Hollywood New Century

In a restaurant on the Bund in Shanghai, Zhou Lixian invited Simon to lunch.

"What's the matter, Miss Tong is not in the country now?" Zhou Lixian found that Simon was only one person and was a little puzzled.

Simon shook his head and said with a smile: "Her company has been busy recently, so she's back to BJ!"

Simon, who stayed in Shanghai, met with many Shanghai officials and some project leaders of Universal Studios Shanghai Resort these days. Zhou Lixian also came from Hong Kong.

"I have something to tell you," Zhou Lixian is considered to be very familiar with Simon, and Simon, who started out in film production, has more attention in the entertainment industry than many entertainment tycoons.

"What's wrong?"

"Recently, there is a heavyweight movie "The Thirteen Hairpins of Jinling" by a famous director in preparation for release. It seems that overseas distribution is difficult," Zhou Lixian said with a slight frown.

Simon nodded and said with a smile: "I know this. I also know Director Zhang of the blockbuster "The Thirteen Hairpins of Jinling" by New Picture Films."

Zhou Lixian shook his head and smiled bitterly: "This company is very strange. The person in charge, Zhang Weiping, is a pure businessman. He has been bound to Director Zhang for more than ten years. In the past few years, he has made several bad films with low reputation;"

"This year's "The Thirteen Hairpins of Jinling" has a lot of investment. Christian Bale is still the male lead, so he definitely hopes to gain something overseas. However, the film is not satisfactory, and the overseas distributor it found is still a small British company. Publishers operate."

Simon smiled and said: "So, is the overseas promotion targeted? You are optimistic about Director Zhang, so the film is likely to be modified by the producer behind it, resulting in a low evaluation;"

"You want Universal to take over?"

Zhou Lixian shook his head and said with a smile: "It's not enough to take over. I've seen the movie, and there shouldn't be any great achievements overseas;"

"However, in Hollywood, it was heavily targeted by Sony, which is also the historical reason for China and Japan. You also know that RB people are very shameless in some aspects."

Of course, Simon knew that "The Thirteen Hairpins of Jinling" was suppressed by Sony.

"As you know, we have cooperated deeply with Chinese film and television over the past few years. Although the RB film market is now the second largest market in the world, it is only this year. Next year, the Chinese market is sure to surpass RB," Zhou Lixian thought about it. and explained,

"Moreover, the RB market has been slow to accept the new film industry. Now 3D and IMAX technologies are not very popular in RB. Moreover, the proportion of Hollywood in the local RB market has not been as high as China's in recent years."

Simon understood and asked: "What do you want me to do, sell it well? But don't you have no confidence in the overseas release of "The Thirteen Hairpins of Jinling"?"

Zhou Lixian smiled and said: "You don't have to worry about this, I will tell them. The main reason is that Sony Columbia is one of the six major Hollywood companies and has a great influence in Hollywood. If it takes the lead in boycotting, this movie is basically hopeless."

Simon smiled and said, "What is Sony Columbia? What right does it have in Hollywood, and can it be compared with several other TV stations?"

"It's just a movie, let's not talk about the entire RB boycott, and are still doing things in the United States? It's just bullying a small company outside. Director Zhang is also famous internationally. Isn't it funny that the producer finds a British pheasant distribution company? ?"

Zhou Lixian nodded and said: "It is estimated that Director Zhang and the person in charge of the new screen will soon part ways. This movie has made the contradiction somewhat public."

"Don't worry, it's a small matter. I'll just call back at night. Whether it's John Carley or Amy Pascal, they can see the form clearly. It's nothing more than the capital behind Sony doing something. Now Howard Stringer is already in trouble, I don't mind teaching their successor Kazuo Hirai. "Simon really didn't take this seriously, since he found Zhou Lixian, it's okay to deepen some relationships. As for the Chinese market surpassing RB to become the second largest market next year, Simon certainly knows it.

Moreover, Simon also knows that the horror growth rate of the Chinese market will directly surpass the United States to become the world's largest film market in the next few years.

John Carley and Amy Pascal are co-chairmen of Sony Entertainment, and Howard Stringer is the president of Sony, but Sony has suffered serious losses in recent years, and he is not far away from leaving. It is not news that Kazuo Hirai, the vice president, is preparing to take the position. In a year or two, he will become the chairman.

"Sony also has a lot of collaborators in China. Recently, there have been some frictions in the Diaoyu Islands. The relationship between the two sides has cooled down a bit, and it involves all aspects," Zhou Lixian said helplessly, how shameless the little RB was. I knew it when I was employed.

"Forget it, I know what you think, we are just small things now, and it has no impact on other aspects, and now Universal Entertainment's reminders are not comparable to Samsung Columbia. I don't want to interfere in ideology," Simon explained with a smile. ,

"But now it's about interests. The Shanghai Universal Studios Resort has just signed a contract. This is the Universal Studios Resort with the largest investment. Many policies need this."

"Actually, whether it is Sony or other film companies such as Disney, they are all our competitors. It is also good for us to overwhelm them!"

Zhou Lixian nodded, of course he understood this aspect. However, Simon is also right, Sony Columbia is indeed one of the six major studios in Hollywood, but it is always foreign to American companies.

Through powerful channels, it has won a lot of world media exposure for RB, and also exported RB culture. However, it certainly does not dare to face the other five of the Big Six.

"By the way, next, I'm going to Singapore to see the release of the film in the Southeast Asian market," Zhou Lixian explained.

"There are many Chinese there, and the market for Chinese-language films is not small there. We need to strengthen this aspect."

Simon also agreed: "Isn't there an Asian film support fund before, and the money that should be spent is spent, not only beneficial, but also famous."

Zhou Lixian also smiled and said, "Understood!" As the head of Global International Asia, Zhou Lixian's rights are not small. Needless to say, the East Asian economic circle is the second, third and sixth largest film market in the world. This is the pan-Chinese cultural circle in Asia that must be the main force.

However, Southeast Asia and South Asia also have meat, and Southeast Asia is also a radiation area of ​​Chinese culture, which is easy to handle.

India in South Asia, in fact, the market is not small, but it is too complicated. There are too many categories such as culture, language, belief, etc.

Bollywood, if you want to cultivate deeply, it is really not easy. Zhou Lixian is also the most incapable of starting the Indian market.