Chapter 122: New Project

Brentwood, a renowned affluent area in Los Angeles, set the stage for the meeting.

Martin took the initiative to introduce Thomas, and Craven and Ajia followed suit, presenting their respective agents.

Soon after, the three agents were whisked away to the banquet hall.

Craven, Ajia, and Martin had strategically decided to cooperate, allowing their agents to get to know each other in advance to minimize conflicts later on.

Ajia handed Martin a handwritten manuscript, stating, "The story's outline is nearly finalized. The character is based on you, and both of us think it's essential to consider your input." Martin swiftly reviewed the outline, which revolved around a family trip turned chaotic when they encountered a U.S. nuclear explosion, leading to a gruesome and deformed family that embarked on a killing spree.

Given his involvement, the outline had shifted somewhat, but it still bore a resemblance to "The Hills Have Eyes," a film Martin had once watched. As the recognized godfather of modern horror films in Hollywood, Wes Craven's involvement ensured the success of any horror-thriller project.

Craven glanced at the time and suggested, "This isn't the right place for discussion. Let's move somewhere more conducive to brainstorming."

Martin inquired, "Wes, have you prepared a surprise for us?"

Craven replied, "It will certainly stimulate our minds."

Leaving their agents behind, the three of them got into a car. Martin took the driver's seat, guided by Wes Craven, and they arrived at a strip club.

This place was all too familiar to Martin, where Stripper often took center stage.

The three of them arrived early, and the number of guests was limited. On a few stages, dancers sensually twisted their bodies to warm up the atmosphere.

Craven generously declared, "Tonight, it's on me. You guys can indulge yourselves." He signaled to a waiter who trailed behind him, instructing, "I've reserved the largest VIP room upstairs." The waiter rushed backstage and returned soon after, followed by a dozen dancers in high heels.

Craven selected the youngest among them, barely 18, just old enough to enter this line of work.

Martin opted for a Latina girl with sun-kissed skin, dressed in leather shorts and a black bra, reminiscent of Jessica Alba in "Sin City."

Ajia chose a blonde dancer.

The trio ascended to the most lavish VIP room, where they asked the waiter to arrange the sofas so that three single seats formed a circle.

Craven requested, "Play some slower music."

At this moment, the dancers entered, approached their respective clients, and began performing lap dances.

Craven observed as the dancer, young enough to be his granddaughter, removed her shirt, causing his thoughts to become more active. He commented, "I selected the backdrop of nuclear radiation for our story mainly because this year, Iraq's weapons of mass destruction have become a hot topic in the United States, and the upcoming elections will undoubtedly keep this subject in the spotlight."

Ajia, gazing at the swaying car headlights, added, "My original concept was voyeuristic. A girl goes out, encounters someone, and the voyeur eventually can't resist harming the girls. The girls then seek ways to exact revenge."

Martin asked, "Like 'I Spit on Your Grave'?"

Ajia confirmed, "Something similar." Leaning forward, he seemed to savor the sensation of the car headlights on his face. "The scale won't be as extensive, but Wes believes that apart from voyeurism and assault, incorporating murder can further stoke the hero's revenge."

The Latin girl on Martin's lap sensually twisted her waist in a serpentine manner while slowly undoing his shirt.

Martin couldn't help but take a deep breath, his mind stimulated repeatedly, causing his thoughts to become more active. "I have an idea," he began, "what if we add a newborn baby to the heroe's family? The child gets abducted by the perverts, driving the protagonist to transform into a maniac on a killing spree."

Craven handed over a $20 bill, which he tucked into the dancer's shorts, flirting with her, and commented, "That's a compelling idea. A father would do anything for his children."

Ajia, noticing the car headlights passing over Craven's face, did the same and began fishing out banknotes from his wallet, also offering them. "In the end," he continued, "the entire Hero's group gets annihilated..." He didn't complete the sentence because the headlights overwhelmed Ajia's face.

Martin hesitated, "Is this direction really suitable?"

Craven, momentarily free from the glaring headlights, responded, "Ajia, your style is too European. It won't resonate with the audience. Initially, the perverts ambush the unprepared protagonist's family. The killings in this sequence must be brutal, with the elderly man, the wife, the family pet—everything meticulously planned, creating a foundation for an intense counterattack later."

Martin interjected, "Should we also add scenes where attractive young women are subjected to perversion and assault? In late-night films I've acted in, the director, Benjamin, who has a penchant for zombie-themed movies, claimed that violent sequences featuring beauty and grotesque elements can evoke intense emotions in audiences."

"Bald zombies?" Craven couldn't help but jest. "That night, it was an encounter between the hideous and the hideous..."

Ajia chimed in, with lingering regret, "And the snake girl and the succubus? We hadn't completed those scenes; there were no more rounds left."

The young lady above Martin came closer, almost invading his personal space, and uttered, "With me, you won't regret it."

Martin, as the most serious of the trio, saw that the conversation was veering off track, so he swiftly redirected it. "Wouldn't it be illegal if the perverts took turns with the beautiful girls? Isn't this tantamount to a 17-year-old ban?"

Craven, experienced in such matters, reassured, "As long as we don't capture any lower body shots, we should be fine."

"But the perverts have deformed bodies. How about giving them a deformed sidekick?" Ajia, true to his artistic European style, pondered, "Should we go with a hook or a barb?"

Craven, recalling the iconic weapons of his film villains, Jason and Freddy, chimed in, "Martin's the expert in this."

Martin, somewhat bemused, questioned, "Aren't we veering off-topic? Isn't this 'active thinking' in the wrong place?"

Craven steered the discussion back on course. "Our next step is finding a reputable production company to back this project. While you may have some funds, and I appreciate your friendship and your experience, let me remind you that only fools use their own money to produce movies."

Martin, however, remained confident. "With you by our side, Wes, are we supposed to worry about not finding a producer?"

Craven shook his head. "Securing investment isn't easy for any director or producer."

Martin thought about his support team and asserted, "I should be able to secure several million dollars in investment. The exact amount remains to be negotiated, but I'm sure it'll be manageable."

Craven inquired, "What about Louise?"

Martin replied vaguely, "No. I have investors in Atlanta who know a few things."

Craven offered a reassuring smile. "These matters can be handled discreetly. We'll establish a separate studio for this project and manage finances independently."

Ajia chimed in, "I'll take care of the filmmaking aspect since I'm not well-versed in Hollywood intricacies."

Craven explained, "Our role won't delve into the specifics; we'll simply assemble a team to set up the studio. Opportunities like this tend to attract eager participants."

Martin thought of Andrew from Gray Company. Since he founded the "Zombie Stripper" studio, Martin had become increasingly significant to Kelly.

Regaining his focus, Martin announced, "It's settled. I'll be looking for investment from Atlanta."

Craven emphasized, "We're awaiting the first draft of the script and the production plan."

Although Martin was confident that Wes Craven would move forward with the project and investors would comply, he maintained alignment with Craven's pace and responded, "I'm on board with your direction."

Ajia, ever eager, proposed, "Shall we go for another round?"

Craven, ever pragmatic, replied, "Let's go for another round. It's not stimulating enough, and creativity flows when we work."

Martin had also noticed that this approach led to heightened creativity, benefiting work efficiency.

If he wanted recognition from his work partners, it was only fitting to act accordingly.

After another round of dancing, the three workaholics swapped dance partners, and later, six more dancers joined them.

When the performance concluded, the romantic French director, Ajia, departed with four of them.

The lone Martin met up with the equally solitary Thomas and left together.

Thomas, the agent and driver, was at the wheel. He shared his conversation with the other two agents, "Word has it that your recent private party reignited Craven's passion for horror movies. He turned down directing an action thriller at Dreamworks to work on this horror film, where both the protagonist and villain will be rather unusual."

Martin remarked, "Collaborating with Craven increases the chances of success."

Thomas wholeheartedly agreed, "Indeed. While not every one of Craven's works may reach 'Scream' levels of success, his horror films consistently have a commercial floor. Compared to the characters you had to consider earlier, the risks here are far more manageable."

He continued, "The most crucial factor is that, by some means, you've managed to earn Craven's genuine favor, and he's willing to cast you as the lead. As for the other roles, who can guarantee a successful audition?"

Martin grinned, lifting his head. "I still owe Craven a memorable party. I'll need to brainstorm some fresh ideas for that."