novelraw Chapter 81 Argument
Chapter 81 Argument
In Huayi Brothers' conference room, two high-powered air conditioners were running at full blast, providing excellent cooling.
At one end of the long conference table sat President Wang Zhonglei, dressed in a sharp suit, his hair neatly combed, twirling a Montblanc pen in his hand.
At the other end, Yuan Tao loosened his tie, several documents were spread out in front of him, and his expression was not good.
On both sides sat people from the legal, production, and publicity departments, all looking down and seemingly lost in thought.
The meeting was originally scheduled to discuss the progress of the key project for the second half of the year, "Love in the Windy City," but somehow it veered into the topic of music licensing.
"Taking Me Away" is a key step in expanding the young audience of "Love in the Windy City" as the theme song.
Wang Zhonglei's assistant is giving a presentation.
The Ministry of Justice spoke up.
"The copyright department has completed the acquisition, and the relevant authorizations are clear and undisputed."
Yuan Tao finally spoke, his voice not loud, but firm:
"Mr. Wang, regarding this song, I recall there was a supplementary clause in the buyout contract we signed previously, which stipulated that it would be licensed to another film project, 'Love is Not Blind.' Would that be considered a dispute?"
The meeting room fell silent for a moment. Several pairs of eyes subtly shifted between Yuan Tao and Wang Zhonglei.
Anyone could see the anger that Yuan Tao was suppressing.
Wang Zhonglei put down his pen and smiled, but the smile was devoid of warmth.
"Director Yuan, let's hear the legal department's perspective."
The legal department has received authorization and will begin its explanation:
"That was a 'statement of intent' based on the circumstances at the time, or rather, a personal request from Mr. Li Jun. From a legal perspective, it did not constitute an exclusive restriction on our handling of our own copyrights."
Wang Zhonglei took over and said:
"Huayi owns all the copyrights to this song, so naturally they have the right to use it for projects that are most beneficial to the company. This is basic business logic."
"Doesn't basic business logic include keeping promises?"
Yuan Tao met his gaze.
"Don't you know our situation right now? We desperately need to regain our footing. Huayi's influence isn't what it used to be. What's wrong with giving him more compensation? Isn't he the one who loves money the most?"
Wang Zhonglei did not respond to him, but instead retorted.
"Mr. Wang, if word gets out, who in the music industry will dare to do business with Huayi in the future? Li Jun isn't just any ordinary newcomer; he's connected to Zhang Liangying, who's currently riding the wave of popularity, and the massive fanbase of Super Girl!"
Wang Zhonglei's smile vanished:
"Please understand your position. You are Huayi's music director, and your primary task is to utilize all music resources to serve the company's core film and television business. 'Love in the Windy City' has an investment of 30 million yuan, making it the company's highest-level project of the year!"
He took a sip of water and continued:
"That song called 'Love is Not Blind'—I've never even heard of it. Does it even deserve to be used for a song that's a potential hit of the year? Don't you understand the principle of using resources wisely?"
Yuan Tao could no longer suppress his anger:
"Even if changes are necessary, shouldn't you at least communicate with Li Jun first? Shouldn't you offer some compensation? Taking it directly like this is practically robbery! I know Li Jun; he's not one to take things lying down. What you're doing is planting a time bomb for the company!"
Wang Zhonglei scoffed:
"Director Yuan, you overestimate him. He's just a creative person with some talent. Without Huayi's channels and promotion, what is he?"
Yuan Tao smiled upon hearing this, waiting for Wang Zhonglei to continue.
"Zhang Liangying? Even if Super Girl is popular, it's just a variety show; many shows are short-lived. To question the company's optimal allocation of core assets for the sake of an outsider and an uncertain future?"
Wang Zhonglei took a sip of tea and slammed it down on the coffee table.
"Director Yuan, I think you're under too much pressure to meet the music department's performance targets, and you've gotten your priorities wrong!"
These words struck a nerve with Yuan Tao.
The music department has always been a weak point within the Huayi system, with profits far lower than those of the film and television sector. As a director, his voice in high-level meetings is indeed limited.
Yuan Tao suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a screeching sound.
"I am upholding the company's long-term reputation and fundamental rules!"
"If you can treat Li Jun like this today, you can treat anyone like this tomorrow!"
"Does an internal process really allow you to arbitrarily bypass a written contract? What's the point of having a corporate legal department?"
Wang Zhonglei also slammed his fist on the table and stood up:
"Watch your attitude. Company decisions are none of your business!"
"This song is definitely going to be used in 'Love in the Windy City,' this is the final decision!"
Wang Zhonglei grabbed the folder and walked out of the meeting room without looking back.
The others quickly lowered their heads to pack their things and filed out, none daring to look at Yuan Tao.
Yuan Tao stood helplessly in the conference room, looking out at the gray sky over Beijing, feeling a tightness in his chest.
He knew that Wang Zhonglei was partly right; from a purely commercial perspective, giving the song to "Love in the Windy City" was indeed more worthwhile.
But what he had in his heart was not just calculation.
He remembered Li Jun calling him "Brother Tao" on the phone and readily agreeing to sell his song for 500,000 yuan.
It's not just about business; it also represents the trust and mutual help between friends.
Now the company itself has smashed it.
He slowly sat back down in his chair, took out his phone, looked at Li Jun's number, and thought about dialing it several times, but finally put it down dejectedly.
Explanation? Apology?
Both the established facts and the company's interests seem ridiculously weak in the face of reality.
"Oh shit."
He muttered a curse under his breath, it was unclear whether he was cursing Wang Zhonglei.
Should I blame the company, or should I blame myself for being powerless to control my own destiny?
......
Chengdu, an old warehouse.
"Okay! Passed!" Li Jun shouted one last time, staring at the monitor.
After the sound faded, the warehouse was silent for a moment, then erupted into a huge cheer.
All the student extras, along with Jia Peng, Tang Yan, and a handful of official crew members including those in lighting, sound recording, and makeup, jumped up, high-fiving and hugging each other.
After many ups and downs, arguments, adjustments, and all-nighters, the film "Love is Not Blind" has finally finished shooting its last scene.
Jia Peng put down the camera, plopped down on the ground, feeling like all his bones were falling apart, but he had a big, silly grin on his face.
Li Jun also breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed his throbbing temples.
For more than a month, he worked almost non-stop, doing the work of director, producer, screenwriter, and even stagehand. He also had to worry about funding, soothe the anger after being betrayed by Huayi Brothers, and remotely monitor Zhang Liangying's training matches.
At this moment, a tremendous sense of exhaustion and an equally immense sense of accomplishment washed over me simultaneously.
"Come on! Let's take a group photo to wrap up filming!"
Li Jun raised his arm and called out.
Everyone quickly gathered in the center of the warehouse, against the backdrop of familiar, simply stacked scenes.
Li Jun stood in the middle, with Jia Peng on his left, smiling broadly and making a V-sign, and Tang Yan on his right, with a clear smile. They were surrounded by excited students.