Ronald immediately frowned, expressing his dissatisfaction. He said, "Isn't it too advantageous for you to take nearly 15% of the profits just for licensing?"
Kevin responded forcefully, "That's because you don't understand the magnificent impact that Pirates of the Caribbean will leave in the history of cinema. Its influence will last for ten, twenty, thirty years, or even longer."
"I have created numerous storylines and adventures for Captain Jack Sparrow that will come to life under my direction."
"I, Steven Kevin, swear by my name that it will undoubtedly become a classic!"
Kevin confidently stared at Ronald in front of him.
Hearing Kevin's words, Ronald hesitated.
If Pirates of the Caribbean could achieve such success, the tourism bureau would still make a significant profit. However, there was no doubt that it carried enormous risks.
Unless...
Ronald pondered in his mind and then said, "For you to earn this income, Pirates of the Caribbean must earn over $100 million at the US box office and produce more than five sequels within fifteen years. This condition will be written into the contract."
Having said that, Ronald stared at Kevin, attempting to detect any signs of uncertainty in his eyes.
With such a significant investment, if it were to fail, Ronald, as the head of the tourism bureau, would also face immense pressure. He needed to gain confidence from Kevin or lose confidence altogether, which would determine whether or not to proceed with this plan.
However, Kevin's eyes were filled with confidence, as if this plan could not possibly fail.
After a minute of intense gaze, Ronald finally made up his mind.
He saw the unwavering self-assurance in Kevin's eyes, and if that was the case, he believed in him as well.
...
The specific details of the negotiation continued for another hour, and subsequently, experts and legal professionals would be invited to assess these matters professionally.
Kevin left these aspects of the negotiation to his assistant to handle entirely.
After the general tasks were completed, Kevin proceeded to coordinate the film's related content with the visual effects company and the prop company.
Once all the preparations before the start of filming were finished, three weeks had passed.
...
In the Caribbean Sea, a massive ship sailed, towing a wooden sailing ship behind it. If future generations were to see it, they would immediately recognize it as the Black Pearl.
On the Black Pearl, Kevin sat behind the camera, watching the actors perform their scenes according to the script one by one.
Filming a movie is different from its screening.
It's never a matter of shooting scenes in the order they appear in the plot. Instead, it is scheduled based on the practical circumstances of the story and the preparations made.
For example, the coastal town that appears at the beginning of the plot is filmed later because it is still being constructed. Similarly, the final scene featuring Barbossa hiding the treasure in a cave can only be filmed once Warner Bros. completes its construction.
Therefore, Kevin chose to film certain scenes at sea. However, only a portion of the scenes were actually shot on location, while the rest were filmed in the studio.
Even for the scenes that were shot on location, they still required post-production processing to be considered complete.
As for the Black Pearl ship, it was a hastily constructed shell that relied on the transportation of a larger vessel to sail on the open sea. This approach undoubtedly saved a significant amount of money compared to building a real Black Pearl.
During this process, scenes for Pirates of the Caribbean were continuously filmed.
...
As time flew by, it was mid-February 1994, and Pirates of the Caribbean had been filming in the Caribbean for nearly half a month. Finally, all the scenes in this location were completed.
Looking at the exhausted crew, Kevin raised the megaphone in his hand and shouted:
"Everyone, starting today, we'll return to New York and take three days off. Three days later, we'll gather at Warner Bros. Studios. You can find Director Zack then."
"Oh ho ho!"
"Director Kevin, you're the best!"
The dozens of people erupted in thunderous applause, cheering for Kevin's announcement.
Although Kevin was known for his strictness on set, shouting was a common occurrence during filming. However, he usually focused on the work at hand and didn't engage in personal attacks. He would simply point out others' mistakes. Unless the same mistake was repeated, Kevin wouldn't take any extreme actions.
Furthermore, thanks to ample funding, Kevin didn't skimp on the logistics. The actors and crew members enjoyed various seafood feasts and stayed in comfortable accommodations. Coupled with generous wages, Kevin received praise from the staff.
Amidst the joyful atmosphere, the group embarked on the journey back to New York.
The main reason Kevin rushed the filming was actually due to a notification he received from Warner Bros. The news was that his movie, Get Out, had been nominated for Best Picture and Best Screenplay at the Oscars.
While Kevin was busy with his own tasks, Warner Bros. didn't stop either. They invested millions of dollars in public relations during the Mission: Impossible release, engaging in Oscar pre-event activities.
They spent considerable funds to send DVDs of Get Out to the Academy members. Alongside the DVDs, they included a batch of valuable gifts tailored to the preferences of the judges.
Directly giving money would insult the sanctity of the Oscars and could lead many judges to refuse or even develop a counteractive mindset, causing them to vote for other films.
However, when it comes to gifts, it's a different story.
This is an unwritten rule that has gradually formed since the establishment of the Oscars. As for the confidentiality principle of the Oscar judges?
For a movie company at the level of Warner Bros., it's just a joke.
They know the addresses and true identities of 99 percent of the Oscar judges. This is the depth of major movie companies.
...
Upon returning to New York, Kevin didn't even have time to go home before heading to Warner Bros.
Robinov greeted him with a smile and looked around to ensure it was safe before whispering:
"Kevin, there's a high probability that Get Out will win the Best Screenplay award. Congratulations!"
Kevin smiled in response and said:
"Thanks to Warner Bros.'s follow-up public relations efforts, we managed to receive this recognition. It's a pity it's not for Best Picture or Best Director."
Although he said that, Kevin knew that in the Hollywood circle, which was controlled by Jewish capital and where the Black Lives Matter movement was not yet prominent, Get Out, as a horror film that surpassed Schindler's List, an anti-war art film that awakened and addressed the painful experiences of Jewish people, had no chance of surpassing it.
In the 1994 Oscars, the big winner and the target Kevin was chasing was Spielberg's Schindler's List.
As for Get Out, with the support of Warner Bros., it managed to grab a small piece of the Oscar cake.
...