Chapter 420 Sociological Observation Sample
When it's dark here in North America, it's a hot day in China in the Eastern Hemisphere.
The president of Disney Greater China, accompanied by leaders of relevant local departments, is inspecting local factories in the Pearl River Delta region.
The factory here is the busiest time every summer, although before the summer holiday the factory will produce some peripheral products and then ship them to North America.
These peripheral products are then distributed by dealers in North America to dealers in various states and major cities, and then these dealers supply the goods to major movie theaters and peripheral specialty stores.
After several years of operation, this set of processes has become quite mature, formed a scale, and is quite smooth.
Paul, the president of Disney Greater China, is a third-generation Chinese. The fact that he can hold the position of branch president shows that he is not simple and capable.
Paul can speak Chinese, after all, his family has always insisted on Chinese education.
However, when he grew up, Paul turned his nose up at the Chinese language and had no good impression of his compatriots in China. In addition, there is indeed no environment for the Chinese language, so Chinese has fallen behind.
But this situation changed later. Director Gilbert Jr., who was most important to Disney, was a China expert and could speak fluent Chinese.
In order to get promoted and to please Director Gilbert Jr., Paul picked up Chinese again.
In the end, during the process of changing presidents in Greater China, it was because Paul could speak Chinese that he received the support of Gilbert Jr. and successfully became president.
This can be regarded as a big step in completing his career. It is rare for Chinese people to reach his position in Hollywood.
At this time, Paul was inspecting the production line, accompanied by leaders from relevant local departments and factory leaders.
Paul was more pragmatic and did not show off in English. When engaging in foreign trade these days, you have to say something like shredded coconut, OK, etc. It seems nondescript.
When Paul spoke fluent Chinese, the leaders of the relevant local departments were stunned, and the translator he brought with him was of no use.
"I didn't expect Mr. Paul's Chinese to be so good!" the leader of the relevant department complimented.
"The work requires it, of course you have to speak a little bit." Paul didn't want to say that he spoke Chinese just to please little Gilbert, although it was indeed the case.
Although Paul looks like a Chinese, the leaders of the relevant departments also know that he no longer considers him Chinese.
After so many generations of immigrants, any trace of blood has long since faded away.
After several days of inspection, Paul had a completely business-like attitude. In fact, this is also the correct attitude. You should not be careless when it comes to work.
After inspecting the factory in the past few days, several people were exhausted. Paul asked about the production process in detail, including whether the procurement of raw materials met the standards and whether the workers were operating properly.
I also personally went to the front line of production to communicate face-to-face with the workers to see how they produced the required products.
Over the past few days, Paul had a general understanding of the production model of the Pearl River Delta factory, the quality of the workers, etc.
Before, he was still a little confused about the head office placing peripheral factories in China, but this time he finally understood why. It is true that although China is farther away than North America, the cost is lower.
Even if you need to pay tariffs when shipping from China to North America, the cost is still much lower than that of peripheral products produced by local factories in North America.
There are rumors that some gentlemen in Washington wanted to propose an increase in import tariffs, but they were immediately lobbied and the proposal was cancelled.
Besides, the current development model is exactly the industrial model planned by the gentlemen and capitalists in Washington.
Relocate low-end industries to Asia or other places. North America and Europe are mainly high-end manufacturing and financial industries.
Using the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar to enjoy cheap products from other parts of the world, it’s a great life.
After inspecting the last factory, the leader of the relevant department suggested: "Mr. Paul, let's go have a meal together?"
We have been having dinner together these past few days. Paul is not very interested in the so-called wine table culture, so he refused this time.
"No, Director Tang, I have to go back to Shanghai to prepare for the Shanghai Film Festival." Paul said.
"Isn't there still more than a month?" Director Tang asked curiously.
"You have to prepare in advance, Director Gilbert is coming." Paul explained.
Director Tang suddenly realized that he had met Director Gilbert Jr. It was said that Minister Tian of the Central Committee valued Director Gilbert Jr. very much.
"In that case, I won't keep you any longer. Say hello to Director Gilbert for me." Director Tang said with a smile.
"Absolutely," Paul promised superficially, but in fact he quickly forgot about it.
After returning to Shanghai, Paul first compiled the results of this inspection into a book, and then sent it to the head office via email.
His assessment data determines the headquarters' strategy for the factory, so this is why the relevant local departments attach so much importance to this inspection.
After finishing these tasks, Paul stretched out and looked at the busy construction outside the floor-to-ceiling windows with some emotion.
Nowadays, Shanghai is developing quite well, and it seems that new high-rise buildings are rising every day. This speed of development amazed Paul.
I wonder what Director Gilbert’s expression would be like when he came to Shang Hai and found that Shang Hai had changed. You must be as surprised as him! Back in Los Angeles, little Gilbert got up early in the morning and his assistant Anna came.
"Let's have breakfast together?"
"No, I've eaten." Anna mainly came here to report on work: "The data for yesterday's midnight show came out, 8.73 million US dollars, and the average attendance was 30%.
According to a survey of front-line theaters, the audience's favorable rating is 85%, and the average score is above A. "
Faced with this data, Gilbert Jr. was not surprised: "It's not bad. It's not an adaptation, nor is it a blockbuster sequel movie. It's great to have this midnight show data."
"In addition, this is the peripheral sales data. 2.3 million US dollars of peripherals were sold in one night."
Anna handed a document to Little Gilbert: "This is a report from Mr. Paul, President of Disney Greater China. He has just completed an inspection of the factory there."
Little Gilbert took the report and looked at it carefully, and was very satisfied with the result: "Paul did a good job. It seems that we should tell Bob to give Paul a bonus."
After the midnight show, it’s time for the official premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean”. At this time, all reports about the premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean” have been released, even from traditional media.
Overall, "Pirates of the Caribbean" has maintained a relatively good reputation.
Among the movie fans who were surveyed and interviewed, this fantasy pirate movie was also highly praised.
On the day of its premiere on Friday, "Pirates of the Caribbean" officially opened in 3,800 theaters across the United States, starting a large-scale theater tour.
At ten o'clock in the morning, at a luxury movie theater in Boston, a group of Harvard University students were taking a social practice class. The purpose of their trip was to watch movies and study social phenomena.
What kind of social phenomenon is the social phenomenon caused by movies.
This course was taught by Sociology Professor Powell. After the professor last watched "Pumping Heart", he started this course when he returned to school.
"Really, it's just a movie. What's so good about it? It's better to watch a football match." A student complained.
"Hey, man, it's not easy to get tickets to football games, but it's easy to get tickets to movies," another student said.
"Yes," one student looked at the leader and asked him, "Why should we watch movies in the morning? Shouldn't we analyze social phenomena in the evening? There will be more audiences then."
The leading student shook his head and said, "You guys, you don't usually pay attention to movies. You don't know how popular the movies directed by Little Gilbert are."
"How hot?" The students didn't understand.
A movie is a movie, how popular can it be?
This is not surprising. Since there are people who like to watch movies, there are also people who don’t like to watch movies. Those who don’t like movies may only go to the cinema once every few years, or never go at all.
They had heard of Little Gilbert and knew that he was famous, but they had no idea.
Little Gilbert in the summer season is synonymous with movies, so this is why Professor Powell asked students to watch the Little Gilbert movie.
The leading student did not explain: "You will know after you go to the cinema and watch it."
The students didn't understand, but when they arrived at the cinema, everyone was shocked. Were there so many people? Is this still the cinema in the morning?
"Are you surprised?" The leader smiled slightly and said, "This is his movie. Let's learn from it. There is a reason why the professor asked us to come."
The students were convinced and quickly started the first activity of the sociological survey, going to the movies.
"What a risk. If I hadn't been smart and called in advance to book tickets, there wouldn't be any movie tickets in the morning." The leading student felt lucky as he handed out movie tickets to everyone.
"Man, are Little Gilbert's movies really that magical?" the student who loves football games wondered.
Others looked at him strangely: "Have you never seen a movie?"
"I've seen it. I rented a disc to watch it. Watching it on a disc player is the same as watching it in a cinema, and it's a lot cheaper."
"No, no, no, this is different. Anyway, you will know in a moment."
Facts have proved that it is indeed different. After entering the cinema, this classmate who loves football games opened his mouth wide and never closed it.
It was his first time watching a movie in a cinema and it felt really extraordinary.
The details on the big screen and the atmosphere of watching movies are unmatched by disc players. It is really shocking.
In fact, most people who don't often go to the cinema to watch movies will be shocked when they go to the cinema to watch a commercial visual blockbuster for the first time.
If the movie you watch for the first time is a drama or an independent movie, the effect will not be so obvious.
Just look at the performance of this group of students. Watching the crew of the Black Pearl turn into skeletons in the moonlight on the big screen, they did not blink, for fear that they would miss any wonderful scene.
In fact, they have become the best specimens for sociological observation.
(End of chapter)