Capítulo 8: Chp 8 : Little Talks?
This Morning, CAA Office
Wendy, one of the senior accountants from CAA is one of Mary's classmates when she was in college.
She joins CAA three years ago, and because of her good performance, she easily blends in and got to know a few higher ups like Rowland Perkins, Ron Meyer, and Michael S. Rosenfeld.
Too bad, she asked the wrong person for help. She thought that Rowland Perkins would send her friend an experienced agent.
But when she knew that her friend was sent as a trainee agent, she felt mad. She knew she couldn't complain to him, he was one of the founders. But still, when she asked Rowland, he just said "Your friend was lucky that we send a CAA agent. We are not interested in a newcomer, we are in the flourishing stage and need a lot of A-list stars. She should be thankful, if another agency asked for this, she will be kicked out directly on front office hahaha..."
Wendy was furious inside her heart, while keep smiling outside. She really needs a way to explain herself to Mary.
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Blue Mountain Café, Beverly Hills
We saw a boy who was almost dying of laughter, the young woman who smiled, and a man whose face was red due to embarrassment.
After Al stop laugh he said, "Chill out Ari, before signing a contract, I would like to know what is the content and also. I want to know if the agency knows my terms and please call me Al, using Mr is a bit uncomfortable for me. Also, keep this information secret. Currently, I have 2 pen names. One is for children's book, I put my own name 'Alphonse Brandt'. For the novel, I give myself the name 'Al B. Ephron'."
"Don't worry Al, your secret safe with me. Also, I knew what your terms are A-list contract, not only that you don't want an agency ordering you. Usually, newcomers won't get this benefit, but you are that famous writer. How about your acting? Is it good?" Ari asked.
Al didn't say a word and start to show action.
(Author thoughts: imagine the best child actor performance you saw before)
After seeing his performance, Ari more sure that this day was his lucky day. Not only his client the best selling author but also a talented child actor.
After he agreed to be his client, they called it a day. The signing will be held tomorrow in the CAA building with help of his lawyer.
Don't forget, the United States is a lawyer country. Everything you do must hire a lawyer if not the law will be very troublesome.
Al's lawyer's name is James Norman. A man in his forties, he is one of Mrs. K's friends and she seemed to trust him. He and Al have been cooperating since the release of <Toy Story>
Not only did he help Al with a contract, he also helped Al with some tax payments with help of Mary and any legal procedure such as creating a company under his name. To avoid paying big taxes, Al created a shell company named Yggdrasil Corp. and although is just a shell, he believed that soon this company will become a top player in the media industry.
This company is registered in Delaware on East Coast because of some policies that supported a company and some tax evasion in legal means.
As this month is still February, soon the date will be April 15. The taxpaying day, so he needed to prepare the money to pay tax, if not, he didn't want to be the youngest person who in jail because escaped paying tax.
The IRS for Americans is scary, they even had their own army and special agent. There are 2 things that inevitable for Americans, Death, and paying tax.
So Al squeezing out any legal means to avoid tax, so he needs only to pay around 19% of his income.
From his books, <Toy Story>,<Lion King>,<Jurassic Park> and other income, Al almost got to pay $1.4 million tax.
Yes, that's right, Al's income last year is around $7 million, so he should be called the youngest millionaires. But currently, Al is having a low-key attitude.
You know that many Hollywood studios want to buy film rights for his books. But they only offer full buyout copyright without sharing and if he rejected them, his development in Hollywood will be hell.
He heard that in his last life, the author of <Forrest Gump>, because some malicious contract from them, the studio declares that the <Forrest Gump> is losing money even though they have made $600 million worldwide box office, so he doesn't get any money from his book adaptation.
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The next day, they go to the CAA office in Beverly Hills. The office is not as big as CAA will have in the future, only a medium-sized building.
After checking out the content of the contract and made sure no malicious or hidden intention, Al signed the contract with help from James Norman. The contract last 3 years, with an 8% fee, and no restriction to his client.
At first, some CAA management disagreed with this kind of contract that had few benefits for them but with Ari's insistence, they relent.
Not only that, Al met with Mary's friend, Wendy. She is still apologizing because of her carelessness and already called Mary yesterday. They had a nice talk and Wendy also thought that Al was a really cute kid.
As soon as the signing finished they went to a dine-in restaurant and there Ari tell Al good news. Ari got a contact of Spielberg from his parents and he will soon have a meeting in Jews gathering next week.
"I'm sorry Al, I may be rude to ask you this. I'm too overwhelmed when I knew you are the author of <Jurassic Park>" Said Ari with an embarrassed tone.
Al wave his hand and tell Ari, "Ask away Ari, we are now partners aren't we?"
"Are you a Jew?" Ari asked. Al has no intention to hide this and said, "Well my dad is German....." Hearing the word "German" his face stiffen but Al continued. "And my mother is a Jew from Israel, the name Ephron I use in pen name is my mother's maiden name."
"A German, and Israeli, a unique combination," Ari said
"Yeah, too bad they died before I got any memories about them, I really want to know about them." He said with a sad face, although that is his predecessor's parents when he fused with his soul, he feels that they are his parents too.
"I'm sorry for bringing you bad memories," Ari said with a full of regret.
"It's okay, it already happen, I also see your face stiffen when I mention 'German', it's already 1980s Ari, you need to move on from that thing. Like my mother, if she already knew my dad was German, she definitely won't marry him."
"You are right Al, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. But since you are a Jewish descendant, this is another good news. You know that now Hollywood is almost controlled by Jewish forces, we can use your identity as native Israeli to carve a way for you." Said Ari, his father also a native of Israel that migrated to Chicago.
"Although I don't really like your idea I must approve it, but don't expose too much about my ethnicity, I only want the world to know about what I have done, not what I have born with." Said Al with a determined face.
Once again, Ari is amazed by this kid's maturity and vision and feels that he won't regret that this guy is his first client.
He smiled and said, "Let's call it a day, I will drive you to your orphanage, Mary must be really worried about you."
"Okay let's go, but I will warn you, Mary is mine haha....." He said with a joking tone.
Ari just laughed after heard him said that.
To Be Continued...
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