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Chapter 143: TV Channel
🕑 Added 2025-05-04 19:38:10 +0000 UTCThis year’s Oscars were kinda underwhelming—no massive hits like those films to shake things up. Except for Sam Mendes’ flick, the other contenders were more like middleweights. So, this time around, the spotlight was all theirs, no question!
The movie was a DreamWorks production distributed by Universal, so when it snagged Best Picture, it was two producers from DreamWorks’ team who got to strut up on stage. The real heart and soul of the film—writer and producer Alan Ball—didn’t even get a chance to bask in the glory.
Alan Ball’s journey is pretty classic: started as a writer, turned screenwriter, then leveled up to producer. Guys like him usually lean artsy, digging into deep, messy human stuff. But the movie biz? It’s all about entertainment these days.
So, after getting the cold shoulder in Hollywood, Alan jumped ship to TV, signing on with HBO. He churned out two killer shows and had a hand in planning a bunch more behind the scenes. He’s basically the mastermind behind HBO’s wild, edgy vibe.
But then came that show—so bold and boundary-pushing that even HBO couldn’t handle it. They tossed it over to their sister channel, CineMax, a spot where you can beam straight-up adult films if you want. Wild, right?
Still, back in 2000, when American TV was still playing it kinda safe, Alan Ball was a total legend! The director was Sam Mendes, with Dunn and Alan Ball teaming up as producers, so they’ve got some history.
Since Dunn’s keen on jumping into production, Dunn Pictures naturally had to set up a TV division. And who’s the first name on his list? You guessed it—Alan Ball.
At the post-Oscars party, Dunn swung by the crew, laughing and chatting with everyone. He threw a curveball at Sam Mendes: “Think you could snag another big win in May?”
Sam chuckled, “Hey, that’s not up to me!”
Dunn gave him a sly look. “I’ve done my homework. Word is, this year’s Cannes jury chair is an old Hollywood pal—Luc Besson.”
“Luc Besson?” Alan Ball shot a quick, curious glance at Natalie standing next to Dunn.
They kept it light—public place and all. Dunn switched gears. “So, Alan, what’s next for you?”
Alan sighed, “Honestly? I’ve written nearly a hundred scripts, and only one made it to the big screen.”
“Meaning…?”
“I’m thinking about giving TV a real shot.”
Dunn’s heart skipped a beat. Here it comes!
Sam Mendes looked bummed. “Alan, no way! Movies are your thing!”
Alan shook his head. “Producers and directors aren’t the same. An artsy director gets called an artist. An artsy producer? What’s that? Even at the podium, it’s the investors who get the mic.”
Sam opened his mouth, then closed it. Fair point.
He’d pocketed a cool $1.2 million as director, while Alan’s producer paycheck was a measly $200K. Ouch.
Dunn blinked, locking eyes with him. “Alan, would you still team up with Dunn Pictures?”
“Dunn Pictures? Sorry, Dunn, I don’t think you’re getting me. Next up, I’m diving into a TV series.” Alan’s vibe was low, like he’d already lost.
Dunn got serious. “So what? Here’s the deal, Alan—Dunn Pictures is launching a TV production arm. Can’t promise you the top spot, but deputy director? That’s yours, no question.”
Alan froze, staring at Dunn, totally thrown.
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Bill Mechanic had already clocked Dunn’s big ambitions.
In no time flat, Dunn Pictures spun up a subsidiary, Fury Films, and kicked off its TV division. It’s clear they’re not content being a small-fry movie outfit anymore—they’re gunning to be a full-on, multi-channel media player.
And that means Dunn Pictures needs its own TV channel.
Building a network from scratch? Nah, too unrealistic. Even with News Corp’s muscle, it took them nearly 20 years to get Fox off the ground. Dunn’s not the patient type—he’d never wait that long.
Acquisition’s the only play left!
Public broadcast stations are out of reach, so Dunn’s eyeing cable. In the U.S., cable’s split two ways: basic and premium.
Basic cable—like TNT, FX, AMC, Disney Channel, or TV Land—makes bank off “household subscriptions + ads + DVD sales.” Premium cable—like HBO, Showtime, or CineMax—skips ads entirely, living off subscriptions and DVD/tape sales.
Different cash flows, different crowds. Basic cable’s cheaper, pulls bigger ratings, but that means keeping shows tame—no wild, kid-unfriendly stuff. Higher ratings = more revenue = higher valuation.
Premium cable needs special set-top boxes, encrypted signals, and tight controls, so they go hard—sometimes even full-on adult channels like Playboy’s Spice or Vivid. That caps their ratings, keeps revenue and valuation lower—perfect for Dunn Pictures to swoop in.
Of course, down the line, HBO becomes the premium giant with its prestige dramas. Even with lower revenue, their profit margins keep their value on par with basic cable heavyweights.
Across Dunn Pictures’ top brass, only Bill Mechanic knows TV inside out. He ran Twentieth Century Fox, including the Fox network, and under his watch, it exploded.
His advice? Hold off on buying—strike a strategic partnership with a premium channel instead. Dunn Pictures is still too lean to spread itself thin; better to focus on one lane.
Dunn wasn’t having it. Wait too long, and he’d miss the boat entirely.
The project’s about to kick off. Once that series airs and blows up, it’ll wake HBO up to its future: big-budget, prestige TV. They’ll dominate cable, skyrocketing to 90% market share!
If Dunn drags his feet, where’s his room to grow later?
“No way—we’ve gotta move fast! Bill, this is on you. By year’s end, I want a premium cable channel locked down!”
Dunn was dead-set. “Bill, this series I’m betting on? If it pans out, Spielberg’s jumping on board to co-produce. And when that happens… I want those North American TV rights locked in!”
Bill went quiet, then sighed. “Dunn, shouldn’t we play it safe?”
Dunn snapped, “Bill, you’re great, but you’re too cautious! This is Dunn Pictures, not Fox—no board breathing down our necks. Just me calling the shots. What’s there to fear?”
Bill’s face darkened, mood sour. “I just don’t want you tanking the company.”
“Sorry, Bill, got a little heated there.” Dunn waved it off. “You know I don’t decide lightly. If I don’t know the turf, I lean on you. But this? This is the best move for us right now!”
Bill mulled it over, then let out a long breath. “Fine. I’ll reach out to DreamWorks, lock in that project. Your cable buyout plan? I’ll push it through fast.”
Dunn grinned. “That’s the spirit, Bill! We’re a team—how can we fail?”
Bill didn’t bite the hype, warning, “One thing, Dunn: we’re flat broke. Dunn Pictures needs a cash injection, pronto!”
“I’ve got it covered. Two weeks, tops—money’s in!” Dunn was all confidence.
Bill shot him a look. “I’m curious—where’s all this cash coming from? Even a premium channel’s gonna run you hundreds of millions!”
“I told you, I’ll handle the funds. You just keep Dunn Pictures humming.” Dunn’s high-leverage, stock-shortng game was a no-go topic—too risky to spill.
Bill shrugged. “Alright. We’re staring at a $100M debt hole, plus another $100M to greenlight projects. Oh, and the channel buyout cash… and Jamie’s new flick needs funding too.”
“James Cameron?” Dunn perked up. “It’s a go? No more delays?”
Bill shook his head. “Script’s on my desk—I’ll have my assistant drop it off. It’s killer, but the budget’s steep. Jamie says if we’re strapped, he’ll shop it to a big studio. He’s done stressing over money mid-shoot. We left a bad taste last time.”
“No worries!”
Dunn waved grandly. “He’s an old buddy—personal and business. James’ movies? We’re in, no question!”
“It’s probably north of $200M.”
“Ha!”
Dunn laughed, brimming with swagger. “If he’s got the guts to ask, I’ve got the cash to give! Bill, I told you—money’s never the issue!”
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