Bab 452: Chapter 453: Snatch
[Chapter 453: Snatch]
"Sid Sheinberg has been kicked out of Universal by Panasonic, and if we don't do something, we might be next," Jon Peters said with a tone full of concern and regret. For him and Peter Guber, who were originally second or third-tier producers in Hollywood, the massive Columbia Pictures was like a succulent piece of grilled meat. The two had not enjoyed this delicacy enough yet, so they certainly did not want to be kicked out so soon.
Peter Guber pondered for a moment and then broke into a knowing smile. "Actually, we don't need to compete with Firefly. How wonderful it would be to collaborate instead?"
"Every studio in Hollywood is vying to work with Firefly. You think they'd choose us?"
Peter Guber shook his head. "No, it's not the same; we can afford what other studios can't."
Jon Peters immediately understood Guber's point. After all, Columbia was owned by the Japanese now. Any costs incurred would ultimately be their loss. If they could form a partnership with Firefly, which was riding high in Hollywood, it would undoubtedly boost the Japanese's confidence in their leadership at Columbia. This would give them ample time to continuously extract private benefits from the studio.
"Peter, do you have Eric Williams' personal contact details? Maybe it's time for us to set up a meeting with him," Jon suggested.
Peter Guber nodded. "Of course."
...
"... Sure, Francis... Haha, it's never been said in Digital Domain that outside film projects wouldn't be accepted. As a company, the more projects, the better. But what's the subject of your film?... A vampire type, like A Nightmare on Elm Street? Bram Stoker's Dracula? Wow, that's a good premise; vampire films are always very popular! And with you directing, it's bound to succeed. I believe you'll create an outstanding work... Okay, sounds good. I'll personally give Stan a call and let him know... By the way, send my regards to Sophia and the others. Goodbye."
Eric hung up the phone and leaned back in his leather chair, letting out a weary sigh. After the release of Twister's trailer, the phone had been ringing non-stop. Some called to congratulate him, while others wanted to collaborate. Many who called were only acquaintances, yet they spoke as if they were old friends, which made Eric think of an old adage.
A chuckle came from behind, and Eric tapped the floor with his toes, turning the leather chair half a circle, just facing the big bed in the bedroom. Virginia and Joanna had already changed into light pajamas, huddled together against the head of the bed, flipping through a magazine, and bursting into gentle laughter over something they had seen.
"Finished your call?" Seeing Eric turned around, Virginia raised her head and glanced at him coquettishly, asking in a teasing tone.
"Yup," he replied looking at the woman's rosy red lips as she spoke, and was about to stand up when the cordless phone in his hand rang again.
Though somewhat impatient, Eric quickly answered, "This is Eric Williams."
Virginia looked at Eric's depressed look, leaned over to Joanna's ear and said something, the two women giggled together, Virginia looked at Eric with a smile, and seductively pulled down the straps of her pajamas, revealing her bare shoulders and a large area of white chest.
"... Oh, Mr. Guber, good evening," Eric said, a bit surprised upon hearing the name. Just as he was about to answer calmly, he saw the series of provocations from both woman on the big bed. A faint heat surged up from his lower abdomen. Eric quickly glared at Virginia and pointed at the microphone in his hand, signaling the woman to stop.
Virginia immediately showed a look of grievance, her big eyes turned cunningly, she turned her head and hugged Joanna, and before the other party could react, she quickly leaned forward, kissed Joanna's red lips deeply, and then licked her lips with her rosy tongue with a little provocation.
"...Sorry, Mr. Guber, could you please wait a few seconds..." Eric said into the microphone, stood up and walked towards the big bed.
"Oh, Jo, help me," Virginia leaned towards Joanna with a look of horror on her face.
Joanna had just recovered from the surprise of being kissed secretly. She rolled her eyes at her, deliberately dodged to the other side, and said, "Don't pull me in."
Eric came to the end of the bed, reached into the quilt, and grabbed a round calf. With a little force, he pulled the screaming woman over, held her waist, carried her to the leather chair in the aisle, and gently threw the woman onto the slightly cool floor.
"Damn it," Virginia, whose hair was disheveled and whose face was flushed, said angrily. Just as she was about to stand up, Eric, who sat on the leather chair again, held her shoulders.
Virginia looked up, and Eric withdrew his hand, patted his thigh, and whispered in an unquestionable tone: "Come here!"
The gentle and magnetic voice made Virginia unable to resist at all. She turned her head and glanced at Joanna on the bed, but when she heard Eric's dissatisfied hum, she quickly knelt down obediently at Eric's feet.
Eric showed a satisfied look before answering Peter Cooper's call again. Feeling a warm little hand gradually climbing up his thigh, and about to reach his zipper, Eric still stretched out his hand to block it. If he let her do whatever she wanted, he would probably make a fool of himself in front of Peter Guber.
Virginia looked up in confusion when she saw Eric blocking her movements, her moist eyes misted with passion. Eric's free left hand touched the charming face of the woman lying beside his legs, then he extended his index finger and gently tapped the girl's lips and teeth. A warm tongue resisted and pushed twice, then she sucked obediently.
"Mr. Guber, what can I do for you?"
"..."
After listening for a moment, Eric raised an eyebrow. Though caught off guard, he quickly said, "If it's something important, we can just discuss it over the phone. I think... oh, I see. Let me think... if it's convenient, I'm free tomorrow night... Alright, let's do that... Sure, see you tomorrow."
...
The following day, countless mainstream media outlets in North America ran stories about the Washington Redskins winning the Super Bowl again. However, after the annual event, the buzz around such news had diminished somewhat. Meanwhile, the announcement of two heavyweight villains from Batman appearing in the trailer had grabbed the tabloids' attention. After all, the Penguin and Catwoman were two key adversaries in DC's Batman comics. The Penguin was Batman's lifelong foe, while Catwoman was forever entwined in a love-hate relationship with him, making it irresistibly captivating.
In addition to that, Tom Cruise's stunt-heavy film, prequel of Running Out of Time, also drew a lot of eyes, especially since it was advertised as a sequel. The thrilling action scenes quickly attracted a massive fanbase. Other upcoming films capitalized on the Super Bowl trailers, trying to grab their share of the spotlight.
But without a doubt, all of this news paled in comparison to the shocking screen-cracked-spectacle that Twister left on television screens.
Twister's jaw-dropping final blow to the screen left a lasting impression on many viewers. The media played to the public's curiosity with extensive analyses of the Twister trailer. Although several outlets scoffed at some of the "tricks" used in the trailer, it still made quite an impact. The next day, anyone who had seen the trailer was likely chatting about it with others.
Following the release of that stunning trailer, a random sample survey conducted by Hollywood Reporter on anticipated summer blockbusters found that Twister's hype was far ahead of the second place, Batman Returns. Although Running Out of Time sequel had Tom Cruise backing it, due to the absence of Eric and Tom Hanks, die-hard fans had lower expectations for this film.
...
Early the next morning, Eric walked into the meeting room, still looking lively, ready for Firefly's weekly executive meeting.
After a brief recap of work, the Firefly executives began discussing some scattered topics.
"The president of Fox just called. They want the exclusive airing rights for the Twister trailer and are willing to show it for free without charging any ad fees. This is a pretty favorable deal. Eric, what do you think?" Jeffrey stated while flipping through his notes. A studio's promotional method of airing trailers on television was one of the most expensive aspects of film promotion back then. With the internet not having taken off yet, TV advertising often accounted for over seventy percent of the budget.
Eric shook his head at Jeffrey's suggestion. "The principle of this trailer is simple; its goal is to give the audience an unexpected thrill. It achieved its intended impact during last night's Super Bowl broadcast, so we won't play it again. We'll switch to the regular version of the trailer. Michael, how's the European release for Twister going?"
Michael Lynn glanced down at his notes. "We've secured deals in the major European territories -- UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. However, it won't be released until late July at the earliest. We're facing local protectionism, but more importantly, we just don't have the right connections. Warner's Batman Returns is premiering in the UK, Germany, and Spain simultaneously, and other European territories will see it before us."
Eric felt a twinge of disappointment but knew such matters couldn't be rushed. The distribution channels for any film company were built up incrementally. He still glanced at Katzenberg, hoping to hear some encouraging news.
Katzenberg understood Eric's unspoken request. After thinking for a moment, he added, "Buena Vista International just fully broke away from Warner's distribution network two years ago. Disney has been focused on establishing their distribution network in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain over the last two years. After all, the box office share from these five countries constitutes over seventy percent of Europe's total box office. In smaller markets like the Netherlands and Belgium, Disney mostly opts for a straight buyout of distribution."
Eric gently tapped his pen on the folder in front of him. He was quickly calculating the implications in his mind. It seemed to be just a matter of time.
Although integrating Disney's overseas distribution with Firefly's current channels was the best option, they were still in the early stages of business alignment, which would take at least another year or two.
Moreover, deep down, Eric did not want Firefly to completely absorb Disney. Disney's unique brand identity was crucial for generating more profits. After all, it was a brand that had been in Hollywood for over half a century, rising under Michael Eisner in the late 1980s. Yet, no one could deny Disney's influence.
"Let's keep it this way for now," Eric decided. Remembering last night's conversation, he added, "By the way, after the Twister trailer aired last night, Columbia's CEO Peter Guber called personally. He wants to discuss a film collaboration with Firefly. I haven't made any decisions yet. What are your thoughts?"
A low murmur of discussion filled the meeting room.
After a moment, Michael Lynn spoke up first. "It's obvious that since Michael Eisner took over Universal, Peter Guber and Jon Peters have felt the pressure. Columbia hasn't been doing well these last couple of years, and they're worried about ending up like Sid Sheinberg. I don't think collaboration is necessary right now; our priority should be to develop our own strength."
"I agree with Mike," Jeffrey chimed in.
Other executives voiced their agreement. They viewed collaboration with Columbia as a waste of time. They believed it would be better to work with second or third-tier studios with more potential. At least in those partnerships, Firefly would hold a dominant position.
As the group continued discussing, a lull settled over the room before Jeffrey Katzenberg broke his silence. "Eric, I think this could be an opportunity for us. We..." At this point, he seemed unsure if he wanted to express his thoughts in front of so many people. But dismissing the others' attention, Katzenberg shifted his tone. "Eric, for confidentiality purposes, I think we should discuss this privately."
In the meeting room, Katzenberg held a position just below Eric's. When he made such a statement, others felt a bit put out but didn't dare express it.
"Sounds good. Let's talk in my office afterward. Are there any other questions?" Eric scanned the room, noting the silence, and declared the meeting adjourned.
Watching everyone get up, Eric motioned for the few who were about to leave. "Jeffrey, Michael, and Frank, please come with me."
Once the other executives exited the meeting room, Eric led Katzenberg and the others into his office.
...
The secretary served coffee to the five men, then left after closing the office door. Eric then said, "Jeffrey, you can speak freely now."
Katzenberg continued, "Look, Peter Guber approaching us for a partnership means he is willing to sacrifice the interests of the Japanese. We all know these two are trying to profit off Columbia without any real intention to properly manage it. Now, because Panasonic replaced the management at Universal with Michael Eisner, they're worried that Sony will follow suit, which is why they approached us. We can seize this chance to carve out a big piece of the pie from Columbia."
Katzenberg's eyes gleamed with a fierce ambition as he spoke, causing the more conservative Jeffrey and Frank Wells to frown slightly. In contrast, Michael Lynn appeared relaxed, having witnessed similar fervor from Robert Shea before, yet Katzenberg's intensity was noticeably stronger.
Although the others weren't fond of the vibe Katzenberg was giving off, they all understood he spoke the truth. Competition in Hollywood had never been friendly; if someone handed you an opportunity on a silver platter, turning it down would simply be foolish.
Seeing the approving expressions on his colleagues' faces, Katzenberg continued, "We just discussed overseas distribution. You should understand that Columbia's distribution network is second only to Warner's in Hollywood. Though it has diminished slightly over the last two years, its foundation is not something Firefly or Disney can compare to. Columbia has established distributing companies in the main European territories and even has branches in South America -- Brazil, Colombia, Argentina. If we could grab that..."
Katzenberg made a grabbing gesture and then looked around. Eric, Jeffrey, Michael, and Frank all showed excitement, engaging in animated discussions.
Eric observed Katzenberg's determined expression and felt exhilarated himself. He knew Katzenberg was far more adept at negotiations than he was. Once the whispers quieted down, Eric turned to Katzenberg and said, "Jeffrey, I agreed to Peter Guber's dinner invitation last night. How about you join me tonight?"
Katzenberg showed no hesitation. "Of course, no problem."
*****
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