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"Everything else is up to you. I only want Tim Robbins to play the male lead, Andy, Morgan Freeman to play the first male supporting role, Red, and Bob Gunton to play the second male supporting role, Prison Warden Norton. That's it. Is there any problem?" Adrian, sitting at the head of the conference room, said this after flipping through the folder in front of him.
The department heads in the conference room looked at each other but said nothing. A few minutes later, the manager of the planning department nodded, "Understood, Mr. Adrian, we will do our best..."
"I don't need the best effort, I need certainty, understand?" Adrian interrupted him.
"Yes, sir, we will be certain." The manager immediately corrected himself.
"That's all. Laverne, stay. The rest can leave." Adrian gestured.
After all the department heads left the conference room, Adrian looked at Laverne, who was sitting to his left, "Do you have something to say to me, Laver?"
"Yes, some things about recent investments, but I think you'll stick to your opinion, won't you?" Laverne shrugged, clearly accustomed to Adrian's way of doing things.
"You are my general manager, Laver, so just speak freely. I'm happy to address any questions you have. It's beneficial for us." Adrian said unhurriedly.
"Understood," Laverne nodded, "I think the company is currently engaged in too many projects simultaneously, and the investment amounts are a bit too large. This is too risky, with a slight carelessness leading to serious losses. Although I know you have sufficient funds, losses are never a good thing."
"So, what do you intend to do?" Adrian looked at him noncommittally.
"What else can I do? You are the boss, and you've made the decision," Laverne sighed, "I only hope the box office for 'Memento' can be a bit higher, and the preparation time for 'Jurassic Park' can be a bit later."
Adrian laughed; he detected a hint of complaint in Laverne's words, "Alright, don't worry, Laverne. Although the mid-term box office for 'Memento' isn't great, it's currently on the rise. As we previously estimated, it won't be much different from 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.' Once 'Terminator 2' is released in July, the initial investment of $10 million can gradually be reclaimed. By then, Steven's side will definitely have finished his work, so 'Jurassic Park' will begin preparing no later than August or September. By then, my 'The Shawshank Redemption' will almost be completed. Just right, isn't it?"
"All you said depends on everything going smoothly, Ed." Laverne straightforwardly said, "Especially 'Terminator 2's box office. You never seem to consider that it might make a loss. Yes, I admit 'The Terminator' groomed many fans, and I also believe James Cameron can make the sequel better than the first, but the total investment of $110 million is truly too large. Even if the box office is good, we can only just about break even at most."
"What if the global box office exceeds $400 million?" Adrian asked casually.
Laverne paused, then smiled bitterly without saying anything more. If the global box office really reached $400 million, the company could naturally earn a lot, but how many films could achieve such a high box office in the global market? Moreover, if the overseas market takes the lead, the distribution will be bigger, and whether they can break even will still be a question.
"I know you might not believe it, Laver, but I never doubt my vision." Adrian spread his hands. If it weren't for worrying about certain issues, he would have said $500 million instead of nearly $400 million just now.
"I'm optimistic about James Cameron. I'm certain he will bring us hundreds of times the benefits in the future." Adrian confidently declared, but it didn't erase the wry smile on Laverne's mouth.
After pondering a few minutes, Laverne suddenly changed the subject, "Previously, I had asked you to acquire adaptation rights for a foreign film and two novels. Now, how is it going?"
"Um..." Although not understanding why Adrian brought this up, Laverne thought for a moment before answering, "There won't be any problems with Italy. Cambridge University's KCL hasn't replied yet, but there shouldn't be too much trouble. The main issue is with Mrs. Anne Rice, who seems unwilling to let us handle her novel."
"Do you have any suggestions?" Adrian inquired.
"You know, women tend to be more emotional than men," Laverne pondered, "So waiting to persuade her after 'The Shawshank Redemption' is released may increase the chances of success. Of course, if you need it urgently, I am 80% sure we can acquire it, but the cost might be a little higher."
"You are truly outstanding, Laver," Adrian clapped, "Honestly, I never expected you to secure 'The Shawshank Redemption' from Stephen King so quickly; it's remarkable."
"Thank you, but I assume that isn't the only reason you're saying this." Laverne's face clearly had a questioning look.
"Let's put it this way, Laver. 'The Shawshank Redemption' will be my ticket to next year's Oscars, and in that year, I will make three films—not necessarily these three. That robbery I encountered in the restaurant gave me a great idea. In any case, by the Oscars the year after next, I will be escorting a Best Actor and a Best Actress to the stage, along with myself receiving a Best Director nomination." Adrian's tone was filled with a sense of invincibility, "I can assure you of the movie's quality and actors' performances, so the rest..."
Though stopping here, how could Laverne not know what the rest of the sentence meant? His breathing suddenly became somewhat rapid, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, looking at Adrian with an indescribable gaze.
"I never act in vain. Every step I take considers countless steps ahead, with my sights set on the future. I believe in my vision." Adrian clasped his hands together as a footnote to his explanation. Of course, the last sentence was his main point, "Terminator 2 will prove this."
Laverne remained silent for a few minutes before finally nodding, "I understand."
"No, you don't understand." Adrian's piercing eyes focused on him, "What I truly want to tell you is that I am very confident and have foresight, but no matter what, I am only human. I might see more than others, but it doesn't mean I can see everything. So, if you think you have something to say, you must speak up. You might just point out something I haven't noticed. That's my trust in you."
Laverne, somewhat dazed, finally reacted, took a deep breath, and showed a serious expression, "Yes, I understand. Whether you listen or not, I will speak my mind."
Adrian smiled slightly, "Let's call it a day, then. By the way, once Claude completes the integration, you'll be Bossworth Film Company's CEO, and this seat will be yours too."
As he spoke, he patted the chair beneath him and jokingly added, "Even I will have to heed your words."
Had this happened a few minutes earlier, Laverne might have been slightly excited, but now he merely acknowledged it, indicating that he understood.
"By the way, Ed," as he prepared to get up and leave, something suddenly crossed his mind, "those two journalists who called wanting to interview you, how should we respond to them?"
"This... let's politely decline; I'm about to get busy with a new movie anyway." Adrian thought for a moment before providing this response, "I'm not some big star—let's save it for another opportunity."
Actually, Adrian didn't mind giving interviews, although he preferred working behind the scenes. Yet since he chose to quickly accumulate fame and prestige, it was inevitable to attract attention. But now wasn't the right time. The reporters looking for him were from small to medium-sized media outlets who, having failed to get star news, turned to him—a newcomer director who produced two hit films in a year—out of curiosity, hoping to catch some eyeballs. He had no need to deal with them.
A director behind the scenes inherently doesn't compare with stars in the spotlight, but in no more than two years, major TV stations will vie to invite him for exclusive interviews. Adrian shrugged slightly in his mind. Speaking of which, he ought to have an agent; Claude sure was taking his time.
Despite his grumbling, Adrian didn't really take it to heart. Claude had performed excellently. Within just half a month, he'd acquired a struggling publishing company and quickly handed over the first revised version of the 'Resident Evil' novel for proofreading and editing.
Frankly speaking, it was nicely done. The somewhat washed-up, second-rate writer, whose writing style wasn't bad and who liked writing suspense novels, surprisingly burst with immense enthusiasm when informed of gaining recognition on the book and receiving royalties. He diligently helped patch plot holes in the novel and went through tons of resources to make the T-virus composition more authentic. Although it still only qualified as a top-tier second-rate popular novel, it was enough to entice travelers to buy a copy before boarding a plane—and as for whether it'd be collected or thrown into a trash bin after landing, he didn't care. After offering some suggestions, Adrian contemplated whether to let the same person handle revisions for the other two books as well.
Negotiations were ongoing for the talent agency, and although the agency of choice was of medium scale and fairly profitable, securing it posed no problem. Adrian even discovered several familiar names among the agency's actors, directors, and producers' roster—not to mention Claude's exceptional work.
Entrusting tasks to trustworthy professionals without meddling personally was a principle Adrian adhered to constantly. This was one of the reasons he said so much to Laverne, emphasizing the word 'trust' repeatedly.
(Writing these chapters wasn't easy, so quality is a bit off. Please bear with me—I'm trying to improve.)
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