When his mother was recovering, Kyle was not idle.
Kyle was also busy. To gather funds for the production of "Spider-Man," Kyle put everything on the line and utilised every possible method to generate money.
Just ten days later, novice director Kyle produced four scripts all at once, which included Wrong Turn, The Sixth Sense, Hard Candy, and Juno.
Naturally, these four scripts are rough drafts that will require further refinement and enhancement by the company's screenwriters.
The four films chosen by Kyle share a common trait: they are all low-budget and well-suited for the current needs of Page Films.
1. The "Wrong Turn" films are regarded as quintessential Hollywood horror films of the 21st century.
The storyline in this series tends to be similar: a group of American youths searching for excitement in nature encounters cannibals in the woods and then faces gruesome fates through means like wire, tree branches, and kitchen knives.
"I recall that each film in the series had a budget of no more than $2 million, or even less."
"It can be prioritised."
In truth, Kyle didn't recall the box office results of "Wrong Turn 1" post-release, but before he travelled back in time, he had watched all eight movies in the series.
This alone demonstrates that the "Wrong Turn" series is lucrative!
"The Sixth Sense" stands out even more.
Though its production costs were slightly higher at $40 million, it claimed second place in the North American box office rankings for 1999, earning a North American box office of $293 million and a global take of $670 million, as well as receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
"The box office numbers are impressive, but I'm out of funds! Let's hold off on that for now."
"Hard Candy" is another low-budget feature, anticipated to cost less than $1 million.
This film isn't particularly famous, grossing only about $6 million, but it has influenced niche audiences. The plot shares parallels with the tale of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, but in this version, Little Red Riding Hood turns the tables and kills the Big Bad Wolf, leading to his castration.
"Well, the expenses are low and the production isn't too challenging, so it's worth considering."
"Juno" is quite well-known. It revolves around a minor girl who gets pregnant before marriage. Upon its 2007 release, it ignited widespread conversation.
The box office returns are even more astonishing!
The film was shot in just 35 days for a budget of $6.5 million, yet it raked in $230 million globally.
After careful consideration, Kyle gathered the four film scripts and made his way to Page Pictures.
.....
Page Films.
As soon as Kyle walked through the company's entrance, he received a warm welcome from the staff at Page Pictures.
This reception was not only because Kyle was the leader, but also due to the success of "Run Lola Run."
"Run Lola Run" had been released for 20 days as of April 5th, and it performed quite well at the box office, at least for World Pictures. I received the report on yesterday's box office this morning, revealing that "Run Lola Run" achieved $13.7 million in North America; considering its production cost of merely $800,000, and the fact that it was Page Pictures' first theatrical release, this result is indeed outstanding.
"$13.7 million?"
"This is just the beginning. Once I secure enough funding for 'Spider-Man 1,' the nearly $1 billion box office could astonish you!"
Although Kyle felt pleased, he was not overly exhilarated.
Having spent nearly a year here, he had witnessed many significant events and no longer felt as giddy as he did at the start.
Entering CEO Victor's office, Kyle got straight to the point, placing four scripts on the desk: "Victor, these are the fruits of my recent labour, four scripts."
Victor picked them up and quickly flipped through them.
Before long, Victor exclaimed, "Boss, did you write these scripts in the past ten days?"
"That's correct!" Kyle nodded with pride.
I'm impressed!
Well, I suppose it was a bit dishonest.
"Boss, while I won't say much else, I have to admit that 'The Sixth Sense' is truly remarkable, particularly the twist at the end, which can be described as a magical twist. Once produced, it will likely garner significant profits."
"Of course, we can't pursue that project right now. The budget is too high."
"However, the other three scripts are quite good, at least they have low production costs. Especially the 'Wrong Turn' series; without going into details, if we produce one film each year, it can consistently generate a profit of at least $2 million annually for the company."
Victor began to provide feedback on the scripts.
Kyle nodded in agreement.
At that moment, they conversed for a bit before falling silent. They then summoned several screenwriters from the company to start refining and modifying the contents of the four scripts.
Kyle had no objections to this process.
"I possess only a limited set of skills. If I can't find a qualified screenwriter to refine the script and just proceed with filming as it is, something undesirable might occur," Kyle murmured to himself.
Why do companies hire these screenwriters?
Isn't that their job?!
Hollywood functions like a factory in the film industry, which is evident in how screenwriting operates. Generally, a script is frequently crafted by multiple individuals.
If someone excels in romance, they will focus on that part of the script.
If another specialises in action sequences, they will take charge of the action and fight scenes;
If you have a knack for narrative, you will be in charge of the dialogue and storytelling;
.....
In essence, everyone contributes to the assembly line, collaborating to produce a relatively flawless piece of work.
"Victor, you keep watch on this side. I'm heading out now. I need to return and get some quality sleep."
Just as Kyle was about to exit, Sister Martha, the director of the legal and accounting departments, halted Kyle and asked, "Boss, should the writing fee for Run Lola Run also be credited to your salary account?"
Kyle contemplated for a moment and replied, "Set it aside for now. I'll provide you with a new card number in a few days. Please deposit all upcoming producer fees, screenwriter fees, and copyright earnings for scripts into the new card."
"Understood, boss."
Sister Martha departed.
Indeed, as the boss, Kyle receives payment on a weekly and monthly basis.
That's the norm in Hollywood.
Or it's the same throughout the entire United States.
World Pictures is solely owned by Kyle, but Kyle also has to draw his salary. Furthermore, since he directed the movie "Run Lola Run," he must also collect his director's fee, including the payment for script rights.
Separate personal from professional!
Transparency!
Finances for individuals and companies are kept distinct.
There's a well-known phrase in America: "The company is yours and belongs to everyone!"
This implies: While you are the owner and have the power to make decisions regarding the company, your use of funds must be meticulously accounted for to protect the interests of all stakeholders in the company.
For instance, for "Run Lola Run," Kyle received a director's fee of $30,000, a script transfer fee of $20,000, and he also earned a 3% share of the box office profits as a producer.
Those funds went into Kyle's account, rather than the company's account.
Kyle also charged for script rights for the four films "Wrong Turn," "The Sixth Sense," "Juno," and "Hard Candy."