Chapter 207： The real goal (2 in 1 six thousand words big

After Katzenberg and Spielberg left, Ronan came to the door of the club and found that Tom Cruise, who was accompanying him, hadn't left, and was sitting in the corner of the front hall waiting for him.

Ronan went over, pulled back his chair, sat opposite Tom Cruise, and said, "Are you free today?"

Tom Cruise shrugged: "But for more than an hour, I was just wondering what Spielberg and Katzenberg would do with you."

"It's nothing." Ronan said casually: "DreamWorks wants to buy Relativity Entertainment."

Tom Cruise was a little surprised, but quickly grasped the key: "The overseas distribution network of Embassy Pictures?"

Ronan nodded: "Yes, they can't buy overseas channels for the time being, and they don't want to spend a long time building them, so they are eyeing the Embassy Pictures." He sighed: "The success of the film can also bring trouble."

Tom Cruise almost squirted out the coffee he had just drunk, jokingly: "Troublesome? Give it to me!"

Ronan ignored him and asked the waiter for a cup of coffee.

Although this is a private club, Ronan is not a member of the private club, but with Tom Cruise brushing his face, this service is not a problem at all.

Tom Cruise did not continue the topic just now, and asked, "How's the talk?"

Ronan didn't hide it, and said directly: "The talk is broken. DreamWorks wants to exchange shares for Relativity Entertainment."

"This condition can actually be considered." Tom Cruise also believes that Relativity Entertainment is far inferior to DreamWorks: "As long as the ratio is right, you are not at a loss."

Ronan shook his head: "I want the controlling rights and decision-making power of DreamWorks."

At this moment, Tom Cruise didn't know what to say. He tilted his head and looked at Ronan for a long time before saying: "You did it on purpose? This has become the Relativity Entertainment M&A DreamWorks!"

"No." Ronan said, "I'm talking with DreamWorks very seriously."

Tom Cruise said: "Forget it, I won't mix your business."

Ronan didn't stop talking, and said: "After the talk collapsed, I proposed that Embassy Pictures cooperate with DreamWorks, and Embassy Pictures will act as the overseas distributor of DreamWorks."

Tom Cruise felt that he could not keep up with Ronan's rhythm at all. He frowned and thought for a while before he said: "So, when you came here when you said you wanted to release the "Minority Report," you had this plan?"

"Yeah." Ronan did not deny: "Tom, you are the actor and producer of the film, so I will say hello to you in advance."

Tom Cruise thought about what happened before and said, "Ronan, I owe you several favors. I will ask someone to talk to DreamWorks about this movie and treat you as a favor."

Ronan pointed to Tom Cruise: "You're always so innocent." He said to Tom Cruise again: "Are you familiar with Jeff Kasenberg?"

"Knowing is not a friend." Tom Cruise said.

Ronan is also not polite with Tom Cruise: "Can you find a time and ask me about him?"

Tom Cruise is always savvy. After all these years, he has already practiced. He immediately thought of something: "Your real goal is not DreamWorks Pictures, but DreamWorks Animation Studios?"

Ronan acquiesced, and then asked, "Can you make an appointment?"

Tom Cruise thought for a while, and said, "Jerifer is a golf enthusiast. I will meet some friends in Malibu this weekend to play golf, and then I will ask him to go with him."

"Thank you, Tom." Ronan said.

The two chatted for a short time before leaving the private club. Ronan asked the driver to send Tom Cruise to Beverly Hills and then back to the apartment in North Hollywood.

Ronan hasn't made a move yet. The real estate agent thinks Ronan is a big customer that can cooperate for a long time, and proposed a few good suggestions. The stock market is still falling all the way, the future economic situation will worsen, and the bankrupt will also With the increase, the pressure on banks or other financial institutions is gradually increasing. Some repossessed houses also need to be dealt with. You can slowly wait for suitable housing.

There is no need for real estate agents to say that Ronan will not be in a hurry. What happened in the past will happen one after another. The disaster in September next year will inevitably occur. Then the already fragile American society and economy will be hit again. It will take a few years to get over this breath.

What happened in September next year was too serious. Ronan didn't plan on the occasion, and just avoided New York safely.

As for jumping up and down to do some movements, it is a dead end.

This serious terrorist attack directly changed the United States, affected the world, and even forced the United States to change its global strategy.

Personal power is really not worth mentioning in the face of such a big event.

Thinking of the World Trade Building that will collapse next year, Ronan suddenly developed a bad taste. If someone forces him to go back, he will wait for the other party to negotiate on the top floor of the World Trade Building on the morning of September 11 next year...

Entering the study, Ronan put aside these messy thoughts and seriously considered the DreamWorks business.

Frankly speaking, DreamWorks Animation Studios are more valuable than Spielberg and DreamWorks Pictures.

But there are some things that I can only think about now. Development is a step-by-step development. You can't eat fat in one breath. Relativity Entertainment is temporarily insufficient. DreamWorks Animation Studios cannot change their doors.

What's more, DreamWorks Animation Studio is not independent, and it still belongs to the DreamWorks group of companies.

No independence? Ronan wrote down on the notebook in front of him and drew a circle.

Relativity entertainment is not strong enough, and some things can only be planned, but to become an overseas publisher of DreamWorks Animation Studios, you can try it.

Regardless of online or offline, Embassy Pictures has established a corresponding distribution network.

A large part of it belongs to the network and resources left over by the Polaroid Film Industry, which was inherited in disguise. It can only be said that the former Polykin Group has a big business and was quite powerful in the 1990s.

Ronan knew that it was not easy to win the overseas distribution rights of DreamWorks Animation Studio because the two companies were not equal in strength.

He didn't think that he could get them all, as long as he could sign a few.

Of course, Ronan also has the confidence, after all, the distributor is in the upper reaches of the producer's industrial chain.

Although Embassy Pictures can’t compare to the distribution labels of the Big Six companies, the squalor between the Big Six companies and DreamWorks is no longer a secret, and DreamWorks has always wanted to get rid of the constraints of the Big Six companies.

After the breakup of the previous DreamWorks Group, the independent DreamWorks Animation Studio did not even have the ability to distribute in North America. This Hollywood industry's top three animation studios can only exist as a pure producer, even if it is a subsidiary. Animated feature films with good response continue to appear, but due to release reasons, revenue capacity has been poor.

In the news that Ronan has read in his previous life, Jeff Katzenberg wanted to sell the DreamWorks Animation Studios to large companies with publishing capabilities, let alone the six major levels, and even considered committing himself to the lion. Door Pictures.

Most of the reason lies in the release.

Just like DreamWorks Pictures continued to change its doors, the six major companies controlled the right to publish, and they exploited several DreamWorks brands more severely.

Ronan believes that the most appropriate entry point is the relationship between the six major companies and DreamWorks.

But to be convincing, Embassy Pictures also needs to come up with real overseas discoveries.

After thinking for a while, considering the possible entry points in several aspects, Ronan called Connie and asked her to collect more information about DreamWorks Animation Studio as soon as possible.

Learn more about DreamWorks Animation Studio, there is always no harm.

Ronan went out in the middle and went to a nearby Blockbuster chain store to rent out three animated feature films produced by DreamWorks, "The Story of Brother Ant", "Brave to the Golden City" and "Prince of Egypt".

When going through the leasing procedures, Ronan once again realized Blockbuster's low efficiency and long waiting time.

Many people even complain.

But in the video tape and disc rental market, Blockbuster is the only one, and has no strong competitors at all.

Once there are no competitors at the same level, many companies will have problems.

After going through the lease procedures, Ronan went home and watched these three films. "Brother Ant" and "Brave to the Golden City" are very unfamiliar. I have never watched it before. "Prince of Egypt" is basically forgotten. Clean type.

This animated feature film based on "Exodus", the only impression left to Ronan is the song "hen.You.Believe" by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

This song can also be regarded as a classic in the movie golden song.

It's a pity that this is the song left by this animated feature film. The film itself is not that successful. It is estimated that the Jews will have that passionate feeling after watching it.

After watching these three animated feature films, Ronan confirmed one thing, DreamWorks Animation Studios did not determine his own style.

Ronan's own senses, Disney animation is characterized by truth, goodness and beauty, Pixar Studio is characterized by modern truth, goodness and beauty, and DreamWorks Animation Studio is characterized by spoof truth, goodness and beauty.

Just as Pixar Studios' animated feature films rarely have purely funny plots, later DreamWorks Animation Studios' films basically have purely funny elements.

Only with characteristics can we go on.

It's like the blue sky studio with no special features, and even the 20th Century Fox that bought it is almost out of sight.

Blue Sky Studio is a tragedy. The technology is not as good as Pixar, the playing of feelings is not as good as Disney, the funny is not as good as DreamWorks, and the cost is not as good as lighting entertainment. In the end, you can only eat squirrels for a lifetime.

Before the weekend, Ronan made a special trip to Louisiana. Because he applied for a tax rebate, the crew of "Fatal Bend" has already started filming location scenes in Louisiana.

The tax rebate in Louisiana is not as much as that in Germany, only 8%, and it will not be returned to the production company until all the production of the film is completed.

"Tax rebates are not that much." York, the financial officer of the crew, said to Ronan: "There are 800,000 US dollars. Louisiana has strict supervision on this area, and we can't get the money in advance."

Ronan supported a big tree next to him and said, "Don't worry about this, remember to transfer the tax refund to the company's income."

York, who was trained by Mary, immediately said: "I understand." He reminded: "All the filming and production of the film must be done in Louisiana."

Ronan nodded slightly: "Yes."

The Americans have strict restrictions on this aspect. They are not as bold as the Germans, and even the British can't compare them.

The UK’s tax refund policy requires that the applied-for crews only need to use British actors for part of the lead and part of the scene to be filmed in the UK.

In the future, if you can apply for an overseas tax refund, you still have to go overseas to shoot. For example, Australia is also a good choice.

Tax refund applications also need to be competitive. Not every country has less restrictive restrictions like Germany. Many countries and regions have certain quotas for film tax refunds. Once the quotas are issued each year, one has to wait for the next year.

Ronan saw the crew temporarily enter the filming gap, patted York on the shoulder, and said, "Do a good job of financial supervision."

Passing through the periphery of the crew and bypassing the camera slide, Ronan found the director Gilmour Del Toro. This Mexican director was not tall and had serious upper body fatness. Like his director's nickname, it was a bit like a spinning top.

Seeing Gilmour del Toro resting, Ronan pulled up a chair, sat next to him, and asked in a low voice, "Is the shooting going well?"

Gilmour Del Toro said: "Some time ago, there was a series of rains, and people could not get in the mountains. The shooting was a week slower than planned. This month may not be completed."

Ronan said: "Don't worry, we have plenty of time. First of all, we must ensure the quality of the shooting."

"Yeah." Gilmour Del Toro asked, "Will it be delayed?"

Ronan smiled and said: "No. The screening time is initially set for next summer, so you have plenty of time to finish filming and production."

Gilmour del Toro breathed a sigh of relief. The first film that came to Hollywood was not considered a success. If there were problems twice in a row, future development would be troublesome.

Fortunately, he is biased towards Cut-type horror movies, which has always been the type he is good at.

As a director who started shooting horror films, Gilmour del Toro still has confidence.

Gilmour del Toro said something about his vision for the film: "This film was shot in Louisiana." He pointed to the dense jungle and the rolling hills in the distance, and said, "I think the film shot. We should not pursue exquisiteness. The dense forest and horror combined with the wilderness temperament of a road movie can add a lot of rough atmosphere and boldness to the movie."

Ronan asked, "Are there any films that have been developed after shooting? I'll take a look first."

Gilmour del Toro pointed to an equipment car on the road fifty meters away and said: "There are some copies on the car and there are also playback equipment."

Ronan nodded: "I'll go and take a look first, you continue to shoot."

Gilmour del Toro called an assistant director to accompany Ronan.

Arriving in the car, Ronan immediately selected some copy films and asked the assistant director to release them.

After watching the conference, he nodded slightly. This kind of location scene, which is almost all mountains and jungles, is indeed more suitable for the rough style.

Ronan also watched a long shot taken by Gilmour Del Toro-a scene where a murderer hacked to death a girl in a blue suspender skirt.

I don't know why, maybe it's a personal mentality? Ronan felt that this shot was very characteristic. The murderer cut it up in an instant, and then the pupils of the girl’s beautiful eyes gradually dilated. When the lens turned far away, the lower jaw and body fell into the tree. The shot was not careful, even It was a bit rough, the whole process of death was just a meticulous pat on the eyes, but it was very special.

It is very rare to have a weird beauty.

Perhaps this has something to do with Gilmour del Toro being a geek director himself?

Look at other shots, as Gilmour Del Toro said, the rough style is more suitable for this film.

On the one hand, it is caused by the background, and on the other hand, it must be considered for classification.

There are also characteristics of this traditional American horror film itself.

Madness, dismemberment, often appears in American horror movies.

Bloody dismemberment, violent fighting, this is a definition of terror by the old Americans.

Often to achieve the effect of horror, the screen is full of blood red and rust, dirty and worn trucks, torture rooms away from the crowds, plus a few abnormal murderers with ugly appearances and evil hearts. This is the horror of the old beauty. It is the visual stimulus and fear, not the psychological fear after watching.

This is more suitable for performance with a rough lens style.

In contrast, there are few disgusting metamorphosis and **** dismemberment in Eastern horror films, and more of them are brought by psychological hints, delicate pictures, inadvertent lines, and smart and intermittent sounds. The audience is scared.

After seeing some shots, Ronan returned to the set. Gilmour del Toro was filming a killing scene. Several young actors and actresses came on stage to shoot. Perhaps it was because the acting experience was not rich enough. Gilmour del Toro was from time to time. The filming will be stopped and the actors will be guided on the spot.

Like Gilmour del Toro, these actors also come from CAA, and among them are Ronan's familiar faces, a young actress named Alisa Dushku.

This is an actress born as a child star. She played Schwarzenegger's daughter in "True Lies" and is also a famous and important member of Hollywood movies.

Because she has a good "daddy".

That old man is a very difficult character. First, his true identity is Zeus, the **** of Greek gods, and second, he is a Jedi warrior, the grandfather of Darth Vader, the number one villain in "Star Wars", because he is the master of Master Anakin Skywalker In addition, he is also Batman's enlightenment teacher.

The most important thing is that he is still a retired agent who kills suddenly without saying a word. A small pistol can wash the entire criminal organization.

It is Keanu Reeves's dog.

In Ronan's previous life, after the release of "Avengers 3", some netizens combined the contents of "Avengers 3" and "Quick Chase" to create a new version of the comic.

Thanos found Dr. Pancake to **** the gem of time. Dr. Pancake sealed the gem in a dog's body. Thanos tore the dog to find the gem, and then looked for the dog's Keanu Reeves to appear on the scene. The terrible consequences even Thanos Can't afford it.

Between shooting, Ronan approached Gilmour del Toro and said, “It’s a good shot. Keep this style.”

Gilmour del Toro nodded at Ronan, and continued to work hard.

Ronan didn't bother him, and took the initiative to go to the outside of the set.

"Mr. Anderson." A white man in a suit and leather shoes came over. "We have seen it. I am Brewster."

Ronan shook his hand with him: "Hello." He pointed to the location set: "You are the agent of those actors, right."

"Yes." Brewster smiled enthusiastically: "It's me."

Ronan glanced at the set and said, "Several of your actors and clients performed well. I am very satisfied with this cooperation."

Brewster said with a smile: "CAA provides the best quality service, I hope we can still cooperate."

Ronan, as a producer and film company owner, of course knows the value of entertainment agencies. He will not ignore the other party’s favors. He nodded slightly and said: "Tom and I are good friends. He strongly recommended CAA to me. Facts prove Tom’s recommendation. is correct."

Brewster added: "I came to Louisiana this time and brought greetings from Mr. Brian Lord. Mr. Lord invites you to have time to visit CAA."

"I've heard of Mr. Brian Lord's name for a long time, but I never met." The other party was polite, and Ronan was also very polite: "When I come back to Los Angeles, I will definitely make time to visit."

Brian Lord is now one of the co-founders of CAA and, to put it bluntly, a partner.

There is a saying circulating in Hollywood today: "As long as you can find a way to get Brian Lord's mobile phone address book, then everything can be done."

This is of course an exaggeration. There are too many things that Hollywood agents can't handle, but it also reflects Brian Lord's status in CAA and even the entertainment agency industry.

As for the parallel management of CAA's internal brokers, all brokers have equal status. That's just an external statement. In CAA, Brian Lord is actually the head of a large brokerage team with dozens of executives under his hands. The broker is responsible for specific tasks.

CAA is not a traditional partner model either. Brokerage partners have very few shares together The controlling rights have already fallen into the hands of international investment funds.

Ronan is very clear that CAA has high-quality customer resources in his hands, and cooperation with CAA can save a lot of trouble. As long as the conditions are right, Hollywood's large and medium-sized brokerage companies can be partners of Relativity Entertainment.

For example, Brian Lord, his resources are enough to form a large crew for Shahai Entertainment.

Of course, if you really want to use CAA's packaging service, the cost is not low.

It depends on the specific situation. If the input-output ratio is reasonable, it is not impossible.

Brewster then said that he would contact Brian Lord to determine when to invite Ronan to CAA, or Bryan Lord took the initiative to visit.

Ronan left Connie's contact information to Brewster in order to communicate and determine the schedule.

Before the weekend, Ronan had returned to Los Angeles from Louisiana. Tom Cruise had already called and invited Jeremy Katzenberg to play golf.