Within just an hour, Renly and Drake found themselves back in the same hotel room, paying a visit to another giant of the independent film world.
If the Weinstein brothers were born for Oscars, with their works having a single target: the golden statuette, then Focus Features and Fox Searchlight were born for independent films. Both these companies were part of top-tier major studios, but as independent labels, they specialized in the independent film domain.
The goals of these labels weren't Oscars, but rather to continuously unearth more potentially successful works and industry professionals from the independent film industry. In simpler terms, it was brand impact, creating an irreplaceable reputation for their parent companies that couldn't be measured in money. The Oscars were merely a byproduct.
Fox Searchlight's style was relatively more fresh and warm, with a mainstream focus on healing narratives. All of Wes Anderson's works were distributed by them. Aside from that, they were also responsible for distributing and operating works like "(500) Days of Summer", "127 Hours", "Slumdog Millionaire", "Juno", and "Little Miss Sunshine". Although occasionally darker works like "Black Swan" and "Shame" appeared, they were still in the minority.
Rumor had it that at this year's Sundance, Fox Searchlight was pursuing "Another Earth" and "Martha Marcy May Marlene".
In comparison, Focus Features had a more eclectic style, often making unexpected choices. Their distribution history included traditional independent films like "The Motorcycle Diaries", "Into the Wild", and "Atonement", as well as challenging works like "Brokeback Mountain", "Eastern Promises", and "The Boat That Rocked". Of course, there was also Renly's first major screen work, "Buried".
However, both Fox Searchlight and Focus Features employed more formal and traditional marketing methods, described more colloquially as straightforward and based on sheer competence. In contrast, the Weinstein brothers pursued victory by any means necessary, even if it meant getting their hands dirty.
Some real-life cases illustrated this point. In 2005, Focus Features' "Brokeback Mountain" lost to Lionsgate's "Crash", and in 2007, Focus Features' "Atonement" lost to Miramax's "No Country for Old Men".
Miramax was founded by the Weinstein brothers, later merging with Disney. However, in 2005, the brothers had a falling out with Disney and left the company to strike out on their own.
Standing at the hotel room door, Drake nervously adjusted his tie and then turned to Renly, anxiously inquiring, "How do I look? Do I appear formal enough?" Although this wasn't their first time, Drake's nervousness hadn't lessened much.
"You remind me of a waiter in a restaurant," Renly replied seriously, causing Drake to nod in satisfaction. He then raised his hand and knocked on the door.
In about fifteen seconds, the room door swung open, revealing a middle-aged man of around forty. A friendly smile adorned his face, conveying a welcoming demeanor.
His bald head glistened in the light, although a halo of grayish short hair remained at the back, likely providing some warmth during winter. His neatly trimmed stubble framed his chin, and he sported wire-framed glasses on his nose. Paired with his sky-blue shirt, he didn't look like someone from the film industry. Rather, he resembled an assistant professor working at a university.
"Welcome, welcome." The man opened the door, making way, and with a touch of playful familiarity in his courteous words, he said, "Thank you for agreeing to meet me so promptly. I was initially worried that we wouldn't be able to get a dinner reservation for tonight. The weather in Park City these past few days has been truly terrible. Just this morning, we had a snowfall. Going out has been quite a hassle."
The man guided Drake and Renly to sit in the lobby. "I was just about to brew a pot of coffee. Would you like some? Or, in keeping with the British tradition, how about some afternoon tea?" He directed the latter sentence towards Renly.
Renly politely smiled in response, "Having afternoon tea in Park City isn't the best idea." His tone carried a playful lift at the end, and his eyes held a hint of jest, letting a touch of banter seep through.
The region Salt Lake City was in was considered a holy land for the Mormon Church. Over eighty to even ninety percent of the residents were followers of the faith. Hence, customs and habits here differed greatly from other cities. The most conspicuous distinction was the absence of alcohol sales. This applied to all public places, even the supermarket shelves were devoid of alcoholic beverages.
The man instantly discerned the humor in Renly's words and nodded in agreement. "It's a good thing my wife doesn't know the destination of my business trip this week." Another famous doctrine of the Mormon Church was polygamy.
The subtle humor in his statement immediately lightened the atmosphere, bringing both sides' humor frequencies onto the same wavelength, which was indeed quite helpful. The man turned around, instructed his assistant to make coffee, and then took a seat across from Renly and Drake. "I'm pleased to meet you both. I'm Douglas Ellner, in charge of distribution management at Focus Features."
"I've heard colleagues talk about the film scene in Toronto. I've always wanted to see for myself the recent talk of the town from Focus, and today, I've finally met you in Park City." Douglas grinned at Renly, his familiar and warm demeanor coupled with the topic of "Buried", easily dissolving any latent tension between them.
Just as Renly thought that Douglas might continue along this topic to further bridge the gap, he pivoted the conversation. "However, my personal matters can be set aside for now. I hope there will be time to discuss that further. But the enthusiasm of the Sundance audience cannot wait. I invited you here today specifically to talk about the North American distribution rights for "Like Crazy"."
Direct, concise, and simultaneously an understated reminder of the collaboration for "Like Crazy", leaving it at that. It was perfectly timed to set the atmosphere while showing sufficient sincerity.
From this brief thirty seconds of their interaction, it was clear that Douglas and Harvey were distinctly different in style.
Drake was still somewhat nervous, but the intense excitement he had earlier seemed to have subsided. He looked at Douglas earnestly, cautious yet resolute as he said, "Uh, may I ask if Focus Features is interested in acquiring the North American distribution rights for "Like Crazy"?"
Douglas smiled and nodded affirmatively.
Renly almost knew what Drake was going to say next, but he couldn't stop him in time. Drake went on, "My only condition is that Renly gets a ten percent share of the box office earnings." After saying this, Drake crossed his arms defensively across his chest, seemingly unwilling to entertain any further negotiation.
Renly almost wanted to facepalm. Real negotiations didn't work like this. No one would immediately lay all their cards on the table. That was tantamount to putting oneself in a position to be pummeled without defense.
However, Renly could understand Drake's sentiment. Honestly, Drake's unwavering camaraderie warmed Renly's heart. Payment was secondary; through "Like Crazy", he had made a group of friends, which was the most precious part.
"Drake's point is that, compared to an outright purchase, we are more inclined towards a revenue-sharing model," Renly had to step forward, even though he couldn't retract his earlier statement, he could at least offer a simple explanation.
Douglas nodded with realization and turned his gaze toward Renly. He then broke into a smile and addressed Drake, "In fact, I share the same sentiment. Renly is an exceptionally talented actor, and the success of "Like Crazy" owes a great deal to him."
Drake sported a satisfied grin, nodding repeatedly. He patted Renly's shoulder and a twinkle of delight flickered in his eyes, as if saying, "I told you so." It left Renly chuckling helplessly.
"However, regarding the split percentage, we need to discuss it further," since Drake had opened the door, Douglas didn't beat around the bush either. He was the first to express his viewpoint. Seeing Drake about to interject, Douglas calmly halted him, "Listen to our proposal first, then we can gradually share our opinions, how does that sound?"
That placating stance prompted Drake to seriously ponder, then he nodded in agreement.
Douglas leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs, but he didn't exude an air of superiority. Rather, he resembled an assistant professor in a classroom participating in an academic discussion. Indeed, everyone's demeanor brought forth different impressions and effects.
Before the negotiation, Douglas had naturally come prepared. Adjusting to Drake's spontaneous request earlier, he needed to modify the plan slightly. "We have three options. First, an outright purchase. We are willing to pay a copyright fee of $5M, buying the North American distribution rights for the work all at once."
Douglas noticed Drake's attempted argumentative expression and calmly added, "As for how this fee is allocated within the crew, you can discuss it amongst yourselves. Of course, Focus Features will fully handle the subsequent promotion expenses for the film."
Upon hearing this, Drake calmed down a bit and continued to listen.
"Second, revenue sharing." Douglas spoke methodically, clearly well-prepared, confident and poised. "We offer a copyright fee of $2.5M, and the crew can receive twenty-five percent of the box office earnings. This proportion encompasses the revenue share of everyone involved—directors, actors, writers, producers, and so on. The exact ratio within the crew is a matter for you all to decide. However, in return, during the promotional period, the crew will need to shoulder a portion of their own expenses."
"Lastly, the third choice is also revenue sharing, but the circumstances are slightly different." Douglas paused for a moment, glanced at Renly, then at Drake. "The copyright fee is $4M, but the crew's percentage of box office earnings is fifteen percent. Similarly, the crew members need to bear a portion of the promotional expenses themselves. Of course, Focus Features can assure you that we will arrange the promotional activities with the highest standards."
Finishing his explanation, Douglas revealed a broad smile. "What are your thoughts?"