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"Is it over there?"
Seeing James Franco hang up, Murphy quickly asked, "what happened?"
Seth Logan at the back also moved closer.
James Franco put away his mobile phone, "Morris entertainment is very interested in the film. In the negotiation, he offered a buyout price of $4 million, no matter how high..."
He shook his head.
Murphy photographed the steering wheel, not only to remind the two companions, but also to warn himself, "calm down, there are Lion Gate pictures and fox searchlights behind."
Back at Stanton studio, Murphy had a detailed talk with Bill rosis, who came back later. Morris entertainment can basically give up. This small distribution company can't offer a higher price and is not interested in the distribution of non independent copyright.
The next morning, Murphy went to lion gate again. Milton Johnson and his team also had a high evaluation of the market potential of the film.
Hollywood's major distribution companies have mature evaluation systems. There are many factors that may affect the success or failure of a film, and they can't make a completely accurate evaluation. However, there are still some abilities to see whether a film really has market value.
The selling point of the movie is here. It's impossible for a typical horror film production and distribution company like lion gate to fail to see its advantages.
But they're not going to give us much.
"Director Stanton..." Milton Johnson sat behind his desk and looked at Murphy across the way. "Lion Gate has signed distribution contracts with other companies, which is not without precedent."
He gently clasped the table, "30% of the issue Commission is our bottom line."
As soon as Murphy was about to say something, Milton Johnson raised his hand to signal that he had not finished. "According to the company's practice, lion gate still has to own 50% of the film's copyright."
This has completely exceeded the bottom line that Murphy can accept, even harsher than Miramax's conditions.
On the other side, bill rossis couldn't help saying, "Mr. Johnson, you've seen this movie, and you should see that it's the best kind of horror movie..."
"Bill, you're from CAA. You're knowledgeable." Milton Johnson sat back in his chair, arms around his chest, and said with a hint of irony, "please tell me, will a wonderful film succeed? Is there really no risk for lion gate to release this film? Can you guarantee a profit? "
No matter how cheeky bill rosis was, he didn't dare say such a thing.
Milton Johnson continued, "Lion Gate has to bear the high risk of publicity, and of course it has to have the expected high share! What else can I do to convince the rest of the company? "
Murphy shook his head to indicate that there was no need to talk.
He didn't speak at all. Milton Johnson didn't give them the chance to bargain at all. This kind of negotiation is the exploitation of one side to the other side. Milton Johnson is more tough than Harvey Weinstein, and there is no need to waste saliva.
It's impossible for the two sides to reach an agreement on such terms. He and bill rosis soon walked out of Lion Gate's headquarters in Santa Monica.
In the office, Milton Johnson made a phone call. "Jamie, backup plan is on."
Murphy and bill rosis are in the same car. Murphy on the co pilot asks bill rosis, who is more experienced, "will they lower their conditions?"
Bill rosis shook his head. "Unless you're willing to sell out the copyright."
Murphy said without hesitation, "Lion Gate is the last choice for the time being."
After hearing the offer from Milton Johnson, he didn't even have the interest of bargaining.
Although it is normal for the small production companies in the downstream of the industrial chain to be squeezed by the distribution companies in the upstream, it is uncomfortable for the weak side of the negotiation to change into itself.
"Thirty percent of the distribution fee." Murphy pushed down the window to let the air out blow away some of the annoyance in the car. "Isn't this a distribution contract issued by a large distribution company for films made at home?"
According to convention, Hollywood's distribution fee is generally 5% to 20%.
"It's easy, your Stanton studio..." Bill rosis put two fingers together and made a small gesture, "and it's impossible for other distribution companies to offer you too good conditions. It's a common phenomenon in this circle that upstream companies squeeze downstream companies. Even if someone offers better conditions, they have room to adjust. What's more, other companies offer 30% of the distribution Commission, which often includes publicity expenses, but lion gate does not
Murphy's idea of putting on his seat belt and releasing his own film has never been stronger.
The issue of this kind of thing is not a short time can be successfully established, the establishment of a relatively perfect issue mechanism, also need a lot of money.
How can we break this dilemma? For a while, Murphy couldn't think of a good way. The distribution company's almost dominant advantage in the industry, let alone now, won't change even in another ten years.Can't he sneak into the top management of these companies and threaten them with a knife?
In fact, in the negotiation of "fruit candy", he thought about whether to find some inside information about Harvey Weinstein in exchange for better terms.
But now is not the past, free journalists can do this, the director is impossible, this will only be rejected by everyone, in the future can not find a partner.
Think about your goal. If you want to achieve it, it's a suicide.
As Bill rosis said, several distribution companies such as DreamWorks contacted Murphy. Murphy, like a hard-working ant, kept going in and out of these companies. However, most of the distribution companies in Hollywood seem to have unwritten conventions. They treat small production companies with similar faces.
The selling out prices offered by these companies are not much different. Murphy has a film with a box office of more than one million US dollars as the basis. They can also contract to release, but the release conditions are basically similar.
In contrast, Miramax's buyout price and the terms of a contract are relatively favorable.
"We are still facing some second tier companies, and the first tier companies are more tough."
Bill rossis started the car and joined the traffic. He said, "after decades of growth, the giants not only monopolize the distribution rights of their own films, but also rely on their control over blockbusters to" deter "cinemas. In the competition of the same period, the films released by the giants will get more support from cinemas and publicity, so as to crowd out independent producers."
He shook his head. "In such a market situation, independent producers have to try their best to choose giants as distributors - unless they don't want to do large-scale production, which is a prerequisite for the film to get a huge box office."
Murphy also knows that the status of Hollywood's traditional big six in the distribution field can't be shaken in a short time.
Suddenly thinking of the rumor that he had seen on the Internet, Murphy asked, "I heard that the six major companies often use the distribution commission to manipulate some film data?"
"Yes, it's also common."
I haven't talked about this topic before. Now that I've talked about it, bill rossis simply said, "they have very good means. They know there's a problem, but they can't do anything about it." (to be continued). )