Van Gogh Reborn! - Chapter 94
Is there anything more exciting than this?
There is no way to turn down the proposal to bring impressive literature into a reality.
“Alright.”
I shook hands with Nolan.
He held my hand with enough force to give me confidence.
Now that it has decided to join, it is time to entrust Uncle Bang to negotiate.
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
Nolan’s man came in with the papers ready.
Since Ko Hun has shown interest in ‘ The Strange Castle’, Bang Tae learned about concept art designer in the movie.
He has identified how concept art designers are treated, what they do, and how it is advantageous for Ko Hun to set the details.
It was a completely different area from what he always did, so he couldn’t neglect preparation.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Bang Tae from Sunflower.”
“I’m Daniel Port.”
The negotiators shook hands.
Daniel Port of Nolan’s production division pushed out the contract they have been using.
There was no contract period, and the price per concept Art was set.
Five hundred dollars per work.
Bang Tae, who confirmed the amount that was less than the industry average, narrowed his eyebrows.
“Can you explain how you calculated the pay?”
Bang Tae didn’t care that his opponent was from Christine Nolan’s production team, who had dominated the film industry for decades.
Without showing any unnecessary gaps, he first stepped up carefully to persuade them.
“It’s a condition for rookies. It’s the first time he’s in charge of concept art, right?”
Daniel Port, who was confident that the negotiations would not be difficult, replied to Bang Tae’s question.
The Asian in front of him was so serious.
It means he’s nervous.
Daniel Port went on generously.
“This contract is just a copy of how we treat newcomers. Look at this.”
The new contract was promising $1,000 for each painting.
” I don’t have any intention of undermining Ko Hun. I was also impressed by his [Frost Wheat field].”
Daniel Port smiled.
‘Look at this.’
Bang Tae narrowed his eyes.
However, his feelings never surfaced.
‘You’re going to come out like this.’
Bang Tae knew the intentions of Daniel Port.
He was also in a position to somehow reduce the amount to be paid to the staff and freelancers here, so he was only faithful to his duties.
Bang Tae speculated that Daniel Port has been reasonably signing the contract from their point of view as Nolan took charge of the negotiations.
Also, he must have perfected the legal basis so that there would be no problems in the future.
Seeing that relaxed and experienced attitude, he thought it would be difficult to persuade with logic.
He’s a picky person.
It made no sense to appeal to a performance-oriented person with a conscience, a sense of duty, or emotion.
Bang Tae smiled at Daniel Port.
“Mr. Port seems to have misunderstood Mr. Nolan’s intentions.”
“Mis…understood?”
“Yes, if you’re just looking for a good painter, you’ve offered me very good conditions.”
Then I turned his head and smiled looking at Christine Nolan.
“There are plenty of people who are good at drawing. Hun can’t do graphic Art, so considering that, wouldn’t it be better for the production team to approach someone else?”
Bang Tae believed that there was a separate way to deal with people like Daniel Port.
He knew what faithful employees who wanted to gain recognition in the workplace by building trust from employers while bringing benefits to the company were most reluctant about.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you don’t like the terms.”
“Yes, it’s very unpleasant.”
Bang Tae kept his eyes on Nolan.
His heart was about to burst when he faced a world-renowned virtuoso and wealthy man, but he couldn’t back down.
“It’s not a bad condition. It’s great for a first-time concept artist.”
“Then….”
“I’m telling you that it’s better to find another Artist if you only want a person to express what you instruct him to do.”
Bang Tae tightened his neck to hide his nervousness.
“Director Nolan, Mr. Daniel Port doesn’t seem to know what you want from Hun. Can I give you some time?”
Bang Tae knew that Christine Nolan didn’t want to buy Ko Hun’s painting skills.
Ko Hun is really good at using colors and using the brush, but there were many people with excellent skills like that.
Furthermore, since Ko Hun can’t do digital Art, there was no reason to choose Ko Hun if he needed someone for their painting skill.”
What Christine Nolan saw in Ko Hun was the emotion and imagination of the late 19th and early 20th centuries when industrialization gained momentum
Bang Tae was clearly aware that Ko Hun was chosen because he was able to recreate the era of change in which all lifestyles, thoughts, and even concepts were changed.
Nolan opened his mouth.
“Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“I couldn’t tell you in advance. I’m sorry, but can you get a new contract?”
Daniel Port asked in wonder.
“Which contract should I prepare?”
“Concept art manager sounds good. Empty the conditions and bring them.”
Daniel Port opened his eyes wide.
The concept art designer was passive in fulfilling the demands.
It was only a means for the production team to make a movie.
However, when a manager position was offered, it meant that he would actively work with Director Nolan, the Art Director, Production Designer, and VFX Designer.
Daniel Port bowed his head and left the room.
Christine Nolan said with his hands on his knees.
“It’s my mistake for not explaining things properly to Daniel in advance. I was into sketches. I’m sorry.”
“Haha. No. It’s fine.”
Bang Tae wanted to wipe off his sweat.
Although he tried to ensure that Ko Hun was treated fairly, he did not expect Nolan to attribute Daniel Port’s offer as his own fault.
Many people would lay the blame on their employees to avoid future problems.
Bang Tae hoped that the conditions would be revised but he never expected Nolan to apologize, causing a cold sweat.
Bang Tae put on a forced smile.
Ko Sooyeol, who was watching the scene, smiled inwardly.
In the first place, even if Bang Tae hadn’t corrected it, Christine Nolan would have taken the lead.
It was just a misunderstanding because Nolan and Ko Hun were talking about sketches.
But that didn’t mean that the process wasn’t important.
Bang Tae knew his position and opponent accurately and knew how to lead negotiations to an advantage.
With his outstanding ability as a curator, he seemed to be able to play well as a manager of his grandson.
“Paying is the problem, right?”
Then Ko Hun stepped up.
The somewhat tense atmosphere was relieved by Nolan’s laughter.
” Hahaha…Yeah, I don’t really know how much I should pay. What shall we do?”
Nolan asked Ko Hun.
He wanted to know how much Ko Hun expected.
He had no intention of giving special treatment without grounds, but at least there is a role expected from Ko Hun, so he wanted to guarantee as much as possible within that scope.
“It’s a sensitive issue.”
Ko Hun was well aware of the weight of the situation.
He believed in Bang Tae, so he endured Daniel Port’s ridiculous suggestion, but he couldn’t sell all the paintings at the same price.
“I can’t accept the way you pay for each painting”
Christine Nolan took Ko Hun’s opinion seriously.
“Then why don’t we pay you on a weekly basis?”
Ko Hun shook his head.
“As Uncle Bang said, I want to be a part of ‘The Strange Castle’ that the director is making. It isn’t fun if I just do what you ask me to do for a fixed time.”
Nolan liked the boy who was active and motivated.
Even a person with qualifications could not have had good results if the purpose was only money.
“How about this?”
Nolan smiled and made eye contact with Ko Hun.
“We can’t price Ko Hun’s paintings collectively, and it’s a problem to pay them on a weekly basis, so why don’t you take running guarantees?”
“Running guarantees?”
“It’s a way to distribute a certain portion of the movie’s box office profits to the cast and production crew.”
“And all the rights of concept art are taken by Ko Hun.”
It was rather a welcome suggestion for Ko Hun.
The act of doing concept art was to make a movie called ‘The Strange Castle’.
Profits were determined according to the value of the movie, and the authority of the work that occurred in the process, so there was no devaluation.
“However, we have to agree on the license. You have to publish a concept art book and we’ll use it as promotional material.”
“I think it’s better to write a separate contract.”
Bang Tae stepped up.
Although there is more to negotiate, it was judged that a separate contract is needed to clearly distinguish complex rights such as copyright, license, and reproduction rights of paintings.
“Huh.”
Ko Sooyeol smiled inwardly as he saw the three people come to an agreement.
Ko Hun clearly expressed what he wanted, and Bang Tae was helping well by his side.
Ko Sooyeol was disturbed because he felt like the things he could do for his grandson were getting less.
In New York and here in Los Angeles, Ko Sooyeol was only on the sidelines.
It felt like his grandson was getting out of his arms too quickly.
The image of his grandson lying in the hospital room was still vivid in his eyes.
‘Even though it’s my greed, I wish, you grow up slowly.’
Daniel Port came in with a new contract.
“What’s this amount?”
“It’s a minimum wage. If we don’t pay that, we’ll have a problem.”
“I want Hun to specify the rights and obligations guaranteed as the concept art manager for this film.”
“Yes, Daniel, call Nathan and ask him to come up for a second.”
Once the conversation was heated.
Ko Sooyeol looked at his grandson with admiration, who shone his eyes among adults and gave his opinion.
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
As soon as Ko Hun entered the accommodation, he fell onto the bed, tired of the long negotiations with the movie staff.
“Hun, are you tired?”
“Yes, grandpa. My head is about to explode.”
Ko Sooyeol laughed and tangled Ko Hun’s hair.
Then he went into the bathroom to wash up.
Ko Sooyeol, who found a large bathtub, asked his grandson, who was still lying down.
“Hun, there’s a bathtub. Shall we take a bath?”
Ko Hun nodded, with his face still buried in the bed.
At first, Ko Hun was reluctant, but as time passed, he started enjoying bathing with his grandfather while rubbing each others’ backs.
Although he brought an Italian towel, Ko Hun led his tired body to the bathroom because he had never been soaked in hot water since he came to the United States.
“Whew.”
“Wow”
The grandfather and grandson exclaimed while sitting face to face in the bathtub.
The grandson, who sometimes wipes his face with his eyes closed, looked cute in Ko Sooyeol’s eyes.
“Little Hun, you spoke well today. It’s nice to be able to say your thoughts straight up like that wherever you are.”
“Yes. Ugh. That’s good.”
Ko Hun groaned while enjoying the hot water.
“You can do well without this grandfather since you’re all grown up now….”
Ko Hun jumped up before Ko Sooyeol finished speaking.
Surprised Ko Sooyeol opened his eyes wide.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“ Are you dying…..grandpa?”
“What nonsense are you talking about again?”
“Are you sure you’re not going to die? Isn’t it real this time?”
“I won’t die!”
“Then why are you saying stuff like I’ll do well without grandpa? People say stuff like that when they are about to die! So don’t ever say that grandpa.”
Ko Sooyeol recalled a few months ago when his grandson cried because he thought he would die just for eating delicious food.
Seeing his grandson cry out of fear of death, made him think that even though he’s matured, he’s still a child.
He was worried that his grandson might have trauma about death since he lost his parents in early age
“Didn’t I tell you already? Grandpa won’t die.”
“How can people not die? Everyone will die one day. But grandpa should be with me for thissssss many years.”
Ko Sooyeol smiled as he saw his grandson extending his hands as hard as he could.
His grandson who’s talking seriously about his death looked both cute and absurd.
“Yeah, yeah. I will be with Little Hun as long as you want.”
