Heads Up Hollywood

May is a start.

The sales of DVD discs of "Spiderman" and "Saw" have achieved gratifying results and have been successfully pushed to the rental market.

Although Netflix has been acquired by Tang En, 80% of the shares belong to Tang En Capital, just like Blockbuster, the leader in the leasing industry, 81.5% of the shares are controlled by Viacom Group.

However, Netflix's strength is still weak, and Tang En's intentional support is definitely not enough to eliminate Blockbuster's market leader status.

The real development opportunity for Netflix is ​​the streaming media field ten years later!

Therefore, Twain did not exclusively authorize the rental rights of movies such as "Spider-Man" and "Chain Saw" to Netflix, but shared them with Netflix and Blockbuster.

In the TV market, "Spider-Man" has opened up the situation for the STA TV network. Although there is still a long way to go before family users can pay for subscriptions, "Spider-Man" has achieved amazing ratings by virtue of its strong influence. , made a good start.

In addition, the MGA toy company, which Tang En invested in, has officially launched a puppet toy called "Barbie doll" in the market-Baze doll!

Tang En's appearance has brought great changes to the entire entertainment industry.

Because of his intervention, MGA Toys, for a fee of $3 million, has reached an agreement with Mattel to buy out the rights to "Baze Dolls."

That is to say, when "Baze Dolls" become popular a few years later and equalize the doll market with "Barbie Dolls", it is absolutely impossible for Mattel to file a copyright lawsuit to kill Baze Dolls.

One more thing, the Sillywood Animation Studio invested by Tang En, the first work "Fantastic Four" has been basically completed, with a total cost of 30 million US dollars, and reached a copyright agreement with Nickelodeon Children's Channel, the transaction amount — $8 million.

When Tang En heard the news, he almost exploded with anger!

What is this Tosca Musk doing?

Even if the copyright fees for "Fantastic Four" were not included, which was a free gift from Tang En, the investment in the production of this cartoon had reached a full 30 million US dollars, and the entire team worked hard for almost a year.

As a result, the transfer fee for the finished product was only 8 million US dollars?

What are you kidding?

Will this Tosca Musk do business?

Even if the Viacom Group is behind the Nickelodeon Children's Channel, there is no need to be so weak, right?

Tang En was a little annoyed, and directly called Tosca Musk to his office.

According to the investment agreement, Sillywood Animation has the right to operate independently, and Tosca Musk is solely responsible for all affairs. But Twain Pictures owns 50% of the shares and has the right to question it.

Tosca Musk has blond hair and wears a black and white professional dress. He is as beautiful as ever, with the ability of an elite white-collar worker.

"Boss, look at your face... you don't want to train me again, do you?"

As a working woman, Tosca Musk is very aware of her strengths and weaknesses. This half-joking and half-coquettish tone is enough to make any man lose half of his anger.

Tang En frowned, and casually pointed to the sofa, "Are you done with the cartoon?"

"It's basically finished, and it's still in the final finishing touches. If there's no accident, it will be delivered in June." Tosca Musk pulled the hair next to his ear, took the coffee handed over by the secretary, and said sweetly Said "thank you".

Tang En nodded, "A computer CG animation was produced in less than 10 months. Your efficiency is very high."

Tosca Musk smiled, "Cartoon, it can't compare to movies. But I'm sure, in the history of cartoons, there won't be any cartoon that is as well-made as "Fantastic Four"!"

Tang En curled his lips and said sarcastically, "That's right, 3 million US dollars is too much for their cartoons, but you spent a full 30 million US dollars!"

Tosca Musk pursed his lips and raised his eyes slightly, "Boss, you...are you blaming me?"

Tang En said lightly: "At least I need an explanation."

"Explanation?" Tosca Musk suddenly realized, "You mean the copyright transfer of $8 million?"

Tang En frowned and said, "A buyout of 8 million dollars...don't you think this price is too low?"

With an investment of 120 million US dollars in "Band of Brothers", the buyout fee for the North American TV rights is at least 50 million! The "Fantastic Four" cartoon invested 30 million U.S. dollars and only got 8 million U.S. dollars in revenue, which is really a big mistake.

Tosca Musk shook his head and said: "No, this is not a buyout, it is a 20-year copyright period."

Tang En laughed angrily, "Is there any difference between a 20-year copyright period and a buyout? Judging from the current perspective, the special effects of "Fantastic Four" may be good, but 20 years later, is this worth mentioning? 20 years Years later, will this cartoon still be watched?"

Tosca Musk shrugged, "It's better than buying out."

Tang En's face darkened, and he said angrily, "Tosca, I don't like your attitude!"

Tosca Musk sighed softly, feeling quite helpless, "Okay, then I will explain it seriously. 8 million US dollars... the cost is a little less, but this deal will allow us to benefit from at least three aspects benefit."

"Um?"

"First, this is beneficial to the development of the STA TV network..."

"etc!"

Tang En directly stretched out his hand and interrupted her with a surprised face, "What are you talking about, STA TV Network? This has something to do with you? Tosca, I'm listening to your explanation, not sophistry!"

Tosca Musk said: "Siliwood Animation is a subsidiary of Dunn Films, and STA TV Network is also affiliated with Dunn Films. I think that if we can look at the problem from a higher dimension, we will do a better job. .”

The reason is simple, the greater the role of Sillywood animation, the more Tang En will pay attention to it!

Several Musk brothers and sisters grew up in a single-parent family and were raised by their mother. Since elementary school, his elder brother Elon Musk has led his younger siblings to open a store and start a business. He has been cultivating business thinking and a keen social observation angle since he was a child.

Tosca Musk grew up in such an environment with a sensitive mind. She had long noticed that Tang En had a prejudice against her, and she was particularly pessimistic about her career.

Tang En Pictures' previous acquisitions were all wholly-owned acquisitions, whether it was Marvel Pictures or Focus Pictures. Only Sillywood Animation, Tang En Pictures only accounted for 50% of the shares.

Obviously, this is avoiding risks, which is obvious distrust.

Tosca Musk just wants to prove herself, she is good enough, she has enough strength to help Tang En Pictures, she can be qualified for a higher position!

She resigned from Silicon Valley and came to Hollywood to develop, not for the comfort zone, but for a higher challenge.

Tang En took a deep look at Tosca Musk, feeling more and more that this woman is not simple, and said in a deep voice: "Keep talking!"

"I don't know much about Starz TV, but I know that it is a professional cable TV station. Its competitors are HBO and SHO. These two TV networks are backed by the giant media group. SHO is backed by Viacom. If we can At this time, having a good relationship with Viacom made Redstone happy for a while, maybe the suppression from his peers will come later."

Tang En shook his head amusedly, "Make Lei Shidong happy? That stubborn old man, there is no way to make him happy. It might be more reliable to trick him by showing his weakness."

"I think we can do both." Tosca Musk raised his mouth slightly.

"oh?"

"This is the second point I want to make." Tosca Musk paused and said slowly, "We all know inside information that Disney is negotiating with News Corporation to acquire the Fox family owned by Twentieth Century Fox. The entertainment channel, it is said that the negotiations have come to an end."

"If the acquisition goes through, Disney Channel will become the largest cable channel in the world, and Viacom's cable network will only be second. Nickelodeon Kids Channel will only become a vassal of Disney Kids Channel even if the price is lower. At this time, letting "Fantastic Four" land on Nickelodeon will not only weaken Disney's arrogance, but also gain Viacom's friendship."

"The market value of Viacom Group has approached 100 billion US dollars, more than twice that of Disney! I think the better choice for Tang En Pictures at this stage is to unite with Viacom to compete with Disney. The obstacles encountered in the development process, at least ... can prevent Viacom from playing behind the scenes."

These words made Tang En look at her even more highly.

This woman is not simple!

Comcast is the largest cable TV operator in the United States, and Viacom is the largest cable TV content provider in the United States. The two companies complement each other and have a good relationship.

If Viacom wants to suppress the Starz TV network, it can use Comcast's relationship, and it can be sanctioned by a few simple means.

For example, when users install a computer (cable network users must use something similar to a set-top box), Comcast can forcibly bind or sell Viacom’s SHO TV network for free, and take a negative attitude towards STA TV network .

When a user subscribes to a paid membership of the STA TV network, Comcast can also set up a few obstacles at will, and even the staff can seemingly unintentionally mention "Showtime TV station that is cheap and equally exciting". devastating blow.

Even Comcast can directly increase the line installation fee and operating fee of the STA TV network, and reduce the cost of the SHO TV network.

Unless there's one thing that happens, it's the STA TV network, which will give Comcast a greater benefit than the SHO TV network!

If this is the case, even if Viacom is behind the scenes, Comcast will definitely stand on the side of STA TV network for its own benefit.

But now the SHO TV network is the second largest cable TV network in the United States after the HBO TV network. Whether it is the installed capacity, number of members, reputation, influence, and content richness, it far exceeds the STA TV network.

Is it possible to put Comcast on the side of the STA network?

Tang En's answer is yes.

Totally possible!

Because he has a trump card in his hand - "Band of Brothers"!