Dreams of the Fragrant River

?In another time and space, 1993 is considered to be the turning point of Hong Kong movies from prosperity to decline. ≧ Novels,

Around 1992, a large number of production companies emerged in Hong Kong, such as Liu Dehua's Tianmu, Wang Jing's Jingyi, Wang Jiawei's Zedong, Li Lianjie's Zhengdong, etc. The behind-the-scenes sponsors of these companies are all Taiwanese filmmakers.

Taiwanese filmmakers are very generous. As long as Hong Kong producers come up with a story theme and a star lineup, they can first spend millions of cash to buy the plan (commonly known as "buying the film"). Such an approach naturally brings many benefits to Hong Kong filmmakers. For example, Wong Kar-wai relied on Leslie Cheung and Lin Qingxia's all-star lineup and the "plan" to adapt Jin Yong's martial arts to deceive scholars and companies to invest tens of millions of dollars to successfully start filming "Evil in the East". When the budget runs out in the middle of the shoot, I continue to fool Taiwanese businessmen to pay.

It is because it is so easy to make money that most filmmakers in Hong Kong have an unprecedented increase in self-confidence, and they are even more determined to make a fortune before the return of 1997.

Unexpectedly, before the year of handover, Hong Kong films have already suffered their own consequences.

Around 1993, Hong Kong films followed the trend, with a single theme type, and the box office plummeted all the way, but the shooting cost continued to increase due to the skyrocketing star pay. After this vicious cycle, even if Taiwanese businessmen have abundant funds, they cannot stand the long-term disproportion between income and investment.

Taiwanese businessmen became increasingly dissatisfied with Hong Kong producers, and until "Jigong" starring Zhou Xingchi was sold to Taiwanese filmmakers at a high price of more than 30 million, Taiwanese filmmakers lost everything. This incident caused the eight major filmmakers in Taiwan to negotiate with the Hong Kong Film Industry Association on "how to curb the cost of Hong Kong films and reduce the remuneration of Hong Kong films". Negotiations broke down.

Taiwanese filmmakers then reduced their investment in Hong Kong films and joined forces to boycott Hong Kong films that exceed a certain budget. Instead, it asked the Taiwan authorities to relax restrictions on Hollywood films.

In 1995, the Taiwan authorities lifted the restrictions on Hollywood films at the request of filmmakers. As a result, Hong Kong films gradually lost the Taiwan market.

Due to the butterfly effect brought by Kang Jianfei, Hong Kong films prospered for at least two or three years ahead of schedule, and Shao Yifu also announced that he would no longer invest in films, so "Jigong" produced by Shaw Brothers will naturally not appear again.

Although there was no "Jigong" incident that triggered a collective rebound by Taiwan filmmakers, the deterioration of Hong Kong films was worse than the original time and space. Word.

Finally, "Dragon Fortune", which was released in Taiwan during the Spring Festival this year, rushed wildly.

This movie is a kung fu comedy co-produced by Taiwan's Longxiang Films with Hong Jinbao, who invested 20 million Hong Kong dollars and co-produced with Shuanglian Cinema. Longxiang Pictures only owns the distribution rights and box office revenue in Taiwan and Nanyang, and as a result, when the film was released in Taiwan. Only received more than NT$8 million at the box office, this data makes Longxiang Pictures unable to cry.

Longxiang Pictures was originally the leader among the eight major film companies in Taiwan. After the investment failed, it immediately asked its peers to discuss this. It happened that "New Meteor Butterfly Sword" invested by Changhong and "City Hero" invested by scholars also failed at the box office. In the end, the heads of the eight major filmmakers gathered in Hong Kong and asked the Taiwan-Hong Kong Film Industry Association to discuss the negotiations.

The so-called eight major filmmakers in Taiwan, namely China Film, Scholars, Times, Longxiang, Judeng, Changhong, Xiongwei, and Fugui, are all Taiwanese film investment distributors that invest and purchase the most Hong Kong films every year.

...

Hilton Hong Kong.

Eight major filmmakers from Taiwan are staying here, and the place for filmmakers from Hong Kong and Taiwan to negotiate is naturally selected in the hotel.

It's only nine in the morning. The representatives of the eight major film companies have already gathered in the conference room, and recently they are in the final pre-meeting communication. Their purpose is to force Hong Kong producers to reduce costs and pay stars. If the talks collapse, they will have to go back to Taiwan and prepare to turn the tables.

9:14. Huang Baiming, the representative of Xincheng Cinemas, came, entered the conference room and greeted the eight major filmmakers, and then sat there waiting. Subsequently. Luo Jiecheng (Yonggao Cinemas), Chen Rongmei (Shuanglian Cinemas), He Guanchang (Jiahe Cinemas), Jiang Zhiqiang (Oriental Cinemas) and others were also present. Some producers such as Xiong also attended.

(Note: The once brilliant Golden Princess Cinema has been closed. Its cinemas were acquired by Chen Rongmei, the owner of Xinbao Cinemas, and reorganized into Jinsheng Cinemas. Jinsheng and Xinbao are collectively referred to as "Shuanglian Cinemas")

The Taiwan side is headed by Yang Dengkui. He is the chairman of the Taiwan Producers Association. He is accompanied by Wang Yingxiang, Cai Songlin, Xu Anjin, Qiu Fusheng, Gong Xiangquan, Wu Dun and others.

After the two sides greeted each other and shook hands, Yang Dengkui glanced at the Hong Kong representative and asked, "Aren't Mr. Kang and Boss Zou here?"

He Guanchang said: "It is enough for me to talk."

Jiang Zhiqiang also smiled and said, "Mr. Kang has another important matter. I will fully represent the Oriental Cinema, Oriental Entertainment Distribution Company and Oriental DreamWorks."

"Cough," Yang Dengkui coughed and said, "All of you here are representatives of the Hong Kong and Taiwan film industry. First of all, I have to admit that everyone has been working together relatively happily these years. I also hope that everyone can continue to make a fortune together in the future... But, The cost of Hong Kong films is getting higher and higher, stars are getting paid more and more, and many Hong Kong films invested by Taiwan cannot be delivered as scheduled. All these have caused us Taiwanese filmmakers to suffer heavy losses. Today, I hope everyone can Sit down together and work through these issues properly."

On the Hong Kong filmmaker's side, Xiang Huaqiang first said, "How do you want to solve it?"

Wang Yingxiang, the boss of Longxiang Pictures, said: "Regulate the remuneration of stars, urge Hong Kong films to be delivered on time, and distribute Hong Kong films by commission instead."

He Guanchang narrowed his eyes and asked, "What is the method of dividing the commission?"

Cai Songlin, president of Scholar Films, explained: "Films with a box office of less than 10 million get a 20% commission, and films over 10 million get a 15% commission."

The 20% and 15% commissions are just distribution fees for Taiwanese filmmakers, not box office shares for theaters.

Jiang Zhiqiang directly vetoed: "I don't agree with this distribution method."

Wu Dun said: "Why do we switch to commission distribution? It's because Hong Kong films are now shoddy, the regular box office is less than 10 million, and the cost of purchasing films is inflated. This is very unfriendly to us Taiwanese filmmakers. It is fairer for everyone to issue it as a commission."

Jiang Zhiqiang smiled disdainfully and said, "Then, with the box office of "Jurassic Park" of more than NT$200 million, does it mean that the distribution fee will give you 30 million?"

"Uh..." Wu Dun choked and said, "Mr. Kang's film is only a special case. Apart from him, which Hong Kong film has exceeded 100 million at the box office in Taiwan?"

Jiang Zhiqiang said unreasonably: "So, there is a loophole in your commission distribution method!"

The eight major filmmakers in Taiwan looked at each other, and then whispered to each other for a while, saying, "We discussed it just now, 13% commission for films with a box office of more than 50 million yuan, and a 1% reduction in the distribution commission for every 10 million box office upwards, which is the lowest. down to 6%."

Jiang Zhiqiang made a calculation and found that this method of commission distribution was beneficial to DreamWorks. He nodded and said, "On behalf of Oriental DreamWorks, I agree to commission distribution."

Xiang Huaqiang strongly opposed: "No, you are transferring the distribution risk to the producer."

Yang Dengkui is now the boss of the Tiandao League. He is not afraid of Xiang Huaqiang, and sneered: "Why does DreamWorks agree, but you Yongsheng disagree? It's not just following the trend and making shoddy products. I'm afraid the box office in Taiwan will be less than 10 million."

Wu Dun also said nothing to Hua Qiang, "We Taiwanese film producers are not fools. We buy bad films and subsidize the distribution fee for the film. How can this business continue?"

Xiang Huaqiang sneered: "You guys will lose money? Except for the people from China Film, which of you didn't start your business by releasing Hong Kong films!"

Qiu Fusheng coughed and said, "That was in the past. Now it is no longer profitable to distribute Hong Kong films. The money is all made by your Hong Kong producers, directors and stars."

Qiu Fusheng didn't say one more thing, that is, Taiwanese theater companies also make huge profits, but the theater companies are not among the issues in today's negotiation.

The two sides have come and gone, arguing with each other, and they have been arguing for a long time, but they still can't talk. Except for DreamWorks and Golden Harvest agreeing to take a commission, the other Hong Kong representatives all refused.

In the past, Taiwanese filmmakers had to negotiate to buy films. They had to pay first to buy the Taiwan distribution rights of Hong Kong films, and then take them to Taiwan for distribution and release. This transaction method has two advantages for Hong Kong producers. One is that the funds can be recovered quickly, and the film can be paid for before the film is released in Taiwan; Anyway, the money is already in hand when the film is sold. Whether it can make a box office or not is something that Taiwan filmmakers need to worry about.

Once a commission distribution method is adopted, the Hong Kong producers will have to wait until the film’s release to return the funds, and if the box office is too bad, they will have to pay a high distribution fee. This kind of plan is a good thing for big companies like DreamWorks and Golden Harvest. Although there is a little trouble in the return of funds and issuance, it can better highlight the capital and quality advantages of large companies~www.wuxiaspot.com~ And for those who want to For companies that rely on shoddy manufacturing and blindly follow the trend to make money, it is tantamount to bad news, and their speed of making money is at least several times slower than before.

This alone makes the contradiction between the two parties irreconcilable at all.

Jiang Zhiqiang and He Guanchang, on the other hand, sat firmly on Diaoyutai, laughing and watching people from other companies and Taiwanese filmmakers quarreling with each other.

This negotiation is an opportunity for Golden Harvest and DreamWorks to give full play to their own advantages. Regardless of whether other companies agree or not, Golden Harvest and DreamWorks will definitely contact Taiwanese filmmakers privately, and there is no psychological burden to sell to their peers.

Unable to discuss the issue of commission distribution, Yang Dengkui had to raise the second issue. He threw out a form and said, "As of April 1 this year, a total of more than 250 Taiwan-funded Hong Kong films have not been delivered as scheduled. The association can urge the relevant producers and directors to complete the work with high quality and quantity as soon as possible!”

Jiang Zhiqiang smiled and said, "DreamWorks never accepts investment from Taiwan. Let's talk slowly. I'll smoke a cigarette first." (To be continued.) ur1071

...()