I really didn't intend to make a living based on my looks.

Chapter 85 Studio Venue and Team Building

Yanjing, No. 77, North Third Ring Road.

"This is it?" Yang Zi asked with a look of disgust.

"Don't let this dilapidated appearance fool you," Zhang Yisan followed from behind. "This is the old site of the Beijing Film Studio. Do you know what the Beijing Film Studio represents? It's half a textbook of the history of Chinese cinema. 'The Lin Family Shop,' 'Rickshaw Boy,' and 'The Last Emperor' all originated from here. If it weren't for my connections, you wouldn't even be able to get your hands on this place."

Jiang Chen looked up.

Above the rusty iron gate, the faded characters "Yanjing Film Studio" are still barely legible.

The festive slogans above the door have long lost their luster; large patches of brown paint have peeled off, revealing dark red rust underneath.

Zhang Yisan led the way, and the three of them passed through the factory and arrived in front of three buildings.

The main building is in the center, with the east and west buildings arranged at right angles on either side.

The three buildings are arranged to form a giant "八一" (81) shape.

These are traces left by the PLA Surveying and Mapping Academy in the 1950s.

The red brick windows, with their simple lines, exude a sense of solemnity and simplicity unique to that era.

"Just these three buildings," Zhang Yisan said, pointing to them with a hint of pride. "They were included in the 'BJ City Outstanding Modern and Contemporary Buildings Protection List' in 2007, and in principle, they cannot be demolished. Now the entire factory has moved to the Huairou Film and Television Base, and only these three buildings remain. They are in high demand."

Jiang Chen nodded.

He knew this history.

The Beijing Film Studio was founded in 1949. Its earliest location was in Xinjiekou. It moved three times before finally settling on the North Third Ring Road in 1971.

This place was once one of the three major film bases in China, and during its heyday, film crews would shoot movies in the studio every day.

However, with the development of the film industry, the old studios and supporting facilities have long been outdated and China Film Group began planning to relocate several years ago.

Around 2010, the production and management operations of Beijing Film Studio were gradually moved to the China Film Digital Base in Huairou, leaving this prime location vacant.

"The announcements have already been issued," Zhang Yisan said in a low voice. "This place will be demolished sooner or later, and only these three buildings can be saved. But before the demolition, rent them out as long as you can, the rent is very cheap."

"Cheap?" Yang Zi curled her lip. "Shorty, this place is way too old!"

"What do you know?" Zhang Yisan glared at her. "It's a bit old, but the location is great! It's on the North Third Ring Road, a prime location! It's a ten-minute walk to Mudanyuan Station on Metro Line 10, and Zhichunlu Station on Line 13 isn't far either. There's the Jimenqiao East Bus Stop right outside, with buses like the 300 Express Outer Ring, 671, and 425, making it convenient to go anywhere. Our Film Academy is right next door, and Beitaipingzhuang is just a short walk away, with plenty of places to eat and shop."

"Moreover, this place has an aura. How many great directors and actors have worked here? When my brother Chen sits here, he gets more inspiration."

They went up to the third floor, to an office on the east side.

Zhang Yisan took out his key and pushed the door open with a click.

The room wasn't large, about 60 square meters, but it had a high ceiling, and the old-fashioned ceiling fans were still there.

Two south-facing windows let in plenty of sunlight, offering views of the factory area and the bustling street scene on the North Third Ring Road in the distance.

"This room used to be an office," Zhang Yisan patted the wall. "The rent is five thousand a month, one month's deposit and three months' rent in advance, utilities are extra. Where else can you find this price in this area?"

Jiang Chen walked to the window and pushed open the old-fashioned steel window.

"What about next door?"

"The east wing has been rented out to several small companies, doing post-production work, artist management, all sorts of things. The west wing is even more lively, with several film and television training schools, and a bunch of students come to class every day, it's very noisy."

"Brother Chen, do we need to check out any other places?"

"That's fine!"

Jiang Chen seemed quite satisfied with what he saw.

It's just a temporary place anyway, as long as it's close to his school.

Moreover, this place is a hub of connections, with many former employees, directors, and producers from the Beijing Film Studio frequently gathering here, making it convenient for agents to expand their networks.

Once the studio is on track, we'll look for a suitable office building later.

This place wasn't easy to rent; it was only thanks to Zhang Yisan's father's connections that it became available.

Zhang Yisan's father used to be a drama actor in the Air Force Political Department Art Troupe. He had a wide network of connections in the industry and later became his agent.

He also called Han Hong "aunt," even though they weren't related. It was just that his father and Han Hong had a very good relationship in the army and addressed each other as brother and sister.

This is the intricate web of relationships within the entertainment industry.

In the afternoon, Jiang Chen called Li Yitong and Li Xian over as well, and the group tidied up the office together, wiping the windows, mopping the floor, and arranging the tables and chairs.

Anyway, there wasn't much work, and it only took half an hour to finish.

They also sent two boys to Zhongguancun to buy a computer, a printer, and two potted green plants.

The office has been completely renovated and now has a certain charm.

The next day, Xu Yiruo arrived, and her first words to Li Yitong were, "This girl is wasted as an assistant!"

The three held their first meeting in the office, mainly because Jiang Chen needed to quickly assemble his own team.

Xu Yiruo: "I'll take on the role of agent for now, but as things get busier, we'll need to hire an executive agent to handle things like running around to film sets, negotiating contracts, and managing daily affairs."

"Publicity is a battlefield on Weibo, forums, and portal websites. We need a publicity director to lead one or two specialists to be responsible for public opinion monitoring, press releases, and fan management."

"Business opportunities, such as endorsements, commercial performances, and variety show invitations, require dedicated personnel to handle them."

"And then there's styling and photography. With more activities, you can't just wear whatever you want anymore. Legal and financial matters, contract review, and tax planning can be outsourced, but you'll need someone to coordinate with you."

"The initial staff will consist of six to eight people, and we can expand as needed. But we'll use trustworthy people for core positions, and gradually recruit for peripheral roles."

"It's best to find relatives for jobs like drivers and personal assistants."

This is actually an unspoken rule of survival in the entertainment industry.

To be honest, most of my relatives haven't received any professional training, their ability to handle things is just so-so, and sometimes they even cause trouble.

But for artists, loyalty is always more important than professionalism.

Being an entertainer is too risky —

Rivals digging up dirt on people, sasaeng fans causing trouble, and staff being bribed to turn against them—these things happen every day.

If someone close to you has a problem, their privacy will be exposed, their public image will collapse, and their career will crumble in an instant.

When family members share the same interests, they are more reliable than outsiders, and the risk of internal sabotage can be minimized.

However, there are always trade-offs in everything.

Since you choose to open your own studio and work independently, without being bound by a brokerage company or having your share of the profits taken, you naturally won't enjoy the company's readily available high-quality resources, professional team, and public relations support.

You choose your own path, and you have to bear the consequences yourself.

"Okay, Sister Yan, then I'll need you to take care of things from now on!"

"Don't worry, I will do my best!"

>