"Ten million dollars."
With just a few words, the price was slashed in half.
New Line Cinema prides itself on being an independent film company, even for projects like "The Lord of the Rings," where they consistently strive to control costs. However, now that it has been acquired by Warner Bros., the company's nature has inevitably changed, adopting the perspective and posture of a major studio.
Even though McKee and Eric were mentally prepared, they still gasped, their minds freezing as they struggled to react.
Anson understood the gravity of the situation, so he continued without pause, "Of course, we have two options."
One is Warner Bros., and the other is New Line Cinema.
At this point, Anson shared Jeff Robinov's suggestion, offering it to McKee and Eric for consideration.
"Different choices, different outcomes."
The car became quiet as McKee and Eric wrestled with their inner conflicts—
They thought the situation had finally turned around, but now it seemed that solving one problem only led to another, with possibly more to come.
This only further proves that the roles of producer and actor are entirely different.
This is the true face of Hollywood.
Everything is tied to interests, with each gate leading to another. For those like them, at the bottom of the pyramid, they have no voice. As a result, they face one bloodsucker after another, each layer stripping away their rights and interests.
This is one of the key reasons why Eric and McKee kept hitting walls, becoming trapped—
Thinking that talent alone could open doors is unrealistic.
However, the current situation is slightly different:
Anson.
At least among them, Anson is someone who has a preliminary say in things. The recent events at the fast-food chain also reinforced this impression.
Eric, being straightforward, turned to Anson, "What do you think?"
"I choose New Line," Anson said without hesitation. As the producer, he felt he should take a professional stance in the film's production decisions.
McKee furrowed his brow, showing some concern. "But with this budget…"
McKee glanced at the rearview mirror: even Anson's salary might be at risk.
Anson caught on, "If we go with New Line, I'll forgo my salary and instead take 10% of the box office revenue as my stake."
Although there's no hard rule, the difference between projects usually comes down to specific negotiations. Generally, the box office revenue share cap for directors, producers, and actors is 20%. To exceed this, you'd need to be someone like Steven Spielberg or Tom Cruise.
In other words, if they manage to strike a deal with New Line Cinema and secure a 20% share, Anson would take half of it.
But what if they can't?
In Hollywood, only a few directors, actors, and writers get a cut of the box office. Most just take their salary, and that's almost always the case for people like McKee and Eric.
So, not reaching that 20% share is the likely outcome.
Anson would still get his 10%, at the expense of McKee and Eric giving up part of their share.
See, Anson producing "The Butterfly Effect" isn't exactly charity work.
Though McKee and Eric are the writers and directors, the original creators of the project, without Anson, it likely wouldn't even get filmed, let alone reach an audience. Even if they found a company willing to invest, the box office revenue might just be an illusion.
It's really that simple.
So, Anson took the lion's share of the revenue without guilt; in fact, asking for just 10% without pushing for 15% or 18% is already considerate.
Of course, taking the biggest share also means Anson bears significant risk—
He would earn nothing upfront, completely performing for free.
If the movie fails, Anson's losses would be severe. Although it wouldn't ruin his career, his next attempt to produce or challenge different roles might face more obstacles.
After all, the entertainment industry has always been tough on those perceived as mere eye candy.
Now, Anson is truly in the same boat as McKee and Eric, facing the storm together.
The more it's like this, the more they need honesty, which is the foundation of good cooperation. So without any pretense, Anson straightforwardly laid out his terms.
For a moment, the car was silent, with only the sound of the wind whistling by.
Anson didn't say anything further, not trying to convince or influence their judgment—
It's a collaboration, after all. A forced deal wouldn't be satisfying; if they agree, that's great. If not, there's no need to strain relationships; it's just business.
Then.
Eric cautiously turned to the side, "Anson, so, about how much box office revenue do you think we can get?"
McKee glared at Eric, "Does that really matter?"
Eric stiffened his neck, "How does it not? I'm about to be unable to pay rent, and now with New Line cutting the budget, our writer and director income might also be offset as production costs, meaning we'll have to rely on box office revenue. This means we'll have to stick it out for another six months. I need to know if it's worth it!"
Honestly, they're not saints who would sacrifice themselves for art. Everyone has their struggles, and things are far from simple.
McKee sighed deeply, "Eric, I understand your difficulties, I'm in the same boat, but the key here is maintaining control over the script, editing, and filming. Otherwise, if the movie ends up like 'Alien 3,' no amount of box office share will matter, because the movie might not even cover distribution and theater costs."
"We need to ensure the film's success."
"If the box office reaches a hundred million dollars, even just 1% of that share would be considerable."
However, Eric shook his head, "We're already struggling to make it until the film's release, we might be evicted by then. So, are you planning to sleep on the set?"
"If I know the revenue share, at least I can go beg my family for money or even apply for a bank loan. It would be persuasive; otherwise, we might not even last until then."
Both had valid points.
Seeing that McKee was about to argue further, Anson quickly interrupted.
"We still need to negotiate the box office share with New Line Cinema, but I believe that a 20% share for the core creative team is achievable. They're cutting production costs, and we're investing our talent, both sides taking on risk. They have no reason to refuse."
"As for creative control."
"McKee, this is our condition for choosing New Line Cinema. They won't interfere with the film's creation. The executive producer will only be responsible for controlling the budget and overseeing production, leaving all creative aspects to you two."
"If they don't agree, we can always go with Warner Bros."
Although Warner Bros. might interfere creatively, Anson doesn't see himself as someone to be pushed around. Let's see who can outlast whom in a standoff with the studio.
Clearly, just like McKee and Eric, Anson has his own calculations.