This year's Sundance Film Festival opened on January 15th.
Robert Redford personally called to invite Simon to the opening ceremony of the film festival, which happened to be a Friday, so he planned to take Janet to Park City for the weekend.
The Westeros system was simply too vast. If Simon were to work now, he would always have endless tasks. Therefore, although he tried to arrange more work on weekdays, he no longer fully immersed himself, but reserved enough time for rest.
The opening ceremony was, as usual, held at 1 PM on Friday at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City.
However, compared to Simon's first appearance in Park City, Sundance was now a different beast.
Over the past six years, the Sundance Film Festival had successively seen the emergence of critically acclaimed or commercially successful films such as *Run Lola Run*, *Sex, Lies, and Videotape*, *Some Girls*, *Metropolitan*, and *Reservoir Dogs*. Even the classic romantic blockbuster *Pretty Woman* originally had its script from Sundance. At the same time, the film festival also nurtured a large number of new filmmakers, including Simon.
All of this continuously boosted the attention on the Sundance Film Festival, thereby forming a virtuous cycle that attracted more and more filmmakers to participate.
Simon and Janet arrived at the Egyptian Theatre ten minutes early. Compared to the deserted and desolate scene when *Run Lola Run* was exhibited, the Egyptian Theatre was bustling this time. Although there was still no red carpet, it didn't hinder media reporters and a large number of fans from gathering and watching.
After pushing through the crowd amidst the media and fans' frantic cheers and screams, they had just entered the theater when Robert Redford personally came to greet them, along with Robert De Niro, who had also come to attend the film festival.
When Redford made the call to invite him, he didn't have much hope at all.
Simon's status was now vastly different. Even if the Sundance Film Festival was developing rapidly, it was difficult to feel much confidence in front of this young man.
He hadn't expected Simon to agree.
Naturally, he was overjoyed.
With Simon's current status, just showing his face in Park City, even if he did nothing, could bring a very powerful advertising effect. This not only meant that Sundance's prestige would be greatly enhanced, but many things the film festival wanted to promote would also become much easier.
After all, Westeros had appeared; what else was impossible?
After a brief hug and greeting, everyone temporarily moved backstage.
Then followed a series of greetings and small talk.
Robert De Niro's appearance this time was mainly because a film he starred in, titled *This Boy's Life*, would be the opening film of the festival.
This was a biographical drama, telling a series of stories about a co-dependent mother and son who move to Seattle.
Simon was also very familiar with Leonardo DiCaprio, who played Toby, the 'boy' in the film. The actress playing the 'boy's' mother was Ellen Barkin, whom Simon also knew. High Gate Pictures had even bought the rights to *In the Name of the Father* from Barkin's husband, Gabriel Byrne, last year.
The opening ceremony soon began.
Everyone entered the screening hall and took their seats. Redford, as usual, personally hosted.
Simon had already reviewed the relevant information for this year's Sundance Film Festival in advance.
Among this year's competing films, there were two from High Gate Pictures.
One was an independently invested and produced film by High Gate Pictures, titled *Bodies, Rest & Motion*. Starring Tim Roth, Phoebe Cates, Bridget Fonda, and other stars, the film tells the story of love, desire, promises, and life of several young people in a small Arizona town.
*Bodies, Rest & Motion* had a production budget of $2.5 million and was not considered a key project for High Gate Pictures in 1993.
Simon had seen the finished film; it wasn't bad, nor was it excellent, but it fit the Sundance atmosphere very well.
Of course, the chances of it winning an award weren't very high.
Because there were several other very good films this year.
The other one was called *El Mariachi*.
This was a work completed by a new Mexican director, Robert Rodriguez, who self-funded $7,000.
Due to the close cooperation between Daenerys Entertainment and High Gate Pictures, when this film was just submitted for selection, it was noticed by the High Gate Pictures team and was acquired in advance for $100,000. Not only that, Daenerys Entertainment also signed Rodriguez for his next film in advance.
Besides the two films under Daenerys Entertainment, Simon also paid attention to *Boxing Helena* and the feature film debut of another new director, Bryan Singer, called *Public Access*.
*Boxing Helena*, starring Julian Sands and Sherilyn Fenn, tells the story of a surgeon who, in order to possess the woman he obsesses over, amputates her limbs and keeps her in a box.
As for *Public Access*, it was, in Simon's memory, the Grand Jury Prize winner at this very Sundance.
Simon had actually noticed this film, produced by an independent film company, in advance, but he hadn't instructed High Gate Pictures to buy the rights.
Mainly because he wasn't fond of Bryan Singer.
It wasn't because of Bryan Singer's private scandals; there were countless people in the industry worse than him.
Ultimately, Hollywood is, to a large extent, a hunting ground, with a cruel, top-down food chain. If you can't climb to the top of the food chain to become a hunter, and you're unwilling to leave this circle, you can only accept your fate.
Simon simply disliked Bryan Singer for incorporating too many personal preferences into the films he was responsible for.
For example, in the *X-Men* series, not to mention the main actors, the supporting roles and extras in the film were full of handsome young men appearing out of nowhere, practically overflowing with 'gay vibes'. Supporting gay was becoming a political correctness but that shouldn't be done in a big budget commercial films.
Since there were no other arrangements, Simon did not leave after the opening ceremony but stayed in the Egyptian Theatre to watch the opening film.
Leaving the Egyptian Theatre in the evening, after dinner with Redford and others, everyone rushed to the Sundance Institute at the foot of the ski resort on the west side of Park City to attend the opening party.
---
"Regarding *Quiz Show*, Simon, it's truly a shame this time. I would, of course, prefer to cooperate with Daenerys. However, Michael is leading the project, and you know his relationship with Eisner." At the bustling party, Redford chatted with Simon about his next film, with a hint of apology in his tone.
*Quiz Show* was adapted from a TV quiz show scandal during the early days of the television industry in the 1950s, telling the story of a game show producer who, for the sake of ratings, resorted to fraud by leaking answers to contestants in advance.
Robert Redford collaborated with Daenerys Entertainment on two films last year: *Indecent Proposal* and *A River Runs Through It*.
Of the two films, the massive success of *Indecent Proposal* goes without saying. *A River Runs Through It*, released in September last year, ultimately grossed over $40 million at the box office, also bringing good returns to Daenerys Entertainment, and initially helped popularize the new Superman actor, Brad Pitt.
Redford's agency contract had been with CAA for years. The consecutive box office successes of two of his works made Redford's next project, *Quiz Show*, highly sought after.
After news of the project broke, Daenerys Entertainment immediately expressed interest.
Then, other studios naturally refused to be outdone.
After some competition, due to the personal relationship between CAA president Michael Ovitz and Disney head Michael Eisner, plus the bidding price, *Quiz Show* was ultimately acquired by Disney.
The film also started shooting recently and is expected to be released during the popular year-end slot.
Speaking of which, movies are, after all, business.
If Daenerys Entertainment was willing to raise the price a bit more, it wasn't impossible to get this project.
However, Simon actually had no interest in this film, which he remembered as being destined to fail, from the very beginning. His deliberate show of interest was merely a strategy.
During the final bidding stage, Simon himself actually halted the possibility of further increases.
Although Disney snatched the film, the bidding war among everyone caused the film's production cost to increase from the initial approximately $30 million to $40 million.
With a production cost of $40 million, considering marketing and distribution, the film would need to earn at least a comparable box office in the North American market to ensure a full return on investment across all channels.
In Simon's fragmented memory, *Quiz Show* only grossed about $20 million at the box office.
Now, with the project in Disney's hands, the film company will not only suffer a financial loss but also bear the loss of a prime year-end release slot.
This was actually something Simon was intentionally pushing.
Simon had never forgotten the idea of gradually suppressing Disney, which he had conceived back then.
This time, *Quiz Show* was just a casually placed chess piece.
Of course, on the surface, Simon wouldn't show any flaws. He also wore a regretful expression and said, "*Quiz Show* is a very wonderful project, and I also feel it's a pity. However, we will definitely have opportunities to cooperate again in the future."
After chatting for a while, Redford left to socialize with others, and Simon walked towards De Niro, wanting to discuss another project with him.
Janet, arm in arm with Simon, smiled and said, "You actually weren't optimistic about that project, were you?" once Redford was out of earshot.
Simon nodded: "Yes, it's a trap for Disney."
"Did Eisner provoke you?"
"No," Simon said, greeting Denzel Washington, who had approached, and then continued in a low voice, "If Daenerys wants to continue expanding, it can only squeeze the living space of other studios as much as possible."
Over the past year, the box office share of all films produced by Daenerys Entertainment in the North American market had already approached 40%. For the film industry, this was definitely a ceiling-level presence.
Hollywood still had seven major studios coexisting. Under the strong impact of Daenerys Entertainment, the average market share of the other six major studios was less than 10% last year.
For example, Sony's Columbia Pictures, whose best-performing film last year was Coppola's *Bram Stoker's Dracula*, had a box office of just over $80 million by December 31, 1992. Of the 15 films released throughout the year, besides *Bram Stoker's Dracula*, the others all grossed under $50 million. The total box office for all 15 films was only $330 million, accounting for a paltry 6.1% of the total North American box office of $5.36 billion for the entire year.
After the annual box office statistics were released, news of Sony's plan to exit Hollywood once again circulated in the media.
And then there was Paramount. Their best film last year, *Patriot Games*, released in the summer, also only grossed $83.35 million. Of the 16 films released throughout the year, besides *Patriot Games* which exceeded $80 million, and Eddie Murphy's comedy *Boomerang* which grossed over $70 million, other projects were lukewarm. The total annual box office was $310 million, with a market share of 5.7%, even more dismal than Columbia Pictures.
Aside from Columbia and Paramount, the two bottom-ranked among the seven majors, the situation of the other four was stronger, but incomparable to the dominance of Daenerys Entertainment.
Outside the seven majors, due to Daenerys Entertainment's involvement in niche areas like horror and art films, other second- and third-tier film companies such as New Line and Orion collectively held only an 11% market share, with not a single blockbuster among them.
It was evident that Hollywood's seven major competitors had been squeezed to a certain extreme by Daenerys Entertainment.
In this situation, if Daenerys Entertainment wanted to continue expanding, it could only resort to completely eliminating its competitors.
Large studios like Disney certainly couldn't be 'eliminated' in the short term, but some measures could be taken to weaken these film companies further.
Simon's relatively short-term goal was actually to clear out as many second- and third-tier film companies with independent distribution capabilities in Hollywood as possible, such as Miramax, which Simon had completely suppressed a while ago, as well as the declining Orion and New Line Cinema, whose development direction had been altered by Simon, thus falling into difficulties.
For second- and third-tier film companies in Hollywood to grow and thrive, the key is to have independent distribution capabilities; otherwise, they can only forever remain appendages to the major studios.
When Daenerys Entertainment was first established, Simon hoped to break this monopoly of the major studios.
Now, with a change in identity and position, his views naturally changed accordingly. What Simon wanted to do, of course, was to further strengthen the monopoly over Hollywood's film distribution channels.
After the planned cleanup, second and third-tier small production companies could, of course, continue to exist, but only as independent production companies attached to major studios, participating only in production and providing content supplements to the major studios. If these companies showed ambitions to enter the distribution field, Daenerys Entertainment would ruthlessly suppress them.
At the party, Simon and Janet chatted in low voices. Arriving next to De Niro, they paused their conversation, and Simon and De Niro discussed another recent project.
After collaborating with Michael Mann on *The Last of the Mohicans* last year, the director, who transitioned from television, submitted a new project called *Heat*.
*Heat* was precisely one of Simon's favorite Hollywood films.
When he first entered this circle, attending Brian De Palma's house party, standing on the Beverly Hills hillside overlooking the glittering lights of Los Angeles, Simon inexplicably thought of this film.
Many things had changed over the years, and the *Heat* project had not been fanned away by his 'big butterfly' effect, because, like many films with troubled fates, Michael Mann had conceived the idea for this project in the eighties. It wasn't until the box office success of *The Last of the Mohicans* that this project, which had circulated among many studios, received the green light from Daenerys Entertainment.