Behind The Spotlight Chapter 72
The woman laughed softly, her shoulders shaking in amusement. Teasing Collin was fun once in a while, especially when he gave such dramatic reactions.
Of course, she had no romantic feelings for Collin beyond light-hearted fondness. She had no intention of fixing a broken man like him. That kind of emotional labor was far too much work.
"$70,000 is enough for now. If this movie succeeds at the box office, the studio will pay me a bonus, right?"
Jennifer wasn't some naïve newcomer anymore. She understood the reality of the industry. She knew it was difficult to get a huge salary, and the fact that she landed $70,000 was already a win worth celebrating. She was genuinely impressed with Collin's negotiation skills and how calmly he handled business.
"I'll make sure that happens even if I have to knock on studio doors myself."
"Thanks, Collin. You're a great person."
Jennifer slapped Collin's back playfully but hard enough to make him wince and squint in pain. She didn't hold back at all.
"So, want to eat something? My treat, as thanks for fighting for me." She grinned, already imagining a big, juicy burger. She hadn't eaten anything all day just to maintain her figure.
"Nah, I'm waiting for someone."
"Well then, see you tomorrow, handsome agent." She waved and walked off with a carefree bounce in her steps.
She was genuinely happy about getting the role and the paycheck that came with it. She couldn't help but smile to herself, knowing that Madison probably didn't get a role despite her confidence. After all, her age and appearance didn't align with the characters the production was looking for, according to the casting sheet. It was still a mystery how she had even passed the first and second rounds of auditions when there were more suitable options.
Meanwhile, Collin made his way to the underground parking lot of Uni-versus Pictures, where he had parked his car. But he didn't leave right away, he was waiting for someone.
Leaning against his car door, Collin waited a few minutes before a car he recognized pulled up a few meters away with a soft hum of the engine. The vehicle parked smoothly, and Arnold stepped out.
"Yow, Collin. I didn't expect you to keep your promise so soon."
The agent, who was a year older than Collin, approached with a friendly grin.
"You said if Wyatt had a new project, I should tell you in case your client needed work azand here we are. Honestly, though, I think Brody's already famous enough to find a better project than this one."
"Brody personally chose this project. When I showed him the script, he picked it out of dozens of others. He said his past roles were all heavy-themed, and he needed something different to show his range. He doesn't want to be typecast as the serious male lead forever."
"He's lucky that the production is looking for a lower-cost actor with box office appeal."
"Lower cost? Don't underestimate my client just because he's young. He's more than that and he'll prove it." Arnold's expression turned defensive.
"Alright, whatever you say, super agent."
"So, how did your negotiation go? I want to know how this Henry guy handles real talks."
Since Henry usually worked on low-budget films that flew under the radar, agents like Arnold didn't know much about him.
"We're friends, so he wasn't too hard on me. But I'm not sure he'll agree to your terms."
"You think he'll give Brody Paige $3 million?"
Brody's salary for Seven Deadly Sins was $2.5 million, plus backend bonuses. At this point in his career, $3 million was a realistic expectation.
"That'll be tough to pull off with this film's budget," Collin replied. Henry and Arnold would have to hash that out themselves, man to man, suit to suit.
Brody Paige was one of Arnold's top clients, whom he signed six years ago. Their partnership had been consistently successful. Arnold was also known for managing the infamous Jolyne Robs and turning her into a star, despite the challenges. It was no wonder so many actors wanted to sign with him, hoping for the same kind of breakthrough.
Collin hadn't yet seen Brody perform live on set, so he couldn't judge his talent firsthand.
He gave Arnold a brief summary of his negotiation with Henry, omitting key details like salaries and contract terms out of professional courtesy.
"See you next time then."
"Yeah, take care."
They parted ways with a simple nod. Collin had waited for Arnold just so his friend would have a better idea of Henry's negotiation style and prepare accordingly.
While Collin's negotiation wrapped up in a single day, Henry's meeting with Arnold dragged on for three full days of back-and-forth haggling.
Collin's clients weren't essential to the project, they were still relatively unknown in Hollywood, with only one film to their names. But Brody was a proven box office draw with studio credibility. That gave Arnold far more leverage and patience in the negotiation.
In the end, Brody Paige secured a salary of $3.2 million.
As for Axel and Jennifer, they had already signed their contracts once everything was finalized, officially joining the cast with their names proudly listed on the board.
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Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
Now that Collin's clients were fully immersed in their respective projects, he suddenly found himself with a lot more free time.
Last year, his job as a producer had taken over his life, draining his energy and eating up every spare second. But now, it felt like a peaceful summer after a long, exhausting storm.
This year, his clients were working independently and didn't need him hovering over every little detail. They were professionals with growing careers. Collin's role was primarily to find them opportunities, once the contract was signed, the rest fell to them and their support teams. Of course, Collin stayed updated and checked in regularly.
He called Lawrence once a week just to get in touch. Lawrence was doing well in Bora Bora, especially with his personal assistant providing hands-on support and management.
Collin also made visits to the studio to see how Axel, Jennifer, and Wyatt were doing on set. Each of them had a personal assistant to help with day-to-day needs and relay concerns to Collin if necessary.
Thanks to his superpower that let him see people's talents as clearly as labels, Collin had ensured that every assistant was fit for the job. Most of them had white talents like Organizer, Attentive, or Communicator, practical and underrated skills that got the job done.
He wasn't expecting golden talents from assistants. In fact, if someone did have a golden-level talent in Organizer, they should be aiming for a higher career path than following around a celebrity like a loyal dog.
Though things were easier lately in terms of workload, Collin wasn't idle. He had started building a proper team for Wyatt Bray as part of his long-term strategy.
Now that Wyatt was evolving into a real director with studio credibility, he needed a reliable team to support and sustain his momentum.
Besides, the agency wouldn't allow Collin to monopolize Wyatt completely. When an agent tried to hoard a client for themselves, it usually raised red flags. It could suggest that they were planning to steal the client from the agency and become their full-time personal agent, a violation of company rules and a serious breach of trust.