Chapter 446 Future Planning

Another week passed quickly. During this week, Mike took time to go to Columbia University to handle the school leaving procedures and became a real free man.

On the other side, Peggy also left school and set up an intelligent laboratory on the third floor of the luxury villa.

It is dedicated to the research of her first generation of intelligent robots.

"Mike, the style of our third album has not been determined yet. Midsummer is coming soon. What do you think we should do?" In the luxury villa, Regina and her two sisters pestered Mike, who was "doing nothing".

The great success of the girls' first two albums made the Devil Body the hottest girl group at the moment.

But like all the stars who became popular overnight, the girls' careers have reached a bottleneck period.

The "Miracle" agency, which was not sure to help the girls create a third classic album, had already thought of letting them enter the film and television industry.

Trying to change the track to keep the Devil Body Group hot.

But the girls were not very interested in acting, so they found Mike, who was free, and asked him to help them find a solution.

"Your group has been popular for two years, and the audience is about to reach the "aesthetic" fatigue period." Mike gave the girls a serious analysis: "If you want to maintain your status, or even go further, then the third album must go the golden song route. Sing some timeless good songs like "Scarborough Fair"..."

The girls' group has actually touched the threshold of first-line stars. If they want to become superstars, they still have a long way to go.

During this period, they still need to accumulate a lot of good works.

Regina and the other three girls obviously knew this, so they all looked at Mike eagerly.

Like a fledgling waiting to be fed.

"No, your company doesn't have any arrangements?" Although it feels good to be trusted by beautiful girls, and Mike does have a lot of good songs suitable for girls.

But if you want to push a girl group to the throne of "super giant", it is not as simple as just good works. The group style, personality, topicality, etc. all need to be strictly controlled.

"The company doesn't have any good songs, so they're going to let us make a transition and try to act in some dramas first." Regina seized the opportunity to complain, obviously not very interested in acting.

On the side, Karen and Gretchen were in similar situations.

But this is easy to understand. None of the three girls had systematically studied acting. Now they suddenly developed a new track, and if they didn't do it well, they would consume the popularity they had accumulated in the past two years.

"Then your company is really ridiculous..." Mike shook his head.

It's not that the girls can't act. After all, they are so beautiful, and there's nothing wrong with singing after being good at acting.

But now is not the right time.

The girls have just established their foothold in the field of singing with two high-quality albums. It's not reasonable to change the track in a hurry instead of stabilizing their position in the music industry with the third album.

Of course, it may also be because the girls only signed a four-year contract with the agency, and now there is only more than a year left in the contract, so the agency wants to speed up cashing out and take the opportunity to make more money.

If this is the case, then Miracle Company is too unkind.

You know, the girls' rapid popularity in the past two years has little to do with them.

To put it bluntly, the experience company actually only provided the girls with a starting stage, and the rest of the role was almost negligible.

The girls' popularity in the past two years has already earned a lot of profits for the company.

For Miracle Company, it is equivalent to making money while sitting.

As a result, now, they have made a "killing the chicken to get the eggs" operation.

Whether it is insufficient ability or bad means.

In short, Mike has a very bad impression of the current Miracle Agency.

"Mr. Mike Randy found downstairs and said he wanted to see you..." At this time, Lina, who stayed in the villa as a "little nanny", came to the living room on the third floor.

"Mr. Randy? The drama club teacher in high school?" Mike, whose train of thought was interrupted, asked.

"Yes, he looks quite anxious..." Lina nodded.

Mr. Randy quit his job as a teacher of the Melford High School Drama Club three years ago and came to Apple City alone to work hard and want to enter the directing industry.

But three years have passed, and it seems that there is no improvement.

"Let's go, call Peggy, let's go see Mr. Randy." Mike's attitude towards this old acquaintance, the drama club teacher, was quite enthusiastic.

So, Peggy, who was reluctant to leave the laboratory, was pulled out, and the group came to the downstairs of the luxury villa.

At the door, Mr. Randy, standing in front of a refurbished second-hand sports car, was admiring the luxury villa in front of him with envy.

It is the life dream of many middle-aged people to own an independent villa in the center of Wall Street.

"Oh, you are Regina, Gretchen and Karen. The devil figure has been so popular in the past two years. And your songs are very nice~" Like a middle-aged man whose edges have been smoothed by life, Mr. Randy greeted him with a smile when he saw the door of the villa open.

He unexpectedly met the three big stars of the devil figure group here, and he praised them.

"You are Peggy, you are getting more and more beautiful, I almost didn't recognize you..."

Then, he recognized Peggy, who had fully grown her hair, and was no less beautiful than Regina's three big stars. She also made complimentary witticisms one after another.

"Mike, you are getting more and more handsome~" Finally, Mr. Randy looked at the target he was looking for this time and tentatively opened his arms.

"Hello, Mr. Randy~" Mike smiled, hugged the other person, and joked: "You are quite blessed now."

Yes, Mr. Randy is at least twenty pounds fatter than three years ago.

The genuine brown suit he was wearing could barely cover his beer belly.

"It's a blessing to be able to eat. I have indeed gained a lot of weight." Seeing the other person making fun of himself, Mr. Randy responded with a laugh.

After some pleasantries, Mike also brought Mr. Randy into the villa.

"What do you want from me?" Mike asked after snacks and drinks were placed in the living room on the third floor.

"It's like this. I recently heard that a big Hollywood director is preparing for a big movie. Originally, I wanted to ask you to audition for the leading role in that movie. After all, you are so handsome..." Mr. Randy said , the mood slowly sunk in: "But now it seems that you may not be interested."

This Mr. Randy was very optimistic about Mike's acting talent when he was a drama teacher in Melford.

When he left school three years ago, he specially left many professional books on acting to Mike.

But things changed at any time. Looking at the luxuriously decorated villa in front of him, Mr. Randy realized that Mike didn't seem to necessarily need to earn a living from acting.

Let’s talk about Mr. Randy himself. He came to Apple City three years ago and devoted himself to the directing career with full enthusiasm. However, after only studying for a few months, he found that he was so poor that he could not even afford to eat.

Fortunately, during his most difficult time, he received help from relatives who were in the second-hand car business, so he was not hungry in Apple City.

Then to make a living, he also started a second-hand car business with his relatives. But he never gave up on his pursuit of art.

No, after hearing that a major director was raising funds for a new movie in a high-profile manner, he became enthusiastic again.

But without resources, he couldn't join the crew, and then he remembered Mike who was studying in Apple City.

Yes, Mr. Randy only knew that Mike was admitted to Columbia University, but he did not know that he was the boss behind the King Group.

This was also the reason why he was so surprised when he saw Mike's luxurious villa before.

The imaginary poor student became a rich man.

Mr. Randy estimated that his dream of becoming a celebrity agent might also be shattered.

Before he came to Mike, his idea was to become Mike's agent first and then join the crew with him.

"Big movie? What's the name?" Mike, who was not used to using mind-reading skills on his own people, didn't know that Mr. Randy, who was sitting opposite him, was thinking so much.

"'Titanic' is based on a true story and is now in the preparation stage. It is said that Director Cameron will recruit actors from all over the country. If you are willing to audition, you will definitely win the role of the male protagonist..." Talking about the situation of the new movie, Mr. Randy became energetic again, maybe he still wants to fight for it.

You know, he had gone to the Columbia University campus specifically to look for Mike. After not seeing anyone, he inquired in many ways and found out Mike's address.

The difficulty in this is not small.

"Have preparations started now for "Titanic"? But the time is about the same..." Mike sorted out the information in his mind.

If I remember correctly, this movie was shot in 1996 and released in 1997. It should be a few years away now.

However, I heard that Cameron has been preparing this movie for about six years, so the time is about the same if calculated this way.

"How about this film? Although the male and female protagonists in this film are not paid very high, it will definitely create a reputation. Do you want to consider it?" Mr. Randy began his own lobbying.

"Is it well-known?" Mike pondered for a moment, realizing that this film indeed has a lot to offer.

For example, the ending song "My Heart Will Go On" is so classic that it can be sung by the Devil's Body Troupe.

Moreover, the copyright of this film is also very profitable, and it will continue to be profitable ten or twenty years later.

As for popularity...

Ever since Mike discovered that his extraordinary level could not be improved, he noticed that fame could provide him with [the power of faith].

As a one-time consumable, [Power of Faith] has no upper limit and can be stored as a backup energy source.

Just to be a star? Just forget it.

In Mike's plan, after the Internet develops in a few years, he can use the Internet to shape himself into a successful entrepreneur, just like Bill Gates or Buffett.

It is definitely easier and more efficient to become a national "idol" and collect [Power of Faith] than to simply become a star to entertain everyone.

Of course, the pussy must also be higher.

"Forget it about the audition..." Mike, who had a plan in mind, looked at Mr. Randy and said, "But you can help me contact the crew to see if they still have enough funds."

When he heard the rejection, Mr. Landy was already disappointed, but he didn't expect that he would be able to represent capital one day. He asked excitedly: "How much money can you invest?"

Although I know that Mike, who owns a luxurious villa, may not be short of money.

But Mr. Randy is still a little worried. After all, making movies is very expensive, especially big-budget movies, which cost tens of millions or even hundreds of millions. This is not something that ordinary people can handle.

"It doesn't matter how much I can invest. It mainly depends on how much money the crew needs." Mike replied with a smile, looking very Versailles.

However, he has the confidence to say so with tens of billions of assets in the King Group.

"Okay, I'll help you contact the crew later." Seeing the confident look of the young man opposite, Mr. Randy also smiled.

"Then I'll trouble you~" Mike responded: "If this investment is successful, I will give you a surprise later."

Although Mike did not plan to be a movie star, this did not prevent him from investing in the entertainment industry.

In addition to the bad situation of the agency of the three girls of the Devil Body Group, Mike planned to set up a comprehensive agency by himself.

You can try to sign actors, singers, directors and other businesses.

Mr. Randy wants to be a director, right? If the situation is right, Mike doesn't mind giving him a chance to be a director.

...

Mr. Randy did not disappoint. He traveled to Los Angeles alone in just one week and brought back good news for Mike.

Fox is willing to allow outsiders to invest. As long as Mike invests 100 million in "Titanic", he can get 40% of the film's profits.

Fox is also an investment company, and its main business is to invest in the entertainment and film industry.

"I think you need to consider that 100 million is still too much for a movie." Randy, who knows some movie market conditions, does not think that what he brought back is good news.

Of course, from the perspective of today's market, this is indeed the case.

In the early 1990s, 100 million was not a small amount of money, but it could only get 40% of the profit from making a movie. Many people would probably be puzzled.

But this does not include Mike.

A movie that has grossed 2 billion box office in a year, investing 100 million and getting 40% of the profit, can make a lot of money no matter how you calculate it.

"Investing 100 million is not a problem, but the 40% share ratio is too low." Of course, Mike will not refuse to make more money.

As far as he knows, Fox's initial investment budget for this movie was less than 100 million, and now it is obviously transferring the risk.

Since the other party wanted to get something for nothing, Mike didn't mind cheating him a little more.

"More than 40 points is too little, and your company takes 55% of the profits. I wonder how much you plan to invest?"

In the three-party video call later, Mike targeted the agent of Fox.

The other party was a white old man, who looked a little kind and very confusing.

"I also plan to invest 100 million in the movie and be responsible for the subsequent budget overruns and other issues." The silver-haired old Morgan explained, and then continued: "Of course, if you are not satisfied with the distribution ratio, I can give you another 5 points. This is the limit of my concession..."

As he said this, the old man also made an embarrassed expression.

In fact, the real investment budget of old Morgan for this big movie was 75 million. After the new investor joined, he increased the budget for the movie.

However, in his plan, the final cost of this big movie should be between 110 million and 170 million.

And he who is responsible for the subsequent budget issues can save at least 30 million.

Being able to spend less money and make more money, old Morgan felt that he had won at least twice.

"OK, a 45% share is not bad..." Mike nodded and continued: "You should draft a contract first, and I will come to you in a few days."

If I remember correctly, the final cost of shooting this big movie was almost 300 million.

Old Morgan, who was playing tricks, thought he had made money, but in fact, he would be almost bankrupted by this investment.

"Mr. Mike, right? I wonder if you are interested in being the male lead of this movie. Your appearance is very suitable for Jack's character setting..."

After the two investor bosses finished chatting, Cameron, the chief director in the three-party video call, stared at Mike directly.

Whether it is appearance or temperament, Mike is at the top level, and the chief director can't help but be moved.

"Sorry, I'm not considering acting in a movie yet." Mike shook his head and refused.

As a boss who can enjoy comfortably, why should he suffer the hardship of shooting? Is his life too sweet?

"Well, okay! I am being presumptuous~" Cameron said, "Then I wonder if you can come and help check when the roles are selected."

With such a super handsome guy template there, the male protagonist selected at that time will not be too bad.

"Let's talk about it later!" Mike was not interested in chatting anymore.

After chatting for a few more sentences, he hung up the video call.

And Mr. Randy, who was standing next to him as an advisor, still felt a little unreal until Mike ended the video call.

"One hundred million... just spent like that?" Mr. Randy said in an uncertain tone, his voice trembling a little because of excitement.

It was at this moment that he had a new understanding of Mike's wealth.

"To be precise, the money was not spent before the contract was signed." Mike smiled and said, "By the way, I am planning to open a King Agency recently. If you are willing, you can sign under my company's name."

...