Editing Pulp Fiction (section)

=== Financing ===
Tarantino and his producer, [[Lawrence Bender]], brought the script to [[Jersey Films]]. Before even seeing ''Reservoir Dogs'', Jersey had attempted to sign Tarantino for his next project.{{sfn|Dawson|1995a|p=140}} Ultimately a development deal worth around $1&nbsp;million had been struck: The deal gave [[A Band Apart]], Bender and Tarantino's newly formed production company, initial financing and office facilities; Jersey got a share of the project and the right to shop the script to a studio.{{sfn|Dawson|1995a|p=146}}{{sfn|Biskind|2004|loc=p. 167: Biskind says $1&nbsp;million}}{{sfn|Polan|2000|loc=p. 68: Polan says "close to a million dollars"}}<ref>Enhanced Trivia Track, ''Pulp Fiction'' DVD, says $900,000 (ch. 14)</ref> Jersey had a distribution and "first look" deal with [[Sony Pictures|Columbia TriStar]], which paid Tarantino for the right to consider exercising its option.{{sfn|Dawson|1995a|p=148}} In February, ''Pulp Fiction'' appeared on a ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' list of films in [[pre-production]] at [[TriStar Pictures|TriStar]].<ref>{{cite news |title=TriStar Pictures Slate for 1993 |url=https://variety.com/1993/film/news/tristar-pictures-slate-for-1993-103729/ |work=Variety |date=1993-02-05 |access-date=2007-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630001906/http://www.variety.com/article/VR103729.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=%22pulp+fiction%22+1994+tarantino |archive-date=June 30, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> In June, however, the studio put the script into [[Turnaround (filmmaking)|turnaround]].{{sfn|Dawson|1995a|p=148}} According to a studio executive, TriStar chief [[Mike Medavoy]] found it "too demented".{{sfn|Biskind|2004|p=168}} There were suggestions that TriStar was resistant to back a film featuring a heroin user; there were also indications that the studio simply saw the project as too low-budget for its desired star-driven image.{{sfn|Polan|2000|pp=68–69}}{{sfn|Biskind|2004|pp=167-168}} Avary{{em dash}}who was about to start shooting his own directorial debut, ''[[Killing Zoe]]''{{em dash}}has said that TriStar's objections were comprehensive, encompassing the script's fundamental structure. He characterizes the studio's position: {{"'}}This is the worst thing ever written. It makes no sense. Someone's dead and then they're alive. It's too long, violent, and unfilmable.' ...&nbsp;So I thought, 'That's that!{{'"}}{{sfn|Mottram|2006|p=71}}

Bender brought the script to [[Miramax|Miramax Films]], the formerly independent studio that had recently been acquired by [[Disney]]. [[Harvey Weinstein]]{{em dash}}co-chairman of Miramax Films, along with his brother [[Bob Weinstein|Bob]]{{em dash}}was instantly enthralled by the script and the company picked it up.{{sfn|Biskind|2004|p=168–169}} [[Michael Shamberg]], the executive producer, reflected on the bidding process, saying, "Only Harvey [Weinstein] placed a bid. Harvey believed he was engaged in a bidding war, but he wasn't. Even now, whenever I see [[Robert Shaye|Bob Shaye]], he expresses regret for turning down ''Pulp Fiction''. Quentin initially wanted to collaborate with [[Mike Medavoy]], given Medavoy's history with the great [[Orion Pictures|Orion]] films. Ironically, when the opportunity arose, Mike deemed the script too violent."<ref name="Gilchrist-2024" /> ''Pulp Fiction'', the first Miramax Films project to get a [[Green-light|green light]] after the [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] acquisition, was budgeted at $8.5&nbsp;million, and at the end $500,000 was returned, bringing the final budget to $8 million.{{efn|name="8.5 Budget"}}<ref name="Gilchrist-2024" /> According to Bender, a lower budget meant that the producers could maintain more control over the movie itself.<ref name="Gilchrist-2024" />
It became the first movie that Miramax Films completely financed.{{sfn|Dawson|1995a|p=149}} Helping hold costs down was the plan Bender executed to pay all the main actors the same amount per week, regardless of their industry status.{{sfn|Polan|2000|p=69}}{{sfn|Dawson|1995a|p=148}} ''The New York Times'' reported, "Most of the actors received relatively small salaries along with a percentage of the profits."<ref>{{cite news |last=Weinraub |first=Bernard |title=A Film Maker and the Art of the Deal |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/22/movies/a-film-maker-and-the-art-of-the-deal.html |work=The New York Times |date=1994-09-22 |access-date=2007-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709114430/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/22/movies/a-film-maker-and-the-art-of-the-deal.html |archive-date=July 9, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The biggest star to sign on to the project was [[Bruce Willis]]. Though he had recently appeared in several big-budget flops, he was still a major overseas draw. On the strength of his name, Miramax Films garnered $11&nbsp;million for the film's worldwide rights, virtually ensuring its profitability.{{sfn|Biskind|2004|loc=p. 170: Tarantino claims the overseas sales were due to his own name}}{{sfn|Dawson|1995a|p=173}}