Chapter 88 The First Fire (Big Chapter)

"Boss, there are results. Focus Pictures is well-known in the industry. Its predecessor was Good Machine Company, which was established in 1991. The new company was established in 2004. It is now affiliated to Universal Pictures. The most valuable copyright under the company's name is Two masterpieces, Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, have a total of more than 60 film libraries, and have a good relationship with Chinese director Li An, and almost arranged the production and distribution of all Li An's films, and the actual assets are worth about 30-40 million US dollars."

Yang Cheng, Ruiz, and Eddie were drinking red wine and chatting in the top office, chatting from Wall Street to Hollywood, from country Z to the United States, and before night fell, they even called a chef from a nearby hotel when they chatted , in the small kitchen next to Yang Cheng's office, a table of delicious food was cooked on the spot, and the master and servant enjoyed it happily.

Ruiz reported the results of the investigation to Yang Cheng. Yang Cheng only drank two glasses of wine, his head was very clear, and he didn't open his mouth to buy it because of the price of 340 million. He heard the important point, Focus Pictures is in the hands of Universal.

MMP, he finally understood the reason why Li An was able to gain popularity in the discriminatory environment of Hollywood.

This matter is difficult to handle. The two films of Fifty Shades of Gray have a box office of nearly 1 billion US dollars worldwide. The cost of the first production is 40 million US dollars in publicity. In fact, the total cost of publicity and distribution is only 40 million US dollars. Everyone in the first movie knows that there are no big scenes in the whole movie that need to spend a lot of money, and how much it can cost to set up an S-M secret room.

Money is touching, and a net profit of more than 9 figures is enough for Yang Cheng to take some risks, such as offending Universal?

"Is Universal Focus Pictures a holding company?" Yang Cheng sipped the red wine with greedy desire in his eyes.

"No, the founder of Focus Pictures would not be willing to work for others, it should just be a global shareholding." Riz Khan is different from other Indians, and may be related to mixed blood, and has radical factors in his bones.

Eddie also let go of his literati airs, and his suit jacket disappeared. He held a plate of French fries that the chef had specially fried for him, dipped in mayonnaise, stuffed them into his mouth one by one, and said vaguely, "I and Focus Movie I have had contact with James Shammers, the CEO of the industry, this person is extremely arrogant, if he hadn't been forced to do nothing back then, he would not have accepted Universal's security."

Yang Cheng and Ruiz were curious, "How to say?"

"James Summers, a typical fascist in Hollywood, is old-fashioned and proud. He often plays with red sofas during auditions. Not every actress in this era is submissive. Once something happened and he was mastered." In the end, Universal came forward to help him settle the matter, and paid for part of the shares of Focus Pictures and the position of chairman.” Eddie recalled the scene when he met James Deserts.

Ruiz thoughtfully suggested to Yang Cheng, "So this person has a lot of weaknesses, boss, why don't you check it out? First get the shares in his hand and then talk about it."

"Well, check it out carefully, and it's best to take down Focus Pictures before Fifty Shades of Gray finishes shooting the film." Yang Cheng nodded in affirmation of Ruiz's suggestion.

Eddie had French fries in his mouth, "Boss, are you so optimistic about Fifty Shades of Grey? You must know that there are many cases in Hollywood where adaptations of popular novels hit the streets."

Yang Cheng smiled, "No project is 100% profitable, but the selling point of this novel is different. This is a novel that can stimulate people's primitive desires. If it is put on the big screen, the text will become video. The large-scale passionate scenes will definitely drive young men and women crazy."

"I agree with the boss's point of view, and I would like to add that this novel is not just one novel, but a whole series. As long as we give enough profits, we can completely tempt the author to write it forever."

Ruiz paused, and with a mocking smile, he said to Eddie, "And Eddie, you should know better than me as a writer. Even a layman like me can see that this novel has no literary or artistic nature at all.

The words are not obscure, even the most common vernacular, middle school students can write, if the author dares to speak up, we can even get rid of him, find someone to write a rumor, firmly grasp the right to adapt the film, and become Ordered golden rooster. "

Ruiz's words were inserted into Yang Cheng's stomach, and he felt comfortable listening to him. He likes this kind of serious person who collects money in his arms the most. It's so appetizing.

Eddie also replied with a lewd smile, "That's right, those who like this kind of movie don't care about the plot, the confrontation between the whip and the body is the key point, as long as the plot is not too bad, you can accept it."

Is this old man drunk? Or is it really a second spring?

"OK, that's it. I'll let you handle the matter of Ryze, and I'll handle the acquisition funds. Eddie, you know a lot of acquaintances in Los Angeles. If Ryze needs it, please cooperate." Yang Cheng finally The decision was made, and the plan to snatch food from the tiger's mouth was set.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the tiger's mouth is preying on food, and Universal is by no means friendly.

In the next two days, Yang Cheng’s life was like the weather in New York, sunny and windless, every morning he went to Central Park for morning exercises, arrived at the company on time at 9 o’clock, and successively met with the management of the Internet department of the Forum Publishing Company and the project leader of the “Toutiao” app project People, expressing the importance the head office attaches to the project.

And promised a lot of money to encourage the staff of the project team to complete the research and development and launch it to the market as quickly as possible under the premise of ensuring quality and quantity, and strive to catch up with the GC that Forum Publishing Company is about to set off, and take advantage of this wave of enthusiasm to occupy the market in one fell swoop.

It's Yang Cheng's heart that is afraid. There is no difficulty in the development of this type of app. If you can't land on the beach in the first place and set up a large base, wait for technology giants like Google to smell the ink of dollar bills. Wei brought a large sum of money into the arena, so how could Yang Cheng and the others have room to play?

. . . . . .

Until August 6, the latest issue of the Los Angeles Times published a headline on the front page, titled "Is this woman a genius? Or a liar?"

Below the title is a photo of Elizabeth Holmes on the cover of Uniform Magazine.

At the beginning of the article, an exclamation sentence caught the readers' attention, "The star unicorn company with so many stars is really a fraud group that everyone can punish!"

The article reads, “Theranos’s female CEO, Holmes, created the original blood drop instead of blood test technology, which was once considered to overturn the blood test industry of nearly 80 billion US dollars, and was valued at 9 billion US dollars. Ten venture capital firms favored, at that time, the world reported the news of this self-made gifted woman.

Even former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has received numerous audiences, has repeatedly praised Holmes as synonymous with elegance and beauty in public speeches, but her beauty is still not as good as her wisdom.

Indeed, Holmes's wisdom is far beyond that of ordinary people. She used her own wisdom to compose a story that even deceived herself to deceive the whole world.

In fact, the blood test technology claimed by Holmes is empty talk without any scientific basis.

This so-called blood test technology is miniaturized, painless, and non-invasive. Patients do not need to go to the hospital. As long as they buy a Theranos device and take a few drops of blood from their fingertips, the test results will be available within 4 hours.

What does this mean?

It means that if all levels of medical systems and insurance companies in the United States fully adopt this technology, it will save hundreds of billions of dollars in at least the next ten years, and it also means that this is a project with a return on investment of more than 100 times.

How could Wall Street not be crazy about it?

However, no one has ever thought about why this company, which was established in 2003 according to official information, has been unknown for more than ten years since it has such a disruptive technology in its hands. "

Yang Cheng arrived at the company early this morning. There was already a freshly released Los Angeles Times on the desk in the office. She didn't take off her coat. The tea Lin Susu made for him was thrown aside. The smile on the face became more obvious. When I read this question, I couldn't help but read it out, "Yes? Why is that?"

Continue to read, "Out of professional sensitivity, the editor of this article took the responsibility of disclosing the facts to the public, made open and secret investigations, and finally learned a disturbing fact from several conscientious employees of Theranos Company.

Theranos has been in a regulatory gray area for more than ten years, because the company's self-made testing equipment can avoid FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) inspection as long as it is not in the market.

The results obtained by its blood testing technology not only have problems in stability, precision and accuracy, but also a large number of tests in the experiment are carried out on traditional equipment purchased from outside companies such as Siemens, which is not an independent innovation at all. .

One of the anonymous employees told the editor that theranos technology can only detect 15 blood results, not more than 240 in the propaganda. "

The following article questioned the authenticity of Theranos' original blood test technology from various aspects, but the cunning Eddie did not directly show the relevant evidence, but used a series of question marks and teasing words to create a false impression for the outside world. We don't have the evidence, so hurry up and sue us?

Just like in a movie, the villain always knocks the protagonist down and then turns on the taunting mode, leaning his face to provoke the protagonist, "Hit me? Hurry up and hit me?"

The cheap expression usually doesn't end well in the end, but it's a movie after all, Yang Cheng doesn't think Eddie's behavior will ruin his character. , so it's not accurate for one dozen?

Hansen used a lot of means to get the real evidence of the Theranos company's fraud and the certificates issued by the relevant departments. Elizabeth Holmes will undoubtedly lose in the court, and he also helped the Los Angeles Times to spread a wave of publicity for free.

Putting down the newspaper, Yang Cheng sipped the green tea leisurely, wondering if it was because of her good mood, the tea today was extraordinarily fragrant and had an extraordinarily long aftertaste.

Just as he was about to call Eddie to inquire about today's sales in the Los Angeles Times, the phone rang first.

"Hello, this is Jason Yang." I didn't even look at the caller ID, and my eyes were fixed on the angelic face of Elizabeth Holmes in the newspaper. Those who didn't know thought that Yang Cheng had a crush on her.

"Jason, it's me!" With a familiar voice, Yang Cheng raised his eyebrows and took the phone away from his ear, and glanced at the name on the screen, David Ellison.

"Oh, David, you didn't call me so early to play with me, did you?" Yang Cheng joked.

Unexpectedly, David Ellison did not accept it, but said solemnly, "Jason, withdraw today's report."

Yang Cheng frowned dissatisfied, "What report are you talking about?"

"Come on, buddy, don't be stupid, who doesn't know that you bought Tribune Publishing, and the Los Angeles Times is your name?"

Yang Cheng's brows became tighter and tighter, and her voice became cold, "Are you teaching me how to do things? David!"

"Jason, I'm not discussing with you, but I'm telling you to take down Elizabeth Holmes' report." David's tone that could almost be called an order made Yang Cheng furious.

Teng stood up and yelled into the phone, "fuck, David, are you fucking high on drugs? This is a newspaper that has sold more than a million copies. It's not that Yahoo News can withdraw it if it says it can be withdrawn, and even if it can be withdrawn, I will withdraw it." Will not withdraw."

The other side was silent for a few seconds, "Jason, calm down, well, I apologize for my tone, but I have to tell you that someone else asked me to make this call, and I sincerely advise you, It’s fine if you can’t get the newspaper back, it’s good for you to find a way to use other news to divert the public’s attention.”

Yang Cheng was not dazzled by the victory, he was very sober. From the first sentence David Ellison said, he realized that this matter might have touched the beard of a certain boss.

Supporting the table, focusing on the pattern of the carpet, he quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind, and asked, "David, thank you for your reminder, if possible, can you tell me who asked you to make this call. "

There seemed to be a murmuring sound coming from the opposite side. It is estimated that Yang Cheng had covered the phone's microphone, but Yang Cheng didn't hear it clearly. After waiting for more than a minute, David Ellison gave the answer that disappointed Yang Cheng, " Sorry Jason, I can only tell you that Elizabeth once attended the most mysterious party in Silicon Valley, and theranos company also has my father's shares in it."

Yang Cheng gritted her molars and said, "Okay, thank you, I will seriously consider it."

Hanging up the phone, the phone rang again before it cooled down. Undoubtedly, the incoming call at this time gave Yang Cheng an ominous premonition. After hesitating for a while, she still connected the phone, put it to her ear, and waited for the other party to speak first.

"Jason? I'm Jerry Kushler."

"Hey, Jerry, what's the matter with calling?" Yang Cheng's little heart sank to the bottom of the valley in an instant as if he had jumped off a building.

"It's nothing, I just want to congratulate you, isn't the Los Angeles Times selling like crazy today?" Jerry's voice sounded normal, did Yang Cheng think too much?

How is this possible? Yang Cheng's premonition was very accurate. As expected, Jerry said without waiting for Yang Cheng's answer, "But the report on the front page was a foul."

"What do you mean?" Yang Cheng didn't understand what the foul Jerry was referring to.

"Hehe, once the news from the Los Angeles Times is confirmed, it will not destroy Elizabeth's job alone." Jerry chuckled, as if he was not angry because Yang Cheng reported his friend's scandal.

Yang Cheng scratched his scalp to let the blood flow, "Damn it, Theranos is just a company with a valuation of 9 billion US dollars, why go to war like this?"

Jerry snorted and asked, "Anyone else called you?"

"Well, the phone number from Silicon Valley." Yang Cheng didn't hide anything, but he didn't reveal David Ellison's name either.

"Oh, no wonder, Jason, if you need, I can help you, and we can talk about the election by the way." If it weren't for the last sentence, Yang Cheng would almost be grateful.

As a result, I talked nonsense for a long time, and the last sentence was the key point.

Yang Cheng was not fooled. Just a few seconds after Jerry spoke, a message suddenly flashed in his mind about the family background of Elizabeth Holmes. With a curved line at the corner of his mouth, he said relaxedly, "Thank you, Jie Ray, I think I can sort this out myself."