Chapter 1373: The most brilliant lobbying only requires the simplest methods!!

"Harrison!"

Naoki Nagayama waved at the white man walking over from not far away, and Harrison Ford quickly walked over.

"Naoki!"

Although it was a bit strange to call a Japanese name in English, after a few months of getting along, this form of address had become very familiar!

Harrison gave Naoki Nagayama a warm hug before saying:

"I knew it, Naoki, you definitely wouldn't miss the Oscars!"

"Haha, of course... my goal is the big award!"

Harrison Ford was a star himself, so he certainly wouldn't miss such a grand event.

"What about the others? Didn't Ms. Tian Zhong come?"

This tall white man turned his head to look around, seemingly wanting to find the few friends he had made in Japan.

"Haha, Yuko-san didn't come this time!"

Yuko Tian Zhong had no reason to attend the Oscars, and her agency wouldn't arrange a schedule for her!

The film Naoki Nagayama was entering this time was *Departures*, not *Jurassic Park*, but since this film was going to be screened in Hollywood, Harrison naturally had to come and take a look.

"Alright, come with me!"

Naoki Nagayama brought Harrison to the busiest district in Hollywood and pointed to a cinema there, saying:

"In these few days, our film will be screened in these places! As part of the viewing activities... to pave the way for entering the American market!"

"We will be doing some promotional activities here, and I'll have to trouble you to help with the promotion!"

"Haha... that's certainly no problem!"

Harrison nodded with a smile; although his acting fee was already in hand, as the film was released in the United States, his popularity would also climb... this was definitely a good thing for his career!

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen the full film of *Jurassic Park* yet!"

"Eh?"

Naoki Nagayama patted his head in surprise, because Harrison had been abroad the whole time, so he hadn't had the chance to see the final cut.

"It's my fault..."

"How about this... today we'll book a cinema... and I'll invite some producers to watch it together!"

"That couldn't be better!"

Being with other producers could also expand his network!

The two walked along the Hollywood streets together, chatting about their recent situations from time to time.

"After returning from Japan, I didn't rest for long before I threw myself into the filming of *Indiana Jones 3*!"

Harrison complained with some helplessness.

"This time I went straight to Venice, Germany... filming on location in the wilderness there... the environment is really much worse compared to Jurassic Island!"

"Hahaha, filming adventure movies is just like that..."

Naoki Nagayama teased him unceremoniously.

"Otherwise, how could it reflect the erudition and courage of Dr. Indiana Jones!"

At this moment, Naoki Nagayama suddenly associated this with a famous scene in *Indiana Jones 3*, where Jones encountered a Nazi parade while in Germany, happened to run into the Führer... and was even passively asked for an autograph...

"By the way, when you were filming in Germany, what was the psychology in the script during that part where you were asked for an autograph by the Führer?"

Naoki Nagayama asked curiously.

"Were you supposed to be moved by the Führer, or shocked by that kind of personal charisma? Or just purely surprised?"

There were many clips of that famous scene, with people saying things like "Dr. Jones almost changed his faith on the spot," or "Take it, the Empire doesn't care," which were so well-put that they were hilarious.

"!!!"

At this moment, Harrison was full of horror... he had only just finished filming that part in Germany, how did Naoki Nagayama know?!

Could it be that Naoki Nagayama had sent a spy over?

Or had the crew's raw footage already been leaked?!

"Naoki, how do you know?!"

"Uh..."

Naoki Nagayama realized he had spoken out of turn and hurriedly tried to make up for it.

"Haha, I just happened to hear someone mention it. Because it's your movie, Harrison, I asked in a bit more detail... As for the autograph segment, people also said you acted very brilliantly, showing the character's psychological changes..."

"... I was just acting surprised..."

Harrison said dryly, then asked:

"Who was the person who told you that?"

"... Uh... confidential, confidential..."

Naoki Nagayama hurriedly changed the subject.

"Ah, that restaurant ahead looks good, just right to welcome you... after we finish eating, we'll go to the cinema to watch *Jurassic Park*!"

"..."

Because Naoki Nagayama suddenly accelerated, Harrison lagged behind by two steps...

But looking at Naoki Nagayama's back at this moment, he suddenly felt an indescribable sense of oppression!

"The crew definitely leaked it!"

"And specifically mentioned the part with the Nazis..."

"Perhaps Naoki Nagayama has some connection with a certain ideology, which is why he is secretly probing related movies..."

"Just afraid that someone will whitewash the defeated side of the past!!"

"That's right, otherwise Naoki wouldn't have reminded me about changing my faith or something!"

"This is an ideological struggle!"

"No, no, I have to remind the director that the editing of this part must be handled with caution!"

"..."

In this era, ideological struggles were very intense... Big Brother was still around! The Cold War was still continuing!

Secret police and the like were also once terrifying in the United States!

At this moment, the more Harrison looked at Naoki Nagayama, the more terrifying he felt!

Thinking back to how he possessed such great wealth and status at such a young age... perhaps his background involved even more aspects!

"Harrison?"

Naoki Nagayama looked back at Harrison.

"Why aren't you keeping up?"

Harrison gave a start, feeling that this was also some kind of hint, and immediately said:

"I will definitely keep up with Naoki!!!"

The Hollywood Oscar viewing party, besides the Oscar awards ceremony and the subsequent celebration banquet, could be said to be the most attractive of all activities during the awards season for ordinary people.

In Hollywood cinemas, various free movie screenings or super low-price promotions were underway, and audiences would come to watch various films from all over the world.

And today, because he had previously asked the chairman of the Film Academy, *Jurassic Park* was able to successfully cut in line and become a film at an important cinema... Generally speaking, filmmakers from all over the world would come to watch, which was also an opportunity to reach deals.

People watching *Jurassic Park* for the first time could hardly help but be shocked by its realistic special effects and bold imagination!

Especially in this era when film special effects technology was just budding!

It was probably the feeling people had when they saw *Avatar* after the millennium~

Filmmakers from all over the world saw the lifelike dinosaur park, the leisurely brachiosaurus, the cunning velociraptors, and the ferocious tyrannosaurus rex, which completely captured their hearts...

At the same time, some of them who were film merchants also understood very well that such a film would undoubtedly be very popular in their own countries!

Consequently, many film company people began to inquire about the detailed information of the production company "Tree Friend Films" and the price they wanted for introduction.

However, at this time, Naoki Nagayama was in the conference hall of the cinema, inviting a group of people to have a conversation.

"Gentlemen, I invited you to watch *Jurassic Park* the day before yesterday, what do you think?"

Naoki Nagayama asked the eight groups of people in front of him with a smile; they were the representatives of the production companies of *The Last Emperor*... those invited to attend the Oscars were naturally all senior executives of film companies.

"Very good!"

Jeremy Thomas, the founder of the British Recorded Picture Company, nodded with satisfaction.

"This is a very excellent film, one could even say it's the film with the best special effects at the moment!"

"Mr. Naoki Nagayama, there is an old saying in the East: 'Open people don't speak dark words'... You invited us all here today, you must have something to say, right?!"

As one of the producers of *The Last Emperor*, he naturally had a deep understanding of Eastern culture, and even spoke the "xiehouyu" (two-part allegorical saying) very fluently.

"Hahaha, of course I have something to say!"

Naoki Nagayama had no intention of denying it.

"But some things need to be stated in advance... I consider myself a businessman..."

"The matter I am going to discuss next involves dirty interest exchanges..."

He looked around at the people in the room and said seriously:

"If the people present do not consider themselves businessmen, do not care about money and interests, or are ashamed to associate the elegant art of film with the stench of copper..."

"Then, please leave this room!"

"..."

This novel opening remark surprised everyone greatly...

Listening to these words that sounded like self-deprecation and also like sarcasm, the people present looked at each other, and for a moment, no one acted rashly.

Investing in opening a film company, who wasn't a businessman!

After waiting for a while, seeing that no one left, Naoki Nagayama slapped his thigh:

"Good... since everyone doesn't mind talking about money, then it's easy to handle!"

As he spoke, he took out dinosaur dolls from his pocket:

"I believe that after watching *Jurassic Park*, everyone understands its commercial value very well... It's not that I'm boasting, I think the total global box office of *Jurassic Park* will definitely exceed 1 billion US dollars!"

With a "Boom," the others in the room either laughed or shrugged... It wasn't that they didn't believe it, but in this era, no film had yet reached a box office of 1 billion US dollars!

"Ahem..."

Jeremy Thomas coughed twice and said with a smile:

"Mr. Nagayama, we certainly think *Jurassic Park* is excellent, but a total box office of 1 billion US dollars might be a bit too difficult a goal!"

"Alright..."

Naoki Nagayama shrugged, not arguing with them.

"Then what do you think it is?"

"Uh..."

This caught everyone off guard for a moment, but after calculating in their hearts, someone threw out a number...

"About 700 or 800 million US dollars?"

"Over 800 million, I guess..."

"Can't be more than that..."

Looking at everyone's judgment, Naoki Nagayama didn't say much more; he just asked with a smile:

"Then... how much do you think the box office of *The Last Emperor* can be?"

"..."

For a moment, everyone stopped talking again... Although the quality of *The Last Emperor* was very good, fundamentally, it was still an art film... The box office certainly wouldn't be too high.

"Alright, I'll say a number!"

Seeing that everyone wasn't talking, Naoki Nagayama spoke up.

"100 million US dollars?"

"..."

Jeremy Thomas didn't refute; this was already a very optimistic number that even exceeded their expectations.

"Everyone see... the comparison is already very obvious!"

Listening to Naoki Nagayama's words, Jeremy Thomas lost his composure a bit:

"Mr. Naoki Nagayama, what exactly are you trying to say?!"

"My meaning is... after filming *The Last Emperor* so hard for so long, actor costs, costume and prop costs, promotion costs, time costs... after deducting these costs, even with a box office of 100 million US dollars, how much profit can you actually get?!"

Naoki Nagayama continued:

"However, there is a way now, with no risk or loss, that can make your profits far higher than before!"

"What way?"

Someone spoke subconsciously, and then was forced back by the gazes of other film company people...

"That is... your company introduces my *Jurassic Park*..."

Naoki Nagayama said with a smile:

"I can give you a very favorable purchase price and revenue-sharing ratio, and only authorize your company in your country... allowing you to earn returns far exceeding expectations!"

You have to know that a high-quality film is very popular in the global market. Besides major distribution companies, there is competition from television stations, important cinema chains, and even distributors in various countries. Generally, multiple distribution companies in each country share the rights~

And this Naoki Nagayama actually said he could give them exclusive authorization?! And a generous revenue-sharing ratio?!

Thinking of the expected total box office of 800 or 900 million, how much would be shared in their own country... plus the fact that they could get the distribution rights with almost no cost...

Then the profit they could earn...

Everyone present was a businessman; they quickly estimated the approximate profit in their heads, and then everyone's throat felt a bit dry; some couldn't help but swallow their saliva!

"Ahem..."

It was still Jeremy Thomas who cleared his throat with a light cough.

"There is no such thing as a free lunch in the world..."

"Then, Mr. Nagayama... what is the price?!"

Hearing this similar line, Naoki Nagayama almost blurted out "everything"... but after all, he wasn't in his "chuunibyou" phase anymore, so he held it back...

"Hahaha, the price, well... there is only one!"

"*The Last Emperor* withdraws from the competition for this year's Oscars..."

"This..."

Hearing this, everyone understood... this guy Naoki Nagayama just wanted to pave the way for his other film, *Departures*!

By getting rid of the biggest competitor, the only choice left for the Oscars would be his own!

Moreover, the competitiveness of *Departures* was truly not weak, and the 8 production companies of *The Last Emperor* had spent a lot of costs on lobbying!

This condition made everyone's heart tighten, but after weighing it, many people began to waver...

After all, even if *The Last Emperor* didn't participate in this year's Oscars, it could still go to compete for the Cannes Palme d'Or in May, the Venice Golden Lion in August, or even the Berlin Golden Bear next year!

In the world, the Oscars aren't the only international grand award!

After everyone discussed it a little, Jeremy Thomas was pushed out, with a smile on his face:

"Mr. Nagayama... let's talk in depth about the revenue sharing!"

"Haha, good!!"

Naoki Nagayama shouted.

"Sugiyama-san, come... negotiate the specific terms of the distribution revenue sharing with our partners... By the way, perhaps we can add other films; maybe we can cooperate long-term in the future!"

Yoshihiko Sugiyama had originally come to the United States to develop a distribution company, so it was most appropriate to let him negotiate the specific business!

Listening to the gradually heated discussion in the conference hall, Shuichi Itō and Genta Nakai in the corridor were moved.

Genta Nakai tilted his head and asked:

"Shuichi-san, although I don't know much about film promotion... but is it a bit uneconomical to trade an Oscar award for real box office revenue sharing..."

You have to know that the profit Naoki Nagayama gave away here was tens of millions of US dollars!

And how much was that little golden man worth? Only a few tens of thousands of dollars!

"Nakai-san, you can't look at it that way... For Naoki-san, money is not the pursuit, honor is!"

Shuichi Itō shook his head.

"On the other hand, inside the conference hall are 8 excellent film companies from European and American countries..."

"Originally, if our Tree Friend wanted to enter the European and American markets, we would need to negotiate country by country... but this time we can get it done all at once!"

"The costs and energy consumed in that would not be a small number..."

"And now, actually letting the other party help us open up the market while they feel they've taken advantage... this is the brilliant part!"

Hearing this analysis, Genta Nakai lit a cigarette and sighed:

"When Naoki-san first came, he said he wanted to lobby; I thought he would use some very complicated methods... honestly, I even anticipated yellow, gambling, and drugs..."

"Sure enough... the most brilliant lobbying only requires the simplest methods!"

"Yeah... as long as the interests are sufficient!"

Shuichi Itō exhaled a smoke ring and sighed. He had thought that after entering politics, his perspective had deepened by a layer, but he didn't expect to be able to learn more from Naoki-san.

Next, for the measures in the "Cultural Nation-Building" strategy, if he wanted to gain assistance from all parties, he would also need to carefully consider the distribution of interests!

"In short, we must ensure Tree Friend gets the largest share!" ===== CHAPTER 1374 =====