Bab 279: Chapter 279: 10 Movies
In Hollywood today, the mainstream Big Seven studios are no longer controlled by their founders, engaging in cutthroat competition for market share as in the era of the big studios. Instead, they are mostly part of public companies or entirely public entities themselves. The heads of these studios may wield varying degrees of power, but they all serve as professional managers for their shareholders.
In such a scenario, if Simon were merely an emerging young director in Hollywood who had produced a few successful films, posing a significant threat to the interests of other studios, he might have faced ruthless suppression.
However, Simon's role had long transcended that of a mere director.
Before Hollywood could fully react, he had established Daenerys Entertainment, a powerhouse rivaling the traditional major studios. Moreover, Simon had rapidly amassed billions of dollars through various means.
In a capital-driven society like the United States, Simon's multibillion-dollar fortune signified immense power. Even if his roots weren't as deep as those of old money families, his influence was not something the 'professional managers' of the big Hollywood studios could easily provoke or challenge.
While some might engage in minor covert operations, the likelihood of them risking their careers to confront Daenerys Entertainment head-on was low.
As for banding together to suppress Daenerys Entertainment, a newcomer, it was unlikely. It's hard enough to unite three monks to fetch water, let alone seven, each with different agendas competing for a well.
In the Santa Monica headquarters office.
Simon understood all of this but did not take the ongoing WGA investigation lightly.
It was reminiscent of the Hollywood anti-sexual harassment movement years later. Many were initially spectators, watching a Hollywood mogul fall from grace, only to find themselves caught in a whirlwind of change.
The future is unpredictable.
Although Simon knew the threat of the WGA banning its members from working with Daenerys Entertainment was unlikely to materialize, underestimating it could provide Hollywood competitors with an opportunity, potentially turning the worst-case scenario into reality.
If that happened, Daenerys Entertainment, still somewhat unstable in Hollywood, would suffer greatly, possibly triggering even more severe consequences.
Therefore, Simon decided to nip any potential crisis in the bud.
Decided, Simon put down the pencil he was fiddling with and said to Amy, "I just remembered that since 'Forrest Gump' and 'Batman' last year, we haven't signed any collaborative projects with other film companies. It's time to continue that."
Amy recalled Simon's plan from last year to dispel rivals' fears through collaboration with other Hollywood studios. However, since late last year, everyone had been too busy to spare any effort for this initiative.
After some thought, Simon continued, "Amy, let's announce that Daenerys Entertainment will collaborate on 10 movies over the next two years."
Amy looked surprised and asked, "Like the 'Forrest Gump' collaboration model?"
"Of course. And this time, we don't need something like the 'Wonder Woman' copyright bundling deal. Just agree on the projects, invest 50% each, share the copyrights and profits. Daenerys Entertainment will lead the production, and the other party will handle distribution. The distribution commission should be capped at 10%."
Amy suggested, "8% might also work."
Simon shook his head, smiling, "No need to be so harsh. The key is that Daenerys Entertainment's accounting team follows the project from production to distribution."
Amy considered, "We could set up separate financial accounts for each project, monitored by both parties, to prevent underreporting and delays in revenue sharing."
"Discuss these details among yourselves; I'm only interested in the outcomes."
Agreeing, Amy then asked, "About the scripts, Simon, will we use our own stockpiled copyrights?"
"Of course not. The studios that want to collaborate with us should provide the scripts. I'll personally select them. Also, make sure to sign the relevant copyright agreements in advance to prevent them from backing out."
"I don't think that will happen," Amy laughed, preparing to busy herself with this task. Noticing Simon leaning tiredly back in his chair, she couldn't help saying, "Simon, after this announcement, you might just become the most powerful person in Hollywood."
The consecutive successes of "The Bodyguard" and "The Sixth Sense" proved Daenerys Entertainment's magic touch.
Now, with the news of collaborating on 10 films, Hollywood was set to buzz. Daenerys Entertainment's past collaborations with Orion, Fox, and MGM had all been box office hits, demonstrating that Simon Westeros did not hoard the best projects for himself.
Even if not all 10 movies perform as spectacularly due to the increased number, as long as half reach the top ten in annual box office charts, it would be highly attractive to studios. A blockbuster like "The Sixth Sense" could feed a studio for a year on just 50% of the profits.
Simon smiled at the thought, recalling the "Premiere" magazine's Hollywood power list in his original timeline.
The first edition of this list was to be published next year, surprisingly placing CAA's president Michael Ovitz at the top.
This underscored Simon's earlier point: the influence and power of the heads of the big Hollywood studios aren't as significant as the public imagines. If it were the golden age of Hollywood decades ago, the top spot on such a list would have belonged to industry giants like Jack Warner of Warner Brothers, Louis B. Mayer of MGM, or Darryl F. Zanuck of Fox, not a talent agent.
After giving further instructions and watching Amy leave, Simon reclined in his chair, contemplating a brief rest before discussing the final cut of "Forrest Gump" with the creative team. He momentarily considered a spontaneous trip to Australia to unwind with Jennifer but decided against stirring the Japanese stock market again.
Moments later, Jennifer entered, signaling the "Forrest Gump" creative team was ready, prompting Simon to stand.
Meanwhile, the news of Daenerys Entertainment's plan to collaborate on 10 films spread rapidly across Hollywood that morning, igniting widespread interest. Simon, Amy, Robert Redford, Ella Doitchman, and even Robert Iger on the East Coast were inundated with calls, party invitations, and dinner requests.
As the decision-maker of this plan, Simon became the focus of everyone's attention.
However, he had Jennifer decline all invitations, opting instead for a discreet trip to San Francisco over the weekend to relax and check on Egrit's project progress.
By the time the media discovered Simon's whereabouts, the weekend was over, and August had quietly arrived.
Although the sudden WGA action likely spurred Daenerys Entertainment's collaboration plan, some in the industry felt Simon's response was an overreaction. Nevertheless, as the new week began, the initially aggressive WGA seemed to lose its momentum, softening its stance.
George Kohl, president of the WGA West, had announced a special investigative committee for the Daenerys Entertainment case last week. By the weekend, the committee seemed forgotten, with only the WGA's legal department tepidly following up.
Clearly, compared to the WGA's investigation, the 10 movie projects were of paramount importance.
All seven major Hollywood studios, upon closer examination, had no irreconcilable conflicts with Daenerys Entertainment. Whether it was over a couple of projects or talents, or even pending
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