Confessions of a Salesman

Chapter 662 Charity Gala
The charity gala was different from what I thought. I remember the annual grand ceremony of economic figures that Mr. Dong took me to last time. The scene was so spectacular.

But today, it's more like a symposium.

The party was held on the top floor of the Economic and Trade Building. After the car was inspected, it drove directly to the basement floor. Someone helped us park the car, and then went directly to the elevator to the top floor.

No fluorescent lights, no cameras, and no red carpet.

Entering the hall, I took out my invitation card again, and after checking my identity, only those who were registered before were allowed to enter, and Xiao Hei could only wait in the living room beside me.

Yaoyang and I walked into the venue, indeed we saw many movie stars and famous directors. .Yaoyang really knew a lot of celebrities, and many people greeted him.

I was very surprised and said to Yaoyang: "I didn't expect that? You really are not bragging, you know so many celebrities!"

Yao Yang said proudly: "That's right, did you see that great director? The winner of the Cannes Director Award, when he was not famous before, he wanted to invest with me."

I asked curiously: "Did you give it to him? Then you are the producer? Didn't you see your name on any award-winning work? Are you going to leave your clothes and hide your name?" You can't, you're not that kind of person!"

Yaoyang smiled and said: "Aren't you old-fashioned? Let me tell you, none of the biggest film investors will be on the list of works. They are not playing art, they are capital operations, a means of making money. The lower the profile, the better, who needs a high profile? Those who rely on your fame to make money need it!"

I smiled and said, "Then you are the biggest investor in that award-winning work, and you have made a huge contribution to Chinese film art going to the world?"

Yaoyang said ashamedly: "No, I didn't vote! Think about it, he said that he wanted me to pay 300 million yuan. If he shoots well in three years, he will definitely win the prize, but he doesn't know how much money he can get back? Think about it, if you, Are you willing?" Isn't he lying to a fool?It means I spend 300 million, wait for three years, and come back with a prize!Even the Olympic gold medal may not be worth 300 million, right?How stupid do I have to be to vote for the 300 million? "

I snorted and said, "Then look at how prosperous he is now, I guess you just use money to invest in him now, and he may not be willing to take it!"

Yaoyang cut his throat and said: "Is there any use for that? Making money is king. To put it bluntly, it is good if the audience says it is good. If it is good or not, what is it called a good work? A good work must be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. It is a good work if it can resonate with the public. Ah, if you take a bunch of things, no one else can understand it, it is profound, it is a good work, you can enjoy yourself there! Just like you are in sales, you can sell it It is the kingly way, the market is the criterion for the success of all sales, and everything else is bullshit!"

At this time, the director really came over, probably because he saw us looking at him, and greeted Yaoyang cordially: "Mr. Zhang, why did you come here? I heard that you are not in BJ right now." Didn’t the investment companies also sell out?”

Yaoyang smiled and said: "Ah, yes, why don't you come with a friend to watch the fun! I heard that your film won an award, congratulations!"

The great director also smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Zhang, for not investing in me back then!"

Yaoyang asked in astonishment: "How do you say that?"

The big director smiled and replied: "If you invested 300 million back then, I would have to reduce the cost to do it. There must be many flaws, but if you didn't vote, I found someone else and invested 2000 million. It took three years to shoot the work I wanted, and this is the award!"

Yaoyang let out a sigh and said, "Are you thanking me for not investing in me back then? Then how did your work sell? Did you get back the 2000 million yuan? I haven't heard much about your film going to theaters. What about it? Haven’t got a schedule yet? Or is there too little schedule and not enough publicity? You have to let the whole world know that your film won an award! Otherwise, you won’t be busy!"

The great director said righteously: "I make films for my own ideals, and to record the growth experience of a generation."

I interjected and asked, "Are you shooting a documentary?"

The great director glared at me, and continued: "When the famous works were first released on the market, they were all very small and not accepted by the public. My works are another matter. The reason why I won the award is that foreign film critics see the sincerity in my films and understand what I want to express!"

I asked curiously again: "Then how much money did you make from this movie? Your goal is to fulfill your own ideals, but your investor doesn't think so! What is his purpose of investing? Is it because he wants to get something out of it?" Benefits. No matter how good your work is, if it is not recognized by the public and loses money for investors, it is hard to call it a good work, right?"

The great director said with an ugly face: "You may not understand the true meaning of art? Once art is contaminated with money, it is not art!"

I groaned and said, "Romain Rolland once said that art is the most beautiful enjoyment, the most charming enjoyment! The enjoyment she said is the enjoyment of the appreciator, not the enjoyment of the creator! You took a picture , is for the public to enjoy, not for your self-esteem! Without the approval of the public, how can you be famous forever?"

The big director was taken aback by what I said.

Yaoyang pulled me and said, "Let him taste it, he won't be able to absorb such a high-level thing for a while!" After speaking, he smiled and pulled me away.

He walked to the side and asked me: "What were you talking about just now? Why can't I understand?"

I smiled and said: "Of course you don't understand, I don't understand myself! The best way to deal with people like them is to be able to speak theory better than them, so that you can't even understand it. That is the highest level of art." The limit!"

Yaoyang asked curiously: "Then what if someone asks the bottom line? What should you do?"

I laughed and said, "That's easier! Just keep quoting famous quotes from famous people, and let him taste it himself!"

Yaoyang thought for a while and said, "How can I remember!?"

I smiled again and said, "Who told you to remember, you just said foreign names casually, who remembers, who knows? The longer the name, the better!"

Yaoyang slapped me with a smile and said, "I thought you were very knowledgeable, but it turned out that you made it up! It's really not as good as you salesmen, who don't have a single word of truth out of their mouths!"

I didn't refute him, but this time he was really wrong, because I really knew about Romain Rolland that his "Biography of Celebrities" was a must-read for literary appreciation in my elective course in college.

Turning around, Yaoyang, who was usually very calm, looked like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden. She said this and said that when she saw it, and kept sighing: "You said, this is obviously all on TV. People who are rare to see, how come they appear in front of you all at once! Is that the stock market harvester Liu Lixin? Is that the glass king Cao Dazui? Can't take a picture with him!"

I hurriedly grabbed him and said, "You are also a person who has seen the world, why did you become so fussy? Don't embarrass me! I think you didn't react like this when you saw these stars?"

Yaoyang hurriedly broke free from me and said, "Can it be the same? You know, it costs millions of dollars to have a meal with these people. Now that I can meet with them and say a word or two, I will definitely benefit a lot. Shallow! Definitely enough for me to brag about for a lifetime, there are not many opportunities like this!"

I hummed and said, "That's right, you go, but don't say you know me!"

Yaoyang walked away in a hurry, but taking pictures is definitely not allowed, and taking pictures is not allowed here at all.

I walked to the side and saw the celebrity couple, they also saw me, immediately talked to the people around me, and walked towards me.

When he came in front of me, the man said very politely: "We said that we would definitely meet you here. Are we really right?"

I nodded and said with a smile: "You mean, if there is a lively place, I must not be left alone, right?"

The woman covered her mouth and smiled and said: "It's a good thing to like to join in the fun, which shows that you are full of enthusiasm for life! We came to thank you, but we didn't leave your call last time. Our movie is finally released, and the effect is not bad! Now The brokerage company has also opened up, and the artists under it are developing well, thanks to you!"

I hurriedly shook my head and said: "I didn't help you much, but after that, I did help the artists below you a little bit. Our company is preparing to find a next-generation spokesperson. Before that, we have always used Mr. Dong's Now that the image is the endorsement, Dong Zong still wants to find a celebrity to endorse it."

The man said gratefully: "Thank you so much, but, didn't you all have a very famous artist who spoke for you before? That's an international movie star. Our stars are all small stars, who have just become famous Yes, does this identity qualify?"

I thought for a while and said: "Our contract has expired, and now the people in the public relations department are discussing the renewal of the contract. My personal opinion is not to renew the contract. But this is only my personal opinion, and the final decision rests with With our general manager. However, I can guarantee that some of our new product endorsements can be given to your company. "

The woman shook my hand excitedly and said, "If we can succeed as an endorsement, it will mean a lot to our company! It is a godsend opportunity for us to be the endorsement of thousands of people."

I smiled and said: "I was moved by your sincerity. The last meeting was in a hurry, and I didn't leave your contact information. I told our public relations department about this. I should contact you in a few days. Come on, I think you guys will be successful! Also, my family likes your food show very much, if you don’t mind, can you give me an autographed photo, I’ll take it back to my mom!"

The woman smiled and said, "Are you joking?"

I smiled and said: "Really, I really mean it, my mother likes you the most, and now I learn cooking from you! And my fiancee, she also likes you very much, now I learn makeup from you Yes, ask me all day whether you are beautiful or she is beautiful?"

The woman smiled and asked, "Then how did you answer?"

I said in embarrassment: "My answer is: 'You are more beautiful than her with makeup, but she is not as beautiful as you without makeup!"

The man smiled and said, "Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder! It's normal!"

After finishing speaking, he took out a few movie tickets and said, "This is the ticket for the premiere of our new film. If you have time, go and see it with your family. Then, take pictures with them. It seems that taking pictures is not allowed here!"

I hurriedly put it away and said gratefully: "Thank you! Our family will definitely be there!"

At this time, the party officially started, and the process was very simple. It was some pictures drawn by elementary school students, made handicrafts, and then put them up for auction. It is called once, and someone raises his hand to close the deal.

General paintings are around 10 yuan, and simple handicrafts are around 15 to 20 yuan, which is an acceptable range.

Yaoyang asked next to me: "How much money can be raised in one night in this kind of auction? Hundreds of them are killed, and here are rich people with a net worth of over [-] million. Isn't this organizer a bit of a waste of resources!"

I pursed my lips and said, "Where is this going? This is just a prelude, and the fun is yet to come. How do you think it is possible to hold such a big party and raise a few million?"

As soon as the voice fell, the host of the conference said: "The following is the poverty alleviation project in Guizhou, and the following are the naming names of 15 primary schools. Everyone can actively donate generously. The infrastructure cost of a primary school is 1000 million at a low price." Then the host Someone called by name: "President Ma, let's start first? How about throwing down the bricks?"

Everyone looked at Mr. Ma, who stretched out a hand freely and said, "Then I will donate 5 schools!" The host said with a smile, "Mr. Ma is generous!"

Immediately, someone signed up and said, "Then I will follow in the footsteps of Mr. Ma and donate to two schools!"

I whispered, "See? This is the main event! 15 institutes, 1.5 million, what is the previous one?"

Yaoyang asked me: "Then what do you say, do you have to donate one too? Are you representing all of you?"

I hummed and said, "The group has given me a target, at least 2000 million will be spent, otherwise the media will definitely question us in the future!"

By the time all 12 primary schools have been settled, the remaining 3 schools will become popular, because if you don’t donate any more, you may have a chance to show off!

So next time, I raised my hand and stretched out two fingers. The host's eyes were very sharp, and I saw it immediately and said: "Mr. Chen, donate 2! Thank you, Mr. Chen!"

I thought there would be no contest, but someone suddenly said: "I also want to donate two schools. If Mr. Chen donates two schools, what should I do? How about, why don't Mr. Chen give me one?"

The crowd began to look at the person who was speaking, and the person who was speaking walked out by himself, without looking, they knew who it was?
(End of this chapter)