Chapter 114 The Dividend Order of the Night of the Comet
The karate final in "The Dragon King" was on December 19th. The filming date was very close to the date of the story in the script. After all the shots were filmed, it was almost Christmas 1983.
After showing up at the packing party, Ronald carried the film to Weintraub's office.
"I need two weeks off, Jerry," Ronald told Weintraub about his editing theory. He needed two weeks off to completely take his mind off "The Kid" and do the work.
Do something completely different so that you can look at the films of your own writer and director from an objective perspective.
"In these two weeks, you can ask the editor to synchronize the sound and video, and then cut each shot into a separate reel, so that I can start editing immediately after I return from the New Year vacation."
"Don't be kidding. It's the Christmas and New Year holidays soon. Where can I find an editor who is willing to work overtime at this time." Weintraub put his hands on Ronald's shoulders and asked you to take a good rest for a month.
When I come back to edit the film at the end of January, I will prepare what you said."
Ronald also thought about it. In Los Angeles, a place with a strong film and television union, finding an editor to work overtime during the Christmas and New Year holidays would be an open invitation to the editors union to impose a fine.
"I wonder if no one will make movies in Los Angeles in the future." Ronald shook his head.
"Where are you going for Christmas? Do you want to come to my house? Susan will come with her, and Jane agrees to spend it at home with her." Weintraub is now enjoying the life of a wife and a concubine. Jane Morgan unexpectedly fell in love with Susan E.
Kim was not too hostile. The two women could spend Christmas at home with the children and cook together.
"I have to go back to New York. I haven't seen my aunt for a long time." Ronald was envious of Weintraub for resolving family conflicts so well. But he has to go back to enjoy family reunions, and Diane is also filming in New York.
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"Okay, I've prepared a first-class ticket for you, enjoy it." Weintraub took a ticket and handed it to Ronald.
"Who are you going to find to score the movie?" Weintraub asked.
"I'm going to find Michael Gore." Ronald thought of his old partner, Gore, who won the Oscar for Best Episode with him because of "Famous Worldwide".
"Then I'll wait for your news."
Ronald got bad news the next day.
Michael Gore called himself back. After finishing the soundtrack and theme song for Paramount's new film "Terms of Endearment," he took a long vacation, began to enjoy life, and tried to enter pop music
period.
This movie about the relationship between mother and daughter, played by Debra Winger and Shirley MacLaine, has just been released in the United States. The theme song without lyrics by Michael Gore actually shot up the charts.
It became one of the top 100 hit singles, setting a record for a movie soundtrack.
The industry expects Gore to win his second Oscar and the new Grammy Award for Movie Interlude.
There was no choice but to continue looking for a composer. Weintraub took the initiative to contact a composer, Bill Conti. He had been the composer of "Rocky".
"I think he is a good candidate. Anyway, Daniel LaRusso's story is similar to Rocky's. They are both stories of an underdog's counterattack." Weintraub said to Ronald.
"Don't say that. Rocky is a gangster, and Daniel is a progressive young man without a father. They are completely different." Ronald doesn't like Stallone and doesn't want to hear anyone comparing his movie to "Rocky."
.
"Okay, you have a point. But it would be great if we could achieve Rocky's level of success."
"hope so".
"Rocky" once achieved a North American box office of $110 million in 1976 with a budget of less than $1 million. Weintraub is very excited that "The Kid" can also reach such heights.
Before returning to New York, Ronald has one more thing to do in Los Angeles. That is to go to Atlantic Company and ask when he can get the profit dividends he will receive after "Night of the Comet" is released in China.
Arriving at the front desk of Atlantic Company, Ronald heard a familiar voice, shouting loudly inside, "Where is my money? Where is my fucking money? Every time you say you can pay it right away, you can pay it right now."
But every time I put it off and refuse to give it."
The speaker was the second boss of Cannon Pictures, Minahan's younger brother Yoram. His figure also began to rapidly develop like his cousin's, gradually turning into a spherical shape.
"Don't be like this, I can't help it. The theater owners always pay according to the final payment deadline of the contract. According to the convention of the film industry, this deadline is one year after the movie is released. And they often have to wait until we file a lawsuit.
Payment can only be made later.”
"You can't do this, Tom. When we sell movie copies in Europe, we pay and deliver. When can you pay?"
"Immediately, as soon as we get the money from the cinema, we will pay you."
Yoram opened the door in the office angrily, "You guys are rubbish...well, Ronald."
"Tom, Yoram." Ronald was looking outside and saw Yoram and Atlantic CEO Tom Coleman.
"Ronald, you came just in time." When Tom Coleman saw him, he waved Ronald to come in and communicate with Ronald about the movie's box office situation.
Since the release of "Night of the Comet", the first round of screenings in the North American market has earned a total of 27 million box office results. During the first round of screenings, the producer and the theaters generally split it 50-50. However, the second round of screenings has already begun.
For the second round of screenings, the share we get is much smaller, less than 10%.
In this way, Atlantic Company received a total share of approximately 13.5 million, which was deducted from Atlantic Company's marketing costs, which was 5.5 million.
"So we will distribute dividends according to the profit of eight million?" Ronald was very happy, so that he could receive two million US dollars. This was the first huge sum of money he had received since starting the business. It will be postponed until next year.
It's not impossible.
Gu He
"That's not how it is calculated, Ronald. In addition to marketing costs, we also have to spend distribution costs. The distribution costs of major theaters across the country are not low. The total cost is one million U.S. dollars. Plus the hundreds of dollars we have to produce.
The cost of making copies and transporting them to various places would be two million US dollars."
"So it's 25% of five million?" Ronald thought to himself, a dividend of more than one million is not bad, plus his director's remuneration, it will be 1.45 million. After paying the tax,
, one movie alone can earn nearly a million dollars.
"That's not the case, Ronald. The share of the movie box office is based on the profit."
"Yes, didn't you calculate it? Is the profit five million?"
"No, no, this is the total profit. First of all, we at Atlantic Company, as producers, will be the first to withdraw the profit of two million US dollars. The remaining three million US dollars will be the basis for calculating your share."
"So I get 25 percent of three million?"
"Yes, the total dividend is US$750,000. Subtracting the director's remuneration we paid in advance, you can get at least US$550,000 in dividends."
Ronald feels a little unhappy, just now it was two million, 1.45 million, why suddenly after calculation, it is less than one million."
"I have to discuss the accounts with my lawyer and accountant, and I hope you can provide them."
"Of course," Tom Coleman handed over a list of documents, "we will send all the accounting information to your accountant and lawyer."
"I have another proposal," Tom Coleman said again. "I know you investors always want to get your share as early as possible, but the film industry has a very long debt period. So we can provide early settlement.
Option, we will give you your dividends before receiving any refund.
Of course we have to charge a little discount. So you can get a total of about half a million now. As for the share of the second round of screenings, and the quarrels we have with the cinema when settling the payment, it has nothing to do with you.
To show our sincerity, and because this movie far exceeded our expectations, Atlantic has decided to give you an additional bonus of $100,000, so you can walk away with a cash check of $600,000, once and for all.”
"I have to think about it." Ronald encountered this kind of thing for the first time, and he always felt like he was at a disadvantage. When he was in New York, he had to have a good chat with the lawyer Lindsay Doerr and the accountant Lawrence Wang.
"certainly".
Ronald walked out of the office and found Yoram still waiting for him at the door.
"Come on, let's go have a drink and have a chat."
Ronald did not refuse. The investment from Cannon Pictures also has the right to share. Everyone can form an alliance.
"Where do you rank in the order of dividends?" Yoram found a cafe, sat down and asked Ronald impatiently.
Ronald's heart skipped a beat. The order of dividends seemed to be kept secret in the contract.
Then he realized that the person who paid dividends first would have a larger profit base when calculating dividends. Atlantic's first dividend was calculated based on five million, and when it was Ronald's turn, he only had three million left.
So, when it comes to Yoram and Minahan's cannon, the maximum is just over two million? No, they are responsible for overseas distribution. Roger Corman and his friend Douglas Jr. seem to be ahead of him.
.
Calculated this way, wouldn’t they only be able to get a few hundred thousand?
"Hey, you know, I'm just a director, and my name is included in the dividend qualifications..." Ronald started to act stupid.
"Hey, I know, I know. Many artists are exploited by these producers, and when it's their turn in the end, they are often left with only a nominal dividend." Yoram also sighed, "
We are only a little better than you..."
"It seems like Yoram needs this money very much," Ronald wondered. Didn't Cannon get a large loan in Europe?
"Why didn't Minahan come with you?"
"He went to New York. There were some problems with the release of 'Sahara'. He went to coordinate it and asked Brooke Shields to come forward to promote it. Alas..."
"What happened to the movie? Don't you have a long-term distribution agreement with MGM?" Ronald remembered that he had introduced MGM's distribution department to the Minahan brothers.
"They found a new president, and the Cannon's distribution agreement...is subject to renewed...um continued scrutiny. You know, Ronald, you American executives, always like to criticize their predecessors after taking office."
Revisit the cooperation project. You guys like to play office politics too much."
"In short, I don't want to continue the distribution agreement with your Cannon, right?" Ronald thought to himself, "I don't know if it's because your movies are so bad that people can't stand it."
Back home, Ronald hung up the phone to Roger Coleman again, "Roger, Atlantic said it would settle its dividends with me in advance. Is this right?"
"Oh, they also talked to me. I suggest you agree to them. Distribution is a very troublesome thing. You have to communicate with each theater owner and call them to collect the bill. If there is any shirk,
You also need to hire a lawyer to sue. It's always better to get the money earlier. To put it bluntly, it usually takes more than a year to recover the debt for a movie. By then, whether Atlantic will still exist is a question."
"I know..." Ronald put down the phone. It seemed that it would be better to pocket the money as soon as possible. He would take the money after going to New York to discuss it with the lawyer and accountant.