lcionline Chapter 4 Investment Shares
Chapter 4 Investment Shares
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"Haha... Sorry to keep you all waiting."
A loud voice entered the ears as the conference room door was pushed open.
A middle-aged man in his mid-thirties with a square face appeared at the door, his gait steady and powerful, quite decisive.
"President.."
Fang Yi stood up with the others and took the initiative to greet them.
The visitor was Wang Zhongjun, the head of Huayi Brothers, who is hailed as a leader in the private film and television industry.
Upon entering, Wang Zhongjun first waved to everyone, telling them to make themselves at home.
Then he looked at Fang Yi, strode over, grabbed his hand, and shook it vigorously.
"Director Fang is young and promising..."
"Huayi Film Studio has been able to move steadily forward and grow stronger precisely because of the addition of promising film and television professionals like Director Fang."
Wang Zhongjun sized up the young and handsome Fang Yi, offering half-hearted praise and flattery.
In just two sentences, he cleverly conveyed his love for talent by highlighting the red lines he had drawn and the authority of capital.
Compared to his younger brother Wang Zhonglei's buddy-like way of getting along, the older brother Wang Zhongjun is more shrewd and steady.
The two brothers, one working in the industry and the other in the field, were both adept at managing their affairs and built a huge Huayi Film and Television Company from scratch in just a few years.
"Mr. Wang, you flatter me. I'm just a newcomer with only a mediocre skill level. I don't deserve such praise."
Fang Yi responded modestly, with a somewhat shy smile and a calm demeanor.
He's not a novice; he's very familiar with the rules of the workplace.
At this point, Wang Zhongjun was facing a test. As the director who was about to take charge of a film, he could neither appear too arrogant nor too timid, lest he be looked down upon.
A talented, humble, and composed image is the "standard of preference" in the entertainment and film industry.
Sure enough, Wang Zhongjun's face was full of smiles, very satisfied with Fang Yi's positioning and sense of propriety.
I hope you seize this opportunity.
Wang Zhongjun changed his mind, took his seat at the head of the conference table, and announced loudly, "Alright, let's begin the meeting."
"Ladies and gentlemen, the other day our leader handed us a script that you have all probably seen. It is a masterpiece of low-budget suspense films."
"The company has decided to launch this project, with Fang Yi as director and Zhong Lei as producer. The theme of today's meeting is to roughly calculate the costs, assemble the team, and get the script approved as soon as possible."
The moment the boss spoke, the atmosphere in the meeting room instantly changed, and everyone switched into work mode.
Wang Zhonglei spoke first: "I have read the script carefully. The scenes are simple, the investment is not large, and the lead actors can all be selected from within the company."
He set the tone and looked at Fang Yi and CFO Liu Yan.
Others also turned their attention to them; one was the director, and the other was in charge of the money.
Fang Yi remained calm, nodded, and said, "The total investment will be at most three million. I hope to contribute one million personally. I ask the company to be understanding."
As soon as he spoke, Liu Yan remained unmoved; she already knew Fang Yi's plan.
The other executives breathed a slight sigh of relief, while also showing surprise.
It's often said that young people are bold, and young directors are even bolder—that's absolutely true.
To invest in one's own work right after graduating from school is either a sign of wealth or excessive self-confidence.
But no matter which one it is, it's always good to have someone share the risk.
As a senior executive at Huayi, others were happy to receive personal investment from Fang Yi; Feng Xiaogang did the same.
Only Wang Zhongjun frowned. Fang Yi's directness and soft yet domineering manner gave him a sense of being robbed of his food.
Fang Yi was too young; if Feng Xiaogang had said he wanted to invest in his work, he would never have felt that way.
Although he felt a little uncomfortable, Wang Zhongjun revealed a bold look in his eyes.
There's nothing we can do; the contract is there!
Fang Yi's contract with Huayi states that he has the right to personally invest in the scripts he produces.
Wang Zhongjun seized the opportunity to speak, making the final decision: "In that case, we will add one million to the investment to make a high-quality film, and a certain percentage of the promotional expenses will be allocated to the finished film, which will not be less than one million."
"Regardless of the total investment, the company only charges 10% for publicity and distribution. Director Fang's investment of one million plus the director's fee accounts for 25% of the investment."
"no problem!"
Before anyone else could speak, Fang Yi immediately agreed.
This kind of distribution is rarely seen for a director's first time directing. Unless an individual invests a million, the director's fee is at most 20 to 50, and profit sharing is out of the question.
"Okay, Director Fang is very agreeable."
Fang Yi's quick thinking greatly comforted Wang Zhongjun, who chuckled and the slight discomfort he felt dissipated with the laughter.
He solemnly returned the script that Fang Yi had previously submitted to him, and said with an encouraging look, "Director Fang, just focus on filming. The company will take care of all the logistics."
"After evaluation, in order to better pass the censorship and start filming as soon as possible, the company will transfer the Asian rights of the film to Hong Kong Sil-Metropole Organisation, giving them a distribution title."
"Thank you, Mr. Wang!"
Fang Yi stood up and took the script, which had been read and crumpled by everyone present, with both hands.
With the share allocation and approval issues settled, the atmosphere eased considerably.
Next, CFO Liu Yan, Deputy Producer Li Yang, and Distribution Director Chen Hui offered their opinions and suggestions on how to better produce the film.
These were all things within his duties. Fang Yi took out his notebook and recorded them one by one, marking the useful ones and not arguing about the useless ones.
The meeting lasted for about an hour, and the project proposal for the "Sniper Phone Booth" was roughly finalized.
Next, Fang Yi needs to discuss with Li Yang and make two decisions.
First: Assemble the production team.
Even with a small investment, a small production crew still needs manpower.
Huayi has people in charge of this, so Fang Yi doesn't need to do it personally; the production department will handle it for him.
Second: The main filming locations of the movie.
This requires on-site inspection so that the production department can contact the location in advance.
The scene includes half a street, which is where the extras and police officers appear, so a suitable location needs to be chosen.
Domestically, unlike abroad, many issues need to be avoided, and even reported in advance.
Besides the two points mentioned above, Fang Yi has two more things to do next.
One task was to further expand the script and create storyboards, while the other was to audition actors.
Neither of these matters can be delegated to others; strict oversight is essential.
Especially among the actors, there are too many artists at Huayi Brothers, and the infighting among their various factions has become quite a spectacle in the industry.
After the meeting, he approached Wang Zhonglei and asked him to inform the artist management department to come to the company for an audition three days later.
The requirement is that male and female artists auditioning must not be older than thirty.
Wang Zhonglei took out his phone and called Wang Jinghua, informing her to notify the artist.
[Sniper Phone Booth] There aren't many characters, but the sense of ritual is a must.
Fang Yi, the newly appointed director, also needs to make an appearance in front of the company's artists and establish his authority as a director.
Xiao Wang was quick-witted and understood Fang Yi's idea; there was no reason for him not to support it.
It's a young person's first time directing, so they should take it seriously!
.......
While there was still time, Fang Yi went to the administrative department to print two copies of the script. He gave one copy to Li Yang, and the production department had to take it to the optoelectronics department for filing.
He gave the other one to Wang Zhonglei, asking him to audition together three days later.
Wang Zhonglei got excited and pulled Fang Yi downstairs, urging him to have dinner together and experience a new life.
The two of them rushed downstairs, and were seen by many employees along the way.
Fang Yi was well aware of Xiao Wang's behavior.
Building relationships, cultivating friendships, and winning people's hearts are all common tactics.
After the two left, rumors spread throughout the company.
In the leaky Huayi, every department, even the lowest-level employees, knew one thing.
"The company has another film project underway, and the director is a new, handsome young man."
When Fang Yi returned home at 11 p.m., Deng Chao, who was far away in Yuzhang, learned of the news.
This guy congratulated his buddy on his advancement over the phone, and then cheekily asked if there were any suitable roles for him.
"Whether it's true or not, we'll know when we get back to the capital!"
Fang Yi chuckled, deliberately playing hard to get, making Deng Chao feel uneasy.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Huayi, Artist Management Department.
Several celebrities who rarely appear in public arrived early in the morning, each accompanied by their manager or assistant, and entered Wang Jinghua's office.