Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 483 The order of dividends in the night of the comet

The karate final in "Longwei Kid" was on December 19th, and the shooting date was very close to the story in the script. It was almost Christmas [-] when all the shots were shot.

Making an appearance at the packing party, Ronald took the film to Weintraub's office.

"I need two weeks off, Jerry," Ronald told Weintraub of his editing theory.He needs a two-week vacation to completely remove his mind from "Longwei Boy" and do something completely different, so that he can look at the film he wrote and directed from an objective perspective.

"During these two weeks, you can ask the editor to synchronize the sound and picture, and then cut each shot into a separate roll, so that I can start editing right away after I come back from the New Year's vacation."

"Don't be kidding, Christmas and New Year's holidays are coming soon, where can I find an editor who is willing to work overtime at this time." Weintraub put his hands on Ronald's shoulders, "You take a good rest for a month , come back to edit the film at the end of January, and I will prepare what you said."

Ronald also thought about it. In Los Angeles, a place where the film and television union is strong, finding an editor to work overtime during the Christmas and New Year holidays is tantamount to publicly inviting the editors union to fine him.

"I don't know if no one will make movies in Los Angeles in the future." Ronald shook his head.

"Where are you going for Christmas? Do you want to come to my house? Susan will come together, and Jane agrees to spend time with her at home." Weintraub is enjoying a life of monogamy and concubine now, and Jane Morgan unexpectedly asks Susan Al Kings was not very hostile.Two women can spend Christmas at home with the kids and cook in the kitchen together.

"I have to go back to New York. I haven't seen my aunt for a long time." Ronald was envious of Weintraub's ability to resolve family conflicts so well.He's going back to enjoy the family reunion, though, and Diane is also filming in New York.

"Okay, I've prepared a first-class ticket for you, enjoy it." Weintraub took a ticket and handed it to Ronald.

"Who are you going to get to score the film?" Weintraub asked.

"I'm going to find Michael Gore," Ronald thought of his old partner, Gore, who won the Oscar for best episode with him because of "Famous".

"Then I'll wait for your news."

Ronald got bad news the next day.

Michael Gore calls himself back. After writing the soundtrack and theme song for Paramount's new film "Terms of Endearment," he took a long vacation to enjoy life and try to break into pop music session.

The mother-daughter movie, starring Debra Winger and Shirley Maclean, just opened nationwide.The theme song without lyrics by Michael Gore actually broke into the top [-] hit singles on the charts, which is considered to be a record for film soundtracks.

The industry expects Gore to win a second Oscar, as well as a new Grammy for a film episode.

I had no choice but to continue looking for a composer.Weintraub reached out to one of the scorers, Bill Conti.He was on the soundtrack to "Rocky."

"I think he is a good candidate. Anyway, the story of Daniel LaRusso is similar to that of Rocky. They are both stories of counterattacks by underdogs." Weintraub said to Ronald.

"Don't say that, Rocky is a gangster gangster, and Daniel is a progressive young man without a father, it's completely different." Ronald doesn't like Stallone, and he doesn't want to hear someone compare his movie with "Rocky" .

"Well, you've got a point. But if only we could have the success Rocky has."

"hope so".

"Rocky" once won a North American box office of 100 million with a budget of less than 1000 million in [-]. Weintraub very much hopes that "Longwei Boy" can also reach such heights.

Ronald had one more thing to do in Los Angeles before returning to New York.That is to go to Atlantic Company and ask when you can get the profit dividends that you can share after "Night of the Comet" is screened in China.

Arriving at the front desk of the Atlantic Company, Ronald heard a familiar voice shouting inside, "Where is my money? Where is my fucking money? Every time you say you can pay now, you can pay now Yes, every time I procrastinate.”

It was Yoram, Minahan's younger brother, the second boss of Cannon Pictures who was speaking.His figure also began to develop rapidly towards that of his cousin, gradually becoming a spherical shape.

"Don't do this, I can't help it. The owners of movie theaters always pay according to the deadline of the contract. The usual practice in the movie industry is that this deadline is one year after the movie is released. And they often have to wait until we file a lawsuit. You can pay later."

"You can't do that, Tom. When we sell copies of movies in Europe, we pay for them and deliver them. When will you pay?"

"Right now, when we get the money from the cinema, we'll pay you right away."

Yoram opened the door in the office angrily, "You bastards... uh, Ronald."

"Tom, Yoram." Ronald was looking outside, when he saw Yoram and Atlantic President Tom Coleman.

"Ronald, you came just in time." Tom Coleman saw him and waved for Ronald to come in, and exchanged the movie's box office situation with Ronald.

Since the release of "Night of the Comet", it has received a total of 700 million box office results in the first round of screenings in the North American market.During the first round of screenings, the producers and the theaters generally share a [-]-[-] split.And for the second round of screenings that have already started, the share we get is much less, less than [-]%.

In this way, the Atlantic Company obtained a total of about 350 million shares.Among them, Atlantic's marketing costs, 550 million, will be subtracted.

"So we are going to distribute dividends based on the profit of 800 million?" Ronald was very happy, so that he could get 200 million US dollars. This is the first huge sum of money he has received since he started his career.It's not impossible to delay until next year.

"That's not how it works, Ronald. In addition to marketing costs, we also have to spend distribution costs, which are not cheap in major theaters across the country. The total cost is a million dollars. Plus the hundreds of copies we have to make Copying and shipping them all over the place cost $100 million.”

"So it's 500% of 20.00 million?" Ronald thought to himself, a bonus of more than 100 million is not bad, plus his own director's remuneration, there will be 140 million.After paying taxes in this way, a movie can earn nearly a million dollars by itself.

"That's not the case, Ronald. The share of the movie box office is divided according to the profit."

"Yeah, didn't you count? Is the profit 500 million?"

"No, no, this is the total profit. First of all, as the producer, Atlantic Company will be the first to withdraw the profit of 200 million US dollars, and the remaining 300 million US dollars will be the basis for calculating your share."

"So I can get 300% five of 20.00 million?"

"Yes, the total dividend is 75 US dollars, minus the director's remuneration we paid in advance, you can get at least 55 in the dividend part."

Ronald was in a bad mood. It was 200 million just now, and 140 million. Why did the calculation suddenly come down to less than 100 million. "

"I'll have to go over the accounts with my lawyer and accountant and I hope you can provide them."

"Of course." Tom Coleman handed over a list of documents. "We will send all the accounting information to your accountants and lawyers."

"I have another proposal," Tom Coleman said again, "I know that you investors always want to get your share early, but the film industry has a very long billing period. So we can provide early settlement option, we will give you your dividends before we receive the money back.

Of course we charge a little discount.In this way, you can now get a total of about 50 yuan. As for the share of the second round of screenings, and the wrangling between us and the cinema during the settlement and collection, it has nothing to do with you.

As a token of our sincerity, the Atlantic has also decided to give you an additional bonus of $60 because the film far exceeded our expectations, so you can walk away with a cash check for $[-], once and for all. "

"I have to think about it." It was the first time Ronald encountered such a thing, and he always felt that he was at a disadvantage.When you come to New York, you can have a good chat with Lindsay Dole, a lawyer, and Lawrence Wang, an accountant.

"certainly".

Ronald walked out of the office and found that Yoram was still waiting for him at the door.

"Come on, let's have a drink and chat."

Ronald did not refuse, and the investment of Cannon Pictures also has the right to share.Everyone can form an alliance.

"Where do you rank in the order of dividends?" Yoram found a coffee shop, sat down and asked Ronald impatiently.

Ronald's heart skipped a beat. The order of dividends seems to be kept secret in the contract.

Then he realized that the person who pays dividends first will have a larger profit base when calculating dividends.The Atlantic's first score was calculated on the basis of 500 million, and it was Ronald's turn that only 300 million remained.

So, when it comes to the cannons of Yoram and Minahan, there are only a little over 200 million at most?No, they are responsible for overseas distribution, Roger Coleman, and his friend Douglas Jr. seem to be ahead of him.

Calculated in this way, isn't it that they can only get 10,000+?
"Hey, you know, I'm just a director, and my name is included in the dividend qualification..." Ronald began to play dumb.

"Hey, I know, I know. Many artists are exploited by these producers, and when it's their turn in the end, there is often only a nominal dividend left." Yoram also sighed, " We're just a little bit better than you..."

"It seems that Yoram needs this money very much," Ronald wondered. Didn't Cannon get a large loan in Europe?

"Why didn't Minahan come with you?"

"He went to New York. The release of 'Sahara' encountered some problems. He went to coordinate and asked Brooke Shields to promote it. Hey..."

"What happened to the movie? Don't you have a long-term distribution agreement with MGM?" Ronald remembered that he had introduced MGM's distribution department to the Minahan brothers.

"They found a new president, and the distribution agreement with Cannon...will face renewed...err...continued scrutiny. You know, Ronald, your American executives, always like to take office after taking office Re-examine the previous joint projects. You guys like to play office politics too much."

"In short, I don't want to continue the distribution agreement with your Cannon, right?" Ronald thought to himself, "I don't know if it's because your movie is so bad that people can't stand it."

Back home, Ronald hung up the phone to Roger Coleman again, "Roger, Atlantic said that it will settle the dividends with me in advance, is this the right way?"

"Oh, they also talked to me, I suggest you agree to them. Issuing is a very troublesome thing. You have to communicate with the theater owners one by one, and you have to call them to collect the bill. If there is any evasion, And get a lawyer to sue. It's always good to get the money sooner. Frankly speaking, it usually takes more than a year to get back the bills of a movie, and it's questionable whether Atlantic will still exist by then."

"I see..." Ronald put down the phone, it seemed that it would be better to get the money earlier, and get the money after he went to New York to discuss with the lawyer and accountant.

(End of this chapter)