I’m in Hollywood - Chapter 554

[Chapter five hundred and forty-ninth new plan]

“Establish a brand-new production company, jointly hold shares and invest in the production of the film, and sign a long-term cooperative distribution agreement with MGM. In this way, we can not only use MGM’s distribution channels, but also avoid falling into MGM’s The debt is mired in, and the interests of investors are fully protected,” Eric said to representatives of several European film companies in the Seydoux family’s mansion in the western suburbs of Paris.

√∟,

this method is similar to the previous cooperation between Carlock Pictures and MGM, but because of the box office failure of the two blockbusters in the summer, there is definitely no need for the two sides to continue to cooperate.

After listening to Eric’s suggestion, most people in the reception room neither shook their heads nor nodded, but Marcel Noire, the representative of the Lyon Credit Bank, looked a little disappointed, but Eric had communicated with him before. , these people were fundamentally unwilling to agree to the original plan, and it was impossible for Eric to forcibly drag these European film forces into MGM.

Nicholas Seydoux of the Gaumont company sitting on Eric’s left was the first to ask: “Eric, then, Firefly plans to participate in this company in a cooperative way?”

“Firefly will participate in holding shares and contributing to the film’s Production is convenient,” Eric replied: “In addition, I will personally select ten films as the company’s production plan for the next three years. As for everyone’s rights and interests in this company, they will be resolved through negotiation.”

After Eric finished speaking, the seven or eight people sitting in the reception room immediately whispered to each other, and Eric didn’t rush, he picked up the coffee next to him and drank it slowly.

After a while of discussion, Marcel Novare said: “Eric, can MGM have a cross-shareholding with this company?”

Eric glanced at the people around him and smiled: “If everyone If everyone agrees, I personally have no opinion.”

Cross-shareholding will certainly increase the operating risk of this brand-new production company, but Eric is not too worried.

As long as the plan is carried out according to the plan, MGM’s business conditions will definitely be reversed in the next few years. After the exchange of shares with MGM, the new production company can even share a part of MGM’s distribution profits, and.

This cooperation method is also more convenient for Firefly to directly or indirectly annex MGM in the next few years.

After this period of deliberation, Eric became more and more envious of MGM’s film library.

Everyone is also very clear about the benefits and interests, and when Eric said this, they didn’t make a statement.

Daniel Isenger, the representative of the German Constantine Films, asked in some weird English at this time: “Eric, MGM’s business philosophy is already very backward, and more importantly, the profitability of the film’s peripheral development is very weak. , how are you going to solve this?”

Eric glanced at Marcel Noire.

Said: ” Firefly is very, very willing to represent this part of the business.

”

Feeling Eric’s eyes, Marcel Noire also said: “There is no problem with MGM.”

The ultimate goal of the Lyon Credit Bank It is to revitalize MGM, and then try to appear at a more suitable price in the next few years. There is no long-term plan to operate, so Marcel Noiret easily made this decision on behalf of the Lyon Credit Bank.

When it comes to this, the dust has almost settled, and everyone present knows that Eric is determined not to let them directly inject funds to participate in Firefly Pictures, if they insist.

Eric may not refuse, but it is not certain whether he can get a good cooperation plan.

As people in the film industry, they know very well that there are a hundred ways Hollywood can make them lose money. Of course, after these years of cooperation, these people can easily escape most of the traps set by Hollywood.

Of course, there will still be some unwillingness in some people’s hearts.

Daniel Isenger, the representative of the German Konstantin Films who just spoke, said again: “Eric, you just mentioned the production plan of ten films in three years, can you talk about the types of these films, or the scale of investment? Also. Do you have a suitable project in mind now?”

Eric looked at the other party and suddenly thought that he still had the copyright of a novella in his hand related to Constantine Pictures, and that was “Resident Evil”.

The original time and space “Resident Evil” series was invested by Constantine Films, and only a deep-pocketed investor like Germany would make “Resident Evil” a film series that was not too profitable. It wasn’t over until Eric was reborn.

“I wrote a novella called “Resident Evil” a few years ago. If a new company is established, I can put the copyright of this novel into the production company.” The “Resident Evil”

is still rampant in the global box office market. Jurassic Park is a change from Eric’s first novel. This film has exceeded $600 million at the global box office in less than two months after its release, and the momentum has not weakened at all. Box country has yet to hit theaters, and there’s little suspense that Jurassic Park will cross the billion-dollar mark at the global box office in the next few months.

Therefore, suddenly hearing Eric’s words, everyone present was shocked.

But immediately, everyone remembered the information about “Resident Evil”. After the release of “Jurassic Park”, many people inquired about the news of Eric’s other two novels “The Matrix” and “Resident Evil”, but everyone It is also very clear that even if they are to be developed, these two novels must be reserved projects owned by Firefly Pictures, and there is absolutely no possibility for outsiders to interfere.

“Resident Evil” is a restricted zombie novel. The audience for this type of novel is very narrow. Even a director like Eric, who is already famous all over the world at this time, cannot change this status quo. Moreover, zombie novels After being adapted into a movie, the r rating is certain, and the audience for the movie will still be very small. Although Eric’s personal aura is blessed, the profit of the movie adapted from this novel will definitely not be a problem, but it will never be comparable to “Jurassic”. Park” for comparison.

“Eric, I think your other novella “The Matrix” is also good, why don’t you take out the adaptation rights of this novel?”

Eric shook his head slightly, smiled and said: “The special effects now The technology is not up to my requirements, so I will not consider changing The Matrix for the past two years.”

The special effects of last year’s “Tornado” and this year’s “Jurassic Park” can only be described as shocking. The special effects technology in the digital field is definitely the top in the industry. Many people present vaguely know the content of “The Matrix”. Current technology in the digital realm.

The problem of production is not too big, it is nothing more than a problem of production cost, and for these European film forces with money and nowhere to invest, especially the German film fund, the problem of money is not a problem at all, Carlock Films Summer Vacation They have invested 150 million US dollars in the two films that were so fluttering, and at this time Eric’s work was adapted.

Even if they are asked to invest 150 million in a single department, few people will shake their heads and refuse.

Therefore, when Eric was talking nonsense with his eyes open, most of the people in the reception room couldn’t help but roll their eyes.

Eric also knows that these people are human beings. If they don’t show some real benefits, these people will not easily give in. After thinking about it, he said: “Well, Firefly is preparing a film inside, it is a film. It is an adaptation of a TV series from the 1970s. I can take it out and put it into the production company.” There

were many well-informed people present, and Nicholas Seydoux immediately probed: “Eric, is that “Charlie’s Angels”? ?”

Eric nodded, because there will be several blockbusters released in the summer file next year, forcing “Charlie’s Angels” into the summer file cannot get enough publicity resources from Firefly, so Eric was not in a hurry. The production of “Charlie’s Angels” is planned to be carefully crafted, but if it can’t be done, it will be put in the New Year’s file next year.

Although doing so will lengthen the investment cycle accordingly, it will also allow “Charlie’s Angels” to get sufficient publicity and distribution resources to achieve better box office results.

At this time, “Charlie’s Angels” was taken out and put into a new production company.

Then you can use MGM’s resources to release the film next summer.

As for Drew, there is no problem, Xiao Nizi has always been obedient to Eric.

Seeing that everyone in the reception room showed a satisfied look, Marcel Noire, the representative of the Lyon Credit Bank, couldn’t wait to say: “In this case, Eric, why don’t we discuss the specific equity distribution plan of the new production company. Bar?”

Before Eric could answer, Daniel Isengard of Constantine Pictures immediately interjected: “Eric. How much is the total investment of the ten films you plan to make?”

“I can’t answer this question for the time being. “Eric smiled and shook his head: “However, the budget of Charlie’s Angels is about 60 million US dollars. If everyone doesn’t want to make a little trouble, the investment in the remaining nine films will probably maintain a corresponding investment scale. ”

How can 60 million be enough? Why don’t we count it as an average of 80 million,” Daniel Isenger waved his hand with some arrogance: “The average is 80 million, 10 films are 800 million, and our German side can take care of it.” The $400 million share is 50% of the shares, how about that?”

After Daniel Isenger finished speaking, representatives of several other German companies nodded in agreement.

Eric sighed in his heart, the Germans at this time are really as embarrassed as the Japanese who bought the world. If you give Germany 50% of the share, how about the French one, and there is also a British film company. It’s impossible to let others go back shirtless.

Nicholas Seydoux also shrugged funnyly. Since Eric has promised so many benefits, Firefly Pictures will definitely not be less than 30% of the production company. If he gives Germany another 50%, it will be left to Others have only 20% left, which is not enough to plug their teeth, not to mention that they plan to exchange some shares with MGM: “Daniel, giving you 50% is definitely impossible, if it’s just a matter of money. , Although we don’t have as much money as yours, we can still get 800 million dollars.”

800 million dollars, that is equivalent to eating all the new production company.

“Nicholas, we should have more companies here, and we should have more,” Daniel Isenger found a seemingly reasonable reason.

Nicholas Seydoux immediately retorted: “It’s not a matter of how many companies there are. Who doesn’t know that when you Germans invest in a Hollywood film, they usually register several companies.”

Eric listened quietly as the reception room turned into a vegetable market in a blink of an eye. He was not worried about the distribution of benefits at all. If Firefly did not participate, this plan would not be possible at all, so Eric was the safest to sit tight. The man at Diaoyutai.

Everyone was clamoring for nearly ten minutes before they finally calmed down, and Eric said: “The specific cooperation plan, everyone can sit down and talk slowly, of course, don’t argue for too long, otherwise, it will not benefit everyone. As for Firefly, in addition to the two copyright resources of “Resident Evil” and “Charlie’s Angels”, I will participate in the production of ten films in the whole process. Firefly only needs 30% of the company’s equity, and at the same time, I will share the film share of the production company after deducting the cost. 30% gross profit, as for the copyright development of related films just mentioned, according to normal business rules, Firefly will send someone to contact MGM Pictures.”

Eric didn’t mention anything about capital injection, but listened to When it reaches 30% of the gross profit, everyone in the reception room is very satisfied. After all, Eric kindly asked them to deduct the production cost. Investment risk, and Eric will definitely be very concerned about the production company, because this share is only available when the film generates profits. Once the film produced by the company loses money, Firefly will also take a penny. not.

Seeing that no one raised any objections, Eric continued: “How to distribute the remaining 70% of the company’s shares and the cross-shareholding ratio with MGM Pictures is up to you to discuss.

” To nod in agreement, Eric said: “By the way, the negotiation time is best within a month. I hope that after the negotiation is completed, the production of “Charlie’s Angels” will start as soon as possible, so that we can also calmly arrange the film for next year. The release of the summer file.”

“Eric, how should the cross-shareholding ratio between the production company and MGM be allocated?” Marcel Noire said at this time, although their main purposes are different, but Ma Ser Noiret knew that Crédit Lyon shouldn’t give up the opportunity to be part of the production company either.

Eric thought for a while and said, “Just as I just said, the production company is valued at US$800 million, and MGM will calculate it according to the market value of US$1.2 billion. After everyone here has divided the shares of the new production company, The rest will belong to MGM according to Billy.” (To be continued.)

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