Director in Hollywood

Spielberg quickly submitted Gilbert Jr.'s project proposal to Universal Pictures, and since the president, Akia Tani, had already decided to invest, the project's approval was a sure thing. The formal proposal simply gave Universal a sense of reassurance, showing that Gilbert Jr. was somewhat reliable.

Had the proposal been subpar, Universal's vice president, Lew Wasserman, might have tried to persuade Akiy Tani to replace the director.

The proposal was soon approved by Universal Pictures, and Gilbert Jr. was notified to start negotiating his directorial contract.

Negotiating contracts is typically the job of an agent, but Gilbert Jr., being new to the scene, didn't have one. However, that didn't matter much—word had spread around Hollywood that he was about to direct a film. Although many dismissed him due to his young age, his potential was still enough to attract some interest.

This did catch the attention of talent agencies. While the big-name agents didn't bother, smaller agents from these agencies were keenly interested in Gilbert Jr.

Before Gilbert Jr. even began contract negotiations with Universal, a junior agent from CAA (Creative Artists Agency), Sheena Boone, somehow found his address and showed up at his door.

Standing outside was a woman dressed in a professional suit, a pencil skirt paired with nude stockings, and black heels. With long, dark brown hair and a distinct Italian look, Gilbert Jr. was momentarily taken aback.

"And you are?" Gilbert Jr. was sure he hadn't scheduled any meetings today.

The woman introduced herself, "Hello, Mr. Landrini. I'm Sheena Boone, an agent with CAA."

"Uh, hello..." From her introduction, Gilbert Jr. quickly deduced her purpose.

Sure enough, Sheena Boone immediately explained why she was there: "I heard you're about to negotiate a directorial contract with Universal Pictures and that you're preparing a new film project.

In matters of professional contracts, I believe it's best left to professionals, so I took the initiative to reach out."

Glancing inside his messy apartment, clearly not a place to discuss business, Gilbert Jr. suggested, "Let's talk outside. Maybe at a café."

"Sure..."

They sat down at a nearby café, ordered two coffees, and Sheena Boone launched into her pitch.

"CAA has been growing rapidly in recent years. I'm sure you've heard of our president, Michael Ovitz."

"Indeed, he's often referred to as the emperor of Hollywood's talent agency industry," Gilbert Jr. nodded.

In Hollywood, not knowing who Michael Ovitz is would be as absurd as a filmmaker not knowing Spielberg.

However, high-level agents like Ovitz wouldn't bother with a nobody like Gilbert Jr., unless someday he became world-renowned. Sheena Boone was merely using Ovitz's name to bolster her pitch and secure the contract.

In reality, she was just a newly promoted agent from CAA's mailroom, like many other unnoticed junior agents at CAA.

Unlike other junior agents who strive to become co-managers of big stars or directors, Sheena Boone had her own theory.

She believed that instead of currying favor with established directors or stars, there was more room for growth in discovering potential new talent. After some consideration, she decided to focus on Gilbert Jr., a director who had already become somewhat of a joke in Hollywood.

While other CAA agents viewed Gilbert Jr. as a laughingstock, a sacrificial pawn in Spielberg's negotiations with Universal, Sheena Boone saw this as an opportunity. After all, the whole of Hollywood was watching to see what kind of joke this 21-year-old director might turn out to be. But what if, just what if, Gilbert Jr. didn't become a joke, but instead a success story?

The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

Though Sheena Boone had never seen "The Wave" 30 years later, she understood this principle well. She was determined to secure Gilbert Jr.'s contract and was willing to take a gamble.

Sheena Boone continued to highlight CAA's advantages: "At CAA, we represent many clients, including Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert De Niro—top-tier Hollywood stars. Spielberg is also with CAA, as you likely know."

Gilbert Jr. waved his hand and said, "No need for more details. I'm well aware of what CAA is like. Just tell me what terms you can offer."

Sheena Boone was prepared for this. She pulled a contract from her bag and handed it to Gilbert Jr. As he reviewed the contract, she continued, "CAA's package deal service is very popular. Once introduced, it became a favorite among many directors and star actors.

If you join CAA, our latest package deal policy will eliminate all your worries outside of film production. All you'll need to focus on is making great films."

Hearing this, Gilbert Jr. closed the contract and handed it back to her. "Sorry, but I'm not interested in the package deal policy. I don't think CAA is the right fit for me."

Sheena Boone was visibly surprised. Typically, others would be thrilled just hearing the name CAA, but Gilbert Jr.'s reaction was indifferent. After hearing her pitch about the package deal policy, he outright rejected it.

Did he not understand what he was turning down? It was a contract with CAA!

Sheena Boone quickly asked, "Can I ask why you're rejecting the package deal? It's very popular!"

Gilbert Jr. chuckled and looked at her, "You're new to the business, right? The package deal certainly brings convenience to film production, but it's not conducive to the studio, producers, or directors maintaining control over the crew.

I'm someone with a strong desire for control. With the studio and producers involved, I don't need agents meddling in my work."

The mild-mannered Spielberg could accept CAA's package deal policy, but on-set tyrants like James Cameron didn't buy into CAA's approach at all.

Gilbert Jr., much like Cameron, didn't appreciate additional interference in the filmmaking process.

The so-called package deal policy is essentially centered around film production. Talent agencies pitch this policy to studios, offering to provide all necessary personnel—from directors to cinematographers, lighting technicians, art directors, and even actors.

Through this policy, agencies can demand higher commissions and fees from studios, while also negotiating better pay for their clients.

This policy quickly became a hit among many Hollywood directors and actors, as their earnings significantly increased because of it.

However, film studios loathe this policy because it drives up production costs, making it harder for them to manage.

With the package deal pitch failing, Sheena Boone lost her strongest selling point.

Gilbert Jr. continued, "Actually, I might still sign if you agree to a few conditions."

"Go ahead, anything I can approve, I will," Sheena Boone responded quickly.

"First, I absolutely won't accept the package deal—under any circumstances. Second, the agency cannot interfere with my personal life; I have no interest in being a puppet. Third, the contract duration should be short—I don't want to be tied down to one agency for too long..."

As Gilbert Jr. listed his terms one by one, Sheena Boone's expression grew darker.

Under Gilbert Jr.'s terms, an agent would be reduced to a mere service provider, which goes against CAA's standard practices.

But Gilbert Jr. didn't care. Many of his demands were just for negotiation's sake—start high, and settle in the middle.

However, the most fundamental conditions were non-negotiable. He wasn't a director or actor nurtured by CAA through years of effort. He was simply looking for necessary services in exchange for a commission.

Right now, Gilbert Jr. didn't have much leverage, and if Sheena Boone wasn't satisfied, she could simply walk away.

It wouldn't matter much to Gilbert Jr. He didn't need to compete for resources with other directors or stars—he just needed a middleman. And if that failed, he could negotiate on his own.