Chapter 5: New Line Cinema

Louis, who was by her side, clearly felt the stiffness in his girlfriend's arm.

"Darling, what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing."

Perla naturally couldn't express her thoughts openly and quickly explained, while comforting herself that Kevin had no advantages compared to Louis.

It's impossible for his first movie to be a huge success.

As long as he fails once, Kevin will never get another chance, and she doesn't need to worry at all.

...

On the other side.

Back in the CAA building, Kevin's attitude had completely changed.

Three film companies had shown interest in his movie project simultaneously. This indicated that everyone believed in his script, and it meant that Saw, which he brought over from 2004 to 1991, was also recognized by others.

With that in mind, he felt a bit relieved.

Now, his next step was to choose a suitable investor from these three film companies.

He called Dawson, and soon enough, Dawson hurriedly came downstairs.

While walking towards the inside, he introduced the situation of the three film companies.

"Through CAA's connections, your project proposal was sent to about ten mid-sized film companies."

"And finally, there are these three companies here at CAA to discuss with you."

"They are New Line Cinema, Big Jazz Films, and Grand Beauty Studios."

"..."

Listening to Dawson's account, Kevin recalled the information about these film companies in his mind. Big Jazz and Grand Beauty had practically disappeared after 1993, losing any presence.

They must have gone bankrupt long ago.

Even the five largest Hollywood film companies had faced bankruptcy crises and had been acquired by others in the future, let alone the two independent film companies.

However, Kevin had a deep impression of New Line Cinema.

After 1993, New Line would be acquired and controlled by Warner Bros. Pictures, becoming part of Time Warner, a behemoth that owned a series of companies including Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Home Video, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, DC Comics, and The CW Television Network.

It was needless to say how formidable they were.

However, it was no surprise that New Line Cinema, known for its low-budget horror films, showed interest in "Saw."

It's worth mentioning that last year, in 1990, New Line Cinema had achieved great success by purchasing the rights to the Hong Kong film "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" from Fox, a film that Fox hesitated to release. This had greatly boosted the company's reputation.

In simple terms, their pockets were now more filled.

Considering this, among these three film companies today, it was highly likely that New Line Cinema would be the ultimate buyer.

Kevin nodded in agreement with Dawson, indicating that he had gained a preliminary understanding of these three film companies. Then he pushed open the door of the room.

Inside the room, two large sofas surrounded a glass table, and three people lounged casually on the sofas.

At the moment, it was not yet time for formal negotiations. The executives of these three film companies needed to assess whether Kevin had the ability to truly direct this film. Once the decision on which film company would provide the investment was made, they would proceed to the serious negotiation stage.

When they saw the door being pushed open, the three individuals stood up and shook hands with Kevin one by one. Regardless of the outcome, at least on the surface, these three people showed a high level of respect for Kevin, despite him being a director without any actual works.

This surprised Kevin a little. He remembered reading a lot of online literature about the entertainment industry in his previous life, where many people would often adopt a condescending attitude.

However, he didn't expect the people from these film companies to show such respect to a director who didn't even have a single real work.

But after some thought, Kevin realized that this was normal. In the absence of conflicting interests, when faced with a director who has the potential for success, even if it's not certain yet, they wouldn't show their true intentions at this stage.

Unless, in the future, he experiences continuous failures.

By then, he would probably be able to see the true faces of these individuals.

Of course, Kevin didn't want that to happen.

After the handshake, Kevin chose a seat opposite them.

As the executive of New Line Cinema, the company most interested in producing "Saw," Dawson was the first to raise his question.

"Why did you choose to make the female lead in 'Saw' a character with an ultimate bombshell appearance?" Dean, the executive from New Line Cinema, asked his question first.

Kevin took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding. "The choice of the female lead's appearance in 'Saw' was a deliberate decision. The character's ultimate bombshell appearance serves a specific purpose within the story. It is meant to challenge societal expectations and stereotypes surrounding female characters in horror films. By presenting a character who defies the traditional norms of vulnerability and victimhood, we aim to create a unique and empowering narrative. Additionally, the character's appearance acts as a visual contrast to the intense and gritty nature of the film, adding an intriguing layer to the overall atmosphere."

Kevin paused briefly to gauge the executives' reactions before continuing. "Furthermore, it is important to note that the character's appearance does not define her entire identity. She possesses depth, complexity, and agency, just like any other well-rounded character. We wanted to explore the concept of strength and resilience in unexpected forms, challenging the audience's preconceived notions. Ultimately, this approach contributes to the overall thematic exploration of power dynamics, survival, and the human psyche in 'Saw.'"

Dean nodded, seemingly satisfied with the explanation. "Thank you for elaborating on your creative choices. It's an interesting perspective, and we appreciate the thought behind it. We look forward to further discussions and exploring the potential of 'Saw' as a groundbreaking film."

The other executives echoed their agreement, signaling their curiosity and anticipation for the project. The meeting progressed, delving deeper into the details of the script, production plans, and financial aspects. Kevin felt a surge of excitement mixed with a hint of nervousness as he embarked on this significant opportunity for his career.

Dean had a hunch, and it was precisely this hunch that made them even more confident in the project's success. Everything still hinged on Kevin, the director, confirming it, though.

Kevin smiled calmly, well aware of what they meant. He knew that many directors only had "art" in their minds, and such directors often found it very difficult to secure investment from film companies.

Within these film companies, directors were often classified into two categories: commercial directors and art-house directors. Art-house directors relied heavily on funding from overseas investors, with very limited profit potential. On the other hand, as long as commercial directors didn't have consecutive failures, they were usually more likely to secure investment.

Dean from New Line Cinema seemed to want to figure out what kind of director Kevin was. And naturally, Kevin's choice was that of a commercial director.

"Because young people love bombshells," Kevin replied.

His words immediately caused everyone present to burst into laughter, but the underlying meaning was clear. He wasn't a director solely focused on art, disregarding the audience.

With this understanding, the subsequent conversation became enjoyable. The three film companies offered similar conditions: a total production budget of $1.3 million, including Kevin's director's fee of $50,000, and covering all production costs.

This amount was undoubtedly among the lowest of low-budget films in Hollywood. Kevin's fee was also very modest, but he didn't mind. As long as 'Saw' achieved even a third of its original potential, Steve Kevin would no longer have to settle for such meager income.

The rights to 'Saw,' held firmly in his hands, would bring him tremendous profits. As for discussing revenue sharing with them, though he was reluctant, he knew he couldn't act like a prideful dragon. He was still a newcomer director who hadn't proven himself in Hollywood.

Thinking about negotiating revenue sharing with them was simply impossible.

However, ...

With a hint of hope that they might agree, Kevin presented his idea.

"Everyone, I have great confidence in my film, and I have an idea."

"What idea?" they asked.

As film companies, they naturally had connections with each other, and the cutthroat competition that ordinary people imagined would never happen.