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Chapter 165: Boardrooms, Grammys, and Webslinging - February 8th, 2004
Date: February 8th, 2004
Realistic Scene:
- Holmes arrived back in Palo Alto, California, three days after the Facebook launch. The California sun was a welcome contrast to the East Coast chill. He was eager to dive back into his myriad of ventures. The first order of business: a meeting with Mark Zuckerberg and the other Facebook shareholders.*
The Facebook Shareholders Meeting:
Realistic Location:
- The meeting was held in a small, nondescript office space that Mark had rented near the Stanford campus. It was a far cry from the sleek, modern headquarters that Facebook would eventually occupy, but it served its purpose.
Realistic Attendees:
- Mark Zuckerberg: Founder and CEO
- Eduardo Saverin: Co-founder and CFO
- Dustin Moskovitz: Co-founder and CTO
- Holmes: Strategic Investor and Advisor
- Sean Parker: (Present, but not a shareholder yet) Sean Parker was an advisor that mark brought.
Realistic Scene:
- The atmosphere was buzzing with nervous excitement. The initial launch had been successful, generating a wave of buzz and attracting thousands of new users. However, there were also challenges to be addressed, including scalability issues, competition from other social networking sites, and concerns about privacy.
Realistic Meeting Dialogue:
- Mark (standing at a whiteboard covered in notes): "Alright, everyone, thanks for being here. As you know, the launch went incredibly well. We're seeing phenomenal growth, but we also need to be realistic about the road ahead."
- Eduardo (sitting at the head of the table, reviewing financial reports): "The server costs are already skyrocketing. We need to find ways to optimize our infrastructure and reduce expenses."
- Dustin (typing furiously on his laptop):
- Dustin (typing furiously on his laptop): "I'm working on scaling the servers, but we're pushing the limits of our current architecture. We might need to consider moving to a more robust platform."
- Holmes (leaning back in his chair, observing the discussion): "Let's take a step back. What's the long-term vision here, Mark? Where do you see Facebook in five years?"
- Mark (pausing, thinking): "I want Facebook to be the way everyone connects online. I want it to be the place where people share their lives, discover new things, and build relationships."
- Holmes: "That's a lofty goal, Mark. But you need a concrete plan to get there. What's your strategy for expanding beyond college campuses? What's your plan for monetization?"
- Mark (presenting a series of slides): "I've been working on a roadmap for the next year. We'll be expanding to more universities across the country, and eventually, to high schools and even businesses. As for monetization, we're exploring several options, including targeted advertising and premium features."
Realistic Facebook Shares Discussion:
Realistic Scene:
- A slide appeared detailing the initial ownership structure of The Facebook, the numbers projected in bold font.
Realistic Presentation Slide:
- Mark Zuckerberg: 65%
- Eduardo Saverin: 30%
- Dustin Moskovitz: 5%
- Holmes: 10%
*Sean Parker:<1%
- Holmes (pointing to the slide): "These shares needs to remain as it is."
- Mark: "Yes it will Holmes."
- Eduardo: "So far there is no changes in share or ownership"
- Holmes: "Advertising makes sense, Mark, but be careful not to alienate your users. Privacy is paramount. Transparency is key. You need to build trust with your community."
- Sean Parker: "Targeted advertising is where the money is. You can generate huge revenues by analyzing user data and serving them personalized ads. But you need to be smart about it - Sean Parker: "Targeted advertising is where the money is. You can generate huge revenues by analyzing user data and serving them personalized ads. But you need to be smart about it. You don't want to creep people out."
- Eduardo: "We also need to be mindful of competition. There are already several other social networking sites out there, and more are popping up every day. We need to stay ahead of the curve."
- Holmes: "That's where innovation comes in. Keep experimenting with new features, keep pushing the boundaries. Don't be afraid to take risks."
The Grammy Awards - February 8th, 2004
- While Holmes was strategizing the future of Facebook, the 46th Annual Grammy Awards were taking place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Due to Holmes' commitment to wrap up the Spider-Man 2 schedule, he couldn't make it.
- Best Global Music Performance:
- Winner: Femi Kuti featuring Holmes and 2Baba - "Justice"
- Angélique Kidjo - "Agolo"
- Ravi Shankar - "Raga Sindhi Bhairavi"
- Youssou N'Dour - "Birima"
- Cesária Évora - "Sodade"
- The announcement came, and Femi Kuti, beaming with pride, took to the stage to accept the award.
- "Wow! This is... this is incredible! I want to thank the Recording Academy for this honor. I never thought a song about justice, about the struggles of my people, would be recognized on this stage. I want to thank my brothers, Holmes and 2Baba, for lending their voices to this song. This is for Nigeria, for Africa, for everyone who believes in a better world!"
- Femi Kuti had been nominated for Grammy Awards before, but this was his first win.
Realistic Scene:
- News of Femi Kuti's win, and Holmes' contribution, quickly spread across the internet and the entertainment news outlets. Fans celebrated the achievement, praising Holmes' versatility and commitment to social causes.
Wrapping Up Spider-Man 2:
Realistic Scene:
- Meanwhile, in New York City, the final scenes of Spider-Man 2 were being filmed. Holmes, as Peter Parker, was swinging through the city, battling Doc Ock in a climactic showdown.
Realistic Names:
- Director: Sam Raimi
- Cast:
- Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker / Spider-Man
- Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson
- James Franco as Harry Osborn
- Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus
- Holmes as Peter Parker / Spider-Man (filming the most dangerous stunt scenes.)
Realistic Scene:
- The stunt was complex, requiring Holmes to jump from one building to another, narrowly avoiding a collision with a speeding train. The crew held their breath as Holmes executed the stunt perfectly, landing safely on the other side.
Realistic Scene:
- "Cut! That's a wrap for Holmes!" Sam Raimi shouted, his voice filled with relief and excitement.
- The crew erupted into applause, congratulating Holmes on his performance. Holmes grinned, feeling a surge of adrenaline. He had pushed himself to his limits, but he had done it. He had successfully completed his part in Spider-Man 2.
- Holmes (raising his hand in a toast): "To Spider-Man 2! To Sam Raimi! And to the best damn crew in Hollywood!"
- The crew cheered, raising their glasses in response. The atmosphere was celebratory, a mixture of exhaustion and triumph. Holmes had proven himself to be more than just a talented actor Realistic Scene:
- The crew cheered, raising their glasses in response. The atmosphere was celebratory, a mixture of exhaustion and triumph. Holmes had proven himself to be more than just a talented actor; he was a dedicated and fearless performer, willing to go the extra mile to bring the character to life.
:
- "Facebook is growing, the Grammy is a win, and I am rounding off my part on spider man 2, so many to do. But for now, it's time to celebrate. Time to enjoy the moment."
(End of Chapter 165)