Chinese entertainment: What's wrong with actresses wanting to improve?

Chapter 6 Forming a Company

Leaving the China Film Group building, the afternoon sun in Beijing was a bit dazzling.

Fu Yibai got into the car and rubbed his temples.

After the negotiations, I was a little tired, but a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

The domestic destination for "Black Coal, Thin Ice" has been decided, he will receive a considerable sum of cash, and a preliminary cooperative relationship has been established with China Film Group.

This is crucial for what he needs to do next.

Over the next few days, Fu Yibai was exceptionally busy.

He first went back to school to cancel his leave and dealt with some academic matters briefly.

The department leaders and teachers naturally praised him highly, while also subtly reminding him not to neglect his studies.

Fu Yibai respectfully agreed, but he knew in his heart that his battlefield was no longer in the classroom.

After that, I went home and spent a few days with my parents.

Subsequently, he officially moved into the office of Chenxi Media and began recruiting.

Thanks to the prestige of winning the Berlin Film Festival award and the news of cooperation with China Film Group, the recruitment process is progressing quite smoothly.

He recruited an industry veteran with many years of production experience and extensive connections to serve as the company's production director, and subsequently hired an initial team responsible for business, publicity, script development, and other functions.

The company's framework was quickly established.

At the same time, he began searching for a reliable CEO candidate through headhunters.

He knew he was good at creative work and strategic direction, but the company's daily operations, capital management, and external relations required a more professional manager.

The procedures at China Film Group are progressing very quickly.

The buyout payment of nine million RMB was transferred to Chenxi Media's account in two installments shortly after the formal contract was signed.

With the copyright fees arriving from overseas, Fu Yibai's cash flow has reached a considerable figure, giving him more confidence to implement his plans.

In early May, Beijing was filled with the scent of new life, and the offices of Chenxi Media finally had a sense of human presence.

Fu Yibai's newly recruited production director is named Wang Peng. He is in his early forties, with a square face and a stocky build. He worked at Xi'an Film Studio in his early years and later worked for several private film and television companies. He is experienced and especially good at budget control, crew management, and dealing with various aspects of production.

As for the CEO, the headhunting firm recommended several candidates, but Fu Yibai didn't like any of them.

In the end, it was Fu Yibai's father who sent over his administrative secretary.

"Sister Qi, I'll be paying your salary from now on."

"From now on, you're mine, so don't you dare tell my dad about me."

Fu Yibai looked at the woman in front of him, who was nearly forty years old but still had a curvaceous figure, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

Today, Zhao Qi wore a well-tailored navy blue business suit. The V-neck design perfectly showcased her delicate collarbones, and the bodycon skirt accentuated her perfect waist and hip curves.

She styled her chestnut curly hair into a neat bun, revealing her smooth forehead, while the fine lines around her eyes added a touch of mature charm.

"Mr. Fu is joking."

Zhao Qi smiled slightly and gently placed a stack of documents on the desk.

"I worked at Jianlin Group for eight years, and I know best what should be said and what shouldn't be said."

She leaned forward slightly as she spoke, and a faint scent of perfume wafted from her body—a subtle fragrance that was neither too strong nor too faint to be ignored.

"Ahem, just kidding."

Sister Qi, I would be more than happy to have you help me.

The company is just starting out, and there are many things to do, especially in administration, finance, and external communications. With you overseeing these areas, I can focus on my creative work.

"By the way, Sister Qi, I have a few tasks to assign you."

Fu Yibai leaned back and said seriously.

"Please speak."

Zhao Qi took out an elegant notebook and a pen from her leather handbag, ready to take notes.

"The first thing I need you to do is conduct a detailed market survey of cinemas in major box office cities in China."

This includes not only first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, but also economically developed and culturally vibrant second- and even third-tier cities such as Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Nanjing.

I need to know how many cinemas there are in these cities, the total number of screens, and which areas are owned by state-owned cinema chains (such as China Film Stellar and Shanghai United).

Which are the newly emerging private cinema chains that are experimenting with this?

Which other independent cinemas have outdated facilities, are poorly managed, and are potential for acquisition or renovation?

He walked back to his desk, picked up a draft plan he had prepared himself, and handed it to Zhao Qi.

"Our goal is to establish our own cinema chain—which I'll call 'Galaxy Cinemas' for now."

In the initial stage, we may not necessarily pursue quantity, but we must ensure quality and high standards.

The location should be in a core business district or a newly emerging large community. The hardware facilities must be first-class, including high-quality sound systems, screens, and seats. The viewing environment should be comfortable and even have a sense of design.

Our goal is to build a strong brand so that when people want to watch a movie, they will choose Galaxy Cinemas first.

Zhao Qi quickly glanced through the plan, her eyes flashing with surprise and admiration.

Although the plan was brief, it was clear in its ideas and had specific goals. It even included preliminary estimates of the investment budget and payback period for a single theater, which was something that a young person who had just turned twenty could not have done.

"Mr. Fu, your vision is very forward-thinking. However, establishing a cinema chain requires huge upfront investment, has a slow return on investment, and carries considerable risk."

Zhao Qi cautiously offered a reminder.

"I will prepare the money. I plan to make another film this year, and I have also found a new source of profit for the company."

I think the caller ID ringback tone service launched by China Mobile last month has great potential.

In a while, I will present a few song and ringtone samples to discuss cooperation with mobile companies, which will be one of the important sources of cash flow for the company in the next few years.

"The cinema chain is a long-term strategy, and we must start laying the groundwork now."

Fu Yibai explained, his tone resolute.

Zhao Qi closed the notebook, her eyes showing a hint of seriousness.

"I understand, Mr. Fu."

I will assemble a team as soon as possible to conduct on-site research.

"very good."

Fu Yibai nodded and then went on to talk about the second thing.

"The second thing is to release an announcement in the name of Chenxi Media."

The core message is: Chenxi Media is publicly soliciting investment opportunities for high-quality film and television projects from within the industry.

We welcome film and television companies, independent producers, and directors to come and discuss their scripts and proposals.

There are no restrictions on the subject matter, but a solid story, a reliable team, and a reasonable budget are required.

Especially...pay attention to those promising projects that might be shelved due to funding issues or overlooked by large companies.

With his memories from the future, Fu Yibai is fully capable of achieving great success with minimal investment, accurately "picking up" those undervalued high-quality projects.