Chapter 736: After Binding the Childbirth System, Becoming a Winner in Life Chapter 737: The Marginal Person in a Farming Novel (39)

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Main Character:

Shen Yao

Director Wang was living it up outside; after all, she'd had quite a few good films released in recent years. Although not every single one was a big-budget blockbuster, at least none had lost money. And Director Wang herself wasn't the type to throw tantrums. No matter how others tried to poach her, as long as Shen Yao and Jiang Han Zhou didn't lower their standards for working with her, she absolutely refused to leave.

Now hearing the company was calling her back to shoot a film, Director Wang figured there was nothing to wait for. She just said a couple of words to her family and hurriedly took a plane back to Jing Shi.

At the company, Shen Yao was in a meeting with the project team, and Director Wang was among them.

"... These several films all come from well-known editors in the circle; content-wise there's no major issue. The main problem lies in the presentation and angle of filming," Shen Yao impolitely pointed out that in today's film industry where special effects are indispensable, there aren't many companies capable of producing satisfactory effects.

"Most still prefer to hire foreign teams, but they have a flaw: they don't understand domestic audience aesthetics and are high-and-mighty, unwilling to adapt.

For example, earlier Chunfeng Company invested in two mythological films. In the end, they were mocked by the masses within days of release. Clearly audiences didn't buy it." Although Chunfeng Company used strong-arm tactics to tear a huge chunk of flesh off Zhou You and didn't lose money themselves, those two films were purely money-losers.

Even without those newly set market rules, just based on the special effects Chunfeng Company chose themselves, Shen Yao wasn't optimistic that this genre could make money in the market.

It's also because Zhou You got screwed by Chunfeng Company. Right now the two sides are still in litigation. From current public opinion, Chunfeng Company clearly has the upper hand. Zhou You will have to eat some bitterness if he wants to completely break free.

But right now they aren't discussing Zhou You. After all, no matter how Zhou You ends up, he absolutely cannot get involved with them again.

Jiang Han Zhou and Shen Yao are both people who value face. They don't want to make too big a scene with Zhou You. He was, after all, a meritorious official who shot two films that earned them a lot of money. Although Zhou You himself became increasingly abstract later on, and the little wife by his side was also a pit, those are all Zhou You's personal problems.

Shen Yao expounded this view to express her distrust of special effects. Not just the effects issue; Shen Yao also opposed excessively stacking star power.

"Can't use traffic stars. Because relative to the audience, traffic is still too little. Fans can provide free promotion to some extent, but a traffic star's identity destines these fans to never be honest and law-abiding." Shen Yao continued citing examples of stars screwed by their fans. The dramas originally filmed weren't bad at all, but the fans loved to kick up a fuss, engaging in phantom targeting and warring with the whole world. The problems all backfired onto the stars, further damaging the dramas' reputation, causing audiences to develop disgust and refuse to watch the stars' works.

"This situation often occurs in TV dramas. In recent years the film market also sees it frequently. For instance, the previous several youth films largely suffered because fans were too high-profile, leading to reduced box office intake." Much less than originally expected. This money couldn't be made up just by fans buying a few more tickets. At the very least, comparing fans' spending to ordinary audiences, it's truly small potatoes.

"For our film shoot this time, first we must guarantee script quality. Second is casting must consider the whole film. Only after that comes..."

Shen Yao finished seriously expounding her requirements, then listened to everyone discussing with each other, especially Director Wang, who as director also had to give her take on this.

Everyone was for the project's perfection, so the finished film could earn more money. Therefore when speaking there was no mixing in of selfish motives (even if there were, only a tiny part). All were considering the whole project.

Director Wang stated that film casting must yield to the story's integrity and suitability. Unless it's the kind of dispensable, not-too-important role that can be appropriately relaxed, otherwise strict requirements are still a must. Can't let unsuitable people in.

"In casting, we have the initiative. Circle actors wanting achievements will all be willing to cooperate." After all, stably producing good scripts isn't easy. Director Wang is a company banner. As long as Director Wang's name is hung out, there's no worry about signing suitable actors.

"Film production-wise, our professional team is mature and has cooperated for a long time. Other aspects won't drag things down either. The only thing to watch is personnel complexity. We can't strictly demand everyone." Once certain people have incidents, the whole crew gets tagged with bad influence.

The most obvious example is the previous private morality scandal that blew up. The crew halted for days. Not to mention money lost, even the film release had to be brought up and recited.

Shen Yao knew the producer at the time complained throughout the circle, made a laughingstock of themselves, and even got spread outside the circle by some people. Netizens melon-eated and watched the drama, another round of adding frost to snow.

Normally, inside and outside the circle are two different public opinion worlds. What the inside values, the outside dismisses. What the outside clamors about, the inside ignores completely.

Only in recent years the internet developed rapidly. Many like to sneakily set the rhythm online, causing much flow between inside and outside. Even many melons are testified by circle insiders. More stimulating than early years, and also intensified contradictions between inside and outside.

"These are all unavoidable things. What we can do is just manage as best we can." If really impossible, we can only cut ties. Crisis PR must be prepared in advance.

Shen Yao turned and distributed the plans they'd already worked out to everyone. Preparing these is being prepared against the unexpected. At the very least, can't do nothing.

After explaining these trivial matters, others left in turn. The whole office was left with only Shen Yao and Director Wang.

Shen Yao started caring about whether the returned Director Wang had any maladjustment. "Originally didn't plan to be this urgent, but the company recently bought into many small and medium theater chains. Film-wise will be easier to push than before."

When your own resources are available, use them. When else would you wait to use them?

Shen Yao never hid things. Besides, media isn't not reporting this kind of thing. But compared to those stars' love-hate entanglements, things like buying into theater chains generally don't get too much attention.

After all, active net audiences are mostly young people. They're more willing to chase dazzling stars. Shen Yao and Jiang Han Zhou have been very low-key recent years. While company scale grew larger, they exposed themselves less in public view.

Director Wang naturally didn't know the company's business had recently adjusted. But she'd never really rested. Every year she guaranteed at least one film shoot. The company buying into theater chains actually had a bit to do with her. At least during film release they could schedule more screenings, letting money fall into their own pockets.

Turning back, she flipped through several scripts written by screenwriters. None were complete scripts. Only a rough synopsis-like content.

Picking and choosing, Director Wang selected one she was relatively satisfied with from them, turned and handed it to Shen Yao.

"Not going to look at the others?" Shen Yao raised a brow. Their company currently, besides Director Wang, everyone else was relatively busy.

Director Wang shook her head. "No touching effects, and must exclude traffic stars taking root. This kind of light humorous comedy genre is good. Cost not high, composition simple. Actors take a different path, also saves some money."

The "different path" Director Wang spoke of refers to those professional comedic actors, or say some actors in the film/TV circle skilled at playing supporting roles or jesters. Overall, they're not like traffic stars so concerned with image. They won't refuse exaggerated actions. And in pay they're cheaper than others.

Director Wang had thought of shooting this type of film before. But because she hadn't encountered a good script, she could only shelve the idea temporarily.

Now there's an opportunity. Director Wang will definitely seize it. Moreover, when she just handed it over she caught sight of this story's screenwriter name. A big shot famous in the circle. Quality guaranteed.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao didn't expect Director Wang to be wealthy so many years, yet her thinking still so simple.

But she told Director Wang not to consider saving money. Because this kind of light comedy film originally wouldn't spend much money anyway. Besides, this film relies on actors. As long as actors fall into place smoothly, 80% success.

"Any difficulties contact anytime." Shen Yao indicated she'd be at the company recently. For this project to land and shoot, preliminary prep can't do without one or two months.

Director Wang hmmed, nodded, turned and proactively contacted this story's screenwriter. The two arranged to meet for a simple meal.

Director Wang requested the screenwriter further refine the film content. She herself would first find actors in the circle. If the screenwriter had good actor recommendations, totally fine to tell her. After all, as long as the role fits, Director Wang isn't really someone who doesn't understand human relations.

Busy busy, walk walk stop stop.

Director Wang's new film was approved. Casting turbulence also spread out.

Many circle actors and stars began contacting Director Wang. Whether private maneuvering or open messaging, in short all wanted to join this film.

But Director Wang had her own ideas. She early on released this film's genre. Then rejected a batch of traffic stars, saying their personas weren't suitable to appear in this kind of comedy film.

Because comedy elements exist, exaggerated plots are unavoidable. Traffic stars rely on those fans to eat. Once persona and face collapse, it can literally take their lives.

Therefore these traffic stars, hearing comedy, just went down the slope on the donkey and hurriedly ran off.

Having sent off these troublemakers, Director Wang truly seriously selected actors she wanted. Similar to those long mixed in film circle but not famous for looks. And some actors from comedy shows. All received Director Wang's invitation. Unified time to come audition for roles.

Because these people's audience is relatively broad, but they don't have traffic stars' die-hard fans. So online movement, though large, isn't uncontrollable.

Once people confirmed, contracts signed, Director Wang brought them directly flying to the crew for a shoot of about four months.

Shen Yao's side, dealing with Hongshi Network people. Short drama track is still too profitable. Although not like money flowing like water when just entering, right now earnings are still several times their investment.

Hongshi Network came this time because of a grand ambition: want to go overseas to build a platform and do short dramas. After all, domestic is saturated. But outside there's still money-making opportunity.

And previously it was all foreign films entering the Chinese market to great acclaim; now their domestic short dramas are blooming and bearing fruit abroad, and they simply have to seize the opportunity to make a killing.

Shen Yao advised this Hongshi Network high-level executive not to invest rashly, because compared to domestic, the most troublesome thing abroad is those policies and rules.

"The few markets you mentioned, their governments won't stay in power too long; once changes appear at the top, we can easily become passive."

At least in Shen Yao's view, they can invest in filming short dramas, but cannot really operate on a large scale abroad; abroad does not speak martial ethics like domestic does.

Compared to certain people's exaggerated rhetoric online, Shen Yao, as someone in the entertainment industry, has actually looked into the situation abroad these past few years.

How to put it?

Domestic is in dire straits, abroad is no better.

Domestic film and television winter has no dramas; abroad professional actors are unemployed in droves.

Short dramas are already saturated domestically, yet short dramas are thriving abroad, because human nature is universally connected; during economic downturns, people are more willing to watch overall satisfying dramas rather than bitter reality.

The short dramas popular abroad are all types that were previously very popular domestically; right now Hongshi Network is eyeing them greedily, thinking they can run over and grab a slice of the pie — who let them have no lack of precisely this type of novel IP.

"Domestic and foreign situations differ; if Hongshi Network is truly interested, it can try," but she also would not accompany them in participating, "the company's projects have been rather numerous lately; abroad, still can't quite attend to it."

Even if she could attend to it she wouldn't do it; the distance between them is simply ten thousand eight thousand li; Shen Yao is unwilling to even leave Kyoto, let alone fly abroad trip after trip.

Hongshi Network high-level executive:...

'Will Hongshi Network give up?' the System was curious, because when this person came over, he hesitated to speak several times, and it was also because the Host's words expressed excessive firmness; otherwise the other party would definitely have continued persuading.

'No, they won't turn back until they hit a wall; moreover Hongshi Network still has a big backer behind it,' already unsatisfied with current domestic short drama income, no matter how scary Shen Yao said it was, they would still hold a fluke mentality.

It's not like there haven't been domestic capital entering foreign markets; others did it with great fanfare, they're stronger than them, and even bring their own novel IPs — there's no reason they wouldn't make money.

System:...

Although however, since the Host says so, does that confirm Hongshi Network is going to be unlucky?

But Hongshi Network's unlucky fall into a pit isn't a one-morning-one-evening matter; right now Shen Yao still turns her gaze to Jiang Han Zhou who is rushing about outside.

During the New Year period didn't she buy into a portion of small and medium-sized theater chains? Later Jiang Han Zhou successively acquired some remotely located theater chains for renovation; right now he has united other private theater chains to do cooperation, similar to price-cut promotions, waging a price war to stir up traffic.