Chapter 19: Lack of Ability

Outside the window, the night was deep, while inside, the lights were bright. Ronan sat behind his desk, carefully flipping through a professional book on funds.

Whenever he came across key points, he would pause to take notes.

Occasionally, he would also fall into contemplation, comparing the differences between the two sides of the Pacific.

There were just too many differences between China and the United States, from society to culture to law.

For someone coming from across the Pacific, it wasn't just a matter of changing habits.

Fortunately, Ronan had inherited most of Anderson's memories, and so far there hadn't been any major oversights.

Seeing the part about film funds, Ronan picked up the nearby "California Entertainment Act" for further verification. Whether it was the "California Entertainment Act" or the various industry regulations in Hollywood, he had read them all before, although not to the point of memorization, but he had a general idea.

Here, as elsewhere, there were regulations that were set in stone, but people were alive and dynamic.

These legal regulations ensured the normal operation of the Hollywood system and brought great vitality to this massive industrial machine, but there were countless gray areas within the industry.

Only by understanding these could one exploit the loopholes.

Of course, Ronan's primary goal in reading was to enrich himself.

Recently, he had specifically visited USC twice, where he met Professor Johnson, Anderson's former mentor, and obtained many highly professional books from him.

Although Professor Johnson was an academic, he had also spent a long time working in Hollywood before teaching, providing invaluable practical experience.

This was also a neglected network that belonged to Anderson but was overlooked by him.

A man in his sixties, who had worked in Hollywood for many years and dedicated over a decade to teaching at USC's film school, represented a vast network of relationships.

Anderson had only wanted to forge ahead on his own, neglecting even the mentor who valued him so much. Ronan really didn't know what to say.

He was very clear about one thing: he was not a genius, and Anderson was not a super-genius either. Even with their knowledge combined, there were many shortcomings. To succeed in entrepreneurship, opportunity was crucial, but ability was the foundation.

Returning to 1998 had brought him unique and immense opportunities, but his abilities urgently needed further improvement.

While on the other side of the Pacific, Ronan had the ability to lead a departmental team, but it would be very difficult for him to handle a larger scope.

Reincarnation hadn't brought about an increase in ability.

Well, that wasn't entirely accurate. Many of Anderson's strengths had been passed on to him, such as his screenwriting ability.

The script for "Human Cleansing Plan" had undergone three revisions, and Ronan had basically finished the modifications. As for whether there would be further changes in the later stages, it would depend on the director's arrival.

Were the directors recommended by the agent tonight reliable?

Ronan shook his head. He would naturally find out when he met them later. His focus returned to reading and learning. After finishing the section on film funds, he picked up a book on producers and began reading.

Hollywood was a typical producer-driven system, where the producer was the core of a film project.

Independent small projects were relatively simple and didn't have so many requirements. "Human Cleansing Plan" was also not a union project, so it didn't have to comply with various rules and regulations, but it wasn't easy to operate.

It wasn't until midnight that Ronan finally put down the book in his hand.

After reading for a long time, one inevitably felt dizzy and overwhelmed, needing some proper diversion. At this time, he would check the latest social trends on the internet.

By the late 1990s, the internet was already quite popular in North America.

Ronan found Netflix's website, which was just as he remembered from his memory. Netflix was a fledgling company, offering video tapes and emerging DVD rental services, but the selection was pitifully small.

North America's copyright system was relatively sound, so without acquiring the rights, Netflix would definitely be doomed.

For this company to develop, it first needed to solve its source material problem.

Ronan thought for a moment and sent an email to Mary, asking her to specifically look into Netflix after work tomorrow.

Then, he closed the website and opened his blog.

Blogs weren't a new thing on the internet; this more primitive form of online self-media had far less influence than after 2000.

Ronan had applied for a blog a long time ago, as a retreat he had prepared beforehand.

What he was currently doing actually carried great risks. In case of accidents, having another option would be beneficial.

Publishing novels through a blog is something many new North American writers did in their past lives, such as the author of "The Martian."

Ronan had read the original work and had even considered adapting "The Martian" into a novel, but he quickly abandoned the idea.

After reading a novel, it's natural to remember the main plot, but it's difficult to recall the specifics.

"The Martian" leaned toward hard science fiction, involving a lot of knowledge in physics, biology, and aerospace, areas where Ronan lacked expertise. With limited time available, he couldn't afford to spend a lot of time researching, so he gave up.

Transforming future blockbuster films into novels is extremely challenging and time-consuming.

Ronan didn't have that much time. Even though Anderson left behind impressive scriptwriting skills, novels that are simple, formulaic, and don't require profound specialized knowledge are the best choice.

So, Ronan chose a relatively simple yet genuinely captivating novel—Fifty Shades of Grey.

The content of this novel doesn't involve complex business operations or specialized academic knowledge, nor does it delve into intricate conspiracy theories. Its biggest feature lies in aspects like Mary Sue characters, Jack Sue characters, and BDSM.

In his opinion, after outlining the plot, he would dedicate half an hour to an hour each day to writing.

No one can guarantee the success of a novel, but it can serve as practice for scriptwriting.

As a male, Ronan couldn't handle writing from the perspective of a female protagonist, especially from the perspective of a female victim of BDSM, which felt awkward.

It wasn't just a simple transformation; it involved BDSM, and continuing down that path could drive him crazy.

Since he was going to write it, he had to approach it from the perspective of a male BDSM practitioner.

As for the male lead, he could draw inspiration from himself, a handsome guy who inherited a small failing business, turned it into a multi-billion-dollar empire, and became a true social elite. But behind the scenes, there was an unknown aspect to the handsome guy—his love for BDSM.

With a net worth of billions of dollars, there couldn't be just one female lead; there had to be several, not only entangled with the male lead but also engaging in various explicit activities.

Hmm... the female leads could also play games with each other.

Thinking of this, two lines of poetry flashed through Ronan's mind: "A dragon among the common fish, Unrivalled in storm or calm."

He still needed to be mindful of the scale. Although the scale for novels here is very open, it still shouldn't become too explicit.

Ronan never considered a single female lead. With a net worth of billions of dollars, a handsome guy with deviant hobbies wouldn't just focus on one Mary Sue character.

After setting the male lead and confirming several key female roles, Ronan began to consider the main plot. However, his brows furrowed tighter.

Because he realized a problem: this novel seemed easier to write than hard science fiction or complex psychological thrillers, but it also required expertise!

The core of BDSM, which was the most important aspect, was a highly specialized and serious topic. How could he write about it without any experience?

Without even experiencing it, could he write something that would captivate readers?

Should he spend some time specifically watching films in this genre? Or should he go on a field trip to San Fernando Valley?

Ronan felt a headache coming on. Just like raising funds in Abu Dhabi, even with advanced information, it was very difficult for a reborn individual to actually get things done.

Capability! It really required capability! Ronan realized deeply that his capability was lacking!

He sighed. He stopped thinking about it and focused on creating an outline and setting the main plot. When it came to relevant plots, he would figure it out then.

If all else failed, he would find a way to get inspiration.

Everything was for the future career.

For several consecutive days, Ronan was busy with company affairs during the day and, after recharging at night, worked on the outline for "Fifty Shades of Grey," keeping himself occupied.

During this time, he also had dinner with a small agent and finalized the temporary actors to be used.

At the beginning of the new week, Ronan received a call from a broker named Edward, who informed him that the next day they would be visiting Sea Sands Entertainment with a director client.

This director's name was James Wong, translated into Chinese as James Huang.

Hearing this name, Ronan felt a sense of familiarity. He instantly thought of the Chinese director of "Saw," but upon closer consideration, that James, the Chinese director named James, was probably still in school and couldn't possibly have come to Hollywood, let alone directed several episodes of "The X-Files."

Fortunately, he would soon meet the person himself.