Chapter 315: Excited Senior Brothers

The second cooperation with Columbia actually didn't have much room for negotiation.

It's not that the negotiation was difficult; on the contrary, with the premise of sincerity on both sides, following market laws, the negotiation was even easier.

In the case where Cao Yang is not the director and not investing, only providing the novel copyright and personally adapting the script, even if he gets the position of producer and executive producer, the share ratio given by the production side has an upper limit.

This upper limit is 20% of the global total box office share, and the subsequent peripheral income is also about this price.

A gold-medal producer in Hollywood, who establishes a project, finds someone to write the script, finds the director and actors, and seeks investment from a production studio, can get an upper limit of 20% at most.

Of course, if there are superstars from the 20-million-dollar club among the actors, that's another matter. However, the share of those superstars isn't squeezed out from the producer's hands, but negotiated with the production studio.

It's very difficult for Cao Yang to break the 20% share. Hollywood film companies aren't working for him.

It's just this low-cost film. If it were a super production like *Inception* or *2012* that starts at 150 million USD, even if Cao Yang directed it personally, it would be very difficult to get a 20% total box office share.

If he controls the project and seeks investment from multiple small production studios bit by bit, it might be possible. With big production studios, especially at the level of the Hollywood Seven, it's a bit difficult.

Slightly larger film companies in Hollywood all have a cost control system.

For blockbusters where production costs reach a certain scale, the control is especially strict.

Under normal circumstances, the total investment including producer, director, actors, script, etc., including staff, cannot exceed 40% of the total cost, and the remuneration of major actors cannot exceed 70% of the total remuneration.

And the box office share ratio, the total ratio is generally controlled within 30%, and the individual share ratio will not be allowed to exceed 20%.

Exceeding 20% breaks Hollywood's unspoken rules.

In terms of actors, even if it's a superstar from the 20-million-dollar club, in a film, the total box office share won't exceed 20% for them.

If it's a box office profit share, then it doesn't matter; production companies dare to give as much as you want, because this can be "made up."

Even the "Truck Driver" after *Avatar* didn't break this rule.

Cao Yang got a 20% total box office share in *Juno*. This is not a secret to the upper echelons of Hollywood big companies, so Tang Mu Rothman also knows.

Now *Inception* is selling well again. For a film like *The Fault in Our Stars* where the production cost can be controlled within 10 million USD, giving too little share ratio is not sincere.

Therefore, Tang Mu Rothman gave Cao Yang a 16% total box office share ratio as soon as he opened his mouth. He naturally knew in his heart that this share ratio might be a bit low, but what if Cao Yang agreed?

One always has to try.

Of course, after a not-so-intense argument, both sides reached a 20% global total box office and subsequent peripheral share ratio.

Cao Yang is responsible for adapting the script, is the producer and executive producer of this film, and possesses the final cut right together with Columbia.

As for the director? A director who hasn't become famous in Hollywood is just a senior technician responsible for shooting the film. What kind of cut right does he have? After shooting the film, the director's work is finished.

Up to this point, the cooperation is basically settled, just waiting for the teams of both sides to sign the final agreement.

However, Cao Yang thought about it and decided to plan some more "welfare" for the Beijing Film Academy and Han Zong.

After Tang Mu Rothman finishes producing this film, he will almost be going to Sony Pictures to take office as global vice president. In order to have a good start at Sony Pictures, he is very likely to try his best to operate this film at the Oscars.

Considering his relationship with Sid Ganis, chairman of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, whether he can win an Oscar is one thing, but there will definitely be no shortage of nominations.

This is a huge political achievement for the Beijing Film Academy and Han Zong.

Think about it, in the current background, domestic big directors are scrambling for an Oscar Best Foreign Language Film qualification. A co-produced film that won a long string of Oscar nominations—which leader wouldn't be excited?

Plus, this film has no taboo points and can be considered somewhat positive, so it can be screened normally domestically.

"Tang Mu, I have a proposal. You can consider it."

Tang Mu Rothman became cheerful again at this time, as if it wasn't him who was biting on a percentage point just now.

"Haha, Cao, tell me. I like listening to your proposals the most. I guess that must be something beneficial to both of us."

"Tang Mu, have you ever thought about making this film a co-production?" Cao Yang asked.

"Co-production?"

Tang Mu Rothman frowned slightly. He is too familiar with co-productions. *District 9* and *Inception* are both in the category of co-productions.

They were also achieved through the cooperation between Columbia and China Film Group and the Youth Film Studio under Tang Mu Rothman's decision.

Of course, this model is called a co-production domestically. For Columbia, it's just having one more small investor.

However, for an adapted film like *The Fault in Our Stars*, the investment is not high, and there is almost no pressure to break even. Is it necessary to make it a co-production and pull in a few more small shareholders?

"Cao, *The Fault in Our Stars* is just a low-cost film. What's the point of making it a co-production?"

Cao Yang knows that when talking to foreigners, the best entry point is interest. This is also the way they can understand the most.

"Tang Mu, haven't you thought about letting this film be screened in China? This kind of low-cost film is not a blockbuster, so we generally don't consider importing it domestically. Co-productions are different; they can be screened normally."

Cao Yang glanced at Tang Mu Rothman, who was deep in thought, and continued:

"Think about China's growing film market today. *District 9* broke the box office record, and *Inception* broke the box office record held by *District 9* again."

Tang Mu Rothman was moved immediately.

He is very optimistic about China's film market. He believes that China's film market today hasn't exerted its strength yet, and it will definitely be better in the future.

Clearly, building a good relationship with Cao Yang and China Film Group, which has the right to import films, is the most important thing today.

Tang Mu Rothman is very ambitious. The reason he is willing to be the global vice president of Sony Pictures is that he wants to take a detour, and next time he will have the opportunity to be "demoted" to Columbia to directly be the CEO.

It might be difficult to be promoted to CEO of Columbia from vice president of Columbia, but it's very easy to become CEO of Columbia from vice president of the superior company, Sony Pictures.

Besides this, making it a co-production has other benefits for Tang Mu Rothman.

He knows that with Cao Yang's influence, as long as he uses Cao Yang's name at that time, there will be no worry about the box office in China.

For Hollywood, awards are one aspect, but the biggest standard for measuring whether a film is successful is still the box office.

If the box office is good, it can not only make money in the box office and subsequent peripherals but also reflect on the stock market.

"Haha, Cao, I knew your proposal was something beneficial to both of us. I like making co-productions the most."

Since Tang Mu Rothman agreed, Cao Yang first called Hou Keming and talked about making a co-production. Hou Keming immediately understood the meaning—co-production, stuffing in a few interns is a very normal thing.

This is also what Cao Yang has always done. Every time, he will try his best to fight for these for the Beijing Film Academy.

To tell the truth, these interns are more likely to succeed than others. Interning in Cao Yang's films is currently a very good resume recognized by the film and television circle.

Afterward, Cao Yang called Xie Xiaojing again. Xie Xiaojing currently serves as the director of the Youth Film Studio. A co-production definitely cannot do without Xie Xiaojing.

Cao Yang didn't think about leaving Xie Xiaojing out either. After all, this is also a close senior brother.

Xie Xiaojing finally enjoyed the treatment Hou Keming had before.

When Xie Xiaojing was the director of the directing department, he looked down on Hou Keming a bit, thinking that this guy wasn't very good at shooting films and didn't have much real ability.

If it weren't for the fact that many of Cao Yang's films were affiliated with the Youth Film Studio, Hou Keming would be a... um.

Xie Xiaojing still held this view until he took over as director of the Youth Film Studio.

Now that Xie Xiaojing sat in this position, he suddenly had a feeling: refreshing!

This feeling of not needing to worry extra, and political achievements smashing into his arms, is really fucking refreshing!

The small school-run Youth Film Studio was mainly used as a teaching base for teachers and an internship base for students before. Now, although the duties haven't changed, who would dare to say the Youth Film Studio is "small"?

In the past few years, the Youth Film Studio has had awards, and they are world-class awards; it has had box office, and it has broken records. Our Youth Film Studio has also become awesome.

Xie Xiaojing has already started considering the "upgrade" plan for the Youth Film Studio.

A production studio that has won all three major European awards in a few years, and also has Hollywood's Golden Globe Awards and Oscars, is currently positioned too low.

A school-run enterprise can also become a large company and large enterprise that dominates the industry.

Others have Founder Group, Tsinghua Tongfang; we can also have Beijing Film Academy Youth Film.

In short, Xie Xiaojing is now full of ambition, wanting to take Cao Yang as the center to make the Youth Film Studio bigger and stronger, and create brilliance again.

Finally, Cao Yang called Han Zong again.

When Han Zong heard that Cao Yang was sending him "political achievements" again, he was overjoyed.

This little junior brother is too worth making friends with. He thinks of himself whenever there is something good. With the little junior brother's current status, it's hard to encounter any trouble domestically, so he will maintain the little junior brother's reputation in his lifetime.

Han Zong is also an old friend of Tang Mu Rothman. As for how to cooperate specifically, just let them have a tripartite talk. Cao Yang won't intervene.

Han Zong originally heard that the film's investment was only about 10 million USD, and he thought the production cost was too low. Could the investment be expanded to invite more big stars?

However, when Cao Yang told him to be mentally prepared that after the film is produced, it is very likely that additional investment will be needed, perhaps two to three times the production cost.

Han Zong didn't react at first. Why add so much investment after production is finished? Is so much promotion fee needed? Even if it is needed, Cao Yang doesn't need to specifically mention it, right?

Thinking of this, Han Zong's heart shook, and he slapped his thigh suddenly, his hands trembling with excitement.

This is fucking aimed at the Oscars!

My dear junior brother, you are making me, making me...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 316 =====