Chapter 54: Completion of Post-Production for Mission Impossible

In the current era where internet speeds have yet to make significant progress, Hollywood film studios primarily relied on offline methods for film promotion.

As an adaptation of a classic American TV series, Mission Impossible's main promotional strategy was nostalgia.

Having originally aired in the 1960s, the show's audience now consisted of people in their forties who held significant economic power.

The primary target audience for Mission Impossible could be divided into two categories: fans of espionage adventure films, particularly the James Bond franchise, and those who had a sentimental attachment to the original TV series.

Various promotional posters were created, each depicting iconic actions and paying homage to the classic moments, aiming to evoke memories in everyone.

Thus, promotion and production progressed side by side as time swiftly passed.

.....

20th Century Fox.

Office of the President.

Jeffrey, the president, is in discussion with other executives about the release schedule for Mission Impossible.

The film market is limited, and if you take a bigger slice, it means others will have to settle for less, especially during the special Christmas season.

Within their company, there is also a comedy film scheduled for release during Christmas, but it doesn't have the massive $80 million investment like Mission Impossible. The production cost for the film, Mrs. Doubtfire, is only $10 million. Therefore, they are not particularly concerned about directly competing with Mission Impossible.

However, in the competitive landscape, they still want to create some trouble for Mission Impossible. If it works, even with a little loss, it could mean losing several million dollars.

"Jeffrey, should we try to bribe some members of the production crew and resort to other tactics?" suggests a senior executive.

There have been previous instances of bribing crew members, tampering with film reels, and sabotaging movies. In light of the situation, the senior executive immediately thinks of this approach.

The other executives cast strange glances at him, conveying a different message with their eyes.

In Hollywood, there are certain tactics that can be used, and there are those that cannot. Warner Bros. and MGM are not to be underestimated. If they were to employ such tactics, it would undoubtedly provoke a severe backlash.

In essence, if they can use these methods, others can too. If everyone plays dirty, there would be no more filmmaking.

"Jerry, we can't resort to such methods," Jeffrey shakes his head at the African American executive and continues, "Let's dig up some dirt on the lead actors and publicize it extensively. That's fair competition."

"As for those tactics, they can only be used against smaller productions. Once it involves investments from major Hollywood studios, they are out of the question."

After finalizing the arrangements, Jeffrey and the others proceed to discuss other matters.

Ultimately, Warner Bros. and MGM are in a passive position in this battle. Their investment is only $10 million, a mere fraction compared to the $80 million budget of Mission Impossible.

If Fox fails, it will only be a minor setback. But if Warner Bros. were to fail, the losses would be much greater.

...

Of course, it's not just Fox taking action.

As an absolute blockbuster in the Christmas season, Mission Impossible successfully secures the largest number of screens in theaters.

This undoubtedly squeezes the plans of numerous other film companies during the Christmas season. There are quite a few people, just like Fox, who want to create trouble for Mission Impossible.

...

MGM Studios, Kevin is discussing the film's style with the production manager of MGM.

"Fast-paced action sequences, breathtaking special stunts, chase scenes on trains. Is there any problem with these elements?" Kevin asks.

The production manager from MGM maintains a serious expression and replies, "There doesn't seem to be a problem on the surface, but it has a noticeable difference from the 007 series. I suggest you edit it in the style of the 007 films."

"We have the most successful template for spy films. Why take unnecessary risks?" he adds.

Seeing this rigid middle-aged man, Kevin loses interest in further communication. While Mission Impossible and 007 are indeed similar, Kevin has added more unique elements to Mission Impossible, such as action scenes, the development of antagonists, and special set pieces.

If he were to abandon those elements and create a replica of 007 without the same level of fame, no one knows how it would perform at the box office.

Kevin asserts his stance firmly, "This is my style. If you have any objections, take it up with your CEO. But the style must align with what I say. If the box office results are not satisfactory, I'll take full responsibility."

There is a moment of silence from the middle-aged man, followed by a nod.

For the production manager, stability is the most important aspect. Since the director is willing to take full responsibility, there is nothing more to be said from his position as the editing supervisor.

Of course, the most important factor is that Kevin is not an unknown director. He has gained some recognition with two successful films. He has the credibility to make such demands, and most aspiring directors wouldn't even have the privilege to utter those words in front of him.

After resolving the debate over the film's style, Kevin continues to work on the final editing and special effects shots, improving the transitions for certain scenes.

During this process, the date advances to November 20th, with Thanksgiving just around the corner.

Although the release schedule and the number of screens has been finalized, the film is only truly complete at this point.

Upon receiving news of the film's completion, Warner Bros. immediately sends several screeners to attend the internal test screening at MGM.

Reed, the CEO, is sitting nervously in the screening room, accompanied by the Warner Bros. president and Kevin.

Everyone feels a sense of tension.

The $30 million investment is not a joke. It equates to the value of several dozen lives. If there were significant losses, it would be difficult for anyone to bear.

For Kevin, if Mission Impossible fails, not to mention his shares in MGM, he would miss the opportunity to work with Marvel, making it nearly impossible for him to reach the pinnacle of Hollywood.

For Reed, failure would mean being abandoned by MGM and becoming a failure.

Once someone is labeled as a failure, it is extremely difficult for them to regain such a position.

As for the Warner Bros. president, Robinov, although he is not as heavily invested as the others, such a failure would still have an impact on his position within the company.

The three of them watch the final version of Mission Impossible, which Kevin has spent four months shooting, followed by two months of special effects production.