Chapter 225: Copying the Light

Jingcheng, Yi'an Film & Television

After a period of research and exploration, Yan Li personally oversaw the reorganization and restructuring of the company's internal departments.

The flagship department, Film & Television, was split into the 【Film Department】 and the 【TV Department】; the TV Department handles TV drama operations, while the Film Department handles film investment and production.

Another flagship department, Marketing, was restructured into the 【Distribution Department】, internally divided into two divisions responsible for TV and film distribution respectively.

The original Marketing Department's advertising and business affairs were entirely moved out and combined with related operations from the Artist Management Department to form the 【Advertising Department】.

Along with the relatively unchanged 【Artist Management Department】, these constitute Yi'an Film & Television's main business departments.

Meanwhile, there were minor changes at the executive level.

For example, former Marketing Director Xiao Guan was promoted to Vice President, overseeing distribution and advertising operations.

Former Artist Management Director Jia Qian was promoted to Vice President but retained her original position, managing artist management affairs.

The former head of Film & Television was also slated for promotion, but Yan Li deemed him incompetent and had already considered letting him go; the successor for the TV Department was the familiar face Wang Decai, while the newly created Film Department was temporarily overseen by the Deputy Director.

Yan Li's secretary, Hu Ya, had also gone from being a servant to becoming the director of the newly established 【President's Office】.

In fact, the President's Office had long shown signs of forming, with Hu Ya and others handling Yan Li's various corporate and personal affairs.

Previously, it had been vague, lacking a formal department—more like Yan Li's secretaries and assistants clustered together, some even borrowed from the Administration Department.

Strictly speaking, Hu Ya wasn't even their official leader, but her seniority and status as Yan Li's most trusted secretary, along with the fact that many of them had been mentored by her, meant everyone followed her lead.

Now, with the President's Office officially established, Hu Ya and her team finally received formal recognition.

The meeting lasted all morning, bringing joy to some and sorrow to others.

Some were promoted, others weren't, but their authority expanded, so they were naturally happy.

Some remained stagnant, saw their power shrink, or were even cast into the cold palace, forced to consider other options—their moods were certainly not good.

Yan Li observed all this but paid it little mind.

Since its founding, Yi'an had grown from a handful of people to nearly 300 employees, and was still hiring continuously.

Moreover, Yi'an was merely one of Yan Li's companies.

Yan Ye Capital, responsible for investment, though primarily focused on investment, had more than a handful of employees.

In fact, many of Yan Li's investment companies and projects were also overseen and managed by Yan Ye.

For instance, Yi'an Media, which held vast copyright portfolios, had limited operations and leaned toward being a shell company, directly attached to Yan Ye Capital.

Thus, Yan Ye and its related companies together had dozens of employees.

The company with the most employees was Yi'an Cinema Chain.

Because cinema chains involve physical theaters and are directly operated, the number of employees was inevitably large.

Even a single directly operated cinema required staff for front desk, ushers, projectionists, cleaners, equipment management, management, marketing, and more—ranging from over a dozen to several dozen.

Even though Yi'an Cinemas were still under construction, many employees had already begun recruitment and preparation.

The chain's headquarters, early personnel for major theaters, and employees acquired from former cinema chains—all added up to a number exceeding Yi'an's own staff count.

Additionally, there were smaller side businesses like Yi'an Internet Cafés, with both full-time and part-time staff.

Roughly speaking, the number of people relying on Yan Li for their salary was nearly a thousand, if not already there.

With so many employees, Yan Li couldn't possibly attend to each one's feelings.

Positions and real power were limited; when one rose, another fell, some rejoiced, others resented.

Except for a very few, Yan Li remained calm; if someone truly didn't fit, they were free to leave—he respected them and wished them well.

Compared to the feelings of individual employees, Yan Li cared more about coordination among departments.

The departure or retention of a single employee mattered little, but conflicts between departments could easily harm company interests.

Yan Li had hesitated over the reorganization of Marketing and Film & Television.

Even now, he remained uncertain whether to bundle film operations together or split them into Distribution and Film Departments.

He still couldn't decide which option was better, as both had clear advantages and drawbacks.

Yet, he ultimately divided them into Film and Distribution Departments because film operations were too weak and needed to draw nourishment from two strong departments.

Especially film distribution—personnel, channels, and resources all depended heavily on the Distribution Department's support.

Splitting into two departments, one strong and one weak, would inevitably lead to many disputes.

So Yan Li separated distribution as its own unit, planning to reassess later whether to merge it back with film operations once the film distribution business had matured.

Just like the Advertising Department, which had originally been a small subgroup within Marketing, grown large using company resources and artist clout, then pulled out by Yan Li to become its own department.

Company growth isn't static—it evolves with shifts in business priorities.

This reorganization isn't final; if something proves flawed later, it can be revised—or even scrapped and restarted.

A boss like Yan Li, who built the company from scratch and holds absolute control, never lacks the resolve and authority to make such moves.

…

After the big meeting came smaller meetings, even one-on-one chats between Yan Li and relevant department heads.

Yan Li spent the longest time with the Distribution Department, mainly because film distribution was about to begin, and internal team balance, both inside and out, demanded his attention—he couldn't avoid worrying.

Vice President Xiao Guan, in charge of distribution, and the new Distribution Department Director briefed Yan Li on the department's operations.

Last year, Yi'an's distribution arm made its name, becoming the leading company in TV drama distribution, drawing many production teams seeking them out.

TV stations, impressed by Yi'an's stable performance, had built up considerable trust and established numerous long-term cooperative partners.

The distribution team had matured, producing many key personnel, with many projects now running without Yan Li's direct involvement.

Of course, without Yan Li personally overseeing them, some projects might have lower efficiency and returns—but that's a necessary sacrifice as the company grows.

Yan Li is the boss; he can't be on the front lines every day.

In the future, the projects Yan Li personally handles will grow fewer, and eventually, he won't focus on any single project at all.

But the empire built by "Sell-Movie King" won't collapse; Yi'an's accumulated channels and resources will remain its greatest asset for future distribution.

At that time, Yi'an Distribution may no longer be as miraculous or glorious under Yan Li's leadership, but it will remain stable and powerful.

Of course, that's a matter for the future.

Right now, it's not yet time for Yan Li, the king of film distribution, to retire—he's still personally overseeing the key projects, but he's placing greater emphasis on team cultivation and channel development to lay the groundwork for eventually stepping back from distribution operations.

For TV drama distribution, Yi'an has already established a fixed and successful operational model, but for film distribution, Yi'an is still exploring.

"For ground promotion, don't fear hassle, don't fear losses—the company can easily afford the salaries of a hundred or so people; roll out our offline network across first- and second-tier cities nationwide…"

Yan Li had seriously studied the ground promotion distribution strategy; though "clumsy," it was undeniably effective.

At this stage, the internet is still in its rising phase, and film promotion and distribution tactics remain limited to just a few standard methods.

The creative team appears on shows, gives media interviews, holds press conferences and premiere events—even touring roadshows aren't all that common.

Theater scheduling is highly autonomous; theater operators and cinemas have strong independence. The production crew and distributors can't even interfere—many don't even understand the details, only knowing rough figures.

But if you could build a film distribution network offline, targeting specific audiences in every city, it would be entirely different.

Take a given city as an example: local ground teams can cultivate good relations with local cinemas, persuading them to increase screening slots or adjust auditoriums.

On paper, each screening is one screen, one film—but auditorium size, comfort, and whether it's during peak viewing hours directly affect box office results.

One film screens at 3 p. m. in a remote small auditorium, no air conditioning, only thirty to forty seats.

Another film screens at 7 or 8 p. m. in a large auditorium with over a hundred seats, full air conditioning and cleanliness.

Which one earns more? No need to say.

Besides communicating with cinemas, you can also directly reach offline audiences through posters, display stands, and on-site events for direct promotion.

Two people enter a cinema; three films are showing, and they can't decide which to watch.

At that moment, the middle poster is the largest and most prominent, with staff offering explanations and promotions—if there's an event, they might even get small gifts; viewers might be swayed.

Some viewers originally came for another film, but after exposure to the promotion, they change their minds—or decide to watch this one after seeing the other.

Beyond cinemas, you can also promote at universities, malls, and office buildings—places with high potential audiences.

On a big weekend, young couples or small groups of friends go out to have fun; watching a movie is a great choice. If promotion is strong, a single poster could draw in a hundred or more pairs of viewers to buy tickets.

Also, target local media and radio stations—don't underestimate them; though small in scale and low in fame, they still wield considerable local influence.

Something like "This film is wildly popular locally—everyone's watching!" makes many people go just to see what the fuss is about.

There are also corporate group ticket discounts, store partnerships offering coupons, and so on.

All these things seem minor, but they genuinely influence people's choices.

One or two people don't matter; one or two cities might not seem significant—but when you add up dozens of cities nationwide, the impact becomes substantial.

Annual intelligence reports show that Guangxian, by heavily developing ground promotion and leveraging media resources, can sometimes boost a film's box office by 30%.

And the cost isn't high—one or two ground promoters per city, supplemented by part-time college students when needed, can accomplish a great deal.

Even with added event and promotion budgets, compared to exorbitant premiere events and frantic media spending, the cost is low—even extremely low.

"On-site distribution, human wave tactics, combining points and blocks, localization, fine-tuning—Director Yan, your distribution strategy is brilliant."

The deputy director in charge of film distribution raised his thumb in admiration.

He was formerly from China Film Group, familiar with major theater chains and industry operations, and was poached by Yan Li to join Yi'an.

At first, he still carried the airs of a film distribution expert, planning to give Yi'an's newcomers a lesson—but he was quickly stunned by Yi'an's plan.

Compared to Yan Li's distribution plan, China Film Group's methods were downright "crude"—it felt like they weren't even in the same industry.

"Don't flatter me—I'm just recycling others' ideas."

Yan Li wasn't being modest; ground promotion wasn't invented by Guangxian—it's been around for a long time, with similar practices in Hollywood and Xiangjiang.

And it's not just film—every industry has ground promotion: real estate, education, gaming, internet+, and more, all with varying degrees of ground promotion methods.

"No, no, no—ground promotion exists, but I've never seen a film distribution plan as detailed and precise as yours."

The deputy director expressed disbelief, but Yan Li didn't argue with him this time.

Of course he hadn't seen it—this strategy was crafted by Yan Li, combining experiences from Xiangjiang and Hollywood, adapting them to the current mainland film market, and refining them with Guangxian's strategies and post-era distribution techniques he'd absorbed.

Not only had the deputy director never seen it—if you showed it to Guangxian's old Wang or their senior executives, they'd be stunned.

After all, Guangxian is still in its infancy in the film and television business, learning and exploring every aspect.

Yan Li, however, is directly applying the hard-won success path Guangxian spent years stumbling through, absorbing countless lessons, and adding advanced post-era distribution techniques.

It's like one side is groping through darkness, feeling stones to cross a river, while the other stands on giants' shoulders, holding a super spotlight.

Still, Yan Li didn't underestimate Guangxian.

He could copy Guangxian—Guangxian could also "copy" him.

Even if they couldn't fully grasp key elements, Guangxian's years of accumulated channels, resources, and teams from TV drama operations could still help them close the gap as much as possible.

So seizing the initiative doesn't mean Yan Li can easily crush and replace Guangxian.

In the future film distribution market, Yi'an, Guangxian, and Bona will eventually collide.

Of course, it might also be cooperation.

As always: business competition isn't about life or death—mutual exchange and shared prosperity are the real principles.

Yan Li personally oversaw the construction of the ground promotion network, pushing for its rapid completion—the first battle would be for the June release of Crazy Stone.

For those in distribution, reputation matters.

Yan Li intended to use this intelligence-revealed "dark horse" to break open Yi'an's film distribution landscape.

After the afternoon meeting ended, it was already past quitting time; Yan Li had no evening engagements, so he invited several senior company executives to dinner.

Strengthen bonds with old subordinates, draw closer to new ones.

This is a mandatory skill for any boss—occasionally bonding with trusted team members, especially in startups and growth-phase companies; beyond compensation, emotional ties and loyalty are essential.

With both emotional connection and material benefit, people will faithfully rally around you and work hard for you and the company.

The dinner was held at Qiao Jiangnan, one of the currently popular mid-to-high-end restaurants; Yan Li had been there twice before for business dinners and approved of the food, ambiance, and service, so he brought his subordinates to try it.

For this private gathering among insiders, Yan Li had made one rule: no work talk—just eat, chat, and share amusing gossip.

Those who wanted to drink could have a little, but no forced toasts or drinking contests.

Aside from Yan Li himself, the people in the distribution department were all hardened drinkers—so drunk they'd be carried out by other departments.

While they were eating, someone knocked on the private room door; an associate director opened it, and two men stood outside—the one in front, Yi'an, was recognized by most.

Deng Chao!

He gained minor fame from "The Young Son of Heaven," last year co-starred with Sun Li in "Happiness Is Like a Flower," which did well, and then appeared in "Young Bao Qingtian 3," reaping the final benefits of that series.

With several hit dramas stacking up, Deng Chao's personal fame skyrocketed; he's now barely considered a current rising star.

Deng Chao didn't barged in rashly—he asked whether it was convenient, or rather whether Yan Li approved, and only entered after receiving permission to toast.

"Director Yan, I just saw you here and wanted to greet you. Sorry for intruding—please forgive me."

Toasting in someone's private room isn't something you do casually; if you're not close and have no reason, it's just disturbing their meal.

Still, although Deng Chao wasn't familiar with Yan Li, they had interacted before.

Back when casting for "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng," Deng Chao was once among the top candidates for one of the lead roles.

Though they never collaborated, they had contact; Deng Chao came specifically to toast Yan Li under the pretext of thanking him for his support and expressing regret over their missed opportunity.

After a few pleasantries, Deng Chao downed his shot of baijiu in one gulp; Yan Li stood up and matched him with a drink.

Deng Chao was flattered and felt greatly honored, then introduced the man beside him.

He was Deng Chao's old teacher from the Central Academy of Drama, named Tian Youliang; besides teaching, he directed stage plays and had several commercially successful productions.

Yan Li had never heard the man's name, but still remained courteous.

For acquaintances, especially those with no vested interest, he generally didn't give cold shoulders; offering a smile cost nothing, and there was no point in earning a reputation for being arrogant.

Deng Chao and the other man didn't stay long—after toasting and exchanging a few words, they left.

Yan Li didn't think much of it, brushed it off, and continued eating with his subordinates; but back in his own private room, Deng Chao and Tian Youliang kept talking about Yan Li.

"This guy isn't arrogant at all."

Tian Youliang sighed; in this circle, many people smile warmly in front of the camera but won't even glance at you once it's off, and some even fly into rages or hurl insults.

Yan Li rose to fame young, and because of his public feuds with Big Beard Zhang, his media image is quite flamboyant.

So Tian Youliang had imagined Yan Li as proud, aloof, or domineering—but he never expected that meeting him in person, he would find him surprisingly easy to get along with.

"He's not unarrogant—he just doesn't show it on his face, and certainly doesn't act arrogant toward people like us."

Deng Chao knew many people in the entertainment circle and understood Yan Li better than Tian Youliang.

How could a young man who's already a big name in this circle not be arrogant? He just doesn't bother being arrogant toward people who are irrelevant to him.

Who would waste time putting on airs for stray cats and dogs on the street…?

Tian Youliang nodded, thinking Deng Chao had a point, then chewed over his words.

"You know what? He's outwardly humble but inwardly proud, full of confidence—kinda reminds me of Meng Hao from 'The Hard Life of a Diamond Old Five.'"

"Don't even get me started."

Though teacher and student, their age gap wasn't huge, and they were close—more like friends or brothers; hearing Tian Youliang's remark, Deng Chao couldn't help retorting.

"Young, worth hundreds of millions, handsome, domineering and devoted—except for that last point, which one doesn't fit Yan Li? If the novel hadn't already been published, I'd swear it was written about him."

As he spoke, Deng Chao suddenly realized: "Wait a minute—you said I was going to play him, Old Tian, Teacher Tian—I'm your top disciple!"

"Who said I changed my mind? Besides, even if I wanted to, could he act?"

Deng Chao thought about it—he was no match for Yan Li in portraying a business elite; Yan Li was just playing himself.

But Yan Li probably didn't have the time, or even care about such a drama.

Only those who haven't lived it want to play it—Deng Chao himself was desperate to play a charismatic young tycoon, but Yan Li already was one; what's the point of him playing himself?

"You know what? After seeing Director Yan just now, I actually felt I got a little of that vibe."

Deng Chao recalled how Yan Li had sat and chatted with him, then stood to toast him; he mimicked the posture for Tian Youliang.

"How's that? Does it look like him?"

"Not really."

Tian Youliang shook his head; if he'd only seen Deng Chao's version, he might've thought it had a hint of that quality.

But compared to Yan Li, the difference was clear—lacking that inner conviction, lacking his presence.

"If I had that presence, I'd be the big shot myself."

Deng Chao grumbled; no matter how good an actor is, he can't match reality—getting even a fraction of the essence is already excellent.

With the right plot, editing, atmosphere, costumes, and makeup, maybe to many viewers he'd seem even more like a real big shot than the real thing.

Tian Youliang didn't argue—he turned his thoughts to another matter: "Do you think Yi'an might be interested in this script?"

The script had existed for a while, but whether anyone would invest was another matter; Tian Youliang didn't want to let it go, and previous talks with several investors had gone nowhere.

He'd discussed this script with Deng Chao several times before, but now they rarely mentioned it.

Meeting Yan Li today had stirred his thoughts again—bringing Yi'an back to mind.

"Hey, I think we should give it a try."

Deng Chao's eyes lit up—he'd heard Yi'an had money and connections, but was weak in content creation; they'd gathered many screenwriters and scripts, yet few projects had materialized.

He had confidence in Tian Youliang's script—maybe it would catch Yan Li's attention.

"Should we pitch it to him later?"

Tian Youliang was eager, but Deng Chao stopped him: "That'd look too opportunistic. Let's wait a bit. If all else fails, I'll just call Director Yan and recommend it outright."

Deng Chao wasn't being pushy—he was afraid someone else would snatch the role, so he was proactively making connections to stay visible.

Also, his current agency contract expires in a year.

Frankly, the resources his agency can offer him now are insufficient—or at least not enough to push him further; Deng Chao has already started considering switching agencies.

There are only a handful of agencies suitable for Deng Chao's next move.

Yi'an isn't his top choice, but it's on the list—he wants to build ties and probe Yi'an's stance…

————

PS: I can't write ten thousand characters in one go; there's one more chapter to come

(End of Chapter)