Chapter 558： DreamWorks problem

The New Year's sun shines through the window and falls on his generous body. Tom Hanks opens his fingers, letting the light fall on the fingertips, penetrates into the skin, and delivers warmth.

The sun rising in early 2004 seems to be able to give people a whole new experience.

Tom Hanks sighed lightly in his heart. In a blink of an eye, he was wide and fat, and he became greedy for sunshine like an old man.

With the sound of footsteps, Steven Spielberg wearing round glasses came over with two cups of black tea, put one of them on the coffee table in front of Tom Hanks, opened the soft sofa chair, and sat down. Opposite him.

"When did you change the taste?" Spielberg asked: "The black tea doesn't even add sugar?"

Tom Hanks pressed his high-pitched belly, with his fingers as the center, a pit that had always been sunken suddenly appeared: "If I don't control my sugar intake, I will lose weight. I will soon I can shoot new movies, and I also need to control and reduce my weight. Too fat is not good."

Spielberg immediately remembered the news a few days ago and asked: "The Da Vinci Code, a collaboration between Pretone Pictures and Relativity Entertainment?"

The press conference for this kind of thing was held. Tom Hanks did not have to deny the need, and said: "This is this project, and preparations will begin in the second half of the year." He is a capable character and must lose weight as soon as possible."

Spielberg sighed: "This is Ronan Anderson who has taken the initiative to find you and ask for cooperation."

Tom Hanks simply said: "Originally, Relativity Entertainment Group wanted to buy the film adaptation copyright of the original work, but I was the first to get it. It happened that Rita took a fancy to Ronan Anderson's movie "Mamma Mia". Copyright, Pretone Pictures has reached a cooperation agreement with Relativity Entertainment on these two projects."

Spielberg pushed down his glasses: "The success rate of projects promoted by Ronan Anderson is extremely high, and successful cooperation with him is guaranteed."

The two have been friends for many years. Tom Hanks smiled honestly: "It's mainly because Rita likes "Mamma Mia" very much."

Spielberg could understand Tom Hanks’s approach and did not mean to blame his old friends. He said: “The advantages of working with them are obvious. The Relativity Entertainment Group has developed rapidly in the past two years, and it may not be long before it will surpass DreamWorks. ."

Tom Hanks shook his head: "How is it possible? Steven, the scale and confidence of DreamWorks is something that a new company like Relativity Entertainment can catch up with?"

Spielberg smiled bitterly: "Tom, DreamWorks seems to be huge, but in fact..." He didn't know how to describe it, so he said, "That means it looks huge."

Tom Hanks knew that DreamWorks had encountered many problems, but he couldn't ask directly, so he could only look at Spielberg.

Spielberg picked up his teacup, took a sip of the slightly bitter black tea, and said, "The main business of this part of DreamWorks under my control is live-action movies. In the past few years, DreamWorks has produced many successful movies. , But it has been missing an extremely important link, and shareholders are also extremely dissatisfied with it."

Tom Hanks is also a veteran in the circle, and immediately understands what Steven Spielberg is talking about.

Spielberg tasted black tea and continued: "Originally, after "The Da Vinci Code" entered the North American bestseller list in early December, I thought about whether to talk to you about co-production, but after careful consideration, I still gave up."

"Why?" Tom Hanks asked.

"Because of our co-production, limited by the distribution capabilities of DreamWorks, the film still needs to find a suitable distributor." Spielberg's smile seemed to have a bit of bitterness, as if it was entirely for old friends: "Later, it exploded. Pretone Pictures is preparing to cooperate with Relativity Entertainment. I think cooperating with DreamWorks may not have the convenience of relativity cooperation."

Tom Hanks could only smile and said, "Steven, there are some things in Pretone Pictures that I can't decide alone."

Spielberg said: "In terms of distribution, DreamWorks is far inferior to Relativity Entertainment."

Tom Hanks is silent. Isn't this a reason why he can cooperate with Relativity Entertainment.

This is purely commercial cooperation, and nothing else is involved.

Tom Hanks believes Spielberg knows this very well.

Spielberg sighed and said: "In recent years, distribution has been the biggest obstacle to the development of DreamWorks. There are almost no overseas distribution channels. Even the distribution channels in North America are narrowing compared with previous years. All these make me worry. , I can’t fall asleep many nights. If DreamWorks continues, it’s dangerous."

Tom Hanks frowned slightly: "There is also a problem with the North American distribution channel?"

"DreamWorks is digging for distributors from other companies, and other companies are also digging for DreamWorks people." Spielberg said simply: "I have always wanted to establish overseas distribution channels for DreamWorks, and many North American distributors have sent out. And then encountered difficulties overseas far beyond North America. Tom, you should know how difficult it is to open up channels from scratch. Overseas is more than ten times more difficult than North America. Most of the people sent by DreamWorks overseas will either quit or leave. Resigned and resigned in the face of difficulties, and few people can stay overseas..."

Some things are hard to say, Paramount Pictures has been watching DreamWorks recently.

If you say this to people outside the industry, maybe others are listening, but Tom Hanks knows very well that the actual difficulties may far exceed what Spielberg said.

Is it so easy to develop overseas film distribution channels from scratch? In addition to the traditional six major Hollywood companies with overseas distribution capabilities, there are only limited medium-sized companies such as Summit Entertainment, Gore Messi Pictures, Relativity Entertainment and Artisan Pictures.

Among them, Summit Entertainment and Gore Messi Pictures have weak overseas distribution capabilities, which means they can distribute in overseas markets such as European developed countries and Australia.

Like DreamWorks and the emerging Lionsgate Films, in recent years, they have been committed to opening up overseas distribution channels, and the effect is not without, but there are few overseas markets except for the English-speaking countries.

Spielberg’s words continue: “The overseas issuance business is not developing smoothly, resulting in the large amount of funds invested by DreamWorks and the loss of issuers. This is also one of the reasons why DreamWorks is struggling. It was only last year that I discovered that frequent investment in personnel funds was used. Exploiting distribution channels overseas has affected not only overseas business, but also dragged down DreamWorks’ North American distribution business. The loss of a large number of professionals has led to the weakening of DreamWorks’ North American distribution capabilities."

He sighed: "The personnel sent to expand overseas are all elites in the publishing industry. After they leave, they take away not only the hope of DreamWorks, but also the network of contacts they have accumulated in the publishing industry for many years."

Tom Hanks sympathizes with Spielberg a bit. People who can be sent overseas to develop key businesses are certainly not ordinary employees.

"It doesn't matter, Steven, everything will be fine." Tom Hanks can only say: "Any company will encounter various difficulties in the early stages of development. As long as DreamWorks survives this difficult period, it will meet Here comes a golden age."

Spielberg grinned reluctantly, and said, "I hope so." He shook his head: "Look at me, why did you tell you these things."

Tom Hanks didn't mind at all: "Steven, I can see that you are under a lot of pressure. We have been friends for many years. You can tell me what you want."

He was a little worried that the pressure of DreamWorks would push Spielberg down.

"Don't worry, I will stick to it. DreamWorks will usher in an opportunity for development." Spielberg said seemingly relaxed: "Some time ago, someone from the company made a suggestion to make DreamWorks completely abandon the increasingly difficult distribution business. Not only stop opening up overseas distribution channels, but also abandon the somewhat crippled North American distribution business and concentrate on the production industry."

In the recent period, Paramount Pictures has been aggressive, constantly exerting pressure on DreamWorks, wanting DreamWorks films to go through Paramount’s distribution channels.

This is the prelude to want to annex!

Several other large companies are also waiting nearby to watch the show.

Hearing this, Tom Hanks hurriedly interjected: "Steven, absolutely not. If you give up the distribution business, DreamWorks can only exist as a medium-scale production company."

No one knows better than him that the original intention of the old friend was to build DreamWorks into an entertainment group comparable to the big six companies.

A company that does not even have the ability to issue is tantamount to being pinched directly in the throat, and even the oxygen for breathing growth must be controlled by others!

Spielberg nodded and said: "No, I will not give up the issuance business, and I will continue to explore overseas distribution channels. DreamWorks must develop..."

Tom Hanks suggested: "You can consider acquiring overseas issuance business."

"It's difficult. Every issuing company treats its overseas distribution business as a treasure." Spielberg shook his head: "When Polygram Group was acquired, there was an opportunity. Unfortunately, Polygram's overseas distribution business was lost. Nan-Anderson’s Relativity Entertainment won, otherwise there would be Embassy Pictures."

This past Tom Hanks knows that is also one of Spielberg's stereotypes of Ronan Anderson.

Spielberg picked up the black tea and took a sip: "Thank you, Tom, I can only tell you these words."

"We are friends." Tom Hanks smiled, picked up the black tea and drank it slowly. After a while, he said: "Unfortunately I can't help."

Spielberg also laughed: "You are willing to listen to me and relieve my pressure. It is the best help." He changed his voice: "Sometimes, I really admire Ronan Anderson, this People are more suitable than me to be the boss of a film company, and so far, far more successful than what I have done."

Tom Hanks first echoed: "From the perspective of the film company owner and producer, Ronan Anderson was able to achieve his current results at the age of twenty-five or sixteen. It is indeed very remarkable." He continued: "But this man is very profitable and very calculating, and it is difficult to deal with."

Just as Tom Hanks and Spielberg were discussing Ronan, Ronan met David Finch who had just returned to Los Angeles in the clubhouse in Beverly Hills.