Made in Hollywood

"Although Sony Entertainment is an outsider, it is Columbia Pictures."

In the cafe, Doug Walter put down his coffee cup and looked at the executive of Sony Columbia opposite Milk Ince and said, "Warner Bros. and several other major film companies recognize the status of Sony Columbia Pictures in Hollywood."

Milk Ince nodded solemnly, "In safeguarding our common interests and market share, Sony Columbia Pictures is aligned with Warner Bros. and other major companies."

In fact, as early as last year, the executives of the six giants met and reached an agreement on certain things, including Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney, Sony Columbia and the Second In the tenth century, Fox cooperated and competed at the same time, but it would never allow new companies outside of traditional forces to join their ranks to share the largest piece of cake.

In this regard, the six major companies, including the declining MGM, naturally stand together.

"Mill, Warner Bros. has reached an agreement with Universal Pictures, Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures." Doug Walter didn't go around the circle, straight to the subject, "We will still be like this summer As in the past two years, from publicity to distribution to theaters, try to suppress DreamWorks!"

∷,

"Sony Entertainment has no opinion."

Obviously, before Milk Ince came, Sony Entertainment had made a decision, "We will be consistent with you."

Steven Spielberg is the most popular director in Hollywood. Yes, but DreamWorks is not just Spielberg’s DreamWorks, and even Spielberg’s DreamWorks, major companies will not Suppress mercilessly.

Now that even Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures, which have worked closely with Spielberg, have joined in, of course, Sony Columbia Pictures, represented by Milk Ins, will not hesitate.

Doug Walter finished his cup of coffee and said again. "Now DreamWorks has been established for a few years. David Geffen, Jeff Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg are ambitious and want to make DreamWorks bigger. They are not only involved in live-action movies, but also There are animated films, records, book publishing, and various peripherals. Warner Bros. and Time Warner don't want to see the rise of a huge company. Snatching the market should belong to us."

"Sony Entertainment doesn't want to see it either." Milk Ince echoed.

"DreamWorks' giant production this year is "Clash between Heaven and Earth."

Asking for a cup of coffee again, Doug Walter continued the topic just now, "The investment is as huge as 80 million U.S. dollars. If you count the publicity costs, it will exceed 110 million U.S. dollars. If this project fails, DreamWorks’ capital chain will definitely Something went wrong."

"Then we try our best to make it fail."

Although "The Matrix" released by Warner Bros. is the biggest competitor of Sony Columbia Pictures, the competition between the two parties will not affect the cooperation on this matter, and both of them tacitly did not mention this matter. The competition between The Matrix and Godzilla is related to short-term interests, and the rise of DreamWorks will seriously threaten their long-term interests.

This is just a microcosm of the ordinary Hollywood competition and cooperation.

After a brief meeting with Sony Columbia Pictures, when Doug Walter left the cafe and got into his car, he called Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox. There are also people from the three parties connected in private to prepare for the big production of DreamWorks.

This is the simplest, direct and effective way, as long as the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars cannot be recovered. Even if DreamWorks has sufficient funding, the funding chain will definitely be tight. Maybe it will break.

"Doug." CEO Ron Meyer said into the microphone in the office of Universal Pictures, "I have said it many times. Universal Pictures will be consistent with other companies. We have only one attitude towards DreamWorks. Unless they give up their current ambitions and transform into an ordinary production company, Universal Pictures will never change its position!"

Just put down the phone, Ron Meyer had not had time to think, the assistant reminded him, "Mr. Spielberg's call."

"Steven?"

Frowned. Ron Meyer said immediately, "Come here!"

It is one thing for Universal Pictures to participate in suppressing DreamWorks, and the cooperation with Spielberg is another. Ron Meyer has always hoped that Spielberg can direct the third part of "Jurassic Park".

"Hi, Steven."

Big directors are definitely a scarce resource in Hollywood. Just like Jeff Robinoff treated Duke, Ron Mayer would not be stingy with his smile even on the phone, "I just wanted to ask you to go with you. Playing golf..."

"What? Oh, no problem, it's just a trivial matter. Duke Rosenberg is good enough for the summer season, and it's a bad time! Rest assured, Universal Pictures must be rated above the Matrix. I will be on your side. As long as his films are still like the past few films, I promise it must be R-rated."

Ron Meyer remembers clearly that "The Matrix" is just a collaboration between Duke Studios and Warner Bros. The other five companies that have a say in mpaa, a few really want to see their cooperation continue to be successful ?

There are not many secrets in Hollywood, not to mention this kind of almost open competition. Doug Walter learned that Michael Ovitz and Steven Spielberg were united and prepared to join forces with Warner Bros.’s summer file opens with a big break in the masterpiece "The Matrix."

However, he was neither surprised nor surprised, and Duke was also not surprised or surprised when he came to the Duke's studio and mentioned it.

This is the normal state of Hollywood, and Sony Columbia Pictures actually regards "Clash of Heaven and Earth" as one of its competitors, otherwise it would not be so happy to agree to Doug Walter's meeting.

"We are also in contact with DreamWorks."

Sitting opposite Duke, Doug Walter said of course, "Although DreamWorks did not make it clear, "Godzilla" will be released on their third weekend. If "Clash of Heaven and Earth" is not satisfactory during this time period, , The number of theaters will inevitably be impacted by "Godzilla."

"So..." Duke nodded, "As long as the timing is right, they will also attack Sony Columbia Pictures?"

Doug Walter is obviously used to this, "If you want to win the summer season when the films are released together, you must do everything possible to win the competition."

Duke is not a rookie in the summer school. Of course he understands these principles. He frowned and asked, "PG-13 is very difficult?"

"Unless you make drastic changes to the film." Doug Walter sighed slightly, "The time for Warner Bros. to enter mpaa is still a bit short, and Duke..."

He smiled helplessly, "Although the total amount of the North American film market is rising every year, the market is so big, we have robbed too much of the share, which means that the profits of several other companies may decrease. "Empire" is just a collaboration between Duke's Studio and Warner Bros., we have no other support."

"Doug, you try your best to fight for it." Duke squeezed his forehead. "The Matrix cannot be changed drastically. There is really no way. Then it's R grade."

Once the rating of "The Matrix" was r.

Doug Wall nodded his head and said, "Don't worry, Duke, we won't make it easy for the two competitors."

The hands and feet of Warner Bros. are actually no less than DreamWorks and Sony Columbia Pictures.

With his chin in his left hand, Duke tried his best to recall the information about "Godzilla" and "Clash of Heaven and Earth", but the two films have changed a lot from before, especially "Godzilla", despite the director Or is it Roland Emmerich, who has become a package project of Michael Ovitz, will it bring variables?

Although Michael Ovitz is a veritable mediocrity at the head of the film company, no one can underestimate it after returning to the ranks of agents.

After thinking for a while, Duke asked, "Doug, is there Morgan Freeman in "Clash of Heaven and Earth"?"

"He is one of the leading actors." Doug Walter's eyes suddenly lit up, "Did you hear those rumors?"

Duke shrugged, "Some rumors are often fatal to actors and films."

The veteran black actor seemed to be a standard gentleman, but Duke clearly remembered that some of the gossip about him that resembled a joke was simply the truth. This one did more than Woody Allen. Today is not the 21st century, and the tolerance of mainstream society and mainstream audiences is far from comparable to that after the Internet explosion.

It is not uncommon for a major actor caught in a scandal to lead the entire film to be boycotted by some people.

"Clash of Heaven and Earth" was released the weekend before "The Matrix". If the box office performance is not good, the number of theaters in the next weekend will inevitably dive under the suppression of the six major companies, so that "The Matrix" can win more Number of theaters in theaters.

The number of theaters released is directly related to the film's box office performance.

And Duke is very conscious. As the largest individual shareholder of Warner Bros., suppressing the rise of DreamWorks is his natural choice.

"Warner will do these tasks." Doug Walter is about to leave, "Duke, Warner still hopes that you can finish the film early so that we can start the trial screening."

Duke nodded, "It won't be later than April 10."

"Are you going to attend this year's Oscars?" Doug Walter asked again.

"Me? Forget it."

Even though he knew that Warner was for publicity considerations, Duke shook his head, but suggested, "Find a way to win two award-giving guest positions for Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. The male and female protagonists are more than the director. Topicality."

Behind the guests of the Oscars, there are also games among various film companies and agencies. (To be continued...)

ps: The new week has begun. We temporarily plan to change three times every day this week~~ We have used codewords in all our spare time. Brothers, please encourage me to count monthly tickets and recommended tickets.