National Tide 1980

The little tricks that Suoh Suoh made behind the scenes really caught Mist Studio off guard.

Neither Ning Weimin nor Matsumoto Keiko had expected that the crew, which had already suffered a serious reduction in staff, would face even greater changes.

The actors who should be added have not been added yet, and the issue of whether several main actors in the crew will stay or go has become an unresolved issue.

For example, the sudden resignation of Sawaguchi Yasuko has seriously affected the morale of the crew and the confidence of the staff behind the scenes.

However, not all scripts are as planned by Suoh Suoh.

Some people's choices deviated from Suoh Suoh's plan, resulting in results that he was not happy to see.

Just like Utsui Ken and Miura Tomokazu, their demands were contrary to Sawaguchi Yasuko who wanted to resign.

So when they found Matsumoto Keiko to talk about this, Matsumoto Keiko was stunned and stunned for a while before confirming with them in surprise.

"Are you all going to terminate your contracts with your respective entertainment agencies? Just to stay in the crew?"

Utsui Ken and Miura Tomokazu, who were sitting in front of her, nodded together.

"Yes, we all cannot accept the agency's order for us to quit, that's a mess. We can't do such an immoral thing, and we don't want to be manipulated by some people and become a tool to hurt others. It's not worth our nostalgia for a business that can make such unreasonable demands, so it's better to be independent as soon as possible. Moreover, we have always been getting along well with your company during the cooperation process. We have worked together for so long, and we naturally hope that the crew can restart the filming as soon as possible and complete these two film and television dramas well."

As Utsui Ken explained, Miura Tomokazu also said, "Credit is something that can never be built up again if it is destroyed! The agency's order to force us to quit has touched our bottom line. We don't want to do something that will make us regret for the rest of our lives. So leaving is the choice made by Utsui-san and me. We also look down on those who manipulate artists and the media to bully, so we will always stand on your side in this matter. If we need to clarify the relevant news to the media, we are happy to state the truth."

To be honest, this is something that Matsumoto Keiko didn't expect.

She originally thought that the two of them came to her because they saw that the situation was not good, lost confidence in the crew, and wanted to protect themselves.

Who knew that they would be so strong-willed and stand firmly on her side for the sake of morality.

In particular, she was very clear that making such a choice would put these two people under great pressure, and they would even have to bear considerable economic losses. It was definitely not a cost-effective thing.

So she was grateful and moved, and could not help but bow deeply to them.

"Thank you so much for your attention. I'm really sorry, I didn't expect that this matter would also implicate you and cause you so much trouble. I'm so sorry."

In addition to returning a salute, Ken Utsui and Tomokazu Miura each responded with a serious expression.

"Don't say that. The fault of this matter is the burning system, not you. In fact, we just did the right thing, what men should do."

These words were full of pride, and therefore made their character more precious.

Matsumoto Keiko couldn't help but say sincerely.

"No way, this is not something that ordinary people can do. I will always remember your friendship. I can't repay you now, so I can only do my best not to disappoint you, find ways to overcome difficulties, and try to complete our work with the best production standards." Her gratitude just touched Miura Tomokazu's heart. Now that he has made such a decision, the two TV series of Mist Studio, especially "Black Leather Notebook" in which he plays the leading role, have become his biggest hope in his career. Can he successfully transform this time? Will he be able to get a good job in the future? Will there be GG and endorsements? The future life of the whole family... Speaking of it, it all depends on this one-time deal. How could he be indifferent and not pay attention to the progress of the crew, so he couldn't help but take the opportunity to inquire about the specific situation. "Yes, I am looking forward to the Black Leather Notebook being able to quickly select roles and restart filming. Matsumoto-san, excuse me for asking, are you sure about this? Are there any difficulties now? If there is anything I can help you with, please don't hesitate to help."

His meaning was very clear, that is, the problem of casting, if he really couldn't find anyone.

He could also introduce a few people to fill in, even if it was a favor.

Matsumoto Keiko felt relieved again, and bowed her head again to thank him.

"Yes, please rest assured, it's okay. We have a specific countermeasure, and we should be able to select roles and restart filming in a month at most."

"Ah, that's great. I'm really looking forward to it."

Miura Tomokazu finally had a happy expression when he heard such a guarantee.

Utsui Ken also looked relaxed.

That's not all, people are mutual, since they have chosen to work together.

Just as Utsui Ken and Miura Tomokazu are concerned about Matsumoto Keiko's difficulties, Matsumoto Keiko cannot ignore their current difficulties in turn.

"Sorry, I also want to take the liberty to ask. If you terminate the contract with the firm, you two will probably face considerable financial compensation, right? Have you and the firm negotiated this matter?"

This question is of course very practical.

Because no entertainment agency is a charity.

Especially in Japan, the entertainment industry is basically a monopoly, so it is normal for major companies and platforms to work together to squeeze artists.

In order to restrain artists, the agency will sign a relatively harsh contract with the artist when accepting them.

In particular, the restrictive clause that prevents artists from terminating the contract early is the most important part of the contract.

If the artist wants to run away, or is poached by others, the liquidated damages are usually very heavy, the kind that will hurt the artist to the core.

As expected, I heard Utsui Takeru say, "We have indeed discussed it with the firm. The contract we signed was a five-year contract, and I still have one year and two months left before it expires. The liquidated damages are calculated based on the year, and I probably have to The compensation is about 40 million yen..."

The figures reported by Miura Yuka are even more frightening.

"I'm afraid I have to pay 130 million yen to the office. But the good thing is that this matter was agreed upon by Momoe and the old president, Mr. Hori Takeo. After paying the money, I can terminate the contract peacefully. Hori will The production should not give me any trouble..."

Yes, Takeru Utsui is no longer the leading actor in the big movies back then. He is over 50 years old and he only relies on his qualifications to make a living.

Therefore, the salary has already dropped from the first-tier to the middle of the second-tier, and his liquidated damages are much less than those of the first-tier actors for the same reason.

But even so, this amount of money is equivalent to half a year's income.

You know, Fog Studios hired him to star in "Crazy Rich Asians" as a supporting actor, and the salary was only 6 million yen.

"Black Leather Notepad" has a more important role, but it only costs one million yen per episode.

After all, the total compensation given to him for the two film and television dramas was only 14 million yen.

In other words, because of his persistence in justice, he decided to stay in acting, and he personally had to lose money.

As for Miura Yu and his current career, although it is declining, there are still many media reporters following him all day long.

Moreover, the spokesperson of the Japanese candy giant Glico has always been his and has never been changed.

Based on his accumulation of fans for many years as a niche actor in art films, although he is now over 30, he can still make some money, and he is a top-notch actor. The price he pays will of course be much higher than Ken Utsui's.

In comparison, Fog Studios paid him 12 million yen for "Crazy Rich Asians" and 1.8 million yen per episode for "Black Leather Notepad".

So calculated this way, his personal economic loss was nearly 100 million.

In particular, the shutdown of Fog Studio delayed the production for at least more than a month. During this period, both of them were unable to take on other jobs. Calculating it this way, the invisible losses were even greater.

So after learning about this incident, Matsumoto Keiko felt even more sorry and couldn't bear it.

"I'm really sorry. I've caused you to lose so much money. If you two have any financial inconvenience, I'm willing to do my little bit."

Keiko Matsumoto really didn't mean her words politely. She currently has over 150 billion yen in her account.

She had never had so much money before, and she felt panicked looking at so much money every day.

Anyway, idle time is idle. If the other party needs it, she is willing to lend them money, and she will not charge any interest.

However, she didn't expect that the more she feared, the more something she would become afraid of.

"It's okay, don't worry about me, I've already figured out how to deal with it. I plan to sell a small apartment in Roppongi. In this case, there will be a lot of surplus, enough for me to live a stable life for a few years."

Utsui Takeru actually said this.

"Yes, I also plan to sell the apartment in Takanawa. Momoe said that she hopes to move to Tachikawa City. The current house should be easy to sell. After selling the apartment, the financial aspect will not be a problem."

Needless to say, Matsumoto Keiko was furious when she heard this, "How is this possible? It doesn't have to be like this at all."

Although both of them said it lightly, and said that their decision to terminate the contract with the agency and regain their freedom was also their personal spontaneous act.

But Keiko Matsumoto knew in her heart that if her studio hadn't made enemies, they would have no reason to do this.

They are the truly innocent people who were accidentally implicated.

So even for the other party's insistence on justice, Matsumoto Keiko hopes to minimize the side effects.

She never wanted to affect the stable life of the two people and bring difficulties to their family because of her own reasons.

So, she didn't care about being rash, and immediately offered to lend money to the two of them, without them actually selling the house to raise funds.

But then again, even if she has good intentions, others have to be willing to do it.

It just so happens that Utsui Takeru and Miura Tomokazu are the kind of people with traditional and old-fashioned minds who only focus on acting and don't know how to speculate.

Not to mention that neither of them has stock trading, neither of them would have bought a house if it wasn't for their immediate needs when they started a family.

To put it bluntly, the two of them had a natural aversion to borrowing money, so they all shook their heads and expressed their gratitude to Keiko Matsumoto for her help.

At this time, Matsumoto Keiko became more and more anxious. After thinking silently for a while, she still had no idea. She just felt that the current situation was too overwhelming.

She simply asked Utsui Takeru and Miura Tomokazu to sit for a while while she ran to another room to call Ning Weimin and asked him what she should do.

But this time he asked the right person. With Ning Weimin's mind, he could solve the problem. He didn't hesitate at all on the phone and gave Matsumoto Keiko an idea.

"Hey, let me say, we might as well try another way to solve the problem. For example...can we sign them into your office?"

"What? You want me to sign them as an artist in the agency?"

"Yes, why can't Fog Studio have its own actors? Although the big studio system is collapsing, besides you, Fog Studio should still have a few exclusive core actors. Like this time, We have already suffered a loss in this regard. You see, if they are willing, we will not have to worry about the main characters of any future movies. The key is that the characters of Utsu-san and Miura-san are really reliable. Actors like them are not only experienced and dedicated, but they will not easily get into trouble for the agency. It would be a great deal to invite them to join us. Come and thank Na Zhou Fang Yuxiong. Without him, how would we have a chance to sign them? "

"What you said is really an exaggeration. However, if this is the case, then it is justifiable that we pay the termination fee for them with the original firm. Right?"

"Yes, it's less than 200 million yen, which is not enough to make a low-cost movie. Since people take the initiative to help us, let's pay for them. In any case, such a good character is worth our investment. So if we can , you try to sign the contract with them for a longer period of time. As for the house, try to persuade them not to sell it, otherwise they will definitely regret it.”

"Okay, I'll try to negotiate. However, how should I determine the specific conditions for signing with them? To be honest, their careers are currently declining, and the conditions they offer are not good, which seems mean. But if the conditions offered are too good, , I'm just afraid... I feel a little unsure."

"Don't be afraid. Listen to me and sign them as A-list celebrities. Being able to return a favor to them also shows our sincerity. As for the return issue, don't worry. Judging by their dedication to acting. He said that if you want to become famous again, you just need a good script. Even Utsu-san has the opportunity to be the protagonist again, and they are very well-known in China. Based on this alone, we will not make a loss. Don’t worry. ,Believe me."

"Okay. I listen to you."

Matsumoto Keiko did what she said, and no one believed in Ning Weimin's judgment more than her.

So when she appeared in front of Utsui Ken and Miura Yuka again, she seemed to be another person.

All worries are gone, but the smile becomes more and more pleasing to the eye.

…………

On this day, both Utsui Ken and Miura Tomokazu experienced a roller coaster of emotions.

After leaving Fog Studio, Miura Tomokazu quickly returned home without even having a drink with Utsui Ken.

He was in a great mood, which was completely different from when he went out in the morning. When he entered the door, he not only shouted "I'm back".

He also brought back a lot of things he bought on the road for his wife and children.

Western snacks, drinks, and a large piece of wagyu beef.

So Momoe, who ran out in an apron, was stunned. Seeing these things worth at least hundreds of thousands of yen, she asked in surprise, "What's going on?"

The meaning is very complicated. I am a little surprised that he came back so early today, I am also surprised that he bought so many luxurious things, and I am even more surprised by the great change in his mood.

Miura Tomokazu understood immediately, so he made a rare move, picked up his wife, and spun around in the entrance hall.

Baihui was almost stunned, but she knew it was a good thing based on her feeling.

She hugged her husband's neck in a daze and asked, "What? Things have changed? There is no need to terminate the contract."

"No, it's not. I have a new job. I joined the Matsumoto Office. No, not just me, but also Utsu-san. And the terms of the contract are great."

The more Miura Yuka talked, the happier he became, and he even impulsively kissed Momoe's face.

"You won't believe it. Fog Studio paid the settlement fee for us. It also gave us the treatment of first-line actors and promised to produce no less than two movies and two TV series every year. Matsumoto-san is such a good person. . Because she knows that you want to move, she will arrange a place for us in Tachikawa City, so we don’t have to sell the house. According to her, it’s too much of a loss to sell it now, so it’s more cost-effective to collect rent first and use it to live in Tachikawa City. What do you think?"

"I..." Looking at her smiling husband, Baihui was really moved even though she still didn't understand what happened.

This is the husband she wants to see, this is happiness.