Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 495 New Ways to Play in the Era of Traffic

The living room fell into a suffocating silence.

After a long silence, Ji Lingling broke the silence first, regaining her professional composure, and offered a long-term suggestion: "Ziyi, perhaps you could consider transitioning to a behind-the-scenes role."

Look at Fan Bingbing, Li Bingbing, and Zhou Xun; they're all putting a lot of effort into running their companies, training new talent, and investing, giving themselves more options and security.

She stopped there. Zhang Ziyi had tried before, collaborating with Enlight Media to open a film and television company, but it was always a small-scale operation and she never really put her heart into it.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ziyi remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. The pressures of reality kept assailing her, leaving her no choice but to stay clear-headed.

If the business doesn't improve in the next two years, perhaps it's time to focus more on capital operations.

"I understand." He reluctantly agreed, then looked at his agent as if grasping at the last straw, his tone earnest, "I'll need your help in getting 'The Grandmaster' nominated for awards."

At present, it seems that only Wang Jiawei's masterpiece and the possible awards and honors can give her a sliver of comfort and hope of returning to her peak. Ji Lingling looked at the lingering hope for awards in Zhang Ziyi's eyes, sighed inwardly, but still nodded firmly.

"I will do my best to secure the awards; Wang Jiawei's influence and the quality of 'The Grandmaster' are your strengths. However!"

The tone shifted abruptly, becoming more realistic: "Ziyi, you really can't have too high expectations. At least you can't expect a few trophies to bring us back to the golden age of the past."

Times have changed! Now, internet capital is dominating the rules of the entertainment industry.

Even if you're lucky enough to win an award, the platforms and investors who control traffic and funding may not be as supportive as before.

Zhang Ziyi's eyes were somewhat lost. Leaning back on the sofa, she murmured to herself, as if asking her agent, or perhaps asking herself:
"How did this industry become like this? It wasn't like this before. Good was good, and bad was bad. People didn't seem so impetuous in their pursuits."

"The market has changed, so the rules of the game have naturally changed." Ji Lingling said calmly, taking out her phone and swiping the screen as she spoke.

“I stumbled upon a long industry analysis article on Weibo before. It was very insightful and to the point, and it almost completely clarified the current state of the industry. I’ll find it and read it to you.”

Zhang Ziyi sat up slightly, adopting a posture of attentive listening. She knew Ji Lingling's professional eye; an article that Ji Lingling had specially saved and recommended must have something unique about it.

Ji Lingling found the saved blog post, cleared her throat, and read it aloud clearly and calmly:

Why is the entertainment industry placing less emphasis on traditional film awards such as the "Three Golden Awards" these days?
Essentially, it is a contest between internet capital and the new evaluation system it brings, and the traditional professional evaluation system.

The very first sentence made Zhang Ziyi's brow twitch slightly.

"In the past, the power to define who was qualified to be a star and who was a top-tier film was firmly in the hands of big directors, famous producers, professional judges and major film festivals."

"This is an authoritative certification based on professional judgment and industry experience," Ji Lingling read aloud, glancing up at Zhang Ziyi. "We both came from that era, and we understand this well."

Zhang Ziyi nodded silently; she was one of the best born from this system.

"However, nowadays, internet capital represented by companies like Tenda, Alibaba, and Baidu is entering the entertainment industry in a big way. They bring not only money, but also a whole new set of rules and values."

For video platforms, what they need most are actors who can bring in membership subscriptions and advertising revenue, not necessarily award-winning actors.

In a world driven by algorithms and big data, traffic is a more valuable currency than awards because it can be directly and quickly monetized and is used to measure the success or failure of all projects.

At this point, Ji Lingling paused deliberately and gave Zhang Ziyi a meaningful look.

“A celebrity with a huge following can boost a project and ensure its core audience. But a celebrity with only awards may not be able to guarantee box office revenue and viewership.”

The subtext of this statement is self-evident: they have just experienced this. "The Grandmaster" is a typical example of a film that received critical acclaim but failed to achieve commercial success. Its high reputation, which had the potential to win awards, did not effectively translate into high profits.

A bitter smile appeared on Zhang Ziyi's lips, a sense of realization mixed with helplessness washing over her.

This article sharply points out many changes that were previously vaguely felt but could not be clearly explained.

Ji Lingling continued reading: "Internet capital has built a circular ecosystem: it can create stars on its own through web dramas and variety shows;

Stars are judged based on social media data and viewership; then, they are consumed through the fan economy. There's no need for traditional film festivals or awards to endorse and empower celebrities.

They even started from scratch, establishing their own award system, such as Weibo Night and LeEco Annual Ceremony, to consolidate their influence in the industry.

"That's certainly true!" Zhang Ziyi sighed softly.

The grand occasion of Weibo Night last month is still fresh in our minds. It was a star-studded event that dominated the trending topics and even overshadowed traditional award ceremonies.

The immense attention garnered by internet platforms is impossible to ignore.

Ji Lingling scrolled through her phone screen, feeling a similar sense of melancholy.

As a top agent who has experienced the transition from traditional media to the internet era, I have personally felt the impact and pressure of adapting to this power shift.

The article also mentions a key point: Internet big data confirms that the commercial conversion rate of Best Actor and Best Actress titles is not stable.

Shooting an art film aimed at winning awards may require actors to remain out of the public eye for a year or even longer, during which time their exposure will be greatly reduced. For stars who rely on popularity, this is a high-risk gamble.

Moreover, winning an award involves many uncertain factors such as luck, connections, and the tastes of the judges, and a huge investment may result in nothing.

Conversely, investing in traffic and data, with sufficient funding and proper operation, almost inevitably yields returns. Even negative publicity is still publicity and can be converted into real money.

Putting down his phone, he concluded with a mix of exhaustion and clarity: "Ultimately, it's all about profit."

The traffic-driven model created by internet capital has demonstrated tremendous efficiency and profitability in business, almost completely overshadowing the traditional model.

The entire industry's resources—capital, talent, and media attention—are inevitably and rapidly shifting towards a traffic-driven model. We are merely one part of the wave being impacted by this tide.

Zhang Ziyi listened quietly, as if all her strength had been drained away.

In the past, she might have only felt a slight chill, but now, through this calm, even ruthless analysis, she feels for the first time so directly and systematically the disruptive transformation of traditional rules by internet capital. The value system she relied on and believed in is crumbling at an unprecedented speed.

She asked listlessly, as if grasping at the last straw: "So, does that mean awards will be completely unimportant from now on? Is that mentioned at the end of this article?"

"Yes." Ji Lingling looked back at her phone and quickly scrolled to the last part.

"The article also provides supplementary analysis at the end. Awards have not completely lost their value, but rather their function and audience have become differentiated."

Select the key sentence to read aloud: "For some international luxury brands that pursue brand image and establish a high-end image, they still value the sense of authority and professional endorsement brought by awards."

Furthermore, awards will become an important channel for popular celebrities to enhance their image in the future.

Many popular celebrities, after accumulating sufficient wealth and popularity, have a strong desire to prove their acting skills and achieve a career transition by winning awards.

The room fell silent again.

Zhang Ziyi cast her gaze out the window at the dazzling night view of Beiping, a light that belonged to the internet giants of the new era. She, however, seemed to be still basking in the glory of the previous generation.

Under the same night sky over Beiping, the atmosphere was completely different from the chilly, oppressive air in Zhang Ziyi's apartment.

Fan Bingbing's studio was brightly lit, still lingering with the euphoric and boisterous atmosphere.

Having just returned from a celebration party hosted by Paramount for "Transformers 4," he took off his elegant formal coat and casually draped it over the armrest of the sofa.

Her cheeks were still flushed with the excitement of champagne, her eyes were incredibly bright, and she was radiant, a stark contrast to Zhang Ziyi's dejected state.

Seeing her reeking of alcohol yet still so energetic, her agent, Mu Xiaoguang, cautiously advised, "Bingbing, you've had a long day. Why don't you go home and rest? We can discuss the details tomorrow."

Fan Bingbing waved his hand, his voice slightly hoarse from the alcohol, yet exceptionally clear: "No need! I'm perfectly sober, this little bit of alcohol is nothing."

Seeing that she spoke clearly and thought quickly, Mu Xiaoguang stopped trying to persuade her and smiled, saying, "Now that it's officially announced, this matter is finally settled, and a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

I've already arranged for my team to follow up on the press release with all their might. It will be distributed to media outlets both domestically and internationally. We must ride this wave to generate buzz and take your popularity to the next level.

"Thank you for keeping an eye on things, Mr. Mu." Fan Bingbing said cheerfully, leaning back lazily on the sofa, a smile he couldn't hide on his face.

For any Chinese actor, being able to participate in a top Hollywood IP like "Transformers" and play a significant role is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Mu Xiaoguang nodded, then frowned as if he had thought of something, looking regretful: "Speaking of which, it's a real pity!"
For some reason, the relationship with Tengda Culture suddenly cooled down, and their cooperation and support were not as enthusiastic as before.

I still don't fully understand which part went wrong and made this big shot unhappy.

"If I can't figure it out, I won't bother thinking about it." Fan Bingbing was quite open-minded and even indifferent.

Taking a sip of the hangover tea, she said in a relaxed tone, "Times have changed. Haven't we reconciled with Huayi now? And we're also getting along well with Boss Xu from Hengtai."

There are plenty of ways to succeed. Even without Zhang the Butcher's meteoric rise, would we still be forced to eat hairy pork? We could still thrive.

He exhaled a breath of alcohol and steered the conversation back to reality: "By the way, how's the preparation for 'The Empress of China' going? That's our foundation."

Mentioning the drama, Mu Xiaoguang's expression turned serious, and he immediately became solemn: "Everything has been agreed upon!"
The total investment budget is 3 million yuan, with Tangde Film & Television as the main investor, and our studio and Hengtai Film & Television as co-investors. Our studio will also be responsible for production.

"Hmm." Fan Bingbing's expression also became serious. This drama was of great significance, and she was deeply involved in it as the producer.

"I had tea with Zhao Yanzi the other day, and she also told me that Tangde has high hopes for this drama, expecting it to create outstanding ratings, boost the company's performance, and pave the way for its subsequent application for listing."

“I know what’s important,” Mu Xiaoguang solemnly agreed. “You can go ahead and film Transformers 4 with peace of mind. I will personally oversee the pre-production preparations in China and make sure everything is handled properly.”

Fan Bingbing nodded in satisfaction. She and Mu Xiaoguang had worked together for many years and had a perfect understanding.

"With you here, I feel at ease. By the way, my schedule has been very tight these past two years, so I'll leave all the company affairs to you, Mr. Mu."

Upon hearing this, Mu Xiaoguang's eyes lit up, and he asked with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty, "Is there any news about X-Men?"

Fan Bingbing flashed a bright, confident smile, nodded vigorously, and her voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Yes! I just received the news, it's basically settled! The role of 'Blink'!"

"Great! Great! Great!" Mu Xiaoguang was overjoyed and couldn't help but clench his fists and palms together. "That's wonderful!"

With two Hollywood blockbusters like "Transformers 4" and "X-Men: Days of Future Past" in hand, you can truly gain a foothold internationally and establish global recognition!
If this trend continues, the title of the number one female star in the Chinese entertainment industry will undoubtedly belong to you!

"Forget it!" Although Fan Bingbing was secretly pleased, she still habitually pursed her lips and teased, half-jokingly, "That number one is firmly in her seat. With her around, who dares to easily claim first place?"

Mu Xiaoguang laughed, his smile revealing a worldly wisdom: "Liu Shishi? She won't be your rival."

Your positioning and development paths are fundamentally different. She's more of a symbol than a pure artist.

Lowering her voice, she said meaningfully, "From what I've observed, she probably won't stay in this industry for much longer."

For her, ensuring the Song family's stability by producing an heir and consolidating her position is likely the most important thing now and in the future. Acting is probably just an occasional pastime.

"That makes sense!" Fan Bingbing exclaimed, her voice tinged with unspoken envy and jealousy.

"She's so lucky. If she hadn't been childhood sweethearts with Song Ci, this immense wealth and the title of the richest woman in the world wouldn't have been hers!"

Upon hearing this, Mu Xiaoguang sighed, "Who can argue with that? Looking at the entire entertainment industry, she's probably the only one who can marry into a wealthy family of this caliber, and it's unlikely that anyone else will ever do so again."

Outside the studio window, the night in Beijing was deep. Both of them remained silent for a moment.

One is envisioning a brilliant future for themselves, built through their own abilities and international resources. The other is lamenting their unattainable, destiny-bound fate.

(End of this chapter)