The Best Director

At the entrance, a tall, black-haired man of Chinese descent walked in. His sturdy white shirt and blue jeans highlighted his well-proportioned musculature, radiating vitality and strength; his angular face with a hint of stubble exuded a rugged and mature masculine charm. Marcia, who was chatting and laughing with friends at a table, caught sight of him unintentionally and couldn’t help but inwardly exclaim, “Cool! He looks so familiar…”

As he walked over, waving his hand, the spirits of the two men of Chinese descent and one curly-haired Caucasian at a corner table immediately lifted. The man with square glasses was indeed James Wan, who waved a hand to signal him over; the slim, single-lidded, big-nosed man of Chinese descent was none other than Leigh Whannell; and the sincere-looking Caucasian was his good friend, Leigh Whannell.

“Hey, Justin!” Hearing his hearty voice, James Wan suddenly felt a little nervous, and Leigh Whannell gave him an incredulous “can’t believe it!” look of surprise. The magical director, Wang Yang! When they had boarded the plane to America from Australia, they had hoped this trip would bring a chance to see some beloved idols, and this magical director, three years their junior, was at the top of the list. They hadn’t expected to actually meet him now!

James Wan was born on February 27, 1977, in Malaysia and then grew up in Australia. He had set his heart on filmmaking when he was just 11 years old and had studied film at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology for the past two years, with a minor in Chinese ethnic division. Leigh Whannell, also 25, was his classmate and buddy; both his parents were cinematographers in film and television, and after graduating, he had joined a TV station to host a movie review program. But both knew that film was their true calling.

So, during another drinking session, they discussed how the incredible Yang dared to invest his entire fortune of 10,000 US dollars to make a movie at the age of 18—why couldn’t they do the same at 25? The two of them finally decided to make an independent film to break into the industry. But what kind of film and what story should they make?

The accidental death of his father when he was 14 was an unbearable and devastating blow to James Wan, and it also led to his preference for horror films; while Leigh Whannell had been suffering from severe headaches over the past year, the worst part was that the doctors couldn’t identify the cause. He would wake up almost every night, writhing in pain from nightmares. Thirsting for health and fearing death, he understood for the first time the agony of life being outside his control.

When they proposed making an independent film, the two quickly had a clear idea: they would make a horror film like the magical Yang, telling the story of a terminal cancer patient turned psychopathic killer. He would kidnap those he believed did not cherish life, and if they wanted to survive, they would have to follow his orders and kill each other to understand the value of life…

After finalizing the story for the script, James Wan and Leigh Whannell traveled throughout Australia, looking for investment and distribution for their film companies. But no one was interested in two 25-year-olds with no reputation, and nobody wanted to spend even a penny on their horror film named “Saw.” Then, they boarded a plane to Los Angeles to continue pitching, and their first stop was the “Mecca of Independent Film,” FM Company.

FM Company was not known for being particularly wealthy; bigger movie companies naturally had more money. But no company was as willing to invest in independent films as FM was. Typical independent film studios would consider it a lot to produce several 7-figure films a year; FM, however, was said to have set aside 50 million US dollars for investment this year. Within this budget, the maximum production cost for a single film was limited to 3 million, with anything higher counting as a separate project. Thus, with films costing one million or just a few hundred thousand each, FM was slated to produce dozens of films over the year, a truly crazy endeavor.

Then, their movie caught the eye of FM’s Investment Director, Peter Wilkes, who proposed a one million US Dollar investment plan. The two of them were stunned by this unexpected yet long-awaited happiness, but they didn’t immediately agree due to the details of the proposal. They also tried their luck with a few other companies, such as Dimension, Miramax Films, and Summit Entertainment, but the result was no different from that in Australia—they were met with a “NO” and shown the door.

Seeing Wang Yang approaching, James Wan and Leigh Whannell both stood up and extended their hands with a smile, introducing themselves, “Mr. Wang, hello, I am James Wan.” “And I’m Leigh Whannell.”

“Hello, James, Leigh, just call me Yang,” Wang Yang said with a smile as he shook their hands firmly. Looking at their familiar faces, James Wan? He furrowed his brow in confusion, then it dawned on him—wasn’t this the director of Saw? And Leigh Whannell was the other creator and actor who played Adam, the protagonist. He couldn’t help but laugh to himself; these two were truly hardcore!

After getting to know each other, they all sat back down and ordered some Chinese dishes from the waiter. They casually chatted for a bit, and then James Wan and Leigh Whannell handed their script to Wang Yang. He took it and started reading carefully. Indeed, it was Saw, but there were many differences from what he had in his mind. Perhaps it had always been like this, or perhaps many things were changing.

Does this world have an original version? A future? Either way, he had made many changes: Rachel started making movies at 19, Jessica never acted in Idle Hands, musical movies made an early comeback… Perhaps Annie Duran didn’t commit suicide, Harry became a photographer, Nancy went to USC to study directing, Brianna didn’t die, Cole did… Many people’s life paths had changed, perhaps becoming more extraordinary, perhaps more ordinary, or maybe taking a different route to the same destination.

Perhaps a man named Sam Johnson, after watching Paranormal Activity in 1998, walked out of the cinema and tripped, landing himself in the hospital; maybe a guy named Jack Tull avoided a fatal car accident because he watched Paranormal Activity… Then Sam met his future wife, nurse Emma, in the hospital, but his “original future” wife Bella didn’t meet Sam at the ball. Instead, she came to the street and met Jack Tull…

This is what’s known as the butterfly effect—it can drive one’s mind mad. Since the moment that van hit him, everything spiraled out of control, everything changed. Or maybe this world was always like this, as Stephen Hawking described with parallel universes—who knows.

Wang Yang read through the script page by page, while Lin Yibin, James Wan, and the other person waited quietly. At this moment, the Asian waiter came carrying a tray with dishes and placed the fried rice, crispy shrimp, barbecued pork, and other dishes they had ordered on the table: “Please enjoy.” Wang Yang put down the script, already having made up his mind. A Chinese director who had secured approval from Peter Wilkes was bound to get his willing investment; now it was Saw and James Wan, which gave him even less reason to refuse.

“James, Leigh, the story is great! Saw will definitely be a fantastic horror film,” Wang Yang said as he picked up some barbecued pork with his chopsticks. He looked at James Wan sitting opposite him and asked, “What’s the deal that Peter is discussing with you now? A one million budget for investment? Guys, let’s make clear how much funding you need, and what kind of partnership you’re looking for.”

“Remember not to be polite with him,” Lin Yibin suddenly said, a glint reflecting off his glasses. Wang Yang nodded and responded with a smile, “Yes, absolutely not.”

James Wan and Leigh Whannell looked at each other with a laugh, excitement surging within them. James’s eyes crinkled as he smiled sincerely, “We hope to get an investment of 1.5 million, that will be enough; with 1.5 million, we can forego an upfront payment and not a cent of salary but take some box office profit instead.”

“Hmm, okay!” Wang Yang agreed without a second thought, leaving the two momentarily speechless and at a loss for words. Lin Yibin, adjusting his glasses, murmured softly, “I told you there’s no need to be polite.” Wang Yang, chewing on the char siu in his mouth, said earnestly, “There’s no need to be that strapped for cash, let’s go with 3 million investment. You know how to use that extra 1.5 million, right?”

The two nodded blankly, their breathing growing heavier, 3 million could do so much more… Wang Yang continued, “No salary, 20% of the North American box office profits, 15% from DVD sales, how about that?”

Compared to the global box office of 100 million US dollars for “Saw”, a 3 million investment really wasn’t much, but for James Wan and Leigh Whannell at that time, Wang Yang across from them was like a Santa Claus in red clothes and white beard. Other movie companies weren’t willing to even fork out 500,000! And they were foregoing salaries to secure an investment of 1.2–1.5 million, a move that movie companies loved to make on independent film investments to do business “without any cost.”

But generally, 10% box office revenue is already high, now 20%, DVD 15%! Such a profit-sharing scheme was definitely top-tier treatment for independent films! How could they not agree to such a generous contract? James Wan and Leigh Whannell both wore radiantly happy smiles, too excited to speak, nodding their heads. Wan laughed, “Yang, thank you so much!” Whannell kept exclaiming, “Oh, my God!”

“It’s nothing, I’m the one who got the treasure,” Wang Yang shrugged with a smile. With the “Saw” franchise, Flame Films was much closer to a steady path, and taking a big step towards their goal to establish a TV channel and become free from constraints. He held up a crispy shrimp as a toast to the two and smiled, “I should be thanking you guys!”

Amid their cheerful laughter, Wang Yang popped the crispy shrimp into his mouth and instantly raised his eyebrows, shaking his head, “Hmm, this Chinese dish isn’t authentic. When did Fuk Kee change their chef? Or did they bring the wrong dish, what the hell! Don’t they see we’re all of Chinese descent?” Lin Yibin, also the son of a chef, tasted a crispy shrimp and frowned, “Why did they make it sweet?” Wang Yang reluctantly swallowed the shrimp, commenting, “Cooking it this way actually loses the fresh and fragrant taste of the shrimp itself.”

Leigh Whannell, holding chopsticks, seemed puzzled, “I think it’s okay, what’s the problem?” While chewing on a shrimp, James Wan looked towards him and explained with a laugh, “Buddy, we like our ‘corpses’ spicy.”

Wang Yang turned to eat other dishes, saying, “It doesn’t have to be spicy, but cooking it this way really doesn’t do justice to these shrimp.” He scooped up a spoonful of fried rice into his mouth and chuckled unclearly, “Guys, if you tried my cooking, you’d know what Chinese food is all about, guaranteed to be more authentic than those in Hong Kong, Beijing, or Taiwan. Justin, no objections to what I’m saying, right?”

“No, I’m looking forward to your cooking.” Lin Yibin shrugged and gave a cheerful laugh, his pearly teeth shining as if he were selling toothpaste.

James Wan and the others laughed, but Leigh Whannell suddenly let out a cry of agony, “Ah,” as he fiercely pressed his left hand against the side of his forehead, his face contorting with unbearable pain, and he began to suck in cold air between his teeth, “Ah, ah…” This startled Wang Yang and Lin Yibin, and Wang Yang hastily asked, “Leigh, are you all right?” Leigh Whannell managed a strained smile, still gritting his teeth through the agony, with a layer of cold sweat forming on his forehead.

“He’s fine. This poor guy has been tortured by headaches for the past year,” James Wan said reassuringly as he gently patted Leigh Whannell on the shoulder, a look of empathetic distress on his face. “It’s like he’s being toyed with by the devil. I suspect he has fallen victim to some Thai curse.” Watching Leigh Whannell’s complexion turn a painful shade of blue from the pain, Wang Yang asked with a frown, “How could this be? What did the doctors say?”

Leigh Whannell clenched his jaw in silence, and after a while, when his headache had eased slightly, he exhaled deeply with a hoarse voice, “The doctors can’t figure it out, I’ve been to many hospitals. I told them, ‘I might have a brain tumor,’ but the tests showed nothing, they say it’s a problem with the nerves. You know the brain is very complex, there’s still no need for surgery. So they’ve just prescribed me some painkillers and nerve relaxants, but you can see…”

Supporting his forehead, he closed his eyes and sighed, “Without them, I end up like this; with them, I just feel sleepy and can’t think straight.”

James Wan said mysteriously, “It must be sorcery, maybe a ghost child is haunting you, no wonder the medication does nothing.” Leigh Whannell looked almost angry enough to die, and said, “James, I’ve never been to Thailand! I’ve only been to Malaysia with you, do they have it there too?” James Wan nodded, “They do.”

What was originally a serious matter made Wang Yang and Lin Yibin chuckle, but even though horror movies are horror movies, they didn’t believe in the existence of any ghost children or curses despite sometimes being terribly frightened by them. Wang Yang, looking at the helpless Leigh Whannell, had an idea and asked, “Have you ever tried acupuncture in Chinese medicine?”

Leigh Whannell shook his head in confusion, “Acupuncture & Moxibustion?” He didn’t understand what that meant, James Wan explained, “It’s a part of Chinese medicine, but you don’t believe in Chinese medicine.” Leigh Whannell spread his hands, “It’s not that I don’t believe in it, it’s just that if all those machines and pills are useless, what else can be done?”

“You really should give it a try, acupuncture is a form of physical therapy, not drug therapy,” Wang Yang said, picking up a pair of chopsticks to mimic the act of piercing, “It involves inserting a very fine needle into certain nerves in your head, directly calming them down.” Leigh Whannell stared at the big chopsticks, his mouth agape in mild surprise. Wang Yang laughed, “The needles are really fine, there’s basically no pain during the treatment.”

He said earnestly, “Buddy, trust me! I can’t even remember how many times I’ve been pricked as I grew up, it was always my master who did it for me, look how healthy I am now? The last time I had a cold was… two years ago.”

Even if acupuncture doesn’t cure the nerves, it has no side effects, of course, this requires a qualified and good physician. After explaining the medical principles behind acupuncture points and the WHO’s recognition, Wang Yang smiled and said, “Actually, I know a bit about it too, but I’m not licensed, I can only do it for myself. Leigh, you should really look into it and then decide whether or not to try it. But I wonder, what other options do we have now?”

Leigh Whannell pondered in silence, his gaze shifting between Wang Yang’s well-meaning face and James Wan and Justin Lin, nodding as he said, “Yeah, I will, as long as it can restore my health, I’m willing to try anything.” James Wan frowned and said, “Then you should come with me for an exorcism.” Leigh Whannell glared at him irritatedly and retorted, “That’s stupid!” James just shrugged and replied, “Better than dying in agony.”

All four of them laughed uncontrollably, and it took a moment before they carried on eating with their chopsticks. Wang Yang, gnawing on his fried chicken, turned his head to look at Justin Lin and smiled, “Hey, Justin, it’s time to talk about our business.” Justin Lin’s eyes immediately sparkled with excitement, “Of course.” James Wan and Leigh Whannell knew they were discussing a new film project and listened quietly as the audience.

“Do you have any new movie ideas now?” asked Wang Yang. Justin Lin thought for a while, put down his chopsticks, and said, “If we’re talking about simple ideas, I think we all have many, but those of mine are the kind that don’t sell well.”

Wang Yang laughed, “Independent films aren’t measured by ticket sales; those are the kinds of films we need.” The other three nodded in agreement, and he continued, “So no matter what the box office for ‘Better Luck Tomorrow’ is, whether it’s 1 million or 5 million, we shouldn’t care about that. If you want to keep making independent films, find Peter; if you’re interested in playing with mainstream commercial movies, I have 60 million for you.”

Sixty million!? Justin Lin’s glasses nearly fell off. That budget might not qualify as a blockbuster, but it was definitely not small-scale. He was just a director who had made a million-dollar independent film, and suddenly he was offered 60 million for a mainstream commercial movie?! His heart skipped a beat—wow! On the other side, James Wan and Leigh Whannell likewise widened their eyes slightly, impressed—truly, that’s Wang Yang’s audacity!

Looking at Wang Yang, waiting for an answer, Justin Lin nodded with a heavy breath, “Yang, I’ll never give up independent films; but of course, I’m interested, I like and want to try my hand at mainstream movies, it’s quite challenging.”

“That’s great!” Wang Yang snapped his fingers with his left hand, feeling a bit excited about the plan, “Justin, do you like cars? Racing? Drag racing?”

He was investing in Justin Lin for a new movie, but what would be the best fit to shoot? An adrenaline-fueled racing action movie! The reason was simple: in the future, Justin Lin was supposed to direct ‘Fast & Furious’ 3, 4, and 5, each better than the last, with the globally successful ‘Fast Five’ setting a new pinnacle for racing movies at 600 million box office earnings! What could be more suitable for Justin Lin than crime-centric racing movies like ‘Fast Five’?

“Racing?” Justin Lin didn’t quite understand why it was that, shaking his head and laughing, “I’m not a car enthusiast, and I’m not very familiar with racing or drag racing; I’ve never watched those competitions.” Seeing Wang Yang’s gaze, James Wan also shook his head, “No, I’m not either.” Leigh Whannell, pressing his forehead, said, “Now, just hearing those ‘vroom vroom’ engine noises gives me a headache.”

Wang Yang just smiled nonchalantly; he wasn’t insanely obsessed with cars either, and actually preferred motorcycles. He said with a laugh, “Fire Flame Movies is preparing to make a racing film aimed at becoming a long-term series. Just like the ‘Fast & Furious’ model, with names like Extreme Speed, Wild Chase, Storm… any name will do; then infuse it with wild stories, like heist, cops and robbers, driving off cliffs, crashing into trains; then cast some muscular men and hot women but keep the casting costs under ten million, putting the rest into the film production.”

He paused, looked at Justin Lin seriously, and said, “We would like to invite you to create this series, what do you say?” Justin Lin, a bit nervously adjusting his glasses, realized this was a great opportunity, but… he asked, “Why me? You know I’m not that familiar with racing.”

“That’s not a problem, just get to know it well, none of that stuff comes naturally to anyone.” Wang Yang was eating fried rice with a porcelain spoon, smiling as he continued, “Justin, I’ve watched your ‘Better Luck Tomorrow’, which advocates not following the rules, to boldly go your own way and enjoy your own life. That’s right, MAN, we’re fed up with those rules!”

Justin Lin and James Wan both smiled knowingly; although they grew up in America and Australia respectively, as Asian descendants, they knew exactly what those “rules” meant: good grades, gentle and honest demeanor, dull, a stable 9-to-5 job, a family with heavy responsibilities…

Wang Yang shrugged and said with a chuckle, “Anyway, I’ve found that deep down, you’re a wild man, capable of doing some crazy things.” Hearing this assessment, Justin Lin grinned like a toothpaste advert, his eyes shining, “Maybe so, if it weren’t for your investment, I was ready to max out ten credit cards to make a movie; does that count as crazy?”

“Of course, it does!” Wang Yang, James Wan, and Leigh Whannell all exclaimed unanimously. That was sheer gambler’s fever! Wang Yang sized him up and down and said, “Racing is a crazy, passionate thing, it needs someone who can unleash their inner madness, and if they succeed, they can design some thrilling visual scenes.”

He patted Justin Lin’s shoulder hard and laughed, “I think that person is you, Justin Lin, Justin Lin.”

“Hmm…” Justin Lin’s emotions were roused by his words, his heart eager to try, and looking at Wang Yang’s earnest face, he nodded firmly, “Yang, since you put it that way, I don’t have a problem, I accept the challenge!”

“Wow! That’s so cool!” Wang Yang raised his fist with a smile, feeling as if he had gained something more. If Fire Flame Movies had a hit racing film series, it would certainly add another important weight to the scale. Across the table, James Wan and Leigh Whannell congratulated with smiles, “Justin, we look forward to seeing this crazy racing movie.” “I hope by then my headache will be gone.”

Although ‘Fast Five’ was a smash hit, ‘Fast Three’ was shot with restraint and by the book, Wang Yang knew it was a process of exploration and growth, but he hoped to minimize that period. How freely a director could film, with mind and hands unleashed, was well known to be crucially dependent on the confidence and support offered by the producer.

Thinking of this, he laid out his predetermined plan: “We don’t have high hopes for the first installment, just make a decent name for itself, breaking even from box office and DVD earnings is enough. Then, escalate with the second, explode with the third.”

This is said because it is understood that if a director lacks positive pressure, it can also be the reason why they mess up a movie.

“Let go of your mind and imagine, don’t stick to what the academy taught us when filming. Don’t think about what’s possible or not at first; what you should first think about is how to make it inconceivable and exciting enough to drive people crazy, and then find a way to make these scenes possible.” Wang Yang swung his left fist up and down, saying, “Explosions, collisions, thrills, lawlessness… more passion, more madness, more adrenaline rushes!”

The other three by the dining table contemplated the “inconceivable scenes,” as Lin Yibin mulled over his words repeatedly and suddenly found a lot of sense in them. Vague and unrelated images began to emerge in his mind as he muttered in contemplation, “It’s not just about racing cars, explosions, collisions, lawlessness…”

James Wan seemed to have thought of something too, frowning as he said, “What if after breaking a certain speed each time, a ghostly figure appears on the windshield…” All three were taken aback, Leigh Whannell helplessly spread his hands, and Wang Yang followed his train of thought, saying, “At first, the ghost is unclear, but after several times, it becomes clear, and it turns out to be his own self. In fact, he’s already dead, died in a car race, but he doesn’t know…”

“Hmm!” James Wan’s eyes lit up, delighted, he said, “It’s himself! What happens next?”

Wang Yang turned his eyes, letting his thoughts dwell in a horror film atmosphere, and conceived, “This is a desert, it is a road that never ends, no matter how fast he drives, he only encounters ghostly figures time and again but cannot escape. However, there are identical shacks at intervals across the desert, spider webs, broken toilets… the walls of each shack are written in blood with different texts: THE END!, kill yourself, you can’t escape!”

“I think I understand, this is a one-person horror movie?” James Wan was very excited, his hands awkwardly touching his hair, saying, “What is the most terrifying thing? Being trapped alone in the same place, where time stands still, with only ghosts, broken shacks, and the scorching desert… He wants to leave, so he has to rely on clues in the wrecked shacks to figure out the truth of the whole affair.”

Wang Yang nodded, saying, “Yes, as long as the atmosphere is created well and it sends shivers down the spine, it will be a successful suspense horror film.” James Wan smiled and glanced at Leigh Whannell, giving each other a knowing look, “See! A pro!” James Wan then eagerly asked, “Yang, can I ask you a question? When will you make another horror movie?”

“Horror movie? Probably… I don’t know, I don’t want to be scared to the point I can’t sleep anymore.” Wang Yang suddenly laughed, feeling a bit uncomfortable even with the casual talk from earlier, he laughed, “James, I’ll leave horror movies to you! You’re absolutely the new hope for horror film directors of Chinese descent, the future master of horror.” All three laughed heartily, with James Wan looking somewhat shy yet nodding confidently, laughing, “I hope so!”

While the four were happily chatting and laughing, a young blonde girl came over and politely interrupted, “Excuse me? Are you Wang Yang?” Wang Yang glanced at her and smiled, “Yes, I am. What can I do for you?” Marcia covered her mouth in surprise and exclaimed, “Oh my God!” The real Amazing Yang is so handsome! Her heart sped up as she asked, “Can we take a photo together?”

Actually, she wasn’t a die-hard fan of Amazing Yang, only one of those ordinary moviegoers who liked his films and thought him very accomplished, but now she found herself suddenly enamored with him! When she saw a photo of Amazing Yang for the first time, he was just a muscular, sunshiny young man; she hadn’t expected him to grow even cooler with age, with a great physique and aura! And he’s also a miraculous director, the youngest billionaire… Marcia quietly gasped in awe, wondering if she could get his phone number?

“Sure, no problem, but let me wipe my mouth clean first, need to keep up appearances.” Wang Yang laughed as he wiped his mouth with a napkin, then stood up; Marcia called over a black-haired girlfriend with a digital camera, and then happily stood beside Wang Yang, posing with a victory sign.

Amidst the clicking sounds, the digital camera rapidly captured photos. Wang Yang looked at Lin Yibin and the others, then smiled at Marcia, “Girl, you can’t miss this, they’re all very talented directors, screenwriters, let’s take a photo together!”

He enthusiastically pulled up James Wan, saying, “This is James Wan, soon you’ll know what ‘Saw maniac’ means. This is Leigh Whannell, another Saw maniac… and this one.” He pulled up Lin Yibin, who had a bright white smile, laughing, “This guy is Justin Lin, I tell you, soon you’ll know that besides Michael Bay, Hollywood has someone else who can go vroom vroom, boom boom, cool!”

Marcia naturally didn’t quite understand what he was saying, but Amazing Yang was so approachable, not like some arrogant stars she had met before. She smiled questioningly and said, “OK…”

“Well, here we go.” The black-haired girl aimed the camera lens at them, with Wang Yang in the middle, arms around Lin Yibin on the left and James Wan on the right; all three Chinese directors with beaming smiles, Leigh Whannell and Marcia also smiling, standing by their sides, with landscape paintings hanging on the restaurant wall in the background.

Snap! That scene was captured, frozen in time, and perhaps, ten years later, this photo would become extraordinarily significant.

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PS: Celebrating the book surpassing one million words! Wow, thank you all for your unwavering support along the way; I’ll continue to put in the effort to write good stories for everyone! Thank you, thank you! Additionally, seeking some recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, let’s make this day even more festive and joyful together!