Writing Web Novels In America-Chapter 90 Rookie Producer

The Goldman Sachs Investment project team was actually relatively laissez-faire about this film and TV drama adaptation.

If it was successful, it would be an effective promotion for the website’s next round of funding, or even for its IPO.

If it failed, then they could take the opportunity to gain control of the website and achieve their goal of completely dominating the enterprise.

Although, compared to many other internet companies valued at over hundreds of millions, this small website was unremarkable.

But what Goldman Sachs truly valued was its involvement in the entertainment industry and its stable points of profitability.

However, under the collective will, each person’s interests varied.

For Lehman, who had finally obtained the project’s lead, he sincerely hoped for the project to fail.

That way, he would have the opportunity to represent Goldman Sachs in taking control of the website’s decision-making.

Then, with Goldman Sachs’s robust funds and connections, he could expand the website’s strength.

He could potentially become a senior partner at Goldman Sachs.

That would mean he, Lehman, would become part of the very top echelons of the capital circle in America and even the world.

Possessing massive wealth and enormous influence!

He was initially a bit worried that the website would present a story with a modest production cost and ingenious conception.

After all, Wang Jian once wrote "Knowledge is power," and the website was filled with countless quirky and peculiar works.

But after reading the work that was faxed over, he put his mind completely at ease.

The next morning, inside the Goldman Sachs project team’s conference room.

Lehman distributed the work to other team members, then closely watched the reactions of everyone present.

The aging white male team leader, after looking at it for less than 10 minutes, laid down the work and drew heavily on his cigar.

The feeling was like a straight man looking at a male-oriented edition of Playboy.

Lehman smiled softly, glancing over the other attendees.

Some people took off their glasses, vigorously rubbing their eyes; others drank their coffee, their faces turning green...

"This is the work provided by that website?" the only African American man in the group said, "Have their brains been kicked by a donkey?"

Lehman shrugged and responded with a smile, "Perhaps it’s due to the limitations on production costs, or maybe they were influenced by those rotten Hollywood films?"

The project leader cleared his throat and said helplessly, "It looks like we won’t be recouping the 700,000 US Dollar cost."

He picked up Prison Break, his hands unable to stop trembling, "The key issue now is, with the shares we hold, how do we get CBS to air the TV drama adaptation."

"To be honest, I never imagined a work could be so bad!"

"The other shareholders of CBS might collectively resist."

"Switching to a morning or late-night slot might not be a big problem, right?" Lehman hastily said, "After all, Goldman Sachs has voting rights on the CBS board of directors."

The project leader rubbed his wrinkled face with both hands, "All right then, let’s contact the website, we agree."

"Prepare to sign the bet agreement."

He slowly stood up and walked out of the conference room at a leisurely pace.

But suddenly, the project leader seemed to remember something and said, "Don’t put my name as a co-producer on the finished product’s catalog."

Everyone: "...".

Wang Jian and his team soon received a reply.

Goldman Sachs agreed to the website’s selected work and faxed over a final version of the bet agreement after negotiations.

The main content was as follows: each party would invest 700,000 for a total of 1.4 million US Dollars towards the production of the TV drama Prison Break.

Goldman Sachs would ensure that the drama could be aired on CBS.

If Prison Break’s average viewership met CBS’s renewal standard, the website would win.

Goldman Sachs would purchase 30% of the website’s shares for 6 million US Dollars.

Moreover, they would guarantee the tax-exempt status of the "Literary Creators" charity fund passed the IRS’s scrutiny.

If the viewership did not meet the standard, Goldman Sachs would win.

They would acquire 50% of the website’s stock for 7.5 million US Dollars and would also control the website’s continued financing.

After Tom and Matthew reviewed the agreement, Wang Jian looked at the contract and let out a long sigh.

Man is the knife, I am the fish.

Given the circumstances, there was no choice but to sign.

Thus, two days later.

In New York’s Manhattan district, inside the famous Goldman Sachs building,

Wang Jian, accompanied by Tom, exchanged the agreement with the Goldman Sachs project manager.

And the agreed-upon funds were to be deposited into a public account within a week, for the production of the TV drama.

After returning to his desk with the agreement, Wang Jian began delegating work.

"Tom, you oversee the use of the funds," Wang Jian said, "Our money is not as abundant as Goldman Sachs’s; make sure every penny is spent where it is most needed."

"As for the choice of director, actors..."

He looked up at Tom and Dorsey.

But both of them stepped back at the same time, unanimously saying, "We have absolutely no idea about TV drama production."

"Besides, it was your decision to choose that work."

Wang Jian’s face darkened slightly as he nodded helplessly.

Meanwhile, Lehman also left the conference room with a dark expression.

He had just been honorably nominated as the Goldman Sachs co-producer for Prison Break.

He would be responsible for liaising with the website and coordinating the work.

After deducting the 100,000 US Dollar licensing fee to be paid to Sarah, the production fund for Prison Break was reduced to 1.3 million US Dollars.

In reality, for the quality of Prison Break, a licensing fee of 40 or 50 thousand US Dollars would have been perfectly reasonable.

But neither Wang Jian nor Lehman raised any objections to the 100,000 US Dollar licensing fee.

Only they knew what they were thinking regarding this fee.

Thus, the Prison Break production team began the search for a director and actors with two novice producers in place.

Luckily, the US TV series production mechanism was well established, complete with directories from the directors and actors unions.

This allowed Wang Jian and Lehman to directly contact potential candidates through the union’s contact information without having to search all over the world.

Unlike Hollywood movies where the director is the main guide of the film crew,

In US TV series production, it is usually the writers who take the lead.

The director’s responsibility lies more in maintaining smooth filming and consistency in the style of the TV drama.

This directly resulted in a lower threshold for American TV directors, as many artists, photographers, and lighting technicians aspiring to enter Hollywood used TV series as a steppingstone.

At this moment, Catherine Hardwicke, who had just completed her task as the art director for the movie Tank Girl, put down the phone, puzzled.

She had somehow received an opportunity for a director’s interview.

However, the investors turned out to be Goldman Sachs and a website?

This production team seemed quite unreliable.

And, most American TV dramas adapted from novels were well-known bestsellers.

But this Prison Break was something she had never heard of.

She hesitated for a moment, then turned on her computer and began searching.

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