Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Latest website: The call Ronald received was from the board of directors of Coca-Cola. Their vice president, Donald Keogh, wanted to find time to interview Ronald about something. He also said that he could communicate with Buffy, and if Ronald was interested, the details could be determined during the interview. If Ronald is not interested, it can be regarded as an ordinary visit by Mr. Vice President to important shareholders.

"Hello, I'm Ronald, please pick up Mr. Buffy for me."

Confused, Ronald called Warren Buffy, who was now in Omaha.

"Ah, Ronald, how is David's situation lately?" Warren Buffy first chatted with Ronald about his younger son's work in Hollywood, and then immediately turned to specific business matters.

"Coca-Cola has to ask you to do a favor. Now it seems that only you can do this..." Buffy quietly told Ronald a secret.

It turns out that some American entrepreneurs are very wary of Japanese manufacturing. They want to find a country that can replace Japan in manufacturing. Now they have two candidates, one is Poland and Czechoslovakia in Eastern Europe, and the other is Korea in East Asia.

But both candidates have their own problems. Some entrepreneurs with a natural sense of adventure have set their sights on the country with the largest population in the world on the other side of the Pacific. Even if he is still facing sanctions...

Similarly, on the other side of the Pacific, the city where Xujiahui Film Studio is located also hopes that Western entrepreneurs can lend them management experience and business vision as outsiders.

Just last year, they reported for the first time that they would establish an international entrepreneurial advisory committee, which would be hired by the mayor to provide suggestions for development. The final name approved was the "Mayor's International Entrepreneur Advisory Conference."

The first consultation meeting was held quietly in the Xijiao Hotel. Representatives from ten multinational companies attended. Only four of them were entrepreneurs who personally went to the meeting under pressure.

They are Morris Greenberg, chairman and CEO of American International Group (AIG), Edgar Bronfman Sr., president of Canada's Seagram Brewing Company ((Seagram)), and Gallo, executive vice president of Italian Fiat. Ph.D., and Dr. Shi Deli, President of Continental Grain.

All four have been handsomely rewarded, and AIG is now in talks to return to the market. Seagram's wines were allowed to be sold in foreign hotels, Fiat began trying to find joint venture partners, and Candy Grains began seeking operating licenses outside the southern provinces.

What replaces Japan's productivity is invisible and intangible potential. However, the huge returns obtained by these consumer goods and financial companies in a market of one billion people have made all companies covetous.

The same goes for Coca-Cola. Although they returned to this market as early as 1979, the two bottling plants in the south and the north are only for bottling, and the concentrated juice has to be shipped from Xiangjiang and other places. They had long wanted to build a local filling plant, but due to the confidentiality of the formula, they wanted to hold 100% of the shares but failed.

Seeing that several bold entrepreneurs have received huge rewards from becoming consultants, Coca-Cola also became greedy and wanted to send heavyweights there to mix things up. The location they were looking for was in the city where Xujiahui Film Studio is located.

But having said that, Coca-Cola is different from these risky entrepreneurs. They are a global company, and to some extent Coke has become a cultural symbol in America. Sending someone above the vice president level at this time will cause unnecessary trouble.

How to find a heavyweight who can represent Coca-Cola to some extent and gain their trust is a problem that Coca-Cola has encountered.

Finally, Buffy, their largest shareholder, recommended a candidate to Coca-Cola's vice president, his fellow countryman and friend, Donald Keogh...Ronald.

"Mr. Keogh, nice to meet you..."

Ronald was at home, hosting this fellow Buffy from Omaha.

"Call me Donald, can I call you Ronald?" Although Keough is the vice president, he still maintains a particularly straightforward Southern style.

"Of course, I am willing to be a messenger for Coca-Cola, but I don't understand Coca-Cola, what can I do for you?" Ronald already knew that the second International Entrepreneur Consulting Conference there would be held in advance in March. held. There are big international entrepreneurs there who are currently in a stage of thirsty for talents.

"Ha, you don't understand Coca-Cola? I don't believe it. The best advertisement in the history of our Coca-Cola was shot by you. The effect on sales was very immediate..." Keogh started by praising Ronald for fucking Coca-Cola. Several ads for knives.

"Also, I just recently learned that you insisted on keeping the product placement of Long Wei Boy. There is also an actor who refused to cooperate with our Coca-Cola because of this. I think he will regret it..." Keo said. It was Eastwood who angrily refused to continue cooperating with Coca-Cola because his son was rejected by Ronald.

The two had a great chat, and Keogh particularly appreciated that Ronald had confidence in Coca-Cola and bought their shares to become a shareholder. Ronald actually bought shares earlier than Buffy, just in time to reap the dividends from the rise in Coca-Cola's stock.

Seeing that Ronald agreed to be a special envoy, Keogh did not hold back and expressed his considerations, "Actually, you don't have to do anything. We have professional people to communicate with us, and we also have candidates for cooperation in the grain and oil company over there. , it’s just that this time we need someone with status to express support for them...but it can’t be a real senior manager, do you understand? Ronald, we are an international company and cannot take risks like AIG. "

"But I don't have an identity? I'm not from Coca-Cola. I'm just a shareholder who bought your shares in the open market." Ronald wanted to know what return Coca-Cola was willing to give them.

"We can hire you as Coca-Cola's marketing consultant, which is equivalent to the vice president level. That's how they understand it..." Keogh blinked.

"Of course, if you are willing to make this title a reality, we can also talk about cooperation after you come back." Keogh put forward a long-term plan. Ronald, as a sign, should attend the meeting to express his support. If Having opened up the market, it would not be an exaggeration to give him a reward.

"In addition, one of our seventeen board members will retire this year. If you are interested..."

"Huh? But I only own less than 0.6% of the shares..." Ronald didn't expect that Keogh would throw out the bait of being a director, like Joan Crawford, and also a coca-cola crazy sponsor in Hollywood. Directors of large companies are still very attractive.

By then, my position in Hollywood will become much stronger.

"We mail quarterly reports to our shareholders every quarter. You may not have read carefully. The charter of Coca-Cola's board of directors only requires 100,000 shares to serve as a director. It is only necessary to be nominated by a board member and voted on by the board of directors. Warren and I Can……"

The retired shareholder Keough was talking about was Lettie Evans, the first female board member in Coca-Cola's history. Moreover, there will be changes in the chairman and CEO this year. Keogh is a strong contender to take over the CEO position. It is very suitable to have one more vote from his side on the board of directors.

"Then I'll give it a try and see what I can do..." Ronald agreed. Isn't it just a trip to have a meeting? It is definitely impossible for me to do any movie business there in the short term, but I still have a factory in Minhang, and being an advisor to the mayor is also very good for my business.

Coca-Cola wants to take advantage of its semi-official status. Of course, it can also take advantage of the reputation that can only be given to a large company like Coca-Cola as a consultant. It will only benefit its business and not harm it.

"Then I'll be waiting for your good news..." Keogh said simply. In a market with a population of one billion, the local concentrated juice factory was opened under his operation. It was also a very powerful influence for him to run for the next CEO. score.

…

In preparation for this visit, Ronald asked personal lawyer Lindsay Dole, Los Angeles barrister Mitch Kanter, and Ed Bastian to get him a lot of business materials on China and have them sorted out. After that, read it on your own at the last minute and pretend to be an expert.

"Interim Measures for the Registration and Management of the Establishment and Change of Foreign-Funded Enterprises. Well, who can tell me what a foreign-funded enterprise is?"

The two lawyers went to Ronald's mansion and explained to him the translated version of the laws there.

"Darling, Mr. Coleman is here, you..." Diane came over, greeted Lindsay, and then said to Ronald.

"Ha, my dear lawyers, let's change our minds and go meet my teacher, Mr. Coleman."

The two lawyers also put down a lot of investment guides, sorted out the compilation of Hollywood intellectual property laws placed nearby, and went to the adjacent conference room with Ronald.

"Ronald, Diane..." Roger Coleman was very satisfied with this reception room. Ronald did not do too many luxurious decorations, only some log Chinese furniture, a large bookshelf on the wall, and A latest Sony TV and VCR.

"It seems that Ronald still retains his frugal nature." He nodded with satisfaction.

"Roger, it's great to meet again. I've been too busy recently. You see, Lindsay has to fly from New York to meet my schedule. Attorney Kanter also dropped what he was doing and came over. I can only ask you to come here. …”

Ronald put the documents in hand on the Qing Dynasty huanghuali desk, then sat on the Ming Dynasty hardwood chair, and asked the helper to get some green apples shipped from Japan. This late-ripening new variety tastes very good. .

"I invited you here because I have a movie project that I would like you to shoot." Ronald put the "Fantastic Four" comic in the file on the table and pushed it over.

"Oh, this is a movie adapted from a comic book, you want me to shoot it?" Roger Corman put on his glasses and took a look. He was a little confused as to why Ronald asked him to shoot it.

"This is a very demanding film project. The script has not yet been completed, and no big star has agreed to star in the casting. It needs to be filmed very quickly, otherwise the adaptation rights will expire..."

Ronald didn't mean anything, and told Roger Corman the requirements for filming the Fantastic Four. The term of the adaptation rights refers to the first adaptation. If a movie is made and released in theaters, Marvel cannot take back the adaptation rights and sell them to others.

This is the result of careful research by two barristers and their team. When Minahan Golan signed the agreement with Marvel, there was no reference. They used the contract signed by Salkind and Sons with D Export Comics as a reference.

Many clauses changed the names of Salkind and his son to Minahan Golan brothers, and changed DC to Marvel. The text of many clauses remained unchanged.

This gave Ronald a loophole. When the Salkinds filmed "Superman", they suddenly obtained the long-term adaptation rights. Only if the first film released in America has not been made within five years will the adaptation rights be withdrawn. With a movie released in theaters, even if it is shown in only one theater, it can be automatically renewed for five years.

"How much budget can you afford to make?" Roger Corman was delighted. Is this the best movie for him to make? Low cost, comic adaptation, science fiction theme, biubiubiu's green laser, great, it's been a long time since I had such a fun movie.

"It's not me, but our friend Minahan Golan. My company is responsible for small-scale distribution. Because if he doesn't make it, the adaptation rights will expire."

Ronald corrected Coleman's statement. When he saw the cunning Roger Coleman looking at him in disbelief, he immediately added the source of his interest.

"I'm actually interested in two other scripts from Warner Bros., but they'd rather keep them locked in a safe than transfer them to me. So if they're willing to trade the rights to the Fantastic Four, I'll give this movie to them. give them……"

"OK", Roger Corman raised his eyebrows. I bet this movie might not be released yet.

"Of course, I will make a guarantee. Even if Warner Bros. is not willing, I will buy the video rights of this movie with an advance payment of 500,000. Plus Minahan's 500,000, it will almost be enough to make the film. It's a B-level science fiction film. The only requirement is to film it before it expires and release it immediately.

If you feel the budget is not enough, I can add more. However, the date cannot be changed..."

Ronald said what he could, including the reasons for asking Roger Coleman to take action.

"No problem, if you want better effects or stars, you need a bigger budget, but if it's just a proper B-movie, that budget is enough.

As for the completion date…”

Roger Corman smiled confidently, "I have been in the industry for so many years, and I only know one way to make movies, and that is to make movies quickly!"