Poisonous Tentacles
For Sony, the last resort is to focus on the technological aspect. In addition to increasing R&D efforts, a more direct approach is to poach key technical personnel from competitors!
Ideally, you could also share some key technologies, especially those under research but not yet patented.
After extensive investigation, everyone had to admit one thing: the person in charge of Stark Studios' digitization was not Tony Stark, as everyone had initially guessed, but rather Henry Brown, whom no one seemed to care about.
As a result, invitations to banquets for the Stark Studios CEO gradually increased, and headhunting firms contacted him privately in droves.
Henry initially tried to deal with the latter. But later, the number of interview invitations from these headhunting firms seemed to be used to delay and waste Henry's time, so much so that he lost all patience. Henry simply turned them all down.
Or perhaps it was because I rashly agreed to meet with these people that they mistakenly thought they had a chance to persuade me?
Henry, who is gradually adapting to the different circles and ecosystems, is slowly adjusting his attitude and coping methods.
As for the banquets that invited him, they were different from the ones JJ Harris arranged for Charlize Theron, which aimed to expand her network. The under-the-table human feasts of Hollywood began to reveal themselves to the newcomer Henry.
The opening acts, of course, wouldn't jump straight to the final form. They would only include some non-illegal activities, at most some prohibited drugs to enhance the atmosphere at the banquet.
Like pigs that are put up for auction before going to the slaughterhouse, young men and women are completely unaware of their impending fate and instead indulge in displaying the capital of their youth.
The banquet host even explicitly implied that it didn't matter how they played, as they would always cover for them in the end.
If it weren't for his promise to Tony Stark to keep an eye on these scandals and remember who they were, Henry really wouldn't have wanted to attend this party.
Don't assume that everyone invited to a place like this can relax and have fun without any worries.
According to Henry's observations based on his Super Senses, those little gadgets for secretly taking photos and recording audio are everywhere. Moreover, considering the precocious appearance of some boys and girls in Europe and America, their ages seem out of place.
It's fair to say that such banquets are fraught with traps. And those hints and provocations, those deliberate brushes and bumps, are all temptations designed to push people into the Abyss of Hell.
Henry had reason to believe that being tricked here didn't necessarily mean someone would come knocking on his door tomorrow to negotiate terms or compensation. These damaging details would be kept until they had some special value, at which point they would be used as leverage.
Did none of the visitors know about this? According to Henry's observation, it's not necessarily true that everyone was unaware.
Therefore, disregarding the banquet staff and the female companions, the attendees can be broadly categorized into three types.
Firstly, there are those who genuinely know nothing, indulge in unrestrained enjoyment, and ultimately leave themselves vulnerable to exploitation.
Secondly, they knew what was going on, but deliberately cooperated. This was their way of offering themselves up Pledge of Allegiance.
Thirdly, they knew what kind of banquet it was, but attended for some reason, without intending to leave any evidence against them.
The third type of person is usually older and more worldly-wise. So when they see the grand scale of the banquet, they know there's something fishy going on behind the scenes. Some people who want to protect themselves immediately regret attending.
After all, if this matter is exposed in the future, how can I explain my innocence to others if I am on the list? I will have no evidence to prove my innocence, and I will be left to the imagination of unscrupulous media reporters.
Henry was also one of those who regretted it, but he didn't show it on his face. He just treated it like any other social interaction, casually chatting with people in an open setting.
If a girl invites him to a more private place, Henry will shoo her away, but he won't foolishly follow her. Instead, he'll stay where he is, chatting with some people in Hollywood, indulging in risqué conversations.
In short, the principle is to just talk the talk and not do anything else.
I've dealt with Old Black in South Los Angeles before, and they're very good at using these kinds of underhanded tactics to frame people. And there's also the story in * Water Margin *...
With the story of Lin Chong entering the White Tiger Hall with a sword as a precedent, is it really a case of recklessly running off with others to dig one's own grave?
Another reason for such restraint is the inconsistency in their social status.
The invited guests were all second- or third-tier, little-known directors and producers. There wasn't a single big-name director or top producer, and none of them were CEOs of film companies like himself.
I wasn't a guest of honor, nor was I introduced by anyone. I was just invited here and then left to fend for myself among this group of people. That's a form of contempt. In this situation, leaving directly wouldn't have been wrong.
A small group of people would even forgo their fun and come to talk to Henry, the CEO of Stark Studios, about projects.
While Stark Studios rarely gets involved in film production, it's not entirely absent. They still allocate a certain amount of funding each year to support excellent independent films. This is a consensus within the industry.
So some people will go up and strike up a conversation, hoping to get some support.
Henry took advantage of these people, pretending to be popular and busy, using this as an excuse to turn down the girls' advances. He also used them as a way to subtly reveal something.
Under Tony Stark's direction, Stark Studios, which he heads, actually has more money available for film production each year. If you have a good project, just come to him.
This news further fueled the enthusiasm of directors who already had scripts or plans.
Even producers with established film studios were happy to engage with Stark Studios, represented by Henry. Some of the riskier projects were ones that one or two film studios alone might not dare to undertake.
If there are many investors, the risk is spread out, and the chances of the project being approved are greater. This is a good thing for many people.
As night deepened, some of the partygoers left, drunk. Others simply remained unconscious, lying in bed with their female companions, not leaving until they woke up the next day.
Just as Henry was about to leave, a white man who seemed to be the host of the banquet approached. Holding a glass of low-alcohol champagne, he raised it and said, "Mr. Brown doesn't seem too pleased with today's banquet."
Henry said with a forced smile, "How could that be? I saw so many producers, directors, and those lovely beauties..."
The way they approached me one by one made me feel like the Sun Pharma being chased by a galaxy of stars.
"For a young man like me who has suddenly risen to such a high position, this is an unprecedented experience. You can see I'm already feeling quite giddy. If this happens a few more times, I think I'll start to succumb to its allure."
"Haha, it seems Mr. Brown is indeed quite dissatisfied with this level of banquet. My boss was rather hasty in assigning me this task."
"Oh, and who is your boss?"
"Mr. Mitch Schulhoff, President and CEO of Sony America."
"Ah, What If...? it's Mr. Schulhoff, and he wants to see me, a bar and a bottle of whiskey will suffice. I certainly wouldn't dare attend such a banquet a second time."
"There will be an opportunity. I hope to see you again at our next invitation." The banquet host politely extended his hand.
Henry returned the handshake, saying conservatively, "There will be an opportunity," before leaving.