Chapter 73: Corleone Entertainment Group Expands Steadily

[Chapter 73: Corleone Entertainment Group Expands Steadily]

Charlie slowed his pace slightly, then a smile crept to the corner of his mouth, and his steps became lighter.

Working with good friends wasn't always a pleasant choice. Seeing cracks in their relationships made Charlie even happier.

Everything was unfolding just as he had planned.

A street-smart black man working as an executive in a Hollywood film company wasn't going to get along perfectly with everyone -- that was just the way it was! As the boss's close friend, he had to ensure that this person couldn't get too close with the others.

"Hey, boss!" someone greeted politely from ahead.

Charlie looked over and nodded slightly. "Hello. Are you a new employee?"

"Yes, Jon Favreau. I just joined the editing department," the man said excitedly. He was short, shyly smiling, but gave off a friendly, neighborly vibe. "My previous project was distributed by Miramax, and that's how I learned about Corleone Entertainment Group. I have to say, Godfather, you're incredible! I'm honored to join this company."

"Oh, thank you!" Charlie chuckled and appraised him. "You look familiar. Are you going to the screenwriting department?"

"Yes, boss." Jon seemed to realize he was too excited, taking a deep breath to calm down. "Sorry, I was an actor for a while before screenwriting."

Charlie nodded and walked alongside him, casually encouraging the young man without paying much attention.

...

At this time, Corleone Entertainment Group was rapidly developing.

Various departments were hiring many newcomers. The screenwriting department now had its own office area, which was more like a creative lounge. The decor resembled a cozy social gathering.

Seven or eight people sat on sofas, holding coffee and tea, eating pastries. The atmosphere was warm. If there had been a fireplace, it would've felt like a cozy family night around the hearth.

When Charlie entered, he waved to greet everyone, then told them he was just listening in before letting them continue their work.

They felt a little awkward at first, but thankfully, Kevin and Gore led them back to their discussion on adapting Wrong Turn.

After listening for a while, Charlie pointed to a bespectacled, expressive guy sitting next to Gore. "Hey, what's your name?"

The moment the boss spoke, everyone fell silent, as if he were some kind of big authority.

In fact, except for Kevin, even Gore sometimes felt intimidated by this young boss.

Whether it was the photo of Charlie grinning wildly while firing a gun in a tabloid or his achievements over just a few months, these young people felt considerable pressure meeting him.

Gore quickly explained, "Boss, this is James Gunn. I worked with him when I was directing music videos at Paloma Pictures. He started as a singer, then became a screenwriter at Troma Entertainment a year ago. I think he has fresh ideas for horror films, so I invited him to join our company."

"Oh, yes, boss!" James Gunn, only thirty and still young, introduced himself, following Gore's lead.

Charlie studied him thoughtfully and then smiled. "Don't be nervous. Your suggestion about giving each killer a unique skill was great, and pointing out the hierarchy in the first story helps make it a franchise."

Gunn smiled. "Thanks! I read your original novel closely and extended from your descriptions."

Charlie patted Gore's shoulder. "You found a talented writer. If this film does well, why not involve him deeply in the sequels? Maybe as a producer. Corleone Entertainment Group has lots of funds and projects! I'm desperate for talent. We can't have future company president Kevin and production executives stuck on just one small project."

As Charlie spoke, he looked at Kevin, Gore, then finally settled on Gunn. "James, I'm looking forward to your development!"

As the boss of a startup, painting a big picture was definitely his natural skill.

The team cheered up after hearing this.

...

The development of Wrong Turn was progressing steadily. After making sure the project wasn't going off track, Charlie didn't linger. He took Nina outside to the lounge to rest.

The young woman nervously wrung her hands.

Could it be that the boss was going to hold her accountable? She'd met with Harvey before and heard his terms but got no further response.

Charlie poured two cups of water from the dispenser, looking casual. After a moment's thought, he said, "You're not cut out for thriller or horror projects. Don't get involved with those anymore."

Nina's heart sank as she nodded timidly.

But the next moment, she brightened.

"But your How to Train Your Dragon script is fantastic. I'm planning to set up a bedtime story studio at our copyright company and want you to be in charge. I've sent many projects to your email. You'll soon get a $30,000 initial investment to recruit lots of full- and part-time staff to focus on creating bedtime stories!"

"Thank you, boss!" Nina looked up, eyes sparkling with joy and a bright smile.

"That's not all. You didn't think I wrote those story outlines just to sell books, did you?" Charlie laughed. "Don't forget, we're a film and television company. You must know the long-term market potential of animated features.

As the person deeply involved in these bedtime stories, I can't imagine anyone better than you to serve as producer and head screenwriter!"

Nina blushed with excitement and couldn't help but hug the boss. "Sorry, boss, I'm just too thrilled."

Charlie shrugged. "Haha, I understand." After a pause, he said, "For now, focus on the copyright company side. When the second story starts, I'll gradually give you a share of book royalties to help with your living expenses."

Nina was so happy she was at a loss for words, standing there with a silly smile.

"By the way, I've asked Locke to find some artists to create illustrations for the novel, How to Train Your Dragon. You'll need to coordinate with them."

"Got it, boss!"

Illustrating books was not just for novel sales. Charlie planned to collaborate with a greeting card company, opening a new distribution channel for the company.

Since his rebirth, Charlie had never stopped learning.

The market environment was different this time around.

The more he learned, the clearer it became how greedy those Hollywood capital-heavy studios were.

They exploited projects' influence across industries to reap profits. Box office was just a promotional front; offline content licensing was where the real money was.

The more sales channels they wove, the stronger the company's risk resistance.

Charlie could imagine how many eyes and obstacles Corleone Entertainment Group would face once Lord of the Rings exploded at the box office.

He didn't want to pour effort into projects only to end up as a wage earner while others took most of the profits.

If that happened, he'd never become a big player in Hollywood.

*****

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