Chapter 116: Cameron, Incredible Profits
[Chapter 116: Cameron, Incredible Profits]
The next afternoon, David quietly drove to avoid the paparazzi and picked up Cameron Diaz at the estate. Cameron was clearly dressed up with care -- her golden hair flowing over her shoulders, wearing a purple velvet evening gown. She had sheer stockings on her calves and wore black high heels. Her lips were fiery red, presenting a glamorous, beautiful, and sexy image.
It had been six months since they last saw each other, and they both missed the good times. Upon meeting, Cameron threw herself into Linton's arms and gave him a passionate kiss.
After the kiss, Linton lifted her and carried her upstairs to the third floor. Soon, soft laughter and muffled moans floated through the air. They lost themselves in each other, making up for lost time in the most intimate way.
...
After two hours, they took a break. Cameron nestled comfortably in Linton's arms, unwilling to move. "You jerk, did you miss me? You don't even know how I survived these past six months."
"Alright, things were special before. Now that Step Up has been taken off the theaters, you can come anytime."
"Good. This time, I'm going to spend a few days here with you, and every day I'm going to deafeat you," Cameron playfully said.
"No problem. After such a long session, you must be hungry. Let's go downstairs for dinner. I have a special surprise for you."
"Really? What's the surprise?"
"I'll tell you after dinner."
...
After a warm shower together, they went downstairs to eat. Linton took Cameron to his study and handed her the script for The Shallows.
"This is a movie my company is currently working on. The female lead role suits you perfectly. Take a look."
"Oh, I love you so much," Cameron exclaimed, overwhelmed with excitement. She hugged Linton tightly and kissed him passionately. To be honest, seeing Naomi Watts soar to fame after starring in Step Up triggered some jealousy in Cameron, but she had controlled herself well and hadn't shown it around Linton. Now, the opportunity was here.
"This movie is a female-centric story. You're the absolute lead. Do your best, and the movie will attract a huge fan base once it's released."
"What preparations do I need to make?"
"Three main requirements: First, maintain your sexy figure. Second, find a surfing coach for outdoor surfing training. Third, study the script carefully, and if you're unsure, get a coach to guide your acting."
"When does filming start?"
"Soon, definitely by early December at the latest. We plan to release the movie next April."
Linton insisted on an April release for The Shallows also to boost Cameron's competitiveness against the lead role in The Mask, minimizing risks of exploitation.
"Honey, looks like my vacation has to end early. I wanted to stay a week, but now it seems I'll only rest here for three days. Can you spend those days with me?"
"Sure. I'll stay home preparing storyboards for the new film. During the day, you can swim, workout, and play badminton or tennis with Meena and the others. At night, we'll have our fun sessions to your satisfaction."
"You're so sweet. I think we can try something new," Cameron said, slipping under Linton's desk.
Maybe because Cameron had been starved for affection, or due to the thrill from the female lead news, their nights were especially passionate. From the second to the third floor, study to bedroom to terrace, they released themselves completely, leaving traces of their affection everywhere.
However, Linton noticed Cameron's popularity had barely increased in six months. She was now no longer on the same level compared to Naomi, and her influence on his growth was minimal. He hoped the movie The Shallows would bring a qualitative leap, and after starring again in The Mask, it would truly boost his progress.
...
At breakfast the next day, Linton noticed his assistant transformed into a Raccoon again, and that morning she had proactively moved in next to Amy.
For the next three days, Linton worked on the movie storyboards during the day while Cameron swam, played sports, and worked out. At night, they indulged fully in their intimate sessions, savoring the wonderful experiences.
Linton also let her pick a car under $300,000, to use exclusively on the estate. Cameron chose a black, fully loaded Toyota Lexus, priced under $120,000.
...
After a beautiful three-day vacation at Linton's estate, although reluctant, Cameron left firmly determined to excel in her lead role. She followed Linton's advice to learn surfing and get acting coaching.
---
After a week of negotiations, Robert and his team reached a final agreement with Universal's negotiation team: the overseas full copyright sale price of Step Up was $53.975 million, exceeding Linton's bottom line by $635,000. According to the agreement, the negotiation team could share a $63,500 bonus.
At the same time, Levitt sent good news: the investment cooperation for Speed had completed the project approval process at Universal Pictures.
Shortly afterwards, they signed contracts for Step Up's overseas full copyright sale, Speed's investment cooperation, and distribution contracts for Speed, Step Up 2, and The Shallows.
Universal promptly transferred $53.975 million to Linton Films.
Up to now, Step Up had generated total revenue of $145.595 million, not including future royalties from the soundtrack album, rental and sales of videotapes, and other derivative income.
These subsequent earnings would be settled next year as part of the company's taxable income, marking Linton Films' rise to fame and huge profits.
Step Up's investment was $9.7 million, yielding a gross profit of $135.895 million -- an astonishing return, though taxes would be heavy.
Under U.S. corporate income tax standards of 30%, plus state surcharges, the total tax rate could reach 32%, meaning Linton Films owed $43.48 million, an amount Linton wished to avoid.
Fortunately, the company was registered in Delaware with lower taxes. If registered in California, the tax rate would increase by at least 4%, adding $5.43 million to the tax bill. This was why most Hollywood film companies registered in Delaware.
...
Linton Films injected $18 million into the already approved Step Up 2 and The Shallows productions.
Considering Speed was a co-investment with Universal, they established the Speed Studio for separate accounting. Linton Films deposited $21 million according to the contract, and Universal transferred $14 million.
Studio structures were Hollywood's way to manage large films requiring outside investments, overseeing finances, preparation, personnel, filming, advertising, sponsorship, and merchandise. Some studios could last for years or even decades for hit films.
After funding these three productions, even after deducting annual operating costs and new equipment purchases, Linton Films' gross profit stood above $88.5 million.
After consulting Henry and Goodman, the company decided to donate 10% of gross profit -- $8.85 million -- to charity for tax deductions, matching the U.S. corporate tax deduction cap.
The recipient was naturally the Linton Charity Foundation.
Even after this, the tax payment due in April next year remained high at $25.48 million. It now depended on Linton's future fixed asset investments and Henry's tax strategies.
Robert suggested moderately increasing costs for Step Up 2 and The Shallows by boosting Linton's script fees and co-producer remuneration.
Linton agreed, raising both to $1 million each, pushing Step Up 2's budget to $13 million and The Shallows's to $7 million.
Following Henry's advice, the estate's yearly almost $1 million security costs were also charged to the film company.
*****
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