Entering the banquet hall, Michael immediately spotted the DreamWorks trio. He quickly went over to greet David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Steven Spielberg. The three exchanged a few polite words with him but it was clear they wouldn't remember a small fry like him.
After leaving the circle of the DreamWorks trio, Michael didn't shy away. Instead, he used all his skills, constantly seeking out people to chat with.
Michael first spoke with a production director from Warner Bros about their recent acquisition of the "Harry Potter" series. Then, he talked with a Japanese-American executive from Sony Columbia about the upcoming "Godzilla" release. He had a drink with the vice president of distribution at Paramount Pictures and inquired about the consolidation of the "Lord of the Rings" rights from an executive at Miramax. He also asked a William Morris agent about the fees for third-tier stars.
A large crowd surrounded the DreamWorks trio, expressing their admiration.
Michael didn't join them again but stayed on the periphery. He observed for a while. The trio had grand ambitions of breaking the near-monopoly of Hollywood's Big Six, but Michael knew this path was doomed.
The key was distribution and the industry chain, especially the former.
In his previous life, DreamWorks had established a relatively complete distribution system in North America but was powerless in the broader international market. Their films' international distribution had to be handed over to the Big Six. Coupled with other factors, DreamWorks eventually met a bleak end.
In the traditional distribution industry, the largest piece of the pie was firmly held by the Big Six. Breaking this pattern was extremely difficult.
Michael was very sure of this. Competing against enemies with the advantages of time, location, and human connections had very slim chances of success.
To break the dominance of the Big Six, one had to find other ways.
If Seagull Entertainment faced such a situation one day, what should they do?
For some reason, this thought flashed through Michael's mind and spread uncontrollably.
Given Seagull Entertainment's current situation, this was an unreachable goal, even a fantasy.
But who doesn't have a fantasy?
Michael shook his head. For now, it was just a thought. It was better to be practical.
"Good evening," someone greeted him.
"Good evening," Michael immediately responded.
The man, in his thirties, had a sincere face that made people feel at ease. Holding a glass of wine, he gestured to Michael, who nodded in return.
A server passed by, and Roger asked for a drink, raised it to the man, and took a sip.
"You must be Mr. Davenport?" the man initiated the conversation.
Michael looked at the man's honest face and thought that if this guy had gone to Abu Dhabi with him, he could have secured another $10 million investment.
"I'm Michael Davenport," he said softly.
The man introduced himself, "Edward Buck, agent at Morby Agency."
Michael shook his hand, saying, "Nice to meet you."
Edward Buck's smile seemed even more sincere, "I read in the paper that Mr. Davenport's company is hiring directors and actors?"
Coming here tonight was mainly to find opportunities, but for an ordinary agent, trying to promote an unknown client to a big project was challenging.
Originally, he had secured a good position for a client, but the unreliable guy made an unreasonable demand, causing the cooked duck to fly away.
Unfortunately, the unreliable guy was also the most promising client under him.
He had to keep looking for opportunities.
In such settings, it was best to cast a wide net, hoping to catch some fish.
Michael could guess the agent's purpose and directly asked, "Does your company have suitable candidates?"
Edward Buck didn't answer directly but pointed to a less crowded area in the banquet hall, inviting, "Shall we talk over there?"
Michael nodded, "Sure."
They moved to a quieter area near the terrace. Only five or six people were gathered around, with a man in the middle seemingly pitching an investment or selling something.
Edward said, "I read about Seagull Entertainment and 'The Purge' in the paper. It seems Seagull Entertainment has financial difficulties?"
Michael ignored the other side and replied, "You're behind on the news. I've secured funding. Seagull Entertainment is financially stable."
Hearing this, Edward's sincere smile broadened, "Is the budget for 'The Purge' really $11 million?"
Michael smiled but didn't answer.
If the budget were truly $11 million, Seagull Entertainment's door would have been broken down by entertainment agents.
Agents had their sources. Edward had heard things and knew that rejecting multiple agency offers meant 'The Purge' didn't have an $11 million budget.
This was better for him, as there would be less competition. His client needed to direct a film to add to his resume. The pay was secondary.
"I have a director who might be suitable," Edward said quietly. "He wrote scripts for 'The Boy Next Door' and '21 Jump Street,' worked as an assistant director and executive producer on three TV series, and directed a few episodes of 'The X-Files.' He's looking to transition from TV to film."
Michael nodded. Directing episodes of "The X-Files" sounded promising.
He handed Edward a business card, "This has my company's address and contact info. You can bring him over anytime."
Edward quickly put it away, "I'll call before we come."
He exchanged a few more polite words with Michael before leaving with a sincere smile.
This trip had some gains. Directing a few episodes of "The X-Files" was a good resume point. More discussions were needed to be sure. Michael was about to leave when he overheard the small circle nearby.
The man pitching or seeking investment seemed a bit agitated, raising his voice, "Blockbuster's store rental model is becoming obsolete. They're slow to react and lack optimized video resources. Netflix's online rental business is the future. Investing in Netflix means investing in the future! Netflix has created a subscription model where consumers can rent unlimited movies without late fees. Netflix needs funds and a platform…"
A bespectacled man interrupted, "How many paying customers does your company have now? What's your plan for next year? When will you go public?"
"Netflix was just founded," the man said. "Our goal is the future…"
The bespectacled man shook his head and walked away.
Michael had heard someone introduce this man earlier. He was a high-ranking executive in Disney's investment department.
The other people soon left too.
It was clear that these big company executives weren't interested.
Michael, however, was intrigued. He approached and introduced himself, "Hello, I'm Michael Davenport."
The man looked at him and nodded, "Hello, Reed Hastings." He had noticed Michael earlier and asked directly, "Are you interested in my company?"
Michael was vague, "What you described sounds interesting."
Reed Hastings sized him up, "Obviously, this model is very powerful. As the internet develops, my company can surpass Blockbuster."
Having worked in internet video in his past life, Michael knew the name Netflix well. He glanced at Reed Hastings and then towards the DreamWorks trio.
"Can we talk?" Michael asked.
Reed Hastings didn't answer but instead asked, "Who are you?"
Michael understood his meaning and said, "I'm the president of Seagull Entertainment."
"I've heard of it. A small company making direct-to-video films," Reed Hastings said, shaking his head. "We have no reason to talk."
Michael was surprised, "I can invest in your company."
Reed Hastings was sincere, "Thank you, really. I appreciate your interest in my company." He smiled apologetically, "I need more than money. I need a big company's platform. Seagull Entertainment can't provide that. A weak company teaming up with another weak company doesn't benefit Netflix."
Michael understood his reasoning. He knew Reed Hastings' history. A few years later, Hastings, desperate, would reach out to Blockbuster, offering to sell his company to his arch-enemy.
To Hastings, Blockbuster was the enemy. It was his frustration with Blockbuster's late fees that led him to create Netflix.
Michael probed a bit more, but Hastings was firm and rejected him outright.
Indeed, Seagull Entertainment couldn't provide Netflix with the content and platform it needed.
Sometimes, investment decisions aren't just about money.
Michael couldn't chase Hastings for investment now, but Netflix had entered his radar, sparking more ideas.
Now wasn't the best time. His funds were tied up in the stock market, making significant investments impossible.
If he remembered correctly, Netflix was still in its infancy, barely more than a fledgling company.
Companies like Netflix burned through money early on. Hastings wouldn't last two years without outside help.
Michael watched Hastings leave, pondering the future. He'd keep an eye on Netflix.
This banquet had been fruitful, especially learning about Netflix and Hastings.
As he walked near the terrace, he spotted Leonardo DiCaprio.
Leo, with his perfectly handsome face, was pestering a blonde girl.
The girl, in a short, yellow dress, had long hair and slender limbs. Her tall, well-proportioned figure and delicate face with naturally melancholic green eyes fit Leo's ideal type.
But the girl seemed uninterested in Leo's advances, showing signs of impatience and even disgust.