Hollywood Lover

  Just from this sentence, Zhang Dongcheng can tell that this Benjamin is also a lover of literary and artistic movies. Because in Zhang Dongcheng's works, only the tuner is the most thoughtful.

   "Thank you, Mr. Benjamin likes my work, it is my honor!" Zhang Dongcheng responded politely. He didn't have the arrogance and arrogance of a young man who became famous, and he still seemed very humble.

   This made Benjamin, who met Zhang Dongcheng for the first time, have a good impression of him. "Director Smith, let's get down to business. If we hand over the film copyright of The Lord of the Rings to you to shoot, I wonder when you will start filming with the production crew?"

Zhang Dongcheng was slightly taken aback by Banjamin's straightforward way of negotiating, but he quickly came back to his senses and said with a smile: "Mr. It will take almost half a year before the release. If you hand it over to Dongcheng Pictures to operate it, I don’t think we can start shooting right away!

   Aside from the question of timing, The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy novel. If you want to present this story perfectly, you need too many special effects and big scene shots. At this stage, if you want to make such special effects, the investment is a bit too big! You should know that besides being a director, I am also a boss. I need to consider for the company. "

Benjamin frowned slightly. He was obviously dissatisfied with Zhang Dongcheng's perfunctory answer. After thinking for a moment, he seemed to think of something again. Benjamin smiled with relief and said, "Okay, Mr. Smith. The truth is In fact, I have always felt that entrusting Lord of the Rings to you to operate is the most correct choice."

   Zhang Dongcheng was overjoyed, but said calmly: "Mr. Benjamin is too flattering."

   "No! No! No!" Benjamin shook his head and said seriously: "Mr. Smith, you are an excellent reader and an investor with a very wise vision.

  I read the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. At the same time, I also heard Ms. JK Rowling talk about the bizarre twists and turns in the process of writing and publishing this novel. Thanks to your help, Ms. Rowling has the confidence and energy to write it down. Otherwise, such a wonderful book may never have the chance to be born again. So I think, you can really understand the connotation of Lord of the Rings! "

This is a bit too much praise for Zhang Dongcheng. He himself has a few pounds and a few taels, and he knows very well that if he didn't have that TV that can peek into the future, Zhang Dongcheng would not believe it. A fairy tale that is almost like a children's book , can become a novel that sensationalizes the whole earth. This in itself is a story almost like a fairy tale.

  Zhang Dongcheng smiled embarrassedly, shook his head and said, "Are Mr. Benjamin and Ms. J.K. Rowling friends?"

"Yes!" Benjamin nodded and admitted, "Actually, I am also a part-time writer, and occasionally write some novels. Of course, what I write cannot compare with Ms. J.K. Rowling's Haribo So welcome!"

  I see, the guy in front of him is obviously a Harry Potter fan. I have to admit that the charm of Harry Potter is indeed great, and it can be said that all ages can eat it. Benjamin was at least forty years old, and they were all interested in this book, let alone others.

   "So that's how it is." Zhang Dongcheng changed the subject and asked, "Mr. Benjamin, I don't know about the copyright of Lord of the Rings. What is your decision?"

   "Sorry, we need to discuss it!" Benjamin didn't answer directly, but after apologizing to Zhang Dongcheng, he began to discuss with his companions.

   Within a moment, Benjamin spoke again. "Mr. Smith, we hope that the rights to Lord of the Rings will be given to you in the form of box office. What do you think?"

  Is the box office divided? There is no problem with Zhang Dongcheng, but the problem is that it needs to be discussed carefully.

  It seems that when New Line Film Company won the Lord of the Rings, it also gave a share of the movie box office, because if it was a buyout, then there would be no lawsuits.

   "Of course you can." Zhang Dongcheng shrugged and said, "I wonder how much Mr. Benjamin thinks is appropriate?"

   "Thirty percent!" Benjamin insisted.

"Oh!" Zhang Dongcheng exclaimed and exaggerated: "Sorry, Mr. Benjamin, this is impossible. If it is 30%, then my work will be in vain. I admit that Lord of the Rings is very good. It is an immortal and great book. But because of this, its investment will also be huge. If we give you 30% of the box office share, then we will have no profit at all, and even lose money!"

"No! Mr. Smith, if you believe that the Lord of the Rings is in your hands, you will definitely get jaw-dropping benefits. Don't you even have this confidence? And the movie version of Lord of the Rings includes the Hobbit series. From this point of view, you are not at a disadvantage, are you?" Benjamin looked at Zhang Dongcheng with a smile and asked.

   The aggressive method? Zhang Dongcheng was slightly disdainful in his heart, how could he be fooled by such a trick.

  However, the copyright of The Hobbit made Zhang Dongcheng a little moved.

  The trilogy of The Lord of the Rings, with a total investment of only about 250 million, has reaped a super high box office of 2.9 billion U.S. dollars, a rate of return of more than ten times. After the Hobbit, each one is almost a billion dollars. The total box office of these six films is about 6 billion. How could Zhang Dongcheng give up such a piece of fat?

   "Mr. Benjamin, although the copyright of the Hobbit film has moved me, I still can't agree to your request. Because 30% of the share is too high!" Zhang Dongcheng shook his head in embarrassment.

  Thirty percent of the box office, if calculated on the basis of 6 billion, it would be nearly 2 billion US dollars.

   As the saying goes, if you ask for a lot of money, you will pay back the money. Benjamin is in charge of managing Tolkien's estate management foundation, and he obviously understands this truth very well. "What about twenty-five percent?"

  Zhang Dongcheng still shook his head and said: "We can only agree to 10% at most, if it is more, I have no choice but to give up!"

"No!" Benjamin exclaimed, and said with a dissatisfied face: "Mr. Smith, we came here with sincerity. Ten percent is really too little. Even New Line Films gave a hundred percent. Twenty-fifths of the box office."

  In fact, New Line Films did not give such a high box office share, but it gave tens of millions of copyright fees. Benjamin did not say this.

   Zhang Dongcheng's reputation as the touchstone has already resounded throughout Hollywood, and Lord of the Rings is so fancy to him, which obviously has a lot of box office value. On this point, Benjamin is very confident that he has not deduced wrongly. He would rather not give Zhang Dongcheng a dime of the copyright fee, and replace it all with a share of the box office.

"But the shooting plan of the New Line Film Company is far away. Only God knows when they will be ready to officially shoot, isn't it? Mr. Benjamin." Zhang Dongcheng smiled. The decision of the New Line Film Company gave Zhang A negotiating weapon in Dongcheng.

   After a pause, Zhang Dongcheng continued: "Mr. Benjamin, 10% is already the highest share. No screenwriter in Hollywood can get such generous treatment. This is also our sincerity!"

  Ban Jieming really had some headaches. He didn't expect Zhang Dongcheng, the brat in his eyes, to be so difficult to deal with. "Mr. Smith. I think we need to think about cooperation. What do you think?"

   Zhang Dongcheng's current actions really made Benjamin a little dizzy. He had to temporarily suspend this negotiation. Go back and discuss it with other people in charge of the foundation.

"Okay then!" Zhang Dongcheng stood up, shook hands with Benjamin and said, "Mr. Benjamin, anyway, whether it is Dongcheng Films or New Line Films, we have no plans to prepare the ring for the time being." Wang's thoughts. I think you might as well go back and think about it!"

"I will!"

After seeing off Benjamin and the others, Adaman said to Zhang Dongcheng with a horrified expression: "Smith, why didn't you agree to Benjamin's conditions? And you didn't even seem willing to talk about it! Don't you want Lord of the Rings?" Is it copyrighted?"

  In the eyes of outsiders, Zhang Dongcheng's performance of insisting on his own conditions and not letting go at all clearly means that he is not ready to accept.

  Zhang Dongcheng laughed. Said: "Adaman, I think Tolkien's estate management foundation has almost terminated the contract with New Line Films, right?"

Adaman froze for a moment, nodded, and said: "Yes. But this does not mean that the other party can only hand over the copyright of Lord of the Rings to us. Smith, I still want to say that many people are staring at Lord of the Rings movies now. Copyright, if you do this, you may be preempted by others!"

"No!" Zhang Dongcheng said confidently, "Didn't you see it? Benjamin is ready to accept my conditions. The reason why I leave temporarily is just to see if I have the possibility to change my mind." That's all! I believe that in a few days, we will be able to win the copyright of Lord of the Rings! Of course, in addition to the 10% box office share, we may have to spend a sum of money to buy the copyright fee!"

   "This is no problem, the company's liquidity is still sufficient!"

  Since Zhang Dongcheng made a fortune from the financial market in Southeast Asia last time, life in Dongcheng Pictures is much better now. You can drink soy milk one bowl after another. As the company's chief financial officer, Adaman's life is naturally very nourishing.

  After talking about the copyright of Lord of the Rings, Adaman suddenly reminded: "I almost forgot, Smith, the Oscar committee sent us an invitation. The Matrix has been nominated for this year's Oscar!"

   "Oh?" Zhang Dongcheng's eyes lit up, and he asked, "How many nominations did The Matrix get?"