Chapter 613
Freebie from Beijing Film Academy
After chatting with Liu Haochun.
Zhao Lushi then heard Zhang Jun call out to her, "Lushi, have some tea."
She looked up and realized that Zhang Jun had made her a cup of tea.
"Okay, okay, Principal, thank you." Zhao Lushi sipped her tea and said politely.
"Ruth, don't be nervous. You've come with Jiang Yang, so you're a guest of Beijing Film Academy."
Zhang Jun smiled.
Just a few jokes.
His gaze returned to Jiang Yang: "Jiang Yang, there's no need to say anything else. Huang Lei knows. This is the first time I've talked to a high school graduate about these things. You are a talent, and Beijing Film Academy needs you. I think you and Beijing Film Academy can complement each other. Tell me your conditions. As long as Beijing Film Academy can do it, I will agree to them."
Jiang Yang looked up.
He didn't beat around the bush: "Principal, I'm a straightforward person, so I'll get straight to the point. First, regarding funding, it's about the Beijing Film Academy's student original works support fund..."
Jiang Yang hadn't finished speaking.
Zhang Jun interrupted, "No problem, the funds will be allocated to you."
How much should I dial?
Jiang Yang asked directly.
He's made empty promises to Chaoyue and the others countless times; he's quite adept at it.
He knew perfectly well that Zhang Jun's words couldn't be trusted.
A specific number is required.
Zhang Jun didn't expect Jiang Yang to be so decisive, and he steeled himself: "How much do you think is appropriate?"
"Full price, please."
"Xiao Jiang, you're not going to pay a single penny?" Huang Lei said, pursing his lips.
"No."
Jiang Yang laughed and said, "It's just a discussion. I don't have any money. The company is just a shell company. I can't even pay salaries. If you don't believe me, ask Ruth. Have I ever paid her a salary?"
“Jiang Yang has never paid me a salary,” Zhao Lushi immediately replied.
That's the truth.
Because she didn't care about the small salary Jiang Yang gave her at all, the contract she signed with Jiang Yang didn't include a base salary.
That little bit of money wasn't even enough for her monthly skincare expenses; a single bottle of Helena Rubinstein's Black Bandage cost her as much as Chaoyue's salary.
I don't want to dwell on these things.
What they valued most was the variety show "Mars" that they would appear on after signing the contract.
And the resources Jiang Yang subsequently arranged for her.
I sensed a tense atmosphere in the office.
They also realized that Jiang Yang was now negotiating with Zhang Jun.
Don't make things too definitive. My dad taught me that in business, there should be give and take, and everyone should be given a way out.
Zhao Lushi added, "I'm too lazy to ask for that little bit of salary, but the contract Jiang Yang gave me really didn't have any base salary at all. He's really capable of doing that."
She continued, "But Jiang Yang, you have to pay Chao Yue and the others their wages. They don't have the same family circumstances as me. If you pay them less, I'll make a scene."
The words fell.
Zhang Jun and Huang Lei both laughed.
The atmosphere eased.
“Ruth is definitely suited for variety shows,” Huang Lei said with a smile. “Jiang Yang, next time you come to my variety show, bring Ruth along too.”
"Go Fighting!" Zhao Lushi asked.
"No, I can't make the decisions on 'Go Fighting!', it's the variety show where I'm the chef, 'Back to Field,' that I can make the decisions on."
Zhao Lushi said, "Lusi, when you come to my slow-paced variety show, just stay in this state. Don't be so timid in front of the camera. Don't keep scolding Jiang Yang like this. He has earned millions of yuan this year and still has the nerve to say he has no money and asks our school to give him full funding. Xiao Jiang, I have noticed that when you talk about conditions, you are shameless to death. I don't even dare to praise my cooking so shamelessly on the show."
Huang Lei's meaning is quite clear.
It seems like they're inviting Zhao Lushi, but only if Jiang Yang comes along.
"I was just chatting casually, just chatting casually. Principal, please pretend I didn't say anything," Jiang Yang said with a smile.
He had just finished speaking.
Zhang Jun nodded and said, "Okay, the creative fund will be allocated to you in full."
Upon hearing this...
Huang Lei fell silent.
Zhao Lushi's smile froze.
Why doesn't Zhang Jun even try to bargain?
That's not how you do business.
Jiang Yang asked, "Principal, are you serious?"
"No joke."
Zhang Jun said seriously, "Not only will you receive full funding, but you will also receive support funds for film and television projects in cooperation with enterprises. These funds will also be allocated to you in the future. Anyway, you will be a student of Beijing Film Academy in the future. This drama is both your work and a teaching practice project of Beijing Film Academy, so it is not a waste of resources."
It wasn't a casual agreement.
Zhang Jun had his own considerations.
It was originally a low-budget web series, not some big-budget fantasy production costing tens of millions.
Moreover, the script is indeed of high quality.
Full funding is essentially a low-asset partnership.
The Beijing Film Academy only needs to invest funds and resources, while Jiang Yang is responsible for creation and traffic.
If the show becomes a hit, the brand value of Beijing Film Academy will skyrocket.
If the show doesn't become a hit, it will only involve a regular support fund investment and will not affect the financial situation of Beijing Film Academy.
"Then it's about the profit sharing, Jiang Yang, I need to make this clear to you."
Zhang Jun said seriously, "Regarding revenue, let me make it clear first: you decide the copyright fees for selling the series to video platforms, satellite TV stations, and overseas distribution platforms, and the income is yours."
"Once it goes live and becomes popular, you can get brand advertising, product placement in the show, voice-over ads, or develop derivative products, character merchandise, and co-branded cultural and creative products. All of these revenues will go to you."
"What Beijing Film Academy wants is the revenue from offline activities and teaching cases, which can be used for student recruitment and lecture fees in cooperation with other universities. These belong to Beijing Film Academy."
Zhao Lushi listened attentively.
That sounds a bit convoluted.
But Huang Lei and Jiang Yang understood immediately.
To put it bluntly, it is
The revenue from platform copyright fees, advertising placement fees, and merchandise sales goes to Jiang Yang.
Nortel does not take any cut.
The benefit for Beijing Film Academy lies in the brand value and teaching resources that this money can leverage.
It's not like the money was wasted.
If the series is profitable, Jiang Yang will first deduct the investment costs from Beijing Film Academy, and keep the remainder for himself.
Nortel will not hold anyone liable if there are losses.
This money is a student original creation support fund, intended to support creative work, not for commercial investment.
After figuring it out, Zhao Lushi quietly asked Huang Lei, "Teacher Huang..."
"Call me Uncle Huang, I've told you so many times."
"Uncle Huang, if your Beijing Film Academy invests this much money, won't you go bankrupt?"
"Do you think everyone is Jiang Yang?"
Huang Lei smiled and didn't explain further.
Zhao Lushi is new to the industry, and many things are hard to explain.
Moreover, the mutually beneficial logic that Zhang Jun and Jiang Yang discussed can only be understood by someone who has experience in both the art school and entertainment industries.
It seems that Nortel did not make any money.
In reality, it's about getting great value with a small amount of money.
The resources provided by Beijing Film Academy ensured the smooth production of the series, without Jiang Yang bearing any risk.
With the backing of the Beijing Film Academy's teaching practice projects, the professionalism and quality of the series can be better guaranteed, making it easier to attract platforms and audiences and increase revenue potential.
All copyrights and profits belong to Jiang Yang.
In other words, Jiang Yang can decide on the distribution and promotion of the series independently.
The advantage is that you don't have to worry about being interfered with by capital.
The filming process of the series involved students from the acting, directing, and sound recording departments, transforming classroom knowledge into practical experience and enhancing the teaching reputation of Beijing Film Academy.
The ultimate result is that Jiang Yang's creative value is maximized, as are the brand value and teaching value of Beijing Film Academy.
Each gets what they need. A win-win situation.
Of course, the premise is that the series becomes a hit.
Even if it doesn't become a hit, neither side will lose out. There's only one double champion, and Beijing Film Academy can still use it as a publicity stunt, especially since he rejected Tsinghua and Peking Universities one day and became a double champion at Beijing Film Academy the next.
The funding has been agreed upon.
The revenue sharing agreement has been reached.
The subsequent conditions were much easier to negotiate.
Jiang Yang continued, "I also need a team. I need a senior professor from the directing department to lead the team. It doesn't have to be a big name in the industry; a teacher from the Beijing Film Academy will do. He will help me control the creative direction. For positions such as cinematography, lighting, sound recording, makeup, and props, I need to draw top teachers from various departments to provide guidance, and then pair them with a group of professional senior students as the execution team."
“No problem. They can accumulate practical experience, and you can get professional support. For Beijing Film Academy, it’s also a practical application of their teaching results.” Zhang Jun nodded.
"Thirdly, there's the venue and equipment: teaching buildings, playgrounds, dormitories, theaters, and the recording studio and photography studio you mentioned, Principal. For the entire production, there are 4K cameras, professional lighting crews, wireless audio recording equipment, post-production editing workstations, as well as the school uniforms, props, and set decoration materials needed for the production."
"Don't worry, once the project is launched and filming begins, everything will be covered by the school," Zhang Jun assured him.
Once these details are explained, Zhao Lushi will understand.
They also realized it.
Jiang Yang wasn't making demands; he was robbing people.
They take advantage of their talent to do whatever they want.
Zhang Jun brought up the casting: "What about the actors? Jiang Yang, what are your thoughts? I can directly select the lead and supporting roles for you from the Beijing Film Academy's acting department, prioritizing second- and third-year students. They have a foundation but not many commercial contracts, have ample time, and need representative works. For the teacher roles in the drama, I can ask acting department teachers to make guest appearances without paying them. Consider it a teaching practice. The school will be responsible for organizing the casting and selecting the most suitable actors. The school will also cover all the actors' food, lodging, and transportation."
“That won’t do,” Jiang Yang refused.
"Jiang Yang, you're not good enough yet? Don't be greedy, it's so much easier, the Beijing Film Academy takes care of all the actors from the very beginning of the selection process..." Zhao Lushi couldn't help but mutter.
Jiang Yang glanced at her and said, "Why are you so talkative? If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute."
She realized that Jiang Yang wasn't joking with her.
His expression was very serious.
Being scolded is indeed a bit embarrassing.
Zhao Lushi instinctively wanted to curse back, but she held back, feeling somewhat resentful.
Zhang Jun laughed and said, "Ruth is right, Jiang Yang. Why don't you think about it? You'll be very busy when school starts, and there's no need for you to do such a small thing yourself. I'll help you if I can; it's just my way of showing my sincerity."
"I'm fine with anything else, but I want to keep the power to choose the actors."
Jiang Yang said seriously, "Otherwise, if the school has already assigned all the roles, and I want to get Ruth in, I can only get her a guest role. Isn't that ridiculous?"
Upon hearing this...
Zhao Lushi was taken aback.
Suddenly I understood what Jiang Yang meant.
Jiang Yang was thinking of her.
In film and television production, the production company typically has the right to select actors.
The production company for Jiang Yang's drama is the Beijing Film Academy, but Jiang Yang wants to take control of the casting process and negotiate the terms now, all in order to secure resources for her.
Jiang Yang is determined to make money.
Jiang Yang will also help her obtain her resources.
The resentment I felt earlier vanished instantly.
She heard Jiang Yang ask her, "Is there anything else to say?"
Zhao Lushi covered her mouth and mumbled, "I'm mute now, aba aba aba aba..."
"My main concern is that the casting process might get out of control, leading to a decline in the quality of the drama," Zhang Jun explained.
"Don't worry about that, Principal. Jiang Yang himself is the acting coach for 'Fighter of the Destiny.' He can train Lu Han and Gulnazar's acting skills. Back then, Meng Ziyi from the 'God of War Zhao Yun' crew next door was also from our Beijing Film Academy. Jiang Yang would occasionally go over to train her acting skills, which was requested by director Guo Jianyong."
Huang Lei smoothed things over, saying, "I'm not lying to you, Principal. Just ask around in the Hengdian film crew circle and you'll know that Jiang Yang is very good at training actors' acting skills, so there's no need to worry about the actors' acting skills."
"That's good, that's good." Zhang Jun nodded.
He didn't dwell on the matter: "In terms of post-production, editing, color grading, sound effects synthesis, and subtitles can all be done in the post-production lab of Beijing Film Academy, with professors from the post-production department providing guidance throughout. If simple special effects are needed, the school's special effects lab can provide technical support. There's no need to outsource; the on-campus team can handle it all."
Zhang Jun emphasized: "But the opening and closing credits should include the credits of Beijing Film Academy. If it becomes a hit, the show should be included in the teaching cases of schools."
"That's perfectly fine."
Jiang Yang certainly didn't believe Zhang Jun's verbal promise.
Once the agreement is reached, the next step is to draft the contract.
A film and television project cooperation agreement was signed with Beijing Film Academy.
Clearly specify details such as copyright ownership, revenue distribution, and resource support; all previously agreed-upon aspects should be formalized in the terms and conditions.
It clearly states that the Beijing Film Academy will allocate the full amount of its student original work support fund to Jiang Yang as the production cost of the series.
After the series is released, the platform or its partners will transfer the revenue to Jiang Yang's designated account, and Jiang Yang will not need to pay any fees to the North.
Similarly, the Beijing Film Academy can use TV series as teaching cases for courses, student recruitment, and brand promotion to enhance its brand influence.
There's no rush to sign the contract.
I'll think about it for one night.
Shop around.
Teachers from the Central Academy of Drama, the Shanghai Theatre Academy, and the Beijing Dance Academy all contacted him.
Zhang Jun personally escorted Jiang Yang out of the Beijing Film Academy campus: "It's alright, take your time to think it over. Beijing Film Academy welcomes you anytime."
The next day.
They put Zhao Lushi on a flight back to Taiwan.
Jiang Yang went to three other art schools.
Unlike when I worked at the Beijing Film Academy, I didn't present a complete script; I only gave a general overview of the framework and content of an urban drama.
We can't give out too many scripts, lest they leak out and the value of the show be greatly diminished.
The Central Academy of Drama offered a strong faculty and top-notch acting courses, but limited funding, requiring students to rent filming locations at their own expense and find their own post-production team.
The conditions offered by the Shanghai Theatre Academy are that the applicant has cooperative relationships with major film and television companies and can provide high-quality industry resources, but there is no free space on campus or a professional post-production studio.
The Beijing Dance Academy offered Jiang Yang ample opportunities for practical experience, allowing him to participate in the filming of the dance drama. However, they did not provide support for scriptwriting or allocate additional teaching resources.
In summary, after comparison...
The best offer is still from Beijing Film Academy.
After all, Nortel can offer not only funding, facilities, and teams, but also the unique advantage of combining teaching with the market.
More importantly, the Beijing Film Academy can provide him with a complete ecosystem for his creative work.
……
As Liu Haochun stepped out of Taoyuan Airport, he could smell the sea breeze in Taipei.
It felt cool and refreshing on my face.
Zhao Lushi took the suitcase from Liu Haochun: "Welcome to Taiwan, Haochun. Is this your first time in Taiwan?"
"Yes, I've never been here before."
"Let's go to the hotel to drop off our luggage first. It's near my school, I've already booked it for you."
After putting away their luggage, I took Liu Haochun for a walk around Mingdao University.
The roads at Mingdao University are paved with bluestone slabs.
The phoenix trees on both sides are in full bloom.
I arrived at the cafeteria at noon.
Zhao Lushi ordered a braised pork rice, an oyster omelet, and a meatball: "These are all specialties of our school cafeteria, you should try them."
The braised pork rice has a rich sauce that coats the soft, sticky rice, making it melt in your mouth.
The oyster omelet has a crispy outer layer and a tender inside. Sprinkled with a little pepper, it smells so good it makes your eyes squint.
The meatballs have a chewy outer skin and are filled with plenty of filling. When you bite into them, they are bursting with savory flavor.
Liu Haochun ate very seriously, with sauce on the corner of his mouth, and chatted with Zhao Lushi about filming on set.
Because I've never been to a film set.
So most of the time, I listened to Liu Haochun talk, occasionally interjecting a few words:
"Xiwei is so fierce, she's even developed biceps?"
"Damn, Chaoyue is even greedier than I thought. A few dollars is enough to make her run errands in the middle of the night to buy things. She's really obsessed with money."
"Is Meng Ziyi's singing voice heavenly? Really?"
"Yeah, yeah, Bailu is so annoying sometimes. She keeps asking me all sorts of questions. Yesterday she even asked me if I had any girlfriends at school. How could I possibly pay attention to these things? This isn't my hometown. If I were in my hometown, I could just wander around Jiangyang and guys would probably add me on WeChat and ask if I was a lesbian."
They chatted and laughed.
Not long after.
When the conversation turned to Liu Haochun running away from home with his parents, Zhao Lushi cautiously asked, "Haochun, why did you suddenly block your parents?"
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P.S.: It's the beginning of the month, Hao Chun is begging for monthly votes! (End of this chapter)