Behind The Spotlight Chapter 117
"You're belittling me. I don't like it."
"..."
Collin was speechless.
'Jennifer, that attitude of yours might be your downfall.' He sighed softly.
"Act like a proper woman."
"So I don't look like a woman to you?" Jennifer stared at the small vase on the tea table with narrowed eyes, her fingers drumming absentmindedly.
"Ahem, anyway, you don't have to work hard. You should be happy instead. You have a constant job now. You don't need to audition for movies and waste time. Being the host of a singing competition guarantees you income every year."
She earned $12,000 per episode. With 22 episodes per season, it was an amount that anyone would be happy to work with.
"I agree with you, but hosting is also tiring compared to acting in a movie for just a few months. Collin, I've been busy for half a year hosting the show without a proper break."
"You want to resign then?"
"Of course not. Resigning would be foolish now that I finally have something steady to hold onto."
"Alright. You don't have to worry. I know why you wanted to talk to me. I'll negotiate your contract. What salary are you comfortable with?"
"At least double my last salary."
"So it should be about $25,000 per episode... Okay, I'll try to get that. You already have a stable job, so you should keep it. If I'm right, The Singing Voice will remain profitable for at least a decade since singing competitions usually thrive for a long time. In fact, I received news that season one earned at least $100 million in profit."
"Really, that much?" Jennifer was surprised. She leaned closer slightly, almost doubting her ears. She had been so consumed with her work that the scale of the show's success never truly registered until this moment.
"The director of the show is a client of ANT. You probably know that."
"Yeah, you said you negotiated with his agent to hire me."
"That's right."
Collin recalled his talks with Vanessa Yajiro. That Asian woman was a bit too much...
The information regarding the show's profit came from her team, although it was just a ballpark estimate. The exact amount was still a secret locked behind contracts and confidentiality agreements.
But with that as a basis, Collin could probably negotiate a better contract for Jennifer.
'If I successfully close a deal of $25,000 per episode and Season 2 also has 22 episodes, then Jennifer's salary will be $550,000. More than half a million, and 5% of that will be my commission.'
Collin slightly licked his lips, his deep green eyes glinting as his mind calculated fast. His commission would be $27,500. That was better than the commission he earned from negotiating Axel's salary two months ago.
"Collin, don't stare at me like that." Jennifer averted her gaze, her thighs rubbing against each other. She hated it whenever Collin stared coldly at her; it made her quiver, as if his gaze pierced straight through her, leaving her defenseless in ways she couldn't explain.
"Sorry about that. I was just thinking about something important."
Collin and Jennifer's meeting ended. Jennifer only visited his office to find out if he had another job for her or perhaps a new role.
However, she also admitted that her situation was better now. At least she didn't have to search for projects every other month. Now she had a steady one. The best she could do was maintain her role as the host of The Singing Voice. She also admitted she needed to tone down her potty mouth since one careless remark could spread quickly in the industry.
Unfortunately, it was hard to change a habit ingrained for more than a decade. Even her parents couldn't fix that problem despite the countless times they scolded her.
...
...
...
Two more months passed, and it was now May 1998, the air hotter with the summer breeze.
During that month, Collin successfully sealed a deal with the producer of The Singing Voice.
Jennifer's salary per episode was $27,000. It was better than she expected, and it gave her the confidence that her worth was slowly being recognized.
Actually, Collin had pushed for $30,000 since he would earn more with that figure.
Unfortunately, the producer of the show was firm and unyielding, not the type to be swayed by smooth words or clever tactics. He refused to agree to $30,000 and even threatened to replace the host if Collin didn't back down. After four days of negotiation, both sides settled at $27,000 per episode.
If Season 2 had the same number of episodes as Season 1, Jennifer would earn $594,000 from the whole season. Naturally, Collin's 5% commission came to $29,700, money that flowed straight into his accounts.
While this was happening, Axel became busier with filming Frightening Movie and promoting Face: Swap.
Even though Axel lost his remaining salary, he was still legally obligated to promote the movie. He couldn't blame the studio since he was the one who broke the contract. Axel held no grudge against Pebblestone Pictures. Burning bridges would only suffocate his career faster.
He attended every promotion that the production team arranged while juggling his role in Frightening Movie. Fortunately, the film had many lead characters, and Axel's screen time wasn't that long. He appeared in about 30% of the film, which wasn't bad considering the exposure he still gained.
May 7, 1998. Friday.
The premiere of Face: Swap took place. Movie premieres usually happened on Friday at midnight.
Axel and the cast of Face: Swap stepped onto the red carpet.
Touchpebbles Pictures had received positive results when they screened the film to test audiences, so they invested in a full red carpet event complete with flashing cameras and reporters shouting for attention.
Axel had already experienced a premiere with a red carpet during Week On A Cruise Ship. Even so, he was surprised when some people showed real support as he waved, the cheers ringing louder than he expected. He realized he actually had fans.
Well, Axel Gunner had starred in three movies, so it wasn't surprising he had gained some. Especially since The Accidental Wedding Crashers and Week On A Cruise Ship were both box office hits.
Axel was approached by a reporter.
"Axel, we know you suffered such a tragedy when your son was abused by your ex-wife. What can you say about that?"
The male reporter didn't hold back, stabbing him in the painful spot like a predator circling its prey, waiting to feast on Axel's discomfort.
Fortunately, Collin and the PR agent had already prepared him for this kind of situation. Axel forced a bitter smile and laughed softly, his tone carrying both strength and weariness, a father trying to maintain dignity despite his wound being reopened in public.
"It was a terrible time. As a father, I couldn't sleep or eat. But I'm happy now that justice prevailed and I'm the one taking care of my son."
"That's wonderful to hear. So, about your son, he was treated poorly..."
Reporters kept pressing questions about his son, but Axel controlled his expression with discipline. He knew the reporter was waiting for a moment when he would break and lash out.
However, Axel understood the importance of this premiere. He couldn't afford to make a scene. His career was fragile, so he held back... He actually wanted to punch the reporter but clenched his fists in his pockets, forcing himself to be patient.
After a few minutes of keeping calm with a smile on his face, Axel excused himself as the premiere was about to begin.
He realized how heartless reporters could be. They didn't care if they offended people; they only wanted headlines, and the crueler the story, the better it sold.
[Author's Note: Thank you guys for all your support. You can read more on my Pat reon.]