After leaving the conference room, Ling Yichen and Jun Mozhan were filled with anxiety about the unpredictable changes in the negotiations. Back on set, they dared not slack off in the slightest and quickly threw themselves into preparations to deal with the new situation. While making final preparations for the test broadcast, they kept a close eye on Jack's movements.
In the production team, everyone worked together diligently, each fulfilling their responsibilities. The publicity team worked day and night on social media, releasing beautiful trailers and behind-the-scenes footage to attract fans' attention and discussion; the technical staff repeatedly tested and adjusted the equipment and platform needed for the test broadcast to ensure a flawless playback process. The actors also took to their social media accounts to promote the new drama's test broadcast, and in no time, the drama's popularity soared again in China, even arousing the curiosity and anticipation of some overseas fans.
However, while everyone was putting in their best effort for the test broadcast, there was still no news from Jack. Ling Yichen and Jun Mozhan tried to contact Jack, but his phone remained unanswered, which made them increasingly uneasy. They guessed that Jack's platform was definitely having intense discussions and weighing the offers from competitors, which meant that the outcome of their negotiations was fraught with uncertainty.
During the waiting period, Ling Yichen and Jun Moran did not sit idly by. They thoroughly studied the background and past distribution cases of their competitor platforms, trying to identify their strengths and weaknesses in order to gain the upper hand in subsequent negotiations. At the same time, they also re-examined the highlights and selling points of the new drama, preparing to readjust their negotiation strategy if necessary.
Finally, the day before the test broadcast, Jack contacted Ling Yichen. On the other end of the phone, Jack's voice sounded slightly tired, but he still maintained his usual calmness: "Mr. Ling, we are still discussing the distribution rights for the new drama internally. However, I would like to understand the preparations for your test broadcast first."
Ling Yichen briefly reported on the preparations for the pilot broadcast, emphasizing the efforts the production team had made to ensure its success. Jack listened, paused for a moment, and then said, "We see your sincerity. But the situation is a bit complicated now; another platform has offered very tempting terms, and we have to consider it carefully."
Ling Yichen's heart tightened, but he still calmly replied, "Mr. Jack, we understand your situation. But we believe that the unique charm of the new drama and our sincerity are unmatched by other platforms. Moreover, the pilot broadcast plan we discussed earlier can not only show your platform the potential of the new drama in the overseas market, but also preserve the integrity of the work to the greatest extent, which is a good choice for both parties."
Jack didn't respond immediately, only saying he would think about it. After hanging up, Ling Yichen and Jun Mozhan understood that the battle for the distribution rights had entered its most crucial moment.
On the day of the test broadcast, the entire crew sat in front of their computers, nervously watching the constantly fluctuating data on the screens. Initially, the new series didn't receive a warm reception after its limited overseas run, causing everyone to be on edge. However, as the plot progressed, some overseas viewers began leaving comments expressing their appreciation for the series' unique cultural elements and engaging storyline.
"This show is completely different from any other American drama I've ever watched. It has a unique Eastern charm that I find captivating," commented a viewer from the United States.
"Although there were some cultural differences that I didn't quite understand, the plot was really engaging, and the actors' performances were excellent," another British viewer commented.
These positive feedbacks gave the production team hope, and everyone's confidence gradually returned. Ling Yichen and Jun Mozhan immediately organized a team to organize and analyze these comments, preparing to use them as new bargaining chips.
However, their good fortune was short-lived. Just as they were basking in the initial success of the pilot episode, competing platforms began spreading negative comments about the new series online. They hired online trolls to post fake reviews on overseas social media platforms, claiming that the new series suffered from cultural bias and a dragging plot, attempting to mislead overseas audiences and damage its reputation.
"This is outrageous!" the publicity manager exclaimed angrily.
Ling Yichen and Jun Moran realized that this was a deliberate sabotage by their competitors, attempting to undermine the pilot episode of their new drama and thus affect their negotiations with Jack's platform. They decided to stop waiting passively and take immediate countermeasures.
On one hand, the production team organized fans and staff to actively respond to these negative comments online, refuting them with facts and evidence. On the other hand, they contacted some well-known film critics and bloggers overseas, inviting them to watch the new series and provide objective and fair reviews. With everyone's joint efforts, the negative comments gradually subsided, and the new series' reputation began to slowly recover.
But the storm didn't end there. After seeing the competitors' actions, Jack's platform became more cautious. They met with Ling Yichen and Jun Moran again, making new demands: if they wanted to continue the collaboration, the production team had to provide a more detailed market research report within a week, demonstrating the new drama's potential in overseas markets, and also add some English-dubbed versions to facilitate viewing for overseas audiences.
Ling Yichen and Jun Moran understood that Jack's platform was testing their sincerity and capabilities. A week was a very tight deadline; completing the market research report and producing the English dubbed version was incredibly difficult. But they didn't back down and decided to give it their all.
Upon returning to the production team, Ling Yichen quickly assembled a market research team to begin collecting data on overseas markets and audience feedback. They worked day and night, analyzing a vast amount of market information, striving to comprehensively showcase the new drama's potential and advantages in overseas markets in their report. Simultaneously, the dubbing team also began their work intensively, inviting professional English voice actors to dub the new drama.
During this hectic week, the production team faced immense pressure. Everyone was working hard for the overseas distribution of the new drama, driven by a single belief: they had to bring the drama to the international stage. However, just as they were about to complete their mission, another unexpected event occurred…
During the final review, the English dubbed version of the new drama was found to have some cultural misunderstandings, resulting in some lines being translated and dubbed in a way that did not match the original meaning of the plot. If this issue is not resolved in time, it will not only affect the broadcast effect of the new drama overseas, but may also undo all the previous efforts.
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