Chapter 551 Are you embarrassed to ask for debt?
In early July, just when Li Ye was about to leave school, Director Xiong from Chang'an Film Studio suddenly came to Peking University to find Li Ye.
"Oh my, I'm lucky I came just in time. If I had been a day later, we would have missed it. It's all my fault. I've been so busy these past two months, traveling all over the country."
Director Xiong was obviously very hot. He grabbed the front of his open shirt to fan himself, but the sweat on his face still flowed down his neck and soaked his white vest.
Li Ye brought him a cup and poured him a glass of cold boiled water.
"Brother Xiong, you have to complain to the factory! You've been running around for almost two months since our movie was released, right? Can't we get someone else to give you a break?"
Ever since the release of "Homesick", Director Xiong has been coordinating and handling various trivial matters outside. When he met Li Ye last month, he was still complaining about "passing by the house without entering" and was very tired.
But today Director Xiong did not complain, but laughed softly and said: "Change someone? There are a group of people lining up to replace me, humph, they wishful thinking.
Brother Li Ye, wasn’t it easy for us to plant trees and water them in the past two years? Now it’s time to bear fruit. I’m not kidding you, if you don’t give me a deputy factory director position by the end of this year, it would be unjust.”
“.”
All right! Li Ye was careless. It took more than two years from the early preparation to the filming and release of "Homesickness". Now that the box office is booming, it's time for everyone to enjoy the results and reward them according to their merits.
"By the way, brother Li Ye, there are two more things,"
Director Xiong picked up the glass of water that Li Ye poured for him, drank it down in a gulp, and then said: This time the factory asked me to visit Beijing and bring a batch of gifts to your literature club.
But this day is unfortunate, as it happens to be the school holiday. Do you think I should unload it at school now? Or should I find a place to store it and send it over next semester?"
Li Ye thought for a moment and said, "Let's keep it in school! There are still a few students in the literature club who haven't left, and there are still teachers left in the school."
Director Xiong smiled and said, "Okay, I'll have someone unload it for you right away. I also have a little gift for you, so I'll have a car deliver it to your house later."
"Brother Xiong, don't be so polite all the time. We have known each other for a long time."
Li Ye said you're welcome, but in fact he was not polite at all. Director Xiong had brought him a lot of good things over the years, and they were purchased through formal channels with invoices. Only a fool would refuse it.
However, when Li Ye and Director Xiong left the dormitory building, they saw a fully loaded 130 truck.
Li Ye swallowed his saliva and said, "Brother Xiong, this is what you called a visiting gift?"
It wasn't that Li Ye was making a fuss, but there were just too many gifts.
In the past, Director Xiong would send some local specialties to the Lone Army Literary Society on a seasonal basis, just a few baskets.
But this time it was a car, and it was not just local specialties, there were also a lot of liquor, canned food, malted milk and the like, Li Ye even saw dozens of boxes of Pengcheng Red Bull.
If this thing is charged as bribery, it would reach the standard of "huge amount".
Li Ye couldn't help but ask, "Brother Xiong, tell me the truth, why did you come to see me today?"
"Hey, brother, you are a smart man, I won't hide it from you,"
Director Xiong said calmly: "In the past few days, overseas audiences have written many letters to the studio, saying that our films have received a good response in their local areas, and film festivals in several countries have invited us to participate in the exhibition.
The overseas box office data Mr. Pei sent us was also very astonishing.
So the factory kept urging me to ask, can we study the overseas dividends that we agreed on in the first place? "
"Overseas dividends? Research?"
Li Ye was a little surprised.
At the beginning of filming, it was decided that "Homelander" would be released simultaneously in mainland China and overseas, so it was sure to have overseas box office success.
Because the fact that Li Ye's "North Wind Flying" sold the copyright three times was widely spread, Chang'an Film Studio initially proposed to share part of the overseas box office.
The mainland currently had no overseas publicity and promotion channels, so Changan Film Studio didn’t actually hold out much hope at the time, and was just trying its best.
After all, no matter how well the film sells in mainland China, it is still RMB. Pei Wencong has invested so much foreign currency, so he needs to make up for it with overseas box office revenue.
However, to the surprise of Changan Film Studio, Pei Wencong agreed to give 10% of the profits to Changan Film Studio, which made people exclaim that "Boss Pei is very generous."
But today Director Xiong suddenly mentioned something like "research", so is it that some people are insatiable and think that 10% is too little?
In fact, Pei Wencong is a typical businessman, not very generous. Li Ye is generous.
But no matter how generous Li Ye is, he cannot tolerate certain people's bad habits!
So Li Ye smiled faintly and said, "Why, does anyone in your factory think that 10% is too little?"
"No, no, no, Brother Li, you're wrong," Director Xiong said quickly, "It's not that it's too little, it's that we're afraid that if it's too much, people won't recognize it.
We had agreed to settle the bill at the end of June, but it's already early July and there's still no progress. I wanted to find Mr. Huo Renqiang to get some information, but he's on vacation these days.
So I thought I'd ask you, brother, to help me find out when the money will be transferred.
“.”
Li Ye was stunned for several seconds before he said with a smile: "Brother Xiong, you can formally ask the Hong Kong side about this matter! Huo Renqiang is on vacation, so there should be others staying behind, right?"
Director Xiong sighed and said, "I'm too embarrassed to ask him directly! A few days ago, our factory held a meeting, and everyone said that Boss Pei was very righteous. He has invested tens of millions of dollars in Chang'an City."
"To be honest, brother, two years ago, when our Chang'an Film Studio met with the Beijing, Shanghai, Bayi and Jilin film studios, they all looked up at us, and then we could only roll up our sleeves~"
"But if you ask now, who dares to look down on our Chang'an Film Studio? In the future, the mainland film studios will not be the four major ones, but the five major ones."
“.”
Director Xiong said a lot of things, but the main point was just one - because of Pei Wencong, our Changan Film Studio has become proud.
In the 1980s, the mainland's film and television industry was very underdeveloped. There was limited funding each year, and the ability to shoot only a few films, so everyone lived a tight life.
But Chang'an Film Studio suddenly received investment from wealthy foreign investors and became very powerful.
"Well, to be honest with you, brother, in just these two months, our company has made more money than in the previous ten years. We didn't invest much money in this movie!"
"Mr. Pei has done us such a great favor, and now we have to ask for money from overseas. We really can't open our mouths!"
"and"
Director Xiong looked at Li Ye and whispered, "I'm telling you the truth, brother. The other companies are all eyeing Mr. Pei! If we don't know what's best for us, we'll be in trouble in the future."
“.”
Looking at the hesitant Director Xiong, Li Ye seemed to see those small suppliers who would supply large enterprises decades later.
Obviously, he is the creditor by right, but he can only smile and watch the other party's face. Even when asking for money, he speaks in a soft voice, cautiously for fear of offending the financial sponsor and getting replaced as a supplier.
Doesn’t Changan Film Studio want the 10% overseas dividends now?
No, at this moment mainland filmmakers are still standing very straight!
They were afraid that their peers would steal away the wealthy Pei Wencong, so they wanted to find out the truth through Li Ye without causing any harm.
The film "Homeland" opened up the horizon for Chang'an Film Studio, and they hope to have a second and third film.
Other film studios must have the same idea, and may have already promised many preferential conditions. Otherwise, why would the Hong Kong side, which always follows the rules, suddenly postpone the agreed overseas dividends?
"Brother Xiong, I'll ask about this for you later, but I think, no matter who we cooperate with in the future, we still have to stand up straight."
"Oh, I knew you were a good friend, brother. You have to do this."
Director Xiong happily put his arm around Li Ye's shoulders, but obviously didn't listen to what Li Ye said.
Yes, the status of a film investor is already very special, let alone a righteous person like Pei Wencong?
. . . . . . . .
Two hours later, Li Ye called A Qiang.
"Is that Mr. Huo?"
“.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a full five seconds before Aqiang's voice rang out anxiously.
"I'm Huo Renqiang, are you Mr. Li?"
"I'm Li Ye. Ah Qiang, what's wrong with you? Why is there that voice?"
Boss, I was scared by you, weren't I? Why are you calling me "Mr. Huo"? In gangster movies, this is the rhythm of getting a box lunch!
(End of this chapter)
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