1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

"very good!"

Cheng Xuemin also stood up, a satisfied smile on his face. He patted Brian's tense shoulder forcefully and said, "You still have..."

He glanced at the clock on the wall. "About twelve minutes!"

"We'll start again in twelve minutes. I'll announce this decision to everyone then!"

And you, Brian, and your aunt, what you need to do is use these twelve minutes to come up with a preliminary, appealing framework for the league.”

"It doesn't need to be too detailed, but we need to show them the feasibility, the benefits, and the advantages this alliance can bring them. This is much better than them bidding individually and undermining each other!"

He looked intently at the two of them: "Remember, you need to be confident!"

“You’re not begging them for handouts; you’re offering them a smarter, more profitable collaboration model.”

“You have what they want most. You are all experts in negotiation skills, so I don’t need to teach you more.”

"The key is to convince them that cooperation is their best, and possibly only, option right now!"

Brian nodded emphatically. At this moment, his eyes were filled with excitement and focus, and there was no longer any of his previous dejection and fear!

He immediately pulled out a fountain pen and a leather-bound notebook from his pocket, no longer caring about his image or etiquette.

He plopped back down on the sofa, spread his notebook on the coffee table, and began writing furiously, muttering to himself:

"Alliance name...Capital contribution ratio...Shares converted from channels and resources...Profit distribution formula...Decision-making mechanism...Risk-sharing clauses...Exit mechanism..."

Gu Qiuna sat down on the single sofa next to him, leaned forward slightly, and began to discuss things quickly and in a low voice with Brian.

Although she wasn't as familiar with the specific details of Hollywood distribution operations as Brian, she was shrewd and capable, with a natural sensitivity and rich experience in business negotiations, profit distribution, and interpersonal relationships.

She quickly caught up with Brian's train of thought and frequently asked crucial questions or offered suggestions!
Cheng Xuemin walked back to the window and looked out at the sparkling surface of Victoria Harbour and the towering skyscrapers in the distance!
The sunlight cast a golden glow on his serene profile.

His choice of this seemingly risky plan was backed by extremely calm and far-sighted calculations.

First and foremost, money!

With a guaranteed minimum of $50 million plus 40% of the global box office revenue, this return far exceeded his initial expectations and Brian's initial offer of $40 million!
This will earn him and the country a huge amount of foreign exchange!
This is a task he must complete as a pioneer in foreign exchange earnings, and it is also the capital he will use for future planning!
Secondly, distribution channels and the power to set the tone!
This is what he values ​​even more!
Selling the copyright in one go can certainly bring in a large sum of money quickly!
But from then on, the fate of the film was handed over to others. He lost control over the dissemination of his work and was unable to accumulate his own distribution channels and experience!

By using this model, he can extend his reach into major global markets through the networks of the three giants, understand every aspect of the distribution process, and accumulate connections and experience.

At the same time, by letting his aunt Gu Qiuna and Brian take the lead, he can maintain considerable influence in this model and ensure that his own interests and creative ideas are not ignored!

Third, cultivate and unite your own team!
My aunt Gu Qiuna is capable, ambitious, and trustworthy, but it would be time-consuming, labor-intensive, slow to produce results, and risky to let her build a distribution network in North America from scratch on her own.

By partnering with Brian, a local power broker with a strong foothold in North America who is familiar with the rules and eager to rise to the top, Phoenix Pictures can leverage his existing resources and experience to quickly enter the market and establish a firm foothold.

If this collaboration is successful, Brian will become one of his own, and Phoenix Pictures will leverage the prestige of working with the three giants and the experience gained to rapidly grow into his bridgehead in North America and even globally.

Fourth, differentiation and checks and balances!

Instead of allowing any single giant to monopolize the market, they are allowed to jointly invest in an alliance, which in itself creates a situation of mutual checks and balances!
The inherent competitive relationship between Fox, Warner, and Columbia will allow them to monitor each other within the alliance, preventing any one of them from harming the overall interests of the alliance, thus protecting Cheng Xuemin's rights as the copyright holder to some extent.

In order to gain more say in the alliance and future cooperation opportunities, they will instead compete to curry favor with Cheng Xuemin.

This is a multi-pronged strategy that, while seemingly radical, is actually a calculated and well-thought-out plan!
What he wanted was never just the success of this one movie!

What he wants is to shake up the entire landscape and open a door to the world's pinnacle for Chinese cinema, and for himself.

The minute hand of the clock on the wall ticked relentlessly, one tick at a time.

Twelve minutes passed in the blink of an eye.

There was a gentle knock on the door of the lounge, and Fu Qi's voice came from outside, carrying a hint of tension and anticipation: "Xuemin, it's almost time!"

Cheng Xuemin turned around.

Brian and Gu Qiuna also stopped writing and discussing at the same time and looked up!
Brian held several sheets of paper covered in messy handwriting and numerous revisions. His fingers trembled slightly from the strain of writing for so long and from the tension.

But his eyes were completely different from the dejected and hopeless look he had when he came in. They were filled with the determination, excitement, and a do-or-die spirit of fighting with his back to the wall!

Gu Qiuna calmly straightened her clothes, which were slightly wrinkled from leaning forward during the discussion, took a deep breath, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and nodded to Cheng Xuemin.

Her eyes were bright and determined; she was fully prepared for battle!
"Let's go!"

Cheng Xuemin straightened his suit cuffs, which didn't need straightening, and took the lead in opening the heavy wooden door of the lounge and walking out!
Brian and Gu Qiuna exchanged another glance, seeing encouragement, support, and a shared understanding that success or failure hinged on this moment in each other's eyes. Then they straightened their backs, took a deep breath, and followed closely behind Cheng Xuemin.

Feng Jiazhao and Huang Jianzhong quickly followed, feeling both excited and apprehensive.

When they reappeared at the entrance of the small conference room, all the hushed conversations, anxious pacing, and contemplative silence inside instantly ceased.

Carrick, Michael Chen, Rosenthal, and Raymond Chow, Mona Fong, and Lei Juekun, who each had their own thoughts in the audience, all turned their gazes toward them like searchlights!
First, focus on Cheng Xuemin, then quickly scan Brian behind him, whose face is flushed, eyes are shining, and even has a strange excitement!
And there was Ms. Gu Qiuna, a capable-looking woman with a smile on her face, as if she had just completed an important task.

what happened?
In those short twenty minutes, Brian, who was almost eliminated, seemed like a completely different person.
The dejection and anxiety were gone, replaced by a mixture of tension, excitement, and...confidence?
And why does Ms. Gu also seem to be acting like a participant?
When Cheng Xuemin met with Brian alone, was it not a refusal, but rather the achievement of some new agreement?
A strong sense of unease and doubt simultaneously gripped the minds of the three Hollywood moguls.

Carrick frowned, Michael Chen paused in pushing up his glasses, and Rosenthal stopped twirling his cigar! Raymond Chow and Lei Juekun exchanged glances, both seeing deep curiosity and a hint of premonition in each other's eyes.

It seems something unexpected is about to happen!

Cheng Xuemin seemed oblivious to the probing, scrutinizing, questioning, and even slightly hostile gazes directed at him.

He walked calmly back to the head of the long conference table and sat down peacefully!
Then, he calmly swept his gaze across the entire room, lingering briefly on the faces of the three industry leaders. Finally, a faint smile appeared on his lips, yet it made one's heart race inexplicably.

"I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting!" Cheng Xuemin's voice rang out clearly in the conference room, which had become quiet again, carrying a peculiar soothing power, yet with undercurrents surging beneath.

"After in-depth discussions with my partners, I have a new idea, or rather, a new cooperation framework, regarding the global release of 'Redemption' that I would like to propose and discuss with everyone!"

Partners? A new cooperation framework?
Carrick, Michael Chen, and Rosenthal all felt a chill run down their spines at the same time!
His gaze involuntarily drifted again to Brian, who was gestured to sit on Cheng Xuemin's left and was still unable to hide his excitement, and to Gu Qiuna, who sat calmly on Cheng Xuemin's right.

Is it...

Did Cheng Xuemin really abandon his three top stars and choose Brian instead?

They even wanted to drag this Ms. Gu, who appeared out of nowhere, into the mix.
This is absurd!
Can Brian and that company offer better terms than them?
It's impossible!

“Mr. Cheng, please speak!” Carrick’s voice was somewhat deep. He leaned forward slightly and placed his hands on the table, trying to regain some control.

“It’s very simple!” Cheng Xuemin leaned back slightly, his hands clasped together in front of him, relaxed, but every word he spoke carried immense weight. “I’ve decided not to adopt the traditional regional buyout or exclusive licensing model!”

"I will establish a global distribution alliance for 'Redemption' to coordinate the film's release worldwide."

"A distribution alliance?" Rosenthal's small eyes narrowed, his habitual smile vanished, and he continued:

“Mr. Cheng, distribution alliances are usually formed by several studios to spread the risks of big-budget productions. While your film is excellent, it seems…”

“Mr. Rosenthal!” Cheng Xuemin interrupted him, looking over calmly. “This alliance is not a production alliance, it’s a distribution alliance!”

"The core initiators and leaders of the alliance will be Mr. Brian and Phoenix Pictures, represented by Ms. Gu Qiuna!"

"I will exclusively grant the global distribution rights of 'Redemption' to this alliance entity jointly formed by the two of them!"

boom!
These words were like a bomb dropped in the conference room!
Despite having a bad feeling, when Cheng Xuemin personally said that he would hand over the global distribution rights to Brian and a little-known Phoenix Pictures!

The three representatives of the giants still felt a strong sense of absurdity and humiliation!
"Mr. Cheng!" Carrick suddenly raised his voice, his face darkening. "Isn't this decision too hasty?"

"Do Mr. Brian and his... partners have enough capability and experience to handle the global distribution of a highly anticipated film like 'Redemption'?"

"This concerns the fate of the film, and it concerns your interests! We at Fox, Warner Bros., and Columbia have the most established networks and experience..."

“Mr. Carrick!” Cheng Xuemin interrupted again, his tone still calm but carrying an undeniable force, “I appreciate your company’s strength and experience!”

"That's why I proposed this alliance framework, with the aim of integrating the best resources."

He glanced at the three men whose faces were grim, and said slowly, "The alliance led by Mr. Brian and Ms. Gu is open."

"It needs funding, distribution channels, and a professional distribution and promotion team. And these are exactly what everyone here is good at."

"Therefore, I invite you all not to compete for regional copyrights, but to... invest in this alliance. Invest with capital, distribution channels, and professional expertise, sharing both risks and profits!"

Investing?

How about we, Fox/Warner/Columbia, invest in a publishing consortium led by Brian?
The idea struck Carrick, Michael Chen, and Rosenthal as utterly absurd and repulsive.

This completely reverses their understanding of power and hierarchical order!
"Mr. Cheng, this is impossible!" Michael Chen also lost his previous composure, his voice filled with obvious displeasure and doubt. "There is no precedent for this in Hollywood! This doesn't make business sense!"

“We cannot accept operating under an architecture dominated by… independent publishers.”

"If there is no precedent, create one. If it does not conform to the old logic, it is because the old logic has encountered a new situation."

Cheng Xuemin's voice remained calm, yet carried a penetrating power as he continued, "Redemption is the new situation."

"The Palme d'Or is its artistic value, and the $400 million bet is its legendary status and the buzz it generates. It's no longer just an ordinary film; it's a global cultural event."

"Dividing it using old, zero-sum, competitive methods that drive up prices is a waste of its value and will inevitably lead to internal friction and risk!"

He paused, his gaze sharpening: "And the alliance model can combine everyone's strengths."

"Fox's European network and awards season PR, Warner's long-term strategic vision and Asian presence, Columbia's financial strength and Latin American distribution channels, Mr. Brian's flexibility in independent film distribution, and Ms. Gu's representation of their own interests..."

Everyone should put their resources in one basket, work together towards a common goal, and make the pie the biggest it can be.

"Then, divide the pie fairly according to the proportion of resources each person has invested. Isn't that smarter and more in everyone's best interest than you all bidding against each other here, being wary of each other, and in the end, no one might get anything, or you might get a piece but at a huge cost?"

Cheng Xuemin's words were like a scalpel, dissecting the essence of the deadlock and pointing out another seemingly unbelievable but, upon closer examination, somewhat reasonable path.

The conference room fell into dead silence!
……

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