Laila had no experience dealing with such matters and didn't want to make things worse by doing something wrong. So, she decided to seek advice from her grandfather, Oswald Moran, on how to handle the situation.
After listening to her explanation over the phone, the old man remained silent for more than ten seconds before speaking. "I don't know much about Hollywood affairs, but one thing I'm certain of is that the words of those with money carry the most weight. What are they fighting over? Isn't it just about better treatment? Problems that can be solved with money aren't problems." He uttered a phrase that would later become widely quoted.
Laila understood his point but still wasn't sure how it applied to her current predicament. "So, are you suggesting I use my money to improve the treatment of the writers?"
The old man rolled his eyes. "Who do you think you are? How many writers are there in Hollywood? Can you help them all?"
Laila chuckled awkwardly. She knew it was unlikely that her grandfather would suggest such a thing, but if not that, what else could money do to help the writers?
"Let me ask you this: have the writers under your company joined the strike?"
"Yes. They're part of the Writers Guild, so they had to participate. But they said they were just going through the motions. They completed a lot of work before the strike, so it won't affect the company's operations."
Laila also knew how important it was to be part of a guild in Hollywood, whether it was the Screen Actors Guild, the Directors Guild, or the Writers Guild. These organizations effectively protected the interests of their members.
Take this strike, for example. If it weren't for the unity of the Writers Guild, and if only a handful of writers had stood up to demand better treatment, how many people would have paid attention?
The old man nodded. "You've handled this well. When it's time to give, don't be stingy. If we earn 100 dollars, shouldn't we be willing to give one dollar to those who work for us? Unfortunately, many people fail to see this. They're too focused on stuffing more money into their pockets, forgetting that people are often the most important asset."
Laila, of course, understood this perfectly. If two companies offered salaries of 10,000 and 11,000 respectively, that small difference might cause some financially struggling workers to leave.
There's a fundamental difference between inexperienced and experienced workers. Their work efficiency and the profits they generate can differ by several times. Losing trained personnel over a small amount of money is both regrettable and wasteful.
Having risen from the bottom in her previous life, Laila had seen too many people who pinched pennies to make ends meet. She wasn't stingy herself; in fact, she sometimes felt uneasy holding so much money. She often handed out benefits and raised salaries for her employees, which was quite normal for her.
With her ability to generate profits, the earnings from a single movie could cover salaries for a long time. Therefore, whether it was the lower-level staff, the executives, or the film crew, the salaries and benefits she offered were among the best in Hollywood.
Thus, even though the writers in Laila's company were mostly young, their treatment was better than that of many seasoned writers. It could be said that many people in Hollywood envied the treatment at Dragon Soul and Phoenix. Even during this strike, some used her company's treatment as a benchmark for negotiations.
After all, they were all making movies, doing the same work. Why were they earning so little, struggling to make ends meet, while newcomers at her company were living comfortably?
An Eastern is saying: "People don't worry about scarcity; they worry about inequality." It means that people aren't afraid of having less; they're afraid of unfair distribution.
Originally, writers in Hollywood had a relatively low status. Only a handful of them made it big, while most barely scraped by, some even taking on side jobs to make ends meet while writing. This led to the strike.
Who wouldn't want better pay? As the saying goes, "If you don't erupt in silence, you perish in silence." This time, the writers, especially those who weren't doing well, finally banded together. They gathered to protest against exploitation and the severe mismatch between their labor and compensation.
However, not everyone was protesting. The writers under Laila's company remained relatively quiet. When asked, they revealed their treatment with a "well-hidden sense of pride."
This stunned everyone. In terms of experience, these young writers were far less seasoned than most. Yet, they were earning figures that others could only dream of. If they could earn that much, they wouldn't even think about striking.
In this context, Laila's company became a spotlight in the darkness, drawing everyone's attention.
This comparison further solidified the writers' determination to fight for fair compensation during the strike.
When the other side of the negotiations learned about this, they couldn't help but take note of Laila. Did she have too much money to spare? Giving such high salaries to young writers made others envious and more determined to demand better treatment.
But Laila wasn't just throwing money around. She believed the scripts these writers produced aligned with her vision and could bring profits to the company. Why not pay them what their labor was worth? The problem was that not everyone shared her perspective.
In fact, during this period, the Producers Alliance had discussed improving treatment. However, the Writers Guild's standards were based on Laila's company, which left them in a tough spot.
Could they compare to Laila? Just in terms of profit-making ability, they weren't even in the same league!
The old man's point was simple: since she had already become the target, she might as well step forward. Given her influence in Hollywood, no one would outright reject her. She could act as a buffer, helping to break the deadlock.
Following her grandfather's advice, Laila met with representatives from both sides, expressing her hope for reconciliation. Whether it was her sincerity that moved them or both sides simply needed a way out, her efforts—or rather, her mediation—finally brought the two parties back to the negotiating table.
In truth, both sides were eager to end the standoff. The Writers Guild had many members struggling financially, and three months of striking could drain their last penny. Those without steady writing jobs or irreplaceable positions were especially anxious for the strike to end. They wanted better treatment, not to lose their jobs!