### Traditional Hollywood Film Model vs. The Producer-Centric System
In the traditional Hollywood model, a script is written first, and then a suitable producer, director, and cast are selected based on the script. However, with the commercial boom of the 1990s, this traditional model underwent a fundamental shift.
In the current Hollywood landscape, especially with high-budget commercial films, the system has become producer-centric. Producers come up with an idea, collaborate with a film company to greenlight the project, assemble a production team, and then commission the writing of the script, followed by hiring the director and actors.
Each of these models has its pros and cons:
- **Traditional Model:** This model emphasizes the script, leading to stronger story structure, plot, and narrative. This is why many critics nowadays lament the superficiality, simplicity, and plot holes prevalent in modern films.
- **Producer-Centric Model:** While a good story doesn't guarantee high box office returns, the increase in capital investment in films means that studios can no longer risk relying solely on a script. A box office failure could result in massive financial losses.
Thus, the filmmaking process shifted to a producer-centric model. The primary reason is that Hollywood's top producers possess excellent market judgment, and their film ideas are often more aligned with market trends than those of screenwriters.
However, most of these producers lack strong screenwriting skills, leading to the practice of hiring temporary writers to create stories. These hastily assembled writing teams produce scripts that are often simple, flawed, and riddled with mistakes, resulting in films with increasingly poor reviews.
Film companies are aware of these drawbacks but prefer this over risking financial disaster. As a result, older generations of critics and filmmakers are often heartbroken and critical of this new mode of filmmaking, not because they are against special effects technology but because they oppose the capital-driven system that now controls filmmaking.
### Dunn 's New Model: The Analyst-Centric Screenwriting Team
Dunn , however, has created an unprecedented new model with the help of his "Sunglasses System"—the **"Analyst-Centric Screenwriting Team Responsibility System."**
Dunn has begun forming his own dedicated team, but as a film company, his current team is still too small. He plans to gradually build three core departments as his strength grows:
1. **Market Analysis Department**
2. **Art Analysis Department**
3. **Major Screenwriting Department**
The Market Analysis Department, with its exceptional market judgment abilities, would generate ideas, with the other two departments assisting in constructing the script for commercial films before handing it over to the Production Department for greenlighting.
Similarly, the Art Analysis Department, with its high artistic aesthetic standards, would provide ideas, with the other departments supporting them in crafting scripts for films that could compete for awards, which would also then be handed over to the Production Department.
This new model would limit the power of the Production Department, turning producers into mere employees, centralizing the authority of the production team, and avoiding internal conflicts. At the same time, it eliminates the drawbacks of both the traditional and modern Hollywood models.
The most crucial aspect is that there are only a few top producers in Hollywood, and their golden ideas are limited.
Dunn , on the other hand, can easily recruit dozens of talents with high market judgment to join his Market Analysis Department. The excellent ideas generated by these specialists within a month could surpass what an average film company produces in a year!
This strategy is Dunn 's greatest backing in realizing his grand ambitions.
Even without the "Sunglasses System," having these three core departments as support would allow Dunn to rest easy.
### Moving Forward with the New Script and Stock Market Strategy
Three days later, Dunn sent the script for *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*, tailored for Nicole Kidman, to her lead agent, Pat Kingsley.
Dunn then boarded a plane to New York with his assistant, George Paxton.
September 1st was a Sunday, and the stock market would reopen the next day.
"Dunn , Yahoo's stock... the price is too high. It opened at 56 last Friday and closed at 60. What if..." George, who wasn't well-versed in finance or the stock market, looked worried.
Dunn smiled, "You're afraid Yahoo's stock might suddenly drop?"
George nodded, "Since we're investing in the stock market, I think it's better to hire a stockbroker."
Dunn 's expression turned cold, and he firmly shook his head.
Stockbrokers? A bunch of smooth-talking liars who demand at least a 10% commission—completely unnecessary.
Dunn possessed future information far beyond anyone else in the world. His moves in the stock market would undoubtedly hit the mark!
Involving a stockbroker could lead to disastrous consequences...
Dunn shook his head. Wall Street is full of wolves and tigers driven by greed. Without absolute power, it's best to avoid them as much as possible.
He was only interested in a few stocks—Yahoo, Cisco, Microsoft, Google... Why should he share such valuable information with Wall Street?
"I know what I'm doing."
Dunn saw no need to discuss the matter further. He clearly remembered that Yahoo's stock price had exceeded $450 before the dot-com bubble burst.
As long as he wasn't too greedy and sold early, he'd be fine.
Additionally, the daily trading volume at that time was five to six million shares, so the small amount Dunn held wouldn't attract any attention. He could quietly fish in troubled waters.
On September 2nd, when the market opened, Yahoo's stock price dipped slightly, dropping to $40 per share. Dunn seized the opportunity and purchased 2.1 million shares at an average price of $39.9, with a total investment exceeding $80 million.
The amount Dunn invested was substantial, but in the booming tech stock market of 1997, it wasn't particularly significant.
Dunn left the New York Stock Exchange in high spirits, only to receive a less-than-pleasant phone call.
"Boss, there's a bit of trouble with Nicole Kidman," said Dunn 's production assistant, Glenn Fierro, with a sigh. "Her agent, Pat, is insisting on a $6 million salary."
Dunn frowned. "Did she read the script we wrote?"
"Yes," Glenn replied. "Pat said the script is great and very suitable for Nicole Kidman, but for this kind of commercial film, she won't lower her fee."
"That's a tough one..." Dunn rubbed his chin. After investing in the stock market, the total budget for *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* couldn't exceed $15 million. Nicole Kidman's fee was a bit too high.
"Exactly. Her fee for last year's *The Peacemaker* was $5 million..."
"Wait a minute!" Dunn suddenly realized something. "When does that movie release?"
"*The Peacemaker*? It should be mid-month."
Dunn chuckled, "Then let's wait. We'll negotiate after it's released!"
Nicole Kidman... when has she ever starred in a box-office hit commercial film? Her reputation as a box-office poison isn't unfounded. It's frustrating, really—her agent, Pat Kingsley, isn't the best at choosing projects. She's better suited as a nanny than an agent, which is probably why both Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman eventually left her.
In contrast, Kate Winslet's agent, Hilda Queally, is much more competent. She first got Kate a role in Peter Jackson's *Heavenly Creatures*, which made her a Hollywood sensation. Then she secured her a part in Ang Lee's *Sense and Sensibility*, which earned her an Oscar nomination. And after that, the iconic *Titanic*!
Hilda Queally's other client, Cate Blanchett, also has a bright future. Not only has she successfully entered Hollywood, but she also recently landed the lead role in the historical film *Elizabeth*!
Dunn remembered that it was this film that earned Cate Blanchett an Oscar nomination, propelling her to superstardom.
Both are Australians, yet Nicole Kidman's future struggles and Cate Blanchett's eventual rise are clear reflections of their agents' capabilities.
"If Nicole is willing to collaborate, I could give her a boost..." Dunn mused.
He had never met Nicole Kidman and was curious about what the movie goddess looked like in real life. If she truly was as stunning as they say...