Chapter 420 I will sleep with her
It is well known that video platforms are very expensive. Even the top platforms such as Qiyi TV have been losing money for so many years, and they are basically supported by the continuous blood transfusion of capital behind the stock price.
Evergrande’s idea is actually similar to that of several other companies. Hengten Network’s original business has reached a bottleneck. If it wants to continue to push up the stock price, it needs to provide new stories and imagination space for the capital market.
This is why they really want to merge Ruyi Film. It just so happens that entertainment film and television and the Internet are close relatives, and the combination
of the two is just right. Zhou Chenghui contacted Ruyi, which actually means that Hengten Network has basically decided to initiate a merger. The focus of the current controversy is mainly on the specific price, because this determines the shareholding ratio of both parties after the merger.
There is nothing to say about Ruyi Film’s film business. Both the project and the performance are solid, and the capital market has a relatively sufficient valuation for this. So the only variable is the streaming platform "Pumpkin Movie".
For Evergrande, the content support of Arclight Film is undoubtedly a very important weight.
As Colin said, only those top hit dramas can attract audiences. Just like Leshi.com, even if the boss ran away and the company was in debt of tens of billions, it can still earn tens of millions of members every year with a movie "The Legend of Zhen Huan".
Arclight Films is naturally capable of producing top works, there is no doubt about that. But there is also a new problem, which is the pressure of film purchase costs.
In other words, if you really want to support a new streaming platform, how much investment is needed?
"Some people do business that kills their heads, but no one does business that loses money." Zhou Cheng said: "If the funds invested in this platform will exceed the income it can bring, it is better to cut it off. So I want to know more, compared with the other platforms, what is the special feature or selling point of our platform?"
Hearing what the other party said, Meng Bai and the other two on Ruyi looked at each other. Naturally, they have discussed this issue many times.
"We started out as an online drama company, so we probably know more about video platforms than everyone here."
Meng Bai was still the one who spoke. Anyway, since he had already spoken, there was no need for him to continue watching the show: "Nowadays, mainstream platforms in China actually have a problem, that is, they want to do too many functions, and too many resources are wasted on some functions that should not appear."
At this point, Meng Bai took out his mobile phone and clicked on the application interface of Qiyi TV. After a green-toned opening screen interface, a fancy APP page popped up immediately.
"As a video platform, in addition to film and television businesses, there are also user communities, online ticket purchases, gossip news, novel reading, knowledge payment, e-commerce malls...even microfinance loans are on it."
Meng Bai spread his hands: "I can only say that the platform is really thoughtful. Knowing that most of you have no money after signing up for membership on several platforms, you quickly provide a microloan."
Everyone in the conference room laughed when they heard this.
In fact, this is also a "bad habit" that many domestic APPs currently have. Everyone hopes that users will only use their own applications, so they integrate everything they can regardless of whether it matches the product style or not.
Ke Liming also cooperated and clicked on his own "Pumpkin Movie" application: "Compared to other platforms, we follow the route of imitating Netflix and create a pure film and television viewing platform. Users have no other purpose to go online, just to find a wonderful work to watch."
While speaking, he slid the application interface. As he said, there is nothing else on the entire homepage except various "popular dramas" and "recommended movies".
"Not only that, because it adopts a pay-to-watch operation model, the main income comes from user payments, so there are only patch ads on the external interface, and no embedded ads inside the drama."
Zhou Cheng frowned: "If it only relies on user payments, can it support the platform's income?"
"It will definitely be difficult in the early stage, because the cost of purchasing films is fixed." Ke Liming said: "But as the number of users increases, this part of the cost will be quickly amortized and diluted. After that, as long as the bandwidth cost can be covered, the platform's positive benefits can be met."
Zhou Chengwen: "Now the number of users on each platform has entered a period of slow growth, and the cost of attracting traffic is also very high."
Meng Bai on the side laughed: "I can only say that the high cost of attracting traffic is self-inflicted by each website. It's 2019, and short video platforms have evolved to catch the user's attention in the first three seconds. But looking at these platforms again, they still use the traditional TV media's means of attracting traffic. A new user clicks on a video and has to watch a 120-second advertisement first. This is simply outrageous."
From the very beginning, video websites have been able to break out of the siege of mainstream platforms such as TV stations by relying on better convenience and fluency. However, after a few years, when mobile streaming became the new mainstream platform, it also embarked on a similar path.
Imagine a scenario where a streaming platform gets a rare promotion opportunity and can appear on the mobile phones of audiences across the country for three minutes. During these three minutes, netizens can browse the content on the platform at will, and then decide whether to stay and continue watching.
At this time, if each video has to watch the one or two minutes of advertisement at the beginning before opening, why should the audience who has the power to jump out at any time stay?
This is the traffic diversion problem faced by many domestic streaming media platforms, which is even greater than the dilemma faced by traditional TV media. After all, you can change channels when there are advertisements on TV, but on the video website, the audience has no choice - you can become a member to skip advertisements before, but now even advertisements have become "member-only".
Just like many platform users complain: I am so poor that I can't even afford to become a member, what's the point of you pushing advertisements to me. Aren't those VIP users who are willing to become members really valuable in watching advertisements?
Non-member users have low value, and user members don't want to watch advertisements. This is the "contradictory literature" unique to video platforms.
In contrast, Pumpkin Movie follows the user-paid model. After users pay, the entire platform sells well. There are no messy "member-only advertisements" or "advanced on-demand" and other things. It is just a simple payment to watch the drama.
This model would definitely not work five or six years ago, when everyone's perception of the Internet was still at the free stage. However, with the subtle influence of major platforms in recent years, coupled with the emphasis on copyright, a large number of viewers willing to pay have actually been cultivated.
For these users, as long as the membership price is not outrageous and can guarantee good content and viewing experience, it really doesn't matter if they spend some money.
Listening to the introduction of Meng Bai and others, Zhou Cheng also had his own considerations.
Several major domestic platforms all adopt the "free + paid" parallel model, which can be said to be an operating model that is more recognized by major capitals. Similarly, for the capital market, this mature model is well known to everyone, so there is naturally a lack of imagination.
"Pumpkin Movie" imitates Netflix's charging model. It is difficult to say whether this model can succeed in the domestic audience environment. But on the other hand, no one dares to say that it will not work.
Major foreign entertainment giants are all laying out streaming media, and many of them are taking similar paths, which proves a certain feasibility.
Thinking about it this way, it seems that the new charging model is really more suitable for them than the mainstream model.
Of course, no matter which model it is, as a platform, content is the first priority.
So the core of everything is still the "explosive manufacturing machine" of Arclight Film and Television in the film and television market.
Several people talked for an afternoon, but in the end they did not discuss the specific cooperation. In fact, it is normal. After all, it is a large-scale merger and acquisition case worth tens of billions. How can it be decided so easily?
"Not bad, it's a good start." Chen Zhixi looked at Meng Bai, "It can be seen that Hengten Network still has concerns about the platform content. President Meng, I'll have to trouble you a lot."
"Sister Xi, what you said makes me feel so stressed."
Meng Bai smiled, then frowned.
To be honest, although there are only two parties involved in the negotiation, everyone has different ideas about the streaming media platform.
Hengten Network wants to use this to expand its business scope and increase its stock price. On the Ruyi Film side, Ke Liming plans to hype up the popularity and value of the platform and engage in capital operations.
Meng Bai's ideas are somewhat similar to Ke Liming's, but he has more than the other party, that is, he actually wants to really get a video website in his hands.
A qualified film and television giant must have at least three aspects: capital, content and platform. Today's Arclight Film and Television has capital and content, and the only shortcoming is the platform.
Although it has close cooperation with Qiyi TV and Tencent Video, it belongs to others after all, not to itself. What's more, this close cooperative relationship may not be able to be maintained for a long time. If you can have your own platform, even if it is smaller in scale, it is more or less a way out.
However, Meng Bai also knows that Arclight alone cannot support the burning speed of an entire video platform. But the emergence of Evergrande has brought new hope.
Although the real estate industry is currently on the decline, after all, a video platform can still support it.
As for what to do if there is no money in two years... well, in fact, it only needs to survive the initial period of money burning in the development of the platform, and then it will run smoothly, and it will not need the other party.
It can only be said that the three parties of the cooperation have their own plans. As for what the final result will be, no one can say for sure now.
Meng Bai was still thinking about the platform, and Chen Zhixi changed the topic again: "Old Chen has already started preparing for the project of "The Manslaughter". For the starring role of the movie, do you have any recommendations besides Xiao Yang?"
"The starring role of the movie?" Meng Bai switched his mind to the movie.
In the story of "The Manslaughter", the most important characters are the wife and two daughters, in addition to the male protagonist.
"Who do you want to choose as the male protagonist's wife?" Chen Zhixi asked.
"How about Qin Lan?" Meng Bai said.
"Qin Lan?" Chen Zhixi thought for a moment, "If she plays this role, isn't she a little... too beautiful?"
The role of the wife Ayu is set as a middle-aged woman who accompanies her husband in a foreign country and is also the mother of two children. Even if the family conditions are not bad, they are definitely a little rough.
Since Qin Lan became famous, she has mostly appeared in a delicate and beautiful image. It feels a bit out of place when brought into the atmosphere of the movie.
"Haha, I didn't expect Sister Xi to compliment another woman of similar age on her beauty."
"Tsk, you're not looking down on me. I'm not an actor anymore, so what's wrong with complimenting her?" Chen Zhixi rolled his eyes, then emphasized, "Besides, I'm younger than her, okay?"
"Okay, you're the youngest." Meng Bai smiled and said, "Actually, it makes sense to be prettier. The initial conflict of the whole story comes from the fact that the wife, Ayu, accidentally killed the rich second-generation man because the other party wanted to continue to violate her. A rich second-generation man can't be obsessed with an ordinary middle-aged aunt." "
As for the image problem, it can be solved through makeup. When she joins the crew, let the stylist design her to be a little more rustic, so that she won't look so eye-catching."
"Will she agree?" Chen Zhixi asked.
"It's okay, I'll sleep with her on this."
Chen Zhixi was stunned. It seems that the word should be pronounced "shuo", right? Forget it, it's been too long since graduation, and I've forgotten it a little.
"What about the two daughters, has Boss Meng chosen any candidates?"
"For the eldest daughter, how about Mai Mai? She has a suitable image and is just the right age for middle school students, both of whom are 16 or 17 years old."
"Zhao Jinmai?" Chen Zhixi nodded, "She is quite suitable, but Old Chen mentioned Zhang Zifeng before."
"Zifeng..." Meng Bai thought about it and thought it was okay. Among the girls of this age group, only the two of them are popular and popular.
Zhang Zifeng's advantage is that she is more popular among the people, especially after joining the popular variety show "Longing for Life" on Mango TV this year, her popularity has increased.
As for Zhao Jinmai, her advantage is that she has a prettier image. And with the huge success of "The Wandering Earth", her popularity is also very high now.
"Both girls are fine, but Zifeng's salary is a bit high." Meng Bai said.
"Well, that's right." Chen Zhixi said, "Then let's talk about it first. Whoever has the right schedule and price will be used. What about the younger daughter?"
"I don't have a suitable one at the moment. I have to look for it again."
The role of "younger daughter" is to make it more difficult for the male protagonist's family to get rid of suspicion. After all, compared to adults, children are more easily tricked. In order to let the audience feel this setting clearly, the age must be young, and she is set to be five or six years old and not in school.
At the beginning, Meng Bai actually thought of Wang Shengdi, who had worked with him twice before, and played the little girl who played the little heroine "Pupu" in "The Hidden Corner". The image is very suitable for the big screen, and the acting skills are also OK. But this little girl was born in 2010 and is already nine years old this year.
Children are different from adults. A one-year difference can change a lot, not to mention that the difference is even greater when they are three or four years older. So in the end Meng Bai gave up and planned to find a new child actor again.
As for other roles, it will be left to Chen Sicheng to choose. I can talk to Taiyang Chuanhe later to see if there is anyone suitable.
This is why many new actors hope to find a big company. Various high-quality projects have been reviewed while they are still in the early preparation stage. Unless it is really unsuitable or the crew has high requirements, it is difficult to have any good opportunities to leak out.
(End of this chapter)
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