[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr":3,"chapter-the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-113":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Academic Director: Reborn in the Film Industry",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2297113,4493,"Chapter 113: Really Think I'm Easy to Bully?","the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-113",113,"\u003Cp>Wanting a share of the film's profits is no different from cutting flesh off the film company; they are certainly unhappy about it, and if the film makes money, they might try to manipulate things to pay out as little as possible, or even nothing at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Cao Yang only wanted the European copyright; first of all, this is \"invisible\" money, an expected return, and the European copyright only becomes valuable if the film is made well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who wants Cao Yang to make the film well the most? Without a doubt, it is the production studio investing in his film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bulk of a Hollywood film's profits still comes from the domestic market; it is undeniable that the U.S. is currently the world's largest film market, accounting for about 45% of the global total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only in the domestic market can one get the highest share of film revenue; when screened abroad, even if the box office is high, the average share received is only about 20%, and that is just gross profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang has another purpose in doing this, which is actually to tell the film company: I will make the film well, I have Europe covered, and I am responsible for winning awards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the U.S. domestic market, the copyright is yours; the box office will certainly be different if it wins an award versus if it doesn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you want to make money, to make big money, and given the expectation of potentially winning an award, go ahead and conquer it; this is also for your own sake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the interests are great enough, one never needs to worry about the enthusiasm of Hollywood film companies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon learning that Cao Yang was going to develop his career in Hollywood, many Hollywood talent agencies couldn't wait to contact him, all wanting to sign him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This included the three largest: CAA (Creative Artists Agency), WMA (William Morris Agency), and ICM (International Creative Management).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These three are known as the \"10% agencies,\" meaning they charge their clients a 10% commission, and they are the only ones who dare to charge 10%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were also two up-and-coming agencies that frequently contacted Cao Yang; they were very sincere and even made some concessions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>UTA (United Talent Agency), founded in 1991, now has a scale of development second only to the big three.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Endeavor, founded in 1995, is also a rapidly growing agency second only to the big three.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To develop in Hollywood, one certainly cannot do without signing with an agency; there are many things that require an agency to step forward and negotiate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CAA is adept at centering on the director, forming a team with screenwriters, actors, and other key creative personnel, and then pushing the entire team to the market as a whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This method of bundled sales causes studios to lose a great deal of autonomy when selecting the creative lineup, allowing CAA to occupy a favorable position in negotiations and ensure its clients receive higher compensation and more rights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Cao Yang is not in a hurry; after this film is a success, he will go and negotiate a contract with an agency, and he believes he will definitely get a better result.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, if he joins an agency now, what if they want to do a package deal? At that point, he wouldn't be able to choose actors or anything else, and would only be able to use people from their own company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is better to wait until this film is a success; the autonomy he will have when negotiating then will be infinitely greater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What agencies value most is always the big-name director.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, the negotiations on Belman's side finally had a result.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Cao Yang's surprise, Belman brought in two film companies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was Miramax Films, whose boss is named Harvey Weinstein, who specializes in producing and distributing artistic or niche films that are less mainstream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harvey Weinstein—Cao Yang certainly knows this person; in the future, he could be said to be infamous, notorious, disgraced, and imprisoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of whether he got what he deserved or was pushed out as a scapegoat, it is undeniable that he is very adept at operating when it comes to award campaigns and is the most famous behind-the-scenes pusher in Hollywood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miramax Films, under the guise of an independent studio, often produced small-budget \"independent\" films and achieved considerable success, with remarkable results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this company had already been acquired by Disney back in '93, and almost all of their important works were filmed after the acquisition, including several films that won Oscars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is easier to enjoy the shade under a big tree; without the background of the Hollywood Seven, it is truly very difficult to win an Oscar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other company was Sony Pictures Classics; they had confidence in Cao Yang, so they also participated in the investment. This film, titled \"Milk,\" had a total investment of $26 million from the two companies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After negotiations, as the project initiator and producer, as well as the director and screenwriter, Cao Yang could receive a total of $2 million in compensation and would not participate in subsequent film profit sharing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding copyright, Cao Yang fully owns the European film copyright, while the remaining copyrights for other regions belong to the two film companies jointly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang does not know if Belman participated in the profit sharing; he assumes he did, but as a producer, his compensation should not be too high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belman told Cao Yang himself that he received $300,000 in compensation; Cao Yang estimates that as a novice producer, that is likely the going rate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The film's investment is not provided in a lump sum but is divided into several stages; only when a certain stage is reached, the filming conforms to the established plan, and the audit is clear, can the second installment of funds be obtained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only if the film is finished on time or ahead of schedule and meets expectations can the third installment of funds be obtained for post-production; everything is conducted strictly according to the contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the first installment of funds arrives, the film's preparation begins: hiring staff, scouting locations, making props, and building or renting studios if on-location shooting is not possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once everything is on the right track, the next step is to sign contracts with the main actors and then hire other supporting roles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Cao Yang received a phone call from Tim Robbins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other party kept apologizing on the phone, saying he didn't know his agent had kept it from him and had long ago agreed with Eastwood that he would star in his new film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no choice, and he hoped there would be a chance to cooperate next time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Fine, everyone thinks I'm a soft target, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Belman brought even worse news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harvey Weinstein, upon learning that Tim Robbins would not be starring, clamored to withdraw his investment and demanded compensation for their losses, stating that since the project had already started, the copyright should also be fulfilled according to the previous contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is to say, he not only wanted to withdraw his investment and get compensation, but he also wanted the copyright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang was so angry he laughed; everyone thinks I'm easy to bully, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What does Harvey Weinstein want? What is his goal?\" Cao Yang muttered to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He definitely wants to take advantage of the situation to take over the project and become the lead controller,\" Belman replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you signed the investment contract with him, did you specify who the lead actor would be?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang asked; he intended to probe whether Belman was colluding with others to screw him over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belman shook his head. \"No, Tim Robbins doesn't have much box office appeal these days, so it certainly wouldn't be written into the contract.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then what is there to be afraid of? You mention the contract issue to Harvey Weinstein, and by the way, tell him I allow him to withdraw his investment and I'll waive his breach-of-contract penalty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yang stared at Belman, sneered, and said, \"Heh, doesn't America pride itself on the spirit of contract? Since it wasn't written into the contract, I don't care what method you use, just handle him. I'll handle the actors. If you can't handle it, I'm not playing anymore, goddammit, I'm packing my bags and going home immediately!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still wants compensation for losses? Since it wasn't written into the contract, you can invest or not, goddammit; if you don't want to invest, then withdraw. I can even waive your penalty—I'm much more magnanimous than you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belman gritted his teeth and said, \"Don't worry, leave it to me; I will get it done.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subsequently, Cao Yang found the list Belman had given him earlier, looked at it for a while, and then pointed to a name: \"Johnny Depp, help me book him; I want to talk to him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, regardless of how the follow-up talks with Harvey Weinstein go, I'm signing Johnny Depp first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'll give you all a little payback first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1536,"2026-06-20T05:36:32.009Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","bb4ad4dd6cba252d68cf384a351919b9ede546aa98e5cbe76adc7949874c4637","the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-114","the-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-chapter-112",411,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-academic-director-reborn-in-the-film-industr-cover.jpg"]