Chapter 186: Can't Chill Wu Dao

"Cai Zong, we are old acquaintances, our Mango TV is full of sincerity this time!"

Cai Yinong smiled and said to the phone:

"Station Master Ouyang, it's not that I don't talk about feelings. The price of *Meteor Garden* is only one aspect. More importantly, we must ensure that it can be broadcast as soon as possible during the upcoming summer vacation. But the highlight of your Mango TV summer vacation is *My Fair Princess 2*. How many resources can you tilt to *Meteor Garden*?"

Ouyang Changlin on the opposite side was silent for a while, then slowly said: "Cai Zong, can't it be postponed for two months before broadcasting? It's common for us in the mainland to be a few months or half a year later than Hong Kong and Taiwan."

Cai Yinong shook her head and smiled: "Station Master Ouyang, after half a year, pirated discs will fly all over the sky. Just now, the streets in Guangdong are already full of pirated discs from Hong Kong and Taiwan."

Afterward, she said: "But this isn't the point. Our drama is shot to promote newcomers. It must be coordinated with the TV series broadcast to allow F4 to achieve the best effect. We have even set the mainland album release to the summer vacation. We really can't wait! I hope Station Master Ouyang understands!"

Ouyang Changlin sighed upon hearing this. He felt that idol dramas like *Meteor Garden* that focused on the youth group were a perfect match for their Mango TV, but unfortunately, the heavyweight of their Mango TV this summer was their own daughter *My Fair Princess 2*!

"Then it's a pity this time. Cai Zong, if there are any good dramas in the future, you must notify us immediately. Our Mango TV is waiting!"

"Haha, Station Master Ouyang, don't worry, definitely, definitely~"

After hanging up the phone, Cai Yinong took a sip of water to moisten her throat. The reason for explaining so much to the other party was because she was optimistic about the other party's development. Mango TV took off after *My Fair Princess* two parts, and there were programs like *Happy Camp*. In the future, there would still be cooperation with the other party.

*Meteor Garden* was popular in Hong Kong and Taiwan one month after its debut. This trend naturally blew to the mainland. Cai Yinong naturally became a popular person. Except for CCTV, many TV stations were contacting her to buy it.

CCTV still had an image burden now. Dramas like *My Fair Princess* and *Meteor Garden* didn't meet their aesthetics, and basically wouldn't be broadcast on CCTV. After all, to some extent, it represented the official image. However, it was also beaten by *My Fair Princess*, and it directly intercepted *Romance in the Rain* two years later.

And local stations didn't care about this, they just wanted ratings!

This time, Cai Yinong chose neither Beijing TV, which she had cooperated with before, nor Magic City TV, because in terms of sincerity, the most sufficient this time was Guangdong TV, which directly quoted 18 million!

Perhaps because Guangdong was closest to Hong Kong and Taiwan, and had the most foreign exchanges, it was most clear how popular *Meteor Garden* was. Therefore, this local tyrant also waved his hand and directly quoted 18 million. You have to know that *Meteor Garden* was only 20 episodes. For the TV stations in China at this time, the price of 900,000 per episode was truly a sky-high price!

This made Cai Yinong have to sigh that the trick of exporting to domestic sales was really easy to use. She wasn't worried about the traffic of the broadcast platform. Guangdong was the largest economic province in China. In this day and age, Guangdong TV could often rush into the top five, not as lagging as it often fell out of the top ten later. This time, the TV station spent so much money to buy it back, it must be vigorously smashing resources to promote it.

After Wu Yu received Cai Yinong's news, he didn't spare praise. As for the fact that *Meteor Garden* was going to collide with *My Fair Princess 2* in the summer vacation, he not only wasn't worried, but also had the idea of watching the fun.

Anyway, F4 becoming popular was already a foregone conclusion. Let Huang Huang Xiao Ming and his goddess Little Swallow love and kill each other!

The copyright of *Meteor Garden* was sold very smoothly, and at this time, another negotiation concerning Chinese films was also going on.

In a conference room, representatives of China Film, Shanghai Film, and various provincial theater chains were gathered together.

"Wu Dao is truly worthy of the name. Not only can he shoot award-winning literary films like *Don't Want to Grow Up*, but he can also shoot grounded love films like *My Sassy Girl*!"

"Last year *Christmas Rose*, this year *My Sassy Girl*, Wu Dao is truly amazing at shooting love!"

"Hi, the first half of this year was too uncomfortable. Except for *Don't Want to Grow Up*, nothing was good. Even Cheng Long didn't work!"

This year's film market was much more sluggish than last year. Last year, 1998, because of the drive of *Titanic* and *Christmas Rose*, the annual box office was nearly 500 million higher than the 1.1 billion total box office in 1997, which made people in the film industry quite excited. Everyone thought the Chinese film market was about to bottom out and rebound.

But now, seeing that the first half of the year was about to end, the box office was estimated to have just reached about 400 million, which was half of the same period last year. And this was because there was a *Don't Want to Grow Up* in the first half of the year. If there was no *Don't Want to Grow Up*'s box office of over 100 million, it would be even more miserable.

Cheng Long, who was originally highly anticipated, brought a *Gorgeous*, with a box office of only 20 million, which was far worse than the 80 or 90 million of *Rumble in the Bronx* and *Who Am I*! Although love films were popular in the past two years, everyone didn't want to see Cheng Long fall in love, they just wanted to see you fight!

Therefore, after watching *My Sassy Girl*, these theater chain representatives were extremely excited. They could already imagine the scene of cinemas being crowded again, with couples coming to grab tickets.

At this time, I saw a young man stand up, smiling and politely saying to everyone:

"Hello everyone, some of you may have dealt with me before, and some don't know me. Let me introduce myself first. My name is Yu Dong, formerly a section chief of the distribution department of Beijing Film Studio, and now I am the manager of the distribution department of Miracle Film and Television!"

"Haha, Manager Yu, I didn't expect you to be with Wu Dao now. Then you have to take care of the film copies in the future!" An acquaintance who had dealt with Yu Dong said with a smile.

"Manager Yu, let's not say anything else. This time Wu Dao's *My Sassy Girl*, at least give me 50 copies!"

"Yes, yes, we are looking forward to Wu Dao's movie. This summer vacation depends on this movie!"

"Manager Yu, you must prepare enough copies this time. We are waiting for Wu Dao to save our lives!"

Looking at these theater chain representatives looking at him with eager, longing eyes like hungry babies, a flash of light flashed in Yu Dong's small eyes on his honest face, revealing an honest smile:

"Easy to say, easy to say! The number of copies will definitely satisfy everyone this time. However, before talking about the number of copies, there is one thing I want to discuss with everyone."

Everyone was quiet for a while upon hearing this. After looking at each other, someone said: "Manager Yu, if you have anything, just say it. Do you want us to prepare toilet paper or cooperate with your promotion? We guarantee to do our best!"

"That's right, Wu Dao's movie, we are duty-bound!"

Listening to these people's words, Yu Dong sneered in his heart. Toilet paper? Really underestimated him, Yu!

Yu Dong's chubby face still maintained an honest smile:

"Everyone, to tell you the truth, last week I was chatting with Wu Dao. Wu Dao suddenly sighed to me, saying that when he was filming in Hollywood, after the film was released, the distributor could get more than 60% of the box office on average. As a result, when he returned to our country, he could only get 37%, and he had to pay the distribution fee. After saying that, he shook his head and sighed!"

After Yu Dong finished speaking, the theater chain representatives who were just noisy and supportive were silent in an instant.

Good guy, this is aimed at them!

Before 1994, China Film Group purchased films from major film studios at a price of 900,000 yuan per film, and then China Film Group distributed copies to distribution units in various provinces. China Film Group took 70% of the total box office, and the remaining 24% was left to the distribution units in various provinces for cinema construction, and the remaining 6% was handed over to the finance of various provinces.

In 1995, the domestic film *Red Cherry* opened the precedent for box office sharing: for every 100 yuan of box office, 5 yuan of the national film development special fund and 3.3 yuan of business tax must be paid first, and the remaining part is shared by the producer and the cinema at a ratio of 35% and 65%.

And this 35% box office share has continued to this day. In fact, when *Don't Want to Grow Up* was released this year, the theater chain had already raised its share once, that is, from 35% to 37%. This is of course the result of Wu Yu's reputation and box office over the past few years.

"Manager Yu, how can this be compared! Hollywood is Hollywood, we are us, the national conditions and systems are different!"

"Manager Yu, didn't you just raise it for Wu Dao in the first half of the year? 37% has already opened a precedent, higher than anyone else!"

"Manager Yu, you also know how bad the domestic film environment is now. Our cinemas don't make money at all throughout the year. Except for paying wages to employees, which item of equipment, housing, water, and electricity doesn't cost money?"

"Yes, Manager Yu, Wu Dao is now our country's premier director, so you have to consider our difficulties! You have to consider Chinese films more!"

Seeing that Yu Dong was going to raise the box office share, these theater chain representatives were anxious. Just say that 2% in the first half of the year was only raised for Wu Yu personally, but once the opening was opened, it was difficult to take it back. When Zhang Yimou's movie is released next year, will you raise it or not? When Chen Kaige's movie comes, you don't raise it, are you looking down on my Golden Palm?!

Therefore, although it was only mentioned to 37% for Wu Yu now, it was estimated that this sharing standard would be popularized in two or three years. Now hearing that Yu Dong wanted to cut meat from them again, the theater chains were anxious.

Yu Dong immediately raised his hand: "Everyone, I know you are bitter, and I understand you. But you also have to understand Wu Dao! Isn't filming bitter and tiring?"

Just say the year before last, Wu Dao was in the Northeast to shoot *My Brothers and Sisters*. He personally carried the camera and chased several children in the ice and snow. After a scene was shot, his hands were frostbitten!"

Let's talk about shooting *Christmas Rose*. In the summer, Wu Dao was in the fields of the countryside. It was scorching sun and heavy rain. Heatstroke and fever were not even mentioned!"

Afterward, Yu Dong was emotional, his eyes were misty, his voice was hoarse, and he waved his hand and said:

"Wu Dao has never called bitter for Chinese films, but Wu Dao didn't say it, I have to say it for him. Our Chinese films cannot chill Wu Dao's heart!"

Saying that, Yu Dong's eyes were horizontal, scanning the crowd and shouting loudly:

"Wu Dao's salary for filming a movie in Hollywood is 10 million US dollars, isn't it easier and more profitable than filming in China? If you are still stingy about this share, one day Wu Dao is really discouraged and doesn't shoot commercial films in our country, you will have time to cry!"

After Yu Dong's words fell, the conference room was silent, and the needle could be heard.

It wasn't that these old oilers were intimidated by Yu Dong's momentum, or moved by what he said about Wu Yu's hard work in filming. This was just fooling young people. They would be fools if they believed half a sentence. Who the hell isn't hard in filming?

But the threat implied in the last sentence Yu Dong said made them panic: if they don't raise it, Wu Yu won't shoot Chinese commercial films in the future!

You have to know that among the so-called big directors in China, Chen Kaizi, Lao Mouzi, Jiang Wen are all literary films. Who else is in Wu Yu's position and condescends to shoot these commercial films for the common people?

That's right, in the current Chinese film circle's cognition, Wu Yu's filming of these commercial films is condescending, and some people even say he wastes talent and shouldn't waste time and energy on these films without artistic value.

And now, Yu Dong almost made it clear that if you don't give a raise, Wu Dao will only shoot literary films in the future, see how you guys lie down and make money!"

For a time, the theater chain representatives looked at each other, and no one dared to speak.

At this time, the representative of China Film smiled and broke the silence in the venue: "I'll say two sentences. Manager Yu was right just now. Wu Dao has a lot of people chasing him to send checks to shoot movies in America. If he wants to make money, he would have stayed in Hollywood long ago. Does he care about this share? Wu Dao cares about everyone's attitude, everyone's heart!"

The representative of Shanghai Film also spoke, emphasizing in a deep voice: "Wu Dao, who is so willing to have fun with the people, is scarce in our country. Everyone should cherish it!"

A group of theater chain representatives also understood. This time, China Film and Shanghai Film also clearly supported raising the commission for Wu Yu. In fact, they weren't afraid of China Film and Shanghai Film, they couldn't help them, but they were afraid that Wu Yu would really not shoot!"

Think about the environment where the film market has been deteriorating in the past two years. If there was no Wu Yu, how much money would they earn less every year?"

A representative of the Beijing theater chain asked: "Manager Yu, how much do you want to raise to?"

Yu Dong immediately restored his honest smile: "Not much, 45%."

"Talked into it? Good, good, good!"

After Han Sanping hung up the phone, he couldn't help but be overjoyed and smiled at Wu Yu in front of him:

"Brother Wu, it has to be you! This group of people united, even our China Film has no way, this time it was actually settled by you!"

In fact, China Film had long wanted to increase the producer's share. Otherwise, the major film studios would have too little income, and if they couldn't make ends meet, how could they shoot movies well?

But China Film had no way to face the theater chain alliance. They were all their own people. If they were forced to be anxious, they would still complain to the top.

Wu Yu asked with a smile: "President Han, how much did they promise in the end?"

"40%!" Han Sanping laughed and said.

Wu Yu took a sip of tea and smacked his lips: "A bit less!"

"Not less! You pulled from 35% to 40% in less than a year. It is estimated that those theater chains are going to scold their mothers!" Han Sanping shook his head and said, obviously quite satisfied with the result.

Wu Yu smiled and didn't speak. Han Sanping was right. It was impossible to raise too much for the theater chain at once. Otherwise, they would have to give up. They could only cut meat with a blunt knife. Then he would come again next year, and come again the year after, and pull the producer's share up bit by bit!"

In the previous life, Zhang Weiping took *Hero* and talked the share to 40%. When *House of Flying Daggers* talked to 41%, *Curse of the Golden Flower* 42%, it could be said that he and Lao Mouzi raised the producer's share ratio. From this point of view, all Chinese film production companies should thank them.

But now with Wu Yu, he was definitely duty-bound for this matter, let the peers see the influence of his Wu Dao! ===== CHAPTER 187 =====