As Simon discussed the copyright issues surrounding the "Conjuring" movie universe with Danny Morris, he had no intention of getting personally involved.
Getting personally involved would only make things more complicated.
Moreover, in today's Hollywood, when Daenerys Entertainment seeks to purchase rights, the company's reputation for successful adaptations often provides a competitive edge far beyond other studios.
Rights holders, unless short-sighted, can see the various benefits of collaborating with Daenerys Entertainment.
If the project succeeds, the value of their other works would also rise significantly.
Additionally, the most immediate benefit is that rights holders often receive profit shares comparable to Hollywood screenwriters.
A script that sells for $200,000 could potentially return $2 million through various project revenues if the film is a hit. However, if the project fails, even a significant upfront payment would yield no future returns.
As they chatted, another announcement related to Daenerys Entertainment echoed through the projection screen in the hall.
Emma Thompson won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama for her role in "Howards End" at the 50th Golden Globe Awards.
This year, Daenerys Entertainment's main contenders were "Scent of a Woman" and "The Crying Game." However, their films received numerous nominations, including "Scent of a Woman," "Jurassic Park," and others.
Both "Scent of a Woman" and "The Crying Game" technically didn't have a lead actress role, so this award went to Emma Thompson, marking her first major Hollywood acting accolade.
With the presentation of the prestigious Best Actress in a Drama award, the Golden Globe ceremony neared its conclusion.
Simon shifted his attention more closely to the projection screen.
For Best Actor in a Drama, Al Pacino won for his outstanding performance in "Scent of a Woman." This was his second Golden Globe since 1973, having only received nominations for films like "The Godfather" series and "Scarface."
Next, after skipping a few unrelated awards, Best Screenplay was awarded to Bo Goldman for "Scent of a Woman."
Finally, the Best Motion Picture – Drama was awarded to "Scent of a Woman."
As the ceremony concluded, staff in the hall compiled a detailed tally.
Daenerys Entertainment emerged as the biggest winner at the 50th Golden Globe Awards, securing 12 awards across film and television categories out of 31 nominations.
In the film category, "Scent of a Woman" shone the brightest, winning Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, Best Actor in a Drama, and Best Screenplay—four major awards.
Jay Davidson, who played a transgender woman in "The Crying Game," also won Best Supporting Actor for his compelling performance.
Additionally, Emma Thompson's win for Best Actress in a Drama added to the tally.
In total, Daenerys Entertainment garnered six awards in the film category, consciously stepping back from the musical and comedy categories this time.
In television, Daenerys Entertainment won six awards as well.
These awards were primarily for their two flagship series, "Seinfeld" and "Desperate Housewives." Unlike the film categories, both series competed in the musical or comedy categories, winning Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, Best Actor, and Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.
Moreover, other projects from the company in recent years also received various nominations and awards.
If the Golden Globes had awards for reality shows like the Emmys, Daenerys Entertainment would have further enhanced their winnings with their strong series like "Survivor."
As the awards ceremony ended, more people started gathering at Daenerys Studios in Malibu.
Even though it was late at night, the studio was buzzing with activity.
"Congratulations, Ms. Ward. You look stunning tonight."
"Oh, thank you, Simon."
In the party hall, Simon patiently congratulated each of the evening's winners.
When he approached Cheryl Ward, who played the flawless Bree Van De Kamp in "Desperate Housewives," he noticed a middle-aged man standing beside her. Without showing any sign of recognition, Simon extended his hand naturally to shake.
Cheryl Ward held her Golden Globe in one hand and shook Simon's hand with the other. Faced with Simon's calm and warm smile, she felt a bit uneasy.
However, she quickly forced herself to dismiss such thoughts.
After all, they had only spent two nights together. He had never made any promises to her, nor had he asked her to promise anything.
And, glancing at Janet by his side, Cheryl reminded herself he was also married.
With these mixed feelings, Cheryl shook hands with Janet and then quickly introduced, "Simon, this is Howard."
The middle-aged man beside Cheryl, eager for the opportunity, extended his hand to Simon, saying, "Hello, Mr. Westeros. I'm Howard Sherman, a partner at KPCB."
Handing over his business card, Howard Sherman smiled politely.
KPCB (Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers) is another prominent venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, known for investments in companies like SUN Microsystems and Silicon Graphics. Holding a partner position at KPCB, Howard Sherman was undoubtedly competent and likely well-off.
Simon took the business card but did not offer his own in return. Instead, he casually exchanged a few words with Howard before moving on to meet others with Janet.
Howard Sherman, having just invited Simon to a future dinner, was disappointed by the refusal and started contemplating future opportunities.
While KPCB has a notable presence in Silicon Valley, it still falls short compared to Sequoia Capital, the top venture firm. A collaboration with the Westeros system could significantly elevate KPCB's stature.
On the other side of the party, as Simon and Janet mingled with the "Seinfeld" cast, Janet's expression remained unchanged, prompting Simon to ask, "What's on your mind?"
Janet squeezed Simon's arm gently, smiling mischievously, "Feeling down because the woman you personally helped make famous has moved on?"
Simon shook his head, "Not at all."
Janet's eyes sparkled playfully as she nodded, "Yeah, you're right." Leaning closer, she whispered, "You just prefer other men's wives, don't you?"
Simon quickly kissed Janet's lips and laughed, "Keep it down. If anyone hears, they might kill me on the spot."
No one else confronted him, but Janet playfully pinched Simon's arm harder, saying, "You little rascal, you don't even bother to deny it."
The music started playing from one side of the hall, and Simon, attempting to soothe Janet, suggested, "Let's go dance. You can tell me more in the dance floor."
Janet gave Simon a playful look but allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.
With soft music and dim lighting, couples swayed slowly together.
Leaning into Simon's arms, Janet danced for a few minutes before noticing Jennifer, Simon's assistant, standing at the edge of the dance floor. After a while, Janet reluctantly let Simon go, indicating that he could dance with Jennifer for a bit.
Following Janet's cue, Simon joined Jennifer in the dance floor.
While they danced, Jennifer, conscious of the many eyes around them, maintained a respectful distance, unlike Janet's close embrace.
When the music ended, Janet reappeared, taking Jennifer's hand and suggesting they take a break, leaving Simon in the crowd.
In a corner booth, Janet and Jennifer sat down. Jennifer glanced back at Simon, unable to hide her concern.
Janet handed Jennifer a glass of champagne and noticed her gaze. Smiling, she teased, "Why don't you go back and keep an eye on him?"
Caught off guard by Janet's observation, Jennifer felt a bit embarrassed.
Sitting down next to her, Janet gently took Jennifer's hand. Confused, Jennifer looked at her questioningly. Janet then tightened her grip suddenly. Jennifer instinctively tried to pull away but couldn't, and asked, "What are you doing?"
Janet just smiled and let go, shrugging.
Unaware of Janet's secret, Jennifer recalled the incident and understood the message.
Janet was telling her that the tighter you hold onto someone, the more they want to break free.
Despite some recognition of this truth, Jennifer couldn't help but want to keep him close.
She glanced over again.
Noticing Simon chatting with Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, she finally looked away.
Seeing Jennifer's gaze, Janet whispered mischievously, "He's been with her too."
Jennifer paused, instinctively looking back just as Simon glanced her way. Caught like a deer in headlights, she quickly looked away.
Janet leaned closer, her arm around Jennifer's waist, and whispered, "He's such a rascal, isn't he? Disappointed? Leave him."
Jennifer shifted uncomfortably but countered, "Why don't you leave him?"
Janet pretended to pout, "I'm under his spell. Leaving him would kill me. You know, he's a sorcerer."
Jennifer rolled her eyes but then asked, "Can you stop calling him a 'rascal'?"
Janet immediately started chanting softly, "Rascal, rascal, rascal… Ahaha, stop tickling me, Assistant. Or I'll have my husband dock your pay… aha, stop, or you'll be fired."
With the hall filled with hundreds of people, the two women's playful banter went unnoticed.
Their dresses, however, became slightly wrinkled.
After some playful bickering, the two women decided to leave the party early.
When a staff member informed Simon that Janet and Jennifer had left, he simply nodded and continued his conversation with Demi Moore, saying, "Claire's character is a female spy. I want a strong and versatile image for the role. So, Demi, you'll need to undergo physical training for at least a month. We'll schedule your scenes towards the end."
They were discussing "Mission: Impossible."
After much consideration and Demi
Moore's persistent pursuit, she was finally cast as the female lead in the first installment of "Mission: Impossible."
Following her success in "Ghost" and "A Few Good Men," Demi Moore's subsequent choice of roles led to a series of flops, nearly relegating her to B-list status.
The new "Mission: Impossible" deviated significantly from the plot of the original first movie.
In this version, Claire is a colleague of Ethan Hunt, and they develop mutual feelings while enduring hardships together. She is no longer the wife of Jon Voight's character, played by Emmanuelle Béart in the original.
It's worth noting that Tom Cruise's movies often faced challenges in creating on-screen chemistry with his female leads, partly due to certain rumors among fans. Consequently, his characters often had traits that were initially unappealing to women, though they eventually redeemed themselves.
With Nicolas Cage taking over as the lead, such 'convenient' character traits were no longer necessary.
Unlike his later career as a 'King of Bad Movies,' Nicolas Cage at this point was still a dashing figure, and his receding hairline hadn't started. He was the epitome of charisma.
Reportedly, during the filming of "Moonstruck," co-star Cher was genuinely smitten by him.
For the female lead in "Mission: Impossible," Simon initially wanted someone who could exude a strong and dangerous aura.
However, finding an actress who fit the femme fatale mold proved challenging.
Linda Fiorentino from "Basic Instinct" was a potential choice, but after her rise to fame, her difficult personality became evident, causing conflicts with the crew on almost every project. After fulfilling the two-film contract, there were no further collaborations.
Initially reluctant to cast Demi Moore, Simon was persuaded by her dedicated efforts during auditions.
He recalled her roles in "G.I. Jane" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," where she played a female soldier and a villainess, respectively. Keen on preserving her star status, she valued this opportunity highly.
Ultimately, the passion and commitment of a film's cast and crew are crucial for its quality.
If actors are solely motivated by money and don't invest themselves in a project, the likelihood of creating a classic diminishes greatly.
Many directors' early works are often outstanding, but as they grow more complacent, their later films often lack the same vigor. It's not always about running out of ideas; sometimes, after achieving success, there's no longer a need to invest the same level of effort.
Demi Moore, however, has always been known as a hardworking actress.
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