They certainly didn't know that William White had made a promise. He would give 5% of the box office as bonuses to the crew, and the distribution would be made according to certain ratios. Not only the key actors, but even the extras would get their share.
At first, no one paid much attention to this sum. They estimated the box office would hit a maximum of twenty million, so the amount wouldn't be too large.
But things had changed. Even if it didn't reach $150 million, crossing the $100 million mark was still a monumental figure.
Initially, they worried the boss might back out since no contracts had been signed, but then the accounting department informed them they could now calculate on the basis of $100 million, and they could take their money right away; they would settle the final amount after the box office figures came in.
In dealing with such a boss, there wasn't much anyone could say. He understood they were struggling, so he'd upfront some benefits. At that moment, the box office hadn't even crossed $100 million!
Now that the struggling ones had money, they weren't going to take just any gig. There was still a sequel to Police Academy to think about.
William White offered some sage advice: if the pay was good, they could take a project, but they shouldn't wear themselves out. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a sequel. It'd be best to hone their skills and improve their acting.
They might not take criticism well from others, but when William White said it, they had to listen. They were all seasoned players in Hollywood, and they knew that flattery often came from those with ulterior motives, while criticism often came from people who saw potential in them.
Among the crew, Eddie Murphy was the one who faced the harshest criticism.
What was the outcome?
Right now, he was the biggest star.
Though Eddie Murphy was young, he wasn't naive. The boss valued him highly, and he wasn't oblivious to that.
After all, the boss was down-to-earth; he'd never look down on a brother from the neighborhood. He greeted everyone the same way -- it was an interesting dynamic, to say the least.
At that time, the status of Black people was nowhere near what it would later become. While things had improved significantly since the post-war era, they still faced discrimination.
...
"Jason, help me out. I need a puppy, preferably a German Shepherd."
"Boss, why not get yourself a beautiful lady instead? Who needs a dog?"
"A mature man has to have pets, right?"
"I actually have a litter of kittens at home. Want one?"
"One pet is fine, but I want both the cats and the dog."
"Alright, alright. I'll keep an eye out for you. A German Shepherd, right?"
"Yep, don't mess it up."
"Don't worry, don't worry."
William White envisioned a future filled with playful cats and dogs.
...
The market was buzzing; it reached new heights every day, and everyone involved in the hype was cashing in.
At this stage, the Hunter family began acting strangely.
With such significant funds in play, they could have already cashed in their profits. It made no sense to keep blindly pushing up the prices. Their current assets were quite alarming, and yet they weren't satisfied.
When God intends to destroy someone, the first step is to make them mad, and it was clear that the Hunter family was losing their minds. Instead of securing profits, they were aggressively buying more in.
"Sir, if this keeps up, it might reach $12 a share in a month."
"Heh, they've lost their minds. At $12, we can gradually unload our shares. London isn't in a hurry; we'll deal with that later."
"This way, we'll have enough cash for taxes."
"Let's hold off for now. We still have plenty of time. First, we need to gather up all the shares available on the market."
White Oil still lingered just around $2, which was an absolute steal; they could take their time with it. No one cared about his company; apart from that quirky movie, even the profits from the software firm were staggering. And hey, there was a bestselling novel too.
Earning 20% in royalties was quite impressive -- it meant money for nothing for many years to come. With plans for a deluxe edition down the road, there was even more cash to be made.
Americans had a great reading culture -- newspapers and magazines were part of their daily lives. Even when the economy struggled, printed materials barely felt the pinch, and authors typically did alright.
...
The Texas summer could be brutal. Other than early mornings and late evenings, it was best to stay indoors. The sun blared down like a scorching pancake, always hovering over your head.
He figured once his little stash grew a bit, he'd better plan for a vacation spot; the Texas weather was unbearable.
You had to say, some people were just so picky. How many folks envied his lavish lifestyle, yet he still managed to be dissatisfied? Wasn't that just downright pretentious?
American resources were abundant; except for the odd extreme years, they never lacked food.
Service, however, was a different story. After the Civil War, the cost of service continued to rise, and fewer people were willing to take on those jobs. Consequently, prices shot up.
Though it was expensive, William White certainly had the means. In that era, millionaires were successful individuals. When your assets were in the millions, it was hard to spend it all if you played it smart.
Complaining about inflation? If you were worried about banks collapsing, just buy government bonds; the interest would allow you to live comfortably.
"Sir, this year's grape harvest looks good; we might not have enough winemaking equipment."
"Let's increase production, then. We'll double the wine cellar. The neighboring farms are struggling; we can buy some grapes."
"Sir, isn't that too much?"
"No big deal. Wine doesn't spoil. Sales will pick up in a few years; we're just storing it for now."
"Alright, Sir. I'll get right on it."
He wasn't worried about the wine; it wasn't like milk that couldn't be sold and had to be thrown out. It could age in oak barrels for decades without a hitch; the longer it sat, the more valuable it became. If it was a good vintage, prices could shoot up over tenfold.
This was all about market tactics. The 1982 Lafite was indeed exceptional, but the oak barrel wine was even better. Too bad everyone only recognized Lafite. The barrel wine had its fame but could never match Lafite's reputation.
He truly didn't know how many ads that guy had embedded; down the line, he'd be saying, "Give me a bottle of '82 White," just like in the movies. He wasn't sure anyone wouldn't buy it then.
The cost of red wine was low. Selling for a few bucks a bottle still meant profits. Those vineyards could brag all they wanted, but it was all a load of nonsense.
Top-quality oak barrels?
Come on, is it really oak barrels? Even the best ones don't hold much value. When did Americans ever lack oak? It was all a marketing gimmick.
This was similar to those Hermes bags -- you just had to believe in the luxury. The high costs were a joke. There are always fools to exploit.
In the U.S., the market for extreme luxury goods wasn't large. Without the support of wealthy patrons from abroad, more than half of the luxury brands would go under.
In this era, it was kind of the worst time ever for luxury brands. The wealthy were pinching pennies; they weren't in the mood to splurge on fancy items.
*****
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