“Alright.” Manager Huang nodded.
Xu Dashi said, “Our estimate of the production fees is $650 million. We will find investors and some sponsors. You do not have to worry about that.”
“Let us talk about the problem with the script,” Manager Wu of the development department said. “We have read Tan Mo’s script. Based on the current two episodes, it is good.”
“However, we would want to follow the American style of developing the drama episodes. Like American dramas, we also plan to create a small scriptwriting team for the creation of the script,” Manager Wu said.
Xu Dashi and the general manager of the television series corporate division, Yan Zhengxing, looked at Manager Wu.
Why had they never heard Manager Wu mention this before?
“The scriptwriting team will discuss the plot together to ensure that the script is of the highest quality,” Manager Wu said. “At the same time, we will invite a top scriptwriter in the industry as the chief scriptwriter to lead the team.”
Tan Jinqi furrowed his brows and said lowly, “I do not agree.”
Manager Wu seemed to have expected that he would say that and said, “Director Tan, calm down. I made this suggestion since Tan Mo does not have much experience as a scriptwriter. Of course, I know that she was the scriptwriter for ‘Legend of Wei and Jin,’ and she was indeed incredible to complete the scriptwriting for such a large-scale historical film alone.”
“However, we can’t ignore that she is well-versed in history and had good control of the historical details. It was sufficient to just link each historical event together naturally after organizing them,” Manager Wu said. “However, this film is entirely different. It is fully reliant on creativity. The remaining plots are created based on inspiration, and there are no reference materials.”
“Conflicts, development of feelings, etc., must flow naturally. Moreover, the pace of the plot will be very fast, and a large volume of events is required to fill up the film. Tan Mo does not have much experience and will face difficulty finding the balance. Moreover, there is the problem of the explicit rating,” Manager Wu said. “Some scenarios can be filmed while others cannot. Even then, what can be revealed in each filmed scene cannot be too much or too little.”
“This would require a very experienced scriptwriter to find the right balance, do an overall planning of the pace of the film, and to lead the team, which would make things much easier,” Manager Wu said.
“I do not agree,” Tan Jinqi said coldly. “The whole script is Tan Mo’s idea. The structure of the story was built by Tan Mo independently. Even if a scriptwriting team is to be formed, Tan Mo must be the chief scriptwriter.”
In front of outsiders, Tan Jinqi called his sister Tan Mo directly to let her appear more professional.
It was to prevent them from feeling that Tan Mo was not professional enough.
Manager Wu’s expression darkened.
Tan Jinqi was here to obtain an investment.
In his honest opinion, he felt that Kefeng Films had agreed to invest in this film quickly. To let the inexperienced Tan Jinqi, who did not have a single work to his name, be the director of such a large production was purely because of Wei Zhiqian.
If there was no Wei Zhiqian, where would Tan Jinqi get his right to speak?
He did not have the right to speak here.
He did not even have the right to be here.
They would not have asked him to direct this production.
They would not have even accepted this script.
“Since you said that you will consult the American style of production, then you should also know that the production process of American films is that the chief scriptwriter thinks of an idea, submits it to the television station, and the station produces a pilot episode. If it is a success, the scriptwriter who came up with the idea will be the chief scriptwriter and create the scriptwriting team. The chief scriptwriter will be in charge of the entire script.”
“Therefore, even if a scriptwriting team is created, Tan Mo should be the chief scriptwriter. It is up to her to decide on the members of the team,” Tan Jinqi said. “Also, because of the way American dramas are produced and aired, they use the model of airing an episode per week and air as they film. The scriptwriter will adjust the plot anytime based on audience feedback and the actors’ schedules.
“Because of the tight timeline, each role on the team is clear. Some people are in charge of writing the characters, the structure of the story, and the plot, and the chief scriptwriter is the main writer.”
“However, although Kefeng Films follows the American drama airing schedule, the filming method still follows our habit here, which is to air after filming everything,” Tan Jinqi said coldly. “Of course, there are a lot of dramas now that also use scriptwriting teams. With a chief scriptwriter, the others take on an assisting role.”
“Tan Mo finished writing ‘Legend of Wei and Jin’ back then, and she could finish writing this film now,” Tan Jinqi said coldly. “Of course, creating a team would be helpful to Tan Mo. It is Tan Mo’s decision to create a team or not. If she creates one, the main scriptwriter must be Tan Mo. There will not be anyone on the team who can challenge her authority and feel that because they have been a scriptwriter for a long period of time and have rich experience they could challenge her.”
Manager Wu’s expression darkened due to Tan Jinqi’s failure to appreciate his kindness.
“I am talking to you nicely, but you want a mile after being given an inch,” Manager Wu said coldly. “To tell you the truth, we do not lack good scripts. We receive more than 10 scripts every day. Amongst them are deep and quality scripts. Compared to those, while this script is a novel, it is also lacking. If not for…”
If not for Wei Zhiqian.
“Manager Wu!” Xu Dashi shouted when he saw that he went overboard. “We analyzed the script and agreed to film it. All of us felt that it was good. If you felt that it would not work, why didn’t you say so in the meeting?”
“I was thinking that since all of you wanted to film it, then we would film it,” Manager Wu said. “At most, we would hire a major scriptwriter to control it. While results may not be guaranteed, at least it wouldn’t be bad.”
“Manager Wu,” Tan Mo said faintly, “may I remind you that I received a Tulip Award for best scriptwriting, and I am the youngest recipient for the award. You can calculate how many people received this award. I am the youngest major scriptwriter.”
Everyone was shocked.
They had just thought that Tan Mo was the scriptwriter of “Legend of Wei and Jin.”
They forgot that Tan Mo also received the Tulip Award.
Manager Wu was speechless.
“You said that I was at the advantage when I wrote the script for ‘Legend of Wei and Jin.’ I had only linked up historical events. Are you more professional than the judges of the Tulip Awards? Since this is the case, why did they give me this award? Why don’t I make a call to the judges and ask them?”
Tan Jinqi raised his brows. a smile formed on his lips.
Tan Mo was rarely this aggressive in front of outsiders.
She was unwilling to be at a disadvantage.
“As the manager of the production department, you might be professional in terms of production. But in terms of scriptwriting, let the professionals do their job,” Tan Mo said.
