The legal procedures for the merger and acquisition of Taurus Palace have been completed, and the placement of Utsui Ken and Miura Tomokazu has been completed. It is already mid-September.
But it is a pity that although Ning Weimin himself is quite enthusiastic about the current situation, he is very happy that he got appointments with the agents of several famous actors.
But except for Matsumoto Keiko who firmly believed in his move, other people at Fog Studio and Matsumoto Office had completely opposite feelings about the current situation.
Everyone only saw that Ning Weimin was desperately borrowing money and spending a lot of money on behalf of Matsumoto Keiko. However, the actual problem of the company being oppressed and attacked by foreign enemies has not been solved at all, and it has always been passively beaten.
In particular, the resignation of Yasuko Sawaguchi, one of the leading actors in the cast of "Black Leather Notebook" who played Namiko, caused a big blow to the morale of the staff at Kiri Productions and Matsumoto Office.
For this matter, Toho Entertainment made a special call to Wu Studio to explain that everything was done by the Burning System.
Yasuko Sawaguchi, who insisted on going her own way, even paid 30 million yen to terminate the contract with Toho Entertainment, but there was nothing they could do.
Immediately afterwards, some tabloids published the news that Yasuko Sawaguchi signed a contract with Ikuo Shufang Entertainment Agency.
You know, there is a high probability that Yasuko Sawaguchi’s termination fee was paid by Ikuo Shufang.
So Ning Weimin, considering that Dongbao was also a film studio, didn't even ask for liquidated damages from the actors, but only got back the salary and signing bonus.
No matter how you think about this matter, it is really cowardly.
In addition, the key is that there has not been much growth in operating income, which is the most worrying thing.
Yes, even though the movie "Li Xianglan" was a huge success, the video tape and the music album were also huge sellers.
Fog Studio has recovered nearly 2.2 billion yen from this movie, so it has already made a lot of money.
However, because the movie was released from theaters half a year ago, the popularity of the movie will inevitably gradually dissipate, resulting in a simultaneous decrease in subsequent revenue.
Currently, Fog Studios and Matsumoto Office are still receiving income. Except for Matsumoto Keiko, who can immediately get around 20 million yen in GG endorsement fees from Pierre Cardin and Tannomiya Restaurant on a quarterly basis, the rest is not worth it.
Mention.
Regarding the copyright fees for the "Li Xianglan" video tape and music album, we can only receive 3 to 4 million yen per month now, and it will only become less and less. There is nothing we can expect at all.
The "Dream of Red Mansions" TV series music tape jointly published by Ning Weimin and Jinniushan has continued to grow due to the expansion of "Dream of Red Mansions" fans.
But after all, it is a niche hobby, and the sales volume is not growing very fast. It can only bring in profits of about two million yen per month.
And even this money will be gone in the future due to the merger and acquisition of Taurus Palace.
According to Ning Weimin's request, the business of introducing Chinese music albums in the future will be all handled by Taurus Palace, with Minoru Funaki in charge. Naturally, future profits will fall on Taurus Palace's account.
In short, with this amount of income, it will be enough to pay the staff of Fog Film Studio and Matsumoto Office, which is better than nothing.
Therefore, as a financial supervisor, from the perspective of Mitsuru Watanabe, the current situation of Kiri Productions and Matsumoto Office is quite bad. They are simply unable to make ends meet and are sitting on nothing.
But Ning Weimin was particularly active in the matter of loans.
As a result, the only thing that continues to grow on the account every day is the increasingly heavy debt burden and more and more loan interest that needs to be paid to the bank every month.
Just looking at the asset accounts of Fog Studios and Matsumoto Office, they have reached a debt ratio of approximately 300%.
The monthly interest alone is 50 million yen, which greatly exceeds the income.
This is an extreme case that is unheard of for both studios and talent agencies, and it can make people sad to death.
Therefore, no one could be more panicked than Mitsuru Watanabe. He came to work every day with trepidation. He was afraid that Ning Weimin would mortgage something again, so he went to the bank to add a new loan.
Of course, it's not that he doesn't believe in Ning Wei's ability to make money for the people.
After all, Ning Weimin used a trick to buy Matsumoto Keiko Matsumoto Keiko's Fog Studio, Kurosawa Akira and Mifune Toshiro's two-man studio by borrowing money to invest in the stock market.
Watanabe Mitsuru was so impressed by this move that he even followed Ning Weimin and bought some stocks and made a small fortune.
In addition, it's not that he doesn't believe in Ning Weimin's character.
Just look at the film library that Ning Weimin bought from Europe, or the shares of the French company Yves Saint Laurent, and the shares of Taurus Records, all of which are recorded in the name of Keiko Matsumoto.
He knew how much Ning Weimin loved his wife and treated Matsumoto Keiko completely sincerely.
But the problem is that Mitsuru Watanabe's heart capacity is limited.
This time Ning Weimin loaned tens of billions of yen to Matsumoto Keiko, and the amount of funds hoarded was really scary.
The pressure was all on Japan's accounts, but Mitsuru Watanabe was not told how to earn back the interest on these funds. He was only told to wait patiently.
As for those overseas assets, Mitsuru Watanabe has no control over them.
So this game is simply too exciting for Mitsuru Watanabe.
He couldn't help but worry that Ning Weimin would stumble and encounter some unexpected accident that he couldn't control, causing him to lose everything.
Therefore, he is now nervous and depressed every day, and he increasingly doubts whether he is still qualified for his current position.
It is estimated that if he spends the first half of the year with this fear of the future, he will definitely suffer from mental illness.
It is also possible that he lost his life directly because he could not bear this kind of suffering.
Then who should I complain to at that time?
Therefore, there is only one way to relieve his fearful pain, which is to at least let him see that the work of Fog Film Factory is back on track, and there is at least hope that these loans can be paid off, so that he can live a solid life again.
As for the director of Kiri Studio, Akira Okamoto, and the director of "Black Leather Notepad", Yoshitaro Nomura, they are similar to Mitsuru Watanabe, and are now also worried about the poor situation of Kiri Studio.
The cast issue of the "Black Leather Notepad" crew has still not been resolved, which has become the most difficult problem facing them.
Obviously the announcement of re-recruiting roles has been issued for a long time, but apart from Shochiku Pictures sending a few actors who are not very famous to apply, and a few newcomers who dream of being actors but lack acting experience, come to the door and recommend themselves,
No one came to audition anymore.
They all know that under this situation, even if it takes another year, it will be impossible to find a suitable actor.
So can they not be worried?
The two of them were almost too worried to eat or sleep.
But it doesn't matter, the good thing is that Ning Weimin knows the reasons for this situation better than anyone else.
Don't look at the fact that he has been allowing things to develop out of control and seems to have no ability to fight back. That's because he is a person who likes to make decisions later. He cannot do everything according to the rhythm of his opponent, only then can he do what his opponent wants.
A real counterattack cannot be launched until he is ready.
Besides, there are some things that he really doesn't care about.
For example, those who followed the instructions of Ikuo Subo and attacked Fog Studios all day long and spread nonsense.
The harder those people brag for Zhou Fangyuxiong now, the more painful their slaps in the face will be in the future.
Also, that "little buck-toothed" Yasuko Sawaguchi can just leave if he wants, and Ning Weimin really doesn't care.
This idiot, incited by Ikuo Suho, went so far as to offend Toho Entertainment in order to resign.
Does this mean you really don’t take the “Big Five” seriously, or do you despise your own longevity?
I'm afraid he doesn't need to take action in this matter. In the future, Dongbao will have to find an opportunity to deal with this white-eyed wolf who dares to betray him.
Still want to be popular?
Just wait and eat shit.
But on the contrary, when many unexpected situations arise, he needs to make arrangements one by one.
For example, accepting Ken Utsui and Yuka Miura.
Also, after acquiring Taurus Palace, how to integrate the business of Taurus Palace and arrange Teresa Teng’s treatment properly?
Because if you want to fight against the outside world, you must first pacify the inside. Only by having a stable rear area can Ning Weimin concentrate on dealing with external enemies.
No, now that he has almost done all the things he needs to do, he should personally troubleshoot the difficulties in restarting "Black Leather Notepad".
On September 17, 1987, Ning Weimin held a production meeting at the Matsumoto Office in the name of Matsumoto Keiko to discuss issues related to the casting of the "Black Leather Notepad" crew.
Needless to say, financial supervisor Mitsuru Watanabe, producer Akira Okamoto, screenwriter Shinobu Hashimoto, director Yoshitaro Nomura, assistant director and executive director are all people who must be present.
Even the two main actors of this drama, Ken Utsui and Tomokazu Miura, who had just joined Fog Productions, were invited and came here on time to participate in the meeting that day.
But before the meeting started, no one was in the mood to exchange pleasantries.
All had frowning and solemn expressions, and some even smoked cigarettes and let out soft lamentations.
Not for anything else, just because this drama carries the hopes of many people, but given the current situation, it is really not optimistic, and everyone feels an invisible pressure.
However, what is absolutely unexpected is that for such an important meeting, a sign saying "No unauthorized persons allowed to enter" was hung outside the door in advance.
But the two main characters, Ning Weimin and Matsumoto Keiko, were not only ten minutes late, but they also brought someone with them who no one expected to appear here - Matsumoto Seicho.
"Sorry, I'm a little late. I kept everyone waiting."
"Oh, sorry, everyone came on time."
I saw that in the conference room of about 20 square meters, all the main members of today's meeting were already here.
Matsumoto Keiko and Ning Weimin quickly apologized to everyone as soon as they came in.
But don't mention it, not only do they have a good attitude, they are even excused for being late.
Because Matsumoto Seicho, who is over 70 years old, immediately declared on the spot, "Don't be offended, it's me, an old man, who was delayed today. If I hadn't suddenly remembered that I forgot the medicine I had to carry with me at home, I would have had to go back.
We wouldn't have come so late. I'm sorry. It was my fault for delaying everyone's time. I hope you don't mind."
In this way, not to mention that these people did not dare to be dissatisfied with their bosses in the first place, but now they have completely eliminated their grudges for this legitimate reason. Everyone kindly said "It doesn't matter" or "You're too nice."
You’re welcome.”
However, everyone is inevitably curious as to why Matsumoto Seicho appeared here today.
Yes, the drama "Black Leather Notepad" is adapted from Matsumoto Seicho's novel of the same name. It stands to reason that the author is indeed qualified to participate in discussions at the production meeting.
But in that case, usually before the script is finalized, the crew seeks the author's opinion for the adaptation of the script.
The current script was created by Shinobu Hashimoto from beginning to end in accordance with Ning Weimin's requirements.
In order to bring a fresh experience to the readers of the novel, and also to be more relevant to the current social environment where people are obsessed with life, money, money, and bubbles.
Based on some suggestions put forward by Ning Weimin, Shinobu Hashimoto made relatively big changes to the final ending.
The script he completed did not follow the original work, and gave the heroine Motoko Haraguchi, played by Keiko Matsumoto, the saddest end - the people who had been blackmailed by him got together to take revenge, and not only went bankrupt, but also lost the money in their stomachs.
The child is gone too.
But they are all evil people, and no one has a good ending.
Haraguchi Motoko, who was good at blackmailing others, fell in love secretly with Yasushima, a congressman who had to respect political marriage. As a result, Yasushima's political opponents discovered the clues, and finally exposed their insider trading and criminal evidence, and was imprisoned.
But this is not the real ending.
The real ending was that many years later, after being released from prison, Haraguchi Motoko came to a nightclub in Roppongi and tried to rise again by working as a female publicist with more skill and experience.
She vowed to return to Ginza and take back her nightclub.
To put it bluntly, what Matsumoto Seicho’s story mainly wants to express is that “uncontrolled greed will eventually leave people with nothing.”
The core content of Shinobu Hashimoto's script focuses more on retribution and karma, and the principle of the mantis stalking the cicada and the oriole behind.
As for the final ending design, it is to give those who like happy endings a little more relief.
Strictly speaking, the core ideas expressed in the novel and the TV series are no longer the same.
Moreover, the casting process has already begun. Under such circumstances, and such an old Matsumoto Seicho is invited here, the first instinct of the crew members is that they need to change the script?
Is it necessary to eliminate many main characters because of the current difficulties in casting?
As a result, everyone looked confused and worried. A shadow of something bad happened suddenly passed over everyone's face, and they were all afraid that Ning Weimin was about to say something shocking.
Among them, screenwriter Shinobu Hashimoto and director Yoshitaro Nomura are particularly worried.
Because if that were the case, the chances of the drama going through such a transformation would double. They didn’t want to risk their reputation later in life.
But it is strange enough to say that he and Nomura Youtarou are obviously close friends, but Matsumoto Seicho came to participate in the meeting this time, but did not even say a word to him, just smiled and looked at the strange reactions at the scene, just like
It's like watching the fun.
As a result, the crew couldn't hold their breath anymore, and Akira Okamoto took the initiative to reveal the scar.
"Matsumoto-san, Chairman Ning, I want to apologize to everyone in public today for the actor recruitment. Now let me update you on the current situation. We have been recruiting actors again for more than ten days, but unfortunately, they came to apply for roles.
There are not many people, and most of them do not meet our requirements. There are only a few insignificant small roles. We reluctantly selected a few and have made a list. But there are still no suitable candidates for the missing main roles..."
As he spoke, he placed some information documents in the middle of the table, "I am mainly responsible for the poor progress of this matter. But even so, I don't think it is easy to make major changes to the script. We should continue to try to
Find actors through more channels, such as recommendations from people with good connections in the industry..."
Unexpectedly, as soon as he said this, he was interrupted by Matsumoto Seicho.
The old man laughed unabashedly, and then declared in a joking tone, "Okay, okay, don't get me wrong. I'm not here to make any comments on the script. The purpose of my visit today is just to
Participate in the casting. Of course, according to President Ning, it is also to help the show create gimmicks and increase the social attention of the show. After all, Fog Studio is my child. At this special time,
I can’t just sit back and watch, I should try my best.”
It was okay if he didn't say this, but it was even more strange after he said it. Everyone seemed not to understand what he meant.
Because it stands to reason that when a drama reaches the casting stage, it is only the responsibility of the crew, and there has never been a situation where the original author interfered in such a matter.
For no other reason than because there are cost constraints in filming film and television dramas, how can every actor have to conform to the author's perception.
If this is really done, not only will the cost of the actors be difficult to control, but it may not be recognized by the audience if it is actually filmed.
After all, there are a thousand Hamlets in the hearts of a thousand people. The author and the actor may not necessarily be the image in the audience's mind.
So at this time, everyone focused their attention on the faces of Ning Weimin and Matsumoto Keiko, hoping that they could further explain everything.
However, what everyone never expected was that both of them agreed with Matsumoto Seicho's words on the spot.
"That's right, I have to work hard this time, Mr. Matsumoto. Please help select the actor who best suits your needs."
"Yes. I believe that with your approval, the characters of this drama will be more deeply rooted in people's hearts and the wonderful interpretation of the story will be realized."
Fortunately, Ning Weimin also explained it to everyone afterwards, which was a shock to everyone.
"Everyone, I am very aware of the casting difficulties faced by the crew recently. Faced with the pressure from the Burning Department, those entertainment agencies have ignored our needs because of fear or wanting to stay out of the matter. So we have to
It is no longer realistic to obtain excellent actors in the conventional way."
"Therefore, I now announce that we will no longer consider price issues when selecting roles. As long as they are actors who fit the role, even if they are expensive first-line actors, we can try to hire them. Even if the shooting cost doubles, from 300 million yen
It doesn't matter if it becomes 600 million yen, or even one billion yen. Because only those famous actors who have become famous and have everlasting popularity are truly independent and free. They don't have to fear the pressure of the burning element, and they can't be affected by it.
Control of the combustion system.”
"So we invited Mr. Matsumoto here this time, just to listen carefully to Mr. Matsumoto's understanding of the image of each character, and to see what actors who fit the role look like according to his vision. To put it bluntly, since it saves costs,
It’s no longer possible, so let’s not consider the cost and simply use all our strength to polish this TV series into a masterpiece with famous actors. At least through this method and publicity, we can also make our Fog Studio famous.”
"Of course, Mr. Matsumoto himself said that he will not be blindly paranoid about roles, but will only provide personal opinions for everyone's reference. Therefore, the specific casting method is that everyone present will consider a list, and then write it out on the blackboard
On the list, select the least controversial roles first, and then discuss the other controversial ones slowly. Remember, I will say it again, when writing a list of recommended actors, you must forget about the price and only consider the compatibility with the characters."