Agreeing on a Partnership

Three days after the test screening ended, Irene was notified by her father to attend a meeting at the offices of Zoetrope Studios. The content of the meeting was primarily to select a distribution company for the film Legally Blonde.

"There have been quite a few companies reaching out to me. We've considered everything, and in the end, we've narrowed it down to a choice between MGM and 20th Century Fox." Francis handed Irene the documents detailing the scale and current status of these two companies.

"Why isn't Paramount on the list?" Irene took the documents and, after reading them carefully, widened her eyes in surprise. She seemed to recall that the gentleman from Paramount had been very interested in the film on the day of the test screening.

"Paramount is releasing Julia Roberts' new film at the end of July, so they likely don't have the bandwidth to accommodate us," Shelly explained first. Since Julia Roberts was also an important client of their CAA, even though she wasn't under his direct management, CAA had put in a lot of effort for that film as well.

"That explains it; I haven't received any feedback from them either. What is your take, Irene? MGM or 20th Century Fox, which one do you choose?" Francis handed the decision-making power over to Irene.

"Let's go with MGM." In her previous life, Legally Blonde was also distributed by MGM and performed well at the box office. Furthermore, MGM possessed a heavy hitter like 007, so they should be very experienced in the promotion and marketing of a mass-appeal film like theirs.

"Alright, MGM it is. We'll send someone to discuss the details with them." For them, there wasn't much difference between MGM and 20th Century Fox, as the fees charged were all within industry standards.

At the same time, the relevant personnel at MGM were also holding a meeting regarding this film.

MGM's situation in recent years could hardly be called good. Aside from living off the old 007 franchise, they had basically failed to produce any standout hits that caught the eye.

In the conference room, several senior heads of the production and marketing departments sat together, their expressions solemn as they flipped through the documents on the table.

Joyce Jackson, the head of acquisitions, sat to one side. Her fingertips tapped lightly on the script titled Legally Blonde in front of her, her eyes filled with intensity.

"Have you all finished reading?" Robert Smith, the department head, finally broke the silence, lifting his gaze from a report. "This is a project Joyce highly recommends. The script is very energetic, but the problem is the director." He tapped his finger on another thin file on the table, his tone hesitant.

That was the information on director Irene Coppola. It was only a few pages long, almost entirely laid bare.

"Irene Coppola. Seventeen years old." When Robert read these words, an almost inaudible gasp echoed through the conference room. "Yes, you heard that right. Seventeen. Just graduated from high school? This is even her graduation project. She has no experience directing feature films; her only filming experience is a music video for a newly debuted young singer."

"However, her background is quite strong—she is the youngest daughter of Francis Coppola, and this film is fully invested in and supported by Francis. Joyce, you are proposing that the company invest real money and hand such a project over to a child?"

All eyes focused on Joyce. She took a deep breath, her tone calm.

"I understand everyone's concerns. Yes, this is her first feature film. And yes, she is incredibly young—unbelievably so. But please trust me, I have watched the sample footage three times. What I saw was not 'lack of experience,' but 'overflowing talent'."

She looked around the room and continued: "Every shot in this film radiates an astonishing vitality—a kind of pure, youthful sincerity and humor that our company currently lacks most. It is neither forced nor cliché."

"Irene Coppola has precisely captured the confidence and charm of young women today who want to become better and dare to achieve it in their own unique way. She understands what young people today want to see, what they want to hear, and what makes them laugh. This is an intuition—a precious intuition that many veteran directors have already lost."

A vice president of the marketing department frowned: "The risk is too high, Joyce. We cannot gamble the company's reputation and a multi-million dollar budget on the 'intuition' of an underage girl."

"We are not gambling!" Joyce's voice rose slightly. "We are investing in the future! Gentlemen, look at our slate. We are still reminiscing about past glories, but the market has changed. We need fresh blood, new perspectives, and a voice that can truly converse with the new generation of viewers! Irene Coppola is that voice!"

She picked up the script: "Legally Blonde is the perfect vessel! It is fun, smart, and full of positive energy. It has all the potential to become a blockbuster. We aren't just signing one film; we are signing a talent who could potentially lead the trend in the future."

"This is a necessary risk, and even more so, an excellent strategic investment. We can build a long-term, trusting partnership with her before she truly shines. Missing out on her, I am certain, will be one of the decisions we regret most in the future."

The conference room fell into silence again, but this time, the silence was no longer pure skepticism; it held a bit more weighing and contemplation. Robert's gaze moved back and forth between Joyce's determined face and that thin file. Finally, he spoke slowly:

"Joyce, your passion has convinced me. Perhaps it is time we listened to the ideas of the younger generation. Contact this director Coppola and arrange a meeting."

A weight finally lifted from Joyce Jackson's heart. She knew that the company was finally about to welcome change.

Both companies had the intention to cooperate, so the subsequent progress was naturally quick and efficient.

In less than a week, MGM and Zoetrope Studios finalized the distribution contract.

MGM became the North American distributor for Legally Blonde, taking 12% of the North American box office and 12% of the North American home video rights as a distribution fee. They also held the right of first refusal for overseas distribution, while the upfront marketing and promotional costs, as well as the costs for producing prints, would be recouped from the box office after the film finished its North American theatrical run.

At the same time, they determined the release date: mid-July. There were no major investments in the weeks before or after, and the films Irene was familiar with were basically far removed from their release date.

Except for Julia Roberts' Runaway Bride two weeks later, but since they were two weeks apart, everyone believed there wouldn't be much of an impact on each other, so Irene didn't say anything more.

By the time everything was settled, it was already April. With only three months left until the release, MGM began to promote it vigorously. Not only were posters plastered offline, but under Irene's suggestion, they also began to promote it online—this was likely the prototype of what would become "internet water armies."

Even the trailers for their ace film, 007, had advertisements for Legally Blonde tacked onto the end. They were truly leaving no stone unturned.

At the same time, the path Irene had paved for herself—the music video she filmed for Britney—also began to gain traction.

This kind of promotion was nothing but beneficial for both her and Britney. Since they were under the same agent, hyping each other up couldn't have been more convenient.