novellhall Chapter 63 Liu Shishi
Chapter 63 Liu Shishi
As Lin Yu spoke, he took out three script outlines and three different character biographies from his bag.
The "gift" he mentioned was the TV series "My Love from the Star".
Hu Ge is naturally the male lead. In terms of acting skills, temperament, and national popularity, he is the most suitable candidate.
Although idol dramas don't require high acting skills, Lin Yu believes that Brother Hu can portray the deep affection and loneliness that spans four hundred years.
As for the female lead, Lin Yu decided after much deliberation to give it to Liu Shishi.
She has collaborated with Hu Ge many times, and their chemistry is undeniable. The immense popularity of "Scarlet Heart" last year further boosted her fame.
More importantly, the female lead's character in the drama is very similar to her. On the surface, she is carefree and somewhat willful, but in reality, she is devoted and affectionate, and she loves and hates fiercely.
At least in terms of being devoted and affectionate, that's a perfect match, don't you think, Longrich?
Lin Gengxin plays the second male lead, a rich second-generation, infatuated, unrequited love, and a bit of a chuunibyou (a Japanese term for someone with delusions of grandeur). He's perfect for this kind of role.
Lin Yu had already thought it through: the line, "Who exactly is in Yanjing?" could even be added verbatim to the drama.
Moreover, their film "Heaven's Scar" from last year is scheduled to be broadcast on satellite TV in the second half of the year. When "My Love from the Star" is ready to be broadcast on satellite TV, it will be able to ride the wave of popularity and give the drama a higher starting point.
"This is a drama I'm preparing to film next." Lin Yu handed the script to Brother Hu, his tone gentle, "Could you please send it out for me?"
Brother Hu nodded, took the script, and handed it to Liu Shishi and Lin Gengxin in turn.
After receiving the script, the three of them subconsciously flipped through it and glanced at it a few times.
"The preliminary preparations are complete, and filming can begin at the end of this month." Lin Yu picked up his teacup and took a sip.
After pausing for a few seconds and making sure all three of them had received their scripts, he continued, "Regarding the pay, it will be 20% higher than your quoted price. Also, Sister Hua and I have discussed it, and as this is your first drama with the company, the company will only take a symbolic 10%, and the rest will be paid directly to you."
Although the salaries of celebrities in the Chinese entertainment industry have increased considerably in recent years due to the actions of coal mine owners, they are still far from being as exaggerated as they were in the later era of internet traffic.
Even top-tier male stars like Hu Ge only charge around 30 yuan per episode. A slight increase wouldn't be a burden for Lin Yu; on the contrary, it would increase the artists' sense of belonging and loyalty.
Lin Yu understood one principle very well: if you feel that your subordinates have a grudge against you or are somewhat distant, the best solution is to increase their pay.
Nothing solves the problem faster than paying more money.
As for taking a cut, Lin Yu had no intention of taking a cut if he wasn't worried that Wang Jinghua's artists would object.
Of course, Lin Yu wasn't worried about any opinions about him, but rather that these three people were now considered artists under Wang Jinghua's management, and colleagues still needed to get along. It's not about scarcity but about inequality.
Upon hearing this, all three of them were taken aback.
Hu Ge's asking price is 300,000 per episode, and if we increase it by 20%, it will be 360,000. Moreover, the company only takes 10%, which is already a very generous offer.
It's important to know that most management companies take 30% to 50% of the profits. Even for someone of Hu Ge's stature, although the official split is 50/50, industry estimates suggest it would be around 80/20. Hu Ge's 80% is basically the ceiling for top-tier artists.
Although Liu Shishi and Lin Gengxin's salaries were not as high as Hu Ge's, their income was still quite considerable based on this ratio.
"Don't be so happy yet." Lin Yu looked at the three people with delighted expressions, then his expression turned serious. "Let me make this clear from the start: you will have to pay your own taxes this time, and you must pay the full amount. The company will conduct regular audits, and if any tax evasion is discovered, you will be blacklisted without exception."
Lin Yu's voice wasn't loud, but every word was spoken exceptionally clearly, leaving no room for negotiation.
Hearing Lin Yu's final warning, the four people present nodded seriously.
Wang Jinghua made a mental note of this matter and prepared to thoroughly investigate the company's and its artists' accounts upon returning, determined not to let anything go wrong in this matter.
No one doubted whether Lin Yu could keep his word.
The experience of making sugar figurines is still vivid in my mind.
"Alright, we'll review the script more carefully when we get back." Lin Yu nodded in satisfaction at their reactions, then waved to the waiters behind him, his tone returning to its gentle tone, "Let's serve the food first, everyone's hungry."
The waiter, dressed in a Tang suit, bowed slightly and respectfully withdrew.
Lin Yu turned to the three of them and said with a smile, "This restaurant was recommended by my brother. It's a well-established restaurant that serves traditional Beijing cuisine. The food is pretty good. Eat more, or you won't miss home."
Soon, the dishes were served one after another, all of them authentic Beijing flavors.
Liu Shishi lowered her head and ate her food in small bites, her mood somewhat complicated.
On her way to Yanjing, she imagined countless times what it would be like to meet Lin Yu.
Some were arrogant and bossy, ordering them around; others flaunted their people as spoils of war, boasting to others about how easily they could handle the sugar man; and then there were the worst kind, lecherously staring at them and hinting at some unspoken rules.
After all, this kind of thing is quite common in the industry.
I never imagined it would turn out like this.
Everyone sat together amicably for dinner, discussing the script and work. Lin Yu spoke gently and politely, without the arrogance of a rich second-generation or the domineering manner of a capitalist. If she hadn't known his background beforehand, she would have mistaken him for a sunny, college-freshman just by looking at him.
It was completely unimaginable that the "home" she had relied on for survival since her debut was the one that this seemingly harmless young man had personally demolished.
Liu Shishi picked up a piece of shredded pork with sweet bean sauce with her chopsticks and chewed it slowly, but her mind was filled with the conversation she had with Sister K a few days ago.
She originally planned to go to Hong Kong Island with Sister K to try her luck.
Anyway, "Scarlet Heart" was well-received there, so maybe there will be some opportunities. At worst, there's TVB in Hong Kong, so they won't starve.
As a result, K rejected her on the spot.
K-jie is from Hong Kong and spent some time there, so she knows all too well what the Hong Kong entertainment industry is like. Rather than going to Hong Kong with her to try her luck, she'd rather gamble on Lin Yu's character; at least he seems quite protective of his own.
K-jie talked to her for a long time, repeatedly warning her to be careful of the person in front of her. In K-jie's words, Lin Yu was domineering, hypocritical, arrogant, and extremely narrow-minded.
Now that I've actually experienced it, it doesn't seem as scary as K-sister described.
At least for now, Lin Yu seems quite kind and generous, readily offering money and resources.
Liu Shishi secretly glanced at Lin Yu.
He was discussing the details of the script with Brother Hu, his expression focused, completely lacking the scrutinizing air of a boss staring at an employee.
It's more like...a conversation between friends?
Liu Shishi shook her head; she was genuinely curious about which one was the real Lin Yu.