Back to 1997, I became the originator of online literature

Chapter 150: One Million Dollar Price
When it comes to the issue of expenses, Liu Junjie seems very cautious.

"What do you think is an appropriate amount, Writer Cao?"

Everyone in the box looked at Cao Sheng.

Because Mikasa TV had offered Cao Sheng 200,000 yuan before, Cao Sheng was very dissatisfied, so they were all curious about how much Cao Sheng wanted.

Cao Sheng saw everyone's expressions, smiled slightly, and said, "First of all, I want to make it clear that I will not sell the film and television adaptation rights of this book to you in full. At most, I will authorize you to use it for a few years. This is the premise of our cooperation. If you cannot accept this, then there is no need for us to continue discussing it."

When this was said, everyone reacted differently.

Zhao Guobin and Lin Baohui were surprised.

The lawyer brought by Liu Junjie didn't react much, just glanced at Liu Junjie.

Liu Junjie's assistant's expression changed slightly, and he subconsciously glanced at Liu Junjie. Seeing that Liu Junjie frowned and did not speak for a while, the assistant asked: "Mr. Cao! I wonder how many years do you plan to authorize our company to use the rights?"

Everyone looked at Cao Sheng again.

Cao Sheng: "Five years! In addition, the film adaptation rights and TV series adaptation rights must be separated! Of course, you can also buy these two rights together, but they must be reflected in the royalties!"

Liu Junjie: "What if we only buy the rights to the TV series adaptation? As you said, for the five-year right of use, how much do you think is appropriate?"

Cao Sheng smiled, "Three hundred thousand!"

Liu Junjie felt relieved. The price was lower than he expected. He had thought Cao Sheng would ask for an exorbitant amount.

Cao Sheng added: "The premise is that the selection of male and female protagonists must be acceptable to me. You can't just find two third- or fourth-tier celebrities, or aunties in their 50s or 60s to play the female lead and expect me to agree. That's impossible!"

He knew that there was a famous Aunt Ximen in Taiwan who liked to play young and beautiful heroines. Jiao Enjun, who played Xiao Li Flying Dagger, once played a couple with this Aunt Ximen, which was really an eye-catching scene.

Liu Junjie nodded, pondered for a few seconds, and then asked, "What if we want the rights to both the film and TV series for 5 years? How much royalties do we need to pay?"

Cao Sheng was a little surprised, "Director Liu wants to make a movie version?"

Liu Junjie smiled and said, "It's better to be prepared! In fact, I think your work is also suitable for adaptation into a movie."

Zhao Guobin agreed: "Yes! This book "Living with a Stewardess" has a very good popularity and reputation on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. If it can be made into a movie, it should be able to be released in mainland China."

Others nodded.

Cao Sheng smiled and raised his index finger, "One million."

Everyone was shocked.

Before Liu Junjie even opened his mouth, his assistant couldn't help but question, "One million? Isn't that too high? Jin Yong and Gu Long's works may not be sold at such a high price, right?"

Liu Junjie smiled bitterly and said, "Yes! Writer Cao, if you sell us the two adaptation rights, I can agree to your price. But you just said that you will only give us the right to use it for five years. One million for five years is really too high! Even if I agree personally, the company will not agree."

Cao Sheng glanced at Liu Junjie's assistant and said calmly, "The classic works of the two masters, Jin Yong and Gu Long, have been filmed more than once, right? Can you give an example of the price of the remake rights of their works?"

At this point, he looked at Liu Junjie and smiled, "Director Liu, if you think one million for five years is too expensive and you can't justify it to the company, I can give you two more years of usage rights. Also, Director Liu, don't you think this price of one million can help you save a lot of publicity costs? As long as this news is leaked, there should be a lot of media interested in reporting it, right? How much does it cost to promote a TV series and a movie? Have you calculated this?"

"this?"

Liu Junjie was a little surprised and also a little tempted.

But his assistant suddenly spoke up and made a witty comment.

"Mr. Cao! If you want to promote it, you can sell it to us for 500,000 and we can advertise it for 1 million. 1 million is really too expensive!"

Cao Sheng looked at him and simply ignored him this time.

Sell ​​it to you for 500,000? And then let you advertise it for 1 million?

What's in it for me?
When the time comes, the tax authorities ask me to pay taxes based on copyright income of one million. Should I pay it or not?

Don’t you know that the personal income tax on royalties is very high?
"Writer Cao, can't you offer a discount on this price?"

Liu Junjie lowered his head to think for a moment, then looked up and asked.

Cao Sheng nodded, "I just said that I can extend the authorization period by two years, but the one million cannot be less!"

It just so happened that he was planning to go to Beijing to buy a house recently.

With this extra million, I can buy two more houses.

In ten years or so, the market value will at least increase by ten to twenty times.

Liu Junjie looked helpless, nodded, stood up and said, "Then please sit down for a while, I'll go out and make a phone call to communicate with the company."

Cao Sheng: "Okay! Please do as you please!"

Will Mikasa Television agree to the price of one million?
Cao Sheng wasn't sure.

He just thought that if the other party really wanted to adapt his work and was willing to spend hundreds of thousands more to buy a publicity effect, they might agree to his price.

The seven-year film and television adaptation rights of his book were purchased for one million yuan. Once this news is released, it will probably shock countless people.

He remembered that in the early 2000s, there were many news reports in the country that the film rights to Mai Jia's novel "The Sound of Wind" were sold for one million.

It shocked many people at that time.

Because in the early 2000s, one million was still a considerable sum and was considered a astronomical price in the eyes of many people.

This news in my memory is also the reason why Cao Sheng dared to shout out one million.

Firstly, this time he sold not only the film adaptation rights, but also the TV series adaptation rights.

Secondly, his "Living with a Flight Attendant" far surpassed "The Whistleblower" before the movie was released in terms of sales and reputation.

Thirdly, it is already late June 1999, just a few years away from the 6s.

After a while.

Liu Junjie returned to the box. Everyone looked at him.

Liu Junjie smiled at Cao Sheng, "Writer Cao! One million is fine, but we want a 100-year copyright period!"

His assistant, lawyer, Zhao Guobin and Lin Baohui all looked surprised.

You agree to 100 million?

But Cao Sheng shook his head, "10 years is impossible! Eight years at most!"

He just said that he could add two more years to the five-year usage period.

Now another year has been added.

Liu Junjie laughed, then strode forward, stretched out his right hand to Cao Sheng, and said with a smile on his face: "Deal! Writer Cao! Happy cooperation! I have to say, you are very good at negotiating prices! I admire you!"

Others were even more surprised.

It turns out that a 100-year lease for 10 million yuan can be bargained for?

Cao Sheng was not surprised. He stood up and shook Liu Junjie's hand. "Director Liu! Happy working with you!"

After that, the contract is drafted and signed.

The signed contract needed to be taken back to Mikasa Television Company for official seal, so no contract was left for Cao Sheng.

But this did not affect Cao Sheng's happiness at all.

He didn't think the other party would regret it.

The company had previously offered him $20 for the film and television adaptation rights to the book.

After he refused outright, the other party still sent a director to lead a team to meet with him for an interview, which meant that the other party's psychological price was at least around 50.

It could be six or seven hundred thousand.

What Cao Sheng really bargained for was the length of time the book's film and television adaptation rights would be used, as well as the selection of the male and female lead actors. He wanted to have some say in the selection of the male and female lead actors.

As for the issue of the validity period of the adaptation rights, Mikasa Television Company may not care much about it.

Because according to common sense, the film and television adaptation value of a romance novel should be exhausted in 8 years.

How many best-selling books are worthy of being remade into new versions of film or television dramas ten or twenty years later?

But Cao Sheng believes that this book is still worth remaking after ten or twenty years.

Because this book "Living with the Air Hostess" is the first online article in this time and space, and it is the youth memory of many people.

Nostalgia has always been a magic weapon in the entertainment industry.

As he remembers, more than a decade later, there was more than one wave of nostalgia in the entertainment industry.

For example, "Titanic" was converted into a 3D version and re-released worldwide, and it still grossed more than 3 million US dollars.

The original cast of Young and Dangerous reunited to film "Golden Brothers", which also took in a total box office of nearly 50 million US dollars.

Sweetheart leader, after many years, sang his famous song "The First Person I Loved" again on a variety show, which brought back the memories of countless people.

There is also Daolang, who returned to the music scene after retiring for many years. His online concert attracted more than 50 million viewers.

It's all because of nostalgia.

Movie and music fans will pay for it because of nostalgia.

Don’t book lovers have that?

Under the cover of night, Cao Sheng strolled along Binjiang Road towards his residence.

The mood is very good.

When the 100 million yuan in adaptation rights fees arrives, he will have almost 300 million yuan in his bank account.

Before his rebirth, he had never made so much money in an era of currency devaluation. But now, before the millennium, in an era when one dollar can buy four big meat buns, he has made so much money.

The sense of satisfaction in my heart is difficult for outsiders to understand.

And this is just the beginning.

Qidian Chinese Network has not yet been established!

When online literature enters the paid era, the electronic royalties of top writers will exceed one million per year.

As online literature enters an era of skyrocketing copyright value, the works of great writers, just the rights to a game adaptation, can be sold for 10 or 20 million, or even 40 or 50 million.

When online literature enters the era of wireless mobile phone reading, the annual income of top writers can exceed 100 million.

The annual profits of many listed companies cannot compare to the value of a work by a great online writer.

The prerequisite is to have divinity!
You need to make your status as a top expert recognized by both inside and outside the industry.

Because what people buy is not just the adaptation value of your work, but more importantly your personal fame.

……

The next day, the news that Mikasa Television Company spent a million dollars to purchase the eight-year film and television adaptation rights of "Living with the Air Hostess" appeared in reports by many media outlets in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

That afternoon, the news was reprinted and reported by many mainland media outlets.

For a moment, I don’t know how many people were shocked.

A Little Gray in the Central Plains and Living with the Air Hostess have strongly entered the public eye.

(End of this chapter)