Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

Chapter 312: "Guiding" Sony's Film Division
Lin Yuan certainly knew about the close relationship between Sony and Columbia Pictures, and the close business cooperation between the two.

If he didn't know how disgraceful Sony's move was when it later acquired Columbia Pictures, he might really believe that they were truly brother companies with a bond stronger than gold.

Sure enough, in the business world, brothers are there to be sold.

Morgan Stanley backstabbed MGM.

Sony backstabs Columbia.

This is all the case.

In fact, Sony’s behavior is very easy to understand. The reason why Sony needs to cooperate with Columbia Pictures is that the other party has the resources that Sony urgently needs.

But the resources are in the hands of brothers, how can it be as comfortable as having them directly in your own hands?

After figuring out Sony's true intentions, Lin Yuan no longer worried that the other party would not accept the offer. It was just a matter of how much the price would be.

So he smiled and asked, "Does Sony have any concerns?"

"After all, we are a technology company and have never run a film company. Even if we take it over, we are worried that it will not be run well. I will not be able to explain this to the board of directors," said Nobuyuki Idei.

It's so obscene.

I want to eat meat but I'm afraid of getting beaten.

Nobuyuki Idei's meaning was very clear: Although I really want Columbia Pictures, I am afraid that if I don't manage it well, I will be blamed. Please help me solve this hidden danger.

How to solve this problem?

It was simply a naked request for Lin Yuan to guarantee him a bottom line.

However, the request made by Nobuyuki Idei was exactly what Lin Yuan wanted.

Lin Yuan smiled and said, "Don't worry about that at all. I have a suggestion."

"Please speak." Idei Nobuyuki sat upright.

"Sony's concerns about poorly run film studios are unnecessary. Columbia Pictures' existing talent pool is more than enough to support the healthy operation of the company.

As for the initial adjustment period, my film company can definitely step in and help Sony through this period," Lin Yuan said.

"Excuse me, how can I intervene?" Nobuyuki Idei was so determined that he had to get to the bottom of it.

"In the early days of Sony's acquisition of Columbia Pictures, I was able to co-produce movies with my film company. I was confident that every movie would be able to make a steady profit," said Lin Yuan.

"I'm still a little worried. What if we suffer losses?" Nobuyuki Idei continued to ask.

Hearing this, Lin Yuan frowned.

Business activities are inevitably accompanied by risks. What if there is a loss?
Isn’t it just that you hope to be able to make a guaranteed profit without loss?
The way you eat is so ugly!

But risks and benefits always go hand in hand. Many times, if you reject risks, you also avoid benefits.

Lin Yuan smiled and replied, "As long as I have control over the project, I can definitely sign a guaranteed sales agreement with Sony. Then President Idei won't have to worry, right?"

"Mr. Lin is so generous! I have no worries at all. I wish us a pleasant cooperation!" Idei Nobuyuki stretched out his hand.

Lin Yuan shook hands with him, and both of them smiled brightly, as if they had gotten a huge bargain.

Hahaha!
Lin Yuan laughed wildly in his heart.

While Nobuyuki Idei was concerned about the risks and demanded a guaranteed minimum, he handed the project's leadership to Lin Yuan. The future Sony Pictures division would have Sony's financial backing, along with the Columbia Pictures team and IP.

Through such a collaboration, he can firmly grasp Sony's film department.

This means that as long as Lin Yuan continues to succeed, he can continue to expand his influence within Sony.

From the first day of acquiring shares in Sony, Lin Yuan didn't want to be just a mascot who voted by raising his hands. He hoped to truly influence and even dominate the company.

At this moment, Lin Yuan remembered the power that Mr. Eisen had talked to him about: the right to control resources, not necessarily direct possession.

His desire to control Sony does not necessarily mean he must acquire more than 51% of the shares. That would make him a monopoly and he would not get far.

In Lin Yuan's vision, his maximum shareholding in Sony should not exceed 8%, but as long as he can prove that he can bring benefits to the majority of shareholders, it is not a fantasy to gain the support of shareholders with a shareholding ratio of more than 51% and thus control Sony.

But if you want to prove yourself, you must have actual business as a starting point. Just voting in the board meeting will not produce results.

The starting point that Lin Yuan chose was movies. Since Sony was going to enter the film industry, wouldn’t it be nice for him to control Sony’s film department?

Of course, at this time it is not appropriate for him to control the film department by directly serving as the head of the film department. This would be too abrupt.

After all, he had just acquired shares in Sony. If he was parachuted directly into the senior management, it would cause resentment both inside and outside, which would not achieve any results.

That's why Lin Yuan proposed this guaranteed solution, forcing Sony to hand over the control of the film department.

Lin Yuan does not directly serve as the leader of Sony's film department, but gains control through cooperation by having external companies "guide" the projects of Sony's film department.

After all, the decision-making power of the project is in his hands, so key issues such as what movies to make, how to shoot, and who to use are all decided by him. Therefore, even if Sony's film department does not belong to him in name, it is under his actual control.

Once he led Sony's film division to profitability, he naturally established prestige, and then his influence permeated the company.

The only price for all this is that Lin Yuan can only win and not lose.

Only if he wins can he gain the trust of shareholders and company members and continuously expand his influence.

If he loses, he will have to pay out of his own pocket to cover Sony's losses.

But will he lose?

Columbia Pictures has been making losses over the years, not because it has no good movies, but because it has tried too many shoddy movies in a hurry.

As a result, they fell into a negative cycle where the more anxious they were, the more they took pictures, and the more they lost.

Lin Yuan only needs to pick out those profitable movies based on the memories of later generations and eliminate all the remaining money-losing ones, and then he will definitely make a profit.

In fact, Columbia Pictures also has super-profitable movies like "Spider-Man", so there will be no problem in operating steadily.

When Nobuyuki Idei was willing to give up the leadership of the film and television project, the purpose of Lin Yuan's trip had basically been achieved.

The last item of negotiation was also thrown out by him.

"I wonder what President Idei thinks of the future LCD market?"

Hearing Lin Yuan's question, Dejing Nobuyuki immediately became sensitive: "Mr. Lin, are you going to help them lobby?"

"what?"

(End of this chapter)