Chapter 2654 Be responsible to the audience

Zhou Buqi believed in the other party's sincerity.

From a cooperation perspective, Zhou Buqi and Richard have the same interests, and they both want to create a new situation in the TV drama financing industry.

Richard is just the CEO chosen by HBO and is a professional manager.

To put it bluntly, the long-term survival and development of HBO is a matter for the board of directors as long as it is not close to it. When Richard takes office as a new official, what he wants to do most is to show some tangible achievements first!

The total amount of production funds approved by the board of directors was so much for him.

However, now the American drama industry is experiencing a big explosion, not only with the strong rise of streaming giant Netflix, but also with similar pay TV stations that imitate HBO, such as AMC, Showtime, Starz, etc.

Especially AMC TV station, with the super American drama "Breaking Bad", it suddenly became a popular pay station, and the subscription fee is only 30% of HBO.

This has caused HBO to encounter great competitive pressure.

How to break the situation?

It is impossible to reduce prices, so we can only produce more and more exciting high-quality TV series to attract audiences.

However, funds are limited, what should we do?

Then we must stimulate the financing market for TV series and introduce external funds to help HBO produce TV series.

TV series are not movies.

If you want to make a platter investment in TV series, it will be difficult to promote it just relying on Richard's connections, capital and appeal. Only with the help of Boss Zhou can you implement this plan.

From this point of view, Zhou Buqi and Richard are allies, and they must jointly fight against HBO's board of directors.

Zhou Buqi didn't want to push too hard. It would be great if he could scrape some scraps from HBO. He admitted generously, "Well, you're right. I work on the Internet, and what I value most is streaming. Media Rights.”

Richard said with a smile: "Many of HBO's systems have been in place for more than 20 years, and it is difficult to promote changes. Fortunately, many people pay more attention to competition in the TV station field and regard streaming media as a new market. "

This was said with great sincerity.

It was completely consistent with Zhou Buqi's guess. He asked again, "Can it only be done to this extent? Can it only open up the distribution rights of some streaming media copyrights?"

Richard said solemnly: "This is already the maximum limit."

"Um."

Zhou Buqi nodded.

That's enough.

In the platter investment cooperation between the two parties, for those American dramas whose annual revenue is less than 3%, the streaming media distribution rights can be shared with financiers... although it is only the distribution rights, this is enough.

It can "destroy" HBO's exclusive broadcast system to a certain extent.

You know, TV shows that don’t perform well on HBO are not necessarily bad, and they may not be liked by users.

Because HBO’s threshold is very high.

Most of HBO's users are the elite and middle class in the United States. This group has relatively high aesthetic requirements... For example, the American drama "Roma" did not have high ratings on HBO.

The main reason is that the scale of "Roma" is too large and too violent, which makes many "cultivated" viewers dislike it, especially the majority of female viewers who find it difficult to accept it.

But that doesn’t mean “Roma” is a bad show.

On the contrary, this is a phenomenal American drama. For most ordinary people, this is a work that witnesses the terrible history of medieval Europe.

The limitations of HBO's audience base led to the halving of this American drama.

If Zhou Buqi can obtain the streaming media distribution rights for many projects such as "Roma", he can distribute these American dramas on his own streaming media platform...

The content will be enriched and the competitiveness will be stronger.

Many viewers who want to watch HBO dramas do not necessarily have to subscribe to HBO, which can divert HBO's viewers and strengthen their own strength.

Richard said expectantly: "Zhou, is this okay? I can swear that what I said is true. Sharing a part of the streaming rights distribution of American TV series whose revenue has not reached expectations with the financing parties is what I can do." It’s the limit.”

Zhou Buqi smiled and said, "I believe it."

Richard was overjoyed, "So, you agree?"

Zhou Buqi said: "I still have a small condition that can be easily pushed forward. You can put it into practice again."

"you say!"

Richard was very happy and felt that this marathon race had reached the last mile.

Zhou Buqi is more experienced because he has handled such cases before. He said: "Just like the "Game of Thrones" I participated in before, there must be an additional clause. If the series is completed as planned, then naturally is the best. However, if HBO wants to change the plan at a certain stage, wants to cut in half or reduce the subsequent content to shorten the plan, and does something that goes against the established plan, then it must be allowed to be taken over by the financiers. Complete subsequent production.”

"ah?"

When Richard heard this, his head was pounding.

This requirement is not simple at all, no easier than sharing copyright!

Zhou Buqi said sternly: "There must be such a clause. This is responsible for the cooperation between the two parties and all the viewers. Otherwise, for a high-quality project, HBO will give up if it says it will give up, and cut it in half if it says it will. It would cause serious injustice.”

"I said, "Game of Thrones" is just a special case." Richard was very embarrassed. "We cannot apply the template of "Game of Thrones" to our TV series platter investment project."

Zhou Buqidao said firmly: "I think there need to be some consensus clauses to protect the rights and interests of the main controller, the financing party, and the audience. To be honest, I am very dissatisfied with some phenomena in the TV drama industry. Satisfied. Maybe because I am an Internet person and have always been user-centered in making products. TV series seem to be very different. Even if a TV series is recognized by countless viewers, these recognitions have no meaning to the producers. , they can halve a certain TV series at any time without any restrictions."

Richard said: "Because some TV series are popular but not popular, and they really can't make money."

Zhou Buqi opened his eyes wide, "What do you mean? Just because it doesn't make money, you can just give up a TV series that is loved by countless viewers?"

"Ah?" Richard was stunned, obviously even more shocked, "Shouldn't I give up?"

Zhou Buqi said loudly: "Of course not, where are the interests of the audience?"

Richard said in disbelief: "Is this how the Internet makes products? As long as a product that doesn't make money is recognized by users, it will continue to operate for a long time even if it doesn't make money?"

Zhou Buqi said matter-of-factly: "Shouldn't it be?"

"Well……"

Richard was stunned, obviously affected by this cross-industry and cross-thinking.

Zhou Buqi shook his head and said flatly: "Ziweixing International has dozens of products, 90% of which are loss-making products. Even our flagship products Helo and Ucgram have been in a state of loss since their launch. ."

"It's not the same..." Richard felt that he was fooling himself and didn't quite believe this argument. "Helo is only suffering a temporary loss. When the business gradually matures and becomes richer, it will eventually be able to find profits in the future." Opportunity. The product logic of the Internet seems to be different from that of TV series."

Zhou Buqi said: "No, you are wrong, there is no difference! A TV series is now losing money, so it has to be cut in half or give up? It is losing money now. If you persist, maybe ten or twenty years later it will be There’s a huge chance of success.”

This is a bit confusing.

It is a skill in negotiation.

However, Boss Zhou has his own arguments.

Zhou Buqi said: "In our country, there is a TV series called "The Ming Dynasty". When it was broadcast six years ago, the ratings were extremely poor. The first round was not even finished, and the TV station canceled it. Then, the entire series The TV series was on hold. After I heard about it, I spent 50 million...about $7 million to buy the rights to the TV series."

"Then what?"

Richard was very curious and really didn't believe that the Internet's gameplay could also be applied to the field of TV dramas.

Zhou Buqi said with a smile: "Now, "The Ming Dynasty" has become the most popular TV series in our country, and has been repeatedly discussed and watched by countless drama critics and audiences. At first, I spent 7 million I bought the rights with U.S. dollars. Now, this TV series can bring me more than 10 million U.S. dollars in revenue every year."

This is due to poor domestic intellectual property protection and too few sales channels.

The main profit direction of "The Ming Dynasty" operated by Jieyu Media is the licensing of streaming media copyrights.

If we can earn revenue through licensing pay TV channels, free TV channels, subscription on-demand channels, DVD sales, streaming media platforms, overseas TV channels, etc., like the European and American markets, the revenue will only be greater and our influence will be greater. amazing.

Richard was silent.

Zhou Buqi smiled and said: "It doesn't matter. HBO can operate according to the TV series production concepts you understand as it did in the past. However, when you want to give up, don't forget that there are countless viewers who are still watching. HBO You can give up on these audiences, but I won’t give up!”

It was really difficult for Richard to understand this kind of thinking, "Would you rather lose money than continue to produce and develop the entire series of American TV series?"

Zhou Buqi said in a deep voice: "This is the responsibility of the product side to every consumer! I still say the same thing, HBO is not willing to bear such a responsibility, it doesn't matter, I will bear it! If you want to give up a certain TV series Please transfer it to me, I will finish the subsequent story and give an explanation to every audience who loves this TV series!"

"Where's the control?"

Richard asked a very crucial question.

Zhou Buqi said calmly: "Everything has been transferred to me, and of course the control rights must also be transferred. However, HBO can still enjoy the exclusive broadcast rights of the paid channels and share the distribution rights of the streaming version. Dick, I I believe you can see that the conditions I proposed are sincere enough."