Chapter 169: Sorry, I Took a Fancy to Travel Satellite TV

On August 18, 2003, "Green Tea," co-produced by Beiping Guoan Culture and Yanda Yanda Huayi Film and Television, held its premiere ceremony in the capital.

Judging from the names of these two producers, they all have big backgrounds.

Guoan Culture is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC Guoan. The industry status and special nature of CITIC Guoan need not be mentioned.

This Yanda Huayi Film and Television may not be known to book friends, but mentioning its boss Dong Dong Shuangqiang, perhaps you have heard of it.

In a sense, he is a person who sees through the film and television circle even more thoroughly than Seeing Lu Kuan.

Because he makes movies only to serve capital realization.

Seeing Lu Kuan pulled Liu Liu Yifei into the venue. Along the way, there was no lack of fans of the two, but 90% were the little girl's sister fans, aunt fans, and Linger fans.

"Director Lu, welcome!"

Director Zhang Yuan has a soft and kind personality, otherwise he wouldn't be able to cooperate with a "drama bully" like Jiang Wen.

"Director Zhang, sorry to bother you, I'm here to learn today."

"Oh, what are you talking about, please criticize more later."

Zhao Little Yanzi saw him enter the door early in the morning, wearing an OL-style suit, which is her look in the movie.

"Director Lu, Liu Yifei, you are here, sit down for a while, there are still more than ten minutes to start."

She didn't forget Zhang Yuan: "Director Zhang, you know each other, I don't need to introduce you again."

"Director Lu is the latest Golden Lion Award director, you are the earliest Venice Best Director, from this point of view, the two of you also have a lot of origins!"

Zhang Yuan was overjoyed, Little Zhao still knows how to speak, unlike that big rough guy.

While speaking, the big rough guy killed over.

And he didn't see himself as an outsider, hugging Seeing Lu Kuan's shoulder: "Go, take you to meet a friend!"

He didn't forget to arrange Liu Liu Yifei: "Little girl, you wait here, there are drinks and snacks over there."

Zhao Little Yanzi smiled: "Director Lu, you guys talk, leave the little girl to me, I will definitely return her to you intact."

Boss Lu smiled noncommittally and followed Jiang Wen to the backstage lounge.

On this side, Little Yanzi took Liu Liu Yifei's hand and sat down in the first row under the stage, and asked someone to send warm boiled water.

"Liu Yifei, you are so beautiful, and young, I really envy you."

Liu Liu Yifei also returned a commercial flattery: "Sister Little Yanzi, I admire you so much, I took the Beidian exam because of you."

Damn, mixing with Seeing Lu Kuan for two years, mixed into a little oil stick.

Where could Little Yanzi imagine that a sixteen-year-old girl could fool her, just taking this as the truth, laughing from ear to ear.

"Liu Yifei, are there any other movie projects for Director Lu recently?"

This is the same idea as the night Huo Huo Wenxi was there, asking about Seeing Lu Kuan's next movie project from the side.

She has sharp eyes and can see that this little girl is someone close to Seeing Lu Kuan, so she seized the opportunity to set words.

It's just that this time she really thought wrong, Liu Liu Yifei doesn't know either!

She didn't pay too much attention to this matter. For her, she has always been under Seeing Lu Kuan's blow in acting, and the latter gave her frustration education.

Liu Liu Yifei didn't have the confidence to take the initiative to ask about these things, only knowing that if it was suitable, there would be roles left for her.

But strangely, Liu Liu Xiaoli hasn't nagged her about these things recently. In the past, she would have taken her to find Seeing Lu Kuan long ago.

"Sister Little Yanzi, I don't know either, I only met him when I came back this week."

"But don't you worry, Director Lu often praises our domestic actresses, saying that you and Sister Zhou Xun have the best acting skills and shape character personalities the most accurately, and he tells me to learn more from you."

"If there is a chance, I think he will definitely think of you."

Little Yanzi wanted to peck the little girl's "eyes," but didn't expect to be fooled by the goose-pecking girl Liu Liu Yifei.

For a time, she couldn't distinguish whether what she said was true or false, and turned to ask Seeing Lu Kuan other questions.

"Liu Yifei, I heard from Director Zhang that when you weren't an actor, your family asked Seeing Lu Kuan to tell you fortune?"

Liu Liu Yifei smiled: "Yes, he asked my mother to find the "The Story of a Noble Family" crew, saying that I am very suitable for playing this kind of costume or Republic of China drama."

"Oh, so it is, worthy of being a big director, the vision is really good, hehe."

Little Yanzi had a sugar-coated cannonball in her mouth, but she was thoughtful in her heart.

Zhang Zhang Jizhong crew, Zhang Zhang Tianshuo in prison, Emperor's dumb loss, Liu Liu Yifei became popular.

One by one, one by one, let her put the filter of Seeing Lu Kuan's metaphysics master back on.

These two years have been too bad. Is it really as Seeing Lu Kuan mentioned before, her actions are contrary to the national fortune?

Little Yanzi saw the "Green Tea" poster on the big screen, thinking that after the movie finished, the answer might be revealed.

On that side, Jiang Wen led Seeing Lu Kuan to the lounge. Inside, a middle-aged man in a suit was drinking tea.

Boss Lu watched the middle-aged man in his forties stand up to say hello, the two shook hands, both observing each other silently.

Boss Dong, the double-gun general, he had heard of it in his previous life, and he is a true sober person in the entertainment circle.

In 1996, Dong Dong Shuangqiang founded Yanda Huayi Film and Television. The following year, he witnessed the huge storm set off by "Titanic" in the world and decided to invest in the film industry.

He is a low-key and pragmatic person. In that era, he participated in cooperation with directors who had names.

Jiang Wen's "Devils on the Doorstep," Zhang Zhang Yimou's "Keep Cool," Chen Kaige's "The Emperor and the Assassin," Feng Feng Xiaogang's "Be There or Be Square," Li An's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Having a pair of wise eyes to bet on these famous directors is one thing.

Being able to have enough connections and resources to intervene and let them accept his investment happily is another thing. This ability and wrist are more important than the former.

The reason why he is said to be sober is because he never sticks to the gains and losses of one or two movies, and is always on the road of capital operation such as expansion, acquisition, shell borrowing, and cashing out.

Take his Yanda Huayi as an example.

Founded in 1996, it is a purely private enterprise;

In 2000, because of the success of film investment and the operation of human resources, Yanda Huayi Film and Television cooperated with Yanda Culture and changed its name to Yanda Yanda Huayi, and the cooperation object became a school-run enterprise.

In 2003, also at the end of this year, he moved around and sold 50% of the shares to Baoli for 61.2 million, and the cooperation object changed from a school-run enterprise to a central enterprise!

This acquisition was famous at the time and was called the largest merger and acquisition case in the domestic cultural industry.

By 2005, Poly Yanda Huayi, with the central enterprise as a signboard, sold 50% of its shares to the Hong Kong listed company Youli Holdings for 550 million.

This is equivalent to shell borrowing for listing, indirectly taking half of Yanda Huayi's equity to the overseas capital market for financing. Youli Holdings was later renamed Yanda Huayi New Media.

The finale was in 2008, when Dong Dong Shuangqiang transferred all shares for 220 million Hong Kong dollars and cleared out.

In 12 years, from a private company founded with an investment of more than 100,000, to a closing of nearly 200 million RMB, does this rate of return seem not so exaggerated?

Don't forget that in these 12 years, whether cooperating with school-run enterprises or central enterprises, he has always been the head of the enterprise, and the income earned is far more than this number.

To put it vulgarly, he is equivalent to packaging a village girl into an international big star.

He played with her for twelve years, made a lot of money from her, and even sold her to pay him a final payment when she was old and yellow.

It's just that he is indeed very low-key. Even insiders in later generations are secretive about his background and resources.

He himself "frankly admitted" that I actually have no background.

Hehe, this is similar to "don't know wife is beautiful," "a small goal," "regret creating Ali," just listen to it.

"Director Lu, long-admired name, always missed a meeting."

The situation is unclear, flattery first, Boss Lu also showed great enthusiasm.

"I have long heard from Director Jiang that he has a good friend, saying that he is the best film investor in the country, lucky to meet you, Boss Dong."

"Haha, where, where."

Jiang Wen smiled and watched the dialogue between the little fox and the old fox. He was too lazy to dismantle these commercial flatteries, but he was clear in his heart.

"Director Lu, I have been making movies since 98, and it has been some years, but you are indeed the first time I have seen such a young talent."

"The situation makes it, not worth mentioning."

Dong Dong Shuangqiang stared, indicating disagreement: "Eh! Too humble."

"Brother Seeing Lu Kuan, you are an expert, what do you think of the box office of this "Green Tea"?"

Boss Lu smiled awkwardly, a bit embarrassed, thinking that you really asked the wrong question.

Because this "Green Tea" was already a flop in his previous life, with an investment of 12 million and a box office of 9 million, and this didn't count the promotion fees.

Otherwise, he wouldn't use this as bait to fool Little Yanzi.

"Director Jiang, Boss Dong, you are both straightforward people, I won't hide it."

"The theme of this movie is urban white-collar workers. To put it bluntly, it is the viewing group of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, but the movie has a lot of northern dialogue, which is not friendly to the audience in Shanghai and Guangzhou."

"They can't understand some of it!"

"Second, Director Jiang also knows that Lou Ye's "Purple Butterfly" and you, although the themes are different, are all walking the path of high-style, fashion films, reversing the logic of narrative and emotion, which is also very unfavorable to the box office."

To put it bluntly, the director is too obsessed with expressing his own emotions and didn't tell the story clearly and in place. "Green Tea" is better, after all, it is an urban drama.

"Purple Butterfly" is a spy drama, and it's still filmed like this, which is equivalent to finding a flop.

"The distribution of "Purple Butterfly" is Shangying, and they also did the distribution work of Inquiry Realm's "Crazy Stone." I learned some data from them."

""Purple Butterfly" washed more than 100 copies, and the total box office was only more than 2 million, and Beiping was only more than 200,000!"

Dong Dong Shuangqiang and Jiang Wen looked at each other, and their hearts couldn't stop falling.

In all fairness, "Purple Butterfly" even entered the Cannes Golden Palm, and it was so flopped. Wouldn't "Green Tea" die even worse!

Dong Dong Shuangqiang sighed: "Brother, to tell you the truth, we also washed more than 100 sets of copies for "Green Tea," which is already a cost of nearly 1 million, and it is expected that 4 million promotion fees will be invested."

Jiang Wen urged: "Director Lu, I heard from Yu Dong that the distribution of "Whiplash" was done by your team, is there any way now?"

Dong Dong Shuangqiang also stared at him, but Seeing Lu Kuan just spread his hands.

"Two, it's too late, I'm afraid it's impossible to save it now."

Even if there is, he wouldn't say it. He is still counting on this big pit to fool Little Yanzi.

There is a kind of cruelty, you know where fate will go, but you can only watch the prophecy come true.

This is the mood of the two people opposite Seeing Lu Kuan now.

Even if they don't believe his words 100%, but after this analysis with reason and evidence, the prospect of "Green Tea" will obviously not be very clear.

Dong Dong Shuangqiang suddenly smiled relieved: "Let it go, it's filmed, just learn a lesson."

Boss Lu admired this mentality. This is the decisive and dashing character that can move around in the capital market.

Jiang Wen's relationship with him is strong enough, right? Since "Devils on the Doorstep" flopped, he hasn't touched his movie once.

Even if it was a good project like "Let the Bullets Fly," he held back and didn't touch it.

Book friends who have played stocks know that this is called discipline in market trading, repeating countless times along a correct direction, stable compound interest.

"Boss Dong is dashing, Director Jiang, don't be discouraged, I'm just guessing, not necessarily right."

Dong Dong Shuangqiang only knew that what Jiang Wen said at the dinner table was true, and this young man really had some ways.

Seeing Lu Kuan's talent in movies made him greedy.

Dong Dong Shuangqiang felt that if he had a director who didn't lack vision and talent to cooperate with him, he could seize more profits in the capital market!

It's just that I don't know if his Inquiry Realm accepts shareholding...

While Dong Dong Shuangqiang was calculating how to tie him to his chariot, Boss Lu was also planning to exchange some good things from him.

Thieves don't go empty. Seeing Lu Kuan met Zou Zou Zhongheng in California and set his sights on the dying Wenjie Jiahe;

And this Boss Dong also has good things in his hands, to some extent, even comparable to the value of Wenjie Jiahe!

Travel Satellite TV!

Mentioned earlier, at the end of 2003, Baoli Culture under Baoli spent 61.8 million to acquire 50% of the equity of Dong Dong Shuangqiang's Yanda Yanda Huayi, and Yanda cleared out. (Note 1)

What did Baoli take a fancy to this unknown private enterprise?

Leaving aside Boss Dong's personal resources, the answer is very simple, it is Travel Satellite TV.

His Yanda Huayi had already invested in acquiring 49% of the equity of Travel Satellite TV before being acquired by Baoli. (Note 2)

Travel Satellite TV is Hainan Satellite TV. In 2002, it applied to the Radio and Television for renaming to Travel Satellite TV, which is more recognizable, and changed it back in 2019.

Book friends born in the 80s and 90s should have heard of this channel.

Why is it said that for Seeing Lu Kuan, the value of Travel Satellite TV is comparable to Wenjie Jiahe, and even more than that?

First is 【Advertising Revenue】.

Before the arrival of the internet era, except for CCTV, satellite TV is the most valuable media type for advertising.

Take Travel Satellite TV, a bottom-tier satellite TV, the total advertising revenue for the whole year of 2002 was nearly 40 million, and this was without any good film and television resources.

And does Lu Boss lack good works?

Second is 【Public Opinion Resources】.

This is equivalent to Boss Lu having a loudspeaker that can face the national audience.

Before the arrival of the internet era, what is better than a satellite TV as an external mouthpiece?

Even after transitioning to the internet era, he still has the blog network, and later Weibo, WeChat.

The position of public opinion must be firmly controlled.

In Western society, a media tycoon has a newspaper group in addition to a TV station, and its importance is self-evident.

Third is 【Media Channels】.

What Seeing Lu Kuan lacks is not works, but executors who help him turn book copying into commodities, as well as media channels.

Movies can find distribution companies and participate in foreign film festivals.

But TV dramas? Variety shows?

In the first decade of the 21st century, domestic movies are still gaining momentum year by year. At this time, whether it is star-making or revenue, the cost-effectiveness is actually higher for TV dramas.

Zhao Little Yanzi, Liu Liu Yifei, aren't they all walked out of TV dramas.

With a satellite TV like Travel Satellite TV, his book copying can be realized more quickly, and he doesn't have to painstakingly find satellite TVs like Xiang Station to cooperate.

Even when the Xiang Station really introduces Korean dramas later, he can completely take out targeted works for point-to-point strikes.

Other copyright values, pay-TV, diversified business values, etc., are too numerous to mention.

It can be said that if Seeing Lu Kuan builds a closed loop around the film industry through film companies, brokerage companies, special effects companies, distribution businesses, online streaming media, and derivative companies.

Then this Travel Satellite TV is a natural, self-generated closed loop for the TV industry.

This is a scarce resource that cannot be bought even with money. How did that Boss Dong get it?

The benevolent see benevolence, the wise see wisdom, not enough for outsiders to say, after all, he himself said he has no background.

"Director Lu? Director Lu?"

Boss Lu's contemplation was a bit long. When he came back to his senses, he saw Dong Dong Shuangqiang pour himself a cup of hot tea, looking at himself curiously.

"Where is Director Jiang?"

"He went out to receive guests, let's talk."

"Oh, sorry, I was staying up late to write the script for the new movie recently, and the rest was not good, so I lost my mind."

The dirty pretense used his movie to nest, and the willing took the bait.

Dong Dong Shuangqiang's face changed slightly, script?

"Director Lu, I don't know what plans you have for your next movie? Is it convenient to reveal it?"

Seeing Lu Kuan slapped his thigh: "Brother Dong, to tell you the truth, I am preparing to cooperate with Hollywood stars for this movie, making it an English film for global distribution, and the pressure is still very great."

"Is it the cooperation that Tom Cruise mentioned at the Cannes awards ceremony?"

"Exactly!"

Dong Dong Shuangqiang was excited. The staff came in to remind him that the premiere was about to start, but was scolded back.

"Brother, lack of policy or lack of money, your Brother Dong takes it!"

A look of heroic spirit.

However, he is not bragging. Boss Dong's industry reputation is surprisingly good. The two kings of Yanda Huayi started by bringing him to make movies.

Wang Dajun once evaluated in an interview: "Because of Old Dong, I have never lost money since I entered the film circle. He always says that he is the main investor, and everyone shares the profit, and if he loses, it's his."

It can only be said that people with resources and high emotional intelligence will not be too bad in any industry.

Boss Lu also followed the snake and climbed up: "Brother Dong, I ask a presumptuous question, have you and Baoli's cooperation been decided?"

Dong Dong Shuangqiang was beaming a second ago, and the cup in his hand fell into the tea grid the next second, looking at Seeing Lu Kuan opposite like a ghost!

"You! You..."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 170 =====

Wang Dajun once commented in an interview: "Because of Old Dong, I haven't lost money since I entered the film circle. He always says he is the main investor; if we make money, everyone shares it, and if we lose, it's on him."

One can only say that for someone with both resources and high emotional and intellectual intelligence, they won't do too poorly in any line of work.

Boss Lu also seized the opportunity: "Brother Dong, if I may be so bold as to ask, has your cooperation with Poly been finalized?"

Dong Dong Shuangqiang was beaming a second ago, but the next second, the cup in his hand dropped into the tea tray, and he looked at Seeing Lu Kuan opposite him as if he were a ghost!

"You! You..."

(End of this chapter)