On Monday, two Lincoln limousines stopped in front of the MGM building. Cooper Senior and Cooper Junior, along with a group of people, entered the studio with more than 70 years of history. From today, they are its new owners.
Seeing them, the receptionist hastened to press the elevator button. Rumors had already spread within the company, and everyone knew that MGM was preparing for a major shake-up, eagerly awaiting its start.
Senior managers who had conflicts with Charlie Cooper were sure to be fired, and one had already resigned two weeks ago. Positions were opening up, and many employees were eagerly awaiting a chance to fill them.
At the board meeting, Charlie Cooper took the seat at the head of the long table. On his right sat his old friends, on his left, Eric and his colleagues. All middle and senior managers of MGM were present in the conference room.
Eric carefully examined everyone, and they, in turn, tried to understand what role he and his team would play.
When everyone had gathered, Charlie Cooper began:
"Since everyone is here, let's start the meeting. This is the first meeting of the new MGM, and for all of us, it marks the beginning of a new stage."
"We have worked together for a long time, and you know me well. I don't like wasting time; it's a waste of time and money!"
"Today, I want to discuss only one thing: reforming MGM. Only reforms can lead us to a bright future. We must get rid of the outdated studio model and keep pace with the new times and market, rather than following a bunch of self-important old men leading us to ruin."
Saying this, Charlie Cooper looked at the executives with whom he had conflicts and named about a dozen names, covering almost all departments.
"Miller Silva, Sarah Dunn, Gosnell Feller, Chandler Lawrence – you are fired!"
These words sounded like thunder on a clear day. Those whose names were called felt as if they had been struck by lightning.
Although everyone knew that some would be fired today, no one expected that all the executives, except those in finance and HR, would be dismissed. It was a real shock.
A balding man jumped up, his eyes almost burning with fire, and exclaimed: "Charlie Cooper, you have no right to do this! Such an approach will lead you to the company's ruin!"
An elderly woman with a wrinkled face also stood up: "Charlie, we've worked together for many years. Can't you show a little respect? By firing us, you will paralyze MGM, and you won't be able to handle it!"
Following their example, several others began to voice their grievances, recounting their merits to MGM and claiming that without them, the company was doomed.
"Enough!"
Eric, tired of the noise, sharply slammed the table and shouted: "Shut up! Shut your mouths!"
His sudden outburst stunned everyone. They silently stared at Eric, feeling deeply humiliated. Senior managers who had held their positions for many years were publicly humiliated by a young man. It was unacceptable.
A heavyset man with a grim expression glared at Eric: "Young man, who are you? Do you understand who you are talking to?"
Eric slowly stood up: "Of course, I do. You are all a bunch of losers who are here only thanks to Kirk Kerkorian's nepotism. Without him, you would be nobodies."
"You are all absolutely incompetent. You have no taste in film selection, no production skills, no ability to work with advertising and the market. If there were a ranking of the worst people in Hollywood, you would all be on it!"
"You are stuck in the outdated studio model. Do you understand that it's the 21st century? Not the 1950s. In you, I see only decay!"
"And I am the new Vice President of MGM. My name is Eric Cooper, remember this name!"
"Now get out of MGM, get out of this building. From today onwards, there's no place here for parasites and incompetent people. Anyone who doesn't want to work can leave!"
These words crushed the resistance. Realizing the inevitability of the situation, many understood that they wouldn't be able to stay with the company.
"Charlie Cooper, you'll regret your decision!"
Throwing their final words, they began to leave the conference room.
The mass firing of senior executives caused panic at MGM. Eric's aggressive behavior quickly spread throughout the company, and everyone understood that it was best not to cross the new Vice President, which was exactly what Eric wanted.
Once the "trash" was removed, only those loyal to him remained in the room. Charlie Cooper handed the floor to his son to discuss the company's development strategies.
This was done deliberately: he wanted everyone to see that Eric was not just a slacker, but a serious leader.
Scanning the room, Eric changed his tone to a more friendly one: "As I mentioned, the reason for MGM's stagnant development is the old studio model."
"In the last century, when MGM was on the brink of collapse, the company bet everything on 'Ben-Hur,' investing all its resources."
"And 'Ben-Hur' lived up to expectations, bringing much fame and wealth. But that was in the past. The market has changed now."
"If we invest all our resources in a few major projects again and fail, it will be a disaster. Putting all the eggs in one basket is a mistake, something even a fool understands."
"Therefore, we must reform MGM's system and work in various directions."
"From today, the marketing department should not only consider major projects but also horror films and B-movies. After the meeting, bring all your scripts to the conference room, and I will personally review them!"
"In addition, our special effects department currently consists of 50 people, and the equipment is outdated. We need new talent because films with special effects are the future of the film industry."
"Our props department used to be the best in the industry. Although special effects can replace some things, realistic props are still needed for certain scenes."
"We also need new artists. I grew up on 'Tom and Jerry,' and we still have a strong position in this area, but we need to train new specialists to prevent a talent shortage."
The meeting lasted more than an hour. Eric spoke in simple terms but covered all the problems at MGM, aiming for a complete reform and restoration of the company's status in Hollywood.