Chapter 1570
More Money
I spent the whole day at the company in meetings and received many new and old friends.
Because of the huge success of "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons", many securities firms and investment banks came to his door to beg for his help.
Moreover, these financial elites all have very pleasant speaking skills.
They started by praising the company, saying that once Cross-Strait Films goes public, its market value will definitely surpass that of Huayi Brothers!
We should help him work together to make the company the first listed film and television company in China.
Zhang Yuan humbly stated that he was just running a small company and didn't have that kind of capability.
In terms of strengths and weaknesses, companies like Huayi, Orange Sky, and Fiber Optics, which are already listed on the stock exchange, are the most prominent.
What he was really thinking was... "Do I need you to tell me?"
If I can't surpass Huayi before the IPO, and I still can't surpass Huayi after the IPO, then what a waste of the IPO!
As for the claim of being the first stock, who else could it be but me...?
Fiber optic cables are now worth billions, and Huayi also has billions.
Moreover, the entire Chinese stock market is currently in a bear market due to the lingering effects of the 08 financial crisis.
They're hibernating.
In a little over a year, the A-shares market will recover from the bear market, and after another six months or so, it will fully enter a bull market!
My goal is to go public precisely during the recovery period, and then reap the market benefits of a major bull market.
Then I'll show you what it means to be the first listed film and television company.
In a bull market, everyone is a pig riding the wave.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yuan quickly transferred some money to his stock account.
Buy some Huayi shares; they're only less than 3 yuan now, but they could rise to over 30 yuan in a bull market!
Buying at the bottom of your opponent's stock can also be a form of winning.
He called Shu Chang again, asking her to transfer the money for him and also to give her some instructions.
"Quickly buy up all those green-glowing stocks in the Chinese film and television industry."
"If you don't buy it now, you won't be able to buy it anymore!"
"Hurry, hurry, run forward!"
Singer doesn't have much family, so he needs more money to feel secure.
They've had a little free time now, waiting for Stephen Chow to come over.
I glanced at the time; the agreed-upon time had passed, and this person still hadn't arrived.
To put it nicely, it's called individuality; to put it bluntly, it's a bit inhumane.
He recently discovered that many people become famous after just one film or TV series.
As the article says, Stephen Chow's personality has always been different from ordinary people, and now that his films are selling like hotcakes and breaking records, he's even more remarkable.
Oh.
Looking back now, Zhang Yuan realizes why he liked the article so much; it was because they resonated with each other's personalities.
They were all very talented, but after becoming famous, they all started behaving strangely.
It's no secret that Stephen Chow loves to "prank" people on set.
When the article was being promoted before, the team had mentioned it to him.
This Mr. Wen insists on being picked up and dropped off in luxury cars, which is understandable given he's a celebrity.
They also have to drink hand-ground coffee every day, and it has to be ground right in front of him; otherwise, they won't start work or appear on camera.
He thinks he's Su Daqiang (a character from a popular Chinese TV drama)...
It was the same show. Teacher He mentioned to himself that when this guy was on "Happy Camp" promoting a game, he got kicked in the lower back by Hai Tao and bruised it.
Even someone with Teacher He's personality would specifically tell me that things are probably far more complicated than just kicking someone in the purplish spot.
He had deliberately tested it earlier, and sure enough, he was trembling a little in front of himself.
Therefore, the entertainment industry, where one can achieve instant fame, is the ultimate test of human nature.
You can act arrogantly outside, but behave yourself in front of me. Is there any hope for you?
If you're going to act arrogantly in front of me, then you might as well go to hell.
I was just about to make myself a cup of coffee and wait for Stephen Chow to hold this top brand.
Unexpectedly, before Stephen Chow arrived, other guests came instead.
Zhang Jiazhen, one of the producers of the previous film "Reign of Assassins," called him, saying that a friend of his wanted to make a film, a period drama, and was looking for investors.
He meets a lot of people every day, and they all come to him.
No sooner had he hung up the phone than Lao Han called him, saying that an old friend's child wanted to film a period drama and asked him to host the child.
After hanging up the phone, he thought it over.
"Hey?"
Based on the descriptions, the two people who asked me for jobs seem to have similar backgrounds.
Not long after, the old man from Zhangjia Town brought an unremarkable-looking young man to his office.
"Hello, Mr. Zhang." He greeted him warmly.
As for the person standing next to him, how unremarkable is he?
At first glance, Zhang Yuan thought Gu Changwei had undergone a facelift to look younger.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that it wasn't the same person.
You know, Gu Changwei's appearance was so striking that even at a young age, Ma Sichun couldn't understand why her aunt would marry him.
To be able to resemble Gu Changwei, you can imagine what he looks like.
Who is this?
But he felt that the face looked familiar.
"Director Lu, Lu Yang."
"He directed a film called 'Blind Cinema,' which won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Directorial Debut. He's very talented."
"Oh, I know, how could I not know?" Zhang Yuan immediately shook hands with the man with a beaming smile.
"Want some coffee? I brought the beans back from abroad."
Lu Yang was the director of the later film "A Writer's Odyssey".
This person originally studied economics and management at Beijing Institute of Technology. After graduating, he interned at Phoenix TV for more than half a year and then discovered that he liked to shoot things.
He then plunged into studying directing at the Beijing Film Academy.
He learned while working on set, and after that, he filmed his debut film, "Blind Cinema," which immediately won an award.
Judging from this resume, he's incredibly talented, probably a genius... but maybe not.
Does he have talent?
There must be.
But those who study science and engineering can directly intern at Phoenix TV, and if they want to change their major and repeat a year, they can do so immediately without having to worry about making money. How could they come from ordinary families?
This person is not only extraordinary, but also extraordinary in many ways!
His father, Lu Jinbo, is a member of the Writers Association, the Dramatists Association, and the Television Artists Association.
The number of participating associations is comparable to that of Zhang Yuan.
He is also a member of the expert group of the Literature and Art Bureau under the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which is responsible for the macro-level guidance of the Huaxia Literature and Art Project.
Anyway, as long as we know that the expert group's words are effective in opera, movies, and TV series, that's enough.
Most importantly, this old man is a doctoral supervisor at the Central Academy of Drama.
This means that Zhang Yuan will have to see her all the time from now on.
Only with his father's status as a titanium alloy can his son have the right to be willful.
Incidentally, his father also frequently oversaw the guidance work for the Golden Rooster Awards, so it's quite reasonable for his son to win Best Director Debut.
"It's quite a coincidence that we're here," Zhang Yuan said casually after his assistant made him some coffee.
"The female lead in your film 'Blind Cinema,' Re Yizha, is now a contracted artist under my management."
"Really? What a coincidence." Lu Yang took a sip of coffee, and the rich aroma immediately told him it was definitely expensive.
He glanced at Zhangjia Town again and saw that the other party was very polite, so it seemed that there was a good chance today.
While filming "Blind Cinema", Lu Yang read a Japanese novel called "Okita Souji's Love".
Okita Souji was the leader of the Shinsengumi during the late Edo period.
In the popular manga "Gintama", he was reimagined as Okita Sougo, a blond, cunning man.
The Shinsengumi lived during the transition period between the Shogunate era and the Meiji Restoration in Japan.
While the island was embroiled in internal strife and conflict, it also suffered cultural invasion from Western colonialists.
In particular, the arrival of the black ships from the United States completely opened the country's doors, which had been closed off by the Japanese for hundreds of years.
Against the backdrop of this changing era, the novel tells the story of a young swordsman serving the emperor who falls in love with the daughter of a doctor.
At the same time, Lu Yang was also reading "History of Ming".
Zhang Yuan thought to himself, "You don't even have Gao Xiaofeng, so why are you reading the History of Ming?"
While claiming to be reading the history of the Ming Dynasty, I was actually reading the popular book of the time, "Those Things of the Ming Dynasty".
Then, during breaks from filming, he combined the two stories and backgrounds together.
I've come up with a story about a swordsman serving the Ming emperor and a courtesan, set against the backdrop of the transition from the late Ming dynasty to the rise of the Manchu Qing dynasty.
At the same time, he felt that the affection between parents and children was appropriate in a small place like an island nation, but seemed petty in the context of China.
This reduced the emphasis on romance and increased the content of friendships within the imperial court and the martial arts world.
Then I felt that the identity of a swordsman was too abstract and not realistic enough.
After seeing the release of "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate", I was inspired and decided to change the protagonist's identity to that of a member of the Imperial Guard.
Then... after a major fusion, the current period drama script was born, namely "Brotherhood of Blades"!
The love story between the swordsman and the doctor's daughter is the main storyline of Jin Yichuan and the doctor's daughter.
Zhang Yuan looked at the notebook, then at him.
Look at him, then at the notebook. This thing... is good.
The good thing is, it costs extra!
The other party contacted him simply to ask for more money.
Lu Yang wasn't very lucky, but his background made up for it.
In recent years, the popularity of period dramas has declined significantly, and he and Zhangjiazhen have searched around, but no company is willing to invest money.
It's not that the script is bad; everyone thinks it's quite interesting. But the market doesn't allow it, and this theme isn't popular anymore.
He only approached medium-sized companies, not large ones.
After going around in circles and no one paid any attention to them, they were all disheartened.
But his father encouraged him.
We also approached China Film Group and CCTV for investment...
In critical moments, we still have to rely on titanium alloy backgrounds.
I was wondering why Lao Han called me; who's so important?
But China Film Group and CCTV aren't stupid either. If others won't invest, we'll give you face and invest money, no problem.
But we can't be the only ones to feed them.
China Film Group and CCTV were willing to provide Lu Yang with a budget, which was half of the 3000 million yuan production cost.
Old Han is cunning too. I'm retiring soon, and I don't want to lose money and leave with a stain on my reputation.
He is only willing to contribute 30% and will not be listed as an author.
Let the successor sign it when he gets old.
Now, no one is willing to pay the remaining half, which is why this situation has arisen.
"All film and television companies, especially publicly listed companies."
“When they take on a project, they look at the budget and the market analysis.”
Zhang Yuan smiled gently and looked at the two of them.
"The benefit of the commercialization of the Chinese film market now is that there is more and more funding."
"The downside is that everyone only cares about money."
"But I won't do that."
Upon hearing this, Zhangjiazhen narrowed his eyes.
Why don't you do it this way?
You're the only one in our line of work who earns the most, and you still say that.
Okay, okay, you're the investor, you're right.
So, are you interested?
"I think it's good," Zhang Yuan nodded.
The two of them weren't too surprised, as they had heard this story many times before.
When asked if it's good or not, they all say it's good; when asked if they'll pay, they all say they'll think about it.
The 1500 million investment is only for the production part; the promotion and distribution will also cost a lot.
Even with the most frugal spending, it will take at least 2000 million to fill the hole.
"Especially the protagonist, Shen Lian."
"It's complex and in-depth, and judging from your outline, there's action in almost every scene."
"Both the dramatic and action scenes are quite challenging."
"Very challenging."
"I like challenging work." Zhang Yuan rubbed his fingers together, lost in thought.
"Well... what we need right now is some funding," Lu Yang replied nervously, licking his lips.
Zhang Jiazhen, who was standing nearby, kicked him and then winked at him with unusual excitement.
"what?"
Seeing that the other party hadn't reacted yet, Zhangjiazhen almost lost his temper.
"He said he was interested in the male lead character," the man said through gritted teeth.
They're even investing!
Even if he doesn't invest a single penny, as long as we put Zhang Yuan's name on the male lead role in this script, we won't have to worry about not having investors.
The movie he starred in just grossed 8 million yuan at the box office and he's currently very popular.
So many companies would be throwing money at our faces!
Lu Yang was blinded by greed, only thinking about making some money to film a movie, and didn't realize this at all.
"Alright, I'm here, don't worry."
His words reassured them considerably.
The key is that what he said was effective.
"Leave the script outline, and then send me a detailed script."
"After I finish watching it, I'll find some time to have a meal."
"Get all the investors together so we can talk."
Zhang Yuan wanted to use this role to get to know Lao La and that person from CCTV.
It's always better to get to know someone as a partner than to start as strangers.
"Yes, definitely!" Lu Yang was overjoyed and grinned from ear to ear.
But Zhang Yuan felt that his smile was worse than his not smiling; it was creepy.
This was an unexpected and delightful surprise for the two of them, a million times better than they had imagined.
After all, with such a limited budget, they never imagined they could use big names.
Now that he's willing to take it on, the two of them can't wait to go back and offer incense as a token of their gratitude.
After finishing his coffee, he got another one. When his assistant came in to refill his coffee, she whispered a few words to him.
He said that after he learned about it, he chatted with the two for a long time before personally seeing them off.
"Mr. Stephen Chow, I'm sorry, an important guest just came up unexpectedly."
Only after getting up and resting to the side did he meet with Zhou Xingchi.
You were the one who wanted to see me, and you were late. It's only right that you wait a while.
"Wow, you're so busy." Stephen Chow said with a grin, seemingly not angry at all.
"Yes, there are many projects, so we need to choose carefully."
“Now it’s not us looking for projects, it’s people coming to us begging to invest,” Zhang Yuan said as he led the other party into the office.
Stephen Chow's smile faded slightly, knowing that it was said on purpose for him to hear.
"What is it you want to say?"
He asked his assistant to replace the coffee cups with wine glasses.
Stephen Chow invested in a winery that sells red wine, and he drinks it often himself.
First, cater to his preferences and provide him with a seemingly safe and comfortable environment.
"Let me take a look."
"Let's also talk about the profit sharing from 'Journey to the West'."
"Don't worry, once the film pays out, the agreed-upon profit sharing will be paid to you according to the contract," Zhang Yuan replied with an upright expression. "My reputation in this industry is guaranteed."
"That's not what I meant." He shook his head.
Zhang Yuan understood what he wanted to do.
According to Stephen Chow's own expectations, he originally thought that the film's box office should reach 5 to 6 million yuan if everything went smoothly.
It has far exceeded his expectations, and he feels he has "lost out".
They think that because you guys take so much money from the movies I make, it's caused me a loss.
He believed that if his partner earned more, it was his loss.
When it comes to money, Stephen Chow is extremely inhumane.
"The box office is so good right now."
“You guys make a lot of money, so I think my share of the profits should be increased.”
He spoke without changing his expression.
If you make a profit, you get a larger share; if you lose, it's yours to keep.
Even though Zhang Yuan was mentally prepared, he still couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
"We should act in accordance with the contract."
"The current profit-sharing ratio was agreed upon and signed by everyone."
"Changing policies frequently is not my style."
“Hey, you wouldn’t have made so much money without me directing this movie.” Stephen Chow said in his Cantonese-accented Mandarin, “This project wouldn’t exist without me.”
"Forget it, I won't ask for dividends anymore."
"Give me a big red envelope, and it'll be a fixed price."
"5000 million!"
"OK."
This red envelope is indeed quite large.
The purpose of their visit today is quite clear.
The film is doing well now, exceeding my expectations, so... I need to raise the money! (End of Chapter)