booktalesy Chapter 79 has two more major events.
Chapter 79 has two more major events.
The private chat continued.
After listening to what the kiwi fruit company had to say, Luo Jinnian presented his recently considered cooperation plan.
"The six dramas that your Mist Theater has currently scheduled are all independent projects, right?" Luo Jinnian spoke slowly but clearly, trying to be considerate of his listeners. "Once one drama finishes airing, the next one is completely unrelated. Once the audience finishes watching, they're gone, and when the next one airs, we have to recruit people all over again."
Wang He remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"But what if we string these six shows together as a brand? A unified visual style, a unified suspense genre, and even subtle connections between characters in different shows—not plot connections, but world-building connections. After watching one show, viewers will automatically watch the next one because of their trust in the brand."
Luo Jinnian paused, glanced at Director Qin, and continued, "This model isn't new; it's been working in America for a long time. FX's *American Horror Story* has independent stories in each season, but the audience recognizes the name 'American Horror Story.' iQiyi's Mist Theater could totally become China's *American Horror Story*—no, it should be even broader than *American Horror Story*, not just horror, but a collection of all suspense genres: social realism, classic mystery, psychological thriller, crime suspense… Each one is an independent work, but together, that's the weight the name 'Mist Theater' carries in the audience's mind."
Wang He's expression changed.
He had considered this direction before; in fact, iQiyi's Mist Theater was heading in that direction, and the branding and operation of the Mist Theater had been discussed internally for some time. But now a child had brought it up—and explained it more clearly than some of their internal plans.
"You mean, turn the Mist Theater from 'a list of films' into 'a brand'?" Wang He asked.
"Yes." Luo Jinnian nodded. "And Early Spring Culture is willing to help you with this. 'The Hidden Corner' can serve as the second work of the Mist Theater, making a splash. We also have three more suspense dramas in reserve—a social realist mystery, a classic mystery, and a psychological thriller. All twelve episodes, all film-level productions, all directed by Director Qin or a director of the same caliber."
Wang He leaned back on the sofa, tapping his fingers on the armrest a few times. He was doing the math—the budget for purchasing three dramas, plus the cost of brand promotion, was no small sum. But if Luo Jinnian was telling the truth, if Early Spring Culture could consistently produce suspense dramas of this caliber, then the Mist Theater brand would be secure. And once the Mist Theater was established, Kiwi would not only have an unassailable moat in the suspense genre for the next decade, but would also lead other streaming platforms in the entire online drama field.
The name of Netflix, the streaming platform, has always been prominently associated with these newcomers in China.
If kiwifruit could become China's own Netflix, Wang He has already begun to fantasize about its future status and social influence.
"What about the scripts for those three dramas you mentioned?" Wang He asked.
Luo Jinnian pulled a folder from under the book and handed it over.
"This is the synopsis for the first book. The title hasn't been decided yet. It's about a taxi driver investigating an old case in Northeast China. The background is the layoffs of the late 1990s. It's a suspenseful story with the core of the Northeast era." He then pulled out a second booklet. "This one is called 'The Silent Truth.' It's about a prosecutor who is framed while investigating a case and dies for many, many years before his name is cleared."
Both of these scripts, along with "The Hidden Corner," consistently combine contemporary themes with suspense.
Wang He took it, but didn't look at it on the spot. Instead, he placed it on his lap and remained silent for a moment.
"How old are you?" he asked Luo Jinnian.
"twelve."
Wang He glanced at Director Qin. Director Qin smiled but offered no explanation.
"Old Qin, what's your relationship with this kid?"
"A collaborator," Director Qin said. "He founded Early Spring Culture, and in fact, he wrote all these scripts."
Wang He stared at Luo Jinnian for a few seconds, then laughed. It wasn't a polite laugh; it was the kind of laugh that came from genuinely finding it amusing.
Which young master is messing around in the entertainment industry? If all sugar daddies are this cute, those women in the entertainment industry won't have any beds to climb in the future.
"We can discuss all of this." He stood up, put the folder into the envelope, and said, "I'll take the Mist Theater proposal back for internal discussion. The price is still 25 million plus a share, but—" He looked at Luo Jinnian, "if the scripts of those three dramas you mentioned can reach the level of 'The Hidden Corner,' I can promise that the purchase price of subsequent Mist Theater projects will be based on your proposal."
Luo Jinnian also stood up and extended his hand.
Wang He grasped his hand, held it for two seconds, then released it, adding, "Have the legal department send over the contract for 'The Hidden Corner' tomorrow; let's finalize this one first."
After Wang He left, Director Qin closed the door and let out a long sigh.
"I don't even know what to say about your brain." He looked at Luo Jinnian, his tone half admiration and half resignation. "When did you start thinking about the Mist Theater?"
Luo Jinnian sat back down in his chair, picked up the book he hadn't finished reading, and turned to the page with the folded corner.
"It's all information from the internet."
Director Qin paused for a moment, then laughed: "So, based solely on information found online, you're using 'The Hidden Corner' as a stepping stone today?"
"Yes." Luo Jinnian didn't even look up. "For the Mist Theater to succeed, it needs a stable output of high-quality suspense dramas. Currently, I'm the only person in China who can consistently produce scripts of this caliber. So, they not only need to buy 'The Hidden Corner,' they need to be tied to us."
He paused for a moment as he spoke, "Of course, we're definitely in cahoots. Using 'The Hidden Corner' as a starting point, I prioritize our shared interests."
Director Qin walked over, sat down opposite him, and looked at him for a while.
"I don't care about that. Aren't you afraid they'll take your proposal and do it themselves?"
Luo Jinnian raised her head, looked at Director Qin, and had a faint smile on her lips.
"The script is in my head; they can't take it away."
Outside the window, the night in Beijing was deep. The lights of the CBD stretched as far as the eye could see, and the soft, seductive music seemed to be right next to him. Luo Jinnian glanced out the window, then lowered his head to continue reading his book.
Thirty million or the Mist Theater, it's all just the beginning.
As long as the script remains firmly in their own hands, if Kiwi doesn't do its job properly, there are plenty of streaming media outlets that can.
Luo Jinnian was initially drawn to kiwifruit because he appreciated the forward-thinking vision of their senior management over the years. Another important reason was that the "advanced screening" concept was something their company hadn't started.