Top of the big era

Chapter 1587 Fighting to catch up

The next day, Zhou Buqi finally gathered the original Hulu executive team. In fact, there were only four people. Except for Jason Kilar, the other three were all Chinese.

These few people will be the key to Ziweixing Global's future transformation into streaming media!

However, there is no rush in the short term.

Let’s take it step by step. The streaming media industry has not yet gained momentum, and whether an industry can gain momentum mainly depends on the industry leaders. The smartphone industry gained momentum because Apple launched the iPhone, and the electric vehicle industry gained momentum because Tesla began mass production. The leader in the streaming media industry is, of course, Netflix.

Now, the first step of Ziweixing Global's strategy around streaming media is to use its own resources to help Netflix rise more quickly!

When Netflix picks up this momentum and the concept of "online dramas" becomes popular, followers will have the opportunity to follow suit.

Therefore, in the short term, Ziweixing Global’s business focus is still around Hollywood.

Zhou Buqi has high hopes for Jason Kilar, asking him to study first, understand the industry conditions in Hollywood, and understand the content first before transferring the content to the Internet platform in the future.

Other Chinese executives, such as former Hulu CTO Eric Feng, are part of the technical team. Hulu’s first research center in the capital was run by Eric Feng.

His technical direction is the processing of film and television content. For example, how to compress a 2g movie into a 1g size through technical means without changing the clarity and smoothness.

In this way, the audience's viewing experience will be smoother and the experience will be better. The company's broadband expenditure has also been reduced by 1G, which is equivalent to saving half of the cost. There are also resolution, definition conversion, etc. These technologies have some overlap with Lucasfilm and Universal Distribution Department.

For example, the smaller the storage space of a DVD disc, the lower the cost. If the technology can be used to compress movies without changing the clarity and resolution, then when Purple Star Global’s movie DVDs are sold, the production cost of DVDs can be reduced, thereby increasing profit margins.

On this day, Zhou Buqi brought Jason Kilar, Eric Feng, and Michael Moore, president of Ziweixing’s Universal Film Department, to meet George Lucas and Weinstein. Harvey Weinstein, the head of the film industry, talked about the story of Mr. Ho Fengshan saving the Jews.

Harvey Weinstein was very interested in cooperating with Ziweixing Global, and even took the initiative to make some concessions in terms of interests. However, in terms of production costs, he insisted that the production cost would be US$35 million, no more!

Then, it was settled.

Universal Pictures invested US$30 million and Weinstein Pictures invested US$5 million. Harvey Weinstein personally will receive a production fee of US$2 million, and at the same time, the Weinstein Films will enjoy a 20% share of the film's all-channel revenue. There are also progressive rewards if the film is successful at the box office or in the Oscars.

There are so many details that it would be impossible to talk about them all in one day.

Zhou Buqi didn't have time to pay attention, so he left it to Michael Moore.

He is also a famous producer in Hollywood, fatter than Harvey Weinstein, and was previously the chairman and CEO of Universal Pictures. After the reorganization, he is the vice president and president of the film production division of Ziweixing Global. He is responsible for the approval and responsibility of all subsidiaries' film projects.

At noon that day, I met Ms. He Manli, the daughter of Mr. Ho Fengshan.

After the death of Mr. Ho Fengshan, Ho Manli compiled the materials of his father's lifetime and published them. Since I want to make a movie, I have to buy the copyright of this book.

Of course Ms. He Manli is absolutely willing.

But when it comes to comparing it with "Schindler's List", she somewhat sneers.

Ms. He Manli is also very old, but she is very elegant and elegant. This is also related to her professional work. She is a professional journalist. She said reluctantly: "Many people comment on my father, saying that he is China's Schindler. I think it's humiliating."

After asking carefully, she explained this.

Who is Schindler?

He is a scumbag, a scum of society, a lustful, drunkard and treasonous person, and he is also a member of the Natri Party. Just for these points alone, he is worthy of being cut into pieces by a thousand cuts.

He did write a long list and saved over a thousand Jews. But the reason behind it was that Germany was already at an end, and many crimes against humanity were subject to military trials. In the past few years, Schindler, as a businessman of the SS, had often participated in the persecution. However, this human monkey spirit realized something was wrong and quickly rescued a group of people. It was not only atonement but also a show of merit, so that they could live peacefully after the war.

Just because he saved people, just because of one of Spielberg's movies, this scumbag was enshrined by the Jews.

Her father, Mr. He Fengshan, had a PhD in political economics from the University of Munich in Germany. After becoming a diplomat in the Republic of China, he had an upright style, neither humble nor arrogant, and was the embodiment of justice and ideals of that era.

He saved the Jews without any appeal for his own interests. On the contrary, because he saved too many Jews, his whole family suffered death threats from the SS. Fortunately, the Republic of China quickly dismissed him and sent him back to the country, thus saving his life.

How is this comparable?

What's more, how many people did Schindler save? How can it be compared with He Fengshan? Comparing He Fengshan to China's Schindler would be a humiliation to him.

After Zhou Buqi heard about it, he felt even more necessary to film this story.

However, this is a trivial matter after all.

Zhou Buqi is more concerned about the major issues of streaming media. He wants to lead people like Jason Kilar to connect with Netflix and set the strategic direction of streaming media.

In the past three years, Hulu, led by Jason Kilar, has been an absolute rival to Netflix. Now they are a family. As a middleman, Zhou Buqi has to ease the relationship between the two parties, turn enemies into friends, and work together in the same direction.

The next day, take a flight to Silicon Valley.

Jason Kilar specially bought a newspaper, opened a page, and placed it in front of Zhou Buqi.

"What's this?"

Zhou Buqi took a look and saw that this was the well-known entertainment newspaper "The Hollywood Reporter".

Jason Kilar said: “Netflix’s new move scares Hollywood!”

"What action?"

"Look at this... I also think it's a bit too rash."

"Homemade drama!"

Zhou Buqi was a little funny and shook his head.

Jason Kilar said: "Netflix is ​​not willing to be a content distribution platform. They want to produce their own content."

Zhou Buqi nodded, "Yes, this is my suggestion."

"Well……"

Jason Kilar was stunned.

Zhou Buqi said: "The existence of the platform depends on the content. But you have also seen what happened to Hulu. The copyright holders are simply unwilling to authorize streaming media. If Netflix wants to achieve greater development, it must take the lifeblood of Take it into your own hands. I am an Internet person, why do you think I want to form a Ziweixing Global Group in Hollywood?"

Jason Kilar suddenly realized, "Because of the content!"

Zhou Buqi said frankly: "Yes, it's content. MGM was abandoned by all parties, but I acquired it. Because MGM has content. Only with content can the streaming platform truly radiate vitality." . Ziweixing Global will launch its own streaming media platform in the future. If Netflix wants to survive, it can only be self-reliant and produce and sell itself."

Jason Kilar was silent for a moment, "But look at this... this is too exaggerated!"

Zhou Buqi read the report.

Indeed, from a traditional Hollywood perspective, the news released by Netflix is ​​indeed exaggerated.

It is said that Netflix wants to make a political drama, but currently it has only confirmed the director David Fincher and the leading actor Kevin Spacey, and nothing else.

At the same time, Netflix has made a public announcement, saying that it will invest US$100 million to film two seasons!

Depend on!

There is nothing, just a director and an actor, and not even a script, so they rashly decided to invest US$100 million to film two seasons?

This is too unreliable. Netflix really has no internal risk control at all!

Zhou Buqi knew that this drama was the phenomenal American drama "House of Cards" that sparked the global trend of online dramas. No wonder Netflix's stock price did not suddenly rise after the news of the self-produced drama was released.

It is really a bit "rash" and difficult for the public and the capital market to understand.

If you cannot understand it, it will be difficult for the stock price to rise.

"This is based on data analysis."

"data analysis?"

Even though Jason Kilar is considered a veteran in Silicon Valley, in the past few years of working in Hollywood, his thinking has been far different from that of Zhou Buqi and Netflix who are at the forefront of the times.

Zhou Buqi explained patiently, “There is a lot of content on Netflix. By summarizing users’ preferences, we can summarize them. When users watch DVDs or streaming media, they prefer politics, conspiracy, thriller, suspense, and action. This category. It just so happens that the most popular director in this category is David Fincher. And the most popular actor in this category is Kevin Spacey."

Jason Kilar was stunned, "Use Internet data analysis to make movies and TV series?"

Zhou Buqi said: "This is an attempt."

“This is not artistic creation,” Jason Kilar shook his head. “This is an industrial assembly line.”

Zhou Buqi didn't expect that this guy was quite sentimental, "Yes, it's an assembly line product, but at least it can ensure traffic and attention. Hollywood blockbusters in the past also had market research and data analysis. Netflix just borrowed the Internet platform to Offline statistics become zero-cost online analysis.”

Jason Kilar was silent.

He has been in charge of Hulu for the past few years and has great ambitions, otherwise he would not have left Amazon. Unexpectedly, I encountered various constraints from the Hulu board of directors.

Now listening to Boss Zhou’s analysis, Netflix has launched a self-produced drama strategy to make up for the weak links of the platform economy, as well as the combination of online data analysis and content production... This is already a comprehensive concept. Falling behind.

"call!"

Jason Kilar took a long breath and suddenly felt lucky.

Fortunately, he is out of the prison of Hulu.

If he were stuck at the bottom of the well for a few more years, he would be even less likely to keep up with Netflix. We are a little behind now, but there is still a chance to catch up.

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