Chapter 636: Should I accept their threats?
“They’re going to increase the budget by 40 million?”
After hearing the request from Blue Whale, Cai Ziyi looked up at his general manager in surprise.
Did she hear it wrong? It was not 40 million, but 4 million?
"Yes, they said that Blue Whale's standard for producing TV dramas is that the actors' salaries cannot exceed 25% of the total investment. If the actors' salaries cannot be reduced, the overall production cost can only be increased. In addition, their special effects requirements for this fairy tale drama must be the best in the country. Blue Whale's Jiying Special Effects can produce the special effects of "Chinese Paladin III" at cost price."
As the general manager of Tangren Film and Television, it was the first time that Cheng Yimei encountered a film and television company that was so willing to spend money on special effects, and she couldn't help but look at them with admiration.
Tang Ren is considered to be a relatively conscientious company in the industry, with at least half of their funds invested in actual film and television production, unlike some companies which invest less than one-third.
Unexpectedly, Blue Whale Entertainment was even more ruthless and simply doubled the investment, investing more than three quarters of the funds in actual production costs.
Subconsciously, she felt the strong pressure brought by this newly established entertainment company.
“How much do they cost to make the special effects?”
Cai Ziyi put down the documents in her hand temporarily and asked subconsciously, still not recovering.
"45 million."
"How many?"
Unable to help but take a deep breath, Cai Ziyi, who had just turned 30 and controlled a film and television company with assets worth hundreds of millions, repeated in astonishment.
"They said they wanted to highly restore the plot and special effects of The Legend of Sword and Fairy III, and 45 million is just the cost price."
When Cheng Yimei said this number, she herself was a little bit unconvinced. It was also a little bit unbelievable when she heard this quotation for the first time.
The cost price is 45 million, so the friendship price must be 60 million or more, and this is just for a special effect.
Even domestic blockbusters don’t have such high special effects production costs.
This is not a fantasy drama, this is a large-scale fantasy special effects movie.
"What a joke, with such high production costs, can you still make money?"
After making sure that what she heard was not an extra zero, Cai Ziyi subconsciously rejected such production costs.
Three years ago, their company spent 15 million to shoot the Legend of Sword and Fairy 1, which was considered a large investment at the time and the returns were also generous, earning their company nearly twice the income.
Now, with the rising prices of TV series and the popularity of the "Legend of Sword and Fairy" series, their company has quoted a production cost of 35 million.
This amount is already considered a high cost, and a lot of floating space has been reserved. The actual production cost may be less than 30 million.
The other party actually asked to increase the budget by 40 million. With a total investment of 75 million, it would not be able to make back the cost even if it was made into a movie, let alone a fantasy drama with a limited audience.
Is the boss of Blue Whale Entertainment crazy?
"Blue Whale's intention is that if we don't agree to the production cost, they won't cooperate with us."
"If you don't want to cooperate, then don't cooperate. Do you think we should beg them for a project that is obviously profitable?"
Cai Ziyi was furious when she thought about how she had good intentions to make money with the other party but was targeted by the other party.
With this cost, their company can invest on its own, so why force others to make money too?
The purpose of cooperating with the other party on this project is nothing more than to make use of the other party's film resources.
"According to Secretary Chi, if our cooperation fails, Blue Whale will develop its own Xianxia drama. The investment is expected to be 60 million, and the Xianxia drama it produces will compete with ours at the same time."
After the president's boss had finished venting his anger, Cheng Yimei told him the other meaning conveyed by Blue Whale.
This time, they were targeted by a tiger.
"What do you mean? Are you threatening us? We in the Legend of Sword and Fairy III are afraid of competing with others. What a joke."
Unexpectedly, the other party had more to say, and Cai Ziyi couldn't help but shout.
Why does Blue Whale Entertainment not play by the rules at all? When cooperation fails, it starts making threats.
Cai Ziyi founded Tangren Films at the age of 24 and has never accepted threats from others.
It didn’t happen before, it doesn’t happen now, and it won’t happen in the future.
"Blue Whale Entertainment has just collaborated with director Li Donglai on a 300 million yuan movie. Combined with the special effects company they acquired earlier, their fairy tale drama may be very suitable for the tastes of today's young audiences."
At this point, Cheng Yimei, the general manager, calmly analyzed the opponent's advantages.
The "Legend of Sword and Fairy" series does have a large audience base, but if a fairy-tale drama with explosive special effects appears at the same time, it will definitely not be good news for their company's huge investment in "Legend of Sword and Fairy III."
Nowadays, the income of many TV dramas is linked to the ratings. Those with high ratings can share advertising revenue with the TV stations, which is not a small amount.
In this regard, Blue Whale Entertainment, which has been thriving in the past two years, has grown rapidly and become an entity that even its predecessor Tang Ren Film and Television has to look up to.
Once the Legend of Sword and Fairy III produced by their company is attacked, the subsequent series of related fairy-tale dramas will be shelved, and the loss will be more than just tens of millions of production costs.
"Are we afraid of them?"
“.”
Seeing that her right-hand man was silent, Cai Ziyi calmed down and asked, "What suggestions do you have?"
"In fact, an investment of 75 million is not unacceptable. In a few days, after the Internet Copyright Association is established and relevant policies are issued, major video websites will definitely spend money on various film and television copyrights. By then, the income from the online copyright of high-quality TV series will not be a small amount. I think Blue Whale is also thinking this way. After all, the variety show "The Voice" they produced previously sold 20 million in online copyright fees in a single season."
After careful consideration, Cheng Yimei felt that she should accept the other party's opinion.
Nowadays, Blue Whale Entertainment has begun to develop towards the big screen and is very successful. If Tang Ren, who lacks resources in this area, can get on board with the other party, he may be able to make achievements in the film industry.
"Do you want me to agree to accept their threats?"
“.”
Not knowing that General Manager Feng had immediately quoted Tang Ren an unacceptably high production fee, Zhou Anan, who had already gone to the station to pick up his girlfriend, was having lunch in a restaurant in a shopping mall in Yushan with another plump burden.
"Alas, I've only had a few days of rest. Thinking about going back to teach those little brats tomorrow, I feel a little tired."
After having a sumptuous lunch, Wang Min, leaning back in his seat and drinking milk tea, sighed helplessly.
"You don't have to go. The training department should be able to arrange a substitute teacher."
In response to this, Zhou Anan, whose world of two was disturbed, made a suggestion.
Nowadays, Zhuangyuan Education has abundant part-time teacher resources. If a few part-time teachers take leave occasionally, other part-time teachers can be arranged to fill in at any time.
Especially for primary school courses, basically all part-time teachers are capable of teaching the course.
"If I don't go to class, where will the money come from? You have to support me."
Knowing the sarcasm in her best friend's boyfriend's words, Wang Min pretended not to understand and retorted.
To be honest, she really wanted someone to support her, like her good friend Shi Mingxia. That would be great.
"The price of pork is a bit low right now, so I can't afford to raise it."
Looking at the visual effect brought by the other party's head held high, Zhou Anan couldn't help but shook his head.
"Xiao Xia, you don't care about your boyfriend. It's so annoying. If you let him out like this, he'll be beaten up by other girls. You better watch him carefully."
After being stunned for a moment, Wang Min realized the implication of the other party's words and became furious. She immediately warned her good friend and girlfriend next to her.
"I can't control it, and I don't want to control it."
Listening to the scenes of her friend being scolded and angry by her boyfriend every day, Shi Mingxia, who was used to it, drank her milk tea and shook her head and replied.
"It's over, it's over. You have been brainwashed by the evil organization."
“.”
After lunch, Zhou Anan accompanied his girlfriend to go shopping in the mall and spent several hundred dollars happily. Then he took the two girls back to Lucheng.
"No. 1, watch out for vehicles coming from the right."
"receive."
"No. 1, watch out for the truck behind you at eight o'clock."
"receive."
"No. 1, there's a big truck ahead on the left. Danger, danger."
"Bang!"
"Zi"
At a traffic light intersection on a national highway about to enter Lucheng, a white Liuzhou Wuling van did a 360-degree drift.
In the middle of the traffic light intersection, the passenger side of the van was hit hard by a large truck heading into the city. The car windows were all shattered instantly and the airbag on the driver's seat popped out.
Afterwards, the Liuzhou Wuling was pushed forward quickly by the inertia of the large truck. Its speed slightly slowed down, but it continued to move forward quickly, as if the brakes of the large truck had failed. The van, with a slightly twisted body, made a harsh friction sound.
At this time, Zhou Anan, who had just driven through the right-turn lane and into the straight lane at a steady speed, heard the sound. He glanced casually at the rearview mirror and reflector, and couldn't help but tremble his hands.
He saw a large truck with a van on top of it rushing through the traffic light intersection at a very fast speed and crashing into him from behind.
(End of this chapter)
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