nashuaworldcup Chapter 163 Lin Zhou's Response
Chapter 163 Lin Zhou's Response
In the large conference room of Chung Wah Television, the cool air from the central air conditioning quietly circulated through the space, dispelling the afternoon heat of Hong Kong.
The long, solid wood conference table was filled with the core executives of the television station, including General Manager Wang Wei, Deputy General Manager Zhou Wenjie, and heads of the production, distribution, and investment departments.
Each person had a thin sheet of paper in front of them, containing a summary of recent activities by TVB. Everyone was looking at it silently, and the atmosphere in the meeting room was subtly heavy.
Lin Zhou sat in the main seat, his fingertips lightly tapping the table. His gaze slowly swept over the expressions on everyone's faces, a faint smile playing on his lips. He didn't seem as anxious as the others.
He had just finished listening to the report from the head of the distribution department; the TV station's move this time was quite significant.
Not only did they adjust the scheduling of variety shows and dramas during prime time, but they also announced that they would be filming a adaptation of the classic wuxia novel "The Legend of the Condor Heroes".
It is said that the script has already been prepared, clearly indicating that they want to use the classic's reputation and popularity to suppress Zhonghua TV in terms of ratings.
"Mr. Lin, the radio station is clearly targeting us."
Wang Wei spoke first, his tone tinged with worry.
"Mr. Shao has been in the Hong Kong film and television industry for so many years, and his connections, plus his production experience at TVB, are all there."
"The Legend of the Condor Heroes is a well-known classic, and if it's adapted into a TV series, it will definitely draw away a lot of viewers. If we don't have a countermeasure, the subsequent ratings will likely be significantly affected."
Zhou Wenjie nodded in agreement and continued the conversation:
"Mr. Wang is right. TVB has really gone all out this time. I heard they offered a high price to hire Director Zhang, who is the best at making martial arts dramas in the industry."
They even found several popular young actors and actresses in their own training classes. Judging from this, they want to make this drama a hit of the year.
"Our ratings on Zhonghua TV have only just surpassed theirs, and the hype surrounding 'A Step into the Past' hasn't completely died down. If they take this hit, the audience base we've worked so hard to build might be shaken."
The other executives echoed this sentiment, with some suggesting that they immediately halt some of their current production plans and concentrate their resources on preparing a similar martial arts drama to directly compete with TVB.
Some have suggested increasing investment in other programs to stabilize primetime ratings with hit shows and avoid direct competition with "The Legend of the Condor Heroes".
Others felt that we should wait and see how the radio station's preparations progressed before deciding on our next move. For a time, opinions were divided in the meeting room, and discussions rose and fell.
Lin Zhou listened quietly to everyone's remarks, his fingers still tapping the table slowly and steadily.
Only when the noise in the conference room gradually subsided and everyone's eyes were focused on him did he slowly begin to speak:
"I understand everyone's concerns. TVB's strength is indeed not to be underestimated, and the reputation and value of 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' speak for themselves."
But have you ever considered how long it takes to film a classic martial arts drama, from script polishing and casting to filming, post-production, and finally, broadcast?
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and continued:
Even though TVB has already started preparations, according to the production schedule of our TV series "A Step into the Past", it will take at least three to five months, and that's assuming everything goes smoothly.
Three to five months is enough time for us to get a lot done; there's no need to panic and confront them head-on now.
"So, Mr. Lin, do you mean we should just sit idly by and do nothing?" one of the managers couldn't help but ask.
"Of course, we won't sit idly by; we'll respond to each move as it comes."
Lin Zhou shook his head and said firmly:
"If TVB wants to break through with Jin Yong's martial arts dramas, then we will continue to leverage our strengths and proceed steadily."
The second run of "A Step into the Past" can be put on the agenda, leveraging its previous popularity to continue attracting fans, or rather, to continue drawing viewers.
The self-produced variety show "Hong Kong Entertainment Gossip" that I proposed needs to be prepared as soon as possible to maintain the competitiveness of the variety show segment in the future.
More importantly, the television adaptation of my novel "Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty" officially begins today.
Upon hearing this, the conference room fell silent. Many people looked surprised, but then excitement surged in their eyes.
"Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty," a classic martial arts novel by Lin Zhou, has already sold over a million copies in Hong Kong.
It has a very strong reader base, and is in no way inferior to "The Legend of the Condor Heroes".
Moreover, the novel has a captivating plot, vivid characters, and magnificent scenes, making it very suitable for adaptation into a TV series. If it can be filmed well, it will definitely be a masterpiece that can rival TVB's "The Legend of the Condor Heroes".
"Mr. Lin, do you mean we should start adapting 'Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty' right now?"
Zhou Wenjie's eyes were filled with excitement. He had long recognized the adaptation value of this novel, but he had not yet received clear instructions from Lin Zhou.
"So, how should we arrange the script, the director, and the casting?"
"Regarding the script, a dedicated adaptation team has been established, and I will personally review the script to ensure that the essence of the original work is not lost."
At the same time, the narrative pacing of the TV series must also be maintained so that readers who are not familiar with the original work can also enjoy it.
Lin Zhou arranged things in a clear and organized manner!
"As for the director, we will use the director who filmed 'A Step into the Past'. We can tell that he is good at shooting fight scenes and large-scale scenes. We don't seek the most famous, but the one with the highest compatibility."
The production department took the lead and produced a first draft of the script within half a month.
In terms of casting, we insist on giving equal importance to both looks and acting skills, and do not rely solely on connections. The distribution and production departments cooperate to open up casting within our agency and television stations. As long as they fit the character image, whether they are newcomers or veteran actors, singers or others, they all have a chance.
Regarding production costs, don't skimp on them. I'll still allocate a budget of ten million Hong Kong dollars to ensure the production quality of this drama is top-notch, reaching the pinnacle of Hong Kong martial arts dramas.
The mention of a budget of ten million Hong Kong dollars sent a collective gasp through the room.
It's important to know that in Hong Kong today, the production budget for a TV series is usually between several hundred thousand and a million Hong Kong dollars. A budget of tens of millions is absolutely unprecedented, which shows how much Lin Zhou values the adaptation of "Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty".
"Don't worry, Mr. Lin, we will definitely live up to your expectations and make 'Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty' a great film!"
Wang Wei was the first to express his opinion, his tone full of determination. With Lin Zhou's clear instructions and sufficient financial support, he immediately felt reassured.
"Not only do we need to shoot well, but we also need to shoot quickly."
Lin Zhou then added:
"I'm only giving you six months. Within six months, you need to complete filming and post-production and try to meet the audience again when TVB broadcasts 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes.' I want to see if we can compete head-to-head with TVB in terms of ratings."
Completing the filming and post-production of a martial arts drama with a budget of tens of millions of yuan in just six months is undoubtedly a huge challenge.
But none of the executives present had any doubts when they saw Lin Zhou's determined eyes, ever since Lin Zhou took over Zhonghua TV.
In just a few months, they were able to surpass TVB. They believe that under Lin Zhou's leadership, they can accomplish this seemingly impossible task again.