Chapter 308: Sincerity

The big sale of *Inception* in North America made Disney and Warner Bros., who were negotiating with Cao Yang's team, unable to sit still.

Ehrmann called and said with a smile: "Disney and Warner Bros. have both made significant concessions, but their executives want to talk to you in person. When are you coming to Los Angeles?"

The concessions of Disney and Warner Bros. were within Cao Yang's expectations.

Both companies want to talk to him in person; this is wanting to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

"To what extent have the negotiations reached?" Cao Yang asked.

"10% of the total global box office is the basic condition. Warner and Disney have both implicitly agreed to this point in principle, and they have also agreed to the idea of tiered sharing. What they want to talk to you about is how much more to add on top of this 10% base."

Ehrmann said with a smile: "However, Warner Bros. Vice President Ian Howard has another suggestion. He said that if you can adapt and direct *Gravity* yourself, they can give 15% of the global box office share."

Asking Cao Yang to direct the *Batman* series or reboot the *Pirates of the Caribbean* series is definitely different from directing *Gravity*.

The novel *Gravity* is Cao Yang's, the copyright is completely in his hands, and there is a large reader base.

Under the premise that *Inception* achieved a global big explosion, the conditions given can only be higher than *Inception*, which is why Warner Bros. offered a 15% global total box office share.

*Batman* and *Pirates of the Caribbean* could not possibly give such conditions.

If it weren't for the fact that Cao Yang hadn't failed yet, and *Juno* and *Inception* had both sold well, it's likely that even a 10% box office share wouldn't have been negotiated.

Cao Yang had analyzed with Ehrmann and the team that 10% was likely the limit that these film companies could offer; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to explain it to the board of directors.

However, on the basis of 10%, there is another way that film companies can accept, and that is tiered sharing.

That is, when the North American or global box office reaches a certain base, the share ratio can be increased.

This is also something Hollywood film companies are very happy to accept.

In fact, when a film's box office reaches a certain level, the film company relies not only on the film's own box office and peripherals to make money.

Film box office is one of the key indicators for measuring the performance of film companies.

A successful film can bring huge income to the company, thereby pushing up the stock price. When a film achieves good box office results globally, the stock of the production company behind it is often sought after by the market.

For example, Cao Yang's *Inception*. When the total global box office exceeded 500 million US dollars, Columbia's stock market rose, and when the total global box office exceeded 800 million US dollars, Columbia's stock market rose again.

When *Inception* had been released for a month, it began to be taken off the screen in many places around the world.

And Columbia officially held a press conference, announcing that *Inception*'s North American box office exceeded 400 million US dollars, and the total global box office exceeded the 900 million US dollar mark.

This time, reflected in the stock market, Columbia rose in response, once rising by 6.3%.

For a company like Columbia Pictures with a market value of hundreds of billions, the gains brought by the stock market rise are much higher than the box office.

Especially for the company's executives, it is even more so.

"15%? Is Ian Howard the Vice President of Warner Bros.? Can he make the decision?"

Cao Yang asked.

He has always had doubts about Warner Bros. Not to mention the outrageous changing of directors and actors and production costs, just this time, Warner Bros. didn't have a unified opinion internally, and split into two groups negotiating with Ehrmann.

And, for the 100 million US dollar budget of *Gravity*, they were dissatisfied and insisted on giving 150 million US dollars. I have never seen such a "generous" investor.

It was very outrageous.

No wonder all of Hollywood knows that Warner Bros. executives have big illnesses.

Just like Columbia, they controlled the cost of *Inception* very strictly, and also made Cao Yang cooperate to choose to film in several places with low tax rates and generous tax rebates.

Saving costs as much as possible.

This is the norm in Hollywood.

It is also the norm for normal film companies.

"Haha, you don't know. Ian Howard is not only the Vice President of Warner Bros. but also the President of Warner Studios. He has great power. You don't need to have doubts about this."

Ehrmann explained.

Cao Yang couldn't help but ask curiously: "Who is the one supporting the filming of *Batman* within Warner Bros.?"

"Jeff Robinov, President of Warner Bros. Pictures. The one negotiating *Batman* with me is his person."

Ehrmann replied.

Cao Yang was even more confused about Warner Bros.

As far as he knows, aren't Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Studios the same company? Aren't they different names for Warner Bros. externally? There really are these two companies!

I don't know what they are each responsible for.

Cao Yang hasn't cooperated with Warner Bros., so he really doesn't know their internal division of labor.

However, such a large Warner Bros., with big hits like *Harry Potter*, *Batman*, *Superman*, etc., why does it always give Cao Yang the feeling of a grassroots team?

"Tell them that I have something to do during this time and don't have time to go to Los Angeles for the time being."

Cao Yang said to Ehrmann.

"Haha, I understand, I understand, haha..."

Ehrmann hung up the phone with a smile.

Cao Yang was a bit stunned listening to the blind tone of the phone. What do you understand? What did you understand again?

Inexplicable.

I really have something to do.

People's brain supplementation is really omnipotent. Things you didn't think of, others have already supplemented for you very thoroughly.

It is already the end of August. As the face of the Beijing Film Academy, the general producer of the Beijing Film Studio, and a professor in the directing department, Cao Yang has to attend the school's opening ceremony and give a speech. This is the result of Hou Keming "pestering" Cao Yang for two days.

Because of Cao Yang, and because Cao Yang's films will ask for interns from the school, the school has become the first choice for art candidates today.

The school has also risen with the tide, gradually pulling away from the Central Academy of Drama and the Shanghai Theatre Academy, and the scores are in a league of their own among several schools.

Especially the directing department, the number of people applying for the exam is increasing geometrically every year, whether it is undergraduates or postgraduates, more and more people are applying.

Hou Keming once asked Cao Yang if he would consider taking master's students. If he was willing to take them, he would personally handle various procedures.

Cao Yang considered it and declined Old Hou's proposal.

He has limited time in school every year, so he can't take care of students.

Old Hou expressed great regret. If Cao Yang was willing to take graduate students, he believed that just applying for Cao Yang's graduate students would raise the student source of the Beijing Film Academy's directing department by a large margin again.

Old Tian hasn't been idle during this time either. Combining Cao Yang's opinions and fully considering them, he sent audition invitations to Kara Wai and Maggie Cheung from Hong Kong for the female lead.

In terms of age, Kara Wai is more suitable.

Maggie Cheung is only 42 this year, a bit "young."

However, the problem is not too big. It is very easy for a 42-year-old to put on makeup and play an age between 45 and 50. It just depends on whether Maggie Cheung will take such a role.

Cao Yang said that the female lead requires particularly good acting skills.

Old Tian listened.

In Old Tian's mind, compared with Kara Wai, he still thinks Maggie Cheung's acting skills are better, so he sent an audition invitation to Maggie Cheung as well.

To be honest, he has no bottom in his heart whether Maggie Cheung will take such a role.

Why did Maggie Cheung retire?

Women over forty want to continue to play the female lead and play a "young girl," which is very difficult.

Therefore, for a first-line female star, over forty is definitely an incomparably awkward age. There is no female lead to play, and she is unwilling to accept a supporting role, so what should she do?

Difficult.

However, Old Tian still wanted to try.

As for the male lead, Old Tian is much more familiar with domestic actors. He not only sent audition invitations to Zhou Yiwei, Wang Baoqiang, and Duan Yihong, but after consideration, he also sent audition invitations to Fu Dalong and Liu Ye.

When Cao Yang filmed *3-Iron*, Old Tian was the photographer of this film, the male lead was Liu Ye, and Fu Dalong also had scenes, so he recognized the acting skills of both of them very much.

Old Tian was especially impressed by Liu Ye.

When Liu Ye joined the crew, he was still a "soft and weak" shy big boy.

When Cao Yang was filming "3-Iron" back then, Old Tian was the cinematographer for the film, and the male lead was Liu Ye. Fu Dalong also had a role, so he highly approved of both of their acting skills.

Old Tian believes that Liu Ye belongs to the kind of actor with very "spirit."

Interestingly, among the five actors invited to audition for the male lead, four called Cao Yang for the first time after receiving the audition invitation.

Duan Yihong, Liu Ye, Zhou Yiwei, and Fu Dalong have all cooperated with Cao Yang, and they all have Cao Yang's phone number.

The only one who didn't call Cao Yang was Wang Baoqiang.

When Wang Baoqiang received the audition invitation, his first reaction was that it would be great if he could contact Director Cao. After all, everyone knows that this is a script Cao Yang wrote for Old Tian.

However, Wang Baoqiang can mix out, EQ is one aspect, and the other aspect is that he can let go of his face, not lacking courage and carefulness.

He ran directly to the Beijing Film Academy to squat and wait for Cao Yang for two days, and finally "squatted" to Cao Yang.

"Hello Director Cao, hello, I am your fan, I like the films you filmed very much."

Wang Baoqiang was full of smiles, looking very careful.

He could actually contact Cao Yang through others, for example, he has a good relationship with Xiao Gangpao, and as everyone knows, Xiao Gangpao "admires" Cao Yang on the surface.

In addition, he also maintained a good relationship with Li Xiaoran. After knowing Li Xiaoran through *A World Without Thieves*, he called her sister one by one, and would greet her during festivals.

However, he felt that introducing through others would likely cause Cao Dao's displeasure, so it was better to "squat" with sincerity, and he could retreat or advance according to Cao Dao's attitude.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 309 =====

Furthermore, he had maintained a good relationship with Li Xiaoran. After getting to know her through "A World Without Thieves," he would call her "Sister" at every turn and send greetings during holidays.

However, he felt that getting an introduction through someone else might very well annoy Director Cao. It would be better to "stake out" the spot himself, which would show more sincerity and allow him to advance or retreat depending on Director Cao's attitude.

(End of chapter)