Heads Up Hollywood

Tang En has a lot of work to do in China, so of course it is impossible to spend too much time chatting with women.

Since Miss Zhang recommended it and Da Tiantian was interested, there was no need for Tang En to postpone it.

Accept what should be accepted.

After confirming the relationship, Tang En was about to get up and leave.

The itinerary has been arranged long ago, and Barry Osborne and the staff have also communicated well.

In the afternoon, Tang En is going to visit China Film Group!

China Film is the only distributor of foreign films in the Mainland, and all Hollywood films must pass this test.

In addition to the 20 blockbuster films, there will be about 30 buyout films!

Compared with the sub-account film, which only has a 13% box office share, it is even worse to buy out the film.

It is entirely the Chinese side asking for the price.

Do not sell?

Then don't buy it.

Every year, China imports about 50 foreign films, and the quota is limited. If you don’t sell them, some people will!

This leads to very low prices for buying out pieces!

For example, Stallone's action blockbuster "The Expendables", which has been painstakingly created for many years, has assembled a group of the best action stars in the world today, with a large cast.

But this film is not from the Big Six in Hollywood, but from a little-known small company.

The lack of operational capacity of small companies has resulted in blockbuster films such as "The Expendables" not being able to get 20 part of the account quota. If they want to enter the mainland market, they must buy out the film.

BUYOUT PRICE...$500,000!

As a result, the domestic box office of the film was 215 million yuan, plus the related TV and Internet copyrights, the buyout side made a net profit of 35 million US dollars!

This is really bullying.

The buyout price of a blockbuster film of the level of "The Expendables" is only 500,000 US dollars. One can imagine how cheap other buyout films are.

This is the power of market monopoly.

Stallone was desperate to attract investment, and he called all his old friends to help out, so he worked hard to make "The Expendables". As a result, the monopolies use their power to plunder wealth crazily.

Tang En knew China too well. This is not a market society, but a society of personal relationships.

Establishing a friendly relationship with China Film Group will clear up many obstacles for New Universal, at least not to squeeze too much when buying cuts.

Tang En's status is too high, and he has a decisive influence in the world.

Mr. Han from China Film Group came forward to greet him in person.

No way, in a few days, Tang En will even have talks with the top leaders of China to discuss the cooperation between New Global and China from a more macro perspective.

Mr. Han definitely can't take care of him at this time.

As soon as the two parties met, Mr. Han took the lead in apologizing for Huairou's accident during the filming of "Mulan".

Tang En naturally laughed it off, and explained to him the significance of the film "Mulan" to the comprehensive cooperation between China Film and New Universal.

In addition, it also focused on the Kung Fu-themed cartoon "Kung Fu Panda" that will be released this year. This is the first major Chinese-themed movie shot by New Universal in a true sense.

"The essence of art films is the reflection and satire of social reality, while commercial films are the dissemination and display of national culture. If China wants to improve the country's international image through films, it must be more secular commercial films. Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Kung Fu are all very good. However, China's efforts alone are not enough, and New Universal is also willing to provide some help, and "Kung Fu Panda" and "Mulan" are the beginning."

Tang En visited the headquarters of China Film Group with his hands behind his back, talking casually while visiting.

The Chinese he spoke was neither Hong Kong nor Taiwanese, but very standard Mandarin, which made all the accompanying Chinese staff feel a sense of intimacy naturally.

Mr. Han said sincerely: "Mr. Walker, what you said is really good! In the past two decades, our art films have achieved amazing achievements in the world, but the art film market is too small after all. Enter In the 21st century, my biggest wish is that Chinese commercial films can go global!"

Tang En frowned and shook his head: "It's difficult. Art has no borders. No matter the subject matter, genre, language, or style of art films around the world, these external conditions will not restrict the spread of films. A good film is a good film, as long as Domestic art films are of high enough artistic value, and they will surely go global. But commercial films are different. The national culture and national values ​​embodied in commercial films will strictly limit national boundaries. Even France, Britain, India, Japan and other film countries are very It is difficult to make a commercial blockbuster that sells well all over the world."

Luc Besson's Europa film company is in France, and his films can also sell well all over the world.

But is he making a French film?

Obviously not, he used English and Hollywood techniques to make a Hollywood movie in France, and he was cast aside by the French film industry.

Just like Ann Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", it is indeed a classic.

But it is an oriental martial arts Kung Fu movie made in Hollywood style.

In essence, this is also a Hollywood movie.

This can further explain the greatness of "Hero".

Although the form of the film is westernized, all the film techniques, colors, mirroring, scheduling and value concepts are clearly oriental.

This is the only non-Hollywood commercial blockbuster with strong national characteristics that has sold well all over the world in the past few decades!

It is far from comparable to the Hong Kong films that dominated Southeast Asia at its peak.

Hollywood respects Lao Mouzi so much that Variety even included Lao Mouzi's name when listing the 20 greatest contemporary directors, and praised him as the best Asian director after Akira Kurosawa.

He has a solid record card.

Mr. Han smiled, and glanced at Tang En intentionally or unintentionally, a little confused about him.

Some words are enough to say, do you still take it seriously?

"Ahem, "Mulan" has already been filmed, and I can't wait for the next collaboration." Mr. Han led Tang En into an office with many staff members to visit the digital cinema film master that China Film is developing independently crafting system.

"The next cooperation?" Tang En frowned, hesitating for a moment, "The cooperation in movies should be delayed rather than rushed. However, there is a chance for cooperation in TV dramas."

"Huh? TV series?"

Mr. Han froze for a moment.

This is a Chinese film company that does not make TV dramas.

Moreover, compared with the barriers of movies, the cultural differences of TV dramas are even greater.

"Capital People in New York" is very popular in China, but no one watches it in the United States. The hit "Band of Brothers" in the United States also suffered from poor ratings after it aired on CCTV.

Sino-US co-production TV series?

This can't!

Tang En glanced at him and said with a smile: "It's true, do you know Starz? We plan to make a TV series related to Chinese Kung Fu, um... It's a big investment, the budget for the first season should be 30 million to 50 million US dollars between."

Starz station?

of course I know!

Mr. Han is very interested in this, "A TV series related to Chinese Kung Fu? Can you tell me in detail?"

Tang En said: "At the end of the Qing Dynasty, a group of Chinese couldn't survive in the country, so they went to San Francisco by boat to pan for gold. At that time, the United States... was very bullying. Not only blacks and Indians, but also Spaniards, French, Mexicans, The Portuguese, they have all been severely suppressed and survived in death and struggle. Other ethnic groups have compromised, only the Chinese are rising up and resisting, forming a rope and establishing their own Chinatown. This force is getting more and more amazing , so powerful that it has shaken the dominance of the Americans, and even introduced the "Chinese Exclusion Act" to restrict them."

Mr. Han was a little dumbfounded.

The accompanying staff around him also opened their eyes wide, as if they heard a story that made their blood boil.

There are many Chinese in the United States, and they all know that there are the most Chinatowns in the world.

But they did not expect that the struggle history of the Chinese in the United States would be so magnificent!

Chinese should be self-improvement!

Really excited!

Mr. Han expressed his disbelief, "Tang En, you really want to make a TV series like this? This... I'm sorry, I don't know much about the environment in the United States. Will such a TV series have ratings in the United States?"

The Chinese are united to fight against suffering, but the Americans are negative characters.

Can American audiences accept it?

Tang En laughed and said: "Of course ordinary TV stations can't, but Starz can. The purpose of Starz is to broadcast high-quality American dramas, ignoring the ratings. Of course, the subscription fee of Starz is relatively high. Users who are usually able to subscribe to Starz , personal qualities and acceptance are relatively strong.”

Starz doesn't win by ratings. There are a total of 35 million American users, and even the single-season viewership of American dramas of the level of "The Walking Dead" is about 10 million, and the first season of "Warcraft" is only 4.5 million.

For other ordinary TV dramas, if the ratings reach 1 million, it is considered very good.

There are 100 million households in the United States, and 35 million people subscribe to the STA TV network, all of whom are rich.

Rich people who have nothing to do always stay at home and watch TV?

Outside of prime time, not many people tune in to Starz.

Ratings really don't matter!

What matters is audience word of mouth and media evaluation.

The word of mouth is good, the reputation is big.

With a great reputation, there will be a way out for the next DVD sales and overseas copyright sales. This is the profit model of Starz.

From his own point of view, it is hard for Mr. Han to imagine that New Universal will make an anti-American TV series with a Chinese perspective.

This is the same as filming a TV series that invades China from the perspective of Japan. Isn't this courting death?

No matter how beautiful the photo is, it will be sprayed like a dog!

But looking at it like this, Tang En didn't look like he was joking.

He's coming for real!

"I know that Starz TV station, the blockbuster TV series launched by this station...is no less influential than Hollywood blockbusters." Mr. Han took a deep breath.

Tang En said confidently: "If this TV series can invite a martial arts star like Jeter Lee to be the leading actor, the international influence will not be lower than that of "Mulan"."

Mr. Han pondered for a moment and said, "China Film does not shoot TV dramas, but I can contact CCTV for you, if you need..."

"CCTV?" Tang En suddenly smiled, "Coincidentally, tomorrow morning, my itinerary is to go to CCTV."

Mr. Han laughed loudly and said, "Then I'll join in the fun!"

The most important thing for China at present is to develop its economy and improve its international image. He doesn't want to miss the opportunity to cooperate with Hollywood.

The TV series on Starz are similar to the movies, right?