Hollywood What If Chapter 449
Kazir couldn't deny that. He was the writer of La La Land and a major factor in its success.
However, the box office already made a clear statement, and Kazir was confident that La La Land was profitable.
What he needed from Lionsgate was their influence. Despite being a second-rate studio, they had the power to help Fremont and Brianna win their respective awards.
"If Fremont and Brianna win the Best Director and Best Actress Awards, I don't mind working with you... I might even direct a movie for Lionsgate."
Kazir smiled, trying to increase the benefits.
The benefits of winning at the Academy Awards were significant. It could boost the box office performance of La La Land, and it could also increase its DVD sales.
However, what Kazir offered was a benefit that Lionsgate would have a hard time achieving on their own. They had tried multiple times to hire Kazir to direct their films.
God knows how many times they had tried and how much money they had offered to convince the director, but Kazir was no longer moved by money.
At this point in his career, what he sought was fun and the joy of directing movies. It didn't matter which studio he worked with.
"...Gulp."
Mason Aiden, the producer who might play a role in this novel, swallowed hard. He couldn't help but gulp down the saliva stuck in his throat, or else he might suffocate from sheer shock.
He had heard it clearly and understood what Kazir was saying, but his mind took a second to fully process it.
"...We will do our best."
Winning an Academy Award was not simple. So many movies and celebrities were fighting for those honors. Lionsgate would have a tough time winning even one.
They were supporting La La Land and hoped it would win, but Lionsgate had not been going all out. They were still relatively new in the industry, and their social network was not as vast as Miramax's.
But now, Lionsgate had a reason to go all in. Just like the lottery, despite the low odds, the prize was well worth it.
"I'm glad to hear that."
The two shook hands.
Despite being a verbal agreement, Mason knew that this was the best outcome they could hope for from Kazir. The director had a strong reputation and wouldn't back out of his promise.
"You don't have to worry, I won't break my promise. I can either sell another script to Lionsgate or direct a movie for Lionsgate."
"Of course, of course."
Mason nodded twice, wiping his sweaty forehead. He didn't expect this small meeting to end up like this. He felt like his seat was on fire from all the pressure.
Actually, Kazir's next movie was already planned for 2006. It was none other than Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
The props had long been prepared, and even the cast had signed their contracts. They were, in fact, undergoing training at that moment, particularly Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom.
This was also the reason why Grey Pictures only had one CCU movie. They would overextend their resources if they attempted to produce three movie projects and a TV series in a single year.
That was a problem Grey Pictures had faced two years ago. Back when they believed they could handle four projects per year. God, that had been a bit of a nightmare, even for Stella Willow.
In 2003, Grey Pictures arrogantly released Wanted 2, The Equalizer, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and their TV series Game of Thrones.
Thankfully, despite their overconfidence, all four projects were successful. Each one had generated millions in profit.
So now, Grey Pictures returned to their usual two-movie-per-year strategy. As for Game of Thrones, Fox TV was taking care of the series. They had no intention of letting it jump to another network.
'If both Fremont and Brianna win, I have no problem working with Lionsgate. But they'll have to wait. Of course, I'll pick the movie I direct. Maybe the script will come from me too.'
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The Cinefamily. A nonprofit cinema exhibition. A silent movie theatre on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. The Cinefamily mostly featured silent films and old, obscure cult classics that didn't receive much attention.
The Cinefamily also held live score screenings, where silent films were accompanied by live musicians.
Tonight, on Valentine's Day, Scarlett was smiling ear to ear while sitting next to Kazir. Of course, she was happy that the man had finally made the first move and invited her on a date.
And now, she was having fun because the silent film they were watching was The Circus (1928), starring Charlie Chaplin. Despite being almost a century old, the movie still made her laugh.
The musicians accompanying the silent film made it even livelier. At first, she had been skeptical about the venue Kazir chose, but she didn't expect it to be this enjoyable.
Even Kazir, who was serious most of the time, was laughing. The two had a great night. They had dinner at an expensive restaurant and shared interesting conversations.
"I had fun."
"Me too." Scarlett blushed.
They agreed to go on another date next week. Scarlett was so happy. Now, she didn't regret pushing Kazir to take her seriously, because she liked being taken seriously.
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[I know it's not relevant, but do you want Fremont and Brianna to win the Oscar, or only one of them? I'll make it a poll so you can vote.]
[First chapter of the day.]