On the morning of the next day, Wang Yang received information from Jon on the Internet, and he scanned it slightly, there were about thirty companies, the names of which he had almost never heard of, and some of them had not even established official websites.

However, this information is very detailed, including the basic information of these film companies, such as which films have been produced and released, and the current situation of these companies and analysis, which company has released a bad film and failed at the box office, resulting in a large loss, which company has made another bad deal and is estimated to be in debt crisis, and what company's chairman is willing to sell the company.

Wang Yang held the mouse and scrolled the screen, carefully examined this information, and couldn't help but sigh a little, no wonder Lionsgate can become the most successful independent production company in the future, no wonder Lionsgate's sense of smell is always so good, and it can always succeed in small and big. Looking at these materials, you can understand that Lionsgate always pays attention to these small film companies and small-budget films, they pay attention to and analyze the success and failure of small-budget films, and their understanding of the market is getting higher and higher, forming their own set of film selection.

Of course, there is no Lionsgate analysis in these materials, only declarative content, so Jon Philtimel will not give him Lionsgate's internal documents.

"I don't want to have a debt...... "Wang Yang muttered into the screen, manually filtering out the companies that are either identified or speculated to have debts, these companies don't know how much money they owe to the bank, and he doesn't need to take this kind of mess.

There are a dozen or so financially healthy companies left, some of which only have a production system and do not have a distribution system, while some companies have their own distribution systems and distribution channels, which can produce films independently and then contact the cinema chain for screening, but they often can't compete with the big companies, and the cinema chain is reluctant to show their low-budget films, and will only arrange some dilapidated movie theaters for test screenings first, and most of the time they will end up in box office failure.

In fact, it is not difficult for a company to establish its own distribution system, but more of this system means that the company has many more departments and many more employees. These include the departments responsible for the copy business, which have to do a good job in the copying, processing, storage, and transportation of a film; the projection business department, which has to deal with cinema companies, and also do a good job of screening in non-cinemas such as various means of transportation (airplanes, ships, etc.) and various venues (schools, hospitals, etc.); and administration, systems, and sales operations.

With more distribution systems comes a lot of overhead, which can be fatal for small studios at any time. Therefore, many small companies only produce films, and when the film is made, they look for distribution companies to cooperate with when it is released, and they do not need to pay publicity fees, and they do not need to pay distribution costs such as copying and transportation. When the movie makes money, they make less money, but when the movie loses money, they lose less.

However, Wang Yang hopes that he can buy a company with distribution capabilities, because he is confident that "Youth Musical" can make money, so why bother with those distribution companies in the future, so as to persuade them to help with distribution?

Wang Yang watched for a while, and a limited company called "A-Pix Entertainment" caught his attention, this company was founded in 1993, has no debt, has produced several small-budget films, and also has a distribution business, until now it has released more than 30 small-budget films, of course, none of these films are influential, some are related to videotapes, DVD distribution companies have collaborated to launch the market, and several films have been shown in movie theaters, but most of them have failed in a week of test screenings, and these films have obviously not brought much profit to A-Pix.

A-Pix's current means of making money is mainly to buy some low-cost R-rated movies, such as "Sisters of Passion", "Sex", "** Game", etc., and then release video tapes, earning a very small profit to maintain expenses, so there is no debt so far.

And this year, A-PIX launched a self-made R-rated movie "Beacon Land", but this film, which gave them high hopes, was tested in 17 theaters in the first week, and only received 61,500 box office, and finally only 147,700 in the two weeks of screening, which was a heavy loss. Chris Lynch, the chairman of A-Pix, was so disheartened that he had the idea to sell the company.

The company is financially healthy, barely able to break even with its existing rights revenues, and has experience in producing films, as well as the ability to distribute DVDs and connect with theatrical screenings...... Wang Yang was a little moved, he searched in the video library in his mind, of course, he couldn't find movies like A-Pix's "Passionate Sisters", but this movie was launched as early as 1994, and he could see it if he wanted to see it.

And A-Pix's future movies don't have any, so he can't get information about this company. But it seems that if he doesn't buy it, this movie won't last long, and when the chairman starts to get frustrated, and there is no good movie for them in the future, it means that they are not far from closing their doors.

Wang Yang preliminarily selected this a-pix entertainment company and was going to call over to inquire. But let him make a movie, he would, let him buy the company, he didn't understand a lot of things, so he felt that he really needed an agent, in which case the agent could act as his investment advisor and negotiate with A-Pix on his behalf.

In fact, many agents have contacted him for a long time, and they don't know where they found the number, and they all hope to be his agent. However, Wang Yang has not made a decision, and now is the time, he took out his mobile phone, found the number of "Mark Slunt" from the address book, and called it.

Mark Slunt, when casting "Smart-Ghost Shadow", worked with Wang Yang as a representative of the Actors' Guild. When Wang Yang became a supernova director in the United States overnight, Mark Slunt contacted Wang Yang as soon as possible and recommended himself. Wang Yang has seen his file and documents, graduated from the University of Southern California Business School, and they are still "alumni", and then he is still a CAA agent. How is USC's business school also a prestigious school, and how can Mark Slunt get mixed up to the point where he has to earn commissions for young actors?

At that time, Wang Yang asked him so, and Mark Slunt replied that as soon as he graduated, he was hired by a film company as the manager of the distribution department, he thought he was lucky, who knew that the office chair did not sit firmly, and a few months later the company collapsed due to debt, and he became the "manager of the bankrupt company" before he even released a movie; Mark Snent, who couldn't find a job, thought that the listed broker of the previous brokerage company was very profitable, so he simply obtained a broker's license and became a broker.

When the phone was connected, Wang Yang smiled and said, "Hey, Mark, are you interested in being my temporary agent?" ”

"Young director, are you serious? Oh, of course I'm interested. Mark laughed excitedly and said, "It's a wise choice for you to ask me to be your agent!" Without waiting for Wang Yang to speak, he said to himself: "Tell me, do you want to become an idol director, exposing all day long, walking catwalks, and scandals......;

"Stop!" Wang Yang shouted angrily, rolled his eyes and said, "Mark, if you do this again, I'm afraid I'll have to hire another master." Mark Slant hurriedly shouted: "No, okay, how do you want me to work?" Wang Yang explained with a smile: "Hey, I'm not going to be an entertainment agent, I don't need to be packaged, understand? I'm going to buy a film company, I need an investment consultant, I need a professional who understands finance." Does USC Business School teach this? How, are you interested?"

Hearing Wang Yang's words, Mark Slunt suddenly perked up and said, "Okay, I'm interested, I'm a professional." Wang Yang said seriously: "If you do a satisfactory job in this acquisition, I will officially hire you." Mark Slunt was silent for a moment, then smiled, "So, this is my chance? Thank you, I just need this opportunity." ”

After hiring Mark Snent, Wang Yang's acquisition team has gradually added several people, including Hebrew Karl, who is responsible for the legal side, a professional financial accountant, and an asset appraiser.

First, Mark Slunt reached out to A-Pix, and the board of directors did have an interest in selling the company. The company's founder, Chris Lynch, who is in his fifties, who started out as a retailer and made some fortune, set up A-Pix with enthusiasm a few years ago, started his career in the film industry, and as a result, he suffered a series of setbacks, and recently after the box office fiasco of "Beacon Land", which cost millions of dollars, he was tired and wanted to retire.

So as long as the price is right, he will sell 85% of the company's shares, and A-PIX has 15% of the shares scattered among some small partners, and if Wang Yang wants to buy it wholly, he can also help convince those partners.

As a result, Wang Yang's acquisition team obtained A-Pix's financial statements, which clearly stated the company's income and expenditure, all claims, debts and assets. Wang Yang's professional accountant made an audit report on the statement, and there were no problems, and then the asset appraiser began to conduct a full valuation of A-Pix.

There are office chairs and tables at the company's headquarters, televisions, etc., and some camera equipment that is not new, and there are no cameras in these equipment, and when they make movies, they lease back those valuables, so there are only some cheap things such as camera rails in the equipment library, and of course, there are more important intangible assets, that is, the copyrights of the movies of "Sisters of Passion", some business relationships, etc.

The appraiser made the whole A-Pix jump, and finally assessed that the approximate value of A-Pix was about 2.5 million. This company is a high-quality company, although it can only maintain a break-even every year, and the profit is only a few hundred thousand, but at least they have no debt. Of course, this year's "Beacon Land" caused the company to lose nearly one million, and the hundreds of thousands of profits are not worth the number, if there is no new capital injection this year, the company will either go bankrupt or go into debt.

After reading the evaluation report, Wang Yang's acquisition team formally made the first offer to A-PIX, 1 million, a wholly-owned acquisition. This starting price is not very low, nor is it too high, A-Pix's valuation of 2.5 million deducts its loss of about 700,000 this year, and the market value should be around 1.5 million to 1.8 million. But A-Pix, on its part, responded with a 3 million. This is normal, there is negotiation in business, and then it will enter the stage of going back and forth around the negotiation table.

"Mr. Lynch, do you think we're countrymen who just got out of town? Haven't been to the cinema yesterday?please!3 million?!" Mark Slunt spread his hands angrily, looked at Chris Lynch across the conference table, and said, "If it's 3 million, why don't we set up a new company?" Look at these copyrights of yours, Mr. Lynch, please tell me, is it really worth three million?"

Chris Lynch, who was dressed in a black suit, wiped his forehead helplessly, his lips moved, and he was still speechless.

Mark Slunt calmed down again, and said in a sincere tone: "Mr. Lynch, you know, there are so many film companies in Los Angeles that we can even find a random company that is going to go out of business, and then stand at the door of their company and recruit people." Mr. Lynch, we are proposing to acquire A-Pix in good faith, but IMHO, we are not buying your film rights, we are buying the experience of this company. He stared at Chris Lynch and said, "Mr. Lynch, everyone be honest, 1.5 million." ”

"I ...... Let me think about it. Chris Lynch frowned tightly and looked struggling.

Mark Slunt quietly gave Wang Yang next to him a look, "It's basically done." Wang Yang smiled slightly, and gave him a thumbs up under the conference table, this guy is worthy of being a top student in the business school, although he usually has a very poor mouth, but when negotiating, he is in a hurry when he should be in a hurry, and he is slow when he should be slow, and he completely controls Chris Lynch in terms of rhythm, and has no doubt the upper hand.

The negotiation was not finalized, and after several days of tug-of-war, the two sides finally agreed on the purchase price, Chris Lynch and the partners got 1.7 million, and Wang Yang got 100% of the shares of A-Pix.

On this day, on the twelfth floor of a commercial building in Los Angeles, in the headquarters and office of A-Pix, the employees were lazily sitting in their chairs, everyone's eyes were a little worried, and from time to time they looked at the closed conference room over there, and they discussed in a suppressed voice: "It's the director ...... who filmed "Ghost Record", "Oh my God! An 18-year-old kid, God knows if he will mess around......" "God bless me, I don't want to lose this job......"

In the conference room, Wang Yang and his acquisition team, Chris Lynch and his partners were present, Wang Yang looked at the contracts spread out on the conference table, and then at Chris Lynch and the others opposite, and he suddenly remembered the scene a few months ago, when he signed the contract in the conference room of Lionsgate, when he got a distribution opportunity appreciated by the film company, and now, he will get a film company soon.

Wang Yang sighed again in his heart, smiled, and signed his name on the contract with a pen. Hebrew Karl took the contract to the other side of the table, handed the pen and said, "Mr. Lynch, it's your turn." ”

The partners of A-Pix quickly signed their names, and Chris Lynch was the last to sign, and he took a deep breath, holding the pen and not moving, looking at the contract in a daze. After a while, Hebrew-Karl had to remind, "Mr. Lynch?" Chris Lynch let out an "oh", frowned, and quickly signed his name, and for a moment, he seemed to be a teenager old, and put down his pen with a lonely expression.

Looking at Chris Lynch, Wang Yang felt his mood, he had been sold for many years, and he had nothing to do with him since then, can he not feel uncomfortable? Wang Yang stood up, walked to the conference table, stretched out his hand to Chris Lynch, and said sincerely: "Mr. Lynch, you will know in the future that it is the right thing to hand over A-Pix to me." He smiled and said, "Of course, it's not that it's going to go out of business, it's that it's going to get better and better." ”

Chris Lynch also smiled, he put away his low mood, and smiled: "You will, the future is all young, isn't it? I'm old, and it's time to retire." He shook hands with Wang Yang, looked into Wang Yang's eyes, and said, "Mr. Wang, I hope you can realize your words and make the company better and better, and please treat your employees well, they are all very good people." ”

Wang Yang nodded seriously and said, "I will." Mr. Lynch, don't worry. ”

"Mr. Wang, I have one more request. Chris Lynch took a heavy breath and said in a pleading tone, "Can you keep the company's name and logo?"

"This ......" Wang Yang hesitated for a moment, although Chris Lynch's almost pleading eyes were difficult to refuse, he still hardened his heart and shook his head: "Mr. Berg, I don't dare to promise you, I will change the company's name and logo." ”

Changing the company's name and logo, it's not for fun, but to eliminate the previous company image, although A-Pix is not well-known, but there are always some people who know, they have launched countless R-rated films and bad movies, which makes the company's image tend to be third-rate, and the "Song and Dance Youth" he will produce next is a 100% healthy and upward G-rated film, not even a kissing scene, if it is launched under the name of A-Pix, it will inevitably be affected.

Therefore, it is imperative to change the company name and logo, which is to draw a line with the past and represent a new beginning. As for A-Pix's original film library, he will register a shell company as a subsidiary, silently continuing to earn royalties for those R-rated films.

Chris Lynch sighed and said, "I see. He asked again, "Can you tell me what the name of the company will change?" Wang Yang shrugged and smiled: "I haven't thought about it yet." Chris Lynch said, "Okay, young man, come with me and I'll take you to see your staff." Wang Yang nodded and said, "OK." ”

Wang Yang and his group came to the outside of the conference room, and the big office was suddenly silent, and all the administrative staff looked quietly at the door of the conference room.

"Hello everyone, maybe you already know me, yes, I'm Wang Yang. Wang Yang walked to the middle of the office, looked around at the employees, was a little nervous, and said with a smile: "I'm your new boss now, okay, don't look at me like that, I'm a little scared." Everyone immediately laughed, and Wang Yang also smiled and announced: "Inside the company, I will not make any changes for the time being, and everyone will operate as usual." ”

Before he could finish speaking, the employees applauded and whistled vigorously, and everyone was smiling. For days, what they feared most was to hear the new boss say "layoffs", but now, they can temporarily let go of their suspense.

"Hey, guys!" Wang Yang shouted loudly, quieting everyone down, and said with a smile: "But what I have to say is that the company will shoot the next movie soon, with an investment of 5 million, and everyone will be busy soon!"

All the employees cheered, they applauded excitedly, shouting "Great!" The production company is afraid that there is no production plan, which means that the work is idle and there is no need for so many employees, and now the risk of layoffs is much lower with an investment of 5 million at once.

Chris Lynch looked at the jubilant office, as if he had let go of a big stone in his heart, and his chest did not have that stuffy feeling, and became very comfortable. He looked at Wang Yang not far away, and smiled with relief, Come on, young man!

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After a busy day, Wang Yang, who became the new owner of A-Pix, returned to the apartment, took a hot shower, came to the desk in clean clothes and sat down, thinking that he actually owned a film company, he couldn't help but smile happily, it was unbelievable. In fact, Jessica, Rachel, and Zachary are good friends who don't know about it, and the acquisitions that have been going on for more than a week have been going on quietly.

But Wang Yang is not in a hurry to share the joy with them, because he still has something to do, what name will the company change to, and what logo will it change to?

Taking out a piece of A4 paper, Wang Yang scribbled on it with a pencil, on the blank paper, there were suddenly circles of pencil marks, he immersed himself in memories, thinking about the scene he had traveled all the way, he made up his mind in the café: "Jessica, I want to be a director, I want to make a movie!", in the bar, Rachel smiled and said to him: "Also, like a moth that pounces on the flame, it's very romantic!"

He remembered the alley that night, the blonde girl nestled on the ground, hugged her bag tightly, and said blankly: "I just, just can't let him snatch my bag......" He couldn't forget the girl's confused and sad face, and couldn't forget her words: "Director, do you think I should go home?"

"I don't want to regret it when I'm old!" Thinking of his words, Wang Yang's hand paused, he looked at the A4 paper on the desktop, and the pencil in his hand slowly drew a moth in a blank space.

"Congratulations, young man!" Jon, Tom, and Michael clapped at him with smiles on their faces, and he was offered a Lionsgate distribution contract. When the movie was released, he sat in the cinema, enjoying his success, spreading his hands like a fluttering butterfly: "Yes, I found it!"

His hand trembled a little, and to the right of the moth, another butterfly was drawn. He looked at the moths and butterflies on the paper, and they seemed to suddenly come to life and flew out of the paper, fluttering their wings, tangled together, and flew into the sky.

At this moment, Wang Yang suddenly had a lot of realizations, and that night, he had a question, was the moth that put out the fire stupid or courageous? He now seemed to have an answer.

He's a moth and Anne Darren is a moth, and they're stupid to rush into the flames without hesitation? No, the light that the flames emit is what they're after, that's where their dreams lie, they rush to the flames, sometimes they're burned to death, and there's nothing left of the ashes, but sometimes they survive and get their pursuit.

It's not stupidity, or courage, it's just an obsession. But it is this persistence that makes the moths bloom into their beauty, even for a short moment, and let the world know that they are more beautiful than those butterflies that dance in the daytime.

With a pencil circle, Wang Yang drew a flame between the moth and the butterfly, and wrote the name "Flame Movie" next to it.

Whether it is a moth or a butterfly, they are beautiful because of this flame, and without the light of this flame, they will only sink into darkness forever.

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ps: Thank you for your support, let Wow Li rush to the weekly recommendation list, but let's not relax, continue to smash tickets, and keep this position!