Huayu Entertainment 1995 started with hijacking.

Chapter 195 A Three-Pronged Approach
Since Wu Yuchen said that he had a pleasant cooperation with the Seven Greats in the past, David Geffen did not refute him, but talked to him about the future.

Wu Yuchen frowned upon hearing this. Although he knew that the other party was trying to sow discord between him and the Seven Greats in order to recruit him into Dream Factory, he had to admit that the other party's words were not just empty talk.

The seven major film studios have stood firm in Hollywood, this world of fame and fortune, for so many years. They're not running charity factories; they're capitalists!
Seeing Wu Yuchen making huge profits from several movies, especially the last two, with so much money flowing into his own pocket, how could one not be envious?

However, Wu Yuchen was a little unsure. These seven might cooperate, but would they stick together so closely? And how much would the suppression against him go?

Wu Yuchen himself didn't know, but since David Geffen had come to him and even asked questions, he could probably learn more from him.

“Mr. Geffen, I certainly don’t know Hollywood as well as you do. I haven’t experienced what you’re talking about yet, but would the Big Seven really be willing to forgo making money just to target me?”

David Geffen chuckled and shook his head: "Wu, you should know that the seven major groups together form the MPAA, and they actually communicate with each other on many things. Of course, they won't treat you like an enemy, but if you insist on independent production, they will maintain the necessary understanding until you compromise."

Since Wu Yuchen has always wanted to insist on independent production, David Geffen decided to extinguish that hope first. Only in this way would Wu Yuchen consider joining a faction.

"Mr. Geffen, do you mean that only after I compromise will the Seven Powers engage in internal strife and use tactics to win me over?"

David Geffen nodded and smiled:
"Yes, they pressure you first, then offer you small favors to bring you under their control. That's their usual tactic."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Geffen, for clearing up my doubts. This has been a great help to me!"

Wu Yuchen sincerely expressed his gratitude to David Geffen, and then directly asked:
"Mr. Geffen, now that you're here, what conditions will DreamWorks offer me?"

In Hollywood, there's no need to beat around the bush like in China. Any exchange of benefits is laid out directly; if you keep it a secret, even foreigners might not be able to guess.

David Geffen was delighted to hear this. Since Wu Yuchen had asked about the conditions, it meant that he had begun to consider their Dream Factory.

"Wu, once you join DreamWorks, you'll enjoy the best treatment and unlimited freedom. No one will interfere with your creative process. You'll have final editing rights!"

Final cut is a right many directors dream of, but very few people in Hollywood can enjoy it. Currently, no more than five people in Hollywood can get final cut from the seven major studios.

In David Geffen's view, Wu Yuchen is so young, in a stage where his creative desires and passions are at their peak, and he certainly can't stand being controlled. His desire to produce his own film naturally stems from his unwillingness to be constrained. Giving him final editing rights means not interfering with his artistic creation, which is crucial for a director.

David Geffen dared to so readily grant Wu Yuchen final cut rights because his two films, *Phone Booth* and *The Sixth Sense*, demonstrate that Wu Yuchen isn't the kind of director blindly pursuing art; he's very intelligent. *The Sixth Sense*, in particular, achieved a balance between commercial success and artistic merit. This shows that Wu Yuchen understands Hollywood well and has a great sense of proportion, which is why some say he could be the next Spielberg—the two are indeed similar in some ways.

"Secondly, connections. Wu, I think you can also sense that Hollywood is a place that values ​​personal relationships very much. At the same time, Hollywood is also a very small circle, and its top level is actually very small, and Spielberg happens to be one of those people."

We all admire you greatly. If you'd like, Spielberg will introduce you to his circle, including myself and Katzenberg. Trust me, this will save you at least ten years!

David Geffen confidently told Wu Yuchen about the second benefit.

To be honest, this is indeed very tempting for most directors, especially for someone like Wu Yuchen. Because he is not a native American, and the influence of Chinese people in Hollywood is very weak, it means that he cannot rely on groups like the Italians, Australians, or Irish in Hollywood.

This is precisely one of Wu Yuchen's weaknesses that David Geffen identified. If one wants to cultivate a lasting career in Hollywood, connections are indeed a crucial resource. If he wants to develop a long-term career in Hollywood and become a major figure, then joining Spielberg's circle would be a significant advantage.

While the Big Seven are impressive, it is the companies that are impressive. No single executive in any of the Big Seven would dare to claim that their network and influence are stronger than Spielberg's.

Then David Geffen gave Wu Yuchen a slightly ambiguous smile:

"Wu, actually, Hollywood has many top-notch experiences, and these services are impossible to access without a guide. But we can provide you with anything you want, and even things you can't even imagine."

It's not just for women, but also for men, and even if you're looking for something more exciting. Some people have built top-tier resorts on private islands. If you'd like, I can take you there; it might open a whole new world for you!

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen's heart tightened, and he immediately thought of David Geffen's background. This guy was one of the most powerful gay men in the United States, and also one of the leaders of their community. He was very influential and had been advocating for the rights of the LGBT community.

"Um, Mr. Geffen, I'm a very single person, I only like beautiful women!" Wu Yuchen had to emphasize this slightly to avoid any misunderstanding.

As for the private island, it immediately reminded him of Epstein. That guy apparently bought Little St. James Island last year, and it's probably already open for business. Could this be what the other person was talking about?

Thinking about this, Wu Yuchen shook his head. He didn't want to go. Even if he landed on the island and did nothing, he'd be smeared later and couldn't clear his name. Rumor had it that Leonardo DiCaprio had also been summoned by Hillary Clinton, but he didn't know which year it was.

David Geffen had no idea that his additional words only made Wu Yuchen want to distance himself. He was still smug, thinking that after all, how many men could resist the temptation of such top-notch enjoyment?

"Mr. Geffen, may I invest myself?" Wu Yuchen asked directly, getting to the core question he cared about most: what percentage of the film's equity he could get. Frankly, while the first two conditions were very tempting for most directors, they weren't for Wu Yuchen.

After making "The Sixth Sense," his importance to the Big Seven will obviously increase. Even if they suppress him, it's only in terms of investment. But he believes he has already secured the final cut.

The second condition was to join Spielberg's circle and expand his network. He's not American; his roots are in China. He came to America with the intention of making money and gaining prestige. As for the "foreign women" thing, that's just something to relax after a long day and to ignite his creative passion.

So if you're talking about him cultivating his own faction in Hollywood, don't be ridiculous, he doesn't have the energy for that!

As long as he keeps making money, he'll be surrounded by good people, which is more than enough for him. Settling down in Hollywood is not his wish.

Therefore, the key to this issue is what Wu Yuchen asked: DreamWorks, stop with the empty talk and get to the point.

Listening to Wu Yuchen's words and observing his expression, David Geffen thought to himself that the young man in front of him was indeed not simple, managing to resist the temptation of the two big promises. But this was not surprising, after all, money was what everyone cared about most.

David Geffen laughed and said, "Wu, I know you're on a winning streak and very confident. But you also need to know that every director makes mistakes sometimes. Investing in films is inherently a high-risk activity. I don't think you need to keep investing your own money in movies..."

Wu Yuchen immediately thought to himself, "Good heavens, you don't even want to give up a single share? You're not even as good as the Seven Greats!"
However, David Geffen then added:
"Of course, we will give you the best terms."

After "The Sixth Sense," your movie salary in Hollywood will rise to $20 million. Furthermore, if you're willing to convert your salary into a percentage of the box office, the Big Seven studios can give you up to 2000% of the North American box office revenue.

And our DreamWorks will offer far more favorable terms than the Big Seven!

Wu Yuchen knew the main event was coming, and he listened intently to what conditions the other party would offer.

David Geffen smiled and held up two fingers, saying:

"A 20% share of the full copyright—remember, not the North American box office revenue share, but the full copyright!"

David Geffen certainly knew that DreamWorks was at a disadvantage compared to the Big Seven. If they didn't share some of the profits, how could they attract talent like Wu Yuchen to join the company?
"Wu, you've probably heard that Spielberg reportedly earned $2.5 million from 'Jurassic Park.' Although Spielberg has never responded to this, I can tell you it's true!"

"The reason he was able to earn so much is because he initially received full royalties! This is a profit far exceeding the North American share! It's also the greatest sincerity that DreamWorks can offer you!" David Geffen said passionately.

Wu Yuchen let out a soft breath; he knew all too well how terrifying the revenue sharing from full copyrights was.

就说他的《第六感》，他这次拿的只是10%的北美票房分成，以3.5亿算的话就是3500万。而《侏罗纪公园》当初北美票房也就是3.5亿，按这个分成20%斯皮尔伯格到手才7000万。

However, it grossed $9.78 million worldwide, plus substantial revenue from DVDs, VHS tapes, and a terrifying array of merchandise—think of the dinosaur toys, picture books, models, and various theatrical releases. This resulted in Spielberg earning $2.5 million from just one film!
It was for this reason that Spielberg, along with David Geffen and Katzenberg, founded DreamWorks the following year. Money talks; his 20% cut was $2.5 million, and that was after accounting manipulation. You can imagine how much Universal made. Having created so much money, Spielberg naturally wanted to go solo rather than work for someone else. It's just a pity that he never created another series as explosive and profitable as *Jurassic Park*.

With 20% of the full copyright revenue, DreamWorks has really gone all out this time!

At the same time, Wu Yuchen was also considering whether the Seventh Congress would also give him this treatment.
He reflected on Spielberg's experience. After making films like *Jaws*, *Indiana Jones*, and *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial*, Spielberg's influence was definitely greater than his own at the time, because *Jaws* and *Indiana Jones* were both capable of being sequels. His three films, however, were not so easy to make sequels to.

Even so, Spielberg later directed the second and third Indiana Jones films, served as a producer for the Back to the Future trilogy, and only received this treatment 10 years later when he was filming Jurassic Park.

Compared to Spielberg when he directed "Jurassic Park," Wu Yuchen seems to lack a certain stature. Therefore, it's clear that DreamWorks really brought something substantial to the table when they invited him!
Since the other party wasn't just making empty promises but came with sincerity, Wu Yuchen wouldn't be fooled and sincerely said:

“Mr. Geffen, thank you very much for your and Mr. Spielberg’s high regard for me. I also feel DreamWorks’ sincerity. However, this is not a small matter, and I need to consider it carefully.”

Furthermore, most of my energy is currently focused on *The Sixth Sense*, and until everything regarding *The Sixth Sense* is settled, I don't have much time to be distracted. So I'm sorry, I can't give you an answer right now.

David Geffen was not surprised at all, and smiled warmly at Wu Yuchen, saying:

"Of course, Wu, I understand. Anyone would make a careful decision when faced with such a major event concerning the future. We're not in a hurry. I'm just showing you our sincerity and genuine commitment. You and DreamWorks are a perfect match. DreamWorks' doors are always open for you."

After finishing their business, the atmosphere relaxed, and they chatted about many romantic things. David Geffen intentionally or unintentionally shared a lot of interesting stories and secrets about Hollywood with Wu Yuchen, which broadened his horizons considerably.

After shaking hands with David Geffen and watching him leave, Wu Yuchen couldn't help but sigh, "This guy is really something!"
Artistic freedom, connections within the circle, and the real financial reward of full copyright—these three factors combined were enough to tempt him. To be honest, if he weren't a reincarnated person, he would have agreed immediately!

(End of this chapter)