Chapter 29: Internal Screening

Kevin met with the familiar editor, and without much conversation, they quickly delved into the editing process.

They spent ten consecutive days in the editing room, working relentlessly to create the rough cut of the film that Kevin desired.

The next steps involved audio correction, music selection, and post-production voice dubbing for the actors, among other complex tasks.

In Hollywood, there was a shared music pool, and each major film studio had its own music rights and a reserve of talented musicians.

With the generous gift from Warner Bros. or rather, since the prices weren't high and there was no need to charge, Kevin decisively chose some original-sounding music to add to the film. In the end, the rough cut became the final version.

The next item on the agenda was the internal screening.

…..

On March 20, 1992, the internal screening of "Get Out" took place.

Jeff Robinov, the president of Warner Bros., arrived at New Line Cinema in his Bentley on time.

Accompanying him were two Warner Bros. screening personnel responsible for film rating. It was worth noting that one of them was African American.

From this, it could be inferred that Kevin's idea of attracting African Americans to the cinema had impressed Jeff Robinov. Therefore, he specifically brought an African American screening personnel to handle the specific rating for "Get Out."

"Kevin!"

Jeff Robinov warmly greeted Kevin as he approached. A successful director in Hollywood was a highly sought-after and cherished resource. Unless absolutely necessary, no one wanted to offend them.

Because offending them meant missing out on a veritable goldmine.

For Jeff Robinov to become the president, he had to be adept at navigating all sides.

Kevin responded with a smile. The president of Warner Bros. held a high position in the industry, and generally, someone like Jeff Robinov wouldn't be so warm towards him as a director.

Unless...

He really needed him.

It seemed that there was also some tension within Warner Bros.

Kevin silently pondered, but in his memory, Jeff Robinov had served as the president for over a decade. Even without his blessing, Jeff Robinov surely had other means.

Jeff Robinov was very enthusiastic, and Kevin naturally reciprocated with a warm attitude. Together, they entered the screening room at New Line Cinema.

Accompanied by seven or eight people, including Kevin, they eagerly watched the finished product of "Get Out."

Without much ado, as soon as everyone was seated, the movie began playing on the enormous screen.

The logos of Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, and Dawn Films appeared one after another on the screen, followed by the rapid display of the director's name, actors, and crew.

Then the screen went black, and the movie officially began.

The opening scene depicted a black man receiving a mysterious phone invitation that led him to an eerie road. He complained incessantly about the strange atmosphere and searched for his destination.

Suddenly, a white car emerged, surrounding the black man, creating a sinister atmosphere enhanced by a slightly whimsical folk song called "Run, Rabbit, Run."

The other people in the room were immediately drawn into the story by this opening scene.

Subsequently, an unidentified person from the white car knocked out the black man and dragged him into the trunk. The dark night turned into daylight, and a couple consisting of a black man and a white woman appeared before the audience.

The young black man cleaned himself up, revealing a lean yet strong physique, which complemented his beautiful girlfriend.

Seeing this, Shaye and Jeff Robinov felt a slight unease.

The history of this country was a history of conflict between black and white. Although the status of black people had improved significantly, white people's hidden discrimination against them persisted.

The couple consisting of a black man and a white woman made them feel a bit uncomfortable.

This feeling could be compared to how some Chinese women were seen when marrying black men—neglecting self-respect and disregarding others' opinions. (:o)

...

As the movie progressed, Shaye and Jeff Robinov realized that things were different from what they had imagined.

White women seeking muscular black men had the intention of selling their bodies to the people in the town. He was just merchandise.

Just like the black slaves in the past...

The movie quickly reached its climax as the black protagonist mercilessly slaughtered the white people who treated him as a slave commodity, and it was all so satisfying.

However, purely on its own, although it was a good film, it seemed weaker compared to Kevin's previous film, Saw.

Jeff Robinov was about to ask a question when he suddenly heard his black screening staff exclaim:

"Kill those damn white people. They treat us black people unfairly..."

The impulsive outburst of these words caught the black screening staff off guard, and they couldn't help but smile awkwardly.

It was clearly an untimely outburst.

However, Jeff Robinov noticed something different and asked directly, "Jenova, what do you think of this film?"

Jenova immediately perked up and regained his professional composure, saying, "From my perspective, and as a member of my race, this is the best film I have ever seen in my entire life."

Jeff Robinov furrowed his brow. "Such high praise?"

Jenova nodded earnestly and said, "Absolutely, that's what I believe. And if you have any black person watch this film, they will feel the same way."

"If I were to rate it, I would definitely give it the highest rating, an S-grade perfect thriller."

Kevin smiled on the side.

The film's core audience was, in fact, the black community. All the highlights and targeted elements were meant for black people.

If we were to grade the film using the ratings S, A, B, C, D, the general audience would probably give it an A or B rating.

But for black people, this film would only receive the highest level of an S-grade rating.

It perfectly depicted the oppression of black people by white people, and in the end, the black protagonist killed off those dead white people who coveted his body.

Simply put, it was the ultimate thrilling film tailored for the black community.

A smile also appeared on Jeff Robinov's face, but with only one black person's opinion, it seemed not prominent enough. He needed to hold another screening and invite more black people to watch the film to gather more detailed data in order to arrange the specific number of screenings in theaters.