Chapter 269: Long Time No See
Chapter 269: Long Time No See
“I’ll need a few months to wrap up my existing business,” Carolyn said with almost no hesitation. Just as Eric said, anyone could see Firefly’s current development potential. Between the owner of a small accounting firm and the CFO of a major company, any smart person knew which one to choose.
“Of course, that’s no problem,” Eric said. Several departments in the company were currently still being operated by Robert’s people, and Eric himself did not have suitable candidates, so he had not said anything. However, this also meant Eric had to pay closer attention to the company’s finances. Placing Carolyn Elliott, whom he was relatively familiar with, in this position was the best choice. As for Robert Shaye, Eric believed that as long as he was smart enough, he would not oppose this decision.
The two chatted for a while, then went to the conference room together after being notified by staff.
The meeting did not last long. The topics discussed were mainly Firefly and New Line’s finances, as well as the development plan for the next year. When Carolyn Elliott reported Firefly’s finances, Robert Shaye’s expression was quite vivid, because New Line had released six or seven films this year, including A Nightmare on Elm Street 5, but its total earnings were not even a fraction of the first Home Alone. Moreover, according to the prior agreement, although Robert Shaye owned fifteen percent of Firefly’s shares, he could only listen helplessly as Carolyn read out that long string of profit figures, unable to receive even a cent from them.
During the meeting, Eric also announced that Carolyn Elliott would be appointed as the company’s CFO. Although Robert Shaye could not hide his displeasure, he did not object.
The meeting lasted the entire afternoon. After it ended, Eric stopped Robert Shaye, who was about to leave, and asked, “Robert, how are the preparations going for the videotape release of An Affair to Remember?”
“I’ve ordered the first batch of 100,000 videotapes. Eric, do you really think An Affair to Remember can become a hot seller again because of Sleepless in Seattle?” Robert Shaye asked doubtfully.
Eric nodded firmly. “Of course. Robert, 100,000 tapes is too few. The first batch should be at least 300,000. Pay close attention to this matter.”
Robert Shaye shook his head like a rattle-drum. “Eric, that’s too risky. I think 100,000 is already plenty. Besides, that already cost 1 million. We’ll definitely have to spend more on promotion later. If the videotapes really sell well, we can just have the factory rush production afterward.”
“What if they can’t make them in time?” Eric asked back. “Robert, trust me. Produce 300,000 copies and distribute them. Tell the dealers they can sell first and pay later. We need to make sure every channel we can reach has An Affair to Remember videotapes available.”
“This…” Robert remained hesitant. In his view, for a film more than thirty years old, selling 100,000 copies after being stimulated by Sleepless in Seattle would already be excellent. Yet Eric wanted him to directly produce 300,000 copies and use that kind of sales method. To Robert, this was almost no different from throwing money into the water.
Eric thought for a moment, then said, “Robert, listen to me this time, alright? If it later proves I’m wrong, then for one year, I won’t interfere in any of the company’s operational matters.”
Hearing Eric say this, Robert immediately became tempted.
What he feared most was Eric pointing fingers at company operations. Because of age-based prejudice, Robert did not believe Eric had any talent in running a film company. He only felt Eric had gained his current wealth and status by succeeding with several consecutive films. Since that was the case, he should honestly go make movies instead of commenting on company operations. What left Robert helpless was that Eric owned eighty-five percent of the company’s shares.
With this promise from Eric, even if it was only verbal, Robert Shaye felt it was worth gambling. The cost of 300,000 videotapes was only 3 million dollars. Exchanging that for one year of “absolute control” over Firefly seemed very worthwhile to Robert.
“Alright, Eric. I’ll implement your plan as soon as possible.”
Eric watched Robert Shaye leave and smiled. He thought this method might be useful on an ongoing basis, using this kind of “bait” to drive Robert to act according to his will.
After tidying up, Eric left the office and prepared to drive home. Just as he stepped out of the office building, a brown-haired white woman in her thirties quickly walked over and stopped him.
Only after Eric stopped did the woman introduce herself eagerly. “Mr. Williams, I’m Sherisa Cody. Do you still remember me? We’ve met before.”
Eric had indeed almost forgotten Sherisa Cody, whom he had met once in New York. However, there was no way he would not recognize the man following behind the woman: Brad Pitt.
Compared with Sherisa Cody’s eagerness, Brad Pitt looked much more awkward. From the look of him, he had definitely opposed his agent’s decision to come looking for Eric directly.
“Hello, Ms. Cody. Long time no see.” Eric smiled and shook hands with her, finding the situation quite interesting. He originally thought he would never see Brad Pitt again after that incident.
Seeing that Eric remembered her, Sherisa Cody immediately smiled. It had to be said that this woman maintained herself very well. Eric could not even determine exactly how old she was.
“Mr. Williams, do you remember your invitation back then? I’ve already brought my team to UTA.”
Eric recalled it and remembered that there had indeed been such a thing. Back then, when he saw Sherisa bring Brad Pitt over personally to apologize, he felt this woman was very good at handling people, so he casually said something. However, after looking at the two people in front of him, Eric still asked, “When did this happen?”
“One… one week ago,” Sherisa answered. Seeing that Eric did not reveal any other expression, she quickly said, “Mr. Williams, may I invite you to dinner?”
Eric looked at Sherisa Cody, then glanced at Brad Pitt behind her, who was barely maintaining a polite smile. He quickly remembered why she had come to find him. “Ms. Cody, Mr. Pitt couldn’t have auditioned for the male lead of The X-Files, could he?”
Seeing that Eric had exposed the matter directly, Sherisa Cody smiled somewhat awkwardly, then said, “Mr. Williams, Brad auditioned this afternoon. Unfortunately, you happened not to be there this afternoon. So I came in person, hoping to speak with you.”
“Alright,” Eric said, glancing at Brad Pitt behind her. “Mr. Pitt, you don’t need to come. Go back and wait for news.”
Hearing this, Brad Pitt’s expression immediately turned somewhat ugly. Sherisa Cody realized Eric still disliked Brad, so she could only give the man behind her a look.
“Then… I’ll head back first,” Brad Pitt finally spoke. “Mr. Williams, good… goodbye.”
Eric merely nodded faintly toward him. After Brad Pitt drove away alone, Eric opened his car door and said to Sherisa Cody, “Ms. Cody, please get in.”
“Oh, thank you.” The woman quickly climbed into the passenger seat.
At a restaurant, after ordering, Sherisa Cody immediately said impatiently, “Mr. Williams, Pitt’s acting is actually very good. If you don’t believe me, you can look at the audition tape he recorded for The X-Files. He just hasn’t had any good opportunities.”
Of course Eric knew Brad Pitt was a good actor. The performance awards and nominations he received were even more numerous than Tom Cruise’s. However, so what? Hollywood had countless people with excellent acting skills who never managed to make it. There were only so many opportunities.
However, looking at the woman in front of him, a playful smile appeared at the corner of Eric’s mouth. “Ms. Cody, is Brad Pitt the only actor under you?”
Sherisa Cody did not know why Eric suddenly asked this, but she still shook her head. “No, there are four or five others.”
Eric shrugged. “Oh. Then you’re really good to Brad.”
Sherisa Cody’s face immediately flushed slightly. Of course she understood the implication behind Eric’s words. However, the little affairs between agents and the actors under them were really nothing difficult to speak of. She had even heard of a music producer in his forties or fifties personally raising a twelve-year-old girl, making her famous, and training her into his own wife. That girl seemed to be called Celine something.
After adjusting her mindset, Sherisa Cody’s tone carried a faint plea. “Mr. Williams, can you give Pitt a chance? He definitely won’t disappoint you.”
Eric looked at the woman in front of him while his mind quickly calculated.
With this hardworking agent helping Brad Pitt maneuver, although Pitt was already twenty-six, male actors—especially handsome male actors—had a fairly long shelf life. Brad Pitt would very likely still break through in Hollywood sooner or later. That was something Eric very much did not want to see.
Since that was the case, giving Brad Pitt the male lead role in The X-Files would only bring him disadvantages, not benefits. Because The X-Files, like Friends, was a television series with extremely fixed character images. After acting in it for eight or ten seasons, it would be nearly impossible for the actors to change their screen image, and the possibility of returning to the big screen would become even slimmer.
In his previous life, among the six main actors of Friends, only Aniston successfully transitioned to the big screen. And the price Aniston paid was enormous. In order to transition to film and prevent audiences from associating her with “Rachel Green,” many of the roles Aniston accepted were extremely image-breaking.
Although he had already made a decision, Eric was still fairly “kind.” After thinking for a while, he directly reminded Sherisa Cody, “Ms. Cody, you need to think this through. Once Mr. Pitt takes the male lead role in The X-Files, his screen image is very likely to become fixed. It will be extremely difficult to transform in the future, because the male lead of this television series will have to sign a contract for at least five seasons.”