On the side of the road in West Hollywood stood Super Burger King – a fast-food joint known for its large portions and affordable prices. The main clientele were young people who had come to Hollywood in pursuit of their dreams.
No problem if you're short on cash; you can come here, eat a hearty, high-calorie meal, and not think about food for the rest of the day.
Given James Wan and Leigh Whannell's financial difficulties, Eric decided not to choose an expensive restaurant and arranged the meeting here.
In America, unlike in China, business meetings over meals are conducted on a "each pays for themselves" basis. If one person pays, it can be perceived as a bribe. Moreover, the person being treated ends up in a moral debt.
The same applies to friendly gatherings at home – usually, people bring inexpensive food or drinks, rather than costly gifts.
Additionally, there's another advantage to dining at Super Burger King – you don't need to leave a tip since all orders are self-service. In any mid-level restaurant, tipping is unavoidable, and it averages around 15% of the bill. And in the U.S., tipping is not only done in restaurants.
Aside from fast-food joints, government institutions, hospitals, schools, and supermarkets, you need to leave tips for almost all services in the country. This often causes dissatisfaction even among Americans themselves.
Eric and Judy sat at a round table by the street. It didn't take long before Judy, nodding backward, said: "Look, they're coming."
Eric turned around and saw two young men hurrying toward them. Leading the way was a handsome white guy in a white shirt and trousers, looking quite decent.
Behind him was a slender Asian guy of short stature. His striking hairstyle was particularly eye-catching, making him stand out in any crowd.
Eric sighed. As a person who had experienced time travel, he couldn't appreciate James Wan's extravagant hairstyle. Although Wan clearly had taste, his choice in hairstyle was... peculiar. Obviously, Wan had a particular fondness for quirky hairdos.
Eric waved at them: "James, Leigh, over here!"
They didn't know Eric, but seeing Judy, they understood everything and quickly approached, extending their hands. "James Wan, very pleased to meet you, Mr. Eric." "Leigh Whannell, very pleased to meet you, Mr. Eric." "Eric Cooper, pleased to meet you both."
After ordering food, they sat down and began their conversation. The young men couldn't help but notice that Eric chose this place to accommodate their financial situation, which endeared him to them.
"Leigh, I read your script. Though I only skimmed through it, a good idea always stands out. I really liked it."
Leigh Whannell and James Wan exchanged glances. Receiving the call, they felt luck was smiling on them. And now, it was confirmed.
Whannell immediately got to the point: "Mr. Eric, does this mean that MGM is interested in 'Saw'?"
"Of course, otherwise why would I invite you? To be straightforward: MGM wants to invest in the project. I want to bring this story to the screen."
A gust of wind slightly ruffled James Wan's hair, and he hastily fixed his quirky hairstyle: "Mr. Eric, what about the direction?"
Eric smiled at him: "Don't worry, I'm not going to separate you. I believe no one knows this story better than you do."
James Wan felt his heart tighten and suddenly began to tremble.
Leigh Whannell patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, this is what you've always dreamed of, right?"
James Wan took a greedy bite of his burger and, after swallowing, looked gratefully at the young man sitting across from him.
"Mr. Eric, I don't even know what to say. We've approached almost every small company, but no one agreed to invest even a million dollars."
"Then we went to Warner, Universal, Paramount, but we were just shown the door. Even if they liked the script, no one would give me the chance to direct."
James's voice trembled. In Hollywood, it's easiest for aspiring actors to break through, then for screenwriters, but for directors – it's the hardest.
An actor can start with a small role, and if he doesn't fit, it's not a big deal. If a purchased script doesn't meet expectations, it can simply be shelved. But choosing the wrong director can be catastrophic. Even a low-budget film costs several million dollars, and a failure can ruin a small film studio.
For instance, Josh Trank directed the low-budget film "Chronicle," which brought him fame. But when 20th Century Fox entrusted him with "Fantastic Four," the result was disastrous, leading to losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
For superhero films, the script is not as important since the story is already known. But the director is a key figure, and a mistake in choosing one can be costly. Trank lost all his contracts and disappeared from the radar for five years.
Leigh Whannell, barely containing his excitement, tried to flatter:
"Mr. Eric, your decisiveness is one of the best in Hollywood. We barely entered MGM, and already we've got such a chance."
Eric laughed:
"If you're truly grateful, the best way to repay is to make a great film. But first, let's discuss the details."
"First of all, the fee. We don't want any trouble with the guilds."
Leigh Whannell cautiously asked:
"Can I really play the lead role?"
"If you insist, I'll agree. No one knows what this story needs better than you do. But think about your career: do you want to be an actor or a screenwriter?"
Leigh nodded:
"I'll take your advice into consideration. As for the fee, let's go with the minimum rates according to the guild standards. I'm very grateful for this opportunity."
Eric turned to James Wan, who hesitated a bit before asking:
"May I know what budget MGM will allocate?"
Eric spread his fingers:
"No more than 5 million dollars, but the exact amount will be discussed within the company."
A smile appeared on James's face:
"Then, like Leigh, I'll take the minimum fee."
Eric was surprised:
"So what was the purpose of your question?"
"Mr. Eric, Leigh and I had assumed: if MGM's budget was less than 2 million, we would waive our fees and take a share of the profits to save costs. But if it's 4-5 million, we can do everything at the highest level: music, props, editing."
"Mr. Eric, Leigh and I need a chance to prove ourselves, especially me as a representative of the Asian community. You understand how hard it is for Asians to break through in America."
Eric nodded. Everyone knows how difficult it is for Asians to succeed in the U.S. – it's an unspoken rule.
"James, once Cameron agreed to direct 'Terminator' for 1 dollar, and it made him the king of the world. I believe you'll be the next king of the world!"
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