Chapter 1577
A Minor Mistake
The shareholders agreed with his statement, thus temporarily suppressing their dissatisfaction with Stephen Chow.
Their thinking was that if Stephen Chow's next film could also rake in over a billion dollars like this one, breaking even shouldn't be a problem.
As for what Zhang Yuan said about the impact on stock prices, it is foreseeable that the stock will hit one or two limit-up days and maintain an overall increase for one or two months.
In addition, he took the initiative to take responsibility, and we will all come to you if any problems arise.
Middle-aged and elderly people tend to be stable in character and shrewd, but their weakness is a lack of drive.
Therefore, if a company's management team consists of older people in their 4s or 50s, unless there is one leader who can both command respect and has foresight, the group will inevitably stagnate and fall into endless internal strife.
As people age, most become short-sighted and selfish; this is an inevitable change that occurs as death approaches.
Zhang Yuan felt mentally exhausted but helpless, like Xiao He who brought him success but also brought him downfall.
A dynasty will rise and fall for the same reason it rose.
The power that makes you rise will eventually become a chain that binds your hands and feet, or even strangles your neck.
He made his fortune by relying on this group of people, so he has to spend more energy appeasing them.
Once internal pacification is over, it will be time to deal with external threats.
Zhang Yuan took the initiative to visit the Star Shine Company office located in the China Fortune Centre on Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
Many people watched "Young and Dangerous" when they were young and always heard Chan Ho-nam say that he was the boss of Causeway Bay.
Wow, that sounds incredible.
He must be a big shot, a super local tycoon, right?
In reality, the entire Causeway Bay area is less than 3 square kilometers, and the core area, which is the area where Chan Ho-nam can collect land fees, is only 0.5 square kilometers.
What is the concept?
Asia's largest community, a famous landmark in the capital, a legendary monster spawner for deliverymen, and the nemesis of novice food delivery drivers.
Tiantongyuan Community, located in the CP zone of Beijing, covers an area of 8 square kilometers.
It's about three times the size of Causeway Bay.
The area under Chen Haonan's jurisdiction was not even as large as the neighborhood police station of Tiantongyuan Police Station.
The whole of Hong Kong is like this. Places like Yau Ma Tei and Central are described as something extraordinary, but in reality, they're just tiny specks, the size of a booger.
But this small place, due to its geographical location and the fact that it was once a "transit point" for the mainland, became a famous financial center in Asia.
With such a small population and such high per capita wealth, the unique character of the local population has naturally developed.
An old man selling sweet soup was incredibly arrogant because he had a Hong Kong residency permit.
Even if one's bed is right next to the toilet, it doesn't stop people from looking down on ordinary people in mainland China who live in large houses of over 100 square meters.
Not to mention someone like Stephen Chow, who is in the middle class of Hong Kong's wealth.
Stephen Chow is different now than he was a few years ago.
Stephen Chow's company, Star Overseas, is now only responsible for filming and IP operation. Two years ago, Chow acquired and listed Bigo Media, which then became a shell company, making him one of the capital tycoons in the film and television industry.
His total net worth is close to HK$1 billion.
They certainly have the right to be arrogant.
But... it depends on who you're talking to.
With his hands in his pockets, Zhang Yuan strolled into Xinghui's office, accompanied by a whistle and a gesture of goodwill.
The last time I came here, it seems, was to audition for a role in "Kung Fu Hustle".
Time has passed, Stephen Chow is still Stephen Chow, but I am not the same person anymore!
"Mr. Zhang, our General Manager Zhou is busy, please wait a moment."
"Okay." Zhang Yuan nodded with a smile after hearing what the secretary said.
But they didn't stop.
He had arranged a time with the other party, and it's time now.
So he went straight to the office inside.
"Mr. Zhang..."
The secretary followed closely behind, trying to stop them.
He raised his hand, and the bodyguard blocked the other person's path.
"How dare you barge into our office?"
"Brother Long, if anyone spouts any more nonsense, just take action."
Upon hearing the other party shout, Zhang Yuan decisively gave the order.
His assistant then came to him and turned the doorknob of Zhou Xingchi's office.
If she dares to lock the door, she can unscrew the doorknob.
Thankfully, no.
"Mr. Stephen Chow, it's been several days since we last met. I've missed you terribly." He pulled an arm out of his pocket.
Ignoring the other person's surprised expression, he raised his hand and patted Stephen Chow on the shoulder.
Are you going to pull this stunt again?
They're hiding inside and won't see me.
I don't care if you're really thinking about something, or if you're deliberately avoiding me, or if you're giving me the cold shoulder.
Do you understand the saying "One force can overcome all methods"?
The boss of Causeway Bay?
I'm still a tough guy in Nanluoguxiang.
With a net worth of only a few hundred million Hong Kong dollars, what's with all the airs?
How could you do this?
"Breaking in like this is illegal."
Zhang Yuan ignored him, pulled over a chair and sat down.
“Mr. Stephen Chow, I’ve told you before, I’m not from the Xiang family.”
"Therefore, I will not do anything illegal."
I said I'm not Xiang Huaqiang, are you deaf?
"So please don't slander me."
"I'm just a little impatient and want to see you as soon as possible."
Stephen Chow waved helplessly at the security guards who ran over.
Can they actually call the police to arrest someone or kick them out?
Since that's not possible, we'll just have to sit down and talk.
His refusal to come out is still a psychological issue.
He had already seen the news about the battle between Zhao and Zhen a few days ago.
Initially, the Hong Kong entertainment circle held an advantageous position, especially since Feng Xiaogang sided with people in the Hong Kong circle.
If no one of equal stature intervenes, within the entertainment industry, this matter can be considered a victory for the Hong Kong entertainment circle.
But after Zhang Yuan intervened, the situation took a turn for the worse.
The mainland has overwhelmingly and unequivocally won this battle of public opinion.
In Zhang Yuan's mind, this Zhao-Zhen conflict was just like many previous conflicts between the Hong Kong and Taiwan film and television industries and the mainland—it was Hong Kong and Taiwan bullying the mainland.
What right does the mainland have to bully Hong Kong and Taiwan?
You people have always been playing in your own little circles and excluding mainlanders.
This time, however, he saw it as a weak groan.
It is the last rays of a candle flickering in the wind.
It was the old man's bravado.
The tide has turned, but they refuse to acknowledge the current situation.
Any region, group, or individual that is declining will desperately try to prove that they can still fight when they are weak.
Come on, he's already booked for the ICU. If he doesn't suffer too much, he can live a few more years.
What Stephen Chow saw was Zhang Yuan leading a large group of popular mainland artists and directors, directly breaking through the defenses of the Hong Kong entertainment circle.
Now half of the mainland entertainment industry is on Zhang Yuan's side; he sees it clearly.
The fiercest dogs are those that don't bite.
He understood that he didn't have many options now, but he was still resentful.
That's why I deliberately hid in the office and ignored the other person.
I feel uncomfortable, even though I know that doing this is useless and cannot change reality, but I still subconsciously want to do it.
But Zhang Yuan wouldn't even give him that kind of opportunity.
I've already flexed my muscles and shown you my strength, why would I play house with you?
"What have you thought about regarding the profit sharing and the new film contract, as we discussed before?" Zhang Yuan asked directly after settling in.
I'm too lazy to argue with the other party.
I have already shown my attitude through my actions.
"I think the profit sharing is for the previous film, and things should be discussed separately..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Yuan raised his hand to interrupt him.
"Stephen Chow, I'm very busy."
"So I'm here today to inform you for the last time, and this is the last time I'll bring up this plan with you."
"If you don't agree, then there's no room for further discussion."
"The additional dividends will not exist, and we will no longer need to cooperate."
"Also, I want to emphasize again that I am not from the Xiang family."
Whether you agree or not, it's today.
If you disagree, let's put it another way.
Furthermore, the box office revenue for "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons" has not yet been collected from theaters, so the promised profit sharing has not been paid out.
Not only was there no additional money, but the original money... well, our company's accounting is very slow.
Furthermore, we will sever all ties and cease cooperation from now on. I must ensure that the finance department keeps extremely detailed and clear accounts, making them the company's benchmark accounts. Even if it takes eight or ten years, it's fine; they must be perfect.
I didn't say I wouldn't give it to you, I just said it would be slow.
I'm the client, and I have dozens of ways to mess with you.
Everyone calls you Master Xing, you really think you're a master.
After Zhang Yuan stated his position, the other party remained silent for a long time.
Your aunt is not the same aunt she used to be, but your uncle will always be your uncle.
Those with money and power are the bosses.
More than an hour later, Zhang Yuan received the answer he wanted and left the other party's office.
It was agreed that this additional bonus would not be accounted for through the project, nor would it be settled together with the profit sharing stipulated in the contract.
He can use this as a "signing fee" for the next film, and go through the financial channels of his listed company, Bigo Media.
The payment will be made in three installments, corresponding to the internal project approval, the first draft, and the public project approval for the new play.
He requested that the information project be initiated in conjunction with the company's listing plan for publicity and promotion.
Once all parties agree, a new contract will be signed on a later date.
Soon, several large companies that were originally "following" Stephen Chow received the news.
Mr. Wang, the owner of the fiber optic company, called him.
"You're as resourceful as ever, going through all that trouble just to make dumplings for this dish of vinegar."
"Is it really necessary to make such a big fuss just to scare people?"
There was a hint of dissatisfaction in his words.
"Speaking of which, my family actually has some good vinegar that we brought from Shanxi. Next time, let's go over and have dumplings together."
"Let's talk about how this movie was filmed."
"Okay, it's a deal."
Getting it is one thing, but you can't keep it all to yourself.
He takes the lion's share, but he also needs to win over the other companies, including cinema chains, to participate.
Hua Yi, who had been forced to vomit up the movie "Journey to the West" by Zhang Yuan before, also learned of this news.
However, they have no time to care about this matter right now.
Because even greater difficulties lie ahead.
"1942" has been released!
The company is very satisfied with this film, which took a lot of effort to make.
Director Feng is also quite proud because he is filming a story about his hometown.
The problem lies in this: when Director Feng was filming this movie, he labeled himself as a "victim."
They felt that they and their hometown had been treated unfairly.
Actually, he had wanted to make it for a long time. He had prepared for it several times from the 90s to the 00s, and it became an obsession for Director Feng.
So this film seems more like something he made for himself than for the audience.
At the same time, the play's premise is a bit off.
Of course, the KMT was criticized, especially the bald guy's inhuman behavior.
As always, they requisition grain from the disaster area. Only the bald man, the British, and the big boss Sue could do something like that.
All three ended up being abandoned by their families and friends.
But this drama also reinforced a rumor.
No one has any historical records to prove this, but that's what the original author, Liu Zhenyun, a fellow townsman of Director Feng, wrote.
I don't know if it was because of rumors or some other reason.
Director Feng also retained this point in the script.
Regardless of whether the Japanese actually distributed any rations.
Even if it exists, where did this food come from?
Did it fall from the sky, or was it transported from our hometown by the Japanese?
So even if there were any, they were taken from other Chinese farmers and then distributed as grain to pretend to be good people!
Moreover, there's a high probability that this never happened at all.
The biggest problem is still the box office!
Unlike those comedy commercial films, this movie has basically no product placement, so there is no advance revenue.
From production to distribution and promotion, Director Feng spent a total cost of approximately 2 million yuan.
In other words, this film needs to gross at least 5 to 6 million yuan to be safe from breaking even at the box office.
The fact that "Aftershock" grossed 6 million yuan made Director Feng very confident.
It's a disaster movie too, but mine is even better, and it'll definitely sell more!
And then... no more.
The Tangshan earthquake is a memory of the entire nation; its very name is enough to draw many people to witness it.
What is 1942?
I don't know, I've never heard of that... This is the reaction of most passersby.
It needs further explanation that this refers to the Henan famine of 1942.
Even now, the average person still doesn't know.
What does the great famine in Henan so many years ago have to do with places like Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Inner Mongolia, and Sichuan?
At this point, it has already failed.
Anything that requires the audience to think is a failure.
Ordinary people have a hard enough life, why do they have to use their brains to watch a play?
What's more, this movie not only requires you to use your brain, but also requires you to sit in the theater for more than two hours, contemplating, grieving, and mourning along with the director and the protagonist from their perspectives.
Am I paying money to do this?
With this money, I'd like to get a foot massage, okay?
For a little more money, you can get more than just a foot massage.
These things ultimately had an impact on the box office!
The box office exceeded 1.5 million in the first three days, which is excellent.
This made everyone in the company, including Director Feng, feel that we had succeeded as always.
Just as Mr. Wang said, everything will be fine as long as Director Feng takes action.
However, after the first three days, once the first batch of reviews appeared, the box office growth rate plummeted!
Because those who rushed to start were all die-hard fans, drawn by Feng Xiaogang's reputation.
It was thought that it would make great strides, but instead it struggled to move forward.
Some viewers started cursing.
"You show me this on New Year's Eve?"
"I feel uncomfortable if I don't watch it for a day, and I feel uncomfortable if I do watch it for a whole year."
As a result, after the first week, the total box office barely crossed the 2 million mark.
We've just barely covered the overall costs.
Breaking even seems like a long way off.
This left Huayi employees feeling very frustrated and fearful.
Because they discovered that even Director Feng's methods weren't working anymore!
Since his debut, Feng Xiaogang has never lost money while filming.
Even with "The Banquet," they still made a small profit after selling the rights.
But the film "1942" is clearly destined to lose money!
And it's not just a loss of tens of millions; it could be a loss of hundreds of millions.
Faced with such a loss, the failure of trying to win over Stephen Chow is no big deal.
The two brothers need to figure out how to explain to shareholders that the project they invested in the most this year has now become the project that caused the biggest losses.
They have already come up with an excuse for this.
"It was all Zhang Yuan's doing!"
"Yes, that's him!"
"If he hadn't caused trouble before and deliberately hired people to smear Xiaogang, would this situation have occurred?"
"There's nothing wrong with the film itself; it's just that Xiao Gang's reputation has been ruined, so everyone dislikes the movie as a result."
The group of executives took turns offering their excuses.
It's just like a meeting of the Lighthouse Cabinet.
By doing this, they'll have an excuse for failing to win over Stephen Chow!
As long as someone is found to take the blame, the music and dancing can continue.
As for the box office failure...
"Actually, it's not a big problem."
"Even if '1942' only grosses two or three hundred million at the box office, we are still the film company with the highest total box office this year," Da Wang concluded.
"We always win."
“Yes, yes, yes, it’s just a movie. Mr. Wang has the whole country on his mind.” Someone immediately chimed in.
"That's right, the film industries on both sides of the strait can only pull off some low-level tricks."
"They were just lucky to have Stephen Chow's movie."
What comes next?
"That's right, I've seen them all. They're just cartoons and a comedy."
"We've already won by how much money a low-budget comedy can make."
"I think it's time to summarize this year's victories."
"Being the best-grossing company of the year is also a remarkable achievement."
Amidst the praise, the atmosphere among the senior management of Huayi became lively.
It was just a minor mistake; overall, we still won.
The company was filled with a cheerful atmosphere… (End of Chapter)