Let Arabs Be Protagonists?
Ronald instantly became alert. Was Mansour probing, or did he genuinely entertain such an idea?
Regardless, he needed to provide a reasonable explanation.
Ronald probed back, "Do you want to improve the image of Arabs through Hollywood movies?"
"Hollywood movies have a broad reach and significant influence, but they are very unfriendly to Arabs," Mansour said slowly. "Last year, during my visits to Paris and New York, there were public protests against us in both places, accusing us of being terrorists. Even the media ridiculed us."
Ronald sighed softly, saying, "They've all been misled by malicious individuals."
Mansour continued, "The President was furious. The UAE is a progressive country and has a responsibility to improve the image of the Arab world."
Ronald nodded slowly. "So, you want Arabs to be protagonists in Hollywood movies, portrayed as positive characters?"
Mansour countered, "If Jews can, why not Arabs?"
With that statement, Ronald immediately understood that Mansour wasn't probing but genuinely entertained the idea.
However, in Hollywood movies, Jews were protagonists while Arabs were often relegated to antagonistic roles.
If it were solely about making money, Ronald could readily agree. However, he genuinely wanted to see "The Human Cleansing Plan" project through as the starting point of his career.
Therefore, Arabs absolutely could not be protagonists.
Facing someone of Mansour's stature, he couldn't make hasty promises.
Ronald thought for a moment and then said, "It's not quite suitable at the moment."
He further explained, "The distribution channels of Hollywood movies are controlled by Jews. Without their support, a film like this wouldn't make it to the market. It wouldn't reach the audience, and its impact would be negligible."
Mansour furrowed his brow, seemingly considering Ronald's words.
Ronald's mind raced, analyzing the needs of this UAE tycoon from their conversation. It wasn't hard to conclude that Mansour was eager for fame.
This was essentially a negotiation. How could Ronald dispel Mansour's excessive demands while still capitalizing on his eagerness for fame?
Negotiation was like chess. A skilled negotiator would plan every offer and counteroffer, strategizing before making a move.
Don't compromise too much during negotiations. Make the other party feel that their proposal is unreasonable and embarrassing. Try to make them accept suggestions without offering concessions.
So, Ronald continued, "Hollywood is heavily influenced by Jewish power, and that won't change overnight. Being too aggressive will invite backlash. A film like this won't reach the masses and would be meaningless. After all, it's not made for ourselves. I believe we need to create an opening first, then gradually expand and infiltrate, devising a long-term plan."
Mansour, not unintelligent, said, "That sounds... reasonable."
At that moment, Ronald transformed into an Arab warrior. "How many years did it take for Jews to change their image? They started since the outbreak of World War II, leveraging sympathy from the Holocaust and their financial resources. For decades, they persisted in operation, infiltration, and propaganda, leading to their current position."
Mansour mused, "Abu Dhabi isn't short of money."
Ronald followed up, "But you lack support, fame, influence, and a viable plan."
Mansour couldn't help but think of the fragmented Arab world, the complacent royal members. For the first time, he truly appreciated Ronald's words and couldn't help but ask, "Do you have any good suggestions?"
"In politics, I'm not very knowledgeable," Ronald remained humble and honest. "But I do have some ideas in culture and sports."
Mansour eagerly urged, "Please, go on."
Ronald's mind raced, combining Mansour's past experiences with his suggestions. "Film and television are the most influential entertainment industries globally, not just bringing laughter but also subtly changing audience values. You could establish your influence in Hollywood, devising a long-term plan to change the portrayal of Arabs in films. You could even collaborate to create a new industry chain model, breaking the Jewish monopoly on traditional models."
Ronald even began to believe his own words; this was the highest level of persuasion.
"Anything else?" Mansour asked.
"In today's world, besides the film industry, the influence of professional sports cannot be ignored." Ronald suggested a path Mansour had previously walked. "If you want to expand your influence across the US, you could acquire NFL or MLB teams, building a championship team to penetrate mainstream America."
He paused before adding, "To expand influence in Europe, you could acquire top-tier clubs in the Big Five leagues. Football is the world's largest sport, with billions of viewers. When you win league or Champions League titles, countless people will admire you."
With that, Mansour's eyes lit up. He was a sports enthusiast who loved football but had never considered running a football club.
What does a championship team need most? Money!
Having money might not guarantee victory, but surely, victory required money.
And Abu Dhabi had plenty of money.
Mansour's two attendants exchanged glances, both seeing the excitement in each other's eyes.
This was tailor-made for Mansour. Why hadn't they thought of it before?
Mansour nodded repeatedly, contemplating as he spoke, "This suggestion is excellent and worth considering."
"I'm just offering suggestions; I'm glad if they're helpful to you," Ronald modestly replied.
Finally, Mansour said something quite approving, "Very beneficial. Your suggestions have opened a door for me."
Ronald opportunistically added, "About my film..."
"You're the professional," Mansour immediately reassured, then asked, "How much funding gap does your project have?"
Ronald replied directly, "The project's budget is $10 million. There's considerable interest from potential investors at the fundraising meeting, but it's hard to say how much investment we'll secure in the end. I estimate the funding gap to be around $8 million."
Mansour pondered for a moment. "I'll seriously consider your project. I hope we can cooperate."
"I hope for that privilege," Ronald said.
Ronald was well aware that Mansour would still need to assess the project. After all, oil tycoons weren't foolish enough to throw money at people indiscriminately. But from Mansour's words, there was a good chance of securing funding from him.
Mansour seemed genuinely interested, personally seeing Ronald off outside the conference room.
Just as Ronald was about to leave, an Arab rushed over, speaking hurriedly to Mansour's slim attendant in Arabic.
Ronald faintly heard a pronunciation resembling "Los Angeles" but didn't linger. He promptly left down the corridor, turning into the elevator. Before the doors closed, he glanced back. Mansour and his entourage had returned to the conference room.
Los Angeles? Ronald wondered. Could Mansour have sent someone to Los Angeles to gather information about Sahara Entertainment?
According to Mansour, he had visited the venue on the first day of the fundraising meeting. Perhaps after reviewing the documents, he had specifically instructed someone to collect information in Los Angeles.
Regardless, a million-dollar investment was significant.
No wonder the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority hadn't discussed specific investment matters with him.
Now, in hindsight, Ronald realized that the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority had been quite active. On one hand, they assisted Sahara Entertainment
in showcasing Arab hospitality and warmth to Hollywood visitors. On the other hand, they conducted practical investigations before deciding whether to invest.
Even if Sahara Entertainment raised funds from other sources, as long as they remained within Abu Dhabi, the situation would be under the control of the investment authority.
With these speculations in mind, Ronald couldn't claim to be entirely worry-free, but he was still quite confident. From the inception of the project, he hadn't underestimated the Arabs. All operations were genuine.
Except for his highly subjective views on Jews, all the information was genuine and reliable.
As the elevator arrived, Ronald stepped in, his spirits high, and returned to the venue with renewed vigor to deal with those potential investors.
Compared to Mansour, these people were at best mosquitoes.
But even mosquitoes were meat.
In the conference room, Mansour opened a file folder and asked his two attendants, "What do you think?"