Chapter 984： Package contract

Three Easter films will be set next year, and everyone will plan the next year's distribution strategy based on the experience of this year's 'Easter Film Package' program. The time will soon arrive at noon.

After having lunch together, Amy Pascal and Joe Ross each returned to their company. Eric and Kasenberg walked together in the park and talked about the public enemies of Kasenberg. The thing of "Black Man 3".

"Bill Michalnik has been pestering me for a while, and Howard Stringer also personally called me a few calls. Sony’s attitude is very firm. They will never give up the "black man." "Series of copyright. If the fireflies here have been dragging the production of the protagonist, they will file a lawsuit, or imitate the original Constance film to continue the "Fantastic Four" copyright model, spend millions to make a super Low-cost B-level film sequel."

Eric put a hand in his pocket and looked at the sky. A flight from London to Los Angeles landed at 2 pm, and now there are only half an hour left. Caroline and Melanie are early. I went to Los Angeles International Airport.

Gently shaking his head and throwing away these thoughts, Eric asked: "Will Smith doesn't want to sign a contract, what is their offer?"

Kasenberg feels that Eric is obviously absent-minded today, replied: "The public enemy of the whole people plus "Black Man 3", 40 million US dollars."

Eric immediately shook his head again and said, "Impossible."

Although Will Smith quickly became popular with "Don Liri" and "Black Man", in recent years, due to changes in Hollywood's development process, several films that Will Smith participated in did not cause too enthusiastic response. At the end of last year, "Rush Hour 2" North American box office accident broke through 200 million US dollars, Will Smith's coffee table even appeared to be overtaken by Chris Tucker.

The "Black Man" series is already a super blockbuster film, and the other party has a $20 million payout, and Eric is willing to accept it. But for other commercial movies, Will Smith is now only about $10 million.

The contract looks like an average of 20 million yuan per quotation, but in fact, "Black Man 3" should occupy 30 million US dollars. Once it becomes a reality, this will once again break the highest record of Hollywood fixed pay.

Kasenberg also expected Eric's reaction, not too unexpected, and then said: "Eric, this is the result of bargaining with Will Smith, the other side is unlikely to retreat."

Eric also did not have the meaning of his retreat. He shrugged easily in his tone: "That will continue to drag, and Will Smith has moved the idea of ​​packing, indicating that he also knows the meaning of the "Black Man" series to him. ""

"Black Man" for Will Smith, and "Terminator" for Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The reason why Arnold Schwarzenegger has been able to maintain a position in Hollywood is the popularity of two consecutive Terminators in the 1980s and 1990s.

Now that Will Smith has been in the "Doliday" and the two "Black Man", the other films that have been shown have not stirred up any waves. His popularity is already in a downturn, once the "Black Man" is thoroughly Say goodbye to Will Smith, the other's Hollywood career will fall to the uncertain future.

After thinking about it, Eric said: "If he wants to pack it, it will cost 30 million US dollars. As for Sony Pictures, they want to continue the copyright, then it will continue, sign an extended copyright period with them. The supplementary contract, there is no need to do B-level film. Others, you tell Howard Stringer, we have the final say."

Kasenberg said: "Eric, if this is the case, Sony will certainly ask for an extension of the copyright contract for several other films. In those few cases, Sony had already intended to give up, and we could have recovered all copyrights."

"Then, when the conditions come to talk, we can't always sign a copyright extension contract with Sony for "Black Man", of course, to exchange 40% of the copyrights of several other films."

Kasenberg also smiled a little, nodded with a smile: "This is indeed a good idea. However, on Will Smith's side, if we refused his packaging contract, the production of "public enemies" may be changed again."

Eric asked: "Isn't Cage not good? After "City of Angels", he seems to have not received another film."

"It seems that Jerry has seen this script for him long ago, and Cage is not interested, otherwise the two sides have already negotiated."

Eric thought for a moment and said, "You let Jerry talk to Will Smith according to the single film. I took the time to talk to Cage and he should give me this face."

The two chatted, unconsciously, had already arrived at the parking lot of the studio. Kasenberg saw Eric’s bodyguards helping him pull the door open. He couldn’t help but ask: “I see you are always absent-minded today. Is there something?"

Eric nodded and said vaguely: "Well, some, private affairs, there is no big problem."

Kasenberg didn't ask more, but just made a gesture of concern: "If you need help, call me at any time."

"I will," Eric smiled and said goodbye and got into his car.

The luxury car drove out of the studio parking lot. When thinking about the next thing, Eric was still a bit worried. Seeing that the car was about to open the cinema gate, Eric said to the front row of bodyguards: "Don't go back, go Opposite, um, look at the studio of Desperate Housewives."

The theme park opposite the cinema lincoln has built a wall, and many projects are still in the planning stage, but some preliminary construction has begun.

The "Desperate Housewives" of Wisteria Street can't be set in the studio. There is no extra space in the east movie studio, so it is placed inside the theme park. If the "Desperate Housewives" can reach enough influence in the next few years, The physical scenery that is costly to build will also be retained as an attraction in the studio.

The setting of "Desperate Housewives" is in the southeast corner of the new park. The luxury car passes through Lincoln Avenue and enters the new park. It turns directly to the left, and not far from the front is the 'Wisteria Street' set up by the tall hustle and bustle.

Through the window, Eric can see that there are many workers in the park busy, but because it is a theme park, the nature of the building is different, it is not as complicated and no complicated as other construction sites, and there is no large engineering equipment. It seems a bit quiet.

As for the planned air corridor, it is necessary to wait until next year to start construction. The official opening of the park will definitely be after 2000. Disneyland Paris was established in 1984 and opened in 1992. It has been eight years before and after. Although the Firefly Studios theme park is much smaller than the Disneyland in Paris, the entire construction process takes two to three years.

In order to reduce the risk, "Desperate Housewives" adopts the traditional side-by-side mode.

The first 13 episodes of the plan will be broadcast from February 26th. The end date is May 14th. Up to now, 12 episodes have been aired. The popularity of the episodes has also increased step by step. At 4.16 million, the pace climbed steadily to the current episode of 6.35 million.

MGM said that the number of viewers of "Desperate Housewives" may have reached more than 7 million at the end of the first quarter of this Thursday.

The number of viewers in a single episode of 7 million is already the peak of the current ratings of cable TV programs. However, according to the current popularity of the ratings and the rapid spread of the US cable TV network in recent years, the number of viewers of "Desperate Housewives" hits the 10 million mark is only a matter of time.

As a cable TV series, if the number of viewers can break through the 10 million mark, it is destined to leave a strong stroke in the history of American TV dramas, such as the "Song of the Road" and "The Walking Dead". .

In addition, E! Entertainment TV's reality show "Beverly Girl" did not have the high ratings of "Desperate Housewives" when it was broadcast, the first episode of the TV series was only over one million viewers, but the reality show's viewing curve is growing very much. ferocious.

Relying on the strong media resources of the firefly system, Chris Jenner has a variety of hype, and several real-life show actors in Beverly Girls have become the most famous reality stars in the United States in just a few months. .

Correspondingly, the Beverly Girl's ratings data has also soared. In the first episode, the average number of viewers of Beverly Girl was only 1.12 million. By the end of the eighth episode, the Beverly Girl average rating. The number has already reached an amazing 4.57 million.

The only regret of the whole reality show is that it was not produced according to the standards of 13 or even 26 episodes. Otherwise, the ratings in the first season will definitely be even more amazing.

A TV show achieved 400% of the increase in ratings in the first quarter, which is rare in the history of television. If history does not change, only a few years later, MTV TV launched the same kind of reality show "Jersey Coast" to achieve this kind of initiative.

Because of the stunning performance of "Beverly Girl", the second season of "Beverly Girl" and the first season of Eric's wife series "Beverly Wife" are already in the preparatory stage.

Probably because this is the last episode of the first season, Eric entered the studio and found that MGM's vice president John Cali was also on the set. John Cali was now mainly responsible for MGM's TV. business.

Upon receiving the notice from the guard, John Cali, with the writer Desperate Housewives, Mark Celi and the heroine Terry Hatcher, greeted them.

Eric and everyone said hello, "I just came over and see if you have a job."

John Cali followed Merrick and said with a smile: "Elizabeth is shooting, we just have a rest, Eric, "Iron Man" shooting is still smooth?"

"Of course, at the end of this month, I will probably be able to kill," Eric nodded, and Mark Chelly, who was wearing white glasses and fat. "Mark, I have read the outline of the second season you wrote, saying Really, it’s better than the first one.”

"Oh, thank you for your affirmation, Eric," Mark Celi expressed very respectfully, his back was slightly squatting, with some kind of pleading: "However, without the creativity you gave, I must have written Not the story."

Terry Hatcher, who was on the periphery of a few people, watched Mark Celi's performance in front of Eric, and he couldn't help but grin.

After a few months of shooting, everyone knows the details of Mark Celi's bottom. This guy was originally a minimalist screenwriter who was on the verge of bankruptcy in Hollywood. He was helped by Eric in the sky. Completing the task of the "Desperate Housewives" script, during this time, with the influence of "Desperate Housewives" step by step, Mark Chely almost gave everyone a sense of being a villain. The beginning of the series was cautious and basic. The disappearance disappeared, and the temper in front of the actors and crew members grew bigger and bigger.

Just in front of MGM's vice president John Cali, Mark Celi's attitude was a bit high-spirited, and Terry Hatcher originally thought that these people would never see Mark again. Chely’s humility looks.

The crew is filming the scene of Elizabeth Perkins, the perfect housewife of Elizabeth Perkins. Everyone walked along the wisteria street asphalt road to the house of the Brui family, and they saw the busy crew members on the field.

Eric did not bother, sitting with the John Cali in the rest area and watching the shooting in the field.

Feel free to talk about a few episodes of the series, Eric asked John Cali: "Yes, how is the preparation for the second season of Beverly Girl and Beverly Wife?" ”

John Cali said: "Crisis hopes that "Beverly Girl" can be filmed while in the summer, but we have rejected this somewhat radical plan. The second season will start shooting in June, and the fall of September. Broadcasting, everyone thinks that the 26 episodes may be too long, so the length of the second season is determined to be 13 episodes. However, next, you can make two seasons a year like the "American Supermodel Contest". "Beverly Wife "On the other side, Chris is still looking for a wife, but she should be able to catch the fall."

Eric looked at the people who were filming on the field. He was still absent-minded. After listening to John Cali, he just nodded lightly.

John Cali thought about it and said: "Eric, there is one more thing."

Eric turned to look at John Cali: "Well?"

"Crisis and the protagonists of "Beverly Girls" signed a manager contract, and she said last time that she hopes to set up a production company to participate more deeply in the production of these two series of reality shows."

"No problem, as long as she can guarantee the quality of these two series of reality shows, MGM has to pay some compensation is no problem, we can not take all the benefits." Eric smiled, not Too much mind.

Chris Jenner and several actors of Beverly Girl signed a manager contract, and Eric also probably understood the twists and turns. The other side would be a little smarter and would not be able to think about it from a few girls. Real-life show pays too much profit, she should value the income of several girls in business activities outside the reality show, such as endorsements, once the Kardashian family, the main source of income has never been that reality show, It is the profit of other commercial performances behind the reality show.

As for the establishment of a production company, this is too common in Hollywood.

The copyrights of "Beverly Girl" and "Beverly Wife" are in the hands of MGM, and Krist Jenner has set up a production company, and it is impossible to leave the firefly system, and it is impossible to grasp the initiative. It is determined by the fundamental strength. After all, with the support of the media resources of the Firefly System, Beverly Girl is definitely not as successful as it is now.