America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 196, Section 195: Eric Wants to Introduce American TV Series to China

"Wow! They seem so friendly, I thought nobody knew us."

"In the car," Gadot said in surprise.

Eric chuckled and said, "The hardcore fans are probably only the initial dozen or so people; the rest are just watching the show."

"It's the same all over the world. When there's excitement, you want to join in; when there are celebrities, you want autographs and photos."

"Even if they're not fans, spending a few minutes gives them something to brag about, so why not?"

Gadot rolled her eyes: "I'm basking in the joy of becoming a big star, darling, don't dampen my spirits."

Upon hearing her affectionate address, Susan in the passenger seat couldn't help but turn around to look.

But considering the big bosses of film and television companies and the female stars, it's quite normal.

Having served as Charlie Cooper's secretary for so many years, she had initially harbored the "grand ambition" of becoming his mistress and then striving to rise to his position.

Unfortunately, after several attempts to seduce him, he didn't take the bait. She failed to become a mistress, but her skills did get stronger with each practice.

Later, seeing that this path was no longer viable, she finally made the difficult decision to get married.

"You old man, why don't you learn from your son? Look at this little guy over there, how outstanding he is."

"On the surface, he's out promoting his movie, but actually he's on a carefree vacation with his girlfriend."

"If you were as sensible as him, I probably would have moved into Beverly Hills long ago, and Eric would be calling me 'Mom' by now."

A series of fantasies flashed through her mind, and Susan unconsciously wore a maternal smile.

"What's wrong, Susan?"

"I sensed something was off about her expression," Eric asked.

Susan quickly straightened her posture: "There's no boss. Are you planning to rest first or start working?"

"It's not even noon yet, there's no need to rest. We won't stay here for too long, let's do as you have arranged."

"Okay, let's go take a look at the factory first."

The car drove along the highway for more than half an hour before finally stopping in front of a factory.

Upon entering the factory area, a huge stone lion, painted yellow, stands at the entrance, exactly like the MGM logo.

Eric couldn't help but chuckle: "Why are you still making this kind of thing?"

Susan explained, "Boss, it was the designers who requested this addition. They said it's called 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do.' MGM's symbol is the lion, which perfectly matches the landscape layout of China."

"Actually, the designer originally wanted to place lions on both sides of the entrance, like the kind that are placed at the entrance of traditional Chinese buildings, but I felt that the lions were not the same breed as the American lions, and it looked very awkward."

"So we had them design it according to our opening sequence, since it's said that placing a lion can ward off evil spirits and help the business thrive."

Gadot laughed heartily: "So how's business? Is it really doing well?"

"It's quite effective. Come on, let's go inside and take a look."

The vehicle continued forward and soon saw several trucks carrying goods lined up, with workers busy loading the truck at the front.

"Boss, as you instructed, we've completed the construction of one factory building first, and two production lines are currently operating inside."

"Look at those buildings under construction in the distance, those are factory buildings No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4. No. 2 is expected to be completed by the end of this month."

"I have already communicated with the relevant departments. They will come to inspect it immediately after it is completed, and it can be put into production as soon as it passes the inspection."

As they were talking, the group got out of the car and started walking. They saw a few foreigners coming over, but after glancing at them a few times, the workers paid no more attention.

Some time ago, Eric transferred a team of sixty people from Double Star Entertainment to provide technical training to people in China.

They'd seen all sorts of foreigners over the past month and were no longer interested in anything new; only Eric and Gadot's striking looks could catch their eye.

I walked around the production line and saw everyone busy working, producing one Transformers merchandise item after another.

Looking at the familiar faces in front of him, Eric felt a pang of emotion. Although he was making money by using cheap labor, he was also providing them with jobs.

Compared to working on a construction site, this place is at least safer and offers better benefits, so it's my way of contributing to my hometown.

"Susan, how do their wages and benefits compare to other factories?"

"The base salary is 15% higher than the average salary, and then the more you work, the more you earn."

"What about other aspects?"

"The accommodation conditions are still quite basic. The dormitory building is under construction and will take at least two more months to complete. After completion, it will also require special treatment to remove harmful gases."

"So the workers will have to wait at least three months to move in."

"However, I also make up for it in other ways. We have better food and the prices are lower than other factories."

"In addition, we organize screenings of movies or TV series every night, including American and Chinese dramas, to help everyone relax."

"Right now it's still an open-air screening, but I'm thinking that in the future we could build a stadium so that people can exercise and watch movies together."

Gadot couldn't help but remark, "Susan, you don't look like an American capitalist at all."

Susan looked at Eric and thought to herself that it was all because her boss demanded that the workers be treated more leniently. She really didn't understand why he had such feelings for China.

Eric nodded in satisfaction: "Well done. Also, be sure to pay attention to safety and don't cause any accidents."

"Various systems are in place, such as fire protection, fire extinguishers are always on hand, fire hydrants must be filled with water, and regular inspections are conducted."

After walking around, Gal Gadot and the lion took a photo together, and the group left.

At 12:30 pm, they arrived at Fengzeyuan Hotel, the same place as last time.

I prepared several unique and delicious dishes for Gadot, letting her taste authentic Chinese cuisine.

After eating, we went back to our room to rest. To avoid suspicion, we booked two rooms, but we would definitely stay in one of them.

"Honey, I have to go to the company this afternoon to discuss some business. Would you like to come along or just stroll around Yanjing City?"

"Of course I'll just take a look around. I can't go in and listen to your business; if you leak anything, you'll be the one who gets blamed," Gadot replied without hesitation.

Snapped!

A slap landed on her buttocks, making a crisp sound and sending a ripple through her flesh. Young skin is so good; it bounces back when you press it.

"I see you're getting bolder and bolder. Is it because you're out here that you've unleashed your true nature and enjoy teasing me so much?"

"Hehe. I'm treating this promotional trip as a way to relax and unwind. You haven't gone shopping with me in ages."

Eric pinched her cheek and comforted her, "Alright, alright, don't feel bad, baby. After we finish our activities tomorrow, I'll go climbing the Great Wall with you."

"I'll arrange a tour guide for you this afternoon. You can visit the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City. I guarantee you'll be amazed by the charm of this civilization."

In the afternoon, the car drove into the Science and Technology Port, where Oriental MGM occupies a building.

Since it's a joint venture, there's no rent charged, which is one of the advantages.

The secretary led Eric and Susan to the sixth floor. Pushing open the door, they saw Han Sanping, Zhou Xiaopeng, and an unfamiliar middle-aged man sitting inside, smoking.

Upon seeing Eric, Han Sanping's face lit up with joy. He stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, and strode over.

"Eric Cooper, I've been waiting for you like the stars and the moon, and you've finally arrived!"

As he spoke, he opened his arms and gave Eric a tight hug.

"Old Han, what's wrong? You're more excited than those female celebrities."

Han Sanping patted his back: "I miss you so much. I think about you day and night. If it weren't for all the things I have to do and the complicated procedures for going abroad, I would have flown to America to see you."

"Female celebrity? I dare say I miss you more than any female celebrity!"

Old Han was really anxious, as the Lunar New Year was just around the corner and the Spring Festival was not far away.

But even though Oriental MGM has been open for several months, the stove is still cold.

Let alone cooking, the firewood hasn't even been lit yet.

He was just waiting for Eric to put the rice in the pot and start cooking so he could pursue progress.

Eric naturally understood what he wanted, and pointed to the briefcase in Susan's hand: "I came here to solve your problem, and the answer is in here."

Upon hearing this, Han Sanping looked at his briefcase excitedly: "You've already finished writing the script?"

"Okay, let's all sit down and discuss the feasibility later."

"Alright, alright, with you, the youngest screenwriter in history, involved, there's definitely no problem."

Beside him, Zhou Xiaopeng looked at Han Sanping with a smile: "Hey Lao Han, don't get excited yet. Everyone, please sit down and let's introduce Eric first."

"This is Chen Ou, the deputy director of our State Administration of Optics and Electronics. He is in charge of any external films, TV series, variety shows, and other programs that want to be brought in."

"If he gets stuck at the review stage, even the most brilliant works will be rejected."

Eric shook hands with the other party: "Director Chen, although this is our first meeting, I must thank you for allowing Transformers to be released without any cuts."

Chen Ou smiled and said, "There weren't any excessive scenes to begin with. A bunch of robots fighting is not as bloody and violent as the scene in 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' where Hua Xiong is killed while the wine is still warm."

"Apart from that, there's nothing much to investigate. Old Han even came over to say hello to me. You were overthinking it."

Eric thought so too; after all, it was 2003, and the atmosphere for cultural creation was still relatively relaxed.

Political dramas, political dramas, and ghost and horror dramas are all allowed, and the censorship of violence, pornography, and language is not very strict.

In a few years, things won't be like this anymore.

After everyone was seated, Zhou Xiaopeng said, "Susan said you went to the factory without telling me beforehand. I'll go with you to take a look."

"It was a last-minute decision. Susan told me everything. You helped me a lot with the paperwork during this time."

"You even helped us find sales channels. Now trucks are lining up to pick up our goods every day. We owe you a lot. I'll toast you properly tonight."

Zhou Xiaopeng waved his hand: "You're too kind. It's all my duty. After all, I brought the project here, so of course Lao Han deserves some credit too."

"I will definitely pay attention to what happens next. Putting aside everything else, the employment of several thousand people is no small matter."

"And there's tax revenue too. In short, if you're doing well, I'm doing well; if I'm doing well, the leaders are doing well; if the leaders are doing well, everyone is doing well."

Hahahaha

We're all familiar with each other, so talking behind closed doors creates a relaxed atmosphere.

Han Sanping wanted to improve, and Zhou Xiaopeng naturally wanted to improve as well; they were both thinking the same thing.

Besides, he also gets benefits for helping others make connections. It's a good deal that can bring him both personal gain and career advancement.

Susan took out the script for "The Meg," and the group began to study it.

Old Han frowned as he read, and after finishing, his frown deepened. He sighed and looked at Eric.

"What do you mean by looking at me like that? If you have a problem, just say so. This is supposed to be a conversation."

Old Han nodded: "Eric, then I'll just say what I think, don't think I'm being rude."

"Did I rush you too much? Did you not have time to polish the script? This 'Meg' looks a bit too rough."

"Both the dialogue and the plot seem outdated. There's only one famous shark movie, 'Jaws,' so can this one really work?"

"It is indeed a bit outdated," Chen Ou agreed.

"Old Zhou, what do you think?" Eric looked at Zhou Xiaopeng.

"I have a different opinion. Shark themes are not impossible, but to be precise, they are different from typical shark movies. This should be called monster themes."

"Look at the concept: a giant shark tens of meters long bites a ship in two. Is that a shark? It's just a deep-sea monster with a shark's skin on, to make it easier for the audience to understand."

"This type of film is universally appealing; as long as the plot is engaging enough, everyone can be an audience."

Eric took a sip of tea: "When I was writing the script, I followed Lao Zhou's approach."

"What you call cliché and outdated is a common problem with commercial films. The formula for commercial films is already fixed; the key is whose costume is better and more innovative."

"We need to clarify one point first: is the purpose of Oriental MGM's first film to make money or to win awards?"

Han Sanping and Chen Ou said in unison, "Let's make money first!"

"That settles it. It's not like we're making an art film. Who cares if it's old-fashioned or not? I guarantee this movie will make money. MGM can't just throw its money down the drain, can it?"

Chen Ou nodded: "Chinese art films still have some influence in Europe. It's better to focus on commercial films. We value whether they can incorporate more Chinese cultural elements."

Eric considered for a moment: "We can change some plot points, such as adding a romantic scene where the male and female leads walk around and explore a city in China together."

"This way, we can take the opportunity to showcase some beautiful scenery and local customs; in short, the details can be modified."

"I understand your eagerness to export your culture, but directly exporting values ​​is not a good approach, because educating the audience has always been the worst thing to do."

"Hollywood influences the audience through its storylines, rather than directly telling you what you should and shouldn't do."

"In my experience, the movies that truly succeed at the global box office are those that promote universal values ​​such as maternal love and the triumph of justice."

After discussing for more than an hour, the group finally finalized the script outline, while other aspects could be discussed and improved upon.

As for the female lead, once the casting is announced, many actresses will be vying for the role.

It's a pity that Eric was no longer in China at that time, otherwise countless people would have been vying to get into his bed, and he could have slept with whomever he wanted.

After discussing the script, we talked about helping Huaxia establish overseas distribution channels.

Some time ago, China Film Group established a company in the United States and, with the help of MGM, began to expand into Chinese communities in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

He Ping's film "Warriors of Heaven and Earth" has already been released, and regardless of its success, it has at least made its debut.

After all, the time was too short, and the leaders were satisfied with the results achieved.

Having helped them so much, it's time for MGM to ask for something in return.

"Director Chen, Lao Han, I'd like to establish a stable channel to import American movies and TV series into China. What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)