From the beginning of his film career in 2000 to 2004, James Wing is well aware that the road to stardom in Hollywood is not easy, and the road to directing is even more difficult.

Not to mention the situation of directors who can't count the empty and full of talent but no opportunity, even he, a director who has been famous for a long time, also lacks a good opportunity to go further.

His lead in "Saw" brought Lionsgate a succession of high profits, but Lionsgate limited him to the "Saw" series.

Since "Saw 2", Lionsgate has said that as long as he participates in the production of another "Saw", it will support him to shoot new works, but "Saw" is now the sixth part, and Lionsgate's promise has not been fulfilled.

During this period, he filmed "Dead Silence" or attracted investment from other companies.

Perhaps it was also the fact that "Dead Silence" was not very successful, which made Lionsgate Pictures have concerns.

The empty checks eventually fell through, and James Wing understood one thing thoroughly, Lionsgate was just squeezing his surplus value, and there was no support for his plans to shoot new works.

Therefore, just after the New Year, he made a decision to say goodbye to Lionsgate after fulfilling his last contract with Lionsgate.

For new works, we still have to find new and sincere collaborators.

At a party, he shared his thoughts with his friend Justin Lin, and then Justin Lin solemnly recommended Matthew to him, and there was one thing that made James Wynn particularly tempted: Matthew treated Chinese directors no differently than white directors.

As an outsider, James Wing has no place to complain about how much unfair treatment he has encountered over the years.

If there is a relatively fair platform, his ideas can be turned into actual movies, which is also much more important than other aspects.

Justin Lin has worked with Matthew on a film and has tangible feelings in this regard, and there is certainly nothing wrong with what he says.

And James Wing has also been in contact with Matthew, and has previously specifically asked someone to contact Daniel Wu, everything to Justin Lin.

Looking at Matthew across the street, James Wing did not feel the strange gaze that Hollywood often looks at people like them, nor did he find deliberate proximity, as if Matthew was sitting with him, just like he was in Chinatown, chatting with other Chinese Americans.

It seems that there is not so much difference in their appearance, they are just the same kind of people.

"Matthew, I'm going to get out of the Saw series. ”

Just before Justin Lin left, he had already done the opening scene for him, and James Wynn stopped talking nonsense, "I'm ready to shoot a new horror movie." ”

Matthew nodded, "This idea is very correct, a director who only stays in one series for a long time will only limit his own development." “

James Wynn smiled, "That's what I thought too. He groaned for a moment, and then said, "But Lionsgate doesn't support me, so I'm going to wait for this year's "Saw 6" to be released and end the cooperation with Lionsgate." ”

"Got a new idea?" Matthew asked directly.

"Hmm. James Wing said directly, "I'm going to think differently." ”

Later, he specifically said, "I don't want to continue making homicidal movies like 'Saw', remember the last time we chatted?"

After his reminder, Matthew remembered that the two had a conversation about Eastern and Western horror cultures, and James Wing said that he wanted to properly integrate oriental-style supernatural horror into traditional Western horror movies.

Seeing Matthew nod slightly, James Wing continued, "Oriental horror gave me a new idea, and Ray Warner and I turned it into a script. ”

Speaking of which, he took out a thin script from his bag and pushed it to Matthew, "This one is more orthodox in terms of mode than the previous films I made." ”

Matthew opened the script and quickly read it, the script was very thin, it should only be a first draft, but it was only fifty or sixty pages, and the content was concise and to the point, even if he browsed it at a glance and ten lines, he could understand the main plot: the family happily moved to a new house and was suddenly attacked by strange spirits.

Such a haunted house plot doesn't seem to have anything new to pay attention to.

However, Matthew has never been very interested in creative films.

Innovation may indeed bring unexpected gains, but for commercial films, it is more likely to lose money, and there are too many similar lessons in Hollywood.

Seeing Matthew read the script, James Win said, "What I want to make is a Western-style classic horror movie that appropriately integrates the advantages of the East, and there will not be too many Oriental elements." ”

Matthew nodded slightly, this is North America, the most exclusive film and media market in the world, there is no one.

James Winneng thinks so, which shows that this is a director who understands the market, not the kind of fool who thinks that if he pulls over classic European or Oriental movies, he can sell well in North America.

It is not easy for a foreign Hollywood director to be moderate in this regard.

Matthew looked at James Wing and said, "Go on." ”

With his encouragement, James Wynn added, "The movies I made were a bit like 'Haunted House,' 'The Innocent Man' and 'The Exorcist.' ”

He thought for a moment, "The Exorcist was shot in a very imaginative way, it was made like a documentary, and that's what makes it a real horror effect. I really wanted to make a film like this, to do it in a manageable but documentary way. ”

"Will this have a sense of realism?" Matthew understood what James Wynne was saying.

James Wynn nodded vigorously and went further, "In my opinion, making a film like this is very difficult, much more difficult than making a film that is frighteningly fast in form. ”

Speaking of this, he pulled out a bound book that was thicker than the script and pushed it over, "This is my proposal." ”

Matthew took it, flipped through the outline at the top, and then frowned and asked, "The production budget is only $1.5 million?"

"Yes. Of course, James Wing would not say that he was worried that no one would invest, and said with a smile, "$1.5 million is enough." ”

Matthew roughly flipped through the plan, then tapped lightly on the arm of his chair and fell into thought.

There is no doubt that James Wing used the Saw series to bring Lionsgate a gold mine with a steady stream of profits every year.

In that respect, James Wing is not invaluable.

But "Dead Silence" is a relatively commercially failed horror film, which is also an undeniable fact.

Perhaps it was because the film did not achieve the desired effect that led to the current situation between James Wing and Lionsgate.

Matthew's fingers tapped on the armrest of his chair more and more slowly, and gradually made a decision, since there was once a horror universe related to the director of the "Chainsaw" series, then it should be the right decision to pull James Wing into his camp, right?

Last time he had an in-depth conversation with James Win, this is indeed a very thoughtful horror film director.

If you have an idea, you may not succeed, but if you don't have an idea, you won't even be able to succeed.

Moreover, this is an experiment, and it is an experiment with an investment of only $1.5 million.

One and a half million dollars is very high for ordinary people, but it is not even a tenth of his salary, even if it fails, it will have no effect on him, and then just give up James Wing and stop working with him.

But what if it were to be as successful as "Saw"? How much did "Saw cost"? How much was the box office? How many videotapes and DVDs were sold? And how much did the TV rights fee earn?

Those large film companies and even small and medium-sized film companies with multiple shareholders have a strict project approval system, and the project shooting of a film is never in front of the CEO or other executives with the script, and those people think that the script is good can be shot directly.

But Studio 13 is different, although there is a second shareholder of David Ellison after cross-shareholding with Sky Dance, but the film business is his word.

Small companies also have the flexibility of small companies.

Matthew thought about it and made up his mind.

"James, I'm going to do this next. "He rarely makes investment decisions so casually, mainly because the films he has invested in in the past are not on such a small scale," said Studio 13 will invest in this project. ”

"Well, Matthew, I can't sign a contract right away......," James Wynne first breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled embarrassedly, "I have a contract with Lionsgate, and I can't shoot other films for the time being, and the contract won't end until after the release of "Saw 6." ”

Matthew asked directly, "When?"

James Wing hastened to reply, "Released before Halloween this year." ”

"Okay!" Matthew decided, and would not hesitate any longer, "I'll wait for you." ”

This was said very solemnly, and James Wyn instantly felt that Matthew took his project very seriously.

Since Matthew has taken on the attitude of attaching great importance to James Wing as a director, he doesn't care about deepening it more, "James, you are working with the 13th job on this project, and I can guarantee two things. ”

He held up a finger, "First, you are a director and producer, you have absolute power over this project, including me, no one will interfere with your filming and production." “

Then, Matthew raised his second finger, "Second, I have a long-term and stable relationship with Walt Disney and Warner Bros., and I can push your film into the distribution channels of the six major companies!"

As soon as these two points are said, James Wen Zhi feels that he has found the right person, the director and producer will be less constrained, and the distribution channels of the six major companies can strive for more theaters for future films.

Subsequently, the two talked for a long time, which seemed particularly speculative, and they were not ready to leave until they got off work in the afternoon.

"James, shall I invite you to dinner with Justin?" Matthew invited.

"I'm sorry, Matthew. James Wing smiled embarrassedly again, "I have something to do tonight, Ray Warner has a friend, I'm going to go over, I said it was two days ago." ”

Matthew was not reluctant and left alone.