[Chapter 282: Challenges Makes Us Stronger]
"Link, I got some insider information. Recently, the presidents of the major film studios gathered at the Death Star building under the leadership of Michael Ovitz to discuss strategies for dealing with the rise of Guess Pictures. They've allegedly come up with multiple measures to try to stop Guess from flourishing. What are your thoughts on this?" Aaron Kutz asked.
"Interesting. If it's true, I hope they compete with Guess Pictures through legitimate means. Guess Pictures doesn't fear any opponent as long as it's a fair fight," Link replied with a smile.
Aaron nodded. "The box office performance of Guess Pictures has indeed been impressive, but the major studios are no slouches either. If the majors collaborate to suppress Guess Pictures in the market, do you feel confident in weathering this storm?"
Link took a sip of his coffee and said, "In reality, all independent production companies in Hollywood face influences from the major studios during their growth. The majors are like boulders pressing down on seeds; every independent needs the courage and perseverance to break free.
Since Guess Pictures was founded in early '92, it faced repeated competition and challenges, often facing near bankruptcy crises, like during last winter and this summer's box office periods.
But with the collaborative efforts of our team, Guess Pictures didn't shy away; we've faced competition head-on and successfully overcome challenges time and time again, transforming from a small company into a major player, with production and distribution capabilities rivaling the major studios.
We at Guess Pictures have never been afraid of challenges and competition -- in fact, we embrace it because every competition makes us stronger."
"Well said!" Jerome exclaimed, applauding enthusiastically from the sidelines.
Aaron continued typing. "Link, given the current situation, it seems the actions from the major studios this time are more aggressive than in previous instances. How do you plan to address this crisis?"
"Uncertain, because this matter hasn't been confirmed. Even if it is confirmed, there's no need to panic. The competition in the film industry ultimately comes down to box office results and audience acclaim. As long as the movies are well-made and the audience is willing to show up, no major studio can prevent a film from becoming a box office hit.
Guess Pictures is a company that guarantees quality; every film we've released this year has received support from audiences. Whether it's Pulp Fiction, Speed, or Se7en, each has turned into a popular film upon release.
In the future, we'll create and release more classic films that are both critically and commercially successful. We're confident that we will continue to achieve strong box office results and earn good reputations.
Given that, no matter how many opponents we face or how powerful they are, we'll win in this competition. All attempts to stop Guess Pictures from developing are ultimately going to backfire.
This has been proven during our previous challenges. Aaron, you ask how I plan to face this crisis; you should really be asking the major studios how they can avoid this crisis. My answer is to establish a close partnership with Guess Pictures, which is also evidenced by Columbia Pictures' recent successes."
Link smiled.
"Absolutely! That's a well-reasoned argument. If I were the head of a major studio, I'd definitely seek cooperation with Guess Pictures," Jerome agreed.
Aaron chuckled, "Columbia has indeed achieved good results with their collaborations with Guess Pictures. However, according to insider information, Columbia's president, Jon Peters, is involved in the meetings targeting Guess Pictures. Could that impact the partnership between the two companies?"
"There'll be no effect on the current partnership," Link stated confidently.
"Alright, Link, let's move on to another topic," Aaron said. "Currently, Guess Pictures is preparing for a second round of financing. The latest offer is at $1.6 billion. Based on the Wall Street Journal's reports, investment banks on Wall Street generally think that this offer is too high and too risky. No investment firms have clearly indicated a willingness to participate in the financing.
The Wall Street Journal predicts there's a great possibility Guess Pictures will fail in this round of financing. What are your thoughts? What do you think the probability of success is for this financing round?"
Link pondered for a moment and replied, "This financing round will not fail. Those who think it will should take a look at Guess Pictures' track record this year.
We've released nine films so far, grossing over $840 million in North America, ranking first in the industry, and we've surpassed $1.6 billion globally, with expectations to exceed $2.2 billion. That's a better profit than any film company in the world.
A company that is the most profitable in the world asking for $1.6 billion is quite modest. If no one is willing to invest, that's not a problem with Guess Pictures but rather a reflection of the investors' lack of vision. In the future, when Guess Pictures' market value increases again, they will certainly regret their decision."
"That makes sense," Jerome chimed in. "Guess Pictures isn't just the most profitable film company in the world right now; it's also the fastest-growing. At the end of last year, its market value was under $300 million; this year it's reached $1.6 billion -- more than a fivefold increase. If it doubles again next year, reaching $3 billion, all investors will profit handsomely from this investment."
Jerome was getting into it, banging on the table with excitement, "Too bad I don't have any money! If I had a billion, I would rush to buy shares in Guess Pictures. Link, why don't you let Guess Pictures go public? Then I could buy some stock too."
Link chuckled. "In the future, I will strive to take Guess Pictures public."
Aaron felt that investing in Guess Pictures was highly advantageous but lamented his lack of capital.
"We all know that Guess Pictures has massive investment potential, but Wall Street firms believe it's not worth $1.6 billion. If this round of financing does fail, would you consider lowering the price?" Aaron continued.
"Absolutely not! First, this round of financing will not fail. Secondly, under my leadership, Guess Pictures' stock will never depreciate.
I am confident in managing the company well and winning in competition with other firms. Additionally, I am confident in producing more critically acclaimed and commercially successful films through Guess Pictures; in the future, the company will continue to thrive -- depreciation will never happen with Guess Pictures."
Link spoke with firm assurance.
Aaron nodded, typing rapidly as he recorded Link's statements.
"Let's move on to the next topic."
Aaron continued his interview with various subjects, including Guess Pictures' remarkable achievements at the box office this year, the reasons behind their industry-leading performance, plans for next year, and how they would maintain their current advantages without being overtaken.
The interview lasted for over an hour. Link answered more than twenty questions, expressing his views on the major studios, his vision for the future of the film industry, and his confidence in Guess Pictures.
He spoke so much he nearly lost his voice.
As the interview concluded, Jerome invited both of them to a bowling alley at the mall for some games. Link joined the two middle-aged men for a couple of rounds.
*****
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