[Chapter 787: No More Shenanigans]
With Eric's detailed understanding of the global economic trends for more than next twenty years, helping Gisele amass a fortune was a piece of cake.
However, merely possessing a vast amount of money would lead to being labeled as nouveau riche. Therefore, alongside wealth, the most crucial aspect was to attain power and influence that matched one's personal fortune.
In the original timeline, Gisele earned the title of "the Goddess" not just because her annual income far surpassed that of other supermodels, but primarily due to her status as the topmost and most coveted model in the fashion industry of her generation.
Gisele's income was far beyond that of her contemporaries, which resulted not only from her savvy business acumen but also from her ability to monetize her personal influence.
Eric had no intention of completely changing Gisele's life trajectory. He simply aimed to elevate her original path to new heights, allowing her to gain influence far beyond what she achieved in her past life, becoming the true "Gisele Queen" of the fashion world, rather than just a fan-favorite model.
Of course, seeing the young girl before him, still shy and innocent at sixteen, Eric knew that this developmental journey would take many years.
However, Eric was only twenty-six himself. Time was not an issue for him or Gisele.
At this moment, Eric had already reached the pinnacle of his career, so nurturing a few legendary talents that normal people would talk about was more of a pastime.
After all, what did they say? "If you don't do anything pointless, life will be lonely like snow."
Gisele and Alessandra were completely unaware of Eric's mundane thoughts. When Eric announced he wanted to talk about his own matters, Gisele perked up, sitting straight and serious, with Alessandra also unconsciously mirroring the atmosphere.
Recollecting his thoughts, Eric turned to Gisele and said, "If you want to do more, first, you'll need to wait until you're eighteen to have complete independence; otherwise, many things will be restricted. But these two years will be exactly the time you need to further enhance yourself and gain recognition in the fashion world. At the very least, you'll have to earn the title of supermodel."
Gisele nodded obediently, while Alessandra couldn't help but be astonished.
Supermodel -- that was the ultimate goal for any girl entering this industry, and Gisele could achieve that in just two years!
In the fashion world, becoming a supermodel required naturally possessing a great body; even appearance wasn't the most crucial factor, a criterion Gisele already met.
The next step was landing a contract with a modeling agency.
The world's top modeling agencies had a well-established model promotion mechanism and abundant fashion resources. Entering one of these agencies didn't guarantee supermodel status, but if a girl couldn't get into these top-tier firms, the hope of becoming a supermodel would be even slimmer.
IMG, where Gisele was currently based, although not as dominant as Elite, was one of the top agencies in the industry, so she wouldn't face any drawbacks there.
Possessing natural beauty and connecting with a leading modeling agency was merely the start of a girl's journey to supermodel status.
The real competition came afterward, akin to thousands of horses crossing a single-plank bridge. After landing with an agency, girls had to participate in various modeling pageants, find ways to get featured in fashion magazines, compete for the favor of fashion luminaries, and land gigs in well-known brand fashion shows. Throughout this process, the cost to secure different opportunities could be minimal compared to the potential gains. Ultimately, only a rare few would reach the pinnacle.
Of course, exceptions existed.
If one had strong backing, suddenly everything became much simpler.
That was how the world operated: it wasn't fair. No amount of frustration could change it. Even the notoriously critical Karl Lagerfeld occasionally had to walk a mediocre-looking, out-of-shape model down the runway for Chanel.
"After this weekend, you'll be heading back to New York; no need to continue that performance training class," Eric said as he glanced at a recent email.
He picked up a piece of paper and wrote down a string of phone numbers, handing it to Gisele. "I just contacted Tina Brown, who happens to be in New York right now. After you return, she'll take you to meet Anna Wintour and arrange for you to grace the cover of VOGUE magazine."
Within the entire Conde Nast system, at that time, Tina Brown held a slightly higher position than Anna Wintour. Anna modeled her management of VOGUE after Tina's tactics at Vanity Fair.
After leaving Vanity Fair to become the editor-in-chief of Yahoo, Tina still retained considerable connections and influence within Conde Nast. After all, anyone smart at the top wouldn't sever ties with a powerful woman who emerged from their own group and ran a major new media platform.
Eric had specifically facilitated the participation of the Forrest Gump crew at a recent Vanity Fair party, as a favor from Tina who made the call.
Now, getting her assistance to secure a spot on the cover of VOGUE wasn't a difficult feat.
These top-tier fashion magazines often exuded an icy exclusivity in front of the average person, but for Eric, it was merely a little favor.
While Firefly's relationship with Conde Nast wasn't as close as that with Hearst, they had never completely severed ties. After all, major advertising partners like Firefly Group were always targets for any print media corporation looking to thrive. If Eric had Anna Wintour's contact information, he could have called her directly; she wouldn't turn down a request from him.
As Eric spoke so casually, a wave of excitement washed over the two girls.
VOGUE -- the ultimate "fashion bible" in the world! Many ordinary models would consider it a dream come true just to grace its cover even once in their careers.
Alessandra looked at Gisele with seething jealousy; she nearly wanted to say to Eric, "Take my body too."
Gisele, overflowing with excitement, clutched her chest and nervously asked, "Eric, can I really be on the cover of VOGUE? I'm still, um, I'm not even sixteen yet."
Eric nodded. "Of course you can. I've never heard of a rule saying you can't be on the cover of VOGUE before you turn sixteen."
Eric's vision was quite clear -- if you're going to appear on a magazine cover, you'd want to choose the very best.
Once Gisele appeared on the cover of VOGUE, that would catapult her fame in the fashion world, leading to various runway invitations and a significant spike in media attention. This was far more effective than slowly climbing up the ladder step by step.
Gisele's excitement was not so easily quelled, as she apprehensively voiced, "But..."
"There's no 'but' about it," Eric interrupted. "Discuss this with your agency for their help too. Besides that, don't fall behind on your modeling training over the next few months. While I can help you build the platform, if you don't work hard, all of this will be in vain."
"Sure, I will!" Gisele nodded vigorously.
Eric added, "Also, start learning some French; you should at least be able to engage in casual conversation. I'll arrange for you to attend Paris Fashion Week this September."
Among the four major fashion weeks, Paris Fashion Week was the most prestigious. The debut showcases of luxury brands like Prada, Dior, Versace, and Givenchy typically occurred there. With the allure of these top brands, the Paris Fashion Week runway was the best stage for ordinary models to advance to supermodel status.
After Gisele nodded, Eric was about to say more when the phone on the table rang.
...
He glanced at the unfamiliar number and casually answered, "This is Williams."
"..."
After a brief conversation, Eric smiled and said, "Hi Anna, good morning. Did Tina fill you in on everything?"
Gisele and Alessandra exchanged glances, both processing the name "Anna Wintour."
Seeing Gisele grow tense again, Eric continued to smile and said to Anna, "This is Gisele Bundchen, sixteen years old. Uh..." he gestured to Gisele, who promptly stood up. Eric assessed her a few times and added, "About five foot ten (178 cm). You know what? It's hard to describe everything over the phone; I'll have IMG send you a detailed profile shortly."
"..."
The other side continued the conversation, and Eric slightly furrowed his brow as he stated, "August is a bit late; I hope she can have two to three months to build momentum before the September Fashion Week, so preferably before July... What? A teenage edition? Anna, please don't just brush me off."
Gisele listened intently, feeling more anxious as she noticed the shift in Eric's tone. She wanted to chime in to ease the situation, "A teenage edition could work too!"
Of course, Gisele only thought that but wouldn't interrupt their conversation.
After Eric insisted, Anna Wintour hesitated just a bit before agreeing to arrange for Gisele to be on the June cover of VOGUE. As for what to do about the originally confirmed cover girl, that was no longer Eric's concern.
Such an outcome wasn't surprising. After all, securing a cover spot for a magazine was a minor task compared to Eric's influence. Anna Wintour wouldn't dither over such trivial matters.
It's worth mentioning that among the five prominent women's fashion magazines, VOGUE belonged to Conde Nast, while the other four -- Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire -- were part of Hearst. Each of those magazines was always ready to challenge VOGUE's standing within the industry.
With the connection between ESPN and A&E television networks, Hearst and Firefly Group's ties were evident. If a small issue like a magazine cover could potentially lead to Eric or Firefly being swayed into the Hearst media camp, that would be a major blunder on Anna Wintour's part.
Of course, Anna also knew that even if she refused, Eric was too level-headed to let his feelings get in the way; nevertheless, she wouldn't take risks over something trivial.
After hammering out the details, the conversation shifted to a more casual tone as Anna Wintour, hoping to foster a favorable relationship with Eric, enthusiastically agreed to help connect Gisele with top fashion photographer Steven Meisel for the cover shoot.
...
Once the call ended, Gisele quietly asked, "Eric, were you talking about Steven Meisel just now?"
Eric nodded. Having been more exposed to the fashion world in recent years, he had learned about several top fashion photographers.
Steven Meisel was known for skillfully capturing women, and his lens always revealed a unique sense of mystery and allure, akin to a band of black cats strolling stealthily through the night.
Gisele's face lit up with excitement upon confirmation but quickly dimmed again as she lamented, "Eric, um, hiring Steven Meisel for a photoshoot must be really expensive; the company might not cover that."
"Don't worry; I'll handle the bill," Eric replied, passing the phone back to Gisele. "Once you're back in New York, no need to reach out to Tina Brown anymore. Just call your agent right now and have them send your profile to VOGUE's headquarters."
Gisele nodded, taking the phone with a tinge of embarrassment as she stepped aside to make the call.
Having observed everything quietly, Alessandra finally spoke up, "Eric, I..."
Eric was tidying up newspapers on the table when he casually remarked, "You're still young; wait another two years."
Alessandra fiddled nervously with her fingers, pleading softly, "I could be in the teenage edition of VOGUE."
"Stop it. If I push both of you at once, Anna will go crazy."
...
After debuting at $3.6 million on the first day, Rumble in the Bronx garnered $4.16 million and $3.55 million over the next two days, culminating in a first weekend box office total of $11.31 million.
While successfully claiming the weekend box office crown, Rumble in the Bronx also drew considerable media attention, with New Line eagerly ramping up subsequent promotions while promptly releasing news about Jackie Chan's collaboration on a new project.
...
Post-weekend, Gisele and Alessandra returned to New York together, and Eric prepared to fly to the Bahamas to visit the filming locations for Casino Royale.
However, before leaving, Eric had to personally intervene regarding the release of Se7en.
It became apparent that Paramount intended to create buzz by linking their own Primal Fear with the successful Se7en. Initially, Eric had not planned to get involved, but New Line's distribution team quickly responded.
Paramount's media strategy was straightforward: ignite discussions over who was the superior antagonist, Kevin Spacey or Edward Norton, to captivate audiences' interest in Primal Fear.
Clearly, Paramount understood that Primal Fear couldn't possibly compete with Se7en's intricate and superior storytelling in overall quality.
Nevertheless, New Line's counterattack honed in precisely on this point. Highlighting the overall film quality, rather than diminishing public excitement surrounding Primal Fear, merely showcased how critically acclaimed Se7en was after its early viewings -- a widely accepted fact in cinema reviews.
As long as they connected Primal Fear with Se7en, enticing audiences to compare the two films, Paramount's marketing strategy would be deemed a resounding success.
Typically, when films co-promote, synergistic effects yield higher total box office returns.
But this case was different since the North American Easter season had yet to be capitalized on; audience attendance and overall box office during this period wouldn't fluctuate significantly.
Furthermore, due to substantial early promotions by New Line, Se7en's buzz was already high. Therefore, while the promotional collaboration between Se7en and Primal Fear might marginally increase both films' box office totals, it was very likely only Primal Fear would significantly benefit.
As a result of Primal Fear taking a larger share of box office revenue, Se7en's overall earnings might actually dip compared to the original timeline.
The original Se7en broke the $100 million mark in North America, with New Line's effective operation playing a substantial role.
The $100 million milestone was a significant demarcation for most films. Crossing this threshold allowed a film to be classified as a classic; thus, even if a film stalled shy of $99 million, it felt entirely different from one standing over $100 million.
It was easy to foresee that if the new Se7en failed to surpass the $100 million mark, perhaps due to the influence of Primal Fear, it would only miss out by a few million. Nevertheless, the ramifications for subsequent overseas market releases and home video distribution would be dramatically different; audiences might see an $80 million to $90 million film as pleasant but would be less likely to invest it with classic genre status.
Under the original timeline, Se7en earned $220 million overseas, with home video releases filling New Line's coffers. It would be no exaggeration to state that reaching $100 million in North America was a significant booster to that success.
Therefore, if this version of Se7en couldn't break the $100 million barrier, the losses would expand far beyond just the few hundred thousand or million dollars in box office receipts.
After helplessly observing for several days, Eric made a call to Katzenberg before leaving Los Angeles, where they thoroughly discussed the marketing strategy to counter Primal Fear, allowing him to board the flight to the Bahamas with peace of mind.
*****
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