The lawyer introduced by Alain Delon was named Henri René, a man in his late fifties.
The first meeting in the lawyer's office left a good impression on Ning Weimin.
This is not only because of his smart and capable face and gentleman-like dress, but also because of his calm, pragmatic work attitude and extremely high professionalism.
You know, even though he clearly knew that being a legal consultant for such a large transaction would earn him a lot of money, the French lawyer still insisted on making the following remarks to Ning Weimin as soon as they met.
"Let me make it clear first that I am a lawyer who has served Mr. Alain Delon for a long time. So sir, I have to make sure you understand that this time I am only temporarily providing you with legal services related to your deal with the studio.
And this is based on Mr. Alain Delon staying out of the matter. If...I mean just in case...your business negotiations with those two studios once involve Mr. Alain Delon's interests,
Then I will have to suspend my services for you, and I will also act as Mr. Alain Delon’s agent to fight for his legal rights.”
Looking at Alain Delon, who looked slightly embarrassed on the side, Ning Weimin fully understood this.
"No problem, I agree."
What Henry lawyer said next made Ning Weimin believe in his ability to work even more.
"Let me make it clear again that I did not mean to target you, let alone humiliate you. Sir, if it were the most powerful filmmaker in France, or even a Hollywood movie giant, I would do the same thing. This is my profession
Principle. If you ask Mr. Alain Delon, you will know that I have never been afraid of big shots and I like to confront them in court. In every transaction, I will use my best to ensure that my agent obtains reasonable benefits. This
This is my career pursuit. Of course, my price is never cheap, and it matches my work ability. I hope you can be mentally prepared for this."
Ning Weimin glanced at Alain Delon beside him, and he nodded slightly in agreement.
So out of "confidence", Ning Weimin then turned to face the lawyer and said with a smile, "I appreciate your frankness, Mr. Lawyer. Henry, I can call you that. I have completely understood your point."
Meaning. I can also assure you that I am not a stingy employer. If you are willing to be my lawyer, then I have prepared a check for one million francs and can give it to you right away. And this is just
Advance payment, and if the deal ends up being completed at a relatively reasonable price, you can also send me more bills."
"How should I understand your so-called reasonable price?"
"If the other party can make an offer based on the normal market price, I would like to offer a 20% discount on top of that. After all, it is a large transaction, and everyone thinks I am doing something stupid and buying a bunch of junk that no one wants.
.So in this case, my small goal should not be difficult to achieve, right?"
The lawyer finally smiled now.
After Henry took the check from Ning Weimin, he shook hands with Ning Weimin solemnly.
"As you wish, sir. From now on, I will be your agent. I will do my best to help you realize your wish as soon as possible."
Then he said to Alain Delon, "Alan, we all have to have a drink together. Thank you for introducing me to a high-quality customer."
…………
Three days later, Ning Weimin took the lead in receiving feedback from World Television and Film Company.
He immediately called his temporary lawyer.
Then Ning Weimin took Matsumoto Keiko and met with Henry René in his office.
It's a coincidence that the lawyer doesn't have any urgent work at the moment.
So after they reviewed the terms of the contract that had been prepared in advance, they took the law firm's car together and went to the appointment in a hurry, going to the World Television and Film Company.
This film studio started in the 1920s and still maintains the style of that era, completely looking like a traditional studio.
The layout is similar to the large shipyard of Shochiku Pictures and the Fog Film Studio bought by Matsumoto Keiko.
The wide site is dotted with small buildings, which are all different studios.
The main building has only six floors and is an old building. Under the original architectural pattern, only modern facilities have been repaired.
So the administrative space of this studio is very small and crowded.
Ning Weimin and his party arrived at the sixth floor, where they met several senior figures from the studio who had been waiting for them in a relatively spacious conference room.
The studio's general manager, administrative director, and deputy general manager in charge of distribution operations have received authorization from the board of directors to negotiate the film library deal.
So in addition to them, it is inevitable that the studio's legal advisers are also here.
But what was a bit unexpected was that Henry Rene and the other party's legal adviser actually knew each other. They were lawyers from the same well-known law firm, and they seemed to have a very good relationship.
The two of them were very happy to meet on such an occasion, and they exchanged pleasantries without hesitation for a while.
This undoubtedly adds some additional favorable factors to the successful conclusion of this transaction.
In fact, the process was quite smooth.
After both parties got to know each other, the studio first took out the catalog from the film library and distributed it to Ning Weimin and his party for them to browse and read.
Henry also took out his preliminary contract framework on behalf of Ning Weimin and had it read through in public.
Then the studio employees brought hot coffee and snacks.
The two parties began to drink coffee and talk about official business and contracts like friends in a friendly atmosphere similar to chatting in a coffee shop.
As if this transaction is not very important and it doesn't matter if it's more or less, he talks about the terms and price slowly and like gentlemen.
There were no quarrels, arguments, insults or attacks at all.
To be honest, this surprised Ning Weimin.
Probably because he was poisoned by Hollywood, in his impression, he always believed that foreigners are not good at talking, are easily excited when talking about money, and like to bang the table and yell when talking about big business.
Originally, he had made some mental preparations for this meeting in advance, warning himself that if this happened, he must not get angry in a hurry and just treat himself as a bystander.
I didn’t expect that the on-site confrontation would be so civilized.
Moreover, he really became a bystander, watching both parties calmly and gracefully, and actually concluded the deal.
Neither party made any aggressive moves towards each other and acted quite harmoniously.
Even in an environment where the language is unfamiliar.
Ning Weimin didn't have time to think carefully about the price of 426,597,800 francs given by the other party.
In just one hour, his temporary lawyer Henry René followed his advance instructions and negotiated the final transaction price for him.
??????55.??????
"They agreed to all your requests. I negotiated a price of 330 million francs for you. This is better than the target price you requested. So please sign, sign these documents, these movies and TV series in the catalog
, all business rights and interests in Asia from now on will belong to you and your wife. Of course, signing this document means that you must perform your legal obligations on time. The important thing is that you have to pay within a week.
, at least 200 million francs. Otherwise you will be in trouble. So... you decide what you want..."
Henri Rene spoke in English and happily spread the contract in front of Ning Weimin.
However, the French lawyer, who was proud of his efficient work, did not expect that Ning Weimin would actually return to him the words he had said three days ago.
"I want to send the final terms of the contract to Paris by fax machine and ask the lawyer there to review it for me. Is that okay? Sorry, Henry, I am very satisfied with your work. I also hope you can understand that I am not targeting
You, it’s not that I don’t respect you, it’s just..."
This made Henry René feel like he had been flashed in the waist.
However, he was a professional lawyer after all, so he just shrugged in surprise and was not too emotionally conflicted.
"I understand. I'm just being cautious and doing official business."
Then he took the initiative to ask.
"Send the fax now, or do you have to go back and do it later? If you do it now, I will ask them to provide the equipment..."
"Okay, send the fax now."
Just like that, in the afternoon of the same day, Ning Weimin, who had been waiting for several hours, received a reply from Paris, saying that there was no problem with the contract and that he could sign it with confidence.
Ning Weimin, who had already tasted coffee at World Television and Film Company, had a staff meal, and was drinking afternoon tea, finally ended the good time of eating and drinking at other studios. On the acquisition contract
Officially signed his name.
So from then on, he bought out the 2,100 film copies and more than 600 TV series, more than 60 animated series, and more than 80 documentaries originally owned by World Television and Film Company in Asia.
Copyright and commercial rights.
And prepare to transfer all this to the name of Matsumoto Keiko Kiri Productions through another document later.
Not to mention, after signing, Ning Weimin issued a check for 200 million francs on the spot.
He also understood that since he would be given early and late, why wait until a week later?
It is better to pay the down payment in the presence of lawyers from both parties, which will reduce the legal risks and make you look more generous.
And when these things were completed one by one, needless to say, Ning Weimin and Matsumoto Keiko were extremely excited.
For Ning Weimin, this is almost the largest transaction he has ever made, and it is also a trick with old-style capitalism.
No one knows better than him what he has taken from these French people. This is a big rip off of cultural copyright.
He already has a pretty complete plan in mind. Considering the Japanese people's preference for pink movies and the existence of many independent theaters across Japan that are willing to play literary and artistic films, the French will regret it in just a few decades.
.
I hate that they themselves were so stupid that they packaged up the art at such a cheap price and sold it with their own hands, which was the crystallization of their most creative period. Instead, he, an Oriental, made a lot of money from it.
For Matsumoto Keiko, she was completely intoxicated by the happiness of love and marriage.
You know, she is a person who is obsessed with movies and takes movies as her lifelong career.
Not only did her beloved not let her retire after marriage, but he personally helped her improve the finances of the office, helped her buy a studio, and produced a blockbuster movie like "Li Xianglan" that shocked Asia, saving her acting career.
cause.
Now, countless copies of the film from a major French studio have been purchased for her.
How could she not be moved, how could she not be excited?
With her knowledge of the film industry, she certainly knew that these copies were hot potatoes.
But she didn't care at all whether the deal brokered by Ning Weimin contained risks.
Because in her eyes, Ning Weimin did this all for her.
Rather than saying that she was superstitious about Ning Weimin's business ability, it would be better to say that she was glad that she had found true love.
So no matter what Ning Weimin chooses to do or what she is willing to do, she will never object.
She will only support without any conditions, cooperate without reservation, and regard it as the greatest happiness in her life.
She didn't know the Chinese proverb "When you marry a chicken, follow the chicken, follow the dog." But she already had this awareness and determination.
As for those French people, several senior executives of World Television and Film Company are certainly very happy.
None of them expected Ning Weimin to do things so easily. They originally thought they would have to compete on price with another studio.
Unexpectedly, after the negotiation was completed, the contract was signed on the same day, and the money was given immediately after signing the contract.
So even though the deal was completed, the overjoyed general manager of the studio still stayed as a customer with sincerity.
"Excuse me, I would like to take up a little more of your time, gentlemen. I propose that we all drink a toast to our happy cooperation."
There was no chance for objection at all, and the staff who had been prepared took action upon hearing the news.
In the blink of an eye, several female employees from the studio walked into the conference room carrying a tray of wine glasses and a bottle of Rémy Martin Cognac, and respectfully presented a glass to every big shot present.
At this time, the general manager took the lead in raising his glass and said, "For our happy cooperation and for the opportunity to work together again, please cheers to our friends from the East!"
Just like that, everyone on the scene drank all their wine.
Of course, there was actually another person who was also very happy that the transaction could be completed so smoothly, and that was Henry René, the lawyer who temporarily took over the business.
Under normal circumstances, both parties to a transaction of such a large amount are usually very cautious, and it is easy for variables to arise in the middle of the negotiation due to large differences between them.
According to Henry's own estimation, even if Ning Weimin did not have unrealistic demands, it would take at least about two weeks.
After all, there is another studio that will provide comparison, so you can choose the best one.
He really didn't expect that his job ended in just four days, and Ning Weimin didn't even wait for another company's quote.
And this means that just like a pie falling from the sky, he easily made a lot of money and can get his reward very quickly.
He was even considering whether to take an early vacation for himself and rented a yacht to take his wife and children to Morocco and Nice for a few days.
So he was so happy that when he just left the studio, as soon as he got into the car, he couldn't help but ask for payment for himself.
