Hollywood:Starting out as an MV director

The day before the photography exhibition officially began, the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter suddenly released a piece of shocking news about a Hollywood film company.

"United Artists Up for Sale, Buyer Unexpected!"

The article detailed Ethan's private meeting with Howard Stringer, the head of Sony North America. Berger fully exercised his journalistic creativity, filling in details with his own imagination. Although the article maintained a speculative perspective, the words on paper made it sound like a certainty.

This undoubtedly made many film companies feel threatened by Ethan.

Since its inception, his company, Norton's Eye, had been generating insane profits—profits with an extremely high return rate. Compared to its low costs, many film companies were jealous enough to turn green with envy.

After all, major studios like Universal and Sony might make hundreds of millions in profit from a blockbuster, but their costs were also incredibly high.

They also had to spread out their annual losses, meaning their net profit was often several times lower than their total box office revenue.

So the rapid rise and money-making efficiency of Norton's Eye was something even big studios envied.

They had originally assumed Norton's Eye would take the boutique route, becoming a small-scale Lionsgate.

But now, with the news of Ethan's bid for United Artists, it was clear he was aiming to become a major film studio.

This undoubtedly threatened many studios. They would rather see United Artists sold to an incompetent buyer or another mid-tier production company than let Norton's Eye complete the acquisition and grow stronger.

However, there wasn't much they could do to interfere. The most effective method, of course, was to submit competing bids to Sony and drive up the price of United Artists.

As a result, within just three days, Sony Pictures received multiple offers, including one from Lionsgate.

But Ethan wasn't bothered by this news because it actually helped him secure the biggest partnership since Norton's Eye was founded.

Paula Wagner reached out to Ethan on her own initiative.

"Ethan, I want to know about your plans after acquiring United Artists. Can we talk?" Although Paula Wagner framed it as just a discussion, everyone knew that the moment She sat down here, She had already made up her mind.

"Of course, no problem." Ethan nodded and began explaining his business strategy in detail.

"First and foremost, profitability is the top priority." He handed Wagner a few professional market research reports.

"The biggest problem with United Artists right now is that it's just an empty shell—no films, no television, nothing. Aside from making a little money from old film DVD sales, it has absolutely nothing."

Ethan spoke confidently, "But that doesn't mean it's worthless. In my opinion, it actually holds more investment value than its parent company, MGM."

"Why?" Wagner was puzzled.

"Because it has no debt." Ethan smiled. "MGM is carrying over ten billion in debt. Its future is already determined—eventually, it will be sold to a major studio. Everything they're doing now is just a desperate struggle. Bankruptcy is only a matter of time."

"That's why an empty-shell company like United Artists, which still retains a complete production and distribution network, is our best choice."

"But how can you guarantee profitability after acquiring it? Just maintaining it costs tens of millions of dollars annually."

Ethan shrugged. "Because I have films."

"Saw" and "Fifty Shades of Grey"—these two franchises alone can keep United Artists breaking even."

"Saw" is definitely solid, but "Fifty Shades of Grey"… That's not a series you can produce every year, is it?" Wagner asked.

"You're right. Fifty Shades of Grey is a novel adaptation, and since the original author hasn't written the later books yet, we naturally can't continue filming."

Ethan spread his hands. "But I have high hopes for its profitability, especially in the DVD market. Both Saw and Fifty Shades of Grey make their real money from DVD sales. That's why I've planned multiple editions."

"What do you mean?"

"For example, a director's cut… or an uncensored version." Ethan grinned, looking like a goblin who had just stumbled upon a pile of gold coins.

"What?" Wagner was stunned. This was the first time She had heard such a shameless way to make money.

Simply changing the name, tweaking a few scenes, and re-releasing the DVD to squeeze extra money from fans—this was practically extortion!

But upon further thought, Wagner realized this was actually a great strategy to fully extract every bit of revenue from a movie's audience.

With this in mind, She looked up. "And after that?"

"After that, we focus on film festivals for the first two years, scouting films with box office potential."

"That's difficult." Wagner shrugged. Every year, countless indie films flood film festivals, and no one can guarantee they'll pick a winner.

It's like gambling on raw jade—sometimes you cut open hundreds of worthless stones before striking gold, or you hit the jackpot on the first try.

That's why major studios only treat film festival acquisitions as a supplement, not their main business.

But Ethan was confident. "All of Norton's Eye's films were selected from what others saw as trash… When it comes to choosing films, I can promise we won't lose money."

"Hmm." Wagner found Ethan's confidence convincing, but he still felt it wasn't enough.

"What about after that? Even if the first two years bring some modest profits, what then? Is the company just going to rely on indie films?"

Ethan smiled mysteriously. "Of course not. In fact, the most valuable part of this plan—I haven't even mentioned yet. But before I do, I'd like to hear your thoughts first."

"My thoughts?"

"That's right. You and Tom Cruise are planning to acquire United Artists together, aren't you?"

Paula Wagner was silent for a few seconds. "Yes, your information is quite accurate."

"That's not hard to see. But why did you choose him?"

"For one, we have a good relationship. And for another, if United Artists wants to grow, it needs to produce big Hollywood blockbusters. Tom is an excellent and famous actor—he can use his star power to help United Artists through its difficulties."

Hearing this, Ethan shook his head. "I don't think so."

Under Paula Wagner's puzzled gaze, he explained, "Although Cruise has an unparalleled appeal, the films that made him successful aren't with United Artists."

"The Mission: Impossible series is in Paramount's hands. To be blunt, aside from that series, Cruise's box office performance is inconsistent."

"This proves that a good story is the real reason audiences buy tickets. Paying for an actor is only a secondary factor. And if the movie itself is terrible, the actor's reputation at the box office will plummet along with it."

"So what United Artists needs is a hit film franchise, not just a star actor."

After saying this, Ethan took a sip of his tea and watched Paula Wagner quietly ponder his words.

Paula Wagner also took a sip of water before speaking. "You have a point. But franchise films are very difficult to create—it's not that easy."

"If we're talking about traditional franchises, of course, they're difficult. But if we're talking about movies made with new technology, the difficulty is significantly reduced."

"New technology?"

"You've heard about Cameron's new movie, right?"

"Avatar, you mean?"

"That's right. He's using 3D film technology. It's not exactly a new technology, but it's never been fully utilized to its full potential."

Paula Wagner frowned. "But how can a single technology alone attract audiences to the theater?"

"It absolutely can!" Ethan handed her a pair of red-blue 3D glasses he had prepared in advance, then turned on the television to play a special clip.

"This is one of the older methods of 3D viewing," Ethan explained. "By layering red and blue images onto a single film strip, the glasses create a 3D effect."

"Hmm… I can see it, but the experience isn't great." After trying it, Paula Wagner felt some eye strain.

"Yes, and that's one of the main reasons why 3D films never truly took off before."

Ethan tossed the old glasses into the trash and pulled out a new pair from behind him. "But now, we have an entirely new technology—polarized 3D. No more red-blue glasses. When you wear these, they feel just like normal glasses, and the effect is far superior to the old color separation method."

Paula Wagner, intrigued, put on the new glasses. Ethan played another special clip.

This time, her expression clearly changed—She was visibly shocked. In the scene, an actor threw a dart, and it looked as if it was about to pierce straight into her face. The immersive experience was so intense that She even instinctively dodged to the side.

When the clip ended, Ethan smiled. "See? This is the new change brought by new technology. It's not yet perfected, but the effect is already astonishing."

"Yes… it really is incredible," Paula Wagner admitted in awe. "Is this technology already in use?"

"Not yet, because no one else has realized its significance."

"But isn't Avatar using it?"

"Yes, but Avatar's progress is slow, isn't it? That movie will take at least three more years."

"So…" Paula Wagner exclaimed in surprise. "You want to release your movie before Avatar?"

"Yeah… that's exactly what I plan to do. A 3D film series. The script just needs to be decent—as long as the visual effects are impressive, audiences will buy tickets."

"That's true. I believe young audiences will definitely love this kind of movie." Paula Wagner wasn't slow to catch on. She immediately realized the unique potential of this 3D technology.

"It seems United Artists really has a shot at making a comeback." Excited, she hugged Ethan. "Ethan, I have to say—coming here today was the best decision I've made recently. Let's discuss the contract."

With the partnership confirmed, they moved on to negotiating the specific terms.

But even though Paula Wagner now saw that Tom Cruise wasn't as crucial as Ethan, she had no intention of abandoning her friend. She suggested that Tom Cruise should hold a stake in the new United Artists and take on the role of CEO.

Ethan considered it for a moment and didn't reject the idea. Having Tom Cruise as the public face of the company would be beneficial for its reputation and development.

Besides, he didn't want to be in the spotlight too much or have all attention focused solely on himself.

So he and Paula Wagner quickly reached an agreement. Norton's Eye would invest $100 million, Paula Wagner would invest $500 million, and Tom Cruise would contribute $30 million.

According to professional estimates from Paula Wagner's team, United Artists' acquisition price should be around $600 million.

Even though some major companies had submitted bids, they wouldn't go much higher than that.

After all, most of them were just stirring up trouble, not seriously trying to acquire it.

And Sony wasn't the real decision-maker in this deal—MGM was. Because MGM would be the one receiving the $600 million to help relieve its debt crisis.

So they were far more eager than Sony.

After Paula Wagner left the office, Ethan looked at the polarized 3D glasses in his hand and smirked.

In reality, he had lied.

While polarized 3D technology did exist, the cost was extremely high.

A mere 20-second clip had cost him $100,000.

For a full-length movie, every single second would be burning through money at an insane rate.

That was the real reason why most studios hesitated to embrace the technology.

However, Ethan's plan to create a 3D film series was real—it just wouldn't happen immediately. At the very least, he had to wait until the second half of 2007.

By then, Avatar would be in post-production, and he could poach an already experienced production team to make his own 3D movie.

As for the script?

Ethan thought John Wick would be a great choice—simple, direct, adrenaline-pumping, and filled with action sequences.

It also fit the requirements of a franchise.

But that was just his current idea. If something better came along in the future, he'd adjust accordingly.

Meanwhile, as Paula Wagner negotiated with MGM, Ethan's photography exhibition officially opened to the public.

Large crowds of media and city residents bought tickets to visit the gallery.

Puchi and Madden were among them.

"Man, you're acting really weird. You usually love sleeping in, yet today you got up so early."

Madden glanced at his watch and yawned.

It was only seven o'clock—more than an hour before the exhibition even started.

He had planned to sleep until 8:30, but Puchi had come to his house and dragged him out of bed.

"Of course!" Puchi, wearing glasses, marched forward confidently like a soldier. "I want to be the first man to see the naked photos of female celebrities!"

"No wonder." Madden smacked his forehead. "You should apply to be a gallery security guard—that way, you can see those photos every day."

"Oh!" Puchi shouted. "You're a genius! Why didn't I think of that?"

Madden shrugged. "Wouldn't work, man. You're too short. What, are you planning to whack other guards' ankles with a baton?"

"FXXK YOU, Madden!" Puchi flipped him off angrily.

After getting off the bus, they walked for a while before reaching the gallery entrance.

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