Of course, the main reason was that Kevin was still an unproven director, and it wasn't worth creating conflicts between him and other film companies.
Therefore, all three companies tacitly engaged in price negotiations.
Now, it seemed that the director wanted to make his final request, and they would consider whether to agree to it.
"I don't want a salary, but I want to implement a gambling agreement with you."
"Oh? Interesting, tell us about it," Dean spoke up first.
Kevin, with a serious expression, held up two fingers and said, "If the global box office is below $20 million, I won't take a penny. Starting from $20 million, if it exceeds that, I want 1% of the box office revenue, and for every additional $10 million, the percentage increases by 1."
Dean laughed heartily. This kind of gambling agreement sounded very interesting, and he could sense the ambition in Kevin's eyes.
Clearly, Kevin sincerely believed that the box office of his first film could exceed $20 million.
In Dean's opinion, the likelihood of that happening was less than one percent.
For a rookie director with a $1.2 million film, achieving tens of millions at the box office was theoretically impossible.
Therefore, this condition could be fully agreed upon.
"Alright, I agree, but the maximum limit is 5%," Dean said with a smile.
As the Chinese saying goes, it's better to be safe than sorry. Even if something impossible were to happen, he wanted to eliminate the possibility of a mishap.
A maximum of 5% box office share meant that even if "Saw" truly exploded at the box office, the money allocated to Kevin wouldn't make New Line Cinema feel too much pain.
"Great!"
Having achieved his goal, Kevin shook hands with Dean, signifying the agreement between the two parties.
As for striving for a larger share, it was the same old saying, nobody is a fool.
In the event that the box office reached the originally expected $150 million, New Line Cinema could potentially have to give him 13% of the box office share.
This immense interest would be enough for New Line Cinema to turn their back on him and tamper with the overseas box office, potentially depriving him of the benefits he should have received.
5% was already quite a good outcome.
As for the other two companies, Great Jazz and Great Beauty Films, Kevin didn't even bother looking at them. From the negotiations just now, he could already tell that only New Line Cinema truly had the intention to invest.
The other two seemed to have come along with Dean, creating a united front and exerting pressure, so that he, a young man, wouldn't be too difficult to deal with.
With the cooperation established, Dawson, who had been silent all along, stood up and began discussing specific details with Dean. After a back-and-forth, they quickly signed the agreement.
After all, it was just a small investment, and as an executive, Dean had the complete authority to decide.
If it were a multimillion-dollar investment, it would involve a negotiation team of dozens of people.
After reaching the agreement, Dean, accompanied by the other two, quickly left the CAA building.
In the room, only Dawson and Kevin remained.
Dawson picked up the contract on the table and smiled faintly. He asked, "Kevin, what about the crew members? And the actors? Do you have any plans?"
Kevin waved his hand casually and replied naturally, "Apart from a few positions that I have already decided in the treatment, you can handle the rest. As for the actors, you can find some newcomers for auditions. If we decide to cast them, you can sign their talent contracts on the spot."
"Okay, leave it to me, Kevin."
Dawson's face was filled with excitement. This was the power of a director.
A director-client could bring a large number of high-quality clients to CAA, and if the director's film's box office was highly successful, it would have a chain reaction.
His job was to provide better service to Kevin in all aspects.
...
Three days later, outside a building near Hollywood, hundreds of people lined up boldly. They had come here with one purpose only: to secure an important role in the "Saw" movie.
After Dawson went to the actors' union to initiate the project for "Saw," numerous actors started to catch wind of the news. Upon learning that it was a low-budget horror film, many actors felt that they might have a chance and flocked to the designated audition location set by the production team.
For big productions, it goes without saying that well-known and established actors are typically chosen for significant roles. It is often difficult for newcomers or those with limited acting experience to secure such opportunities.
On the other hand, small-budget productions, unable to afford high salaries, often choose new actors. For these aspiring actors, the chance to portray a named character is often more important than the monetary compensation.
And so, three days later, outside the office building, a queue of hundreds of people formed. They had come here with one goal in mind: to land an important role in the "Saw" film.
...
In the office, Kevin calmly looked at one resume after another.
The crew interviews were divided into two parts. One part involved auditioning for supporting roles, which was handled by the assistant director that Dawson had found for him.
On the other side, Kevin personally conducted the interviews for the main roles in the film.
"Salma Hayek?"
As Kevin looked at the resume with a small photo and the name that seemed familiar but not quite clear, he pondered carefully.
At the same time, Salma Hayek entered the room.
As Kevin looked at Salma Hayek in front of him, his eyes finally lit up.
Compared to the previous ten or so women and Salma Hayek in front of him, there was a clear difference. Not to mention the fact that her resume indicated she had won the Best Actress and Best Newcomer awards at the Mexican Novela Television Awards in 1989.
Winning awards indicated that her acting skills were also commendable.
What was even more interesting was that these awards were not widely recognized in the United States. Arrogant Americans did not acknowledge these awards.
Therefore, in Hollywood, she was considered a newcomer actress, and her salary would naturally be determined accordingly.
However, Kevin's only concern was whether she would be able to let loose in the role.
Although the level of nudity would not be too extreme, it would involve some revealing scenes.
But providing some eye candy for the audience was expected.
...
As Salma Hayek looked at the young director in front of her, she proudly straightened her chest. She exuded a mature and enticing aura, especially with her well-developed assets, which tempted one to reach out and grasp them.
However, Kevin knew that those assets were definitely out of his reach. It was only at this moment that he finally understood the future potential of this actress.