Chapter 683 - Crowdfunding on Movie Production (4) – Part 2
Gun-Ho said, “It costs an enormous amount of money to produce a movie. 3 million dollars is certainly not enough at all. You know that, right?”
“I’m still in the process of obtaining more funds. I keep the door wide open to get crowdfunding.”
“You don’t need me then, do you, Mr. President Chen?”
“Umm, sir, I do need you. It takes a long time to collect enough funds through crowdfunding. As you know well, even the pre-production stage in filmmaking takes five months. If we wait until obtaining enough funds before getting into the pre-production stage, it might be too late to produce a successful movie. The genre of patriotic films is the current trend in China. If we release our movie a while later, people might have already moved on to another genre. We have to produce the movie and release it as soon as we can while people still love to watch it.”
“So, you are saying that I should provide half of the production cost in order to save time.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I believe that it’s not difficult to find Chinese investors who would be more than willing to fund a tremendous amount of money. Why do you want to work with a small Korean company— GH Media?”
“Chinese investors are usually interested in taking over the operating right once they put their money in a business. Their constant attempt to interfere with the business is unimaginably bad. They would also try to place their own person in my position and start replacing my staff with their people. If that happens, I will lose my business.”
“You said the other day that you recorded my first investment funds into the TV drama production of Shiguang Ru Meng as a short-term loan, which is not what we initially agreed. How do I still trust you and make an additional investment in your business?”
“I have my reason for it, sir, and I didn’t mean to change my words with you. My current creditors were requesting to give them the shares of my production company for the debt that I owe them. Also, if I make your money as a short-term debt rather than giving you some company shares by increasing the capital, it would be easier to pay you back.”
“If my investment funds are treated as a short-term loan, I will make profits only for the interest on the money.”
“Not necessarily, sir. Since the business entity— GH Media— invested its funds in my production company, I can always pay GH Media for other services such as consulting fees. I just need a receipt issued by GH Media for the extra amount.”
“Hmm.”
“We are currently receiving technical support and consultation from BM Entertainment. Director Woon-Hak Sim introduced that company to me. We are not paying a huge amount of money to them, but we are paying them for their service.”
“Hmm.”
“Sir, I’m absolutely confident that this movie based on Ms. Ailing Feng’s scenario will succeed. I know of several famous screenwriters in Korea such as Soo-Hyun Kim and Eun-Sook Kim. A movie or TV drama based on their scenarios is guaranteed for success, isn’t it?”
“Sounds great. I will see you then.”
When it was 6 pm sharp, Gun-Ho received a call from Seukang Li.”
“It’s me. I’m in the hotel lobby.”
“I will be right down.”
Gun-Ho went down to the lobby carrying the scroll painting that President Chen gave to him earlier that day.
“Hey, it’s really good to see you, President Goo!”
“Good to see you, Director Li.”
The two men hugged each other and sat at a table in the lobby.
“This is a nice hotel. I heard that Lial Zhiang stays in this hotel whenever she comes to the area.”
“Lial Zhiang?”
“The Korean actress— Lia.”
“Oh, Lia!”
“I was worried about the new TV drama, and I feel so relieved that Shiguang Ru Meng is doing really well.”
“I want to thank you for it, Director Li.”
“Me? I didn’t do much. It’s all because of you, President Goo. I appreciate it.”
“Oh, you know what? I received this gift from a Chinese person. I brought this to show you. I’m not sure if this is an expensive painting or not.”
Seukang Li closely looked at the scroll painting, and he said, “This looks like a painting from the late Qing dynasty.”
“Qing dynasty? It must be expensive then, isn’t it?”
“Not necessarily. It was painted during Guangxu. You can buy a painting like this for 2,000 Yuan.”
“Really?”
“While Empress Dowager Cixi governed the country, many people had suffered from economic hardship, so many people got into the painting industry just to make a living. So, this painting is probably not a creative painting but a copy of a famous painting. Who would make a gift of an original painting of a famous painter? They would save it at home and pass it on to the next generation within their family.”