Hollywood starts with a broker

Buckinghamshire, being close to London and home to Pinewood Studios and Shepperton Studios, is where most of the UK's film and entertainment companies are clustered.

Film production companies, special effects companies, post-production sound companies, prop companies, and so on, form a very complete industrial chain.

After Aaron established Dawn UK Film in Buckinghamshire, he also invested in acquiring 40% of the shares of Electric, a long-established British art-house cinema chain.

Electric cinema chain, like Landmark Theatres in the United States, is a small art-house cinema chain, but it is still very important for the newly established Dawn Pictures!

The head of Dawn UK Film is Graham Bradstreet, a former partner at Studio Pictures, who left last year.

In the evening, at the Ritz Hotel on Piccadilly in central London, Aaron took Catherine Zeta-Jones to an entertainment party hosted by PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment fully acquired the British independent production company Studio Pictures, greatly enhancing its film and television development capabilities!

"Aaron, you've been making quite a few moves in the UK recently, haven't you?"

Michael Kuhn smiled and clinked glasses with Aaron. Dawn established a UK branch and even found a former partner from Studio Pictures to be in charge.

Not only that, but it also invested in London's long-established art-house cinema chain, Electric, which completely implies that it intends to independently distribute its works in the UK.

Aaron took a sip of wine, "There's no way around it. There are so many cinema brands now. I'm worried that a new round of cinema mergers will happen soon."

"Dawn is a young film company and needs to prepare in advance. Having its own distribution channels is necessary to prepare for future channel expansion."

Several major Hollywood distributors, Columbia TriStar, own shares in Loew's Theatres and Walter Reade Theatres.

UIP (United International Pictures), a joint venture between Universal and Paramount, owns 40% of Odeon Cinemas, a large European cinema chain, etc.

Warner Bros., Disney, and 20th Century Fox all own their own theaters to varying degrees and have participated in investments in some cinema chains!

As for Hollywood's independent distributors, almost every one of them started by operating cinemas.

During the Reagan era in the 1980s, the "Paramount Decree" became a dead letter, and the government even encouraged film companies to operate cinemas.

It's just that the competition is too great, and the scale and composition of cinemas are complex. Film companies are reluctant to waste energy on operating cinema chains. Investing in shares is also to ensure their own distribution channels.

"PolyGram has also invested in Gramercy Pictures in the United States and will use Gramercy to distribute films in the United States in the future."

"Perhaps, we can continue to cooperate. PolyGram and Landmark Theatres can sign a distribution agreement, and in the UK, PolyGram's distribution channels can also help Dawn's works to be better promoted!"

Michael Kuhn's suggestion was very good, and Aaron certainly wouldn't object.

"Absolutely. If PolyGram has good projects that lack funding, perhaps Dawn can provide some support."

Aaron smiled. PolyGram Filmed Entertainment's main business is still British films. Even Hollywood productions mainly focus on low-budget art films and romance films.

Philips' positioning of PolyGram is still mainly in the recording industry, and it has never thought of investing heavily in film and television business.

Dawn is different. In terms of investment in film, PolyGram can't compare. PolyGram's distribution channels are the icing on the cake for Dawn.

Mainly, Aaron is very confident in Dawn. As long as it launches excellent works, other cinema chains will naturally take the initiative to distribute its films.

After chatting with Michael Kuhn, Aaron found Graham Bradstreet, "With the establishment of Dawn UK Film, I plan to develop a British-style romantic comedy."

"The project will be called 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'. The theme is that the male protagonist is a frequent guest at weddings but is afraid of marriage. At a wedding, he meets a dashing foreign girl. During this time, the two participate in four weddings and one funeral, and finally, the lovers get married..."

"Four Weddings and a Funeral" is Hugh Grant's breakthrough work in the future. The humor and subtlety of British romantic comedies are different from Hollywood's style.

"'Four Weddings and a Funeral', if it's positioned as a romantic comedy," Graham Bradstreet thought for a moment.

"When I was at Studio Pictures before, I worked with a comedy screenwriter named Richard Curtis."

"In the past two years, the popular British comedy 'Mr. Bean' was written by him. I'll take this idea to Richard Curtis for adaptation first!"

Aaron nodded, "This kind of romantic light comedy doesn't cost much. I met the British actor Hugh Grant in the UK before. His image is very good."

"As for the beautiful foreign woman, Sophie Marceau from France is not bad."

Since "Four Weddings and a Funeral" is a British comedy, the European market is definitely more important than the Hollywood market.

Hugh Grant's reputation is not obvious now, and Sophie Marceau has a considerable reputation in Europe, which is just right!

"Well, I'll find someone to adapt the script first," Graham Bradstreet certainly didn't object. The film industry in the UK is really too depressed now.

After the banquet, Aaron and Catherine Zeta-Jones returned to the villa in Hammersmith!

"A British romantic comedy? I'll play a supporting actress in it, okay!"

On the bed in the bedroom, Catherine Zeta-Jones lay in Aaron's arms, her face flushed.

Hearing Aaron talk about "Four Weddings and a Funeral", Catherine Zeta-Jones happily agreed.

No mistake in every first issue of Rong Yi Yi Kan!

"Mayflower Season 2" has been broadcast, and she can only receive some supporting roles in TV movies now. Dawn's films are different, they will definitely be released in Hollywood.

"It's estimated that filming will start in the second half of the year, after Graham finds someone to complete the script!"

"No problem, I'm not busy either. Now I mainly participate in some commercial performances, shoot magazines and GG."

Aaron stroked the girl in his arms, "I've scheduled a project discussion with director Ridley Scott in the next few days. If you're free, come with me."

"I'm free, I can go anytime," Catherine Zeta-Jones originally hoped to meet more big shots by following Aaron.

"You used to learn tap dance, right? Will there be any problems if you act in action movies in the future?"

"Of course, there's no problem. I used to be an All-England Tap Dance Champion, and I've also acted in stage plays with a lot of dance performances."

"My body has good flexibility, and I can definitely adapt to some action scenes!"

Aaron smiled and nodded.

Catherine Zeta-Jones had already guessed that the action film that Aaron was going to discuss with Ridley Scott must be an action film.

"Darling, you should be clear about my body's flexibility..."