Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 493 Star Trainees

On Sunday afternoon, the melody of "Time Boils the Rain" flowed gently like water.

Yu Kewei's ethereal voice sang from the speakers: "The wind blows and the rain turns into flowers, time cannot catch up with the white horse," adding a touch of tranquility and melancholy to the entire room.

In the office, Liu Shishi was completely immersed in the beautiful atmosphere of the song.

Although "Tiny Times 1" received poor reviews, its theme song unexpectedly became a hit, becoming a popular song sung everywhere, once again proving the old saying that bad movies produce amazing songs.

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. "Come in."

Yang Jie, the studio's financial director, walked in and calmly gave her report:
"Mr. Liu, as you instructed, we have cooperated with Mr. Zhang to legally transfer all the equity of Pop Mart, miHoYo, and other companies to Huiwen Investment."

"Thank you for your hard work, Director Yang." Liu Shishi nodded slightly, quite satisfied with her subordinate's work efficiency.

The initial arrangement of registering these investment shares under the studio's name was merely a stopgap measure.

Now that Huiwen Investment has been established, the studio only retains equity in four film and television companies: Tangren Media, Yuehua Entertainment, Daylight Entertainment, and Yaoke Media.

It would be a wiser choice to spin off the remaining high-quality assets and have industry insiders like Zhang Tong take the helm for professional and systematic management.

The studio's core focus has always been film and television content production, not capital operation.

Yang Jie continued her report: "The formalities have all been completed, and the subsequent financial report will be directly submitted to Huiwen Investment and General Manager Zhang. In addition, General Manager Cai is already waiting for you in the small conference room next door, saying that he has something to discuss with you."

"Okay, I'll be right there." Liu Shishi got up and walked straight to the next room.

Pushing open the door to the small conference room, Cai Yinong and Jiang Yuanyuan were chatting enthusiastically.

Upon seeing the arrival of the top female star, Cai Yinong chuckled and joked, "Oh, the biggest winner of Weibo Night has arrived!"
Last night, from walking the red carpet to accepting the award, and then to President Song's heartfelt confession, you practically dominated the trending topics. You must be overjoyed!

Liu Shishi couldn't help but smile, the sweetness and glory of last night still lingering in her mind.

Her husband Song Ci's tender companionship, the glory under the spotlight, and that public display of genuine emotion all made her smile and feel refreshed.

She sat down gracefully, her tone light and cheerful: "Sister K, please stop making fun of me."

Then, with a hint of curiosity, she asked, "Why didn't I see Lao Hu today? He won the Male God of the Year and Weibo King awards last night; he's really in the spotlight."

"As soon as the event ended, I rushed back to the set of Han Han's 'The Continent' film."

Liu Shishi covered her mouth and smiled with feigned regret: "That's such a pity. I wanted to tell him myself."

My husband said that the old grudge about Jingtian slapping Longkui is now wiped clean, considering his sincere apology last night.

Cai Yinong and Jiang Yuanyuan burst out laughing, instantly lightening the atmosphere in the meeting room.

After the joke, Cai Yi-nong stopped laughing and pushed a document in front of the female lead: "Alright, let's get down to business."

This is the preliminary cast list for "Nirvana in Fire." Directors Hou Hongliang and Kong Sheng have basically finalized it. Take a look; if you have no objections, proceed in this direction.

Liu Shishi took the document and carefully looked through it.

Upon seeing the first name, I looked up and asked with a smile, "Director Kong ultimately decided on Hu Ge for the male lead, Mei Changsu?"

“Yes,” Cai Yinong nodded in confirmation, “Huang Xiaoming’s schedule really can’t be coordinated.”

Moreover, Hu Ge was in excellent form during his audition, perfectly capturing the character's frail yet incredibly intelligent nature. Director Kong and President Hou immediately decided that he was the most suitable candidate.

Liu Shishi smiled gently, still having some confidence in Hu Ge's acting skills, after all, he had learned from his mistakes and worked hard to improve.

My gaze continued downwards, and when I saw the actor chosen for the second male lead, "Prince Jing, Xiao Jingyan," I paused slightly: "Wang Kai? He's willing to play a supporting role to Lao Hu?"

This was indeed unexpected.

The movie "Finding Mr. Right", starring Wang Kai and Lü Yi, is currently showing in theaters and its box office performance is comparable to that of "Tiny Times 1", firmly placing it among the top-tier films. Wang Kai's status is on par with that of Hu Ge.

The casting of such a popular actor as the second male lead will likely cause quite a stir among fans.

Cai Yinong explained, "The specifics were communicated by President Hou. Wang Kai is currently filming Director Kong's 'No War in Beiping,' and the collaboration is going very well."

I heard that President Hou and Director Kong personally approached him about the role. After reading the script, he felt that the character of 'Prince Jing' was multifaceted and full of inner drama, making it a rare challenge, so he readily accepted the role.

"I see." Upon hearing this, a hint of appreciation flashed in Liu Shishi's eyes.

"Excellent actors do value the charm of the character itself more than the ranking of the billing order."

With Wang Kai joining the cast, my anticipation for *Nirvana in Fire* is growing stronger. I have no objections; let's proceed with this cast.

Just as Liu Shishi was about to hand the document back to Cai Yinong, her fingertips unexpectedly touched the last page of the document, which seemed to be attached with a page of a different texture.

Curious, I pulled it out and found a printed list of books, with the heading "List of Recently Acquired IP Rights" prominently displayed.

She waved the paper in her hand: "Sister K, what's this?"

Cai Yinong glanced at it and said, "Oh, this is something the copyright department just compiled."

Recently, the company has been accumulating film and television adaptation rights to some popular novels. If we don't buy them now, we might not be able to afford them in two years.

Liu Shishi lowered her eyes and carefully browsed through the books, softly reciting a few titles: "Three Lives Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms," "Hua Xu Yin," "Three Lives Three Worlds, The Pillow Book," and so on.

"And what about 'Love O2O' and 'Scarlet Heart'? Didn't we already own the copyrights to those novels?"

"That was just the TV series adaptation rights. This time, we've bought out the entire IP development rights, including movies, games, and merchandise."

Cai Yinong's words carried a hint of shrewdness: "These are all popular novels on the market. The copyright price for one of them is not outrageous, probably between one million and three million."

Judging from this trend, film and television copyright prices are changing almost daily. It's best to buy some early and be prepared.

He paused, then sighed with admiration and emotion: "I must say, President Song's vision is truly far-sighted."

Tengda Culture's current industry standing is certainly due to the support of powerful internet groups and their resources, but the massive amount of IP rights it acquired at low prices in its early years, which now appears to be an inexhaustible gold mine, has also played a crucial role.

Liu Shishi smiled slightly, revealing a hint of pride, and nodded in agreement: "He has indeed thought further ahead. By holding the copyright in his hands first, he has secured the source of the technology. In the future, he can decide when and how to develop it."

“That’s right, that’s how it is.” Cai Yinong agreed wholeheartedly, then changed the subject to a current hot topic, “The recently released ‘Tiny Times’ movie itself is very controversial, with a lot of criticism online. But from a commercial perspective, it has had a disruptive impact on the entertainment industry.”

Leaning slightly forward, he began to analyze the situation rationally: "It proves that in the internet age, a film's success no longer entirely depends on traditional artistic quality or public opinion."

As long as you can accurately target your audience, build a highly engaged fan community, and use various marketing methods to convert this 'passion' into direct consumption, you can generate huge, or even faster, economic benefits.

"Fan economy!" Liu Shishi summarized succinctly, her eyes bright. "Its core is emotional connection and community identification, not just content output. It's foreseeable that many companies will prioritize managing the fan economy in the future."

After a brief pause, he sighed calmly and profoundly, "However, if a celebrity wants to go far and establish a firm foothold, they ultimately have to rely on solid work. Otherwise, when fans argue with rivals, they won't even have the confidence to recommend their work, and it will be difficult for them to last."

Cai Yinong wholeheartedly agreed: "That makes sense. However, judging from the current situation, the economic benefits of fans are indeed immediate. Tangren is best at period dramas, which have always been a powerful tool for attracting fans, so it's worth giving this a try. Talented actors and having a large fan base are not contradictory."

He then smiled and looked at the top star, "Shishi, aren't you a prime example of someone who's a double hit in movies and TV shows, with tens of millions of fans?"

With the business settled, Liu Shishi glanced at the time and prepared to take her leave: "Sister K, if there's nothing else, I'll head back to Beiping now. See you in April on the set of 'Mingfei'."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Cai Yinong called out to Sister Yi.

"Du Hua from Yuehua Entertainment is coming over in a bit to discuss a collaborative project. If you're not in a rush, why don't you stay and listen in? You can also give us your feedback."

Liu Shishi, who had already picked up her bag, stopped upon hearing this and asked with interest, "A movie? Or a TV series?"

"It's a variety show!"

"Variety shows?" Liu Shishi's interest was immediately piqued. She had invested in and participated in many movies and TV series, but had never ventured into the variety show field. After a moment's thought, she sat down again: "Then I really have to listen and learn."

"Shishi, when are you and President Song flying to Iceland?" Cai Yinong asked considerately.

"He'll be leaving on the 8th. After paying respects to his ancestors during the Qingming Festival, he'll first go to Nanjing to inspect the car factory there, and then we'll fly directly to Europe from there."

The three of them drank tea and chatted about some gossip in the entertainment industry.

About fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the conference room door, and Cai Yinong's secretary led two people in.

The visitors were Du Hua, president of Yuehua Entertainment, and her assistant.

As soon as Du Hua entered, his gaze quickly swept across the conference room. When he saw that Liu Shishi was also present, his face immediately lit up with an extremely warm smile, and he hurried forward to greet her:

"Mr. Liu! Oh, I didn't expect to see you here today! It's so great! You look radiant and glowing!"

Liu Shishi smiled politely and nodded in greeting: "President Du, it's been a long time."

Du Hua exchanged a few more pleasantries with Cai Yinong and Jiang Yuanyuan, his attitude warm yet measured.

I sat down very naturally in the empty seat next to Liu Shishi, without any unnecessary formalities, and got straight to the point:
"Mr. Liu, Mr. Cai, Mr. Jiang, I'm here today because I have a project that I think has great potential. I'd like to report it to you three as soon as possible and see if there's any possibility of cooperation."

After saying that, he winked at his assistant beside him.

The assistant understood and took out several beautifully bound project plans from his briefcase, placing them neatly and respectfully in front of Liu Shishi, Cai Yinong, and Jiang Yuanyuan one by one.

On the white cover are the striking words: "Star Trainees"

Seeing the three of them begin to peruse the proposal, Du Hua spoke up at the opportune moment, his voice full of persuasiveness: "The core format of this program is idol development."

Sixteen of the most promising teenagers were selected from numerous applicants and given several months of intensive closed training.

The content covers comprehensive professional training in vocal music, dance, physical fitness, diction, and acting.

After each stage, five mentors we invited will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and selection.

Ultimately, the top four winners will debut and have the right to choose to join Yuehua Entertainment or Tangren Media as contracted artists, receiving a promise of top-tier resources and support.

Cai Yinong quickly skimmed through the proposal, already knowing the purpose of Du Hua's visit.

Although Yuehua Entertainment has made some investments in idol training, its overall reputation and film and television resources in the industry are far behind those of established companies.

Clearly, Du Hua cleverly hopes to leverage Tangren Media's prestigious brand and industry reputation to endorse and empower this program.

Tangren Media, as a long-established company in the industry, boasts top-tier celebrities such as Liu Shishi and Hu Ge, who enjoy extremely high national recognition.

Its appeal to aspiring newcomers to the entertainment industry is self-evident, and it can greatly enhance the program's authority and popularity.

However, Cai Yinong is not opposed to this collaboration.

Tangren Media is seeking further growth and even a public listing. Diversification is an inevitable path. Venturing into the new track of variety shows and testing the waters with a relatively controllable program is not a bad idea.

Du Hua spoke with great enthusiasm, explaining in a detailed and engaging manner: "The mentor lineup is the soul of the show. I hope that Han Geng and Hu Ge can serve as the head mentors, representing Yuehua Entertainment's idol strength and Tangren Media's actor expertise, respectively."

Furthermore, by employing top-tier professional instructors in dance, vocal music, and physical fitness, a powerful teaching matrix is ​​formed.

In addition, each episode will invite two popular guest stars to generate fresh buzz and sustained discussion.

Liu Shishi listened quietly, her slender fingers gently tapping the proposal, and nodded slightly: "The framework sounds clear enough, and the model is novel."

Jiang Yuanyuan, who was carefully studying the budget sheet, interjected with professional caution: "President Du, the total budget listed in your budget sheet is 6000 million."

Forgive my bluntness, but is this budget really enough to create a variety show of the scale you described? Especially in terms of guests and production.

Upon hearing this, Du Hua immediately assured him with full confidence: "Don't worry, Mr. Jiang, it's absolutely enough! We've done thorough market research."

Based on current market production costs for variety shows, a budget of 6000 million yuan is sufficient to create a large-scale S-level variety show project.

1500 million yuan was allocated to program production costs, covering all expenses from the directing team and scriptwriting team to camera, lighting, stage design, sound, post-production editing, and venue rental.
3000 million yuan was allocated to the remuneration of mentors and guests, with Han Geng and Hu Ge, as core mentors, receiving the majority of the revenue, while guest stars were paid according to market rates on a regular basis.
The 1000 million yuan allocated to marketing and promotion is sufficient to cover all aspects from online and offline promotion, media press releases, purchasing trending topics, to the precise placement of trailers;
The final 500 million yuan was used for the 16 trainees' accommodation, clothing, and styling during the entire training camp, as well as the cost of hiring additional masterclass instructors.

As he spoke, he glanced at Liu Shishi, knowing that she was always considerate of her subordinates, and added with a smile:

"If Mr. Liu feels it is necessary, we can also use this money to provide some living allowances for the trainees, reflecting the program's humanistic care."

Cai Yi-nong watched very attentively, occasionally looking down in thought.

The profit model section of the proposal is very clear, and costs are mainly recovered through advertising sponsorship, pre-roll ads, and mid-roll ads.

In addition to the copyright acquisition costs of video platforms, as long as the program's popularity reaches expectations, it is highly likely to be profitable, or even generate considerable revenue.

Liu Shishi's gaze fell on the chapter on "Operation and Hype Plans," carefully examining the strategies listed therein.

From the mysterious trailers and suspenseful contestants in the early stages, to the clashes in mentor philosophies, the pairing marketing, the underdog comeback storylines, and the deliberately crafted "heartbreaking" elimination plots during the broadcast...

I couldn't help but exclaim, "Mr. Du, you've really figured out the whole idol management and fan economy game perfectly!"

It is almost certain that after the show airs, the trending topics list will be completely dominated by related topics.

Du Hua looked slightly pleased, but his tone remained humble: "President Liu, you flatter me. To be honest, many of our ideas did indeed draw on the operational model of South Korea's mature idol industry."

But this also proves that this market truly exists in China and has enormous potential.

After saying that, he looked intently at Cai Yinong and said earnestly, "Mr. Cai, if Tangren is willing to cooperate, the foundation for the success of this program will be even more solid."

The top four finalists will greatly benefit from Tangren Media's strong support in terms of future film and television resources and career development.

Cai Yi-nong then flipped to the last part of the proposal and saw the "resource package" that Du Hua had planned for the top four:
The champion will receive a single contract from Yuehua Entertainment, plus a major role in Tangren Media's next period drama.

The runner-up, third place, and fourth place winners will also receive corresponding film or music resource packages according to their rankings; at the same time, the final winners will be determined by netizens' votes, pushing fan participation and popularity to the peak.

It even includes a "hidden gems" plan, suggesting signing one or two more popular contestants who have never debuted, to show appreciation for talent and to leave suspense and highlights for the second season.

Du Hua was ambitious and became more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes shifting between Liu Shishi and Cai Yinong: "President Liu, President Cai, in my vision, this program will form a perfect closed loop!"

A strong lineup of mentors ensures the show's professionalism and initial viewership; meticulous script management continuously generates buzz and discussion.

Finally, leveraging the extensive film, television, and music resources of Yuehua and Tangren, they provide comprehensive support for debuting artists.

Complete the entire process from selecting, training, and exposing ordinary people to their final debut.

I have absolute confidence that, if successful, "Super Idol Trainees" has the potential to become the pioneer of idol development programs in mainland China, changing the existing landscape of the domestic idol industry!

Liu Shishi was captivated by Du Hua's "grand blueprint" and became very interested. After a moment's thought, she immediately expressed her opinion, a decision that carried decisive weight:

"Since Mr. Du is so confident, I'll also get involved. The top four contestants can choose to sign with my studio if they're interested."

Du Hua was overjoyed upon hearing this!

Although Liu Shishi Studio is not as large as large companies, it is backed by the vast resources of the Tengda Group, and with the top influence of Liu Shishi herself, it is even more attractive to newcomers than Tangren and Yuehua.

Her joining us was a wonderful surprise!

Du Hua immediately said with a beaming smile, "That's great! With Mr. Liu joining us, the show's appeal and the contestants' future prospects are limitless. It's hard for the show not to be a hit!"

Seeing that the top female star had already nodded, Cai Yinong chuckled and made a decision: "Since Shishi has participated, what can I say? Alright, Tangren Media will invest in this 'Super Idol' program!"

Du Hua was overjoyed, a radiant smile spreading across his face. He thought to himself, "Working with a big company is so great! This deal is done!"
(Bonus chapter tomorrow)
(End of this chapter)