1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 38 Hong Kong Exclusive
"I can't make the decision on this matter. I need to call my boss for instructions."

Manager Qian hesitated for a while before speaking again.

Jennifer's news has been making so much noise recently that he didn't dare to make a decision on his own.

Who knows if the excited audience will cause trouble in the theater after the movie is released.

Manager Qian called his boss in the office and talked to the person on the other end for several minutes, covering the microphone.

Then he turned to Zhai Yuan and said, "We can book the theater, but we have to do it as a normal release, and the theater will take 60%."

"I'll tell you a number. Three days, 188,000. Make money all the way!"

"The boss said he only wanted a share of the profits. If you don't do it, he will call the industry association and tell them that no theater in Hong Kong will accept your film."

"..."

Zhai Yuan swallowed his curse words and said with a dark face: "Wucheng, your boss should not go too far! Is it fun to bully honest people? Believe it or not, I will hang myself at the door of your theater!"

Manager Qian said a few words into the receiver, turned his head and said, "Sixty percent."

The bargaining ended with Zhai Yuan's complete defeat.

Without theaters, the price is really determined by what others say. Even Cameron would have to kneel down.

But the attitude of the owner of the Jin Mao Ping Cinema also indirectly reflects how optimistic he is about the movie "Grave".

Even if it is really a bad movie, Jennifer's early marketing is enough to lure a group of audiences into the theater and reap their wallets.

The movie is not important, the marketing is the most important.

You see, I lost 100 pounds to make this movie. Why don’t you buy a ticket to support me?

"Mr. Zhai, it's a pleasure to work with you."

After the contract was signed, Manager Qian took out his business card and handed it over with a smile on his face: "This is my card. Call me anytime if you need anything in the future."

He felt that a young man who could make such a big news at the age of teens would definitely achieve something in the future.

Build a good relationship in advance, who knows, the other person may become your boss one day.

Zhai Yuan put away Manager Qian's business card, thinking that after he made the money, the video hall would expand in scale and would need talented people to manage it, so maybe he would have to poach some talent from the theater.

This guy is giving me a business card now. Is he hinting at something?

The two men, each with their own thoughts, smiled at each other, sympathized with each other, and couldn't help but shake hands.

"Pleasant to work with."

……

Three days later, the news about Jennifer's incident suddenly took a turn.

Major newspapers have written articles saying that this is a social experiment conducted by the United States on the whole of Hong Kong, aimed at focusing on women's safety issues.

The conversation turned.

What is our Hong Kong government doing?
Then there was a large amount of criticism, digging up and rehashing all the scandals of the foreigners in recent years.

These include but are not limited to the Kwai Fong Estate public housing corruption case, the male legislator soliciting prostitutes case, the female legislator sleeping with men case, etc.

at the same time.

Kim Mau Ping Cinema took the initiative to put up a pre-release movie advertisement called "Jennifer's Revenge".

[Exclusive in Hong Kong, Cantonese dubbing, accompany you to enjoy the hotly discussed blockbuster, pay attention to women's safety is urgent]

There is another line of small print below: This film has obtained the exclusive copyright of an American producer. If it is copied, legal action will be taken.

Of course the movie name cannot be "Grave", otherwise it would be weird and the traffic would be reduced by half.

As the incident fermented, reactions from citizens across Hong Kong varied.

"Pick! After all this time, it turns out to be hype for a new movie. I saw the problem early on."

This is a rational and reasonable audience.

But it's no use.

"What hype or not, they care about the safety of us women. Even if it's hype, what do you have to lose? Anyway, I must watch this movie. If you don't go with me, we'll break up!"

There are other types of audiences.

"Yes, what is our Hong Kong government doing? We must support America!" "I remember calling the newspaper at that time, and now they are giving me a free movie ticket, saying that those who hype and make money are all smearing!"

"A humiliation scene lasting more than 30 minutes, and those under 18 are not allowed to enter? I have no choice but to watch it this time."

All these are the manifestations of sentient beings.

In the early morning of the fourth day, an hour before the movie was released, the entrance of Jinmaoping Cinema was already crowded with people.

The audience held their tickets in their hands and lined up in anticipation.

The vendors were busy as hell, and the price of a box of fried rice increased from five yuan to eight yuan.

Reporters from major and tabloid newspapers set up their cameras, waiting to get first-hand film review information.

Only the scalpers were unhappy.

Because they didn't get the tickets.

Didn’t get a single one!
"Boss, two tickets for Jennifer's Revenge, thirty-five each, do you want them?"

In the crowd, Zhai Yuan was walking back and forth with a stack of movie tickets that originally cost 15 yuan.

A deal was made from time to time, and the small bag around his neck filled with money would become bulging.

"Brother! Brother!"

Zhai Yao's voice rang out. She left the crowd and came to Zhai Yuan, asking breathlessly, "I've sold out all 30 tickets, and there shouldn't be many left at my mother's place. Do you have any tickets?"

Zhai Yuan lowered his head and flipped through it, then took out a stack of movie tickets and stuffed them into Zhai Yao's hand.

"There are no more tickets for the recent sessions. This is the 8 o'clock morning session. You can split it with grandma, but the price cannot be changed. The main seats are 35, and the premium seats are 50."

"understood!"

Zhai Yao clutched the ticket and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Zhai Yuan raised his head and glanced at the sign of Jinmaoping Theater.

Bah! Rubbish capitalists!
You actually took 60% of my profit, if I don't give you some profit, I'd be incompetent!
"Brother Yuan, someone is looking for you."

Another person squeezed next to Zhai Yuan, it was Liang Zhichao.

He also pulled this middle-aged man in his forties.

"Hello Mr. Zhai, I heard that you are going to release the videotape of Jennifer's movie? Of course you should contact us for the videotape. We have the best equipment and technology in Kwun Tong. We strictly follow the high quality standards of JVC. With high standards and high sales, we will definitely meet your high requirements!"

Mr. Guan, the boss of the videotape manufacturing business, started speaking fluent advertising slogans and looked at Zhai Yuan eagerly.

Judging from his experience, given Jennifer's current popularity in Hong Kong, if tens of thousands of videotapes were produced, the market would easily absorb them all.

But there is no copyright.

It’s not that I haven’t thought about pirating it, the point is that I can’t find this movie even after searching through my entire inventory.

Thousands of pornographic videotapes are produced abroad every year, most of which are distributed underground. Do we have to find all of them and watch them all? By then, they will be too late!
“I do have this idea.”

Zhai Yuan wiped his sweat. The crowds were so crowded and the heat was so intense that it was a bit uncomfortable.

He gave the remaining tickets to Liang Zhichao and asked him to continue selling them.

Then he took Boss Guan to a soda stall, ordered a bottle of iced Coke and took two sips.

Then he said again: "How much can you give me?"

"Sony replaced its equipment this year, and our company quickly followed suit, so the price will be slightly higher, but the image quality and smoothness have improved a lot."

Boss Guan first put on a layer of armor for himself, and then quoted the price: "I will charge you 85 yuan for the production of a box of videotapes. If you sell them in the market, you will be in big demand even if you mark them at 100 yuan."

"It's cheaper. Someone in my family is in this business, so I know the market situation better."

Zhai Yuan was not lying, because Zhao Meizhen sometimes received orders to disassemble and reassemble videotapes.

"Eighty-four dollars and eighty cents. It can't be any lower. If it's any lower, I will really lose money!" Boss Guan gritted his teeth and seemed to have made a big concession.

The two bargained again, and finally the price was deadlocked at eighty-four yuan.

Zhai Yuan returned the Coke bottle to the stall owner and rolled the coin he got in return between his fingers.

"Okay, that's eighty-four! You help me get 20,000 boxes first, but I can't give you the deposit until three days later. I will slowly make up the balance after all the orders are delivered."

(End of this chapter)