During the 1980s and 1990s, when Hong Kong's film and entertainment industry was at its peak, film companies were everywhere.
Any ambitious and capable person in the showbiz circle could casually put together a crew, buy a halfway decent script, secure a large amount of investment, then shoot a movie in half a month or at most a month with a budget of just over a million Hong Kong dollars, earning a fortune in return.
However, that golden era of Hong Kong entertainment had already passed more than a decade ago. Nowadays, the number of Hong Kong film companies is at most only a quarter of what it had been during its heyday. Even so, the remaining number was still considerable, and those who had survived generally possessed their own foundations and specialties.
Jiayang Film Industry could not compare with the top-tier giants within Hong Kong's film circle, but as a long-established film company, its strength and influence were by no means weak. Especially after being acquired by the Hong Kong businessman Zhou Yi, the company had experienced a revival and, over the past two years, had produced several movies with impressive box office results.
That was also the reason Chen Wenqiang strongly advocated for Lu Chen Workshop to cooperate with Jiayang Film Industry.
Jiayang Film Industry already had a ready-made production team with extensive experience. The company also maintained good relationships with several major cinema chains, allowing films to be released quickly in Hong Kong and secure favorable screening allocations.
For the newly established Lu Chen Workshop, having such a partner would save an enormous amount of trouble.
However, the initial contact and negotiations had not gone smoothly. Jiayang Film Industry's asking price was very high. It could not exactly be called outrageous profiteering, but it still far exceeded Lu Chen's bottom line.
Of course, a film with an investment budget reaching 30 million was not something that could be settled simply by sitting down over a meal and chatting casually. Cooperation agreements and investment shares involved countless terms and conditions. So-called negotiations were essentially a process of bargaining, probing each other's limits, and engaging in strategic maneuvering before finally reaching an agreement.
Lu Chen had anticipated this long ago. Thus, while preparing for the new movie, he also mentally prepared himself for prolonged negotiations with Jiayang Film Industry.
If they truly could not come to terms, then either he would find another company to negotiate with, or he would simply assemble his own production team from scratch.
Naturally, that was the last resort, since the time and financial costs involved would be much higher and would go against the original plan.
What Lu Chen had not expected was that yesterday he, Chen Wenqiang, and Wan Xiaoquan had only just visited Jiayang Film Industry and met the company's general manager, Zhang Yifan. Yet today, Zhou Yi, the true boss behind Jiayang Film Industry, had personally come to return the visit.
Could this also be the influence brought by Liu Gangsheng?
If that really was the case, then Lu Chen had undoubtedly greatly underestimated the influence this Heavenly King superstar wielded in Hong Kong.
Though thoughts raced through his mind, Lu Chen's expression remained perfectly calm. He said to Li Zhen, "Please invite Mr. Zhou to my office first, and apologize to him on my behalf."
Madam Jin was still seated here. If he abandoned the people in front of him just to personally welcome Zhou Yi, it would show extremely poor social awareness.
Even if the latter was almost certainly here to discuss cooperation on the new film.
"Alright, Young Lu."
Li Zhen nodded, answered, and left to receive Zhou Yi.
Madam Jin said with a smiling expression, "Young Lu, even Boss Zhou himself has personally come to visit. He must be here to discuss cooperation for your new movie, right? Then you should grab hold of him and slaughter him properly for once!"
The term "Young Lu," a distinctly Hong Kong-style form of address, had first been used by Ma Rongzhen. Then Chen Wenqiang had started calling him "Young Lu" this and "Young Lu" that. Now even Li Zhen and Madam Jin had followed suit.
Ordinarily, as a guest, asking about another guest's purpose for visiting would be impolite. But Madam Jin was a woman with a warm smile and a very approachable manner, and her words revealed a certain familiarity with Zhou Yi, so it did not feel abrupt.
Lu Chen asked curiously, "Madam Jin and Boss Zhou are friends?"
Madam Jin smiled and replied, "We've had meals together several times. Boss Zhou is someone who values trust and credibility very highly, so working with him is reassuring. Several artists under my management have filmed productions with Jiayang Film Industry before, and the cooperation was very pleasant."
Her eyes shifted gracefully, and she seized the opportunity to promote her two goddaughters again. "Young Lu, does your movie still need actors? Give Xiaodie and Xinyan a couple of roles. Even bit parts are fine. They don't need a single cent in pay, just treat it as letting them learn from you, alright?"
A movie!
Both Ji Xiaodie and Li Xinyan were instantly tempted. They blinked eagerly as they stared at Lu Chen.
For the vast majority of Hong Kong girls, acting in films or television dramas was an irresistible temptation. The entertainment industry never lacked stories of ordinary girls being discovered by talent scouts on the street, becoming famous overnight, and embarking on dazzling celebrity careers.
Although this was Lu Chen's first movie and nobody knew how it would turn out, simply getting a role in it would undoubtedly add valuable experience to their résumés.
With Lu Chen's fame and reputation, there was no way he would be making one of those cheap quick-production films with budgets of only several hundred thousand or a million.
Everyone here was shrewd.
Lu Chen smiled and said, "To be honest, my movie is still missing several roles, and the heroine hasn't been decided yet. But there really aren't any suitable parts for Xiaodie and Xinyan. If they don't mind feeling a little wronged, though, appearing as extras is no problem."
There actually were not many characters involved in A Chinese Ghost Story. Lu Chen himself would play the male lead, Yan Chixia had already been assigned to Ma Rongzhen, and one supporting female role had been reserved by Chen Wenqiang for his daughter.
The best Madam Jin could secure for her goddaughters was merely friendly cameo appearances as extras.
Before Madam Jin could speak, Li Xinyan impatiently jumped in first. "Extras are fine too!"
Ji Xiaodie nodded along as well.
They had never expected to land any important roles anyway. Being extras was already good enough.
They could just treat it as a fun experience.
In truth, Madam Jin's intention in bringing the two girls here today was obvious: she wanted them to firmly latch onto Lu Chen, this promising "potential stock." Not in the sense of competing for a diamond bachelor, but in gaining Lu Chen's support for their careers.
Hong Kong people were very superstitious, and the entertainment industry had always believed in the concept of a "benefactor" or "lucky patron." Madam Jin believed that Lu Chen was precisely the "benefactor" for Ji Xiaodie and Li Xinyan. Meeting him at Shu Jing's charity banquet had been their fate and opportunity.
She smiled and said, "Then thank you so much, Young Lu. Tonight I'll treat you to dinner on behalf of Xiaodie and Xinyan."
Lu Chen truly had to admire this woman. No wonder Shu Jing spoke of her with such respect.
If someone like her failed to thrive in the entertainment industry, that would truly be something bizarre.
Madam Jin was extremely good at reading the room. Having already achieved her goal, she stopped pressing further and stood up, saying, "Young Lu still has another guest, so we won't disturb you any longer. Once I reserve a place, I'll notify Miss Li. See you tonight."
Ji Xiaodie and Li Xinyan followed her in standing up and bowed together. "Goodbye, Teacher Lu."
"I'll walk you out."
Lu Chen personally escorted Madam Jin and the others outside before returning to his office.
There, the chairman of Jiayang Film Industry, Zhou Yi, was already waiting for him
(End of Chapter)
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