1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 308 Menacing
"Zhai Yuan invited us to attend the meeting this time and talked about two things in total."

Golden Harvest Film Company.

As soon as Chen Shilon and Hong Xinbao came out of the Film Association, they received a call back to the company.

At the company entrance, three shareholders, Zou Wenhuai, He Guanchang and Liang Feng, were escorting out a well-mannered middle-aged man.

Normally, in order to make these old men happy, Chen Shilong would deliberately behave in an exaggerated manner and jump up and down like a monkey when they met them.

I rushed back today to report what happened in the Film Association. As usual, I ignored the main road and jumped over a guardrail and smiled.

As a result, no one paid attention to him this time.

"Brother Wen, I'll take Mr. Chen back first."

Liang Feng, who was nearly 70 years old, interrupted the conversation between his two fellow apprentices, put his arm around the unfamiliar middle-aged man named Chen, and spoke to Zou Wenhuai with a smile.

Zou Wenhuai smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries with He Guanchang, then watched Liang Feng and Mr. Chen get into a Mercedes-Benz sedan.

"What a troubled time."

The Mercedes-Benz drove away, and the smile on Zou Wenhuai's face gradually faded. He and He Guanchang looked at each other, and both of them sighed.

Chen Shilong and Hong Jinbao looked at the Mercedes-Benz going away, wondering which Buddha Mr. Chen was that made the two bosses Zou and He behave like this.

"Tell me what two things Zhai Yuan asked you to say when you came over."

Zou Wenhuai retracted his gaze and looked at Chen Shilong again and asked.

Chen Shilong suppressed his curiosity and reported: "The first thing is that he wants to set up a film foundation, privately invest 100 million Hong Kong dollars, and discover and train new filmmakers."

"Such a generous gesture?" Zou Wenhuai raised his eyebrows and asked thoughtfully, "It can be considered a good deed, but I'm afraid there are other requirements?"

"That's right, Mr. Zou." Hong Xinbao said, "For movies made with the funds from the foundation, 1024 has the priority to select and screen them, and they will also take the discs for distribution."

Zou Wenhuai nodded in understanding, probably realizing that Zhai Yuan was spending money to expand the film source and further increase the influence of 1024.

After thinking for a moment, he turned to look at He Guanchang and smiled helplessly: "In this case, Liang Feng and Mr. Chen just now may find it difficult to deal with Zhai Yuan together."

He Guanchang hummed in agreement: "Could it be that Zhai Yuan got wind of this and took the initiative?"

Zou Wenhuai said thoughtfully: "It is possible. If the person behind Zhai Yuan is my grandfather, he may not be able to receive the news in advance."

Chen Shilon and Hong Xinbao looked at each other in surprise.

Is there a grandfather behind Zhai Yuan? This has never been heard before, and from the few words he heard, it seems that Liang Feng, the managing director of Jiahe, wants to go to war with Zhai Yuan.

"What's the other thing?"

"The second thing is that Zhai Yuan's Qvod Technology Company will set up a distribution department. In the future, Qvod can distribute the discs of movies produced by Hong Kong film companies, including production costs, channel fees, review and approval, publicity and promotion, and Qvod will take a commission of between 20% and 30%."

Zou Wenhuai and He Guanchang both fell silent after hearing this.

The distribution cost at this price was the profit of the videotape manufacturers in the past, leaving a 10% bargaining space.

Qvod's VCDs and optical discs have recently become best-sellers in Hong Kong. Discs costing a dozen or so yuan each are more attractive to consumers than videotapes costing eighty-one hundred yuan. Its market share is increasing day by day. Its advantages are obvious. It is a direct competitor to videotapes and is clearly confident that it can replace them.

Moreover, it is an exclusive distribution. Currently, except for Qvod, no other manufacturer in the world has the technology to produce CDs.

"The film producers have an additional profit channel, and I think no one will refuse it."

"Yes, basically most of the film company bosses who attended the meeting agreed to give the film to Zhai Yuan for distribution."

Zou Wenhuai thought about it and said to He Guanchang, "In my opinion, it is only a matter of time before CDs replace videotapes. From a business perspective, the video sources previously released on videotapes can be taken to Qvod and burned into CDs for secondary sale."

He Guanchang nodded and said, "I understand. I'll go to Yuen Long to negotiate with them when I have time. Try to get the price down as much as possible."

Zou Wenhuai hummed and said no more: "I'm a little tired today, I'm going to go home and rest first."

As soon as Boss Zou left, only He Guanchang and his two brothers were left on the field.

When Chen Shilong faced his godfather, his attitude became more relaxed, and he asked out his curiosity that had been suppressed for a long time: "Godfather, what's going on? Who is the Mr. Chen who just left with Manager Liang Feng?"

He Guanchang rubbed his bald forehead and sighed: "Prince Nanyuan, Chen Rongmei..."

…………

The set of "Sex and Zen".

Zhai Yuan sat on a small stool and enjoyed the performance of Oriental porn star Akasaka Rei.

In this literary scene between her and the male lead, Akasaka Rei plays Tetsuyuxiang, who has been sold to a brothel and reunites with Wei Yangsheng, who has indulged in excessive sexual activities and is getting old.

Xin Yicheng spent some effort in casting Wei Yangsheng.

Zhai Yuan asked for an actor with a scholarly temperament, and the previous candidates Lin Guobing and Lu Huiguang were not suitable.

Huang Boming asked around in the Hong Kong film industry and his target was Wu Qihua again. However, there was no threat of 2000 million yuan in liquidated damages this time. When Wu Qihua heard that they were going to make a Category III film, he immediately avoided them.

He asked several male actors in succession, but either they couldn't agree on the price or Huang Boming was not satisfied.

In the end, it was Gao Zhisen who recommended to him a popular young actor in the Singapore TV circle - Wu Dairong.

The shooting scene at this time.

Wu Dairong dressed up as an old man and walked into the brothel tremblingly. Akasaka Rei was helped out by several brothel maids to receive the guests.

The couple reunited.

Zhai Yuan was just sighing at how different Akasaka Rei looked in ancient costume.

An angry voice came from outside.

"Is Mr. Zhai in there?"

Qian Maosheng, manager of Theater 1024, rushed in with a few newspapers in his hand and a gloomy face.

"What's going on, Manager Qian? This is a restricted area on the set. Do you want to break in and peek at the Japanese chicks?"

Zhai Yuan looked back at Qian Maosheng and teased with a smile.

Qian Maosheng looked unhappy, gave the on-site staff a look as if he was disturbed, and handed over the newspaper in his hand.

"Boss, take a look at this morning's news. I don't know what Pujie Jiahe is doing!"

"It's okay, everyone continue."

Zhai Yuan took the newspaper and asked Huang Baiming and the others to continue taking pictures. He lowered his head to glance at the headlines on the newspaper and frowned slightly.

'Manila overseas Chinese Chen Rongmei returned to Hong Kong and got involved in the family's theater business. The heads of the Overseas Chinese Salvation Federation, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Film and Drama Free Association, and the Formosa Republic Cultural Association were present to celebrate the Chen family's re-control of Hong Kong theaters. ''Chen Rongmei took back the lease rights of the family's five major theaters and spent 1024 million to acquire several independent theaters, intending to establish a new theater chain to compete with the current Jiahe and theater chains. It is reported that the new theater chain is tentatively named Xinbao Theater Chain. '

'The eight major film companies in Taiwan are supporting the Xinbao Cinema Line. In order to stabilize the film source, the eight major film companies will cooperate with independent film production companies in Hong Kong to make films. In addition to being screened in the Xinbao Cinema Line, the investors will also contact foreign markets for sales.'

Zhai Yuan flipped through several newspaper headlines and saw a piece of news that made Qian Maosheng very angry.

"Jiahe's managing director and vice president of the Freedom Association Liang Feng revealed to the public that Jiahe will cooperate with Xinbao Cinema Line to screen each other's films. 1024 may fall into the same situation as the former Silver Princess was besieged."

Qian Maosheng's scolding could still be heard in my ears: "Jiahe is crazy! Joining hands with this damn Xinbao Cinema Line? He Guanchang just got a CD order in Yuen Long. I thought everyone gets along and makes money. What does this mean now?"

Zhai Yuan silently put down the newspaper, frowned and muttered to himself: "How could such a huge creature be raised?"

Chen Rongmei.

His nickname is Prince Chen.

Anyone who has a little knowledge of Hong Kong film history has probably heard of this name. In the original timeline, its Xinbao Cinema Line was known as one of the four major cinema chains in the 90s, along with Jiahe, Silver Princess, and Debao.

But he was definitely not as powerful and wealthy as he is now, and could get the full support of Taiwan's eight major film producers.

After bullying Freedom for such a long time, I thought the other party would restrain themselves, but I didn't expect that they would cause such a big fuss as soon as they counterattacked.

Zhai Yuan narrowed his eyes and patted the newspaper in his hand. He had no intention of watching the filming of "Sex and Zen" anymore.

"Go back to the company and tell me the specific background of this Chen Rongmei."

…………

"When our generation used to go to the movies with classmates and friends, we had a catchphrase: 'The president is waiting for you.'"

In the conference room of Jiuyi Entertainment.

Senior executives gathered.

An elderly department manager said, "This 'President' refers to the President Theatre in Causeway Bay, which is owned by Chen Rongmei. It is also a landmark building in Causeway Bay."

Another supervisor nearby said, "Mr. Zhai only knows that this Chen Rongmei's nickname is Prince Chen. If there is a prince, there must be an emperor. This emperor is the Chen Junyan family headed by his uncles and elders."

Amid the sound of storytelling.

Zhai Yuan had a general understanding of the family of Prince Chen.

……

Chen Rongmei's Chen Junyan family has six brothers from the previous generation, and their ancestral home is in Fujian Province.

In the 1920s, the eldest brother Chen Qiaozhi went to Manila to work alone and earned millions in just a few years. Later, Chen Junyan and his four brothers joined his eldest brother and opened garment factories and grocery stores to diversify their investments. By the 1940s, the six brothers had become well-known wealthy businessmen in Manila and established the famous Nanyuan Trading Company.

In the 1960s, the sixth brother, Chen Junyan, returned to Hong Kong to develop his career.

In an era when it only cost a few hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars to buy a commercial building, Chen Junyan took at least 10 million Hong Kong dollars back to Hong Kong to invest. Because he loved watching movies, he first bought a piece of land on Moreton Terrace to open the first New Capital Cinema. He also bought land on Jaffe Road and Causeway Bay to expand the Paramount Cinema and the President Cinema.

As soon as people in the Hong Kong film industry saw that a big money man had arrived, they all wanted to make some money from him.

At that time, Zhao Yifu first deceived the young Chen Junyan: "Silly boy, you are opening three theaters in the same district so quickly, aren't you fighting against yourself? Besides, do you have the film source? Listen to me, I will give you 50,000 yuan a month, and you rent the three theaters to me for ten years. Zhao's is famous for having a lot of film sources. We will rent them and show different movies every month, so you don't have to worry about the film source and customer source."

Chen Junyan had already planned to sign the contract, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong, so he called his five brothers.

Chen Qiaozhi knew his sixth brother had been cheated by his sixth uncle as soon as he heard it: "The rent is fixed at 50,000 yuan for ten years? You are really a fool. If Zhao Yifu really wants to rent your theater, tell him that the contract is for three years, and then consider renewing the contract after three years according to the increase in land price and theater ticket price."

Before going to the law firm to sign the contract, Chen Junyan told Zhao Yi-fu about his eldest brother's advice. When the sixth uncle saw that the silly boy had come to his senses, he decisively refused to sign the contract.

Afterwards, Chen Junyan opened the Happy Cinema in Jordan and the Fudu Cinema in Kwun Tong. The five cinemas formed a first-class cinema chain in Hong Kong in the 1960s. They worked with the United Thai Organization to produce movies such as "The Good Wife". It was common for the cinemas to be full. Chen Junyan even specially invited Zhao Yifu to visit, which made Uncle Six salivate.

In the mid-1960s, when Chen Junyan was preparing to show his talents, bad news came from Manila that his eldest brother, second brother and third brother had passed away one after another.

Chen Junyan had to give up the Xiangjiang Theater business and go back to take charge of the Nanyuan Trading Company.

The five theaters were leased to several cinema chains including Zhao’s, Jiahe and Broadway.

……

"Today, Chen Junyan should be an old man in his sixties and no longer have the energy to return to Hong Kong to run a cinema chain, so this time we are recommending the second generation of our family to return to Hong Kong to continue to be involved in the film business."

Jiuyi Entertainment Conference Room.

A department manager who transferred from Zhao’s company told the story of Chen Junyan’s family.

The topic turned back to Chen Rongmei, the second-generation nephew of the family who returned to Hong Kong this time: "Chen Rongmei is from the second branch. When the second generation of Nanyuan divided the family property, the five theaters in Hong Kong were allocated to him, so he has the nickname of Prince Nanyuan in the Hong Kong film industry. However, the five theaters of the Chen family have always been rented out and not managed by themselves. I don’t know how the Freedom Association persuaded him this time. He actually returned to Hong Kong to take charge of the overall situation, took back the lease rights of all theaters, and spent 120 million to buy another ten independent theaters..."

The department manager that Zhao transferred to didn't say anything else, but frowned and shook his head.

In the conference room.

Many senior executives looked unhappy and had the same thought in their minds.

Come on!

The phone rang, breaking the brief silence.

"Excuse me."

Shi Nansheng took out his elder brother's phone from his bag, apologized to Zhai Yuan and others, pressed the answer button and chatted with the other end.

"Just got wind of it."

Shi Nansheng put down the phone and took a deep breath: "Princess Yin's former military advisor Feng Bingzhong has moved to Xinbao Cinema Line, and the distribution network he developed in New York, Vancouver, and San Francisco has also been incorporated into it."

There was another commotion in the conference room.

Feng Bingzhong's status in Silver Princess is the same as Shi Nansheng in 1024 and He Guanchang in Jiahe.

Even because of the support of the Feng Qing family, which has the uncle, it is even better. In the production and distribution industry in Hong Kong, there is a nickname called the Commander-in-Chief.

When Zhai Yuan acquired the Silver Princess Cinemas, he invited him to take charge of the situation, but was later declined.

"I'm afraid that when Mr. Zhai invited him to 1024, Feng Bingzhong had already established contact with Chen Rongmei."

"As far as I know, Chen Rongmei and Feng Bingzhong have been friends for many years. Feng Bingzhong has been managing the five theaters of the Xinbao Cinema Chain."

"The Feng family has a complex network of influence. Previously, they teamed up with Lei Juekun to form Silver Princess. Investment, distribution, and overseas operations were all handled by Feng Bingzhong..."

Amid the discussions, there seemed to be a gloomy atmosphere hanging over the conference room.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Zhai Yuan shrugged and smiled, "Are you surprised? I'll fight back! I just happen to have a lot of money and nowhere to spend it. This play is called "The General Association Supports Xinbao Cinema Line", and Boss Zhai is taking on the eight major film producers. I'm a little hungry after listening to the story for so long, let's eat first~"

(End of this chapter)