Back to 1995

Chapter 252 Detour
When you first arrive in Hollywood, you must find someone who knows everything in Hollywood, and RICK knows that Eric has contacts in every state in America, not to mention Hollywood, how many Hollywood starlets, models, etc., Just work in Eric's RICK club.

And Ray Donovan was one of the many "scavengers" in Hollywood that Eric recruited for Song Yang in Hollywood.

Under the glamorous Hollywood, it is not a pure land. Hollywood stars, as well as the rich and powerful in Los Angeles, have a lot of troubles that are not seen, and they all need to be dealt with by "scavengers", and Ray Donovan He is a very good member of this group of "scavengers". It is rumored that he is comparable to "Hollywood Eye" Anthony Pelicano. He is a "public relations consultant" hired by many Hollywood companies when they encounter troubles. There are many big names in Los Angeles who have dealt with trouble.

"I'm sorry to trouble you this time, Eric!" Song Yang said to Eric after hearing some news from Ray Donovan. Song Yang knew that and asked Ray Donovan to come to see him. It took a lot of contacts.

After working as a supervisor for Perfect Continental Telecom, Eric is now back at the club in Houston.

In the past year or so, although Eric has been a contractor for a year, his identity has been completely different from a year ago. He has transformed from a nightclub king in America to an investor in the technology industry.

The second largest individual shareholder of American Telecom and one of the shareholders of ICQ, these two identities make Eric's identity completely different from before.

The former king of nightclubs in America, although it sounds good, those celebrities and even powerful people go to RICK’s nightclubs to experience different scenery from time to time, but on the surface, everyone is an American Puritan, absolutely They won't have anything to do with Eric, and even the church will not accept Eric's mother's donation for fear of influence.

But now he has transformed himself into a technology investor and has successively participated in the investment of American Telecom and ICQ, so that Eric is now a bit complacent as a technology tycoon.

Finding a Hollywood man for Song Yang is not a big deal for Eric. Sitting on the top floor of the RICK club in Houston, Eric spreads olive oil on the barbecue and takes a big drink from time to time. , "Song, why are you coming back, RICK is almost ready!"

After the identity change, Eric was not too concerned about the business of nightclubs. The key point is that compared with the notorious nightclub business, investing in America Telecom and ICQ really made too much money.

American Telecom alone has brought Eric a worth of hundreds of millions of dollars, which is much higher than RICK's previous valuation when he applied for listing on NASDAQ.

As for ICQ, not to mention, as Eric’s back-and-forth, he dedicated himself to American Telecom to be rewarded as his “own man”. Song Yang asked him to exchange 35% of RICK’s equity for 5% of ICQ’s equity. At that time, ICQ didn’t exist at all. Posted, it looks like Eric is at a loss.

As a result, now, the previous seemingly loss-making transaction made Eric crazy. RICK’s previous valuation was no more than 5000 million dollars, and it took less than 2000 million dollars to exchange for the current Business Weekly. Selling a 5% stake in ICQ, which is valued at US$[-] million, has doubled the income.

Moreover, it can be seen with the naked eye that the future potential of ICQ is much greater than that of RICK. Once it goes public, the valuation of the 5% stake in ICQ will probably soar a lot!

Now Eric is waiting for Song Yang to come back from Hollywood, and then let RICK company start to transform, start with "Victoria's Secret" first, and make RICK a favorite of women and a paradise for men.

However, with such a huge investment of dollars, if Song Yang, RICK's largest personal investor, does not come back, Eric will really have no idea.

"I will return before the end of this month, and then I will go to RICK's company!"

Song Yang won't be staying in Hollywood for long, there are still a lot of things waiting for Song Yang to deal with, and the itinerary has already been planned. At the beginning of next month, Song Yang will bring people to start the huge Asian tour Okay, this plan has been prepared for a long time.

Like other emerging film special effects companies, Weta Special Effects Studio has just been established for two or three years and is still in the period of accumulating technology. Compared with Industrial Light and Magic, which has been in operation for 21 years, Weta Special Effects Company, Not even a challenger.

But that's the case, the special effects company headquartered in Wellington here is already the most capable existence among the emerging special effects companies.

Like Weta Special Effects, Sony Special Effects, D2 Digital Domain Special Effects and other companies were almost all established around 1993. That was the period when Industrial Light & Magic’s special effects technology was completely mature, and special effects technology began to dominate Hollywood screens. Many special effects companies began to be established one after another.

Weta Special Effects is also a product of this period, but unlike other special effects companies, the headquarters of Weta Special Effects is in Wellington, far away from America, but in name it is far away from Hollywood, and there must be a dedicated creative environment, but It would be a bit of a lie to say that you left Hollywood.

In fact, the more reason is that the funds for Weta special effects are insufficient. The three founders are not big figures in Hollywood now. The special effects of movies simply cannot afford the high cost in Hollywood.

This is the same as when Netscape, Yahoo, and even Double-click became famous, the media was touting it. Even Double-click was poor at the beginning and could only make do in the garage of the Bruno family, but now it has become the existence of Double-click.

Although the headquarters claims to be in Wellington, Vita special effects can't really leave Hollywood, and a studio is still set up here to solicit customers.

For Song Yang's arrival, the entire Weta Special Effects studio in Los Angeles was in chaos. Weta Special Effects never expected that Song Yang would find them here. The industrial light and magic next door is not a class stronger than them.

"Song, I'm Richard Taylor, the head of Weta Special Effects Studio!"

Richard Taylor hurried from the studio to a factory building, and ran to the door to meet Song Yang before he even had time to change his clothes. The clothes were still dyed in color, and it was obvious that he was making a prop model just now.

The arrival of Song Yang really made Taylor unexpected. Taylor naturally heard the news that Song Yang, an Internet upstart, had come to Hollywood, but he never thought that Song Yang would go to Weta Special Effects.

Song Yang shook hands with Richard Taylor, and glanced at the Weta special effects office in front of him. Compared with the large-scale Industrial Light and Magic, this office is much simpler, except for a small office building Besides, there is a small-scale factory building in the back.

"Excuse me, I want to have an order, and I may need the help of Weta Special Effects Studio!"

Song Yang said something to Taylor that made him suddenly moved. As the founder of Weta Special Effects, Richard Taylor felt like he was dreaming, "Song, you are welcome. If necessary, Weta Special Effects Studio is willing to give try best."

After finishing speaking, Richard Taylor hurriedly welcomed Song Yang into the office, and then asked someone to call Peter Jackson, another founder of Weta Special Effects in Los Angeles, who was also his fellow director. He rushed over.

There are three main founders of Weta Special Effects. In addition to Richard Taylor and Peter Jackson, there is another Jimmy Selkirk, but outside the special effects studio, several people also have their own identities .

Peter Jackson is mainly the director and is responsible for shooting, while Richard Taylor and Selkirk are responsible for developing computer special effects systems, making models, props, designing costumes and so on.

Right now Richard Taylor and Peter Jackson are in Los Angeles, while Jimmy Selkirk is at headquarters in Wellington.

Richard Taylor also took Song Yang, Gallo, Gleick and others to visit the Weta Special Effects office in Los Angeles, but compared to the industrial light and magic he saw just now, this place is really too simple.

Taylor also saw the expressions on the faces of Gallo and others. Obviously, he didn't have much feeling for the Weta special effects. After finally seeing hope, Taylor didn't want to just give up.

"Song, this is just the office of Weta Special Effects in Los Angeles. We can only do some simple movie props and model design. We have a complete special effects team and designers in Wellington!"

Taylor tried his best to fool around, boasting to Song Yang of Weta Special Effects, "Weta Special Effects has a fully functional studio in Wellington, with a team of more than 50 people, who can produce professional props, micro-sculptures, large-scale scenes, costumes, and of course There are special effects for movies, we have worked with many film companies..."

When Song Yang heard this, he just glanced at Taylor, and chuckled. In terms of fooling ability, Taylor's level is too low. Song Yang has played this trick for a long time last year, so I don't know how many times he played it. Empty gloves are nothing, Song Yang has used Netscape, Yahoo, Telephone and Telegraph Group and many other companies.

Weta special effects are a little famous now, but that's all. If there are Hollywood companies, they will be rushing to cooperate with them. How can Taylor go to Hollywood to solicit customers in person?

However, after only visiting the studio used to demonstrate the level of Weta's special effects, Song Yang entered the office. He didn't really come here this time to see if the Weta's special effects can be compared with Industrial Light and Magic. Just finding fault.

In the small office building of Weta Special Effects, it is the same as that factory building. The office building is full of props and models, and Taylor's office is also full of design drawings.

As soon as he entered the office, Song Yang said straight to the point, "Taylor, I am here this time because I have a film project and need Weta Special Effects Studio. There is also one more important thing."

"I want to invest in Weta Special Effects Studio!"

When Peter Jackson arrived in a hurry, he heard Song Yang's words as soon as he entered the door.

　I'm sorry, gentlemen, the update has been a bit unstable these few days, and it has stabilized in the afternoon. Let's hold our fists together and bow!
　
(End of this chapter)