About 20 to 25 per cent of total Hollywood film revenue is generated from the box office receipts of theaters, while about 75 to 80 per cent is derived from non-screen marketing. For example, the income of a film is roughly as follows: the film and related itself constitute the first round of income; By-products born directly, such as soundtracks, home VCDs, constitute the second round of income; Post-film derivative products related to films, such as clothing, toys, etc., constitute the third round of income. Especially in the third round of revenue, the profits are huge.

Just like "Jurassic Park 1" produced by Light and Shadow, the global box office is more than 1.8 billion US dollars, and the box office has made a profit of nearly 500 million US dollars, but the follow-up by-products and derivative products have made Light and Shadow earn no less than 2 billion. Now, Guangkuku Island has been transformed into a 'dinosaur paradise', receiving hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, relying on tickets, accommodation, souvenirs and the like, making hundreds of millions of dollars in profits for light and shadow.

These non-screen marketing profits outside of the box office are all based on strict and perfect copyright protection. It can be said that copyright protection is the foundation of Hollywood's prosperity and the lifeblood of its survival.

The idea for "Independence Day" was Roland Emmerich, who wrote a rough script three years ago and sent it to the light and shadow company, where it was revised twice by Sun Tzu Mingxiang. The problem lies in Sun Ziming's second revision, which is similar to another screenwriter, Dean Devlin's script "Alien Invasion" five years ago, in which the method of using computer viruses to disable the aliens' protective force field is exactly the same as Dean Devlin's script.

I have to say one more thing here, there are two ways to copyright scripts in Hollywood, one is to apply for copyright protection at the Los Angeles Branch of the United States Copyright Office, which requires money; The other is very strange, the screenwriter can mail his script to himself, and after receiving the mail he sent to himself, he will not open it, and the postmark date is the date when the copyright takes effect.

There is nothing to say in the first way, before the filming of any movie, the insurance company will go to the copyright office to check whether it is similar to other scripts and whether it is suspected of infringement. It's hard to deal with the second type, who knows how many of the emails those screenwriters sent to themselves? The insurance company, on the other hand, only covers the first case, and the second is not covered by them.

"Brother Ming, Dean Devlin happens to be a member of the grading review committee for 'Independence Day.' immediately after watching the movie took his script from five years ago and went to court to sue us for infringement. I've seen the evidence in court, it's really a script from five years ago, and it's really very similar. ”

After listening to Chen Huimin's explanation, Sun Ziming immediately knew what the problem was. The 'original screenwriters' of "Independence Day" should be Roland Emmerich and this Dean Devlin, but Roland is not as famous as the original trajectory, and by the way, this guy who can be famous by Roland is still unknown. Damn, this time it's really 'Ghost Li touching Li Kui'!

"Damn, these laws are too bastards! His script was thrown at home, no one had read it, and who knows if someone had already thought of the idea? ”

Sun Ziming was indignant, and Douglas and Chen Huimin also smiled helplessly, and this is the truth. Even Dean Devlin, who went to Los Angeles District Court to sue Sun Ziming, admitted that the person he wanted to sue was extenuating and did not intend to infringe, but the law is the law. It is only the U.S. Copyright Office that charges $35 for Congress to introduce such bizarre regulations to protect the interests of low-income people.

took out the cigarette and looked at Li Zhi next to him, Sun Ziming stuffed the cigarette back into the cigarette case, his carefulness made the pregnant woman's heart sweet, and she quickly got up and went upstairs to rest. Sun Ziming lit a cigarette and took a few puffs, "That Dean refuses to settle out of court?" ”

"Yes, we've put out $2 million, which is the highest price in the industry, but he turned it down. We asked him again if he wanted conditions, but he just didn't say anything, just said let's make conditions first. ”

There was no need for them to explain, Sun Ziming knew what the guy had in mind. Now that the movie has been filmed and is waiting to be released, how can two million satisfy his appetite?

Chen Huimin shook his head and said in a low voice, "Brother Ming, maybe things are not so simple. Douglas said that Dean Devlin was an employee of Warner, and that his lawyer happened to be the deputy manager of the legal department of Warner. ”

Sun Ziming looked at Douglas, Chen Huimin quickly changed Cantonese to English, and then he nodded and said: "Boss, that guy is a technician at Warner Studios, and I have worked there before, so I know him." ”

Sun Ziming's heart sank, could it be that Warner was making trouble behind?

"I'm asking Jiadai to inquire, I guess your guess is right, otherwise Dean's lawyer can't be Warner's company."

Now that Hollywood's special effects are in their own hands, will Warner fight with himself for a film? Sun Ziming's doubts are the doubts of the two of them, but that's what happened, helping Dean is an employee of Warner, and his lawyer is also Warner's. A technician in a studio, fighting a private lawsuit, can still work to become the deputy manager of the legal department of the head office?

After thinking for a while, Sun Ziming didn't understand, so he took off his cigarette butt and picked up the phone next to him. If it is Warner's troublemaker behind it, then there must be their interests, and it is better to ask than to guess.

Warner President Pation on the other side of the phone was also very puzzled, they had a very pleasant cooperation with Light and Shadow. The co-production of "Batman 4" won more than 180 million at the box office and won the third place at last year's box office.

Climbing to the level of Sun Ziming and Partiens, some tricks in the workplace or business field are no longer of much use, and they usually trade with others with their strength and chips in their hands.

Pattiens denied anything to do with Warner, so it must have been Dean Devlin who had a personal relationship with the assistant manager, and they turned down the $2 million price tag just to get a bigger deal or something!

After figuring out the situation, Sun Ziming is not angry, if this matter is not put on his body before he became famous, he will also take the opportunity to open his mouth. Maybe he not only extorts material benefits, but also has to take the opportunity to hype himself to make himself famous! The entertainment industry pursues fame and fortune, and if you want to be a gentleman, then don't get involved in this circle.

Knowing that Dean Devlin is not behind Warner, Chen Huimin and Douglas also know how to do it, just smash it with money.

Sun Ziming thought for a while and ordered: "Doug, go talk to that guy, you can give more money, or you can allow them to speculate, but things must be made clear." First, this is just an infringement in the legal sense, and second, everything should not be excessive, if the conditions are too harsh, I would rather remake the relevant bridge. ”

"What about the bottom line?"

Sun Ziming hesitated for a moment and offered a high price that people couldn't refuse, "Two million screenwriting fees + five thousandths of the box office share, and you can negotiate with the screenwriters committee to give him my authorship." ”

This is already the remuneration of a full-fledged screenwriter, and even if it is through the guò lawsuit, Dean Devlin is unlikely to get more. After all, the film has not been released publicly, and it has not caused any legal consequences, but it has only been screened at the grading review committee.

"Yes, sir", Douglas immediately took the order, in Hollywood, most of the time he can represent Sun Ziming. Chen Huimin negotiates with others, and there is still room for negotiation in things, once Douglas comes forward to negotiate with others, it means that this is the final bottom line.

Sun Ziming's toughness is notoriously known in Hollywood, and the fact that the former brokerage giant company of CAA split overnight and became a second-rate company proves that China Ming does not like calculating negotiations. Either don't say it, or say it as an ultimatum. Yes, everyone's good; If you don't agree, it's a fight at any cost.

This is also the reason why the big Hollywood companies are afraid of light and shadow. They are all public companies, and the president or even the chairman is subject to the board of directors, and he wants to weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and light and shadow do not need to. The shareholding structure of Light and Shadow determines that it is extremely centralized in power and is a highly cohesive whole. In the words of Paramount President Shirley, 'Light and Shadow are a pack of lions led by a strong, wise male lion, and they are extremely vindictive, and it is best never to provoke them.' ’

The subtext of Sun Ziming's command to Douglas just now is this kind of tough attitude. Now those two guys have the upper hand, as long as it's not too much of a condition, Light and Shadow can agree; If the conditions are outrageous, it is to shoot in two, and Light and Shadow will reserve the right to retaliate. To deal with a giant like Warner, Light and Shadow may have scruples, but if it is aimed at a small deputy manager of the legal department and an unknown screenwriter and technician, perhaps without Sun Ziming opening his mouth, Warner will take the initiative to sell this favor.

However, more than half an hour later, Douglas called back, "Boss, they refused and insisted on suing us. ”

Sun Ziming just hung up the phone, and Patiens's phone also came, in which he reminded: "Ming, my assistant has just told me that the deputy manager of the legal department, Leland Orsser, has submitted a letter of resignation. Ming, be careful, someone might be going to deal with you. ”

"Thank you, my friend. You mentioned yì last time, I think about it again, friends always have to help each other. ”

"That's great, I'm waiting for your good news."

Pattiens chatted with Sun Ziming for a few words, and after putting down the phone, he was overjoyed, and hurriedly asked the assistant to inquire about the situation, who was targeting light and shadow?

This is a great thing, China Ming that guy is worthy of God's favor, he is like God's spokesman in the film industry, and he is also very fair and generous, and is a very good partner. If you can help him in this matter, the cooperative relationship between the two sides can be more intimate, at least in the future investment projects, you can always consult his opinion, not like MGM, to make the "Future Water World" without returning to the bloody films.