"Fk, don't you know how much the code written by those freaks in Silicon Valley is worth?" Leon couldn't help but complain. Acquiring a social media company involved much more capital than acquiring a newspaper.
Under Musk's guidance, he was once very tempted by Instagram, but the thought of its valuation as high as $800 million immediately deflated him.
If he chose to go all-in and mortgage all his companies and copyrights, it wasn't completely without a chance. Merrill Lynch was willing to provide him with fast and low-interest loan services, and with some financing through other channels, he could barely take down Instagram.
But once he really did this, his ability to resist risks would become zero.
Extreme high leverage couldn't bear any fluctuations; a slight carelessness would send everything he worked hard for to Merrill Lynch.
Taking a step back, Instagram leaned towards social attributes and didn't meet his standard of a "weapon."
"I'm just giving you a suggestion. Few people will read those things written on smelly newspapers in the future." Bonnie glanced at her newly bought watch. "It's quitting time. I have an appointment with a handsome Italian personal trainer. Goodbye, boys~"
After everyone left, Leon lay alone on the swivel chair. Bonnie's suggestion really moved him.
News on social media varies in quality. Many times, it's just a piece of text without a source accompanied by a picture.
This seriously violated the media industry's requirement for the "principle of authenticity," but "lies" are precisely the advantage of online media!
Truth has never been the public's real desire for news; they only want to see reports consistent with their own views in the media! If a report contradicts their cognition, truth will also become falsehood.
Owners of social media can selectively filter the news they want to spread according to their needs. Not only can they achieve their own goals, but they can also avoid a lot of legal risks.
"Indeed interesting..." Thinking of this, Leon decided to go to Silicon Valley recently to have an in-depth chat with Musk.
The other party had expressed concern about press freedom in the United States more than once and was very interested in owning a social network platform where views could be expressed "freely."
On the morning of January 16th, Leon's flight landed at Los Angeles International Airport.
The horror movie The Witch starring Anya had officially wrapped filming, and a press conference would be held at the Raymond Kabbaz Theatre this afternoon.
Leon originally wanted to keep a low profile and leave the spotlight to Anya, who was new to Hollywood.
But as soon as his figure appeared, he attracted all the cameras at the press conference.
"Mr. Leon, can you talk about your views on next month's Grammy Awards?"
"You and Miss Taylor only received four nominations in total. This doesn't match the big talk you put down at the AMA ceremony..."
"Many new singers complain that their works cannot be heard on radio stations in New York at all. What do you think of the accusation of being a 'tyrant'?"
The scene was chaotic, with long guns and short cannons almost shoved in his face.
Anya beside him was also affected. The black microphone of a reporter in the front row nearly poked into her mouth, forcing her to frown and dodge backward.
"Damn... where did all the security personnel go?" Leon scanned around; the huge press conference scene had only two security guards.
When he turned his gaze to director Robert, the other party could only spread his hands innocently—"The budget you gave is limited; every penny has to be calculated carefully."
"If anyone asks questions unrelated to the movie again, I'll have to ask him to leave!" Leon knocked on the table forcefully. "Gentlemen, you know I'm not joking!"
As soon as the voice fell, Jorge started the clearing work alone.
His 22-centimeter big hand easily lifted the reporter who offended Anya along with his equipment and threw him to the door like treating a wild dog.
This scene was impressive, and the reporters returned to their positions one after another, as well-behaved as elementary school students.
The order of the press conference was restored, but the reporters' enthusiasm for asking questions obviously dissipated a lot.
Most of them came for Leon and had no interest in a low-budget horror film with a budget of over $4 million, especially since the female lead was an unknown British amateur.
Not long after, a clever reporter found a new line of questioning, aiming the spearhead at Anya: "Miss Anya, you got the female lead role in your first movie. I heard you are only 16 years old and have no previous acting experience. Are you nervous?"
"Working with this group of excellent people, I'm not nervous at all. Director Robert and Ms. Dickie are great people; they taught me a lot..."
Leon looked at Anya with a gratified smile.
The British girl didn't prepare any speech draft beforehand, but she could already resolve reporters' questions with decent answers like a Hollywood veteran.
However, this was just the beginning. The reporter immediately threw out a second question, "Why did Mr. Leon give the female lead role to an amateur like you? Everyone is very curious about this question."
Saying that, the reporter swept his gaze around, and his colleagues booed one after another.
Leon's "pedophile" rumors had been fermenting for a long time since the news of Ready Player One project initiation came out.
This groundless accusation was originally treated as Heard's complaint, holding a grudge for not getting the role she wanted.
But with The Witch starting filming and the female lead being Anya again, many onlookers had to believe it.
Leon had lost patience with this malicious reporter. Just as he wanted to pick up the microphone to show the beautiful American language art, Anya beside him spoke first.
"Because Mr. Leon likes me."
Wow—
As soon as this sentence came out, the reporters were instantly awake, hurriedly pressing the equipment in their hands wildly.
Leon looked at Anya doubtfully, their eyes meeting.
The British girl's lips curled up, sweet and confident. "I also like Mr. Leon; he is like my big brother."
The reporters instantly deflated hearing the second half of the sentence. If there was only the first half, they would have been more excited.
Anya wasn't stage-frightened at all, showing the aura a female lead should have. "In fact, this is not our first cooperation. I participated in the vlog he recorded in the UK. I am very grateful to Mr. Leon for giving me, an ordinary British girl, a chance."
"He indeed taught me a lot of things..."
The perfect answer made it impossible for reporters to continue pestering.
The beauty of this answer was that Anya used "Like" instead of "Appreciate," giving it immediate headline potential.
"You answered great."
Leon praised Anya in a low voice in her ear. The British girl's growth speed far exceeded his imagination.
Calm, agile... although occasionally silly, she was only sixteen after all, and fear could never be seen in her eyes.
After the press conference ended successfully, the filming team immediately went to the Warner Bros. headquarters to discuss post-production editing issues.
The dispute over final cut privilege has always been a focal issue in the Hollywood film industry. Editing quality directly affects film quality.
Directors and producers both want to hold the final cut privilege in their own hands, and many times distributors also have to stick a foot in.
The reason why Watchmen, invested by Warner Bros. with $100 million in 2009, flopped completely was that the editing had to take the blame.
This movie, which almost ruined Zack Snyder's bright future, finally redeemed its reputation through multiple edited versions, especially the 215-minute Ultimate Cut. Now it is regarded by many fans as a masterpiece of comic adaptation.
However, the trouble of final cut privilege obviously wouldn't appear on The Witch. Leon alone could balance the relationship between the director, producer, and distributor; he was the true master deciding the final film.
On the way to Warner Bros., Leon felt a little hungry and ordered the driver to stop by the roadside, asking the crew staff to buy a few set meals from a roadside McDonald's.
Leon specially handed a double Big Mac burger to Anya. "I know your appetite; you will like this."
At this moment, Anya completely lacked the demeanor of eating two pounds of barbecue in one go in Buffalo, staring at the burger in her hand and falling into deep thought.
"What's wrong? No appetite?" Leon asked.
"No... I've made up my mind to become a vegetarian. Since coming to America, I've gained several pounds."
"Alright."
It seemed Anya already possessed the basic characteristic of a professional actress—treating the number on the scale as more important than life.
While gnawing on the burger, Leon suddenly felt something was wrong.
The phrase "vegetarian" was really too jarring. He couldn't help asking, "What did you just say? You plan to be a vegetarian forever?"
"It's like this..." Anya nodded with a serious face. "I've had this idea since I was eight. For a long time, I rarely ate meat. A few days ago, I watched the documentary The Cove, which strengthened my determination to become a vegetarian completely."
"Fk, this is simply too stupid..." Leon swallowed the profanity back and prepared to wake this girl up seriously. "You don't want those cute animals to become nutrients for sustaining your life, right?"
"Yes!" Anya nodded.
"Very good, what a caring girl." Leon snapped his fingers. "So you throw yourself into the embrace of oats and avocados like those green-hatted environmental organizations?"
"Mhm mhm."
"So I guess you must like avocados very much?" Leon revealed a contemptuous smile. "You know in Southern California, which is rich in avocados, every year for six weeks, almonds and avocados supplying the whole US are produced..."
"But the cost is the lives of six billion bees."
Anya opened her mouth in shock, not knowing what to say. The seemingly wonderful vegetarianism seemed to have a paradox that could never be resolved.