Hollywood starts with an agent

Chapter 71 Disney King

After Aaron Anderson left, Disney President Frank Wells came to Michael Eisner's office.

"How was that kid just now?" Frank Wells asked.

"Very slippery, and very ambitious, with a strong desire for control and full of confidence!"

Frank Wells nodded. "That's a very high evaluation. It's mainly because he's still young and his vision is really good."

"Forget it, that guy is very close to Sony Entertainment now."

Michael Eisner frowned as he spoke, "Ever since Japanese financial groups entered Hollywood, they have had a huge impact on us. This year, Columbia TriStar is going to release over 40 films."

"If Panasonic also acquires MCA Global, the competition will be even greater."

“Yes, now Columbia TriStar has reached distribution cooperation agreements with many independent film companies and producers;”

"They are generous and give independent film companies a lot of autonomy, so many filmmakers choose to work with them!"

Sony's financial offensive is unavoidable, and they have disrupted Hollywood's salary system;
As veteran Hollywood film studios, the other companies were unhappy with Sony's barbaric practices but were helpless.

Michael Eisner's expression was calm as he asked about something else. "How are Jeffrey's contract extension negotiations going?"

Frank Wells shook his head. "He's very dissatisfied with his current salary, especially the 2% share of the film's profits that was previously agreed upon."

"According to Disney's calculations, the film's profits should be losses, so he won't get the bonuses and options he deserves, but he obviously won't agree to that!"

Since the year before last, Disney's film sales have increased significantly, especially the revival of the animation department. Coupled with the booming video tape market, Disney's film and television profits are the highest in Hollywood.

Especially after Bill McNicol, who followed Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg from Paramount to join Disney, took charge of the international distribution department and the home entertainment market, the international business and the home entertainment market developed rapidly;
Bill McNicol ended the international distribution cooperation between Disney and Warner Bros. and established Disney's international distribution department - Buena Vista International. In the home entertainment market, Bill McNicol pioneered a direct sales model of videotapes and large retail malls!

The movie box office soared, the video tape market was booming, and derivative products such as peripherals and toys were developed;
Disney CEO Michael Eisner's annual income exceeds $5000 million through fixed salary, bonuses and stock options.

Jeffrey Katzenberg's salary is mainly fixed salary, so of course he is not satisfied. He certainly will not recognize Disney's algorithm for the 2% movie profit.

"He wants 75% of your salary, including fixed salary, bonus and stock options!"

"Impossible," Michael Eisner refused without hesitation.

"I'll continue to talk to him," Frank Wells knew that Eisner would not agree, but Katzenberg was not easy to deal with either;

Even if the 2% profit contract is taken to court, it will be very troublesome. After all, the other party is not an unknown person and the contract has been signed.

Convincing Jeffrey Katzenberg to extend his contract and give up that 2% profit is a big deal!
Looking at Michael Eisner, Frank Wells wondered if he could convince him, but the revival of Disney animation was inseparable from Jeffrey Katzenberg;
This year, the other party developed Disney's most successful live-action movie "Pretty Woman".

"The progress of Euro Disneyland is the group's current focus. It will open next year and this cannot be changed;"

"Also, some of the senior executives within the group are feeling uneasy right now, so we need to take this seriously!"

As the chairman and CEO of Disney, he has the support of major shareholder Sid Bass and other board members including Roy Disney, a member of the Disney family;
With Disney President Frank Wells at his beck and call, Michael Eisner's influence within Disney was so strong that no one would dare challenge him. The success of Pretty Woman and the failure of Dick Tracy led some managers within the company to question Michael Eisner's judgment, believing that his absence was always correct.

The "king" of Disney will not allow anyone to challenge his authority!
Aaron Anderson, who had left Disney, drove to Jennifer Connelly's home in the Hollywood Dells community.

"You're from Disney, do you have a project to collaborate with them on?"

Jennifer Connelly handed the man a glass of water.

Aaron shook his head. "Disney has the idea of recruiting me for a short period of time!"

"What do you think?"

"What do you think? I'm not interested. I'm definitely going to do the publishing myself. I'll just have to wait for the opportunity."

Aaron is mainly after the memory of the future, with these memories, it is most appropriate to do the release!

Companies like Carlock and Castle Rock are simply film production companies that do not participate in distribution. They can develop works with relatively large investments, after all, they can obtain part of the production funds from distributors.

As an independent film company, if you invest and distribute together and make bigger investments, it is easy to kill yourself. The case of Orion is an example.

At this moment, on the other side, at the CAA headquarters in Beverly Hills.

CAA Chairman Michael Ovitz had just seen off Panasonic President Akio Tanii's representative, Panasonic Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Masahiko Hirata;

Panasonic's acquisition of MCA seems to have encountered difficulties again.

Last year was the first year of the Heisei era, when Sony acquired Columbia Samsung. In the second year of the Heisei era, Panasonic also wanted to follow in Sony's footsteps and enter Hollywood, but it could not ignore public opinion in the United States.

CAA President Ronald Meyer knocked on the door and entered the office. He looked at Michael Ovitz leaning back in his chair and sighed, "TriStar is willing to invest in director Barry Levinson's new film, Bugsy, but they absolutely cannot let Warren Beatty play the leading role!"

Michael O'Wei pinched his forehead and said, "Then change it quickly. Disney's Eisner was very dissatisfied with Warren Beatty's performance in 'Dick Tracy'. This time it also caused Disney a lot of losses. He called him a Hollywood pig."

"I recommended another gangster biopic, 'Billy Bathgate,' to Disney and agreed to let Dustin Hoffman play the leading role, which calmed Eisner's anger."

Not only that, CAA is also arranging for big-name movie stars to guest-star in "Billy Bathgate"!

"As for Warren Beatty, just leave it to the lower-level agents. He is no longer eligible for these resources."

Ronald Meyer nodded. "TriStar agreed to support Bugsy, but Mike Medver wanted Julia Roberts to play the leading lady in Hook. He rejected all the actresses we recommended from CAA!"

"Fake."

When Michael Ovitz heard Julia Roberts' name, he couldn't help but swear.

She was going to be another big name actress for CAA, but because of that idiot Warren Beatty, she became a big client for ICM!

(End of this chapter)