Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 445 The Potential of 3D? Shanda Literature
The atmosphere was somber in the conference room on the seventh floor of the Universal Studios building in Los Angeles.

The air conditioning, kept at a constant temperature, blew a cool breeze, and the floor-to-ceiling windows framed the distant Hollywood Hills in the background, yet no one at the conference table was distracted by the view.

Two long tables were piled up so thickly with data reports that they were impossible to breathe.

Among them are the global box office trend and revenue sharing curve of "The Martian", as well as the proposal for "self-developed native 3D system" for "Interstellar".
Douglas, the vice president in charge of finance, held a multi-page draft budget in his hand, his expression extremely cautious and his brow furrowed.

"The customized system proposed by Wu," he said in a low voice, "is estimated to cost 20% more than originally planned."

The $180 million figure is based on the premise that the budget doesn't exceed the limit; the actual investment is very likely to approach $200 million. Currently, globally, we are only the second company to produce a 3D film with this level of investment.”

Then the others started discussing it.

Will global 3D box office projections break records?

"Unpredictable. Cameron's 'Avatar' hasn't even been released yet, and Fox has almost gone into seclusion these past few years."

"That's really bad luck!"

A few suppressed chuckles immediately rippled through the conference room.

Fox's predicament over the years is well known in the industry.

David Lyndon coughed briefly, and the laughter of the crowd below subsided slightly.

David Lyndon's appointment, made possible by the success of "The Martian," will see him succeed Mark Schmooger as the new co-chairman of Universal Pictures after October of this year.

Donna Langley, who was originally rumored to be getting a promotion, had her offer denied as a result.
David Lyndon slammed his fist on the table and said, "Look at the box office numbers for The Martian, and then discuss whether Interstellar is worth getting involved in?"

He received the good news of his appointment as soon as he returned, and now he has Wu Chen's "Interstellar" to his name. This can definitely be considered a double blessing.

The co-chairman is usually appointed every few years, and he certainly doesn't want to be the one replaced next.

It's worth noting that Mark Schmooger was dismissed because of the poor box office performance of films such as "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and the new version of "The Wolfman and Shirley Sterling".

Everyone looked at it.

The data for "The Martian" is actually well-known; it has now grossed nearly $600 million at the box office, making it Universal's most impressive achievement in recent years.

Because the production cost of this film was only $80 million.
"Investing in Wu Chen's 'Interstellar' is a safe bet, provided the film doesn't receive bad reviews and has the foundation of 'The Martian.' The chances of losing money are slim."

"agree!"

"The pressure to make a huge profit is immense, but as long as the box office revenue breaks even, the copyright/DVD revenue will be sufficient to generate long-term income."

"Don't forget, there's also the possibility of 3D. Although the potential is unknown, Cameron has a firm belief in Avatar, and Wu Chen has made the same choice. We have reason to believe that these directors have seen the potential of 3D films that we don't understand."

This viewpoint surprised everyone.

This is indeed a novel direction.

Previously, only Cameron was involved, which almost bankrupted Fox. They had to keep pushing forward, and now Wu Chen has also gotten involved in 3D films.

It's important to know that neither of them are simple directors.

David Lyndon was very satisfied with the outcome of the discussion.

On the south side of Beijing Capital International Airport, the early summer sun shines over the air traffic control tower at the end of the runway and falls on the smooth, mirror-like apron in front of the VIP terminal.

The air was thick with the smell of asphalt and aviation fuel, and occasionally a commercial airliner would roar past on the taxiway in the distance, leaving behind a blurry, trembling wave of heat.

Wu Chen stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the private jet terminal, wearing a simple gray linen shirt with the cuffs casually rolled up, looking relaxed yet not at all careless.

He glanced down at his phone screen at the text message on his phone—good news from David Lyndon: the project was progressing smoothly, and they were currently drafting various documents.
Wu Chen merely raised an eyebrow slightly, without lingering for long, before putting his phone back into his pocket.

A few steps away, a sleek, white business jet was quietly parked in front of the private hatch. Its smooth fuselage almost reflected the sunlight, and the tail was marked with the blue and silver "IDG PRIVATE" lettering.

His gaze fell on the plane, and he chuckled, teasingly remarking, "Mr. Xiong, you really know how to enjoy yourself. What kind of plane is this?"

Xiong Xiaoge happened to step forward and, upon hearing this, cheerfully introduced: "Dassault Falcon 2000EX, made in France, with long range, high speed, and good stability."

He said in a light tone, "It's not my personal jet, it's a business jet under IDG. We hardworking investors aren't here for leisure; sometimes we're flying around all week, not like what Director Wu is thinking."

"Hahaha."

Wu Chen chuckled softly, then walked up the gangway and stepped into the cabin.

The cabin interior is understated yet sophisticated, with light beige leather seats arranged in a row along the cabin wall, and a small conference table in the middle, along with foldable speakers and retractable monitors.

The carpet is thick, and the seats have walnut armrests. The overall design is not as extravagant as that of the most luxurious private rooms, but it shows wealth and practicality in the details.

"Director Wu, you could also get one. If you're interested in buying one, I have someone I can recommend."

While introducing the product, Xiong Xiaoge also took the opportunity to promote it.

Sure enough, the relationship between these investors was as tangled as lotus root threads.
The two were going to Shanghai mainly for Shanda Literature, and Xiong Xiaoge also wanted to take this opportunity to talk to Chen Tianqiao about games.
Wu Chen casually found a sofa by the window and sat down: "By the way, Mr. Xiong, there's some progress on the film investment."

"Oh? Whose?" Xiong Xiaoge's eyes lit up immediately, and she leaned forward slightly.

"It's directed by Zhang Yimou, but we haven't secured the filming rights yet. Once we do, I'll take Boss Xiong to put in a good word." "That would be great, thank you so much, Director Wu."

Xiong Xiaoge laughed heartily.

Zhang Yimou's film is definitely a top-tier resource in the industry, proving that Wu Chen truly took his matter to heart.

Three hours later, Wu Chen and Xiong Xiaoge arrived at the Shanda headquarters in Zhangjiang High-Tech Park.

In the chairman's office on the top floor, the light was soft and the aroma of tea filled the air.

Wearing a dark gray shirt, Chen Tianqiao personally got up to make tea for the two of them. After gently handing them the porcelain white teacups with gold trim, he smiled restrainedly and gestured for them to join in.

"Mr. Wu, Mr. Xiong." He nodded slightly.

After accepting the tea and exchanging a few pleasantries, Xiong Xiaoge took her leave, saying, "You two can discuss the details. I'll go downstairs to check on the new game projects in the park."

Wu Chen got up to see her off, and Xiong Xiaoge patted his arm, smiled, and walked out of the office, the door slowly closing behind her.

The room fell silent, with only the warm yellow tea steaming gently under the lamp.

Chen Tianqiao picked up his teacup, took a sip, and spoke first:
"Mr. Wu, Shanda Literature needs a strategic-level partner. You come from a content background, so you should be very clear about its value. Shanda Literature is a treasure trove."

Chen Tianqiao has a square face and a wide jaw, which gives him a stubborn appearance.

Although Chen Tianqiao looked to be in his prime, his complexion was rather poor.

Wu Chen could clearly sense that Chen Tianqiao's voice sounded a bit weak.

What does Starry Night Pictures need to give up?

"Mr. Xiong should have told you something already. I hope to turn Shanda into China's Disney."

"Adapting an IP into a film or television series?" Wu Chen smiled.

If he remembers correctly, Shanda Literature still needs financial support from Shanda, and is barely hovering between losses and profits.

Shanda is eager to deliver on these promises.

“Yes.” Chen Tianqiao nodded without hesitation. “Within five years, we hope to develop at least one film and one television series based on novels from Shanda Literature, in collaboration with Xingchen Pictures.”

Wu Chen placed the teacup back on the tray, his expression turning serious.

“Yes,” he said, “but there are two conditions: first, we must select the IP to be adapted; second, I hope Mr. Chen can provide support regarding the copyright, as Xingchen has the right of first refusal.”

Chen Tianqiao nodded slowly; this was all within his expectations.

After a moment, Wu Chen continued:
"One more thing, since it's a strategic partnership, I would prefer that Starry Night Pictures invest in Shanda Literature."

These words immediately created an invisible tension in the office.

Chen Tianqiao didn't respond immediately. He lowered his head, picked up the teacup lid, and gently skimmed off the foam, as if buying himself some time to think. After two seconds, he asked:
What percentage do you want?

Actually, he had already guessed that Wu Chen would bring up the matter of investing.

Since a strategic partnership is necessary, everyone must be a community of shared interests, a point he agrees with. Moreover, only then would Wu Chen be willing to put in the effort.

Five years later, Shanda Literature is likely in the process of going public.

Adapting IP into film and television can help increase overall valuation.

However, he did not want the other party to buy too many shares.

"20%!"

Chen Tianqiao frowned, his expression remained largely unchanged, but his eyes clearly darkened.

“Mr. Wu, this is unrealistic.” His tone was blunt. “A 20% stake is enough to affect the shareholding structure. I cannot accept such a demand.”

"How much is Mr. Chen willing to offer?"

Chen Tianqiao did not respond, but gently turned the teacup around, and after a moment looked up and calmly said, "5%."

"That's far too little!" Wu Chen raised an eyebrow. "President Chen, Xingchen Pictures has plenty of money!"

"This isn't about whether we're short of money or not. You and I both understand the future potential of this asset's value. 8% is already the limit!"

Chen Tianqiao made a firm decision regarding the railway project, and whether it exceeded this number was no longer negotiable.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Wu Chen remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded slightly.

He knew that the possibility of acquiring more shares in Shanda Literature was very low at the moment; he could only reserve a spot first. The number of shares was not of much importance to Xingchen Pictures at the moment.

Chen Tianqiao breathed a sigh of relief. Selling 8% of the shares would provide some funding, align the interests of both parties, and help Shanda Literature move towards film and television IP development—it was a good deal.
(End of this chapter)