Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 137: First time in the industry, helping in times of need with the left hand and adding icing on the cake with the right hand

In March, Yu Shengli, the producer of "The Inspector General of Song Dynasty", called and said that the role of the heroine Yinggu was internally decided for Qin Lan.

To this end, Yan Li also paid some resources and favors, but for the sake of his wife, it was acceptable.

After that, Yan Li focused his main energy on the distribution of "Shuiyuedongtian".

"Detective Di Renjie" is still in the post-production stage, and CCTV has internally decided on the first round, so there is not much room for distribution.

"The Seven Fairies" has not even been completed. Although many TV stations are paying attention to it, their attitude is ambiguous and it is just in the trial stage of bidding, so there is no need to rush.

Yan Li attaches great importance to the project "Shuiyuedongtian".

Its production company Zhouyi is well-known, and the project itself has also received a lot of attention in the industry. If it is handled well, it can not only make money, but more importantly, it can also enhance Yi'an's reputation.

As mentioned before, Yian is currently in its start-up phase with limited capital.

Distribution can be considered as Yian’s most impressive advantage compared to other film and television companies.

Yan Li not only regards the distribution business as a major pillar of the company's income, but also intends to use it to continuously accumulate industry connections and reputation, and even use it as a springboard to participate in some projects.

Therefore, the project "Shuiyuedongtian" is equivalent to a living advertisement for Yan Li.

If even a well-known company like Zhouyi is quite satisfied with Yi'an's distribution capabilities, Yi'an will not have to worry about distribution business and project cooperation in the future.

This time, Yan Li showed the same enthusiasm as when he released "Conquer". He led the team personally, flew to six cities within a week, and competed with various TV stations.

...

A hotel in Beijing
Zhou Yi's boss lady, Jiang Xueruo, who is also the boss lady of "Shuiyuedongtian", chatted with several film and television company bosses.

This year, a certain bureau issued the 4+X regulations, and naturally invited representatives from some film and television companies to talk and make suggestions.

Those who are invited are naturally the well-known companies in the field of TV dramas.

The heads or senior executives of Hairun, Zhouyi, Jinyingma, Huayi, Tangren, Rongxinda, and Suzhou Warner were all present.

Zhang Da Huzi, the producer who is currently in the limelight, was also invited and became the center of the audience.
"The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" was very popular at that time. Some media reported that a single episode of the drama sold over 100 million copies.

They all make TV dramas, so how could they not pay attention to this kind of transaction that breaks through the market and may even lead to changes in the overall environment?

As a result, Zhang Da Huzi became the object of favor from all the big bosses, who tried to find out about him in all kinds of ways.

Zhang Da Huzi, who is also a veteran, neither admitted nor denied it. He accepted all the flattery without leaking a single word.

As for Zhang Da Huzi's attitude, some people believe that he is thinking about whether he should raise the price of his own project as well.

Some people question that in today's market, people still believe in 50 to 80 yuan per episode, but 100 million yuan is indeed a bit high.

Not to mention that Zhang Da Huzi is a well-known master of hype. He might be trying to confuse the public by piling up multiple copyrights to raise his own value.

Zhouyi's boss's wife Jiang Xueruo didn't pay much attention to this. She was talking to Tangren's boss Cai Yinong and Rong Xinda's boss Li Xiaowan.

The three of them are all female bosses and producers, and they all work on TV dramas. They each have their own achievements, so they are often discussed and compared side by side.

Therefore, the relationship between the three people is not very friendly and they are competing with each other.

But because we are all women and form our own small circle, we usually get together to do things and chat at such activities.

"I heard that your company is going to film Liao Zhai?"

Jiang Xueruo looked at Cai Yinong, and her words were a bit tentative. "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" was a big project, and the key was to be able to promote people.

Sure enough, after hearing this, Li Xiaowan, who had originally not cared much, also leaned over and said that if the Tang people were short of people, Rong Xinda could lend a helping hand.

Although there are some frictions among the people, there are also many times when they benefit from each other.

As I said, the film and television industry and the entertainment industry are intertwined. Competition does not mean that we cannot cooperate. It is the minority who are clearly divided and never interact with each other.

Cai Yinong is very straightforward. "Liao Zhai" is a unit drama, and they don't have enough people at Tangren, so they don't mind exchanging characters for favors and resources.

She also recommended another TV series adapted from a game, but Jiang and Li were not very interested after listening to it.

Cai Yinong didn't take it seriously and turned to ask Jiang Xueruo, "I heard that you changed the distribution company for your new drama. How is its performance?"

Among these three companies, Rong Xinda’s Li Xiaowan graduated from Peking University and grew up in the Beijing Film Studio. Her partner Li Shaohong is a well-known female director and a representative figure in mainland China’s film industry.

Therefore, Rong Xinda has no shortage of distribution resources. "The Story of the Ming Palace" and "The Oranges Are Red" were both premiered directly on CCTV.

Zhouyi and Tangren do not have the strength and connections of the two Lis. Both of them have developed by relying on the good results of one work after another.

Zhouyi's advantage lies in screenwriting, while Tangren's strength lies in its mature production team centered on Hong Kong and Taiwan. Distribution has always been a weak point for both companies.

Many representative works of the two companies were first broadcast on local channels over and over again, constantly accumulating momentum before being broadcast on satellite TV.

The advantage of this is that their dramas are popular enough, have a great influence, and are more popular with celebrities. The disadvantage is that the capital recovery is too slow, making it difficult for the company to turn over funds.

Tangren is fine as it was able to secure some capital support from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Zhouyi has always been fighting alone, and if the funding chain is broken, it will be in big trouble.

It was precisely because of this that Jiang Xueruo took the risk to seek cooperation with Yan Li's Yi'an, hoping that its distribution capabilities could relieve Zhou Yi's pressure.

Jiang Xueruo took a sip of coffee and said, "It's hard to say now. We've talked to two terrestrial channels, but I haven't heard anything from satellite TV."

"That's normal. It's not that easy to get on satellite. Just work your way around local channels and take your time."

Cai Yinong comforted him, saying that this was the normal publishing practice for Tangren and Zhouyi, and that this was basically how it was done.

Jiang Xueruo smiled bitterly. Of course she knew that this was how it happened, but why did she look for Yi An? Wasn't it because she wanted to appear on TV as soon as possible?

But if you think about it calmly, it is indeed a bit too greedy.

Even if Yi'an's distribution capabilities are stronger than Zhouyi's, it still takes a process. At least it needs to ferment its momentum on the terrestrial channels. It is really too much to ask for satellite broadcasting right away.

As they were talking, Jiang Xueruo's cell phone suddenly rang. She took it out of her bag and smiled at Cai Yinong.

"Speak of the devil, and here comes the person in charge of the publishing company I'm looking for."

After saying that, she stood up with her cell phone and went to the side to answer the call. Cai Yinong talked to Li Xiaowan. She wanted to invite the other party's top sister, Zhou Gongzi, to perform Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio.

Li Xiaowan remained noncommittal, saying she would need to see the cast and roles of the show, and also seek Zhou's opinion. She now prefers to act in movies.

The two were practicing Tai Chi when they suddenly heard Jiang Xueruo yell, "55 per episode?!"

Not only Cai Yinong and Li Xiaowan, but also many film and television company bosses who heard the noise also looked over here.

Realizing her loss of composure, Jiang Xueruo forced a smile, nodded to everyone, then quickly walked to a corner with her cell phone.

"Boss Yan, you didn't lie to me?"

Yan Li couldn't help but smile on the other end of the line. This was more than the first time he'd spoken to Jiang Xueruo since landing the "Water Moon Cave" project, but this was the first time he'd heard the word "you" in her name. "Mr. Jiang, I must explain that this 55 yuan is a joint offer from Sichuan and Guizhou Satellite TV, equivalent to 27.5 yuan per episode for each. Furthermore, selling these two companies will undoubtedly impact the subsequent distribution of other satellite TV stations."

Jiang Xueruo nodded quickly: "I understand. Since the distribution rights have been given to President Yan, then it's up to President Yan."

Just kidding, let Zhou Yi go and negotiate. Not to mention whether she can contact the satellite TV station so quickly, she would be lucky if she can get 40.

It's not like she hasn't dealt with those people from the TV station before. They have cunning eyes and cruel hearts, and each one is difficult to deal with.

"Okay, I'll continue to follow up and let you know if there's any progress."

Yan Li was not surprised by Jiang Xueruo's reaction. It was impossible for her to be dissatisfied.

"Water Moon Cave" has a total of 30 episodes, and 55 per episode equals 1650 million.

And what is the total investment of this drama?

Although Zhou Yi claimed that he "spended 2000 million" and "ignored all costs", the actual cost was only 1500 million.

After all, the quality of costumes and props and the number of episodes of "Water Moon Cave" are there, and most of the main actors are artists from their company, so their pay is controllable. For example, Ada Choi and Felix Chan are less popular in the mainland, so their pay can also be lowered.

If it weren't for the use of a lot of special effects, Zhou Yi, who is known for his thriftiness, could have kept the cost within 1000 million.

To be honest, Yan Li was stunned when he learned about the cost of "Water Moon Cave" from the intelligence.

It saves a lot of money!

He was called Yan Ba Pi in the crew of "The Seven Fairies" and thought he was a complete loser.

But when I compared myself with these veterans in the film and television industry, I found that I was still a little immature.

However, despite his feelings, Yan Li had no intention of imitating or learning anything else. He felt that Zhou Yi's extreme cost-cutting approach was not advisable.

You save money but sacrifice quality!
To be honest, the costumes and props of "Water Moon Cave" are so bad that even he, the distributor, wants to join in the complaints.

When the people from the TV station first watched the show, everyone frowned. He even encountered some people who just stood up and left. Later, Yan Li asked someone to cut a few episodes into a simplified version focusing on the plot, which made the people from the TV station start to be interested in the show.

Because of the unfortunate costumes and props of "Water Moon Cave", the distribution difficulty has increased a lot, and it also gave the TV station room to lower the price.

Yan Li still has some professional ethics. He invests in projects based on the actual situation, and he has a certain pursuit of aesthetics and quality in the projects he controls.

I wouldn’t dare say the costumes and scenery of “The Seven Fairies” are excellent, but they are definitely above average.

Although Yan Li did not contribute a single cent of the 2000 million investment, he also did not take a single cent from it.

Including the money cut from the actors' salaries, all of it is reflected in the costumes, props, scenery and special effects.

Without discussing the actors in the plot, the exquisite and attentive performance of "The Seven Fairies" far surpasses the "shoddy" production of "Water Moon Cave".

When the former took the TV station to watch the film, Yan Li felt a little proud. He felt that he could brag about it to his heart's content and had the confidence to raise the price.

The latter, Yan Li, sometimes feels embarrassed by the disgusted looks from the TV station, and it is difficult to explain it. The plot is always novel and exciting.

Even in this situation, Yan Li overcame numerous difficulties and not only achieved star status in a short period of time, but also made a small profit in one go.

If we discuss with the next satellite TV station later, plus the terrestrial channels, DVD copyrights, and second and third round broadcast rights, the net income is expected to be between 1000 and 2000 million.

To be honest, Yan Li was a little envious.

Zhou Yi’s reputation is actually quite effective, and the TV station recognizes it and is willing to pay a price, even more than Yan Li did when he sold "The Seven Fairies".

However, Jiang Xueruo and Zhou Yi couldn't find the right buyer, and even if they did, they couldn't get the real deal and couldn't get the maximum benefit.

Zhou Yi's drama and signature brand + Yan Li's distribution, like adding wings to a tiger, like a fish in water, like Yan Li and two soldiers in one bed, can be described in two words.

Fierce and beautiful!
Yan Li also calculated his own income. Zhou Yi is not like "Snow Goddess Dragon". They have confidence, so the share given is relatively low, only 12%. If everything goes well, the dividend should be between 300 million and 450 million.

The income is actually quite considerable, the more you work, the more you earn.

If you can get some business done in a year or so, you can run a few film and television projects. The key is that there is no risk.

While I was thinking about it, my cell phone rang. It was a text message from Jiang Xueruo, saying that she was in a meeting in Beijing and could help recommend and promote Yi An.

"..."

Yan Li was silent for a moment and sent a text message to Jiang Xueruo.

[Sister Jiang, I've thought about it and think we can negotiate a higher price. I'm confident in our show and can sign a guaranteed ratings contract with them to push the price up to 60 per episode.]

Beijing, Hotel

Jiang Xueruo handed the text message directly to Cai Yinong of Tangren, and took a sip of coffee to cover it up, her eyelids trembling slightly.

"Water Moon Cave" can actually sell 60 per episode?!

Did Yan Li set up a trap for the TV station people and take their nude photos?

Cai Yinong read the text message for a full half minute and immediately started taking out her cell phone to write down the phone number.

"Mr. Yan from Yi An, right? I'll talk to him later."

Li Xiaowan didn't have high demands for distribution cooperation, but after thinking about the number Jiang Xueruo said, she coughed lightly.

"Remember one for me, too."

At this time, several bosses who had been paying attention here also came to inquire. Jiang Xueruo and Yan Li had made a deal tacitly, so they naturally helped to brag about it.

I heard that many companies like Tangren and Zhouyi, which are troubled by the issuance problem, are very interested.

In the end, even Hairun’s boss Liu Yanming came over to write down Yan Li’s phone number.

In recent years, Hairun has taken "Haiyan Drama" as its core, and produced hits such as "Never Forget You", "What Can I Do to Save You, My Love", and "Jade Guanyin", supplemented by popular dramas such as "Criminal Investigation Team 6" and "The Sword of the Three Young Masters".

It has many dramas and they are all very popular, and it is extremely powerful, and it seems to be the leader in the field of TV dramas.

Hairun’s dramas will definitely have no worries about distribution, but whether they sell well or not is another matter.

For companies like Zhouyi and Tangren that lack publishing capabilities, Yan Li is a timely help.

For companies like Rong Xinda and Hairun that can issue shares on their own, Yan Li mainly adds icing on the cake.

Now, everyone is still in the wait-and-see stage, wanting to see whether Jiang Xueruo and Yan Li are just bragging or they really have the ability.

Once "Water Moon Cave" is really sold at a high price, I guess some companies will come to the door. If there are good news in succession, maybe Yan Li will be one of them at the next meeting...

(End of this chapter)