Chatty Hollywood

Before coming to the University of Southern California to attend the celebration party for "The Turn", Jodie Foster had a premonition that she would receive some script invitations.

No way, who made this a Boy Scout training camp for the Hollywood film industry!

Countless young people with movie dreams study here. There are a few dreamers in there who have lofty aspirations and want to soar into the sky just by picking up a script. Is it any wonder?

If you hold the script in the hope that Judy's "Egg" production company will invest, then the actress is still interested in reading it, but if you want to invite her to star...

“A young bird that doesn’t know the heights of the world will always have to go through several ups and downs!”

In fact, even with Judy's current celebrity status, it is by no means an easy task to take on a movie. Many times, her agent would rather she not accept movies and take a longer break, rather than accept random movies.

There is no way, it may take a long time to climb to her current position, but to fall down, it only takes at most two failed movies.

Hollywood may give people a second chance, but it will never be so generous as to give a third chance.

Therefore, everything must be done with caution.

However, no matter how cautious she was, after roughly reading the new script that Charlotte handed over, Judy was still a little stunned——

It's a little weird, but it's an interesting story!

Judy has confirmed this. What she is more curious about is why Charlotte showed her the script in the first place?

——She is very confident about this judgment. After all, if people from other companies read the script and are ready to start a project, then director Charlotte will not be the only one who comes to her.

Or is it that no one from other companies liked this script?

It shouldn’t be the case!

In Judy's opinion, once this script is finished, it definitely has a chance to become a box office bomb among low-budget movies.

Are people in large and medium-sized companies so blind?

Judy, who had worked with them many times, didn't dare to think so.

Normally, this kind of script, which is close to the mid-range investment amount, should be invested in New Line and others even if it is not invested in the seven major companies such as Fox.

Anyway, Judy doesn't think that her own "Egg" company will be the first choice of directors and screenwriters, especially when representatives from Fox and New Line are at the party.

In fact, production companies like "Egg" founded by stars more often wait behind large and medium-sized film companies and eat some leftovers.

When big companies decide on scripts and directors and begin to formally prepare funds, that's often when small companies like them enter the game.

——They are the ragtag group responsible for standing under the opponent's banner and waving the flag and shouting. They can follow up, but they rarely have the opportunity to take the lead as organizers.

"The script is indeed good, but Westwood probably hasn't read this script, right?"

Judy glanced at the New Line producer who was talking to her alumni in the distance and asked her question.

In her opinion, Charlotte and Mr. Westwood worked very happily together on the movie "The Turn". Without some reason, the former would never directly bypass the latter to find her.

That was what she wanted to know now.

"Tony has some personal issues over there that need to be sorted out."

Charlotte didn't explain clearly, and of course, he didn't lie either——

Whether she decides to retire or leave her job, it can be said to be personal reasons, and this is indeed one of the reasons why Charlotte has not talked to Mr. Westwood about his new script for the time being.

Of course, the more important thing is——

"We hope you can help us introduce Orion Company to participate in production preparations."

Knowing that the actress in front of her was not a fool, Charlotte simply stated her purpose directly.

Orion Corporation, like New Line,

It is a medium-sized film and television company in Hollywood and a member of the second group behind the Seven.

Unlike New Line, which later became famous because of "Lord of the Rings", Orion Company gradually declined after experiencing a burst of glory in the early 1990s, and finally disappeared.

However, now in 1994, Orion is still a good production company, comparable in strength to New Line.

"Orion? I do have a good relationship with them!"

Jodie Foster echoes Charlotte's words.

In fact, at this point in time, the relationship between Orion and Foster is indeed very good, because the Oscar-winning film "Silence of the Lambs" starring the latter was produced and distributed by the former.

"However, when you say introduction, does that mean that New Line Company will also join in the future?"

——This woman is really difficult to deal with!

Charlotte smiled bitterly and did not refute.

His plan to change the situation was not without loopholes in the details. The biggest one is how to get two medium and large companies, including New Line, to enter the game at the same time.

Just like the large beasts each have their own territory and rarely have direct conflicts with each other, there is also a certain tacit understanding between the seven major Hollywood film companies and some of the more powerful medium-sized film companies——

They try to avoid working on the same film project at the same time to avoid conflicts over dominance.

This is not an express rule, nor is it an unspoken rule. It is purely a means to reduce unnecessary fights between large companies.

In fact, when a project with good prospects is encountered, multiple companies will compete for it. However, once the fight is over, the losing party often withdraws its investment, leaving it to small investors such as Jodie Foster's "Egg" production company.

This is not out of any bullshit pride, it is purely to save money and pursue profits - with the same funds, large and medium-sized companies can make more money when used in projects they can lead.

Therefore, there are only two large and medium-sized film companies in the investor list of a few film projects. That is usually because both parties have insufficient funds at the same time, and they are very optimistic about the same project.

Fortunately, according to the news that Charlotte recently collected, New Line's capital chain is relatively tight - otherwise they wouldn't have the crooked idea of ​​delaying the profit sharing.

"You hope to use Orion's power to check and balance New Line!"

Jodie Foster's tone was not questioning, but affirming. Her eyes showed the shrewdness of a businessman.

"Can you tell me why?"

——When it comes to movie investment, the movie queen is generally more cautious. She always feels uneasy unless she understands this issue.

Charlotte thought about this for a while and felt that she could actually tell the truth. Anyway, the other party will investigate sooner or later. New Line's bad habit of defaulting on its shareholding is not a secret, and it doesn't happen every day or two.

"We plan to convert the previous movies into investment shares in new movies first, and then cash out!"

"New Line plans to default on its movie share payments again?"

Judy finally understood.

At the same time, she also realized why Charlotte showed her the script of the new movie in the first place——

This is both a request for help and a reward for help!

If Judy accepts Charlotte's invitation, as the initiator of the film project, she and her "Egg" company will definitely get more profits and more control over the project. And this is the premise for bringing Orion into the game.

——Without the support of Orion Company, which she has a good relationship with, even if Judy is the initiator of the project, she really can't take any initiative in the face of the new line of old rogues in medium-sized companies.

Therefore, if she wants the next reward from Charlotte, she must pull Orion onto this pirate ship.

And this is completely in line with Charlotte's initial expectations.

"This is really a bait that people have to bite!"

Knowing that accepting this script would mean having to deal with a series of troubles later on, in order to make her "Egg" production company grow as soon as possible and for her own independent production wish, Judy chose to agree.