China Entertainment 2004

Chapter 143 I'm Serious About Making Money

Youku was founded in 2005, raised $300 million that year, $1200 million a year later, and another $2007 million in 2500.

Gu Yongjian's main job in the past few years is to make money, then increase the number of users, and then continue to make money.

Now that Youku has been established for more than two years, it has burned more than 4000 million US dollars, and its profit is still far away.

This is why many people think that Internet companies are scammers. You burned so much money, but you didn’t make any money back. What is it if it’s not a scam?
Now that the money is about to be burned out, Gu Yongjian is thinking about continuing to raise money.

If you want to raise funds, you have to set up a name and attract capital, depending on the face of the investors.

The new project that Gu Yongjian came up with this time is to create self-made dramas. Instead of passively waiting for users to upload videos, or buying film and television dramas from film and television companies, it is better to invest and produce them yourself.

In the original time and space, Youku did not start to try this set of models until 2009.

The reason is that Hulu in the United States ran through the long-form video model that year, and its global advertising revenue reached 33 million US dollars, accounting for [-]% of the American video advertising market.

Youku was naturally moved, and immediately decided to end up doing a self-made drama, but in the end, he lost so much that even his mother didn't know him.

Now that Jiang Yu messed in, three micro-films in a row were a big success, so it's no wonder that Gu Yongjian was thinking about it.

That afternoon, Gu Yongjian drove to the Film Academy on purpose and asked Jiang Yu out.

Jiang Yu saw that it was getting late, so he took him to Meng Paris, a high-quality and cheap food stall near the school.

Gu Yongjian looked around, feeling very surprised, "Do you usually come to this kind of place?"

He felt that Jiang Yu could be considered a star now, not to mention shouting and embracing, he would have to go to some high-end places, but he didn't expect to come directly to such a place with very suspicious hygiene.

Jiang Yu said with a smile: "Elite like you rarely come to eat food stalls, right? I brought you here specially to catch up with the earth. Although the place is a bit broken, it tastes delicious, and it is clean and hygienic."

Gu Yongjian also laughed: "It's a bit, a bit like a hermit living in the city."

Jiang Yu ordered two bottles of beer and a few skewers. Gu Yongjian was not very interested in this. He came to Jiang Yu for cooperation.

"Do you still have a script like "The Lover at the Table?"

Jiang Yu said casually, "Do you really want to do web dramas now?"

"Online drama?" Gu Yongjian smacked, "This formulation is quite interesting, and it's true. If we invest in film and television dramas to broadcast on the website, it should indeed be called an online drama."

"Do you know the biggest difference between web dramas and TV dramas?"

"Shorter duration, more flexible viewing?" Gu Yongjian still did some homework, and simply summarized the characteristics of web dramas.

Jiang Yu smiled and said, "You're right, but you didn't say the most important point."

"what?"

Jiang Yu spat out two words: "Review."

"Think about it, can dramas like "Snowy Mountain Ghost" and "Beauty and Ugly Man" pass the trial? Can they be broadcast on TV?"

"Internet dramas are still a new thing now, and even the name was created by the two of us chatting here. I think that while Harmony Dafa is not paying attention, we can shoot as soon as possible. When the era of online dramas rises in the future, there will be many themes. I can't shoot anymore."

"The era of online dramas?" Gu Yongjian learned a new word and found it more interesting. This can be put in the PPT.

At that time, investors will ask, what is Youku's vision?

A: We are going to start the era of online dramas.

It sounds like it has a strong style, at least it can melt a thousand more!
The more Gu Yongjian thought about it, the more excited he became, and he didn't care about hygiene anymore. He opened a bottle of beer, drank a big glass and said, "Ricardo, I found that you are a person who can do great things. Tell me, what's your plan?" ? I definitely support you."

Jiang Yu also drank a big glass and said, "I have a plan but... I don't have a plan."

Gu Yongjian was looking forward to it, and almost spat out a mouthful of old blood, "What did you say?"

Jiang Yu explained: "Filming online dramas is very important to you, but it's mainly because I don't make money."

Are the two micro-films "The Snow Mountain Ghost" and "The Lover at the Table" popular?

I'm angry.

Did youkula get a new user?

Pulled up.

Did Jiang Yu make money?

He only made a little bit of money, not as much as he made from advertising.

If it wasn't for training the team, he wouldn't be bothered to make any micro movies.

Gu Yongjian was startled, and then he realized that the two of them had already talked about the most core issue.

It's all nonsense to start the era of online dramas. The most critical question is how to divide the money.

"We can invest," Gu Yongjian pondered: "Then we will settle the income for you according to the number of clicks."

"No," Jiang Yu rebuffed flatly, "I can't guarantee that every work is a snow-capped spirit. If the results are mediocre, then I won't even be able to recover the cost. My risk is too great."

Gu Yongjian was dumb for a moment, thought for a while and asked: "Then what do you want to calculate?"

"You advance to bear the production cost, and then give me a production fee. This is our fixed profit, and finally the income will be settled according to the number of clicks."

Gu Yongjian almost spit out, "No, the risk is too great for us."

The two of them fought back and forth, both wanting to pass the risk on to each other, so as to gain their own benefits.

Jiang Yu looked at him and said with a smile: "You have to think about it first. Even a newcomer in the film and television industry like me is not willing to offer you the terms. How are you going to convince those film and television companies to take risks for you?"

Gu Yongjian suddenly had a headache, "The problem is that we don't understand film and television. If we are asked to pay the production cost, I'm really afraid that we will lose money."

He's not stupid either, he doesn't know anything about the film and television industry, and it all depends on Jiang Yu's foolishness. If he really wants to stick his foot in, he might even be swallowed alive.

Such examples are not uncommon.

A certain rich second generation, unwilling to live and wait to die, is determined to prove himself and realize his own life value.

I happened to meet a senior director in the industry, and the director told him, I have a project, as long as it is shot, I will definitely punch the wolf warrior and kick the wandering earth, and the investment is not high, only [-] million, just ask if you are willing to support the dream, Support domestic films.

You're not stupid, you're talking too much, what if I invest [-] million and lose at the box office, what if I lose?
The director patted his chest and replied, if the box office loses, I will make up for it out of my own pocket.

The two parties then signed a VAM agreement, written in black and white, the young and the young were relieved, and hadn't even been to the crew before, so they decisively paid for their dreams.

After a year, the young master finally remembered the unlucky project and called to inquire about the progress.

The director replied, oops, our special effects are too expensive, it’s over budget, and now the crew has stopped working, so, you can pay me another 3000 million, and I promise to finish the filming. If you don’t pay, we will break up .

What can you do, if you don't pay, the [-] million will be gone. If you pay, you can still give it a go.

When the 3000 million arrives in the account, the good show will come.

The mobile phone was turned off, WeChat was blocked, and the director directly took 3000 million, and went to the ends of the world, and he couldn't even find a person.

The ghost will make a movie for you.

——This set of coquettish operations has happened countless times in the circle.

This group of grandchildren only exploited those second generations who crossed borders and entered the film and television industry to make money.

Jiang Yu is not so dark, he wants to keep this business going for a long time, he said in a persuasive manner: "I know you are afraid of losing money, but you don't want your child to be caught by a wolf, think about it again, the money is really your money ?"

Isn't that money my money?
It took Gu Yongjian three seconds to realize, that's right, that's not my money, it's the investor's money!

When looking at Jiang Yu again, there was a bit more tacit understanding.

"I'll go back and do some research. If you have a project proposal, you can send me a copy."

"Don't worry, I understand."

The two touched their glasses and quickly reached an agreement.

If Gu Yongjian wants to create the title of "Internet Drama Era", he has to win over Jiang Yu, a gentry.

With a name and a gentry, investors can follow suit.

In this way, the two of them can make money together as investors.

……

In April, the spring is bright and beautiful.

The proceeds of "Crazy Racing" are finally arriving.

After a whole Spring Festival, "Crazy Racing" grossed a total of 2000 million 600 million at the box office, and it can probably recover a profit of 800 million.

According to the prior agreement, Ning Hao, as the biggest hero, took away 345 million yuan in one wave, and became a tall, rich and handsome man.

When the grandson got the money, the first thing he did was to buy a large gold chain to hang around his neck. He even walked horizontally these days.

Jiang Yu kept a low profile. At the beginning, he invested 300 million yuan, plus his own film salary, and directly recovered 100 million yuan in profit, with a return on investment of more than 300%.

Not counting his income from writing songs, commercials, and micro-movies, Jiang Yu's current net worth is estimated to be as low as 2000 million.

After being reborn for more than three years, he is finally a successful person.

Only Huang Bai was honestly an actor. He was tossed half to death in the crew, and he was still paid 10,000+ in the end. Seeing those two earning a lot of money, he was so greedy that he was drooling.

Young people in later generations are often confused. I have read so many books, passed the college entrance examination and postgraduate entrance examination until death, and 996 every day after work. How can I feel that I am getting poorer and poorer?

The reason is actually very simple. This is because the rate of return on labor has lagged far behind the rate of return on investment.

Huang Bai is the best example. He worked so hard to make a movie, and he became famous and made money. He is better than ordinary office workers.

But compared with Jiang Yu, it's nothing like a big witch.

Only then did he know that if he didn't invest in it and just filmed in a down-to-earth manner, the results would be taken by these grandsons.

In the KTV, Huang Bai didn't have the mood to sing anymore, his current mood is just two words: regret.

Very sorry.

I regret why I didn't listen to Jiang Yu back then.

If he can invest with this guy, among other things, at least he can make back the money he lost on PetroChina...

Ning Hao was crying and howling with the microphone in his arms, Huang Bai put his arms around a limp little sister, and asked insincerely, "You said last time that you want to make a movie yourself?"

"That's right," Jiang Yu said, "I happen to have another role. If you're free, you can play a cameo for me."

"There is definitely no problem with this. I just want to ask..." He was nervous, and his accent almost came out, "Have you found that investment? If you are short of money, I have it, haha... right..."

Jiang Yu joked, "Hey, have you changed your sex now?"

"I told you to buy a house and you didn't buy it. I told you not to buy PetroChina. If you insisted on buying it, you dare to invest in my movie now?"

Huang Bai was so embarrassed that he had to grin his teeth. Fortunately, Jiang Yu stopped and immediately agreed, "I happen to be looking for investment everywhere. If you want to buy a share, I welcome it."

He has already decided that "33 Days of Broken Relationship" will be launched this summer.

Although he can afford this kind of low-budget film by himself, he can't live alone, so he decided to seek investment from China Film Group.

Let people like Ning Hao, Huang Bai, and Gu Yongjian come in to participate, not only to earn a piece of money, but more importantly, to form a community of interests.

You help me, I help you, and a small interest group is formed.

(End of this chapter)