Behind The Spotlight Chapter 247
"Just like I said, please give me some space to breathe," Quincy Jennings said to Paul Kim, who was sticking close to him. The two were drinking alcohol. Paul just shrugged and ignored him, sipping his cocktail.
Like them, Collin was also taking his time drinking. He sat back and leaned against the soft chair leisurely, allowing himself a rare moment of relaxation after closing a great deal.
They were in a private karaoke room, celebrating the huge deal they had closed today. Beatrice Yarrow was singing a song, while Ian Rivers was simply there for the free drinks and food, courtesy of ANT's company card.
Collin created this team a few years ago when Wyatt Bray successfully released a box office hit titled The Accidental Wedding Crashers. The team was formed to help his clients in various ways.
Collin East was responsible for representing his clients in negotiations, earning the largest share of the commission.
Quincy Jennings was the lawyer who handled contracts and ensured they were safe for the clients to sign.
Paul Kim was from ANT's PR team. He helped maintain the clients' public image and had numerous connections with news stations and newspaper publishers.
Beatrice Yarrow was the accountant. She handled the finances.
Then there was Ian Rivers... the literary agent, responsible for assisting clients with scriptwriting.
"I feel like I'm the only useless one here. Even the new members are more valuable than me," Ian sighed as he drank his beer. He was invited because he was part of the team, even though he wasn't directly involved in Lawrence's negotiation.
Ian had only worked with two clients so far, Wyatt and Jennifer. He helped Wyatt with scriptwriting and assisted Jennifer with reviewing scripts for her TV show.
"Don't be dramatic. We all know your two clients are doing great this year," Beatrice teased.
Ian was part of the team, but he also had his own clients. Two of them were novel authors who earned solid royalties from publishers. One of his authors' novel series even received a movie adaptation, and Ian represented the author, earning a commission.
To clarify, some agents on the team had their own clients. Only people like Quincy, Beatrice, and Paul didn't, as they specialized in specific fields.
These five were the original members of the team, and later, two more people were added to support the clients' needs.
Andy and Sally.
Sally was a talent agent and also a nutritionist. Since Axel had finished Week On An Island, 123 Production and Metro Gold Mayer started the second film of the Jason Born franchise. Naturally, Axel needed a nutritionist to maintain his diet and physique.
Andy was also a talent agent, but within the team, he worked as a physical trainer. He helped both Axel and Wyatt with their training.
There were also others involved, such as makeup artists and fashion designers for their respective clients.
The reason for the celebration was simple, ANT was feeling generous today. The profit from the Blackstone Corporation negotiation made the company happy, and CEO Lila Seraphina allowed them to use the company card to celebrate.
She also personally called Collin and told him to relax and have fun. That was likely one of the main reasons for the gathering, Lila was worried that Collin was overworking.
Those directly involved in the negotiation, like Collin, Quincy, and Beatrice, earned substantial bonuses, while the others received a few thousand dollars.
Andy grabbed the microphone and started singing while the others cheered.
"Paul, I need some space," Quincy said seriously.
Paul smirked and stared at him.
"Oh, so now you want space? That's not what you said last night when you fucked me in the ass."
Collin almost spat out his drink when he heard that. Despite that, the party atmosphere remained lively, especially with everyone receiving bonuses.
...
...
...
"Here's what the last negotiation reached: $15 million salary plus 10% of the North American box office," Collin said over the phone, updating Axel.
"If you're satisfied, we can sign the contract. If not, I can go back and negotiate further."
"Collin, that's already huge. Metro Gold Mayer might go crazy if we ask for more. That's already good for me," Axel replied.
"It seems I have to remind you, you're the star of this franchise. The face of the movie. You are Jason Born. Metro Gold Mayer doesn't have a choice but to agree to our terms as long as you're willing," Collin emphasized.
Indeed, the franchise would struggle without its main character.
"...Then if you think we can ask for more, I'd be happy with that."
Axel was already preparing for the film, and the only thing left unresolved was his salary.
Collin's job as a talent agent was to deal with the production studio while the client focused on their work. In a way, he absorbed all the tension from negotiations, allowing actors to maintain good relationships with producers.
As for talent agents like him, they were often the most disliked people in the eyes of production studios. People like Collin were seen as parasites or mosquitoes that drained their targets dry.
To succeed in this job, Collin had to be shameless. He knew his next demand would be outrageous, but it had to be done.
"Okay, I'll contact you later."
Collin ended the call and returned to the office, where the producer from Metro Gold Mayer was visibly furious.
"$30 million salary plus 20% of the worldwide box office," Collin stated calmly.
"Why don't you just throw yourself off the balcony?"
"Axel Gunner deserves that amount. Haven't you seen his latest movie? His performance is compelling."
[Thank you guys for reading this novel. I appreciate it a lot.]