Entertainment tycoon who started out as a director

Chapter 170 Win-Win Cooperation

As soon as they met, Anthony gave Gu Ming a big hug as usual.

"Gu! I have good news for you."

"The final North American box office of "Hero" was 8000 million!"

"Except for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, it is the highest-grossing foreign language film in North American history."

"Congratulations." Gu Ming paused and asked with a smile, "So, are you here just to congratulate me on this?"

"of course not!"

Anthony shook his head, "Congratulations to you for owning an established distribution company in North America."

"I said that you were unwilling to accept Sony's shareholding at that time. It turns out that you wanted to be the boss of a distribution company yourself."

"Oh, of course, I don't have any idea of ​​blaming you."

"As a friend, I can understand you. Whoever works in a profession doesn't want to be able to make the decision. Why should he be the second child when he can be the boss?"

"Under the circumstances at that time, it was impossible for us at Sony Columbia to hand over voting rights to you like those two investment companies."

"Business is business, your choice is okay!"

"So, are you here?" Gu Ming asked.

"Let's talk about cooperation!" Anthony sat on the sofa with a smile on his face.

"I thought you were here to investigate." Gu Ming said with a smile.

"You didn't agree that we must sell it. Even if you agreed and signed the contract, as long as you can pay the liquidated damages, there is no problem. Breach of contract is also part of the contract."

"So there's no question of asking for guilt."

"Our goal is to make US dollars together, green US dollars."

"So everyone should look forward!"

Anthony said as he instilled a spiritual excitement in Gu Ming like a life mentor.

"Let's get down to business."

"Gu, you sold your global distribution network to Lions Gate. What will happen to the entire global distribution of Daystar in the future?"

"As a pair of partners who have had many happy partnerships, I think we can continue to work together happily!"

"Gu, are you still considering letting us, Sony, take a stake?"

Anthony's eyes sparkled, "We invest in your Big Dipper Entertainment."

"Your company's overseas distribution is handed over to Sony Columbia, including the North American disc market, and Sony's discs are used for disc pressing. We at Sony Columbia will also fully support you on the MPAA."

To be honest, there is no need to find a fixed partner for global distribution.

Gu Ming must have only chosen the global distribution model based on North American box office sales.

Receive cash.

All films released by a company.

Gu Ming was afraid that Sony wouldn't be able to come up with so much liquidity by then.

But when he heard about MPAA, Gu Ming suddenly felt that this kind of business was not unacceptable.

MPAA, National Film Review and Rating Board.

Determines the rating of a movie in the United States.

It is the most stringent, with the NC-17 rating that can only be watched by people over 17 years old, or the G rating, which can be watched by everyone. There are five levels in total. One level difference may save you tens of millions of dollars.

Yes, it can be released without ratings, but many cinemas don't dare to show unrated movies at all, so you can only do it on a small scale.

The MPAA, which masters the classification, has a total of six places, one for each of the six universities.

If there is a company that supports you, the future classification will be more or less fair. After all, the other five companies are also afraid that someone will stumble when their own company's movies are released, so most of them turn a blind eye to the films of these six companies.

Moreover, finding a Big Six company to invest in it can also somewhat reduce one's outsider attributes.

"We can negotiate, but how much do you want to invest in the shares? How many shares do you want to occupy?" Gu Ming asked, taking a sip of water.

"We also know that the value of Artison Entertainment is not low, and you have added your Beidou Star Entertainment, but after all you sold the global distribution network. We paid 8000 million US dollars for 40.00% of the shares. This is already a premium. , we can all shoulder the future debts together."

"I can't accept this price, and I can't accept 40.00% of the shares!" Gu Ming put down the cup heavily.

"If you buy 40.00% of the shares, my shares will be reduced to the point where I don't even have 30.00%."

"With all my hard work, have you become a part-time worker?"

"Then I can't kneel down and beg for food?"

"Gu, don't be anxious." Anthony made a gesture of pressing down his palms, "It's not up to me to change the conditions. How about the two parties sit down together and have a good talk?"

"No matter how the negotiation ends, there is no need to hurt that. In your words..."

"Peaceful."

"Being harmonious brings wealth." Anthony laughed and said an idiom in his increasingly smooth Chinese.

……

Both parties have the intention to cooperate.

Then sit down and talk.

It just so happened that those two negotiation experts were very good at using it, so they just brought it back.

But this time the target of negotiations became Sony Columbia.

Let’s discuss the terms one by one.

As they talked, Gu Ming discovered that Sony Columbia was most concerned about using Sony's standards for the company's discs in the future.

Recall that Sony Columbia later bought and sold MGM, which has the largest film library in Hollywood.

Gu Mingming understood.

Sony Columbia wants to gain a leading position in DVD standards by mastering the content side.

How much is a movie worth?

Once you master the DVD standards, you can make more money selling DVDs in the future.

If you agree, it will be like being an enemy. After all, Sony is a neon industry.But who knows, Gu Ming knows that DVDs have only been popular for a while.

It's like a flash in the pan.

As the speed of the Internet continues to increase, online videos will dominate the world in the future.

Especially domestically.

After thinking about this, Gu Ming no longer had the feeling of being hostile to his enemy.

I just want to rely on this point that Sony Columbia cares about most to constantly strive for the best conditions.

After talking for a week.

With both parties interested in cooperating, an agreement was finally reached.

Sony Colombia invested 500 million, accounting for 20.00% of the shares.

In the future, Sony Columbia will strongly support all films released by Big Dipper Entertainment in the MPAA.

And with the premium, a promise was given.

Of course they got what they wanted.

For the films produced and released by Big Dipper Entertainment in the future, all North American disc productions will use Sony's DVD standard.

If it is a film directed by Gu Ming himself at Beidou Star Entertainment, all overseas distribution will belong to Sony Columbia, and Sony Columbia will purchase it at a price of 30.00% of the North American box office.

For the remaining films, Gu Ming wants to distribute more than half of the films with a box office of more than 5000 million in North America to Sony Columbia for overseas distribution, and the price is one-third of the North American box office.

This half was negotiated by Gu Ming. He had to give the other six major points a little advantage. He was completely tied to Sony Columbia, and all the enemies were easy to make.

As for films with a box office of no more than 5000 million.

The North American box office has not even reached 5000 million, and it will be difficult to distribute overseas. If not, it may have to lose money.

Sony Columbia didn't care, Gu Ming could choose at will.

In addition, because Sony Columbia did not seek the number of shares with a veto power, Gu Ming was asked to sign a contract. When seeking capital injection, it could give priority to capital injection. In exchange, the voting rights for daily affairs could be given to Gu Ming, only if the relationship was such as It is only used for major events such as mergers and acquisitions and refinancing.

The contract is signed.

The equity of Beidou Star Entertainment has changed again.

Gu Ming holds 33.75%, a third of the apparent equity.

Sony Colombia holds 25%.

Potato investment accounts for 24.75%.

Silk investment accounts for 16.5%.

amount.

That's basically it.

Within a year, Gu Ming will definitely not introduce new capital.

It will be introduced later depending on the situation, but no matter what, the shares that you control openly or secretly must exceed 50.00%.

Take control of this company!
……

With the entry of Sony Columbia, Beidou Star Entertainment's cash reached 500 million.

Gu Ming immediately allocated the funds to where to go.

"The previous Artisan Entertainment had a lot of debts that they asked the bank to defer. The amount is about 5000 million, so pay it off first. I don't like owing money to the bank."

"The remaining debt has not yet matured, and the company has acquired a new one. Let's keep the money temporarily for emergencies."

"Boss, aren't you going to take action yourself, make a movie, and collect the box office like crazy?" Sophia looked at Gu Ming like a monster looking at Tang Monk's meat.

Of course, she was not coveting Gu Ming's body.

She was a subordinate in a second-tier distribution company, and she coveted Gu Ming's abilities.

"Now You See Me" has been handed over to Sony Columbia before it was even filmed.

What should be used to start the distribution of Beidou Star Entertainment?
Completely establish the reputation of Beidou Star Entertainment!

Sophia felt that the boss, Gu Ming, had to make a film himself.

The boss takes action, and the box office is guaranteed, and relying on the boss's previous undefeated record, it is easy to arrange distribution.

Otherwise, other theaters will not recognize you!
"There are no plans to release new films for the time being."

First of all, "Now You See Me" is still in post-production, so I have to pay some attention to it. It's not easy to get distracted by filming.

Secondly, Gu Ming also wanted to take a good rest.

Third, since Han Sanpin agreed to ask Jackie Chan to make a movie, Gu Ming will keep his word.

However, before the release of "Around the World in Eighty Days," a film with a box office of over 2000 million in North America, Gu Ming would not approach Jackie Chan for filming.

The salary is too expensive, and he is at the peak of his life. He needs to be made aware of the reality that he is starting to decline.

This will also help future cooperation.

After refusing, Gu Ming immediately gave Sophia a reassurance.

"You should first integrate the distribution resources. I will give you two months to increase the salary where it is due and re-sign the contract where it is necessary to digest the distribution resources of Artison Entertainment."

"As for the film, don't worry, I will find a suitable film for the company to distribute."

"By the way, you arrange for someone to go to Croatia and buy the film and television adaptation rights of a storybook by Milan Trek." Gu Ming wrote down the author's name and the title of the book and handed it to Sophia.

"Row!"

"Guaranteed to be completed! Boss."

Sophia was a little excited.

She still remembered the last time Gu Ming gave her a note, to buy the license for the prototype of "The Intouchables".

That film then took in $[-] million at the box office in North America.

The global number now exceeds [-] million.

There are still many countries where it hasn't been released yet. If it does well in the end, it could exceed [-] million!
"I hope it can be done this time!" Sophia lowered her head and looked at the title of the book on the note. Thinking that Beidou Star Entertainment might be able to release a work with a box office of over [-] million in North America, the excitement in her heart immediately ignited. It burned.

(End of this chapter)