Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 1391 Negotiation of Account Sharing Quota and Face

In the friendly match of the women's volleyball team, Long Beach University won USC 3:1. As expected, the coach of the national team's main attacker is also very strong. When she was in college, she worked as a player and coach to earn money. It seems that she is also very capable of adapting to American society.

Ronald and the Counselor were sitting in their seats, chatting while watching the game. They both seemed to be fans of this sport that is popular among both Chinese and American audiences.

The audience found that they were quite experienced fans. They not only discussed many techniques and tactics, but also stood up and applauded when many good balls were played. They also made some comments such as "short, flat and fast", "strong attack" and "lob"...

After entertaining all the team members and guest audiences, Ronald quickly got in the car and went home. The counselor brought him a message that the higher-ups were interested in opening up the domestic film distribution market, increasing quotas, and even negotiating the use of box office revenue sharing, a practice that would satisfy Hollywood producers.

This is also a friendly gesture and breakthrough measure to deal with the resistance in Congress to China's request for most-favored-nation treatment.

There are two important opposing voices in Congress. The first is about human rights, which cannot be solved in a short period of time. The second is that China has become the second largest country in terms of trade surplus with America after Japan.

Many of the products imported from China are cheap and low value-added products. However, the bulk of America's exports, high-tech products, cannot be exported due to the control of the Paris Coordinating Committee.

For example, high-performance computers, machinery manufacturing that can be used to manufacture high-precision weapons, precision electronic products, etc. These products that America leads the world and are highly competitive cannot be sold.

The high-end consumer goods in America have long been beaten by Japan, and it is difficult to sell more than Japanese products. Just like American consumers, Chinese people also prefer Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic, JVC and other products produced in Japan.

After much thought, Hollywood movies are a ready-made option that can increase exports to China without involving the controls of the Batumi Agreement.

This product also has the added benefit of promoting American values. Some shallow members of Congress may agree with this.

Therefore, compared with high-tech products, which are difficult to import, movies have become a quick and easy way for both countries to make the export deficit figures look good and give the panda lovers in Congress a good reason to do so.

Ronald quickly contacted the president of MPAA, Jack Valenti. This old friend had opened up the European film market led by the United States, and had also taken advantage of the end of the Cold War to organize entry into the Eastern European market.

If he can open up the once most solid Chinese market for Hollywood this time, his outstanding achievements will surpass those of all previous presidents and he will become the number one in MPAA.

Jack Valenti had tried to enter the Chinese market a few years ago, but he only negotiated some unattractive deals. Movies entering there cannot enjoy the current industry-wide profit-sharing system, and can only be bought out once.

Moreover, the application procedures are very complicated, and it is often unknown which link will negate the distribution efforts here. After several times, most Hollywood distributors are unwilling to go through so much trouble for just a few hundred thousand dollars. There is really no one in Hollywood who can understand the structure of all the relevant institutions there, and how to estimate the cost and possible benefits of distribution in advance.

However, the news that came through private channels this time was that they were going to relax the revenue sharing method. Moreover, the approval authority was delegated to the level of the Film Bureau, which made commercial calculations possible.

Jack Valenti was also very excited when he heard the news. He immediately ran to Ronald's house and inquired about the cooperation in detail.

"Ronald, how true is your news?" Jack Valenti was most worried about repeating the previous process, where the story would end in vain.

"Of course it's very real, otherwise how do you think I could go there to film pandas? Since the last emperor, have you seen any white people from America go there to film a movie?"

"Yes..." Jack Valenti knew that after The Last Emperor, some standards of the literary and artistic circles on the other side of the strait had shown signs of tightening. Most co-productions were only open to Chinese creators or film projects that reflected Chinese stories.

In Ronald's panda story, except for the panda, all the protagonists are white people.

"But how do we know that this is not a system accident? They really want to use pandas to gain the favor of the American people, right?" Jack Valenti is experienced in such market access negotiations. This kind of thing may also be a gesture, and there will be all kinds of trouble if it is really discussed.

When The Last Emperor was released last time, even the Vice Minister of Culture attended the show. He thought it was not far from being released to the market, but it was later rescinded. What is different this time?

"Come, let me show you something..."

Ronald walked into the study with Jack Valenti, who had white hair on his sideburns.

"This is very precious... I don't tell ordinary people about it..."

As he spoke, Ronald took out a folder from the drawer, pulled out a copy of the fax and handed it to Jack Valenti.

"what is this?"

Jack Valenti only saw a piece of paper with a lot of Chinese characters written on it. Above the title, there were several paragraphs of handwriting. The largest line read: "We should take the initiative to promote things that are conducive to exchanges between the peoples of China and the United States and conducive to enhancing mutual understanding."

There were more handwritings below, but Jack Valenti couldn't understand any of them, and he didn't know what Ronald meant.

"My film can get higher support than The Last Emperor, Mr. Jack Valenti. You know, my actors can hug pandas directly. But Bertolucci in The Last Emperor could only go to Beijing Zoo to see pandas.

This is all based on this piece of paper. This is called a written order, and it is more useful than anything else there. The pandas can be rented to the San Diego Zoo this time, and the lease period is exceptionally long. Would it be possible without this? Moreover, the panda cubs can stay in America for a few more years. Without this... hehe..."

"This...can I take it away and have a look?" Jack Valenti was not completely unfamiliar with China. If this was really an order for the import and distribution of movies, then it would be worth a try.

"Don't do that, Mr. Jack Valenti. I'm being targeted in Congress. If you want to know more, why don't you contact the Film Bureau over there? If this matter can be negotiated, the approval authority lies in the head office directly under it..."

"Very good..." Ronald understood what Jack Valenti said. In fact, the Film Bureau really wanted this to be done. If it was done, then all the powers to import Hollywood movies would be concentrated in their hands, which would be a great benefit to the department.

"I will contact the six major Hollywood studios, and then form a delegation to go there to negotiate this matter. Do you want to serve as deputy head of the delegation?" Jack Valenti was going to send a message to all the major studios as soon as he returned, and everyone would rush over to do business.

"I said the same thing. If I'm too high-profile, I might be targeted again. Besides, the movies I've collaborated with the six major studios will also have the same opportunity to be released there. So I won't go this time..."

"Isn't that a pity?" Jack Valenti thought, you gave up such a great opportunity?

"So, I have a small request. I hope Mr. Valenti can add a clause during the negotiation so that small independent production companies like ours can maintain the original buyout distribution method and enter the Chinese market. Only with small productions can producers with entrepreneurial spirit go back to take risks, and only then will there be vitality."

"That's a very insightful view, it seems like you really like your film to be there..."

"That's right. This is a good window of opportunity, and I don't want to waste it. Besides, it's impossible for a small studio like me to win such a big industry negotiation. Only when the MPAA comes forward to negotiate can we take advantage of it, right?"

"No matter what you really think, this matter is indeed of great significance to Hollywood. Although China is no longer the huge market it once was, its population cannot be ignored. When their economy develops and their measures to prevent piracy improve, this will still be a great market. Now is indeed the time with the lowest cost to enter.

Ronald, by then all the filmmakers in Hollywood will enjoy the benefits you bring."

"No, no, no, it was the MPAA and you, Mr. Valenti, who brought this about. Only by uniting together can we make money."

Jack Valenti got the answer he wanted, and he went back to start organizing the matter and contacted the Film Bureau through the Office of the Trade Representative.

Ronald smiled and put away the instruction. In fact, it was just an instruction on the issue of renting pandas. Jack Valenti couldn't read Chinese anyway. He wouldn't complain after the deal was done. Besides, people like Dan Burton couldn't take advantage of the issue. I'm working hard to make all the children on the West Coast see pandas.

"Diane..."

"Here... Ronnie..."

Ronald found Diane, and the two of them ran to the makeshift studio to reshoot the goddess statue in the opening of Columbia.

This time, the costume department of Daydream specially designed an ancient Greek sleeveless robe, fixed at the shoulders and underarms, and wrapped a large scarf made of fine purple silk around the shoulders. Diane also held a plastic torch-shaped light, and then barefoot, climbed the double-layer steps.

"Click, click," Ronald asked Diane to do many poses, and compared it with ancient Greek sculptures, asking her to make the hand shape of a classical beauty. The other hand was stretched upwards like the Statue of Liberty.

……

"Oh, this is good..."

Peter Guber saw the enlarged photo that Ronald had printed and praised it. "This is the best version of the statue since it was used as the logo in 1924. It is as beautiful as Venus, as powerful as Athena, and as majestic as the Statue of Liberty..."

"As long as it's not like Coca-Cola..."

"Hahaha……"

Ronald told an inside joke.

During the period from 1981 to 1989 when Coca-Cola owned Columbia Pictures, the figure of the lady on the logo was deliberately redrawn to resemble the shape of a Coca-Cola glass bottle.

Although there is an urban legend that Coca-Cola designed the glass bottle to resemble a woman's body in order to attract male consumers, no Hollywood actress is willing to become a Coke bottle.

The version shot by Ronald, as Guber said, was based mainly on ancient Greek sculptures, including the deliberate wrinkles left on the material of the clothes, and a kind of classical beauty was well portrayed.

Coupled with the plastic torch light and the specially made yellow light emitted from Diane's head, the entire light layout makes the goddess played by Diane have a kind of divinity.

"Then I'll ask the special effects department to do the post-production, remove the wires from the torch light, and then add some light effects..."

Since Guber is satisfied, Ronald will ask the special effects department to continue to complete the LOGO image of several seconds.

"Ronald, we are old friends. Are you really not going to China this time?"

After Gubel finished talking about the LOGO, he changed the subject and talked about developing the Chinese market.

"My presence won't really help. This negotiation is mainly about comparing strengths..."

Ronald had another opinion on this one.

He told Gubel that the main focus of the China Film Bureau is that it hopes Hollywood films can boost the currently sluggish domestic film market, and that domestic directors can learn Hollywood's advanced commercial film shooting methods.

More importantly, the Hollywood co-production films they hope to introduce are those with great box office potential.

It is obvious that only those big-budget movies can achieve high box office potential. Of course, it is possible to make a small hit in the American market, but the possibility of a box office upset in the cross-cultural distribution market is much smaller.

Because of this, the other party was only interested in negotiating with the seven major studios. They knew that in Hollywood, only with the participation of these distributors could they raise hundreds of millions of dollars for a big production like Terminator 2.

"So, if we go there, we can gain their recognition and open the door to the market?" Gubel understood the meaning a little.

"Yes, Jack Valenti from the MPAA told me that the more people we go to the seven major studios and the higher the level, the better the results will be."

"What do you mean?" Gubel touched his chin.

Ronald glanced left and right, then pretended to approach Guber, "I heard that the Film Bureau tends to set a quota, a total of how many films will be imported each year through profit-sharing. But in the end, which film quotas will be awarded to which studios depends on whether their respective applications meet the other party's intentions, and..."

"Will I get better treatment if I go?" Gubel asked.

"Yes, from my experience, negotiations there focus more on the leadership's attention. We at Columbia have an advantage, which is that we have two distribution labels, Columbia and TriStar Pictures..."

"Stop talking, I'll make sure Mike McDavoy goes with me. You know, when I was young, I single-handedly got Cuban leader Fidel to agree to let me go there to shoot a documentary, and I think it's the same this time."

"Let me remind you that Mike Medavoy was born in Xujiahui and he can speak Chinese."

Gu Beier smiled so much that the crow's feet on his face opened up. "Stop talking. I'll ask my secretary to get ready. We must get the most this time. What was it? Face, face..."