Chapter 159

Columbia Pictures attaches great importance to the Asian market.

In Asia, there is Columbia Pictures Asia Film Production Co., Ltd. located in Xiangjiang, dedicated to film development in the Asian market. The president of the Asian region is Barbara Luo Binxun.

The reason she came along with Executive Director Tang Mu Luo Si is, first, that she has a better understanding of the domestic situation and can give Tang Mu Luo Si advice that fits the actual situation; the other is to discuss co-production films.

Regarding co-producing films with the domestic side, Columbia Pictures Asia can be said to be very familiar with it.

Several very famous films in the country at the current stage all have the participation and investment of Columbia Pictures.

For example, 'The Story of Qiu Ju', 'Big Shot's Funeral', 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', 'House of Flying Daggers', 'Kung Fu Hustle', etc.

It can be said that among the seven major Hollywood film companies in the US, Columbia has the closest ties with the domestic side.

However, before discussing co-production, there is another very important matter to discuss, which is Cao Yang's treatment.

"Dear Cao, what plan have you prepared?" Tang Mu Luo Si asked.

When negotiating terms with foreigners, never be humble or polite, otherwise they will think you are insecure.

"As the producer, director, screenwriter, and original author of the novel for this film, I want 15% of the initial total box office, including but not limited to box office revenue, home video sales, film media licensing revenue, and generated peripheral revenue."

"This is impossible!"

Tang Mu Luo Si shook his head like a rattle, "Cao, you haven't proven yourself at the Hollywood box office yet, you cannot take a share of the initial total box office."

Looking at Cao Yang, Tang Mu Luo Si said extremely seriously: "Cao, to speak bluntly, with your current status, you are not qualified to take a share of the total box office.

How about this, I can make the decision to give you a 10% profit share; this is already Columbia's greatest sincerity."

"No, no, no, Mr. Luo Si, listen to me finish. Besides the 15% initial total box office share, I also want the Oscar for Best Director. 'Milk' must win the Oscar for Best Director."

Cao Yang didn't care about Tang Mu Luo Si's furrowed brows. Who is the old guy performing for? I don't believe that in your contingency plan, you haven't envisioned this situation.

"Young man, this is a performance of no sincerity. Columbia cannot accept these conditions."

Tang Mu Luo Si spread his hands, indicating he could not accept.

"A 15% initial total box office share is impossible, and the Oscar for Best Director is also impossible. Warner is determined to win Best Director. I can promise that Columbia will do its utmost to win the Oscar for Best Picture."

I know Best Director is impossible, otherwise why would I insist on adding this clause?

"Mr. Luo Si, I only want the Oscar for Best Director. As I said before, 'Milk' has nothing to do with me anymore. You winning Best Picture will only add to your box office, it has little to do with me."

"No, no, no, dear Cao, you can't think like that. The Oscar for Best Picture can increase your huge prestige; it's not useless. The benefit of Best Picture and Best Director to you is the same."

Tang Mu Luo Si started to argue this point.

The Asian region president, Barbara Luo Binxun, also tried to persuade him.

"Director Cao, you are a director who has achieved great success in the art field, just like the Golden Lion Award you won, which is also the Best Picture of the Venice Film Festival, more convincing than Venice's Best Director."

"By the same token, the Palme d'Or you won is also Cannes' Best Picture, with more gold content than Cannes' Best Director. So, why do you think the Oscar for Best Picture is inferior to Best Director?"

"Barbara, don't you feel guilty for deceiving a young man like me? Is the Oscar the same as Venice and Cannes? Although I am young, I still know these common sense facts."

"The Oscar for Best Picture is mainly to reward the producer, and the producer is the one who goes up to receive the award."

"Hollywood is a producer-centered system. If it were a professional producer, of course, they would feel that Best Picture is more convincing and is also an effective guarantee that can increase a producer's resume, but unfortunately, I am a director."

"Cao, don't forget, you are also the producer of 'Milk'."

Cao Yang learned to spread his hands like them, "I said, I am a director, not a professional producer. Best Picture has little to do with me."

Of course, Cao Yang was definitely exaggerating. Domestically, if you say you won the Oscar for Best Picture, others won't think it's inferior to Best Director, they will only think it's equally awesome.

As far as the Americans are concerned, winning the Oscar for Best Picture is also very beneficial to Cao Yang, at least it can prove that Cao Yang is also very powerful as a producer.

The most immediate benefit is that the remuneration as a director and producer will increase significantly.

The conference room fell into silence for a while.

Tang Mu Luo Si and Barbara Luo Binxun looked at each other, both a bit unsure of what to say. In their view, it seemed Cao Yang was determined to win the Oscar for Best Director.

This is the most difficult part.

Columbia had communicated with Warner. Warner wants to win over Peter Jackson and also wants to give 'The Lord of the Rings' a decent ending, so they are also determined to win the Oscar for Best Director.

"Cao, we have already shown our sincerity. The five nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Screenplay in the Drama category at the Golden Globes are all the result of Columbia's efforts."

Tang Mu Luo Si explained dryly, then looked at Barbara Luo Binxun, as if he had made up his mind.

"Cao, Columbia can find a way at the Golden Globes to try our best to get 'Milk' Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay, how about that?" Act, keep acting for me. You two even looked at each other, fooling a fool.

"Not good. What does Best Actor have to do with me? That's Depp and his agency working on it. Don't take the credit for yourselves. I just want the Oscar for Best Director."

Tang Mu Luo Si had a headache; he was most afraid of encountering such a stubborn director.

He regarded Cao Yang as a stubborn person, and he could understand it. Without a bit of stubborn spirit, he wouldn't have achieved such success at a young age.

Tang Mu Luo Si clapped his hands, looked at Cao Yang, and said seriously: "Cao, I will do my personal best to help 'Milk' strive for Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes."

"And Oscar Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay."

"And promise you that when you want to win the Berlin Golden Bear, I will use all of Columbia's and my personal connections to help you strive for it."

"In addition, I can represent Columbia and give you a 3% share of the initial total box office. Cao, this is already my greatest sincerity."

Cao Yang secretly curled his lips. This old brat is very slippery, equating 'Milk' with himself; it's clear there's no sincerity.

You know, whether it's the Golden Globe Best Actor or the Oscar Best Actor, it's Depp and his agency working on it, yet this old brat is taking the credit for himself.

!

In addition, the operation of these awards is not done by Columbia alone.

Miramax is also doing it for the film's box office, and Harvey Weinstein is also a master of winning awards. If they didn't have some confidence, they wouldn't have conducted small-scale screenings of the film to comply with Oscar regulations.

However, they finally started to loosen up and agreed to give a share of the total box office.

If the sincerity is not enough, then drag it out. I don't believe that for the sake of the film's box office, you can stop the operation, right? As the Golden Globes approach, let's see who is in a hurry.

"Mr. Luo Si, I just want the Oscar for Best Director. This is what I value most right now."

"4%, a 4% share of the initial total box office."

Tang Mu Luo Si slapped the table, stood up, and made a gesture of being ready to leave at any time.

"Cao, this is Columbia's greatest concession. If we still can't reach an agreement, our cooperation cannot proceed."

Cao Yang shook his head, "Mr. Luo Si, I still insist on the Oscar for Best Director. That is something I have dreamed of."

Tang Mu Luo Si stood up and left.

Barbara Luo Binxun also stood up, and seeing that Tang Mu Luo Si had already reached the door of the conference room, she turned her head and walked two steps, "Tom, wait a moment."

She turned around again, looked at Cao Yang, and said: "Director Cao Yang, as the president of Columbia Asia, with my authority, I originally couldn't agree to more conditions, but I can lobby the board of directors."

"Besides what Tom promised, I will give you another promise: 5%, 5% of the initial total box office. I don't want to see such a meaningful cooperation fail. For this condition, I will go to the headquarters to lobby the board of directors."

"Barbara, the Oscar for Best Director is my obsession, it is my beloved that I cannot let go of," Cao Yang said with a smile.

With a "bang", Tang Mu Luo Si slammed the door and left.

Barbara Luo Binxun sighed and followed to the door.

She reached out to open the door, and she turned back one last time to say: "The Oscar for Best Director is really impossible. Warner has already spent a lot of time and energy, it's impossible to give it up."

"I still insist on my idea, I value the Oscar for Best Director more."

One singing the red face and one singing the white face, right?

These routines are all things the ancestors played with. You can find precedents for these little negotiation tricks in the history of the ancestors.

"7%, 7% of the initial total box office, this is Columbia's bottom line."

Barbara Luo Binxun opened the door, looked at Cao Yang, waited for Cao Yang's reply, and made a gesture of being ready to leave at any time.

Just a moment ago, she said she had to lobby the board of directors for 5%, and now she can promise 7% directly.

According to Bei Er Man, there are very few directors in Hollywood who can get a share of the total box office; I'm afraid you could count them on one hand.

It is only because Cao Yang owns the novel copyrights, plus being a producer and director, and having enough fame, that he can demand a share of the initial total box office.

The main factor in this is still the novel copyright, and the film's investment is not large, which allows Columbia not to care so much.

If it were an investment of one or two hundred million dollars, and you still talked about a share of the initial total box office, there would be no chance.

Cao Yang just wants to use this film with a small investment to set a precedent. As long as it is successful, he can logically take a share of the total box office in the future.

(End of chapter)