Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

Chapter 281 Gambling with your life at every turn?

Hearing Lin Yuan's question, Mr. Eisen nodded: "Since they have started to launch a move, it must be a combination of attacks. It won't be as simple as simply squeezing our screening schedule."

Mr. Eisen handed over a few newspapers and opened the headlines of several portal websites on his computer:
Is it ignorance or arrogance? How dare you call yourself the best action film?

"When it comes to visual effects, director Michael Bay is never afraid of anyone!"

"Spy movies that lack innovation should be swept into the dustbin of history!"

"I'm fed up with the start of the summer season, it's all mindless action movies!"

Let’s unite and support our black actor!

Seeing these news reports that questioned or smeared "The King of Spy Wars" from various angles, Lin Yuan certainly understood how powerful the combined power of public opinion offensive and competition for film scheduling was.

No wonder Mr. Eisen is worried.

Especially the offensive in public opinion is quite difficult to defend against.

Because the opponent attacked from multiple angles, could he still make excuses one by one?
This kind of thing is just like spreading rumors. It only takes a few words to spread a rumor, but it takes a lot of effort to refute it.

If you try to answer every question one by one, the effect will inevitably be very poor.

What's more, some of the opponents' attacks are smears, such as questioning the quality of the film, and facts can still be used to speak for themselves.

But there is no reason to talk about things like using the race card.

With two black movie stars, Denzel Washington and Will Smith, it is very likely that black audiences will be more emotionally connected to the rival films.

Lin Yuan also had to admit that the opponent's offensive this time was quite fierce and was carefully planned.

"What should we do? Any ideas?" asked Mr. Eisen.

Mr. Eisen also has his own ways to solve the problem, but he prefers to listen to Lin Yuan's opinion.

In every conflict in the past, Lin Yuan would use his own unique style to solve the problem.

The results are often very good, so Mr. Eisen wants to seek Lin Yuan's opinion first.

"Let's first discuss the issue of squeezed screening schedules," Lin Yuan said. "At first, I thought, even if we didn't participate in the box office subsidy war, we could pretend to bid a few times to raise their costs."

"Yes, otherwise I would be very unwilling to give up the screening rate like this. At least their costs will be increased." said Mr. Eisen.

This is just like auctioning goods. Sometimes the bid is not necessarily because you really want to buy it, but just to raise the opponent's cost.

"But this move isn't safe. If the opponent doesn't take it, we'll end up being the ones being taken advantage of." Lin Yuan said, "Even if we can control the speed, it won't increase the cost too much, so we won't be able to hurt them this way."

Mr. Eisen nodded in understanding.

Our opponents' box office expectations are not as high as ours, and their main purpose is to interfere with the situation.

Take "Young Agent Cody" as an example. It grabbed 17% of the screenings, but the film's North American box office target was only 1.2 million US dollars.

Even if MGM gives a 15% discount on ticket prices, the cost will only be $1800 million.

"So what are you going to do?" asked Mr. Eisen.

"We're betting on the box office, with a multiplier of 1.8 times." Lin Yuan's eyes were full of coldness.

"..."

Mr. Eisen was silent for a long time. "Aren't you too cruel? You're just gambling your life with your opponent right away?"

"Do you think they will accept the challenge?" Lin Yuan asked with a smile.

The so-called box office bet is a very unusual method used by distributors and theaters when signing a scheduling agreement. It stipulates that based on the difference in box office performance with the current best film, the theater will be directly compensated for its losses at a certain rate.

Because the risk is less predictable for the issuer, it is rarely used.

For example, suppose "King of Spy" and "Bad Boys for Life" are released at the same time. The original basic screening schedule of the two films is 2%, and the remaining 20% ​​of the screening schedule is competed by both films.

Lin Yuan can promise the cinema that he will take over 20% of the screening schedule if any other movie performs better than his movie at the same time.

Then the difference in box office revenue, that is, the money that the cinema earned less, will be compensated to the cinema at 1.5 times the amount.

In this way, theaters will naturally be willing to give the screening time to "The King of Spy Wars".

This kind of box office bet is extremely dangerous.

Because you don’t know how much money you will lose.

Assuming that there is a very strong movie with outstanding performance during the same period, then your bet compensation may be very high.

Therefore, when Lin Yuan played this card, MGM and Columbia Pictures would be very uncomfortable.

If they don't compete for the screening rate with a higher multiple, Lin Yuan will take away most of the screening rate, and the plan to snipe "The King of Spy Wars" will fail.

But if they participate in the bidding, it is difficult to estimate how much money they might lose.

The most feared thing in any investment decision is not the risk of losing money, but uncertainty.

Betting is always a double-edged sword.

Does the uncertainty that makes opponents hesitate also apply to Lin Yuan?

If there was a movie that beat "The King of Spy" during the same period, then Lin Yuan might really lose all his money.

But is it possible?
In the film industry, quality always speaks.

Lin Yuan has absolute confidence in "The King of Spy Wars"!
He simply didn't believe that his opponent's three films could possibly beat "The King of Spy".

No matter how much the multiplier is, he dares to promise the cinema. Because as long as he is the best in his time, there is no difference to make up.

(That is, it is agreed that the cinema's losses will be directly compensated at a certain rate based on the difference in box office revenue with the best film of the period.)
Will MGM and Columbia take the plunge?

Hearing Lin Yuan's question, Mr. Eisen laughed: "You are so mean, they will!"

"Then don't blame me. It's your own fault." Lin Yuan said with his hands spread out.

Lin Yuan set the betting odds at 1.8 times, leaving room for his opponent to enter the market.

With his confidence in "The King of Spy Wars", he dared to promise it to the cinema no matter what the multiple was.

However, if the ratio was too high, it would scare away MGM and Columbia, so Lin Yuan set it at 1.8 times.

Such a seemingly not-too-outrageous ratio will give the two companies the illusion that the risk is acceptable.

As long as they dare to enter... Lin Yuan will let them know how painful it is to lose their underwear!
If they don't enter the venue, Lin Yuan can directly snatch the screening rate from them.

Therefore, once this game is set up, Lin Yuan will win no matter what.

He schemed against his opponent just to win more and hurt his opponent badly.

"Okay, I agree with your idea. But please think about it a little further. Besides MGM and Columbia, are there other film companies that might seize the opportunity and jump in to cheat us?" asked Mr. Eisen.

(End of this chapter)