1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 293 Order
On the day Chen Xunqi took office, he demonstrated his vigorous and decisive style of action.

He took on all the unfinished music for "Mr. Vampire" by himself, and at the same time negotiated with major digital audio and video product stores in Hong Kong about the distribution of VCDs and optical discs. In the evening, he contacted his friends overseas to discuss the acquisition of the film copyright.

"I have talked to Ms. Xue from Hua En before. She is the exclusive agent for VCD sales in Hong Kong. The audio-visual stores only need to negotiate with them about CDs."

Zhai Yuan said to him, "You and Li Ying, just send a script to Miss Shi and the others about the movies you want to make. I will give three chances to new directors in the company. If one of the three movies can make money, they can continue to make movies."

Chen Xunqi and Li Ying are a pair of partners, one is a scholar and the other is a martial artist. The former is responsible for 80% of the music of Hong Kong films, and the latter is a martial arts instructor team that set up their own studio outside of the Big Four. It is said that they are a Wing Chun master who learned from Zhao Yun.

It’s just that both of them are mediocre in their directing skills.

There was another person who belonged to the same small circle as them, Li Xiuxian, who was also incorporated into Jiuyi Entertainment at this time.

Although Wan Neng and Yongjia are two companies, they are both under the Silver Princess. At that time, New City was powerful and took away most of the resources. In order to compete with New City, the two companies also cooperated to produce movies such as "Dragon and Phoenix Smart Stars", "Little Fox Fairy" and "Public Servant".

"Jingyi, where is that easy-to-beat idiot next to you?"

When Xu Jiaqiang entered the company, he saw Li Xiuxian and asked with a smile.

It is not new that Li Xiuxian has a Jingyi background in the Chaozhou Gang. The "silly boy" refers to his apprentice Chen Kuian. Dasha Ge has been working in Weitou since he was 14 years old. Because he is tall and big, and his moves are fierce, he was accepted as a disciple by Li Xiuxian. Not long after, he was promoted to the 426 red stick.

"Brother Qiang, Anzi is still working on the set. Ask him to come visit you later."

Li Xiuxian said with a smile, and with his righteous face, he didn't look like a Jingyi boss at all.

Then he turned to Zhai Yuan and said, "Mr. Zhai, when I was at Silver Princess, there was a movie called "Royal Dinner" that was about to start filming. I was the director and Chen Xunqi was the producer. The cost was about 150 million."

Zhai Yuan thought about the title "Royal Feast", but didn't have much impression. It seemed that it was not a famous movie.

However, a production with a budget of 150 million is not worth being pretentious, so Zhai Yuan nodded and said, "Let's shoot it. If one out of three movies makes money, I'll continue to be a director. If all of them lose money, I'll switch to being a behind-the-scenes person or an actor."

Huang Baiming and Mecca, two veteran figures of New One City, also came.

Zhai Yuan didn't have any feelings for Mecca, a genre film director and actor who lived on his past achievements and was clinging to the IPs of Best Partner and Bald Guy and refused to let go.

Huang Boming later continued to rehash the old stuff in the All's Well, Happy Events series, but at least he is still a creator willing to innovate.

"Mr. Zhai, this is Gao Zhisen, the director of Happy Ghost. Our sequel to Happy Ghost has already been filmed, but a lot of things happened in the company during this period, so we didn't have time to do the post-production. Now we have reorganized with Jiuyi Entertainment, and I don't know if it can be released as scheduled."

Huang Baiming pulled over a man with a Mediterranean hairstyle and introduced him to Zhai Yuan.

Zhai Yuan had heard of the name Gao Zhisen a long time ago. He was known as the panacea of Chinese-language films. He had collaborated with Huang Boming to produce many comedy films. When he was not working with Huang Boming, he would shoot some third-level films on his own. His apprentices Stephen Chow and Ma Weihao were also good new directors.

Zhai Yuan greeted Gao Zhisen and asked, "What's the name of the sequel to Happy Ghost?"

Huang Boming said: "Happy Ghost Summer Vacation."

This drama was originally going to compete with "Summer Lucky Stars" in the summer season, but "The Invisible Woman" came out halfway through. Jiahe was not afraid of a head-on confrontation, but New One City chose to avoid the battle, so the movie has been delayed in inventory until now.

After hearing this, Zhai Yuan said helplessly: "It's almost Christmas now. How can you go on stage? Wait until next summer."

I met quite a few people in total.

Director, screenwriter, planner, set designer, art director, editor...

Occasionally, a few familiar faces would show up, but Zhai Yuan didn't know most of these behind-the-scenes people very well.

After the new faces had met, Zhai Yuan clapped his hands and said, "The company is getting on the right track. Everyone should work harder. Although we are not yet as industrialized as Hollywood, we must be aware of this. Otherwise, when the market opens up to introduce Western films in the future, Hong Kong films will be wiped out in a matter of minutes."

Except for a few people like Shi Nansheng, Huang Baiming and Wang Jin who have some understanding of the Hollywood film system, most of the other employees think that Zhai Yuan is exaggerating and do not even know what film industrialization is.

Independent production is too common in Hong Kong, and the greatest significance of industrialization is to move away from independence, with each team having a clear division of labor in creating a film.

Zhai Yuan saw that he didn't get much response after he finished speaking, and he knew that this group of creators were still in the hotbed, and it would take time to change their ideas.

Perhaps only by letting Hollywood movies impact the market can they realize where the gap lies.

In fact, until a long period of time in later generations, there were only a few works in the mainland film industry that truly achieved industrialization, such as "Fengshen", "King Kong River" and "The Wandering Earth". When funds are sufficient, project management and distribution production are particularly important. Industrialization cannot make a movie's reputation skyrocket, but at least it can maintain a not bad bottom line, and at the same time greatly shorten the construction period.

At that time, with the way films were made in Hong Kong, one person was not only the leading actor, but also the director, producer and other titles. He had too much say and it was easy for him to become overly nervous. The previous film might be a big hit at the box office, but the next one might flop without a trace.

"In the future, this group of people in the company, including your Xu Qi, should try not to have multiple roles. The director can just come up with an idea and let people from other departments realize it."

After integrating the company and the cinema chain, Zhai Yuan had a private chat with Shi Nansheng.

Shi Nansheng sighed and said, "Everyone has become accustomed to this style of doing things. Besides, many people do more just to get double the money. Wouldn't it be bad to cut off their source of income?"

"It's always necessary to change. There are so many people in the company now, and not everyone will have a job in the future. I will give each director and their team three chances, just like the selection of sand in the waves. Those with outstanding abilities will stay and their salaries can be renegotiated. Those who are not good enough should not waste their time in this industry."

The film and television industry is bound to have good and bad people. In the past, there were cases in Jiuyi Entertainment where assistant directors and photographers would deliberately delay shooting a scene that could be completed in one day for three days in order to make more money. They would then receive three times the daily pay. Now that the company has reorganized and has a large number of staff, it is time for appropriate screening.

Shi Nansheng nodded and said he understood: "I will ask everyone to follow up with this group of new employees."

Zhai Yuan hummed, and then said: "Tomorrow, arrange a few reporters to do an exclusive interview with me in Yuen Long..."

…………

When Xue Wan'en appeared in Xiawan Village in an intellectual outfit, she attracted the attention of many villagers.

However, seeing her cold and aloof temperament, no one dared to approach her.

"Ms. Xue, I'll call Zhai Yuan to pick you up."

The female secretary beside her looked at the construction site, which was still buzzing with noise, and said to Xue Wanen with her hands covering her mouth and nose. "No need." Xue Wanen stepped on the broken bricks of the factory foundation and asked a worker who was working on the construction: "Excuse me, where is Mr. Zhai Yuan, the boss of Kuaibo?"

The worker wiped his sweat off his face and grinned, "Looking for Village Chief Zhai? Go through the dormitory building in front, he is in the factory workshop directing the work."

Xue Wanen said thank you, waved to the female secretary, and the two walked towards the workshop together.

"Zhai Yuan is now the head of Xiawan Village?"

"Yes, this matter was reported in the Yuen Long Township Newspaper, which praised him as a conscientious entrepreneur. Some villagers even planned to build a bronze statue of him and put it in the ancestral hall."

Xue Wan'en raised her eyebrows slightly, but she didn't expect that Zhai Yuan had such a reputation in Xiawan Village.

"Qvod has solved a lot of employment problems. Zhai Yuan acquired the Silver Princess Cinema Line. He doesn't want to build a big-screen theater. The reconstruction of the theater in the later stage is also a big project. Now, in addition to the villagers of Xiawan Village, the community in Hong Kong is also eagerly waiting for him to give him food."

Xue Wan'en walked along the way, listening to the female secretary introduce Zhai Yuan's current situation.

Walking through a half-built dormitory building.

Xue Wan'en saw Zhai Yuan's familiar figure at the factory gate.

"...Actually, after 91 Entertainment produced several hit movies, I started thinking about how to let more people see our works, so we came up with the Kuaibo VCD product. Of course, we also experienced many failures during this period, but as far as I am concerned, I can accept failure, but I cannot accept giving up. Compared with videotapes, our products are lighter and cheaper. I hope Kuaibo can change the existing viewing experience in the future..."

At the factory gate, Zhai Yuan was wearing work clothes, with a few traces of oil on his face, the work gloves on his hands were blackened, his jeans were worn to a shine, and he was wearing rubber shoes, looking like he had just walked off the assembly line.

Facing the camera, Zhai Yuan bared his big white teeth and showed an honest smile: "For me, making money is not the most important thing, otherwise I can price the CDs at the same level as videotapes. I just do my best to make the world a better place. Qvod's VCDs and CDs are definitely epoch-making products. Just like what was said in the book "2001: A Space Odyssey", 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic'. I believe that today, we will see the birth of magic in Yuen Long..."

After the crew finished filming the material, each member received a red envelope and happily went back to edit the program.

Zhai Yuan took off his gloves and threw them away, then waved to Xue Wanen who had already seen him, "Ms. Xue, are you here to place an order? Why didn't you notify me in advance to pick you up?"

"Mr. Zhai is very busy with official duties right now, so I dare not bother you." Xue Wan'en said with a smile and teased, "Was that the TVB crew just now?"

Zhai Yuan smiled and said, "There is also Asia Television. I paid for two months of advertising on the TV station, and they gave me an exclusive interview program as well."

Xue Wanen smiled and said, "You are a good speaker."

Zhai Yuan raised his eyebrows: "Of course, otherwise how could I help you scold that rich kid called Master Mee Mee?"

Xue Wan'en smiled, knowing that he was talking about Tao Jiajun. When they first met, Zhai Yuan showed his extraordinary talent for swearing.

"How is that Master Mee Mee doing lately?"

Zhai Yuan asked casually, then waved his hand and said, "Forget about him. How are the 300 VCDs I sent you two days ago selling?"

Xue Wan-en said, "They are selling very well. Both VCDs and CDs are cheaper than VCRs and videotapes, so I came here today to officially sign a big order."

At that time, a good VCR would cost three to four thousand yuan, and a box of videotapes would cost about a hundred yuan.

The factory price of Qvod's VCD is 2500 yuan, with a single disc costing 6 yuan, and a disc with a movie costing 12 yuan.

As for cost.

A circuit board at the core of a VCD costs three or four hundred yuan, but optical discs are now in mass production, with nearly 1GB of storage space and a cost of fifty cents per disc.

"People from Wing On and Sincerely have also come to talk to me these past two days, hoping to get first-hand sources of goods, but I have been friends with Miss Xue for several years, so I turned them all away."

Zhai Yuan smiled and said, it's not that he is self-aggrandizing, after VCD came out, only 300 units were put on the market in Huaen Department Store, and other department stores had already bought samples to study. Companies with vision saw at a glance that this would be a technological innovation in home viewing, especially those companies that had just placed large orders for VCRs from Japan, they regretted it even more.

"I promised you long ago that as long as you make the product, Hua En will help you sell it all over Hong Kong."

Xue Wanen sighed: "I want to sign an order for 2500 units this time. The factory price is still yuan, and the retail price will be controlled within yuan. Is there any discount?"

"Yes, each machine comes with two CDs."

Zhai Yuan did not show any surprise when he heard the order for 2 units, because just before Xue Wan'en came, Japanese digital companies such as Sony and Panasonic had already contacted Qvod. Sony was wealthy and directly offered million US dollars to acquire Qvod in full. Panasonic even placed an order for VCDs in an attempt to subvert the video tape industry in the Japanese market.

A VCD is just an integrated circuit board with a plastic shell, so it is actually very easy to copy.

But the required CD cannot be copied overnight.

Zhai Yuan conservatively estimates that Kuaibo will be able to reap the benefits of this business for at least one or two years.

Seeing Xue Wan'en frowning at him, Zhai Yuan said with a smile: "Well, there are more than five million people in Hong Kong. If every family buys a VCD, the sales volume will at least exceed one million, right? We all do business for a long time. Don't think that giving away two discs is a small amount. The more VCDs you sell, the more discs I give away. In the end, won't I still be the one who loses money?"

Xue Wanen took a deep breath and said, "Sign the contract."

Another order has been placed.

VCD assembly is not difficult. Now a worker can assemble more than ten VCDs a day. Kuaibo charges by the piece. Many villagers will take the parts home and continue working after get off work.

"There are still too few discs that match VCDs. What are your plans for the future?"

After signing the contract and standing at the factory door, Xue Wanen chatted with Zhai Yuan. Seeing that there was still oil on Zhai Yuan's face, she frowned and took out a handkerchief to wipe it for him.

Smelling Miss Xue's fragrance up close, Zhai Yuan was distracted for a moment. Xue Wan'en had already put away her handkerchief and looked at his face and said, "Okay, this time it's much better."

"I want to show my hard-working spirit." Zhai Yuan smiled and exhaled: "Don't worry about the CD adaptation. Jiuyi has already started to work on this. In addition to several self-made movies, we also purchase the copyrights of movies and TV series at home and abroad. In addition, Jiuyi will also start a TV series, and the CD will be sold simultaneously with the VCD after it is released..."

(End of this chapter)