[Chapter 186: Pulp Fiction]
In the afternoon, the film crew continued shooting. Linton quietly observed from the side, accompanied by Kenneth, but he didn't offer any comments or suggestions. After all, the production was running smoothly: the director's shots, the actors' performances, and the schedule were all well managed.
At this moment, Bob Weinstein entered the set with a tall white man and approached Linton.
"Boss, may I have a moment of your time?"
"Kenneth, find us a quiet place where we won't disturb the crew's filming."
They moved to a temporary office prepared at the school for the crew.
...
"Boss, this is Quentin Tarantino, a very talented director. He previously directed a low-budget indie film called Reservoir Dogs, which did well at the box office, grossing close to two million dollars. Including merchandise, his debut film was profitable."
"Hello, Mr. Anderson, it's an honor to meet you," the tall man, a white man with a typical Italian-American look, stepped forward to greet Linton.
"Quentin Tarantino, not bad. I've seen Reservoir Dogs, it's well made," Linton greeeted him. 'Could it be that he came for Pulp Fiction?' If so, this would be a godsend -- offering both fame and fortune.
Pulp Fiction was a classic that had cemented its place in film history. The movie not only received multiple prestigious nominations including the Oscars for Best Director and Best Screenplay, but also won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It practically swept up awards and had a huge fanbase worldwide.
More importantly, it achieved tremendous artistic success and was also a commercial hit, earning over 200 million dollars globally, achieving the rare feat of excelling both artistically and commercially.
Quentin was a genius director, destined to produce many great works. His films won awards and yielded solid returns, making him a worthwhile investment.
In the previous life, Miramax Films only truly made huge profits and took off after this movie.
Linton had once considered cutting in, but after acquiring Miramax, he lost interest. There were plenty of good projects for him, and he never expected one to come knocking at his door.
"Boss, Quentin has a movie script and is looking for our investment. I've read it, and it's quite good."
"Sure, like I said, if it's under three million, you can decide on your own."
"However, Quentin's new movie requires a larger investment, exceeding my authorization limit. But the script is really good. Could you please take a look?" Bob handed the script and project proposal to Linton.
The cover clearly said Pulp Fiction. So it really was this project. It seemed the momentum of history was strong. Although Miramax had been acquired by Linton, Quentin still found Bob Weinstein, who finally brought the project to him.
Of course, it was also possible that at this time Quentin only had contacts with the Weinstein brothers in the film industry. The film world was pretty closed off and blindly revered successful people, rarely giving newcomers a chance. It was hard for new directors to raise investment.
...
Linton read the script carefully. It was indeed well written with a complete story, but the narrative structure was not the usual commercial single-line story. Instead, it was an artistic multi-threaded, flashback narrative, typical of an art film.
Then he reviewed the project proposal, which was very detailed with a reasonable budget. The total investment was listed as eight million dollars.
It specifically stated that Quentin wanted to direct himself. Of course, director and screenplay pay were modest, only about three hundred thousand dollars combined.
An artistic commercial film directed by a newcomer, asking for eight million dollars was quite challenging to find funding for in Hollywood.
Quentin had some fame from Reservoir Dogs. If he wanted to make a film with an investment under three million dollars, it would be easy to attract investors.
But he suddenly bumped the budget up to eight million, naturally, no investor had confidence in him. He had gone around Hollywood's major studios trying to find funding but nobody was willing.
No wonder the project ultimately came around to Bob, who introduced it to Linton. But since Linton had exceptional insight, knowing this film would be both an artistic and commercial success, he couldn't pass it up.
"Eight million dollars, not a huge investment. When do you plan to start filming?"
"The script has gone through many revisions. We just need the investment, then we can start immediately. I want to start as soon as possible. If possible, I hope to participate in next year's Cannes Film Festival."
"Not bad. Your script uses many innovative techniques, especially the multi-threaded narrative, which fits Cannes well." After saying that, Linton pondered for a few minutes while Bob and Quentin nervously awaited his response.
Then he broke the silence: "We're investing in this project."
Having decided to invest, Linton no longer hesitated. Since he was about to leave for overseas promotion the day after tomorrow, he thought it was best to finalize things that afternoon.
...
After a nod to Kenneth, Linton took Bob and Quentin back to the company and had his assistant notify Robert, Mary, Harvey, and Clinsman to prepare for a meeting.
In the conference room, Linton had Bob introduce the Pulp Fiction project to everyone in detail.
"I've decided. The company will fully fund this project. Robert, arrange for the project approval as soon as possible."
"Will do, I'll take care of it right after the meeting."
"Mary, organize the funds and assign financial personnel to the crew to ensure proper and compliant use of the money."
"Understood."
"Bob, since you found the Pulp Fiction project, you will be the producer. Quentin Tarantino will direct. After the meeting, coordinate with legal to sign contracts with him for directing and screenwriting."
"Thank you for your trust, boss," Bob said, thrilled. He had high hopes for Pulp Fiction and a good personal relationship with Quentin. However, as an employee with limited decision power, this investment far exceeded his authority.
Though hesitant, he brought Quentin to see Linton, and to his surprise, Linton not only fully invested but also made him the producer. This greatly exceeded the earlier stated limit of three million for indie films.
It seemed their new boss was remarkably generous. Bob resolved to perform well and make this project a success.
Maybe this would open the door for him to enter the commercial film arena. His prospects and network would expand, and perhaps in three years he could start his own company again.
Quentin was ecstatic. After countless rejections, he was nearly hopeless. Though Miramax had been absorbed, he boldly approached Bob Weinstein.
Unexpectedly, things turned around. Within two hours, Linton agreed to invest and finalized every detail.
Finally, someone recognized his talent. His dream was set to take off, and he felt a kinship with Linton.
"Bob, quickly set up the project team. Pick your production department staff carefully and prepare swiftly. Quentin wants to attend the Cannes Film Festival; time is tight."
"Got it, boss. Mission accepted. May I ask for a small favor?"
"Go ahead. What is it?"
*****
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