Division

Gary had never considered the issue of sharing with Hugo because, strictly speaking, not only was Hugo not qualified to participate in the sharing, but even Meg did not qualify. And even if they were to share, Meg, who had a greater box office appeal, would be the preferred choice.

But the proposal put forward by Joseph was extremely tempting. Three million dollars plus a 20% share of the box office. On the one hand, three million dollars was a base salary, which was an excellent figure for Gary. The saved budget could be invested in the film's production. As for the share of the box office, there was no need to worry about it in the short term.

On the other hand, in "Sleepless in Seattle", there were not many people eligible for sharing. Nora held the positions of director and screenwriter, so currently only Nora and Gary would participate in the sharing. In the negotiations with TriStar Pictures, they were currently only willing to give Nora and Gary a 10% share because they didn't have enough box office appeal. However, if Hugo were to be added, perhaps Gary could negotiate a 25% share with TriStar Pictures because the influence of "A Few Good Men", which had won eight consecutive weeks, could not be underestimated.

Now the only worry was that Joseph did not want to set a minimum box office threshold for the sharing. That meant that no matter what, Hugo could get a share of the film's profits, and that was not a situation Gary wanted to see.

Gary raised his eyes and looked seriously at Joseph in front of him. He was carefully considering the feasibility of this proposal. After pondering for a while, he broke the silence in the office and said, "Three million dollars plus 10% of the box office share, and it must have a minimum box office threshold."

When Gary mentioned a 10% share of the box office, it referred to 10% of the total box office of the entire film. In other words, after the production company took its share, 10% would be given to Hugo, and Nora, who was also the director and screenwriter, would also receive 10%, while Gary calculated that he would receive 5%.

If we break it down further into the portion that belonged to the director and producer, Gary wanted to apply for a 25% share of the box office from TriStar Pictures as a whole. In this portion, Nora and Hugo would each receive 40%, and Gary would receive 20%.

In simple terms, if "Sleepless in Seattle" achieved a box office of $100 million, Gary intended to secure $25 million in income for the director and producer, with Hugo ultimately receiving $10 million in income. Of course, all of this was without deducting taxes.

After careful consideration, even though Hugo had not reached the level of qualifying for a share of the box office, the expenditure of only three million dollars and transferring a portion of the risk to Hugo for a film like "Sleepless in Seattle", which was not highly regarded by industry insiders, was indeed a profitable deal.

Joseph looked at Gary and didn't respond immediately. Instead, he thought for a moment and said, "15% split, with a minimum box office threshold of $30 million."

But Gary shook his head. "Joseph, you know that Hugo hasn't reached that level yet." If we go with 15% and a minimum threshold of $30 million, then if it succeeds, Hugo would earn at least $4.5 million. That's even higher than his $3 million salary. It would be better to sign a contract for $6 million right away. So Gary couldn't agree to it. "10% split with a minimum box office threshold of $80 million."

This was already Gary's bottom line. If "Sleepless in Seattle" could achieve $80 million at the box office, then TriStar Pictures would be close to recouping its costs. After that, they could rely on ancillary income like video sales to turn a profit.

"If we adjust the minimum box office threshold, then the $3 million salary is off the table," Gary firmly stated. He wasn't worried about whether TriStar Pictures would make a profit. He knew they wouldn't agree. He was just a producer. He had to stand with the actors and director and negotiate with the production company.

Joseph looked at Gary's determined expression and hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Deal!"

That meant if "Sleepless in Seattle" exceeded $80 million at the box office, Hugo would receive at least a pre-tax bonus of $8 million, in addition to his $3 million salary. Hugo would successfully ascend to the ranks of A-list stars! However, if the film's box office failed, Hugo would quickly return to the state he was in before the release of "A Few Good Men", with a salary of $3 million. It wouldn't be easy to increase his salary from that position.

So, this was a high-stakes gamble. But Joseph remembered Hugo's determined expression, and his last trace of anxiety disappeared. Then, Joseph shook Gary's right hand, and an agreement was reached.

Gary was clearly satisfied. The box office share was something to consider once the film reached that level. If "Sleepless in Seattle" truly surpassed $80 million at the box office, it would be a great victory, and Hugo could prove that his box office appeal wasn't just a flash in the pan. Currently, Gary only needed to pay Hugo a $3 million salary. Three million dollars was truly a cost-effective deal.

Of course, Gary couldn't have known that if he had negotiated for a $5 million salary, Joseph might have agreed. And by pioneering the idea of a box office share for Hugo, he unintentionally created a miracle. However, by the time Gary realized this, it was already too late.

Shortly after, Gary immediately discussed it with Nora. Both of them had a meeting with TriStar Pictures. The speed at which TriStar Pictures nodded in agreement was much faster than Gary expected. The $3 million salary alone had already saved a significant amount of costs. As for the box office share, it would come into play only after reaching $80 million. For them, it was beneficial without any drawbacks. So TriStar Pictures readily accepted Gary's request.

That afternoon, Joseph received the faxed contract. Seeing the confirmation in black and white, Joseph's joy was indescribable. It was the most excellent and outstanding achievement he had fought for Hugo in their year-long collaboration.

Not only Joseph, but when Hugo learned that he had actually reached the level of receiving a box office share, he was so astonished that he couldn't even speak. When Joseph mentioned it to him, Hugo thought it was just a bargaining chip. He didn't expect TriStar Pictures to actually agree.

Actually, although currently only a few actors are eligible for box office bonuses, Hugo overlooked another way of film production. That is when the budget is insufficient, actors may receive minimal or even no salary and rely solely on box office bonuses as their compensation. In other words, actors invest in the film through their participation. This method is not uncommon. On the one hand, it helps save costs because actors' salaries are often exorbitant. On the other hand, it allows actors to share the risks and reduce losses for the production company.

The reason why Hugo was able to receive a share of the box office for the project "Sleepless in Seattle" was based on this principle. It was a low-budget film with a budget of only $20 million and was not favored by industry professionals. Offering Hugo a significantly low salary of three million, the responsibility for the box office fell on him. Indeed, it was a viable solution.

Considering Hugo's current status, a six million dollar salary would be a normal level. In other words, if the box office of "Sleepless in Seattle" fell below the contracted $80 million, TriStar Pictures would reduce its losses by three million. However, if the film reached $80 million at the box office, TriStar Pictures would be close to profitability from the box office alone. It was an agreeable deal.

As Joseph looked at Hugo's surprised expression, his enthusiastic mood cooled down. He understood the rules of the industry. TriStar Pictures would not engage in a losing business. He knew that the threshold of $80 million was a sharp blade hanging over their heads, which could send Hugo back to the difficulties he faced a year ago.

"Hugo, are you really sure? What if the movie fails?" Although Joseph still had a hint of joy in his eyebrows, his worries couldn't be contained as they emerged in his eyes.

Hugo knew that Joseph still had lingering fears from the past month's experience. Tracey wouldn't easily allow Hugo to participate in a potentially successful project. Now that Hugo successfully received the contract for "Sleepless in Seattle", it made Joseph even more uncertain.

But Hugo was not worried. He remembered that the box office of "Sleepless in Seattle" should have crossed the $100 million mark. His task was to ensure that he delivered a brilliant performance in this film, replicating the success he remembered. The opportunity had come again, and now it depended on Hugo himself!

"Joe, worrying won't help. Haven't we already made our decision?" Hugo tried to reassure Joseph as much as possible. He patted Joseph's shoulder and smiled, saying, "Now all we need to do is wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to the shooting of this film and do our best to ensure its quality. Only then can we qualify for competing at the box office, right?"

Looking at Hugo's bright smile and the boundless confidence in his eyes, Joseph's mixed emotions eased slightly. Although he still couldn't completely relax, he knew that he wouldn't be able to until the box office results were out. But at least now he knew the goal they were striving for, and he was willing to move forward with full determination.

"Yeah! It's up to you next!" Joseph's smile finally reappeared on his face.

In this unexpected situation that no one had anticipated, Hugo did not receive the eight million dollars in salary to become a top-tier actor. However, "Sleepless in Seattle" became Hugo's first film to participate in box office bonuses. Whatever the production company's intentions were, it at least indicated the value they placed on Hugo's shoulders, especially considering the recent barrage of negative news. This made it even more commendable.

So, what kind of response would "Sleepless in Seattle", Hugo's first major role, bring? Perhaps the media's initial reaction could give a glimpse of the answer.