The Best Entertainment Era

Sand Sea Films, Ronan's office.

Facing Navas who came to discuss the filming copyright of the sequel of The Blair Witch, Ronan could only say with some regret: It's not that I don't want to cooperate with Lionsgate, the sequel filming copyright of 8 million US dollars is not enough for a North American box office film. Too low for a $150 million movie.

Navas stood up and shook hands with Ronan as farewell: This is my highest authority. Mr. Anderson, let me think about it again.

Ronan didn't force it, and said, Yes.

He sent Navas out of the sand sea entertainment.

This is the third person who came to talk to Ronan in the morning about the rights to the sequel of The Blair Witch. A Warner Bros. production manager and Tom Cruise's agent came here successively.

Tom Cruise didn't want to buy the copyright of the sequel, but planned to cooperate with Ronan to shoot the sequel. Of course, he would not jump into the hole that Ronan dug, and co-production is not within the scope of consideration.

Although co-productions can find ways to cheat the partners’ funds, and there are many ways to make profits outside of the film, but Tom Cruise is not an overseas investor, and cheating Tom Cruise is not the same concept as cheating investors outside the circle. Ronan would not do this kind of self-inflicted trouble.

Maybe other people can't see clearly, but Ronan has the memory of his previous life. For many years to come, the success of The Blair Witch cannot be replicated.

Warner Bros. is now the film company with the best performance in Hollywood, which is a bit aggressive, and the sequel copyright has only offered 5 million US dollars.

Ronan wouldn't have sold for such a low price unless he had no other options.

This is not the normal market price in Hollywood.

Not to mention the great success of The Blair Witch, like some popular novels or other works on the market that have not been verified by the film market, the film copyright is more than 5 million US dollars.

The copyright laws in North America are relatively perfect, and they also attach importance to copyright protection, so the price of copyright will only go up all the way.

If there is no ideal bid, you can go overseas to invest.

Capital operations are often more attractive than making movies in a down-to-earth manner, but Ronan also knows the risks involved and must balance the relationship.

Back in the office, after reading the publicity and release plan of Kingsman and Death Comes made by Embassy Pictures, Ronan received a call from Susan Arnold, saying that he would come around 1:30 in the afternoon.

Ronan sent another text message to Carmen-Case, confirming that she was not in working condition for the time being, and made a phone call, and made an appointment to have dinner together after get off work.

Ronan was busy with work throughout the morning, and approved the dismissal of three employees of the embassy film industry. In the past, the embassy film industry was at a very slow pace, but now the entire work rhythm has been raised. Some of the old employees cannot adapt , There are also people with insufficient ability.

Such a person is naturally no longer suitable to stay.

Embassy Pictures followed the legal dismissal procedures, and the severance pay was also paid.

The trade union here is not a decoration. Once the work is not in place, the trade union will be involved, and the price will only be greater.

In addition, among the newly recruited employees of Relativity Entertainment, Mary also suggested to fire one person. This person has a good resume and ability to work, but it is a pity that he is irresponsible.

Everyone who runs a business will encounter this situation. The best employees in the eyes of the boss are always hard-working, willing to give without expecting anything in return.

It's a pity that in a free city like Los Angeles, you can't find honest and good employees.

After much deliberation, Gotham is better.

The folk customs are simple and honest, and there are many talents in Arkham.

Just after one o'clock in the afternoon, Susan Arnold from DreamWorks came to Ronan's office with her assistant. The two sides did not talk nonsense and directly discussed the sequel copyright of The Blair Witch.

DreamWorks is not the first company to be interested in the copyright of this film's sequel. Ronan said very pointedly: If it is not for raising funds, director Daniel - Myrick ends the cooperation with Theory of Relativity, I will not sell it. copyright.

Susan Arnold asked with a smile: Mr. Anderson, what price do you want to sell?

Ronan said calmly, 25 million dollars!

Hearing this number, Susan Arnold's eyelids twitched, and she said slowly: DreamWorks is willing to buy out all the copyrights of the Blair Witch series for US$40 million. Of course, except for the North American box office that you are about to get.

Ronan refused without hesitation: The Blair Witch has been a big success, and I can't sell the proceeds. Seeing what Susan Arnold was about to say, he raised his hand to stop him, and said, I want to sell It is about the rights to the sequel and has nothing to do with The Blair Witch in theaters. If DreamWorks wants to buy the rights to The Blair Witch, we don't need to talk about it.

Susan Arnold was just testing. After all, if she could buy The Blair Witch, she would earn more.

This is also a negotiating strategy to lower the other party's psychological expectations.

Only the copyright for the sequel... Susan Arnold seemed embarrassed: This is too different from the original intention of DreamWorks.

Ronan looked at the female producer, but didn't speak.

The preferred target of the transaction is DreamWorks, but it does not exclude other companies. If DreamWorks insists on buying The Blair Witch, it should be sold to other companies.

Susan Arnold has been observing Ronan for a long time, and she has done a lot of research before coming here. Ronan Anderson’s company’s capital flow has always been problematic. Whether it is basic operations or investment in filming, it all comes from financing. The strategy is very clever, but if it goes too far, the company's finances will be very unhealthy, and if there is an accident, the whole company may collapse.

In her view, the sale of the rights to the sequel is, on the one hand, a helpless act of losing the director, and on the other hand, Ronan Anderson is adjusting the company's structure.

Such a young man, who has achieved success one after another, must have the ability, and it is impossible not to see the financial problem at all.

Susan Arnold lightly buckled the armrest of the chair and said: The copyright for the sequel alone is $5 million. She seemed a little disdainful: This is just to get a shooting theme for DreamWorks, the script or other literary works on the market. The copyright of the work, even the highest, is only a few million dollars.

Ronan echoed: Hollywood has never lacked themes and scripts.

This is the truth, and no one can deny it. Which larger film company doesn't have hundreds of scripts in its script library?

But these themes and scripts are not The Blair Witch! Ronan slightly emphasized his tone: They don't have a box office of 150 million US dollars in North America! They don't have huge fame and influence! They haven't been tested in the market! They won't bring an audience base !

His tone slowed down: Ms. Arnold, I am very young, but I also know that the success rate of sequels of blockbuster movies is extremely high, and sequels can be copied. Just the name and popularity of The Blair Witch is more than 5 million US dollars! What's more , The Blair Witch brings not only the title, but also a successful model and a viewing base of nearly 30 million people in North America!

Why is Hollywood so keen on making sequels? Susan Arnold certainly knows.

She did not refute Ronan's words, and found another way, saying: With the model of The Blair Witch, the sequel production budget is at most a few million dollars. Buying copyrights with funds far higher than the production investment, this kind of transaction is still Without precedent, DreamWorks will become a joke in the industry.

Ronan laughed: The value of copyright lies in the amount of revenue it can generate, not the opinions of the outside world. Even if everyone is laughing, will they still be able to laugh when DreamWorks earns hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office?

Susan Arnold thought about it, and it was the same reason.

Ronan said at the right time: When I bought the copyright and movie website of The Blair Witch, many people didn't understand, including many employees of the company, but now? They are all glad that I bought this movie regardless of the opposition.

Susan Arnold frowned. What the other party said was well-founded, and there was nothing profound about it. They were all the most obvious truths in the circle. It was not impossible to refute, but it would be mentally retarded to refute without considering the simplest facts.

The current North American box office of The Blair Witch is 150 million US dollars, which is Ronan's biggest confidence.

The ultimate goal of Hollywood's film production has always been commercial profits. The huge success of this film can overwhelm all objections.

This morning, representatives of Tom Cruise, people from Warner Bros. Production Department, and Mr. Navas from Lionsgate Films came here one after another. Ronan said truthfully: They all have interest in the sequel copyright of The Blair Witch. Among them, the offer from Lionsgate was very high, but I did not immediately accept it because I agreed to interview with you last night.

Ronan said seriously: I admire director Steven Spielberg very much, so I also want to give priority to cooperating with DreamWorks.

Susan Arnold said: DreamWorks also wants to cooperate with you, but your asking price is too high.

Then let's take a step back. Ronan said, We will take one-tenth of the North American box office of The Blair Witch as the transaction price.

$15 million? Susan Arnold still frowned.

Yesterday, she asked Spielberg, who was in charge of the live-action film business, that the price far exceeded the upper limit.

Susan Arnold added: This is just the copyright for the sequel, and my budget is only $8 million.

No ghost would believe such words. Ronan knew very well that DreamWorks wanted to replicate the success of The Blair Witch when they got Daniel Malik.

Bargain-style negotiations lasted all afternoon, and finally set at 12 million US dollars.

But Susan Arnold has no right to make the final decision. This result has to be reported to the highest level of DreamWorks for approval. Ronan can wait, but he also clearly stated that he can only wait for three days, and will not delay the relationship with other companies because of an undetermined business. negotiations.

The rest is routine, Susan Arnold assured.

After basically finishing the negotiation with DreamWorks, Ronan packed up after get off work, and then went to Carmen-Case's date.