Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 435 Everyone Shows Their Magical Powers

The official announcement of "Joy of Life" stirred up a storm in the entertainment industry.

Artists are scrambling to inquire about the project details, all hoping to land a role in the drama. If they could be signed by Tengda Culture, that would be an even greater dream.

Some forces, however, were immediately fascinated by the huge investment of 4 million.

Tengda Group is a large and powerful company. They dare to spend 4 million yuan to produce a TV series. If they were to lower their estimate, a budget of 3 million yuan should be no problem, right?
Suddenly, all sorts of capital, regardless of their legality, were eager to invest large sums of money in the film and television industry. The already thriving entertainment industry was like a fire fueled by oil, becoming even more prosperous and turbulent.

The meeting on the 8th caused a sensation both at home and abroad.

At noon, in the Tengda Technology Building, Song Ci had just finished lunch and was taking a nap by the window, overlooking the ancient city.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I witnessed the gathering of various warlords in the capital, the imposition of martial law on the entire city of Beiping, and the quiet beginning of a new era.

As her thoughts drifted, her office cell phone suddenly vibrated slightly. Song Ci turned around to look at the caller ID, and although slightly surprised, she quickly answered the call.

A deep, resonant male voice came through the receiver: "Chairman Song, I hope I didn't disturb you?"

Song Ci replied politely, "Not at all. What brings you here today, Mr. Jing?"

"The meeting just ended this morning," the other party explained. "It's been several months since we last met. When will Chairman Song have some free time so we can get together again?"

Song Ci politely declined, saying, "Mr. Jing, the atmosphere is becoming increasingly strict in the future, and these are extraordinary times. It would be best to keep a low profile."

"Chairman Song's information network is indeed excellent!" Mr. Jing was greatly shocked.

One of the core topics of the morning conference was to rectify the atmosphere in the future. Song Ci had not attended the meeting, but he had already figured out the content of the meeting, which was really beyond his expectations.

Song Ci frankly said, "Mr. Jing, there's no need for a small gathering. Please feel free to speak your mind if there's anything you need, and I will do my best to help."

"Chairman Song is truly a man of few words!" Mr. Jing smiled. "Didn't Tengda announce online yesterday that they were going to produce a TV series?"
Tian Tian saw it and kept saying she wanted to play the lead role. She even came to me, her uncle, begging. I was so bothered by her that I had no choice but to trouble Chairman Song for this little thing for the younger generation.

Song Ci readily agreed: "So that's what it is. No problem."

Mr. Jing was delighted: "Good, good, I understand the rules. I won't make things difficult for Chairman Song. As for the investment, Tiantian Company will contribute a portion."

"No need. The female lead doesn't have many scenes in this drama. If Tian Tian wants to play the role, let her do it. Talking about money is too formal and undermines Tengda."

Song Ci politely declined, then changed the subject, "Mr. Jing, would you be able to move around a bit after the meeting?"

Mr. Jing's tone suddenly became heavy, and he didn't hide anything: "It's difficult! After all, I don't have any particularly outstanding achievements. I can only wait to gain more experience and plan to work for another two or three years to try to develop my career in Beijing."

Song Ci nodded: "After all, the capital is the central hub of the country. If you achieve something here, it will be easier to get your message heard by the emperor."

Mr. Jing sighed softly: "Alas, the higher one's position, the more precarious one's path becomes; the slightest misstep can lead to total defeat."

"The will of Heaven has been decided, and all matters have been settled. As long as the officials of the court do not lose their sense of public duty, they can at least retire unscathed and live a peaceful and prosperous life."

"You little brat, you're giving me that official talk now!" Mr. Jing snorted lightly, his tone softening. "After the conference, your backing has gotten even stronger. The leaders all admire you. Keep up the good work."

Song Ci humbly replied, "I will certainly not let the leader down."

After ending the call, Song Ci immediately sent Liu Rong a WeChat message, asking her to directly confirm Jing Tian as the female lead in "Joy of Life".

Meanwhile, in the president's office of Tengda Culture, Liu Rongzheng and Yang Tianzhen were discussing the allocation of important roles in "Joy of Life".

Liu Rong rubbed her temples. Since last night, she had received no fewer than forty phone calls, all asking for information or trying to pull strings to get roles. Good resources are tempting!
"None of the company's leading actresses are willing to take on the role in 'Joy of Life.' Tianzhen, you'll be in charge of arranging the lead role."

"I see."

Liu Rong then asked, "Alpha Group has been established for some time now, but it hasn't signed any artists yet. Aren't there any promising newcomers from the three major universities this year?"

"I've been keeping an eye out, but I haven't really met any newcomers that I particularly admire."

Yang Tianzhen explained that Alpha Group follows the signing standards of Tengda Culture, aiming to follow an elite route of "quality over quantity".

She had previously searched among the 2012 freshmen of Beijing Film Academy and Central Academy of Drama, but did not find any outstanding talents.

"Don't be too picky. Newcomers need to be trained carefully," Liu Rong advised. "Signing them sooner will also make better use of the company's resources."

Yang Tianzhen nodded in agreement: "I have my eye on a male artist and we are in talks, but he has a management company, so I may have to pay some breach of contract fees."

"Which company's artist is she from?" Liu Rong asked, intrigued. Yang Tianzhen always had high standards; anyone she took a liking to must be exceptionally good-looking.

Yang Tianzhen introduced: "It is Yang Yang, an artist under Rong Xinda. The young man is very handsome, with good looks and temperament, and is very suitable for the traffic route."

Liu Rong tried hard to recall, and the name seemed familiar: "It sounds familiar, didn't you act in 'The Left Ear' before?"

"Yes, he acted in Director Ma's 'The Left Ear' and also played Jia Baoyu in Li Shaohong's version of 'Dream of the Red Chamber'."

Just as Liu Rong was about to speak, the crisp WeChat notification sound suddenly rang out. She looked down and saw it was a message from the chairman. She quickly picked up her phone to check it and then replied promptly.

“Naive. You don’t need to worry about the female lead in ‘Joy of Life’ anymore.” Liu Rong said, casually searching for Yang Yang’s information. “Someone has already put in a good word with the chairman. Chairman Song has already cast Jing Tian for the role.”

Yang Tianzhen sighed softly. Sure enough, this kind of big production attracted too many eyes.

It's only been one day since the official announcement, and both the female lead and the second female lead have already found their partners. As for the most sought-after male lead, it's estimated that people in the industry will use all their connections to secure the role for Yang Yang. It will probably be difficult for her to get this role.

Looking at Yang Yang's photo on the screen in her hand, Liu Rong praised him repeatedly: "He is indeed quite handsome, only slightly less so than Chairman Song in terms of looks."

He's the sunny, handsome type; with a little packaging and marketing, he'd definitely be a hit with girls. Signing him to Alpha Group wouldn't be a problem.

Seeing that Liu Rong approved of Yang Yang, Yang Tianzhen was overjoyed and took the opportunity to probe: "President Liu, if the male lead of 'Joy of Life' remains undecided in the end, could you give Yang Yang a chance?"

Liu Rong hesitated immediately: "President Wu of Reading Group firmly opposes using handsome men. Even Chen Xiao couldn't get this opportunity, so it's even more impossible for Yang Yang to play the role."

I understand what you mean. Although Chen Xiao is an artist under Tengda Entertainment, he has no connection with Alpha Group. From your perspective, it's natural to want to promote Yang Yang to the top, which is understandable.

However, "Joy of Life" has an investment of 4 million yuan and is a major project jointly produced by three companies. Therefore, the choice of the male lead is crucial, and suitability for the role must be given priority.

Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed across Yang Tianzhen's face.

“The company has so many resources, we don’t have to focus solely on ‘Joy of Life.’ Yang Yang’s looks are perfect for idol dramas. Li Ying has a drama coming up next year, and we can work with Yang Yang on it.” Yang Tianzhen composed herself: “Okay. In the meantime, I’ll take care of Yang Yang’s management contract.”

In the next office, Zhuang Liqi, vice president of Tengda Culture, was answering a call from Wang Jinghua, a top agent in the industry.

"Sister Hua, what brings you to contact me today?"

Wang Jinghua chuckled lightly: "I just heard that President Zhuang has been transferred to a new job, so I wanted to find some time to get together and congratulate you."

Zhuang Liqi smiled broadly. The executives of Tengda Group were being rotated, and he was about to be transferred to the position of Vice President of Weibo.

Although the rank remains the same, the size and influence of Weibo far surpass those of Tengda Culture, and both power and income will increase significantly.

"Sister Hua, you're too kind. We're all old acquaintances, so just say what you need to say."

Seeing Zhuang Liqi's straightforwardness, Wang Jinghua stopped beating around the bush: "President Zhuang, about the male lead in the drama 'Joy of Life'..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhuang Liqi quickly interrupted, "Sister Hua, this drama is directly managed by the three presidents of Tengda. I really can't get involved in the important roles, so I'm sorry I can't help you."

Wang Jinghua quickly explained, "President Zhuang, you misunderstood. I was just trying to find out which lucky guy in the industry got the role. I didn't mean anything by it."

"So that's how it is. I was too impatient." Zhuang Liqi breathed a sigh of relief.

After a moment of contemplation, Wang Jinghua decided to be frank and state her purpose directly: "President Zhuang, I'll be frank from the start."

After hearing the news yesterday, Chen Daoming suddenly became interested in reading the original novel of "Joy of Life" and became particularly interested in the character of Emperor Qing.

Hearing that the other party had finally come to ask for resources, Zhuang Liqi felt a pang of sadness. He never expected that in just a few short years, this once-top agent would fall from grace so quickly.

Upon closer reflection, it seems perfectly reasonable: Wong Jing-hua has always emphasized long-term cultivation and resource accumulation, and she attends to every detail of her artists' lives.

With the advent of the traffic era dominated by Ketengda Group, the industry landscape has undergone a dramatic change.

Data algorithms, social media hype, and the fan economy have become mainstream, and rapid star-making and topic marketing have become the norm. Traditional "personal ties" have long been replaced by efficiency-driven traffic mechanisms.

"Sister Hua, Teacher Chen is a senior in the industry, with unparalleled reputation and acting skills. It's an honor for the production team that he's willing to participate in 'Joy of Life,' so there's no need for you to come and make special arrangements."

Zhuang Liqi immediately agreed, "The role of Emperor Qing is not a big deal. I'll talk to President Liu right away and he'll definitely get it."

"Thank you very much, President Zhuang." Wang Jinghua shook her head helplessly on the other end of the phone.

In the past, artists' resources relied entirely on agents. Back then, she had connections in Beijing's entertainment circle and almost monopolized high-quality projects.

However, since breaking with Huayi and Tengda Culture's rise to prominence and dominance in Beijing's entertainment circle, her resources and connections have rapidly declined.

Although Chen Daoming is a highly respected senior in the industry, he may not be given face by Tengda Group, which is now the leading capital in the entertainment industry and controls public opinion.

Tenda Group and other internet capital are too powerful. In just a few years, they have forced the entire entertainment industry to transform from a social network based on personal relationships to a data empire, leaving these "old guys" breathless.

At the same time, in a rented room in Beiping, a young couple was also talking about "Joy of Life".

Seeing his girlfriend hang up the phone, the young man couldn't wait to ask, "Tingting, what did Zhao Liying say?"

"Sister Ying isn't too clear on the specifics either, she only knows that the male lead hasn't been decided yet, and the competition is extremely fierce."

The woman speaking was Tang Yixin, who played Consort Qi in "Empresses in the Palace". Sitting next to her was her boyfriend Zhang Ruoyun, whom she had been dating for a short time.

After "Empresses in the Palace", Tang Yixin starred in "Legend of Lu Zhen" and thus met Zhao Liying of Tengda Culture. This time, she was so pestered by her boyfriend that she had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask Zhao Liying for information.

"It's good that it's not decided yet!" Zhang Ruoyun breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes shining brightly.

His father is a senior producer and director in the industry. He has been involved in film crews since he was a child and knows a lot about things in the entertainment industry. The fact that the male lead of "Joy of Life" has not been decided yet clearly means that they are not planning to use artists from Tengda Culture.

"Ruoyun, if you really want to play Fan Xian, you should talk to your uncle about it. With our limited connections, it's simply impossible for us to do it."

"I will absolutely not go to him!"

Zhang Ruoyun's voice cracked with anger whenever her father, Zhang Jian, was mentioned.

His parents divorced when he was two years old. His father obtained custody through pressure from his family, but never fulfilled his parental obligations.
He grew up with his grandparents and rarely saw his father, who almost never cared about his son.

While filming "Snow Leopard: The Strong Years" a while ago, he saw Zhang Jian and Feng Yue behaving intimately. He went up to question them but got no response, so he left the set in anger.

This led to a complete break between father and son, with them no longer having any contact. He resolved to build his own career. If it meant relying on Zhang Jian's connections to get the male lead role in "Joy of Life," he would rather give it up.

Seeing her boyfriend's emotional state, Tang Yixin, who knew about his childhood, sighed slightly and stopped trying to persuade him: "But we are just small fry in the industry, and we have no way of getting in touch with the big shots who can make decisions."

Even if we did see them, why would they give us such resources? As Sister Ying just said, this coveted opportunity won't fall into the hands of outsiders.

"If I could become an artist under Tengda, I would be more than happy to do so," Zhang Ruoyun muttered to herself.

Although his father has some influence, it is no match for Tengda Culture. If he can get into Tengda, he can completely get rid of his father's interference.

“There must be a way.” Zhang Ruoyun paced back and forth, her mind racing. “I need to find someone influential in this project to introduce me to the senior management of Tengda Culture and give me a chance to showcase myself.”

Tang Yixin felt a pang of heartache seeing his unwavering determination; her boyfriend was practically obsessed with the role of Fan Xian: "Ruoyun, this isn't a solution."

For such an important role, the production team will most likely arrange auditions. You should read more of the original work, carefully study the character's mindset, and prepare thoroughly. Maybe you'll catch the director's eye during the audition.

These words were like a wake-up call. A sudden thought struck Zhang Ruoyun, and she asked urgently, "Tingting, what did you just say?"

Tang Yixin was taken aback, and subconsciously repeated, "I told you to get ready and participate in the audition."

"No, it's the previous sentence."

"Read the original work more?"

"Right!" Zhang Ruoyun suddenly realized, and hugged his girlfriend tightly, kissing her fair face. "I can try to find out about Mao Ni. After all, he is the original author and screenwriter, so he must know people in the production crew. As long as he can introduce me, that will be fine."

(End of this chapter)