Explosive, incredibly explosive.
No one expected it to be so popular, not even Eric himself, who was astonished.
The numbers were simply too staggering; he never knew there were so many merchants in America.
In just the first week of Facebook launching its GG business, over 50,000 merchants signed GG advertising agreements with the platform.
These ranged from large e-commerce platforms like Amazon, which also engaged in GG, to smaller merchants operating only in a single city or state.
The advantage of social media is obvious: if your business is still in its early stages, operating in just a few cities, you can precisely target local bloggers and collaborate with them.
Local when needed, national when needed, and when the whole world is needed, give Facebook a few more years, and it will surely achieve that too.
Of course, it's still unclear how much money will be earned; we'll have to wait until next month's settlement. But it's expected to be substantial, given my legitimate monopoly.
Speaking of which, MySpace did contribute something; at least it showed the market that social media GG is just as effective as TV GG.
The rise of the GG business means Eric now holds another trump card.
Stealing business from TV stations and cutting off their revenue is tantamount to indirectly weakening their power.
In Eric's office in the MGM Building, Carol walked in, her large breasts prominent.
She's been dressing more revealingly lately, making people's eyes hurt, her flirtatious nature gradually showing.
She's 42 this year; although a bit older, her beautiful face and explosive figure, along with her mature charm, are still very attractive.
However, Eric hasn't had much energy to pay attention to her recently. Ever since he "swallowed" little Elizabeth Olsen a few days ago, it's been a continuous string of exhaustion.
Who understands the pain of sleeping with many women?
In the end, he was left with nothing but clear soup and plain water.
It was Nicole who showed her older sister's true colors, urging everyone to be more restrained and to please each other if they wanted to play, giving Eric some breathing room.
Sigh, it's all tears when I talk about it.
"Men, cry, cry, cry, it's not a sin; even the strongest have the right to be tired." He suddenly understood what Andy Lau's lyrics meant.
"Boss, Warren and Bema are here."
"Okay, let them in."
After making coffee for the couple, Carol closed the door and left.
Eric looked them over carefully: "I wouldn't have guessed. Are you really determined this time, kid?"
"Yes, I'm determined to lose weight. Bema will supervise me, and I've already lost 11 pounds."
"11 pounds! Why doesn't it look very noticeable?"
"Give it some time, give it some time, and you'll definitely see a muscular hunk rise. Once I lose weight, we'll get engaged. This is love!"
"I love your twisted love!" Eric subconsciously wanted to retort but luckily held back.
He chuckled, "Then congratulations in advance. Losing weight is a good thing, but I don't want you to ruin your health. Do it while paying attention to your body."
"I also don't want him to rush too much. Health is the most important; women have more experience with this kind of thing," Bema Hardy nodded.
"My dear, I love you!"
"I love you too!"
The two kissed in front of Eric, showering him with affection.
"Ugh! Enough, stop it! I feel a bit nauseous."
"If you want to get intimate, I can get you a private room; the lounge is right next door. But finish your work report first."
Knowing Eric's time was tight, the two quickly got down to business.
Warren said, "AK Films has continued its rapid growth over the past six months. The company now has 133 employees and can support 6 film crews simultaneously."
"In the first half of the year, we shot 24 films, with total costs kept under $20 million, and sales have been very good; they're all repeat customers."
"All resources in the film library have also been shared with Lionheart Network, and the purge 2 performed well at the box office, without being too affected."
"While $86 million in North America is less than the first movie, it was released in over a dozen countries overseas, grossing over $33 million, so the total box office isn't low."
"Our net profit for the first half of the year is around $91 million. In the second half, with sharknado 3 and machete, we hope to push through and exceed $200 million."
"$200 million? That much!"
Eric was a bit surprised. He usually only dedicates about 1% of his energy to AK Films and truly didn't expect the company to develop so strongly.
"That's because Lionheart Network also pays a copyright fee, and it doesn't include MGM's stake."
"However, competition this year has clearly intensified. Warner Bros. and Paramount have both established their own subsidiaries, so the market in the second half of the year should be relatively difficult."
"And relying solely on the purge and sharknado isn't sustainable; their box office potential declines each year. Although many big names are willing to cameo in machete because of you, it still depends on whether audiences buy into it."
"Actually, I've received some scripts, but I'm undecided. After all, even with cost-saving, launching them would still cost several million dollars. If you have time, you might want to review them."
Eric nodded slightly: "Pick out a few good ones and send them to my office tomorrow."
"Warren, I think the scripts for The Bucket List and juno are very interesting; Eric should be interested," Bema suggested.
"The Bucket List? juno?" The familiar names immediately made Eric's radar buzz.
"Yes, there are these two scripts, but juno's subject matter is a bit extreme, about a pregnant underage girl. It doesn't require big scenes, so production costs are easy to control, but the risk is too great. I regretted buying the script; I felt it had no future."
Hearing "underage pregnant girl," Eric was 100% certain it was the movie starring Ellen Page, later Elliot Page.
This film indeed sparked social discussion upon its release, with both box office and critical reception being very good. He vaguely remembered it winning many awards and nominations. He didn't expect the script to already be circulating on the market, so it seems to be one of those that had been suppressed for a long time.
Warren regretfully slapped his forehead: "I was tricked by that script broker. His sales pitch was very clever, leading people in circles, and I bought the script in a daze. Now that I think about it, that $900,000 was a waste."
"I'm interested."
"Huh?"
"What's wrong with being underage? Why be afraid of sensitive subject matter? Can it be more sensitive than the passion of the christ?"
"Eric, do you really think this kind of subject matter has a future?"
"It sounds quite interesting, and it's perfect for Elizabeth and Crystal. I'm considering finding suitable roles for them."
Upon hearing this, the couple exchanged glances and understood. Oh, so you don't care about making money; your goal is to spend a few million dollars to promote young girls.
Well, what else is there to say? The boss has his preferences, and whether as a brother or a subordinate, full support is a must.
"Okay, I'll send the script over this afternoon."
After Warren finished his report, Bema Hardy spoke: "BK Films has also done a lot of work over the past half-year, from establishment to officially launching operations. We currently have 77 employees and plan to recruit another batch in the second half of the year, at which point I'll submit a report to you."
"The filming of The Human Centipede and Hostel is basically complete. I consulted professionals, and their opinion is that the former is too unconventional, while the latter still has a chance of making it to the big screen."
Eric had anticipated this: "You and Volvo coordinate well. Select a release slot for Hostel soon. The Human Centipede will go the DVD and online route. I never expected that thing to disgust people in movie theaters."
"Okay, The Invisible Man and Pearl will start in the second half of the year. A Halloween release is unlikely; we'll aim for the February slot next year."
"Also, good news: we've acquired the copyright for Halloween."
"Malek Akkad finally caved?" Eric asked, taking a sip of coffee.
"Yes, getting that guy to agree wasn't easy. He's very greedy and kept sending out smokescreens, but the result is good in the end."
Eric gave Bema a thumbs up. New Line Cinema held three of the copyrights for the four major slasher villains in the horror film industry, while the copyright for Halloween was held by Malek Akkad.
He is a producer who owns his own small company, and the company relies on this IP to survive.
There are many similar situations in Hollywood. The copyrights for famous blockbusters like James Bond and Terminator are also partly or wholly held by individuals.
MGM's production of Casino Royale also required his authorization, with a share of the profits going to him in the end.
Therefore, to sustainably exploit the resource, these individuals often prioritize the big screen, demanding quality and not exhausting the potential. Getting them to agree is not a simple matter.
"Since we've acquired the Halloween copyright, I'll go talk to Bob Meyer again. Let's prepare to build a linked slasher universe."
After the couple left, Judy walked in and plopped down on Eric's lap.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa? What are you doing? What if you break it?"
"Break what? I think you're soft and limp like a snake."
"You know about beating a snake with a stick, right? The stick will break."
"What do I care? If it breaks, it doesn't affect my happiness."
"Cold-blooded woman. No matter what, I'm your nominal boyfriend. You might need me someday. You'll cry when I'm gone."
"Hmph! My toys work better than you. I just saw Warren; he seems to have lost weight."
"Yes, a man who wants to board the love boat definitely has to buy a ticket. Losing weight is the ticket he's paid."
"Alright, good luck to that fool digging his own grave. I heard rumors that you're involved with Elizabeth Olsen. It's only been a few months; you're really not afraid of being led to the guillotine."
Eric's expression changed, and he pushed Judy away: "Where did you hear that?"
"So it's true?"
"I asked you where you heard it?"
Judy clicked her tongue in disdain: "Eric, you're truly a beast and a complete scumbag. Elizabeth is only 15, isn't she? How could you!"
"You tricked me?" Eric realized.
"Idiot, when I called you last night, I heard some unusual sounds from her. She was with you so late. My guess was right."
Eric chuckled awkwardly: "Let's not talk about such meaningless things during work hours. Did you follow up on what I asked you to do with Industrial Light & Magic?"
Judy rolled her eyes: "I went to George Lucas and met him a few times to sound him out."
"It was a bit surprising; the old man is quite open-minded, and he knew why we were there."
"Although he has a bad temper on set, he's quite candid when discussing business."
"George Lucas's meaning is that star wars: episode ii received a lot of cursing and criticism from fans, which indeed disappointed him."
"And facing the impact from Weta Digital and many new special effects companies, Industrial Light & Magic has also shown signs of fatigue."
"But for that reason to make him sell his company, that's impossible. It's his life's work of decades, like his child."
"Stop with the nonsense. What conditions did he offer?"
Eric interrupted directly. In Hollywood, any excuse is just because the price isn't high enough.
"Eric, at this stage, he really doesn't want to sell. George Lucas's intention is to continue observing, waiting for MGM and The Big Six to fight it out, and then decide."
"However, if we win, the old man is willing to merge into MGM after his contract with Fox expires next year."
"The premise is no pure cash. He wants shares in MGM and Lionheart Network. Maybe 20% cash and 80% shares, or 30% cash and 70% shares."
"In short, if you want to buy, buy all of Lucasfilm. No splitting, no selling separately. These are his conditions."
"Sitting on the mountain to watch tigers fight, a well-calculated plan, but also human nature."
Eric pondered for a moment: "How about this, communicate with George Lucas and sign a framework agreement in advance, incorporating his conditions."
"But one clause must be added: ensure MGM's priority right to purchase Lucasfilm."
"Heh heh. If we win, would he choose Disney instead of MGM?"
"Just in case, to prevent Disney from snatching it. By the way, when does his contract with Fox expire?"
"star wars: episode iii will be released next summer. The contract expires after that."
Eric suddenly smiled: "Judy, The Big Six have been targeting us. What do you think would happen if MGM also prepared a few blockbusters to target star wars: episode iii?"
"Good idea! As long as star wars: episode iii's box office doesn't meet expectations, it will force Lucas to sell the company to us."
"It's just too underhanded. What if it pisses him off?"
"That's why we need to sign a framework agreement in advance and get the priority purchase right. You must handle this properly."
"Leave it to me. Also, this is the script for Dragon Ball. It just arrived. You said you wanted to review it personally."
"And I want to ask you, do you have any plans this weekend?"
"Not yet. Do your parents have an opinion? Do you need me to go home with you?"
"No, I've arranged for Gadot and me to go to a resort this weekend. She asked me to ask for your opinion."
Eric was carefully reading the script and casually said, "Whatever you want." When he heard the door close, he suddenly looked up.
"What the hell? Something seems off!"