I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

Huaxia offers a wide variety of breakfast options, including soy milk and fried dough sticks, steamed buns and mantou, various types of porridge, rice noodle rolls, and roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), making it difficult to choose.

In contrast, American breakfasts are monotonous and mostly high in calories, typically consisting of fried bacon, sausage, and fried eggs, accompanied by toast, waffles, and potato chunks, resulting in a bland taste.

This morning, Cheng Sheng bought the classic waffles and hot drinks.

Shortly after, Scarlett finished washing up and slowly walked downstairs in a loose bathrobe.

She sat directly on Cheng Sheng's lap, wrapped one arm around his neck, and took a small bite of a waffle with the other, her eyes crinkling with a playful smile: "I really like the scenes in movies and TV shows where wives feed their husbands, shall we try it too?"

Looking at her lively appearance, Cheng Sheng readily agreed: "Of course."

Scarlett smiled and leaned down, offering the waffle she was chewing to Cheng Sheng's lips. The two interacted tenderly, creating a sweet and intimate atmosphere.

This delicate and intimate way of getting along is gentle and unique, something that the reserved Li Xiaoran, Zeng Li, and others have never tried before, making Cheng Sheng feel refreshed and warm.

It has to be said that Europeans and Americans are really open-minded and know how to have fun in this regard.

Cheng Sheng was thoroughly enjoying himself.

After a cozy breakfast, Scarlett wiped her lips, put away her playful manner, and said seriously, "My agent sent me a message last night. She has connected you with six potential companies, including Lionsgate and A24. They all highly approve of your new script and directing ability and hope to discuss cooperation as soon as possible. Originally, all six companies had scheduled to meet this morning, but I coordinated and adjusted the time for you, and prioritized A24. Their president wants to talk to you personally."

"You only booked A24? When will the other five be rescheduled?" Cheng Sheng asked.

“We’ve rescheduled for later dates, so there won’t be any conflicts,” Scarlett explained. “My agent and the president of A24 are alumni and have a very good personal relationship. They value this collaboration highly and their prioritization of the meeting shows their sincerity.”

"I see." Cheng Sheng smiled knowingly. "What time would you like to meet?"

Scarlett looked up at the wall clock, her expression instantly turning slightly anxious: "It's almost nine o'clock, we're going to be late!"

Cheng Sheng immediately stood up: "Then let's get ready to leave quickly."

The two quickly changed into formal attire, took the script and materials, and drove to A24's headquarters in Los Angeles.

The president of A24 is an elegant woman in her thirties named Fanny.

Upon seeing Scarlett arrive, she smiled and went forward to hug her and kiss her cheek, performing the Western-style greeting.

Fanny released Scarlett and looked at Cheng Sheng, smiling gently: "Scarlett, this must be Cheng Sheng, the well-known Chinese director?"

"Ms. Fanny, hello, I'm Cheng Sheng." Cheng Sheng adapted to local customs without being tactful. He didn't imitate the Western-style cheek hug, but simply extended his hand politely for a handshake and a brief self-introduction.

"Director Cheng needs no introduction. Your fame has spread throughout the United States, comparable to that of the White House spokesperson. Almost everyone knows you." Fanny's tone was sincere, filled with full approval.

Cheng Sheng used humor to ease the tension: "Then I'll have to be more careful when I go out in the future. American female fans are always enthusiastic and outgoing, and I don't want to be kissed in public." Fanny smiled and said: "That's true. When the crew of 'The Great Tang' came to the United States for promotion, the male lead was kissed in public by an enthusiastic female fan, which made headlines in various entertainment news."

Scarlett noticed someone taking pictures secretly from the corner and immediately suppressed her smile: "There are paparazzi outside. Let's go into the office and talk."

“These entertainment reporters are really annoying, they don’t give people any privacy at all.” Fanny shook her head helplessly, then led the two into the top-floor office.

After taking their seats, Fanny got straight to the point: "Director Cheng, Lucy has already told me in detail about your new Hollywood film project. Your directing skills and box office appeal have already been proven by the market. A24 is very much looking forward to working with you. Let's go through the usual procedures. Did you bring the script?"

"I brought it." Cheng Sheng handed over the carefully bound script, saying confidently, "This is a high-quality script that combines critical acclaim and market potential, and it will not disappoint your company."

"Let me take a look first." Fanny took the script and quickly flipped through it.

In order not to waste each other's time, she did not read it word by word, but focused on browsing the plot framework, character settings and core themes.

Cheng Sheng and Scarlett sat quietly, without making a sound to disturb them.

As Fanny's expression shifted from calm to amazement, her eyes filled with growing admiration, she was clearly extremely satisfied with the script for "Juno".

Ten minutes later, Fanny closed the script and exclaimed sincerely, "Director Cheng, this is the most heartwarming and profound original script I have read in recent years, bar none."

She turned to Scarlett, her tone certain: "Congratulations, Scarlett. This role is a perfect fit for you. As long as filming goes smoothly, you're definitely a frontrunner for awards. You can have your team start Oscar campaigning early. You have a very good chance of winning the Best Actress Oscar next year."

“I have always firmly believed in Cheng’s vision and the quality of his scripts,” Scarlett said with a bright smile.

Cheng Sheng spoke up at the opportune moment, getting to the heart of the matter: "President Fanny, can we discuss the specific cooperation model?"

Fanny's smile faded, and she asked seriously, "What is your ideal way of cooperating?"

Cheng Sheng had a plan in mind and slowly revealed his proposal: "I hope that both parties can establish an equal cooperative relationship. I will be fully responsible for the scriptwriting and directing, and both parties will share the investment in the film. A24 will be responsible for the entire process of the film crew, on-site filming, and theatrical distribution."

“The cooperation model is fine.” Fanny nodded in agreement, then posed the most crucial question, “What about profit sharing? That’s the core of the cooperation.”

Cheng Sheng's gaze was firm as he stated frankly, "I don't need a fixed director's fee; I want the first dollar revenue sharing model."

The so-called "first dollar share" is an exclusive privilege for top Hollywood directors. It means that they receive a percentage of the film's gross revenue from the very first day of the film's release, which is different from the net profit share for ordinary directors, resulting in a vastly different profit margin.

Hollywood directors have distinct salary levels: new directors receive a fixed salary of only $25 to $75, while top directors can earn tens of millions of dollars. Only legendary directors like Spielberg are qualified to compete for the first dollar share.

Fanny's brows furrowed instantly upon hearing this, her tone taking on a more assertive and rigid tone characteristic of workplace power struggles: "Director Cheng, I'm afraid I find this condition difficult to agree to. It's true you've achieved remarkable success in China, but in Hollywood, you're a complete newcomer, without any local works to back you up. To demand the first dollar share—a privilege usually reserved for top-tier directors—on your first collaboration is far too demanding. I can't agree to it directly, and it would be difficult to explain to the company's shareholders." (End of Chapter)