Chapter 180: The Second Miss Murdoch
Chapter 180: The Second Miss Murdoch
In another room near the lounges for the two film crews, Eric was chatting with the big shots from the other companies who had already arrived.
Although these executives each served different masters, many of them were actually very familiar with one another, so there was no sense of unfamiliarity when they talked. After all, senior executives moved between the Seven Major film companies very frequently.
For example, Barry Diller, who had not come today, had managed Paramount before 1984 and was now Fox’s CEO. Back then, Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg, who had originally been at Paramount, were both Barry Diller’s deputies. Now one was Disney’s CEO, and the other was Disney’s president. If history did not change, Jeffrey Katzenberg would become DreamWorks’ CEO a few years later. As for Columbia’s Amy Pascal, before joining Columbia, she had been a Fox executive. It was precisely through these complicated interpersonal relationships that the major film companies could ensure full cooperation with one another while competing against each other.
“Eric, how much box office are you planning to scoop up with these two films this time? Tell us first so we can have a reference when making offers,” Michael Eisner asked in front of the others. Although he looked casual and indifferent, there was some inexplicable expectation hidden in his eyes.
Eric set down his coffee cup and smiled. “Mr. Eisner, honestly, I can only guarantee that these two films are excellent in quality. As for how much box office they can actually earn, that still depends on the audience and market reaction.”
“That won’t do. You’re still so young, yet you’ve already become this smooth. Young people should have a little boldness to act and speak,” Paramount president Ned Tanen said. He was an old man nearing sixty, with a head of white hair, a smiling face, and an amiable appearance. When he said this, it sounded like an elder encouraging a junior, naturally making people feel close to him.
Eric smiled and put on a look of humbly accepting instruction, but inwardly, he was criticizing them. These old foxes were smoother than the last. If he really listened to their advice, he would end up being tricked and still help them count the money.
Speaking of which, ever since Barry Diller, Michael Eisner, and the others had successively left Paramount with a large group of executives, Paramount’s vitality had suffered greatly. Its current film performance was a complete mess. This year, only Indiana Jones was presentable, but its producer and director were the famous George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Both were very shrewd film businessmen, so Paramount could probably only earn some hard-earned distribution fees from it. Most of the benefits would definitely be divided between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.
In Eric’s earlier analysis, he felt Paramount might be the one to offer the highest price. This test screening was being conducted through sealed bidding. After watching the films, each company would submit its own terms, and Firefly would decide which party to cooperate with based on the profit-sharing terms offered by the film companies. However, Michael Eisner’s appearance instantly made the originally predictable outcome uncertain, because Michael Eisner’s attention might very well stir up the competitive desire of the other major film companies. After all, in only five short years, he had made Disney’s performance soar, and his current “status in the Hollywood world” even faintly showed signs of surpassing his old boss, Barry Diller.
Allen Fisman gently pushed open the door, quietly walked to Eric’s side while minimizing his presence as much as possible, and bent down to say beside Eric’s ear, “Mr. Williams, the people from Fox have arrived.”
Eric nodded and smiled at Michael Eisner and the others. “Excuse me, everyone. Please wait a moment. I’ll go receive someone.”
After leaving the room, Eric walked toward the elevator with Allen. The other party should be coming up soon. Only then did Allen add, “Mike from reception downstairs said two people came from Fox. Aside from Carta Hunter, there’s also a woman.”
Eric paused, then asked, “Did he recognize who she was?”
Allen shook his head. “No. Mike said the girl looks around twenty, very young, but Carta Hunter was quite respectful toward her.”
Carta Hunter was in charge of Fox’s film distribution, and in terms of rank, he was at the vice president level. The only people who could make him show respect were probably Barry Diller and a few others. Among them, there definitely should not be a girl around twenty years old.
Unable to figure it out, Eric stopped thinking about it. When they reached the elevator, the dedicated elevator happened to ring softly. A man and a woman walked out.
“Carta, hello.” Eric smiled and stepped forward, giving Carta Hunter a light hug. At the same time, he glanced at the blonde woman standing beside Carta, looking at him with interest. The woman looked around twenty, about 1.7 meters tall, with short blonde hair that just covered her ears. She was very pretty, with a pointed face, long narrow brows and eyes, a black-and-white checkered shirt, pale yellow casual trousers, and black flats.
She should be a standard career-minded woman, Eric thought, because her temperament was very similar to Amy Pascal’s, who was sitting in the lounge.
After greeting Carta, the other man was about to introduce her, but the woman took the initiative to extend her hand. “Hello, Mr. Williams. My name is Elisabeth Murdoch.”
Eric raised his brows slightly. Someone from the Murdoch family. Judging from Carta Hunter’s attitude toward the woman, Eric felt she should be a direct relative of Rupert Murdoch.
“Hello, Miss Murdoch. You can call me Eric.”
The woman let go of Eric’s hand and asked solemnly, “Then why don’t you call me Elisabeth?”
An aggressive woman, Eric thought. Unhurriedly, he said, “Because we’ve only just met. Without permission, rashly calling a girl by her given name is very inappropriate.”
Elisabeth Murdoch raised her chin slightly and met Eric’s gaze. “Alright, Eric. I now allow you to call me Elisabeth.”
“Uh…”
Seeing Eric’s awkward expression, Carta Hunter quickly smoothed things over. “Eric, Elisabeth is Mr. Rupert Murdoch’s second daughter. She’s recently interning at Fox. She’s very interested in your… films, so she wanted to come take a look. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course not,” Eric said with a smile. “Let’s go to the lounge. The test screening starts at two, so there’s still a while to wait.”
The group walked together toward the lounge at the end of the corridor. Elisabeth Murdoch took the initiative to move beside Eric, and Allen tactfully stepped back to follow behind the three of them.