Chapter 403 - Initiative

"Hmm," Laila nodded, "You've made some good points."

Ovitz was somewhat surprised but pleased with her attitude. "So, we..."

He was interrupted by Laila, who said, "You've made some good points, but what does it have to do with me?"

"Ah?" Ovitz was dumbfounded.

Laila looked at him and said, "I'm not responsible for these matters. As you know, I'm just a director."

Ovitz's face turned alternately red and pale upon hearing her words. Indeed, she was a director, and contract and publicity matters weren't under her purview. But was she just an ordinary director? The entire company was hers! As long as she gave the green light, would anyone dare to oppose it?

He couldn't argue with her, and her point made sense. But why hadn't she said this earlier? Why had she acted as if she were genuinely interested, only to dismiss him by saying she wasn't responsible for such matters after he had spoken at length? He felt a rush of heat on his face when he realized how much he had said in front of her.

Now he understood that this heiress wasn't as composed and well-mannered as she seemed. She was just waiting for him here! She was deliberately setting him up for embarrassment, and she had succeeded!

Ovitz was relieved that there were no witnesses to his loss of composure; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to show his face in this company again.

However, he also realized that if he had taken someone whom she had nurtured and then lost them to another agency, it wouldn't have ended with just verbal humiliation.

"Laila, perhaps you have some misconceptions about me," he still hoped to mend their relationship. After all, who wanted to have bad blood over money, right?

"Roy can get many roles and gain more fame with your company, but his potential hasn't been fully realized. However, we, at AMG, can offer more than just movie roles. We are the most professional talent agency, and we can help him in various aspects."

Laila raised her hand, interrupting him again. "Mr. Ovitz, I don't need to know the details about Roy. If he's willing to sign with you, it means he trusts your capabilities, and that should be enough. I'm an outsider; I don't need to be privy to the internal workings."

Her words might have sounded magnanimous, but Ovitz felt her strong animosity towards him. This wasn't good news.

"Laila, even though Roy has signed with us, he can still work on your films. It's just that we will handle some of the smaller details for him. Don't you think it's mutually beneficial for both of us to have more interaction through him?"

"Such as?" Laila looked at him with a faint smile, curious to hear his peculiar theories.

Wasn't it ridiculous? He took one of her talents and now wanted to increase cooperation with her company. It required quite the imagination to come up with such an idea. Did he not realize that he was challenging her boundaries? If she hadn't already had a massive plan in motion, she would have kicked him out long ago.

Ovitz could sense he was being viewed with hostility, but in his mindset, as long as money could be made, no grudge was insurmountable.

"For example, when you're shooting a movie and need actors, we have a vast pool of talent for you to choose from. Just tell us what kind of roles you need, and we'll provide you with suitable candidates promptly. This way, you can save time and money on open auditions."

"Or, for instance, the Phoenix has been shooting numerous films since last year, and the pace hasn't slowed down this year. I believe you might need a lot of manpower for tasks like composing music, cinematography, lighting, editing, and more. We have access to resources you couldn't even imagine. Don't you think this is an excellent way to collaborate?"

Laila understood his point perfectly. CAA had grown strong by offering "one-stop service," from script to director, from actors to production crews, and from post-production to promotion. In other words, they handled everything. If you were a director, they could provide you with a ready-made crew. If you had a script you wanted to film, just pay, and they would start with finding a director and delivering a finished product to your hands.

Obviously, this was the approach he was using now. True, this service was convenient and considerate. However, if you thought that paying alone was enough, you were too naive. They would typically take control of casting for the entire film, using actors from their agency. Whether the choices were suitable or the fees were reasonable was hard to say, but they were undoubtedly expensive.

Laila had always been uninterested in this kind of service. She preferred to build her own world in filmmaking. Therefore, her collaboration with CAA had only involved using a few actors to fill out the cast.

"Mr. Ovitz, do you think that AMG can reach the same heights as CAA?" Laila smiled and leaned back in her chair, resting her chin on her hand. "If I were to collaborate, wouldn't it be more suitable to work with CAA than with you? So, why should I let you take my money?"

Ovitz sighed inwardly, regretting once again the wrong decisions he had made. If he hadn't impulsively left CAA to become the president of Disney, he wouldn't be in this position, trying to please someone he had underestimated.

"Laila, you should know that CAA was created by me, and now AMG is my life's work. I believe that with time, its development will be limitless!"

"In other words, you believe that AMG will rise to the same level as CAA?"

"It's inevitable!" Ovitz was unwavering in his belief. Despite many people doubting him, he never questioned this. Doesn't Roy's signing prove this? He's still the same energetic, passionate, and professional Michael Ovitz, and he still gets the people he wants! He will still be the most powerful person in Hollywood soon!

Laila smiled noncommittally. "Mr. Ovitz, I've always admired you. Alright, let's get back to talking about Roy. When do you think it would be a good time for us to 'part ways'?" 

Ovitz smiled after hearing her first sentence, but the subsequent words left him completely dumbfounded. So, all that he had said earlier was in vain? It seemed like it was Laila who had prevented him from discussing Roy in the first place.

How unpredictable could a woman be? Throughout his life, he had dealt with countless women and thought he understood them. But with Laila, he realized that his previous understanding was too narrow and one-sided.

However, he then felt a cold sweat break out on his back. He realized that Laila's unpredictability was a technique for controlling the conversation. From the moment he entered her office until now, she had held the initiative in their entire conversation. Being controlled in a conversation like this was something he had never experienced before!

Was she really only 20 years old?