Exploiting Hollywood 1980

“Other People’s Money (OPM)” is a Wall Street term that refers to the use of leverage to use other people’s money to conduct mergers and acquisitions. It's like borrowing a chicken to lay an egg in Chinese.

If you are more accurate than others and see a speculative opportunity that is underestimated by other investors in the market, and you can borrow a large amount of OPM at a low cost, you will make enough money for a lifetime at this rally.

Of course, if you read it wrong... the enlarged lever will also give you an equal enjoyment of the enlarged sense of failure.

This script tells the story of Garfinkel, a Jew, who used OPM to acquire an American manufacturing company, and then went through a series of bankruptcy and reorganization operations to create huge wealth out of thin air in the financial market.

Jorgensen, the founder of this company that produces cables, painfully watched his father establish it and work with local workers through a series of major events such as the Great Depression, Roosevelt's New Deal, World War II, and the Vietnam War. The business ended because a giant in the financial market felt that the company would make more money if it went bankrupt than if it did not go bankrupt.

And the workers in those factories... have become even more miserable and have joined the ranks of the unemployed.

In short, this is a play that explores the hottest topics nowadays. Should we follow the principle of making money? How to manipulate the stock market, how to exploit legal loopholes, how to make money? Or should we return to the old-school entrepreneurial spirit of building communities with workers, where one enterprise brings employment, community, commerce, education, religion, and even the prosperity of the entire region?

On the way home from the airport, Ronald lost control and read the script in one breath to the end. It's really a script that people can't put down once they watch it.

"Is it a tragedy in the end?" Ronald looked at David Simkins.

At the end of the script, Jorgensen failed in the board vote, and the cable company was acquired by Garfunkel. After declaring bankruptcy and reorganization, he made a lot of money, and the shareholders went home happily with their money.

Jorgensen was unwilling to leave the company and went to work in the factory to help unemployed workers find new jobs.

The script also gives Garfunkel, the fat, ugly Jew, a happy ending. The daughter of Jorgensen's lover and secretary, Kate, a Wall Street lawyer, was invited by Jorgensen to fend off Garfunkel. In the end, he did not agree with Jorgensen's philosophy. After the merger and acquisition case was concluded, he married Garfinkel and helped him run the merger and acquisition business together.

This ending is undoubtedly a very serious blow to the simple values ​​​​of the mainstream people, and it is a definite tragedy for Jorgensen, who has a likable character.

Ronald thought that the trouble David Simkins mentioned was because of the tragic ending, which was not in line with the commercial film route that Ronald had always adhered to... It is not that tragedies cannot be made in commercial films, but even if the protagonist dies, the protagonist must remain. His bright hopes, such as his ideas and ideals, were realized by future generations...

Although Jorgensen is not dead now and has made a lot of money from the stocks he holds, his philosophy and America's spirit since the founding of the country were killed at the end of the script. It's definitely not going to do well at the box office...

"The trouble I'm talking about includes, of course, the trouble of revising the script, but it's mainly caused by Warner Bros. When you look at this script, doesn't it look like a movie script?"

David Simkins is very professional when it comes to scripts.

"Is this a Broadway play?" Ronald understood. The play clearly conforms to the three unities of the drama. The characters and scenes are very compactly concentrated in three scenes, plus an ending that makes people think more than makes people feel comfortable. It is indeed very similar to the style of a drama.

"This is a Broadway play that was spotted by Warner Bros. before it was even staged. They bought the rights to adapt and produce the play within five years for US$325,000 and a share agreement."

"Oh..." Ronald thought, this play must also be well received in the industry. Warner Bros. bought the film before it even opened.

Generally speaking, the copyrights acquired by film companies are adaptation rights for a certain number of years. It's usually five years. If you don't invest in filming and releasing it within five years, the copyright owner can take back the rights to the film adaptation and then sell it to the next company.

With more than 300,000 plus the share agreement, the real price of this script is equivalent to close to 2 million. It is indeed a popular script that everyone is optimistic about.

Ronald's relationship with Warner was average, and there were no senior executives he knew well, so he looked at David Simkins and wondered if he had any ideas about going to Warner to negotiate the transfer of change rights.

"I made preliminary contact with them. Warner heard that we wanted it, and quickly raised the price..." Simkins said a number in Ronald's ear, which Daydream could not agree to.

"Don't they want to cooperate?" Ronald was a little surprised. Generally speaking, when he hears about a movie that Ronald is interested in, shouldn't his first reaction be to talk about cooperation instead of transfer?

"Ahem..." David Simkins laughed dryly and whispered a few words in Ronald's ear.

"No way?" Ronald said in surprise.

The current president of Warner Bros. Pictures is Terry Tramel, a high-profile Brooklyn Jew. Ronald didn't have much dealings with him, but he also knew that this man was a relatively traditional Jew, and he might be dissatisfied with some of his behaviors.

The CEO and Chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures is veteran producer Robert Daly. This person moved from the position of president of CBS TV station to the film industry, and is considered a very famous boss in the industry.

David Simkins said that his sources within Warner Bros. told him that Daly personally mentioned the script this time.

"I don't remember that he is a Jew?" Ronald also knew that he had a normal relationship with the pro-Israel Jewish conservatives. They now own the script. According to business rules, he couldn't fault it. He would either pay ten times the price. Buy it, or shut up and say nothing about it.

"Yes, Daley has never spoken publicly about his religion or ethnicity, a habit he has maintained since his days at CBS. However, I heard his parents are Russian immigrants and were in the Israeli spy Borat During the case, he publicly campaigned to exonerate him, and he was also a member of the Holocaust Memorial Council..."

"If you quacked like a duck and walked like a duck..." Ronald said this famous saying with a smile. He had a bad reputation in the eyes of these so-called Orthodox Jews.

"Then he is just a duck..."

"What are you going to do?"

"I plan to ask Mr. Michael Gray to cooperate and create some momentum so that we can have a chance to get this script at a fair price..."

…

A few days later, Ronald and his pregnant wife, Diane, appeared at the Ceplex Odeon in Century City, Los Angeles. Steel Magnolias will host a charity screening here to raise money for the American Diabetes Association.

Diane wore a green Armani floor-length skirt. Although she was pregnant, she still looked very elegant. Ronald stayed with Diane throughout the whole process with a smile on his face, providing Diane with a way to rest at any time.

Ronald took Diane into the screening room, and several reporters gathered around him, wanting to interview him.

"Hello……"

"Mr. Li, thank you for accepting our interview..." The reporters took out a booklet and started recording.

"What do you think about the poor box office performance of some art films at this stage?" A senior reporter asked first.

"I don't know what you are referring to. In fact, I think movies are a combination of art and commerce. There is no distinction between the two..."

"Thank you. Some people are saying that in the future, unique artistic works in Hollywood such as 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and 'Mozart' will gradually give way to commercially successful productions. Do you agree with this statement?"

"I can probably guess which film you were referring to in your question, but I think this is nonsense. Film is always a diverse art form. If it were the same, then there would be no art."

"Are you saying that you intend to sponsor films with strong artistic qualities?"

"Actually, I don't think it is a very correct approach to combine the simple atmosphere of movies with art and commerce. All the Oscar-winning movies have been box office hits. And many commercially successful movies also have high artistic achievements..."

"Thank you. There are rumors that you will be collecting movie scripts that meet the tastes of Oscars and critics on a large scale. What do you think of this?"

"In addition to being a film director, I am also a producer. I can only say that this kind of rumor knows very little about the producer's business operations..."

"Do you deny the rumors of acquiring the script at a high price?"

"No comment..."

"Okay, recently Hollywood has a new creed on movie box office predictions. Stage play adaptations and recently released movies with similar stories will be given heavy negative ratings. What do you think of this, Mr. Li? "

"Ha, I dare say that there are indeed people in the industry who make such assessments. But I think this is not a reliable standard. If film producers could rely on mathematical formulas to score, then there would not be so many unexpected hits. and a film that failed at the box office.”

Ronald touched Diane's back, and Diane leaned over, "Darling, my feet are a little sore from standing..."

"Gentlemen, I want to accompany my wife to find a place to rest. Thank you all..."

…

The screening of "Steel Magnolias" begins. This movie is still very good, focusing on the sisterhood of Southern women. Diane plays the girl with glasses who works in a hair salon and escapes from domestic violence by her husband. Her appearance is a bit ugly at first, but later, she becomes a hidden second person who replaces Julia Roberts and continues to live. heroine.

At the end, many women in the audience couldn't help crying, and there were low sobbing in the cinema.

In the end, the mother played by Sally Field and the woman played by Diane who escaped from marriage met again at the funeral after the protagonist played by Julia Roberts died of diabetes.

The mother, played by Sally Field, smiled happily when she saw Diane's character living happily.

This Southern sisterhood has been an emotional anchor for Americans since Gone with the Wind. After the screening was completed, the audience loved it.

At the charity screening, many wealthy old ladies came. They donated generously and raised US$500,000 in donations to the Diabetes Association.

"It's really a masterpiece," Ronald went up to congratulate director Herbert Ross. "I heard from screenwriter Robert Harlin that, together with charity screenings in New York and Chicago, a total of more than 2 million donations could be raised."

"Yes, Diane, hello. The last shot is really great..." Herbert Ross smiled and adjusted his glasses. Although he is old-fashioned, the film is still very appealing, and a lot of this is due to the successful casting...

"Where else will you go for charity screenings?" Director Herbert Ross's second wife, former first lady Jacqueline's sister-Princess Caroline Lee Radziwiłł Ross, wearing a feathered hat, came over to ask Ronald.

Her lengthy title was inherited from her second marriage to a Polish nobleman. Although the Roman Catholic Church did not recognize her marriage as legal, she still used it, and continued to use it after marrying Ross.

"Next week, we will go to screenwriter Robert Haring's hometown and his alma mater, the University of Louisiana, and then go to London early next year..."

"Royal premiere?" Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline Lee Radziwiu Ross's eyes lit up immediately, "I am also a noble, and I can talk to Her Majesty the Queen about the glorious times in the past..."

"Uh..." Ronald nodded quickly to this person who didn't know what to say, and then shook Diane's hand and left the banquet.

...

"Director Ronald Lee announced at the new film screening that he would buy a large number of artistic film scripts..."

"Ronald Lee denounced the ridiculous judging criteria of Hollywood production companies. Whether it is a stage play adaptation has nothing to do with the movie box office..."

"Commercial film wizard, failed to resist the temptation of the Oscar for Best Director. Will Ronald Lee transform into an art film director?"

The next day, many Hollywood newspapers had Ronald's interview manuscripts published. Although the title is very exaggerated, the content is quite objective, mainly with two key points:

First, Ronald does not think that whether the stage play is adapted or whether there are movies with similar stories recently that make the audience aesthetically fatigued is the key reason for the box office success or failure. No matter how Hollywood and Wall Street judge it now, he still insists on the old saying that good stories and good performances are the key reasons for the box office success or failure.

Second, Ronald is indeed spending money to collect some highly artistic movie scripts. But he does not admit that this is to impact the Oscar for Best Director, but because the current film industry needs to give some space to art films and independent films, Ronald is willing to do this work to give back to Hollywood.

"Do you feel that I am very tall..." Ronald said with a smile to Diane who was also reading the report.

"Yes, yes, yes... Help me get a glass of water, dear, and bring me two oranges from Ehime Prefecture..."

Diane would order Ronald around whenever she had the chance, and the two of them had a good time.

...

"Is it effective?" Ronald saw David Simkins who came to report at home. He asked him.

"There is no news yet, but my sources say that your statements have been summarized, and CEO Daley and President Temer will read them.

Ronald nodded. This was a strategy he had discussed with Simkins and Michael Gray, the consultant in charge of public relations and publicity.

He deliberately released some news, both real and fake, and hoped to influence the attitude of Warner Bros.' senior management. After all, these news were not all false. Ronald's expectation of Oscar for Best Director was no secret in Hollywood.

It is often such news that is 80% true and 20% false that will fool opponents.

The so-called stage play adaptation box office is not good, and there are other similar stories that have been released recently. The box office is not good. These are the box office prediction formulas that have become popular in Hollywood and Wall Street. There are also large studios that have hired programmers to make a set of evaluation models to score each script, casting, and director, trying to predict the box office prospects of the project.

Warner Bros. bought this script because of a sentence from CEO Robert Daley. As an invisible Jew, the people in American society now have a strong impression of the Jews in Wall Street and the media, who break the rules. I am a little worried about the growing negative feelings about the matter.

This script of "Other People's Money" is also a way to whitewash the reputation of Jewish bankers in a sense. After all, the name of the banker Garfinkel sounds Jewish, and the name of the factory owner Jorgensen is more in line with the name of an old-school entrepreneur.

However, it is not certain whether the other party will really pay attention to this influence and whether they will take the bait.

"There is indeed a trend in Hollywood to use mathematics to quantify box office now..." Michael Gray added. His consulting company, which uses common sense and experience to do movie marketing, has recently been subject to a lot of competition. Those young people can compete with him for big projects with just a computer. If Ronald had not cooperated with him for a long time, there would really be pressure in business.

"They don't understand movies, they don't understand Hollywood..." Ronald didn't believe this. Today's computers are still a long way from the future computers that are smarter than humans in Hollywood science fiction dramas. His Ghost movie was dragged down by the special effects post-production and will not be completed until next year.

"Really, many producers who have hoarded best-selling adapted scripts are starting to sell their scripts. "Simkins added with a smile.

"Really, I heard the news before I came here that Steve, the youngest son of the Tisch family in New York, has also begun to seek to sell the script of Forrest Gump. He paid too much when he bought it from the original author Winston Groom, and it is difficult to sell it now..."

"Ah?" Ronald jumped up from the sofa when he heard the news, "Why sell it? Really?"

"Well, because Steve Tisch Jr. said that if they make a movie with a stupid male protagonist, it will be like Valmont. Even if it is better than the previous one, Dangerous Liaisons, it will still fail at the box office.

What's more, last year's Rain Man won many Oscars and had a very good box office." Michael Gray told Ronald all the gossip he heard.

"He knows nothing..." Ronald was so excited that he cursed. "Let's work it out and get the adaptation rights for Forrest Gump!"