Chapter 151: Purpose achieved

DreamWorks Headquarters, Glendale, Los Angeles.

Spielberg has been very busy these days, and DreamWorks' projects have encountered problems one after another.

"How is the investigation?" Spielberg asked the assistant.

"Robert Rayford had already verbally agreed to be the director of the "Return to Glory" project." The assistant quickly said: "This time I suddenly regretted it after the people at Disney had contact with him. Robert Rayford talked about something, but Disney should have invited him."

Spielberg took off the round glasses and wiped them, and said, "Why is the MPAA stuck with the ratings of our two films?"

The assistant replied: "MPAA said that some shots and lines are too big to meet the requirements of PG-13."

The MPAA is controlled by the six major players, DreamWorks has no right to speak, and Spielberg is also helpless, saying: "Withdraw it, and quickly modify it in accordance with MPAA's requirements.

Things have gone wrong in DreamWorks recently, and it seems that someone is targeting DreamWorks.

Spielberg, who is the director when picking up the camera and the standard businessman when putting down the camera, can feel this.

Spielberg asked: "What's the bad news?"

The assistant said cautiously: "The theater said that the "Gladiator" trial screening effect was not good, and the opening scale of the film should be reduced..."

"I see." Spielberg had the urge to curse.

But the good self-cultivation of the old man over the years made him bear it.

Spielberg put on his round glasses and asked, "David, what do you think of so many things that have happened recently?"

Helped the ideal, and replied: "Someone is specifically targeting DreamWorks."

"Big six companies." Spielberg gave the answer: "They don't like a powerful DreamWorks."

In fact, since two or three years ago, the Big Six companies have often caused trouble for DreamWorks, but this time, the troubles were too concentrated.

It seems that the Big Six companies can no longer stand DreamWorks.

Spielberg couldn't understand why this was happening for a while. DreamWorks had already made a lot of compromises in front of the Big Six. For example, the overseas distribution of live-action films and animated films were all handed over to the Big Six distribution labels in exchange for necessary Expansion capacity.

Could it be that DreamWorks is developing too fast, making the Big Six companies feel threatened?

Not right, DreamWorks is just getting on the right track at best.

"I'll take care of these things myself." Spielberg took it very seriously and said: "You call me the director Robert Rayford first."

As the assistant was about to leave, Spielberg asked again: "Is there any news from Albert?"

"not yet……"

Before the assistant had finished speaking, the phone on the desk rang and Spielberg got on the phone. After speaking a few words, his expression became more serious, hung up, and said to the assistant: "Book me tomorrow. Air tickets to Japan, these Japanese people are too credible!"

"I'm going now." The assistant didn't understand what happened, but the boss didn't say it, and it was hard to ask.

Spielberg said again: "You come with me too, prepare some information related to "Midnight Ring"."

The assistant didn't ask much, and said, "Yes."

Spielberg first called the director Robert Rayford and arranged to meet in the afternoon. Then he told the production department to deal with the troubles on the MPAA side. The distribution department went to fight with several major theater chain companies, and then thought about Japan. Human affairs.

Originally, the Japanese company ACE had reached an intention with DreamWorks to sell the remake copyright of "Midnight Ring" to DreamWorks. Recently, Sony Entertainment suddenly intervened and ACE seemed to want to change its mind.

This is a very promising project for Spielberg and will not give up easily.

That day was busy at work late into the night, Spielberg was all dealing with the troubles encountered by DreamWorks, and rushed to the airport the next morning and flew to Japan.

Not only Spielberg, but most of the management of DreamWorks' live-action film department, are busy fighting the fire and have no time for him.

Ronan, who is as far away as Manchester, England, also got a lot of relevant information from Chris.

The thing is very obvious. The Big Three of DreamWorks has been operating in the North American entertainment circle for many years. The Big Six companies cannot prevent them from establishing North American distribution channels, but they don't want DreamWorks to jump out of the Big Six companies' channels and have independent overseas distribution channels.

Compared with DreamWorks, small companies like Relativity Entertainment are not in the eyes of Big Six at all.

Ronan also heard some news about DreamWorks and the Big Six companies. It is said that as early as two or three years ago, the executives of the Big Six had met and reached an agreement on certain matters. Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney, Sony Columbia and Twentieth Century Fox are cooperating and competing at the same time, but they must never allow new companies outside of traditional forces to join them. Share the largest piece of cake in the ranks.

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

Steven Spielberg is one of Hollywood’s most popular directors, but DreamWorks is not just Spielberg’s DreamWorks, and even Spielberg’s DreamWorks, major companies will not Suppress mercilessly.

This time, headed by Sony Entertainment, even Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures, which have worked closely with Spielberg, have joined.

The Big Six companies would rather Polykin Films' overseas distribution channels fall into the hands of Relativity Entertainment, which has no threat, than DreamWorks.

Even, Chris told Ronan on the phone that Universal Pictures had considered not sacking some of the employees of Polaroid Pictures in a short period of time.

Fortunately, this is the last choice for Universal Pictures, and Universal Pictures does not want to bear too much labor costs.

There are so many employees in PolyGram, any company that takes over will have a headache. Fortunately, Ronan only needs the publishing department.

DreamWorks has not contacted for a long time. People from the British Red Bus Films have been to Manchester, but the scale of Red Bus Films is not even comparable to Polygram Films, and the mentality of people going high is widespread. And Ronan was lobbying, Allen Albert and Danny Donald didn’t even consider Red Bus.

On Christmas Day, Ronan and the two finally reached an agreement.

After Christmas, the group returned to London. Allen Albert and Danny Donald quickly completed the formalities from Polygram Pictures, which was about to demobilize the staff. Under the witness of the lawyers of both sides, Ronan represented the Embassy Pictures. Signed a formal employment contract with them.

After more than ten days of hard work, these two people were finally settled.

"You are welcome to join the Embassy Pictures." Ronan shook hands with Alan Albert and Danny Donald one by one: "From now on, we will be a family."

Alan Albert made his choice, and no longer wavered, saying: "It is an honor for me to join Embassy Pictures."

Danny Donald said politely: "I believe this is the beginning of success."

Facing high-end talents with capital, recruitment is a two-way choice, and Ronan is also very satisfied that the two eventually entered the embassy film industry.

In this contract, the salary conditions are the same as Ronan said before. Like many film company executives in the circle, the terms of competition are also noted.

In addition, the overseas distribution department of Embassy Pictures is listed separately and will not be merged into Thomas's theater distribution department.

This is also Ronan's promise to them.

Of course, as long as the time is right, Ronan will definitely deploy a large number of new staff in overseas distribution channels, so that the Embassy Pictures will truly control overseas distribution channels.

The contract was signed and the work was just beginning. After Ronan had in-depth talks with Alan Albert and Danny Donald, Alan Albert began to contact the previous release team members one by one, and Danny Donald went The scattered personnel of Polyking Pictures handled the follow-up matters.

A group of employees who are about to be dismissed heard the department leaders say that they had better choices, and most of them chose to follow. Of the nearly 50 key members of overseas distribution channels stationed around the world, 45 people chose Join Embassy Pictures.

These people quickly returned to London, went through various formalities with Polygram Pictures, and then signed a contract with Embassy Pictures.

Ronan, accompanied by Alan Albert and Danny Donald, interviewed these people one by one to calm the people.

Generous salary, perfect benefits, friendly boss, and the world-famous "Blair the Witch" and "Reaper is Coming", plus the prestige of Alan Albert and Danny Donald ~www.novelhall .com~ Not to mention that it can dispel the doubts of these people, at least it can make them work at ease temporarily.

Having been busy until after the New Year, Ronan simply handled these things.

Alan Albert and Danny Donald need to go to Los Angeles to work. Both are bachelors and come and go more freely.

Most of the others are stationed in various overseas branches, and the impact is not great.

These people have left Polygram Pictures and naturally need new office locations to prepare for the establishment of overseas offices of Embassy Pictures.

Ronan has reserved nearly 30 million US dollars for the establishment of overseas offices.

At present, the scale of Embassy Film and Relativity Entertainment is limited. After the development and expansion in the future, it will be more convenient to establish overseas branches based on these overseas offices.

Borrowing the conference room of the Hilton Hotel, Ronan gave these people a few days of vacation and asked them to rush to the headquarters of the Embassy Pictures in Burbank, Los Angeles, and then go to different places.

For things like this kind of channel, it is necessary to appropriately delegate power to the channel person in charge, and to do a good job of monitoring, and it also needs perfect rules and regulations. The six major Hollywood and some distribution companies have long formed a successful universal model, basically there is not much. The difference, as long as appropriate modifications are made according to the actual situation of the embassy film industry, it can be used.

Although there were many twists and turns during this trip to London, it completely achieved the goal.