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In the following days, Duke had more communication with Zach Schneider, who took advantage of the off-duty time to take out some advertisements and scenic clips he shot, as well as the work diary he made while working on several advertising teams. Duke also recognized him to a certain extent.

After accompanying his mother to a dinner held by the Lauder Group, Duke returned to Los Angeles. He first registered a membership at the Screenwriter Association, and filed the scripts in his hand. Then he negotiated with Nancy Josephson. After a long dispute and careful consideration, it was not until June that he signed a name on the ICM agency contract.

At the same time, the second script he completed was also handed over to Nancy for processing, and this is what the agent did.

"The Speed ​​of Life and Death" has also arrived in the eighth week of release in North America. In the fierce summer season, the film's potential has almost been exhausted. The single-day box office has long dropped below 300,000 US dollars, and the number of theaters screened has also shrunk to less than 400, and most of them are remote theaters. Mainstream commercial theaters have more choices in the summer season. In the seventh week of the film's box office decline in a single week, all of them have been removed.

However, the cumulative box office of the film in North America has reached US$124.78 million!

This is the second movie in North America with a box office of over 100 million yuan in addition to "Instinct". More importantly, after half of 1992, "The Speed ​​of Life and Death" has temporarily become the highest-grossing film in North America this year!

“For a while!”

As the controller of CAA, Michael Orwitz coldly glanced at the people sitting on both sides of the conference table, "We made a major mistake in our work. We not only let the movie "Speed ​​of Life and Death" slip away from our hands, which could have become a classic case of CAA packaging services, but also encountered failure in "Alien 3"!"

His rage ignited directly to Lovett, who was sitting at the end of the conference table. "Why is Duke Rosenberg signing Nancy Josephson instead of you? Do you know what a billion-dollar box office director means to CAA?"

"Also, your idiot Rick Solomon, don't give him important roles anymore!" Michael Orwitz seemed even more angry, "Look at his funny performance in Alien 3, it's no different from the clown in the circus!"

Lovett shrank his head and dared not say a word.

During this period, Lovett has felt that his position in the company has changed quietly. In the past, he was the most dazzling one among the newcomers in the company, and was even known for his precise vision. Now... he feels that he may be deported to the mailroom at any time.

Thinking of this, Lovett regretted that he did not use the resources he could use and CAA to snipe "Speed ​​of Life and Death".

However, this is just thinking about it. Lovett knows very well that the company will not risk breaking up with Fox to touch the works produced by Lucasfilm. Which side of the CAA, George Lucas and the Star Wars series is more important to Fox, is a question that doesn't need to be answered at all.

Originally, Lovett wanted to become one of Mel Gibson's con-manager agents, but now it seems that there is no hope.

"Martin..." Michael Orwitz spoke again, "Does the theater still refuse to extend the screening period of "Alien 3"?"

"Yes."

As the project director of Alien 3, Martin Bob's tone was filled with unstoppable loss. "The film was released for four weeks, and the box office in North America was less than $35 million. Imperial Theater and AMG Theater have sent Fox an ultimatum, and the film can stay in their theaters for up to two weeks."

CAA's packaging strategy has failed, but in a series like "Alien", which has a very high reputation and audience base, such a failure will inevitably affect their further promotion of packaging business.

It was also during this period that Twentieth Century Fox ushered in a new round of personnel changes. With the super sales of "Speed ​​of Life and Death" and the encouragement of George Lucas to restart the Star Wars series, Townsend Rossman sat as his wish after a fierce internal competition.

In the newly renovated office of Townsend Rossman, Duke's new agent Nancy Rossenberg is making a generous speech.

"Townsen, do you think the script is not good enough? Or is Duke's performance on "Life and Death" not convincing?"

Sitting on the chair at the desk, Nancy leaned forward, showing a sense of oppression, "The final North American box office of "Speed ​​of Life and Death" is likely to reach $130 million, and this result can definitely be ranked in the top ten or even top five this year! Duke's new script completely continues the thrilling, hot, exciting, and even more profound idea of ​​"Speed ​​of Life and Death". This is the type Duke is best at, and "Speed ​​of Life and Death" also proves this, and there is no reason not to succeed!"

Looking at the script placed on the desk, Townsend Rossman admitted that it is indeed better than the script of "The Speed ​​of Life and Death", but an excellent script may not necessarily turn into a big-selling movie. Moreover, according to Duke's estimates after the script, the cost of this film is much higher than "The Speed ​​of Life and Death".

When faced with investments of tens of millions or even millions of dollars, any company will be cautious.

"Nancy..."

After thinking roughly, Townsend Rossman said, "I am optimistic about this script myself, but you know, 20th Century Fox has strict project review, and I will push the script into the review stage as soon as possible. The final result you and Duke still need to wait."

Hearing this, Nancy leaned forward and leaned against the back of the chair. In fact, this was the result she wanted.

As a senior agent, she certainly knew that it was not easy to establish any movie in a film company. The larger the company, the stricter the review will be. It is normal for a script written by a well-known Hollywood screenwriter to be sent to a major or second-tier production company. It is not easy to get the review results for several months.

The reason why she said so much to Tom Rossman was simply to make the other party speed up the process and enter the substantial project negotiation stage.

Of course, Duke and Nancy wouldn't hang themselves in a tree in Fox.

After leaving Fox Building, in just one week, Nancy used her own and ICM's access to the heads of many companies such as Paramount, Touchstone, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros., and sent the script to the hands of these giants. With "Speed ​​of Life and Death" as the foundation, Duke's new works will not accumulate on the desk and wait for mold.

Although there are many people who are interested, no company can easily make a promise without risk assessment, preliminary market research and other measures, and no company will make a decision by slapping its head. Not to mention that the project review system that is prevalent in Hollywood does not allow it, even if the CEO makes a promise, it is not very useful.

Because the stake in Hollywood companies is complex, whether it is the six major companies or several second-tier companies, the CEO may not have to work too much to reject a script, but he does not have the right to decide on the project of the movie alone.

The most typical one is Warner Bros. They have an eight-person project approval review committee. The script or project that can enter the review stage must be cross-examined by seven of them. After the majority of votes are passed, the eighth person will review it. If it can be passed at this time, it will be submitted to the company's senior management and a decision will be made after discussion.

If there is a CEO or other senior executive who makes a decision outside the review committee and makes a decision, the board of directors of the group company or the film company can immediately initiate the accountability system and ask him to leave.

Even if an independent movie wants to have a separate item, the cumbersomeness will not be much better than a commercial movie.

Of course, if an investor is willing to be a sucker and undertake two-thirds or even more investments in projects that are already favored by some film companies, this process will inevitably be greatly reduced, such as Duke's mother, Leah Rosenberg, to "The Speed ​​of Life and Death".

Even so, Mrs. Leah signed a guaranteed share of $2 million with Lucas Pictures first. Regardless of whether "Life and Death" is successful or not, Lucas Pictures will not lose money, so that "Life and Death" can be established.

Those who knew Mrs. Leah's investment, such as Anne Spielberg, laughed at her for being confused, but no one said that now, especially when Duke heard the rumors that her mother had met Anne Spielberg at a party several times after returning to Los Angeles from New York. The other party not only took a detour, but also left the venue early.

Fortunately, only Duke and the others knew about this small dispute, and neither he nor his mother liked to talk too much, otherwise Anne Spielberg would have been embarrassed in the circle.

Time slowly moved into late June. The box office of "Alien 3" did not improve at all. It was forced to be removed by the North American theater league just six weeks after it was released. In the end, it only won more than $45 million in North American box office, and even the production cost was not recovered. The impact of this film not only caused the 20th Century Fox to suffer losses, but also made them temporarily shelve another CAA package project, "Night Visit to Vampire".

Compared to "The Speed ​​of Life and Death" released in "Alien 3" for four weeks, it has been more in theaters for a week. The film's North American box office will exceed the $130 million mark, and finally stayed at $130.02 million. Although "The Nuns Are Crazy" released the previous month is catching up quickly, the film still temporarily maintains the honor of being the No. 1 box office in North America in 1992.

With the film being removed from the market, at the strong request of Lucasfilm, the production, investment, distribution and other aspects of "Life and Death" are all ready to divide up their own cake.

According to relevant regulations in North America, if a film is screened for a long time, twenty-eight days after it is released, the theater party will pay the distributor the first share. The subsequent share will change with the agreement and release time. Most of the films can get all the box office share within one week of the release.

However, when the money is in the hands of the issuer, it is unknown when he will pay it to the producers and other investors.

Especially for those individual producers, publishers are not called delays for half a year. Even the six most reputable companies have been making a fortune and delaying payments, and there are countless cases that have caused the Delaware Commercial Equity Court.

In other words, never overestimate the moral standards of Hollywood companies.
Chapter completed!