blogombal Chapter 1000: Gathering Numerous Future Big Shots
Chapter 1000: Gathering Numerous Future Big Shots
James Cameron looked at Lin Haoran with some unease.
He knew that he had no right to make any demands at all.
But he absolutely could not give up the rights to direct and edit, even if it meant losing all the copyrights to "Terminator"!
Even so, he was still not very confident.
After all, he had mentioned similar conditions to other Hollywood film companies before.
But the result?
Those companies didn't even have the patience to listen to him finish speaking, and simply had their assistants send him away.
Ultimately, it's because I haven't proven my abilities.
Now, he faces the same predicament again, awaiting Lin Haoran's trial.
James Cameron's hands were on his knees, both trembling noticeably, but his eyes did not waver; instead, he looked directly at Lin Haoran.
He was waiting, waiting for an answer, an answer that might change his fate.
Lin Haoran picked up the teacup on the coffee table, took a sip, and then put it down.
The tea had long since gone cold and had a slightly bitter taste, but he didn't care.
He leaned back on the sofa, smiling as he looked at the future superstar of the film industry before him.
Actually, Lin Haoran found this feeling quite enjoyable.
He knew perfectly well that the other person would become one of the greatest directors in Hollywood in the future, making cinematic legends like "Titanic" and "Avatar," winning the Oscar for Best Director, and creating a box office phenomenon.
And now, this future legend sits across from him, wearing a faded suit, anxiously awaiting his reply.
This feeling is truly wonderful.
However, he was not in a hurry to agree. The Terminator IP alone was not enough for him. He wanted James Cameron himself and to be tied to MGM for life.
However, having learned about James Cameron's experiences in his previous life, Lin Haoran knew very well that it would be extremely difficult to bind him to MGM for life.
James Cameron switched studios six times in his life, from New World Films to Orion, from Orion to Karocco, and from Karocco to 20th Century Fox, each time in an effort to gain greater creative freedom and a higher budget.
Can someone like that really be tied down for life?
It is really difficult.
Therefore, Lin Haoran was thinking about how to get Cameron to stay willingly.
James Cameron may seem willing to sell all the Terminator rights to MGM for just $1 now, but that's because he's desperate and has no other choice.
But once he achieves success and becomes the most sought-after director in Hollywood, the six big names will definitely be waving their checkbooks to poach him. It's hard to say whether he can keep his promise today.
He has this mindset now, but once he becomes a renowned director, his mindset will definitely be different.
In Lin Haoran's previous life, although James Cameron sold the copyright to Gale Anne Hurd for $1, what happened after that?
After the huge success of Terminator, Cameron and Hurd fought a legal battle for years over copyright and revenue sharing, which eventually ended in an out-of-court settlement.
Ultimately, that's human nature; when faced with hardship, people are willing to accept any conditions.
But once you achieve success, those initial promises become less important.
James Cameron once told the media, "I wrote it, I directed it, but I lost it because I was too young and stupid."
And this sentence refers to "The Terminator".
Therefore, if MGM wants to truly bind James Cameron, it must bind him with mutual benefits, making him willingly make movies and write scripts for MGM for the rest of his life, rather than simply binding him for life with a personal contract. That's impossible.
With this in mind, Lin Haoran already had an idea.
“Mr. Cameron, I can agree to your terms!” He looked at James Cameron and said with a smile.
"Really? Thank you, Mr. Lin, thank you so much, I, I..." James Cameron stood up abruptly, almost falling over from the force.
At this moment, he could no longer remain calm. His eyes instantly reddened, his lips trembled, and his voice became hoarse with excitement.
He had so much to say: the frustration of being rejected over the years, the countless nights he spent revising the script, and the humiliation of being mocked with comments like, "You can't even make a good Piranha 2, yet you want to make a sci-fi blockbuster."
But the words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single one.
“Mr. Cameron, please don’t rush. Sit down first. I have something else to say,” Lin Haoran said again.
James Cameron finally calmed down from his excitement and looked at Lin Haoran, waiting for him to say something next.
"I can agree to your demands for directing and editing rights, but I also have some supplementary terms that you need to confirm."
“Please speak.” Cameron’s voice was still trembling slightly, but he tried to calm himself down and sat back down on the sofa.
"I want more than just all the rights to Terminator. I also want you as the director. You should know that MGM has lost several directors and is short-handed right now. I can train you, but what if you jump ship to another film company after I've trained you? Wouldn't I be the one who gets ripped off?"
Lin Haoran said with a smile, his tone was not harsh, but the meaning was very clear.
“Mr. Cameron, I can give you opportunities, resources, creative freedom, and even the revenue-sharing treatment of a top director, but I want a guarantee: you're not coming to MGM to make one movie and leave; you're coming to MGM for long-term development.”
Cameron paused for a moment, then shook his head vigorously.
"Mr. Lin, rest assured, I will never switch jobs. I have visited more than 20 companies, and only you are willing to give me a chance, sit down and listen to me talk about the script, look at my drawings, and seriously discuss cooperation with me."
I am not an ungrateful person; I will remember your kindness for the rest of my life.
"That's what I say, but words are no proof. If word got out that I'm investing over six million dollars in a film by a new director who has never achieved anything before, everyone would probably think I'm crazy. So, Mr. Cameron, I need some assurance."
"It's not that I don't trust you, but business cooperation requires written rules. Once the rules are established, everyone can have peace of mind," Lin Haoran said, leaning back on the sofa, his tone still calm.
James Cameron nodded without speaking, quietly waiting for Lin Haoran to continue.
At this moment, he would agree to any demanding conditions, as long as he had the directing and editing rights for "Terminator." This was his only chance to change his fate, and he couldn't afford to lose it.
Let alone harsh conditions, even if Lin Haoran asked him to sign a contract of servitude, he would sign it without hesitation.
But he didn't know what conditions Lin Haoran would propose, and he felt both expectant and apprehensive.
Lin Haoran laughed and said, "First, as long as it's a movie you direct, the company will absolutely not interfere with your editing rights; you can make all the decisions."
Second, once Terminator's final box office exceeds $5000 million, then the film will prove your ability, and the company will not set a budget cap for future new film projects;
Third, regarding all the original IPs you created, although you agreed to sell them to MGM for $1, I can make the decision that as long as you continue to stay with MGM and continue to create value for MGM and create more new IPs, you will receive 1% of the Terminator rights annually, up to a maximum of 50%. The same applies to other original IPs you created.”
James Cameron could hardly believe his ears after hearing this.
He stood there, his eyes wide open, his mouth slightly agape, unable to utter a single word.
Even tears welled up in her eyes.
He has had a very tough time in Hollywood these past two years.
He was ridiculed, rejected, and treated as a joke.
His scripts were thrown in the trash, his drawings were treated as waste paper, and his dreams were trampled on time and time again.
He even began to doubt himself, wondering if he was really only good at making B-movies, whether he would never make it big in his life, and whether he had chosen the wrong path.
But now, sitting across from him is Lin Haoran, a super-rich man, who is not only willing to invest in his film, but also willing to give him the director's and editing rights, and the revenue sharing of a top director, but also willing to return the copyright to him bit by bit.
This isn't a condition; it's clearly a huge gift to him.
James Cameron wiped his tears with his sleeve, sniffed hard, and tried to calm himself down.
He wanted to say something, to say "Mr. Lin, why are you so good to me?", to say "I will definitely live up to your expectations", and to say "I am a MGM employee for life".
But when the words reached his lips, they all turned into sobs.
Lin Haoran didn't urge him, and waited quietly.
After a long while, Cameron finally spoke, his voice hoarse but firm: "Mr. Lin, I accept all the conditions you have mentioned. From today onwards, I, James Cameron, am an MGM employee. As long as you don't kick me out, I will never go anywhere else in my life."
Lin Haoran smiled.
In fact, when Lin Haoran was thinking about how to tie James Cameron to MGM for life, he combined his understanding of him from his previous life and came up with a plan to return 1% of the copyright every year with a 50% cap.
The advantage of this plan is that it is not a one-off deal, but a long-term, continuous binding of interests.
For every year Cameron stays at MGM, he gains an additional 1% of the copyright.
If he stays for fifty years, he can get half back. It's not the contract that's binding him, but his own interests.
He's a smart man; he knows how to choose.
Cameron is 29 years old now, and 50 years from now, he will be 79 years old, meaning his entire career has been gently bound by this chain of interests.
If he leaves midway, the remaining copyrights will remain with MGM forever.
He wasn't working for Lin Haoran; he was working for his own future.
This design is more binding than any long-term contract.
If he were to agree to buy the Terminator rights for $1 now, without any subsequent revenue, James Cameron, as the original creator, would inevitably leave MGM in the future. This is human nature, and has nothing to do with loyalty.
Without sufficient benefits, why would anyone risk their life for you?
Without sufficient incentives, how can the other party create more high-quality IPs?
Although Lin Haoran is usually someone who likes to enjoy food alone, he values James Cameron's creativity for the next few decades and the great works yet to be created more than just "Terminator".
The combined box office revenue of films like "Titanic" and "Avatar" exceeds six billion US dollars, with astronomical amounts of derivative revenue.
The real loss would be if Cameron left MGM due to copyright disputes.
Lin Haoran was willing to make concessions on "Terminator" in order to keep Cameron at MGM.
Because people are more valuable than intellectual property, and creativity is more valuable than copyright.
Copyright is static, but people are dynamic.
He didn't say anything sentimental, after all, James Cameron was still just a new director with no achievements and a stain on his record.
Saying too much only makes one seem hypocritical.
Lin Haoran simply expressed his sincerity in the most direct way, offering money, power, and benefits.
The rest depends on Cameron's own abilities.
After reaching an agreement, Lin Haoran had his legal counsel draft a contract, which was then signed by both parties.
Decisive action is Lin Haoran's style.
After the contract was signed, Cameron held the heavy agreement, his hands still trembling slightly.
He wasn't afraid, he was excited.
This contract gave him more than just a six million dollar budget, more than just the right to direct and edit, more than just the profit-sharing treatment of a top director; it gave him a future, a future that he once thought he would never get, a future that belonged to him.
“Mr. Lin, thank you.” Cameron’s voice was still trembling slightly, but his eyes were infinitely more determined than when he came in. “I will definitely use this film to prove that you made the right choice.”
“I know.” Lin Haoran smiled, stood up, and shook his hand again. “Mr. Cameron, go back and prepare well. The project can be officially launched at any time. I’m waiting for your good news.”
Cameron nodded vigorously, then turned and left the office.
This time, his steps were steady and powerful, his back was straight, and his head was held high.
He is no longer the down-on-his-luck director who was rejected by Hollywood more than twenty times, but a MGM-signed director and the helmsman of a six-million-dollar project.
This transformation begins today.
Ivan Fuller stood beside Lin Haoran, his face full of doubt.
"Mr. Lin, does this young man really have such a bright future? Can this science fiction script really make money? A six million dollar investment is not a small amount in Hollywood."
Besides, his previous film, *Piranha 2*, received really bad reviews. Aren't you afraid this money will be wasted?
Lin Haoran smiled but didn't offer any further explanation.
Although James Cameron directed "Piranha 2," he didn't have control over the editing. A perfectly good movie was edited into a mess, and it certainly deserved to flop.
Cameron was forced to be a scapegoat for two years, and wherever he went, people would point fingers and say, "You're the director who made that bad movie."
Although Lin Haoran had never tasted this flavor, he could imagine it.
The frustration and helplessness of someone who truly loves film being deprived of editing rights, watching their hard work being distorted beyond recognition, and having to endure all the criticism, is enough to make most people give up their dreams.
Ivan Fuller is just an outsider, and there's no need for him to explain too much.
Lin Haoran changed the subject, saying, "I'm going back to Hong Kong tomorrow. Next, you can help me find some people to become contracted directors or screenwriters for our company. It would be best to completely bind them to MGM."
It's not a one-off deal, but a long-term, stable partnership. Hollywood has a lot of talent, but truly talented, promising individuals willing to grow with the company are few and far between. You need to help me find those people.
Ivan Fuller paused for a moment, then asked, "Mr. Lin, do you have specific candidates in mind? Or are you suggesting I find someone myself?"
Lin Haoran said, "I will give you a list. Contact people according to the list. The terms can be negotiated, but you must adhere to one principle: do not treat people as tools like the six giants. We want partners, not employees."
Give them creative freedom, give them a reasonable share of the profits, and establish a long-term profit-sharing arrangement. As for how to maintain that long-term arrangement, you'll have to figure that out yourselves.
He knew in his mind that there were many newcomers who would definitely become big names in the film industry in the future.
It would be best if MGM could bring these people over. He's got Cameron on board, so naturally he can't handle everything else himself.
As he spoke, he picked up a notebook and a pen from his desk and began writing his name on it.
director:
Tim Burton, 25, a low-level Disney animator earning $1200 a month, was rejected by Disney for his gothic style. His self-funded short film "Vincent" was banned, and he has received a termination notice.
Sam Raimi, 23, had just finished filming "Evil Dead," which could only be shown in drive-in theaters. The six big Hollywood moguls said, "It's just a pile of blood." He was preparing to go back to Detroit to open a grocery store and live in a dilapidated RV.
The Coen brothers, Joel is 29 and Ethan is 26. Joel is Sam Raimi's editor and Ethan is a department store cashier. They have only managed to raise $20 in two years to prepare for "Blood Simple" and are preparing to mortgage their parents' house.
David Fincher, 21, is a visual effects artist at Industrial Light & Magic. He worked on Star Wars: Episode VI. He wanted to be a director, but everyone said he was "too young" and could only make music videos.
screenwriter:
Shane Black, 22, a UCLA film school graduate, works as a theater usher earning $3.35 an hour and is writing the script for Lethal Weapon, which has been rejected by all the studios.
Aaron Sorkin, 22, graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in drama. He works as an extra on Broadway and earns money by playing the piano in bars. He is currently writing "Few Good Men," but nobody wants to read it.
Charlie Kaufman, 25, a screenwriter for a Minneapolis television station, writes children's programs and is currently writing "Becoming John Malkovich," which everyone says is "crazy," and is preparing to go back to being a high school teacher.
actor:
Jim Carrey, 21, is a Canadian stand-up comedian who has just arrived in Los Angeles. He lives in a cheap apartment, has no agent, and his appearance on "The Tonight Show" was canceled at the last minute. He makes a living by performing in small theaters.
Nicolas Cage, 19 years old, just started his career. His original name was Nicolas Coppola, but he changed it to avoid the limelight of his uncle Coppola. He has only played a few minor supporting roles and has no fixed contract.
Johnny Depp, 20 years old, a guitarist in a rock band, has just arrived in Hollywood, has never acted in a movie, makes a living by doing odd jobs, and is currently living in a basement with his bandmates.
……
After writing the last name, Lin Haoran put down his pen and handed the paper full of names to Ivan Fuller.
"These are all talents that I personally selected through my professional screening. Some of them may seem insignificant now, or even down on their luck, but they have enormous potential. If given the opportunity, they can unleash amazing energy."
Ivan, contact them according to this list. Don't sign them all at once. Get to know them first, understand their current situation, their needs, and their dreams. Then, develop different cooperation plans based on each person's situation.
"Some people are better suited to signing contracts directly, some are better suited to project collaborations, and some need to be observed for a while longer. Don't rush, take it slow," Lin Haoran said with a smile.
These are all industry giants who will become renowned figures in the future, but they are currently unknown, making this the best time to acquire them.
The six tech giants wanted to use a talent war to suppress him, but he didn't care at all.
The people they poached weren't exactly big shots; they were dispensable to MGM.
Since they've chosen to poach second- and third-rate talents like treasures, then Lin Haoran will dig up the gold hidden in the sand, overlooked by the entire Hollywood.
No one knows about these people's talents now, but Lin Haoran does!
In this way, the talent blockade imposed on MGM by the six giants, which seems to be in effect now, will become a joke in the future.
When *The Terminator* raked in tens of millions, even nearly a hundred million dollars at the box office, and when the newcomers he signed at a very low cost became overnight sensations, Lin Haoran was quite curious about how the six industry giants would react! (End of Chapter)