Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 196, Section 194: Exploding Little Baka Gold Coins

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, the calendar turned to October 30, 1998.

Autumn has deepened in Beijing. Golden ginkgo leaves have covered the tree-lined paths of the Beijing Film Studio, rustling underfoot and bringing a touch of desolation, yet they cannot conceal the rising heat within the studio area.

The first run of "The Four Great Constables" on Hunan Satellite TV ended successfully a few days ago, but the fervor it generated has not subsided. Instead, it has returned in a more tangible way – the sale of second-run broadcasting rights.

The result can only be described as a "frenzy of buying".

The phone was ringing off the hook with purchasing directors and managers from major provincial television stations across the country, who were pulling out all the stops and using every possible connection to try and secure the rights to this martial arts drama that had already proven to be a blockbuster.

The price naturally soared, far exceeding the first round. The total revenue expected from the second round of broadcasting rights alone was enough to make Enlight Media and its parent company, Sheng Ying Media, extremely wealthy. It not only fully covered the high production costs, but the profit margin was so large that Cai Yinong and Li Guoli could not hide their excitement every time they reported to Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng remained quite calm about this; he would sell as long as the money was right.

……

At the same time, "Beijing Bicycle" successfully passed the Film Bureau's review.

This film, brimming with youthful energy and a touch of melancholy, is refreshing at this juncture, with no sensitive content, and has successfully obtained a release permit.

Ultimately, this youth film, directed by Zhang Yang and starring a group of newcomers, is scheduled to premiere on November 6th in the "nine regions market," where an understanding and distribution channel have already been established.

However, Wang Sheng's attention was now more focused on Japan.

The 11th Tokyo International Film Festival opened in late October.

Directed by Huo Jianqi and led by Huo Jianqi and Shi Dongming, the director of the film's art office, the main members of the "Postmen in the Mountains" crew have arrived in Tokyo to participate in film festival activities and promote the film.

Wang Sheng did not travel with the team. He had his own plans.

On the one hand, the internal affairs of Beijing Film Studio and Shengying Media were complicated, requiring him to oversee decision-making; on the other hand, he had an extraordinary judgment and expectation for the film's prospects in Tokyo.

He had already given Huo Jianqi and Shi Dongming clear instructions via overseas phone call: "Stay calm, observe more, and speak less. If anyone asks about the price, tell them that the person who can make the decision hasn't arrived yet. No discussion below 15 million US dollars."

Huo Jianqi and Shi Dongming on the other end of the phone were dumbfounded. Fifteen million US dollars?

In this day and age, this is an astronomical figure for a Chinese art film, leaving them filled with incomprehension and disbelief.

However, due to their almost blind trust in Wang Sheng, and Wang Sheng's promise that he would be responsible for all negotiations, the two relaxed and treated it as a publicly funded trip abroad to broaden their horizons, immerse themselves in the artistic atmosphere of the film festival, and wait anxiously and expectantly for a possible "miracle".

On November 6th, "Beijing Bicycle" was released simultaneously in nine regions.

As expected, this kind of youth film, which has an artistic flair and focuses on the inner thoughts of young men and women, seems quite niche and unconventional in the current market dominated by commercial comedies and martial arts dramas.

Although its unique style and the support of the Beijing Film Studio alliance attracted the attention of a group of young students and film critics, its box office performance on the first day was not booming, only grossing 500,000 yuan.

This number is significantly lower than the first-day results of "30 Days" and even "Crazy Lottery 2", but it is still within expectations. The pressure to break even is not high. If it can rely on word of mouth to slowly spread, there may be unexpected surprises.

Before departing for Tokyo, Wang Sheng reviewed the report and simply wrote four words in his reply: "Normal publicity."

……

On November 7, Wang Sheng's flight landed at Tokyo Haneda Airport.

Tokyo was filled with the hustle and bustle and artistic atmosphere of the film festival. After checking into his pre-booked hotel, Wang Sheng didn't rest much and immediately threw himself into his work.

Shi Dongming had already contacted several Japanese film companies that had previously shown great interest in "Postmen in the Mountains" as instructed.

Ultimately, the date was set for that evening in a secluded private room at a stylish Japanese restaurant in Ginza.

The person who came to negotiate was a senior producer from the long-established Japanese film company "Shochiku Pictures," named Junichi Watanabe.

Mr. Watanabe was around fifty years old. He was wearing a well-fitting dark suit, his hair was neatly combed, and he had the politeness and caution typical of Japanese businessmen, but his eyes were very sharp.

After exchanging pleasantries and taking their seats, the two sides were served a series of exquisite kaiseki dishes, and the sake was warm, but the atmosphere in the private room gradually became somewhat heavy.

Shi Dongming, acting as the introducer, briefly introduced both parties.

Huo Jianqi sat to the side, looking slightly nervous. He knew that the outcome of tonight's negotiations would determine the fate of his masterpiece. Junichi Watanabe spoke first, his tone respectful yet direct: "Mr. Wang, I've long admired your name. Your studio's 'Postmen in the Mountains' is an excellent work, with beautiful visuals, sincere emotions, and full of Eastern Zen and humanistic concern. It received high praise at our internal screening."

Wang Sheng nodded slightly and replied in fluent Japanese, "Mr. Watanabe, you flatter me. It is our honor that Director Huo's work has caught the eye of Shochiku." His Japanese surprised Watanabe and the accompanying Japanese translator, and also made Huo Jianqi and Shi Dongming secretly admire him.

Watanabe smiled and got to the point: "We at Shochiku are very optimistic about the potential of this film in the Japanese market. Japanese audiences have always had a special fondness for this kind of tranquil story that depicts the relationship between people and nature, and the bond between father and son. We hope to import this film and release it in Japanese theaters."

He paused for a moment, then quoted a price: "We are willing to offer three million US dollars to buy out all the distribution rights of 'Postmen in the Mountains' in Japan. This price is already very sincere for a Chinese art film."

Three million dollars!
Huo Jianqi and Shi Dongming's hearts skipped a beat when they heard the translation.

This has far exceeded their initial expectations!
The two of them looked at Wang Sheng simultaneously.

Wang Sheng's face remained expressionless. He slowly picked up a piece of tuna belly, dipped it in soy sauce, and savored it before putting down his chopsticks and looking calmly at Junichi Watanabe.

“Mr. Watanabe,” Wang Sheng’s voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable firmness: “Three million dollars is a desecration of art. I believe that the value contained in ‘Postmen in the Mountains’ is far more than that.”

Watanabe frowned slightly, but remained polite: "So, what are Mr. Wang's expectations?"

Wang Sheng looked directly at the other party and said clearly, "Fifteen million US dollars. This is our bottom line."

"Fifteen million?!" Junichi Watanabe finally lost his composure and exclaimed in surprise, almost making the translator next to him bite his tongue.

Huo Jianqi and Shi Dongming gasped in astonishment, feeling as if they were listening to a fairy tale.

“Mr. Wang, this price… is simply outrageous! It completely defies market norms!” Watanabe shook his head repeatedly: “Even in Japan, there are very few art films that can sell for this price. We cannot accept your request.”

Wang Sheng remained unmoved, calmly stating, "Mr. Watanabe, the value of a film sometimes lies not only in its production cost, but also in the emotions it touches and the resonance it evokes. 'Postmen in the Mountains' has that potential. I trust Shochiku's judgment, and I have even more faith in the discerning taste of Japanese audiences. Moreover..."

He then changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of deeper meaning: "Tomorrow is the closing ceremony of the film festival. Some things, after tomorrow, may have a different price."

The implication in these words couldn't be clearer—Wang Sheng has great confidence that "Postmen in the Mountains" will win an award at the film festival, and once it does, the copyright fee will inevitably skyrocket.

Junichi Watanabe's expression shifted repeatedly.

He did receive inside information that "Postmen in the Mountains" had a high chance of winning an award, and might even be a strong contender for the top prize.

This is why he was so eager to finalize the contract before the closing ceremony.

He originally thought that three million US dollars would be enough to sway the Chinese side, but he did not expect the other side to be so "greedy" and to have such an accurate assessment of the situation.

A long silence fell over the private room, with only the rich aroma of sake filling the air.

Junichi Watanabe was struggling intensely inside.

Fifteen million US dollars, extremely risky.

But if he actually wins the award tomorrow, given Wang's tough stance, the price will likely go up another notch, and he might even be snatched away by other competitors.

Finally, after nearly an hour of back-and-forth negotiations, Junichi Watanabe, sweat beading on his forehead, managed to speak with difficulty: "Mr. Wang, fifteen million US dollars is indeed beyond our authority."

However, to show our utmost sincerity and to avoid any unforeseen complications… we are willing to offer US$11 million for the distribution rights throughout Asia, excluding the Chinese market! This is our final offer, and the limit of what we can afford! If you still insist on US$15 million, then we regretfully have to decline.

Ten million US dollars!

Huo Jianqi and Shi Dongming were completely stunned, their minds blank, and they could only stare blankly at Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng pondered for a moment.

Although this price was four million lower than his initial asking price, it was still a groundbreaking figure, enough to cause a sensation in the country, and it was also in line with his plan to make excessive profits by taking advantage of film festivals and special occasions.

He raised his head, a faint smile finally appearing on his face, as if he had expected it all along, and picked up the sake cup in front of him: "Mr. Watanabe, I have felt Shochiku's sincerity. I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration."

"It's a pleasure to cooperate!" Junichi Watanabe breathed a long sigh of relief, as if he had just won a tough battle, and quickly raised his glass in greeting.

The crisp sound of clinking glasses echoed in the quiet Japanese-style private room, sealing a deal that would shock the film industries of both China and Japan.

(End of this chapter)