Chapter 591 The Whale Swallowing Plan
Many years later, Zhang Yiming said with a smile in an interview: "When I first met Li Chen and Liu Yifei, I had a strong feeling that he (Li Chen) was my angel investor. But I couldn't Unexpectedly, it was her! Not him."
After meeting Zhang Yiming and coming out of the Han-Tang Fund, Li Chen and Liu Yifei got in the car and left.
Li Chen looked at Miss Liu beside him with an inquiring look and a smile.
Miss Liu smoothed her long hair, took Li Chen's arm and smiled: "Why are you looking at me like that? Don't you know me?"
"It's not that I don't know him, I'm just curious."
"What are you curious about?"
"Aren't you afraid that the 5 million will be wasted?" Li Chen's eyes were burning, although he knew that the investment income was absolutely a miracle.
But Miss Liu surrendered so easily, which was very unlike her style.
Unexpectedly, Liu Yifei didn't even think about it and shook her head gently: "Don't be afraid, I believe in your vision!"
Li Chen was even funnier: "Do you believe my vision? No, the Youku I invested in is still losing money! I have almost become a laughing stock in the industry."
"But the money Youku loses is just a drop in the bucket compared to the profit Youku will bring you when it goes public. I'm not blind!"
"Besides, from the time I met you until now, I have never seen you make a loss-making business. Even if Brother Hua's "Buried Alive" lost the box office, you have earned the copyright back long ago."
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Li Chen leaned into Miss Liu's ear and smiled: "Who said I have never made a loss-making business? By marrying you, I lost everything, even myself."
Miss Liu's face turned red, and she felt proud and sweet in her heart. She glanced at Li Chen with her beautiful eyes: "What, you want to quit? It's too late!"
Li Chen laughed loudly, and Miss Liu spoke eloquently, with a cute look that said, "I'm not stupid."
"So, I voted for Zhang Yiming entirely because of you."
"Because I know that the only person who can make you willing to spend money, apart from me, is probably the only person who can make money for you."
Li Chen said this last sentence with great emotion.
Miss Liu is like a roundworm in her stomach, and she knows her character and thoughts thoroughly.
"It's really unfortunate that our family has a fairy wife!" Li Chen shook his head with a sad expression.
"What did you say!" Miss Liu grabbed Li Chen's collar and laughed fiercely.
"I said, having a fairy wife at home is a blessing for three lifetimes, even a blessing"
"That's pretty much it." After saying that, Miss Liu let go of Li Chen's collar and couldn't help but laugh.
Zhang Yiming was satisfied with receiving 5 million from the angel round. Li Chen also promised on behalf of Ms. Liu that he would decide whether to invest additional money based on the company's operational development.
The day after "Thirteen Girls" was released, news of the Golden Globe nomination spread back to China.
Compared with the enthusiastic reports from major media, both the crew of Lao Mouzi's "Thirteen Hairpins" and Lao Mouzi himself appear to be extremely low-key under Li Chen's instructions.
After all, Chen Kaige won the Golden Globe Award for "Farewell My Concubine" but also failed at the Oscars.
"Thirteen Girls" was only nominated, and it was still one step away from winning the Golden Globe.
There is no need to make it look like winning an Oscar.
Shu Chang came to Li Chen's villa early in the morning and waited for a long time before seeing the two of them return.
"We promised to wait for me at home, but instead we went to have sex with my brother!" Shu Chang muttered as he saw the two of them coming in, and immediately stood up from the sofa.
"Okay, okay, it's my fault. I didn't have sex with him. I suffered a heavy loss today! Just pity me and don't be angry with me? The worst I can do is watch "Thirteen Hairpins" today and I won't accompany you anymore. Watch Brother Xun’s "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate"! ”
Shu Chang pinched Liu Yifei's face with his teeth and claws: "Oh my, who is accompanying whom? I have watched both "Thirteen Hairpins" and "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate"!"
Liu Yifei was exposed by her best friend, and her pretty face didn't even turn red.
When Li Chen heard Shu Chang complaining about his wife, he couldn't help lowering his head and laughing: "Well, I'll go upstairs first, and call me after you finish reading."
"Brother, just ignore Sissi, she always bullies me!"
Li Chen said as he went upstairs: "You have to ask the Queen Mother to take care of her, I can't take care of her!"
"Besides, she is my wife. If I didn't help her bully you, even if I didn't treat you with all my kindness!"
Liu Yifei laughed happily and gave Li Chen a wink.
Shu Chang pretended to be angry and wanted to leave: "I'm angry, I won't go, I'm going home!"
"Okay, okay, don't be angry. Let's go quickly. My daughter is probably impatient. After the movie, I'll treat you two to a big dinner and let him pay the bill! Is the head office ready now?"
Shu Chang suddenly changed his smile: "That's pretty much it."
The two got into the car. Shu Chang sat in the passenger seat and fastened his seat belt before he remembered Liu Yifei's words just now: "Why did you say there were heavy losses just now?"
Liu Yifei smiled while driving: "Li Chen and I went to meet a stranger this morning and spent 5 million."
Liu Yifei said it easily, 5 million seemed to be the same as 500 yuan, and Shu Chang's mouth twitched when he heard it.
"Tsk, tsk, ordinary people dream of winning 5 million in the lottery. It's better for you to spend 5 million when you meet a stranger. It seems that this stranger has won the lottery."
Shu Chang didn't continue to ask what was going on. The media reported that her best friend's annual income was 120 million, but she knew that 120 million was just floating on the water.
The shares of Rongchen Pictures held by my best friend alone are probably more than enough for my best friend to meet hundreds of strangers.
The factory of Zhizhen Painting Art has been completed, and it is just waiting to pick an auspicious day to hold the opening ceremony.
Wu Bin picked and chose January 15th, and Li Chen made the decision immediately.
Li Chen called Han Sanping, Wang Changtian and other partners and friends.
Everyone is invited to attend the opening ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Dream Factory on January 15th.
Han Sanping was also very excited when he received the call: "Okay! Okay! Bureau Tong and I will be there then."
Li Chen was quite surprised when he heard Han Sanping's excited tone: "What's wrong with you? Director Han?"
Han Sanping sighed: "Forget it, the agreement signed when we entered the O has expired last week. The Americans are now very dissatisfied. They have complained to us at the WTO, demanding fair treatment and an increase in the number of quotas and account sharing ratio!"
Li Chen was shocked and suddenly realized how he had forgotten this.
In fact, it started last year when the domestic box office exceeded 10 billion.
China and the United States have been negotiating on further opening up the imported film market.
20 imported blockbusters have long been unable to satisfy the appetite of the United States.
No wonder Richard from Warner and Robert from Disney called him that day and asked if he needed investment for his ultimate painting skills.
It joined the WTO in December 2001, and it has been 10 years now.
"Let's not mention it anymore. You still have vision. I'm afraid this news can't be suppressed. Your dream factory of ultimate painting and art was just a piece of cake in the eyes of many people at the beginning. I'm afraid that once this news is released, it will become popular.饽.”
When Han Sanping said this, Li Chen knew that the trend was inevitable.
The spring of Hollywood blockbusters is coming, with 20 movies turning into 34 movies, and the share ratio increasing from 13% to 25%.
This means that starting next year, at least three Hollywood blockbusters will compete head-to-head with domestic films every month.
Even Li Chen himself felt a little pressure.
Ten years ago, the Baodao Film Market was fully opened to American films. As a result, Baodao's local films were once facing extinction.
At that time, no local movie in Baodao had a box office of more than NT$1 million, which was about NT$200,000.
Hollywood movies account for about 98% of the market.
Early the next morning, Yang Siwei was waiting at the company early. As soon as Li Chen arrived, the video conference between Time Warner and Rongchen Pictures began immediately.
There are three people in Rongchen Pictures, Li Chen, Yang Siwei and Wu Bin.
There are only four people at Time Warner, Time Warner President Parsons and three vice presidents including Richard.
"Li, long time no see, my friend (English)." Parsons smiled.
Li Chen also smiled and said: "Parsons, this is not the first time we have met, so there is no need to be polite. Seeing that you look good, you must have heard that China and the United States are negotiating an import film agreement."
Yang Siwei was shocked: "The boss said this. It seems that this matter is true. Now domestic films are in big trouble."
It's normal for Yang Siwei to think this way. Even the films produced by his own Rongchen Pictures have no advantage over these imported blockbusters.
If it weren't for the company's long-standing reputation and the boss's brand name and connections, the company's films would probably be difficult to compete with imported blockbusters except for the boss and director Zhang's films.
Parsons secretly complained that Li Chen was really shrewd. He released this news right away, obviously hoping to gain a psychological advantage.
Parsons smiled and said: "Yes, this is a good thing for both you and me. In my opinion, the prosperity of the Chinese film market cannot be separated from Hollywood. Of course, Hollywood also needs the Chinese market."
Li Chen laughed and said: "Of course it is a good thing, but for you six major universities, you don't have to say whether it is a good thing or a bad thing."
"Li, what do you mean?"
Li Chen narrowed his eyes slightly: "Parsons, although the door will open sooner or later, it is up to us to decide who we let in."
Richard, the vice president next to Parsons, knew that Li Chen was right and thought to himself: "I'm afraid this is what the Chinese mean when they say people are under the roof."
Parsons nodded and changed the topic: "Li, we are friends. I only know that friends should help each other."
""Thirteen Girls" was nominated for the Golden Globe Award, and we at Warner Bros. have done our best."
Li Chen smiled and waved his hand to interrupt Parsons' request for credit: "Parsons, don't mention the Golden Globe Award. My condition at that time was to at least be nominated for an Oscar."
"Golden Globe Award? To be honest, I didn't take it seriously at all."
"Let's open up the sky and make it clear. Whether "Thirteen Girls" can be nominated for an Oscar, and whether it can win an award if it is nominated will all affect our future cooperation."
"Friends should help each other, and I will try my best to help you, Warner, gain an advantage in the competition to introduce the six major imported films into our country."
"I also hope that you, Warner, can help "Thirteen Hairpins" gain a foothold in North America and even the world, both in terms of reputation and box office."
Several foreigners were talked about by Li Chen's words that were half threats and half inducements.
Li Chen estimated that Parsons still wore pocket headphones in his ears, and there might be a think tank analyzing the pros and cons behind him.
After about a minute or two, Parsons said: "Li, we will try our best to help "Thirteen Hairpins" realize its Oscar dream, but we don't make any promises."
Li Chen smiled and said: "It's good to do your best, and the same is true for us at Rongchen Pictures."
Thought today's video call would end here, Parsons felt a little dissatisfied.
In today's conversation, Li Chen was obviously using the imported film cooperation as a bargaining chip to force himself to give his attitude.
I didn't want to talk to this Chinese man for a second longer.
Unexpectedly, the Chinese opposite said again: "Parsons, don't worry, I haven't finished speaking yet."
Parsons smiled patiently and said: "Li, I have already stated my position, do you have anything else to say?"
Li Chen smiled and said: "What? Parsons doesn't want to see me as a partner so much."
Parsons spread his hands and said with a smile: "How could it be? It's just after get off work time, and we Americans have a very good sense of time."
Li Chen laughed loudly: "Okay, then we won't talk about work, we will just chat as friends."
Li Chen winked at Yang Siwei and Wu Bin.
The two stood up and left the conference room.
Yang Siwei smiled and said: "Director Wu, what do you think the boss will talk to Parsons about?"
Wu Bin shook his head and said: "I don't know, but I know that Director Li will definitely not gossip with him."
In the conference room, Parsons didn't know what Li Chen was playing.
Just seeing him retreating, he also asked Richard and others to go out suspiciously.
"Li, what exactly do you want to talk to me about?"
"Pan Sens, your Time Warner is a media company. Of course we are talking about media-related things."
"You want to talk to me about the media?" Parsons was even more confused and thought to himself: "You are a Chinese whose main business is in the film and television industry, but you want to talk about the media with me, the head of one of the three major media giants in the United States? ”
Li Chen didn't care what Parsons was thinking, he just thought to himself: "Parsons, do you think the trend of the media industry in the future will be dominated by traditional media or will it be replaced by emerging media such as self-media?"
The expression on Parsons' face gradually became serious, as if Li Chen had attracted him with just one sentence.
Just listen to Li Chen continue: "I think that within ten years, print media will die, and self-media will definitely be king."
"Whether Time Warner can change the situation in which the three major media stand on a tripod may only take one or two years."
"If you speak more clearly, maybe it's on you, Parsons."
"And I am the one who can help your Time Warner become the top streaming media in the world."
Parsons intuitively realized that the Chinese in front of him must be crazy.
Otherwise, why would you say such a thing? You, a layman, want to teach me how a global media tycoon does things.
Parsons smiled calmly: "Li, I admit that what you said makes sense. Maybe you only made this statement after seeing Time Warner's last quarter financial report."
"However, you overestimate yourself. In the media industry, we at Time Warner are the ones with the right to speak."
"We will do our best on the matter of "Thirteen Hairpins", so let's end our conversation here."
Li Chen smiled: "Okay, Parsons, I wish you good luck."
Parsons smiled, but felt that today's conversation was too fantastic, and he didn't take it to heart at all.
But a few months later, Li Chen made a move that made him dumbfounded.
In a mansion in a wealthy area in west Los Angeles.
The Stanford student who just founded Picaboo software this summer, the predecessor of "burn after reading", is looking through the mail in his mailbox.
Since the launch of "Burn After Reading" in September this year, Spiegel has received numerous appointments from management, including Facebook's Zuckerberg, who also sent him an email.
Spiegel clicked on the email sent by a Chinese film company out of curiosity.
I saw it read: "Spiegel, can we get to know each other, Rongchen Films Li Chen."
Spiegel smiled. Movie makers also want to know themselves?
Spiegel quickly typed on the keyboard and replied: "I would be happy to meet with you... provided you come to Los Angeles or Stanford to meet me."
Li Chen also smiled when he received this email, secretly thinking that he was really arrogant, just like the post-90s billionaire in his previous life who rejected multi-billion dollar acquisition offers from Facebook, Tencent and Google.
"No problem, I look forward to meeting you."
Wang, the boss in the north, and Jack Ma in the south both received calls from Li Chen to meet in the capital.
The two thought they were celebrating Gu Yongkeng's success, but after meeting, Li Chen's words suddenly changed their faces.
(End of chapter)