Chapter 490 Just Because He Is Lu Yanhe (6,000-word update!)
At the end of November, Lu Yanhe, as one of the main creators, attended the press conference for "Squid Game".
The importance that Aurora Video places on "Squid Game" was also highlighted through this press conference.
Almost all well-known media outlets across the country received invitations, and the event was even more grand than some movie premieres.
The entire star-studded cast attended.
In addition, Aurora Video invited a number of celebrities to support the event, watch the first episode live, and share their viewing experience like attending a movie premiere.
At the event, Lu Yanhe was inevitably asked about competing with the third season of "Friends".
Lu Yanhe said with a smile, "It's a weekly broadcast, while we're a daily broadcast. We're not competing in the same arena. We can finish broadcasting in less than half a month, so everyone can enjoy watching it."
Avoid comparing the two, and only talk about the differences in scheduling.
The reporters, of course, wouldn't let him off the hook either.
"Now that the trailer for the third season of Friends has been released, many fans are criticizing it as melodramatic. You left after the first season, director Bai Jingnian left after the second season, and now the third season doesn't look promising either. Are you still unwilling to come back and save this show that you created?"
That's practically an overreaction, going all out right in front of everyone.
Lu Yanhe smiled and simply said, "Today is the press conference for 'Squid Game,' why do you keep bringing up other dramas? Pay more attention to 'Squid Game,' is my new drama so unworthy of your attention?"
He made a joking remark, then avoided answering.
Just kidding. He's an experienced player when it comes to dealing with the media, so how could he be stumped by this situation?
No matter how difficult the reporters' questions were to answer, Lu Yanhe skillfully deflected them.
This was, after all, the press conference for "The Squid Game," so the media present weren't going to be too disrespectful; they were there to support the film.
"Many of the actors in this drama are people you've worked with before, including Jiang Jun, Jiang Yuqian, and Wang Jing... Did you recommend these to the directors?"
“When I was writing the script, I wrote several characters based on them.” Lu Yanhe also frankly said, “As you all know, the reason I wrote the script for ‘Squid Game’ was because I filmed ‘The Seventeenth Floor’ and was inspired by it. At that time, I was talking to Mr. Lin of Aurora Video about cooperation, and we talked about this script. We quickly reached an agreement.”
Lu Yanhe didn't directly answer whether he recommended many of the actors in the drama. However, his answer already revealed a lot of information. It was he who discussed the process with Mr. Lin Desheng; the "Squid Game" project was not an ordinary collaboration. Therefore, it's easy to see how much say Lu Yanhe had in this project.
"Will 'The Squid Game' be developed into a TV series?" another reporter asked.
Lu Yanhe smiled and said, "That depends on the broadcast results. Of course, I really hope this is a series that can be developed into a sequel. When I was writing the script, I left a few openings for the development of sequels. To be precise, I have a complete trilogy idea for this story. Of course, you can also treat it as an independent work. Even without a second or third season, it is still a very complete story."
After Lu Yanhe finished asking his questions, everyone's attention shifted to the other people.
To some people, this scene is quite amazing.
What amazed them was not anything else, but the unspoken consensus that had formed among everyone present.
In the drama "Squid Game," which Lu Yanhe neither directed nor acted in, he, as the screenwriter, was the key figure who steered the ship to its soul.
A screenwriter's status has risen higher than ever before.
Simply because he is Lu Yanhe.
-
Regarding her participation in the role, Jiang Yuqian said, "This role is indeed very suitable for me. When Yan He told me that it was suitable for me, I didn't expect it to be so suitable. Of course, I still put in a lot of effort to get fit and lose weight. The roles I played in the past were all relatively positive, with all sorts of wonderful qualities. This role is very different. She sacrificed a lot of things, even her humanity, in order to survive, but that doesn't mean she lost her humanity."
She glanced at Lu Yanhe. "So, I was quite surprised when I read the script. I didn't expect Yanhe to write such a female character. After all, as you all know, there have never been any female characters like this before. At that time, I could hardly get any roles with such depth. When I got this role, I felt like I had struck gold."
The media present all laughed.
Jiang Yuqian continued, "That's why I said later that as long as it's a script written by Yan He, I don't need to read it or ask what the role is, whether it's a lead or a supporting role, I'll accept it directly. My agent and I have reached a consensus on this."
A reporter asked: "There was a joke circulating online that Lu Yanhe's first film was with you and Huang Kairen, and it was said that the minor supporting actor back then has now become your big brother. What do you think of this joke?"
"Hahaha." Jiang Yuqian laughed a few times without hesitation. "Who says otherwise? I'm jealous. Yan He acted in all the scenes with me in 'The Golden Era,' so how come Huang Kairen got the better deal and won the Best Actor award first? No way, we can't be biased. Yan He, you have to give me a Best Actress award too."
Jiang Yuqian seemed completely unconcerned about being told that Lu Yanhe was her sugar daddy, and openly joked with Lu Yanhe in front of everyone.
Lu Yanhe immediately said, "Sister Yuqian, you're asking me to give you a Best Actress award, but I don't even have a Best Actor award myself."
The whole audience burst into laughter.
Jiang Yuqian also smiled.
Lu Yanhe's words brought all the teasing to a climax.
The sarcastic atmosphere deliberately stirred up by those reporters all burst like bubbles in the sunlight – they were easily destroyed.
-
In Beijing and Taiwan, Xu Bin and the others had gloomy expressions.
"Do you think Lu Yanhe did this on purpose?" Xu Bin finally spoke up after a long pause.
“It shouldn’t be intentional, right? When ‘Squid Game’ airs isn’t up to him to decide.” Hu Siwei immediately said, “This show is in the hands of Aurora, and judging from the airing time of Maxine, you can actually tell that Aurora and Maxine communicated about it.”
“This time it just happens to coincide with the airing time of Friends Season 3.” Xu Bin said with a sullen face, “Now everyone is watching to see which of these two shows will do better. If Friends Season 3 really can’t beat Squid Game, then you’ll see how many people laugh at us.”
“How could that be? Our Friends Season 3 was exclusively broadcast on TV and only went on video platforms after it finished airing. It’s not the same as The Squid Game. How could there be any question of which show did better or worse?” someone immediately said. “Besides, given the ratings and popularity of the first two seasons of Friends, the third season’s performance is bound to be good.”
Xu Bin glanced at the person who spoke, then looked at the others.
Apart from Hu Siwei and a few others, most people actually had the same expression on their faces as this person.
They didn't believe that Friends Season 3 would lose to a new show. It had been almost three years since the first season of Friends aired, and the show's success with the station made these guys in the room practically untouchable.
Xu Bin suddenly felt as if something was stuck in his chest, making him uncomfortable.
The people in this room were all people who had followed him in building his empire at the station.
So many years have passed. The old have grown old, some have passed away, and some have retired. The remaining few all reside in this shell of Beijing and Taiwan, living in peace and without fear of danger.
For them, if Friends succeeds, they'll make more money; if it fails, no one will die.
There aren't many people who are truly dedicated to making "Friends" a good show.
Xu Bin then saw Hu Siwei, one of the few people under him who were actually thinking and working.
Over the past two years, how many times has he told himself that Friends has gone astray?
When Bai Jingnian wanted to ask for a higher salary, at market rate, everyone disagreed and forced him to leave. Everyone said, "If Bai Jingnian leaves, he's gone. Friends doesn't need Bai Jingnian to make it."
He actually thought so too.
The success of "Friends" was due to a confluence of favorable circumstances, not just the director's skill.
If we're really talking about ability, everyone in the industry says it's because the script is strong enough.
Unable to bring Lu Yanhe back to write the script, even if Bai Jingnian continues to direct the second season, its reputation will still decline.
Now that the third season of Friends has been shown, even though it hasn't aired yet, there are already many doubts within the station.
Even Hu Siwei rarely lost her temper with him.
Xu Bin certainly knew that the third season was bound to be a flop.
But he always felt that at least it had past achievements; even if its reputation was ruined, its ratings could still remain stable.
If all else fails, just offer a high price to bring Bai Jingnian back to direct the fourth season.
There are always ways to remedy the situation.
Given Bai Jingnian's usually quiet and reserved nature, would he really refuse to grant him a small request? Sometimes he also felt that Hu Siwei was just too focused on the importance of certain individuals.
However, the release date of "Squid Game" was like someone suddenly reaching out and tearing off Xu Bin's self-deceiving fig leaf.
Xu Bin really couldn't sit still any longer.
Two years have passed, and Lu Yanhe's myth and miracle are like a legend in the industry. Two years ago, relying on his backing from Jingtai, he looked down on this newly lit torch. After all, no matter how bright the torch is, compared to a lighthouse, it is just something that sways in the wind and no one knows when it will go out.
Now, this torch, far from dimming, burns ever brighter. His speech at the "Road to Glory" seminar not only caught the attention of film department leaders but also provided a silent but significant boost to his film. In the television series sector, higher-ups have already recognized his international influence.
Currently, very few Chinese actors have real international recognition and influence. Among young actors, Lu Yanhe is the only one. For the film and television industry, which has been advocating "cultural exchange" and "going global" in recent years, his significance is becoming increasingly important.
He is not a figure sitting on past glories and enjoying the afterglow of the past; he is a figure in progress who is constantly creating new miracles.
Two years ago, Xu Bin had the confidence to force Lu Yanhe to suffer losses, and he didn't care about the uproar on the internet.
Two years later, he was no longer qualified to do so.
Lu Yanhe's support base grew larger and stronger.
Having worked within the system for so long, Xu Bin is well aware of how much Lu Yanhe is valued and protected by certain individuals in his current situation.
Ordinary people wouldn't even dare to touch a single hair on Lu Yanhe's head.
-
Northern Lights video.
Zheng Huai-ren accompanied Lin De-sheng out of the conference room and whispered in his ear, "The number of reservations for 'Squid Game' on our website has exceeded 4 million. Just now, someone from Beijing TV asked me if we could change the broadcast time of 'Squid Game'."
Lin Desheng: "Who from Beijing or Taiwan contacted you?"
“It wasn’t an official or formal inquiry; it was someone I had previously spoken with who asked me privately about the possibility,” Zheng Huai-ren said. “The release date of ‘The Squid Game’ poses a significant threat to the third season of ‘Friends’ because it’s airing in the same time slot. Several advertisers seem to be wavering and want to withdraw their investment from them and invest in ‘The Squid Game’ instead.”
Every brand has a limited budget for advertising and marketing. Especially within a single quarter or time period, they don't have money to burn. Shows like Friends Season 3 and The Squid Game are S+ level productions; their advertising sponsorship fees compared to other shows aren't just a matter of size, but a difference in scale.
Few brands are so wealthy that they can invest in two companies at the same time.
Of course, they have to make a choice.
Lin Desheng asked Zheng Huai-ren, "How's the sponsorship situation for 'The Squid Game'?"
“We already have fourteen brands sponsoring us,” Zheng Huai-ren said. “With the current advertising sponsorships alone, our show has already recouped more than half of its revenue. The advertisers really value Yan He’s shows. Two brands even offered nearly nine figures to have Yan He film product placements, but Yan He’s team declined.”
"How could he possibly agree to that? You don't even need to ask his team. Don't you know how much his team cherishes his reputation?"
“Knowing is one thing, but that doesn’t mean I can overstep my bounds and refuse,” Zheng Huai-ren said with a smile. “The procedures still need to be followed properly, and there will be many more situations like this later on.”
Lin Desheng nodded.
"In addition, Hongcheng TV has been in contact with us, wanting to secure the exclusive broadcasting rights for the first round of satellite TV broadcasts," Zheng Huai-ren said.
"We already have exclusive online streaming rights, so why would they want exclusive TV broadcasting rights? What's the point? It's not like Friends, where it airs on TV before being released on video platforms."
“They still have a significant base of middle-aged and elderly people who only watch TV,” Zheng Huai-ren said. “Should we have a serious talk with them?”
Lin Desheng thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "Since we have the exclusive broadcasting rights for this drama, we'll make a little less money, but we still want to leave everyone with the impression that this drama can only be seen on our Aurora Video platform. After we finish broadcasting it, if any TV stations want to buy it, we'll sell it to them. We won't sell it now."
Zheng Huai-ren nodded.
"By the way, how's the data from Maxine?" Lin Desheng asked.
Zheng Huai-ren said, "The trailer has already garnered over 20 million views, breaking the record for Chinese-language dramas. Related searches and statistics show that 54% of people on Maxine are interested in this drama because of Lu Yanhe. However, it's a bit of a pity that Lu Yanhe isn't the lead actor in this drama, so it didn't reach the expected numbers."
Lin Desheng said, "This is Maxine's matter. You told me before that you and Lu Yanhe were going to negotiate a new cooperation framework agreement. When was it finalized?"
“This Friday,” Zheng Huai-ren said, “Bingyuan Video acted too quickly, snatching the adaptation rights to several dramas, including ‘Telephone’ and ‘Rouge.’ That’s my fault; I wasn’t quick enough to react. So, we can’t let them beat us to it again this time. Yan He currently has several scripts, including ‘Love Letter’ and ‘You Are the Apple of My Eye.’ I’ve discussed them with the script review department and decided to buy the adaptation rights to these two dramas. Other video platforms are also in contact, and I expect they will compete with us. My bottom line is 40 million for the two dramas combined, plus 10% of Yan He’s personal revenue. What do you think, Mr. Lin?”
Lin Desheng said, "You've dealt with Yan He quite a bit. Do you think he'll be satisfied with these terms?"
“Based on our previous experience working with him, he doesn’t prioritize price. He’s quite strict and cautious in evaluating the production team, resources, and other aspects,” Zheng Huai-ren said. “For Bingyuan Video, they hired Miao Yue, who worked with Yan He on ‘Late Spring,’ as the screenwriter for the ‘Rouge’ project. Miao Yue is also Lu Yan He’s classmate.”
Lin Desheng said, "Look at Yan He's projects. You should know that Yan He really wants to work with people he has worked with before. When you negotiate with them, put more effort into this aspect."
“But Yan He himself will not be coming to this negotiation,” Zheng Huai-ren said. “Yan He’s Linghe Film and Television Production Company is now headed by Xu Tianming, who used to work at Longyan Film and Television, and Chen Yin is his deputy.”
Lin Desheng: "In the end, won't they still have to listen to Lu Yanhe? You should just cater to their preferences."
Zheng Huai-ren nodded, "Okay."
"Also, you need to come up with a plan for the second season of 'The Squid Game' as soon as possible. You can't wait until the first season is over before you bring it up with Lu Yanhe. Showing sincerity upfront is the best approach."
"yes."
...
"Season 2?" Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised. "The first season hasn't even aired yet, and we're already discussing a second season?"
Chen Ziyan laughed and said, "Who can blame us when the data for 'Squid Game' is good enough? In this data age, everything is based on data."
Lu Yanhe: "I haven't written the script for the second season yet."
Lu Yanhe thought to himself, when he transmigrated, this show had only aired its first season.
He doesn't know what the second season will be like either.
Does this mean I have to write it myself?
Lu Yanhe hissed silently.
This is truly... unexpected.
Chen Ziyan said, "Go ahead and write it. It's a done deal that 'The Squid Game' will have a second season. It's definitely going to be filmed."
Lu Yanhe: "What if it airs and the audience thinks it's bad and criticizes us? I'd rather be cautious and not rush things."
“You’re not worried, but Aurora is. They don’t own the story rights to this show; they only have the broadcasting rights. What if you don’t cooperate with them for the second season and instead cooperate with another platform? Where will they go to complain?”
Lu Yanhe: "Where am I supposed to find other platforms to cooperate with? They don't trust me at all."
“Do you think a project involving hundreds of millions of dollars can be decided by mutual trust between a few people?” Chen Ziyan rolled her eyes at Lu Yanhe. “Also, they want to ask us for the development rights to derivative products. They want to do peripheral development.”
"What kind of merchandise development? Character cards, phone cases, and things like that. They said when they negotiate the next round of cooperation framework agreement with us, they'll let us take a look at the formal merchandise development agreement," Chen Ziyan said.
Lu Yanhe nodded, "Okay."
Chen Ziyan: "I haven't asked you yet. What are your expectations for 'Love Letter' and 'You Are the Apple of My Eye'? Give me a bottom line so that Xu Tianming and the others can negotiate with the Northern Lights."
“You guys decide for yourselves, how would I know?” Lu Yanhe said. “I don’t have any bottom line conditions.”
Chen Ziyan smiled and said, "I heard that the Northern Lights are planning to cater to your tastes and give one lead role in each of the 'Love Letter' and 'You Are the Apple of My Eye' projects to your good friends."
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe was stunned and confused.
Chen Ziyan said, "The message I received from the people on the other side of the Northern Lights is that since you have no bottom line, they are trying to figure out your ideas and cater to your preferences."
Lu Yanhe scratched his head and said, "The problem is, I have no idea which of my friends will act in the TV series versions of these two shows."
Chen Ziyan said, "Really? I think Li Zhibai is quite suitable for 'You Are the Apple of My Eye'?"
Lu Yanhe was stunned when Chen Ziyan said that.
It seems that's true.
Chen Ziyan said, "In short, since they are willing to show such sincerity to move you, you might as well think carefully about what you want. Within a reasonable range, whatever you want is not a big deal."
Lu Yanhe thought for a moment and said, "Really, no. Why would I ask them to keep the male lead role of 'You Are the Apple of My Eye' for Li Zhibai? With Li Zhibai's current market value, they would have to offer a lot of sincerity to get him to play the role. Li Zhibai doesn't necessarily need to act in 'You Are the Apple of My Eye'; he's already famous enough."
Chen Ziyan: "I'm just giving an example. Even if you wanted to cast a completely unknown newcomer in these dramas, Aurora Studios would agree. That's what I mean. Have you forgotten that the female lead you chose for 'Love Letter' is still under my management? After she finishes her college entrance exams, aren't you planning to find her some roles?"
(End of this chapter)
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