Chapter 396: Two-location Co-production
In the 80s, being a writer could be said to be a profession that was both highly regarded and could actually make money.

At that time, the salary of a worker in a state-owned factory was only 20 to 30 yuan per month, and at most 300 to 400 yuan per year.

But if a writer submits his work to a literary society and is approved, based on the minimum standard of 6 yuan per thousand words, he can get 600 yuan for any short story of words, which is almost enough for a worker's salary for two years.

Not to mention those famous writers who can earn 15 yuan per thousand words, they can really live a life of luxury.

But before living this kind of magical life, most writers have to go through a period of training, or a novice period.

At this time, unless you are writing part-time, you will have to rely on your family for support for a period of time, which may be one or two years, or maybe five or ten years.

Fang Hexuan casually mentioned the names of some writers and asked Liu Tianci to pay special attention to them, so as to lock in and invest in them in advance.

The reason why this is taken so seriously is also for the long-term consideration of DreamWorks Films.

In the borrowed city of Hong Kong, almost all ambitious people have a "live one day at a time" mentality.

The consequence is that there is almost no long-term planning and only the focus is on immediate interests.

In the film industry, the most obvious example is that Hong Kong film companies do not attach importance to screenwriters, at least for now.

There are screenwriters everywhere, but there are only a handful of truly professional and great screenwriters.

Although DreamWorks has a dedicated script committee, it is still very amateur compared to Hollywood.

Why are Hong Kong movies before the new century criticized for lacking logic and being brainless even though they look light-hearted and lively? Isn't it because they are used to making quick money and all processes are rushed, so naturally the scripts are not meticulously crafted?

It’s not that Hollywood values ​​screenwriters very much, but they are indeed willing to spend millions of dollars for a good script.

This has prompted both professional screenwriters and writers to write stories carefully.

There are many bad Hollywood movies, and there are also many special effects movies that do not require complicated plots, but there are still many good movies with rigorous and excellent scripts.

In contrast, in Hong Kong, it was not until the appearance of "Farewell My Concubine" and "Infernal Affairs" that screenwriters gradually gained some status.

Turning back to the mainland, from the 80s to its heyday in the 90s, many mainland films were basically adapted from award-winning novels or influential works.

With the novel as the basis, the adapted script itself won't be too bad. It may not be commercial enough, but its artistry and humanity are indeed higher than Hong Kong movies.

Fang Hexuan is not some literary youth, and he also values ​​the self-sustaining ability of DreamWorks films, so it is understandable that he attaches importance to commercial films.

But this does not mean that he only wants DreamWorks Pictures to be a film and television company that only makes commercial films.

After all, this company will definitely enter the mainland in the future. If it only focuses on money, regardless of whether the audience's reputation is good or not, at least in the eyes of many mainland peers and officials, the quality is too low.

DreamWorks Films is committed to becoming the Disney or Warner in the Chinese-speaking regions, so it must not be lame or biased. It must have both commercial films that do well at the box office and films that can go global and win awards.

Frankly speaking, in terms of pure literature and fiction literature, apart from Li Bihua, Hong Kong really has basically no achievements.

The ideological and artistic qualities of literary works are highly consistent with the world's major film festivals. The more a movie is adapted from a famous work, the greater the chance of winning an award. If DreamWorks wants to make a mark at foreign film festivals, the best way is to shoot some movies adapted from famous works or award-winning novels.

Moreover, this adaptation model is also conducive to cultivating professional screenwriters for DreamWorks.

Therefore, letting Liu Tianci pay attention to some potential mainland writers in advance and acquiring the adaptation rights of famous novels is only the first step. The second step will be to invite famous directors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to shoot.

With the development path planned by Fang Hexuan for DreamWorks Films, Hong Kong's largest film company will produce a large number of high-grossing films in the future.

But having high box office alone is definitely not enough. Only if DreamWorks Films can also win some well-known film awards can it truly establish its position as the undisputed number one in Greater China.

Fang Hexuan hadn't asked about DreamWorks affairs for some time, so he just talked a few more words on the way to the hotel.

"DreamWorks Films will also set up a Mainland Affairs Department to be responsible for all matters related to cooperation with the Mainland."

Liu Tianci also nodded in agreement:
"Well, actually, I have had this idea for a long time. It is time to allocate a group of people to be responsible for it."

Fang Hexuan looked out the window, then turned back and reminded:
"As the head, you must always remember that although DreamWorks Films originated in Hong Kong, it is by no means just a Hong Kong film company. In the future, it will go abroad to compete with the Jews in Hollywood and return to the mainland to operate extensively and deeply in the most promising markets. Therefore, do your homework in advance so that you won't be in a rush later."

"Yes, I understand."

"Hong Kong has its own advantages, and so does the mainland. The two places should combine their comparative advantages to produce more sophisticated and competitive works. Only in this way will our market not be limited to Asia. Moreover, kung fu films will eventually decline, and it is imperative to shoot more genre films. The mainland's filming locations and good film and television professionals are all helpful. You and other executives should seize the opportunity."

"Well done, Brother Ci, you may be able to move up a level."

Hearing this, Liu Tianci seemed thoughtful at first, and then his heart was filled with excitement.

The boss's meaning is very clear. As long as you do what DreamWorks Movies is supposed to do, there will definitely be room for promotion in the future.

"I will definitely carry out Fang Sheng's instructions faithfully."

Fang Hexuan waved his hand and said:
"I can only give you the general direction from a high level, but the specific implementation still needs to be done by professionals like you."

"However, there are still some issues to be aware of when co-producing between the two places."

Liu Tianci immediately sat up straight and said respectfully:
"Please give me your instructions, Mr. Fang."

Fang Hexuan said while thinking:

"It's nothing, just don't think only from your own perspective. The mainland has its own rules and historical background. Don't be arrogant."

"For example, if you shouldn't say something or get involved in something, make sure it has nothing to do with you."

"Also, when filming in the mainland, we must respect local customs and environment, and treat mainland production staff equally, including in terms of remuneration."

"If I hear any news that damages the reputation of DreamWorks movies again, don't say I didn't warn you in advance. At that time, you will need to be the bad guy yourself."

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(End of this chapter)