Renly didn't enjoy such occasions.
If he was enthusiastic about socializing like this, he could have stayed in London where different styles of parties and gatherings awaited him each week. Arthur could even take him to various clubs every night, attending themed parties that changed every month.
Compared to events like this, he was more willing to go to the cinema and watch a movie, even if it was a terribly bad one. Or he would stand on the street and chat with other audience members, sharing his profound or simple opinions on movies.
However, Andy was currently overwhelmed with tasks in Los Angeles, and Nathan's rank and abilities didn't meet the requirements. Renly could only appear in person.
Now, Renly finally understood why top actors would have a manager, a publicist, an assistant, and even a handler. Because each role had its corresponding responsibilities.
The so-called handler was distinctly different from a manager. Almost every artist had an agent, with the difference being mainly in their status. An agent might manage multiple artists simultaneously, handling their career planning and work arrangements. But only top-tier artists would have a handler.
A handler was exclusive to an artist, responsible for everything around them. For instance, they needed to communicate with the agent. Scripts submitted by agents would first pass through the handler's hands, who would then inform the artist of the script's outline and profile. The artist would then decide whether to read the script in detail. Sometimes, if the artist was too lazy, they might not read the script at all and just follow the handler's advice on whether to take on the project.
Additionally, the handler needed to allocate tasks around the artist, delegate tasks to the assistant, communicate with sponsors, stylists, bodyguards, PR personnel, and more, arrange the artist's vacations and work schedule. Essentially, acting as a personal butler.
According to industry norms, agents could only take a commission, capped at ten percent. However, handlers could not only take a commission but also receive a percentage of project earnings.
For example, if Harvey Weinstein wanted to secure the North American distribution rights for "Like Crazy", and Renly had entrusted the work to his handler. If Harvey was willing to privately offer the handler a share without affecting the artist's own interests, the handler would readily agree, and the matter would be settled.
Thus, handlers were generally played by the people closest to and most trusted by the artists. Tom Cruise's handler was his sister.
If Renly had a handler right now, he could just delegate negotiations to them. To be precise, a handler was more suited for such work than an agent. But the problem was, he didn't have one.
However, disliking something didn't mean he wasn't skilled at it.
Facing Harvey's flattery, Renly showed a humble smile, "Thank you. I've always thought that being young in Hollywood is a derogatory term. Today, I finally feel a bit more relieved."
Harvey arched an eyebrow slightly, the subtle thorn in his nonchalant response was unexpected. However, having weathered countless storms, Harvey wasn't about to be rattled by the provocative confidence of youth. Instead, he casually took a seat, crossing his legs and resting his hands loosely on the arms of the chair, fully adopting a godfather-like demeanor.
"Indeed, sometimes, youth can carry a negative connotation," Harvey played his cards unconventionally, continuing along Renly's line of conversation, "but change the context, and it might become synonymous with making history. For example, the youngest Oscar Best Actor in film history."
Drake's eyes immediately lit up. His round, wide eyes seemed like they might burst at any moment.
A 21-year-old Renly as an Oscar Best Actor? Wasn't this... a bit too crazy? Even the youngest Oscar Best Actress had won at the age of 21 years and 218 days. In other words, she was even older than Renly was now.
Drake's expression turned somewhat comical. He gave Harvey an incredulous look, then shifted his gaze to Renly, almost unable to believe his own ears. He strongly suspected he must have misheard something.
Seeing Drake's candid expression, Renly burst into laughter without reservation. Youthful exuberance and a carefree spirit brimmed in his eyes. "I guess everyone wants to be an Einstein, but there's only one Einstein. There's a reason for that."
Harvey's pupils slightly narrowed. He couldn't quite figure out whether Renly was genuinely naive or simply feigning ignorance. Was his statement earlier a genuine exclamation or a genuine sarcasm?
He had a feeling that Renly had an ulterior motive behind his words. Twice in a row, Renly had deftly sidestepped his intentions, and he didn't employ either soft or hard tactics. Was this merely coincidental, or was it his own misjudgment? After all, Renly was just 21 years old.
Twenty-one-year-olds, as a rule, were wild with excitement about finally being allowed to drink alcohol. They spent their days in bars, behaving like a bunch of perpetual children. How could they possibly be so composed? Was he just being overly sensitive?
"Ha-ha, actors really do have unique thoughts. I suppose that's why I'll never be an actor." Harvey smoothly changed the subject, not making a big deal out of it. Then he looked at Drake and smiled, "However, through this collaboration, you must have gained a thorough understanding of Renly's thoughts, right? After all, you've jointly created a splendid masterpiece."
"Thank you," Drake chuckled, scratching his head. He seemed a bit embarrassed, a bit humble, and yet, happy at the same time. "But during the collaboration, we often exchanged ideas. Renly's understanding of the script and his role really surprised me. The finished product of the movie has strayed far from my initial concept."
Harvey's gaze returned to Renly. It was normal for a director to heap praises upon an actor, but Drake's tone and words seemed to hold an exceptional admiration for Renly. This brought Harvey's thoughts back to the past few months, when professionals had showered Renly with praise. Could it be that Renly truly was a prodigious actor?
However, this thought lingered only momentarily in Harvey's mind. So what if he was a prodigy? Real life wasn't always a matter of skill prevailing. Otherwise, society wouldn't be filled with so many complaints of "unfairness". Hollywood wasn't short on prodigies.
"I don't know what the initial version was like, but I like what I'm seeing now," Harvey's thoughts were churning, but his speech flowed rhythmically without a pause, "to be precise, I'm mad for it."
Praise flowed endlessly, and after all, it didn't cost a penny or any trouble. "Bob also really likes it. After we left the theater, he kept saying to me, 'This is a masterpiece, this is a masterpiece.'" Harvey could see the youthfulness in Drake's face, and he knew that he was dealing with a rookie, someone steady and sure in their mood. "Our company is more than willing to handle the North American distribution of "Like Crazy"."
After saying this, he paused briefly for half a second, then Harvey added, "If I have the honor, that is."
Seeing the excitement and fervor in Drake's eyes, Harvey knew that it was a done deal.
The name "Weinstein" undeniably held great allure for independent films. Only Focus Features and Fox Searchlight could rival The Weinstein Company in the industry. However, what set the Weinstein brothers apart was their audacity and unpredictability. They often made choices that defied expectations, making them more appealing to lesser-known independent filmmakers.
In Harvey's eyes, "Like Crazy" wouldn't have stirred up such a commotion if not for Renly's impact. Apart from the Weinstein brothers, neither Focus Features nor Fox Searchlight would be interested. Perhaps Sony Pictures Classics might be, but their competitiveness was weak.
It was akin to last year's "Blue Valentine," for which The Weinstein Company had almost no competition and easily secured the North American distribution rights. "Blue Valentine" even had Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, making it on a slightly larger scale compared to "Like Crazy".
Harvey had the upper hand.
"Of course, no problem!" Harvey's reply elicited a broad smile. The negotiation had reached an agreement without requiring too much effort. Such a deal was truly advantageous. The next steps would involve handling the details.
"Are all the rights to the work's distribution, television broadcast, and DVD release in your hands now?" Harvey glanced at Renly out of the corner of his eye, finding that Renly didn't intend to speak up at all. Harvey couldn't help but smile softly to himself. He had indeed overthought it. Their brief exchange of verbal jabs earlier was just the impulsive outburst of a young person.
"Um..." Drake hesitated for a moment and subconsciously looked at Renly. His eyes were filled with confusion. After receiving Renly's affirmative gesture, he nodded. "Yes."
Although he had already directed two films before, his first work hadn't been distributed at all and had gone directly to the video market. Last year's "Douchebag" had sold its distribution rights, but it had only screened in fewer than fifty art theaters. So, he had limited understanding of the various aspects and details of distribution.
That was one of the reasons he insisted on having Renly accompany him.
Harvey noticed the details of their eye exchange but didn't think much of it. He cut to the chase, saying, "So, $1.5M, and we complete the delivery of all the rights in one go. We can exchange agreements today, have them reviewed by lawyers, sign the agreements tomorrow, and then I'll start preparing for the North American distribution of the film."
$1.5M, Drake felt a bit overwhelmed—not because the price was too low, but because it was too high, far beyond his imagination.
The film's budget was only $250,000. Moreover, they were in Sundance, where the prices for independent works generally remained below $3M. Now, Harvey had abruptly offered a price of $1.5M, and its impact was undeniably massive. Drake felt like his brain was struggling to catch up for a moment.
Harvey sensed Drake's expression and grew even more composed and nonchalant. "Currently, my idea is to have the film released in October. Of course, we'll participate in some film festivals before that and see how the critics respond. If everything goes smoothly, during the awards season, you'll be able to see us."
Us. Harvey used "us", not "you guys" or "Like Crazy". In this quiet, unassuming moment, he had already declared his ownership over the film.