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41.89% System in Hollywood / Chapter 62: **Chapter 62: Interested?**

章 62: **Chapter 62: Interested?**

"Mom, you were really over the top just now! What if they find out everything you said was a lie? What then?"

"Don't worry, they won't. He's an American, a Hollywood star, how would he even know about the entertainment industry in China? And even if he did find out, what's the big deal? Didn't you notice how interested he is in you?"

"Uh..."

Liu Tianxian's face instantly turned red, leaving her speechless.

She had been studying in America for several years and had seen how American guys act. How could she not tell that Wayne was "interested" in her?

Before she could say anything more, Liu Xiaoli, looking at the business card and note in her hand, suddenly made a decision.

"Let's go! Grab your bag, we're leaving!"

"But our plane hasn't even started boarding yet," Liu Tianxian looked at her, confused.

"We're rescheduling. First, we're going to find Mike Jones to sign your management contract," Liu Xiaoli explained.

"That way, when we return to China and people ask, you can say you're an artist under WMA, with the same manager as Wayne Anderson and Jessica Alba. Doesn't that sound impressive? Then, we'll ask your godfather for help to shoot a few ads and low-budget TV series. When we go back to Hollywood, we won't even be lying."

"..."

Liu Tianxian was dumbfounded and didn't know how to respond.

But the thought of becoming a big star and living in the spotlight filled her with excitement. She picked up her bag and followed Liu Xiaoli's lead.

Meanwhile, Jessica and Mia, who were already seated with their luggage stored, couldn't help but start chatting with Wayne about them again.

It was mainly what Liu Xiaoli had mentioned: in China, agents didn't need specific qualifications, which surprised them.

"That's nothing," Wayne chuckled and explained, "I learned about it during school. The environment over there is different from ours. Their entertainment industry is still in a stage of rapid, unregulated growth. Any company can handle production, distribution, management, and even run movie theaters all at once."

"My God, that's the whole supply chain!" Mia exclaimed.

"Exactly," Wayne nodded. "So, even though the celebrities over there seem glamorous, they're really just tools of capital. They hold a very low status and get exploited brutally. Forget about their pay; just the revenue split between artists and management companies can be as bad as 90-10. And it's the management company taking 90."

"My God, so all the money they make from filming just goes to the management company? That's so shady!" Jessica was equally shocked.

"But that's how it is. Unless you open your own company, even the biggest stars can't get away from at least a 30% cut by their agency."

"But Jessie and I, our management company only takes 3% or 6%," Jessica said, looking stunned.

Wayne laughed and continued, "That's actually not bad. In Japan and Korea, the situation is even worse. They take a bigger cut, pay actors less, and unless you're a second-tier star or higher, your earnings might not even match a regular office worker's."

"That's terrifying!"

Wayne shrugged. "That's why so many of their stars are desperate to make it to Hollywood. With high pay, low cut rates, and unions protecting your rights, Hollywood offers far more than other entertainment industries."

Unlike many other places where unions either don't exist or are just for show, Hollywood's unions are powerful. Once you pay your dues, they really do fight for your rights. After all, they get a cut of any compensation you win.

Think of the massive settlement payouts here in the U.S., and you can imagine how eager they are to help you out.

They might not care about you, but they sure care about the money.

"So, if we opened a company over there, we'd make a lot of money, right?" Mia suddenly asked.

Being able to manage production, distribution, management, and even theaters without any unions getting in the way sounded like a goldmine.

Wayne couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. "You're oversimplifying things. Any foreign capital trying to break into a new market faces massive challenges, and over there, it's even more complicated than here in Hollywood."

"Remember how Hollywood outsmarted Wall Street? Unless our Hemera Pictures becomes as big and influential as the Big Seven studios, it's better not to get involved over there."

Wayne's past experience gave him deep insight into the Chinese entertainment industry, making him cautious about getting involved.

After all, if you're going to make money, Hollywood's easier and more profitable. Why wade into the murky waters of Chinese entertainment?

"Got it!" Mia quickly abandoned her idea.

She then picked up various travel magazines she had prepared and, along with Jessica and Hannah, started planning where to go during their breaks from filming.

Meanwhile, on Liu Xiaoli's end, she couldn't even wait until they left the airport. She eagerly pulled out her phone and dialed the number Mike had written on the note.

"Hello, is this agent Mike Jones?"

"Yes, that's me. Who's calling?"

In WMA's office, Mike, who was busy casting additional roles for the "Gifted" production, answered the phone, holding it between his shoulder and neck as he continued working. Despite being swamped, his tone remained as polite and courteous as ever—a small but notable quality Wayne had always appreciated.

"Hi, I'm Liu Xiaoli, a dancer. Of course, I'm calling about my daughter. Wayne Anderson recommended you, saying you're an excellent agent, and we'd like to sign her with you..."

Mike's hands paused, a hint of surprise appearing on his face, followed by a smile of delight and anticipation.

Anyone Wayne recommended, no matter how ordinary, would be more valuable than other newcomers. After all, Wayne could give them opportunities that others couldn't dream of. And in Hollywood, opportunities were everything.

"Where are you? I'll come pick you up," Mike asked enthusiastically.

"No need, we're just about to catch a ride to your office. We trust Mr. Anderson's recommendation," Liu Xiaoli said, deliberately making it sound like she knew Wayne well, which only made Mike even more excited.

(End of Chapter)


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章 63: Chapter 63: The Audition Opportunity

"Alright then, call me when you arrive, and I'll come down to meet you."

After hanging up the phone, Mike hesitated for a moment, glanced at the time on his watch, and quickly dialed Wayne's number. He wanted to ask what kind of treatment they should give to Liu Tianxian, as different newcomers have different contracts.

Although it was unlikely, Mike still wanted to confirm whether Liu Xiaoli was a scammer.

Wayne, who had just taken out his phone and was about to turn it off, received Mike's call.

"Hey, Mike? What's up? My flight's about to take off."

"I'll be brief," Mike quickly said. "A dancer named Liu Xiaoli just called me. She said you recommended her daughter for me to sign. Is that true?"

"Yes, it is."

"And the terms?"

"Just give her the standard rookie contract. However, if they don't plan on leaving Hollywood anytime soon, you could arrange for Liu Qianqian to have a small role in *Gifted Girl*, with a couple of lines and screen time." Wayne thought for a moment and added.

For many newcomers, even a role with just a few lines is an incredibly precious opportunity, enough to make them overjoyed.

It seemed like Wayne was looking out for Liu Tianxian, but in a few years, her fame would likely boost the movie's value.

The main goal of this movie was to recoup the threefold production funds returned by the system. Since there was no need to rush profits, Wayne planned to let the newly established distribution department at Hemera Pictures handle the North American release, preparing for the upcoming *The Bourne Identity*.

This way, all the rights to the movie would remain with Hemera Pictures. As a savvy capitalist, Wayne knew it was in his best interest to maximize the film's value.

"Got it. Once the contract is signed, I'll contact Susan right away."

It's unclear if all famous writers have a habit of delaying deadlines, but Alan Ball, who had originally promised to finish the script in two weeks, didn't turn it in until the day before. 

However, the level of writing from an Oscar-winning screenwriter is undeniably impressive. Wayne was blown away after reading it.

Not only did it surpass the original version in many ways, but it also had a deeper, more symbolic meaning, leaving the reader eager to explore, reflect, and rewatch to savor every detail.

It's no exaggeration to say that if a director can't turn a script like this into a critically and commercially successful film, it would be a major failure on their part.

But then again, the director had been nominated for an Oscar and excelled in this genre, so if the movie bombed at the box office, it would likely be the actors' fault.

Susan realized this after reading the script.

And since this was her first film as a producer with a budget over $10 million, she would demand perfection in every aspect. That's why the audition process for *Gifted Girl* hadn't started yet.

Although Wayne had already locked in the four main actors, there was still plenty of room for casting other supporting roles.

Aside from Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon, Anne, Dakota Fanning, and Naomi Watts, who had already finished filming *Mulholland Drive*, were also scheduled for acting lessons.

If these lessons were offered to B-list celebrities, they might cause dissatisfaction. 

But since all three actresses were still relatively unknown, they didn't have much choice. Anne, for instance, had already lost her role in *The Princess Diaries*.

Though Naomi Watts had finished filming *Mulholland Drive*, its release was still pending, as it wouldn't debut until next year's Cannes Film Festival.

As for Dakota Fanning, her breakout role in *I Am Sam* wouldn't begin filming until next year, and the project hadn't even been greenlit yet.

"Let's hope Susan doesn't get mad." After hanging up the phone, Wayne quickly turned off his phone to avoid any potential complaint calls.

However, he underestimated Susan. She did feel a bit annoyed when Mike first called her, but after realizing that Wayne had entrusted such a major project to her, with an even bigger commercial blockbuster series waiting afterward, she quickly calmed down. After gulping down a cup of cold coffee, she got back to work.

Meanwhile, over at Liu Xiaoli and Liu Tianxian's side, when they found out from Mike that Liu Qianqian would get a role with lines and screen time in *Gifted Girl*, their excitement was impossible to hide.

"Are you serious? My daughter can really have a part in a $10 million movie directed by an Oscar-nominated director, written by an Oscar-winning screenwriter, and starring an Oscar-winning actress?"

In Mike's spacious, newly-renovated office, Liu Xiaoli struggled to contain her excitement as she asked again.

"It's just an audition opportunity for now. Whether she can pass the audition depends on the director, producer, and most importantly, Wayne's opinion. You get that, right?" Mike said as he organized the contract.

"Yes! Yes!" Liu Xiaoli immediately nodded in understanding.

In this parallel world, she had indeed protected Liu Tianxian well, but only selectively. Otherwise, how would those later notorious photos have surfaced?

To Liu Xiaoli, Wayne—who now ran a mid-sized production company and was a popular B-list star—was far more valuable than Liu Tianxian's "godfather."

But then she realized that Wayne had gone to Europe for filming, so how could she "work her charm" now?

"The audition is scheduled for 9 a.m. the day after tomorrow at Hemera Pictures. Will that work for you? I heard you and your daughter are heading back to China? If she passes the audition, you'll need to stay here for a while until filming wraps up," Mike added.

"That won't be a problem. Qianqian is only returning to China for a few commercials. I'll contact them to postpone, and if they can't, we'll just cancel them." Liu Xiaoli quickly assured him.

After all, the commercials had been arranged by Liu Tianxian's "godfather." When they're shot doesn't really matter.

However, after signing with WMA, Liu Tianxian wouldn't be able to sign with any agencies in China, which could be a bit tricky.

But financially, this was definitely a good thing for Liu Tianxian and her mother. After all, Liu Tianxian's "godfather" wasn't doing it for charity. His cut was a steep 50%, with a multi-year contract.

Now, with WMA as a shield, Liu Xiaoli could easily push that deal aside.

Thinking of this, Liu Xiaoli grew even more excited. She wished time would speed up to the audition day, though she still worried about not having done enough to ensure Wayne wouldn't change his mind, leaving her feeling conflicted.

---End of Chapter---


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