Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 543 Huanxing Pictures Officially Established
Liu Yimin stuffed the newspaper into the back of his seat. As for the American elderly imitating "The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry," Liu Yimin felt that it was not a lot. Where would so many fools come from?

Liu Yimin believes that the news was deliberately fabricated by the American media to attract readers' attention and increase sales. Some people wanted to gain attention, and the two sides hit it off.

As for the deaths, the media is more likely to fabricate causes. This tradition of the American media dates back to the rise of newspapers in the United States, creating bizarre events to boost sales.

After listening to Liu Yimin's analysis, Li Congren said, "Liu, you're right. The media is like flies. There may be a few isolated cases, but most are stirred up by the media."

They had originally planned to stay in a hotel, but unfortunately, they couldn't because they had a dog. Frank found a three-bedroom apartment, checked them in, and then took them to a Chinese restaurant for dinner.

"Liu, Huang, and Jiao, I wish you a successful trip. The film companies and theater chains you are working with are already busy announcing your upcoming arrival in the United States through the media. As soon as the roadshow schedule was announced, tickets for major cinemas were sold out."

After Frank finished speaking, Li Congren smiled and said, "I've simplified this story, and it's already been published in my magazine. It's called 'The Determination of Chinese Seniors.' When it was released, I gave away 500 movie tickets to readers through the magazine. Director Huang, you did a great job. On its opening day, it grossed $1.5 million. The media were still marveling that Chinese films were about to break into the American market."

“If Kou can go, so can I!” Liu Yimin said to Huang Zumo and the other two.

After dinner, everyone returned to the apartment. Liu Yimin hadn't been able to take care of Huang Zumo and the others these past few days, so Li Congren hired an employee to take the three of them sightseeing in San Francisco.

However, the three were clearly not in the mood, nervously preparing for the upcoming roadshow. Liu Yimin instructed Jiao Huang to talk more about the environment of Saihanba and the difficulties of filming when discussing the film's story, and Huang Zumo to talk more about universal human emotions.

After seeing Frank and Nikki off, the group returned to the apartment, and Liu Yimin led Li Congren into the room alone.

Li Congren took out a lawyer's advice and a contract from his bag.

"Liu, this is the advice and contract written by the most professional lawyer I found. They not only understand legal knowledge but also financial knowledge. They know how to avoid taxes in the United States and reduce your tax burden to the lowest possible level. They can reduce it to eight percent for you."

"Eight percent, huh? Okay, that's legitimate, right?"

The total amount of tax you need to pay will remain the same; you'll pay less in the US and a higher percentage in China. But it's much better to have your money back in China than to keep it in the US.

"Absolutely legitimate. They've thoroughly studied the trade agreement between the two parties; that's their profession. Many Hollywood companies use them as legal counsel. I've looked up Frank's background, and based on our time together these past few days, I think he's a good partner."

He has a good relationship with Stephen King, and you have a decent relationship with Stephen King. I believe that if he dared to use underhanded tactics, many screenwriters wouldn't dare to work with him.

After several years of experience, Li Congren has developed a very calm and objective view of business, with little personal emotion involved.

"Thank you!" Liu Yimin patted Li Congren on the shoulder.

Li Congren said, "Liu, you're too kind. We're good friends, a friendship that transcends national borders. You took good care of me in China, and now that I'm in America, I want to extend the same hospitality. Of course, you'll still need to pay the lawyer's fees."

"how much is it?"

"The consultation fee is $30,000. If you want to hire legal counsel long-term, you'll need another sum. I suggest not hiring long-term. For cases involving foreign parties, you can use Frank's legal counsel to save money. Of course, financial oversight is essential."

Liu Yimin carefully reviewed every clause in the contract. The general terms between Frank and Liu Yimin had already been finalized in China, and the details above were to prevent any loopholes.

The contract drafted by Li Congren on behalf of Liu Yimin has been discussed with Frank. It is ready to be signed once Liu Yimin agrees. The next steps will be the establishment of the company and the injection of capital.

They jointly invested a total of nine million US dollars, but the actual registered capital was only five million US dollars, which is also a clever way to avoid risks.

After reading the document, Liu Yimin put it on the table, thanked Li Congren again, and asked how his magazine was going.

When the topic turned to magazines, Li Congren became animated. He felt that many students in the United States did not like reading, but were particularly fascinated by these short stories. He had a thorough understanding of the psychology of readers in this age group.

What are the current sales figures?

"Each issue sells about 50,000 copies, and occasionally up to 70,000. The profit from readers is not much, but the profit from advertising is high. The readership is precise, children's products have high profit margins, and advertisers are willing to invest money. The net profit per month is about 20,000 US dollars."

The Paris Review would probably be drooling with envy at Li Congren's profits. The Paris Review claims to be purely literary, doesn't publish advertisements, and its profits from readers are quite limited.

"You have done a good thing for American children, allowing them to learn about the culture and history of various countries at a very young age."

Li Congren said with a smile, "I never thought that magazines would become my life's work. Liu, if I have the opportunity, I hope to promote the magazine throughout the United States."

"I believe you can do it."

Li Congren didn't go home that night. The two lay in bed chatting about their time at Yenching University. Li Congren kept in touch with many of the international students. Many of them had gone on to work at the consulate, though their positions were still quite low.

Liu Yimin was so tired that his consciousness began to fade after a short chat. Li Congren said, "Liu, aren't we what the Chinese call sleeping side by side, one of the highest levels of friendship?"

"Yes, Li, your Chinese is getting better and better."

………………

The next day, as soon as Frank woke up, he entered the apartment and saw Liu Yimin and Li Congren looking sleepy with their mouths agape.

"Frank, don't overthink it. We hadn't seen each other for a long time and had a long talk all night long."

Frank chuckled and said, "Liu, you've read the contract. What do you think?"

"Let's go, let's get ready to sign."

Liu Yimin left Huang Zumo and the others behind. They went outside to have breakfast first, and then went to the law firm where the two signed a cooperation agreement in the presence of a lawyer.

Li Congren introduced Liu Yimin to a financial auditing team. The annual fee was $50,000, and the team would audit the company's finances twice a year, in the spring and autumn. The audit reports would be given directly to Liu Yimin.

After the contract was signed, Liu Yimin had nothing else to do, so he went with Frank to handle the company registration procedures.

Regarding Frank's earlier question about whether the shareholder's name should be Liu Yimin's real name or another name, Liu Yimin thought about it and decided to use his own name directly.

The paperwork will take some time to complete. After the contract is signed, the company will be officially registered. To save costs, the company address will be located within Frank's company premises.

Frank's company is in Los Angeles, but it's quite a distance from Hollywood. In Frank's office, the three of them raise champagne to celebrate the official launch of 21st Century Universal Pictures.

Frank stood by the window, gazing at Hollywood not far away, his eyes filled with a desire to conquer: "Liu, our film journey begins here. I believe that the films we collaborate on will leave a glorious page in the history of world cinema, not just in Hollywood."

"Frank, congratulations on finding a good business partner," Li Congren said with a smile.

Frank gently clinked glasses with Li Congren: "I hope we can become good friends in the future."

“Come on, let’s celebrate this wonderful moment, Frank. The Redemption of a Slave is not the end of a glorious chapter, but the beginning of one.” Liu Yimin took a small sip; he really couldn’t get used to this stuff.

The company's first film project was "Green Book," which grossed over $100 million in the 1980s. Liu Yimin didn't think it was a difficult task.

Frank showed Liu Yimin the names of several investors and the selected actors, but Liu Yimin pushed the documents back without even looking at them: "Frank, I told you that you would handle the operations."

Li Congren continued, "There's a Chinese saying: 'If you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them.' It means that if you doubt someone, you won't work with them; once you work together, you won't doubt them anymore."

Frank said emotionally, "Liu, I will definitely make you a lot of money."

"We are together."

The company's founding was not a big event; a small dinner was held the following day, attended by Stephen King and several actors and investors who were familiar with Frank.

Stephen King smiled and congratulated Liu Yimin: "Liu, I hope you can bring us more excellent scripts in the future. I really admire you; your film box office performance is something I've never achieved. Frank is a great director!"

"Stephen, it's a pleasure to see you again. I'd like to invite you to China sometime." Stephen took a sip of red wine. Frank walked over and introduced the investors to Liu Yimin.

They stared intently at Liu Yimin, their eyes devoid of admiration, filled only with naked greed for money; they longed to make a fortune through Liu Yimin's scripts.

"Gentlemen, I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration!" Liu Yimin raised his glass in celebration.

“Liu, we’re willing to invest in any of your scripts,” said Cohen, a representative from Fox Film Corporation. Cohen, dressed in a white fitted suit, with blond hair and blue eyes, had a sly glint in his eyes amidst his enthusiasm.

"Thank you!"

Fox Film representative Cohen asked Liu Yimin in a low voice for his prediction of Green Book's box office performance. Liu Yimin smiled without saying a word, only saying that it would definitely make money.

“Cohen, let’s not talk about money when it comes to culture, it’s too vulgar!” Liu Yimin elegantly raised his wine glass.

Stephen King laughed and said, "Cohen, you guys are always talking about interests."

"Stephen, Liu, there's nothing I can do. I'd love to have a proper discussion about art, but unfortunately, I have to be responsible for the company's profits," Cohen said regretfully.

They're all seasoned foxes; just take their polite words with a grain of salt.

This is a movie that's bound to make a profit, and Frank was much more assertive than usual when it came to securing investment.

After the dinner, Frank escorted Li Congren and Liu Yimin to their hotel in Los Angeles. Upon arrival, Liu Yimin first called the agent for the collaboration with China Film Group, informing them that they could release information about the "Hachiko" team's arrival in the United States.

The next day, the newspapers reported that Liu Yimin and his entourage had arrived in the United States. On the first day of the roadshow, they would watch the performance with environmental groups to thank them for their efforts in raising funds for tree planting in China.

Liu Yimin and Li Congren rushed back to San Francisco with the newspaper. After meeting with Huang Zumo and others, they gave an interview to the media.

These media outlets paid close attention to "Old Eight" that they brought, making Jiao Huang pose for several photos with the dog.

Jiao Huang squatted down and warmly embraced the dog, and these scenes were all recorded by video and camera.

One of the media outlets was Time magazine. The agent had already made arrangements with them, and the cover of the next issue would feature a photo of Jiao Huang and his dog.

Facing the media, Jiao Huang spoke at length about the hardships of filming and the heartwarming moments he shared with his dog.

After the news broadcast, Jiao Huang's appearance and the dog became the focus of media attention. Liu Yimin specifically instructed the agents to use the media to portray the 'dog' as an anthropomorphic character, so that Americans could feel the vitality of the 'dog'.

With deliberate manipulation by the media, many Americans, including pet lovers, began to pay attention to this dog.

Liu Yimin turned off the TV and said to Huang Zumo, "If we can elevate this dog's status to the same level as a panda, we won't have to worry about the box office at all."

“Americans actually believe that!” Huang Zumo said.

Liu Yimin pointed to his head: "The media may not be able to manipulate people's actions, but through intensive reporting, it can determine what people think and how they think."

Jiao Huang said with a smile, "Now I've become a celebrity in America."

"Comrade Jiao, be bold! Becoming an internationally renowned actor is not a problem for you, and entering Hollywood is not a dream."

"Hollywood? I can just focus on acting well in the country," Jiao Huang laughed.

That evening, the agent picked them up and took them to a movie theater in San Francisco. Some of the people in the theater were old friends. Joseph from the environmental team warmly hugged Liu Yimin and then affectionately kissed the dog that Jiao Huang was leading.

"Joseph, you've worked hard."

“Liu, it’s not hard work. Actually, we saw it as soon as it was released in the US. We were deeply moved. Jiao, the character you played was so charming,” Joseph said sincerely.

Jiao Huang expressed his gratitude, and everyone took their seats to watch the film. Liu Yimin watched very attentively. The American translation was very standard, with a pure accent. Apart from the lip-syncing not matching being a bit distracting, there were no other problems.

After the performance, the four people and one dog went on stage to introduce themselves and answer questions from the audience and reporters.

The first question the audience asked was about China's achievements in afforestation. The four were prepared, and the agent's staff handed them a panel with photos, before-and-after pictures of Saihanba, and a sign for "International Forest".

When environmental groups saw the sign that read "International Forest," they jumped up and applauded excitedly.

"Please don't applaud for us, please applaud yourselves. This is not our achievement, it is your achievement. Your names are etched in the forest, your names are etched in the world's environmental progress. You are amazing, really, I am proud of you."

Every penny of the funds you provide will be used effectively—remember, not a single penny will be wasted; every penny will become part of the forest; every penny will become the oxygen we breathe; you have created a forest, and in the future, you will benefit the whole world.

"I am so proud of you, and all Americans should be proud of you too," Liu Yimin said passionately.

Huang Zumo looked at Liu Yimin in surprise, and when he took the microphone, he seemed like a completely different person.

Liu Yimin constantly used various speaking techniques to stimulate their emotions, which was more effective in the confined space.

After Liu Yimin finished speaking, Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang each answered the questions. Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang had rehearsed beforehand, so they answered with ease.

Afterwards, many members of environmental groups lined up to take photos with them or the dogs, and the media they had invited documented the entire event.

Americans queuing for photos tripped over something, and the media snapped a picture, already planning tomorrow's headline: "American spectators rush to take photos with 'Little Eight,' resulting in a stampede."

On the way back to their hotel, the agent handed them a map that clearly marked the cinemas where they would be doing their roadshow, covering most of the United States.

"Liu, today is a good start. There are many environmental groups in the United States right now, and I believe they are our potential audience. We will invest $500,000 in media promotion over the next ten days. 'Little Eight' is becoming more and more popular with American audiences these days."

Liu Yimin said to Jim, the agent representative, "If you feel that the advertising costs are too high, you can share the advertising materials with the European agents to split the costs."

“Liu, thank you. We have connections in Europe, and the coverage and impact in the US will quickly reach Europe. The film can be promoted in the US; Europe is just a bunch of lackeys,” Jim said smugly.

"Jim, you guys have quite the nerve!"

Jim said, “Liu, Europe is not the same Europe it used to be. My great-grandfather came down from the Mayflower, and I am a descendant of the first generation of Americans.”

"You were originally British?"

"No, my great-grandfather was an American from the moment he boarded the Mayflower."

Liu Yimin did not discuss the issue with Jim any further. Jim would probably become a representative of older white men in America in a few decades.

Back at the apartment, Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang were excited. Liu Yimin told them to get some sleep, as they were going to be busy in the days to come.

Jiao Huang thumped his chest: "Don't worry, Comrade Yimin, I'm in good health. Even if the roadshow is extended for another half month, I can still handle it."

Liu Yimin nodded to Huang Zumo and Jiao Huang, pursed his lips, turned around, and went back to his room.

The more arrogant you are now, the more painful the slap in the face will be later.

Liu Yimin didn't believe that Jiao Huang could hold on longer than him, given the physical difference between the two of them, which was twenty or thirty years.

The following day, the group embarked on an intense roadshow, with their first stop being a movie theater near Hollywood in Los Angeles. Almost everyone involved had some connection to Hollywood.

(End of this chapter)