Not to mention those pseudo-documentaries like "The Blair Witch Project" that solely rely on marketing to generate box office revenue.
As for why Kevin didn't choose to make a film like "The Blair Witch Project," the reason is simple: it's considered worthless by industry insiders.
It's purely a box office hype created by marketing, and such films offer no benefits to the director. People will only feel deceived by the director, which is highly detrimental to their future projects. The only ones who benefit are the film studios.
Choosing such a film would ruin a director's entire career, so Kevin naturally wouldn't make that choice.
That being said, all of this is meant to emphasize the importance of marketing. In film promotion, it's crucial to leverage the success of other films, in simple terms, to ride the wave.
Riding the wave also requires skill. The iconic status of "The Silence of the Lambs" goes without saying, and "Saw" is no less significant.
After the positive reception of "The Silence of the Lambs," it's wise to capitalize on its popularity. This will attract audiences who have already watched "The Silence of the Lambs," as horror movie fans tend to overlap in their preferences.
As long as the quality of "Saw" is high enough, these viewers will spread the word about the film. However, if the quality of "Saw" is lacking, the consequences will be severe. They could become the film's harshest critics.
But Kevin has confidence in the quality of "Saw." As a film that stands on its own merits, without external factors, it has already proven itself in Kevin's memory. As long as the marketing keeps up, there's no reason for it to falter.
Selma Hayek gave a seductive glance at Kevin, licked the milk off her lips, then picked up a bottle of pure milk from the bedside and chugged it down.
She then leaned against Kevin, and they both started reading the newspaper together.
Seeing the exaggerated praise for "Saw" in the newspaper, Selma Hayek couldn't help but smile with delight.
As the nominal female lead, even though the most charismatic character in the film is Jigsaw, she would still bask in the limelight.
Once the film succeeds, she will no longer be an unknown in Hollywood.
"Kevin, there isn't even a single negative review of 'Saw' in this newspaper. Are we going to make it?"
Kevin chuckled. "Of course, with a genius director at the helm, how could we fail, right, my leading lady?"
"How do you plan to thank me?" Kevin teasingly asked.
Selma Hayek glanced at him. After spending these days together, she was completely captivated by Kevin's charm. Whenever he spoke, she knew what he was up to.
She obediently lowered her head, knowing exactly what he was expecting.
...
Kevin enjoyed the comforting sensation as Selma Hayek attended to him. He put down the newspaper in his hand.
Time flew by quickly.
Soon, it was the day before Halloween, also known as Halloween night.
The streets were filled with Americans dressed up as monsters and ghouls, and pumpkin lanterns adorned the shopping malls.
Kevin stood on the stage in the mall, a small square that could accommodate about a hundred people.
Tonight at midnight, his film "Saw" would be screened in the movie theater.
His purpose in being here was to generate buzz and inform the students in advance about the release of "Saw."
There are approximately 2,500 universities across the United States, and New Line Cinema is most familiar with theaters near these campuses. As a result, they secured 800 screens for "Saw" on college campuses.
This accounted for about one-fifth of the college market share.
However, this contract was only effective for three days. After three days, the theaters had the right to increase or decrease the number of screens based on the performance of "Saw."
Box office revenue in North America is often distributed in a tiered manner.
In the first week, the production company could take 60% or even 70% of the box office revenue. After that, the share would increase or gradually decrease based on the film's specific performance.
Generally, the share gradually decreases.
Therefore, the first-week box office data is crucial as it determines the theater's attitude toward the film.
"Hello, everyone! I'm Kevin. Have you heard of me?"
On the stage, Kevin shouted at the students below, who were most likely his juniors.
As a prominent figure on campus, Kevin's words instantly turned the students into his enthusiastic fans, cheering for him.
Following the requirements of a film's opening ceremony, Kevin skillfully began his promotion to the students below.
As a film with a small budget, hosting a preview screening was already equivalent to an opening ceremony.
A true star-studded opening ceremony was something Kevin couldn't afford at the moment.
Through the promotion by the print media, some horror movie enthusiasts had already become potential audience members for "Saw," and these students were the film's core target audience.
By the way, "Saw" was unsurprisingly rated R, which means it is restricted and requires viewers under the age of 17 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Achieving a higher NC rating, apart from certain banned films, is generally difficult.
Moreover, behind the deaths in "Saw," there is a hidden message of urging people to cherish life, along with the efforts of New Line Cinema.
That's why it received an R rating.
This is also the reason why Kevin has been seeking cooperation with major studios. In reality, the majority of the investment comes from external sources, but if the funding source is not raised through the film industry's established companies, it would encounter numerous problems during its release.
From the ratings to promotion to theaters, each step presents its own set of challenges.
Hollywood can be quite tricky when it comes to external funding, and those in Hong Kong's entertainment industry are well aware of this fact.
….
Midnight, twelve o'clock.
Countless monsters and ghouls flocked to the movie theater in search of thrills.
"Kaila, let's go watch Saw. I've seen the high praise from those film critics for this horror movie."
Beside her, Kaila, a blonde Caucasian girl, dressed in a seductive manner, making her tall white boyfriend restless.
He hoped that through this horror movie, their relationship would progress further.
"I'm a bit scared, maybe we should just forget about it..."
Kaila hesitated, giving a half-hearted refusal.
Her tall white boyfriend became even more excited.
He patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, I'll protect you. You have nothing to fear."
Kaila then assumed a look of being convinced and accompanied him into the movie theater.
Clearly, their intention was not just to watch the movie.
In today's college campuses, engaging in adult activities in the movie theater was one of the ways they sought excitement.
And among these activities, R-rated and above films undoubtedly served as a great source of stimulation.