China Entertainment: I just want to give my child a home

Chapter 292 The Dagger Revealed (Please Subscribe!)
The next day, when Chen Dong arrived at China Film on time, he found that Zhang Weiping had actually called over all the CEOs of the film and television companies he had listed earlier.

But Chen Dong also believed that many people present were just there to make up the numbers, and they did not have a strong desire to put pressure on the theaters this time.

In other words, it would be great if we could negotiate the box office revenue sharing ratio this time, but if we can't, the only thing left is to maintain the status quo, which won't get any worse.

Chen Dong had almost the same idea, but he had the advantage of being reborn after all, and he had another set of stepped profit-sharing formula in his mind, and he planned to wait for the right opportunity to use it.

As for when the right opportunity will be, it will of course be after their plan to put pressure on theaters completely fails.

There is such a phenomenon in social psychology: if you ask to borrow 200 yuan from others, they may directly refuse you. But if you give in and only lend 100 yuan, perhaps your chances of success will be much greater.

This is exactly what Chen Dong was thinking.

At this moment, in the conference room of China Film Corporation, as Wang Changtian came in almost at the exact time notified, a closed-door meeting representing the interests of the production company officially began.

Zhang Weiying first brought up the old reasons he had used to persuade Chen Dong and told everyone again at the meeting, then he took out the "Notice on Adjusting the Proportion of Domestic Films' Revenue Sharing" statement that he had prepared in advance, distributed it to everyone, and expressed the hope that everyone would sign and seal it.

All those present were CEOs of film and television companies, so naturally no one would be led by Zhang Weiying right from the start.

On the contrary, after reading the statement made by Zhang Weiying, which was actually intended for theaters, many people expressed their opinions, or even raised some questions.

Mr. Wang took the lead and said, "Mr. Zhang, according to what you mean, we don't negotiate with the theaters at all, but directly tell them to increase the box office revenue sharing ratio from the current 43:47 to 45:55, right?"

Zhang Weiping nodded towards Mr. Wang.

He looked confident that he had the theaters under his control.

Although Wang Zonglei didn't know where Zhang Weiying's confidence came from, he was not so optimistic.

He continued to question Zhang Weiying: "What if the theaters don't agree?"

Zhang Weiying should have anticipated this question long ago, but at this moment he actually laughed.

"disagree?"

"Indeed, raising the box office share of our producers would affect the interests of the theater chains, and they would not agree to it willingly."

"But is it up to them?"

"Back then, we at New Picture were able to force the cinema chains to readjust their box office revenue sharing with just one movie. Now that so many of our production companies have united, why would the cinema chains not agree?"

Zhang Weiying became more and more excited as he spoke. He even stood up and said, "Let's take a step back and say that if they really don't agree, then we won't give them the movie. Let's see what they can show in their theaters without the movie."

Although the last sentence was Zhang Weiying's nonsense, it really gave many people hope of success.

For example, Wang Changtian, who was sitting next to Chen Dong, had eyes that were noticeably brighter.

He even lowered his voice and whispered to Chen Dong: "Director Chen, how sure do you think Zhang Weiqing's method is?"

Not a cent!

Of course, Chen Dong did not say such a big truth. After all, it was not appropriate to openly go against everyone in such a meeting.

So he just shook his head at Wang Changtian.

Wang Changtian interpreted his shaking head as meaning it was hard to say, not that there was no hope.

Chen Dong was a minority who had no hope at all, and most people still wanted to give Zhang Weiying's method a try. So, under Zhang Weiying's lead, some people began to sign their names on the statement in their hands, and they could also directly point out the movies used as bargaining chips, saying that it was a means of threatening the theaters to submit.

For example, Zhang Weiying, the movie that their new picture studio brought out was Zhang Yimou's "The Flowers of War".

After seeing that everyone had started writing, Chen Dong also followed the crowd and wrote "The Unknown" which he was currently in the post-production stage.

……

It is impossible that the theaters have not heard of Zhang Weiying's small actions in recent times.

In addition, with so many production companies gathering at China Film today, the sensitive nerves of their cinemas have been touched.

Zhang Weiying acted quickly. Chen Dong had just returned to the company from China Film Group when all the major cinema chains had already received the notice of "adjusting box office sharing" from their production company.

As expected, the theater chain was completely infuriated by Zhang Weiying's familiar tactic of uniting all the production companies to put pressure on them.

The consequence of the anger was that the victory that Zhang Weiping had expected did not occur, but instead a war was ignited.

Fang Bing, general manager of Dadi Cinema, was the first to stand up and refute: "The so-called high cost is really hard to believe. Now people say that after shooting a movie, the director buys a car and a house, the stars travel abroad, and the film company cries and shouts... But is it real crying or fake crying? Moreover, the investment of a movie is what you say it is, and who outsiders know the exact number?"

Hong Jun, deputy general manager of New Film Association Cinema Line, also said: "The unilateral price increase by the film company is totally against the rules, because price fluctuations across the industry should be decided by a hearing. If the film company can unilaterally notify the increase in revenue sharing points, then our cinema chain can also announce an increase. In this way, won't the market be in chaos?"

The statements from the two theater managers were just the beginning. Next, the media pounced on the incident like a cat smelling fish.

“The cost of film production has increased, but has the quality of the films improved?”

"The production costs are rising, but aren't cinema rentals also rising? Can cinema chains unite and unilaterally notify film companies to adjust their box office revenue sharing?"

"..."

Chen Dong has been following the developments online. To be honest, he was not surprised by the reaction of the cinemas, but the fact that the media seemed to be overwhelmingly on the side of the cinemas was really beyond his expectations.

But at this moment, Chen Dong was still most curious about Zhang Weiying's reaction. He should be very shocked.

Zhang Weiying was indeed a little dumbfounded now.

Because he didn't expect the theaters' reaction would be so intense this time!
Of course he won't give up easily.

At this moment, he directly dropped his trump card, which was the nonsense he said in the meeting.

"Director Chen, if we can't reach an agreement on the box office revenue sharing with the cinema chain this time, will 'Nobody' be able to be released?"

In the post-production editing room of Dongcheng Pictures, a group of technical geeks were not only doing post-production, but also eating up the earth-shaking melon between the film company and the theaters on the Internet. They just didn't expect that while eating up the melon, they would actually eat up the melon themselves.

"Don't worry, this storm won't last long and won't affect the normal release of 'Nobody'."

Sure enough, representatives from the theater chain came to Beijing the next day.

Chen Dong also received a call from the General Administration...

"My tiered box office revenue sharing plan may be ready for release."

(End of this chapter)