Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 6 Planning in advance
Then Song Ci instructed, "Jing Jie, in the company's name, buy more copyrights for online novels and games. Later, we can find professional screenwriters to adapt them into film and television dramas. Over time, the company will have more scripts to film. Even if we don't film them ourselves, we can sell them to other film and television companies."

It was only 2004, and no film or television company was paying attention to the copyrights of these online novels and games.

Similarly, the prices of these copyrights are dirt cheap compared to the future. Many popular TV dramas in the future, such as "Love O2O" and "My Sunshine", are adapted from online novels. Tengda Culture can take this opportunity to stockpile more copyrights and IPs.

Wang Jing's eyes lit up. "Hmm, that makes sense. Mr. Song, your method can indeed solve the script resource problem. I will arrange for someone to handle this matter."

Song Ci took a sip of tea and continued, "As for directors, they are an important part of the development of a film and television company. The company must cultivate a few directors who can take charge. Huayi started by focusing on directors, didn't it?"

Wang Jing expressed her strong agreement: "That's exactly how Huayi started. Relying on Feng Xiaogang, the Wang brothers managed to develop Huayi into what it is today."

However, our Tengda Culture is no slouch either. With you as a major backer, the company's foundation is many times stronger than Huayi's was back then. Cultivating a few directors shouldn't be difficult, but to have a director of Feng Xiaogang's caliber and ability would require a stroke of luck.

"Distant water cannot quench a nearby fire. Right now, we are in dire need of directors, so we need you to inquire around and see which directors are currently unemployed and we sincerely invite them to join us."

Alternatively, I can wait until my script is finished, then take it to the director. There's always a solution. This self-produced project must be approved and started within the next two months; the production team needs time to gel and develop.

Song Ci gave a firm order: although he was not pursuing company profits in the short term, he was not doing charity work. The company had hired so many film and television production staff, and if they didn't start working, it would be like the company was supporting idle people for nothing, which was not allowed.

Feeling the heavy pressure, Wang Jing sighed, "Then I'll trouble President Song to finish the script as soon as possible. After all, having an existing script increases the chances of success when approaching a director. Everything is ready now, we're just waiting for the right opportunity."

Wang Jing contributed the most to the creation of Tengda Culture from scratch, and she was the one who most looked forward to the release of the company's first TV series.

While Song Ci and Wang Jing were engaged in a lively conversation, Liu Shishi was already lost in thought. At first, Miss Liu sat upright and listened attentively to Song Ci and Wang Jing's exchange, but after a while, she found it difficult to concentrate. She couldn't understand anything about copyright or special effects, and she was very sleepy.

Liu Shishi glanced at Wang Jing, who sat opposite her, exuding confidence and eloquence, and was deeply impressed by her elegant demeanor as a strong woman.

A moment later, he turned slightly to look at Song Ci, who was calm and eloquent. He felt that Song Ci was different from his usual gentle boy-next-door image. He appeared resolute, decisive, and sharp, and was particularly handsome.

I couldn't help but think to myself: Men who are focused on their careers are indeed the most charming. As I looked at her and thought about it, sleepiness gradually crept in, and my drowsy head uncontrollably leaned against Song Ci's shoulder.

"Currently... um... Shishi?" The sudden weight on her shoulder interrupted Song Ci's train of thought.

Supporting the soft, delicate body that was leaning almost halfway against her chest, Song Ci looked at Liu Shishi, who had a dazed expression and hazy eyes, and asked with concern, "What's wrong, Shishi? Are you feeling unwell?"

When Liu Shishi regained consciousness, she felt weak all over. She glanced at Wang Jing, who was secretly smiling, and replied to Song Ci somewhat shyly, "It's hot, and I feel a little dizzy!"

Glancing at the cabinet air conditioner in the corner, the prominent 18℃ display made Song Ci feel a little strange. "Is it hot?"

Wang Jing sat opposite Liu Shishi, clearly seeing her nodding off sleepily. She found the girl's drowsy and shy demeanor quite adorable and teased, "Shishi must be tired. Mr. Song, look how tired you've made your little sister!" "Then have some water to calm down," Song Ci said, picking up a glass of water, blowing away the almost imperceptible steam, and handing it to Liu Shishi.

Liu Shishi sat up straight, lowered her head and took a small sip, saying, "I'm fine."

"Tell me if you feel unwell," Song Ci added.

Miss Liu nodded obediently, "Mmm!"

Song Ci slapped her forehead. "Where was I?"

Wang Jing reminded her, "Film and television production."

“Yes, then I’ll continue. Currently, the core industry in the cultural and entertainment sector is still film and television production and distribution. The entire entertainment industry is developing around it. Film and television actors have a relatively high status in the industry. Once Tengda has established a foothold in the television sector, it will start to target the big screen.”

Song Ci sorted out her thoughts and continued, "However, the film market has been in a special stage of development in the past two years. In 2002, the country implemented a reform of the cinema chain system, approving the establishment of 30 provincial and inter-provincial cinema chains. However, these chains are merely cobbled together under the system reform, and resources have not been effectively unified and integrated."

Even this year, a considerable number of small and medium-sized cinemas are still being sold off at low prices, and private capital has begun to enter the cinema market. Cinemas are transitioning from a fragmented to an integrated, state-owned to a privately-owned stage.

Without control of cinemas, one will inevitably be at the mercy of others in the film industry. Only by integrating production, distribution, and cinemas can a complete industry chain be formed, giving one sufficient influence in the entertainment circle.

The poem, combined with memories of a past life, eloquently recounts the development of the domestic film market.

Wang Jing understood the meaning of Song Ci's words and was shocked by her boss's ambition. "President Song, copyright and special effects have already placed a huge burden on the company's finances. The company's operation depends entirely on you to provide financial support."

Acquiring cinema chains requires a significant amount of capital. Perhaps we should postpone this move, at least until all business units are profitable and the company's financial situation improves.

Song Ci shook his head. These past few years have been the best time to acquire cinema chains. If you miss these two years, and the major cinema chains are consolidated in the future, you will have to pay several times more to own a cinema chain.

He established Tengda Culture for two reasons: first, to lay out a grand entertainment strategy for the future; and second, to leverage the influence of celebrities in the entertainment industry to attract users for future internet products. To gain widespread influence in the entertainment industry, Tengda Culture needed to own its own cinemas.

In 2004, the total box office revenue of Chinese-language films in China barely exceeded 15 billion yuan. It is no exaggeration to say that the box office revenue of film companies such as Huayi Brothers and Bona Film Group may not be as much as Song Ci earned in the stock market. If he was just trying to make money, he would have invested in the stock market based on his memory. Why would he have bothered to establish Tengda Culture?

2008 was a watershed year for Chinese-language films. Before 08, the highest box office for a Chinese-language film had not exceeded 3 million yuan for many years.

During this period, due to the limited viewing habits of Chinese people and the size of the film market, coupled with rampant piracy, many excellent films struggled to make a profit at the box office. It was truly difficult to earn money solely through box office revenue.

(End of this chapter)