blueteamnovel Chapter 23: Online Discussion, Jade Dynasty Goes Global
Chapter 23: Online Discussion, Jade Dynasty Goes Global
Before everyone could finish processing this explosive news, Ling Yuan dropped a second bombshell:
"The global DVD distribution rights for this film have also been secured through a partnership with Miramax Films, using a revenue-sharing model, with Xinghan Pictures receiving 30% of DVD sales!"
The entire audience erupted in cheers once again.
"30% of the revenue! And there's the huge cake of DVDs!"
"My goodness, the total... I can't even imagine!"
"A film made for tens of thousands of yuan, are they trying to make a killing?!"
……
The reporters were so excited their eyes were red, and they bombarded the reporters with questions like a machine gun.
"President Ling! President Ling! Could you explain in detail how this deal was negotiated? It's incredible!"
Ling Yuan nodded, explaining with a relaxed expression, "When Miramax initially contacted us, their intention was to buy out all overseas rights as a package, including theatrical releases and DVDs, for $500 million. As for that price..."
He shrugged and gave a knowing look, which drew a knowing smile from the audience.
"We felt there was still room for improvement, and we were particularly confident in the film's potential. After several rounds of friendly but 'intense' negotiations, we finally reached the current agreement: the box office distribution rights were sold out for $1000 million, while the DVD distribution rights will retain revenue sharing."
A knowledgeable reporter immediately nodded in agreement: "Indeed! Selling out box office revenue for quick money, and then sharing DVD sales to cover post-production costs—this combination is excellent! A 30% revenue share is quite good in the middle range in the industry!"
Ling Yuan smiled and agreed: "That's right. This will not only quickly alleviate the financial pressure on our new project, but also ensure the long-tail revenue of the film. As everyone knows, overseas box office revenue is affected by release dates, screening schedules, and cultural differences, which makes it highly uncertain and the payback period is long."
Then, changing the subject, they dropped an even more exciting bombshell.
"Oh, by the way, taking advantage of this positive start to our collaboration, we also made an initial presentation to Miramax about our upcoming 'Zhu Xian' project. Although they indicated they need to see the finished product before making a final decision, they have already shown considerable interest and enthusiasm!"
This can also be considered as going abroad and exporting culture.
"Interested?! 'Zhu Xian' hasn't even started filming yet and there are already overseas buyers interested?"
"My God! What if it really sells for $1000 million like 'The Haunted Cop'..."
"Doesn't that mean that even before 'Zhu Xian' has been filmed, the overseas market is already guaranteed?!"
"Plus the domestic box office... this isn't a risk; it's a sure-fire way to make money!"
The reporters were completely convinced, their gazes towards Ling Yuan filled with amazement and admiration.
This young man isn't getting cocky; he's already moved ten moves ahead of him!
Xiao Ding: "..." His eyes sparkled, and he became even more expectant.
……
That very evening, news of the story spread like wildfire online.
On major portal websites, the entertainment section headlines were highlighted in bold and red.
[StarChina invests 60 million to carry "Jade Dynasty"! Ling Yuan reveals: Overseas sales rake in tens of millions of US dollars!]
[The Legend of the Condor Heroes sold for a record-breaking price overseas! The mystery of the Star River Fund Chain is solved!]
[The Legend of Chusen is already generating buzz even before filming! Hollywood giants have extended offers!]
……
Related posts on various forums such as Tianya, Mop, Xici Hutong, and Tieba have also been piling up.
"Holy crap! 1000 million US dollars?! Ling Yuan is awesome (voice cracks)!!!"
"Xinghan's move is too clever! They've got a free lunch! Using the money they made from horror movies to make a fantasy blockbuster!"
"Miramax has their eye on it? Is 'Zhu Xian' on its way to going global? Is Xiao Ding about to become an international author?"
"I just want to know, is Ling Yuan this handsome when he's negotiating with foreigners? I need photos from the scene!"
"Stop swooning upstairs! The important thing is that Xinghan has money now! We don't need to worry about the 'five-cent' special effects in 'Zhu Xian' anymore! Our expectations are through the roof!"
"No wonder Liu Yifei was willing to be his rumored girlfriend. When that last photo came out, Liu Yifei didn't even offer an explanation!"
……
On television, the evening entertainment news anchor spoke rapidly, with a clip of Ling Yuan announcing the news at the opening ceremony of the TV series "Zhu Xian" playing in the background:
"...Ling Yuan, the young leader of Xinghan Pictures, has once again demonstrated astonishing courage and business acumen! His low-budget horror film, 'The Haunted House,' sold its overseas rights for a record-breaking price, injecting a powerful boost into the highly anticipated fantasy project, 'Zhu Xian'! Industry insiders analyze that this move greatly reduces investment risk and may even lock in profits ahead of time..."
The next day, major newspapers' entertainment and even financial sections rushed to report on it:
The entertainment section of XX Daily headlined: "Sixty Million Yuan in a All-or-Nothing Gamble? Ling Yuan Reveals 'Overseas Gold Mine'!" The accompanying photo showed Ling Yuan confidently speaking on stage.
The front page headline of the XX Metropolitan Daily reads: "Ghost movies earn US dollars, fantasy films have a solid foundation! Xinghan Pictures performs a capital magic trick."
XX Finance: "Leveraging Small Investments for Big Gains: From Millions to Tens of Millions of US Dollars, Xinghan Pictures' Cross-Border Capital Operation Case Study." The article focuses on analyzing the strategic significance of this transaction for Xinghan's cash flow and future development.
The cover of XX Entertainment Weekly features a spirited half-length portrait of Ling Yuan, accompanied by a huge headline: "Ling Yuan's 'Fantasy' Gamble: With Millions of Dollars in Hand, What Are His Chances of Winning?"
The article provides a detailed breakdown of the transaction and industry reactions.
Overnight, "Xinghan Pictures", "Lingyuan", "tens of millions of US dollars", and "Zhu Xian Overseas" became hot topics of conversation.
Xinghan Pictures' strength and Ling Yuan's business acumen have once again become the focus of attention in the entertainment and capital circles.
Everyone realized that this young film company had unstoppably entered the fast lane of development.
The anticipation surrounding the film "Jade Dynasty" has already reached its peak, even before filming has begun!
……
While the series is generating a lot of buzz online, filming for "Jade Dynasty 1" has already begun in full swing.
Ling Yuan is not only the producer, but also the lead actor and the boss, and he has to manage all sorts of miscellaneous things, keeping him extremely busy.
Of all these things, the most enjoyable and relaxing is acting.
Yes, I enjoyed acting alongside Liu Yifei and many other young actresses.
……
To create a more realistic sense of immersion, the crew only stayed at the Huairou Film and Television Base for a week before setting off to travel over mountains and valleys to various real-life locations.
"Cut! This sea of clouds isn't ethereal enough!" Ning Hao stared at the monitor, scratching his head. "Change locations! Let's go to Shengquan Mountain to reshoot the flower sea scene!"
The crew immediately erupted in groans of despair.
While in western Sichuan, lighting technician Lao Wang plopped down on a rock, exclaiming, "Director, this is the third time we've climbed the snow-capped mountain! My old, calloused legs are killing me..."
"Add chicken drumsticks! Two for everyone!" Ling Yuan walked over carrying a metal-forged fire poker (Soul-Devouring Staff), smashing it into the ground with a "clang," leaving a dent. "See that? Pure steel! I carry it every day and never complain!"
Ritual implements should naturally be made of forged metal. Plastic ones would have a very poor feel to them.
However, due to its heavy weight, it is extremely difficult to control the force when using it, and it often causes arm pain after a day.
Lighting technician Lao Wang felt a little better, but couldn't help thinking to himself, "You're the boss, you make big money, of course you're not tired. Besides, you have so many girls around you, how can it be the same?"
Huang Bo strolled over carrying a water bottle, poking the stick with a cheeky grin: "President Ling, how many grilled kidneys could you get for this thing as scrap metal?"
The whole audience burst into laughter.
As a long-term contract artist with Xinghan Pictures, Huang Bo naturally participated in the cast of Jade Dynasty.
It's impossible to not use our own actors and instead hire them from outside at high salaries, right?
Ling Yuan assigned Huang Bo an important male supporting role: Tian Buyi.
Needless to say, this role is quite suitable for Huang Bo.
Huang Bo excels at portraying grassroots, humorous, and nuanced characters. He also looks older than his age, but with a beard, he is quite a good fit for the image of Tian Buyi, the head of Dazhu Peak in the Qingyun Sect.
Tian Buyi appears serious and has a fiery temper, but he is loyal and righteous at heart. Although he is strict with his apprentice Zhang Xiaofan, he cares for him deeply.
Huang Bo lived up to expectations, perfectly portraying Tian Buyi's complex personality of being "cold on the outside but warm on the inside."