Chinese Entertainment Intelligence King

Chapter 314 Chick flick, Sister Yi'an, acquiring Sina?
In late April, after finishing filming "Rouge Snow" and various advertising appearances, Fan Xiaopang returned to Beijing.

Last year, I filmed a number of movies and TV series, including "The Legend of the Gods 2", "Red Cliff", "Peach Blossom Luck", "Painted Skin", and "Rouge Snow", while also having to work on many other projects.

Aside from a short break during the Spring Festival, Fan Xiaopang has hardly had any rest.

With so many films and TV series waiting to be released, and "The Message" coming up, Fan Xiaopang wasn't in a hurry and took a break.

With Fan Xiaopang taking a break, half of Yi'an breathed a sigh of relief.

Too curly!
Yan Li was also involved in corruption, but not only at Yi'an. He often went to other companies, and since he was in the decision-making level, most employees did not have a direct sense of his corruption.

Fan Xiaopang is different. He has always stayed in Yi'an, and his work is all in the open, which creates a strong sense of pressure.

There's no way around it; with the company's top female employee and practically the boss's wife working so hard, how could you possibly dare to slack off?
Wang Ou, the second sister, hasn't taken on many acting roles lately, but she's been constantly getting advertising gigs. It's because of this pressure that she has to make money for the company.

That said, it is precisely because Fan Xiaopang is so energetic and makes huge contributions to the company that the artist management department, film and television department, advertising department, and some distribution businesses have all benefited from her influence to some extent, so her prestige in the company is not low.

Upon returning to the capital, Fan Xiaopang acted like an empress returning to the palace, making a strong impression on Yi'an.

Yang Mi, on whom Qin Lan and Dong Xuan had placed high hopes, didn't dare utter a word. Wang Ou, before Fan Xiaopang even returned, had already taken on a role and fled.

"That's it?"

In his office, Fan Xiaopang shrugged at Yang Tianzhen, speechless.

Before returning to Beijing, Yang Tianzhen was still making all sorts of plans, which even made her a little nervous, but in the end, everything was completely thwarted.

Yang Tianzhen was somewhat embarrassed; she had underestimated Fan Xiaopang's strength and status in Yi'an.

Yi'an was founded by Yan Li, and its prestige was unparalleled, which goes without saying.

Although Fan Xiaopang officially joined the company in the second half of 2005, he had already started working with Yi An much earlier.

The two years of her rise to prominence were also the period of Yi An's rapid rise. They were intertwined, and with the help of fame, not only outsiders but also insiders believed that Yi An was a "husband-and-wife business".

Yan Li stayed behind, making decisions, directing operations, and mobilizing resources, while Fan Xiaopang charged into battle, vying for fame and fortune.

That's why, even though Wang Ou was forming cliques, Yan Li paid more and more attention to her and always avoided Fan Xiaopang.

As for Yang Mi, although she has the support of Chairman Qin, it is only some support, and the two of them have relatively limited influence within the company. Moreover, Yang Mi is just starting out.

"Sister, I didn't expect you to be so capable. However, even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit, so it's better to be careful than not."

Yang Tianzhen flattered him, then shared her thoughts: Fan Xiaopang may be assertive, but he shouldn't underestimate others.

It is not uncommon throughout history for great figures to die at the hands of unknown individuals.

Upon hearing this, Fan Xiaopang also dropped her arrogant demeanor; she was arrogant, not stupid.

Besides, she wasn't unaware of who was behind Chairman Qin.

It was strong enough to succeed, and it was strong enough to fail!
Stopping thinking about those troubling things, Fan Xiaopang asked, "How's the studio doing?"

"The company's idea is that the studio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company. In the future, projects led by you will be invested and distributed in the name of the studio. Your film remuneration, advertising, endorsement and other income will also be sent to the studio. Then the company and the studio will share the profits according to the contract."

As mentioned earlier, Yi An's studio model can be roughly divided into three types: affiliation, joint venture, and wholly owned.

Both Ning Hao and Fan Xiaopang previously collaborated under a wholly-owned subsidiary model.

It's like leading your own team, working on projects, and sharing profits with the company.

These wholly-owned studios may not seem to earn as much as joint venture studios, but they are Yi An's favored children, so they actually receive more resources and support.

At the same time, when Yi'an goes public in the future, those who have contributed to the company's success by having wholly-owned studios and being deeply tied to Yi'an will be able to subscribe to a larger number of original shares.

Indeed, as the buzz surrounding Huayi Brothers' IPO grows louder, other companies like Orange Sky and Hairun are also making various pronouncements.

It's no secret that Yi'an is considering going public. Regardless of the circumstances, they need to at least make a public statement to reassure people.

No matter how great Yan Li's prestige was, it couldn't compare to the real money in the stock market and the allure of becoming a shareholder "boss".

It's well known that the entertainment industry is incredibly uncertain, and many intelligent people suffer from a profound sense of insecurity. They yearn for a kind of capital—even a pseudo-capital—that can help them escape their predicaments, if not something that grants them influence.

Right now, it's just a pie in the sky with the promise of going public. Many artists are confused and are in a wait-and-see or curious stage.

If companies like Huayi Brothers go public, some people will genuinely benefit, and the success of listed companies will attract major capital to enter the market, vying for these influential stars to complete capital operations.

Even if Yi'an manages to retain people by then, the price she pays will be enormous.

This is a major upheaval for the entertainment industry. If Yi An fails to keep up or limits herself to going against the trend, she may fall behind.

Yan Li is a businessman who pursues maximum profit. If others can profit from others, he naturally wants to do the same.

Although it is no longer a one-man show, as long as Yi'an controls the company and most of the shares, she will still be surnamed Yan.

Yan Li only confided these ideas to some high-level executives; only a handful of artists knew about them, and Fan Xiaopang, due to his status and position, had a clearer understanding of them.

That's why she overcame all opposition and made the soon-to-be-established "Fan Bingbing Studio" a wholly-owned studio.

She has no intention of starting her own business, so why make it two separate entities? She should give the company a boost and get a larger share in the future.

After chatting for a bit about the studio's arrangements, Fan Xiaopang got up and stretched.

"I won't be coming over for the next few days. You can take turns on duty. Let me know if anything comes up, and otherwise you can have a day off."

Fan Xiaopang got into trouble, and her team got into trouble too, especially her new agent Yang Tianzhen, who didn't even go home for the Chinese New Year, which made Fan Xiaopang feel a little embarrassed.

I'm taking this vacation so that those around me can also get some rest.

Yang Tianzhen nodded, but still said, "The copyright for the novel that President Yan mentioned before has been secured, and the script is being written. I'll take a vacation after I finish this."

Fan Xiaopang wanted to offer some advice, but he opened his mouth and then remained silent.

Once Fan Bingbing's studio is established, Yang Tianzhen will not only be her agent but also the head of the studio, and her job title and benefits will be promoted.

She hadn't been with Fan Xiaopang for very long, and although she was capable and trusted by him, she still needed to achieve something to prove herself.

"How's that script?"

Instead of offering much advice, Fan Xiaopang asked about the script, which to some extent affirmed his support for Yang Tianzhen's work.

The latter smiled on his chubby face: "I can't really say how good it is, but the manuscript was personally approved by President Yan. Moreover, as far as we know, Miss Xu also wanted this manuscript. She knows the author, and we snatched it from the publisher."

Yan Li personally named her and even snatched Xu Cai Nu away!

Fan Xiaopang suddenly became interested and decided to go back and take a look at the novel, which seemed to be called something like "Du Lala's Promotion Diary".

As for the scripts, the current plan is one TV series and one movie, which is a popular approach in the industry.

"Painted Skin" is about to be adapted into a TV series, and "The Message" may also be considered for a TV series in the future.

Even the previous film "Assembly" would have been made into a TV series if it hadn't gone wrong.

"The Warlords" has been relatively quiet, likely due to its sensitive subject matter and large budget.

Big-name movie stars rake in the box office, TV dramas promote newcomers, and then the IP is sold to TV stations, making money twice from one IP.

perfect!

Putting the TV series aside for now, the film version is currently leaning towards casting Fan Xiaopang, but nothing has been decided yet.

Well, "Du Lala's Promotion Diary" is a female-led drama, and Fan Xiaopang is the only female star in Yi An who can independently support a film project.

Li Bingbing has a good relationship with Yi An, but she is not from Yi An. Fan Xiaopang was involved in both "Painted Skin" and "The Message", so she could be brought in.

But if there's only one female lead, it wouldn't make sense to give her to Li Bingbing instead of Fan Xiaopang.

If Li Bingbing is like this, then others are even more so.

The reason it's still pending is because the female lead in "Du Lala's Promotion Diary" is a white-collar worker with above-average looks, while Fan Xiaopang is too beautiful, which creates some character conflicts.

These kinds of chick flicks are actually best suited for actresses like Xu Cainu, who have an attractive and sophisticated look.

The actors aren't ugly, so the viewing experience is guaranteed.

The fact that the actors are not beautiful enhances the audience's sense of immersion.

Of course, there are also chick flicks with beautiful, glamorous protagonists, and "Go Lala Go!" isn't immune to character changes.

No matter how unsuitable a film is, it cannot outweigh Yi An's own interests.

At the same time, "Go Lala Go!" was also an experiment. Films with actresses as the absolute core are rare, especially commercial films; chick flicks are a significant subgenre.

According to Yi An, the new movie starring Zhou Xun and Tsui Hark has a bit of a chick flick feel to it.

Zhang Ziyi even wants to launch her own chick flick project and has already started soliciting investors. Xu Cainu also had this in mind when she snatched the role in "Go Lala Go!"

Clearly, at the level of "Four Dan and Two Bing" (referring to four top actresses and two top male actors), they have realized the cruelty of the film market and have begun to explore the new blue ocean of chick flicks.

Even those who organize projects, like Zhou and Xu, are starting to consider working behind the scenes or leveraging their own resources to gain greater benefits.

Xiao Yanzi went even further, taking the entrance exam for the Beijing Film Academy's directing department and building business connections, with her older brother and boyfriend both starting their own companies.

It can be said that among the four actresses and two actors, only Zhou and Li are still honestly and diligently focusing on developing their acting careers.

Although Fan Xiaopang is still primarily an actress, she has begun to lead and participate in projects. If "Du Lala's Promotion" is confirmed to be a project and she stars in it, she will most likely be considered as a producer as well.

Thinking about it that way, she might still be able to run into Zhang or Xu.

...

Fan Xiaopang was about to leave, but Yang Tianzhen kept him there for a long time to talk about the follow-up plans. Then she treated him and several key members of the team to dinner before he was finally able to leave.

After leaving the company, Fan Xiaopang drove to Xinghewan.

After such a long period of renovation and ventilation, Fan Xiaopang has finally settled on his new home in Xinghewan, which he purchased at great expense.

Actually, it would be better to ventilate the house further or make some minor adjustments, but Fan Xiaopang couldn't resist any longer. Taking advantage of this holiday break, although he hasn't officially moved in yet, he has already started moving in.

The entire house is about 450 square meters, a two-story duplex, and cost nearly 2000 million yuan in total.

This isn't the best or most expensive house Fan Xiaopang has ever lived in, but it is indeed his own house.

She even posted pictures on Weibo to flaunt her wealth, satisfying her own vanity while also provoking certain people.

As far as Fan Xiaopang knew, Qin and Dong's houses were nothing compared to hers.

However, it's hard to say whether it will actually provoke her. Fan Xiaopang suspects that the scoundrel must have laid the groundwork beforehand, since she can certainly afford it in terms of her personal income.

Back home, in a good mood, Fan Xiaopang wandered around for a bit before settling into the sofa, wondering whether he should throw a housewarming party.

I kept thinking about this until Yan Li came back in the evening and I discussed it with him.

As soon as Fan Xiaopang went on vacation, he immediately went into monopoly mode. Apart from Dong Qin, who could still get a share, everyone else was practically starved.

Yan Li is alright. Fan Xiaopang has worked hard and made great contributions, and we don't see each other often, so he should spend more time with him. Besides, apart from the fact that he has fewer options and sometimes has to be more tolerant, he is quite willing to stay with Fan Xiaopang.

No matter how domineering Fan Xiaopang is, he can't control Yan Li.

The so-called monopoly is nothing more than someone's lust for beauty. What's formidable is not Fan Xiaopang's temper, but her charm.

To reiterate, in terms of personal aesthetics and certain aspects, Fan Xiaopang is the one he likes the most.

Qin Dong's alliance is backed by Yan Li, but Fan Xiaopang's rise to where he is today, with all the advantages, is also inseparable from Yan Li's indulgence and favoritism.

This is why Fan Xiaopang, though dissatisfied, did not openly express his reasons for the difficulty in causing trouble. If it were really necessary to discuss who Yan Li favored the most, it would be a very complicated matter.

"Housewarming party? Can you invite anyone?"

Yan Li was somewhat surprised. Fan Xiaopang couldn't hold back and said angrily, "You really think of me as a great demon that everyone avoids?"

Although Fan Xiaopang doesn't have many close friends, he's quite popular.

Despite her fierce battles with the four Dan Shuangbing, she also doesn't get along with Yan Li's group of women. This is because they have conflicting interests. Fan Xiaopang is strong-willed and has a bad temper, so of course, they end up having unpleasant encounters.

However, if there is no direct conflict of interest with Fan Xiaopang and no other ulterior motives, Fan Xiaopang is actually the kind of person who is easy to get along with.

For example, most of the artists associated with Yi An, except for special cases like Wang Ou and Yang Mi, got along well with her.

There's even a joke within Yi'an that says Deng Chao, the number one brother, and the number one sister are too unbalanced, and Fan Xiaopang should call Yi'an the big sister.

Although this joke is a bit tricky, it also shows that Fan Xiaopang is the undisputed leader of the Yi An group of artists.

Therefore, even if Fan Xiaopang invites Yi An, an artist, to his home for dinner, along with a few company executives, it would be enough for two tables.

"Why don't you just book a hotel and have a banquet for a few days?"

Yan Li wasn't very interested in a housewarming party: "If you want to invite people, just invite a few close friends to come over, have a good time, and get acquainted with the place."

This apartment in Xinghewan is nice; I'll be living here for at least a few years. It's best not to let too many people know my home address, as that's a matter of privacy.

Fan Xiaopang hesitated for a moment, but was persuaded by Yan Li and started counting on his fingers who to invite.

Yang Tianzhen is one, Li Lin is one, Sun Li and her husband should be invited, and Yang Xue... well, let's give her some face too...

Yan Li looked at the list Fan Xiaopang had drawn up: "Yan Xin, Jia Chuan, and Yi Wei are also invited?"

Fan Xiaopang replied matter-of-factly, "Your own cousin, and these are your good brothers, all from the same company. Aren't you going to invite them to your new house?"

We should invite them, but the problem is that these guys have already attended several housewarming banquets.

Yan Li was speechless. Oh well, he'd just give bigger red envelopes when a few of them got married later.

The brothers have it tough, and their wives have taken care of them and helped them get along well. They always count on them when something happens, and they even give them gifts during holidays. Even the younger wives like Wang Ou sometimes show their appreciation.

That sounds good, but we can't just count the income without considering the expenditure.

For example, at housewarming parties or birthday parties, your sister-in-law usually takes such good care of you, how could you possibly shirk your duties?
If this sister-in-law gives it, can that sister-in-law not give it? What if they can't reconcile the accounts and things get messy?

So, while some people received a lot, they also gave a lot away, essentially robbing Peter to pay Paul. The amount they actually kept was limited, and sometimes they even had to give away some of it.

Spending a little money is fine; after following Yan Li for so long, everyone has benefited a lot, so it's only right to show some respect.

The key issue is that the waters behind them are too deep, and everyone is afraid of drowning. They are all living in fear and exhaustion.

Ironically, the more this happened, the more these women seemed to enjoy tormenting them. Perhaps they wanted to prove that they were the rightful wives, or maybe they were just venting their anger.

If Yan Li can't handle him, surely he can handle you bunch of cronies?!

Outsiders envy Lin Jiachuan, Zhou Yiwei, and the others for their good fortune, but in reality, every family has its own troubles, and only they know their own suffering.

Yan Li didn't think too much about his brothers. Seeing that Fan Xiaopang was still planning to treat everyone, he picked him up and carried him upstairs.

The new house is deserted; he needs to hurry and test the bed and the heating...

...

Fan Xiaopang's vacation was disrupted in mid-May when he began participating in some charity performances to raise funds for relief efforts.

Yan Li was also busy, contributing money and effort. With the experience gained from the last ice and snow event, his performance on Weibo this time was even better, providing a lot of assistance.

This not only gave Weibo and Yan Li a golden aura, but also caused Weibo's user base to skyrocket.

At the beginning of the year, when the situation was very promising, Weibo's annual goal was 5000 million registered users.

Now, thanks to the lingering effects of advertising, the development of various Weibo activities, and this special period, Weibo users are experiencing explosive growth.

At this rate, Weibo could surpass 3000 million followers before summer vacation, although the exact timing and number are hard to predict.

However, less than half a year has passed, and there is the Beijing Olympics during the summer vacation, plus the regular development of Weibo, as well as popular activities such as Weibo male god.

The annual target of 5000 million users may be a bit conservative.

Internet companies planning microblogging are now worried; microblogging is developing too rapidly.

Without a head office and traffic interface, one wave after another, if they keep playing this game, they won't be able to catch up.

Sina is the most anxious of them all!

Besides its original portal website, Sohu is now developing Sohu Video, and NetEase is also supported by games. For them, even if they lose this microblogging battle, they can accept it.

But Sina is different; besides its portal website, its most notable feature is its blog.

If blogs are replaced and they lose the microblogging battle, Sina's future is predictable; it might even be swallowed up by another company.

This isn't alarmist; at the very least, if Yan Lizhen really succeeds with Weibo and Sina continues its decline, he might consider acquiring Sina.com as a traffic and information portal…

(End of this chapter)