By the seventh day—exactly one week after its release—Saw’s total box office had reached an astonishing $45.86 million.
It was a staggering figure.
At this rate, Saw was poised to contend for a spot in the year’s top ten highest-grossing films.
Every other movie on that list had a minimum production budget of over ten million dollars.
Compared to them, Saw’s profit margin was astronomically high.
Across the industry, every major studio now knew Director Kevin’s name.
Countless executives were scrambling to find him, desperate to secure him for his next project.
Of course, Kevin had instructed Dawson to temporarily block all of these inquiries.
His strategy for his next film remained the same: he would prepare a complete project proposal in advance, then leak the news to spark a bidding war among the major studios.
In theory, he was more than willing to continue working with New Line Cinema, as their current collaboration had been extremely pleasant.
However, if another studio offered better terms, he certainly wouldn’t refuse.
Ultimately, in Hollywood, cash was king.
He would sign with the highest bidder.
…
Knock, knock, knock!
CAA President Michael Ovitz waited outside the hotel room.
Inside, Kevin had just finished dressing in appropriate evening attire—though “appropriate” was a relative term.
In reality, Kevin hadn’t spent an exorbitant amount on his look.
The entire outfit cost around ten thousand dollars, pieced together during his spare time over the last two days.
Compared to A-list celebrities who wore custom pieces worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars, he was practically frugal.
Kevin opened the door with a smile.
Ovitz smiled back.
“Kevin, Shay is waiting for us downstairs.
Tonight, we’re taking you to a proper Hollywood party.
You aren’t truly a part of Hollywood until you’ve attended one of these.”
Ovitz was exaggerating slightly, but his words highlighted just how central these Beverly Hills parties were to the industry.
These were the places where high-level business was conducted, and backroom flesh trades were negotiated.
In Hollywood, mere beauty couldn’t conquer everything.
Beauty was just the bare minimum requirement for entry.
Once that baseline was met, securing a leading role in a major production required trading away much, much more.
The rumors of actresses offering themselves up to producers, directors, and investors for a shot at stardom were entirely true. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Kevin was undeniably a handsome young man.
However, as a rising director rapidly climbing the Hollywood food chain, he had no intention of being exploited; he intended to be the one making the rules.
This dynamic was one of the biggest reasons he had dived straight into the film industry.
His passion for filmmaking was one thing, but his absolute yearning for Hollywood’s power and allure was another.
Under Ovitz’s guidance, Kevin quickly met up with Shay.
The three of them settled into Shay’s chauffeured car and were driven to a sprawling Beverly Hills manor.
The entrance was heavily guarded by a formidable security team, expertly keeping out strangers, paparazzi, and reporters.
The head of security stepped forward, waving their group through without a second glance.
While he didn’t recognize Kevin, Ovitz and Shay were regular VIPs.
Anyone brought in by those two was automatically cleared for entry.
Once inside, Ovitz patted Kevin on the shoulder.
“Enjoy yourself tonight.
If you see an actress you like, make a move.
Trust me, they’re much more proactive than you’d expect.
Just make sure you casually mention that you directed Saw.”
Flashing a knowing smile, Ovitz slipped away into the crowd to mingle.
Watching Ovitz leave, Shay turned to him.
“So, Director Kevin.
Do you have any plans for your next film yet?”
Kevin smiled and shook his head.
“I just have a rough concept right now.
As for specific plans, let’s wait until Saw finishes its theatrical run.
I’m actually planning to put up some of my own money as an investor on my next project.”
Shay studied Kevin for a moment before a wide smile spread across his face.
“Of course.
Once the final box office numbers are settled, I’ll instruct the finance department to wire your cut as quickly as possible.” He paused, locking eyes with Kevin.
“But all things being equal, you’ll still give New Line Cinema priority, right?”
Kevin offered a faint smile. New chapters come out on g.com first.
“Of course.”
Shay nodded, internally cursing the young director for being such a sly fox, before excusing himself to join the party.
Kevin watched Shay walk away before wandering into the main hall.
His underlying message just now had been crystal clear: once the money hit his bank account, they could discuss future collaborations.
After a brief mental calculation, Shay had wisely chosen to play along rather than sour their relationship.
Simply put, stalling a payout of a few million dollars wasn’t worth losing a proven, money-making genius like Kevin.
Shay desperately wanted to keep him in the New Line family.
Shay’s response satisfied Kevin as well.
As the head of a major Hollywood studio, Shay was at least smart enough to be pragmatic.
He wasn’t about to burn a bridge with a star director just to cheat him out of a bonus.
Throughout the party, the room was packed with strikingly handsome men and stunning women—some Kevin recognized, some he didn’t.
Mingling among them were groups of older, elite-looking white men in sharp suits.
The social hierarchy of the room could be discerned at a single glance.
Ninety-nine percent of the young, attractive attendees were actors, while the older men were studio executives, hedge fund managers, and established directors.
Together, they formed an exclusive, self-sustaining ecosystem of investors, directors, actors, and distributors.
This was the absolute upper echelon of Hollywood.
Some of the people here were permanent fixtures at these events, while others had clawed their way in for a single, fleeting appearance.
Glancing at the lavish spread of food and premium wine, Kevin realized he was starving.
He grabbed a plate, loaded it with a few cuts of perfectly tender steak, snagged a glass of juice, and began eating with genuine relish.
…
“Look at that guy over there.
It’s like he’s never seen food before in his life.” Not far away, two female models were quietly mocking him.
Ironically, at a party like this, runway models sat at the very bottom of the social hierarchy.
In the fashion industry, the most conventionally attractive women were often stuck in the middle tiers.
Breaking into the absolute top tier required a highly specific, high-fashion look—unconventional features that everyday people rarely considered traditionally beautiful.
Because of this ceiling, the ultimate career pivot for these stunning, mid-tier models was to cross over into Hollywood.
Relying on their flawless looks, their greatest ambition was to rebrand themselves as movie stars.
Exclusive cocktail parties like this one were their greatest hunting grounds.
The party hosts deliberately invited crowds of beautiful models to serve as eye candy and liven up the atmosphere.
After all, the limited pool of Hollywood actresses was nowhere near enough to satisfy the appetites of the powerful men in attendance.