America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 27, Section 29: The First Shot

Gal Gadot and Bar Refaeli moved in. It's said that Judy originally wanted them to live with her, but seemingly worried about them becoming easy prey, the two women opted to share the apartment. The apartment wasn't far from Judy's place, making it convenient for them to look after each other if anything happened.

Don't be fooled by the fact that they are all models. Many people think it's an enviable profession with high pay.

But don't forget that they are working part-time. At 17 years old, they are not allowed to work in some states in the United States, as that would be considered child labor, and they would face huge fines if reported.

So the two women hadn't worked for very long, and they didn't earn much money. They weren't from wealthy families, and they needed to contribute to household expenses. Naturally, they had to be frugal after arriving in the US, so sharing an apartment was a good option.

However, even if you want to save money, there is one thing you can't cut back on: acting lessons. Neither of the girls has any acting experience, so they have to cram as much as they can, as they don't have much time left.

To address this, Judy hired professional tutors for them, providing one-on-two instruction, which was quite expensive.

During that time, Eric visited her twice, his purpose, of course, was to pick up girls.

However, most of the time they contacted each other by phone, with him reminding Gadot not to neglect her dance background and to pick up her training again.

The entertainment industry is the field that best embodies the value of the saying "it's always good to have many skills," especially a commonly used skill like dance. It would be hilarious if Joey from Friends did something like that.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, it was early October, and the "Sharknado" project had been launched, with the final confirmed position being that of director.

The role ultimately went to Anthony Ferrante, who was also the director of the original timeline of "Sharknado." It seems that even if some things happen ahead of time, they are still destined to be drawn together.

This project appears to belong to AK Films, but in reality, all the resources used come from MGM.

The studio, props, staff, etc., are all rented through a company. This kind of left-hand-to-right-hand transfer is very helpful for accounting. Once it comes to actors' or directors' profit sharing, this method can ruin them.

Hasbro has also become interested in the betting agreement with Transformers. Eric doesn't know how they discussed it internally, but the two sides are currently in the second round of negotiations, and there will probably be a third round. It will probably take another month to finalize the contract.

The most important thing for MGM right now is actually the legacy left by the previous owner, which is the release of "Red Dragon".

As the final chapter of The Silence of the Lambs trilogy, Red Dragon has always been highly anticipated and is considered a high-quality project that is guaranteed to make money.

Although it is a legacy, it is the first shot fired by the new MGM.

This shot had to be fired, so the Cooper father and son have been focusing their main efforts on it recently.

The original promotional efforts were further intensified, including buying Google Play, advertising, and magazine subscriptions. Even the premiere, which was not originally planned, was to be held, and it had to be done beautifully.

As a film spearheaded by MGM and with Universal's involvement, "Red Dragon" received very good treatment, opening in 2515 theaters. To put that in perspective, there were only 3611 theaters in the entire United States in 2002.

A film that can be shown in more than 2000 theaters upon its release is already standing at a commanding starting line.

As for whether the number of screenings will increase or decrease, that depends on market feedback. If you make money, you won't need to urge the cinema owners; they will actively ask you to increase the number of screenings.

Then cinemas in remote, underdeveloped, or small, isolated places will also request screenings, begging you to give them film reels.

Conversely, if you lose money, you don't need to urge the boss; he will get your movie out of business as soon as possible according to the contract.

On the evening of October 3rd, Thursday, was the premiere of "Red Dragon" at the Arc Light Cinema in Los Angeles.

Even in Los Angeles, Arc Light Cinema is a legendary cinema. Its construction dates back to 1963, and it has screened countless films. It has also been the premiere venue for many major film studios.

Not long ago, the movie theater was renovated, and a huge prototype dome was added, making it one of the most eye-catching buildings in all of Los Angeles.

"Red Dragon" was the first film to premiere after Arc Cinema reopened, which was of great significance to both parties.

Starting at 8 p.m., media reporters began to arrive one after another, and a large number of film critics and audience members also began to enter the cinema.

A long red carpet stretched out like the tongue of a dragon, extending for dozens of meters from the asphalt road all the way to the Arc Cinema, awaiting the arrival of the stars.

Around 9 p.m., luxury cars began to arrive. The first to arrive was Edward Norton, who played Will Graham, the male lead in the movie.

As soon as Norton stepped out of the car, cheers erupted and flashbulbs went off everywhere. This guy is handsome and a good actor, so he's popular with both men and women.

"Look here, Norton."

"Norton, can I get your autograph? I'm a huge fan!"

"Norton, my darling, look here! I'm here!"

Norton was already used to this kind of scene, and he walked over with a smile to fulfill the fans' requests for autographs and photos.

Moments later, Emily Watson, who plays Libby, arrived on set, immediately eliciting another round of cheers.

Edward Norton quickly pulled her over: "Emily, you should have arrived earlier. I can't handle all these lovely fans by myself."

Emily Watson laughed and joined the line for autographs and photos.

This is a movie premiere, which is completely different from award ceremonies like the Oscars and Golden Globes. Although there are red carpets, there are no rules like those at award ceremonies.

It's more open and more spontaneous, sometimes even more like a fan meeting, emphasizing a lively atmosphere.

When Eric arrived, the red carpet was already quite crowded, with people such as Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Emily Watson, Ralph Fiennes, and Mary Louise Parker.

Aside from Anthony Hopkins, the others were all around the same age, in their 30s, and were close friends. They were walking hand in hand and dancing, attracting a flurry of photos from the surrounding media – perfect news material.

However, as Eric walked onto the red carpet, the camera immediately shifted its focus, drawing the attention of movie fans. His handsome face immediately aroused the curiosity of many.

"Who is he? He's so handsome!"

Is this character in the movie?

"Is he in the trailer? Heather, aren't you known as an actor recording machine? What's his name?"

"I don't know, she's probably a newcomer to the industry. But the media is acting strangely; why are they so enthusiastic about a newcomer?"

"Huh? Norton and the others have all stopped too. Why are they all walking towards that young man?"

Under the bright spotlights, Eric shook hands with the creators of "Red Dragon" one by one.

I don't know if everyone is sick, but my whole family is sick. We all have colds, fevers, and dizziness. I don't even know what I'm writing anymore; I'm just feeling dizzy.

(End of this chapter)