It's worth noting the feelings and discrimination that African-American men faced when marrying white women in the 1990s. The discrimination from white people towards black people at that time was much more severe than in later years.
This was one of the reasons Kevin chose this film. Its impact during that time was even stronger than it would have been in the future.
...
Kevin led the film crew to shoot in the small town in Texas. On the other hand, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. were not idle either.
Unlike Saw, Kevin had gained a certain reputation in the outside world after Saw was released.
At least among horror movie enthusiasts, he had gained some fame.
Due to their love and admiration for Saw, these fans also had a certain degree of admiration for Kevin, the creator of the franchise.
Therefore, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema started the early promotion for "Get Out."
Of course, they didn't need to put in too much effort before the official release. They just needed to make the public aware that such a film existed.
To achieve this, they started laying out the news in print media and revealed some information.
["Get Out: A black youth brought into a terrifying situation by his white girlfriend, whether he is a sacrificial lamb devoured to the last bite or rises to resist and kill those people who see him as prey..."]
This was a promotional approach based on the content of the movie, revealing only part of its essence.
["The latest masterpiece from genius horror film director Steve Kevin, 'Get Out,' is currently being filmed. The film depicts a series of bizarre events encountered by a black youth entering a small town. Let's see how he avoids all the crises and escapes to safety..."]
This approach focused on Kevin's own reputation to generate anticipation in advance.
...
Two months may not seem long, but it's also not short.
Will Smith's acting skills pleasantly surprised Kevin. Acting is a subjective matter, but the most important thing is not to break character.
In movies, artistic films often require the most acting skills. As for commercial films and horror movies, as long as the acting is competent and doesn't break character, it's sufficient, excluding Hannibal.
After having a simple chat with Will Smith, Kevin couldn't help but marvel at the power of money.
Will spent money to hire experienced actors to help him practice his acting skills. He also rented a camera and bought film to practice and evaluate himself.
Under these conditions, coupled with Will Smith's natural charisma, Kevin was surprised to see his acting skills reach a satisfactory level for commercial films.
The one who encountered more problems was Angelina Jolie, who was a newcomer to acting and made frequent minor mistakes. Kevin became frustrated with her during this period.
Fortunately, after Kevin's relentless guidance and instruction day and night, Angelina Jolie finally reached the acceptable standard after half a month.
And that was enough.
During this time, everyone on the film set became aware of the special relationship between Kevin and Angelina Jolie.
However, Kevin was still unmarried and only a single director, so it was considered normal for him to have intimate relationships with actresses. Several supporting actresses even attempted to sneak into Kevin's bed at night.
However, they were fiercely guarded by Angelina Jolie.
Others pretended not to notice and had no intention of challenging Kevin's authority.
As a film crew formed by CAA, with Kevin's close associates occupying key positions and Kevin having achieved success in the industry, he had supreme authority within the crew.
Once the issue with Jolie's acting skills was resolved, other problems were no longer obstacles, and the shooting progressed rapidly.
In two months, Kevin successfully completed the filming according to his plan.
Of course, the budget of $3 million was used without exceeding or leaving any surplus. As usual, Kevin booked a wrap party at a hotel near Hollywood.
With a substantial remaining budget of $80,000, Kevin invested it all in the party.
...
Towards the end of February and the beginning of March, a hotel near Hollywood hosted the party. Will Smith, with his good relationship with Kevin, didn't miss the party either. While others were reveling, Will Smith casually strolled around Kevin.
"Kevin, aren't you joining the party?" Will asked.
"I'm not a fan of parties, but most people enjoy them. I don't mind doing a good deed," Kevin replied.
Hosting a party could improve Kevin's reputation among some of the lesser-known actors and crew members. It was a habit he cultivated to go with the flow.
"What about you, Smith? You're a well-known singer. How did you suddenly decide to cross over into Hollywood?" Kevin curiously asked.
"The sky's the limit! The status of a singer and a film actor is entirely different. I prefer being an actor myself," Will Smith candidly expressed his ambition. This difference in character was influenced by Chinese and American cultures. The Chinese tend to be reserved, while Americans are more outgoing.
"Keep going, Smith. I see the qualities of an excellent film actor in you. I believe you can become an outstanding film actor in the future. If you come across the right film, becoming an Oscar winner is not impossible," Kevin said with a tone that seemed like a joke but also carried a hint of sincerity.
Will Smith laughed heartily and said, "I also believe in your judgment as a director. I feel the same way."
"Well, you have no shame!" Kevin joked.
There were rumors in Kevin's previous life that Will Smith played around a lot behind the scenes. But from Daoxuan's perspective, considering how Will Smith raised his own son, such rumors might not be entirely true. Therefore, Kevin had a somewhat favorable impression of Will Smith.
"Yeah, I feel the same way," Will Smith replied.
After this conversation, their relationship took another step forward, reaching the level of friendship.
At this point, Kevin had already met future megastars such as Robert Downey Jr., Nicolas Cage, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, and others. If they could follow the path Kevin remembered and become big stars, it would lay a foundation for Kevin's connections in Hollywood.
However, this was still far from enough.
But Kevin had only debuted less than a year ago and had plenty of time to develop.
...
After the party ended, Kevin spent a few days practicing intensely with Angelina Jolie at his mansion, completely releasing the stress. Once he had all the necessary materials, Kevin went to New Line Cinema.