Business Closed Loop: Starting with Ringback Tones to Take Down Giants

2006 10 Month 20 Day.

"Wang Song!! Give me more money!!"

The fairy-named pavilion was completely awakened by Wu Yue's exclamation.

"Add more, add more! The money sitting in the account is all reserved for your technology; if it's not enough, I'll take out a loan!"

Wang Song patted his chest and guaranteed it.

"Great!" Wu Yue slapped the three sheets of paper on the table.

"These are the three I met on the forum before. I need Vice President Jiang to contact them as soon as possible so they can start working here sooner."

Wang Song took it, saying, "I trust you to handle things. Confess."

Wu Yue was stunned for a moment, and all the prepared words were swallowed back.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I added it?"

Wang Song thought for a moment, "Submitting articles, reading, and voting—running three things at the same time will definitely keep you busy."

"There's also a registration channel exclusively for students of the Central Academy of Drama, event labels, and I've already set aside the funds."

Wu Yue was completely relieved. "That's all. Leave the technology to me."

On the first floor, in the IP group, Ma Xiaojun is already in battle mode.

"Hurry! Is the copywriting finished yet?"

In front of three computers, the interns' fingers flew across the keyboard.

There are four sets of scripts: Tianya, Tieba, Xici Hutong, and Rongshuxia.

The "Fairy Tale x Central Academy of Drama Writing Contest" cordially invites creators to serve as public judges.

The poster is Ma Xiaojun's Northern School Fourth Brother account.

"RT, the Central Academy of Drama and Xianming Original Content Platform are holding an essay contest open to all students of the Central Academy of Drama."

"Two hundred winners, a prize of 50,000 yuan, and the top three will have the opportunity to be adapted into a film or television series."

"But we won't talk about that today. As the title suggests, the official judges are teachers from the Department of Dramatic Literature at the Central Academy of Drama."

"But there is still 40% weighting from reader votes."

"Therefore, we invited the creators of the forum to serve as the public judges."

"Without moderator approval, without senior moderators overseeing the process, there's no question that your post hasn't been featured yet."

"After you finish reading it, if you think it's good, then submit it."

"See you in seven days on the Xianming Original Content Platform."

Link attached.

"Team Leader Ma, it's done!" The three new recruits looked up.

"Okay," Ma Xiaojun immediately approved.

He took the lead, carrying the offline essay contest flyers printed yesterday: "There's still offline promotion, IP team, come with me."

The Xianming IP team can be found evenly distributed around the cafeteria, teaching buildings, library, and dormitory buildings.

Each person had a display stand and a stack of flyers.

The registration window for the "Central Academy of Drama x Xianming Culture Original Story Writing Competition" will open tomorrow.

"Two hundred people to share a prize of 50,000? The top three will win a film or television adaptation?"

"Excuse me, what does this film and television adaptation mean?" the girl asked, holding up a flyer.

"It can be filmed and shown on TV or in theaters, depending on the tone of the work," Liu Jianjun replied earnestly.

"Really?" the girl asked doubtfully.

"How could a joint project between the school and our Xianming School be fake?"

Liu Jianjun mustered his courage and loudly explained each clause one by one.

"No specific major is required. As long as you have a good story and can type, you are welcome to apply."

"Tomorrow, the Xianming Original Platform will open a registration channel exclusively for students. Please bring your student ID and national ID card."

"Go to this address and we'll help you register. You only have three days to register."

"Registration is participation, and works will be voted on by drama department teachers and forum creators at the same time."

The boy held the flyer for "Immortal Name," his eyes fixed on the film and television adaptation.

"Are you planning to vote?"

The boy nodded. "Of course, I've been writing scripts for three years, and they're all sitting in a drawer. Who would see them?"

"There might be a chance to make it into a movie now, it would be foolish not to invest."

"But you wrote a stage play script, not a movie script."

The boy paused for a moment, then said, "Then let's change it. Let's change it into a movie script."

As they were talking, a girl came over.

"Excuse me, can you tell me what kind of event this is? I can't get in."

The boy handed over the flyer and repeated the rules he had just heard.

After hearing this, the girl frowned: "Submitting articles using student ID numbers? Wouldn't that mean the whole school would want to go?"

"Then our drama department has no advantage either."

The boy laughed and said, "I dare to apply to the directing department, why are you, a drama major, afraid of this?"

The pent-up creative enthusiasm on campus was completely ignited by this essay contest.

And at the other end of the school.

"It's settled then, the judging panel will consist of twelve people."

"The department of drama, production, directing, and acting each have three teachers, which is enough to cover all the professional fields."

The school office staff scanned the list and found that each list included a key professor from each department accompanied by two teachers.

This lineup is more than enough for any award.

The school office teacher looked up at Wang Song, who was sitting in the corner.

"Wang Song, how do you plan to handle the unofficial judging panel?"

Wang Song sat up straight: "We plan to invite forum creators to serve as public judges."

"Forum creator?" A middle-aged teacher next to me frowned.

"The skill levels of those people vary greatly; can their professionalism be guaranteed?"

Wang Song explained, "We don't require them to be professionals, we just require them to love reading stories."

The middle-aged teacher was taken aback.

Wang Song organized his thoughts, "The professors are looking at the literary merit, structure, and character development."

"Reader votes are based on whether the show is good or not, whether readers want to keep reading, and whether it has a market."

He looked at the teachers present: "The weights on both sides are different, so we will use this method..."

He paused for a moment: "We need to explore the balance between academic theory and market acceptance, so that it can be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful."

Everyone in the conference room nodded in agreement, their voices rising to a level three or four stories high.

The school office teacher smiled and said, "It's settled then. The Central Academy of Drama will post the announcement at 5 p.m. sharp."

He stood up, walked up to Wang Song, and extended his hand, saying, "The school takes this essay contest very seriously."

"This is the first time the Central Academy of Drama has explored the path of the Internet. If it is done well, students will have another path."

He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was clear.

Wang Song grasped his hand: "You won't mess it up."

The meeting ended.

"What's up? Why aren't you leaving yet? Didn't we just submit the venture capital proposal this morning? What's the rush?" Ding Ruru teased.

Wang Song shrugged.

"It's urgent! We can't just say it's a film adaptation without any proof; nobody will believe us."

"I'm planning to release it during the New Year's holiday season. How about I submit a report and you approve it?"

Ding Ruru frowned. "New Year's Eve release? You want to compete with director Zhang Yimou?"

Wang Song waved his hand, "He does his thing, I do mine, there's no conflict."

Ding Ruru was silent for a moment, then said, "This is a special case, an indispensable step in exploring new paths, understand?"

Wang Song gave a thumbs up, "Teacher's insight is brilliant."

Five o'clock in the afternoon.

Ma Xiaojun looked at the four main forums filled with questions and doubts, and sneered.

Upon opening the official website of the Central Academy of Drama, a prominent red headline appeared:

"The Central Academy of Drama x Xianming Culture Original Story Writing Competition has officially launched."

"Exploring new paths for the integration of emerging internet and traditional film and television, opening up more possibilities for students."

A screenshot was sent, with the caption: "Please speak freely."

In less than an hour, the forum became incredibly lively.

"1L: This setup? Going to a film festival? Am I even qualified to comment on it?"

2L: So, this really isn't fake? A school has endorsed it?

"3L: Endorsement? This is clearly a collaboration. Even the Central Academy of Drama itself feels that the traditional approach is no longer viable."

"4L: Nonsense, it's not like the days when graduates were guaranteed job placement anymore. Students have to find their own way after graduation."

"The Central Academy of Drama has a model that provides students with more opportunities; it shows foresight."

"5L: Don't rush to brag. If it succeeds, it will be a new path; if it fails, it will just be an essay contest."

"6L: That's still better than the current Banyan Tree area, it used to be so much better."

"7L: It doesn't matter where you read a story, I'd like to see what art school students are like."

On the other side is the section on literature and art.

Another post was quietly pushed to the top.

"Only students from the Central Academy of Drama can submit essays for the 'Immortal Name' contest? What about someone like me who's already working?"

"RT, the event is verified with a Central Academy of Drama student ID, and registration means participation. So what about us? Are we just supposed to watch and vote?"

"1L: They've always been able to submit their stories to Story Club, but they haven't made any promises about film or television adaptations."

"There are no professional professors reviewing the content, so it's no different from other story forums."

"2L: New things are always good, just like under the banyan tree and on Tianya back then."

"Look at things now, Dangnian Mingyue has gone to blogging, and Rongshuxia is just as pathetic."

"3L: On a certain platform, as long as the article is long, no one will read it if the blog is not famous. I really don't know where to submit it now."

"4L: After feeling disgusted under the banyan tree, this is the fourth place. Hopefully, this time I can stay a little longer."

Inside the Immortal Name Pavilion.

Wang Song was giving his final pep talk.

"To everyone in the IP group, thank you for your hard work when the registration channel opens tomorrow."

"Instead of letting them overwhelm the servers, let's register them ourselves."

The IP team members nodded in agreement.

Jiang Yilei, who was standing to the side, saw this post full of literary flair and was somewhat unsure of what to do.

"Boss, how should I reply to this?"

Wang Song walked over and took a look.

"Just say this is the first pilot program for Xianming, it's safe and controllable, and there are teachers supervising it."

"Once it's successful, there will naturally be a second and third phase."

Jiang Yilei was taken aback: "Another empty promise?"

"What do you mean by 'drawing a pie in the sky'?"

Wang Song patted Jiang Yilei on the shoulder.

"Comrade Jiang, please don't speak recklessly. This is a necessary sacrifice in exploring the path."