Investment

Before the release of “Uncontrollable”, the contract between Lu Yan and Starry Sky had already expired. The media with a keen sense of smell had already noticed the change in the relationship between Lu Yan and Starry Sky, but because Qin Feng was still Lu Yan’s agent, and people in the circle had tacitly accepted that Qin Feng would never leave Starry Sky, so although there were some doubts, no one took the lead.

The contracts between artists and their agencies have always been a semi-public secret. Some artists even deliberately reveal some favorable details in the contract after signing with a big company to highlight their status. However, the contract between Lu Yan and Starry Sky back then was handled by too few people, and the terms in the contract would inevitably cause an uproar and discussion once they were made public. Neither Lu Yan nor Su Mo had any intention of making it public, and the people around them would not disclose it. So everyone only knew that Lu Yan signed a contract with Star Sky, but as for how long it took, how it was signed, or what conditions or benefits were included, no one knew.

The story was exposed because of an artist Qin Feng had once managed, named Qi Rui. Qi Rui had been with Qin Feng earlier than Lu Yan. When Qin Feng became his agent, Qi Rui was already a little famous. After that, Qin Feng helped him get many opportunities. He was also very competitive and his value soon soared. If it weren’t for the sudden rise of Lu Yan, he could almost compete with Shan Chuyu for the position of the number one in Starry Sky.

Qin Feng’s departure from Starry Sky naturally had a great impact on Qi Rui. Although Qin Feng had arranged a lot for him before leaving and introduced him to a capable agent, it was still not as good as Qin Feng himself. Qi Rui was somewhat dissatisfied in his heart, so when the media asked him if he had changed his agent, he mentioned the fact that Qin Feng had left Starry sky intentionally or unintentionally.

The media was indeed shocked, and when they thought about the changes in the relationship between Lu Yan and Starry Sky that they had felt during this period, an idea quickly came to their mind. At this time, “Uncontrollable” was about to be taken off the air, and it was the last promotion time. 

During an interview at an event, a reporter asked Lu Yan if he had terminated his contract with Starry Sky and if Qin Feng had also left Starry Sky. This matter was not a bad thing and there was nothing to hide. According to the original plan, Qin Feng arranged for Lu Yan to hold a small media meeting and explained clearly the situation of terminating the contract with Starry Sky and opening a personal studio.

At present, Lu Yan’s personal studio was still registered under the name of Starry Sky, but from personnel to affairs, it was completely independent. The media also knew what this meant. It was just a mutual benefit and an additional level of relationship that affected each other, not that there was any subordinate relationship between them. Lu Yan was truly independent.

Lu Yan’s departure from Starry Sky did not surprise people. It was not uncommon for artists to open their own studios after becoming famous. Lu Yan was now very famous, and although it might be a little early in terms of influence, it was understandable. However, Qin Feng actually followed Lu Yan and left Starry Sky, which surprised many people.

The relationship between Qin Feng and Starry Sky was no exaggeration to say that he was as loyal as a loyal minister to the court. Over the years, no matter how many film and television agencies had offered him olive branches, whether it was for profit or to sell favors, Qin Feng had never wavered. But such an artist who debuted for only three years broke the relationship between Qin Feng and Starry Sky that was believed to be unbreakable. While it was puzzling, one could not help but wonder what kind of charm Lu Yan had or what kind of conditions he offered to make Qin Feng willing to follow him.

Soon, someone found out that Qin Feng owned 5% of Lu Yan’s studio. This was not surprising. In order to retain capable agents or other key staff, many studios would use shares as bait, which was a very effective means. But Qin Feng obviously did not seem like someone who would be tempted by such a mere 5% of shares.

This incident became a mystery in the circle. It was not until much later that the relationship between Lu Yan and Su Mo was fully exposed and everyone knew that Su Mo owned part of the studio’s shares that people suddenly realized the truth. Although Su Mo faded out of the entertainment industry a long time ago and not many new forces in the industry know him now, there were still some veteran journalists and artists who knew the current president of Su Group who once caused a stir in the entertainment industry. With such a powerful person who had been kind to him as his second boss, it was not difficult to understand why Qin Feng would leave Starry Sky and join Lu Yan’s studio.

But that’s all for later.

For Lu Yan, in addition to his usual work, how to develop the studio was also one of the most important issues he needed to consider. Even Qin Feng couldn’t give him more advice on this point.

If you want to increase your popularity and influence, you need to have your own brand. At present, the best way was to invest in some excellent movies and TV series in the name of the studio. Just like actors and directors have to speak with their works, in the entertainment industry, good box office and good ratings are the guarantee of everything.

Lu Yan naturally thought of the script he bought the copyright from Yan Ke more than a year ago. He had been looking for an opportunity to bring this wonderful story to the big screen, and now was a good opportunity.

But the problem came, he needed funds and people.

During this period, Lu Yan thought about this problem the most. He even started to make a plan, listing all the factors that could be used and those that could not be used. He used all his time outside of his normal work to do this.

Su Mo quickly noticed his abnormality and guessed that it was probably because of something at the studio, so he found an opportunity and asked him directly, “You seem to be a little worried recently. Is it about something at the studio?”

Lu Yan was stunned for a moment, then nodded, “Well, I’m thinking about how to build the studio’s brand faster and better.”

“Do you have any ideas?” Su Mo asked.

Lu Yan then expressed his thoughts.

After listening to this, Su Mo was silent for a while, then raised his head and said, “It’s a good idea. But if you follow your idea, it will not be an easy task to make this script into a movie. First of all, the investment in funds will definitely far exceed those movies currently released in China.”

Lu Yan nodded, “Yes. So I was also wondering if I was too impatient. Should I invest in some low-cost movies first, and then do this thing when I am more capable?”

Su Mo smiled and shook his head, saying, “Profits always coexist with risks. And if you want your studio to be a hit, what could be more direct than making a movie that is more advanced than the current domestic market. According to your idea, the story is a good one, and you want to use 3D technology. Currently, 3D technology is becoming more and more mature in the world, and there are some 3D movies, but there has not been a movie of sufficient weight to demonstrate it. So if this movie is well made, it will have a huge impact not only in China, but also internationally. So, have you ever considered seeking American funding?”

“Of course, I have considered it.” Lu Yan replied, “At present, domestic 3D technology is not mature enough. It will be easier to hire the best 3D team with the participation of American capital. In addition, the estimated investment of this movie is relatively large. Seeking American capital can first ease the financial pressure and secondly, it can give priority to obtaining the screening rights in the United States, and then the funds can be returned faster.”

Su Mo asked again, “So, have you ever thought about what investment ratio is needed?”

“I hope we can keep at least one-third of the investment. However,” Lu Yan smiled bitterly, “even if it is only one-third, it is not a small number.”

Su Mo smiled slightly, “You don’t need to worry about the money. I have one-third of the investment amount, and we will invest in the name of the studio. One-third is a good ratio. First of all, the initial investment will not be too large. If the movie is a big hit in the future, our profit will not be too small. Even if the profit is not good, the loss will be limited. As for foreign investment, I will help you contact several American film investment companies that are interested. You can bring your script and plan. As for how to convince them and how to allocate the investment ratio, it depends on your own ability. “

Lu Yan looked at Su Mo and didn’t say anything for a long time. After they got together, they rarely interfered with each other’s work. Lu Yan couldn’t intervene, and Su Mo maintained respect. However, since the establishment of this studio, their work had begun to intersect. Lu Yan had always known Su Mo’s ability and strength, but he had never thought of relying on him to take shortcuts. He hoped to rely on his own ability to reach the peak he wanted and stand in a position that could match him. This was more or less related to a man’s self-confidence and self-esteem.

But Su Mo’s helping hand was so natural. Whether it was the initial contract with Starry Sky, the establishment of the studio, or the current investment in the film, he had always analyzed the pros and cons as an investor. It was as if he was not a lover at the moment, but just an investor. However, Lu Yan knew very well that Su Mo’s investment in him was not only because he believed in his value, but more importantly, it was because of his love for him. Otherwise, for the president of Su Group, there were so many money-making industries in the world, and he was not the only one who needed one.

Su Mo’s words and actions left him no reason to refuse, nor did he want to refuse this love. At this time, the so-called self-esteem was boring, and hypocrisy was meaningless. The most important thing was that Lu Yan believed that he was worthy of this investment, and he had this value, no matter what the purpose was.

Su Mo saw that Lu Yan hadn’t said anything for a while, so he couldn’t help but ask, “Any other questions?”

Lu Yan smiled and said, “Even if it’s only one-third of the investment, it’s not a small amount. Doesn’t Director Su need to explain this to the board of directors?”

Su Mo smiled and said, “This is my personal property. Of course, I don’t need to explain it to anyone except you.”

Lu Yan was shocked. He knew that the Su family was rich, and he also believed that Su Mo had some wealth himself, but he didn’t expect that he himself would be so rich. This was not a matter of millions or tens of millions, but hundreds of millions.

Seeing Lu Yan’s surprised expression, Su Mo smiled again and said, “I have been doing some private investments for many years. I am lucky and have basically never made a loss. Over the years, I have also accumulated some savings. So just do whatever you want to do. Don’t just make one movie, you can make several. Even if you lose everything, it doesn’t matter. As long as you have money, you will never have to worry about lack of firewood. You can make money again.”

Lu Yan looked at him with a serious look in his eyes, then smiled slowly, “I won’t let you lose money. I will let the world know that your vision is never wrong, and your investment is worth it.”

Su Mo smiled lightly and corrected himself, “It’s not me, it’s us!”

Lu Yan nodded and said, “You are right, it is us!”