Chapter 11: The Proposal

Jerome Preston didn’t believe that this guy named Link had a real solution to increase movie theater attendance.

To get rid of Link as soon as possible, he decided to take a quick look—just one look—so he could send him away afterward.

However, as soon as he finished reading the first proposal, his eyes lit up. He couldn’t help but sit up straight, gripping the document tightly as he read through it again.

After finishing the first one, he moved on to the second, then the third.

His eyes grew even brighter, as if he had just had a sudden revelation. He glanced at Link in surprise. Could this young man, who didn’t look very old, really come up with such brilliant marketing plans?

"Mr. Link, did you come up with these strategies yourself?"

"Of course. I’m not just a director—I also work as a cashier at a Burger King. Every week, Burger King and other fast-food chains like KFC run promotional campaigns. For example, Wednesdays and Thursdays used to be the slowest business days, but after implementing regular discount promotions, these days became the busiest of the week."

While working part-time, Link liked to relate everything he observed back to his main profession.

"Every time I saw long lines forming at the restaurant, I thought about whether I could apply the same marketing strategy when my own movie is released to boost its box office revenue.

After conducting extensive research, I found that this method is completely feasible.

That’s where I got the inspiration for my first strategy to increase theater attendance."

Link spoke confidently as he addressed Jerome Preston.

This kind of movie marketing strategy was actually pioneered by what would later become Hollywood’s eighth major film studio—Lionsgate. It was similar to the industry’s "Crazy Tuesday" model, where all Lionsgate films were available at half-price, discounted rates, or even for free on certain days.

At first glance, this approach seemed simple, like copying the discount campaigns used by KFC and McDonald's. However, successfully adapting it to the movie theater business was extremely difficult.

Theaters had to use market demand analysis and big data calculations to refine the strategy—ensuring that audiences would show up while also guaranteeing profitability for both movie studios and cinema chains.

That was precisely why many people might draw inspiration from KFC’s marketing techniques, yet fail to effectively apply them to the theater industry.

"Mr. Link, you’re truly a marketing genius. I often go to KFC and have participated in those promotions myself. I even considered adopting similar strategies, but since the fast-food industry and theater revenue models are so different, I assumed it would be nearly impossible. I never imagined it could actually work like this."

Jerome Preston flipped through the proposal, clicking his tongue in admiration.

Beyond the first strategy, the second one was also impressive: offering a free movie ticket to customers who watched four movies at the same theater in a year.

At first glance, this idea wasn’t new, but the real challenge lay in ensuring profitability for theaters while making the program attractive enough for customers to actively participate.

In Link’s proposal, he outlined multiple solutions to these challenges.

By following his approach, theaters wouldn’t just profit from moviegoers—they could also secure a larger share of box office revenue from the "Big Seven" studios.

The third strategy was equally compelling.

After reviewing all three proposals, Jerome Preston completely changed his opinion of Link.

This young man wasn’t some arrogant fraud—he was a true marketing talent with an exceptional gift for film promotion.

If he could recruit Link, perhaps AMC Theatres could have him running operations in Los Angeles a few years ahead of schedule.

*Tap.*

Jerome Preston gently placed the folder down and looked at the composed young man sitting across from him. He suddenly remembered that Link had come here with a purpose—it wasn’t just to gift him these brilliant strategies.

To prevent Link from making an outrageous demand, Jerome quickly masked his initial surprise and said in a calm tone, "Mr. Link, while these proposals do have some obvious flaws and impractical elements, they are still valuable strategies for improving theater attendance.

Tell me, what do you want in return? As long as it’s not too excessive, I can make it happen on behalf of AMC Entertainment Group."

"Mr. Preston, I’m a director, and I have a high-quality film in my hands. I want to release it in your theaters. My request is simple—give me three days and ten screening rooms.

If, within those three days, the film performs below average at the box office, I’ll voluntarily end the screenings and gift you the proposals as a token of goodwill.

Mr. Preston, does that sound like a fair deal to you?"

Link gestured as he spoke.

"Why not work with a film distribution company? If your movie is truly high-quality, there will definitely be distributors willing to take it on. If you don’t have industry connections, I can introduce you to some people."

Jerome Preston asked.

"This is a niche art-house film. Distribution companies don’t see its box office potential, so they refuse to collaborate.

I figured—if they don’t want to make money, then there’s no need for me to work with them. That’s why I came straight to you, Mr. Preston—so we can make money together."

Link replied with a confident smile.

Jerome Preston leaned back in his chair, running his fingers through his thick hair, looking conflicted.

Hollywood had seen a few cases where films, initially dismissed by distributors, ended up becoming surprise box office hits—like Deep Throat.

But there had never been a single instance where every distribution company turned down a film, only for it to later become a massive success.

Even without seeing the film, he could already guess that it probably wasn’t great.

Still, out of courtesy, he said, "Mr. Link, may I see your film first? Did you bring a copy with you?"

"Of course."

Link took a VHS tape from his bag.

"Excellent. Please follow me."

The Grove Shopping Center Cinema is one of the theaters under the AMC Theatres chain.

AMC Theatres is a subsidiary of AMC Entertainment Group and is the second-largest cinema chain in North America. It operates 379 theaters with a total of 5,260 screens across the United States, averaging 13 screens per theater.

This particular location has 18 screening rooms, making it one of the larger cinemas in Los Angeles. It frequently hosts movie premieres for new films.

Link and Jerome Preston arrived at a screening room with a rather luxurious interior.

The screening room was not large, with just over 60 seats.

Jerome Preston handed a videotape to the projectionist and ordered two drinks from the staff.

Link and Jerome sat in the front row to watch the movie Buried Alive.

Link had seen the film multiple times before, so he no longer felt much emotion watching it again.

Jerome Preston, however, kept asking questions as he watched.

During the opening credits, he asked, "Did you really make Buried Alive all by yourself? Wrote, directed, acted, edited, and handled lighting, props, and sound all on your own?"

While watching the movie, he continued, "Did you really shoot the entire film inside a small wooden box? Just one actor? A few simple tools carrying a full ten-minute scene?"

Link's answers were all the same: "Yes."

After the 95-minute movie finished, Jerome Preston rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

From a personal perspective, the film was impressive—it was fresh, innovative, and left a strong impression.

The plot and pacing were well-executed, maintaining a suspenseful and chilling atmosphere from start to finish.

Once immersed in the story, viewers would unconsciously feel nervous, oppressed, and suffocated—creating an intense sense of claustrophobia.

Achieving this level of tension placed Buried Alive among the upper-tier thriller films.

However, the movie also had significant flaws.

Unlike most horror films, it lacked ghosts, zombies, excessive blood splatters, mutilated limbs, or heart-pounding sound effects—elements that mainstream horror movies rely on as selling points.

Instead, the film depended entirely on a suffocating sense of psychological terror.

This singular approach was too niche, and after its release, there wouldn’t be many moviegoers willing to pay to see it.

That was likely why Link had been repeatedly rejected by film distribution companies.

"Mr. Preston, now that you've seen the film, have you changed your mind? Will you agree to my request?"

Link spoke up.

"Mr. Link, your film is well-made. I'd give it a score of at least 75. However, I share the same view as those distribution companies—Buried Alive is not suitable for a theatrical release. It would lose money in theaters. My suggestion is to distribute it through home video. If you're interested, I can help you connect with a distribution company in that field."

Jerome Preston replied.

Link had considered releasing the film via videotape, but his system provided a 4x box office revenue subsidy—not for home video or merchandise sales.

If he released Buried Alive via videotape, the movie would lose its "magic aura" of profitability, and its final earnings would be mediocre.

It also wouldn’t be enough to improve his financial situation.

"Mr. Preston, you make a good point, but I still hope to release Buried Alive in theaters. My conditions remain the same—give me three days in ten screening rooms. If the box office results are poor, the theater can pull the film at its discretion."

Link stated.

"Three days and ten screening rooms? That’s impossible."

"My bottom line is six screening rooms," Link countered.

Jerome Preston was momentarily stunned. So, the conditions were negotiable?  

He waved his hand dismissively. "Six screening rooms are still too many. You're a director and part of the industry—you should know that the ‘Big Seven’ studios and numerous independent production companies dominate the market. They control a vast number of film rights, determining how much revenue theaters make.

Whenever a major studio releases a blockbuster, theaters must secure screening rights through competitive deals.

The Grove Shopping Center Cinema primarily screens commercial films. At the start of each year, we schedule our screenings from January through December, with most slots allocated to major studio productions.

This scheduling is dictated by AMC Entertainment Group, and every theater must follow it.

As the theater manager, I don’t have the authority to reschedule films and clear six screening rooms for you."

"Mr. Preston, at least three screening rooms—that’s my final bottom line."

Link insisted.

Jerome Preston smirked. So, there’s a bottom line beneath the bottom line?  

He shrugged. "Link, even three is too much. Those three screens generate tens of thousands of dollars per day—it's a significant impact. Within my authority, the most I can offer is one screening room. What do you think?"

Jerome patted the armrest of his seat.

"Mr. Preston, one is too few. Sorry, but I can't accept your offer. However, I’ve enjoyed our conversation, and I hope we’ll have a chance to collaborate in the future."

Link stood up and extended his hand in farewell.

Jerome Preston looked at him in confusion.

"Getting even one screening room is better than not showing the film at all. Why reject my offer?"

"Mr. Preston, you're the first theater manager I've spoken to, but you won't be the last.

I’m glad you liked my marketing strategies for increasing theater attendance. But beyond these three strategies, I have others.

Next, I plan to discuss them with other theater managers. Hopefully, they’ll offer more screens for my film.

Goodbye, Mr. Preston!"

"Wait!!"

Seeing that Link was about to leave, Jerome Preston grabbed his arm.

He had assumed that after reviewing Link’s strategy report, he had the upper hand in negotiations.

But he hadn’t expected Link to use this tactic to turn the tables.

If he had known earlier, he wouldn’t have shown so much interest in Link’s strategies in his office.

Now, Link understood the value of his proposal, giving him the leverage to negotiate.

Jerome Preston secretly regretted his mistake.

"Link, don’t be so hasty. Let’s discuss this a bit more."

He spoke sincerely.

Link’s strategy to improve theater attendance had immense value.

If he submitted it to AMC Theatres’ headquarters, they would immediately recognize its worth.

And as the person who presented the strategy, he would gain recognition and attention from upper management.

If everything went smoothly, he could advance his career by several years—potentially becoming the head of AMC’s Los Angeles or even California operations, with a salary increase of several times over.

There was no way he could miss this opportunity for a promotion and raise.

What frustrated him was that, in this negotiation, it seemed that this twenty-year-old had outmaneuvered him.

Damn!

(End of Chapter)