Simon thought about it for a moment and said, "You can think of this as an alternative workplace experience, Amy." First of all, you only need to put in two years, and I already have three projects planned in my hands, and at least three more next year. Over the next two years, we collaborated on these six projects. Relying on the popularity accumulated by "Lola Run", I believe that among these six projects, it will not be difficult for another work to squeeze into the top 10 of the North American box office charts. ”

Amy Pascal couldn't help but interrupt when she heard Simon say this: "Simon, although "Lola Run" is very successful, in my opinion, there are too many accidental factors in it. There are about four or five hundred theatrical movies in North America every year, and it is definitely not as simple as you think to squeeze into the top ten of the box office list, which is not only determined by the quality of a movie itself. ”

Simon patiently listened to Amy Pascal interject before he said, "Amy, "Lola Run", "The Butterfly Effect", "Death is Coming", these three scripts, I don't think you deny that they are all very good, right?"

Amy Pascal hesitated, but nodded.

Simon continued: "Now that I can come up with these three great scripts, I'm confident that I'll be able to run six great enough projects over the next two years. This includes "The Grim Reaper" that we are negotiating, as well as my own two future directing works, and as for the other three, I will be very cautious as well. Six chances, and another hit the top 10 at the North American box office, I don't think it's too much of a problem. If you insist that this is impossible, then there is really no need to talk about it. ”

Amy Pascal shrugged, "Okay, Simon, I agree with your assumption for a moment, but what about next? You don't seem to have given me a reason to work for you?"

"If you hadn't interrupted me just now," Simon spread his hands and pointed to a round table not far away, Amy didn't refuse, the two walked over and sat down together, and Simon continued, "So, reason." Come and work for me, compared to your current vice president of production at Fox, your participation in the next six projects will increase dramatically, and even many people will take credit for it in the future, because Simon Westeros is still a hairy kid who is not yet twenty years old. And, as long as we achieve our goal of hitting the top 10 at the box office again, this will become your qualification. With this qualification, after two years, if you plan to leave, it will be easy to find another job at the Big Seven. If you want to stay, then I'd love to do it. ”

Amy Pascal heard Simon's self-teasing just now, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and when he finished speaking, he quickly put away his expression and said, "Simon, I found a problem, if all six of your projects fail, then the Seven may never accept me again." ”

"Of course, anything is risky," Simon didn't retort, "but what if it succeeds, even very successfully? You're now the vice president of production at Fox, and as a woman, I think you should understand that this has almost reached the career ceiling in Hollywood." If you want to go further, you may have to wait until ten years. But choose to work for me for the next two years, if the project in hand is very successful. Well, the old-fashioned people at the top of Hollywood are likely to think, oh, maybe let that woman try. ”

After Simon said this, Amy Pascal's eyes finally flickered slightly. Noticing that the boy on the other side was looking at herself seriously, the woman took a sip of the champagne in her hand and said, "Simon, you're sexist." ”

Simon said innocently: "Amy, this is Hollywood sexism, and it has nothing to do with me." If I were sexist, you wouldn't have heard what was just said. ”

Amy Pascal hesitated for a moment, but said, "Simon, what you just described is just a very idealistic outcome. Frankly, I think I'm staying at Fox and having a better chance of encountering the situation you described. ”

"Fox shouldn't have had a movie that broke 100 million at the box office in years, right?" Simon asked rhetorically, and without waiting for Amy's answer, he continued, "I know what you're worried about, Amy." It's crazy to think that a young director who has just made his mark in Hollywood wants to recruit a vice president of a major film company. But there are so many great things in the world that start with a crazy idea. You're only 29 years old, are you going to be like those old men in your fifties and sixties who have lost your sense of adventure?"

Amy Pascal finally didn't answer quickly this time, and took a sip of champagne in his hand.

Simon didn't rush either, waiting patiently.

After two or three minutes of this, it was not until she had finished drinking the champagne in the glass that Amy Pascal raised her head again, looked at the young man opposite, and said, "Simon, it's not impossible to want me to work for you. However, I want to get 20% of Daenerys Pictures stock. ”

Simon immediately shook his head and said, "Amy, as long as your work is good enough, I will definitely give you a certain equity reward in the future, but definitely not now." However, to compensate you for your crazy choice to move from the Big Seven VP to a solo production company, I can give you a $500,000 package for the next two years. Of course, bonuses are calculated separately. ”

In this era, if you don't count the project commission, the annual salary of the vice president of a big film company is not high, probably between $10 and $150,000. Simon is definitely very sincere in giving a two-year package salary of $500,000 at this time.

However, Amy Pascal was not impressed by Simon's compensation package, and insisted: "Simon, with the experience and connections I have accumulated now, I can also create my own production company without Fox, and there is no need to work with you at all." So, if you want me to work for you, I have the right to claim a certain amount of holdings. Of course, you can take Lola Run away from Daenerys Films, and I won't get that part of the proceeds. ”

The turnover of the top management of major Hollywood studios has been very frequent, and the company sells, contracts expire, and projects fail to cause personnel changes.

Those who leave the top management of the film company are naturally unlikely to change careers to do other things, and usually set up a production company, either under the umbrella of a large film company, or directly go it alone. The basic process is to select a project, attract investment, and sell it at the same time. When a film makes money, investors and distributors take the lion's share and earn a production fee for themselves; when a film loses money, investors and distributors still bear the losses, but they can still earn a production fee.

At the same time, when the time comes, these solo producers will be rehired by the big studios.

And so on and so forth.

In this kind of production company, which is purely for hard work, the equity distribution between the partners is usually very even, after all, everyone is just putting in the labor and does not need to inject much capital.

Simon had just negotiated with Fox for a similar "Death Comes the Grim Reaper", and although the "hard money" was a bit high this time, Amy Pascal apparently regarded Simon's Daenerys Pictures as a similar production company, so he asked for 20% of the company's shares.

Shaking his head again, Simon said, "Amy, Daenerys Pictures is definitely not as simple as you think, just a production company backed by a big studio. If possible, I will try my best to build my own distribution network, and in the future, if possible, the company will also be involved in the field of television production. So, I can't give you a stake right now, because I'm going to put everything I own into this company, not just simple personal labor. ”

Amy Pascal listened to the confident words of the big boy on the other side, his eyes flashed, but he said: "Simon, I happen to remember that Orion only announced the establishment of its own TV production department last month. The company was founded in 1978, nine years ago. Moreover, the five founders of Orion were all senior industry executives who had been operating in Hollywood for many years, and they also relied on Warner's publicity channels in the first few years. So, how many years do you think it will take you to get that done, you have a distribution network, you have set up a TV department? Or do you think you can do that?"

"I met my agent for the first time in June last year. When he heard that I was going to direct my first film, he told me, Simon, Hollywood directors usually don't make their first film until they're thirty, and you're too young to be in too much of a hurry. Then, I didn't wait from eighteen to thirty, but in just over half a year, everyone saw "Lola Run," Simon said, beckoning a nearby waiter to come over, and once again served Amy Pascal a glass of champagne, and then got up with a smile and said, "Amy, I'm looking forward to seeing for yourself what I'll do in a few years, or rather, let's do it together." By the way, I'm in a hurry about this matter, how about giving me a reply next Monday?"