Entertainment tycoon since 83

Chapter 159: Make a Group
"I think 10 million is definitely more than enough to complete the filming!"

Wang Jiawei made a quote that he thought was quite normal.

Then he received Huang Ze's suspicious look.

"Are you sure you can finish the film with 10 million?"

It’s not that Huang Ze can’t trust it.

It is really that the director quotes a low price, forcing you to invest money. This is a skill that all directors have learned naturally.

If you don't continue investing at that time, all the money you invested before will be wasted.

If you change directors, you dare not use a novice, but any director with some aspirations will not take over such second-hand stuff. If the director does not share your ideas, it will be very uncomfortable to shoot. It is better to shoot a new film.

In the end, the film and television companies had no choice but to grit their teeth and continue investing.

"Fifteen million!" Wang Jiawei scratched his head and gave another number, "This time it's real. I think fifteen million is enough."

"No, I'll give you 10 million, do you want it?"

Huang Ze decided to cut down on the budget.

Ten million is enough to almost finish the filming.

The pay for actors nowadays is not as excessive as it will be a few years later, and I have polished the storyboards and script with him, so there is no need for me to stay in seclusion in the crew for a month and think about how to continue filming.

Besides, for a director like Wang Jiawei, it would be bad news if he suppressed it. If he completely freed up the budget, he would be even worse than Jiang Wen and could produce any amount.

In his previous life, under Deng Guangrong, he invested 40 million to make two films of "Days of Being Wild", divided into two parts, but all the money was spent on one part.

He has to be put under some pressure.

If you give a budget of 15 million, the final cost might be 20 million. If you give a budget of 10 million, the final cost might be 15 million.

If the final cost is 15 million, Huang Ze can accept it.

After taking the three major European countries around, the cost should be recovered at least.

Moreover, just by using Zhang Guorong and Zhang Manyu, the box office in Hong Kong will not be completely lost, and it will at least make back two million.

There is a high probability of making money.

The most important thing is that this kind of light and shadow will appear at the three major European film festivals. He will be regarded as a supporter of himself, and the status of "In the Mood for Love" in the film industry will become higher, and his status as the director of "In the Mood for Love" will also rise with it.

Considering that it could bring him a lot of fame and influence, Huang Ze felt that he could accept it even if he didn't make any money.

"Um……"

"Okay, ten million."

After thinking for a while, he finally nodded heavily.

In that instant, he thought a lot.

One is to find other film and television companies, but they don’t understand me as well as Mr. Huang.

Second, if you look for someone else, they may not even be willing to invest 10 million.

After all, "As Tears Go By" was a small investment and the profit was not that much. I have not yet fully proved my ability to make money.

Third, recently because of "As Tears Go By" and because he had been the assistant director for Wong Ze, many companies asked him to be a director, but they were either gangster films or "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels". In the past two months, he changed it to a psychological horror film following the trend of "The Ring".

If I ask someone else to take the photo, the subject matter will probably be rejected.

After all, I have to prove my ability!

Walking out of Huang Ze’s office, Wang Jiawei took a deep breath and looked towards Europe.

"If I can really win an award at one of the three major European film festivals, I can recoup my costs and prove that I have the ability to make a multi-million dollar film and still make money. Then I can shoot whatever I want, for as long as I want, and however I want, right?"

"come on!"

……

After finalizing the storyboards for Days of Being Wild, Huang Ze did not go to Xinghai Film and Television the next day. Instead, he went to Xinghai Records, a place he had only been to a few times and had completely left it alone.

Came to Chen Xing's office.

Chen Xing's face was filled with indescribable joy.

"Boss Huang, you're finally here. I usually feel embarrassed to report to you because you're so busy."

Chen Xing took out a report, "Chow Hui-min's album released in June has sold a full 150,000 copies, triple platinum! It can strive for five platinum tonight, it is definitely hot."

"Also, our company has signed a male singer before, and this is the title song for the album that we are going to produce."

"Listen to this!"

Chen Xing stood up and played a song. A soothing melody filled the office.

"Still leaning on the sleepless night, looking at the stars in the sky."

"I still hear the violin, weeping and teasing..."

"Hmm?" Huang Ze raised his eyebrows. Isn't this the "Original Serenade"? "Who is this singer?"

"His name is Li Keqin." Chen Xing introduced him. "He was recommended to the company by Zhou Huimin. We were not from the same school, but because we both liked music, we kept in touch during our school days."

"Zhou Huimin is now a singer in our company, so she recommended her to me."

"I listened to it and found that this male singer is quite talented. Not only can he sing, but he is also able to write lyrics and compose music. Of course, he cannot compare with Mr. Huang and still needs to hone his skills."

"Would Mr. Huang like to see you?"

"Let's meet." Huang Ze nodded.

After a while, a young man walked in.

At this time, he was still very thin.

Well, Huang Ze couldn’t recognize that this was Li Keqin anyway.

"You sang well, keep up the good work." Huang Ze patted his junior on the shoulder, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Ah?" Li Keqin felt that Huang Ze's question was a bit unreasonable, but he still answered honestly, "No, I'm chasing him, but I haven't caught up yet."

"Who?"

"Mr. Huang, you don't know him."

"Oh." Huang Ze stopped asking questions and encouraged him a few more words before saying, "Since you are my type, I will give you a song."

If I remember correctly, the original Japanese version of "Red Sun" has not come out yet. Anyway, I don't sing Cantonese songs, so I'll just consider it a benefit to the record company.

"Really?" Li Keqin was shocked.

"Is there any point in me telling a lie? Go out and wait."

Waving his hand to let Li Keqin go out, Huang Ze picked up the musical score and started writing quickly.

"Destiny is unpredictable."

"Even if fate is tortuous and bizarre..."

After writing it, he threw it to Chen Xing, "A welcome gift for the company's new singer."

After humming it once, Chen Xing's face was almost smiling.

"Boss Huang, you finally haven't forgotten our record company! Many employees privately say that our record company is being run by a stepmother."

"You did it on purpose, didn't you?" Huang Ze pointed at Chen Xing and smiled, but he didn't know what to say.

I really don't care much about record companies.

The Hong Kong record market is really too small and it’s hard to make much money!

After being accustomed to seeing his own record sales of tens of millions, it is hard to arouse much interest when seeing sales of just a few hundred thousand being considered a hit and half a million being a record-breaking.

How about making two English songs and using Warner's channels to promote one or two singers?
As soon as this idea came into being, it quickly grew in popularity.

Very exciting!
It would be better to form a group and include a Japanese member in it. Then, even if the song doesn't do well in Europe and the United States, Japan, the second largest record market, will be enough to make a profit.

"I'll give you a task!" Huang Ze said seriously, "I want our record company to create a group, and then release an English album through Warner's channels."

"I recommend three girls to you. Sign a long-term contract with them. It doesn't matter if you give them a high salary. Pay them a salary first and train them for two to three years. Teach them vocal music and English until they can sing English songs."

"Which three girls?" Chen Xing asked, "Have I heard of them?"

"Xia Lin, or Princess, should have just arrived in Hong Kong Island this year and is studying with Dai Sicong."

"I know this."

"Go to Neon and find another one." Huang Ze quickly wrote a line of words, "Neon Edo Shinjuku District, Daiichi Real Estate Company reception, Kamachi Sachiko, about 20 years old, born in Kanagawa Prefecture."

"No problem." Chen Xing nodded, but couldn't help but ask curiously, "Mr. Huang, how do you know a Japanese girl?"

"Who am I?" Since Huang Ze dared to say it, he had a legitimate reason. "I know a lot of singers. I forgot who told me about it. It's possible that she wrote me a letter with a demo of her singing inside. Alas, there were too many people who recommended themselves. I can't remember what happened."

"In short, just sign it."

"Well, what about the last one?" Chen Xing asked again.

"Send someone to the mainland, Hongdu City, Gannan Province."

(End of this chapter)