Chapter 20: sharknado Debuts Early
Early Tuesday morning, Mom brought breakfast: milk, bread, bacon, and fried eggs. It wasn't as extravagant as the meals of the rich in movies; the Cooper Family ate simple, healthy food.
Eric was drinking milk and flipping through the latest newspaper. His identity was different now, so reading newspapers, especially entertainment ones, was necessary.
Moreover, internet information wasn't yet well-developed, and mobile phones were even less so. Print media still dominated.
Opening the Los Angeles Times, the front-page headline featured a photo of Eric and his team entering the MGM building. He couldn't help but smile.
Continuing to read, Eric's office tirade against MGM's former leadership occupied a large portion of the article, complete with a picture of those executives leaving the building dejectedly. It was truly a comprehensive report.
Eric glanced at his father across the table: "Dad, did you do this?"
Harry Cooper nodded: "Eric, Hollywood is a Vanity Fair. Besides politics, you won't find a more realistic place. I need to establish your reputation and authority, and using these old guys as stepping stones is the best way."
They both laughed. As the saying goes, having an elder in the family is like having a treasure. Eric wasn't good at this kind of internal struggle, but his father had already quietly paved the way for him.
"Oh, right, Dad, there's something I need to discuss with you."
"What is it?"
"Not long ago, I registered a film and television company, but it's still just a shell. I want to get it up and running."
"Why register a company? We spent so much effort acquiring MGM; can't we film in MGM's studios?"
"We can, but I'm worried it might negatively affect MGM's reputation."
Harry Cooper frowned: "You're not thinking of making those San Fernando Valley-type movies, are you?"
Eric chuckled awkwardly: "Dad, do you think I'm that kind of person? I want to make bad movies. I plan to set up a bad movie company."
After he laid out his plan, Harry Cooper nodded.
"The idea is plausible, and I haven't heard of anyone doing this. Perhaps it has potential, but will people really enjoy watching bad movies?"
"I know some audiences enjoy novelty, but it's only a small portion. They can't sustain a company."
Eric understood his father's concern: "That's why I said it's small-scale. It generally won't go to theaters, and the filming cycle is very short, so it won't monopolize MGM's resources."
"Alright then, I'll arrange for some skilled employees to transfer, but it must be on a voluntary basis. MGM isn't stable yet, and I don't want trouble with the union."
Voluntary principle, eh? A 20% salary increase would attract plenty of people. The key was to have experienced, skilled workers, as bad movies prioritized speed.
Under his father's coordination, things progressed smoothly. In just two days, hundreds of people eagerly signed up.
They were all grassroots staff who would never get promoted in their lifetime. It was the same no matter which company they worked for, and AK Films offered higher salaries.
However, AK Films' model certainly didn't require that many people. A team of dozens was selected, and Harry Cooper even picked an executive from MGM's finance department to recommend to him.
In his father's words, for a bad movie company like this, the importance of finance far outweighed other departments, so it was crucial to choose capable and trustworthy insiders.
Both companies were based in Los Angeles. The new employees only had to pack their belongings, leave MGM, and join AK Films—a surprisingly quick three-step process.
In just three days, Eric, Warren, and Bema Hardy were already standing in the office building marked AK Films, watching the employees hold a general meeting downstairs.
Bema Hardy was the finance executive his father had chosen for him. She was 34 years old, a latecomer to the film industry, and in just six years, she had become a senior executive and core member of MGM's finance department.
She was very career-driven, still unmarried, and a capable, mature woman. She would serve as the general manager of AK Films.
Of course, Bema Hardy's choice to come to AK Films also carried the ambition to make a big impact. After all, at MGM, she still had department heads above her, making it difficult to climb the ladder. Now, she only had to report to Eric, preferring to be the head of a chicken rather than the tail of a phoenix.
Eric cleared his throat: "You are all veteran employees of MGM, and you know who I am. I won't say anything superfluous. I hope we will work together happily in the future and together build AK Films into another benchmark in Hollywood!"
Then Bema also spoke a few words. She was very familiar with these employees and was a capable person herself, speaking concisely and powerfully.
Finally, it was Warren's turn. Eric had arranged for him to be the Vice President. The guy was clearly prepared, speaking at length, and dressed in a suit and tie, making one wonder if he was the boss.
After the meeting, he called Warren and Bema to his office and handed them a script outline. On it, "sharknado" was prominently written.
"You are clear about the company's positioning. This is the first movie I've tailor-made for the company. We need to make a splash and establish our reputation in the market!"
The two quickly picked up the script and read it carefully. It was just an outline, less than ten pages long.
After quickly finishing, Bema nodded: "Although I'm not proficient in market aspects, shark-themed movies are quite popular, so the market prospects are good. And a shark tornado… the concept is truly novel. I've never seen anything like it. It feels like a spoof of a B-grade disaster movie."
Warren loosened his tie, silently lamenting that he needed to lose weight: "And just from the outline, you can sense a very unique vibe. How do I put it, it's just…"
"Freshly and exceptionally bad, able to carve out a niche even in a forest of bad movies, right?"
Warren slapped his thigh: "Exactly! From my experience watching countless discs, that's exactly the feeling—distinctively bad."
Eric laughed heartily: "This is the path we're taking. Warren, you contact screenwriters. We don't need big names; small screenwriters will do. We're aiming for spoof and speed."
"When you talk to the screenwriter, tell him to let his imagination run wild. Don't worry about logical consistency, and certainly don't let it intersect with real-world laws. Write whatever comes to mind in a dream. I just need a story that's somewhat plausible."
Warren showed an understanding expression: "This kind of script is too simple. It can be done in half a month at most."
Eric then looked at Bema: "Ms. Bema, you need to put in more effort recently. The pressure of the entire company will fall on your shoulders. Although we are a small company, the structure must at least be complete, as it will surely grow larger in the future."
"You will be responsible for recruiting the heads of the other departments. Build the team as quickly as possible, and then just give me a list."
Bema Hardy's heart was instantly filled with wild joy, and she quickly said: "Don't worry, I won't let you down."
"Of course, I trust your ability, and I trust Dad's judgment."
After dismissing Bema from the office, Eric finally spoke: "Warren, my main energy will definitely be focused on MGM. AK Films will be led by you and Bema. First, learn from her experience and quickly learn how to manage a company. Of course, you also need to keep an eye on her for me."
Warren was a shrewd fat man, and naturally understood Eric's meaning: "You can rest assured. As long as I'm here, she won't be able to mess around."
La la la la la la, I'm the little painter who sells newspapers, hoping today is another day of slacking off!