This Christmas was not as lively as in previous years; 9/11 still instilled fear in many Americans.
The sending and receiving of Christmas cards also significantly decreased, due to worries about potential negative events.
Naomi Watts, the actress who blossomed late under Evelyn's management, truly experienced the sweetness after the bitterness; filming for the ring had just concluded when new roles began to appear.
In a small office rented by Capet Pictures in West Hollywood, Megan Fox and Charles, who had arrived in Los Angeles, were tidying up the office together.
Charles grew increasingly dissatisfied; with money, he absolutely had to rent a larger space. Currently, he didn't even have employees, and Charles couldn't afford to hire any.
"Is this Capet Pictures?" Megan Fox asked, sitting in a chair and smiling.
"That's right, but it's only temporary," Charles said, opening the distribution contract mailed by Tom Hanks' production company.
For my big fat greek wedding, Tom Hanks had chosen IFC Films for distribution, an independent film production and distribution company that owned an art-house cinema chain, IFC Theaters.
Under Tom Hanks' persuasion, IFC Films agreed to only charge 15% of the box office as a distribution commission. The production and investment were primarily led by Tom Hanks' production company, with Capet Pictures as a co-producer.
Otherwise, the distribution commission would have been higher, likely exceeding 18%. As a representative of the production team, Charles would only begin to receive his share from Tom Hanks after the cinema and distribution company, and after deducting costs and other expenses.
The basic revenue share was very low, which was due to bargaining power. If it were a major film company, production and distribution are integrated. If they distribute their own films, and if the director, actors, etc., are not powerful, the distribution commission can be as high as 30% of the box office, directly making the production side show a loss. In that case, what share would the director, actors, and producers have?
The accounting shrewdness of major film companies could make Wall Street elites bow in admiration.
The contract stipulated that IFC Films must initially invest at least 1.5 million US dollars for advertising and promotional activities for the film; it also stipulated that the number of opening theaters must not be less than 100.
my big fat greek wedding's release date was set for next year.
After reading it, Charles called his mother to inform her of the film's specific release date and that he might need help, as celebrity endorsements would always be needed for later promotion.
"By the way, has Sofia contacted you?"
"She has," his mother, Evelyn, explained over the phone. "She said she'd show you the script after she finishes perfecting it!"
"Okay, you can tell her that once the movie is released, Capet Pictures can support her first directorial work."
"I will. Mom and Sofia have known each other for almost ten years, so there's some connection. That's why she came directly to me to inquire about film matters," Evelyn added.
After hanging up the phone, Charles sat in his chair, tapping the table with his fingers. An April release, a small-scale release, would require time for a long run.
The revenue share wouldn't come quickly either. The fastest way would be to wait for the word-of-mouth to ferment after the release, then take the revenue-sharing contract to the bank for a loan.
Megan Fox stood behind Charles, massaging his shoulders, and leaned down to kiss him, comforting him, "Don't worry, it'll be fine once the movie is released. After all, many movies each year don't even make it to theaters and go straight to DVD!"
"Don't worry, I'm not worried," Charles said, holding the Lady's hand on his shoulder.
"I'm just thinking about how to make money quickly."
He pulled Megan Fox onto his lap. His first pot of gold truly needed time to accumulate!