Dreams of the Fragrant River

Under Jiang Zhiqiang's matchmaking, Kang Jianfei quickly got in touch with Martin Cinemas, and the two sides agreed to test the film in Georgia two days later. [;Starting]

Jiang Zhiqiang took care of the temporary theater line, and Kang Jianfei went to Georgia with Zeng Bolin after a little preparation.

They came to the headquarters of Martin Cinemas, and they were greeted by Carl Patrick, the director and general manager of Martin Cinemas. In another time and space, this person will deliberately buy the shares of the theater chain as a director of the company next year, and eventually control the Martin Theater Company, and link the names of his two sons to change the Martin Theater to the Carmichael Theater. Wire.

Carl Patrick had a mustache and his clothes were ironed straight. This old guy has been knighted in England, and he has the temperament of an old-fashioned aristocrat in his gestures.

If you can talk to each other, then this person in front of you is your noble person. Kang Jianfei shook hands with Carl Patrick enthusiastically and said, "Hello Mr. Patrick, it's a pleasure to meet you."

After Carl Patrick shook hands with Kang Jianfei, he laughed and said, "It really is you, Kang, when Mr. Jiang mentioned your name, I guessed it was you."

Kang Jianfei asked in surprise, "Have we met?"

Carl Patrick said: "I happened to be shopping in Hollywood during the Christmas period. I heard that Master Bernstein was going to conduct the New Year's Day concert, so I stayed in Los Angeles for two more days."

Only then did Kang Jianfei understand, and smiled: "It turns out that Mr. Patrick was also in the concert hall at the time. I knew I would have contacted you at that time."

Carl Patrick said: "I didn't know at the time that you were not only a musician, but also the owner of a film company."

How could Kang Jianfei miss this opportunity to bring the two closer together, he took out a Tao Xun he carried with him and said, "It turns out that Mr. Patrick likes music, this Tao Xun was made by me, if you don't dislike it, please ask Accept this greeting."

Carl Patrick has a knighthood and naturally has to show his aristocratic style at any time - such as listening to a symphony concert. He is not very fond of Kang Jianfei's Tao Xun, but he has a collection of ancient oriental musical instruments, handmade by Chinese musicians. I can still take it out and show it off later.

After accepting Tao Xun, Carl Patrick said, "Kang, shall we watch the movie first?"

Kang Jianfei asked, "Don't you have to wait for someone from the publishing company?"

Carl Patrick smiled: "No, as long as I'm optimistic."

Both Martin Cinemas and the distribution company are owned by Fuqua Company, and Carl Patrick is the vice chairman and president of Fuqua Company. Naturally, he has the final say on this kind of thing.

Martin Cinemas is an old-fashioned cinema company. As early as 1912, Roy Martin founded the Martin Cinema chain.

Thirty-five years ago, the young Carl Patrick joined the Martin Cinema Company as a novice, relying on his super ability and means. It only took three years to become the general manager and director of Martin Cinemas. the next twenty years. Carl Patrick took the Martin Cinema Company from a small theater chain. It has gradually become one of the top ten large-scale cinema companies in the United States.

After that, Fuqua Company acquired Martin Cinemas, and Carl Patrick also became a shareholder of Fuqua Company with his shares in Martin Cinemas. It took more than ten years for Carl Patrick to climb up step by step. It turned out to be the vice chairman and president of Fuqua Company.

Judging from Carl Patrick's professional experience, we know how powerful this old guy is.

This guy is not yet 60 years old. He is obviously the president of Fuqua Industrial, but he holds the position of the general manager of Martin Cinemas.

Perhaps in the old man's mind, Martin Cinemas is the most important, even more important than the parent company Fuqua Industry. Next year, he deliberately bought the shares of the theater company from other shareholders and named the theater after his son. And it will gradually become the fourth largest theater chain in the United States.

Kang Jianfei followed Carl Patrick to the screening room. In addition to the two of them, there were Zeng Bolin, a valet brought by Kang Jianfei, and Carl's personal assistant. Before the film started showing, Michael Patrick, the youngest son of Carl Patrick, also came in.

Michael was nominally the assistant general manager of Martin Cinemas. In fact, he is the real manager of the Martin Cinema. Because his father also manages Fuqua Industries, Michael is often dealing with the specific affairs of the theater chain.

Michael Patrick looked less than thirty years old, tall and thin and handsome, but unfortunately a black mole on his nose ruined the overall image.

The lights of the movie projector were turned on. Michael pointed to the big screen and asked with a smile, "Is this the Chinese movie that 'Jiang' said?"

Carl Patrick said to his son: "This Mr. Kang is an oriental musician. His performances at the Los Angeles Music Center were conducted by Master Bernstein himself."

"Really? It's really amazing." Michael was slightly surprised, obviously Bernstein's name can still bluff people.

Kang Jianfei asked, "Mr. Patrick Little and Jiang Zhiqiang know each other?"

Michael smiled and said: "Of course we know each other. We have known each other for more than five years. Martin Cinemas sometimes needs to go to Europe to buy films. Jiang also often appears at major European film festivals to buy films. He and I were at the Venice Film Festival. If you encounter it, you will be familiar with it as soon as you come and go.”

While the two were talking, the opening animation of Oriental DreamWorks on the screen had already started. When the music came to mind, Patrick and his son were drawn to the opening.

Carl Patrick said in a low voice, "DreamWorks, DreamWorks...Old Tom, replay the title."

"Okay, sir." The projectionist responded.

Michael asked his father curiously, "What happened?"

"Nothing, just remembered something." Carl Patrick smiled.

Seeing the English letters of DreamWorks on the screen, the old gentleman obviously remembered the past when he was young.

Thirty-five years ago, Carl Patrick, a young man with a passion for movies, entered the struggling Martin Cinema chain as a small projectionist.

From an ordinary projectionist, he has grown little by little to a film buyer, and has been running around the major film companies in the United States all the year round. Later, he became the manager of one theater, and then the general manager of the entire theater line.

Carl Patrick paid a lot for the Martin Cinema, and he got a lot from it. All of this is just a movie dream from a young age.

Carl Patrick has always thought. The time when he was a little projectionist in the theater was the happiest time in his life. You can watch a variety of different movies every day without paying, and that kind of work is simply enjoyable.

Carl Patrick turned to Kang Jianfei and said, "Young man, your company's name is great."

Kang Jianfei smiled and said, "Thank you for your compliment."

It was soon released into the feature film. This version was copied by Kang Jianfei who specially asked someone to do it with English subtitles, but the dialogue is still in Cantonese and Japanese.

After the movie was shown, Michael, who was still somewhat disdainful of Hong Kong films, has completely let go of the contempt.

Purely in terms of the speeding cars and explosion scenes in this movie. Even in Hollywood, it's top-notch. The plot of the movie is also very good. That action scene is even more explosive now in Hollywood action movies.

The only thing to worry about is that the cast of the film is all Asian and the story takes place in Asia, which may dampen the enthusiasm of American audiences.

"Clap clap clap..."

Carl Patrick was the first to applaud. He praised: "A very exciting action movie, even Hollywood is rare. Mr. Kang, Martin Cinemas decided to show it."

Kang Jianfei asked, "How is Mr. Patrick going to work?"

Carl Patrick said: "I will handle the publicity and distribution. Don't worry about Mr. Kang. Now that Christmas has passed for nearly a month, it happens to be the off-season of the film, and there are not many good films to show. I decided to allocate 100 screens to this film. ."

Kang Jianfei sighed in his heart: The United States is different, just exporting 100 screens. The three major cinema chains in Hong Kong are so lively that the Golden Harvest Cinema chain with the largest number of cinemas has only 19 cinemas in total.

Kang Jianfei asked, "How is the box office divided?"

Carl Patrick thought about it and said, "If the box office is under $2 million, I can only give you 15% of the box office. On this basis, for every additional $1 million in box office, I will give you an increase of 1%. divided."

Kang Jianfei made a rough calculation. Although 100 screens are many, the Martin Cinemas are all small community cinemas. There are very few theaters with more than 1,000 seats. Based on an average of 800 seats per screen, three shows a day, even if the show is full, the box office will be 480,000 per day.

However, the attendance rate of this kind of small community theater has always been very low. Even if there is a box office of 240,000 per day, it will only be 2.4 million in ten days. After ten days, the attendance rate may be lower, and even if it is killed, it will sell less than 4 million.

In other words, Carl Patrick gave him only 17% of the box office at most.

Kang Jianfei asked with a smile: "How about the box office share starting from 18%? As Mr. Patrick said~www.wuxiaspot.com~ It is the off-season of the American film market, and there are not many good films to be released. If there is no me, Martin The theater chain can only find other bad films to make up the number. Not only will it not make money, but it will lose a lot of money."

Michael next to him said, "Mr. Kang, since Martin Cinema is a small community cinema, the profits are generally very low. If we give you a little more share, we will lose money."

Kang Jianfei shrugged and said, "If the score is so low, then I might as well go to those mainstream theaters for the first-round screening. Mr. Patrick, are you right?"

Carl Patrick thought about it and said, "Then start at 16 percent."

Kang Jianfei bargained and said, "17%."

Although Carl Patrick is the vice chairman and president of a large industrial group, he is still so preoccupied with it that he actually broke the decimal point: "16.5%."

"Okay." Kang Jianfei took it. He can only expect to be able to cause a sensation after the release, otherwise he will not be able to get more than 20% of the share.