stop pacing. He's been like this since the last sound mix."
"I'm not pacing," Spielberg said, and kept pacing.
Duke laughed.
The shoot, the schedule, and the budget had all stayed on track, and that was rare enough in Hollywood already.
Spielberg was a well known 'fast Shooter' in the industry when it came to moviemaking.
Across the room he spotted the stars.
Tom Selleck stood by the wall in a navy blazer, with his mustache neat, shaking hands with a studio executive.
Karen Allen laughed beside him with a glass of ginger ale.
Selleck as Indiana Jones and Allen as Marion had been his picks.
Although, historically Tom Selleck was the person that was going to play Indiana Jones.
It was only last minute that after he couldn't do the schedule, that the role was given to Harrison Ford.
He shook hands as he made his way down the aisle. A distribution man promised that theaters in every major city had booked the film for the whole summer.
A staffer touched his elbow. "We're ready to start, sir."
Duke took a seat in the middle of the third row, with Spielberg on one side and Lucas on the other.
He wondered where was Robert Evans. He was normally the one to sit beside him on these matters.
The room settled as the lights dimmed.
The Paramount logo appeared on the screen, and the adventure began.
On screen, Selleck had the swagger of a hero and the timing of a comedian.
Duke had spent months making Tom Selleck's appearance here possible.
Phone calls to the network to arrange the shooting schedule, and a favor or two. Nobody in the room knew how close it had come to failing.
Karen Allen's Marion held her own against the hero.
Spielberg leaned toward Duke during a chase scene. "Watch the truck," he whispered. "That stunt took eight tries."
"He says that about every scene," Lucas muttered.
Duke bit back a laugh. These two were now considered High up figures on the industry already, and they were still arguing like college roommates.
When the last frame faded to black, nobody moved for a moment.
Then the lights came up, and the room erupted in a controlled applause.
Spielberg covered the front of his face with both hands and rubbed his eyes.
Lucas was grinning so wide it looked like it hurt. They both looked tired, their eyes absenminded.
Duke stood and shook their hands, one after the other. "Congrats. This is going to be a success."
"You think so?" Spielberg asked.
"I know it will be," Duke said, and he meant it more than they could understand.
He truly believed someone like Tom Selleck was a grat fit for Indiana Jones Character.
Most executives stood up and gathered in groups to talk with one another.
Studios in these days paid more than a 1000 dollars for every film print, so guessing wrong costed real money.
Too few copies meant crowds that would turned away at the box office.
Too many meant stacks of expensive film prints sitting in warehouses.
(IDK if i ever explained this, about this era.)
Tom Selleck found Duke near the door.
He was very tall, standing at 6'4, enough that he had to bend a little to shake hands with most people. Not with Duke.
"Mr. Hauser, I keep waiting for someone to tell me I'm dreaming," he said.
"You're not," Duke said. "You did great."
Karen Allen joined them, hugging Spielberg with one arm and gripping a program with the other.
"Do you think audiences will like Marion?" she asked. "She's not exactly a damsel."
Duke said. "She's the best part."
Allen laughed and squeezed his shoulder.
Selleck tipped an imaginary hat to him.
In the corner, Lucas was already talking about a sequel with Eisner, using both hands to draw a map in the air.
Duke let himself have a minute.
In a few weeks, a ticket would cost about 3 dollars in most American cities.
Families would line up on summer evenings with popcorn money in their pockets, and a good movie might be the biggest night out of the month.
A film this good would travel into other places too.
Like toys or lunchboxes.
'What would be the best type of games to be made for Indiana Jones...' Duke wondered in his mind.
Spielberg appeared at his elbow with a cup of soda.
"We're going to Musso and Frank's for steaks," he said. "Come with us. Lucas is buying."
"Duke's buying," Lucas called from across the room, and the group laughed.
"Of course I am," Duke said, smiling. "Lead the way."
____
Short Chapter
Tried to showcase Duke more on a chill light, without his usual business behavior. Thoughs?
Next Chapter- Tetris development and reactions to Indiana Jones
What type of game could Indiana Jones receive?
Open world? small closed world with missions?