Feature Shows Extravaganza - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Preparing the Project

Translator: Henyee Translations

Editor: Henyee Translations

“What was that? Do you want to make a TV show?”

In the general manager’s office of Pengda Toy Factory, Meng Minghui, the boss, bellowed, which made the employees passing by turn their heads curiously.

Why was their boss so agitated?

Had their boss’ son just told his dad that he was going to be a grandfather?

Forgetting about the gossipy look on the staff’s face and wiping the sweat from his face, Meng Lang said in a serious tone. “Yes! To save this Pengda Toy Factory that’s bordering on bankruptcy, your son, a.k.a. the future heir to this family business and second ruler of Pengda, has decided that he’s going to make a TV show!”

“Get the hell out of here! Are you even listening to yourself?! I’ll buy it if you’re making a game. At least that has something to do with computers! You’re directing a TV show yourself? Do you take me for a fool?”

The old man was especially agitated and smacked the table. “You want to save this factory? Good! Starting from the day after tomorrow… no, tomorrow, you’re going onto the assembly line with other workers!”

Mr. Old Meng didn’t receive much schooling and spoke with a heavy accent. With his stubbornness and irascible temper, Meng Lang felt like banging his head against the wall when he talked to his father.

“Can’t you just read my script first?! I’m serious! Like, really serious!”

With a wave of his hand, Meng Lang pointed at the green Kitaro toy figurine on Meng Minghui’s desk. “So, this is what you want to keep doing? Be an OEM?

“Dad, times have changed! The financial crisis is aggravating and there’s global warming! Everything says that OEM is a lost cause and we’ll die out eventually! We need our own intellectual property and we must make our own products!”

“Kitaro is a cartoon character, but you’re not making cartoons…” Mr. Old Meng seemed to relent a little and his tone softened. “You have a point. I have thought about creating our own intellectual property as well, but TV shows don’t have much to do with toys. If you really want to make one, how about making a cartoon series?”

Cartoon…

Meng Lang saw his father as a thoughtful guy, since he had already thought about investing in the animation industry and creating his own intellectual property products.

Unfortunately, getting into the animation industry required substantial investment, which was something Mr. Old Meng couldn’t afford.

“Cartoons require a great deal of investment. You can put in millions without receiving any returns.”

Meng Lang calculated with his right hand the information he found on line, then gave Old Meng an answer. “10 million.”

“10 million?” Meng Minghui asked with his eyes wide open.

“That’s the initial investment of an animation work that’s promising. 10 million at least!” Meng Lang explained.

Mr. Old Meng wasn’t having it and spoke whilst his lips twitched, “Do you think I’m dumb? I’m a toy maker, if nothing else. I’ve dealt with people in the animation industry before and I know how much it’ll cost to make cartoons!

“You brat! I started from scratch and have saved up tens of millions all by myself. I know too much for you to fool me around!”

Meng Lang was speechless. “You? Started from scratch? Wasn’t my grandfather the founder of this factory?”

“Ahem…” Mr. Old Meng looked embarrassed.

Meng Lang wouldn’t let it drop just yet. Rolling his eyes, he said, “As for your judgement… In my grandfather’s time, Pengda Toy Factory was valued at over 100 million and has almost gotten listed. After you took over, the value of the factory shrank more than half and it’s on the verge of bankruptcy…”

“That’s enough!”

With a stern look on his face, Meng Minghui scolded his son. “I’m doing this for your own good! Your grandfather has spoiled you into a lazy good-for-nothing and I’ve deliberately turned the factory into this just so you can understand that you’re not becoming a NEET. Your only way out is to study hard and rebuild the reputation of Pengda Toy Factory. You either do that, or you’re going to live on the street!”

“You just want me to take over, so you can have an early retirement, don’t you?” Meng Lang was utterly speechless.

Mr. Old Meng often referred to himself as an “elite businessman”, but he knew next to nothing about running a business. If it weren’t for the fact that Meng Lang’s grandfather only had one daughter, he would never have given the factory to his dumb son-in-law.

It seemed now that Meng Lang’s grandfather was indeed worthy of the reputation of being the man who built a toy empire from the ground up. He had an eye for reliable people.

Pengda Toy Factory used to be a star company of Jiangchuan that was worth hundreds of millions and there was hope for getting listed. With his death, the factory was handed over to Meng Minghui and in less than 10 years, the factory became what it was now.

Meng Minghui might not have been a qualified business leader, but he was a qualified father.

Although he didn’t like the yo-yo strategy his son proposed, he was willing to let him try it.

Hence, when Meng Lang’s mouth became parched from all the talking, Meng Minghui finally agreed to invest in Blazing Teens!

He gave Meng Lang a million, which wasn’t a lot.

Mr. Old Meng’s original words were: “The factory isn’t doing great and I haven’t been able to leave much inheritance for you, but I can live with losing a million. You’ve promised me, anyway. If this doesn’t work out, you’ll come back and work in the factory as you should.”

If the show didn’t work out, he would have to inherit his family business?

How frightening.

…

With the one-million investment, Meng Lang could finally get down to business.

The first thing he did was inject capital into the bank account of the newly registered company of “Jiang Chuan Pengda Pictures”, then began working on the filing and initiation of the project.

The initiation process was rather straightforward. The Internet in this world was very advanced and one could get all kinds of business done online.

The approval of a TV show project was no different. Even the filming licence of Pengda Pictures could be easily obtained. Meng Lang outsourced the business to a third-party agency, who informed him that he could receive the licence and the approval in as short as three days.

Once the project had been approved, Meng Lang visited the copyright office, the most popular location in this world, so that his yo-yos could be included in the scope of copyright protection. He applied for patents in the design, utility model, and invention of yo-yos.

Since yo-yos didn’t exist in this world, Meng Lang decided that he shouldn’t have been blamed for being shameless.

After the application of patents went through, Meng Lang received a phone call from the agency, informing him that he had received various filming licences that he needed as well as the approval of Blazing Teens.

The entire process cost Meng Lang nearly 200,000 and Blazing Teens hadn’t even started shooting yet.

Most of it was spent on the acquisition of a shell company with various licences of the film and TV industry through the agency. The commission itself wasn’t all that expensive.

“That money won’t last much longer!” Meng Lang sighed in amazement. While he was at it, he took a picture of the front door of the newly founded Pengda Pictures and sent it to Mr. Old Meng.

Old Meng replied with “…” on WeChat, then asked, “How much do you want?”

No one knew a son better than his father. Old Meng knew Meng Lang too well.

They were family and Meng Lang didn’t feel ashamed for being short on capital. He concisely told his father about what he spent the money on over the past few days, then emphasized. “I can’t make the show with just 800,000. Make it a whole number and give me a million more!”

A whole number? The hell with that!

Did you just take me for an ATM machine? thought his father.

Gritting his teeth, Old Meng said, “Where am I supposed to find an extra million for you? I don’t have it!”

“Don’t we have a house at Garden Bridge? No one’s living there for the moment. Just sell it!”

“That’s going to be your marital home! For when you get married! Where are you and your wife going to live if we sell it? You can’t continue living with us after you’re married!” Old Meng’s bellowing voice came from the other end of the phone, which made Meng Lang jump.