Back to 1995

Chapter 600 Three Mouths and One Lion
The New York Daily News newspaper, although it is a tabloid, has a large circulation and appeared as early as 1919.

Back then, the New York Daily News, when it debuted, relied on edge-ball news as its selling point, and its scale was a bit larger than today's Playboy magazine.

After being sanctioned, the New York Daily News began to transform, but the tone was basically the same as before. If it didn’t make some moths and report some disgusting things, it wouldn’t be able to do news.

The "Matrix" movie, the bad news is not a serious matter. Which movie does not have some negative reports, but the report of the New York Daily News this time broke the news of many inside the crew, and even some actors The news is obviously a little unusual, and there are some signs of "insiders" breaking the news.

Ted Sarando picked up the newspaper and glanced at it, and said to Song Yang, "I have asked someone to conduct an investigation, and I have explained to the crew and the actors, and asked them to pay attention to the interviews of the media reporters! "

As the president of Western Films, Ted Sarando has done pretty well since he took office. He cooperated with ICNC TV to shoot "The Sopranos", which is now the most important project in the hands of Western Films.

Next, Western Pictures and ICNC TV will cooperate on a number of TV projects, including "Shameless", "The Big Bang Theory", "Grey's Anatomy", "CSI" and many other TV projects.

If the ratings of these TV programs were not as explosive as "The Sopranos", they would become the TV series with the highest ratings in prime time among several major public TV stations.

As long as the ratings are qualified, it is enough to reach the ratings of HBO TV dramas, then Western Film and ICNC TV have the confidence to set up paid TV drama channels.

Now if you want to say which is the most profitable TV channel in America, some people will guess, NBC, Fox, ABC or CBS and so on.

But it’s not all of them. It’s HBO, which lays golden eggs in the hands of Time Warner. Last year, HBO earned more than 90 million dollars for Time Warner. Among the pay TV subscribers in America, more than 500% of the [-] million subscribers, All belong to HBO!

ICNC TV station, if it establishes a pay TV channel and can break the wrist with HBO, then ICNC TV station is equivalent to having a hen that can lay golden eggs, and HBO will earn more and more in the future, which is conceivable As for the meat of the pay TV station, ICNC must take a bite.

Not only for ICNC TV station, but also for Western Films itself. Western Films plans to cooperate with its IMDB to launch online video services. It also needs Western Films to have a strong TV drama production team!
If you want to cut leeks, you have to give leeks sweetness and attract them. ICNC TV and Western Films want to compete with HBO and Netflix in the future. Western Films must at least launch a large number of high ratings TV dramas need to attract tens of millions of users.

As for the film business, it is what Ted Sarando wants most. The release of "The Matrix" this time is also a test for him.

"The most important thing now is to let "The Matrix" be released on time, and there must be no mistakes in the process, otherwise Western Pictures will suffer too much loss!"

Ted Sarando looked at Song Yang and said, who is disgusting Western Films and making small tricks secretly? This matter must be investigated, but the most important thing is to let The Matrix be released, otherwise it will cost several hundred million dollars , may be in vain.

Song Yang nodded lightly, "Everyone else has arrived?!"

Tomorrow is the time to hold the premiere at Lincoln Center. In addition to the Matrix crew, various stars and directors will be invited to join in, and DreamWorks, Paramount, and Miramax will be involved in the production and distribution of The Matrix. People from other companies will also participate.

"At Lincoln Center, everything has been arranged, publicity and distribution, Western Films is also negotiating with Miramax Films and Paramount, and The Matrix will be released simultaneously in 45 regions around the world! "

Ted Sarando said that after the movie is released, the publicity will not stop. Several leading actors will travel all over the states of America to get the box office of each state, and then they will go overseas to promote and distribute it all over the world. Meeting fans, holding events, etc., is purely based on physical strength, which is much more tiring than filming.

In the same way, there is also the record industry, if the released records cannot be sold, it’s fine. If there is some success, it is even necessary to go to one city after another to run publicity, hold autograph sessions, press conferences, and publicize road tours. In fact, the same is true. .

"How is the online business preparation going?" Song Yang asked Ted Sarando.

Hollywood and the media industry are all staring at "The Matrix", but Song Yang doesn't care too much. Even after the release of The Matrix, the box office is not so good, and it doesn't have much impact on Song Yang. The money invested in "The Matrix" at the beginning , They were all borrowed from the bank, and the box office lost money. At most, it was arguing with Comerica Bank and Deutsche Bank Investment Bank. Next time Western Pictures makes a film, it is not easy to extract money from Wall Street.

What Song Yang really cares about is the online video business between Western Films and IMDB. Think about it, make a movie, even if it’s ten "Titanic", let Xiao Lizi make this movie, from childhood to fresh meat. Lao Li, if the box office is dead, he will earn more than [-] billion US dollars, and the profit is not so much.

If IMDB enters the online video industry, after its listing, its market value will reach the height of Netflix, reaching 3000 billion US dollars. How much can it earn by just playing cash?
After cashing out, let's go short again, and change the market value from 3000 billion US dollars to less than 800 billion US dollars, how much can you earn?

How much leeks can be harvested in a year just relying on the box office and increased membership fees. There is no place to call, and I can only blame myself for my lack of technology. Otherwise, why would Wall Street work so hard to make Netflix's market value so high?
Yahoo and Netflix, as well as other giant companies, basically have the same routine. Wall Street first raises the market value to a height that makes leeks crazy, buys irrationally, and then smashes the stock price backhand, and cuts the leeks. Well, Wall Street has played this game for decades, and it hasn't changed for decades, but it happens repeatedly!

Wall Street can play, so why can't Song Yang, without Wall Street doing it for him, Song Yang can also cut it...

"IMDB is currently acquiring film and television copyrights around the world. At present, it is progressing smoothly in England, France, and Asia. IBDB's copyright database has exceeded 20 titles. However, IMDB has not made much progress in Hollywood, mainly film and television copyrights. , are all in the hands of the seven major film companies. Except for MGM Pictures, which is willing to sell part of the copyright to Western Films and IMDB, the other major film giants are not willing to release the copyright library to IMDB! "

Hollywood is a veteran of film and television copyrights. Many old films from decades ago are in their hands. These films can bring a steady stream of income to several major Hollywood film and television giants.

Video tape rental, TV broadcast, remake, etc., as long as a film is in the pockets of Disney, Sony Columbia, etc., it is impossible to get it out again.

Only MGM, in the hands of the Las Vegas gambler Kerkorian, was completely ruined and became a tool for the gambler to cash out. The copyright library was sold, and Western Pictures and IMDB picked up a Cheap!
"Continue to acquire the copyright, go talk to MGM Pictures, if you agree, IMDB will take over MGM's copyright library!"

The MGM brand is no longer worth much. Kerkorian took the title and built a hotel and a casino. It has long since lost the old Bigger. It’s just that the centipede is dead and not stiff. As long as MGM is not If you are killed, there will be a day when you will rise again, but when that day will come, no one knows.

When MGM can't survive and goes bankrupt, at that time, if there is a chance to pick up the leak, you can take down the MGM brand and the lion LOGO, but not now, the copyright library of MGM is more attractive now .

Hearing that Song Yang wanted Western Pictures and IMDB to swallow MGM's copyright library, Ted Sarando knew that Song Yang's determination in Internet video was greater than he expected.

A skinny camel is bigger than a horse. MGM still has three catties of iron in the recession. IPs such as "The Wizard of Oz", "007", and "Cat and Jerry" are still worth a lot of money. Ryan took advantage of it, so he didn't even have to think about it.

"I understand, after The Matrix is ​​released, I will discuss the copyright library with MGM Pictures!"

Ted Sarando knows that playing with an old fox like Kerkorian should not be too hasty. Last year, MGM, which was sold by Kerkorian for US$14.5 billion a few years ago, was sold by him for US$13 billion. Kerkorian must want to buy MGM back at the price, and make a big profit. I am afraid it will not be so easy to get the MGM copyright library from him. After all, MGM Pictures Now there are valuable things left, that is, more than 4000 movies in the copyright library.

After Ted Sarando left, Song Yang picked up the phone again and dialed a number. Song Yang needed to be on guard. Is there anyone on the Matrix crew who made small moves secretly. Song Yang had to know who it was, otherwise In the future, maybe the boat will capsize in the gutter and suffer a big somersault.

In a hotel near Lincoln Center in New York, Xin Ray Donovan sat at the end of the hotel conference room, listening to the Wachowski brothers, and arranging tomorrow's premiere to the leading actor Keanu Reeves and others , and follow-up high-intensity announcements.

Regarding all of this, Ray Donovan remained silent. He only needs to be responsible for ensuring the safety of the crew, and dealing with possible black material on the protagonist of The Matrix, so as not to let the actors suddenly have scandals and affect the box office of the movie. It is enough Well, the rest has nothing to do with him.

At this time, the phone vibrated suddenly. After seeing the number, Ray Donovan got up and left the room.

(End of this chapter)