It's reasonable for me, a stuntman, to live a crazy life, right?

Chapter 1348 There are no permanent friends in the market!

After carefully listening to Wang Changtian's explanation of the whole story and checking the details online, Chen Fei finally understood what had happened.

At this time, the homepages of major news platforms were flooded with news reports that the State Administration of Radio and Television had completely suspended talent shows.

The core clauses of the official document were glaringly obvious to everyone:

"We will resolutely resist fan wars, including mutual attacks, insults, and provocations, and completely halt idol-training online variety shows and talent shows..."

Meanwhile, the document also highlighted supplementary details such as "strictly controlling celebrity fan communities and support groups."

It's clear that the authorities are about to crack down on the chaos in the industry!
Looking around, the comment section was already completely flooded with discussions from industry professionals and netizens.

Some people lamented that their investments in talent shows had resulted in huge losses, while others applauded, saying that "the distorted fan culture should have been rectified long ago." Some even posted unfinished stage design drawings with the caption: "This is the tear of the times!"
If you randomly open a relevant industry group, you can see messages scrolling by at a rate of more than a dozen per second.

Without exception, all of them were discussions and heated debates about "completely halting talent shows".

"Director Chen, what should we do now?" Wang Changtian's voice came through the phone, mixed with some panicked discussion.

Feiyue Films does not have any business related to talent shows, but Enlight Media has collaborated with Youku on many related projects.

Now that the document has been issued, all of these projects will be halted without exception.

"Let's try our best to mitigate the losses."

Chen Fei pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling equally powerless to change the situation.

The documents have already been issued; there is no choice but to comply.

Fortunately, Youku's main variety shows are not talent shows, but rather "Running Man", "Go Fighting!", and the newly released "Five Ha".

With these variety shows supporting the industry, the shutdown of one or two talent shows will not cause too much loss.

As for stock price fluctuations, no platform can avoid them; they can only be left to recover slowly over time.

In fact, he had spoken to Wang Changtian about it long before the "ban on Korean entertainment" was issued.

"The talent show market is like a bubble; the bigger it gets inflated, the harder it will burst."

However, at that time, "The Coming One" was at the peak of its popularity, and other companies were also making great strides in their talent shows, so no one was willing to stop.

Now, when the storm truly arrives, without exception, no one can remain unscathed.

"Sigh, that's all we can do."

Wang Changtian hung up the phone and began arranging for people to recover the losses, suspending all talent show programs.

Meanwhile, in the conference room at iQiyi's headquarters, Jiang Bing, the chief producer of "Youth With You 5," was clutching the termination letter, trembling all over.

The projector in front of them was still displaying the program's sponsorship PPT, and the title sponsorship contract worth 8000 million yuan had now become a hot potato.

The CFO was slamming his fist on the financial statements, yelling frantically, "Trainee signing fees, stage construction costs—we're going to lose 1.2 million just on advance payments..."

Amidst the constant ringing of phones in the corridor, the vice president in charge of artist management was frantically contacting partner companies, attempting to temporarily resell reserve trainees as actors or internet celebrities.

At the same time, inside the Tencent Video building, the atmosphere within the "Produce Camp 2023" project team was so oppressive it was almost suffocating.

Sun Zhonghuai stared intently at the backend data; the number of reservations for the program, which was originally scheduled to premiere next week, was plummeting at a rate of 2000 people per minute.

The operations team was at a loss when faced with the sudden removal of trending search terms, while the legal department had already received 17 joint lawyer's letters from sponsors.

Inside the cubicle, the young director was wiping away tears as he tidied up his workstation.

Their creative proposals, which they had worked on for eight months, were now all scraps in the shredder, and the entire team was laid off!
Meanwhile, Mango TV's variety show production center was also in an uproar.

The dual-track project of "Sisters Who Make Waves 5" and "Brothers Who Brave the Winds and Thorns 4" came to an abrupt end, leaving the chief director Yan Ji heartbroken as he faced the suddenly shut-down recording studio.

When he learned that over a hundred artists he had collaborated with would be filing a collective lawsuit, he grabbed the proposal document from the table and slammed it on the floor: "Damn it, the breach of contract penalties are enough to film ten more variety shows! What kind of rubbish document is this..."

Inside the finance office, the sounds of calculators clicking and arguing mingled, and various announcements from senior management kept popping up in the group chat, but no one dared to open them.

The artist management department of Huace Media was also in chaos.

President Fu Binxin stared at the list of trainees with deep worry.

The training cost of the 37 newly signed talents reached 4500 million yuan, but now they are facing a wave of contract terminations.

There are no shows to schedule, and all these people are now stuck with nothing!

"Contact the production crew immediately!" he roared, slamming his fist on the table. "Even if they have to be extras, we have to get them in! We absolutely must recoup our costs as soon as possible!"

At the other end of the corridor, the team responsible for film and television investment was equally overwhelmed.

The original plan to promote self-produced dramas through talent shows has been completely thwarted by the ban.

At this moment, all the companies in the entertainment industry are like frightened birds.

In this storm, no one can truly emerge unscathed.

That once-thriving talent show scene has been reduced to ruins of capital and dreams overnight!

The news kept trending online, including announcements of the retirement of Jiao Hongfen, the former chairman of China Film Group, and the appointment of Fu Ruoqing as the new chairman.

Chen Fei was not greatly affected by this.

His relationship with Jiao Hongfen was just ordinary. Jiao had no cooperation with Feiyue Film and Television during the years he was in office, so whether he stayed or left was none of his business.

As for how the newly appointed person will arrange the work, that's none of his business.

Anyway, Feiyue Films is doing quite well even after leaving China Film Group.

However, Chen Fei frowned at Wang Jian'er's visit and the project proposal he brought, "Mozart in Outer Space".

This movie tells a story with a science fiction comedy theme.

The alien doll "Mozart" comes to Ren Xiaotian's side, accompanies him as he grows up, and helps him "break free" from the life set by his father, Ren Dawang, and finally realize his astronomical dream.

The story is quite novel: an alien visits Earth, possesses a doll, and has a conversation with a little boy...

It looks a lot like the 1988 sci-fi movie "Thunderbolt Baby".

However, Chen Fei was very dissatisfied with the project proposal produced by Shanghai Film Group.

He held a page from the project proposal in his hand, and as he scanned the budget section line by line, his gaze paused slightly.

After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly smiled, not continuing to flip through the project proposal, but closing it and looking up at Wang Jian'er, who was sitting upright opposite him, his tone calm and composed:

"Chairman Wang? A total investment of 4 million? 1.8 million for special effects? Aren't these figures a bit off from industry norms?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Jian'er immediately flashed his signature smile and leaned forward, saying, "Chairman Chen, look, this time we've designed a large number of interactive special effects between alien creatures and Earth scenes."

The motion capture for 'Mozart' alone requires top-of-the-line technology, and in addition to Dianjing Digital, it also requires the cooperation of several other visual effects companies..."

“I know I don’t need you to explain the technical aspects to me.” Chen Fei interrupted, tapping the table lightly with his fingertip. “If I remember correctly, the special effects budget for previous Shanghai Film Studio projects was generally around 8000 million. Isn’t your figure a bit too high?”

Wang Jian'er's throat bobbed slightly as he quickly adjusted his strategy: "This time, the main goal is to create a phenomenal IP. Feiyue Films' technology investment is definitely a win-win situation. After converting it into investment shares, we'll wait for the movie to be a huge success..."

"What if it doesn't sell well?" Chen Fei interrupted him again, stating bluntly, "According to your plan, the cost of special effects accounts for more than 35% of the total investment."

If box office revenue falls short of expectations, Feiyue Films will not only fail to recoup its profits, but will also be unable to recover equipment depreciation and labor costs.

"We can sign a performance-based agreement!"

Chen Fei shook his head and opened the script: "The premise of the bet is that the project itself is feasible, but this story is essentially a family comedy, and the alien elements are more of a narrative tool. Isn't it a bit of putting the cart before the horse to spend nearly 200 million yuan on special effects?"

Wang Jian'er opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say. The words he had prepared in advance seemed pale and powerless under Chen Fei's clear and logical analysis.

A brief silence fell over the office.

"I'm sorry, Feiyue Films cannot take on this project."

Chen Fei closed the script and project proposal and pushed them back in front of him.

This outcome was clearly not what Wang Jian'er had expected. He had come with the expectation of 100% success, but unexpectedly, he was met with a cold shower.

He wanted to use their past friendship as a starting point, but looking at Chen Fei's determined eyes, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to speak.

Friendship is about helping each other; if you're in trouble, I'll help you; if I'm in danger, you'll come to my rescue.

But now, that friendship has begun to change.

Chen Fei has no shortage of money or resources, but that doesn't mean he's a fool.

It's no exaggeration to say that this project could have been completed with just 5000 million, so why would it need 1.8 million?
Trying to show off your skills in front of Zhang Fei? And under the guise of developing intellectual property? Isn't that just fooling people? What development potential does a newly created "alien Mozart" have? Do you really think this is some kind of bear story?
And to be honest, the story itself isn't very well told; it's just a little bit novel.

And then there's the casting.

Rong Zishan, Yao Dazui, Huang Yangxitian... Looking around, they are all like thunderbolts about to explode.

Even if it's Feiyue Film & Television, it's very difficult to get rid of it completely.

Furthermore, the project had too many flaws, so Chen Fei had no interest in investing in it.

After a moment of silence, Wang Jian'er finally picked up the documents, stood up, and forced a smile, saying, "Chairman Chen's opinion is very valuable. I'll go back and discuss it with the team again."

"Take care, Mr. Wang."

Chen Fei got up and escorted him to the office door.

Wang Jian'er smiled and said there was no need to see her off...

The moment the door closed, Chen Fei took out his phone and quickly swiped through his contacts.

The moment he pressed the dial button, he glanced at the industry cooperation map hanging on the wall, his gaze sweeping over the Shanghai area where Shanghai Film Group was located, and shook his head with some regret.

After the call connected, he immediately instructed, "Guohai, from now on, all contact with Shanghai Film Group must be handled by two people, and any changes to the terms must be subject to triple review."

"Okay." Su Guohai nodded and did so first, then asked why.

Chen Fei's voice was as calm as ice, "Wang Jian'er came here today with the proposal for 'Mozart in Outer Space,' using the guise of technology as equity investment to try to make Dianjing Digital bear excessive risks."

He walked to his desk, a hint of resentment rising in his heart.

This isn't a collaboration; it's clearly an attempt to make Feiyue Film & Television a sucker!
When Ren Zhonglun was in charge, Shanghai Film Group's projects, while equally bold, at least had a 'clearly defined price'.

But now that management has changed, the methods have completely changed.

If we don't stay vigilant, we could very well fall into a trap.

"Chairman Chen, should I notify the legal department to re-examine the other cooperation terms?" Su Guohai's voice was wary.

"Yes, let's review them all. We must make sure there are absolutely no mistakes."

At this point, Chen Fei paused, his gaze falling on the overcast sky outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

Dark clouds loom over the city... the city is on the verge of collapse!
"Sigh." He sighed deeply and instructed, "Tell the people below not to be blinded by the 'state-owned enterprise endorsement.' In the market, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests."

"understood."

Su Guohai immediately nodded in agreement.

……

The trending topic about the complete ban on talent shows didn't last long online before being completely suppressed by an invisible hand.

The way to suppress trending topics is to use other trending topics to distract attention.

The online drama "Mirror Twin Cities," starring Li Yifeng, Chen Yuqi, and Zheng Yecheng, has been met with a barrage of negative reviews.

Subsequently, Fu Ruoqing, as the first of his three initiatives upon taking office, announced the importation of several Hollywood films to stimulate the market.

The first to be selected were DC's "The Batman" and Warner Bros.' "Amazing Action: The Mystery of Dumbledore".

At the same time, "355," starring Fan Bingbing, was officially released in Hollywood.

Before the film's release, fans touted it as a major milestone for Fan Bingbing in becoming an "international star"!
However, the box office performance of only $369 million in the three-day opening weekend in North America completely shattered the "international ice".

In contrast, Spider-Man: No Way Back is currently showing in theaters and has already grossed over $5 million in North America alone!
This comparison effectively declares Fan Bingbing's trip to North America a complete failure.

On January 24, "Cliff Walkers," produced by China Film Group, officially ended its theatrical run, with a cumulative box office of 860 million yuan.

At the same time, "Sheep Without a Shepherd 2" successfully entered the key extension stage with a box office of 18.53 billion yuan.

Over the next three days, the 25th, 26th, and 27th, the three films that were set to be released during the Spring Festival—"The Killer Is Not Calm," "Miracle: The Stupid Kid," and "The Four Seas"—held their premiere press conferences one after another.

Among them, the film with the highest premiere rating on Douban is undoubtedly "Miracle: The Stupid Kid"!
On the 28th, which was the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, Chen Fei finished all his work and returned to the courtyard house with Liu Yifei and their son to spend the New Year with his grandfather.

Everything regarding the Spring Festival film season has already been arranged. The company has professionals overseeing it, so he doesn't need to follow up personally.

During that time, he also took a look at the Asian Games venue.

The installation of the dome theater is progressing smoothly and everything is proceeding in an orderly manner.

Meanwhile, the Winter Olympics are about to begin.

The opening ceremony is on February 4th. Chen Fei specifically asked the organizing committee for a few tickets, planning to take Liu Yifei and the old man to see it together.

"Slow down, be careful not to fall."

Inside the courtyard, watching her son running around, Liu Yifei gave him some helpless instructions.

Chen Fei laughed heartily: "This kid, the villa isn't enough for him to play with, he just likes to come here and cause trouble."

"Let him play." The old man's eyes were full of kindness. "The child only has a month of winter vacation. School will start again in the blink of an eye. Playing hard for a month is good for his physical and mental health."

Chen Fei put down the gifts he was carrying, turned around and went into the storeroom, where he took out lanterns and colored lights for the New Year.

In the capital, it's not common for every household to hang colorful lanterns during the Lunar New Year, but it's very popular in Shanxi.

This has almost become an annual tradition; without it, I always feel a sense of emptiness.

Before we knew it, evening had arrived.

"Dad, wash your hands and eat."

At 6 o'clock sharp, Little Stone poked his head out of the kitchen and shouted at Chen Fei, who was sweeping the yard.

"Okay, here we come."

After finishing quickly, Chen Fei washed his hands and went into the kitchen.

Dinner was steamed buns, and the little guy was enjoying them immensely.

Chen Fei grabbed one from the steamer and started browsing the news while eating it.

With the Spring Festival film season just around the corner, the trending topics list is full of movie promotion announcements.

The list of performers and guests for the Spring Festival Gala has been revealed one by one. Interestingly, Zhang Yimou, Ge You, and Zhang Guoli have become the opening guests.

Meanwhile, many other announcements are also trending on the hot search list.

"The cast for the film 'In the Octagonal Cage' has been finalized. Wang Baoqiang will write, direct, and star in the film, with Zhang Jingyi also appearing in the film..."

"The anti-gang crime drama 'Raging Waves' has been officially approved, telling the story of a 21-year battle between the law enforcement team, represented by criminal investigator An Xin, and the criminal gang, represented by Gao Qiqiang..."

"The sci-fi comedy film 'Mozart in Outer Space,' co-produced by Wanda and Alibaba Pictures and directed by Chen Sicheng, officially announced its main cast and crew today."

The film will star Huang Bo, Rong Zishan, Yao Chen, Fan Wei, Jia Bing, and Huang Yangxitian, and will officially begin filming after the Lunar New Year.

After being rejected by Chen Fei, Wang Jian'er probably knew that Feiyue Film & Television would never accept his project proposal.

So he turned around and approached Wanda and Alibaba Pictures, successfully completing the project consolidation.

Chen Fei showed no emotional reaction to this.

He would absolutely not invest in this project, and what others thought was none of his business.

He is still using traditional production channels, mainly to ensure the quality of the films.

On the other hand, those companies have all entered the listing stage in recent years, and their profits do not necessarily rely solely on box office performance.

Chen Fei, for his part, disagreed with this approach and decided to let them do what they wanted.

"ah?!"

Suddenly, Liu Yifei exclaimed in surprise.

"What's wrong?" Chen Fei looked up and asked instinctively, "Did you get burned?"

"No, no!" Liu Yifei, who was also holding her phone, exclaimed with wide eyes, "Look, Huang Xiaoming and Yang Ying have officially announced their divorce!"

(End of this chapter)