Hollywood Hunter

On February 23, the second day of Simon's low-key 25th birthday, the most important company annual report of the Westeros system was released.

In 1992, Daenerys Entertainment achieved a total revenue of US$12.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of 37%. The annual net profit was US$710 million. Compared with the net profit of US$270 million in 1991, an increase of 260%. At the same time, Daenerys Entertainment Group's debt scale has also been greatly reduced again, from last year's 7.8 billion US dollars to 7.1 billion US dollars.

With annual revenue of US$12.7 billion, Daenerys Entertainment's position as the largest media group in North America and even the world has been firmly established.

Such dazzling revenue data is mainly for the overall growth of Daenerys Entertainment, film and television entertainment, theme parks, consumer peripherals and other businesses. The movie business still plays a very obvious locomotive effect.

The net profit of 710 million US dollars, although the net profit margin is only 5.6% compared to revenue, it also exceeds that of several other Hollywood studios.

Moreover, the reason why the profit rate is so low is mainly for the consideration of reducing debt and corporate expansion.

In fact, if you want, Daenerys Entertainment's overall debt can be reduced to less than 7 billion US dollars. However, Simon did not do this. Maintaining an appropriate debt ratio can help companies offset a large part of their taxes. As a non-listed company, this is also the best channel to maintain connections with capital from all walks of life.

Simon has always been very clear that Daenerys Entertainment's edge has become more and more prosperous, and the foundation of the entire Westeros system is definitely not solid. At this time, many things must be as cautious as possible.

In order to pave the way for the listing next year, Daenerys Entertainment soon released detailed data on the Eaglet portal after the financial report, which triggered reprints and discussions in traditional media.

The $12.7 billion in revenue not only surpassed Time Warner's $11.9 billion in revenue in the last fiscal year, but also far removed the seven major Hollywood studios.

Take Columbia Pictures as an example. This large studio controlled by Sony has had a total revenue of only $2.6 billion in the past four quarters, which is equivalent to only one-fifth of Daenerys Entertainment’s revenue. One. Other companies such as Fox, Paramount, Disney, etc., are also far away from Daenerys Entertainment.

Amidst the outside discussion, Daenerys Entertainment also proactively once again released the news of the upcoming IPO, which quickly attracted more attention.

The planned stock listing date is the summer of next year. However, with the announcement of the new annual financial report, Daenerys Entertainment also began preparations for next year's IPO more than a year in advance.

Big Macs with revenues of tens of billions of dollars, according to the latest Fortune 500 data, have noticed that they are ranked among the top 30 in the United States, and, tied with Daenerys Entertainment, basically They are all established giants with decades of accumulated history, and their growth momentum is far from comparable to that of Daenerys Entertainment, which is still thriving.

At the same time, the overall growth rate of the global entertainment industry is also very rapid, which makes Daenerys Entertainment in a very good industrial environment.

When "Forbes" counted Simon's personal wealth last year, it had already valued Daenerys Entertainment at $30 billion.

According to the latest 1992 financial report data released by Daenerys Entertainment, the $30 billion valuation seems to be high, but it is not an exaggeration.

If it weren't for Daenerys Entertainment to put a lot of energy on corporate expansion and debt reduction, Daenerys Entertainment's net profit margin is enough to reach more than 15%. According to the revenue of 12.7 billion U.S. dollars, a net profit margin of 15% means an annual net profit of 1.9 billion U.S. dollars.

The net profit scale of US$1.9 billion compared with the valuation of US$30 billion is roughly equivalent to a price-earnings ratio of 15 times.

For a company with an annual growth rate of 37%, the IPO valuation of 15 times the price-to-earnings ratio can be said to be very low. After the U.S. stock market has recovered in the last two years, both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq have averaged more than 15 times earnings.

The listing of a US$30 billion company will undoubtedly become the largest IPO in North America in the past decade.

Daenerys Studios.

In the past two days, the group's senior management has been holding a summary meeting around the newly released financial report, and has made brand-new planning adjustments for the company's development in the new year.

After the previous two years of integration, Daenerys Entertainment has basically digested the previous MCA, and the company's expansion and deployment in various fields have basically been completed. Since there will be an IPO in the middle of next year, Simon plans to produce an excellent financial report that can truly reflect the profitability of Daenerys Entertainment in 1993.

This is actually something that many companies will do in the IPO process.

At five o'clock in the afternoon, the two-day meeting ended, but Simon could not get off work immediately.

Back in his office, Ella Deutschman was already waiting for Simon.

The 43rd Berlin Film Festival, which lasts for 11 days, has officially closed on February 22. Daenerys Entertainment's "Wedding Banquet" won the Golden Bear Award of this film festival just like the original time and space. The difference is that in the past history, "The Wedding Banquet" was awarded together with another Chinese film "The Fragrant Soul Girl". This time, the award-winning work was only "The Wedding Banquet.

Because "The Wedding Banquet" is a work under Gaomen Films, it is easy for the media to link Simon's attendance at the opening ceremony of the film festival with the film's award, and accuse the Berlin Film Festival of the existence of an inside story.

However, the award results have been released, and the quality of "The Wedding Banquet" is excellent enough. This kind of controversy is destined to not cause too many waves. After some years, the outside world will only remember that "The Wedding Banquet" won the 1993 Berlin Film Festival Golden Bear Award. , This is the winner and loser.

As for whether there is really insider information?

Of course it exists.

In recent years, Gaomen Films has become the best cooperative company for art films. The organizers of the festival may not be able to influence the judges who are already small achievements, but Gaomen Films can.

Unless they are completely disinterested in Oscars, Cannes, Venice, or Berlin, it is impossible for these judges to be biased in the judging process.

The key to why the film produced by Miramax in the original time and space can run rampant at the Oscars and major film festivals is this.

The current Gaomen Pictures is more powerful than the former Miramax.

Therefore, you don't even need to deliberately manipulate anything. As long as it is not a judge who has no fame and fortune, in the award process, Daenerys Entertainment's projects will definitely be given special consideration.

Through some close contacts, Daenerys Entertainment can also get the voting information of the judges that is usually not publicly available. It is clear who agrees and who opposes it at a glance.

Of course, the basis of all this is that the films produced by Gaomen Pictures are excellent enough. Otherwise, Simon himself would not allow the smashing of signs to happen.

Not only that, after receiving the Golden Bear Award this year, Gaomen Pictures will not plan to get the highest award in the next one or two years. Turning a film festival into your own ‘back garden’ is definitely not a good choice.

With the Golden Bear, the Gaomen Films team also began to promote the "Wedding Banquet", which is expected to be officially launched in North American theaters on March 6.

It won the award on February 22 and was released on March 6. Although the planned number of screens is only about 200, it still shows Daenerys Entertainment's growing distribution capabilities.

If it is other second- and third-tier distributors, the film won the prize, gets the copyright, arranges the schedule, starts the announcement, all kinds of tossing down, maybe half a year has passed, by then, the enthusiasm of the Golden Bear has already cooled down.

Moreover, the release schedule of "Wedding Banquet" was made on the day of the Golden Bear Award on February 22.

Even with full confidence, no one can guarantee 100% of the award before the award is announced. Once the award fails, another set of issuance strategies must be adopted. The schedule in early March may be out of date.

Simon already knew about the various arrangements on the closing day of the Berlin Film Festival, and today I was discussing with Deutschman about the tentative name film industry (WorkingTitleFilms).

Because it has not been able to find a gold master that can be linked, the temporary name film industry has basically existed in a state of a leather company in these years, which is worse than Miramax, who was just completely killed by Simon.

The two partners of the tentative name of the film industry, Tim Bevan and Sarah Radcliffe, do not even have a more formal office space. In recent years, they have basically held a few projects in their hands. Raise funds, invest in production, and personally distribute it. Basically, one movie is produced a year. Naturally, there is not much income, just a hard money.

Simon took a fancy to the script of "Blood Romeo" recommended by Tim Bevan, and asked Ella Deutschman to owe two people, Tim Bevan and Sarah Radcliffe finally I found the'organization'.

As for the tentative name film industry, Simon has no plans to develop another sub-label. Therefore, the two only signed a contract to become a regular producer under Gaomen Pictures.

Moreover, from the script provided by the two, Simon also successfully found "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

After all, the British film circle is not big. Since the original script, which was not favored at first, fell into the hands of the two, this time it is not surprising. Not only that, Simon also saw another script from the hands of the two, "Death Row".

"Death Row" is a screenplay adapted from a true story, telling the story of the nun Helen gradually discovering the truth of the incident during the communication with the death row inmate Matthew.

In the original time and space, "Death Row" starring Tim Robbins, became the Oscar-nominated favorite in 1996, and put Susan Sarandon on the throne of the actress. Of course, the film's box office performance was also very good.

Simon has no memory of "Blood Romeo", but can find "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Death Row" from the producers of Tim Bevan and Sarah Radcliffe. Two excellent scripts can already confirm the vision of the two producers, and the excellent performance of the original time and space tentative name film industry at the box office and awards also proves their abilities.

It can be said that signing these two people under Daenerys Entertainment's banner is even more worthwhile than winning two dark horse projects.

Although two scripts of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Death Row" were discovered, Simon did not start all these things in a single brain.

Counting "Blood Romeo" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral", Simon chose a romance film "Love Be the Depth of My Heart" from the scripts held by the two, making up three movies. Give it to two people. "Death Row" will be postponed.

Among the three films, "Romeo on Blood" is very uncertain, "Love is in the depths of my heart" is just a superscript, and the key is "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

These are of course not for outsiders.

Ella Deutschman's most important thing is obviously "Romeo on Blood".

Quentin’s last "Falling Dog" cost 1.5 million US dollars to produce, which is different from the original tactical mistakes in time and space. This time, relying on the release of Gaomen Films, it has won more than 40 million US dollars in box office worldwide. Therefore, The next work of this new director has always been valued by Gaomen Films.

The reason why the second film has not been launched is mainly because no suitable script has been found.

Quentin himself was not too satisfied with the "True Romance". After seeing "Blood Romeo", he raised some interest. However, Quentin also asked to modify the script of "Blood Romeo" personally. Adapt to his own style.

The project was selected by Simon himself. If you want to modify it, you naturally need to get Simon's approval.

Simon himself naturally has no objection. During the process of reading the script of "Blood Romeo", he also felt that if Quentin were to shoot the story, the story obviously lacked some of the other party's nagging style.

Although he values ​​"Romeo on Blood" more seriously, out of instinctive trust in Simon's eyes, Ella Deutschman did not ignore "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Love Is in the Deep of My Heart", and personally analyzed The advantages of the two scripts.

"Four Weddings and a Funeral" is full of typical British humor, and it should be able to be made into a comedy like the original "A Fish Named Wanda".

As for "Love is Deep in My Heart", the selling point should be polar romance. This is a story that happened in the Arctic Circle.

Therefore, according to preliminary statistics, the production cost of "Love Is in My Heart" is the highest if I want to shoot the three films well. Because of the Arctic shooting and the selection of a good main creative team, the production cost may reach 2000 Ten thousand U.S. dollars. As an emerging and cutting-edge style director, "Romeo in Blood" costs 15 million US dollars to produce.

In the final "Four Weddings and One Funeral", Simon and Deutschman agreed and only gave a production budget of $5 million.

The discussion about the two producers and three film projects lasted for an hour. At six o'clock, Doichman was sent away, and Girl A, Alison, walked into the office.

The female assistant was pregnant and had to reduce her workload. After several considerations, Alison was transferred to Simon's second assistant.

Although the identity is a maid, Alison has assisted Janet in managing the various affairs of Westeros in recent years, which is actually equivalent to the nature of Janet’s assistant. At this time, he came to Simon’s second assistant in terms of ability. It seems to be comfortable.