In a mansion in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, the living room was filled with smoke. Several men were smoking and playing poker, taking a sip of beer from time to time.
If you were to change the environment, such as in a slum, you would think that these are lazy men who drink and gamble excessively. You would never guess that they are famous figures in Hollywood.
The youngest guy sitting inside, his name is Steven Spielberg. At this time, he grabbed a good deck of cards and was smiling with squinting eyes. His good friend Julie Phillips once commented: Spielberg is a
He is an incomprehensible person. He hangs out with people who are much older than him all day long. He spends Sundays with them gambling, drinking, and watching football games. These old guys are all studio operators or agents.
The old man under Spielberg was Gui Mike X, then Alan Ryder Jr., and then Joey Valsh and David Gilaire.
This group of people is centered on Alan Ryder Jr., who is the head of 20th Century Fox. Ten years ago, 20th Century Fox was in crisis, and Alan Ryder Jr. was appointed at the critical moment. He was promoted from the production manager to the helm of the company, and immediately
The change in style targeted the company's audience at young people and produced a series of blockbuster movies such as "Star Wars" and "Patton," which revived Fox.
Time gradually reached noon. Spielberg had a drink with a few old guys. Everyone threw away their cards and prepared to go to dinner. They had to watch a football game in the afternoon.
Little Alan Ryder's assistant walked in, fanned the smoke in the air, walked to little Alan Ryder and said: "Mr. Ryder, Andy from the circulation department called you to ask for instructions. The Asian wants to
The basic box office share is 18%, and based on the 5 million box office, there will be an increase of 1% for every 3 million more. This share is too high, and Andier cannot make the decision."
Little Alan Ryder smoked a cigar and said displeasedly: "Please, today is the weekend, tell that guy Andier not to disturb me. He actually asked me to make decisions about the distribution of the movie. What do you want his distribution department to do?"
"
The assistant explained: "Andile said that the movie has already sold well in several southern states. If we don't distribute it as an agent, there will definitely be other companies willing to take over."
"Andile wants to agree to the Asian's conditions, and then calls me to approve it?" Little Alan Ryder asked.
The assistant nodded and said: "Yes, because the box office share he can promise to the producer is within 20%. Any higher will require your approval."
Little Alan Ryder asked: "Is that Asian movie exciting?"
The assistant said: "I heard it from Andiel. This movie is selling well in several southern states. Due to the lack of distribution capabilities of the previous distribution company, it has not been sold to the West, but I heard that it will be released in Chinatown."
"What movie are you talking about?" Spielberg interjected from the side. He has been busy preparing to shoot a new movie recently. Drinking with these old guys and big names is also to attract investment for the new movie. He is not sure about the news from the outside world.
The assistant replied: ""Royal Warrior", a movie from Hong Kong."
Spielberg asked with a smile: "It's from Hong Kong, and it's a Kung Fu movie?"
"To be precise, it's a modern action film, a dark horse at the box office in the states near Georgia," said little Alan Ryder, and then ordered his assistant. "Ask the Hong Kong guy to bring the film here.
, I want to see for myself."
"Okay, Mr. Ryder." The assistant quickly went out to make a call.
More than twenty minutes later, when little Alan Ryder and others were enjoying lunch, Kang Jianfei, Zeng Bolin, and Liu Hongsheng arrived holding copies of the movie.
The reason why Kang Jianfei was able to successfully meet the distribution manager of 20th Century Fox was also the result of Liu Hongsheng asking his friends to help him connect. Previously, when Zeng Bolin was looking for a distribution company alone, he could only meet a small role in the distribution department.
"Gentlemen, it seems that my arrival is very unlucky. I have disturbed everyone's meal." Kang Jianfei said with a smile. Because of the box office results of "The Royal Sister", he is in a very good mood now.
When Kang Jianfei finished speaking, Zeng Bolin quickly helped translate.
"Sit down." Little Alan Ryder wiped his mouth and said, "Fiji, take these gentlemen to my screening room."
"Okay," the assistant turned to Kang Jianfei and the others and smiled, "Please follow me."
Little Alan Ryder said to several poker friends: "Let's go and have a look."
Joey Valsh smiled and said: "Don't miss the football plug at three o'clock in the afternoon."
Spielberg looked at Kang Jianfei and the others curiously, then smiled and said, "We have plenty of time."
Little Alan Ryder's private screening room is very good. Not only are the seats made of leather, but the projector and audio equipment are also of the lowest quality.
After a few old guys sat down, little Alan Ryder's assistant became the projectionist.
More than an hour later, several old guys looked at each other.
David Gilrel shrugged and said: "It's a good movie, no wonder it became a dark horse at the box office."
Spielberg asked Kang Jianfei and the others: "Excuse me, who is the director of this movie?"
Zeng Bolin pointed at Kang Jianfei and introduced: "This is Mr. Kang Jianfei, the boss of our Oriental DreamWorks company and the director, screenwriter and star of "The Royal Sisters"."
"Oh, that's it. Hello, Mr. Kang!" Spielberg said in surprise. The reason why he asked who the director of "The Royal Sisters" was was because he was curious that Asian movies could be shot in such a modern way, and the shooting
The technique is quite advanced. But I didn't expect that Kang Jianfei would be the director of this movie and the boss of the production company.
Perhaps, this Kang Jianfei studied abroad in a film school in the United States, and his company is also a family company.
Spielberg could only think so, because Kang Jianfei was too young and would never have been able to become a director if it were not for a family company.
Spielberg also became a director at a young age. That was because he was lucky. George Lucas introduced him to Alan Ryder Jr. Alan Ryder and George Lucas were more than ten years old.
An old friend of 20 years, I supported Spielberg in making a movie because he couldn't help but make the movie an instant hit...
Not long after, all the other people went out, and only Kang Jianfei, Alan Ryder Jr., and Zeng Bolin as the translator were left in the screening room. Even Liu Hongsheng followed them out.
"Young man, what are your psychological expectations for the box office of this movie?" Little Alan Ryder asked, staring into Kang Jianfei's eyes.
Kang Jianfei looked at him without fear and said: "The more box office, the better. It all depends on how far your company can go."
Little Alan Ryder said: "If you want too much, you will break the rules."
Kang Jianfei smiled and said: "My guy asked your company to help with the issuance a month ago. At that time, the price they gave me was 10%. It seems to be a violation of the rules for giving me such a low price. I heard that the United States
The issuance practice is to charge a 30% fee.”
Little Alan Ryder looked a little unhappy. If what Kang Jianfei said was true, then some employees in the distribution department were indeed breaking the rules. Moreover, the price difference would be eaten up by some employees in the distribution department and the theaters, 20
Century Fox won't make a penny more.
If Kang Jianfei was an American production company, the employees in the distribution department would never dare to be so bold, but if it were an Asian film company, they would not be afraid. Like later Feng Xiaogang and Chen Kai, when they went to the United States to contact distribution, they were
I was cheated, and it was so bad. After selling the screening rights, I could only receive a small amount of money. Because there were loopholes in the contract, I couldn't sue.
Little Alan Ryder thought for a while and said: "I will give you a fixed 19% box office share."
"Mr. Ryder, you are so generous." Kang Jianfei was overjoyed and quickly flattered him. What Alan Ryder said just now means that under the operation of 20th Century Fox, the box office of "The Royal Sisters" will at least be as high as
Over 11 million.
Little Alan Ryder said: "I know both Shao Yifu and Zou Wenhuai, and Mr. Kang's movies are more interesting than theirs."
Kang Jianfei chuckled and said, "I heard that 20th Century Fox and Golden Harvest lost money on "The Killer"?"
Little Alan Ryder nodded and said: "It seems that I have to accompany you a little. If we had collaborated on "The Royal Sisters", it would have made a lot of money at the box office. The advantages of your film are very obvious, because there is no Chinese director yet.
By making a kung fu movie like this, it will bring a new viewing experience to Western audiences, which is why "The Royal Sisters" sold well in Georgia."
Kang Jianfei didn't think that someone like Alan Delai would praise him for no reason. He asked, "What do you mean, Mr. Ryder?"
Little Alan Ryder took a puff of his cigar and smiled: "If Mr. Kang agrees, I will guarantee the distribution of "The Royal Sister" in Canada, Central and South America and Europe."
"Cough cough cough..." Zeng Bolin, who was the translator, suddenly coughed repeatedly and was so excited by Alan Ryder's words that he could not speak normally.
Kang Jianfei was very curious about what the little old man was talking about. He asked, "What did he say that made you so excited?"
It took Zeng Bolin a while to recover and said excitedly: "Mr. Ryder means that 20th Century Fox is responsible for the distribution of "The Royal Sisters" in America and Europe."
Kang Jianfei asked: "How to charge the issuance fee?"
Alan Ryder Jr. said: "As a rule, Canada and the United Kingdom 35%, Central and South America 30%, France, Italy and other European countries 40%."
Kang Jianfei was naturally very happy and asked curiously: "Mr. Ryder is so confident in "The Royal Sister"?"
Alan Ryder Jr. said: "I have said that this movie is groundbreaking. No previous Kung Fu movie has been made like this. It perfectly combines Western action elements with Eastern Kung Fu elements, and there are breakthroughs in many places.
and innovation. The distribution company you hired before was too bad. If you switch to 20th Century Fox, the box office will be at least tripled."
Alan Ryder Jr. is not bragging. Carl Patrick can also work in several southern states and counties in the United States, but the distribution capabilities in other places are not good. This is not the case with 20th Century Fox. This Hollywood giant had 500 distributors decades ago.
Many of its own theaters. Although the theater chain had to be abandoned later due to the Anti-Monopoly Law, there were policies and countermeasures, and a series of dizzying equity distributions broke the bones of 20th Century Fox and several large theater chains.
