Chapter 1662
Chapter 1662
Shanghai, Huangpu District.
Guo Fan sat at his workstation at the special effects company, looking at the files on his computer while observing the activity in the office.
I've had a very fruitful week so far.
First of all, he became more confident.
Through observation, he discovered that his Hong Kong counterparts, who had long held a superior position over mainland film and television professionals, were not as remarkable as he seemed.
This is one of the benefits of having been to Hollywood and broadening one's horizons.
Having seen something stronger, one loses the allure of something moderate.
That's about it for their skill level.
It can't compare to the special effects studios in Hollywood, New Zealand, and Canada.
After visiting those famous studios with the Pacific Rim crew, I took a look at this place.
There are gaps not only in personnel, but also in equipment.
The servers and rendering clusters are a generation and an order of magnitude behind the competition.
He has already reported these things to Zhang Yuan.
But the response was rather ambiguous.
They said they would upgrade gradually, but also said not to rely entirely on special effects.
Because Zhang Yuan knew that The Hobbit 1 had already been released, and the second and third installments would follow.
The box office was quite good, after all, it had the old Lord of the Rings trilogy as a foundation, and had a large fan base.
Tolkien was brilliant, Peter Jackson was skilled, and the actors were excellent.
However, while "The Hobbit" shows significant improvement in visual effects, it is still 10 years after the original trilogy, and the development of special effects has advanced by leaps and bounds, making it incomparable to the original trilogy.
However, the new work has been met with skepticism from many longtime viewers.
Those are longtime viewers, those who have seen "The Lord of the Rings".
Those who read "The Hobbit" directly didn't complain much.
Longtime viewers complained that The Hobbit looked too "digital"!
Because The Lord of the Rings used a lot of location shooting, it took several years to film on location in New Zealand.
However, The Hobbit used a lot of green screen filming in a studio!
New viewers who are constantly watching green screen effects don't really get the feeling.
However, seasoned viewers who have seen more actual footage than special effects can tell the difference at a glance.
It looks fake at first glance!
There's a sense of incongruity stemming from the special effects.
Although the Lord of the Rings trilogy is older, it's actually more comfortable to read in comparison.
Even though "The Hobbit" was produced by the world-renowned Weta Digital Studios, it still couldn't escape the digital feel.
This is the new problem that has arisen in the 21st century, especially 10 years later, after the technological innovations of Avatar.
It's a very simple principle: which film's special effects are more pleasing to the eye, Nolan's or Marvel's?
It's obvious that Nolan's is more sophisticated, has a better visual experience, and doesn't have such a strong digital feel.
Besides Nolan's preference for film cameras, he also makes extensive use of real locations and models for shooting, which is better than pure special effects.
Zhang Yuan didn't want Guo Fan to be overly reliant on special effects.
The best approach is always a combination of live-action filming and special effects.
Overcorrection is not advisable.
Besides technology, there are also personnel.
The number of employees in Hong Kong is now less than the number of employees in mainland China, since the company is based in mainland China.
However, more than half of the management is controlled by people from Hong Kong.
This situation is somewhat similar to Hong Kong during the British colonial period, where a minority group controlled the majority.
Guo Fan discovered that Hong Kongers would leave work on time and then go out drinking and having fun.
The next day, I was still an hour or two late, showing up with dark circles under my eyes.
Mainland employees, on the other hand, work overtime every day, and while they are sometimes late, it's much better.
Many people are already migrant workers in Shanghai, and they have nothing to do when they go back to their rented rooms, so they might as well spend time at the company.
Although overtime is not good, the enthusiasm of mainland employees is obviously higher.
However, their income is far less than that of employees in Hong Kong!
The boss is right, we need to hire top students from mainland China's 985 and 211 universities.
Smart and hardworking, he's better than those Hong Kongers who spend all their time in bars.
In terms of education and intelligence, that is indeed the case.
In addition, the education system in mainland China, especially in the four provinces of China and several other populous provinces, is extremely rigorous, and these students have become accustomed to it.
In terms of academic papers, Hong Kong is truly inferior to the mainland.
Guo Fan was also very clever; after the Hong Kong employees left, he treated his mainland colleagues who were working overtime to meals and drinks every day.
Put it on Zhang Yuan's account...
He was given the authority to act expediently, and the way he used it was quite appropriate.
It's better than indulging in excessive eating and drinking.
So he quickly became familiar with these mainland employees and began to show signs of becoming a leader.
Once you have a connection, it becomes much easier to ask questions and gather information privately.
All that training abroad paid off; I can handle foreigners, so I can easily take on a few young men who just graduated from university.
Don't ask, don't know, I'm startled when I ask.
After Guo Fan compiled the information he had gathered into a booklet and sent it to Zhang Yuan, he exclaimed that Zhang Yuan was definitely cut out to be a boss.
She's incredibly patient!
Knowing there was a problem, they kept it hidden.
They're too carefree; I would have lost my temper long ago.
Extraordinary people do extraordinary things; is this what we call having a broad perspective?
Guo Fan didn't understand, but he was deeply shocked.
He pondered the matter deeply, but one question remained unresolved.
This company has had problems for many years, which must have caused considerable economic losses.
Even if I replace the other party and get rid of the original person, what will happen to the losses?
Will the other person vomit it up?
impossible!
I wouldn't have thrown it up either.
At worst, I'll just run back to my hometown; I'm quitting.
Be puzzled.
I didn't dare ask, nor could I come up with a solution.
Guo Fan was very nervous at this moment because Zhang Yuan had called a few hours earlier to say that he had arrived in Shanghai.
We are currently dealing with company issues.
Let him stabilize the company.
What are you going to do?
How can I stabilize the situation?
The other party didn't say anything.
So even though he appears to be working and observing, his palms and soles are actually sweaty.
He kept a close eye on the people in the office.
If Zhang Yuan were to operate remotely, he could directly dismiss the leader on the Hong Kong side.
What should I do if the other party gets angry and causes trouble, surrounding me in the office and giving me a F2A (Foreign Investment in the Company) speech?
Zhang Yuan wouldn't sell me out, would he?
I hope that hosting dinners these days will actually help me build some connections.
When I get beaten up, those mainland compatriots will be able to help me out.
He considered running away first, but he couldn't explain it to Zhang Yuan.
That way I won't seem like such a terrible person.
If you lack a sense of responsibility, who would dare to hire you?
Ah!
Just as I was worrying, I looked up and saw that the pretty receptionist was leading several uniformed men into the office area.
And it wasn't your average uniformed older brother; it was dark blue with a wide-brimmed hat.
They're clearly police officers!
Guo Fan rolled his eyes. Could it be that the boss was afraid I would get beaten up, so he called his uncle to control the situation in advance?
Is that really so thoughtful?
The reality was completely different from what he had imagined, and he would soon find out what these cops were there for.
Led by the receptionist.
The young woman, somewhat nervously speaking in Shanghai dialect, guided us to the door of the innermost office.
"It's been a long time since I've had it."
Turning back, I told my uncle, "This is the place." The uncle in the hat raised his hand in thanks, then raised his hand to knock on the door.
Not long after, the Hong Kong man with the flowing hairstyle came out of the room.
Who are you?
"We are the Economic Investigation Division of the Huangpu District Public Security Bureau in Shanghai."
Are you Li Weixiong, a resident of Hong Kong?
"it's me."
“Okay.” Uncle Hat said solemnly, his expression unchanged.
"You are now suspected of financial crimes. Please come with us."
The person was stunned when they heard this.
He was stunned for a long time before he finally spoke.
"I need to find a lawyer."
I won't say anything until the lawyer arrives.
"This isn't Hong Kong." Uncle Hat remained expressionless. "We're not here to film a Hong Kong movie with you."
"You must abide by the laws of your locality."
"Please come with us now."
“If you disagree or resist, we can take coercive measures.”
Who are you with?
They're even planning to do the Hong Kong movie style.
You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
Just kidding, our judges here don't need to wear wigs; they're just cosplaying foreigners.
Several people flanked him and led him out of the company.
All the employees around were watching!
In terms of company operations, the highest-ranking manager besides the two bosses was taken away so easily.
After Uncle Hat left, the office erupted in commotion!
Not to mention them, even Guo Fan was dumbfounded.
He had considered many possibilities, but he never imagined it would turn out this way.
I never imagined that Zhang Yuan would take this most conventional path.
If we do that...
He understood what it meant to stabilize the company.
The task is to step in and stabilize the situation so that everyone can get back to work.
At the same time, they quickly stepped in during this sudden power vacuum.
He quickly called Zhang Yuan.
On the other side, inside a high-end restaurant by the Huangpu River.
When Zhang Yuan's phone rang, he greeted his tablemate and answered it.
"okay, I get it."
"You need to reassure the people in the company."
"Don't let it interfere with your work."
"I will come to the company in person within a few days. Just hold on to this good time."
He put down his phone and toasted the people in front of him.
After arriving in Shanghai, he didn't go to the company, but instead went to have dinner with President Li and asked him to invite Uncle Hat, the biggest hat enthusiast in Huangpu District, to come over.
What he wanted was precision, ruthlessness, and a fatal blow, leaving no room or time for resistance.
If the process is followed slowly, the other party might get the information from Nicholas Tse.
I will not allow this to happen!
What Lao Tzu wants to do, he must do.
Because this isn't just a matter for the special effects company.
He anticipated that the special effects company employees would soon inform Nicholas Tse.
And once Nicholas Tse finds out, the Eagle King behind him will also find out immediately.
And if Eagle King finds out, the Hong Kong shareholders of Cross-Strait Films will also find out.
I'm not going to just slam my fist on the table and throw a tantrum in front of you and call it a day.
Now I'll give you an example!
Let me show you an example of what happens when someone tries to take my money!
I won't hit you or curse you; we'll let the law decide.
Let me show you how the laws in mainland China are written.
You can't learn something by being taught it a hundred times, but you can learn it after being taught it once.
Just you wait and see!
After we finished eating and left the restaurant, Mr. Xie called in a hurry.
"Did you know that Li XX has been arrested?"
"I was the one who called the police."
"Ah!" Nicholas Tse was struck dumb upon hearing this.
He didn't expect it to turn out this way.
"Do you know how much money he's embezzled from the company over the past few years?"
“They send a bunch of outsourced work to their own company, and then have their employees work overtime to do the work for their outsourcing companies.”
"Using the company's manpower and utilities to make money from the company."
"And their quotes are double those of mainland Chinese special effects companies at the same time!"
"This is just the tip of the iceberg."
“Once the police investigation is complete, we’ll know exactly what he’s done,” Zhang Yuan said coldly and in a very serious tone.
"I...I'm coming right now."
The people he recruited have now been arrested and he has to come forward.
The next day, at the police station.
"The amount involved in the case is now nearly 30 million."
"According to the law, amounts exceeding 300 million are considered exceptionally large, punishable by a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life imprisonment."
His uncle's words terrified Young Master Xie, turning his face deathly pale.
A lawyer who came with him nodded slightly, then shook his head.
The statement itself is not wrong, but it is also wrong.
Because this involves the distinction between civil and criminal matters.
The amount involved is also vague; it's unclear whether it refers to profits or just accounting records.
In addition, there are other channels such as returning stolen goods and obtaining forgiveness from victims to control the severity of the crime.
What is certain is that the matter has been weighed.
This isn't something I, as a lawyer, can resolve through a private settlement.
Uncle Hat said the same thing to the person who was detained.
Upon hearing the words "life imprisonment," the man nearly wet himself on the spot.
He was trembling and kept shouting that he wanted to find a lawyer.
Are you scared now?
Regret?
No, he didn't regret it; he just knew he was going to die.
Of course, this is all just for scaring people.
If he really did that for most of his life, wouldn't he have completely broken up with Young Master Xie?
Therefore, it's impossible.
After taking a look at that person, Eagle King came out with a long face.
He cursed.
The other person cried.
This was the first time I'd ever seen a middle-aged man weeping uncontrollably, his tears flowing like those of a heartbroken young girl.
Zhang Yuan calmly went to meet him.
Let's find somewhere to talk.
"Yes!" Young Master Xie said through gritted teeth.
"We need to talk!" (End of Chapter)