Tricks

"Mr. Gibson, many people are questioning the excessive depiction of torture scenes in your film. How do you view this criticism?"

Facing an interview with the television station under Twentieth Century Fox, Mel responded in a cooperative manner, "Hollywood has always held an unfriendly attitude towards religious themes. However, I am a Catholic, and for a film like this, I have devoted all my sincerity. It's the spiritual calling I've always believed in that drove me to complete it. From the preparation to the filming, to securing distribution, this has been a labor of love for me over the past ten years. You can deny it, but you cannot question my faith."

"So you don't think there's anything wrong with those bloody scenes?" the host asked again.

"You can't put it that way either. These are things that people experienced firsthand, and I've faithfully recreated them."

In Mel's words, he emphasized his unwavering faith and constantly hinted that what he filmed was genuine, not a mix of private agendas with box office concerns. The previous rumor mill had already churned out enough heat, and now, the goal was to whitewash the film's creative intentions in the eyes of the audience.

He went on to cite several passages from the New Testament to compare them with scenes in his movie, enhancing the credibility of his words.

It was as if everything he had done shouldn't be subject to any baseless controversies.

Heh heh.

A devout Catholic making an ultra-violent cult film about his own religious beliefs—it was almost a joke.

But it didn't matter; as long as they could deceive the audience and garner sympathy, that was enough.

Furthermore, Fox Television was on their side.

Afterward, the screen switched from the interview site to the studio, where the television station host made some timely comments.

"Although the film has faced criticism, the depiction is indeed profound and sophisticated. Perhaps, Mel Gibson has created a reflection of his own beliefs about the Bible. It's not intended to promote any anti-Semitic thoughts..."

...

Hollywood, Paramount Pictures headquarters.

In her office, Sherry Lansing watched this interview. It had aired earlier in the morning and was aimed at a nationwide audience via Fox Television.

On the other side of her desk, David Andrews offered his thoughts at the right moment.

"They're quite clever with this move."

"I could have predicted it," Sherry appeared relaxed.

The sudden onslaught of rumors had already revealed their intentions.

"In recent days, how is the box office for "The Passion of the Christ"?"

"It had been declining continuously, but now it's stabilizing, and there's even an upward trend."

Sherry smiled and glanced at David. "Since they like to create a spectacle, let's join in. Inform the marketing department to increase the publicity. Emphasize that "Effervescent" has achieved outstanding results and received rave reviews, making it perfect for couples to watch. They love hype, don't they? I want this wave of momentum to become a tailwind for "Effervescent", propelling it to new heights."

When you hold a trump card, why not play it boldly? Sherry showed no fear of Fox's small maneuvers. In the face of absolute strength and film quality, these little tricks were insignificant. Her words were filled with confidence and dominance. "As for the theaters, I'll personally meet with them again to negotiate the scheduling."

With that, she waved her hand, and David didn't disturb her work any longer.

...

In one of Firefly Pictures' offices, Blake Cole was also quite surprised by recent events.

Originally, he had thought that the March release date should have been a direct showdown with the similar film "50 First Dates", but he hadn't expected "The Passion of the Christ" to be so resilient, with wave after wave of attention. Instead, it had managed to divert some of the box office of "Effervescent".

And then, Paramount called again, wanting to intensify the film's promotional efforts, making it clear that they wouldn't let their competitor off easily.

This time, it seemed as if the two studios had coordinated their actions, almost as if they were clearing the playing field.

Perhaps this was the kind of unspoken understanding that existed among the six major studios.

After all, aside from "The Passion of the Christ" reaping benefits, "Effervescent" was also thriving. On the other hand, several low-budget productions that had once posed competition were now silent.

It wasn't just a coincidence; it felt more like an inevitability.

However, the only thing certain was that no matter how the storm unfolded, it didn't harm "Effervescent".

"How's it going?"

"What do you mean?"

Lyman and John sat in the car.

Their group was still busy with the promotional tour.

"Paramount's tactics, aren't they quite clever?"

"Anyone who becomes one of the six major studios has some tricks up their sleeve."

John nodded, agreeing with Lyman's assessment.

However, he added diplomatically, "Working with Warner Bros. is what we need to do, but we shouldn't completely sever ties with Paramount either. Sherry is formidable, and she's no pushover for us."

He looked at Lyman. "Although Warner Bros. is strong, they also have internal disputes. Don't lean too heavily in one direction. Don't assume that Warner Bros. will treat you as one of their own. If a conflict arises..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Lyman understood John's meaning.

Just like how Universal could show goodwill one moment and ruthlessly smear their competitors the next, for the six major studios, their interests always came before anything else.

Lyman was wary of Paramount now, but that didn't mean he would blindly trust Warner Bros.

In short, the fledgling needed protection. But how to navigate this situation required careful consideration.

The car continued to move forward.

After a few minutes, Lyman asked again, "During this time, could you gather information on companies with North American distribution channels, with a focus on understanding their financials and ownership structure?"

"Why? Are you planning to establish your own distribution channel?"

John asked excitedly.

"I do have that intention. Relying on others is not a long-term solution."

Paramount knew they had to acquire DreamWorks to supplement their production capabilities, and Lyman had considered having his own distribution channel as well.

"What's your goal?"

"I want to have a well-established team and channels for both offline and theatrical distribution in North America. Clarity in finances is important, and whether or not they have debt isn't crucial. Simple ownership structure is preferable, and if possible, full acquisition is the goal. Otherwise, we must at least have controlling shares."

Lyman's words were clear, and John understood perfectly.

"I got it. I'll look into it more and keep an eye out for suitable companies."

Even if they couldn't become Lionsgate, following the DreamWorks model would work too.

In any case, Lyman had made up his mind to establish a film company that integrated production and distribution.

This way, he would have his own gateway on this river, at least in a preliminary sense.