Chapter 336 The Layout of the Film Industry

Chapter 336 The Layout of the Film Industry

Chapter 336 The Layout of the Film Industry
Zou Wenhuai, who had just shown no sign of negotiation, was stunned for a moment, then turned around and asked, "Mr. Yang? Mr. Yang, the sticky note king?"

In Hong Kong, Yang Wendong has long become a representative of an entrepreneurial myth and also a top Chinese business consortium.

In reality, Yang’s main asset is no longer Post-it Notes, but the Hong Kong public still habitually calls him the Post-it Note King.

Zhang Zhiyuan saw Zou Wenhuai stop and immediately knew what was going on. He then said, "Yes, it was Mr. Yang. After he knew about your situation, he wanted to see you alone?"

"Mr. Yang is meeting me just for the movie Waifu?" Zou Wenhuai asked incredulously, "This little money from Waifu is just a drop in the bucket for him, right?"

Zhang Zhiyuan chuckled and said, "The film's foreign business is just a very small matter. Mr. Yang invited you to set up a formal film company, just like the Shaw Brothers where you work now."

"Are you really planning to enter the film industry?" Zou Wenhuai asked again.

This will be a major event that will affect the entire industry. When a large company enters any small industry, no matter whether it is professional or not, it will definitely have an impact on any company in this industry.

"Yes, but our boss's intention is not just to focus on the Hong Kong market." Zhang Zhiyuan continued, "He wants Hong Kong movies to be sold to Asia and even the world. It's just that our group has never been involved in the film industry before, so we need a professional to join, and Mr. Zou is the person that Mr. Yang is optimistic about."

Zou Wenhuai thought for a moment and said, "When will we meet?"

Zhang Zhiyuan smiled and said, "It's just these few days. I need to go back and confirm the exact time. When the time comes, I will call you to let you know."

"Okay." Zou Wenhuai nodded in agreement.

After returning home, Zou Wenhuai, who looked abnormal, was asked by his wife Yuan Xihua: "What's wrong? Is work not going well? Is it because of the movie "Calabash Brothers"? "

During this period, the movie "Calabash Brothers" has become a small news in Hong Kong, especially for wealthy families with children, who have basically taken their children to watch it.

"It's somewhat related, but it's not just that. You remember the person who came to see me before. He came again today and he also said," Zou Wenhuai said, "Stick-it King Yang Wendong wants to see me."

"Yang Wendong wants to see you?" Yuan Xihua asked in surprise, "Why does he want to see you? It's just a small movie. Even if they want to recruit you, he doesn't need to show up, right?"

Wrinkle said: "It shouldn't be. From what Zhang Sheng said, Changxing Group is preparing to enter the film industry, and its ambitions are very big. It is not just targeting Hong Kong, but the entire Asian market."

Yuan Xihua nodded and said, "That makes sense. What do you think?"

"I don't know either, so I want to go and meet him first. Mr. Yang has invited me, and it would be disrespectful if I don't go." Zou Wenhuai replied.

Yuan Xihua said: "Yes, if you don't go, you may really miss a great opportunity."

"But Mr. Shao has been very kind to me, and it doesn't seem right for me to do this." Zou Wenhuai said again.

Yuan Xihua replied: "Not bad? How is that? Did he give you shares? Or did he buy you a house and a car? The only thing he did good to you was giving you the right to manage the company.

But the reason why you do this is because you are capable. The better the company is managed, the higher the profit will be. But how much can you earn? Taking a meager fixed salary, working for the boss, and tiring yourself physically? What's the good of that?"

"Alas" Zou Wenhuai had nothing to say, his wife was right.

Shaw Brothers now has a net profit of over one million yuan a year. Last year, they made a movie called "The Legend of White Snake" with a total box office of 79 Hong Kong dollars. It can be said that Shaw Yifu made a lot of money.
Of course, with some rights, there will be some extra income, but this income is always limited. If you don't want to go to jail, you can't go too far. Although there is a lot of corruption in Hong Kong now, there are still legal provisions. If you can't control the Hong Kong police, can you control the workers? Senior workers are just bigger ants.

Therefore, although their family is not financially poor, they are far behind other senior executives of the same level.

Yuan Xihua added: "Then wait until you meet Mr. Yang, then we'll talk about it."

"Yeah," Zou Wenhuai nodded.

1963 4 Month 14 Day.

"Calabash Brothers" has been released for 12 days and the box office has exceeded 50 Hong Kong dollars.

Zhang Zhiyuan came to Yang Wendong's office, reported the data, and said, "Mr. Yang, according to the feedback from many cinemas, fewer and fewer people are watching movies. They are going to reduce the number of screenings during the day, but they will still guarantee that there will be screenings every day for a long time."

"Well, OK." Yang Wendong nodded and said, "The market is limited, so just add a few more screens, and the final box office will still be around 60, right?"

"Yes, estimated to be between HK$60 and HK$65," said Zhang Zhiyuan. "It's mainly because many single young people or couples without children won't watch it, and these people are the main group of movie consumers.

Shaw Brothers is also working on data. A common low-cost method is to offer cheap movie tickets in the late night to attract people to watch the movie. However, our movie customers are children, so showing the movie in the late night will not work.”

"Animated films do have this problem, but they also avoid competition, so it has both advantages and disadvantages," said Yang Wendong.

"Yes, we are the only ones in Hong Kong that can make animated films." Zhang Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Mr. Yang, there is about half an hour left before the time agreed with Zou Wenhuai. Here are some of his information. Please take a look."

"Well,... let me take a look." Yang Wendong took the information.

In this era, large companies also conduct background checks, but the methods are not as simple as those of Internet companies in previous generations. Before interviewing future middle and senior management of the company, they will also check the other party’s basic information in advance.

After opening the file bag, Yang Wendong saw the first page for less than half a minute and said in shock: "Is this information true? Zou Wenhuai's salary is 1500 a month?"

"Yes, it's true. I also found it incredible when I got the information." Zhang Zhiyuan explained, "Later, someone verified it and it was indeed that much. However, at the end of the year, Shao Yifu will give Zou Wenhuai a separate sum of money. I don't know how much it is. It depends on Shao Yifu's mood and the performance of the year." Yang Wendong smiled and said, "I've heard that Shao Yifu is stingy, but I didn't expect him to be so stingy."

In 1963, Hong Kong's industrialization was much better than when Yang Wendong had just traveled through time. In addition, the real estate industry had developed rapidly in recent years, and social wages had also risen. Although not as high as housing prices, they had also increased significantly.

At the official level, the average social wage has exceeded 400 yuan, and the median wage of general technical workers is around 200 yuan. It is a little lower in Kowloon and a little higher in Hong Kong Island. A clerk with some education will probably make around to yuan a month.

The middle-level managers of Changxing Group basically earn more than 1500 yuan. Zou Wenhuai, as the third-in-command of the largest film company in Hong Kong, only earns yuan a month, which is really too little. With this income, he can barely buy a house in a slightly better location in Hong Kong Island. No wonder he had to go out and start his own business a few years later.

Zhang Zhiyuan said: "Yes, it's not just Zou Wenhuai. Many people in Shaw Film Company don't have high salaries. Many of them are not as good as ordinary workers."

"Well, this will be an opportunity for us in the future." Yang Wendong smiled.

I heard that there was a similar situation in TVB in its previous life, where the stars’ income was not enough to support themselves. Even those at the level of young actresses could not afford to buy a house. This is very different from the stars in mainland China.

After 15 minutes, Zou Wenhuai arrived early, and Zhang Zhiyuan took him to the boss's office.

"Hello, Mr. Zou." Yang Wendong said with a smile.

"Mr. Yang, I've long heard of your name." Zou Wenhuai was a little flattered. A big shot like Yang Wendong was so polite to him.

Yang Wendong said again: "Sit down."

"Thank you." After Zou Wenhuai sat down, the assistant served the tea that had been prepared long ago and then left. Only three people were left at the scene.

Yang Wendong did not talk about other things and said directly: "Mr. Zou, I am planning to set up a film company and officially enter the film business, but I am indeed short of people in this field, so I would like to ask you to come and help me."

Zou Wenhuai paused and asked, "Mr. Yang, may I ask what your plan is for the future of the film company? Will you focus on making animated films? Or will you also make normal films?"

"Both." Yang Wendong replied: "Although the future Changxing Film Company is affiliated with Changxing Culture Company, its main business is its own. Changxing Culture's animated films are also drawn by itself and then handed over to the film company for broadcast. They can just focus on what they are good at in the future.

As for you, you should develop the film business with the means you are best at, and make whatever the market needs, just like Shaw Brothers."

Zou Wenhuai asked again: "What about the cinema?"

Yang Wendong said: "When Changxing Film Company is officially listed, the cinema chain under Changxing Real Estate will be allocated to you. However, there is one thing: any company under my control can only do the business I specify. They can expand within the business, but they cannot involve other businesses.

In other words, the cinema chain is under your management, but if the business development requires relocation or redevelopment in the future, it will still belong to Changxing Real Estate.”

"I understand." Zou Wenhuai nodded. Many large companies have such regulations. He then asked, "Then I will decide everything."

Yang Wendong nodded and said, "Yes, you will decide on matters related to the film major, but the finance and senior management will still be managed and monitored by the group company. In addition, I will also participate in the formulation of some development directions. This is the case for all my companies."

Zou Wenhuai asked: "Then may I ask Mr. Yang if you have any requirements for the development direction of the film?"

Yang Wendong said: "I have two points. The first is to focus on developing overseas markets. Changxing Culture needs to export animation overseas, which requires the cooperation of movies. Hong Kong's own movies also need overseas markets to recover costs or make profits. You know this better than me."

"That's true." Zou Wenhuai said, "But many theaters in Southeast Asia are also very strong in foreign markets. Hong Kong film companies can only make a small profit from this cooperation."

"Oh? Is it the same for Shaw Brothers and Cathay Pacific?" Yang Wendong asked.

In fact, he was not very familiar with Hong Kong movies of this era, and he had no great interest in studying them. Without the Internet to look up information, it was difficult for him to understand unfamiliar things.

His understanding of Hong Kong films may still be from the 80s/90s.

"Shaw Brothers and Cathay are better." Zou Wenhuai explained, "Shaw Brothers is because the Shaw family was a wealthy family in South Asia in the early days. They have many cinema properties in Southeast Asia and have some connections with other local cinema chains. So Waifu itself can make a profit, and it is more confident to sell it to others. Especially after Shaw Cinema Chain in South Asia has achieved success, cinema companies in other countries are naturally willing to buy Waifu at a high price, and the risk is low.

As for Cathay Pacific, Lu Yuntao also has deep connections in Taiwan and South Asia, so he can sell it at a good price. As for other film companies, they are lucky to be purchased abroad, and there is no room for negotiation. "

"It seems that just like my business, channels are king." Yang Wendong smiled and said, "That means it's also difficult for my movie to sell at a high price?"

Zou Wen thought for a moment and said, "If I join, I can try to negotiate with the foreign parties, but it will be difficult to get the same price as Shaw and Cathay."

"Yeah." Yang Wendong nodded and said, "This only shows that the development of Hong Kong movies is not good enough. Otherwise, if every movie can make them money, they won't be so tough."

Although in most cases, channels are king, but as long as the product is good, the opposite will happen, such as when the Apple mobile phone was first released.
"Yes, the good news is that in recent years, Hong Kong films have been performing better and better not only in Hong Kong but also overseas." Zou Wenhuai continued, "This has also made overseas theaters start to look favorably upon Hong Kong films. Generally speaking, they will definitely get better and better in the future."

Yang Wendong said: "Well, I am also optimistic about Hong Kong movies, but channels are still very important, so my second point is that when the time is right, I will also find a way to invest in overseas cinemas like Shaw Brothers, so that I can hold the core of this industry."

After all, hit movies are few and far between. Although they make a lot of money when they are profitable, they also cry and scream when they lose money.
There are countless bankrupt film companies in Hollywood, and the eight major giants have sold several of their films, but few of the dying theaters in the United States have gone bankrupt.

Furthermore, only by controlling overseas channels can we ensure that when Hollywood movies hit the world in the 90s, Hong Kong movies can still barely maintain a basic base.

PS: Please give me a monthly ticket
(End of this chapter)