Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 514: One whale falls and everything comes alive

It's over?!

"I heard from Linda that Director Li held a meeting a few years ago. Do you know what they were going to do? They were going to engage in diversified operations and open a hotel as a tertiary industry!" Lu Yao continued.

"Lu Yao, stop talking nonsense!" Lin Da glared at him.

"Minghua and the others are not outsiders, so what is there to hide? Besides, the news has already spread to your Xiying Studio and has become an open secret."

"Sister-in-law, why do you want to engage in diversified operations?" Fang Minghua asked curiously.

"To make money. You know, although our studio has made some good films, we don't make much money. China Film only pays 70 to 120 million for each movie. Now that prices are rising, the cost of many films is higher than this number." Linda explained.

But Lu Yao responded rudely:

"Then why can't you ask the leaders of China Film Group for a share of the box office revenue like they did with Red Sorghum? Director Li doesn't have the courage of Wu Tianmin!"

"How many people do you think are like Wu Tianmin? He would argue with the leaders of China Film Group at every turn?" Linda argued:

"It was because of Wu Tianmin's character that he offended many people. Last summer, something happened to him and someone immediately took advantage of his misfortune. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in such a miserable state. He lost his position as factory director and was not even allowed to return to the country!"

"Ah, these days, those who work do, those who watch, and those who watch give suggestions to those who work." Lu Yao sighed and said, "Driving Wu Tianmin away is the biggest loss for your Xi'an Film Studio. I dare say that your Xi'an Film Studio will go downhill from now on!"

"Don't make it sound so serious. Right now the studio is still very calm, and the directors are still busy filming. Look, Zhang Yimou's new movie Ju Dou is going to be shown overseas, and the studio watched it internally, and it's pretty good.

"No matter how good it is, it can't be performed in China because of the superiors' blockage, right?" Lu Yao's tone was a little sarcastic. "If Wu Tianmin was here, that might not be the case."

"So, Wu Tianming is the soul of Xiying and the backbone of Zhang Yimou and his group of young people. Without this soul and backbone, these people can no longer stay and will leave sooner or later!"

Linda fell silent after hearing this.

Deep down, she agreed with her husband's opinion.

"Hey, Minghua, you see I'm just arguing with Lu Yao, why are you asking me about the Xiying Studio?" Linda suddenly remembered something and asked.

"It's like this. I've already written the script for Ordinary World, but Tangtang didn't reach an agreement with Yanjing TV, so we plan to let Zhang Yimou shoot it."

Fang Minghua briefly recounted the entire incident, and finally said, "I called Zhang Yimou and he is willing to film this TV series, but we still need to ask Director Li if he agrees."

"Hey, as long as you pay enough, Director Li will definitely agree!" Linda replied with a smile.

Minghua nodded slightly.

In fact, from the conversation between Lu Yao and his wife just now, Fang Minghua had already realized that this matter was taking shape. Fang Minghua and Lu Yao discussed the article "Looking for Romance" written by Lu Yao again. At ten o'clock in the evening, the couple said goodbye and went home.

Walking on the road in the community, Song Tangtang took Fang Minghua's arm and said, "Minghua, do you think that Xiying Studio is really like what Brother Lu said?"

"What Brother Lu said does make sense. A group of current backbones of the Xi'an Film Studio, such as Zhang Yimou, Gu Changwei, Huang Jianxin, He Ping, Lu Wei, etc., were all trained by Wu Tianmin. Now they are all talented and arrogant. Without someone like Wu Tianmin, they cannot be controlled and will leave sooner or later." Fang Minghua replied.

Song Tangtang listened silently, and suddenly stopped and looked at her husband: "Minghua, if it is really a tragedy for Xiying Studio as you said, then for us at Shengshi Film and Television, isn't it an opportunity? When a whale falls, all things come to life."

Fang Minghua certainly understood what his daughter-in-law meant.

"Tangtang, your idea is great, but you can't say anything rashly now. You have to take it step by step and not rush into anything."

"I know, you're my husband, so that's why I said that." Song Tangtang hugged Fang Minghua's arm and said coquettishly, "Tomorrow I will go to Director Li to discuss the filming of this TV series and strive to reach a cooperation agreement as soon as possible!"

"Then it's none of my business." Fang Ming said with a smile.

"Well, my husband, you have worked hard these past few months. Have a good rest!"

After returning home, the couple went into their own study rooms and read their own books.

Song Tangtang mainly reads books on finance and business management, while Fang Minghua has no particular purpose and reads all kinds of books.

But today I am reading Nan Huaijin's "A New Interpretation of the Analects".

Years ago, Shu Bin contacted Nan Huaijin, and the two sides negotiated and bought the publishing rights of this book in the mainland at a preferential price. After the Spring Festival, it was published in major Xinhua Bookstores across the country. I heard from Zhao Hongjun that the sales were quite good.

The first edition will be printed in 20 copies, so I think there will be no problem with sales.

There is a certain threshold for reading this kind of book, and it is quite good that the first printing can reach this level.

After watching for a while, Fang Minghua thought about the conversation just now at Lu Yao's house.

What Lu Yao said was right. Xi'an Film Studio started to go downhill after entering the 1990s, and many talented people left Xijing and went to Yanjing to "drift north".

In addition to Wu Tianmin's dismissal being a trigger, another very important reason was the change in the overall environment.

After entering the 1990s, the film industry underwent major changes. The distribution of films ended the model of the planned economy era and implemented a market economy, with film studios being responsible for their own profits and losses.

At the same time, the TV drama market began to expand rapidly, while the number of moviegoers was shrinking. On the other hand, moviegoers had more choices, and competition between film studios was intensifying. In 1993, the country began to introduce the "10 blockbusters" plan, giving mainland audiences the opportunity to enjoy the latest foreign blockbusters, and domestic film studios declined further.

Another thing is that private investment has begun to rise. Private film and television companies such as Huayi Brothers, Enlight Media, and Wanda Films have been established one after another, dividing up the film market.

Private Film and Television
Now, Shengshi Film and Television was established the earliest!

Seize the opportunity.

Let my daughter-in-law do it, and I will be responsible for the escort.

Sure enough, Song Tangtang found the leader of Xi'an Film Studio to discuss the cooperation between the two parties. The other party agreed very readily, but with one condition.

In addition to ensuring the budget funds needed for filming, a "management fee" of 20 yuan must be paid to Xi'an Film Studio!
Song Tangtang also put forward his own conditions: he could pay a management fee of 20 yuan, but the name of Shengshi Film and Television Company would also be added to the end of any TV series he would produce in the future.

Co-produced by Xijing Film Studio and Shengshi Film and Television Company!
This was not a big deal for Xi'an Film Studio, and the two sides quickly reached an agreement.

The next step is to build the crew: Director Zhang Yimou, Producer Hu Xiaofeng, Photographer Gu Changwei, Sound Recorder Gu Changning, Music Editor Zhao Jiping, Art Director Cao Jiuping, Editor Du Yuan.
They are all Zhang Yimou’s partners in filming in recent years. Almost all the elites have come out. Except for Hu Xiaofeng, the rest are from Xijing!

Gong Li, the first-generation "Mou Girl", played the leading female role, Tian Xiaoxia, while the leading male role was played by Zhang Jiayi, a newcomer who had just graduated from the Yenching Film Academy and was assigned to the Xi'an Film Studio.

He is also from Xijing, a fellow villager of Zhang Yimou.

Investor Song Tangtang personally served as the producer and participated in the production of a TV series for the first time.

The initial budget was 300 million, three times that of "Desire".

(End of this chapter)