In the hotel room, flipping through the business card in his hand, Billy Horford was on the phone with the owner of that number.

"No more roadshows? Why? The film was sold! Oh, Director Mailik, can you ask which company it sold to? No, I'm just a little curious. Relativity Entertainment Group's buyer is Ronan Anderson? Okay, thank you. ”

Hanging up the phone, Billy Horford saw a young face floating in front of his eyes, remembering that night, this man had said several times that he had belittled this DV video that he didn't even know the title, how could he go back and buy this film?

Could it be that the feeling he felt when he watched the film was real? This film has hidden value in places he didn't expect?

But when you look around and think about it, is there anything else besides the crude footage and the constantly shaking footage?

Billy Horford shook his head, that Ronan Anderson probably bought it to fill the film library, after all, he heard that Relativity Entertainment is a new company.

As he left the hotel in the afternoon, Billy met Gray Enrique of Lionsgate and shared it with Gray Enrique as a curiosity.

"Just that dizzying selfie video?" Gray Enrique was also a little confused: "Ronan Anderson is a smart guy, what do you buy this kind of film for?"

This puzzled him.

Do smart people sometimes do foolish things?

Now that the rights to that film have been bought, Billy Horford doesn't have much scruples when he speaks, asking, "Gray, you watched it that night, how do you feel?"

There was no conflict with work, and Gray Enrique told the truth: "It's not even a movie, is it? I don't see any value." ”

Billy Horford wondered: "I guess I bought it to enrich the film library." ”

Gray Enrique shook his head: "It shouldn't be, when Ronan Anderson acquired Embassy Pictures some time ago, because of lack of funds, he only acquired the distribution channels of Embassy Pictures, and he didn't even want a film library." ”

Billy Horford had heard about it, and the library of Embassy Pictures ended up in Lionsgate.

Both of them couldn't figure out how to look at Ronan Anderson as a stupid person.

"Forget it, don't think about it. Billy Horford was the first to give up: "It's just a shoddy DV video, it's not worth wasting time." ”

Gray Enrique and Billy Horford quickly put the matter aside and continued to look for valuable film resources at the St. Denis Film Festival.

After Ronan returned to Los Angeles, he first paid attention to the two crews that were being prepared, and the main work of these two crews was currently recruiting actors, and the auditions had just begun, and it was not yet time for him to intervene.

Other specific tasks such as prop production, venue selection, equipment rental, and scene setting are all in charge of special personnel.

What Ronan needs to do as a producer is to take control of the overall situation, rather than personally participating in the details of a certain aspect of development.

Knowing how to let professional people do professional things is a basic quality that a producer who controls the overall situation must have.

And in addition to handymen, Ronan hired people with relevant work experience for the crew.

He would rather use someone with work experience who pays more than rush to hire a new person.

For the huge Hollywood, there is never a shortage of relevant film practitioners.

The current situation in Hollywood is that it is relatively difficult for the crew to find suitable jobs, and the crew often has many suitable options as long as the budget is relatively sufficient.

Of course, preparation is definitely not a sailing tree.

On the side of "The Grim Reaper", Ronan intended to attract star-level actors, so when the casting director mentioned that Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst were interested, he let the crew contact them.

In this era, the star effect is still relatively obvious, and there is no doubt that star-level actors can bring topicality and attraction to the crew.

It's a pity that Ronan's salary is seriously unattractive.

Casting director Jason and associate producer Andrew have been in contact with the agents of Kerster Dunst and Tobey Maguire, and the difference in pay between the two sides is too great.

Kirsten Dunst's side asked for a $1 million salary, and Toby Maguire's agent even bit the $2 million salary.

The limit of what the crew can accept is $500,000.

It went well, and the talks between the two sides fell apart.

"The Grim Reaper is Coming" is a typical commercial film, it is impossible to bring important academic awards to actors, there are no other benefits, and star-level actors are naturally reluctant to take a salary cut.

Casually reducing the salary for starring in commercial movies is a big taboo for stars.

Fortunately, the main character group of "The Grim Reaper is Coming" has received thousands of actors' application materials, and there is no worry about finding a suitable actor.

On the side of "Ace Agent", director Paul Greengrass made preliminary plans for filming, but Ronan received an invitation from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority to invite the crew to shoot in the UAE.

Running under the nose of the investment bureau to do something? Of course, Ronan would not do this, and politely declined the invitation of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority on the pretext that the relevant facilities in the UAE were not perfect.

It's also true that the UAE's local film industry is not even in its infancy.

In addition, Paul Greengrass wanted to shoot on location in big cities such as Rio de Janeiro, London, New York and Tokyo, and Ronan persuaded him to dispel this idea and try to find suitable alternative locations near California.

The real budget of this film is not at all the $25 million shown to the public, and if it is really filmed all over the world, the crew's funds will soon run out.

Paul Greengrass is somewhat dissatisfied.

Ronan can only deal with the mud, but fortunately Paul Greengrass is a very professional and highly focused director, basically does not know much about financial things, and does not have to worry much about the British director finding out the tricks.

Even if he found out, Ronan didn't care, and directly told him that $25 million is not only the production budget, but also the budget for publicity and distribution.

Fully understand the operating rules of Hollywood, grasp the provisions of the "Entertainment Act", as long as you actively and boldly do it, there is always a way.

Ronan has been looking at this and has never stopped researching, even consulting Dinah Ampton, a senior professional entertainment lawyer at the law firm of Senitellis, several times.

Zegs has officially signed with Relativity Entertainment, with Dinah Ampton as the direct principal.

Through the preparation of these three films in a row, Ronan deeply realized that the profits of the film are far more than the normal commercial income that can be generated by the film itself, and the process of operating the film can also benefit.

Rather, it is a legitimate gain that complies with industry rules and regulations.

The opportunity is in front of us, and you can't let it go in vain.

Ronan also further refined the "Ah San" plan that had been initially conceived before.

According to the information he received, the Indians have made contact with DreamWorks again, but in general they are still more cautious, compared to the oil tycoons in the UAE, it is estimated that the funds of the Indian tycoons are a little more difficult, and there is no super trench style of the tyrants.

Tony Koch has been with him all this time and has learned about the workings of Hollywood on the ground.

Ronan is still very conscientious, and with Helen Hull's relationship with Mrs. Anderson Sr., he will not cheat Tony Koch.

Moreover, Relativity Entertainment, as a commercial company engaged in a legitimate industry, also needs a trustworthy partner.

Tony Koch is generally reliable, with the only lack being inexperience.

These can be solved over time.

At the same time, Ronan simply finalized the framework of the new company, and Mary was transferred from Sand Sea Entertainment to Relativity, but for the time being, she also had to oversee the finances of Sand Sea Entertainment and the two projects, and the day-to-day work of Sand Sea Entertainment was entrusted to George Clint.

The new company also underwent a recruitment and hired a few more employees, and it was not easy for this shell company, which was temporarily used as a holding company, to really develop.

After dealing with these tasks, the film copy of "Blair the Witch" and all the footage were also shipped to Los Angeles, and Ronan first had people do targeted market research, and then developed a plan for the film with "viral marketing" as the core.

He also needed a plan that would convince his staff, especially the distributors at Embassy Pictures.

As the boss and absolute controlling man, he can indeed push the project strongly, but this is the last option.