Extracting skills from movies

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng suddenly remembered something.

Warner Bros. has indeed greenlit a fantasy epic blockbuster with a budget of $1.6 million, titled "Peter Pan," an adaptation of the novel of the same name.

In his past life, he had seen countless compilations of "Hollywood's biggest flop movies" while watching videos.
Films like "Green Light Boys," Ridley Scott's epic production (one of the four directors), and "Jupiter Ascending" (with a budget of $1.8 million) are all typical examples of films that lost everything.

Just then, a classic fairy tale suddenly popped into Du Sheng's mind, and a slight smile appeared on his lips:
"Since they love making big productions, let's add some elements from fairy tales."

He immediately instructed Ma Yaowei:

Go to the bookstore and buy a few fables.

Among them are *The Terminator* and *Jack the Giant Slayer*.

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Ma Yaowei turned to leave.

"and many more."

Du Sheng stopped him and gave him special instructions:

"Don't buy brand new books, and don't buy books that are too worn out. It's best to buy books that have been flipped through a few times and look natural."

Ma Yaowei understood immediately:
"Understood, I guarantee it will be just like the real thing."

He deliberately took a long detour, visiting several bookstores before finally finding a few of the most suitable books.

The cover has some creases, and the corners are slightly curled, as if someone has been flipping through it often, but it's not tattered.

Back in his office, Ma Yaowei put the book on the table.

Du Sheng picked it up, flipped through it, and nodded in satisfaction:
"Okay, that's the feeling."

"Take it and flip through it a few more times, loosen the edges of the pages a bit."

Ma Yaowei flipped through the pages one by one, rubbing the corners of the book with his fingers as he did so, to give it an aged look.

Du Sheng picked up the fable book, quickly skimmed through it, and recalled the plot.

It's been so long since I last watched it that the details are all blurry. I need to familiarize myself with it first, so I don't give myself away later.

After lunch and a short rest, with the appointed time fast approaching, Du Sheng and Ma Yaowei briefly rehearsed their lines and began making arrangements.

Logically speaking, Du Sheng had just flown in from China and had a lot of things to deal with, so it was normal for his desk to be in disarray.

They deliberately left several unsigned documents spread out, with folders scattered around, creating the illusion that they had "just finished a busy day."

Those fable books were placed right in the middle of the desk.
The blank project proposal was pressed down underneath, deliberately tilted slightly to reveal a small section of the cover.

I could just see the words "project" and "Giants catcher".

The setup was impromptu, but its strength lay in its naturalness.

At 1 p.m., Oliver and Jones Dick arrived at the company entrance.

Oliver turned his head and said:

"I'm here to discuss cooperation. What are you here for?"

Jones Dick patted him on the shoulder with a smile:

"I just took over, and I wanted to get to know some Asian superstars."

If we want to poach projects from him again in the future, we can't do it without ever having met him.

Oliver sensed something was off about his tone and said:
"I advise you to take it easy. Du is not an ordinary Asian. Don't end up losing more than you gain."

Jones Dick's smile vanished, his tone turning barbed:

"I know he's powerful, but don't forget, Warner Bros. is the investor and producer. Does he think he can refuse to give us face?"

Oliver, seeing that he wouldn't listen, got tired of saying anything more and pushed the door open to go inside.

The receptionist led them up to the second floor and knocked on the office door.

After shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries, Du Sheng led them into the house while explaining with a smile:

"I just rushed back from New York last night, and I have so much to do today that I haven't even had time to tidy up the table. It's a mess, so please don't mind."

Jones Dick glanced around the office as soon as he entered.

It wasn't big, but the desk was indeed a bit messy, with files and books scattered around, making it look like someone was really busy.

His gaze swept across the room and suddenly stopped on the books of fables.

The corners of the book are curled, and there are marks on the cover, indicating that it has been recently flipped through.

A superstar and boss with access to massive film resources, reading children's books?

Looking further down, the fable book was pressing down on a business plan, with half of its cover showing, tilted to one side.

The words "project" and "giant catcher" are clearly visible.

Is it related to "Giants catcher"?
Is it adapted from a fairy tale?

Could this be Du Sheng's new project?

Jones Dick, however, pretended to be nonchalant, glancing at the table before quickly looking away.

Oliver, unaware that he was lost in thought, quickly introduced him to Du Sheng:
"Du, this is Jones Dick, the new CEO of Warner Bros. He's here to introduce you."

Du Sheng readily agreed, responding with a smile and a few words.

As soon as he sat down, Oliver got straight to the point:
"Du, I heard you recently signed an exclusive distribution deal with Sony?"

Du Sheng didn't beat around the bush:
"Howard is an old friend, and the terms he offered were really generous."

For example, their North American distribution commission is 4 percentage points lower than Warner's.

If we include revenue sharing from Europe and offline sales, based on the box office performance of "The Departed," we could earn at least tens of millions of dollars more here.

Oliver immediately retorted:
"Don't forget, the reason 'The Departed' made so much money was because of Warner Bros.' global distribution network."

Without this channel, box office revenue will shrink, and even with a lower commission rate, the money we actually make might not be much.

"My new film is a sequel to the 'Agent' series, so it has its own audience. There's no need for me to follow your old formula."

Du Sheng shrugged, looking somewhat dismissive.

"Your 'Agent' series is indeed good, but it is ultimately a niche Chinese film."

Oliver's tone was flat, but his attitude was firm:

“Warner’s distribution capabilities are undeniable, which can boost total revenue. With increased revenue, you’ll naturally receive a larger share, making it a win-win situation.”

Du Sheng chuckled:
"Actually, Sony and MGM's distribution channels are not necessarily worse than Warner's."

Oliver's words carried the arrogance of an industry leader:

"But over the years, Warner Music has always been the best at channel operations."

"We've collaborated with Warner Bros. on three films, so we have a long-standing relationship."

Du Sheng softened his tone:
"If everyone's conditions are similar, I would most likely choose Warner first."

Moreover, Miracle Pictures is a newcomer, and there are other investors involved; I can't ignore their opinions either.

At this point, there's really nothing more to discuss.

Each side presented their own reasoning, and neither was willing to give in.

Jones Dick had prepared a lot of things to say, hoping to build a relationship with Du Sheng and discuss future collaborations.

But ever since he saw the two fairy tale and fable books on the table, the words "new project" filled his mind, and all his other thoughts disappeared.

After seeing the two off, Du Sheng turned back and asked Ma Yaowei:
"how?"

"He noticed!"

Ma Yaowei said with a smile:
“I saw his eyes linger on the book for a moment, and he even secretly glanced at the cover of the proposal.”

They've seen it, but whether they'll take the bait depends on Warner's reaction.

Du Sheng didn't ask any more questions and turned to find the Hearst sisters to continue the negotiations.

Meanwhile, after parting ways with Oliver, Jones Dick returned to his office and had someone bring him several books of fairy tales and fables.

The assistant didn't dare delay and delivered the book in just a few minutes.

Jones grabbed it and quickly flipped it over.

He had actually read these books before and remembered the general plot.

Now, when I flip through books, I'm hoping to find a plot point that could be made into a blockbuster film.

As he flipped through the pages, he suddenly remembered that Oliver had mentioned several potential projects, including *The Wizard of Oz* and *Odds and Gods*. Apparently, Du Sheng had originally been interested in them, but other production companies had snatched them up. Had Miracle Pictures changed direction?

Having failed to secure those two projects, is this rapidly growing company now turning to adapt other fairy tales?
A bold idea suddenly popped into Jones's head.

Is Hollywood about to usher in a new era of "fairy tale movies"?
He didn't dare draw a conclusion, so he pressed the intercom and called his assistant, Liam.
"Go check if any other companies are adapting classic fairy tales now?"
Especially for large investments, report the exact amount as soon as possible.

“Yes, Mr. Dick.”

Jones had just turned halfway through "The Giant Slayer" when Liam came running back with a stack of documents.

"Mr. Dick, I've found out. Several companies are currently working on adapting fairy tales."

Jones listened to the report while flipping through the documents:

"Relativity Media has spent a lot of money, hiring Julia Roberts, to film 'The Magic Mirror,' and the budget is not low."

Jones frowned.

It turns out that Du Sheng wasn't the only one eyeing it.

Liam continued:

Universal Pictures is going to invest $1.6 million in a live-action version of "The Princess and the Hunter," and two A-list stars have already been cast.

Disney is also planning to combine Cinderella, Rapunzel, and other Grimm's fairy tales into a single film, and they're already casting..."

Jones grew increasingly astonished as he listened.

With so many companies clustering together, is this really a trend?

If Du Sheng were to join the fray, with his fame and Miracle Pictures' production capabilities, he would definitely be able to take the lead.

He closed the document and immediately gave the order:

"Go check the rights to Terminator and Giant Slayer and see if any companies have acquired them."

Also, try to find out about Miracle Pictures' recent projects, especially those related to fairy tales and fables.

"understand!"

Liam turned and ran.

Jones leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table as he began to make plans.

Hollywood is now flocking to this trend. If Warner Bros. doesn't keep up, won't it fall behind?
The more he thought about it, the more he felt it had potential.

Making a film based solely on a fairy tale is cliché and boring. But if you combined the Terminator and Jack the Giant Slayer books into an epic fantasy blockbuster of "Giants vs. Terminator," it might just be a hit.
As Jones watched companies like Universal, Disney, and Relativity Media throw money at children's book IPs, he became increasingly confident.

What moved him even more was...

Warner Bros.' most popular Harry Potter series will eventually come to an end. If they can create a new flagship IP, it will be perfect to take over!
However, at present, the conflict over distribution has not affected the cooperation.

"Inception," directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Johnny Depp, Jessica Chastain, and Daniel Black, and co-produced by Warner Bros. and Miracle Pictures, is about to be released during the Christmas holidays.

The production of this film cost $1.5 million, and Warner Bros. naturally spared no expense in its promotion in order to recoup its costs.

Several preview screenings were held beforehand, and the media, film critics, and cinema managers all gave it a thumbs up.

While Du Sheng was busy dealing with matters in North America, Warner Music had already launched a publicity campaign.

Landmarks such as Times Square in New York, Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, and Michigan Avenue in Chicago are all adorned with giant posters of "Inception".

The design is so striking; from a distance, it looks like a dream from a movie has come to life.

Even the usually low-key Nolan couldn't sit still and personally stepped in as a "marketing genius".

One minute they're showing behind-the-scenes footage of "actors being so exhausted they vomited during weightlessness scenes," the next they're discussing the inspiration behind "layered dreams," keeping the media and fans hooked and following their updates daily.

He also employed a scarcity marketing strategy, organizing online interactive activities around concepts such as "consciousness invasion" and "dream machine" to allow viewers to "preview" in advance so they wouldn't be completely confused when watching the movie.

Whenever Du Sheng had free time, he immediately joined the publicity team.

That day, in the dressing room of "The Ellen Show," he was adjusting his suit, preparing for an interview.

Ma Yaowei pushed the door open and, seeing that no one else was around, lowered his voice and said:

"Brother Sheng, I just heard the news."

Warner Bros. is making a fantasy blockbuster and has already started publicly recruiting a team.

Du Sheng was not surprised at all.

The reason for choosing "Jack the Giant Slayer" as "bait" was that they had a good grasp of Hollywood's tendency to copy whatever is popular.

"Since the emergence of numerous excellent adaptations of fairy tales or comics such as 'Enchanted,' 'The Chronicles of Narnia,' and 'Pan's Labyrinth,' who wouldn't be envious?"

Ma Yaowei smiled and counted on his fingers:

"There are so many advantages to making these kinds of films: you don't need to buy the intellectual property, everyone knows the story, and the audience is wide."

The surrounding merchandise sells well too—dolls, games, theme park merchandise—you can make money even while lying down.

People used to say that Hong Kong films were good at copying trends, but Hollywood is actually even worse.

Once an adaptation becomes a hit, a bunch of companies immediately follow suit and launch projects, eager to turn every fairy tale book upside down.

At this point, he became a little worried:
"Could Warner Bros. actually make a blockbuster fantasy film?"

Du Sheng shook his head and smiled:
"It might work for others, but for Warner... it's uncertain."

"Is it because of disagreements among their management?"

Ma Yaowei understood immediately.

Du Sheng shrugged and didn't say anything more.

Warner Bros. was the leader until 2010, but was overtaken by Disney after a long time.

This is due to personnel changes and internal factional infighting; the overall situation has changed.

Just then, there was another knock on the door.

Ma Yaowei opened the door, and director Nolan had arrived.

Du Sheng stood up, shook hands, and said with a smile:

"Has Batman 2 started filming?"

"It's a bit earlier than planned, and we have to accommodate the schedules of the main actors."

Nolan nodded, his tone helpless:
"The male lead, Christian, has also signed a contract with Warner Bros. for an epic film, and he will be joining the production team in the second half of the year."

Du Sheng said with a smile:

"You mean Ridley Scott's 'Owls and Gods'?"

Nolan's face fell at the mere mention of that name.

He has never been fond of these repetitive, old themes:

"Hollywood has made the same story eight hundred times, as if they're afraid no one will know about it."

"There's nothing we can do, they just fall for it."

Du Sheng shrugged.

Nolan, recalling his recent troubles, couldn't help but complain:

"Some people are afraid to admit what they've done, and they won't allow others to say it."

They shout about freedom all the time, but if you don't side with them, they immediately become their enemy!

That's how it is in this industry; capital calls the shots.

Du Sheng didn't take it seriously.

Even a great director like Nolan has to bow down.

The two chatted for a while about the publicity details. Nolan said he was going to Europe for a promotional tour and invited Du Sheng to go to the Paris premiere with him.

Du Sheng agreed, and they would meet up once he finished his work at the lighthouse.

A short while later, the assistant knocked on the door and peeked in:
"Mr. Du, Director Nolan, the interview is about to begin."

Du Sheng and Nolan exchanged a glance, smiled, stood up, and walked together into the prepared interview room.

Chris, the chief reporter for this exclusive interview, had been waiting for a long time.

We had discussed the process beforehand, mainly focusing on serious movie topics like the filming and plot of "Inception," and avoiding any personal life-related discussions.

…(End of this chapter)