Chapter 6: To Be Reasonable, You Need a Gun
As the St. Denis Film Festival came to an end, an independent film "Sex, Lies and Videotape" with a transaction price of $1.2 million made headlines;
Miramax's Harvey Weinstein's incomprehensible operation method directly surprised other independent distributors!
At the same time, CAA's newcomer Aaron Anderson, who facilitated this transaction, also became famous within CAA.
"You kid, you are really amazing," Paula Wagner said in surprise in the office of CAA headquarters.
Aaron Anderson shook his head, "I regret it now. I was impulsive at the time. The price could have been higher. $1.5 million should be about right!"
"Very good. This has set a record for the transaction at the St. Denis Film Festival. Now many people outside are saying that Harvey Weinstein is crazy."
Aaron smiled, "Harvey is crazy? This guy has made money. In my mind, the box office of Sex, Lies and Videotape will be at least more than $20 million;"
"When the movie is released, Miramax will definitely be a blockbuster!"
"$20 million?" Paula Wagner took a breath, "You really dare to think!"
"Okay, Mr. Michael Ovitz has heard about your deeds. Go to his office."
Aaron nodded and left and headed for the office upstairs.
There is no job division within CAA, and the office doorplate only has the name but no position.
Aaron knocked on the door of the office of Michael Ovitz, chairman of CAA.
"Come in!"
Michael Ovitz, 46 years old, looks energetic and full of energy.
"It's amazing that you have done such a big thing just after the trial in the mail room," Michael Ovitz was very satisfied.
"There are many coincidences," Aaron was rarely humble.
"Haha, it's a reflection of your strength," Michael Ovitz said, handing Aaron a check.
"The original commission for "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" was 120,000 US dollars. Although Steven Soderbergh is not a CAA member, you are;"
"So, the 100,000 US dollars here is what you deserve, and the 20,000 is from CAA!"
Aaron nodded. After all, he was doing things in the name of CAA, so it was normal, and he took the check.
He has already received $500k and now with this he has more than $600k in his account.
"Steven Soderbergh should sign it in your hand, right?"
"Well, he agreed and can come to the company to sign at any time," Aaron shrugged.
"Then what plans do you have for him?"
Aaron thought for a moment, "Nothing specific, the next step is to help him promote the release of Sex, Lies, and Videotape and make him famous quickly."
"Very good, now you are an official CAA agent, then you will personally host Steven Soderbergh's signing ceremony," Michael Ovitz smiled,
"Steven Soderbergh is now somewhat famous in the independent film circle, and several big directors have praised this movie;"
"At that time, CAA will have a share of the international income of the film and the income from the videotape, etc. If you continue to have such results, then your bonus will not be less!"
"Don't worry, I will," Aaron thought for a moment and reminded, "Next, I may go abroad a few times to find people with potential."
"Of course, many directors started out with independent films, follow your own ideas," Michael Ovitz certainly had no objection.
The annual salary of an assistant agent is less than $30,000, and Aaron Anderson's ability has been proven;
according to his performance, the income of some CAA partners will be less than his, so what else is there to think about?
After Aaron left Michael Ovitz's office, he went to the script warehouse and began looking for useful scripts, at this time, it should be time for low-cost romantic comedy works to be popular!
"Mr. Anderson, these are the briefs of romantic comedy scripts," the guy in the mailroom pointed to a pile of manuscripts.
"So many?"
"Yes, we receive some scripts like this every day, accumulated!"
"Well, thank you."
It used to be Aaron, but now I am Mr. Anderson, which is quite interesting.
In the evening, Aaron and Jack Wells went to a bar in West Hollywood to have fun. The TV was showing George H.W. Bush succeeding as the 41st President of the United States. The Reagan era was over!
"This Hollywood president has really made a lot of contributions to the development of Hollywood," Aaron took a sip of wine. Reagan's tax reform greatly reduced personal income tax and corporate income tax.
After Reagan's tax reform, the highest level of personal income tax was 28%, and the highest level of corporate income tax was 46%.
Jack Wells smiled, "Reagan was also an actor, and he might be very dissatisfied with the taxation at that time!"
However, George H.W. Bush, who succeeded Reagan, was also a Republican, and he should not pay too much attention to the Democratic Party's call for tax increases, the current Hollywood is not the future Democratic Party's world, the Republican Party is the king.
"By the way, you are about to sign a contract with director Steven Soderbergh. This should be considered as officially embarking on the road of being an agent, right?"
Jack Wells' tone was filled with endless envy.
Aaron stood up, smiled, and patted the other person on the shoulder, "Don't worry, I will introduce you to Steven Soderbergh when the time comes. I don't have so much time to deal with his little things;"
"If you have a good relationship with him, Steven Soderbergh's future will be limitless!"
Well, Aaron just thinks that Jack Wells is a good guy. After several months of contact, he can be considered as his friend and can help him, as for himself, the job of an agent is like a waiter in a restaurant for Aaron. How much can he achieve as an agent in the future?
Even if he can achieve Michael Ovitz's position, it can't support Aaron's ambitions!
At night, in an apartment in Koreatown, Aaron, who was lying on the bed, was awakened by a noise next door. He sat up and scratched his hair.
"I've said it before, if you disturb me again, the consequences will be serious," Aaron Anderson said, taking out a pistol and going out.
"Bang... Bang... Bang..." Aaron hammered on the door next door.
"Who is it?" An impatient voice came from the noisy room, and the door opened.
Aaron saw the situation inside. Four or five men and women were playing music and drinking in the room, and the whole room was filled with smoke.
"Is there anything wrong?"
Aaron was too lazy to say more, and directly pulled out the pistol in his arms and pointed, "Turn off the music, be quiet, and don't make any more noise;"
"The neighbors next door are all going to sleep and waiting to go to work tomorrow. You bunch of scum, do you have any sense of public morality?"
Several people in the room swallowed their saliva. Are young people nowadays so bad-tempered? Pointing a gun at you and asking you to be quiet.
"Ah, we..."
Aaron roared, "Answer me, can you keep quiet tonight?"
"Yes, yes, yes," the guy who opened the door wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"That's good," Aaron patted the other person's face and looked at the stunned people in the room, his tone instantly softened.
"Well, don't let me come over again, or I'll send you guys to see God;"
"By the way, if you want to cause trouble for me, just go to the Fairfax Jewish Mafia in Los Angeles!"
Aaron will move out tomorrow. He is a rich man now. Is he still going to live with this bunch of scum
END OF THE CHAPTER.....