Chapter 621 Youthful Prosperity (8,000-word update!)
That evening, after returning home, Lu Yanhe wrote out the outline of the script for "Home Alone" and sent it to Chen Yin, asking him to register and file the copyright-related documents the next day.
Because the copyright hasn't been registered yet, he didn't elaborate on the film tonight. He only gave Chen Ziyan a serious talk later in the car about the general story of the movie.
Because Lu Yanhe wanted to have complete control over Linghe, and he didn't want the company to experience a break in its cash flow or be ousted by others through financial means.
He really wasn't good at this, and didn't understand it.
Therefore, the film and television projects controlled by Linghe, such as "Love Letter" and "Roommates", are all small to medium-budget projects.
With only one "Chinese Paladin" series, which had an investment of several hundred million yuan, Linghe only bore a portion of the cost—and even that portion put a lot of pressure on Linghe's cash flow.
However, because the "Chinese Paladin" project was almost guaranteed to make a profit—it was highly regarded by the market—Lu Yanhe and his team gritted their teeth and decided to participate in the investment themselves; otherwise, it would be a great pity.
However, as a result, the revenue that Linghe had previously gained from the copyright operation of Lu Yanhe was basically tied up in these projects.
Therefore, if Lu Yanhe does not change his management philosophy for Linghe, Linghe is destined to be unable to undertake large projects in the next few years, such as "Titanic", "Avatar", "Indiana Jones" series, and "Harry Potter" series. Not to mention that they are all foreign films, which are more difficult to implement in practice, even if they could be done, he would not know how to do it, and it would require a lot of funds.
Lu Yanhe felt that it would be good to start with a low-to-medium budget project like "Home Alone".
If Linghe's cash flow is tight, he can afford to finance the film's production on his own.
However, Lu Yanhe's refusal to accept investment has indeed displeased some investors.
It's quite disheartening to see a company with such a promising future and making so much money, yet be unable to get a piece of the pie yourself.
Film and television projects are open to investment, but the company does not accept capital injections.
This was something Lu Yanhe had decided long ago.
Xu Tianming and Chen Yin carried this out very well.
Chen Yin, in particular, is in charge of managing the company's film and television production projects.
He has a particularly cautious personality.
Sometimes, he would rather suffer some losses due to "caution" than lose a "huge sum" due to "recklessness".
Chen Yin had spoken very seriously with Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan.
The company's operations were actually very good in the first half of the year.
Basically, the company's operating costs are Lu Yanhe's past film and television copyrights. However, when these copyrights were transferred to the company, it was essentially a cost-free transfer. Therefore, they can be said to be using these "hens" to lay eggs "at no cost" and making a lot of money.
However, the company's next few projects:
1. The production cost of "Roommates" was 12 million yuan, and about 5 million yuan was reserved as a risk reserve fund, which would require 17 million yuan.
2. For "The Legend of Sword and Fairy", they hope to be able to afford at least 30% of the investment, which means they need to put up at least 80 million.
3. For the movie "Lost in Thailand", Jia Long reserved 15% of the investment for Ling He and Lu Yanhe personally, and Ling He also had to take on another portion.
4. With the release of the movie "Love Letter", we have already paid 12 million yuan to Jump Up for publicity, and we will need to add more funds for publicity and distribution later.
Besides these four projects that will be launched and funded within the next one to two months, the second season of "Friends" at the end of the year is also a major investment. There's also "Pah! The Sea," an experimental film directed by Wu Chi, which they've signed. Although it's planned as a low-budget film with a budget of only seven figures, it will still represent a considerable expense.
Chen Yin emphasized: "In the second half of the year, our company's cash flow will be very tight. If we don't make preparations in advance, we may face a break in the capital chain if some unexpected situations occur. However, if the movie 'Love Letter' is a box office hit, these problems can be easily solved with the box office revenue from 'Love Letter'."
But of course they can't put all their hopes on the box office success of "Love Letter".
There are several alternative solutions: one is to borrow from banks, the second is to raise funds from outside sources, and the third is to abandon investment in some projects.
The final alternative solution was that if the box office revenue from "Love Letter" did not reach the amount the company needed, Lu Yanhe would personally contribute a sum of money to make up the difference, taking responsibility for a portion of the cash flow as a personal investment, thus alleviating the company's financial pressure.
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Lu Yanhe has indeed made a lot of money in recent years. However, contrary to what many outsiders think, he makes money because of his celebrity status. In fact, what has helped him earn the most is copyright revenue. From licensing to profit sharing, these film and television projects have brought him substantial profits over the years.
The first season of Friends, in particular, still brings him a seven-figure bonus every year.
This is also related to the fact that the show is not only still popular in China, but also very popular on overseas streaming platforms.
According to the agreement he signed with Beijing TV, he was entitled to continue receiving a share of the profits from the show.
Only after entering this industry did I realize that if you have a successful work, you can basically live a worry-free life based on the royalties from that work.
Although Lu Yanhe had made a lot of money, he wasn't the kind of person who particularly liked to stir things up.
Compared to many people who make money and then engage in all sorts of risky ventures, Lu Yanhe's money is generally managed in a conservative manner.
His only venture capital investments came from his own film and television projects, as well as some of his friends' film and television projects.
With income from "Jump Up," Linghe, Shihuo, and his own earnings as a celebrity, Lu Yanhe now invests in film and television projects. Basically, as long as he likes it and it won't cause a large loss, he will invest a sum as a form of support.
Generally, those who invest in TV series can make a small profit, but half of those who invest in film projects lose money.
The film market is indeed not good; the risks are too great.
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The summer movie season is just around the corner.
However, the current film market shows no signs of recovery.
Of the dozen or so movies currently showing in theaters, not a single one has broken the ten million yuan mark at the daily box office, a truly dismal performance.
Presumably to coincide with the release of director Liu Bige's new film "Even Faking Death Is Not Allowed", Longyan has decided to re-release "Late Spring" starting from Friday, June 28.
Mrs. Wong wants to hold a special screening of "Late Spring" and a discussion afterward.
She wanted to invite Lu Yanhe to participate in this dialogue, to discuss the film "Late Spring" with Liu Bige and others, and to discuss Liu Bige's style.
Lu Yanhe was shocked when he learned about it.
He immediately called Liu Bige and asked, "Are you guys serious? The style of 'Even Faking Death Is Not Acceptable' is completely different from 'Late Spring.' Won't discussing 'Late Spring' at this time have the opposite effect?"
Longyan wants to hold a re-release and discussion event for "Late Spring" as a way to generate buzz, since "Late Spring" achieved a box office of over 500 million yuan, had a large market base, and received good reviews from the media and audiences when it was released.
So, let them know that Liu Bige, the director of "Late Spring," is about to release his new film, and remember to support "Even Faking Death Is Not Allowed."
Under normal circumstances, this would certainly be a brilliant idea.
It's a common understanding that film is the art of the director.
The previous work was so good, this one is definitely worth watching too. This is a subconscious thought for everyone. Getting someone who has never paid before to pay is always easier than getting someone who has paid once before to pay.
However, "Even Faking Death Is Not an Option" is not a work created under normal circumstances.
This movie is entertaining, lighthearted, and interesting, but it is definitely not the style of the "Liu Bige" that everyone knows, nor is it a movie like "Late Spring".
Wouldn't such a connection make viewers who went to see "Even Faking Death" because of "Late Spring" feel cheated?
Liu Bige didn't expect Lu Yanhe to say that.
He didn't seem to have thought about this issue before.
Lu Yanhe: "Of course, it's also possible that I'm overthinking it. I like the movie 'Even Faking Death Is Not an Option,' and I think its market performance will definitely be good. But if many people go to see it with the mindset of watching a movie like 'Late Spring,' they may not think it's good, and the movie's reputation may be affected."
Liu Bige said, "I'll go talk to the people at the company. Maybe you're right."
"Of course, if Longyan doesn't intend to lead everyone to think that 'Even Faking Death' is the second 'Late Spring,' but can clearly tell everyone that the selling points and style of the movie 'Even Faking Death' are actually good," Lu Yanhe said. "I just feel that, according to Longyan's current arrangements and design for the re-release of the movie 'Late Spring,' there is a feeling that they want to induce everyone to associate 'Even Faking Death' with 'Late Spring.'"
Liu Bige: "Back then, the movie 'Late Spring' performed well at the box office, which was also thanks to your rooftop confession event. This time, for 'Even Faking Death Is Not Allowed,' we originally wanted to continue to ask Siqi and the others to do the promotion, but she said that her whole team was busy promoting 'Love Letter' and couldn't spare the time to do 'Even Faking Death Is Not Allowed,' which is a pity."
Lu Yanhe: "Really? Siqi didn't even tell me. But I guess they really don't have the time. They came up with a promotional plan for 'Love Letter' that really shocked me."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bige was somewhat curious. "No, don't tell me anymore, I'm afraid I won't be able to resist plagiarizing."
Lu Yanhe laughed, "Their planning idea isn't so easy to copy. It's a large team effort, something a few people can't handle. You'll see when the time comes. However, with you as the director, Li Zhibai as the lead actor, and Longyan, a traditional and established film company, handling distribution, 'Even Faking Death Won't Work' is bound to perform poorly in the market, as long as it's done properly. Back then, with 'Late Spring,' there was no other way. Longyan only considered it an art film, and even after winning awards, they didn't think it had much box office potential. That's why Siqi's team came up with a way to do as much creative promotion as possible. This time, 'Even Faking Death Won't Work' is a key project for Longyan. They have considerable strength, so even without Siqi and her team doing promotion, it won't be a problem."
Liu Bige: "Thank you for your kind words. Sigh, I'm really a bit nervous right now. The feedback on 'Even Faking Death Is Not an Option' at the Jose Film Festival was a bit polarized, and it's kept me up at night for a long time."
“That’s because everyone has high expectations for you, after all, your debut film was ‘Late Spring’,” Lu Yanhe said. “Since you had already positioned ‘Even Faking Death’ as a commercial film when you made it, you were bound to face such problems.”
Liu Bige: "Okay, by the way, 'Even Faking Death Is Not Acceptable' will have an early screening next month. Are you free to come?"
“I’ll definitely come. Just send the invitation over in advance and let me know the date,” Lu Yanhe said. “I won’t be in the group next month either, but the schedule will be arranged.”
"Okay," Liu Bige smiled.
"After you finish making 'Even Faking Death Is Not an Option,' you should be making 'Dragon Inn,' right?"
“Yes,” Liu Bige said. “We’re finally going to start. Actually, we’ve done a lot of preparation beforehand, including location scouting, storyboarding, casting… We’ve even made two versions of the shooting plan. But right now, I don’t have the mind to think about ‘Dragon Inn’ anymore. All my energy is focused on ‘Even Faking Death Is Not an Option’.”
"Yes, feel free to contact me anytime if there's anything I can do for you," Lu Yanhe said.
"Okay." Liu Bige nodded. "When I go back to Yuming, I'll invite you and Siqi out for dinner. I need to thank her in person."
"Huh? Thank you?"
“She didn’t take the job on ‘Even Faking Death Is Not an Option,’ but then she commissioned me to write a ‘Director’s Notes’ column for the July issue of ‘Jump Up,’” Liu Bige laughed. “I know that’s a way of promoting me.”
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In terms of interpersonal skills, Lu Yanhe felt that the people around him were much better at it than he was.
The sales of one issue of "Jump Up" magazine, including the digital version, were approximately 350,000 copies.
Not to mention, each episode of "Jump Up" will be promoted and republished in various ways according to the needs of different sub-channels and affiliated self-media.
This isn't the kind of hard-sell advertising; it's an "embedding" that's even more subtle than a soft-sell article.
A movie can gross 20 million yuan at the box office with just 500,000 ticket purchases.
The July issue of "Jump Up" magazine, which hastily added Liu Bige's "Director's Notes" column, is of considerable value; those in the know understand its significance.
If the film market used to be small, with films competing against each other during their run, the biggest problem now is that audiences are less willing to go to the cinema.
This is an era in which the word "topic" has become more important than ever before.
Fewer people are discussing movies these days.
Chen Siqi's approach gave Lu Yanhe an idea.
Investing in and supporting young filmmakers is certainly important. But pooling the resources of filmmakers, building something from small beginnings, and raising audience awareness and discussion about film is equally important.
Viewers complained that the movie was bad, even less interesting than many current online dramas. The film producers, due to the large investment and high risk, dared not play the creative card, and were hesitant and timid, which made them feel wronged.
Can we lay everything out on the table and discuss it openly?
An idea suddenly popped into Lu Yanhe's mind.
It wasn't an idea born from his "golden finger" as a time traveler, but rather a sudden thought that emerged from his own reflections and doubts about the industry over the years.
Everyone's talking about doing dialogues, dialogues with directors, dialogues with actors, and so on.
These are all industry-specific conversations, but what about conversations between filmmakers and audiences?
Throw those sharp questions and doubts from the audience in front of the filmmakers, OK, how do you want to respond?
Lu Yanhe immediately sent this idea to Chen Siqi.
Chen Siqi: You want to use this method to promote "Love Letter"?
Lu Yanhe: No, we don't need to use this tactic for films like "Love Letter" and "Even Faking Death Is Not an Option." These were films that were highly anticipated by the market before their release, so they don't need this approach. But for films that can't generate any buzz in the early stages of promotion, could we use this kind of provocative questioning and answering to gain attention? Since it seems that only conflicting topics can spark large-scale discussions in this internet age, why not apply it to films that are not favored by the market and audiences, but which we judge to have some watchability?
Chen Siqi: I understand. This is interesting. I'll have them think about it and try it out on a suitable project later.
Lu Yanhe: Okay.
He originally wanted to ask, since you've already agreed to publish the July issue of Director's Notes with Liu Bige, why don't you agree to publish the August issue of Director's Notes with me?
The Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day) is in August.
Love Letter is being released during the Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day).
After hesitating for two seconds, Lu Yanhe still didn't ask.
He felt there was no need to ask.
Chen Siqi would never overlook him in this regard.
Chen Siqi must have her own plans.
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“We can’t have Yan He write the director’s notes for the August issue.” After replying to Lu Yan He’s message, Chen Siqi looked up. She was in a meeting, discussing the content of the August issue with Lin Yu and the others. “Yan He was originally the editor-in-chief of ‘Jump Up,’ but his name is no longer on the magazine cover. However, his name is still listed in the editor-in-chief column on the copyright page of each issue. It’s easy to be accused of self-promotion, so I want Zhang Ruozhi to write the story of her starring role in ‘Love Letter’ from the perspective of a high school student.”
Lin Yu, Bai Yu, and Zhou Mukai exchanged glances.
“That’s fine too,” Lin Yu nodded. “But what about Zhang Ruozhi’s writing skills? Can she write it?”
“Her estimated score for the college entrance examination is above 650, and she is a liberal arts student, so there shouldn’t be any problem,” Chen Siqi said. “This will also be more helpful for ‘Jump Up’. Everyone knows about the relationship between ‘Jump Up’ and Yan He, but people are more curious and find it fresh when it comes to the female lead of a movie, a female lead who has never been known before and suddenly appears. This column in ‘Jump Up’ is exclusive, which can attract people who have developed a liking and interest in her after watching the movie to buy this issue of the magazine.”
Lin Yu nodded.
Bai Yu said, "However, according to our reader survey, many readers have reported that they haven't seen Yan He's column for a long time, and many readers are calling on Yan He to continue writing columns."
Chen Siqi thought for a moment and said, "The column is a separate matter. Linyu, why don't you go and ask Yan He to write a column? See if he has the time and if he's willing to write. Yan He hasn't written a column in a long time."
Lin Yu nodded.
After the magazine meeting, Lin Yu and a few others went out, and immediately another group of people came in to start a meeting about the program "How Are You? I'm Fine".
Xin Zixing also came.
"Sister Zixing!" Chen Siqi stood up happily, hugged Xin Zixing, and greeted her warmly, "How was your rest before?"
“After finishing ‘The Birth of an Actor,’ I was completely exhausted. I went on vacation and felt much better. You should also find a chance to take a vacation. Don’t be so busy all the time. People aren’t machines,” Xin Zixing said. “I brought you a box of coffee beans. I brought them back from Brazil myself.”
Chen Siqi: "Thank you, Sister Zixing. It's so good to have you."
She clung to Xin Zixing like a sloth, showing no restraint despite the presence of her many subordinates nearby.
Xin Zixing patted her.
"Are you free later tonight? Let's have dinner together. It's already four in the afternoon," Xin Zixing asked.
Chen Siqi pouted and said, "I'm sorry, I have dinner appointments with government officials tonight. There's a lot of work that needs their support and coordination regarding the film festival."
Xin Zixing nodded: "Okay, it's fine, we'll make another appointment later."
"Can you come with me?" Chen Siqi asked.
"Huh?" Xin Zixing was taken aback.
“I was a little embarrassed to ask, but since you don’t have any other plans for tonight, why don’t you come with me?” Chen Siqi said. “With you here, I’ll feel more at ease and reassured.”
Xin Zixing sighed helplessly, "Fine."
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At this time, Yan Liang was also doing an interview in preparation for the broadcast of the drama "Liu Guang Yin".
"Do you have any plans to make movies next?" the host asked. "Your good friends Li Zhibai and Lu Yanhe both have movies to be released this summer."
Yan Liang said, "I have a plan, I've always had a plan, it's just that I haven't received many good movie scripts, so I didn't want to make movies just for the sake of making movies before."
The host nodded and smiled, saying, "The role you play in 'The Flowing Light' this time is a war god, and it's said to be a war god with many battle damage scenes, very broken, which is different from the roles you've played before. Why did you choose to take on this role?"
"Actually, I hesitated for a long time when I received the script. The main reason is that it is an ancient costume drama. I am aware of my own limitations. My image may not be the kind of style that is suitable for ancient costume dramas, like Zhi Bai and Yan He."
Yan Liang spoke quite sincerely, and the host immediately said, "No, you're so handsome, how could you not be suitable!"
Yan Liang waved his hand and smiled.
"Later, I also felt that this role was different from the usual ancient costume drama roles. It wasn't the fairy-like or gentlemanly type. It seemed like I could play the role, so I seriously considered it."
Host: "Regarding your performance in the drama 'The Flowing Light', did Li Zhibai and Lu Yanhe have any special reactions?"
“At the time, I was hesitant to act because I felt I wouldn’t be able to do it well. It was the two of them who helped me read the script and gave me a thorough analysis before I decided to give it a try,” Yan Liang said. “When we’re unsure about what roles we’re going to take on, we always ask each other for opinions. If I’m really going to act in a role, they won’t have any particular reaction; they will always support me.”
Host: "What an enviable friendship! The friendship between the three of you is something to be envied in the entire entertainment industry."
"After all, we've known each other since we were fifteen or sixteen," Yan Liang said with a smile.
"However, may I ask a question? Cheng Hai also participated in the competition and debuted with you, so why does it seem like he's not as close to you as you are?" the host asked. "If you feel this question is inappropriate, you don't have to answer it."
Yan Liang shook his head. "There's nothing inappropriate about it. Actually, we're quite good friends with Cheng Hai. As for why I, Zhi Bai, and Yan He are closer, the reason is simple. Back then, there were six of us in the group, and the company assigned dormitories. Cheng Hai lived in a different dormitory. I shared a room with Yan He and Zhi Bai. But to say that we've grown distant from Cheng Hai or aren't familiar with him would be a lie. The truth is, we've all become increasingly busy with work, unlike when we were kids, when we were in the same group and often practiced dancing and singing together, spending more time together. Although we don't see Cheng Hai as often now, if we need anything, we can always reach out and respond to each other."
He spoke very sincerely.
She did not deny that the three of them were closer, but she also frankly addressed her friendship with Cheng Hai.
I've said everything I could.
Things that can't be said, like Zhou Ping'an making a fuss about it, can never be said in front of the camera in one's entire life.
"What about Ma Zhiyuan, who used to work for you—"
"I don't want to answer any questions about him. Let's move on to the next question." Yan Liang interrupted without hesitation. The difference in his attitude before and after was so striking that the host was stunned for several seconds.
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Yan Liang's interview was naturally promoted by several forces and became a trending topic.
His words have also attracted a lot of attention and discussion.
From the God of War character in the drama "The Flowing Light", to the friendship between the three of them, to Yan Liang's speech to Cheng Hai, and his attitude towards Ma Zhiyuan.
There's a lot of information.
After finishing one event, Cheng Hai got into his car to rush to his next event, but was reminded by his assistant.
He took out his phone, watched the entire video of Yan Liang's interview, and smiled slightly.
fine.
Cheng Hai sent Yan Liang a message: Thanks.
It was followed by a smiley face.
Since I can't say "thank you" directly in Chinese, I can only say it in English, in a non-native language, in a relaxed way.
Taking it too seriously will make you feel too embarrassed.
After a while, Yan Liangcai replied: What are you doing?
Cheng Hai: I just finished shooting for a magazine, and now I'm going to do a commercial performance.
Yan Liang: Commercial performances? How come you've taken on so many commercial performances now? I saw online yesterday that some of your fans were complaining that you're going on and on like crazy these days.
Cheng Hai: I didn't want to either, but Zhou Ping'an said that if we don't make some money while the hype is high now, we won't be able to make money when the hype dies down.
Yan Liang: Why doesn't he give you any roles?
Cheng Hai: Yes, he filled all my spare time with various kinds of work during breaks from filming.
Yan Liang: So you haven't had a break at all?
Cheng Hai: No, but it's okay. I'm willing to be busy now. For a long time before, I hardly had any work, and I was afraid of being idle.
Yan Liang had actually gone through that stage as well, and he understood Cheng Hai's feelings.
He said: "Then take care of your health. You can push yourself, but don't overdo it. Zhou Ping'an won't care about your health."
Cheng Hai: No, he cares a lot. He's afraid I'll collapse from exhaustion and won't be able to work anymore. He has his assistant make me nutritious soup every day. Now, I feel like throwing up whenever I smell ginseng or chicken soup.
Yan Liang: This person...
Cheng Hai: What are you busy with right now?
Yan Liang: I've been busy with action training, and besides that, I've been promoting "The Flowing Light". Both of my next two dramas have action scenes.
Cheng Hai: Sure, I'm looking forward to it.
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Lu Yanhe never expected to see such a comment in his own comment section one day—
Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai are really scheming. They act in movies themselves, but they persuade Yan Liang to act in ancient costume dramas. Are they afraid that he will threaten them?
Lu Yanhe was dumbfounded.
Who would have thought?
He took a screenshot and sent it to a three-person group chat: "A bit of fun today."
Li Zhibai: Hahahaha, @Yan Liang, look what you've done.
Yan Liang: I'm truly impressed.
Lu Yanhe: You should focus on promoting the book and make sure "Liuguangyin" does well. Otherwise, the two of us will be the culprits.
Yan Liang: It's okay. If I flop, I'll just cling to you two every day and have you two take me to act.
Lu Yanhe: I'll be thankful if you don't leave Friends.
Yan Liang: How's the script for Friends Season 2 coming along?
Lu Yanhe: I've written half of it. It's still quite easy and comfortable to write.
Yan Liang: I'm really curious to know what stories will unfold this season.
Lu Yanhe: I'll send it to you when it's almost finished writing.
Yan Liang: Hmm.
Lu Yanhe: However, I'm worried that when you're filming "Dragon Inn," the schedule will conflict with the filming of "Friends."
At the end of August, filming for "Chinese Paladin" will begin. The series will take several months to film. Of course, the scenes where the three of them are present will be filmed first. After Lu Yanhe's scenes are filmed in one go, Yan Liang's scenes will be filmed, and finally, the scenes of Li Zhibai, the main character, and the others will be filmed. This is all to coordinate the time.
Yan Liang: We should be able to coordinate it. In "Dragon Inn," I don't have many scenes, so they will film other people's scenes first.
Lu Yanhe: Well, if it really doesn't work, we'll postpone the filming of Friends Season 2 this year.
Li Zhibai: It's okay. If Yan Liang can't film the second season of Friends, just write down the episodes he can't be in and let me act in them. The two episodes I guest-starred in last time were among the highest-rated episodes. Friends fans are all calling for my return.
Lu Yanhe: I'm planning to have you make a guest appearance in another episode this season.
Li Zhibai: Sure, sure, I'm really looking forward to it.
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After a good rest, my touch has returned.
I recommend the older book "I Became the Scandalous Female Lead Overnight," which is also a novel focusing on the entertainment industry, career professionals, and actors.
I recommend the new book "The Demon-Slaying Sword," a fantasy world where young adventurers embark on adventures.
(End of this chapter)
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