Who are you calling "little fresh meat"? I'm the king.

Chapter 530 Filming Continues (13)

Hotel, room.

Dilraba is playing with the big golden retriever...

Shen Yan was on the balcony talking to Ji Xiang on the phone.

Contrary to expectations, Ji Xiang did not blame Shen Yan for his rude remarks…

It's understandable, since "Personal Tailor" suppressed the screenings of "Northeast Lover," and the biggest loser was actually Xinghuo Studio.

According to Ji Xiang's calculations, "Personal Tailor" dominated the screenings, directly causing "Northeast Lover" to lose at least 5000 million yuan in box office revenue!
"Northeast Lover" is a project by Spark Studio, with Ji Xiang as the producer...

How could he not be angry!
If *Personal Tailor* were an excellent film, that would be fine, considering that *Northeast Lover* barely passed muster in terms of critical reception…

The problem is that "Personal Tailor" received terrible reviews, yet it still managed to secure over 50% of the theaters' screenings...

Ji Xiang is definitely unhappy.

Oh, Ji Xiang mainly talked about the cinema support for "Duckweed" - he secured investment from Wanda Cinemas, Zhejiang Hengdian Cinemas, Jinyi Cinemas, and four other cinemas including Dadi Cinemas!

"Alright, let's each contribute 10% of the investment... and then we won't invest ourselves!"

"Huh? Why didn't you vote?"

"You've brought in all these investors, and you still want to keep your own investment?"

"...No, they're just doing it as a formality, giving a 1% investment..."

"Would they be willing to do that?"

"As long as their company logo is added to the opening credits of our movie, they can tell stories on the secondary market..." Ji Xiang couldn't help but retort, "No, do you really think they make money by investing in movies?"

"...I don't know much about this..." Shen Yan said awkwardly, then added, "Then you figure it out. By the way, our project shouldn't be related to finance!"

"finance?"

"I've heard that many people in finance are turning film projects into investment products. Many who get investment shares will use the gimmick of a top-notch production team to package the product, exaggerate the total investment amount of the film, and then raise funds from the public... turning it into a Ponzi scheme..."

"I... have an idea."

"Be very careful!"

After hanging up the phone, Shen Yan blew in the cold air…

Many films have been turned into financial products, such as "The Bombing" and "Operation Fox Hunt"...

Kuailu Group, Pinjin Holdings, and... BJ Yuanshi Film & Television.

Pinjin Holdings is the operator of "Operation Fox Hunt". The film and television company they established was called BJ Yuanshi Film and Television, which was later renamed Erdong Film and Television!

The project outline for "Operation Fox Hunt" was made for potential investors, while Leung Chiu-wai and Duan Yihong were the bait to lure them in.

It's called a film and television company, but it's actually a private equity investment firm...

In 2016, Erdong Pictures partnered with Louis Koo to establish "Pin Jin Tian Xia" (品今日天下). Between 16 and 2018, Erdong Pictures absorbed a large number of film shares from companies such as One Cool Film Production, Sil-Metropole Organisation, and Sun Entertainment, which were then diluted in the secondary market. Because it produced many blockbuster films at the time, Erdong Pictures achieved great success in the private equity circle!
Later, Louis Koo couldn't keep up with the fun anymore...

Then Erdong Pictures... the boss went missing.

Some people may still wonder, since they sold so many shares and made so much money, why didn't they just focus on developing the project properly? How did things go wrong?

This is similar to the mindset of many retail investors—naive and innocent!

They were only in it for the money from the start, so of course they'd run away after scamming people. They wouldn't use the funds to actually develop any projects...

Financial products that are essentially designed solely to make money will naturally fail once they are released.

By the way, Liang Chaowei in "Operation Fox Hunt" is based on Shi Jianxiang of the Kuailu Group—a transnational fugitive named Dai Yichen, who used private equity funds to deceive ordinary people into investing, and finally absconded with 17.48 billion yuan to France.

That's right, this film criticizing financial scams is itself a financial scam.

What a darkly humorous situation!

Shen Yan really didn't want to get involved with these people...

He just honestly makes movies and earns money!

After standing in the cold wind for a while, Shen Yan put out his cigarette and returned to the living room, where Dilraba was petting the dog…

"If you like this golden retriever, you can get one yourself!"

Dilraba sat back on the sofa and shook her head: "...I don't have time to raise a dog, I have three movies next year!"

"Four parts?"

"Hmm, two period dramas and one modern drama..."

"Oh, tell me more!" "The period dramas are 'Goodbye My Princess' and 'The Legend of Qin,' and the modern drama is 'Whirlwind Girl'..."

"...They're all female leads?"

"Ok!"

Shen Yan complimented, "Not bad, you've already landed leading roles in three dramas right after graduation..."

"I heard it was you who sent the message?"

"How could I be that great?" Shen Yan shook his head: "I just said that you don't need to rely on supporting roles to increase your fame, and you should take on some leading roles... Zhao Shan probably picked them out for you!"

"right,"

Dilraba nodded and added a compliment: "Sister Shan is amazing. At first, 'The Whirlwind Girl' only offered me the second female lead, but she went directly to the production company and said, 'We, Dilraba, will only play the female lead, or we won't act at all!' And then she got the female lead!"

“Zhao Shan used to be in Xiao Ming’s team. I recruited her specifically to mentor you!” After a pause, Shen Yan added, “I feel you lack confidence!”

"Me? I didn't!"

"So you were sneaking around? What's wrong? Can't I be seen in public?"

Dilraba pouted and then said, "I'm worried about you being exposed...it'll have a bad impact!"

"What impact could it have..." Shen Yan waved his hand: "I'm not married... having a girlfriend isn't something shameful!"

Dilraba immediately said, "Then let's take a picture together and then make it official?"

Shen Yan immediately backed down: "There's no need to be so extreme..."

"Hmph, all you know is how to talk!"

"...I can do it again!"

……

The filming of "Duckweed" was said to take thirty days, but in reality, it only took about twenty-five days.

The extra five days were to prepare for severe weather...

It's alright. Even when it rains, it's just a light drizzle, which has a very misty, rainy feel to Jiangnan!

The camera is pointed at the supermarket entrance.

Xu Tailang was sitting at the entrance of a supermarket when Xiaohua came out and nudged him.

"Ah Lang, what are you doing sitting here?"

"Where have you been? I've been looking for you all night."

"I have a night shift, so what?"

Xu Tailang smiled awkwardly, "It's nothing, it's nothing!"

Xiao Hua smiled and said, "I haven't recovered from what happened yesterday yet. Ah Zheng is just like a child."

“I really didn’t expect him to be so foolish when he was young. Especially after you left.”

"What do you mean after I'm gone? Sometimes I really feel like you and we don't live in the same world... By the way, I've never heard you mention your family!"

Xu Tailang hesitated for a moment, then said, "My mother passed away when I was very young. She committed suicide by jumping off a building. I suffered from postpartum depression, and I didn't even have the chance to call her 'Mom'."

"And what about your father?"

“He was imprisoned for six years. I was six years old when he came out. He went from a boy who never grew up to a very irritable middle-aged man.”

Zhao Liying thought for a moment and then said, "My father was a test pilot. I rarely saw him when I was a child. Later, he and my mother separated, but I still invited him to my wedding. He said that I should just look up at the sky the next day."

The two looked up at the sky.

Xu Tailang turned his head: "Do you think my mother regretted it the moment she jumped off the building?"

Xiao Hua walked over and cupped Xu Tailang's face in her hands: "If your mother saw you like this, she would definitely regret it."

Xu Tailang sobbed: I think so too…

She forced a smile through her tears and said, "I'm leaving now."

Xu Tailang walked away…

"Click..."

Shen Yan glanced at the camera: "Brother Teng, calm down... you were a little too excited just now!"

(End of this chapter)