novelraw Chapter 15 I understand, he understands what I mean.
Chapter 15 I understand, he understands what I mean.
Information is a weapon.
In The Godfather, Sonny's seemingly unintentional remark during negotiations turns the once indestructible Corleone family into a vulnerable target.
On Earth Studio's side, Lin Yi has absolute control, so the problem isn't that serious.
However, revealing too much information about oneself can put one at a disadvantage in negotiations.
Fu Mingyang wants to learn, and Lin Yi doesn't mind giving him some pointers.
But if he causes trouble, then Lin Yi can only apologize.
Fu Mingyang understood Lin Yi's meaning and nodded solemnly: "Understood, I will keep things in mind."
...
After leaving the meeting room, Zhuo intended to return to his workstation to rest, but was called to Director Zhuo's office by his assistant, Xiao Chen.
The door closed, shutting out the noise from the outside world.
"Ah Yue," Director Zhuo's gaze fell on his son, thoughtfully, "What's your opinion of Lin Yi after this morning's interaction?"
After a moment's thought, Zhuoyue replied, "He's very young, but his thinking is exceptionally clear, and his goals are well-defined. He has a very deep understanding of 'Detective X'."
He paused, then added, "After he received the milk tea at noon, he took the initiative to ask me for my opinion on the project."
I also briefly explained my directing philosophy, which focuses on shaping X's personal charm and the relationships among the main characters to counteract the looseness that episodic dramas might bring.
He approved of this direction.
Director Zhuo's eyes flickered slightly: "Oh? You've already discussed this?"
"Yes, we had a brief chat just before lunch," Zhuoyue nodded.
Director Zhuo tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, a knowing smile on his face, and nodded.
Director Zhuo understood, and Lin Yi understood what he meant.
The seemingly casual questions and discussions at noon were a gesture of goodwill toward him and a tacit response.
"Ah Yue, you should go and rest. You don't need to go to the negotiations this afternoon."
This statement was somewhat cryptic, but Zhuoyue nodded nonetheless.
He had no interest in these tedious business negotiations; he just wanted to make good films.
"A young man with great ideas and the ability to assess situations," Director Zhuo commented inwardly, his tone tinged with admiration.
Lin Yi showed goodwill; now it's his turn.
but...
Director Zhuo took out a document from the drawer; it was a preliminary character design drawing of "Detective X" provided by Lin Yi.
He frowned, dialed an internal number, and called his assistant, Xiao Chen.
"I'm a little unsure about the specific image of this 'X'. Do you think young people today would like this type?"
The Detective X character in the design drawings differs somewhat from the traditional "righteous and heroic," "handsome and strong" image of film and television protagonists.
They were even somewhat rebellious.
Disheveled black hair, obvious dark circles under the eyes, and a hunched back.
He prefers to squat on a chair rather than sit properly, and even his shoelaces often come undone.
Another striking feature is his "snack freedom," as he is constantly seen eating various snacks, such as cakes, fruits, and ice cream.
This is alright; it can enhance the value of IP collaborations or GG (Google Games) sponsorships.
Director Zhuo rubbed his temples: "I guess I'm getting old, my aesthetic sense can't keep up with the young people."
I admit the script and core concept are great, but this character... I don't quite understand.
Xiao Chen, what's your opinion?
This is also one of the reasons why Director Zhuo hesitated about the surrounding development in the morning.
If the main character's image is not accepted by the market, many derivative developments will be much less effective.
Xiao Chen took the design drawings and examined them carefully.
At first glance, Xiao Chen's eyes lit up slightly.
"Mr. Zhuo, I think this image is good."
Director Zhuo pondered for a moment, but did not immediately draw a conclusion.
"Have the marketing department quickly conduct a targeted survey, focusing on individuals under 35 years old, especially students and young white-collar workers."
Let's test the market's acceptance of this image.
"Okay," Xiao Chen readily agreed.
Relying on Penguin Chat, a nationally popular application, Penguin can conduct market research at an extremely fast pace.
Before the afternoon negotiations began, a quick investigation report was delivered to Director Zhuo's desk.
The survey report shows that Detective X's unconventional, somewhat decadent aesthetic and distinctive image has a very high acceptance rate among young people.
It may even surpass the mainstream of the market, which is glorious and righteous.
Looking at the data in the report, Director Zhuo's last remaining doubts were dispelled.
Lin Yi showed goodwill; now it's his turn.
...
The afternoon negotiations began as scheduled.
Director Zhuo's attitude softened considerably when discussing the surrounding development, a stark contrast to his cautious demeanor in the morning.
"Mr. Lin, after our internal reassessment of the idea of simultaneous development and leveraging marketing opportunities, we believe that it does indeed have strategic value."
Director Zhuo said, "We can agree to simultaneously carry out some peripheral design and production preparations in the early stages of the series' production."
However, the specific categories and quantities need to be determined based on the budget and risk assessment.
A glint of light flashed in Lin Yi's eyes.
He understood; Director Zhuo understood what he meant.
"Thank you for your recognition, Mr. Zhuo and Tencent Video," he replied with a smile.
"What I insist on is that we need to have the power to set prices, and the goal is to make things accessible and widespread, not to reap short-term profits."
"Okay," Director Zhuo said without refusing, "but in return, the revenue share from IP sales will have to be reduced."
Lin Yi pretended to ponder for a moment, then nodded.
One cannot have it all.
High revenue sharing from IP sales will squeeze profits, making it difficult to guarantee high cost-effectiveness for related products.
Lin Yi's purpose has always been very clear.
The main task at this stage is to build a strong IP, not to harvest fans.
With the general direction set, the subsequent negotiations went much more smoothly.
The main focus is on refining some details.
For example, broadcast schedule, promotional resources...
Next, the contract was drafted, and after both parties' legal representatives checked it and confirmed that it was correct, it was formally signed.
It is worth noting that Lin Yi specifically mentioned one point.
If a dispute arises between the two parties later and they go to court, the jurisdiction will be determined by the location of the plaintiff.
As for the reason, those who know, know.
Nanshan Invincible is renowned even in the parallel world of Blue Star Xia Kingdom.
After signing the contract, Lin Yi and his group drove back to Guangzhou University Town.
...
"Mr. Zhuo, why not restrict this IP in the terms and conditions, such as with exclusive licensing and priority renewal clauses?" Tencent Business asked.
"The other party will not agree."
...
"Brother Yi, aren't Tencent supposed to be very domineering? Why don't they offer to acquire us?" Fu Mingyang asked.
"It's no use. The copyright for 'Detective X' is registered under my personal name, not at Earth Studio," Lin Yi replied lazily, his eyes slightly closed.
"Also, drive carefully."
Here's a reminder about the copyright buyback clause that appeared in Chapter 1.
Original authors of cultural and entertainment works can reclaim their copyrights for up to 250% of the copyright transfer fee.