Eric was present in person, and immediately attracted more media attention than any other film at the Sundance Film Festival. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Originally, the company's valuation of the North American distribution rights of "Lola Run" was generally less than $5 million, but just one afternoon later, it is said that Hollywood studios' offers for the film have approached the 10 million mark.

No film at the Sundance Film Festival has ever sold for more than $10 million, and "Lola Run" is clearly the highest-grossing film ever sold at Sundance.

At the same time, as the news of Eric's appearance at the Sundance Film Festival further fermented, more media and filmmakers began to gather in Park City, and this small town in the mountains of Utah instantly became a hot spot.

Although Julia casually threw away the "Blair the Witch" flyer with the creator's contact information, as long as she remembered the name, it was naturally easy for Eric to win the movie.

While most Hollywood studios are focused on bidding for "Lola Run" and other screenings that Eric Williams is likely to attend, New Line Pictures' buying team quietly finds two young men who are selling their films to studios around Park City.

"Mr. Williams, this is a copy of 'Blair the Witch,' and I had a DVD burned on improvised for the sake of viewing. ”

The next afternoon, Murray Bredo, the buying manager of New Line Pictures, personally delivered what Eric needed.

Although Maurie Bredau's first impression after watching the "Blair the Witch" sample was only two words - garbage, he still dutifully completed the task assigned by Eric and did his homework at the same time. After all, anyone who can do things for a big boss in person, as long as they have a little ambition in the workplace, knows how to seize the opportunity.

Respectfully getting up and taking the coffee from Julia, Murray Brado thanked him and sat down again, looking at Eric who picked up the background information of "Blair the Witch" and flipped, and continued: "I have seen the project planning done by two directors, and they have conceived a very perfect setting for this documentary film, which is completely fake and real. I think if you can use this film as promotional material, and then develop a script based on the background of the story to make a horror movie, it should be very good at the box office. ”

Eric just smiled and nodded, and motioned to Julia for the DVD on the coffee table, and the girl picked it up and walked to the TV in the living room, put the disc into the player, and then came back again, leaning next to Eric without hesitation, looking curiously at the TV screen.

Watching the video on the screen start playing, Murray Bredo also looked over.

After the introduction of subtitles similar to those on the flyer, a rough DV footage appears on the TV screen.

On closer inspection, the plot of the film, which mimics the documentary format, is very progressive, with the three expedition partners first giving a background introduction to the legend of the witch Blair, and then an explanatory chain of evidence, followed by 'interviews' with the residents of the small town of Buxville. After all this is done, the audience is fully immersed in this witch tale and legend, and the three of them embark on an adventure.

Once inside the jungle, all sorts of things come flooding in, including inexplicable disputes, lost maps, piles of rocks around the tents, totems hanging from the trees...... In the end, one of the team members disappeared inexplicably, and the storyline was also substituted into the climax.

If you don't know the backstory at all, after watching this film, the audience will definitely feel confused and inexplicable.

That's clearly what happened to Julia.

When the end credits appeared on the TV, the girl leaning on Eric couldn't help but put her arms around the man and said with a bit of coquettishness: "Eric, we're going to lose." ”

Murray Bredo paid $80,000 for the film, and when he heard Julia's words, he had some vague guesses, but he didn't dare to ask more, just turned to look at Eric again, waiting for the big boss to speak.

Maybe you will just throw away the pair of garbage in front of you, right?

Murray Braydo couldn't help but think to himself that the only way he could think of using this story was to reimagine a horror film based on the background of the story, as he had just said. As for these film copies and film materials on the coffee table in front of me, they don't seem to have any value.

After all, if the legend of Blair the Witch really exists in Maryland, like some other old rumors about vampires and the like, a little publicity to make the audience curious and immersive, maybe it can also make the film generate some revenue.

But in fact, the legend of the witch Blair is completely fictional by two directors, without any popularity base, and it is unlikely that the company will go out of its way to promote a false story and legend for the sake of this low-cost DV film of tens of thousands of dollars, which is a complete waste of resources and time, and the possibility of losing all money in the end is also very high.

Eric waited for the film to finish, thought quietly for a moment, and then said to Murray Braydo, who was waiting for instructions: "Murray, give you three days to re-sign a complete contract with the creators, investors and even all the actors in the film to resolve all potential legal disputes in this film." Also, let those two directors, Daniel Merrick and Adjado Sanchiz, go to Los Angeles, and I'll meet with them next Wednesday, and by the way, pull a team from the company's distribution department to give them, and the interns can get an office for them at Firefly Studios. That's all for now, you can go back first. ”

Although he couldn't guess the big boss's mind at all, Murray Bredo nodded earnestly, jotted down the matter, and then got up to leave.

This year's Sundance Film Festival runs from January 21 to January 31, but with more and more media and filmmakers gathering in the small town, Eric wakes up in the morning to walk with Julia in the closed resort, and can 'bump into' some people, plus there is really nothing to do, so he left early on Sunday morning and returned to Los Angeles.

Firefly Studios, busy at work, Wednesday is coming in a blink of an eye.

The decision was made to release Tales of the Night as a 3D film early next year to fill the gap between The Lord of the Rings and Deadhead, and Kenneth Horn did not disagree with Eric's decision, even though the new line would need to make adjustments to the established release plan.

Eric happened to take time in the morning to discuss the post-3D transformation of the film with the creators of "Tales of the Night" and the 3D transformation team in the digital field, and Kenneth Horn also rushed over. So, at noon, Eric invited Kenneth Horn and the white pigeon Wu, who had not been seen for a long time, to dine in the restaurant on the big ship.

After ordering lunch, handing the menu to the round-faced waitress next to him, who was said to be named Amy Adams, Kenneth Horn glanced at Natasha Hensquage, who was sitting meekly next to Eric, and had to envy his boss again, but said, "Eric, Murray said you bought a DV documentary in Park City?"

Eric nodded, smiled as Natasha poured her bottle of mineral water into the crystal cup, and did not stop it, and said, "I'm going to do a marketing experiment, have you prepared all the people I need?"

"Of course, after lunch, I can let Miss Wilson take you there, and I don't have much work to do in the afternoon, so I'm curious if I should go and see it too." ”

"You don't want to get involved," Eric shook his head and joked, "But when you say you don't have any work to do in front of your boss, are you reminding me to put some burden on you?"

"Ah, did I just say something?" Kenneth Horn laughed and pretended to be stupid, "I didn't say anything just now, did I?"

Everyone laughed, and Eric didn't snub the white pigeon Wu who was sitting next to Kenneth, and asked, "Wu, what have you been busy with lately?"

"I'm talking about a new film with Columbia, starring a good actor from our Hong Kong Island, the name is temporarily called "Stand-in Killer", and I'm still looking for a director," Bai Ge Wu said: "Eric, that actor's status on Hong Kong Island is no worse than Jack, and the box office will definitely be good." ”

Eric couldn't help but smile, he met Mira Sovino a few days ago, and then wondered how her and Fa Ge's "Stand-in Killer" had no shadow, but he didn't expect it to appear so soon.

I haven't seen the film materials submitted by Columbia, and I think that the project has not been finalized yet, and Eric has no intention of interfering, but just said: "Wu, you can't always be a producer, directing is your job, right?"

"Of course," Bai Ge Wu said: "My agent recommended a war movie script to me a few days ago, I read it and thought it was good, and I plan to try it, but I need to finish the work at hand first." ”

Hearing the script of the war film by White Dove Wu, Eric couldn't help but jump out of the corner of his eye, it couldn't be the "Wind Whisperer" that almost bankrupted MGM, right?

Subconsciously shook his head, Eric said: "Wu, you are not suitable for war movies, I think you are better at making action movies that you are good at." ”

White Pigeon Wu didn't expect Eric, who seemed to have always been in favor of him, to suddenly say this, a little stunned, but soon nodded smoothly and said, "Then I'll think about it." ”

The success of several blockbusters in a row, although he is Chinese, Bai Ge Wu has been successfully promoted to a Hollywood first-line director, and even if he leaves the Firefly system, he can also reach cooperation with other film companies.

Eric could see that the other party did not intend to give up the project easily, and he did not persuade him much, the path was all chosen by himself, and of course, the consequences also need to be borne by himself.

After having lunch together, the white pigeon Wu said goodbye and left first, and Eric sent Natasha Henschuch away with a few gentle words, before saying to Kenneth Horn: "You tell everyone that Wu's war movie, we don't participate, of course, don't mess it up, it's best to push it to other film companies." ”

Kenneth Horn was very puzzled: "Eric, the box office of "Saving Private Ryan" a few years ago was very good, and Wu's directing ability is also guaranteed, why not try it?"

"Every director has his own area of expertise," Eric shook his head and said, "I don't think Wu can make a good war movie, in short, it's my personal feeling, let's not participate in this project." ”

Kenneth Horn nodded, and then suddenly added, "Speaking of which, Eric, you seem to be good at any genre of film, isn't that common?"

Eric shrugged and smiled, "So I'm the boss, and you have to give me a job." ”

"Uh, okay. ”

Eric remembered about Sundance and asked, "How's the situation with that "Lola Run", if you can take it down, it can just fill the gap left by "Tales of the Night" on your side?"

"Bill called a couple of us, and Columbia wanted the film, and the offer was $11 million, and we discussed it and we didn't want to take it from him," Kenneth Horn said, "but if the other three offer more than that, Columbia will give up." ”

"That's fine," Eric said, "after all, it's just a solo movie, and it only has the right to distribute in North America, so it's too high to outweigh the losses." ”

As the two chatted, they went to the borough together, and Caroline and Mayer were already waiting in the administrative building where Eric's office was located, and Kenneth Horn took his leave and returned to his office.

Eric approached the two women, asked a few questions, and the three of them went to another office building together.

The office door was pushed open, and several men and women in the room with a restrained expression immediately got up at the same time and looked at the young man who appeared at the door.

Eric had heard that the two directors of "Blair the Witch" were students and thought they would be very young, but in fact, both Daniel Merrick and Adjado Sanchiz were older than him, Daniel Merrick with a pair of rimless glasses is 35 years old this year, and Adjado Sanchiz is also 30 years old.

Although Eric had told Murray Braydo to find a few interns, it was clear that the staff in the room were not ordinary interns in the company, and Murray Bredo also appeared in the office and introduced Eric to the small team in person.

Eric naturally didn't care about Murray Bredo's arrangements, since the other party wanted to be in charge of this matter personally, after introducing each other, he didn't let the other party leave the office, which was considered a tacit acquiescence.

Caroline and Mayer distributed the pre-printed materials to a few people in the office, and everyone sat around a large conference table, Eric walked to the pre-prepared clipboard and said, "Na, I have limited time, so I will only tell you once, the detailed information is in the document in front of you, if you still don't understand it afterwards, then discuss it with each other, don't look for me." This time, for "Blair the Witch", I was going to do a marketing experiment with an Internet platform, and considering the characteristics of this marketing model, I gave it a name. ”

Eric said, picking up a pen and writing two words on the clipboard: viral marketing.