"The Delmont ads, Marie Claire, and the filming for 24 hours, followed by the shoot for A Beautiful Mind... all of these have given us a solid foundation and cash flow.
So, for an opportunity like the fast and the furious that could truly take us to the next level, why not take a gamble?"
His hand unconsciously and soothingly stroked Tracy's back; he could feel her body heat through her thin knit sweater.
His other hand toyed with Tracy's small hand.
"Think about it, Tracy," Landon continued, his tone carrying a persuasive power.
"If we are willing to share the risk with the investors, showing great sincerity and confidence in the project, how powerful a bargaining chip would that be in negotiations?
It's not just about the money; it's about a stance.
It tells Neal Moritz and Universal Pictures that I, Landon Williams, am not just here to make a quick buck. I truly believe in this project and am willing to be tied to it, sharing in both its success and failure.
In Hollywood, especially for newcomers and mid-budget projects, this is extremely rare."
Tracy listened quietly, her body gradually relaxing as she leaned into his embrace.
Her mind was racing, evaluating the pros and cons of this proposal.
As an Agent, she knew the security of a traditional salary, but she also understood the potential for massive returns that a 'profit-sharing' model could bring if a project was a huge success, despite the high risks.
More importantly, the'stance' and'sincerity' Landon mentioned could very well be the key weight that tips the scales in a neck-and-neck casting competition.
Landon had even deeper calculations in mind, based on the information gap from another time and space.
He knew that at this time, the producers of the fast and the furious, including Neal Moritz himself, did not have expectations for this movie nearly as high as they would later.
In the original timeline, this movie was initially positioned as a'safe B-movie,' a summer release with a controlled budget aimed at a specific teenage demographic.
Neither the producers nor the distributors expected it to become a global pop culture phenomenon and develop into a multi-billion dollar franchise.
Because of this, preparations for the sequel in the original timeline were a mess; the core lead Vin Diesel even flat-out refused to return, and Paul Walker almost didn't return for the second installment, only agreeing to star after being offered a massive salary and the promise that he could participate in the development of new stories.
Utilizing this information gap, Landon's proposed 'low fixed salary + high profit-sharing' scheme not only greatly increased his chances of landing the role but also made it possible to receive a massive return far exceeding a 2 million dollar fixed salary when the movie became a hit in the future.
It was a strategy to kill two birds with one stone.
Tracy lifted her head from his chest and turned around to look him in the eye, face to face.
She looked at him for a long time, as if confirming whether the determination in his eyes was real.
Finally, she took a deep breath, a look mixing surprise, admiration, and professional excitement surfacing on her face.
"This idea of yours... it's bold, but it might actually work," she said slowly, her eyes flashing.
"Being willing to share the risk with the producers is almost unheard of for a newcomer actor. It will make them feel like you're not just an actor, but more like a... partner. It feels completely different.
If handled correctly, the scales will definitely tip in our favor again, and the tilt could be significant."
The more she spoke, the more excited she became, her professional instincts fully ignited: "The profit-sharing percentage needs careful calculation and negotiation; it can't be too low. But the principle is that we can show great flexibility.
The fixed salary can be significantly reduced in exchange for an attractive, tiered box office profit-sharing ratio.
For example, how to share profits if the North American box office exceeds 50 million, what if it passes 80 million, what if the global box office exceeds 100 million... I can communicate these details immediately with WMA's contract experts and a lawyer I know in New York who specializes in film and television profit-sharing!"
Saying this, Tracy couldn't help but excitedly slap Landon's shoulder, then realized her hand was still being held by him.
She gently broke free, quickly stood up from Landon's lap, turned around, cupped his face with both hands, and gave him a hard kiss on the lips with a crisp sound.
"I have to make some calls! Now!" A fire for work burned in her eyes, her tone urgent.
"Timing is crucial. We must throw this new proposal out as our latest and most sincere offer before they make a final decision!"
After saying that, she didn't even bother to clear the dining table, nor did she care about Landon and Rachel's reactions. She stepped into her slippers and walked quickly toward the study with a 'clatter-clatter.' Soon, the sound of her hushed but rapid-fire phone conversation drifted from inside.
Landon watched the closed door of the study and shrugged helplessly, but a smile played at the corners of his mouth.
He was already familiar with Tracy's vigorous and fully committed work state, and he trusted it deeply.
"Tracy is always like this, she forgets everything else once she starts working," Rachel chuckled softly beside him, starting to clear the dishes from the table.
Landon got up to help. The two of them tacitly put the tableware into the dishwasher and wiped the table.
During the process, Rachel stole glances at Landon from time to time, her eyes sparkling with unabashed admiration and a hint of... something else.
Once finished, Rachel leaned close to Landon, took his hand, and said in a soft, sweet voice, "Landon, what you just told Sister Tracy... although I don't quite understand it, it felt amazing. You always think of things that others don't."
Landon smiled and ruffled her hair.
Perhaps it was the effect of the red wine at dinner, perhaps it was the relaxation of solving a major strategic problem, or perhaps it was the unabashed, lingering look in Rachel's eyes, but Landon felt a familiar heat.
He leaned down and kissed Rachel. The kiss started gently but soon became deep and urgent.
Rachel responded passionately, her arms wrapping around his neck.
Just as the atmosphere was heating up, the study door suddenly opened.
Tracy walked out, her face still flushed with the excitement of the phone call; clearly, the initial communication had gone smoothly.
She saw the two tangled together in the living room, paused for a moment, and then raised an eyebrow.
Rachel's face was flushed, her eyes looking at Tracy damply with a hint of a plea for help, yet also like an invitation.
Tracy looked into Landon's eyes, which appeared exceptionally deep under the lights and were currently gazing at her intensely, then looked at Rachel's 'I can't handle this' expression, and suddenly laughed.
That smile contained understanding, indulgence, and a trace of a competitive spirit that had been piqued, which she herself was unwilling to admit.
"It looks like someone needs help?" Tracy walked over slowly, her tone languid, her finger gently tracing the collar of Landon's shirt.
Landon reached out and pulled her close.
The ensuing battle was far more intense than ever before.