Chapter 12: Preview Screening

Emerging from the crowd of strippers, Kevin approached Downey, who was seated at a booth.

"Kevin, what's wrong? Don't like this kind of place?" Downey asked immediately, as an actor with his own understanding of expressions.

Kevin furrowed his brow, indicating that he didn't seem fond of this environment.

Downey quickly inquired, "What's the matter?"

Kevin shook his head and then smiled, saying, "I came to find you to let you know that my first film is about to be released."

"So soon?" Downey was somewhat astonished. He knew that the person before him, whom he regarded as a younger brother, was talented, but to secure investment and complete a film even before graduating, that was incredibly fast.

He had actually planned to wait until Kevin graduated and then introduce him to his father, allowing his father to see his talent and then recommend him to some director as an assistant director.

But who would have thought...

However, ...

As for Kevin's first film, whether it would be a great success or not, he had absolutely no confidence in that.

His father, as the recipient of the 47th Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and having been involved in the creation of classic works like The Godfather and Mission: Impossible, had a prominent reputation in the industry.

Even if Kevin failed, as long as he sought help from his father, he would still have a chance or two for Kevin.

"Yes, Downey, I am going to make you a big star!" Kevin said with a smile.

"Is that so? I'll be waiting," Downey replied, also smiling.

"But there's one request I have for you," Kevin said, his smile fading and his tone becoming serious.

"?" Downey was a bit puzzled.

"Don't get involved with addictive substances," Kevin said firmly.

"Oh, come on, Kevin, let me introduce you to some hot girls," Downey quickly chuckled, changing the subject.

Kevin could only sigh.

Using those substances had become a tradition in his family. Ever since Downey received his first one from his father when he was seven years old, he couldn't break free from them anymore.

Since he couldn't persuade Downey now, Kevin had lost the intention to discourage him.

Perhaps only when Downey hit rock bottom would he truly consider quitting. But all Kevin could do now was to provide Downey with a better opportunity for a comeback.

Following Downey's lead, Kevin began to relax.

He found himself among a group of scantily clad hot girls.

Kevin's youthful yet slightly mature face was already attractive enough to catch the attention of these hot girls. With Downey's words, they became even more excited.

"This is my younger brother, Kevin. He's a talented director, and his first movie is about to be released in theaters. You know what that means."

"Wow!!!"

The hot girls exclaimed in awe, expressing their admiration for the profession of being a director.

Directors are often associated with creating stars.

A director's film can launch the careers of many aspiring actors and actresses. After all, who wouldn't want to live a glamorous life under the spotlight?

With Downey's words, Kevin was instantly overwhelmed by countless arms, legs, and beautiful figures...

The next day, Kevin woke up in a luxurious suite, freeing himself from the arms and legs that surrounded him.

Kevin couldn't help but feel that he had become too decadent.

"I can't blame myself. It's the corrupting power of capitalism on one's will. It's too strong. I, a decent young man, have fallen like this."

Kevin muttered to himself, without a trace of nostalgia, and headed back to the hotel where he had been staying.

There was a beautiful woman waiting for him there.

After two or three days of hustling and bustling, Kevin, who had awakened from his indulgence, arrived at New Line Cinema.

Shaye, as the boss and president, paid no attention to his status and greeted one paparazzo and renowned film critic after another at the entrance.

In the end, money was the most important thing. Showing a little bit of favor to these paparazzi and film critics wouldn't cost him anything. On the contrary, if they could say something positive, it would have a significant impact on the box office.

However, their glory would soon fade away in this era.

Kevin, who entered alongside them, wore a fake smile and quietly thought to himself.

With the advent of the internet age, these people would eventually be swept into the garbage heap. In the end, whether a movie is good or not is determined by the audience. What do these film critics matter?

Of course, that was all in the future. At least for now, these film critics still held considerable influence.

Kevin wondered if it was Shayne's work behind the scenes that made these film critics so friendly. Their attitudes were completely different from the sharp faces Kevin had seen in the newspapers.

Shaye, on the other hand, remained calm. These more than twenty film critics collectively received over $300,000 from him, along with the expenses for the paparazzi, totaling $500,000.

Even if you throw it into the water, it would still create ripples, not to mention these people who would say anything for money.

In the end, today's preview screening was just a formality.

After watching the movie, these film critics would praise "Saw" from their own perspectives, attracting the first batch of audience members to enter the theaters.

According to their internal judgment, the word-of-mouth would ferment to a certain extent.

Not to exaggerate, but with all the investments removed, New Line Cinema would surely make a huge profit.

...

The audience gradually settled in, and of course, no one would intentionally miss out on the money part.

Inside the large screening room on the fifth floor, over twenty film critics and more than ten members of the print media took their seats one by one.

Roger Ebert was one of the highly reputed film critics. Generally, if the quality of a movie wasn't up to par, film companies wouldn't invite him for a preview screening.

Of course, they would naturally pay him well to prevent him from speaking ill of the film.

That's how the world works. Once his status was high enough, people were willing to pay a great price just to silence him.

Roger Ebert smiled faintly. Regardless of how this movie was perceived by others, he would only speak his mind.

That had always been his principle.

If they invited him but the film's quality was lacking, insulting his eyes, they would have to endure his unfavorable review.

Otherwise, they shouldn't have invited him in the first place.

Of course, if the movie managed to impress him, Roger Ebert wouldn't mind using his reputation to give it a good promotion.

The theater lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only a few small lights emitting a dim glow.

On the screen, the name of New Line Cinema appeared, followed by the names of the director, actors, and crew scrolling past.

In the next moment, the screen flickered.

The movie began.

Kevin silently followed the progress of the film, observing the facial expressions of the film critics and members of the print media.

Expressions of disdain, mockery, and appreciation were evident. It was clear that "Saw " did not satisfy everyone's expectation. However, Kevin could still tell that they all wanted to know who the villain "Jigsaw" truly was.