Entering the Chinese entertainment industry is like entering a deep sea

Chapter 832 An Exorbitant Price for One Episode

Early in the morning, Li Chen received a phone call from the secretary of a certain leader.

It means only one thing: be careful with your words and actions.

The relationship between the University of Tokyo and the University of the West is already delicate, and at this critical juncture, any transgression could lead to unforeseen consequences.

In particular, Li Chen himself is not a simple person.

"Secretary Tan, tell the leader I understand."

"That's good. I haven't congratulated Director Li on winning the Oscar yet."

"Thank you."

Just after hanging up with the leader's secretary, Han Sanping's call came through immediately.

"You little rascal! You can't stay still for a moment! How did you get involved with him?!" Han Sanping rattled off a string of words, his voice so loud it hurt Li Chen's eardrums.

He received a call from the bureau chief early in the morning, and that's when he learned about Li Chen's video call with the Pulang team.

"I'll call you back later, Director Han," Li Chen said before hanging up.

Han Sanping was so angry that he cursed loudly, "Damn it, that brat dared to hang up on me!"

However, Han Sanping quickly came to terms with it.

Because Li Chen quickly responded to the video call with Trump's team via both Twitter and Weibo platforms.

"The dialogue is solely about cultural issues and does not involve any endorsement or endorsement."

Following that, the Hollywood Daily Mail broke another story.

It was the Pulang team that extended the invitation to Li Chen to meet, but Li Chen declined because he was returning to China that day.

Then, the Trump team proposed video calling.

The other end quickly confirmed that the two sides were indeed engaged in a friendly cultural exchange.

The team also stated on Twitter: "America is a free country, and we are a group of free-spirited, adventurous young people!"

While both sides of the Pacific were buzzing about Li Chen's stunning Oscar win, the La La Land crew had already embarked on their journey home on Li Chen's private jet.

In the luxury cabin, Dilraba scrolled through her phone and laughed, "Boss, the hashtag about your return to China is trending again."

"I hope we won't be surrounded by Director Li's fans when we land tomorrow," Kara Hui joked.

“That’s hard to say. Director Li is the number one with hundreds of millions of fans!” Sandra Ng also joined the trio.

Li Chen, Chen Kexin, Wong Kar-wai, and Christopher Doyle sat together looking relaxed.

Although Chen Kexin and Wong Kar-wai didn't win anything at the Oscars, being nominated is a significant achievement in itself.

Moreover, Wong Kar-wai's golden partner, Christopher Doyle, won an award, and Wong Kar-wai was happy for his friend.

"Director Li, I wonder how the ratings were yesterday?" Chen Kexin asked with a smile.

"We should be able to see it soon." Li Chen picked up his phone and glanced at it.

Sina Entertainment News

"The 88th Academy Awards ended in a major disaster: a lack of diversity in the nominations, a lack of diversity in the Oscars, and a collective withdrawal of Asian filmmakers."

"The host, black comedian Chris Rock, became the first host to be replaced midway through the ceremony. The cast of 'La La Land' walked out of the venue and missed the dinner after the awards ceremony, led by Li Chen, a representative of the production company."

"This year's Oscars suffered a record low viewership, with a mere 10.4% rating and a viewership of approximately 3450 million people, due to a boycott by some African Americans and a sharp decline in Asian viewers midway through the season. This represents a drop of 6 percentage points from last year's ratings."

"This year, the focus of attention was not only on the lack of diversity in the acting awards, with all 20 acting award nominees being white except for the cast of 'La La Land,' but the award won by Chinese actress Liu Yifei was a major highlight."

"Liu Yifei has become the first Asian actress to win an Oscar, and also the first Chinese actress and Asian actress to win both the Venice Film Festival and the Oscar."

The Oscar ratings immediately made headlines in major media outlets around the world.

Domestic public opinion is filled with joy, and netizens are leaving messages saying: Double happiness!
Liu Yifei wins Best Actress award, Oscars hit record low ratings.

What could be more exciting for netizens and fans than these two events?

As a result, many fans of Li Chen, Dilraba, and others were seen at Beijing Airport to greet them.

Li Chen received a call from his wife while he was still in heaven.

"The Oscars invited you to boost their ratings, but you went and ruined everything! Aren't you ashamed?" Liu Yifei's laughter was heard by Dilireba and the others in the cabin.

“Sister Fei, everyone has the right to laugh at the boss, but you don’t! You are a beneficiary!” Dilireba said with a smile.

“That’s right, Yifei! You’re an Oscar-winning actress now, how can you make fun of Director Li?” Kara Hui, sitting next to Li Chen, chimed in to tease Liu Yifei.

"Did you hear that? You've angered everyone!" Li Chen laughed.

"Okay, okay, I apologize. But I feel that the record low ratings for the Oscars are more exciting for the media and netizens than if I won an Oscar." Liu Yifei was indeed in a good mood at this moment.

Firstly, her husband was about to return, and secondly, Oscar's accident seemed to have further enhanced his reputation.

Everyone says that Rongchen produces top stars, but no one had ever considered her husband to be a top star before.

It wasn't until they surpassed 100 million followers on social media that people realized what was happening.

It turns out that the top celebrity in Rongchen's group has always been her husband himself.

Thanks to Li Chen's timely "response," the video call with the American team didn't cause any trouble.

Furthermore, Li Chen withdrew from the limelight and returned to China, which meant he would not participate in the US's "big year" celebrations.

Han Sanping and his department leaders appeared calm and collected on the surface, but they were secretly delighted.

It's just that everyone understood implicitly, without saying it aloud.

"This senior was really tough! He accepted the award and left right away, and before he left, he even shoved that black guy."

“That’s right, didn’t you see what the internet said? This slap isn’t very damaging, but it’s extremely insulting!” Zeng Jia replied with a smile.

"I'm afraid this palm strike will please those above quite a bit," Zhao Ruoyao interjected.

"Why?" Yang Mi asked, puzzled.

Zeng Jia and Zhao Ruoyao exchanged a smile: "Figure it out yourselves!"

When Li Chen landed in Beijing, he did not meet with his fans, and Chen Kexin and others also returned to their respective homes in Beijing.

La La Land has grossed 15.8 billion yuan at the domestic box office, and its theatrical release has been extended for another month until March 17.

Industry insiders predict that this record for art films will remain unbroken for at least the next decade.

After all, the cast of "La La Land" is almost impossible to find again in Asia.

Meanwhile, after "The Mermaid" broke the 3 billion mark, it also received the key to extension, which was extended for three months until 11:59 pm on June 8th.

When Li Chen arrived home, his wife, heavily pregnant, was already waiting at the door with their son by the hand.

"Why are you out here? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?" Li Chen got out of the car and quickly walked forward.

"Dad!" Xiao Wuxia sprinted forward and hugged Li Chen's leg excitedly.

"Hey!" Li Chen responded, then hugged his wife and laughed, "What's wrong with this kid! He's never been like this before when he sees me."

Liu Yifei laughed and said, "It's probably because you pushed someone so cool on TV that your son has learned it now. He even pushed me yesterday!"

Li Chen affectionately patted his son's head twice, and the family went inside together.

After having a meal with his mother-in-law and son, the couple went upstairs.

Li Chen was gone for a month.

“I worry as soon as you leave the house!” The couple lay in their arms in the bedroom, Liu Yifei whispering as she leaned against Li Chen’s chest.

"Otherwise, I'll become a homebody and stay with you and the kids!"

Liu Yifei sat up and laughed, "You said it yourself!"

Li Chen nodded, then pulled his wife into his arms again, gently stroking her back with one hand. "Are you tired?" Liu Yifei asked, her left index finger lightly tapping on her husband's chest, her voice still trembling slightly.

Li Chen chuckled: "No matter how tired I am, I still have to hand in my homework!"

Liu Yifei's face flushed instantly, her eyes sparkling with springtime joy, as beautiful as a crabapple blossom in spring.

"You're so annoying!" Liu Yifei clenched her small fist and gently punched her husband's shoulder.

Li Chen understood immediately, stopped talking nonsense, and carefully handed in his homework to Teacher Liu.

The next morning, Liu Xiaoli noticed the lust in her daughter's eyes and knew that the couple must have been up to no good the night before.

I'm six months pregnant, and my son-in-law has been away for a month at a time. My daughter has had a tough time too.
At noon, a news story about Su Daji shocked people both inside and outside the entertainment circle.

The whistleblower was again a member of the Chaoyang resident community.

Could Chaoyang be Ouyang Feng's lair?

With the annual Two Sessions approaching, big names in the film and television industry such as Li Chen, Cheng Long, Feng Xiaogang, Chen Kaige, and Zhang Yimou are the focus of media attention.

Li Chen is of utmost importance.

Feng Xiaogang has already shouted out the slogan, which is quite noble.

"In culture and art, we must pay attention to our self-cultivation. Can we catch up with our teachers and predecessors in our own fields? Can we produce great artists in our time?"

"I came up with a phrase for myself: 'Seeking first place and second place.' I don't want to be the champion, but I want to do the things of a champion, be willing to be second or third, and do my job well."

"I will work with Cheng Long and Zhang Guoli to establish a film and television technical school to specifically train basic staff urgently needed behind the scenes of Chinese films, such as makeup, costumes, and props, to add new strength to the Chinese film industry."

As soon as the declaration was issued, prominent figures in the Beijing film circle, such as Chen Kaige and Li Shaohong, responded enthusiastically.

Li Chen could be considered part of the Beijing entertainment circle, but he never considered himself one of them.

Shouting slogans is something anyone can do, but if you push the barcode forward another ten years, this school will never have been unearthed.

Otherwise, why would Cui Yongyuan say two years later that Feng Xiaogang has always been a piece of trash?

Although Li Chen has returned from the United States, the storm surrounding the Oscars has not ended.

Filmmakers including Li An, Yu Linmin, and Yang Ziye jointly protested against the Oscars' discrimination the following day!

The official Oscar statement remained the same: they deeply apologized for the actions of Oscar host Chris Rock.

Beyond that, there was no further specific indication.

The Academy of Oscars repeatedly contacted Li Chen to explain, but Li Chen simply handed it all over to Yang Siwei to deal with.

The post-production of "Ode to Joy" has been completed.

Liu Yifei's previous dramas sold for a sky-high price of 600 million yuan per episode. Now, with the double Best Actress award, her value has skyrocketed.

Furthermore, with top-tier celebrities Yang Mi and Zhang Hanyun joining the cast of "Ode to Joy," only four TV stations in China could afford to purchase the rights.

Mangoes, blueberries, tomatoes, lychees—as for the three major video platforms, Tencent and iQiyi have already begun producing their own dramas.

The competitive landscape among the three major video platforms has already been established, so it's natural that Tencent and iQiyi won't be able to produce Rongchen Pictures' self-produced dramas.

Even if "Ode to Joy" were priced exorbitantly, Yang Siwei would still have to buy it. After all, it was the boss's wife's drama, and besides, the company's dramas had never lost money, even if they were bought at exorbitant prices.

The fact that the first season of "Ace vs Ace," which aired simultaneously on Blueberry and Youku during the Spring Festival, sparked a ratings frenzy is strong evidence of this.

Its viewership ratings were just as high as those of Hunan TV's "Happy Camp" back in the day.

In Li Chen's words, within three to five years, neither Tencent nor QQ will be able to pose a threat to Youku.

As for Jia Yueting's LeEco, let's wait until he survives this year before making any moves.

Li Chen rested at home for two days, and then went to headquarters.

Han Sanping and his daughter were already waiting for him in the office.

After all, it was the director of the Film Bureau. If it were anyone else, how could the script for "Dying to Survive" have been approved so easily?

"Don't get too excited yet!" Han Sanping reprimanded his daughter in front of Li Chen.

Li Chen sat to the side, leisurely sipping his tea without saying a word.

Getting approved is only the first step. After filming, it still needs to be reviewed. As for how many times it needs to be reviewed, that depends on the situation in China.

According to Li Chen's estimate, the film will only have a chance to be shown on the big screen if the country launches negotiations on medical insurance drugs next year, and the prices of anticancer drugs such as Herceptin and Rituxan are significantly reduced.

However, the script has been approved, so filming can begin now.

“Jia Nu, Director Han is right. Without policy support, it will be extremely difficult to get these sensitive issues related to people’s livelihoods implemented,” Li Chen said, taking a sip of tea.

Han Sanping snorted: "You seem to know quite a lot, then why did you recommend that case to my daughter?"

"Then what do you think I should recommend to Jia Nu? There isn't this kind of subject matter in China yet. Jia Nu is your daughter. Are you going to follow my example and make a movie like 'Lost in Thailand'?" Li Chen said with a smile.

Han Jia Nu immediately sided with Li Chen, standing next to him and laughing, "Don't talk about Director Li like that. If it weren't for Director Li giving me the material, I wouldn't even look at other materials!"

"Besides, Teacher Tian also said that Director Li's material is rare! And Teacher Tian is also interested in this subject matter."

Han Sanping ignored his daughter and looked at Li Chen: "Who are you planning to have film? Don't ask Lao Tian."

Li Chen glanced at Han Jia Nu, quite surprised.

Han Jianu blushed inexplicably: "Oh, don't worry about it! Director Li won't treat me unfairly! Let's go!"

After saying that, she immediately pulled Li Chen away as if to escape from Han Sanping's office.

"I still have things to say to Li Chen, what's the rush!" Han Sanping shouted.

Han Jia Nu quickly gave Li Chen a wink.

Li Chen was immediately at a loss for words, feeling both amused and exasperated.

Wen Mu and Han Jia Nu are both students of Teacher Tian.

Han Jia Nu also recommended Wen Mu to direct "Dying to Survive".

Li Chen naturally had no objections; the two were his junior brother and junior sister.

Judging from the current situation, the two are having a secret relationship, and Lao Han is clearly still in the dark.

On March 8th, International Women's Day, the transaction price of "Ode to Joy" allowed Liu Yifei to almost single-handedly change the direction of the film and television industry.

Beijing Times

"Liu Yifei, a double winner of Venice and Oscar, has seen her value skyrocket. Her drama 'Ode to Joy,' co-starring Yang Mi, Zhang Hanyun, Yang Zi, and Meng Ziyi, is being fought over by four satellite TV stations with sky-high bids."

"A single episode's fee broke the record with over 1200 million yuan. Industry insiders say Liu Yifei has reached the ceiling for Chinese actresses' salaries."

"Today, the urban women's drama 'Ode to Joy,' starring Liu Yifei, Yang Mi, Zhang Hanyun, and others, has completed all post-production. It is reported that four satellite TV stations—Tomato, Mango, Blueberry, and Lychee—are bidding fiercely for the rights."

"According to insiders, the price per episode of the series has exceeded 1200 million yuan (including exclusive title sponsorship), and the total price for the first-run broadcast rights of the entire series is expected to exceed 5 million yuan, breaking the record for domestic TV drama transactions."

Industry insiders analyze that Liu Yifei is now a cultural icon.

A price of 1200 million per episode surprised even Liu Yifei herself.

Li Chen, however, disagreed, as did netizens and fans.

"My sister's return to filming after winning an Oscar is a game-changer!"

"With two top-tier actresses from the post-85 generation collaborating, it would be an injustice if this drama didn't become a hit!"

"1200 million per episode? That's enough to film 20 episodes of 'Go Princess Go'!"

"This isn't springtime, it's heavenly moon!"

The three members of Jiaxing Media were stunned. 1200 million per episode!
If "Legend of Fuyao" can sell for this price after it's made, then Jiaxing Media will have already fulfilled their bet ahead of schedule!

(End of this chapter)