Chapter 653: Chapter 644: Three Movies
He was Party A, the one providing the funds, naturally holding the initiative, so how could anyone mind?
The negotiation went incredibly smoothly. All three received contracts, but of course, they didnât sign them on the spot. After all, Su Qingâs company procedures hadnât been finalized yet, not to mention his financial resources were somewhat limited, just waiting for people from Wenâs side to come over.
After all, unless forced to a certain extent, anyone who gets such a contract would be cautious, at least taking it back to check for any hidden traps.
Not everyone was like Wang Fan back then, driven to desperation, signing the contract on the spot.
Su Qing wasnât annoyed by their caution, as itâs only human nature.
The investment terms here were quite favorable compared to other investorsâample funding, easy negotiations without any so-called difficulties, and most importantly, no interference in their crewâs filming.
Especially the last point, currently, investors in domestic film crews have significant say, and only a few directors can attract investments willingly and gain control.
Su Qingâs relinquishing control was a great fortune for the directors and others. He doesnât meddle with the actresses, doesnât add people to the crew, and doesnât demand script changes. Theyâve never encountered such a quality investor over the years.
Of course, this was Su Qingâs intentional strategy. Besides making money, he aimed to build and promote his own and his companyâs reputation and characteristics through such means.
As long as these three films become hits, other directors in the circle will know about a hassle-free investor with ample funds here, and he wonât have to worry about new projects in the future.
This time, the reason so many script projects landed was due to Wang Fanâs efforts. By himself, even with Tang Nanâs support, it would never have achieved this effect.
After all, even if you have money, who knows your situation? Many people donât even know your companyâs existence.
But with this success, the following things will be easier for him.
"Youâre so optimistic about âThis Killer Is Not Very Calmâ? Thereâs no âTeng factorâ in it, though?" After dinner, after Wang Fan left with the three directors, the two of them returned home, and Tang Nan couldnât help but ask, holding a script.
Hearing this, Su Qing smiled. Of course, he knew what the so-called âTeng factorâ meant; after all, he was an internet surfer.
Currently, how many investors would blindly invest based solely on the director? However, the influence of actors cannot be underestimated either.
Some actors can attract a large wave of investment based on their influence alone, and the Military Arts Schoolâs heartthrob is definitely one of them.
Let alone, his achievements in comedy over the years have been evident for all to see, from initial skits to now theatrical movies, his accumulated box office ranking among the top for all domestic actors.
A few years ago, a movie merely featured a poster of this Military Arts School heartthrob, and during promotion, he was touted as the lead, which netizens called a âscamâ, giving rise to the term âTeng factorâ.
This movie features actors from Happy Mahua but lacks the presence of Brother Teng, which is likely why theyâre missing a chunk of investment.
If not, investors would have long come knocking for collaboration, no need to seek investment externally.
âTeng factorâ is the best trademark; thereâd never be a shortage of investors.
"Canât a comedy movie be good with zero âTeng factorâ? Besides, the cast isnât bad; even without us, they could eventually find investment. You read the script too; even if itâs a remake, itâs excellent enough, filled with humorous scenes. A comedy movie that isnât funnyânow thatâd be too ironic," Su Qing said nonchalantly.
Itâs just an investment; as long as thereâs profit, itâs fine. Heâs merely a behind-the-scenes investor, not needing to face the public directly, which gives him much convenience, reducing some social media impact.
Listening to him, Tang Nan nodded and then smiled, "Probably he didnât expect you to have such a big appetite. Iâm sure initially he thought securing half of the investment from you would be a success. Didnât expect you to take the whole round, a hundred million, a small goal, not something ordinary people can pull out."
"Thatâs why I asked Brother Wen to join me. We each take half, and Iâll borrow a bit from Shen Yi, thatâll be enough," Su Qing laughed.
Ever since his wealth surged in the stock market last time, he has been in a spending spree: first partnering with Wen Jingqi with half his fortune, then investing eighty million in âWandering Earthâ, later buying the apartment from the landlord lady, spending several million more.
Now he has less than eighty million left. âAn Unknown Incidentâ and âLife-changing Mattersâ took another forty million, leaving insufficient funds for this final investment.
So he had Wen come over, repaying a favor and gaining a profit for himself.
Once the box office share from âWandering Earthâ comes in, his funds will ease up.
Hearing this, Tang Nan shook her head with a smile, "Youâre the first investor Iâve seen not leaving a way out for yourself. Arenât you afraid of losses?"
"Whatâs there to fear? Excluding Brother Wenâs fifty million, Iâve only invested nine thousand this time. Last time with âWandering Earthâ, I dared to put out eighty million. Now that itâs profitable, why would I be afraid? Plus, Brother Wen has a guaranteed profit deal, I wonât starve."
It might seem he spends lavishly, even borrowing to invest. In reality, heâs always leaving a retreat for himself. Even with narrative cues, heâs constantly trying to keep things under control, preparing for the worst.
Even when borrowing from Shen Yi to trade stocks, he had a plan. If he lost, heâd use his video accounts to earn back the money, whether by milking supporters or live streaming sales, confident he could repay.
"True, why should I worry about you? Anyway, you have money now; even if you lose, you wonât starve. But since youâre short, why not let me lend you, a co-investment, saving you from bothering Shen Yi?" Tang Nan said with a cheerful grin.
In response, Su Qing gave her a surprised look, smiling, "Whatâs the trouble? If I tell Shen Yi, sheâll give it to me. Besides, itâs her company too. If we lose, weâre in a relationship; if we profit, it stays within the family."
"Hmph, stingy, after all the help Iâve given you; seems someone thinks of me as an outsider. Iâm leaving, hurt my self-esteem!" Hearing this, Tang Nan pouted, preparing to leave.
Seeing her, Su Qing quickly chuckled, "Alright, alright, stop teasing. How about this, this is my first major investment round, Iâll pave the way first. If profitable, join in the second round. Then if you like any script roles, you can negotiate yourself. Donât say I didnât think of you!"
Upon hearing this, Tang Nan smiled, "At least you have a bit of conscience. In that case, while youâre away from the capital, Iâll take extra care, managing your company, saving you from claiming I take benefits for nothing!"
"Thatâd be great, thanks, Brother Nan!"
"Stop joking, alright, Iâm leaving before Shen Yi calls to check on you, bye-bye!"
After Tang Nan departed, Su Qing rubbed his slightly throbbing head, looking at the scripts on the table as a narrative hint echoed in his mind.
[Total investment of 300 million, box office of 2.7 billion, both critical and commercial success, a very lucrative deal, but no possibility for future cooperation.]
Hearing this, Su Qing squinted, whether Wang Fan or Yang Jia or Wang Jiang, after reaching cooperation, he received hints of future collaborations, at least a favor left.
But this was the only one without, simply a one-time deal.
As for why he didnât delve much further, the narrative gave no hint, but he could guess some reasons.
Including Wang Fan, there were four directors. Wang Fan was a lifesaver in a crisis, Yang Jia was a helping hand, and Wang Jiang was skilled in social dealings, plus he wasnât particularly famous, leaving a bit of networking.
But Deng Wenxiong was different. He had his own connections, as mentioned. Even without this investment, he could find other sources, and if successful, investors would flock, making him less critical.
Still, Su Qing wasnât too concerned with these since he wasnât short on opportunities.
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