"What you said is true?"

Shen Chong stood up suddenly, accidentally knocked over the pen holder on the table, and spilled it all over the ground, but he didn't care, and stared at the thin man with glasses standing opposite the desk.

"Really." The man with glasses nodded firmly, with a smug look on his face, and said, "Uncle Sixth personally agreed." ”

"Okay, great!" Shen Chong clenched his fists, made a small jab movement, and praised: "Rover, you have made a great contribution!" (Note 1)

Shen Chong's film magazine plan has been completed by one, and the "Film Times" weekly has been completed, and the response has been good, with more than 4,000 copies sold in three days on the market, which is more than the two issues of the short-lived "Film Biweekly" combined.

However, after all, the weekly is a popular fashion film magazine, as long as there are well-informed reporters and photographers with good skills, they can quickly get started.

Shen Chong doesn't care much about "Film Times" at the moment, the sales are still too small, and when the sales volume of each issue exceeds 1o, it can be regarded as a small climate, which will help the future plan.

Therefore, most of his time in the magazine is spent in the monthly magazine "First Film Review", and there is no big editorial problem, Chen Baisheng, Li Xuantao, and Luo Weiming, the seeds left by the "Film Biweekly", are all literary and artistic people with good taste, and the key problem is the lack of stable sources of high-quality manuscripts.

Since its birth, Hong Kong films have been taking the route of popularization and commercialization, and there is a lingering grassroots kitsch atmosphere, so many elites in the cultural circle only watch foreign language films and rarely pay attention to Hong Kong local films, this situation is similar to martial arts novels, although they are popular throughout the Chinese world, the mainstream elites in the literary and artistic circles rarely pay attention to it. (Note 2)

Regarding this, the diary left by his predecessor recorded such a story: one day he and a professor in the Chinese Department met by chance on campus, chatting about Jin Yong, and the professor said: "I have never read Jin Yong's book." The predecessor Shen Chong asked: "Does it include his martial arts novels?" The professor replied, "Is that a novel?" (Note 3)

In the eyes of the elite in the literary and artistic circles, Hong Kong films have a status of about this, so it is a bit difficult to find high-quality scripts in Hong Kong.

This situation made Shen Chong very helpless, although Shi Qi, Luo Ka and other senior film critics agreed to write, but if the magazine only has a few authors, it will be too niche, and if it is a small number, its influence will not rise.

Therefore, he plans to take a two-pronged approach, on the one hand, he will contact Taiwanese filmmakers and scholars, and the humanistic atmosphere in Taiwan's film circle is relatively strong, and on the other hand, he plans to interview a film industry boss in the inaugural issue, "With the strength of the good wind, send me to the clouds", borrowing the fame and status of the big man to expand the influence of the magazine.

Because of Shu Qi's relationship, the magazine and Golden Harvest have more contact, Shen Chong originally planned to interview Zou Wenhuai, but he recently went to the United States to discuss cooperation plans with the senior management of Fox Film Company, and then found Wu Siyuan, who was far away in Taiwan, to assist Tsui Hark in filming "Butterfly Change", and he couldn't spare time. (Note 4)

Shen Chong was having a headache about this, and he couldn't imagine that Rover, the newly recruited new editor, had actually made a great contribution - he moved Run Run Shaw and agreed to be interviewed by the magazine.

With Run Run Shaw's status in the film industry, it is a great thing that the inaugural issue can interview him.

Run Run Shaw lived in a simple house, and he couldn't even interview his own magazine, and the magazine didn't have any connections in Shaw, so he couldn't find a weighty central contact, so he agreed that interviewing him was a fantasy, and he didn't even try, and he couldn't imagine that Rover had completed this impossible task.

"Rover, you can do it." After Shen Chong calmed down, he asked curiously, "How did you come into contact with Uncle Shao Liu?" ”

"I used to be a voice actor at Shaw Brothers, and Uncle Six didn't know Cantonese, so every time he participated in an event and gave a speech, he would ask me to read the script to him, and then he memorized it, so I had contact with it a few times." Rover lifted his glasses, with a shy and smug smile, and said, "I'm just going to give it a try, but I didn't expect that Uncle Six would agree immediately, and I was also surprised." (Note 5)

"It's yours, it's guts!"

Shen Chong took out the checkbook from the drawer, signed it neatly, tore it off, handed it to Rover, and said, "This is my personal reward for you, and when the interview is completed, the magazine will give another reward." ”

"Mr. Shen, I don't want money." Rover shirked: "If you can take me with you during the interview, I will be satisfied." ”

"Okay, you can interview me then." Shen Chong made a final decision, he stuffed the check to Rover, and said: "Merit will be rewarded, take this, if you don't take it, how can I motivate others in the future." ”

"Thank you, Mr. Shen.

"Well, go and call in the editorial team of the monthly magazine." Shen Chong instructed: "Let's have a meeting to discuss the topic of the interview." ”

"Okay."

Rover had just left when the phone on his desk rang.

"Hello?"

In the magazine, Shen Chong deliberately created a relaxed and suitable working environment, so he didn't engage in the secretary to transfer the set of x gimmicks, and the phone calls were made directly to the desk.

"Ah Chong, I went shopping with Xinxin in the evening, and I might go back late."

"Okay, got it."

Hanging up the phone, Shen Chong couldn't help but sigh, Li Kaiyuan is really a perfect lover.

Since the relationship between the two, every night, if she gets off work normally and there is no ambiguous activity, she will come upstairs, watch TV and chat with Shen Chong, go home and sleep at ten o'clock, if there is something, whether it is overtime or socializing, she will notify Shen Chong in advance, but she is not as obsessed and clingy as girls in general in love, except for the occasional female coquettish side, basically the same as before, what to do, what to say, very independent, Leave a lot of private space for Shen Chong.

After a meeting with the editors and looking at the time, it was almost six o'clock, Shen Chong packed a few things, left the magazine, and prepared to go home.

Xu Anhua took the crew to Macau to shoot Zhang Aijia's footage of tracking down the details, which could have been filmed on the same day and returned to Hong Kong, but Shen Chong saw that the filming progress was very ideal, and everyone was a little tired recently, so he gave the crew a day off and let them play in Macau for a day, and the room and board were reimbursed, but if they went to gamble, they would be responsible for their own profits and losses.

There are no work samples to watch tonight, and there are no soft girls to hug, it is rare to be quiet, and when I go home, I can quietly write that analysis of current affairs about the Vietnam War that I am not satisfied with many times.

However, Shen Chong's plan went bankrupt.

As soon as I opened the door, I heard the sound of "beep beep" jerking off - the landlord heard that Renjie was coming, this guy had stuffed the game console to Shen Chong since his wife was pregnant, and he came to have a good time from time to time.

But today, he not only came alone to enjoy it, but also brought a foreigner.

"Ah Chong, you're back." Wen Renjie dropped the handle, jumped up, and couldn't wait to ask: "Are you the co-author of the Rubik's Cube article in the latest issue of Scientific American?" ”

"It's me." Shen Chong put down his backpack and asked strangely, "What are you excited about?" ”

"I'm not excited, it's my master who is excited." Wen Renjie introduced the foreigner who was sitting on the floor, holding the handle and greeting Shen Chong, "This is my master James, James Rover." (Note 6)

Then he said in English: "James, this is my friend, Shen, who co-wrote the article with Gardner." ”

The bespectacled foreigner stood up, opened his mouth, his eyes widened, with a very exaggerated expression of surprise, he held Shen Chong's hand, shook it vigorously, and said anxiously in English: "Hello, it's nice to meet you, I'm a Gardner-level fan, have you seen him in person?" What does he look like? ”

Shen Chong couldn't stand the enthusiasm of this foreigner, he got rid of his hand and asked Wen Renjie in Cantonese: "He is usually like this?" ”

Wen Renjie was speechless, just nodded.

Strange things are everywhere......

In order to deal with foreigners, Shen Chong took out a photo of him and Gardner in Cleveland County, and when he saw the photo, he seemed to have an exaggerated expression like a goddess, which made Shen Chong feel that he was quite cute.

"Alright, if you like it, I'll give you these pictures." Shen Chong took out a few photos of Old Man Gardner occupying the main picture and handed them to the foreigner.

"Thank you, thank you." The foreigner thanked him without saying anything, and then gave Shen Chong a big bear hug, "Shen, you are my best friend." ”

Nima, when did we all become friends......

After talking to the foreigner for a while about meeting Gardner, Shen Chong deliberately led the conversation and talked about video games.

After chatting for a while, Shen Chong asked casually, "James, if I want to open a game running on Atari Vcs, do I need to submit an application to Atari Corporation?" ”

"I don't think so." James thought for a moment and said, "When I went back to the United States last month, I heard that there were four guys in the game development department who were dissatisfied with the new boss and quit the company, and then started an independent game production company that specializes in running games on Atari Vcs. (Note 7)

"Really?"

"That's right, if you want to know the details, I'll help you inquire the next time I go back to the United States."

"Okay, thank you."

"Ah Chong, do you want to start a video game?" Wen Renjie asked, "Aren't you making a movie?" ”

"Making movies and making video games don't conflict." Shen Chong put his feet on the coffee table, hugged the back of his head with both hands, and said leisurely: "I have a few very interesting ideas, I think it will be very fun after making a game." ”

"What's the idea?" James is sensitive to the game, "Say it and listen." ”

"Can't say, can't say." Shen Chong shook his head, "Unless you become employees of my company and sign a confidentiality agreement." ”

"Don't sell it." Wen Renjie didn't care, and said: "My master is very powerful, if you tell the idea, maybe you can really make it." ”

"I'm afraid you'll make it." Shen Chong pouted and smiled, and said, "Each of my ideas is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, how can I sue you casually." ”

"Pretend to be a ghost, you can brag!" Wen Renjie didn't believe it, "Atari VCS spent 100 million US dollars on research, and it hasn't recovered the cost after selling it for two years, Ah Chong, you can think of an idea casually, it can be worth hundreds of millions of dollars?" ”

Shen Chong didn't argue, and chatted with James about some of the above problems.

I haven't eaten pork, can I still see a pig running, although Shen Chong's computer course was a mess in his previous life, many of his classmates entered the game company after graduation, and when they chatted at parties, they always talked about some professional topics, Shen Chong himself couldn't do it, but he knew some basic knowledge, and he could still barely judge a person's professional ability.

After chatting, Shen Chong probably knew why Wen Renjie admired this foreigner very much, this guy is not only proficient in electronics, but also can engage in programming, and has a quick mind and an open mind, he is a good cow.

When the two said goodbye and left, Shen Chong grabbed Wen Renjie and said, "Brother Jie, you help me watch your master, if he has the idea of resigning or changing jobs, notify me as soon as possible." ”

"What for?" Wen Renjie was stunned for a moment, and then asked, "Ah Chong, are you really going to make a video game?" ”

"Of course." Shen Chong looked at him and said, "Brother Jie, you are the same, if you want to change your working environment, come to me." ”

"Okay."

After bidding farewell to the two, Shen Chong found a small notebook and wrote down two lines on it.

"Pac-Man."

"Tetris."

Later home game console manufacturers, such as Nintendo, Sega and other manufacturers, have adopted a confidential lock system, and the game developer must sign a contract with the manufacturer to obtain the verification key chip that the cassette must contain before the game can be opened, otherwise even if it is opened, it will not be able to run on the console.

And Shen Chong asked James just now, and learned that Atari VCS does not have a so-called secret locking system at all, its technical specifications are public, and theoretically anyone can freely open and sell games running on it.

It's a huge cake...... The Atari VCS sold more than 1ooo million units, and in 1981 the revenue was twice that of Hollywood!

Shen Chong naturally won't let go of such a big cake, and he is ready to take out "Pac-Man" and "Tetris", two god-level works in the history of video games, to attract money.

Pac-Man was sold by Namco on the arcade platform in 198o, and it quickly won the hearts of players of all levels, including women and children, with its cute image and high playability, and became a global phenomenon.

"Pac-Man" has been popular since its release, and in the past 3o years, more than 1o billion people around the world have played this game, and the round-faced elf with a big mouth has become one of the most successful and recognizable game characters in the world.

And Shen Chong remembered that in the nostalgic post of Atari that he had read, "Pac-Man" and Atari Vnetbsp were mentioned; In 1982, the successor to the Atari Vcs, the Atari 26oo, was still the world's most popular home console, but the pressure of competition in the market was increasing, so Atari spent a lot of money to buy the porting rights of "Pac-Man", intending to use the influence of the world's most popular arcade game to win the war on home consoles.

Unfortunately, however, Atari's marketing department was too eager to make a quick profit, and rushed to sell Pac-Man, which had not yet been fully ported and still had huge flaws, leading to a disaster in the history of video games.

Atari's management had high hopes for Pac-Man, and produced 120,000 copies of Pac-Man cartridges in advance when only 1ooo million game consoles were sold worldwide, hoping that it would drive the sales of game consoles, but due to the poor porting effect of the game and the rave reviews, only 7oo0,000 copies were sold in the end, and the remaining 5oo0,000 sets were shipped to the desert in Mexico to be buried and destroyed, causing huge losses, which became one of the triggers for Atari to quickly go from glory to collapse.

Think about it, just the incomplete transplant and the rave reviews of "Pac-Man" can sell 7oo million copies, so what kind of madness will the perfect version of "Pac-Man" that was originally opened on Atari Vcs cause?

With the current level of science and technology, cassettes are high-tech gadgets, piracy does not exist, and each one is worth a lot of money, and the profit margin is amazing.

As for Tetris, do you need to say more? Everyone on earth knows it......

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Note 1: Rover here is a pseudonym, because the deity is still on the Internet.

Note 2: As described in Hong Kong New Wave Cinema, it was only after the New Wave that the mainstream of Hong Kong intellectuals began to pay attention to Hong Kong cinema.

Note 3: According to Rover's blog.

Note 4: Based on Zou Wenhuai's interview, perfunctory.

Note 5: According to Rover's blog post.

Note 6: This is a tribute to James.

Note 7: This company refers to Anet, the "Activision" in front of "Activision Blizzard", which is this company, which is the company that changed the rules of video games, the original video game industry giant.

Tips: The new domain name "biquge.info" has been launched by Biquge, and the original domain name is about to be discontinued. Please tell each other, thank you!