"By the way, Lee," Mara suddenly said, as though she had just remembered something important.
"The post-production team from Fox contacted me yesterday. They seemed pretty anxious to talk with you about the distribution of "SAW"."
"Urgent, huh?" Jihoon leaned back in his chair and smiled. "That's perfect. We can hand over the distribution of Buried to them as well."
Mara's eyes lit up instantly. "A bundled deal?" she asked, her voice carrying a mix of surprise and excitement.
Her wide eyes practically sparkled, as if she were seeing little dollar signs blink across her vision.
Both "SAW" and "BURIED" had been produced through JH's LA branch.
From the very beginning, Jihoon had set an internal policy that made his company stand out: profit-sharing across the board.
It wasn't just about paying salaries or tossing in a holiday bonus—anyone who worked on a JH project would receive an actual share of the profits.
Every crew member, from top executives to the interns fetching coffee, was tied to the revenue of the films they helped bring to life.
It was a bold system, one that naturally ensured quality.
When everyone had a stake in the outcome, every project felt like their own.
Crews pushed harder, worked smarter, and treated even the smallest task with pride.
Mara, of course, was no exception.
As Jihoon's assistant, her fingerprints were on every single of JH's project.
Whether she was coordinating schedules, relaying last-minute notes, or drowning in a mountain of paperwork, her name still ended up tied to every film JH produced.
As long as she remained by Jihoon's side, her future was linked to the success of the entire branch.
Of course, on paper it looked like an extremely generous setup.
In reality, Jihoon's heart had bled a little when he first put the policy in place. Splitting profits wasn't something most directors or production heads would even consider—it meant cutting into his own share.
But back then, he hadn't had much choice.
When Jihoon first started recruiting staff for his LA branch, no one wanted to join.
He might have had "INCEPTION" under his belt, but in Hollywood's eyes he was still a relative nobody.
Directors and producers came and went every year, and Jihoon hadn't yet built a reputation strong enough to attract top-tier talent.
Promising a cut of profits was his way of tipping the scales, of giving potential recruits a reason to take a chance on him.
Fox had even offered him an easier route—Jim suggested he pull from Fox's own talent pool, hiring experienced staff directly from the studio.
On the surface, it was a generous offer. But Jihoon had refused.
It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the gesture.
It was that he didn't trust it.
If every single person in his company came from Fox, then whose company was it really?
His, or Fox's?
Jihoon needed people who answered to him and him alone.
If he wanted his bigger plans for this year to unfold smoothly, then loyalty couldn't be borrowed—it had to be built.
And so he made a gamble.
He offered profit-sharing, tied every staff member's future earnings to the success of the films, and in return, secured a team that had every reason to stay loyal to him.
Because as long as Jihoon kept his promises—and the profits kept rolling in—JH's LA branch would always be their company as much as his.
Mara, looking at him with those sparkling eyes, was proof enough that his gamble was paying off.
Over the next few days, Jihoon and the post-production team from Fox worked through the final details and eventually came to an agreement.
The partnership was clear in its structure: although Fox would hold a 20 percent stake in Jihoon's JH studio in Los Angeles, Jihoon retained full creative and operational control.
Fox's involvement would remain strictly financial—limited to revenue sharing—meaning that every project produced by JH would continue business as usual, even when partnering with Fox.
Of course, if JH needed distribution, Fox would still charge the standard industry fees.
Nothing came for free in Hollywood, not even friendships.
The deal itself was split into two major parts.
The first was the distribution rights for "SAW".
Fox offered an $8 million minimum guarantee, along with 15 percent of the box office revenue and a guaranteed theatrical release in over twenty territories worldwide.
It was a strong offer—aggressive, even—for a genre film.
The second part of the deal was for North American distribution of "BURIED".
Unlike the larger global push of "SAW", this agreement was structured as a standard domestic distribution deal.
Fox would only take 4 percent of the box office revenue, a figure so low it was practically a gift.
It was clear the studio was still in its honeymoon phase with Jihoon, offering him terms most new directors could only dream of.
At the meeting where the contracts were signed, Jason from Fox's distribution team grinned broadly and said, "Congratulations, Lee! Your first film in hollywood is about to hit theaters. This is the kind of start that would make any new director jealous."
Jihoon gave a modest smile. "Maybe I'm just lucky."
Jason's eyes narrowed with an amused but knowing look. "Winning an Oscar isn't just luck, you know."
They both knew the truth. The Academy might be swayed by politics, PR campaigns, and lobbying machines, but there was always a baseline of quality required.
If a film was poorly written or sloppily made, no amount of lobbying could save it.
To win, a film needed more than luck—it needed to deserve being in the conversation.
Jason flipped through his notes before glancing back at Jihoon. "By the way, Lee, what do you think about releasing "SAW" during the summer?"
Jihoon leaned back in his chair, arms folding as he weighed the idea. "Summer's tricky," he said after a pause.
"Competition at the box office will be brutal. Every studio dumps their biggest blockbusters in that season."
Jason chuckled, drumming his pen lightly against the notepad.
"True. But it's also when audiences pay the most attention. Big crowds, big headlines, and bigger profits. Or…"—he tilted his head with a grin—"do you have another plan in mind?"
Jihoon smiled and said, "I do have a suggestion. How about releasing "SAW" two weeks after "GET OUT"?"
"GET OUT" was only given a limited commercial preview release before the Oscars ceremony.
According to the selection rules, a film must be screened in local commercial theaters for at least seven consecutive days within a year to qualify for the festival.
Because of this, both Fox and Jihoon decided to give "GET OUT" a limited preview in select private screenings before the ceremony.
That's why, up until now, "GET OUT" hadn't been considered as a fully commercial release to the public.
This strategy is common among award-chasing films, especially those aiming to use Oscar buzz to drive their eventual box office.
After the preview, the film company can then decide whether to officially launch the film nationwide, depending on how the Oscars turn out.
And now, with "GET OUT" becoming the first horror film to ever win at the Oscars, its full release is set for next month!
"This…" Jason froze for a moment.
That… actually made sense.
"GET OUT" was written by Jihoon.
"SAW" directed by Peli and written by Jihoon.
If both films had been released at the same time—or even just two weeks apart—they would still be competing against each other. The buzz would skyrocket instantly!
Jason broke into a grin, praising, "Lee, I have to say, you're a perfect fit for Hollywood."
"I know right.." Jihoon replied with a shrug.
This kind of promotional tactic would eventually become standard practice in the future. But for now, it was still considered a clever, unconventional trick—something only a handful of distributors dared to try.