"What brings you here today?" Zhang Yimou invited Chen Yiyang to sit down for tea and chat.
"Isn’t it about the New Year film schedule? I invested in Earth Wandering 2, and despite the first one making over five billion at the box office, the second one can’t get good screening tis."
After sitting down, Chen Yiyang got straight to the point. "I asked a manager at the cinema line, and they hinted to , both overtly and covertly, that they made concessions to you, which is why you got good screenings. I think that’s unlikely, so I ca directly to ask you."
"You..." Zhang Yimou was at a loss for words after hearing Chen Yiyang.
In all his years of experience, it was the first ti soone had co directly to ask about such a thing.
It was too blunt and honest.
If it were really Zhang Yimou ssing around behind the scenes, this would be akin to declaring war face to face.
However, Zhang Yimou thought about it and realized that Chen Yiyang confronting him directly wasn’t such a bad choice after all.
After all, many adult conflicts arise from not directly asking about small issues, which leads to long-standing grudges.
Sotis, two well-acquainted people suddenly have a public fallout,
often because previous small issues weren’t directly addressed, leading to accumulated grievances.
After understanding this reasoning, Zhang Yimou candidly said, "I can assure you, I haven’t done anything underhanded."
"Alright, you’re a senior, I trust your character." Chen Yiyang nodded imdiately.
"My lifelong wish is to make good movies. Unfortunately, in this world, just wanting to do one thing purely is very difficult." Zhang Yimou sighed at Chen Yiyang and then stopped discussing the matter.
After leaving Zhang Yimou’s house, Chen Yiyang went directly to Gong Fan’s place to discuss.
"What did Zhang Yimou say?" Gong Fan asked while handling so work.
He needed to check for any issues before the movie’s release, especially with the editing.
"It should be the investors behind that film causing trouble."
When Zhang Yimou said he wasn’t involved,
Chen Yiyang imdiately realized that the real effort was likely from the investors behind the film Full of Anger and Red with Fury.
"There’s nothing that can be done then." Gong Fan didn’t react much, "If we can’t get good screenings, we can’t. I’ll polish the film’s details further."
"Why are you so calm about your own movie?" Chen Yiyang glanced at Gong Fan.
"What else can I do?" Gong Fan shrugged, "Earth Wandering 2 has five investors, two from China Film, one from my company, one from Wu Jing’s company, and one from your company.
I talked to China Film before, but for so reason, they said they couldn’t help. That’s why I ca to you."
"China Film said they can’t help either?" Chen Yiyang was surprised.
The investors behind Earth Wandering 2 were straightforward.
Usually, when a hit film releases a sequel, many investors rush to invest through various channels and connections.
But Earth Wandering 2 didn’t.
Because China Film, a major state-owned player, invested in the first one, and they wouldn’t let others in for the second.
So the investors in Earth Wandering 2 were still the sa as the first.
If Chen Yiyang hadn’t happened to seize the chance to invest in the first, he wouldn’t have squeezed in to invest any money in the second either.
But now, due to scheduling issues, China Film says they can’t help?
"Actually, it’s not hard to understand," Gong Fan said, "China Film invested in both Earth Wandering 2 and Full of Anger and Red with Fury. Helping us would be like one hand fighting the other."
"True," Chen Yiyang nodded.
Aside from China Film, there are many other investors in Full of Anger and Red with Fury, including so listed companies.
After all, a Zhang Yimou film couldn’t be fully funded by China Film alone.
"Forget it, I’m half an outsider, and you’re just a filmmaker, neither can figure it out. But there’s still another investor, let’s call him over."
Chen Yiyang’s words reminded Gong Fan.
Wu Jing was also an important investor in Earth Wandering 2, and the lead actor too.
Given the situation, he should be even more anxious than Chen Yiyang.
So Gong Fan called Wu Jing and asked him to co over.
Compared to Chen Yiyang and Gong Fan, who were sowhat in the film circle but clueless about its intricacies, Wu Jing, who rose from the bottom, was a true insider, fully understanding the financial maneuvers in the film industry.
Once Wu Jing arrived, Chen Yiyang and Gong Fan had a few drinks with him, and Wu Jing revealed the secret.
"Investing in a film, working hard for two years to make it, losing money is common, even if it makes money, the returns often don’t match just keeping the money in the bank for interest.
That’s why more films and TV shows are using investors’ people and promoting their stars.
Because stars can earn money back from outside the film, like endorsents and performances. So they’re willing to invest at a loss.
But how do companies without artists make money from film or TV investnts? It’s simple: stock."
Wu Jing used his finger to trace on the table with liquor, "After a movie is released, if it explodes at the box office, the stocks of all the companies investing in it will imdiately soar.
The movie might make only one billion, but the stocks of the investing companies can rise by tens of billions, cash out a bit, and it’s billions in hand. Now you understand why many investnt companies prefer investing in movies that don’t make money but still invest?"
Now Chen Yiyang understood why the investors behind Full of Anger and Red with Fury were being sneaky.
If they make Full of Anger and Red with Fury look like a box office hit, even if it doesn’t earn much profit,
as long as the company’s market cap rises, they can sell stocks easily and earn a lot.
What’s more profitable than finance in this world?
"If that’s the case, can we compromise with the cinemas on profit sharing, or I offer them so perks, to get better screening tis?" Chen Yiyang asked.
"Unlikely." Wu Jing gave his assessnt.
"Why?" Chen Yiyang asked.
"Because supporting Full of Anger and Red with Fury will, to so extent, make cinemas earn more during the New Year."
"What logic is that?" Chen Yiyang was confused.
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