I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

Cheng Sheng's expression remained unchanged, his eyes calm and composed, but his tone carried an undeniable confidence, showing no sign of backing down: "President Fanny, the rules of Hollywood have never been based on seniority, but only on strength. Every film I've made in China has been a regular on the global box office charts. My cinematic language, narrative control, and box office guarantee capabilities have long been proven in the global market and are not limited by any particular region."

Moreover, with "Juno," I hold all three core rights: original screenplay, full direction, and co-investment. I'm not a rookie director applying for a job; I'm here as an equal partner for a win-win collaboration with your company. If your company is only willing to define me by the standards of a newcomer and appease my value with a fixed salary, then there's truly no need to continue this collaboration.

Fanny still refused to budge, trying to pressure him with the industry risks: "Past achievements do not represent the future. Your hit films are all based on Chinese history, and their style, audience, and market logic are completely different from American independent films. 'Juno' is a local youth film, and its audience is extremely dependent on the North American market. The risks are unknown, and the shareholders will not take this risk."

Cheng Sheng smiled slightly, with a hint of certainty and aloofness, his aura firmly controlling the situation: "True top directors master humanity and stories, and are never bound by a single subject. Risk and reward always go hand in hand. Your company wants to acquire this high-quality script with great award potential, but only wants to make a sure profit and reduce my rights. There is no such thing as a good deal. A24 is not my only option. Lionsgate, MGM, Blumhouse, and Legendary Pictures are all waiting for my negotiation. Since your company is too conservative and lacks sincerity in cooperation, then let's stop here and not delay each other."

Scarlett also chimed in at the opportune moment: "President Fanny, I have complete faith in Cheng's abilities. His creative and directing skills will definitely support the film's reputation and box office success, and he will not let the company down."

Seeing that Cheng Sheng was resolute and not easily swayed, Fanny finally dropped her perfunctory attitude and looked troubled: "I personally highly recognize your ability and the quality of the script, but the company has its own system and shareholder decision-making level. I cannot unilaterally make an exception and change the top-level profit sharing rules."

Cheng Sheng stood up calmly, neither humble nor arrogant, his posture relaxed yet exuding a powerful aura: "Then let's wait until your company reaches a consensus internally before discussing it. Cooperation requires mutual effort, not one-sided compromise and concession."

“I will share your cooperation requests with all shareholders, and once we reach a consensus, we will restart negotiations,” Fanny said.

"Okay, I'll wait for good news."

Cheng Sheng took back the script, stood up, politely said goodbye to Fanny, and left the A24 headquarters with Scarlett.

Stepping out of the office building, Scarlett looked apologetic and said softly, "Cheng, I'm really sorry. I overestimated A24's sincerity. Fanny seems approachable and easy to communicate with, but in reality, she has been using her industry experience to pressure you and using shareholders as an excuse to stall. With her authority, she is fully qualified to finalize the initial cooperation terms. There is no need for her to keep making excuses."

Cheng Sheng looked relaxed, showing no signs of defeat, and smiled faintly: "It's alright, we still have five high-quality partners. There will always be companies with similar ideas and full of sincerity willing to cooperate."

Scarlett glanced at the schedule her agent had sent her on her phone and said, "The next one is Lionsgate. The timing is perfect. We can go there now and make the connection."

Cheng Sheng nodded slightly, turned the car around, and headed straight for Lionsgate's Los Angeles branch.

Compared to the understated and minimalist office style of A24, Lionsgate's office building exudes a stronger commercial atmosphere, reflecting the competence and sharpness of a mature film company. As a mid-sized giant that has been deeply involved in commercial genre films for many years and understands market profitability best, Lionsgate's negotiation style has always been direct and pragmatic, without any pretense.

The two were received by Gray, the vice president of Lionsgate, a veteran professional manager with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. He has a keen eye and decisive actions, and has handled countless small and medium-budget blockbuster projects.

With Scarlett Johansson's reputation as a brand ambassador and her agent's prior preparations, Grey was exceptionally enthusiastic, displaying none of the arrogance or pretension typical of industry veterans.

"Welcome, Director Cheng." Gray stood up to shake hands, his smile sincere. "Your name is no stranger in Hollywood. We have discussed your box office miracles in China and your accurate judgment of blockbuster hits many times internally, and we highly approve of them."

Without any unnecessary pleasantries, Gray got straight to the point after we sat down: "Lucy has shared all the information with me. You bring your own original, high-quality script, have full control over the direction, and are willing to co-invest. All we need to do is set up the production team and handle global distribution. For us, this is a high-quality project that's guaranteed to make a profit."

Cheng Sheng raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised by Lionsgate's frankness: "Since President Gray is aware of the whole situation, then I won't beat around the bush. My terms of cooperation are very clear: equal cooperation, and I want the first dollar's share."

The atmosphere froze briefly once this condition was stated.

Unlike Fanny's direct denial and seniority-based suppression, Gray did not immediately refuse, nor did he use the shareholder system as an excuse. Instead, he tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, pondered briefly, and then spoke seriously: "Director Cheng, I understand your confidence. If any new Hollywood director made this request, I would have ended the negotiation immediately, but you are different."

He analyzed the situation clearly: "First, you have a 100% original script, and the core copyright of the project is in your hands; second, you are directing it yourself, and your past works have been both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, proving your strong control ability; third, you are involved in the investment and share the risks with the company; most importantly, Scarlett Johansson is the female lead, bringing with her top global popularity and acting skills, so the minimum standard for this film has been locked in."

“Lionsgate has never been bound by so-called industry seniority rules.” Gray said with certainty, “What we do best is support newcomers, break the rules, and find blockbuster dark horses from small and medium-budget projects. Saw was originally a newcomer project that no one believed in. It was because we made an exception and supported it that it became a world-class IP.”

A hint of approval flashed in Cheng Sheng's eyes. Lionsgate's ability to stand firm in the fierce competition in Hollywood truly demonstrated its vision and courage.

“But I need to communicate frankly.” Gray’s smile faded, and he returned to his professional demeanor. “The first dollar share is top-tier director treatment, and there’s no precedent for it within the company. I can’t give you full authority to agree to it directly, but I’m 70% confident I can get it for you.”

"My proposal is that we immediately convene an internal high-level meeting, and I will personally lead the effort to advance your cooperation terms. While ensuring you retain absolute control over the project, ownership of the script, and co-investment rights, I will apply for your first dollar share of the profits." (End of Chapter)