America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 392 Head-to-Head

Once again at Paramount Studios, Martin is accompanied by Thomas. The agent has only one goal: to secure a suitable, lucrative contract for Martin.

Bob was waiting for Martin at the studio entrance. When he saw Martin, he said, "Please come this way."

Martin is going to meet with Finch.

Thomas walked alone to the producer's office to discuss the specific contract terms with Kathleen Kennedy.

In a conference room, Martin met David Fincher.

Cate Blanchett then entered the meeting room.

Martin greeted her casually, "Long time no see, Kate."

Blanchett's sharply defined face is highly recognizable; she exudes a coldness without needing to make any expression: "If I could, I wouldn't want to see you."

Martin's smile deepened, taking on a different quality: "My boss, Jack, has always had you in his heart."

Upon hearing Nicholson's name, Blanchett snapped: "Don't mention that bastard to me!"

Martin stopped smiling and said nothing more.

Blanchett was so angry that she didn't want to say anything, thinking about Pinewood Studios and Nicholson's public declaration of love in the hotel lobby.

David Fincher looked at the two men and suddenly felt a headache coming on.

The male and female leads, who are at odds with each other, are actually playing two loving and affectionate characters, which is a bit tricky.

Fortunately, he had experienced similar situations before. When filming "Fight Club," Brad Pitt and Edward Norton were no pushovers either, and they had a major falling out.

David Fincher said, "You are all mature actors, and your personal relationships should not affect the normal work of the crew."

Martin was the first to agree: "I have no problem with that."

"Me too," Blanchett agreed initially, then added, "As long as Nicholson doesn't visit the set, everything else is fine."

Martin laughed: "Why can't old Jack come to see me? Ha... I've asked that no Australian actors, except for the staff, can come."

Blanchett said, "You've gone too far."

Martin curled the corners of his mouth into a bright, sunny smile: "Jack is almost 70 years old. What could he possibly do on set? Would he hurt you?"

Blanchett's rocky face was turning into a muddy swamp face from anger.

David Fincher raised his hand to stop the two from continuing: "Alright, put aside your personal conflicts and grudges while on set, okay?"

He realized that mediation was a mistake and, too lazy to do anything more, simply used his authority as a top-tier director: "I know you are all good actors with excellent professional qualities. I just hope that your performance at work is worthy of the high salaries you receive."

Martin nodded and said nothing more.

Blanchett simply stopped talking.

"That's enough for now," David Fincher said, dismissing the two men. "I'll keep you informed if there are any new developments."

Martin got up and left the meeting room first.

Blanchett waited for about ten seconds before coming out.

Martin went to the studio's front hall, found a place to sit, and waited for Thomas to come out.

Blanchett walked past.

Martin, shameless as Nicholson, said, "Do you have time at noon? I'll ask Jack to come out for lunch."

Blanchett quickened her pace.

Martin added, "Jack loves you!"

As these words reached her ears, Blanchett was descending the steps. Her high heels wobbled, her foot twisted slightly, and she almost fell.

Out of kindness, a young man with two pens who was going up the steps next to her helped her up.

Perhaps in her haste she grabbed the wrong spot, and Blanchett, still angry, turned around, glaring at her: "Get out of the way!"

Shia LaBeouf quickly released his grip and raised it up, as if surrendering.

The two crossed paths while filming "Indiana Jones 4".

Blanchett lightly patted her chest, her anger flaring up, and launched into a tirade: "Men are all the same."

Shia LaBeouf said, "Kate, what are you saying?"

Blanchett ignored him, swung her ankle, and walked away quickly.

Shia LaBeouf scratched the back of his head: "A woman with a screw loose."

He entered the room and saw Martin.

I didn't recognize Martin when he was wearing makeup yesterday, but I recognized Shia LaBeouf when he wasn't wearing makeup.

This man seemed very outgoing; he walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down opposite Martin, saying, "I have no grudge against you, do I?"

Martin nodded: "Strictly speaking, no."

Shia LaBeouf retorted, "Why did you scare me yesterday?" He pinched the corners of his mouth with both hands and pulled them up forcefully, "Like this, smiling like Jack Nicholson from The Shining, it scared me so much I almost peed my pants."

Martin suddenly grinned: "Is that so?"

With a thud, the chair tipped over, and Shia LaBeouf jumped out like a startled rabbit.

"I've always been timid, don't scare me!" He walked into the studio without looking back, muttering to himself, "Everyone in this theater is a bit strange."

Shia LaBeouf muttered to himself: "The director is a depressed, dark schizophrenic, the female lead has paranoia, the male lead is a terrifying psychopath, and thankfully I'm relatively normal, which raised the normality level of the crew."

This young actor also has a strange sense of self-confidence.

Martin waited for a while, and then Thomas came over from the producer's office. The two went out together and got into the Cadillac that Bruce had driven.

"Today was just the initial contact," Thomas said, describing the details of the first negotiation: "and it was only about the salary."

Martin patted the front seat, signaling Bruce to drive back to the company.

Thomas continued, "The production team proposed a salary model similar to that of 'The Dark Knight,' with a base salary plus a share of the North American online box office revenue."

Martin asked, "What are the specific amounts and proportions?"

Thomas said, "The base salary was $500 million, and the initial revenue share from the North American online box office was $1.5 million. I initially discussed $1 million, but that was only two percent, which I felt was inappropriate."

He looked at Martin: "If the film grosses $2 million in North America, I can negotiate with them in increments of $1000 million, but this type of film..."

The film's genre makes it difficult for it to reach $2 million at the North American box office. Martin has been in Hollywood for so long and he understands very well that, under normal circumstances, the commercial attributes of a film have a much greater impact on its box office performance than the star power of its lead actors.

"What about revenue sharing offline?" Martin knew this film was aimed at the awards season.

Moreover, David Fincher's films generate far more revenue offline than in theaters, sometimes even four or five times more online.

Thomas said, "Catherine Kennedy is not willing to discuss revenue sharing with me offline for the time being."

After a moment's thought, Martin said, "If they insist on paying salaries based on a base salary plus a share of the profits, I will demand not only a share of the North American box office revenue, but also a share of the revenue from DVD and television rights."

At this point, he recalled something else: "The revenue sharing from online new media is also included."

Thomas said, "I'll try my best."

However, considering that DreamWorks, Warner Bros., and Paramount are all duds, and Martin's associates didn't invest in the project, he simply said, "These are the initial negotiation prices; ultimately, I want a $1500 million salary."

Thomas frankly stated, "Yes, even if we can't directly discuss $1500 million, we can achieve $1300 million plus compensation clauses."

Martin knew that this payment method meant he would only receive around $1300 million based on his current status. However, when he signed the contract with the Benjamin Butler production team, The Dark Knight, in which he starred, had not yet been released, and the Dark Knight would definitely be released before The Dark Knight. Once The Dark Knight became a hit, The Dark Knight would inevitably benefit from the film.

In this way, he could try to sign a compensation agreement with the Benjamin Butler production team, stipulating that the Benjamin Butler production team would pay him a certain amount of salary based on the North American box office performance of The Dark Knight.

Similar clauses are now most commonly used by Will Smith.

Will Smith is constantly receiving film offers. Often, before a new film is even finished, a new production team will come knocking on his door. If he doesn't take on a project he likes, he will definitely suffer a loss. If he does take on a project, his salary will inevitably increase after the new film becomes a box office hit.

The compensation clause perfectly resolved these issues.

Not all Hollywood stars, including A-list celebrities, can use this clause.

For an actor to achieve such success, they must star in films starring actors like Martin Scorsese and Will Smith, whose careers are on the rise and who possess strong box office appeal.

Martin said, "We can talk. I have a lot of confidence in The Dark Knight. This movie will be a box office hit."

Thomas first assured Martin that he would get what he could get: "It's a base salary of $1300 million plus tiered compensation."

This isn't something they can achieve just by wishing it to. Martin said directly, "You go and negotiate."

While Thomas was engaged in heated debate with Catherine Kennedy, Martin continued to attend his regular appointments at the mental health clinic and made several visits to nursing homes to see elderly people living alone, bringing them gifts along the way.

He spends a lot of time every day at the nursing home, observing how the elderly walk, sit, talk, and spend their leisure time, continuing to prepare for his role in the film.

Just like his reputation in the public eye, Martin is impeccable in terms of professionalism.

If you've put in the effort, you should let others see it.

Martin also attended several gatherings of the Academy's old white men through Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, observing their behavior and taking the opportunity to ask them acting tips on the spot.

This respect for his seniors and his humble attitude towards learning improved Martin's reputation among the older students at the academy.

Humans are creatures that, once they make a good first impression, will find that person pleasing to the eye no matter what.

Once you make a bad impression, it will feel awkward no matter how you look at it.

Martin Davis is a prime example of the former, while Leonardo DiCaprio is a typical example of the latter.

In addition, Ivan would always be there on time for Martin's efforts, take photos, and spread them through the media.

Martin is also highly regarded in Los Angeles's critics' circles.

By mid-September, Thomas had finalized Martin's acting contract, successfully achieving his goal after much negotiation.

Martin's salary was divided into two parts, with the lead actor's salary being $1400 million, which is in line with his current market value.

At the same time, a compensation clause was signed stipulating that if a film starring him grossed more than $2.5 million in North America before the release of "Benjamin," the production team would pay him an additional $200 million; if the North American box office exceeded $5 million, the production team would pay him an additional $300 million.

In fact, the production team was also hoping that one of Martin's two unreleased films would be a huge box office hit.

(End of this chapter)