Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 476, Section 474: The Plan Remains Unchanged

Time flew by to April 15, 2003.

The spring sunshine in Los Angeles was already quite warm, casting beams of light through the deliberately aged dust on the high windows of the "Spy Kids" studio into the busy film set.

The air was filled with the faint sweet smell of artificial smoke, the acrid odor of burning cables, and the human presence of dozens of workers gathered together, which was being suppressed by the air conditioning.

Filming has lasted for more than 20 days, almost a month.

The entire production crew operated like a well-wound precision instrument, running efficiently and smoothly under Wang Sheng's steady control.

Matt Damon and Kate Beckinsale are getting along better and better.

The initial awkwardness and tentativeness of the first few days have been replaced by a subtle tension mixed with competition, vigilance, and unconscious attraction.

This perfectly captures the core of the relationship between John and Jane, the secret agent couple who conceal their identities from each other.

The scene being filmed right now is a test between two people who, after suspecting each other's identities, are taking place in their high-tech kitchen under the guise of preparing dinner. It is a scene that is both elegant and deadly.

The deft slice of a tomato with a knife, the sharpness in a fleeting glance; the subtle touch of fingertips as the salt shaker is handed over, the movement subtly synchronized with the rhythm of a fight... Behind Wang Sheng's monitor, all of this was broken down into different shots and captured one by one.

"Cut!" Wang Sheng's voice rang out through the loudspeaker on set, calm and even. "Very good, that's a take. Damon, when you pick up the olive oil bottle, make the curve of your wrist a little more casual. That's your 'killer bee' venom launcher, but that's not your focus right now. Make it more natural. Beckinsale, the rhythm of you turning around to open the refrigerator is good, keep the tension in your back muscles."

He pinpointed the subtle flaws in the performance with precision, his tone leaving no room for doubt, yet without making anyone feel embarrassed.

After the experience of working together on "The Pursuit of Happyness" and the Oscar for "Night at the Museum," his authority on set was unchallenged. Even A-list stars like Matt Damon showed sufficient respect for his guidance.

“Understood, Your Majesty.” Matt Damon nodded, gesturing thoughtfully with his wrist.

"Props team, replenish tomatoes and basil leaves. Actors, touch up your makeup. In fifteen minutes, we'll film the reverse shot of John 'accidentally' knocking over a pot of boiling water, and Jane instinctively dodging it with superhuman flexibility." Wang Sheng quickly issued instructions into the walkie-talkie.

The film set is bustling with activity again.

Just then, Wang Sheng's assistant quietly approached him with a folder and whispered, "Mr. Wang, Mr. Brown from New Line Cinema is here in your lounge. Also, this is the final box office statistics and market analysis report for 'Saw' in its first month, which we just received."

Wang Sheng took the folder and quickly opened it.

When his gaze swept over the string of numbers, there was no surprise in his eyes.

Saw, an R-rated psychological thriller with a production cost of just over one million dollars, shocked Hollywood by raking in $2138 million in its opening weekend after its release on March 14, thanks to its unique concept and precise viral marketing.

Its subsequent trajectory has demonstrated remarkable resilience.

Thanks to the fervent discussions the film sparked among core horror movie fans and the word-of-mouth phenomenon that fueled a "masochistic" viewing frenzy, the box office revenue, despite a slight decline in subsequent weeks, remained remarkably healthy.

During the off-season when there are few strong competitors, it has become the first choice for many young viewers seeking excitement.

The report shows that the cumulative box office for "Saw" in North America in its first month (as of April 13) was $68,152,309.

A number that deserves a place in the history of low-budget horror films.

The return on investment is as high as nearly seventy times!
Furthermore, based on its strong performance and continued audience demand, New Line Cinema has decided to shift to a long-running strategy to further tap into its market potential. Distribution rights in several overseas markets have also sold for far higher prices than expected.

Wang Sheng closed the folder and handed it to his assistant with a calm expression. "Understood."

He stood up, gave a few instructions to the executive director beside him, and then walked towards his private dressing room.

Inside the lounge, Kevin Brown was leisurely sipping coffee when he saw Wang Sheng enter. He immediately put down his cup and flashed a warm smile.

"Wang! I hope I haven't disturbed your precious filming time." Brown stood up and shook hands firmly with Wang Sheng. "Mr. Brown, you're too kind. The filming is progressing smoothly." Wang Sheng gestured for him to sit down.

After a few pleasantries, Brown quickly got to the point, his eyes gleaming: "Wang, I think you've already seen the results of 'Saw.' My God, it's a miracle! A movie with a budget of one million dollars, and it grossed nearly seventy million in North America in its opening month! This isn't just a dark horse, it's a monster!"

His tone was filled with amazement and undisguised greed: "The internal assessment of the new line indicates that the concept of 'Jigsaw,' and this unique style, has the full potential to develop into a long-term profitable series!"

We'd like to discuss co-developing the Saw series with you. You can take a leading role in the scriptwriting, directing, and producing, while New Line Cinema will handle distribution and some investment. Profit sharing can be discussed in detail.

Faced with Brown's offer, Wang Sheng didn't immediately show excitement. He picked up the warm water his assistant had just brought him, took a sip, and said calmly, "Brown, thank you for New Line's recognition. The success of 'Saw' was the result of both the team's efforts and luck."

He put down his water glass and looked directly at Brown: "However, right now I have to focus my energy on 'Spy Kids.' It's a bigger film with more complex elements, and I can't afford to be distracted."

Regarding the collaboration on the Saw series, how about we sit down and discuss it in detail after filming wraps and the movie enters post-production? At that time, we might also be able to talk about other project possibilities.

His attitude was clear and firm: now is not the time to talk about this; the priority should be the projects at hand.

A fleeting hint of disappointment crossed Brown's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by understanding.

He knew Wang Sheng's focus on the project and his desire for control, and he also understood that "Spy House" was equally important to New Line Cinema.

“Of course, of course!” Brown immediately replied. “I completely understand the project priorities. Let’s do as you said, and discuss it in detail after ‘Spy’ wraps up filming. I believe our collaboration will extend far beyond ‘Saw’ or ‘Spy’.”

He added meaningfully, clearly indicating his optimism about the future value that Wang Sheng could bring.

The two chatted for a while about the fun of filming "Spy Kids" and some recent developments in Hollywood, before Brown tactfully took his leave.

After seeing Brown off, Wang Sheng stood by the window in the lounge, looking at the busy scene on the film set outside.

The success of "Saw" was within his expectations, and he was well aware of the enormous potential of this IP.

But he knew even better that he couldn't let an unexpected (but planned) success disrupt his original rhythm. "Spy Kids" was a crucial step for him to break into the mainstream Hollywood commercial film arena, and he had to proceed cautiously and steadily.

……

China, thousands of miles away.

The phenomenal box office success of "Saw" in North America, and the huge profits and reputation it brought to Shengying Media, have also sparked reports and discussions in the financial sector and within the industry through specific channels.

Of course, the reporting perspective in China is completely different from that in North America.

A leading financial newspaper published an analysis article in its "Chinese Enterprises Going Global" column:
Shengying Media's overseas business is achieving frequent successes, with its low-budget thriller topping the North American box office.

The article briefly introduces the production background and box office performance of "Saw", emphasizing its "extremely low production cost" and "amazing box office return rate", and attributing it to Shengying Media's "accurate international market vision" and "efficient connection with Hollywood's mature industrial system".

The report states that this success further proves the correctness of Shengying Media's internationalization strategy, not only bringing considerable direct benefits to the company, but also significantly enhancing its brand influence and bargaining power in the global film and television market.

The article concludes by stating that, as far as is known, Shengying Media's domestic A-share listing plan has not been affected by any external factors and is still progressing in an orderly manner, with the underwriters team remaining highly optimistic about its market prospects.

Another industry media outlet focuses more on the cooperation model:
From "The Museum" to "Saw," Sheng Ying's collaboration model with Hollywood has been upgraded.

This article analyzes the shift in Shengying Media's collaboration with Hollywood, from a deep co-production of "Night at the Museum" to a near-independent production of "Saw," with New Line Cinema primarily handling distribution. It argues that this signifies Shengying Media's steadily increasing influence and autonomy in Hollywood. "Director Wang Sheng, with his exceptional business acumen and creative abilities, is leading Shengying Media to forge a unique 'content-driven' collaborative path on the international stage."

These reports deliberately downplayed the film's gory and thriller genre attributes, instead focusing on its commercial success and corporate strategy.

In a certain unspoken atmosphere, this was considered a more "safe" and "positive" angle for publicity.

(End of this chapter)