The Best Entertainment Era

The two continued their journey of discovery in the trading area. Ronan glanced back. It was almost the same as before. The booth he just left was crowded with people again.

Most are buyers of other distribution companies.

Ronan believed that if he expressed interest in a certain film and contacted the seller directly, it is estimated that many people would come out and immediately drop his bid.

Tony Koch asked: The film just now is not good?

Don't worry. Ronan reached out for a document from Finch, and quickly browsed it as he walked.

There is a very simple plot introduction in the data. In just 36 hours, an unexpected car accident pushed a group of people who had never met before and after the incident in Los Angeles into a domino-like emotional abyss.

The title of the film is Crash, and the director, screenwriter and producer are the same person, named Paul Haggis.

Translated, this film is called Crash.

Because of Ang Lee's relationship with Brokeback Mountain, Ronan has watched Crash.

This is the work that once defeated Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain and won the Oscar for Best Picture.

This work by Paul Haggis seems to have many stars, but it actually gathers many past actors.

It seems that starting from this film, Sandra Bullock changed the decline after Speed ​​2 and embarked on the road to the front line.

The film's production budget is listed on the information, and the public cost shows only $6.5 million.

Perhaps, the real cost will be lower.

After watching another French film, Ronan deliberately stayed for a while longer. This is a French musical drama. If I remember correctly, the Chinese translation was called The Spring of the Cow Herding Class.

Ronan seemed to be a little interested, or so it seemed to others.

In fact, Ronan has always had great doubts about the market prospects of French films in North America except for Luc Besson.

The people behind are gathering here, Ronan said to Tony Koch: This film is interesting, you go talk to them?

Tony Koch is not stupid,

Glancing at those who followed, he said, Are you asking me to attract firepower?

Ronan smiled and said, The talk is over, I'll treat you tonight.

Okay, I'll attract firepower. Tony Koch knew very well that he had accompanied Ronan for this circle, and it was not suitable to watch the real target: You have to tell me, which movie do you like?

Ronan whispered, The Crash I just watched.

Tony Koch sighed: Sure enough, Hollywood filmmakers value Hollywood films the most.

Ronan said directly: Because Hollywood films are most suitable for the North American market.

Drag a European movie, even if it is Two Smoking Barrels and Amelie, which are world-renowned European movies, the response in the North American market is not very good, and even the former is still in North America to some extent. It's off the street.

Tony Koch stopped talking and said, You go, I'll go in.

Ronan continued to move forward, leaving behind Tony Koch and a business assistant, and some people entered the booth behind, and some people continued to follow Ronan.

Connie took out her mobile phone and dialed a buyer from the Embassy Films. She briefly explained a few words, followed Ronan, and said in a low voice, Someone from the Embassy Films is in the exhibition hall and will be there soon.

Ronan nodded: Let's continue.

Not long after Ronan left, Tony Koch just tried to quote $1 million, and someone immediately raised it to $3 million.

Tony Koch is well aware that the film has some value, but not so much to Embassy Pictures.

The French showroom was very lively, but Tony Koch was no longer the protagonist.

Not far from here, Navas of Lionsgate Films stood in the booth of DEJ Production Company, watching the film being shown attentively, as if seeing the life of ordinary people in Los Angeles.

A seemingly ordinary car crash has triggered a series of racial discrimination issues.

This film is very socially realistic, very much in line with the social environment of Los Angeles and even many states in the United States, and it seems to be very suitable for the tastes of the mainstream judges of a certain award.

Navas did not go away, and has been watching the film attentively. As a person who has lived in Los Angeles all year round, the film can give him a lot of emotions.

But he also knows that personal feelings cannot be the only criterion for judging whether a film has purchase value.

There are not many people standing here watching the film, but there are still seven or eight. Navas is not as famous as Ronan, and he has not attracted the attention of others.

Taking advantage of the gap between watching the film, Navas also quickly browsed the materials specially prepared by the producer.

In the next thirty-six hours, an unexpected car accident brought together a large group of strangers who lived in Los Angeles but never knew each other. In just 36 hours, their lives were completely changed.

This is the sentence that left the deepest impression on Navas in the information.

The film is a group play with multi-line narration, which is difficult to shoot, but it is rare to shoot very smoothly and naturally, with many characters and intricate clues, but it is clearly explained.

As for the theme, it is the very prominent issue of racial discrimination in the United States.

The director put the old topic of racial discrimination at the foreground of the film, which seems to be very radical, but in fact it is more reserved.

For Navas, this film has an Oscar-like face.

But there are many Oscar-faced films every year. What is the real value of such small independent productions?

It is also a gamble to win the Olympics, if you lose, you will lose money in a mess.

So, to win this film, keep the price as low as possible.

If the price is too high, give it up...

Not every small independent production is called The Blair Witch.

In recent years, only one The Blair Witch has been released.

After watching the film and thinking about it for a few minutes, Navas went directly to the staff at the booth, identified himself, and wanted to talk to the producer.

The staff immediately took him to the temporary small office behind the booth, and Navas saw a middle-aged man whose forehead was almost completely bald.

Originally, the middle-aged man was a little depressed. When he saw Navas, he quickly cheered up, shook hands first, and then introduced himself: I am Paul Haggis, the screenwriter, director and producer of this film.

Navas also introduced himself: I am Navas from Lionsgate Films. He directly stated his intentions: I just saw the clip of the movie you are showing, and I am very interested.

Thank you. Paul Haggis smiled: Lionsgate intends to buy?

The producer is already in a weak position, coupled with its own financial difficulties, Paul Haggis is somewhat anxious.

In order to switch from screenwriter to director, Paul Haggis has made a lot of efforts, not hesitating to touch the bottom line generally silently guarded by Hollywood directors-directors should not use their own funds to shoot movies.

Although he has made a lot of achievements in the screenwriting industry, and even valued by the old cowboy Clint Eastwood, he wrote the script for his new film Million Dollar Baby, but Paul Haggis is not reconciled to just being an actor. It is not easy for screenwriters with relatively limited status and financial prospects to take this step.

The most important thing is money.

The so-called DEJ production company was just established by him in partnership with others, so most of the production funds came from self-raising. Paul Haggis almost spent all his screenwriting income on this film.

The budget of the crew was very low, and the funds had to be spent on key filming and production. Fortunately, he has been in the screenwriting industry for many years and has some connections.

For example, the actors helped a lot, and the travel expenses of people like Sandra Bullock and Don Cheadle during filming were all out of their own pockets.

In order to save money, Paul Haggis had to use his own house and his car in many scenes.

Many non-key actors, also Paul Haggis' neighbors, volunteered.

It is with this support that he was able to complete this film.

But finishing is only the beginning.

As with most small independent films from small studios, it was difficult to shoot, but relatively easy, and the hardest part was getting into distribution channels.

Many of the films participating in the film festival's trading session are in a similar situation.

Navas didn't need to hide his intentions, and said directly: I came here to negotiate the release of this film on behalf of Lionsgate.

Just as Paul Haggis was about to speak, Navas said with the strength of the publisher, For $2 million, buy out the North American distribution rights of Crash.

Personally, he is very optimistic about this film, but being optimistic does not mean asking a high price.

The price is too low. Paul Haggis frowned: I can't even recover the cost.

He shook his head: The film festival is not over yet, I'll just wait.

Navas didn't want to waste too much saliva on such a small production, he simply said: 4 million US dollars, all North American copyrights of the film belong to Lionsgate Films.

Paul Haggis thought about it carefully for a while, and said, Sorry, I can't accept it. The investment for this film is only 6.5 million U.S. dollars.

The North American distribution copyright is US$4 million. Navas emphasized: Director Haggis, Lionsgate only needs the North American copyright, and you still have income from other markets in North America.

With the successive failures of City of God and House of Flying Daggers, Navas became more conservative and more cautious.

He was very optimistic about those two films, what happened? It was very miserable.

How could Paul Haggis not understand that this is a North American copyright, but for such a small production, the North American copyright is sold separately, and what about overseas copyrights? It will be difficult to sell it again.

This is a typical film that reflects American society, and overseas film studios will not be very interested.

He was about to say something more when Navas' cell phone rang.

The call came from the previous assistant: Ronan Anderson's people are in an exhibition hall on the fifth aisle, and they are talking with the producer about a musical comedy film.

Regardless of the presence of Paul Haggis, Navas immediately said: You join in on behalf of Lionsgate Films, don't let Embassy Films get it easily, I will go there.

Sorry, Director Haggis. Navas left a business card: You have thought about it, you can call me.

After speaking, he hurriedly left the exhibition hall.

Paul Haggis looked at the business card and shook his head slightly. Why is it so difficult for a small producer to find a suitable distributor?

After sitting for a while, the company staff brought another person in.

Hello, Director Haggis. The man shook his hand politely: I'm from Embassy Pictures...

(In reality, Lionsgate paid $4 million for the North American distribution rights to Crash.)