3 Chapter 3: Opening of chain stores around movies
That night.
The Presidential Suite at the Hilton Hotel in New York.
Zuke, who became rich overnight, was extremely extravagant. He enjoyed fine wine and food, but also imperial service.
"The presidential suite is good, great, croaking!"
"Think of someone like Zuke, who was in the entertainment industry in my previous life. The presidential suite was always a favorite place for me to watch those celebrities live. This is really the first time for me,..."
Zuke was a middle-level manager of a small entertainment company in his previous life. However, his mother was in logistics and had very hardly any contact with that group of celebrities.
The income is even different, and even the unspoken rules are not his turn.
"Speaking of Hollywood beauties, everyone says that the rich will taste their saltiness, and the poor will look at their beauty. In this life, Zuke will also taste salt!"
The tree-lined trail you thought was already busy.
—Shakespeare.
Even though countless people left traces in that place, we still yearn for it.
- Guo Moruo.
When you can easily enter, you should understand that it is not that you are powerful, but that the other party can tolerate your insignificance.
- Pavel Korchagin.
"Heh...I have money now anyway!"
Thinking of the jokes in his previous life, Zuke shuddered. Forget it, those buses are fine, so let's be more stable.
The next time, Zuke thought about how to use the first pot of gold. As a traveler, I don't want to think about making money, so I just enjoy it now. It's too much to pursue. I want to continue to make money and make big money!
"Continue to invest in the stock market?"
For the first time, this thought came to Zuke's mind.
After all, my current more than two hundred thousand dollars come from the stock market and Netscape's listing.
"It's not impossible, but I only have a general idea."
"Although I know that investing in companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, etc., will never lose money. The future will be giants with a market value of 1.3 trillion US dollars, but now it is too..."
Not much else. Amazon in 1995 is not a giant now, but Xiao Mengxin, which has only been in existence for a month (established in July), has not yet been listed! As for the purchase of its original shares, it is simply a fart.
Jeff Bezos, what a shrewd man!
He is smarter than the hairy monkey, and now he wants to get the original stock from him, let alone Zhuke, not even Goldman Sachs or Morgan.
The stock market can make money, and it can make a lot of money, Zhu Ke, the translator, knows.
Understand very well!
But not now. Anyhow, Internet technology stocks and stock markets will rapidly grow in the next few years, especially after 1998. By then, it will not be too late to have enough capital to enter the market.
"Then what should I do?"
"Forget it, do it all, let's do your job!"
Entertainment!
In his last life, Zuke did this, even if it was logistics, he knew it.
"My home in this life is Hollywood, so go to Hollywood!"
"Find a Hollywood company and work as a staff member? Yes, but it's too much of a challenge for someone like me."
"Open a movie company directly?"
"Not even better, the water here is too deep and easy to pit."
"Movie stores, and how many more should be opened, to become a chain store?"
"It looks like this is a very effective method!"
It is not that Zhu Ke does not want to go directly to Hollywood and set up a film company. However, as half of the industry, he is too aware of the depth and xenophobia of the entertainment industry.
Think of the six Hollywood helms, Barry Mayer, Robert Iger, Shirley Lansing, etc., none of whom came from the grassroots; think of Hollywood stars such as Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie, who were not derived from a role actor.
And so on, there are too many.
Even the regulars on the Forbes list, the son and daughter of Oracle boss Larry Ellison, entered Hollywood with ambitions of 200 million dollars, but what happened?
Shot several unhelpful movies!
The lousy movie "Air Combat Heroes" alone cost nearly 100 million dollars in tuition.
It's been a few years!
In the end, did Hollywood take advantage of the 2008 financial crisis, the economic downturn in the United States, and the lack of money for major Hollywood companies to integrate into success?
"Be strict...no, be more prudent!"
Zuke squeezed his forehead.
Hollywood's xenophobia is one aspect, and the most significant thing is Hollywood's accounting issues!
That is really wandering on the edge of the law. Under the premise that the law allows, make a big fuss about the book issue, do it to the extreme, and completely exploit foreign investors!
Do not believe in big companies' morals!
For example, Spielberg's DreamWorks squeezed hundreds of millions of dollars from India and Arabia.
Don't say it's an outsider, even if it's an insider, it's not mercy.
The hands are very dark!
"Harry Potter" series, how famous?
There has been a lot of fame for Time Warner Group as a result of it. In terms of box office alone, it has generated nearly tens of billions of dollars in the world. This is not to mention peripheral licensing, DVD, videotape sales, clothing authorization, liquor authorization, etc., which is a thousand. Billion-dollar market.
But you can believe that it turned out to be a loss on the company's books!
That's right, it's a loss!
And what a terrible loss!
The production company and distribution company of the film are connected to Time Warner Group. However, the two subsidiaries are financially separate. Originally, the profits belonged to the production company, primarily to the distribution company, with the exception of theater revenue.
As a result, the production company's books are naturally losing.
"Big companies are black." Since the book loses money, you can pay less corporate tax without paying the main actors' box office profit share. Why not?"
Several leading actors in the "Harry Potter" series once brought a lawsuit against Warner Entertainment over the issue of the box office split.
What's the result?
A team of lawyers was raised by Warner. Are you kidding about the contract trap?
I will kill you when I play!
Even if the large company loses the lawsuit under special circumstances, it will delay you for a few years. It will consume your energy and never make you feel better!
Anyway, my arm can't twist my thigh.
In this industry, you have to abide by the rules they set, otherwise, you are an alien, provoke the collective interests of major Hollywood companies, and the company will drive you out of Hollywood alive.
Michael Jackson is one of them!
He holds the copyright of countless songs, does not know how to compromise, and violates too many hidden rules and interests of the entertainment industry. He will not be discredited. (Assault on the boy, skin color problem) Even after his death, many people still talk about it.
Peter Jackson, the director of "Lord of the Rings", brought the production line company to court because of salary issues, and the lawsuit lasted for 6 years.
"Hollywood likes daredevils with stupid people and money, so I have to take it easy."
Zuke sighed.
"Otherwise, there will be no bones left in the end!"
"There are too many bad guys and villains in this world."
As half of the industry, Zhu Ke really understands the book industry from a different perspective.
The movie is clearly profitable, and it can also make you break even. Not much else. First, photographic equipment, which costs US$200,000, can also make you US$1 million on books. And other unrelated film personnel expenses, all go to the investors' books, anyway, the water is deep inside, not to mention the laymen, even the insiders, they must have to be guarded
"Just open a chain store around the movies!"
"Safe!"
"Apart from anything else, "Toy Story" is about to be released. It was the North American box office champion in 1995!"
"As long as the copyright is obtained, even if it is only in Los Angeles, you can make a lot of money by selling toys of Sheriff Hu Di and Buzz Lightyear. Not only can you make money, but it is also a great stepping stone to Hollywood."
...
Just do it.
Zuke called overnight and ordered a ticket.
Early the next morning, I flew to Los Angeles.
After returning to his home in Los Angeles, he immediately contacted several intermediary companies. He finally selected an intermediary company with favorable conditions and an excellent reputation.
"I don't have many requirements. Beverly Mall, South Coast Mall, Hollywood and Highland Mall, Montana Street, these places must have!"
Zuke faced the middle-aged black man in front of him, gesturing constantly at the map.
The selected places are all well-known areas with heavy traffic in Los Angeles.
"Okay, please rest assured, our professionalism will surely satisfy you." The middle-aged black man replied sincerely.
Zuke nodded, "Okay, what I want is this major. How long can it take me to see?"
"Three days!"
The black man made a confident gesture.
Sent away by the intermediary, Zhuke sat alone in the room thinking, "When I have finished a few stores, I will go to Pixar Animation for the first time, and look at Jobs by the way."
