Hong Kong Entertainment: The King of Kung Fu

After the establishment of the Cinema Alliance, Hong Kong's film industry has undergone great changes.

The first is that Baiyang Pictures has formed a de facto monopoly.

In the past, when theater chains were separated, some people who failed to succeed in Baiyang Pictures and couldn't get a schedule would tend to go to Golden Harvest Films in order to get better schedules.

But now when a movie is made, it is released in Hong Kong. If you can't compete with it, it doesn't matter which company you work for. Unless that company spends money to promote you and buy the film for you.

Since there is not much difference in the local area, let’s focus on overseas channels. Golden Harvest, Poplar, and Shaw Brothers can all distribute movies to Southeast Asia and even Japan and South Korea.

However, it is more difficult for Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest to distribute to Europe and the United States, but Baiyang has the strength to do it.

Relying on the leadership of Yang Ye, the king of kung fu, he can sell many other types of films every year.

Although most of them are at cabbage prices, they can’t stand up to the huge European and American markets with so many countries.

Sell ​​a little in this country, sell a little in that country, and it adds up to a big sum.

Therefore, the most powerful filmmakers in Hong Kong, unless they are like New Arts City who hold shares and are their own bosses, will tend to cooperate with Bai Yang.

The second is that film companies are more cautious than before when launching films. They will not just invest and start filming as soon as they hit the head!
Why is this? Because in the past, major film companies and theater chains were all operated in an integrated manner. Cinemas were open for business and needed film sources. You couldn’t leave the cinemas empty, right?
In order to ensure that movie theaters have enough film sources to maintain operations, film companies will invest heavily in filming.

Take Shaw Brothers for example. All the movies they make are popular on the street, but they still have to make them. If they don’t make movies and don’t show the movies, they have to close their doors!
In the past, Shaw Brothers had the theater chain in Nanyang to revive and still make money. However, as Malaysia promotes the "Malayization", once the theater chain in Nanyang is closed, Shaw Brothers can no longer play its routine and has to stop production.

After the establishment of the theater chain alliance, the film sources of major theater chains increased several times out of thin air. There was an unprecedented abundance, and there was no need to make bad movies to make up for it.

Moreover, with more films, the competition has become more intense. If you make a bad movie, it may only be a one-day trip to the theaters, and you will lose all your money.

As a result, major film companies have begun to pay attention to the quality of movies and will polish scripts more seriously. Photography, clothing, and music have also become more sophisticated.

The most significant change is that some relatively large film companies have begun to set up soundtrack teams, hire soundtrack artists, and work on soundtracks seriously.

In the past, Hong Kong movies did not have a dedicated soundtrack team. Editors or assistant directors did it casually.

They will collect some music materials: loneliness, love, fighting, suspense... categorize them into categories, and listen to them when needed. Hey, this is suitable, put it on, and it's done.

This is called canned music!

This is no longer possible. During popular periods, the top movies of major companies will compete head-on in theater alliances.

If you want to win, you must improve the quality of your films in all aspects. Otherwise, you may fail in the competition, have your films cut off, and suffer a box office failure.

The values ​​of Huang Zhan and Gu Jiahui, who are engaged in music, have also increased significantly because of this. We really have to thank Yang Ye's eight generations of ancestors.

The third is that the promotion of movies has suddenly become extremely important, because now the movie scheduling is no longer the responsibility of the company that owns the theater chain to schedule whatever they want.

Only by attracting enough attention in the early stage can you have a chance to get a higher film ranking.

For this reason, the morning after the Academy Awards, Yang Ye made an appointment with Jiang Zhiqiang for morning tea.

Early in the morning, Yang Ye woke up from his sleep, rubbed Liu Xiaoqing's white snow a few times, and said, "I'm leaving first!"

Liu Xiaoqing was tortured so much last night that she just sighed and continued to sleep!

Yang Ye finished washing and came to the restaurant. Jiang Zhiqiang was already waiting!
The two of them randomly grabbed a few baskets of snacks, and Yang Ye said straight to the point: "Aqiang, I want to split the distribution department of the company and set up a film distribution company!"

Jiang Zhiqiang said: "It's okay, I often have to go on business trips to countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, and it's really hard to take care of both."

Yang Ye added: "I won't cheat my own people. You will hold 5% of the shares in the new issuing company and become one of the company's shareholders."

Jiang Zhiqiang smiled, Yang Ye was very kind when it came to money and never made small moves. Shaw Brothers squeezes its employees to death, while Golden Harvest often does bad things like concealing box office sales and defaulting on final payments.

In terms of career, Yang Ye also gave enough support, such as going to Southeast Asia to build a movie theater. The decision-making power on how to build the movie theater was all in the hands of Jiang Zhiqiang. Yang Ye only looked at the general direction.

Jiang Zhiqiang felt very happy working with such a boss.

For example, if the distribution part of the film company is split off, Jiang Zhiqiang's rights will be reduced and he will suffer a financial loss.

However, without him having to say much, Yang Ye took the initiative to explain that he would be issued 5% of the company's shares and let him become a shareholder, which made up for all the losses.

Jiang Zhiqiang asked: "Is there a candidate for the manager of the issuing company?"

Yang Ye said: "Yes, there is one. I have made an appointment with the two parents-in-law for tea. They should be arriving soon!"

Jiang Zhiqiang said strangely: "Two parents-in-law?"

Yang Ye glanced at the gate and said, "Hey, here we come!"

Xu Ke and Shi Nansheng walked over one after another and sat down at the table. Xu Ke put his head on a chicken coop, yawned, and said, "Young Master Yang, Manager Jiang, you are really early!"

Shi Nansheng smiled and said, "Mr. Yang, I haven't congratulated you for winning the best movie!"

Yang Ye smiled and said: "Thank you, please order something to eat!"

Shi Nansheng waved, and the waiter pushed the cart over. Xu Ke and Shi Nansheng took two baskets of snacks.

Xu Ke buried his head in eating barbecued pork buns, while Shi Nansheng took a sip of tea and said, "Young Master Yang, do you have anything to do with us?"

What makes their two parents-in-law different is that for others, the woman is the master of the house and the man is the master of the house. The two of them are men who lead the inside and women who lead the outside.

Xu Ke focused solely on making movies, leaving all other administration, production, and distribution to Shi Nansheng.

Shi Nansheng is good at integrating the advantages of various resources, using professional production and exquisite packaging to promote Hong Kong films internationally.

Later, the Berlin Film Festival awarded her the Golden Camera Award in recognition of her contribution to the film industry.

Yang Ye got straight to the point: "We are going to split off the distribution part of the film company and set up a special film distribution company. I know that you are very talented in film distribution and I hope to hire you as the general manager."

Xu Ke, who was sitting aside eating barbecued pork buns, was obviously stunned for a moment. He thought that Yang Ye invited the two parents-in-law to drink tea, but they were actually looking for him. Unexpectedly, it was not the case. The person Yang Ye was looking for was his girlfriend.

This made Xu Ke feel a little disappointed, and the barbecued pork buns in his hands were no longer fragrant. However, this loss only lasted for a moment, and then he started eating again.

Because Yang Ye asked Shi Nansheng to take up such an important position as the general manager of the film distribution company, it shows that Shi Nansheng is very good and he is honored.

Shi Nansheng was also a little confused. She thought that Yang Ye's invitation to them to drink tea was for Xu Ke, but she didn't expect that it was for herself.

Shi Nansheng said: "Isn't Manager Jiang here? How can I..."

Shi Nansheng is very well-known in the industry. When Jiang Zhiqiang saw that Yang Ye had chosen her, he was very satisfied and said quickly: "Our Baiyang Cinema Line is expanding to Southeast Asia. I am too busy to take on the position of distribution manager." Shi Nansheng He nodded in understanding and said: "I see, but this is too sudden. I am doing well in Xinyi City now..."

Yang Ye said: "With all due respect, although you are the housekeeper of Xinyi City, you are actually just a wage earner.

That being the case, why not go somewhere where you can better utilize your talents? As long as you are willing to come, I will give you 5% of the shares of the issuing company. "

Shi Nansheng was stunned. People said that Yang Ye was very generous in terms of money. He was really famous and it was better to meet him and give him shares with just one mouthful.

In fact, this is just a common practice in later generations. You invite a big man to your company and don't give him any shares. What do you think?
It's just that Hong Kong still uses the same old style, the boss is the boss, the wage earner is the wage earner, I just pay you a salary, don't think about anything else, so Shi Nansheng was very surprised.

Shi Nansheng is a very old-school, long-term person. Although the treatment offered by Yang Ye was very generous, she did not agree immediately. Instead, she lowered her head and thought.

Yang Ye stopped talking about this matter and turned to Xu Ke: "Old Xu, I know that you have no creative freedom in New Art City and are not happy. I would like to invite you to come to our company and set up a film studio. I wonder if you are interested?"

Xu Ke was stunned again, thinking to himself, you have been messing with me for a long time, but you still want to find me in the end!

Xu Ke was about to speak, but Yang Ye continued: "If the information I got is correct, you should be talking about independence now, right?"

The "Seven Eccentrics of New Arts City" are famous in the Hong Kong film industry, but they also have many conflicts with each other.

Because Mai Jia, Shi Tian, ​​and Huang Baiming are the bosses with shares, while Zeng Zhiwei, Xu Ke, Teddy Robin, and Shi Nansheng are wage earners.

Seven people do the same amount of work, but the benefits they receive are vastly different.

Zeng Zhiwei was the first to run away, Teddy Robin also left not long after, and now Xu Ke's parents-in-law couldn't bear it anymore.

Moreover, Xu Ke’s need to run away was not just a matter of money, but more importantly, he had no creative freedom in New Art City.

The three bosses, Mai Shihuang and Mai Shihuang, insist on only making comedies, while Xu Ke is a wild man and hopes to make a variety of different movies.

But often the opinions he puts forward will be rejected by Mai Jia and others with the authority of the boss, which makes Xu Ke very irritated.

In fact, the conflicts between the three bosses of Mai Shihuang are even greater.

For example, Huang Baiming's ability is recognized in the industry, but he holds the least shares.

Xu Ke couldn't stand this restriction and decided to leave.

In order to keep Xu Ke, Maishi Huangsan let him enjoy the treatment of a boss, established a studio, and established it in Xinyi City.

When Xu Ke wanted to film any movie, Huang Baiming and Shi Tian invested in him and made a lot of money.

Even so, Xu Ke is still just a wage earner, but he has just changed from getting a salary to getting a commission.

Compared with those studios under Baiyang Pictures, this treatment is much worse.

Among the four major studios under Baiyang Pictures, Hu Jinquan's has closed down, while Chen Long and Hong Jingbao's have been running for seven years and are in good condition.

The difference is that Hong Jingbao Film Studio can produce a large number of movies every year, making some profits and losing money. Generally speaking, it makes more money and loses less.

Jackie Chan's film studio produces very little, sometimes not even one film a year. For example, recently he went to Hollywood to earn US dollars. ,

Chen Long's current salary in Hollywood is two million US dollars, which is more than what he earns when filming in Hong Kong.

However, Yang Ye suggested that he just go and do it occasionally. Don't stay there all the time. Asia is the base camp!

In addition, McDonald's Film Studio, which was established just two years ago, is also very prosperous.

The characteristic of these studios is that they have absolute creative freedom. You can shoot whatever you like. Yang Ye never dictates.

If your film is good, the company can even help you sell it all over the world.

In addition, the accounts are clear, and the amount is exactly what it is. The income will be credited immediately after the statistics are calculated, and there will never be any arrears.

Being able to open a film studio under Baiyang Pictures is the dream of many filmmakers, but... even if you think about it, you may not be qualified.

Xu Ke didn't expect that it would be his turn. Just as he was about to agree, Shi Nansheng stepped on him.

Xu Ke suddenly stopped talking and resumed eating his barbecued pork buns!

Shi Nansheng said: "Young Master Yang, this matter is too big, we have to think about it!"

Shi Nansheng is an old-school person, and her life principle is to be worthy of her friends.

She knew that Xu Ke was very interested in opening a film studio under Baiyang Pictures, and she supported it.

But she had to go back first and make things clear to Mai Jia, Huang Baiming and others.

Yang Ye said: "Of course, I will wait for your reply at any time."

The few people stopped talking about official matters and started chatting while drinking tea. Yang Ye was quite proud when he talked about Girls' Generation's idol craze in Japan.

Shi Nansheng also had to sigh at Yang Ye's generosity: "I really don't know where you found these nine little girls. I heard that they received training for a full six years?"

Yang Ye said: "The longest one was six years, and the shortest was only two years. I have been filming in various places over the years, and I have found them one after another."

Shi Nansheng said: "It's really amazing. We have always been chasing Japanese stars, but when it comes to you, Mr. Yang, it's completely reversed!"

Yang Ye said: "Actually, compared to Japanese people chasing Chinese idols, recently Chinese people are even more crazy chasing Japanese idols."

Shi Nansheng said strangely: "No? I don't feel it. Who are you chasing?"

Yang Ye smiled and said: "It's not in Hong Kong, it's in the Mainland. Recently, the Mainland introduced the Japanese TV series "Blood Doubt". Hundreds of millions of people were fascinated by Yamaguchi Momoe!"

Shi Nansheng couldn't help but rolled his eyes, isn't that your wife? Look how proud you are!

……

The few of them chatted for almost an hour before saying goodbye.

Before leaving, Yang Ye suddenly said to Xu Ke: "Old Xu, I heard that you like martial arts novels very much?"

Yang Ye used his trump card and hit Xu Ke's fatal spot at once.

Because the copyrights of Jin Yong and Gu Long are in Yang Ye's hands. (End of chapter)