Hollywood:Starting out as an MV director

When Berger finished the security check and walked in from the entrance, he saw that the mayor had already completed his speech and was now engaged in conversation, surrounded by a crowd.

He picked up a wine glass handed to him by a waiter and slowly squeezed into the crowd to listen for a while.

However, he soon realized that they were still discussing issues related to children in impoverished areas—there was nothing sensational about it.

So after waiting for a moment, Berger left the mayor's side.

As long as he had photos of the mayor, the news would already be a success.

Next, he pretended to admire the photography exhibition while subtly moving closer to various celebrities to eavesdrop on their gossip.

It must be said, this trick worked well.

In just a few minutes, he overheard some Hollywood news that had yet to be exposed.

Excited, he felt like he had entered a treasure trove.

At that moment, he suddenly saw Ethan

Beside Ethan stood a well-dressed man. Berger found him somewhat familiar. Moving closer for a better look, he finally recognized him—it was Howard Stringer, the head of Sony Pictures North America.

It was rare to see such a high-level Hollywood executive. Sensing the scent of news, Berger immediately stepped forward.

However, just as he approached, he suddenly saw Ethan call over the security staff.

"Hm?" He froze for a moment and turned to pretend he was admiring the photos.

Unfortunately, his disguise had already been seen through. In the next second, under Ethan's instructions, the security personnel rushed forward and pinned him down.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Sir, we suspect there is an issue with your invitation. Please come with us."

"That's impossible!" Berger panicked, but his resistance did nothing to stop the security guards.

Instead, two of them directly restrained his arms and forcefully escorted him out of the photography exhibition.

Watching Berger leave, Howard Stringer withdrew his gaze and looked at Ethan. "So, you're interested in United Artists?"

"Of course, Mr. Stringer," Ethan nodded. "Everyone has seen United Artists' financial state over the past few years. To be honest, although it had its glory days, it's no longer a valuable asset."

Howard Stringer did not respond immediately, but he inwardly agreed with Ethan's assessment.

As the first foreign CEO of Sony Pictures, Howard Stringer had led the acquisitions of Columbia and MGM, successfully transforming Sony Pictures into a true entertainment giant.

From his perspective, now was the perfect time to shed some negative assets.

United Artists had long been on Sony's sales list, but due to its prestigious history and high asking price, no one had been interested.

That was until two months ago when a certain Hollywood star approached MGM in an attempt to buy it.

That star was none other than Tom Cruise.

He was present at the event today, chatting with Julia while discussing the photos featuring her.

"But even so, the brand name still carries weight, doesn't it?" Howard Stringer smiled. "If Norton's Eye were to announce this news, it might just become Hollywood's next giant."

"Haha, Mr. Stringer, you're quite the joker," Ethan laughed along. "Norton's Eye is just a small-budget film production company. It's far from being called a giant."

"All giants start as small companies," Howard Stringer said, bringing the topic to an end. "Alright, let's discuss this matter during work hours. Right now, I'm more curious about what you've photographed."

"Please, Mr. Stringer, let me give you a tour."

After the two of them walked through the photography exhibition, Howard Stringer went to mingle with other collectors.

Given his status, celebrities couldn't even approach him directly. The only ones who could hold a conversation with him were fellow members of the financial elite, such as Jeff Bezos.

In fact, Ethan hadn't expected Howard Stringer to attend today's event. It could only be said that this wave of publicity had indeed attracted many philanthropists.

Fortunately, Ethan had already conveyed his interest in acquiring United Artists to him. Now, the most important thing was to find someone willing to invest.

For example, the investors from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.

However, as the exhibition progressed toward the auction segment in the afternoon, Ethan still hadn't secured a deal with any investor. In some cases, he couldn't even keep a conversation going.

For the first time, Ethan hit a wall.

But that was understandable. These elite investors preferred to put their money into high-tech public companies rather than invest in physical industries.

After speaking with several people, he noticed they all asked the same first question: "Is your company publicly traded?"

Clearly, only publicly listed companies could provide them with security and the greatest potential returns.

After all, their profits could only be realized when stock prices went up.

When the auction began, Ethan stopped searching for investors. He sat at the table, watching as the invited Christie's auctioneer explained his works.

As the sound of bidding echoed around the room, Ethan scanned the surroundings and suddenly noticed Tom Cruise talking to a middle-aged Women.

"Who is She?" Ethan asked his secretary.

After a brief inquiry, the secretary returned with the answer: her name was Paula Wagner.

"Oh…" Ethan narrowed his eyes and suddenly realized his thinking had been too limited.

The biggest potential investor was right in front of him—why was he wasting time on people who weren't even interested in Hollywood?

Not to mention, Paula Wagner had a great relationship with Tom Cruise. And in business, making money was the priority.

So, after the auction ended, Ethan intercepted Paula Wagner, the Women who would soon become the executive of United Artists.

"Hello, Ms. Wagner."

"Hey! Ethan, great to be at your photography exhibition. I even bought a set of Angelina's photos—they're fantastic."

Paula Wagner was a fat woman with a crew cut and her clothes were stretched so wide that she could only button them up to the third button from the bottom.

Seeing Ethan, he happily shook her hand.

From her appearance, Ethan couldn't see any trace of extreme wealth—only the Rolex on her wrist hinted at her status.

"I'm honored that you liked them."

After some brief pleasantries, Ethan smiled and asked, "What line of business are you in?"

"Business?" Paula Wagner shrugged. "I handle investment business for my family."

Investment? Silicon Valley or Wall Street?" Ethan asked curiously.

"Both."

"What about Hollywood?"

Paula Wagner nodded. "Of course, Ethan, I'm very interested in Hollywood; otherwise, I wouldn't be attending this photography exhibition."

"I see. In fact, I'm currently struggling with an investment decision myself."

"Really? I've looked into your company. The promotion for Fifty Shades of Grey is everywhere, and it's about to be released. The box office will surely be great. Do you really need money?"

Paula Wagner had done extensive research before entering the Hollywood market. She was familiar with many companies, including Ethan's.

"Of course, it's not Norton's Eye…" Ethan waved his hand. "I just finished talking with Howard Stringer…"

"About what?" The moment Paula Wagner heard Howard Stringer's name, she immediately thought of MGM and, in turn, United Artists.

"About United Artists… I'm actually quite interested in it." Ethan smiled, revealing his intentions.

Paula Wagner frowned. "You want to acquire United Artists?"

"Of course. It's a company with a rich history and unique significance. I believe successfully acquiring it would greatly benefit my career."

"But that would be a huge sum of money." Paula Wagner tried to probe for more details.

Ethan deliberately played along. "That's right, Ms.Wagner. And I have competitors."

"Competitors? Who?"

"I don't know, but from Stringer's words, I sensed at least three other contenders." Ethan exaggerated the number, instantly making Paula Wagner more cautious.

"So?"

"So I need another investor to ensure that I can secure United Artists smoothly. What do you think, Ms. Wagner? Are you interested?"

Paula Wagner thought for a moment. "I'm very interested, but tell me the specifics. For example, how will you ensure profitability after the acquisition?"

"Profitability? That's the simplest part." Ethan explained, "First, Norton's Eye's distribution and DVD business can be handed over to United Artists. Second, I produce several movies every year, such as the Saw series."

"Besides, I have plenty of excellent scripts, and I also plan to turn Fifty Shades of Grey into a series. Making money isn't the hard part—the key is making big money."

Ethan spoke mysteriously. "I've already spotted the new trend in the film industry—a vast blue ocean. Once we step in, we can reap astonishing returns. But very few people have ventured down this path. If I acquire United Artists and gain control over distribution rights, I can finally go all in."

"Blue ocean?" Paula Wagner was confused by the term.

"Yeah… It's a metaphor. When an industry is crowded with competitors, I call it a red ocean. When an industry is empty, I call it a blue ocean."

"But it's impossible to create an industry and have no competition," Paula Wagner questioned.

"No, Ms. Wagner." Ethan replied confidently, "For example, when color film was invented, color movies were a blue ocean. The problem was that too few dared to take the first step."

"That's true." Paula Wagner was intrigued. She wanted to know what Ethan's so-called blue ocean was, but clearly, Ethan wasn't going to share his money-making opportunity.

"So, would you like to consider it? I have another investor to meet."

Ethan didn't continue but instead left his business card and walked away.

Although the conversation was short, Ethan had already figured out Paula Wagner's nature.

She was merely someone seeking investment opportunities for her family or, in other words, a privileged heir under family protection.

Her personal investment expertise wasn't particularly strong.

But that also explained why She chose to partner with Tom Cruise—the key factor had to be Cruise's fame.

Rich and naive. That was Ethan's evaluation of Paula Wagner.

If he could lure her away from Tom Cruise, the acquisition of United Artists would be much easier.

After that, Ethan continued networking with various investors. Some were very interested in his acquisition, but further discussions couldn't take place at the photography exhibition.

By 4 PM, the exhibition concluded.

Ethan stepped onto the stage again.

"I must thank you all on behalf of children in impoverished areas. We've raised a total of $3.28 million. A small portion will cover the exhibition's costs, while the majority will be used after the exhibition to provide food and clothing for children suffering from disasters and hunger worldwide."

"Once again, thank you all for your generosity!"

"Wow!" Applause erupted.

Meanwhile, outside the gallery, Berger was leaning against his car, armed with a long-lens camera, still snapping photos of the entrance.

"FXXK! I should've never gotten close to Ethan." He was still bitter about being thrown out.

"Yeah, five hundred dollars, and all you got were a few basic pieces of information," Carrol clicked his tongue in regret.

"Damn it, they even set up a human wall!"

Frustrated, Berger put down his camera. Security had formed a wall outside the gallery, allowing investors and other low-profile figures to leave unnoticed.

When the human wall dispersed, Berger only saw celebrities departing.

"Just watch, Carrol. Tomorrow, I'll publish the news. Ethan and Stringer are definitely involved in some major deal. I'll be the one to expose them!"

To get revenge on Ethan for kicking him out, Berger decided to leak the transaction details ahead of time.

"But do you even know what the deal is?" Carrol asked.

"I don't, but I can guess."

Berger took out his notebook. "Sony has been making a lot of moves recently, mostly selling off business units and companies. So, we can assume that Ethan approached Stringer because of this."

"Then Ethan's target must be something in the film industry—perhaps theater chains, distribution, production, or film rights. But film rights are the soul of a company, and Stringer wouldn't sell that. Given that Ethan already owns a production company, he must be looking to acquire a company with distribution rights."

"That makes sense. Keep going." Carrol crossed his arms, listening intently.

"Since we have those two key points, we just need to check which distribution companies Sony owns."

"Actually, there's no need to check. Columbia and MGM—that's it," Carrol shook his head. "But I doubt Sony would sell them."

"Exactly." Berger frowned.

"Something feels like it's missing…"

The two thought for a moment, then looked at each other and spoke in unison: "United Artists!"

"That's right! United Artists!" Berger confirmed. "MGM acquired United Artists, and now, Sony wants to sell it! Ethan is one of the buyers."

"Wow! Looks like we've figured it out—even if we don't know for sure."

"Does the truth even matter?" Berger grinned. "Not one bit."

....

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