After wrapping up a day’s work, everyone left the audition office.
"So, we’ll get in touch with Joseph Gordon’s agent, and keep Matthew McConaughey as a backup option."
Wang Jian closed his notebook and said to Jas, "Make sure to confirm the final selection quickly. The website will coordinate with ABC for the promotion."
"There shouldn’t be any problems." Jas walked alongside Wang Jian, then suddenly let out a light laugh, "Once we’ve locked down the male lead, it’ll be ti to audition the female leads."
"Trust , you’re going to have a really great ti."
Wang Jian glanced at Jas, who suddenly looked sleazy, and promptly flipped him the bird.
But then, in the parking lot, he encountered sothing that completely shattered his worldview.
"Sir, I’m Edmund’s agent. Would you like to have dinner together?"
Wang Jian looked up and saw behind the speaking middle-aged Caucasian man an awkwardly smiling handso young guy.
Shit!
Do I look like I swing that way?
The agent saw Wang Jian’s lack of response and quickly added another sentence, "Edmund has a girlfriend too. She can join us if you like."
You...
This...
"Sorry, not interested." Wang Jian started the car and drove off towards his apartnt.
"The people in show business really have no damn limits!"
Am I the kind of man who loses his head around won?
The only thing that could make throw caution to the wind was those green and tempting US Dollars!
After getting back to his apartnt, Wang Jian looked over Apple’s email again, then made a call to Tom.
"Fax the information about the audiobook version of ’Friends’."
With a few "whirring" sounds, he soon got what he needed.
No doubt, ’Friends’ is one of the most successful TV shows in the United States.
It not only completely dominated over its contemporaries in traditional areas like sponsorship and licensing fees but also carved out a new revenue stream.
"Audiobook version of ’Friends’ actually beca a tool for many people learning English and stand-up cody?" Wang Jian scrutinized the fax carefully.
"If ’Anomalies’ could beco a smash hit..."
Wang Jian quickly calculated in his mind. For the audiobook version of a TV series, he could only get 5% of the profits.
But for the audiobook version of the novel ’Anomalies,’ he could take 50%.
The key issue was that since the audiobook and written versions updated asynchronously, perhaps the audiobook could even attract so readers to the website!
As for the fact that the audiobook update speed was much faster than the production of the TV series, possibly slightly affecting the TV show’s ratings.
In any case, he’d already bagged the licensing fee. Why should he bother with ABC’s life or death?
The aning of a business partner is that business always cos before partners!
Wang Jian thought for a while, then called Tom again.
"Has the recording studio promised by Apple been completed?"
"Yes." Tom’s voice ca through the phone, "Tim Cook has been in touch and says we’re welco to visit anyti."
For various reasons, ABC’s work pace was much faster than the usual TV series production.
So taking into account the first-mover advantage, to reap bigger benefits, he needed to speed up the production of the audiobook.
"Schedule a visit for us, let’s go take a look tomorrow."
Wang Jian thought for a mont, then added, "And while we’re at it, find out when Apple is releasing their audio player."
"Understood."
After Tom hung up, Wang Jian rubbed his temples and turned on the TV.
This day’s hustle had indeed left him feeling sowhat exhausted.
"So this is ’Everybody Loves Raymond’? The imaginary foe ABC found for ’Anomalies’?"
Wang Jian took a cursory look, "Hmm, the female lead is quite pretty."
...
The next morning, accompanied by Tom and Tim Cook, Wang Jian took the elevator to the floor where the recording studio was located.
"To have more than ten music production companies in one building?" He looked at the elevator directory, saying sowhat incredulously.
"Haha." Tim Cook laughed, "In New York, who’s to say whether there are more singers or hobos. Not even the chief of police could tell you."
"But rest assured, Mr. Wang. Apple has upgraded the original recording equipnt according to our specifications."
"Our studio is now more suited than ever for recording audiobooks."
"Shortly, Mr. Wang can try it out for himself."
Once the elevator doors opened, they entered the recording room.
Cook cleared his throat, looking towards the staff, "Is everything ready?"
"All set."
"Let’s get started."
At Cook’s signal, Wang Jian picked up a pair of headphones, ready to see what kind of tricks a high-tech company could play when crossing over.
But after a few minutes, he looked at Tim Cook with so confusion.
There was no sound at all!
"What’s going on?" Cook noticed sothing was wrong and loudly asked the staff.
"Uh..." one of the staffers hesitated, "We were so focused on tuning the equipnt that we forgot to prepare the CD."
Wang Jian and Tom exchanged glances, almost bursting into laughter.
However, Wang Jian imdiately furrowed his brow; he didn’t have ti to waste here.
"It’s just a CD, right?" Wang Jian pointed to a corner of the recording studio where a pile of miscellaneous items lay.
The staffer glanced that way, "That’s stuff left behind by a previous music production company."
"Doesn’t matter," Wang Jian shrugged, "I just want to see what’s different between this and the music recording equipnt."
Cook hesitated for a mont but eventually nodded, "Use that CD then."
Monts later, as sounds started to co through the headphones, Wang Jian’s eyebrows furrowed.
The CD was typical gangster rap, roughly translating to: I have money, I have girls, I’m the man...
He took off the headphones and handed them to Tom.
"Indeed, the music volu is much lower, emphasizing the vocals more," Wang Jian said to Cook, "So, when can we start recording?"
"Right away," Cook replied, "Apple is launching an audio player on Saint Patrick’s Day."
"Before that, we’ll record ten hours’ worth of content for the product launch presentation."
Wang Jian calculated internally and felt the timing was just perfect.
"Let’s hope for a successful collaboration then." He reached out and shook hands with Cook.
"Tom, take out the ’Anomalies’ audio licensing contract and hand it over to Mr. Cook."
But after waiting a while, Wang Jian still didn’t see Tom making any moves.
He turned his head to look at him, only to find Tom intently listening through the headphones.
Was he a gangster music aficionado?
Wang Jian offered Cook an apologetic smile, then tapped Tom on the shoulder.
Tom turned to face Wang Jian, "Wang, have you considered using a rap that summarizes the content of the novel to attract more young people?"
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