Chapter 90: Stepwise division

"I won't change my style, yes! Just explosions, more explosions!"
Towards the end of the news conference, Duke accepted some media interviews. When asked about the subject matter of the new movie, his answer was simple and powerful, "Next summer, you will see unprecedented explosion scenes. The entire North America and the world will Fall into flames."
"Director Rosenberg!" a reporter asked loudly, "Are you trying to destroy the world?"
"If you can." Duke shrugged, "I really want to do this in the movie! I hope there will be such an opportunity in the future."
"Can you tell me the specific subject matter?" another reporter asked.
"This will be a science fiction film." Duke also replied in due course, "It is roughly the story of aliens invading the earth and human beings fighting back."
After speaking, he winked at the host, and the other party tacitly announced the end of the press conference.
Back in the background, he threw the signed agreement to Nancy Josephson. Duke left the press lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel, turned to the safe passage to one side, and entered directly through the stairs to the third floor. Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox are here. There is also a media party in the banquet hall.
As for the agreement signed at the press conference, it is just a formality. The specific agreement was signed a few days ago. For this reason, Nancy, the producer jointly formed by Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox, conducted several rounds. Hard-to-see negotiations.
In the beginning, Nancy offered Duke a $15 million basic remuneration plus 20% of the film’s full income for the top director’s contract. The producer refused without even thinking about it, and then the two sides entered the stage of bargaining. Warner and Fox also know that with Duke’s current results, they already have the capital required to be shared, but they are paying $5 million plus 15% of the net box office revenue.
To reach a result in the negotiation, both parties must make certain compromises and concessions. In more than a week of contact, after each test the bottom line, Duke agreed and the Warner and Fox management acquiesced in the director with the most differences. Reached agreement on treatment.
Because Duke focused on the box office share, he had to make a certain compromise in terms of basic remuneration. The joint basic remuneration of directors, screenwriters and executive producers was reduced by half compared to Duke's expectations, only 5 million US dollars.
It is not easy to get a box office share. Hollywood production and distribution companies are all vampires. If there is not enough profit as a guarantee, they will not easily let go.
This is a tiered sharing agreement. Duke will be paid in the form of "advance payment + box office revenue sharing". He can receive an advance payment of 5 million US dollars in three installments, and then receive a share based on the film's box office revenue. .
If the North American box office of "Independence Day" only exceeds 100 million in the future, Duke can only get a basic reward of US$500,000; if the North American box office exceeds US$150 million, it will enjoy a 5% share of the North American box office. The share ratio increased to 10%, 250 million is 15%, and 300 million is 20%. This is also the highest share.
In terms of overseas box office, 150 million U.S. dollars is the basic share point, which is also a 500,000 U.S. dollar bonus. After that, for every additional 100 million U.S. dollars in overseas box office, the share will increase by 5%, and the highest will not exceed 20%.
The more the film sells, the more the director will receive the corresponding income. Such a contract can be said to tie Duke and the film tightly.
This stepped revenue sharing method for well-known core creators will become the practice of Hollywood blockbusters, because on the one hand it can encourage the creators to invest more, and on the other hand, it can also avoid the huge risks brought by too high initial investment. .
If you want to get a high income, it's very simple, do everything possible to make the film more sophisticated and popular.
Entering the banquet hall, the people from Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox had been waiting at the door, and directly led Duke to find Jeff Robinoff and Tim Fisher. Under their introduction, they met with Some media professionals said hello one by one.
The banquet hall is very wide, the size of three basketball courts, but it is extremely crowded. This also confirms the appeal of Warner and Fox from the side. The two are not independent production and distribution companies for a long time, and they have a larger backing. The media platform that can be used in publicity is not comparable to independent Hollywood companies.
Of course, this is good for Duke and "Independence Day", otherwise he would not let Nancy thread the needle to promote the cooperation between the two companies.
A good movie requires a better platform for publicity and media promotion, which is the most obvious reason in Hollywood.
It’s basically Time Warner and News Corporation’s media to appear in the banquet hall, plus Nancy Josephson is here to remind Duke that it’s not too difficult for Duke to socialize, occasionally there are News Corporation’s tabloids. The person in charge deliberately raised some questions that were too private, and he was pushed around the circle to the Pacific Ocean outside Malibu Beach.
Propaganda can be coordinated, but Duke will not take the initiative to vent his old bottom. Moreover, this is still the early propaganda stage of the film, and it is far from the time when it is really strong.
"Duke, this is Robert Shea, the president of New Line Pictures!"
After dealing with the media, Duke went to the film company's circle again, and Nancy Josephson reminded him of the name and identity of the person opposite.
"Hello, Mr. Shay."
"Hello, Duke."
Robert Shea seemed to be in a normal mood. He simply shook hands with Duke and asked tentatively, "It is said that you still have a script. Maybe you can choose New Line as your partner."
"There will be a chance to cooperate." Duke just said casually.
Although New Line has just been acquired by Warner, Robert Shea is still the largest individual shareholder and has the right to operate independently of New Line. Therefore, although New Line belongs to Time Warner Group, its film management is not the same as other film companies within the group. Directly related.
In other words, the new line is still the new line that pits the dead without paying for their lives.
In the past, present, and future, the reputation of the new line is extremely bad. Other Hollywood companies know how to converge and try to hide some things in the deepest place. However, the new line under the control of Robert Shea conceals the box office and defaults on acting. Staff salaries, overdue payment of investor shares, etc., are basically normal. Perhaps they are now small projects that are not well known to the media and the public.
However, in the previous "Lord of the Rings", how much the new line concealed at the box office, and finally there was no clear figure. It is said that after reaching an out-of-court settlement with Tolkien's copyright custody agency, it paid a sum of hundreds of millions of dollars. The amount of compensation, and the poor director Peter Jackson. The new line made a lot of money through the trilogy, but it was not paid by his director’s remuneration totaling more than 15 million US dollars. It was delayed for nearly two years. Forcing New Zealanders to go to court.
Seeing Robert Shea and the New Line Films he represents, Duke first evokes these memories. New Line is not within the scope of his cooperation, whether it is credibility or strength.
After a few words of greeting with Robert Shea, Duke walked around in the banquet hall, surrounded by many people, most of whom were agents of performing arts agencies, who promoted his name to the director. The actors below, especially the agents of the actors who accepted the audition invitation of the crew, boasted their customers to the sky.
"Director Rosenberg."
A female agent blocked Duke directly, and greeted the black men and women nearby, "Will, Halle..."
The man has a pair of eye-catching ears, which is impressive. The woman has seen Halle Berry, the famous black actress in the future, during auditions.
The crew has issued an audition invitation to Will Smith, and the agent's goal is not just his role.
"Will and Halle know each other, so they are suitable for being a couple in the film..."
The other party had a long conversation. When she stopped talking for a while, Duke raised his hand, "This..."
He found that the other party had not introduced himself, and simply said, "I will consider your suggestion!"
After speaking, he saw other people coming up, and simply went to the bathroom. After coming out, he did not return to the center of the banquet hall. He went directly from the side door to the largest terrace in front, perhaps under the third floor terrace. It is the relationship between the front entrance of the hotel and the road. Those who seek quiet will not choose this place, and those who seek social interaction will not choose this place either. Duke has finally achieved a rare cleanness.
Those agents are very difficult to deal with, in order to promote the actors, they can talk endlessly for ten minutes.
Standing by the guardrail of the terrace, Duke turned his head, and through the curtains, he could still see those who were struggling to find opportunities in the banquet hall. Two years ago, he was one of them, but now he can decide others. Destiny of the man.
"Will you wait here for a while?"
Sophia Coppola took a mother and daughter through the disturbing crowd, and pointed to the terrace, "I asked Nancy, Duke is here."
"Sophia..." the little girl blinked her eyes, lowered her head and asked, "Can I see him by myself?"
"Oh?" Sophia tilted her head and looked at the little girl with interest, "Are you sure?"
"I think Duke definitely doesn't want to be influenced by your opinion."
The little girl put her hand behind her, and slowly pulled the curtain separating the banquet hall from the terrace. She seemed a little excited. She looked at the middle-aged blonde woman. "My mother often tells me that opportunities are won by herself."
"Um... well." Seeing the girl's mother had no objection, Sophia nodded simply.
Mrs. Leah’s goddaughter is obviously mature and cunning that is not up to the age. Anyway, the outside is not a fool. The big fox and the little fox get together, what will happen?
When she opened the curtains and walked to the terrace, the little girl couldn't help pouting. If it weren't for her godmother to go to Israel, she wouldn't be back next month, she wouldn't beg her mother to take her to Sofia Coppola.
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