Behind The Spotlight Chapter 205
Axel Gunner's team was in a private room inside the Uni-versus Pictures building, discussing the remaining clauses of the contract to make everything clear and explicit, eliminating vague interpretations and preventing future misunderstandings.
Basically, the contract focused on several core areas:
Payment Terms. Axel would receive $5 million upfront at the start of production, transferred immediately after signing, followed by another $5 million once production was completed. On top of that, he would receive a 5% North American box office share, without any crossing mark clauses such as requiring the film to exceed $100 million at the box office.
Contract Duration. For this movie, Axel was required to work for 5 to 6 months, depending on the production flow. His shooting days were not finalized and allowed flexible scheduling.
Exclusivity Clause. Axel was not allowed to change his hairstyle or appearance within a specific period to maintain character consistency. His public appearances had to follow the production studio's guidelines. His behavior and reputation also had to be maintained during the agreed period to protect the film's image.
Confidentiality and Non-disclosure Agreement. Nothing much to discuss here, as this was standard industry practice. If any information leaks occurred, the guilty party would be required to pay damages and face legal consequences.
Work Conditions and Safety. Axel did not request extravagant perks such as a personal feeder or birthday cakes. However, he was firm about his rule of working only six hours per day… and yes, he had the status to demand that.
The contract itself was thick, consisting of at least sixty pages filled with detailed clauses that covered nearly every possible scenario. The lawyers meticulously reviewed each page line by line.
After everything was finalized and Axel's team confirmed that the contract was safe, the actor signed the document.
Collin was present the entire time, but he let the professionals handle their work.
'…They earn 2% commissions plus salaries while only working for a few hours.'
Collin admitted that their jobs required skill and years of experience, but earning that much money so quickly still surprised him.
Once the deal was complete, the representative from Uni-versus Pictures shook hands with Axel, formally sealing the agreement.
"Mr. Gunner, three days from now, we will host an official contract signing in front of the media for publicity purposes, with guaranteed press coverage. Please be present at that time."
"I will."
As a disciplined actor with a strong work ethic, Axel followed the rules most of the time. Of course, he would attend the public signing. They were talking about millions of dollars, after all.
In the other room, Brody Paige's team also reached an agreement. The actor was satisfied with what Arnold had negotiated for him. A $10 million salary plus a 5% North American box office share matched his status perfectly.
With that, Axel and Brody officially became part of the sequel to Week On A Cruise Ship, titled Week On An Island.
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Now that Collin's work regarding Axel's salary was complete, it was time to move on to his next task without delay. He was no longer needed for Axel's day-to-day work, as Axel would handle most responsibilities himself as an actor.
In fact, Collin sometimes felt bored attending film sets, because all he usually did was watch the acting and occasionally ask his client how things were going.
Collin followed protocol and checked in with the CEO's secretary first.
"I'm Collin East. I have a meeting with CEO Lila Seraphina. Please check your computer," Collin said to the secretary, whose name he had forgotten. He didn't bother looking at the nameplate on her desk.
After confirming the appointment, the secretary nodded and led him inside. She had seen Collin visit the CEO's office several times before and recognized him, though she still wondered why someone as attractive as him chose to be a talent agent instead of an actor or model.
"Ma'am, Mr. East is here."
"Let him in."
Collin entered the office and found Lila signing documents. No matter how many times he met her, he had to admit that she was gorgeous. Occasionally, he wondered if she had a boyfriend.
"Bring us tea and cookies. What about you, Collin?" Lila asked casually.
"I prefer coffee."
The secretary bowed slightly and prepared the drinks.
Lila wiped her glasses before putting them back on, then tucked her wolf-cut hair behind her ear as she sat across from Collin, a small tea table between them.
"So, I assume you have something to discuss."
Collin had requested the meeting the day before, and Lila adjusted her schedule to make time for him.
"I heard that our agency is responsible for producing a show for Nation TV. Is that true?" he asked.
Lila raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Where did you hear that?"
The negotiation was already near completion, with only minor details left to finalize. It was a package deal designed for efficiency. Nation TV would pay ANT, and the agency would create a TV show for them. The current morning show had low ratings and failed to meet their expectations, prompting them to seek a replacement.
Nation TV preferred a package deal because it saved time and resources. They wouldn't need to find the cast, director, cinematographer, or production crew individually. Of course, the copyright would belong entirely to Nation TV.
"Never mind. I think I know where you got the information," Lila added.
Cumcast was a powerful media conglomerate with massive influence. It owned Uni-versus Pictures, which explained the studio's dominance in Hollywood.
At the same time, Cumcast also owned Nation TV, a nationwide television channel.
Cumcast controlled film studios, TV networks, newspapers, magazines, billboards, radio stations, and more. In many ways, it could influence what information the public consumed, a frightening amount of power if left unchecked.
Lila knew about Collin and Arnold's negotiation with Noah Nash. From that, she deduced that Noah had shared information about Nation TV's upcoming show. She was mildly surprised that Noah had been generous enough to do so.
"I won't hide it from you. It's true. ANT and Nation TV are going to produce a show. It's a morning talk show."
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