Walking through the long corridor, Holt pushed open the door and walked in, and went straight to the balcony. He saw his biggest customer, Roger Albert wearing glasses, sitting behind a small round table for afternoon tea. He made a gesture to him to sit, and then picked up the teapot and poured him a cup.

"Are there an invitation?" Albert asked the agent.

Like Hollywood, the summer season and the Thanksgiving Christmas season, which is closely linked to the awards season, is also the peak income season for professional film critics. Although the influence of professional film reviews in the summer season is far weaker than that of awards season, the commercial productions of film companies often need to borrow their names to sing flags and sing for film promotion. In the past few decades, the two industries have been closely linked, and they have long formed an unwritten rule.

Especially for commercial blockbusters with huge investments, the cost of promoting public relations is higher, and it also requires the praise of top film critics. Producers and publishers can sometimes even offer seven-digit public relations budgets.

The income of professional film critics seems to be columns, comments and books, some of the top ones, as well as TV programs invited by TV stations, which are enough to ensure a considerable annual income.

However, this is just an open income. Last year, Roger Albert's columns and TV shows only brought more than $800,000 in compensation, but in one summer, his private income reached seven figures!

Although they constantly criticize Hollywood commercial production for increasing investment and swaying the flag for movies, in fact, this only shows that they are not vulgar and popular. It took these top film critics twenty years or even longer to gain their current status. They don’t understand that only commercial productions with a high investment amount will bring large income. Whore.

Since last year, Roger Albert has obtained a list of possible films this summer, and has long focused on huge investment projects such as "The Lion King", "Day" and "The True Lies". According to previous practices, the producer and distributor will definitely invite him to attend the preview.

The dollar is depreciating, Roger Albert has long had plans to raise prices, and Walt Disney is also very good at it. He got a check of 300,000 US dollars for the film "The Lion King".

Receiving money and doing things is the most basic principle in the industry. Roger Albert is still very professional. He not only scored 9 points for "The Lion King" and also gave a thumbs up. The film's super high reputation and hot box office seem to prove his vision, and even made him feel his review. It played a key role as if he had saved "The Male and Female Thieves".

It is difficult to quantify the film reviews with box office numbers. In the past two years, perhaps it is because of its unique vision, or maybe it is because of its good luck. Roger Albert's thumbs up, such as "Terminator 2", "Silence of the Lambs", "The Island of the Deadly" and "The Lion King", all of which are so popular, which can easily create an illusion - his film reviews have a directing role in the entire film market.

Even industry leaders like Roger Albert have the emotions of ordinary people, they will be proud, delusional, overestimate themselves and have greed.

The revenue of "The Lion King" has been steadily in hand. Roger Albert has been waiting for the invitation to "Day". If the time is counted, the preview will be held. After all, it is mid-June. It is only half a month before the film is released.

Of course, he had watched the commercials and two trailers released one after another, without any suspense. Duke Rosenberg, as he expected, could not control his desire for destruction and eventually took a wrong path. The trailer was not only inferior sensationalism, but also continued to explode. If the whole film had this rhythm, it would definitely be a bad movie!

If you want him to say good things about such a bad movie, the other party must pay enough!

“I received several invitations.”

Putting down the teacup, Holt understood what Albert meant and said directly, "There is no invitation from "Day".

"I remember their preview is about to be held?" Albert's eyebrows hiding behind his glasses slowly frowned.

"the day after tomorrow."

Hearing the agent's words, Roger Albert's finger flicked the table, "Didn't they invite me?"

"No." Holt shook his head, "Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox did not invite any critics!"

"What?" Roger Albert looked up at the agent.

Holt said with great confirmation, "The producer invited fans, media and theaters, but did not invite any professional critics to participate."

Roger Albert's face gradually became serious, "What do they want to do?"

Since the 1960s and 1970s, the film critics have reached a tacit understanding with Hollywood film companies. As long as the film is held for preview, professional film critics are an indispensable part. This rule, which is not a rule, also fundamentally reverses the dilemma of low income for film critics.

Although there have been constant box office defeats by critics over the years, and films like "Star Wars" that have been criticized but super popular, the situation where film critics can profoundly affect the film industry has not changed. Professional critics are movie stars most of the time, and directors and production companies need to please.

Today, professional film critics are inseparable from the film industry.

At least, from Roger Albert's perspective, this is true, past, present and future, professional film critics have always had a profound impact on the entire film industry.

Holding up the teacup and slowly savoring the black tea, Roger Albert fell into thinking. If it was just not invited to participate, it was normal, but now no critics were invited. Could it be that the promotional budget issued by Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox were insufficient?

This is definitely not the case. The promotional momentum of this film is so fierce that funds will not be a problem.

Although I can't think of the reason why Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox did this, Roger Albert thought for a few minutes and suddenly discovered another problem that might affect the entire film criticism industry.

If there is no film critic playing a role in it and "Day" can make a big hit, how will Hollywood view the critics' future status and income in commercial blockbuster previews?

Suddenly, Roger Albert discovered that this incident not only concerns himself, but may even be related to the interests of the entire film critic industry.

Moving interests are like cutting off people. Duke's publicity suggestions that are more in line with the actual situation may touch the interests of the film critic industry.

But he doesn't care. As long as he can drive the profits of the film and bring benefits to himself, it's no big deal to criticize him even if he stands up and fights with the critics.

The biggest influence of film critics is the awards season, especially the academic awards represented by Oscars. For Duke, who first positioned himself as a commercial director, there is certainly good awards, and there is no award and it will not be too deliberate to pursue them.

There are so many directors in Hollywood history who have won the best director, Little King Man, who has a greater influence than Hitchcock, who has never won an award, and has a more famous reputation?

Of course he wants to get the Oscar Little Golden Man, but he will not deliberately welcome it, nor will he produce a special award-winning video.

Of course, the film will not adopt the promotional and distribution method of "Day", and the theaters will not pay so much attention. At today's preview meeting, the chief film watching teams of their respective companies will be sent. Only such films that are investing in and producing and may be super big at the box office are the most popular types of films.

Sitting in the front row of the theater, Duke was in a very calm mood, far less nervous than the previous two trials. Behind him was the representative of the theater. When he first entered the theater, these people looked at him like watching green US dollars, and had two consecutive summer productions and sales. As the theater chain closest to the market, he obviously had some confidence in him.

Just as Duke was thinking about this, Sophia Coppola walked in from outside, searched for a moment, and came and sat next to him.

"Just got a piece of data," she whispered to Duke.

"It has something to do with us?" Duke turned to look at her, and Sophia nodded, "For competitors, "Night Visit to the Vampire" has basically been downgraded from the world, with a global box office of $221.57 million."

"Not bad." Duke laughed, "Profit should not be a problem. I believe Caa still has the opportunity to package and produce commercial masterpieces. Tom Cruise's appeal is still amazing."

"Just you understand." Sophia's legs crossed. "Even if Michael Orwitz leaves office this year, Caa is still a behemoth."

Caa will only be bigger, Duke knows this. Even if Caa's packaging service is defeated in commercial production, it continues to attract new stars to invest in its subsidies, and will occupy half or even more of the Hollywood actor market in the future. Tom Cruise, who smeared each other last year, has lost in the market competition, but the path to superstars has shown no sign of delay.

"And..." Sophia said, "I just got news from Warner that "Shawshank Redemption", which was released one week later, received a super high score of 9.8 in the film critics' special show last year."

She looked at Duke, "I know you never value critics and think that their influence in the summer season is very low, but don't forget that people who can stand at the top of the film criticism industry have all worked hard for decades and have many supporters themselves. It is hard to say that their high scores will not bring a sensation to "Shawshank Redemption" and thus have an impact on the box office of our second weekend."

"Don't worry, Sophia." Duke still looked calm. "Instead of worrying about "The Shawshank Redemption", it's better to worry about whether the remaining heat of "The Lion King" and "Forrest Gump" will affect us."

"The Shawshank Redemption"? Even if God comes in person, he cannot redeem this film in theaters.

Seeing that Duke didn't care at all, Sophia stopped talking and turned her energy to the big screen that was gradually lit up. (To be continued)

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