Chapter 617 Jobs' Attitude

In Emeryville, California, in the playground-like lounge area of ​​Pixar Studios, Steve Jobs, who has improved significantly, is sitting at a small table with John Lasseter, flipping through a newspaper.

""Shrek 2" won the box office championship again, and "Troy" opened less than expected!"

Steve Jobs pushed down the disc glasses and looked at the box office figures specifically. The former was $72.3 million, while the latter was only $46.85 million.

"Do you know how much it cost to make 'Troy'?" Steve Jobs asked.

John Lasseter said: "Warner Bros. put it at $175 million."

Steve Jobs continued to read the newspapers. Due to the relationship with Pixar Studios, he knew a little bit about Hollywood. From the perspective of input-output ratio, "Troy" seems to be inferior to "Van Helsing" which released squibs in the first weekend of the summer vacation. ".

"This summer is a bit special." Jobs said slowly: "The two big-budget live-action movies are not considered successful."

John Lasseter smiled and said, "It would be nice if these two films can recover their costs within two years."

Steve Jobs' words are very jumping: "The publisher of "Shrek 2" is Embassy Pictures, right?"

"Embassy Pictures," John Lasseter reminded. "Ronan Anderson's Embassy Pictures."

Steve Jobs put down the newspaper: "John, tell me about the distribution of Embassy Pictures."

John Lasseter knew why the boss asked this question, and immediately said: "Embassy Pictures' theatrical distribution capabilities are very strong. At the beginning of this year, Paramount Pictures used an exclusive screening strategy against Embassy Pictures, but Embassy Pictures The blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ" released easily defeated Paramount. The animated feature film we care about the most, "Shrek 2" opened in North America, and Embassy Pictures won more than 4,200 theaters. The number has increased to nearly 4,400, even if "Shrek 2" is handed over to the six major companies, it is nothing more than that."

Steve Jobs went on to ask, "What about overseas?"

"At present, there are more than 100 overseas markets that have been confirmed to be released." John Lasseter is somewhat admirable: "Embassy Pictures' overseas channels are very complete."

He glanced at Steve Jobs, and said: "The embassy film industry in the offline channel is also doing well. It is indeed not as good as Disney, but Disney was an animation producer before.

After many years of accumulation, it is normal for Embassy Pictures to be inferior to them. However, compared with other companies, Embassy Pictures' offline channel performance in releasing the two "Shrek" movies is not bad at all. "

Steve Jobs suddenly smiled: "John, are you optimistic about Embassy Pictures?"

Although facing a genius with a strange personality, the two have also been partners for more than ten years. John Lasseter does not hide his thoughts: "We want to solve the pressure from Disney and Michael Eisner, There's no better way than to bring in a new distribution partner."

"Embassy Pictures right?" Steve Jobs seemed to be asking John Lasseter, more like himself.

John Last lowered his voice: "We have contacted other members of the six major companies. Ed is still negotiating with Warner Bros. The conditions they offer are not much better than Disney. The manufacturers downstream of the chain, the Big Six are not only arrogant, but also very greedy."

Steve Jobs didn't answer, but motioned for John Lasseter to continue.

John Lasseter said: "I talked to Ronan Anderson of Embassy Films. Ronan Anderson is a gentler person, which can be confirmed from the Robert Iger he uses. In addition, this person is famous in the circle. It is famous for its credibility and commitment, as long as we negotiate the terms with him, there is no need to worry too much about him going back on his word and cooperating with Disney instead."

Seeing that Steve Jobs still had no intention of opening his mouth, John Lasseter continued: "Embassy Pictures is not a big six company, but an emerging distribution company. If it wants to attract cooperation from Pixar Studios, it must offer Much higher than Disney's conditions."

After talking with Ronan Anderson, John Lasseter focused on understanding and researching Embassy Pictures, and found that this might be a more suitable partner for Pixar after getting rid of Disney.

John Lasseter was also fed up with Walt Disney's insatiable greed, and continued: "A lot of the troubles that Embassy Pictures and Ronan Anderson's Relativity Entertainment Group have encountered recently are related to the Big Six companies. It is different from the Big Six companies, and even stands on the opposite side of the Big Six, which is consistent with Pixar Studios’ position.”

Steve Jobs said: "Pixar Studio has never stood against the six major companies." He suddenly said: "When Ronan Anderson went to Apple to change the share registration, I met Ronan Anderson and talked He talked in depth, and that's when Ronan Anderson hinted that he wanted to work with Pixar."

John Lasseter asked: "Was that two years ago?"

Steve Jobs did not answer, but said: "I know Embassy Pictures, and I know something about it and Ronan Anderson. Do you know why I haven't contacted Embassy Pictures? Even Ronan Anderson wants to see him several times. Me, I pushed it all away."

John Lasseter puzzled: "Why?"

Steve Jobs said slowly: "I can't easily let Pixar Studio stand on the opposite side of the six major companies. The development of entertainment based on the theory of relativity will inevitably attract the suppression of the six major companies, just like they did to DreamWorks. If We have become partners with Relativity Entertainment, and we are bound to be implicated."

"What you said makes a lot of sense, Steve." Edwin Kamut, the CEO of Pixar, came close to the two: "But there is one thing you overlooked. The development momentum of Relativity Entertainment is very stable now. The troubles created by the company did not drag them down."

John Last, as the actual head of Pixar's animation production business, really put up with Disney enough, saying: "We watched Disney take most of the income from Pixar's works, but there was nothing we could do. How long will we have to wait? Pixar work Pixar is known as the number one animation studio in Hollywood, but Steve, Ed, we all know how fragile Pixar's cash flow is!"

Edwin Kamtra opened his chair and sat down: "Michael Eisner will not give Pixar a chance to turn around. Pixar is just Disney's sweatshop."

In the 1990s, Pixar Studios and Steve Jobs had no money or resources, and the cooperation agreement signed with Walt Disney was the root cause of all this.

The agreement stipulates that Walt Disney will provide part of the investment for Pixar Studios, and Pixar Studios will hand over the next seven animated feature films (excluding sequels) to Disney Pictures for distribution.

These seem to be normal, what is abnormal is the almost harsh division rules.

According to the agreement, the two parties equally distribute the box office, TV copyright income and DVD video income of the animated feature film, but Disney enjoys the final copyright of the film and all other offline income. In addition, Disney has the final say on the planning of the sequel of the animated film.

Pixar studios can only watch the peripheral products that make up the bulk of animation film income!

Steve Jobs thought about it for a long time, looked first at John Lasseter, then at Edwin Kamut, and said, "John, you are keeping in touch with Ronan Anderson, I will not Get in touch with him. Ed, you're staring at Relativity Entertainment Group and Embassy Pictures, and the relationship between them and the Big Six..."

He emphasized: "Pixar Studio is our painstaking effort. Even though I hate Michael Eisner to the extreme, I still endure Disney's exploitation. I just don't want our hard work to be wasted because of rash moves. When I was young, I did I made a lot of impulsive decisions, but with my age and physical condition, there is no time to do it all over again."

Thinking of Steve Jobs' illness and physical condition, John Lasseter and Edwin Kamut looked gloomy.

"Don't worry, Steve." Edwin Kamut said: "We will definitely let Pixar Studio continue to develop and become the top in the industry!"

In Burbank, Los Angeles, the relocation of Relativity Entertainment is in the final stage. Ronan is also cleaning up the office. All important documents are specially sealed in safes. Like his notebook for recording thoughts, he brought them back to Future World Manor and stored them in a huge In the underground vault.

In this regard, Ronan was more careful and never allowed accidents to happen.

After leaving the underground vault, he took the towel sent by the housekeeper Nikia and wiped his hands. Ronan received a call from Pixar studio John Lasseter.

John Lasseter said that he conveyed Ronan's greetings to Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs was very happy, because his physical condition was not allowed due to his illness, and he specially asked him to convey his apology for not being able to meet immediately.

It was no secret that Steve Jobs had pancreatic cancer, and Ronan could only accept the apology graciously.

After the formulaic chat, the two parties ended the call.

Ronan is well aware that there is still a long way to go between Relativity Entertainment and Pixar Studios.

Don't rush! Don't be anxious! Ronan is also telling himself, be more stable, the plan is advancing step by step.

Steve Jobs was not so easy to deal with. Although Steve Jobs' net worth was not that rich compared to his great fame, he must not be underestimated.

Putting down his cell phone, Ronan was just about to go upstairs when Nikia suddenly said, "Recently, several security personnel responded that through the surveillance installed in a hidden place, they found that there were more people moving around the manor."

"Huh?" Ronan was curious. Although Beverly Hills is quiet, it is not lacking in popularity. Future World Manor is close to Mulholland Drive and Beverly Park, and people often have activities nearby.

Nikia added: "It's a bit unusual."