In Beverly Hills Century City, in the lobby of the WMA headquarters, many partners, including Whitesel and Jim Witt, gathered on the scene, waiting for today's protagonist and one of the company's most important actor clients, Martin Davis, to appear.

In the lounge on one side of the hall, Thomas personally checked Martin's outfit and said, "Perfect." ”

Martin's face was faintly gloomy, as if he was preoccupied.

Thomas took a few steps back and said, "I think it's a bit heavy." ”

Martin's brows stretched slightly, and the grim expression on his face relaxed slightly: "So what? ”

“OK！” Thomas gestured and said, "Just right." ”

He turned his head and asked, "Lao Bu, what do you think?" ”

Bruce looked closely: "It's just right now. ”

"It's 2008." Martin walked to the door: "I'm going to get ready for The Dark Knight." ”

Thomas Xin said that his customers are definitely the best stars, and he took the initiative to help the crew attract attention.

Martin and others are on the inside of the lounge.

On a makeshift stage in the hall, Ali Emmanuel walked up to the microphone and said: "At the beginning of 2008, WMA reached a pivotal moment to continue working together with the company's most important customers. ”

He raised his voice: "There is a star, he has gone from a marginal actor to a first-line star in just four years, and his salary has soared from $100,000 to $15 million. He was nominated for an Oscar, achieved an artistic leap, starred in four films with a North American box office of more than 100 million, and his appeal is unparalleled in the new generation! ”

Ali stretched out his hand and pointed to the door of the break room: "Martin Davis, please!" ”

The audience erupted in warm applause.

Martin walked out the lounge door, beckoned to the hall crowd, and stepped onto the stage.

He took the microphone and said, "Thank you Ali for the compliment, you are exaggerating." ”

Having received enough benefits on the actual contract, Martin doesn't mind showing his emotional side: "I never wanted to leave the WMA, the WMA was the first agency I signed with, Thomas Lane was the first agent I signed with, and I have grown with me to this day, and I will continue to witness the glory with the WMA." ”

Thomas was standing on the edge of the stage, the light falling on his head, the light shining brightly.

Hearing Martin's last sentence, he took a step forward slightly, and the responsibility of the agent naturally jumped out of his mind: if Martin left the WMA, it must be him, the agent, who was obstructing it and provoking Martin's relationship with the WMA, and had nothing to do with Martin himself.

He was approached by the CAA, and it was he who used the CAA's pressure to force the company to agree to the treatment given to Martin.

In the eyes of the company and Ali Emmanuel, Thomas was a traitor to the WMA during the negotiation process.

But Thomas didn't care.

Today, as long as Martin continues to work with him, he is the first-line agent in the circle.

On stage, in the presence of representatives of the Screen Actors Guild, Martin signed a new three-year brokerage contract with WMA.

In exchanging contracts, Martin shook hands tightly with Ali, and after shaking hands, the latter opened his arms and hugged Martin hard.

Ali asked with concern, "Are you not in a very good mental state?" ”

Martin nodded: "I encountered some psychological obstacles, nothing serious." ”

"Don't ignore it." Ali reminded: "See a doctor in time. ”

This was the end of the signing ceremony, which boosted the morale of the entire company, and there was a celebratory reception at noon.

Martin got off the stage, saw Thomas's almost reflective forehead, went over and punched him, and said, "Congratulations, partner!" ”

Taking advantage of Martin's contract extension, Thomas also reaped tangible benefits as a partner at the WMA.

Thomas wanted to laugh just yet, but he couldn't stop laughing.

There is no way, there are too many practical benefits obtained, and the mood is too good to suppress.

But Thomas didn't know where it all came from, and said, "Whatever happens in the future, even if I am asked to kill an enemy like Pete, you just have to do it with me!" ”

Martin couldn't help but shake his head and laughed: "We are all good citizens who abide by the law, how can we do those bad things?" ”

Thomas said, "Pure metaphor. ”

Martin said, "Let's go to the hotel together." ”

Just outside the WMA, Ali Emmanuel gave an interview to reporters to announce a contract extension with Martin.

In the new brokerage contract, Martin's salary includes an online share, and the brokerage commission is reduced to 5%.

In the one-year window period of the offline film market, the brokerage share of Martin's offline income becomes 4%, and after the window period, it decreases by 1% every year until it reaches zero.

These are the benefits of supergiants.

WMA was able to agree to such a clause, CAA's frequent contact with Thomas put great pressure on them, and the management, led by Ali, would never allow CAA to poach the important customers they had cultivated and who were very likely to ascend to the supergiant throne.

Then Martin's own business appeal is strong enough.

"The Reader", which has been screened since November, has been screened from a single theater and expanded to Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and other large metropolitan areas.

In the first weekend of North America, thanks to the large number of seats in independent theaters, "The Reader" grossed $39,000 in a single theater on the weekend.

Later, the scale of the screening was expanded, and although the commercial nature of the film was not strong, thanks to Martin's large fan and supporter group, there were always audiences wearing red Coke Cult cultural shirts, filling most of the seats in the theater.

Most importantly, the film is not particularly dull, and it is worth the ticket price to spend a few dollars to see Martin in addition to key parts of his body, and the almost hairless Winslet in action scene after action.

The reputation of "The Reader" is very strong, especially among Martin's fans.

Many female fans see the back and buttocks like marble sculptures, and they are crazy to brush up on movie websites and give high scores.

As for the critics, films with this theme, in the eyes of film critics, naturally have the attribute of adding one star to the rating.

Today, after 12 weeks of screening, the film has a high level of scary reputation, with an average score of 85 points for MTC media and 8.4 points for IMDB ordinary audiences.

A good reputation, even if there are reasons for the careful operation of the crew and Warner Bros., is also in line with the market and the mainstream media.

Since 2008, the scale of "Reader" has expanded to 1,566 in North America, with a total of $55.89 million at the North American box office.

In terms of individual awards during the awards season, it can be called a trophy harvester.

Kate won 8 Best Actress awards in various categories, and even Martin, who didn't show up in person to canvass for votes, also won five Best Actor trophies, including the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards.

Second only to Daniel Day-Lewis's nine.

Meanwhile, Martin has been shortlisted for five candidates for Best Actor in the Screen Actors Guild and Producers Guild.

At the Golden Globe Awards, which will be presented in January, he was also nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

If it weren't for Daniel Day-Lewis standing in the way, and Martin knew that the old men of the academy liked Lewis to the bone, and that there would be endless troubles if he messed with him, he would have gone all out to compete for Best Actor.

After attending the cocktail party at noon, Martin appeared at the latest celebration party of the "Reader" in the afternoon.

The so-called celebration party is naturally not for celebration, but to have an official name, invite many celebrities in the circle to participate in the banquet, and further engage in publicity and public relations.

After all kinds of social interactions, even people like Martin are a little mentally exhausted.

Finally found a chance to talk to Kate Winslet, who was cheering up.

"When I came back, I went to meet Nicholson and Warren Beatty, and I didn't hope to win the award, and I was done with the nomination." Martin has a long-term vision and therefore won't rush, but Kate is different, reminding: "Blanchett has been snubbed by various outpost awards, and he hasn't even been nominated by the Screen Actors Guild, so there will be no threat, and this year is your best chance." ”

"Thank you for helping me get Blanchett in advance." Kate is grateful to Martin and thinks that Martin teamed up with Nicholson to get Blanchett for her.

Martin didn't have to hide it, and said bluntly: "I don't hope to win the award, the only hope of winning the heavyweight award is on you, you won the best actress, the film will sell better, I signed a sharing agreement, whether you can win the award or not, it is related to how much I earn." ”

"You're stressing me out more." Kate pinched her eyebrows and said, "What will I do if I can't get you?" ”

Martin said viciously: "I will sell you to Africa, by the pound!" ”

Kate wondered: "Why by the pound?" ”

Kate was so angry that she didn't want to talk to him.

Martin could easily provoke her interest: "Blanchett is gone, but don't be careless, especially the French." ”

Kate asked, "Marion Cotillard from La Vie en Rose?" ”

"Yes, it's her, pay attention." In Martin's eyes, and in the news he found out from Warren Beatty, Kate surpassed Marion Cotillard in terms of qualifications, roles, performances, and word-of-mouth and publicity, but he remembered that this woman seemed to have won an Oscar.

Keith nodded, "I'll keep an eye on her." ”

It is not unheard of for an important Oscar award to be upset in an extremely unexpected way.

"Don't be upset, no one will sympathize with you, they will just laugh at you." Martin, the bastard, in order to get more points, constantly stimulates Kate's fighting spirit: "At that time, the French may launch a new round of daily insults to the British." ”

(End of chapter)