20th Century Fox

"20th Century Fox? All right, I'll come over this afternoon!"

Aaron Anderson had received a call from 20th Century Fox. They seemed interested in Phone Booth.

A few years earlier, Australian media tycoon Rupert Murdoch had acquired 20th Century Fox Entertainment Group;

Now, 20th Century Fox's parent company was News Corporation, the newspaper company controlled by Rupert Murdoch!

Moreover, because Rupert Murdoch placed great importance on the television industry, he had specifically poached Barry Diller from Paramount. Diller, who was interested in television, had been brought in to establish FOX, America's fourth-largest commercial broadcast television network;

Barry Diller had been a key figure in Paramount's revival during the seventies. Disney's Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg had both been Barry Diller's subordinates at the time.

Obviously, 20th Century Fox Entertainment Group was under Barry Diller's control, and he answered only to Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corporation;

However, Barry Diller's current focus was undoubtedly the development of the FOX broadcast television network.

The United States originally had three major commercial broadcast television networks: ABC, NBC, and CBS. But there was also a nonprofit broadcast alliance—Public Broadcasting Service PBS, America's public television network!

PBS did not participate in these commercial rules. It was a television alliance focused mainly on education. At present, when people spoke of broadcast television in the United States, they mainly meant those three major networks.

That afternoon, Aaron Anderson drove to the Century City Business District beside Beverly Hills.

At 2121 Century City Walk of Fame stood Fox Plaza, a forty-story skyscraper and 20th Century Fox's new headquarters, built two years earlier;

It had also served as the main filming location for Die Hard, though it had not yet been fully completed at the time.

Aaron went to the president's office on the thirty-eighth floor. After waiting for more than half an hour, he finally met 20th Century Fox president Joe Roth!

After the assistant whispered a few words to Joe Roth and left, Roth said, "Aaron, have a seat!"

"Good afternoon, Mr. Roth!"

Before long, the office assistant brought in two cups of coffee.

"The elements in Phone Booth should be quite appealing, and you have respectable credits like Sex, Lies, and Videotape and Cinema Paradiso;"

"This film shouldn't be without a distributor willing to release it, should it?"

Joe Roth had that much discernment. Miramax could not possibly refuse to distribute it.

Aaron took a sip of coffee. "New Line and Miramax are indeed interested, but they want to buy out the distribution rights outright;"

"And my expectations for Phone Booth are even higher than for Sex, Lies, and Videotape;"

"I'm unwilling to sell it cheaply, so we couldn't reach an agreement on the price!"

Joe Roth smiled. "Sex, Lies, and Videotape had the Palme d'Or behind it and made 24 million US dollars at the North American box office;"

"Phone Booth is indeed novel, but its setting is even simpler. Are you really that confident?"

Aaron nodded. "Mr. Roth, you've seen the film, haven't you? What did you think of Nicolas Cage's performance?"

"Brilliant!" Joe Roth answered without hesitation.

"How about this? Since you don't want to sell it outright, we'll use a revenue-sharing model. 20th Century Fox needs a film to fill a slot in its spring release schedule;"

"So 20th Century Fox will distribute Phone Booth. It will open in no fewer than 300 theaters, with an initial marketing budget of 1 million US dollars. Depending on the film's reception, that amount may be increased, but not beyond 3 million US dollars;"

"The distribution fee will be 20% of the box office, and marketing expenses will be deducted from the profits!"

For a film that had cost less than 2 million US dollars, Joe Roth would not waste too much time. He expected it to gross somewhere between 10 million and 20 million US dollars.

"The spring release schedule means March?"

"That's right, around early to mid-March. 20th Century Fox needs a film in theaters then."

Aaron knew Phone Booth would not get a particularly good release date. He had thought it would be August, but it was as early as March!

"Mr. Roth, there's no major issue, but I want a tiered revenue split. For box office below 10 million US dollars, the distribution fee will be 20%;"

"For the portion exceeding 10 million US dollars, the fee will be 15%. Once it exceeds 20 million US dollars, the fee will be 12%. How does that sound?"

Joe Roth shook his head. "It'll be 20% below 15 million US dollars, and 18% on anything over 15 million;"

"Once it exceeds 30 million US dollars, the distribution fee will be 16%. Also, 20th Century Fox must have the right of first refusal for the film's videotape and television broadcast rights;"

"These are the final terms. If you agree, we can sign the contract today!"

Aaron wanted to say something more, but he held his tongue and nodded.

With News Corporation behind 20th Century Fox, its promotional capabilities were absolutely trustworthy!

That afternoon, Aaron Anderson brought the lawyer who had previously registered Dawn Pictures for him to Fox Plaza to sign the contract;

Aside from clearly stipulating the tiered revenue split based on box office performance, they also had to spell out the number of opening theaters, the volume of television advertisements, and the number of newspaper ads and posters.

A careless mistake could mean millions of dollars in lost profit. There was nothing wrong with being cautious—this was exactly the kind of work entertainment lawyers in Los Angeles did!

"Not bad, Aaron. Your company has only been open for three months, right? And your first film is already about to be released?"

By the time the lawyer and Aaron Anderson left Fox Plaza together, the sun was already setting in the west.

"Not too bad," Aaron Anderson said as he looked at the lawyer beside him. The guy was named Daniel Williams. He had graduated from Columbia University Law School and then stayed on to teach there for several years.

"By the way, didn't you have a very beautiful female assistant with you last time? Why didn't you bring her along?"

Daniel Williams had opened a small Williams Law Firm in Los Angeles last year. The person who had received Aaron last time was a young woman!

Daniel Williams smiled. "You're young and handsome, and you're not short on money now. Aren't all the beautiful women in Hollywood enough for you?"

"She's my student and is still studying at Columbia University Law School. She only came over to help last time;"

"Soon enough, she'll come here for an internship during spring break in March. But she won't graduate until next year, so you can make your own move then!"

Daniel Williams explained with a smile. He had also looked into Aaron Anderson. The man had earned 1 million US dollars in his first year at CAA;

Though he had never attended college, anyone who could rise so quickly in Hollywood could not possibly be simple. It was necessary to cultivate him into a long-term client.

"I see," Aaron said. He had only asked casually, simply making conversation.

"See you, Daniel!" Aaron had signed a distribution contract with 20th Century Fox. It was time to celebrate!