Cassius and Lee Su-yeon were quite satisfied with their Hanwoo beef meal.
The girl had an astonishing appetite!
While stuffing her mouth with perfectly marbled pork belly, she chattered non-stop, analyzing his facial expressions in the scene they just shot like a top student from the directing department.
When paying the bill, Cassius winced a little at the amount, but the thought of the six-figure balance in his account made him straighten his back.
What's money for if not to be spent!
Back in Beverly Hills, Kristen hadn't returned yet. Emma sent a message saying she had a dinner party to attend.
Cassius was happy to have some peace and quiet.
He took a shower and was just about to study the scripts Rob had sent when his phone rang.
The caller ID showed Rob.
"Hey, Rob."
"Cass! The Thor audition has been moved up!"
Rob's voice was laced with excitement. "Originally scheduled for the week after next, now it's in three days!"
Cassius's heart tightened, but he also felt a pang of anticipation. "So soon? What happened?"
"Not sure. Maybe a scheduling adjustment, or changes with other candidates. It's Hollywood; plans never keep up with changes."
Rob spoke quickly.
"This is a good thing. Saves you from being anxious for too long. And this gives me the perfect reason to talk to you about some serious business!"
"Serious business?"
"Yes, an agency contract."
Rob's tone became more formal.
"Before, we had a verbal agreement. I helped you make connections, and you paid a referral fee according to industry standards!"
"But things are different now! Your traffic is up, and you have name recognition!"
He paused, then continued:
"I'm getting more and more inquiries for you, and the level is higher too. We need a formal, guaranteed partnership. I need a legitimate identity to negotiate for you, to fight for better terms and pay!"
"We can't rely on favors and verbal agreements forever. That's unprofessional and prone to problems."
Cassius walked to the window, looking at the heavy night outside.
Rob had a point.
Before, he was small fry. Rob helped him out casually and took a finder's fee; everyone was happy.
Now that he had one foot in the door, he really needed a professional agent to manage his affairs and mitigate risks.
"What do you propose?" Cassius asked.
"Standard SAG-AFTRA agency contract template. I can send it to you."
Rob was direct.
"Industry standard commission is 10%. I can give you a better rate for a newcomer—8% initially. Once your pay reaches a certain level, we can adjust back to 10%!"
"Let's sign for one year first. If we work well together, we renew! I'll mainly be responsible for your film and TV project liaising, contract negotiations, and career planning advice."
The terms sounded very sincere.
10% was the industry standard. Rob voluntarily lowering it to 8% was doing him a huge favor.
A one-year contract wasn't long, offering flexibility to advance or retreat.
"I need to look at the details of the contract."
Cassius didn't agree immediately.
Favorability was one thing; business was business.
"Of course! I'll email the contract right away. Have a lawyer look at it!"
Rob was straightforward. "But Cass, you need to decide fast!"
"The Thor audition is imminent. I need to communicate with the Marvel casting department as your official agent as soon as possible to understand the specific audition requirements, and maybe even get you better audition sides!"
"Without a proper title, it's hard to say a lot of things!"
He understood Rob's point. Time waited for no one.
"I'll give you an answer tomorrow!"
"OK, as soon as possible. And get ready for the audition being moved up. Director Branagh is personally interested, so competition will be fierce."
Rob added a few more reminders before hanging up.
Cassius put down his phone and opened his computer. Rob's email was already in his inbox.
The attachment was the agency contract.
He downloaded it and skimmed through it. The terms seemed standard, highlighting Rob's promised 8% commission and the one-year term.
But he wasn't a law major, so he couldn't spot nuanced wording or potential risks.
Wait for Kristen to come back and ask her to find someone to look at it!
He forwarded the contract to Emma's email.
After handling this, he calmed down and started researching the known information about Thor.
Fandral the Dashing, of the Warriors Three...
Agile, swordsmanship, aristocratic air, a touch of humor!
He recalled Director Branagh's description and searched online for comic images and scattered information.
His brain started ticking, figuring out how to play an Asgardian warrior.
Relying solely on the physical attributes like [Force] and [Control] he picked up before probably wouldn't be enough!
He needed to find an opportunity to get some fencing or similar training!
Just as he was staring blankly at a few blurry comic character images he found online, Kristen returned.
Bringing with her the scent of alcohol and perfume, she kicked off her high heels, walked over barefoot, and hugged Cassius from behind as he sat at the computer, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"What are you looking at? So focused."
Her voice sounded a bit tired, but her tone was relaxed.
"Looking at Thor info. The audition got moved up!"
Cassius tilted his head and nuzzled her cheek.
"Whoa, good news or bad news?"
"Hard to say. Time's a bit tight."
Cassius answered honestly.
Kristen looked at the Asgardian warrior on the computer screen and raised an eyebrow.
"You fit Fandral's image pretty well! Don't worry. Since Director Branagh invited you personally, it means he likes you. Just be well-prepared."
She straightened up and stretched.
"Need me to run lines with you? Although I don't know the specific audition content."
"Let's wait until I get the specific sides!"
Cassius closed his laptop. "Rob contacted me just now about a formal agency contract."
Kristen walked to the mini-bar to pour herself some water. Hearing this, she nodded.
"About time! Rob's a good guy. He has wide connections in the AD circle, so his transition to agent seems smooth."
"What are the terms?"
"8% commission, one-year contract."
"8%?"
Kristen raised an eyebrow.
"Not bad. He's really investing in the future! My first agent took 10% without blinking an eye!"
She took a sip of water. "Get a lawyer to look at the contract. If it's fine, sign it. Having an agent versus not having one gets you treated completely differently in Hollywood!"
Seems everyone thought so!
Cassius took the opportunity to tell Kristen that he had already sent the contract to Emma!
Kristen rewarded him with a kiss.
Clearly, Cassius's trust moved her!
Early the next morning.
Cassius received a reply from Emma.
The attachment included an annotated version of the contract, explaining a few clauses to watch out for, but overall concluding that the contract was very favorable to a newcomer and the risks were controllable.
After reading the analysis, Cassius felt reassured.
He called Rob.
"Rob, I've looked at the contract. No problem!"
On the other end, Rob clearly sighed in relief, his tone even more enthusiastic.
"Great! Cass, trust me, this is a win-win!"
"I'll print out the official version immediately. Let's sign it ASAP, and then I'll officially contact the Thor casting department as your agent!"
"Okay!"
"There are a few scripts I think are good. Once you sign, we can chat in detail. There's also an inquiry for an ad endorsement. Not a big brand, but the offer is decent. It can help maintain your exposure."
"You arrange it!"
Cassius was confident in Rob's professional ability now.
Hanging up, Cassius looked out the window.
The sunlight was perfect!
Signing the agency contract meant he was truly putting his name on the map in this industry!