Chapter 9 You Know Nothing About Your Specialties
When it got dark, Hawke finished visiting the open-air exhibition area of the film festival and turned to the main street.
Except for the more than thirty business cards in Brand’s pocket, there was nothing gained.
Hawke attended a film festival for the first time, and the situation was different from what he expected. The small crew in the open-air exhibition area were each poorer than the last, and their wallets were cleaner than their faces.
Brand asked: "What next?"
"Sweep the streets of cinemas, collect information, and contact the participating film crews." Hawke took Brand with him because he could use it: "Don't you know someone from the organizing committee? You can go to the organizing committee tomorrow to get all the participating films. Information? Looking for the transaction data of the previous session? ”
< br>Brand hesitated for a moment and said, "I'll give it a try."
The two walked through five theaters, collected a bunch of movie information, and chose two of them to watch for a while. The movie, because the film was too bad and the conditions were not suitable, I had to leave early.
When we came to the Great Salt Lake Cinema near the community, a few guys were handing out coloring pages to passers-by and inviting people into the cinema to watch the movie.
The leader is less than thirty years old, wearing a suit and leather shoes, with brown hair and a long face. When his arms are stretched out, the Rolex gold watch on his left wrist shines brightly.
One of them ran over, handed the color page to Hawke, and said: ""D.C. Heights" will be screened immediately, free to watch!"
Hoke took the color page and glanced quickly. The picture was all full is of Mexican origin, and the plot takes place in the Highland community of Washington, where Mexicans are concentrated.
There is also an artistic photo above, and the Rolex man is the director.
Hoke handed the color page to Brand and looked at the entrance of the theater for a while.
Most of the people entering the venue were white people, with a small number of black people and very few Mexicans.
Hawke thought for a moment and said, "Let's go in and take a look."
Brand asked curiously: "What's going on in this movie? What's the point of the Mexican thing? It's boring..."
Hoke walked forward: "How can you know if you don't see."
Brand shut his mouth. Before he reached the entrance of the theater, he couldn't help it anymore: "I understand, that director wears mid-to-high-end brands and a Rolex. He is obviously a rich man."
< br>Hoke said: "You finally found the key to the problem."
Brand chuckled: "I have a pair of eyes that are good at discovering beauty."
Hoke entered the theater, chose the last row and sat down, and waited for more than ten minutes before the movie started to show.
The audience was not large, only one-third of the 200 seats were occupied.
At this time, Hawke noticed that Director Rolex came in quietly and sat in the last row. He took out a portable DV from his bag and filmed the audience, his excited face full of anticipation.
But it didn’t take long for the excitement on his face to disappear.
The movie quickly explains the background. Washington Heights, a community inhabited by Mexicans, is known as the "Cough Seal Capital of the World." The protagonists are a group of Mexican ex-traffickers who want to stage a prodigal return under the shadow of drugs and violence.
The people on the screen are all Mexicans, and some of the dialogue is in Spanish.
Less than five minutes into the screening, three white audience members were the first to leave.
Then blacks and whites left one after another.
Director Rolex looked ugly and seemed to be a novice. When another group of people left the stage, he couldn't help but stand up and ask: "Is the movie bad?"
A white man curled his lips: "Not interested."
"Boring."
"Who cares whether these garbage live or die."
Don't talk about these people, a few more minutes passed , Brand Company next to Hawke Yawning, he glanced at the other group of people leaving the show and asked: "Shall we go too?"
"Although the film is rough in production, the plot is okay." Hawke specifically asked: "Why do you want to Exit.”
Brand still said the same thing: "Mexican shit is boring."
Hoke said: "Let's talk about it after watching it."
In the second half of the film, the audience left Nearly half.
Most people who work in movies express their emotions. Director Rolex was so shocked that he turned off the DV and sat down slumped.
Hoke quietly came over, sat in the empty seat next to him, and asked, "Are you the director?" Director Rolex nodded numbly.
“A great movie.” Hawke praised and introduced himself: “My name is Hawke Osmond, a media practitioner.”
The other party reluctantly shook hands with him. He started: "Eric Ethan, you see, a director who is not very successful."
Hawke Specialist The door asked: "I haven't heard of this film. Which company filmed it?"
Hearing this, a picture flashed in front of Eric's eyes. He was lying on an ordinary-looking square face. The woman knelt down and licked her face, her face full of bitterness: "I personally raised money for the film, and it has nothing to do with the film company."
Hawke took out the business card he had printed in Salt Lake City and handed it to Eric: "Exchange contact information?"
Eric accepted it and gave his business card, not waiting for Hawke to speak again. , suddenly stood up, the numbness and disappointment on his face disappeared instantly, put on the brightest smile, and walked towards the entrance.
Hoke was surprised by the speed of this change of face.
A typical American girl came in at the entrance, with long legs, big hands, thick waist, and a square face.
Eric rushed up and kissed the woman hard: "My dear, why are you here?"
The woman kissed back: "Congratulations, the film has finally been shown in the theater."
The smile on Eric's face froze, and he whispered: "Theatrical screening and cinema screening are different. "
The woman said again: "Don't worry, I have contacted the distribution company, and they will send someone to watch the film."
Eric's smile was brighter than a chrysanthemum: "I don't know what to do. Thank you..."
Not far away from both sides, Hawke has been listening.
The screening of "D.C. Heights" ended and the audience left one after another. Director Eric was pulled by a woman to talk and had no time to spare.
Hoke left the screening room and carefully read all the materials for "D.C. Heights" in the box office.
Brand asked: "No, do you think this film can be made?"
Hoke did not answer, but pointed to the inside of the screening room: "Do me a favor, go in Get close to the director and ask about the film's investment, screening and potential sales, and learn as much as possible..."
"I don't know him!" Brand shook his head: "We are not acquaintances, how can we ask?"
Hawke was helpless: "You know nothing about your own expertise." He pushed Brand over there: "Believe in yourself, you can do it."
Brand entered the cinema.
After waiting on the roadside for half an hour, Hawke waited until Brand came out of the theater.
This guy was so full that his eyebrows almost reached his hair.
Hoke asked directly: "What's going on?"
Brand's first sentence was: "Poor director, in order to raise money to make a movie, he sold his love and had to kneel down and lick that woman every night." He looked disappointed: "It turns out that soft rice is not delicious, I still pursue it. My beautiful girl."
Hoke grasped the key point from the chaos: "If the movie still costs money, will the woman pay for it?"
Brand recalled seriously. Clicked , said: "From what the director said, the woman seems to have inherited tens of millions of dollars in property. In her circle, finding an artistic film director to be her boyfriend will help her improve her personality."
He confirmed: "As long as Mr. Director works hard at night, it will not be difficult for the woman to pay for another sum of money."
It was late, and Hawke was also hungry, so he said: "Go to eat and talk while walking."
< br>
Brand is very skillful and learned a lot of useful information.
Eric Ethan had only made one experimental short film before. By chance, he met his square-faced girlfriend Catherine at a film industry party. He defeated his companions and chased her, thus making a fortune. With a production budget of US$200,000, "D.C. Heights" was produced.
Young directors are often arrogant and arrogant. Most of them only know how to make films and do not understand the market. Eric believes that his first feature film has the ability to be screened in theaters, so he brought his girlfriend and a few temporary employees. When I came to the film festival for screening and promotion, a large number of viewers left the first screening tonight, which took a hit to my confidence.
Three days later, from 9:30 to 11:30 am, "D.C. Heights" will have its second private screening at the Great Salt Lake Cinema.
This scene is the key.
Thanks to her late father's connections, Catherine invited a film buying group led by Robert Reiner, the vice president of business at Castle Rock Pictures, a Hollywood production and distribution company.
Whether the film can be purchased by the distribution company and promoted to theater screenings will be determined in one fell swoop.
(End of this chapter)