Leaving Paramount's headquarters, Jonathan Friedman dismissed the idea of visiting several other studios and decided to rush back to the WMA to discuss with the company's top management.

In order to curb the continued development and growth of CAA, it is imperative for WMA to follow the example of the other party and implement the project packaging model.

Now that Hollywood's major studios have come together to prevent the WMA from doing so, the WMA should be strong enough to push this issue forward. However, in order to do so, the company's management must first agree and work together.

Although he knew very well that it would not be easy to do this in the interior of the WMA, Jonathan Friedman conceived a detailed statement on his return to the company.

However, as soon as he returned to the WMA headquarters on Camino Street, Jonathan Friedman was stopped by Norman Broka's assistant and led him to the WMA's president's office.

When he came to Norman Broka's office, before the old man sitting behind his desk was flipping through a document, Jonathan Friedman couldn't wait: "Norman, something has changed. ”

Norman Broca raised his hand and made a quiet gesture, motioning for Jonathan to sit down first, and then said, "I already know that the studio side is angry with each other and wants to resist "The Butterfly Effect". The matter has been settled, though. ”

Jonathan Friedman looked puzzled: "Solved?"

Norman Broka nodded, picked out a document from his hand, handed it to Jonathan Friedman, who was sitting across from him, and said, "I had dinner with Ronald Goldberg at noon, he told me." Moreover, Fox was very interested in the film, and they didn't mind the packaging agreement. So, we roughly agreed on the cooperation agreement at noon, you can take a look at it first. ”

"The Butterfly Effect" is a project promoted by himself, and Jonathan Friedman was a little displeased to hear that Norman Broca had reached an agreement with Fox without consulting him at all, but he still took the file and opened it.

Flipping through the pages of the cooperation plan, Jonathan Friedman's brow became more and more furrowed.

WMA originally planned a very complete production team, from the core creators such as producers, directors, male and female protagonists, to photographers, lighting engineers and other peripheral staff. It's the result of weeks of hard work and hard work by Jonathan Friedman.

In the plan, the budget cost of the entire package project is $15 million, and the WMA will take a 10% commission from the budget.

Now, with only a $12 million budget left for the apparently condensed project proposal, WMA's packages are only available to a few core creators, and most of its clients' salaries have been reduced.

Two of his clients, Brian De Palma's director's salary was reduced to $1.5 million, and Simon's script was still paid $100,000 to buy out two scripts. In addition, WMA no longer takes commissions from the entire project, but instead settles them separately with individual clients, as is customary.

Moreover, what makes Jonathan Friedman feel most uncomfortable is that as the star in the hands of Norman Broka, Matthew Broderick's salary is still $5 million.

casually threw the unfinished cooperation plan on Norman Broka's desk, Jonathan Friedman suppressed the dissatisfaction in his heart and said, "Norman, is such a cooperation plan still a packaging contract?"

Norman Broka put down the pen in his hand and said, "Of course, you must know that the packaging contract that CAA signed with the studio at the beginning was far less than the one you owned. ”

Jonathan Friedman silently took a deep breath, not knowing if he wanted to cry or laugh.

Even now, WMA is still much larger than CAA.

But the person in front of him, the president of the world's largest talent agency giant, actually compared his own company with CAA, which was still a small workshop many years ago.

Norman Broca looked at Jonathan Friedman, saw his expression change, and his tone couldn't help but be a little more serious, and said, "Joe, I know what you think, but many things need to be done slowly. And, you have to understand that the company is in a bad situation right now, so I want you to look at the big picture. ”

Jonathan Friedman's right hand on his knee clenched into a fist.

Thinking about the big picture?

Scold.

If it weren't for the overall situation, the whole project should be on its own.

In order to take into account the overall situation, he only retained the director and screenwriter, and gave up all the other places.

Right now.

How do you let yourself take care of the overall situation?

Thinking so bitterly, Jonathan Friedman said coldly: "Norman, even so, why are other people's salaries lowered, but Matthew's salary is still so high? ”

In the face of Jonathan's straightforward questioning, Norman Broca's expression did not change at all, and he said patiently: "Joe, Brian's situation I think you know better than anyone else, so there is nothing wrong with giving him a salary of $1.5 million." As for that, well, the screenwriter, didn't you say he's only eighteen? For an eighteen-year-old hairy boy, $100,000 is a very generous amount. If you tell him the news now, I'm guessing the little guy will definitely jump for joy. ”

Jonathan Friedman recalled the contact with Simon during this time, and was quite sure that the young man could not have jumped at all when he heard the news, and even if he did, it would definitely not be because he was happy.

Seeing that Jonathan didn't speak, Norman Broca thought for a moment and said, "That's it, Joe, it's a good start after all." So, as long as this project is successful, I will approve an additional bonus for you at the end of the year, how about it?"

Jonathan Friedman remained silent before he got up and said, "Norman, I need to think about it. ”

Norman Broca also stood up, walked around the desk, patted Jonathan Friedman on the shoulder, and said, "Fox wants to sign as soon as possible, so you can give me an answer tomorrow." ”

Jonathan Friedman nodded mechanically, turned and left Norman Broka's office.

When the office door closed, the original pleasant look on Norman Broca's face disappeared immediately. For Jonathan, the vice president who was promoted by relying on the relationship of WMA Chairman Lou Weiss, he actually looked down on him very much.

Of the eight vice presidents of the WMA, Jonathan Friedman is also basically at the bottom of the rankings.

Not only are Hollywood studios jealous of Jonathan Friedman's proposed package, but Norman Broca also doesn't want the project to be too successful. If Jonathan Friedman becomes a forerunner of the company's internal reform because of the "Butterfly Effect" packaging project, the other party's prestige and status in the WMA will definitely increase significantly, and even threaten his own position.

Jonathan Friedman didn't immediately agree, and Norman Broca had a rough idea of what he would do after he left.

After coming to the desk and sitting down, Norman Broka immediately picked up the phone, pressed the call button and said to the external secretary, "Pick me up Stevens." ”

Jonathan Friedman returned to his office, leaning back in his leather chair a little dejectedly.

I don't know how long it took, Jonathan Friedman was about to pick up his spirits and call Lou Weiss, the chairman of WMA, who was far away at the New York headquarters on the East Coast, hoping to get some support from his old boss who had single-handedly promoted him, but the phone on his desk rang first.

The phone was answered, but unexpectedly it happened to be Lou Weiss.

The two talked for more than ten minutes, and Jonathan Friedman put down the microphone in his hand, and his expression was a little more frustrated again.

As the first attempt at WMA packaging, Jonathan Friedman had already talked to Lou Weiss on the phone not long after he conceived the idea. Although he is on the East Coast, Lou Weiss is also very concerned about the project.

It's just that just called, but Lou Weiss did not support Jonathan Friedman's intentions, but hoped that he could complete the project of "Butterfly Effect" as soon as possible and not make any extraneous complications. In the end, he also said earnestly that WMA can't withstand the turmoil now, and he still hopes that he can take care of the overall situation.

Faced with this situation, Jonathan Friedman also understood.

Norman Broca must have spoken to several other senior executives and even the board of directors in advance. And, after all these years at the WMA, Jonathan Friedman even vaguely realized Norman Broca's intention to see the "Butterfly Effect" package too successful.

Now, perhaps the company's chairman, Lou Weiss, CEO Lee Stevens, and even the WMA's board of directors have reached a consensus on this matter.

Faced with the constraints of a large group of unmotivated conservatives, if you want to force this matter forward, it may only backfire, and you may even lose the vice president position you just got.

Suddenly there was some envy of the CAA, where there was only one voice of Michael Ovitz.

That being the case.

Let's look at the big picture.

Smiling a little self-deprecatingly, Jonathan Friedman pressed the landline call again, told his assistant to call Simon to leave a message for him to come to WMA tomorrow, and then dialed Brian de Palma himself.

The 7-Eleven convenience store is open 24 hours a day, and during this time, Simon has already started to work shifts.

Tuesday happened to be the night shift.

Working from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next morning.

After the morning shift and breakfast, Simon cycled back to the hotel. After hearing the message from the WMA on his phone, he took a short break for more than an hour and hurried to Beverly Hills.

I came to Jonathan's office in a familiar way, a few minutes before 10 o'clock, and I was about to talk to Owen Wright outside for a few words, and Jonathan's office door was opened.

Simon stopped talking to Owen Wright and turned to look over, just in time to meet the eyes of one of the young men who came out first, but it was Matthew Broderick.

Jonathan then also walked out, and when he saw Simon, he immediately showed a gentle smile and said, "Simon, you came just in time." Now, this is Matthew Broderick, he's going to be the hero of "The Butterfly Effect" right away, you're all young people, and you're definitely going to have a lot of common language in the future. ”

Simon hadn't responded yet, Matthew Broderick, who had a suspicious expression, had already understood at this time, but he didn't give Jonathan Friedman face at all, and said with a cold face: "Joe, I don't have any common language with this person." ”

With that, Matthew Broderick glanced at Simon again, turned around directly, and walked towards the corridor outside.