Hollywood Hunter

Jonathan Friedman returned to his office with a heavy footstep.

Pushing the door open, Simon got up and turned to himself, nodded at the other party with energy, turned back to his desk and sat down, and then looked back at the boy opposite.

Simon sensed the strong depression in the agent's body and the guilt in his own eyes, and gave up his original intention to question the other party. The tone was still concerned: "Joe, what happened?"

Jonathan's lips moved, feeling Simon's bright eyes, and hesitated before saying: "Simon, this is the case, Matthew doesn't want to cooperate with you very much, so, Mr. Broca hopes that you will be able to withdraw completely next." The Butterfly Effect project."

Simon heard that there was not much change in his expression and asked quietly, "So, Joe, what do you mean?"

Jonathan dodged Simon’s gaze slightly, and said in a slow tone: “Simon, this time, I hope you can agree. However, I assure you that I will compensate you as much as possible in the future. By the way, Don’t you plan to make an experimental movie? If you have any needs, you can tell me next. If the money is not enough, I can still lend you some."

Listening to the agent saying these things, Simon's originally tense body gradually relaxed, and placed the script he had just held in his hand on the desk in front of him. He looked at the agent with a serious expression and said, "Joe, you should I know how bad this contract is. So, can you tell me, what the hell happened?"

Jonathan watched Simon push the contract towards himself, but he didn't reach for it after all.

After a moment of silence, Jonathan spoke: "Simon, did I tell you before? I hope to make this movie into a packaging project."

Simon nodded, but said nothing.

Jonathan paused briefly, looked at Simon, and then said: "From the contact during this period, I think you are clear about many things in Hollywood now. The CAA's operational strategy through project packaging has threatened our company. Status in Hollywood. Some time ago, many top WMA stars switched to CAA. So, in order to avoid being so passive, WMA also intends to follow the CAA business model. Your "Butterfly Effect" happens to be launched by us. The first packaging project."

Simon quickly weaved everything he had just experienced and many clues of these days in his mind, and smiled and said: "Very unsuccessful, right?"

Although he didn't want to admit it, Jonathan nodded and said, "CAA's packaging strategy not only led to higher and higher budget costs for the studio, but also deprived a large part of the power originally belonged to the film and television production company. WMA's current scale is still It is several times larger than CAA. If the package operation mode is also started, the studio’s right to speak in front of the brokerage company will become lower and lower. Therefore, several major film companies are connected in series and want to stir up the project together."

Simon looked at the contract that was still in front of him, but he did not ask what was going on.

Although Hollywood major film companies often agree on certain things because of some common interests, in the final analysis, they are still competitors.What's more, considering the content of this contract, Simon does not feel how generous Fox has been in the process of agreeing to take over the WMA packaging project.

Thoughts were running fast, remembering the Norman Broca who had just appeared, Simon looked up and looked again at the agent on the opposite side, with a certain degree of temptation: "Joe, I suddenly felt that Mr. Broca should not Hope this project is too successful?"

With WMA still far exceeding the strong foundation of CAA, if this company is determined to forcefully promote this project, Hollywood's major film companies will definitely be a compromise party.

After all, CAA has successfully promoted the packaging model,

However, judging from the content of the just mean contract, WMA is obviously the party that made the compromise, and still sacrificed the compromise in the interests of these customers.

Jonathan was stunned when he heard Simon's words. He didn't expect Simon's intuition to be so sharp.

However, after a moment, a bitter smile appeared on Jonathan's face, and finally nodded slightly.Of course, he did not explain anything to Simon.The power struggle within the company was seen by a young man who had just turned 18, and it was not a glorious thing after all.

Simon saw that Jonathan had defaulted on this matter, remembering that the agent had been languishing from the beginning of the meeting today, and thought about it, said: "Joe, since everyone does not want to see the success of this project, then, you think it is still Is it necessary to continue? From the contract in front of me, Brian's salary should also be very demanding."

"Simon, you don't understand," Jonathan shook his head. He no longer unknowingly regarded Simon as a teenager who had just turned eighteen, explaining patiently: "I just said that "Butterfly Effect" just became After WMA’s first packaging project, many people in Hollywood are staring. Therefore, if the first attempt fails, WMA will become more difficult to promote this operating strategy again. So, even if not If it is successful, Norman will not allow this project to fail completely. Otherwise..."

Jonathan said this, but did not continue.After a pause, looking at the energetic young man across from him, he suddenly turned the conversation again, with a bit of vicissitudes in his tone, and said, "Simon, do you know? I joined WMA at 19 and I am 46 this year. 27 years Before we get to where we are now. This process is not easy."

In fact, what Jonathan has not said is that although he was promoted to vice president, he has not been given any supervisory authority. The WMA board has been discussing this matter during this time.

He gave birth to the idea of ​​"Butterfly Effect" as a packaged project, also to add some chips to himself in the process of power allocation.

However, what he didn't expect is that this project has made him completely in a dilemma.

It is completely impossible to do well.

But if it is messed up, even if the position of vice president he just obtained is not removed, then it is likely to be directly laid aside, leaving only a short title.Even, he is not sure whether the old men in the company who are very good at power struggles will kick him out of WMA directly.

Therefore, from yesterday afternoon to now, Jonathan actually has more than one urge to give up this project.But after all, he was patient, and he even had to deliberately accommodate the demands of his boss, Norman Broca.

Simon felt the hopeful understanding in Jonathan's eyes, and nodded sincerely, saying, "Joe, I actually understand."

Simon can really understand Jonathan's difficulty.

As Hollywood's oldest brokerage company, it has operated WMA for nearly a century. The internal system has long been very rigid, and the change of power is completely based on seniority, and it is very slow.

In the first half of the year, the three helms of WMA who died successively were actually seventy or eighty years old.These people are just like the ancient emperors, and they were not willing to let go of their powers until they died.

In such a company, even if there is no lack of personal strength and network support, it is extremely difficult for a person to reach a high position.

Because of this, talents such as Michael Owitz, who could not see the rising channel at that time, would choose to leave the WMA independent portal.

However, not everyone has the courage of Michael Ovitz and others.

What's more, if it weren't fortunate to create a more advanced packaged operation model, the former CAA may also be silently vanished like many other brokerage companies trying to challenge the authority of WMA in this century.

Simon of the previous life is also step by step from the bottom to the director's position.

Therefore, he can deeply understand the weakness and helplessness of individual individuals in a fiercely competitive company or industry, facing the constraints of the rules.

Onlookers are always wondering why people in the bureau do not resist injustice, why do they succumb to perfection?Even if you can't do this, why don't you just jump out of this circle?

Naively, they don’t know how to challenge a person without enough strength to endanger them.

Feeling Simon's comprehension, Jonathan's frustrated emotions dissipated a little.

However, looking at the contract on the table, Jonathan sighed again in his heart, but still had to continue: "So, Simon, about this contract?"

Simon weighed for a moment and did not answer Jonathan's question positively, but looked at the agent's tone and asked seriously: "Joe, if you don't consider other factors, do you still hope this project will continue?"

Jonathan's eyes flashed, he realized something, hesitated a little, and finally said: "I don't want to. Actually, I would rather have no idea of ​​making this script into a package project at all."

"So, this matter is actually well resolved," Simon leaned back relaxedly against the back of his chair, shaking his head, and said firmly in a word: "So, I disagree."

Jonathan immediately understood Simon's intention.

After all, the "Butterfly Effect" script still belongs to Simon. If the boy does not accept the contract in front of him, the entire project cannot be continued anyway.

Moreover, Simon rejected the contract with great fanfare, leading to the abortion of the project.So, as long as he responds appropriately, although some twists and turns are unavoidable after all, he can largely blame Simon for the failure of the project.

Jonathan even conceived some rhetoric in a flash.

A stunned young man who can't get in oil and salt, what can he do?

However, Simon did this, also destined that he will face a lot of pressure next.After all, Hollywood’s number one talent agency is a breeze to clean up a fledgling screenwriter.

However, for this talented young man, Jonathan instinctively did not want him to fall into this situation

Thinking about it, Jonathan stood up from the leather chair and looked at the teenager in front of him eagerly persuaded: "Simon, you better not do this. Really, even if it is for your own consideration."

Simon once again shook his head firmly, and he also stood up and said, "Joe, I know you are not going to be easy now, but I also have my own persistence. You have to know that a person cannot live without his persistence. So, all I can help you with is this. Tell those people, I disagree. Then, this thing is over."

Simon finished, nodded to Jonathan again, turned and walked towards the office door.

Opening the door, Simon stopped again, turned his head and looked again at the agent who was still on the spot, saying: "Also, Joe, if I can, I hope to cancel the agency contract with you in the next few days, I miss you Surely I don’t care about the liquidated damages? Of course, if it doesn’t work, I will think of other ways.”

Watching Simon leave, Jonathan stood silently for a long time, constantly repeating what Simon had just said in his mind.

A person cannot live without his own persistence.

these years.

For so many years.

How much persistence remained for the young man who was also full of longing for the future.

Is it worth persevering?

Sitting down again, Jonathan propped up the table with his hands, feeling a long-lost trembling feeling in his limbs, mixed with fear of the future and fearlessness.These emotions were like a blazing flame, which dispelled all the frustration and depression that he had accumulated from yesterday afternoon to now.

Finally, with a deep breath, Jonathan Friedman picked up the microphone and pressed the landline in the Norman Broca office. After dialing, he said directly: "Norman, I thought about it, "The Butterfly Effect" "This project ends here, I can't treat my clients that way."

Having said this, Jonathan hung up the phone without waiting for Norman Broca to respond.

No longer paying attention to the landline ringtone that had been ringing again in a blink of an eye, Jonathan opened the safe at his feet, sorted out the address book, memo and other documents that are very important to a broker and put it in his briefcase. Leaving WMA headquarters.

Jonathan made this move, not intending to leave WMA directly.

In any case, as long as he can stay, he will choose to stay.After all, this company has all kinds of relationships and connections it has operated for more than 20 years.

However, since the phone call just made, Jonathan has made the worst plan.

Although his job change requires the board of directors to decide, Jonathan did not dare to take the risk that Norman Broca would not forcefully turn his face.

However, as long as these things in the briefcase are taken out of the company and do a good backup, even if he has to face the worst situation of being kicked out of the company, he can pull many people to join the job.

With the client resources accumulated in these years, neither CAA nor ICM will refuse to reject themselves, even if it is not a problem to set up its own brokerage company.