Chapter 304: On the Set of Saw

Chapter 304: Chapter 304: On the Set of Saw

After finishing the exclusive interview with the last entertainment media outlet, Irene politely declined the reporter’s follow-up invitation, quickly got into her car, and drove straight to the Warner Bros. Studio Lot.

The afternoon sunlight spilled over her through the car window, but she was in no mood to rest. Her mind was still preoccupied with the filming progress of Saw.

This ultra-low-budget thriller was a major tool for her to harvest the box office and secure considerable cash flow later on. It allowed for no mistakes.

The car entered the studio lot and rounded a corner to a detached small building in a remote corner. This was the filming location for Saw.

Compared to the other surrounding buildings, this place appeared exceptionally crude, yet it exuded an oppressive atmosphere everywhere. Various dilapidated props and fabrics stained with fake blood were piled outside the building. Even from a distance, one could feel the unique horror aura of the set.

If Irene hadn’t personally participated in the investment and if this film weren’t so important, she wouldn’t have stepped into this sunless place alone for anything.

With the backing of Irene’s full investment, James Wan no longer had to be as frugal as in his previous life over a broken toilet or a few iron chains. From the bloody and realistic mechanical props to the dim and oppressive set design, everything could fully align with his creative vision, maximizing the restoration of the thriller settings in the script.

Irene pushed the door open and stepped onto the set lightly. The staff members turned one after another to greet her before quickly returning to their work, fearing they might disturb the filming.

The lighting on the set was dim, with only a few fill lights shining on the shooting area. The air was permeated with the faint metallic scent of prop blood and the smell of prop plastic, creating an oppressive and suffocating atmosphere.

What was being filmed at this moment was one of the classic scenes: the needle pit. The actor was trapped in a deep pit filled with countless medical needles, struggling to climb out, with the pain of the needles piercing his skin performed to the fullest extent.

Irene had seen this famous scene on a computer in her previous life, and just watching the clip made her scalp tingle. Now, being on the actual filming site, seeing the distorted pain and nearly collapsed expression on the actor’s face, and hearing his hoarse roars and the subtle sound of needles scraping, even though she knew all the props were simulations and all the pain was acting, the hair on the back of her neck still stood up one by one, and she subconsciously clenched her palms.

Behind the director’s monitor, James Wan was fully focused on the screen, occasionally communicating with the cameraman in a low voice about angles, requiring the lens to accurately capture every micro-expression of the actor to push the sense of horror to the maximum. It wasn’t until this take was finished and he shouted "Cut" that the tense atmosphere eased slightly.

Irene watched the playback of the clip on the monitor and couldn’t help but raise her hands to clap gently, her eyes full of admiration. "That was wonderful, James! I really don’t know how your brain works to be able to conceive such extreme and piercing horror techniques. The sense of fear and impact is directly maximized."

Hearing the voice, James Wan immediately put down the walkie-talkie in his hand and walked quickly toward Irene with a humble and sincere smile on his face. "Irene, long time no see. What brings you here?"

He scratched his head and waved his hand repeatedly. "This isn’t all my credit alone. The settings for the needle pit and all the death traps were brainstormed by Leigh Whannell and me together. We’ve been planning this for many years."

Speaking of Irene’s achievements, James Wan’s tone was full of respect, and his gaze was exceptionally sincere. "Actually, I should be the one congratulating you. Million Dollar Baby secured seven Oscar nominations, and now all of Hollywood is talking about you. Achieving such results at twenty-two is simply an unprecedented feat. I’m the one who should wonder how your brain works, being able to film a global box office hit like Pirates of the Caribbean and also master a profound and heart-piercing artistic masterpiece like Million Dollar Baby. It’s truly admirable."

"You flatter me too much. We’re both just doing what we love," Irene responded with a smile. Her gaze swept over the neatly arranged props on the set and then toward the actor who had just finished filming and was calming his emotions with the support of an assistant. "I see the actors are in great shape. Is the filming going smoothly? Have you encountered any unsolvable problems?"

Hearing this, a relieved smile appeared on James Wan’s face. "Extremely smoothly. With the funds you invested, the props and sets can all meet the best standards, and the actors are very professional, fully understanding the sense of horror I want. The concerns I had before about insufficient budget and crude props no longer exist. The filming progress is even a bit faster than expected. I estimate we can wrap up in less than five days."

The two walked side by side to the monitor. James Wan played back several filmed segments for Irene: the tense confrontation in the secret room, the eerie puppet, and the step-by-step death game. Every segment accurately hit the core of a horror film. Even without the final rendering, Irene felt her skin crawl.

But at the same time, she knew clearly that with James Wan’s genius direction plus sufficient financial backing, this version of Saw would certainly become a dark horse in the horror genre, carving out a place in Hollywood and becoming another successful case of low-budget investment for Echo Pictures.

"Just feel free to film as you wish," Irene patted James Wan on the shoulder. "I believe in your ability. This movie will definitely make the whole world remember the name James Wan."

Gratitude and determination flashed in James Wan’s eyes, and he nodded heavily. "Rest assured, Irene, I will definitely not let down your trust and investment."

"By the way, I heard from Robert that you want to give up your director’s salary and switch to taking a share of the profits?" Irene asked, looking at James Wan.

"Yes, I was thinking in case no one watches the movie... it could also save some losses, right?" James Wan scratched his head with an embarrassed look.

If Irene hadn’t sent someone to investigate and confirmed he was indeed a newcomer to the film industry, she would have suspected he was playing the fool to catch the wise.

One must know that this movie was destined to earn 110 million dollars at the global box office in the future. If it were a profit-sharing deal, Irene would be the one losing out big time.

"James, you’re too humble. Even someone like me who never watches horror films can be full of curiosity about your story, let alone those professional horror movie audiences. I believe in your ability, and you should believe in yourself too. Don’t say things like that anymore. The salary will be the 100,000 dollars we agreed upon. If the box office is a big hit after the release, there will be bonuses!" Irene said decisively, as if she had no selfish motives at all.

And James Wan was clearly moved by Irene, secretly deciding in his heart that he must film this movie well to be worthy of Irene’s trust. ℯℯ𝑙.

The lights on the set were still dim, and the staff moved back and forth, preparing for the next scene. Within the oppressive horror atmosphere lay the birth trajectory of a future horror classic.

And Irene stood by the monitor, watching the busy and focused team before her, feeling more confident about Echo Pictures’ diversified layout.

Commercial blockbusters, award-contending art films, and niche hits—running multiple tracks in parallel is the foundation for a film company’s standing.