1novels Chapter 9 The Art of Making Money
Chapter 9 The Art of Making Money
The Chasing Light Studio, which has just moved to the Jinghai Creative Park.
At nine o'clock in the morning, Chen Bo, who was in charge of operations, was sitting in front of his computer processing emails with messy curly hair.
His expression changed from initial excitement to a constipated contortion.
"Brother Nan, I'm really numb, no, what the hell are these monsters and ghosts...?"
Chen Bo directly complained: "They can't hold back anymore! Look at this, 'Strawberry Video'? Just the name sounds shady. They actually sent an email saying they wanted to buy the exclusive streaming rights to 'Ultraman Tiga', asking for 50,000? They even said they could add that 'Macau's first online casino' thing at the beginning of the video?"
"Delete it, don't tell Dio and the others."
Gu Nan was measuring a new model part with calipers, not even looking up. "On this kind of website, you'd lose if you replied with even a punctuation mark."
"And this one, 'Cool Cat Video'."
Chen Bo sighed, "This is a second-tier website, right? They were quite polite, saying they wanted to sign us. But I glanced at the contract, and it's full of unfair terms. They demand a complete buyout of the copyright, including the rights to develop subsequent merchandise, and the revenue sharing ratio they're offering is... 9:1."
"666, that reminds me, why not go for a 70/80 split?"
"Seriously, they have nine, and we have one?"
Su Zhe, who was standing to the side, laughed. "Isn't this guy taking himself way too seriously? We're on Bilibili's trending list now, after all."
"normal."
Gu Nan explained, "In the eyes of investors, college student startup teams are just 'cheap labor.' They are betting that we haven't seen money or the world, and that they can trick us into giving them our intellectual property with a little bit of profit."
In this parallel world, due to the decline of tokusatsu (special effects) genres, many platforms do not see the commercial value of this category at all.
They only see the current popularity and want to take advantage of Ultraman Tiga's popularity to fleece the audience.
"So what do we do? We can't just keep generating electricity for love, can we? Even though you're rich, Brother Nan, you can't just spend without earning anything."
"Don't rush."
Gu Nan walked to the window and looked at a black minivan slowly driving in downstairs.
It was a low-end SU7 Ultra with a Jinghai A license plate and a small TV logo printed on the body. Although it wasn't a luxury car like a Maybach, it was still very eye-catching in this startup industrial park where most people ride electric scooters or take the subway to work.
"Alright, here comes the main character."
Gu Nan smiled.
This was the very person he had mentioned on the phone a few days earlier.
"Clear the tables, turn on all our best rendering machines, and make an appearance. Everyone get busy, or at least pretend to be busy..."
"We're meeting a big spender later, so be prepared! Don't embarrass yourself!"
……
Ten minutes later.
The studio's meeting area... is actually just a few desks put together.
Sitting opposite me were two men in suits.
The leader, wearing gold-rimmed Lindbergh glasses and with his hair neatly combed, looked to be in his early thirties, exuding a shrewd and capable elite aura.
"Director Gu, I've heard so much about you."
The man proactively handed over a business card, his demeanor neither humble nor arrogant. "I am Lin Yu, the director of the content cooperation department at Bilibili."
This is our legal representative, Zhang Wei—Attorney Zhang.
Uh, a professional team?
interesting.
Bilibili remains a gathering place for young people worldwide. Unlike second-tier platforms that are still observing the situation, Bilibili's data analysis department captured the extraordinary user engagement as early as the release of the first episode of "Ultraman Tiga".
"Director Lin, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Gu Nan took the business card, glanced at it, and casually placed it on the table. He didn't show any flattery or put on airs; he treated it like any other visitor.
"Water or Coke? Our studio is basic, not like a big company like Bilibili. We don't have freshly ground coffee."
"You're welcome, water is fine."
Lin Yu adjusted his glasses, but his gaze was quickly scanning the studio.
Small but complete.
The equipment is top-notch, and although it's messy, it's very organized.
The storyboard drawings on the wall were extremely professional.
Although it seems a bit staged, you can still see the other party's sincerity.
Most importantly, this young director in front of me is so calm.
When ordinary college students meet the platform director, they are either so excited that their hands tremble or so nervous that they stutter.
But Gu Nan sat there, and his aura was even more composed than that of the client.
"Director Gu, let's get straight to the point."
Lin Yu took a thick document out of his briefcase and pushed it in front of Gu Nan. "Your work, 'Ultraman Tiga,' has very impressive stats. Bilibili has high hopes for the tokusatsu (special effects) genre."
Our senior management also gave it special approval, granting us the highest level of authority. This can be considered our draft of an "S-level" contract, the most favorable one available.
"S-rank?"
Chen Bo and Su Zhe, who were standing next to him, both had their eyes light up.
On Bilibili, being rated S means receiving preferential treatment from the entire platform, including featured placements on the splash screen, top trending topics, and even offline anime conventions.
"Director Gu, you can take a look at the terms and conditions first."
Lin Yu smiled and said, "To show our sincerity, we not only offer a guaranteed signing bonus, but also the highest traffic incentive program."
Gu Nan picked up the contract.
Instead of flipping directly to the last page to see the amount as Lin Yu had expected, they did not.
Gu Nan turned to the first page and began reading line by line.
He read very quickly, but with each page he turned, Lin Yu's heart sank a little deeper.
Because every place Gu Nan stayed was a "pitfall" in the contract.
Ten minutes later.
Gu Nan closed the contract and gently tossed it back onto the table.
"Director Lin."
Gu Nan looked at Lin Yu with a half-smile on his face. "Is this contract for signing, or for signing a 'contract of servitude'?"
Lin Yu's smile froze for a moment: "What do you mean by that, Director Gu? The terms and conditions are all industry standards..."
Article 3 states, "The platform has the exclusive right to disseminate and sublicense the content published by Party B (us) on Bilibili worldwide."
Gu Nan pointed to the contract, "I can grant exclusive rights, but what does 'sublicensing' mean? Does it mean you can sell my film to iQiyi or Tencent, you make the money, and I'm stuck with a fixed quota?"
Lin Yu's eyes flickered for a moment: "This is negotiable..."
"Article 4 states, 'Regarding the development rights of IP derivatives, Party A (Bilibili) has priority agency rights and enjoys 50% of the revenue share,' and authorizes Member Purchase as the sole primary distribution platform."
Gu Nan's voice turned cold. "Director Lin, we're all seasoned foxes, let's not play these ghost stories. How do tokusatsu films make money? Through video traffic? No, through merchandise, through toys."
"You're going to take half of my toy profits? Do you know how much that is?"
"and……"
Gu Nan leaned forward, exuding an air of oppression. "Article Six: 'If Party B breaches the contract, it shall compensate Party B with ten times the signing fee plus platform promotion costs.' How are these 'promotion costs' calculated? You say you invested ten million, so it's ten million? I won't be able to afford it even if I sell my underwear."
The conference room was deathly silent.
Lawyer Zhang standing next to him broke out in a cold sweat.
Is this supposed to be a college student?
That old fox!
Every point they made was placed in the "gray area" carefully designed by the Ministry of Justice.
Lin Yu put away his contempt.
He realized that the young man in front of him was definitely not the kind of hothead who would be grateful for a little bit of traffic.
"So, what does Director Gu mean?"
Lin Yu asked in a deep voice.
"Exclusive broadcasting rights are available to you, but only within mainland China. I'll keep the overseas rights for myself."
Gu Nan held up one finger.
"The rights to all merchandise belong entirely to 'Light Chaser Studio.' Bilibili is only responsible for the operation of the video streaming service and does not participate in the development and revenue sharing of any physical products."
"As for the penalty for breach of contract..."
Gu Nan smiled. "Follow the highest standards of contract law, three times the amount. Don't bother with those fancy 'promotion costs' stuff."
"That's impossible."
Lin Yu instinctively refused, "The peripheral rights are the main part. The platform provides traffic support, so taking a share is industry practice. Besides, overseas copyrights..."
"Director Lin."
Gu Nan interrupted him, her tone calm yet exuding an undeniable confidence, "Do you know what I'm holding in my hand?"
"A license from Tsuburaya Productions is worthless if it's a bankrupt company." Director Gu said.
"No." Gu Nan shook his head.
"Tsuburaya Productions isn't important, but what's in my head is."
"The current video copyright war is fierce. Tencent, iQiyi, and even that other app are all ahead of you, you know that. If Bilibili wants to overtake others in the long-form video field, this new track I created called tokusatsu is your best opportunity."
"Either we cooperate for mutual benefit: I bring Bilibili a huge influx of daily active users, new users, and user engagement, and you earn GG fees and membership fees. Or..."
Gu Nan glanced at his watch. "The vice president of Tencent Video also invited me for tea this afternoon. Although they don't understand anime and manga, and they don't really understand young people, they have more money."
This is a blatant threat.
But Lin Yu had no choice but to accept this.
Because the data for Ultraman Tiga is too tempting.
Although its popularity has not yet reached the level of being "viral across the entire internet".
But the potential is definitely enough.
As long as the quality can be maintained, the only thing lacking is time.
That level of user engagement and discussion is exactly what Bilibili currently lacks. If they let this big fish slip away and it gets signed by Tencent or another platform, his time as director is over.
Moreover, Gu Nan's professional demeanor when discussing copyright, as well as his confident "money is no object" attitude, made Lin Yu uneasy.
What kind of family does this kid come from?
Most students would have signed the contract long ago if they heard about the signing bonus of hundreds of thousands.
He didn't even glance at the amount; he was focused entirely on copyright details.
Such people are either crazy or rich, and don't care about this small amount of money; they only care about control.
Lin Yu took a deep breath and exchanged a glance with the lawyer beside him.
"Director Gu, your request is beyond my authority."
Lin Yu took out his phone. "I need to consult with headquarters."
Please allow me to leave for a moment.
"Please go ahead." Gu Nan gestured for him to proceed, then turned to Chen Bo and said, "Send Director Lin off."
Director Lin went downstairs, got back into his car, and took out his phone.
……
More than half an hour later.
Lin Yu sat back down at the negotiating table, his expression a mix of emotions, but mostly one of relief.
"Headquarters has agreed."
Lin Yu gave a wry smile. "Director Gu, you've truly broadened my horizons. The higher-ups said that, given the unique nature and potential of 'Ultraman Tiga,' we can sign a more exclusive contract."
"Here's the deal: exclusive streaming rights belong to Bilibili (mainland China), and peripheral rights belong to you. But there's one condition."
"What?"
"We want to use this series to launch a test function for the 'Charging Plan' (paid on-demand viewing/tipping), and we want to take a 30% cut from this part."
Meanwhile, Bilibili has the priority rights to host events related to "Ultraman Tiga," including anime conventions, and the priority right to purchase subsequent episodes.
"make a deal."
Gu Nan extended his hand with a bright smile, "Director Lin, it's a pleasure to work with you."
This is what a win-win situation is.
"Director Gu, Bilibili has its eye on you and your future in the sea. You will definitely go further than any of us."
"A 30% platform commission is a reasonable channel fee. As for offline comic conventions? At this stage, we don't have the manpower or experience to operate them independently. Relying on BW's huge appeal is actually saving Gu Nan trouble. Why not have someone help set up the stage?"
After signing, affix the official seal.
The moment the brand-new contract took effect, a crisp notification sound came from the system backend.
Although Gu Nan didn't have any system, he seemed to hear the sound of gold coins falling into his pocket.
……
three days later.
Bilibili's official account released an announcement:
[Welcome to "Chasing Light Studio" for officially signing a contract to exclusively stream the official "Ultraman Tiga" series on Bilibili!]
At the same time, Gu Nan received his first signing bonus from Bilibili—one million yuan.
This is the down payment.
In addition to the fan donations since the "charging plan" was launched in the past few days, he has earned hundreds of thousands more.
Although it's not much compared to the five million given by Gu's father, it not only means that the studio has achieved "self-sufficiency," but also that they have escaped the predicament of "powering the studio with love."
"Give us the money!"
In the studio, Gu Nan waved his hand.
"Long live Brother Nan!"
Chen Bo, Su Zhe, Xia Youwei, and several other post-production team members who had been helping out all cheered.
Don't be too happy yet.
Gu Nan pressed his hand down, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light. "This money isn't for everyone to squander. Apart from the bonuses and salaries given to everyone, I'm going to invest the rest into the next episode."
"Smash?"
Wang Kai was taken aback for a moment, "Isn't the next episode supposed to be 'Goodbye, Earth'? I've already finished making the suit for Li Jiadlong, it shouldn't cost too much, right?"
"not enough."
"Zhuo Tianzun isn't stupid. If this trend continues, they must have already started developing their technology, with powerful bricks flying everywhere. It's only a matter of time before they reach the quality we have now. We must improve."
Gu Nan walked up to Zhang Zhao and reached out to touch the Ultraman Tiga suit on his body.
"Old Zhang, how's it feeling wearing this CR leather one these past few days?"
"Uh, I think it's alright..."
Zhang Zhao scratched his head honestly, "It's just so stuffy. After filming a scene, you could pour out a pound of water from inside. And if you accidentally make a big movement, the folds in the leather at the joints can pinch your skin."
"This is the problem we need to solve."
Gu Nan turned around and wrote several large characters on the whiteboard: [Industrialization Upgrade].
"Now that we have money, we can no longer use outdated methods."
"First, upgrade the suit."
Gu Nan looked at Wang Kai and said, "Stop using that cheap diving material. I contacted a factory that specializes in specialty rubbers these past two days and ordered a batch of 'composite microporous breathable material.' This material can maintain its gloss while being breathable and dissipating heat."
"Furthermore, I will install a miniature liquid cooling circulation system inside the leather case."
"Liquid cooling?" Zhang Zhao's eyes widened. "Like a computer?"
"Yes. We'll implant tiny tubes in your chest and back. When you rest, we'll connect a circulation pump to quickly lower your body temperature. This will allow you to stay in peak condition during long-take fight scenes."
"Holy crap, Brother Nan, this is too luxurious!" Zhang Zhao was so moved he almost cried.
Second, outsourcing.
Gu Nan looked at Chen Bo and said, "From now on, all the simple background removal, frame-by-frame repair, and basic 3D modeling will be outsourced. I've already contacted two professional outsourcing companies. You core members should focus your energy on creativity and key special effects, and not waste time on tightening screws."
"third……"
Gu Nan's gaze deepened.
"Next episode, Ligadron. That's a monster fused with a spaceship."
"I need you to find a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining factory."
"I'm going to use large pieces of metal to cut out the cockpit of a Jeep 3."
"Huh? Such a huge project?"
Wang Kai was dumbfounded. "Brother Nan, can't we just build a wooden board and paint it? Anyway, you won't be able to tell with filters later."
"no."
Gu Nan refused decisively, "The core of the story of Ligadron is 'texture.' It's a fusion of humanity's highest technological achievements and monsters. If it were made of wood, the coldness and hardness of metal wouldn't come through."
"Moreover, this time we need to shoot a lot of interior shots, to capture the despair of astronauts being swallowed by monsters. If the props aren't realistic, the actors won't be able to get into character."
"Spend money. As long as it's for the visuals, don't be stingy with the money."
Gu Nan's words were resounding.
Everyone present felt an unprecedented sense of confidence.
Previously, they meticulously calculated the amount of starch used in each bag; now, they are using industrial-grade standards to create a dream.
"Understood, Brother Nan."
Wang Kai pushed up his glasses, a flame igniting in his eyes.
"As long as the money's there, it's no use whoever comes! I can make that cockpit look like it was just moved from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center!"
"it is good."
Gu Nan nodded in satisfaction.