The door slamd shut with a loud bang, shaking off several strands of decorative lights hanging on it. Bo Yan didn’t say anything. He just took off his coat on the side. Next to him, Wei Jingjing and Little Tang approached him, "Siyu, she..."
Bo Yan shook his head. He knew what Xia Siyu was upset about. The thing about lowering her pay... it was indeed due to insufficient investnt. This was Xia Siyu Studio’s first project. Even if she had no concept of money, she couldn’t just quote prices randomly. It would make it difficult for her to take on other films later. In front of her manager and assistant, she indeed needed to set an example, or else she wouldn’t be able to stand firm in the company in the future.
But as for investnt, it’s obvious that the film Bo Yan wanted to make was more artistic, and it’s common knowledge that art films don’t really make much money. Creating a sense of prestige with lots of money doesn’t necessarily ensure a high box office return. Not losing too much is already considered good. Therefore, even though Bo Yan has a good reputation and has Yu Fenfei’s team backing him, investors still have concerns.
Moreover, this was a female-led film. Chen Bailu was undeniably the main character in "Sunrise," and in their plays, she was also the lead. Although Xia Siyu had good box office numbers in the past, her hits were all chick flicks and urban youth films. "Storm" wasn’t carried by her alone; she was only a third billing, with Bo Yan and Shang Feifei ahead of her, along with Director Wang Ju. This kind of period piece, if fild well, can have a good texture, but it’s uncertain if Xia Siyu can handle it.
If they wanted to pull in investnt, it wasn’t impossible. An investor suggested getting a certain idol to join the cast. After considering it, Bo Yan refused, and the potential funding fell through. What he wanted to create was a high-quality film, not just sothing thrown together for box office numbers. Even if an idol could contribute positively to the box office, he wasn’t willing, as he didn’t have the ti to hone their acting skills, even if it was just for a few minutes of screen ti.
The producer was also from Yu Fenfei’s team. They knew each other from working on "Spring Light" before. Because "Spring Light" had been held up for approval, Bo Yan didn’t take a fee. It was agreed that he’d get a share from the box office revenue once it released, but now it couldn’t even be released, let alone bringing in revenue. Everyone was strapped for cash, wanting to make every cent count. Bo Yan didn’t take a fee for this film and had to make tough decisions.
It’s not that he didn’t want to pay her; it’s that he genuinely couldn’t afford it. But Xia Siyu couldn’t wait any longer. There was less than two years left of the ti she agreed with Shang Feifei. If they didn’t shoot now, they wouldn’t have another chance. The film would need to be released imdiately afterward, or it couldn’t be awarded.
Who knew her reaction would be so strong this ti?
However, this indeed was his oversight. Xia Siyu had every reason to be angry, and he didn’t intend to argue. After Wei Jingjing and Little Tang tidied up and left, Bo Yan went to her door. "I’m sorry, it really was my fault today. We couldn’t secure enough investnt, so I had the producer say that. If the funding was adequate, of course I’d be willing to give you a higher pay. Now that the project is set, I want to finish filming soon. If we need additional investnt later in the post-production, I’m planning to sell Yushu Facing the Wind. No matter what, your salary is written in the contract, and not a single cent will be short."
Just as Bo Yan finished speaking, the door swung open with a bang. Bo Yan and she stood face to face, eyes locked in a stare, neither saying a word. After a while, Xia Siyu suddenly added, "Move!"
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