Entertainment: I am the peak

Chapter 685 I'll Leave You a Share

Li Qiutang mingled and drank at a private dinner hosted by Li Bingbing for Hesong Media.

This dinner was not the founding banquet of Hesong, but a private dinner hosted by Li Bingbing. The two have been friends for ten years, so it was only right that he attend to offer his congratulations.

Tonight's main focus is on the two Li sisters, but Li Qiutang is still the person many guests actively socialize with.

"Hello director, I'm from XX Film and Television. Here's my business card." He handed it to him.

"Director Li, I'm from XX Culture, specializing in film and television investment. This is my business card." He handed her another one.

Li Qiutang was already very skilled at handling this kind of thing; she would accept a business card and chat briefly with the person who introduced her.

"Director, this is Cheng Xiao, a newcomer from our company. He just returned from South Korea," Du Hua introduced the newcomer to Li Qiutang.

Du Hua didn't bring any newcomers on board without any prior connection. The show "Produce 101," which Mubu Culture will be recording after the New Year, is a collaboration between Du Hua's Yuehua Entertainment and the program.

Mubu Culture has traveled all over China, and only Yuehua Entertainment and Wajijiwa Entertainment have taken it on.

Now you know why there are so many Yuehua Entertainment members on this show, right? It was all pre-arranged.

"Hello Director, I'm a fan of you and Liu Yifei." Cheng Xiao said politely.

Li Qiutang was tired of hearing this kind of talk. Just as Li Qiutang was about to speak, Cheng Xiao added, "I've been watching your shows since I was a kid."

Li Qiutang laughed and said, "How old are you? You've been watching my plays since you were a child?"

Du Hua laughed and said, "Xiao Xiao was born in 98, and you debuted in 06. She really grew up watching your shows."

"Am I that old?" Li Qiutang laughed. "I've recently met several newcomers born in the 95s who start by saying, 'I grew up watching your shows.' It makes me wonder if I'm really getting old."

Du Hua laughed and said, "Who told you to debut so early? You're one of the earliest directors born in the 80s." It's much harder for directors to become famous than actors. Many directors born in the 80s have only emerged in the last year or two. "Yi Fei is even more so. You grew up watching her shows, right?"

Du Hua's words made everyone laugh.

Li Qiutang, not wanting to hold back her anger, urged Cheng Xiao: "Go and say the same thing to Bingbing, say that you've watched her shows since you were a child."

Du Hua laughed and said, "Don't teach her anything wrong. Our Xiaoxiao doesn't understand anything, but she's oblivious and she really listens."

Just then, Li Bingbing actually came over and said with a smile, "I heard you talking about me. You weren't saying anything bad about me, were you?"

“You’re the host today, who would dare say anything bad about you?” Li Qiutang said. “If anyone’s going to say anything, it’ll be after the banquet.”

Li Bingbing chuckled and lightly punched Li Qiutang: "You have such a foul mouth."

Du Hua was sensible enough to know that Li Bingbing had come to see Li Qiutang. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he took Cheng Xiao and left.

Li Bingbing didn't say anything particularly important, just talked about everyday things, and only at the end did she ask, "What do you think of my company?"

Hesong was just established, and only had Li Bingbing as an artist. Other businesses had not yet been fully launched. Li Bingbing had also been particularly low-key in recent years and had not been exposed much. Anyone who saw it would think that this was an "ordinary" company. But Li Qiutang still said politely, "Everything is built up step by step. When I started my business, the whole company had more than twenty people. You are definitely better off now than I was back then."

Li Bingbing said, "How about I save one share for you?"

These words really stunned Li Qiutang, but she quickly understood that after Li Bingbing terminated her contract with Huayi, she did not continue to cooperate with her former employer like Fan Bingbing. It seemed that Li Bingbing had cut ties with Huayi and would never have anything to do with them again.

Now that the two sisters are starting their own business, they need to find a financial backer. Ren Quan is certainly very capable, but he has retired from the entertainment industry to focus on investment, so he may not be able to help much in the film and television sector.

Among the major film and television capital firms in China, Li Qiutang is the partner most recognized by the Li Bingbing sisters.

Li Bingbing and Li Qiutang have a good personal relationship. Li Bingbing starred in two major autumn films, "The Message" and "The Meg," and Li Qiutang even helped her win the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress. Therefore, Li Bingbing has a special affection for Li Qiutang.

The key example is Jaywalk Studio. Jaywalk signed a performance-based agreement with Qiu Tian, ​​and they showered him with resources – two movies and a TV series in three years, as everyone in the industry witnessed. Now that Qiu Tian wants to leave, Jaywalk is holding on tightly. Working with Li Qiutang, they truly provide resources!
Many decisions are made in an instant. Li Qiutang hadn't thought about this before coming; she was just attending a friend's dinner party.

But since Li Bingbing brought it up, Li Qiutang didn't hold back: "Sure, our company is also expanding its artist management business."

Li Bingbing was genuinely unaware: "You guys also do artist management?"

"We don't sign artists directly; we mainly invest to reduce costs. You know how much celebrity salaries have skyrocketed in the last two years. If we didn't manage artists, the production department would be cursing us out."

That's settled then. Li Qiutang immediately gave Li Bingbing the WeChat contact of the person in charge at Century Autumn, saying, "I won't get involved in the specifics of the discussion."

After finishing this matter, Li Qiutang excused herself and took her leave. Li Bingbing said that there were too many people today and the hospitality was inadequate, and that he would treat Li Qiutang and Liu Yifei to a private meal when he had time.

"Where's Director Qiu Tang?" Someone at the banquet asked Li Qiu Tang after he left.

"He's definitely gone. He wouldn't stay the whole time. If you try to slip him a business card, you won't get it in the first half hour, so forget about it later."

"Hey, I'd like to talk to him about a collaboration. I have a really good script and I'd like him to direct it."

"Give up on that idea, he won't take on any outside projects."

"You can't say for sure. It's just a matter of money. No matter how high his salary is, can it be higher than Zhang Yimou's?"

"He is actually more expensive than Zhang Yimou. He received more than 4 million for 'Mojin: The Lost Legend'."

"This is way too expensive!" She gritted her teeth in frustration.

After leaving Li Bingbing's dinner party, Li Qiutang went to the Beijing headquarters of Mojing Tianhe to watch a film.

I'm not here to see "The Wandering Earth." The post-production work on "The Wandering Earth" is now scattered among special effects companies all over the world, so there's no way to see it even if you wanted to. Li Qiutang is here to see the finished product of "Dying to Survive."

The title of "Indian Medicine God" was also changed. Wen Muye wanted to change it to "Chinese Medicine God", and Han Jianu wanted to call it "The Road to Life". In the end, Li Qiutang's proposal was used.

Wen Muye had been waiting for a long time. He had already seen the finished film and thought it was fine. If Producer Li also thought it was fine, then they could start scheduling. This was his first film, and he was very excited.

Li Qiutang's role as producer was not just nominal; he actually did a lot of work for the "Dying to Survive" production team.

After watching the movie in the screening room of Mojing Tianhe, one could nitpick, but Li Qiutang felt it was unnecessary; it was already very good.

Guo Tao's acting skills are no less than Xu Shanzheng's, and his appearance is even more convincing than Xu Shanzheng's. He is more like a struggling owner of a health product store than Xu Shanzheng.

“Great, we can schedule it now.” Li Qiutang decided to use her privilege as the boss to give Wen Muye special treatment. “Tell me which slot you want, and I’ll arrange it for you. All the films in the company will make way for you.”

"I want to release during the summer season."

"No problem, I'll order it for you."

Wen Muye was quite bold in making a request: "If the company has other films, could you stagger the release dates a bit?" For a new director like him to make such a request to Li Qiutang for his first film was quite audacious.

There was no other way; there were precedents of films clashing with each other in the fall, and Wen Muye was afraid that "Dying to Survive" would fail because of that.

Li Qiutang naturally guessed Wen Muye's concerns, but he actually agreed: "I can guarantee you that the company's films will be at least two weeks behind yours." The company hasn't finalized its summer release schedule yet, but Li Qiutang is determined to protect "Dying to Survive".

"Thank you, director."

"I'm thanking you. Your film is very good and I hope it will achieve good results."

(End of this chapter)