NOVEL NEXT Chapter 64
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...
Not long after the three of them arrived in the private room at the restaurant, Chu Yi's female secretary brought three girls along. These girls were the part-time artists who were just training in the dance studio. It was clear that they had just taken a bath and changed clothes to come over.
Compared to the seasoned female secretary, the three girls were obviously a bit green, pushing and shoving each other and giggling lightly. But just by looking at their eyes, you could tell they were trying to mask their inner tension and unease.
While the female secretary was smiling and introducing the girls to him, the inexperienced Li Yan nodded awkwardly and whispered to Qiao Pan beside him. "Producer Qiao, why bring them here? Is this some kind of unwritten rule?"
Qiao Pan, who was watching the girls with either a smiling or lecherous gaze, snapped back to himself, chuckling knowingly in a low voice, "Brother Li, you're overthinking it. How could this be an unwritten rule? Everyone's gotta eat! It's just company colleagues having a meal together. I'm a partner, they're all colleagues and bosses; essentially, you're the only guest, so you're a partner too."
Being distracted by talking to Qiao Pan, Li Yan didn't catch the introductions. Now, under the female secretary's arrangements, they readjusted their seats, with a young girl sitting next to each of them. Li Yan hadn't caught her name earlier, so as she sat beside him, he didn't know how to greet her and just smiled awkwardly.
Even though Chu Yi wasn't a scoundrel, the girls he signed were meant to become artists, so naturally, he would choose some pretty ones. The girls they saw today were all above average in appearance, and the three who were called to accompany them for dinner were even prettier.
The two others were more familiar, likely having dined together before, so those two girls felt much more at ease. The girl sitting next to Li Yan seemed a bit more outgoing. Sensing that Li Yan hadn't remembered her name, she nervously and awkwardly introduced herself in a low voice to break the ice.
"Hello, Mr. Li, my name is Ling Wua, you can call me Xiaoling or Xiao Ai."
"Oh, why not call yourself Lin Wudi then?"
"Haha, that's my stage name, Ling as in cleverness."
Seeing them getting into conversation, Chu Yi and Qiao Pan quickly picked up the topic, while the female secretary urged for the dishes to be served. The girls, after a moment of awkwardness, began pouring tea and wine and chatting with them.
Now was the time to build relationships, and Chu Yi and Qiao Pan didn't discuss the project. Instead, they talked about fun stories, especially Qiao Pan. Though he might not have public fame, he was indeed a seasoned behind-the-scenes film producer and knew a lot about the film industry. His storytelling fascinated the three newcomer girls who aspired to enter the showbiz, and they listened eagerly, full of anticipation.
Li Yan found it all uninteresting, but since he was treated to dinner and had girls accompanying him, he naturally wouldn't spoil the mood. Besides, finding topics to avoid awkward silences was even more challenging for him.
...
After more than an hour, when everyone had their fill of food and drinks, Ling Wua and the other two girls excused themselves, saying they had classes in the afternoon. The female secretary took care of the bill and other matters before heading back to the company. The three of them were left in the room to relax and chat over tea.
Having eaten and enjoyed himself, Li Yan still had several proposals to send out and planned to say a few more words before leaving.
"Our opinions are written down there, of course, we're not as professional as you two, and this needs further study. If there's interest, we can contact each other again."
Hearing Li Yan suggesting to leave, Chu Yi quickly smiled and said, "Brother Li, no rush, some things we can have a verbal discussion first."
They could look for other investors, and investors might also invest in other projects. A powerful conglomerate like Paradise Group, though not an experienced professional in film investments, was highly favored by producers. This way, there would be less interference from the investor, and funds would be more readily available. So, they were determined to establish a good relationship this time.
Qiao Pan, seemingly sobered up, put away his lecherous smile and became a bit serious, "Brother Li, we got along at first sight, so I won't say anything insincere. Initially, I'd feel a bit troubled facing Miss Wen, but fortunately, it's you today, and men are easier to deal with, so I'll speak directly!"
Li Yan raised his hand slightly, "Thank you for your hospitality, just speak directly if there's anything."
"This project, I'm only taking the lead, including Chief Chu and other partners. Of course, if Paradise Group is willing to invest, we'd be very welcoming, and we believe you certainly have the capacity to fully fund it. But after all, it doesn't conform to risk avoidance; a large project, for one entity to take it on alone is dangerous…"
Li Yan nodded, understanding as well. Besides the main investor, it's best to hook major companies from distribution, media, and endpoint channels to co-invest and co-produce for smooth progression. If cinemas invest, they'll offer substantial scheduling; if media groups invest, they'll leverage media channels for advertising and promotion. Small companies' releases might not be acknowledged by cinemas; if China Film is involved, it's different…
"These days, cultural products, whether movies, TV shows, books, music, or games, success or trendsetting – quality matters, but it's just icing on the cake. The scale of promotion, distribution channels, terminal support... these are the decisive factors. Like couples planning to watch a movie, if the screenings are few, tickets are sold out, or there's a long wait, would they leave? Usually, they'll choose from what's available, something they've heard of.
This is the box office revenue contributed by consumers, indirectly manipulated by promotion, distribution channels, and cinema scheduling. That's why many notoriously bad films can be box office hits; TV shows even more so, as producers only need to satisfy major TV stations' buyers..."
Li Yan interrupted him, "If it's successful, our group might establish a film company in the future to formally enter the industry, but for now, we're just dipping our toes, and it's mainly up to Miss Wen and me to decide. So, at this stage, our ambition isn't huge. Producer Qiao, please get to the point!"
Qiao Pan nodded and lowered his voice a bit, "If this project kicks off, other investors will definitely designate actors. The lead male role will be discussed based on box office prospects. But for the lead female…"
Li Yan looked as if he suddenly understood, "You want us to invest so you can designate her?"
Qiao Pan was a bit awkward, "No, it's actually for the sake of the movie. I don't want other investors' unwritten rule to take precedence, and I also have various obligations. So if you make the decision, it'll make things easier for me, with less trouble. Of course, I won't let you help in vain…"
Seeing Qiao Pan's embarrassed expression, Chu Yi bluntly pointed out, "In short, it's to ask Brother Li to help use the power of the investor to influence."
(Feel like shouting to the sky, saying "please bookmark"; saying to the wandering white clouds, "please vote"~~~~)