A writer has arrived in the Chinese entertainment industry.

Is it difficult? You have to do many things to know how difficult they are.

"What if... I mean, what if we signed a unified contract with the rental company ourselves? Instead of going through CTV, you and your finance department compared prices from three parties and conducted a public bidding process. All equipment was clearly priced and written into the contract."

"I told you, it's the leaders who want to make money, and doing so will offend people."

"In this world, how can you do anything without offending anyone?"

Chen Si remained silent. In her view, doing such a thing would do more harm than good, offering no benefit to the company whatsoever. Given the prevailing trends of the times, the power of an individual or a single company was negligible. When the higher-ups got fed up, they would naturally step in to rectify the situation; why bother with such a thankless and arduous task?

As she pondered this, she suddenly chuckled. "You really know how to give me a hard time."

"Sister Chen, let's take it one step at a time. First, let's professionalize the production team. Everyone should have their own responsibilities, no one should wander off, and all authority and duties should be clearly defined. Is that alright?"

Su Liu spread his hands, his tone seemingly casual yet exuding confidence, "I'm the director, you're the producer, we'll write the script ourselves, and we'll be in control of the project. If we can't even do this, then we shouldn't make it at all, and the company should just dissolve."

Idealists are truly a perfect blend of naivety and charm. Chen Sixin thought to herself, this young man, who was usually nonchalant and seemed indifferent to everything, suddenly possessed a kind of backbone that said, "If you don't follow my rules, I'll smash the chessboard."

Then she heard the other person say, "Anyway, the royalties from writing and traveling are enough for me to live a carefree life for the rest of my days!"

"Pfft! Is that so, Mr. Su?"

"That's right, so we don't need to be so tense about many things. Just do what you want to do, and let's get started."

-

Since Fusu Films announced its casting call, various casting companies in Shanghai have sprung into action, all vying for the contract.

The first company to approach us was Gaoge Film & Television. This team has a mature actor selection and coordination system, focuses on urban comedies and youth dramas, and has a solid network in the Shanghai film and television industry. The currently airing "iPartment 4" was cast under the leadership of this company.

Its competitors include Yaoke Media and the recently established Guanda Film & Television. The former offers both artist management and casting services, while the latter excels at discovering new talent.

Chen Si met with the heads of several teams, but hesitated to make a decision.

This casting process deliberately bypassed CTV (China Television System) because we wanted to find a casting team that we could work with long-term, or even integrate into the company's system, rather than just finding an ordinary partner.

Meanwhile, Su Liu was dragged by An Wenxiu to a dinner party, accompanied by Li Fei, the president of Shanghai Film Investment Company.

This is Match Factory Bay, one of the eighteen bends of the Suzhou Creek, located at the corner of Gubei Road Bridge, adjacent to Changfeng Park. Surrounded by the Suzhou Creek waterfront promenade, it is far from the hustle and bustle of the main road, naturally forming a private barrier.

Changfeng No. 1 is a private club converted from the old Shanghai Match Factory. Since it opened in 2011, it has maintained an extremely low profile, never advertising to the outside world, and its clientele mainly consists of referrals from regular customers and endorsements from its social circle. It does not accept walk-in guests at all.

Su Liu and the others were in a VIP private room on the second floor of the club. In this environment, they couldn't help but speak in hushed tones.

"I've learned something new," Su Liu said. "Each private room has its own connecting corridor. Isn't that incredibly private? Is it really necessary for just discussing investment?"

An Wenxiu chuckled softly, "People just like places like this. Sister Li must have come here quite a few times before, right?"

"I've come here a few times with Chairman Ren and the others."

As they were talking, the door to the private room opened with a soft creaking of hinges. A young man in a dark blue executive jacket, with short hair and a briefcase in his hand, stepped in first, making way for them.

Following closely behind him were two middle-aged men. The one in front was slightly overweight, with thin-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. Although he was wearing an ordinary suit, his calm and composed demeanor, honed from years of working within the system, was palpable.

The one who came in later was thinner, with slightly graying temples, and wore black-rimmed glasses. He looked like someone who worked in the education industry.

An Wenxiu, Li Fei, and Su Liu immediately stood up, their faces displaying professional smiles.

"Hello, Chairman Li."

Chairman Li smiled kindly. "President An, President Li, and our great writer Su, please sit down. Don't stand."

He sat down at the head of the table, and then remembered to introduce the middle-aged man beside him, "This is Mr. Hou from Noon Sunshine. You should all have heard of him."

Unexpectedly, this refined gentleman is Hou Hongliang, whose Noon Sunshine-produced drama "Parents' Love" premiered on CCTV earlier this month. Although the ratings were mediocre, its long-tail effect is extremely powerful, making it the most frequently rebroadcast drama on CCTV over the next decade.

Su Liu and the others naturally showered him with praise, saying things like they had long admired his name.

"President Hou happened to be at my place today, so he came along. We're all in the same industry, so we can exchange ideas more often when we have time."

"I've been wanting to meet Mr. Su, this young and talented man, for a long time," Hou Hongliang said with a smile. "I also went to see 'Knives Out,' and the script is really well written."

Su Liu naturally kept saying "You flatter me, you flatter me, I don't deserve it," and also took the opportunity to praise the TV series produced by Daylight Entertainment.

Li Fei then interjected, "What a coincidence that President Hou is at Chairman Li's place today?"

"This..." Hou Hongliang looked slightly embarrassed and said half-jokingly, "I came to ask Chairman Li's Chinese Culture for a small favor."

China Media Capital (CMC) focuses on financial investment and strategic empowerment. This year, it has begun to heavily invest in film, games, and intellectual property (IP). Its chairman, Li Ruigang, is the former president of Shanghai Media Group and has deep connections with the publicity, broadcasting, and cultural tourism sectors. Earlier this year, it invested in Yuehua Entertainment...

Most importantly, they typically hold only 15%-30% of the shares, without controlling or seizing power, and they also possess the top-tier institutional resources in Shanghai. This is exactly what An Wenxiu meant by the perfect candidate.

"Mr. Hou, this is no small favor," Li Ruigang said with a smile. "If an investment of fifty million is considered a small favor, then nothing in this world is a big deal."

Hou Hongliang shook his head with a wry smile, his expression slightly tense. After filming "All Quiet in Peking," "Battle of Changsha," and "Our Parents' Love" last year, Daylight Entertainment decided to increase its investment and pursue a truly high-quality production strategy.

However, to produce a high-quality product, funding is a major issue. The mediocre ratings of "Our Parents' Love" upon its premiere further complicated the process of attracting investment.

Chinese Culture focuses on financial investment and naturally values ​​the rate of return, so Hou Hongliang visited several times but was unable to finalize the deal.

At this moment, An Wenxiu added, "If President Hou needs investment, our Fusu Culture can certainly help."