Seven Hundred and Five - When You Make a Request, You Must First Tell Me What You Are Going to Give in Exchange!

Wayne believes that Harvey Weinstein's desire to hand over "Shakespeare in Love" to Warner Bros. for distribution is definitely not entirely due to Warner Bros.'s huge influence. There must be other reasons.

But one thing cannot be denied, and that is that he is completely happy to see this film handed over to Warner Bros. for distribution. After all, he holds a large number of shares in Warner Bros., which is tantamount to making money for himself.

Nowadays, the distribution agency fees of major Hollywood companies will basically never be less than 25% to 30% of the film’s box office. Of course, the specific cost ratio will definitely depend on the film. What can be determined is that, Even the price within the Hollywood industry will not be lower than 25%.

Note that this is just the distribution company’s commission on the film’s box office. For example, if advance funds are needed for publicity and film printing in the early stage, this part of the upfront investment will be withheld by the distribution company when the theater divides the box office.

Therefore, Harvey Weinstein is willing to hand over "Shakespeare in Love" to other companies for distribution. There must be other factors involved. Otherwise, with the greed of this fat man, he would definitely not be willing to hand over the most profitable part. Because Miramax itself has quite good distribution capabilities in North America.

For distribution companies, once a film is released, it will be treated differently from the beginning. To put it simply, we can roughly divide the two treatment methods into internal films and external films.

Harvey Weinstein wanted to distribute "Shakespeare in Love" through Wein's connections. His purpose was to obtain Warner Bros.'s internal film distribution conditions. There is a huge difference between the two.

Putting aside the proportion of the film's distribution agent's commission, the distribution company is also quite deep in the water. Miramax itself is engaged in this industry, so it is very clear about the ways in which distribution companies can manipulate a film.

For example, theater screening is the top priority for film distribution. Everyone knows that box office revenue is only one of the income methods of Hollywood films. Even under the operation of companies with complete distribution methods, this revenue is less than a quarter of a film's total profit. .

However, screening in movie theaters takes precedence over all other distribution methods. More importantly, the performance of the film in theaters will directly affect the results of other subsequent distribution methods.

The distributor's share of the total box office revenue should be called movie rental to be precise. This figure can reach 90% of the total box office revenue after deducting the screening costs! It is generally believed that the issuer can obtain 50% of this figure, but in fact this figure is the most conservative and deceptive estimate.

However, large companies like Warner Bros. are used to playing a left-handed game when it comes to movie distribution. If they go back and forth like that, even if the producers know what the total box office figures are, they can still make a lot of money in the end. The profits go into their own pockets, and the producers can't find out even if they want to, because everything is legal.

This is just the first step for the film to hit theaters, with a home video release to follow. It is well known that home video and DVD sales generally generate much higher revenue than movie theater box office receipts.

Now in the late 1990s, most distribution companies adopt a direct revenue sharing model, which means that the DVDs are sold directly to chains in advance at a price of about 50% of the total rental and total sales price. From the seller, the price is around $1.

but! When issuing companies receive this upfront portion of revenue from sellers, they typically report only 20 percent of wholesale revenue! In other words, the distribution company only counts 20% of the income from video tapes and DVDs into the total income of the film, and the remaining 80% will be pocketed through Hollywood's unspoken rules of not disclosing accounts!

That's not all. When distribution companies treat external films, the 20% of revenue reported must be deducted from distribution fees. Hollywood's industry price for video tapes and DVDs is 40%. This is still not the end of the game, and additional expenses must be subtracted, such as publicity investment when releasing video tapes, etc.

Until then, the investors or producers who participated in the distribution of film income received only the film's profits. In fact, this part of the home video profit was no longer 20% of the copyright fee, but 100%. About ten to twelve percent!

This is the legal, reasonable and compliant way for the six major Hollywood distribution departments to exploit external films. Of course, if it is a so-called internal film, such as a cooperation project between the six giants, everyone will naturally put away these methods.

In today's 1990s, major Hollywood companies like to seek "outside" investors. It is precisely that most overseas film investment funds do not know enough about Hollywood. This has resulted in the current situation. Well-known major Hollywood companies are completely Don’t worry about the fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

Not to mention overseas film funds and film investors, even within North America, the financial circles in Wall Street and other places are still being used by the rogue methods of Hollywood companies to make nonsense and cannot win lawsuits.

In the same way, once the Hollywood industry is involved in investment and production projects, which are regarded as internal films by the distribution company, similar methods cannot be said to disappear completely, at least they will be restrained. After all, this is how everyone plays. , who doesn’t know who?

"Harvey, 2.5 million US dollars is nothing to me..."

Although in my mind, I have been thinking about whether the other party's decision to hand over "Shakespeare in Love" to Warner Bros. for distribution has other hidden meanings. Wayne did not show any surprise when he heard that Big Fatty had spent 7 million in lobbying funds for this year's awards season, even though the price was higher than the average Oscar lobbying price.

The moment he spoke, the happiest person was not the two brothers sitting aside, but Cate Blanchett, who had been maintaining a tense state.

The interests of the Australian woman in this matter are highly aligned with those of the Weinstein brothers. She knows better than anyone how much benefit she can gain from this public relations feast.

"Miramax will also contribute 2.5 million U.S. dollars, totaling 5 million U.S. dollars." Harvey Weinstein explained: "I will replicate it perfectly after this awards season, no, use more impeccable means. Let ‘Shakespeare in Love’ be on the Oscar stage!”

From God's perspective, Wayne understands better than anyone else that this big fat man's public relations lobbying for "Shakespeare in Love" took place in the late 1990s. But it was precisely this recasting of the rules of the Oscar game that allowed this public relations lobbying to rank among the top three in the opponent's entire Oscar lobbying career.

As long as there are no accidents, based on the results achieved by "Shakespeare in Love" at the Oscars, the $2.5 million is simply not worth it!

"Listen, Harvey."

Wayne put the beer bottle in his hand on the table, leaned his upper body forward, stared at Harvey Weinstein with a serious face, and said with a warning tone: "The money will be put into your designated before the awards season. account. I don’t need to know your public relations plan, nor do I want to know the specific lobbying process, but I want the results, okay?”

"ok, no problem."

After hearing his words, the eyes on Harvey Weinstein's fat face slowly narrowed. He simply nodded and agreed happily. "This is not the first time we have cooperated. You should be aware of my abilities."

"Very good, I'm looking forward to your methods..."

Regarding this cooperation, Wayne's intention was quite obvious, that is, just like the time in "Blair Witch", he only provided money and did not care about the rest. As for what tricks Harvey Weinstein will use, those have nothing to do with him.

The two Weinstein brothers did not stay long. After talking about business, they exchanged a few words and left the manor, leaving only a bunch of young men and women under the awning.

Looking at the two brothers leaving, Wayne was amazed in his heart. He knew that if something unexpected happened this time, Steven Spielberg would still be in trouble.

When I publicized "The Departed", I only used a large-scale gold and dollar offensive throughout the entire awards season. The main method is actually to spend money so that "The Departed" will never lack the space of various mainstream media during this awards season, hold a large number of targeted viewing parties, hold a large number of receptions to canvass members of the academy, etc. .

But this big fat man is different. Not only does he use gold and dollar offensives across the island, but he also bombards college members with emails without any bottom line, gives gifts, and solves various needs. He also hires "hot spots" on a large scale and threatens them in the media. The biggest competitor, "Saving Private Ryan," has been described as a vulgar movie that relies on bloody scenes to attract attention.

It can be said that this guy has no bottom line at all. You must know that this circle is never big, and normal practice is to take care of each other's face. But this big fat man doesn’t know what face is at all. In order to increase the probability of winning awards for his film, he directly hacked "Saving Private Ryan"!

At least he still remembers that even after many years after the 71st Oscars, the good-tempered Jewish man still cursed Harvey Weinstein every time the media talked about him, which shows how shameless the big fat man is.

"Eon, my ambitious little sweetheart, it seems we need to have a good talk."

After the Weinstein brothers were driven out of the manor in a car arranged by Hella, Wayne smiled and looked at Cate Blanchett, who was sitting cross-legged next to him. "Kate, believe me, 2.5 million US dollars is not a small number no matter what time it is..."

As Wayne's teasing words fell, although Cate Blanchett still maintained a beautiful smile on her face, her whole body sitting cross-legged on the recliner became involuntarily tense for a moment. .

It can be seen that the Australian woman had already thought about this issue before coming to the manor, but the man's seemingly serious but joking words made her feel extremely pressured for a moment. The words she had prepared earlier were now obviously I don't dare to say it out loud.

"Don't be in a hurry, Kate, don't be in a hurry to speak."

After carefully looking at the tense woman, Wayne slowly leaned back on the recliner. Just the sound of his voice reaching the woman's ears made Cate Brecht feel a chill all over her body.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, in terms of courage and ambition, I admire your courage very much. 2.5 million US dollars is really nothing to me, but I must remind you. I suggest you try your best when you have no capital. Don't be so presumptuous, what do you think? On the contrary, if you have enough weight in Hollywood later, you can make similar attempts."

At this point, Wayne paused deliberately and continued after about a few seconds: "Kate, based on your previous performance, I can teach you one more thing. In the Hollywood circle, next time When making a request, you must first tell the other party what you are prepared to give in exchange!”

Looking at the man who had put his sunglasses on his face and continued to enjoy the leisurely sunshine, Cate Blanchett remained silent, completely losing her good mood just now.

That's right, she wants to get to the top in one step and get that damn statuette. There is no doubt that as long as you can bet on that statuette, judging from the current rules in the industry, this is the biggest shortcut for an actress to get to the front line.

It just so happened that her ambitions aligned with the interests of Harvey Weinstein and, strictly speaking, with the interests of the man on the couch.

But as the other party just said, 2.5 million US dollars is not a small number no matter what time it is placed. Cate Blanchett believes that she is definitely not worth this price as she is today. Even if she has gone through Hollywood several times, there are only a handful of actresses worth this price.

Another point is that she completely understood what the man meant. This small amount of money was nothing in the other person's eyes. Obviously what the other person cared about was that she didn't take the initiative to speak first. Just like what I just heard, when you want to make a request, you should first tell the other party what you want in exchange!

"Honey, three years!"

Thinking of this, Cate Blanchett gritted her teeth hard. She understood that as a little person, the only thing she could give and the only thing that could interest the other party was her own youth.

"I swear, in three years, no matter what changes happen in these three years, I will not have a boyfriend, nor will I have any contact with other men. Even if I am in Australia, as long as you give me a call, I will fly Come to L.A., Haney, you know, that’s all I have to give.”

"Great!"

After glancing at the vowed woman, Wayne stretched out his hand and snapped his fingers, while a long-lost smile appeared on his face. "Very well, Kate, remember my words. Next time you want to make a request, tell me what you can give first!"

He waved to the woman, and when she lay beside him, he continued: "I will remind Harvey later to invest enough resources in the damn statuette for the best actress."

"Thanks, dear......"

Looking at the strong face so close, Cate Blanchett bit her lip hard. She really couldn't tell the difference between the man with a warning face just now and the man with a warm smile now. Which one is the other person’s true face.

But she was not stupid at all, even though the man did not give a positive response to the oath she just swore. But she secretly reminded herself in her heart that she must strictly follow what she said, otherwise the huge pressure might come back to her at any time and crush her.

"The First Clan"

"Well."

The man reached out and took off his sunglasses, approached the woman's ear and whistled softly. If Cate Blanchett could see his eyes at this time, she would definitely regret the vow she had just made. His eyes were full of There was strange interest and banter.

"Tell me, sweetheart, do you like elves?"

"What?" Cate Blanchett turned her head in surprise, looked at the man and asked, "What do you mean?"

"In the cloakroom of the master bedroom on the third floor, I have specially prepared a gift for you. Why don't you go and take a look now? Believe me, Kate, it will definitely be a rare surprise..."

After being slightly stunned, the Australian woman looked in the direction of the main building. "now?"

"That's right, go ahead, it's a very beautiful dress, as beautiful as the Elf Queen. I'll wait for you here..."

Without any hesitation, the woman quickly climbed up from the lounge chair, left the large awning, and walked toward the main building.

When she returned, at noon at Greenberg Manor, the area around the awning became a place that all the staff ignored.

The gardeners who were pruning the gardens and lawns disappeared, the security personnel who regularly patrolled the manor avoided this place from a distance, and the entire lawn awning became quiet. In the entire manor, the only person who dared to sit within sight of the awning was Nina, who was bored and reading a magazine.

The assistant lady's eyes shone with cold light behind her glasses. She raised her head from time to time and looked around the surrounding environment. Every time she lowered her head with satisfaction, she continued to flip through the fashion magazine in her hand, as if she completely ignored the fierce battle of the 'Elf Queen' that was going on. 'King of Men' drama.

While Wayne was "rehearsing" The Lord of the Rings in advance, "The Matrix 3: Matrix Revolutions" was also conquering the North American theater market.

Following its special status as an R-rated film, which grossed US$35.31 million in the North American theater market on the first day, the film's popularity has not diminished at all as Saturday approaches.

Warner Bros. is hyping up the conclusion of the trilogy and launching an intensive campaign for the film throughout North America. The film's explosive first-day box office and extremely strong reputation among fans have become the focus of Warner Bros.' promotion.

On Saturday, the second day off of the release of "The Matrix: Revolutions", there was no doubt that it once again won the box office championship of the day, with a box office of US$24.52 million in the North American theater market.

This number has been reduced compared to the first day of release, but this is an R-rated film after all, and the most ardent fans basically flocked to the advance screening and the first day of release as soon as possible.

On Sunday, as the next day was about to usher in another working day, the box office figures declined again, closing at US$19.55 million.

"The Matrix 3: The Matrix Revolutions" ended its first weekend of three-day screening. The cumulative box office has reached 7 points, surpassing the entire theater market, and it has won the first weekend box office championship.

This result can completely declare the success of the film in advance. For a time, names such as Zack Snyder, Charlize Theron, and Li Guohao have all become the focus of discussion among movie fans across North America.

At the same time, "X-Men" also started its overseas cinema tour last weekend. This superhero, which is completely different from the DC system, was simultaneously released by 20th Century Fox in more than 70 countries overseas. At first, it also caused a huge sensation.

Whether it is English-speaking gay friends, Latin American countries where traditional Hollywood movies are dumped, or Europe, the new dumping ground for Hollywood, as soon as the film was released, it immediately jumped to the top of the local box office list.

After three days, although "X-Men" has already passed its peak period in North America, it has achieved quite good performance overseas. The overseas box office in the first weekend was about 7,700 US dollars.

According to the latest information released by 20th Century Fox on Monday, the total global box office of "X-Men" has reached about 280 million US dollars! Although this superhero's box office performance in North America and overseas is not comparable to that of "Batman Begins" a few years ago, no one can deny the success of this film.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the reputation of "X-Men" cannot be compared with that of Batman. The objectively huge reputation gap is there.

20th Century Fox is undoubtedly very satisfied with the current box office results. And this box office number has also indirectly affected Warner Bros.

"Bruce, by next week at the latest, I will see Jim Lee himself submit a letter of resignation as DC executive president! The speed must be fast, we must start formal talks with Wayne as soon as possible."

In the CEO office of the Warner Bros. Building, Jeff Robinoff threw the latest newspaper on the table, looked at the opposite side with a serious face, and said in a hoarse voice: "I will also warn some of our internal people. , at this time, no one can cause trouble to Warner Brothers!"

"I will take care of the DC CEO by Friday at the latest!"

At this time, Bruce Rosenblum's face was gloomy, and his eyes were like poisonous snakes. "No one is clean. I found a lot of interesting things. If he doesn't submit his resignation decently, I will ask the board of directors to help him have fun!"

Nodding with satisfaction, Jeff Robinov stood up from behind his desk, holding a thick cigar in his mouth, and walked a few steps to the floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the bustling media capital.

After about a few minutes, his voice suddenly sounded.

"Where's Wayne? He should be in a good mood reading the newspaper now. "The Flash", "Charlie's Angels", "The Matrix", "X-Men", this summer, he is probably the biggest winner in Hollywood! Look, Bruce, he will top the Forbes celebrity income rankings this year and next year."

"I spoke to his personal assistant on the phone this morning."

Hearing his boss's sigh, Bruce Rosenblum couldn't think of anything else and responded immediately: "Very early in the morning, Wayne drove back with the bombshell editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Farm in Ventura County. Nina said he missed our little Princess Greenberg and just went back to rest for a few days and take a vacation."

"Aha?"

Jeff Robinoff turned back, looked at Bruce Rosenblum, shrugged and said: "Get ready as soon as possible, I don't want Wayne's vacation to be too long... "