Exploiting Hollywood 1980

The call Ronald received was from the board of directors of Coca-Cola. Their vice president, Donald Keough, wanted to find time to talk to Ronald about some things. He also said that he could communicate with Buffy. If Ronald was interested, the details could be determined during the interview. If Ronald was not interested, it could be regarded as an ordinary visit by the vice president to important shareholders.

"Hello, I am Ronald. Please connect me to Mr. Buffy."

Ronald was doubtful and called Warren Buffy, who was now in Omaha.

"Ah, Ronald, how is David doing recently?" Warren Buffy first chatted with Ronald about his youngest son's work in Hollywood, and immediately turned to specific business affairs.

"Coca-Cola needs you to help. This matter, now it seems that only you can do it..." Buffy quietly told Ronald a secret.

It turned out that some American entrepreneurs were very wary of Japanese manufacturing. They wanted to find a country that could replace Japan to do manufacturing. Now they have two candidates, one is Poland and Czechoslovakia in Eastern Europe, and the other is Goryeo in East Asia.

But both candidates have their own problems. Some entrepreneurs who are born with a spirit of adventure have set their sights on the world's most populous country on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Even though he is still under sanctions...

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

Just last year, they first submitted a report to establish an international entrepreneur advisory committee, which would be hired by the mayor to offer advice and suggestions for development. The final name approved was called "Mayor's International Entrepreneur Advisory Meeting".

The first session of this advisory meeting was quietly held at the Xijiao Hotel. Representatives from ten multinational companies attended, and only four of them were entrepreneurs who personally went to the meeting under pressure.

They are Maurice Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of American International Group (AIG), Edgar Bronfman, President of Seagra Brewing Company (Seagra) of Canada, Dr. Gallo, Executive Vice President of Fiat of Italy, and Dr. Stryker, President of Tental Gra, USA.

All four of them have received generous returns. AIG is now negotiating the possibility of returning to the market. Seagram's foreign wine has been allowed to be sold in foreign-related hotels, Fiat has begun to try to find joint venture partners, and Condi Grain has begun to seek operating licenses outside the southern provinces.

Any replacement for Japan's productivity is an invisible and intangible potential. However, the generous returns obtained by these consumer goods and financial companies in the market of one billion people make all companies jealous.

The same is true 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 bottling, and the concentrated juice has to be shipped from Hong Kong and other places. They have long wanted to build a bottling plant locally, but because of the confidentiality of the formula, they want to hold 100% of the shares and have not succeeded.

Seeing that several bold entrepreneurs have received generous returns as consultants, Coca-Cola has also begun to be jealous and wants to send heavyweights to blend there. The location they are looking at is in the city where the Xujiahui Film Studio is located.

But even so, Coca-Cola is different from these adventurous entrepreneurs. They are a global enterprise, and to some extent, Coca-Cola has become a cultural symbol of 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 the trust of the other side is a problem that Coca-Cola encountered.

Finally, their largest shareholder Buffy recommended a candidate to Donald Keough, his fellow countryman and good friend, the vice president of Coca-Cola... Ronald.

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

Ronald received Buffy's fellow countryman in Omaha at home.

"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 Coke, what can I do for you?" Ronald already knows that the second International Entrepreneurs Advisory Conference there will be held in advance in March. There is now a stage of thirst for talents for international big entrepreneurs there.

"Ha, you don't understand Coca-Cola? I don't believe it. The best advertisement in the history of Coca-Cola was shot by you. The effect on sales was immediate..." Keogh began by praising Ronald for several advertisements he had directed for Coca-Cola.

"Also, I just learned recently that you insisted on keeping the product placement in The Karate Kid. There was also an actor who refused to cooperate with our Coca-Cola because of this. I think he will regret it..." Keogh was talking about Eastwood, who refused to continue cooperating with Coca-Cola because Ronald refused to cast his son.

The two had a pleasant chat. Keogh also particularly appreciated Ronald's confidence in Coca-Cola and buying their stocks to become a shareholder. Ronald actually bought shares earlier than Buffy, and just happened to enjoy the dividends of the rise in Coca-Cola's stock.

Seeing Ronald agree to be a special envoy, Keogh did not hold back and expressed his considerations, "Actually, you don't have to do anything. We have professionals to communicate with, 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 show support for them... But it can't be a real senior management, do you understand? Ronald, we are an international company and can't take risks like AIG."

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

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

"Of course, if you are willing to make this title real, we can talk about cooperation again after you come back." Keogh played a long game. Ronald was a symbol, and attending the meeting was a statement of support. If the market was opened, it would not be too much to give him a reward.

"In addition, one of our 17 board members will retire this year. If you are interested, then..."

"Ah? But I only have less than 0.6% of the shares..." Ronald didn't expect Keogh to throw out the bait of being a director. Like Joan Crawford, being a director of a large company like Coca-Cola that is crazy about sponsoring in Hollywood is still very attractive.

By then, his back in Hollywood will be much stronger.

"We mail quarterly reports to our shareholders every quarter. You may not have read it carefully. The charter of the Coca-Cola board of directors requires only 100,000 shares to serve as a director. Then there is a nomination from the board members and a vote at the board meeting. Warren and I can..."

The retired shareholder Keogh mentioned is Letty Evans, the first female board member in the history of Coca-Cola. 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 for him to have one more vote on the board.

"Then I'll try and see what I can do..." Ronald agreed. Isn't it just a trip and a meeting? I definitely won't be able to do any film business there in the short term, but I still have a factory in Minhang, and being a mayor consultant will be good for my business.

Coca-Cola wants to use my semi-official status to get some benefits, and of course I can also use the title of consultant that can only be given to big companies like Coca-Cola, which will only benefit my business.

"Then I'll wait for your good news..." Keogh was very straightforward. In a market with a population of one billion, he opened a local factory for concentrated juice, which is also a very powerful achievement for his election as the next CEO.

...

In order to prepare for this visit, Ronald asked his private lawyer Lindsay Doll, Los Angeles lawyer Mickey Kanter, and Ed Bastian to get him a lot of materials on China business. After having them sorted out, he read them at the last minute and pretended to be an expert.

"Interim Measures for the Administration of the Establishment and Change of Foreign-invested Enterprises, um, who can tell me what foreign-invested enterprises are?"

Both lawyers went to Ronald's mansion and explained to him the translated version of the regulations 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 Hollywood intellectual property law collection next to them, and went to the meeting room next to them with Ronald.

"Ronald, Diane..." Roger Coleman was very satisfied with this reception room. Ronald did not make too many luxurious decorations, only some Chinese-style furniture made of logs, a large wall-mounted bookshelf, and a Sony latest TV and VCR.

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

"Roger, it's great to see you again. I've been so busy lately. You see, Lindsay has to fly from New York to make it my schedule, and Attorney Kant has to put down his work and come here. I can only ask you to come..."

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

"I asked you to come because I have a movie project and I want you to shoot it." 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, and you want me to shoot it?" Roger Corman put on his glasses and took a look. He didn't understand why Ronald wanted him to shoot it.

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

Ronald didn't bother to tell Roger Corman the shooting requirements of the Fantastic Four. The term of the adaptation rights refers to the first adaptation. If a movie is made and released in theaters, Marvel can no longer 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’ve 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 dare say this movie may 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!"