Chapter 604： joint issue

In December last year, Lehmann worked tirelessly to connect the major studios. Lionsgate was undoubtedly the most sincere and ambitious at the beginning. Youdao is the enemy of the enemy is the friend. Now Lionsgate and Firefly are rivals with each other. , but the pressure given by the Sixth Congress is too great, and it can be regarded as a basis for mutual cooperation.

Then, Mu Bao also agreed, and his thoughts were basically the same.

So, today's audition will be quite lively.

In the hall, the executives of the studios gathered together in twos and threes, chatting and laughing loudly, or whispering.

Ryman sat in the front seat with Lionsgate CEO Jon Feilmeier and asked with great interest, "How is it?"

"It's hard." Although Jon Feilmei doesn't want to discourage Firefly's enthusiasm, he is still not optimistic about the joint release.

Of course, it's not that joint distribution is impossible or impossible. In fact, finding alliances is what studios are doing.

But most don't last long.

why?

Because of the natural attributes of studios, there is competition, and the pressure of this competition is big or small.

Take Lionsgate and Mubao, for example, everyone has a scarcity of good film sources, and it is barely enough to develop two to three blockbuster movies a year. It is really a gamble on most projects.

Moreover, the resources for publicity and distribution are also limited for them. If the resources are invested in others, they will inevitably neglect their own projects. It is like everyone is now competing for the March schedule. The number of screens and the share of the film must be discussed with the theater. Firefly takes it. Naturally, others will take less, which is no different from the six majors. Although the six majors do not value unpopular schedules.

Sometimes in order to reduce costs and ensure profitability, it is not impossible to help distribute other people's movies, but what if there is a demand for it? This short-lived alliance can fall apart in an instant.

If several companies decide to jointly release, then it is also a question of whose film is released-why use resources to pay for the production of Firefly's project?

It’s good that the movie can be a big hit. Everyone can share the fruits and make some money. If the box office of the movie is not satisfactory, who will take the responsibility?

This situation will inevitably drag down the joint issuance, but will cause more losses due to too much fanfare.

Of course, all these concerns were not ignored by Lyman and others.

It is because of thinking about it that I have a little confidence.

After getting acquainted with those executives, Lehmann quickly said to Jon Feilmei: "Every company has a project worthy of a grand announcement, sit down and see it together, as long as the majority agree, then form Temporary alliances can also be automatically disbanded after the movie is drawn. How?"

"How does the temporary alliance calculate the distribution profit? Is it according to the rules of the theater, or is it that the funds are combined and the investment ratio is calculated?" Jon Feilermei continued to ask.

What needs to be mentioned here is what is worthy of a grand announcement?

In general, there is no particular need for joint promotion year-round with each of the more successful studios that have a firm foothold in Hollywood.

According to the production of Firefly's projects, projects like "Chainsaw" can be eaten by themselves, and projects such as "Prada" and "Sparta" whose investment costs will reach 70 million to 80 million yuan need to be jointly issued. .

In the same way, Lionsgate and Mubao, if the investment cost is not tens of millions and they really value the market potential, generally speaking, they do not need to rely on external forces.

Furthermore, the rules of the theater chain are more complicated, involving the staged changes of the screen and the number of weeks of the show. For example, the film is shown in the first week, and the distribution producer will take 90% of the box office, 10% of the theater chain, and 80% of the production in the next week. 20% of the theaters are open. After a month, the situation will basically continue to open at 55, 46, and 73.

If the producer is strong, it can even directly reduce the cinema line's cut. Many popular sequel project cinema lines can't get 40% of the box office profit at all, accounting for about 33%. This is the condition for big studios to negotiate with confidence in their explosive projects.

Therefore, Lehman thought for a while, and then replied: "The joint venture will share the profit, so it is easy to gather and disperse."

Jon Feilermei nodded in approval: "Of course it is possible."

Lionsgate has never been involved in any high-investment movies before, and it is actually not enough. If there is such a joint release, it will be a very good supplement for them, and they are immediately satisfied.

After all, there are more and more film projects with high investment and high returns in Hollywood. Who can keep watching and not be tempted?

If the plan goes well, the risk has actually been compressed very small, and there is nothing to test the water.

After the CEOs of Lionsgate agreed, Lehman was also very happy. As for the part of the profit that the joint issuance gave out, it was not a big deal. Anyway, the Big Six would only take more ruthlessly. A head higher, but can talk on an equal footing.

And Lionsgate, not to mention other things, has very strong capital. From the beginning of its establishment, it has continuously acquired small studios, news newspapers, and even bought land to build an independent photography base. In terms of dependence, it is the lowest among several, and it is definitely better than publicity. Blue Butterfly Pictures is strong.

In fact, Lehman still has an idea in his mind, that is, after Lionsgate improves the global distribution channel network, there will definitely be a shortage of good film sources. At that time, the Firefly project can establish an overseas cooperative relationship with them, avoiding the six majors, so that both It can save the film revenue and make its own production status more detached, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

However, the time for the implementation of the latter plan is not yet ripe. Lionsgate has just begun to secretly spend money to buy people to establish a distribution network. It is far from being independent and can only wait for the situation to change.

After chatting for a while, Liam took a copy of the film and put it into the DVD player to start the test.

After all, if you want your partners to be tempted, who is willing to invest resources if you don’t have some hard power?

Jon Feilermei, who was sitting next to him, shrugged: "What type of movie is this?"

Lehmann laughed: "Workplace works that focus on the female market."

"Oh," Jon raised a little interest, "I thought it would be a special effects work like The Mist."

"You'll know when you look at it." Lyman was quite confident.

Of course, there is a reason for his confidence.

Because David's version of the finished film is indeed of high quality and looks quite ornamental.

Jon Feilermei only saw half of it and knew it was a good movie with great potential.

In particular, the protagonist has successfully transformed his mentality and enjoyed the fashion and convenience brought by his career. From an "ugly duckling" who is not very good at dressing up to a beautiful beauty with luxurious clothes, I don't know how attractive it will be to female fans who like to study clothes.

Jon Feilermei finally moved.

It's no wonder that Lehmann is confident that he can reap the female market.

This movie is trying to please women from the inside out, especially the plot also revolves around workplace battles and fashion and luxury, so the temptation still needs to be thought about?

He has been in charge of the project review of Lionsgate all the year round, and he naturally knows that blockbuster movies need those content elements that are worthy of the audience. "Prada" works well, and it will definitely cause a movie viewing craze. It is difficult to think of a high box office.

When the movie ended, Jon Feilermei applauded and said with joy: "This project is definitely worth promoting."

"It's time for everyone." Lehmann was still calm.

He knew that Blue Butterfly couldn't eat this piece of cake. If he forcibly launched it, maybe the project that could have been a big hit would end up being mediocre.

"How is it, everyone?"

After the test film is over, it is the turn of how to jointly release.

In short, it is to make conditions.

Mubao's distribution executive affirmed: "This movie reminds me of "Pretty Woman", once the female theme is successful, there will be a huge market to tap, and Anne Hathaway has made a lot of sacrifices in this film, and it is also worth hyping. Fan, her audience relationship is not bad, she is the main propaganda, how about it?"

This person's vision is not bad, there is indeed a limit for chick movies, as long as it can resonate with female audiences.

And there is no doubt that "Prada" has the potential to become bigger.

Lehmann looked at Jon Felemed. He has the most capital here, and his level of investment is the biggest standard reference.

"I also think that the project is promising. We can focus on promoting this film in this year's Valentine's schedule, and the promotion of Lionsgate will definitely cooperate."

When Lionsgate spoke, things were easier to say.

Mubao was immediately willing to negotiate with familiar theater chain dealers, and allocated 30% of the number of screens in the schedule to Prada, and provided 20% of the publicity funds - not because Mubao was stingy, because The bulk of the project should be the project provider, Firefly, who can make more profit than the owner. Cooperation doesn't make sense.

On the other hand, Lionsgate has similar conditions. The only thing is that it can make it more convenient to invest in publicity channels.

Such as online publicity, as well as hard advertising in newspapers, magazines, TV stations, and even subway stations and passenger stations.

Anyway. If Lionsgate does not use this part of the publicity channel, it is also more cost-effective to provide it to allies in exchange for income.

Anyway, when they open up the market, they are not as strong as the Big Six. They still release many projects from independent studios every year. The reason is not that their own production business can't keep up.

Everyone knows the prospects of the "Prada" project. With such confidence, it is difficult to lose money. Why not work with each other and share the profits? Doesn't it make sense?

It is nothing more than calculating their own benefits and losses, and also considering how much the joint issuance will have on their own projects, so as to achieve a balance, which will not affect their own business development, and can exchange excess resources for benefits.

The group of people negotiated in this way for most of the day, making at least dozens of calls, and kept making calculations.

In the end, the three distributors, Mubao, Landie and Lionsgate, jointly negotiated with the theaters that "Prada" will have 3,200 theaters on the first day, which is basically enough for the six major distribution scales, and the premiere time is determined to be 2 On the 14th of the month, which is Valentine's Day, the movie will be released, in line with the festive atmosphere, to empty the pockets of fans.

However, because the location of the theater chain is not particularly good, the theater chain dealer will also take 40% of the profit, and the other two publishers will also take 20% of the profit in North America proportionally. However, the overseas firefly An exclusive.