Chapter 759： Accidental necessity

The 1995 Thanksgiving Day happened to be November 23, and a week after Eric returned to Los Angeles, the end of the year officially entered Thanksgiving Week.

On November 17th, in addition to the still-released Kim Kerry comedy, Firefly's "The Jedi" and MGM's "Scream" were officially released. In addition, this week's new film also includes Warner's "Good Things in Double" and Sony's "White House Love", just listen to the name to distinguish this is the two love comedy film in the holiday season.

Near the end of the year, the Firefly Group's various conferences, such as planning and planning, emerged in an endless stream. As a media group with a wide range of activities, including film, television, paradise, music and consumer goods, the film department is the one with the highest exposure. The share of the entire group's operating income has dropped to about 20%. After returning to Los Angeles, Eric has been busy dealing with the complicated business affairs accumulated over the past few months. Therefore, the release of these two low-cost films is not too heart-warming. Just after the first day of the screening, I randomly looked at the box office data of the next two films, and left this thing aside.

However, unlike Eric's unremarkable response, the media's attention to the two films is beyond everyone's expectations.

With the popularity of the second Wei Mi show, and the full support of the Firefly Group, Michael Bay's film office "The Jedi" is beyond everyone's expectations. The production budget was only $19 million in crime action films, and the first two days of the week received a $26.6 million box office, and the second week of the Kim Kerry comedy was squeezed out of the championship.

The criminal action movies of the double male partner type have been smashed in the past few years, and do not say popular series such as "Beverly Hills Detective" and "Fatal Weapons". Those similar movies that are unknown are countless. The idea that this type of film can be used is basically exhausted, and it is difficult to make any new ideas.

However, at the same time as the excellent box office, "Jesus" has been praised by many media. Although the plot of the two male characters in this film is obviously a small innovation, the media and film critics praised Michael Beck's shooting style.

"Brightly chasing the car lens, fierce editing style, hot action scenes, Michael Bay is a visually winning MTV director, shooting a $19 million low-cost crime action movie with a visual impact of $50 million. Feeling. Although the plot does not deviate from the flaws of the type film, it is still a popcorn film that can satisfy the visual enjoyment of the audience."

"The right slow motion, full of visually stunning wide-angle scenes, with a special beauty everywhere, as a director, Michael Bay undoubtedly gave the producers and the audience a satisfaction. Answer sheet."

"..."

I have to say that Michael Bay's control of the lens visual sense is excellent, but Eric can't help but laugh when he sees these comments in the media.

As a ‘come to people’, Eric’s memory is the ‘three-axe’ shooting technique repeatedly criticized by former filmmakers.

At this time, the media praised most of Michael Bay's views, and it was precisely the place they used to criticize Michael Bay. Most directors have a strong personal style. For film critics, many directors' shooting techniques often tend to be like or hate from the beginning. There are very few Michael Bays, from likes to hates, and then to extreme disgust. of.

However, as long as it can bring lucrative profits to the producers, then the critics' views, oh, who cares.

Because one of the protagonists of "The Jedi" is no longer Will Smith, but another black Rap singer, so this time there is no "Jesus", because Will Smith With the reputation of other movies, the sequel could not be started.

After the three-day box office of the "Jesus Warriors" was released, the production department of Firefly began discussing the sequel development plan with Michael Bay.

On the other hand, Flower Film produced and released by MGM, "Screaming Scream", because of the fully integrated MGM after the support of the publicity, the first three days of the box office reached $ 12.15 million, however, This data only occupies the third place in the weekly box office rankings, which is behind the gap of Kim Kerry’s comedy of 21.35 million US dollars, which is close to 8 million US dollars. As a thrilling horror film in the Thanksgiving family festival, this result is already very Not bad, but it doesn't look like anything special.

The film critic's comments on "Screaming" are also polarized. Some people think that this film is very fascinating in the setting of suspense atmosphere, but there are also many people who think that this movie is a hodgepodge with many horror movies. .

Although Eric privately hinted that Drew could let go of the release of "Scream", he was not sure why the film was successful.

After the first weekend of three days, the $12.15 million box office, the next working day, "Screams" again harvested more than 6 million US dollars at the box office, the first week of the total box office reached 18.63 million.

So, after the first week of the show, combined with the first week of box office data and movie word of mouth and other data, the film company roughly made a few new box office projections.

Because after all, it was just a popcorn film, and it was a black comedy. Although the second Victorian show was made to make Michael Bay famous, most organizations gave $100 million to the Jedi. North American total box office forecast. Compared to the cost of production and declaration of about $30 million, there is no doubt that Firefly will be very profitable only at the North American box office.

As for "Screaming", according to the first week of the film's box office and the polarization of the word of mouth, the total box office data given by the agency is estimated to be only 50 million US dollars, and the box office decline is expected to be between 30% and 50%. The total box office figures are far lower than the data of more than 100 million US dollars in Eric’s memory.

Just as Eric wondered if this was because of the butterfly effect brought about by his rebirth, time came to the next week.

Kim Kerry’s comedy film, Firefly’s “The Jedi Police” and even Sony and Warner’s two love comedy films that did not arouse any waves, all showed a corresponding box office decline according to the forecast of the normal box office trend, but The three-day box office on the weekend of the screaming screams was a big surprise.

Although there are several new movie titles such as "Money Train" and "Club" that are not prominent but still occupy a lot of market share, but "Screaming" is unexpected, everyone does not expect that the box office will not fall, but instead There was a rebound, although this reversal was only 7%, but the three-day box office still reached $13.1 million. This retrograde trend, which is unexpected to everyone, indicates that the total box office of the film will far exceed the media's original forecast of $50 million, and may even be comparable to Jedi.

Whether it's the media or a Hollywood studio, the reaction to the box office dark horse is always surprisingly fast. After all, the media wants news, and the film company wants the market.

Therefore, in the following days, the reason for the miraculous box office of "Screaming Scream" was quickly revealed.

The reason seems to be simply surprising.

“The young viewers who were interviewed said that the students and friends around them were discussing the film. They felt that this thrilling and horrible movie was very exciting. At the same time, the film story happened in the high school student group and filled them. A sense of substitution. A boy who was interviewed said that they are tired of the performances of Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson, who are more suitable for their lives, even if they are one. Horror film."

“Hollywood often classifies the 18- to 34-year-old audience as a unified young audience. Through the spectacles of “Screaming and Screaming,” we should find that this age division rule may change from this. Professor Wei said that the reason why "Screaming Scream" was popular, the deeper reason should be affected by the baby boom echo period, the United States began the first baby boom after the Second World War, the average More than 10 million children are born each year, and the babies of that year grew up in the 1960s and 1970s and grew up in the family. After the 1970s, they once again brought a baby boom to the United States. It was affected by the first baby boom, so it was called the baby boom echo period. According to estimates, the total number of babies born in the 1970s reached 60 million. These ages are between 16 and 25 years old. Teenagers will undoubtedly become a group of individual film consumers. The success of "Scream" is undoubtedly due to its inadvertent catering to these rebellious blues. Juvenile viewing needs."

On the top of Beverly, Elizabeth, wrapped in a white bathrobe, sat on the early morning terrace, reading the Los Angeles Times, who analyzed the reasons for the box office success, and looked up at Eric, who was sitting opposite: "Hey, I suddenly regretted it."

Eric didn't lift his head, drank the coffee in his hand, and read the newspaper and asked, "What's wrong?"

""Death is coming" should also be considered a youth movie. I suddenly regretted changing the "Ace of the Great Spy" with you. To be honest, the more I see the script, the worse it is."

Eric smiled and said, "Yeah, I feel very bad, so I changed it with you."

"You bastard," Elizabeth glanced at him and tried to say, "Have you started making it?"

"The new line is going to be released in the summer file next year. The casting has already started. Now you want to change it back later." Eric looked up and smiled. "So, you still honestly make this bad film." However, no one said that the bad film does not make money."

"Hey, you know that to help her, just a low-cost horror film can get such a high box office, not to help me pick a few scripts."

Eric shook his head and said: "This time it really doesn't matter to me. The script is Drew's own pick. I didn't intervene at all."

"She...hey..." Elizabeth had a look that she obviously didn't believe.

Eric shrugged: "The fact is that you know it, you can know it. You can be more savvy than you, $500,000, and buy out five screenplays of the scriptwriter at once. I regret it for that screenwriter, if not Coveted that $500,000 to sign a package contract. After this movie, he can buy a good mansion in Beverly Hills with a script. Now, he can only buy the small set of 500,000 dollars at the foot of the mountain. The apartment is over."

Elizabeth’s small expression on her face said, “Eric, are you suggesting that I have dug up the screenwriter? The $500,000 contract, the liquidated damages will not be too much.”

Eric has just just made a joke. "Screaming" is a great success. Kevin Williamson will naturally receive a dividend from MGM in private, and the income he will eventually earn will definitely exceed $500,000. Moreover, no scriptwriter can guarantee that his script will always be successful. The chances of a horror film being able to make a box office burst are even lower. Even if a film company is willing to pay a liquidated damage to help Kevin Williamson cancel the contract, As long as the other party is a little smarter, it is impossible to promise.

Squinting at Elizabeth, Eric said: "You can try it, as long as it is not a temper, you can dig it up for your skills."

After all, I have been in the movie circle for a few years. Elizabeth also understands the rules. She sighs and says: "It seems that I have to pick some young movie scripts recently. Well, Eric, you recently What are you busy with?"

"Meeting to discuss the company's departmental budget and development plan for next year."

Elizabeth blinked and knew that it was inconvenient for me to ask about it. She only curiously asked: "How much can the firefly's operating income reach this year?"

"About 24 billion, it is better than originally expected."

"Wow, still... a little better. It’s twice as big as my family. The tone of your words is really irritating," Elizabeth said, and couldn’t help but ask: "According to the past 11% The net profit margin, firefly's net profit this year is almost 2.6 billion US dollars."

“Well, however, there is a late balance of the animation department and paper media assets sold last year, which is about $1.25 billion.”

"Oh," Elizabeth grinned enviously, grabbed the silver knife in the breakfast tray next to her, and waved it: "Hey, don't move, rob."

Eric turned the newspaper in front of him and smiled and propped up his right hand on the table and shook: "I surrender, Queen, but it is too easy to be caught in the sky, or go to the bedroom, I will send you tens of billions. ?"

"Ah," Elizabeth groaned, and then she smacked her face blushing. She got up and simply cleaned up the tableware for the two people on the round table. She walked in the hand and walked toward the villa. "I am going to call Julia." Get up, hey, you are used to it, all lazy into a cat."

Eric looked at the figure that Elizabeth had left and said, "She is obviously living with you, how can I become used to it."

Elizabeth did not return, and her tone was pretty: "I blame you anyway."

"Amount, okay."